"It always looks calmer across the bay. It isn't always."

Steve.

Nine weeks on the water and i limped into Miami harbor yesterday. As if to mark the occaision, the bottom half of my kickup rudder, (which has worked fine all along but was do for attention once i made it to Miami), broke lose with an east wind pushing against the outgoing tide of the inlet. The worst conditions for entering these Florida inlets. After it broke it was hanging by the lift mechanism but i was zinging along at 4.5 knots when i lost steerage so that when i tried to pull it in it broke off all together. By the time i got the jib down and hauled in the anchor which fell over board( the shit is really hitting the fan now i said to myself) the piece had either sunk or was just lost in the general chop. I got 'ole putt putt going and managed to avoid the rocks on the northern jetty just as a tanker was coming out the channel. More details i will leave out, but instead of a triumphant solo sailor proudly steering his trusted friend into harbor after close to 2000 mi i was hunched over in the corner trying to steer the boat against the tide with the way too short outboard handle.

Never the less i made it, as i have managed all along and I continue to be much better at getting out of tight spots than avoiding them. I docked at the city marina for the afternoon looking for a doityourself marina where i could go to execute a repair. On the way back from the big beautifull Miami Public Library, i started looking for a scrap of plywood i could use temporarily, when i came upon a highrise under construction. The Latinos working there were more than happy to give me a scrap of a staging plank and saw it in half too. Back at the boat i had the old piece removed and the new 1 1/2 in. piece of exterior plywood installed in about 30 min. saving alot of money and time. The new rudder is a bit crude looking but it is all under water and might be even better because it is shorter, eliminating the need to have it kick up at all.

SO much to try to recount since i last wrote. I am behind and i don't really think i can catch up. Almost 100 days now and almost every one spent in a different location. I believe i have only spent 5 nights tide up to a pier or dock. Once i was too drunk to navigate anywhere( another story), once i had just hauled in the kids and their dead engine and once i was in Atlantic City where i had gone to play the tables. The other two times, it must have seemed convienient. I have not paid a slip rental yet and only a few times paid to dock during the day so i could visit the city and resupply. I have become adept at being inconspicuous on the water.

I find the urge to continue sailing south strong and i will be downloading the charts( i only brought those for as far as Miami) for the florida keys while i'm here in Key Biscayne Library. The water is clear aqua since Fort Pierce Inlet and you can see the bottom in thirty feet of water. Coconut palms are everywhere and often i can find a coco lying on the shore or floating as i sail by. Still above normal temps , near 90 most days, though there is a strong cold front pushing through this weekend which will bring very high seas, and lower temps.

I have decided to return to new hampshire for the xmas holiday as i miss my family and want to spend that time with them.