Washed the boat today for the trip tomorrow. Checked fluids and everything looks good. Ran through the navigational route and set waypoints into the chart plotter. It’s handy using three points of reference to prepare for the next leg. I have Navionics software on my phone and iPad, paper charts and, of course, the Raymarine chart plotter. There are other points of reference and resources including Waterways Guide (app and books). Because we’re going into areas of which we have no knowledge, it requires a lot of time, study, and preparation. However, the best info is local knowledge. But when you’re looking out 100 + miles, that info is sometimes hard to come by. My estimate for our leg tomorrow is 125 miles, 5-6 hours, and a fuel burn rate of ~30 gal / hr. Needless to say we’re running on the outside. Weather and sea conditions are favorable: sunny, clear with east winds switching to the north and seas ~ 2 feet and less.

Plans are to be in Naples for a week, visiting friends for the weekend, then go to Marathon Key and stay at Faro Blanco. The 150-mile run to Marathon goes between the Everglades and the FL Keys. Local intel flagged a critical cut, the “Ship’s Cut”, a very narrow set of channel markers located in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico! (Mild exaggeration!). Missing it puts you in 2 feet of water and a likely grounding! Ouch!

We’re planned out as far as North Palm Beach for Memorial weekend. Got to pick up speed and time - weather and mechanical conditions permitting.