We will be travelling for the next three months, so completion of Tugga Bugga will have to wait until August. Since my last post I did accomplish a couple of things. Testing with fiberglass, I found that sheathing the centerboard will only add 1 mm to its thickness, and another milimeter if I sheath the inside of the centerboard trunk. I spent one day carefully drawing out the shape of the rudder and cutting out the two plywood outside layers.
But then it was time to prepare for a cruise aboard Carina, our venerable 25' sloop. Even after many years of living and boating in the Tampa Bay area, we had never taken the boat north of the Skyway Bridge into Tampa Bay proper. So our plan was for a week exploring the Bay up to its northern reaches.
Wed. Apr. 7: After provisioning, incl. 100 lbs of block ice, cast off at noon. Wind from the S at 10 kts, so we powered to south of the Bayway, but once we turned east we had a fair wind to sail through the Bayway E bridge and on under the Skyway. Then it was a dead downwind run across the Bay to Bahia Beach. We tried to follow an unmarked channel into the Little Manatee River, using Google Maps satellite view, but it became too shallow. So we followed a channel past many condos north of Bahia Beach all the way back to anchor in a seculed cove. A nice dinner aboard, and the Rays game on the radio. No complaints at all.
Forgot to bring: A mattress pad, plates, coffee cups, dinner knives, a shot glass, measuring cups, serving spoons, bug spray. Need a better cruising checklist.
Thur. Apr 8: Well, yes, we do have a complaint. Lots of mosquitos made for an uncomfortable night. The first night cruising or camping is always uncomfortable anyway. Calm at dawn, but the time we were back out on the Bay there was a good SE wind (10-15), and a fine sail 18 miles up to Tampa proper. Passing through the huge industrial and port area, we docked smack downtown at the Tampa Convention Center. We took a long walk including lunch, found a supermarket where we bought several items we'd forgotten, then back to the boat to relax and read. Later we treated ourselves to a good dinner ashore at a waterfront restaurant, watching the Univ. of Tampa crew and dragon boat clubs practicing. Then back to the boat to listen to a Rays game.
Of note: When we left the boat this afternoon, Mrs. Strongback volunteered her gym locker lock to secure the boat. When we returned, the lock fell apart, still locked. She was able to reach through the hatch ventilator hole to unlatch the hatch so I could climb inside and unscrew the companionway hasp from inside. Wait, it gets better. When we went out to dinner I locked up using a little luggage combination lock. When we got back to the boat it was dark and I couldn't read the combination until we were able to reflect a street light onto it.
Fri. 4-9. There were showers during the night. In the morning I found Starbucks and a newspaper ashore so we nursed those awating the forecast clearing. Finally cast off about 10 a.m. in a drizzle and calm, but not uncomfortable. About the time we exited the ship channel into the Bay a light wind came up from the NW, a front having shifted the wind 180 degrees just when we needed it. Sailed with an increasing breeze through a sizeable fleet of cruiser racers on their way to Tampa. We reached Apollo Beach, back on the E side of the Bay, at about 3, docked at a marina even though it's a popular anchorage- we want showers! Took a long walk and cooked dinner on the boat's grill. And listened to the Rays game. We beat the Yankees handily, making the short season record 3-1. Hoping the wind veers back to NE or else a beat to windward tomorrow.
Sat. 4-10. Wind did veer during the night. After a welcome shower and breakfast we were away at 10:20. A broad reach across the Bay, turning north between St. Petersburg and MacDill AFB took us up toward the Gandy Bridge, after a brief pause to yield the channel to a big tanker. Listened to an afternoon Rays game, a real drubbing by the Yankees, almost a no-hitter.
I had the impression that all three fixed bridges across Tampa Bay had 50-60' of vertical clearance, and had not checked. Turns out, they are all just over 40'. I don't know our mast height exactly, but thought it was 35'. Needless to say, passing under the Gandy Bridge was a tense moment. From the water, it looks like the mast will hit the bridge for sure. We tucked into a tiny cove right by the Howard Frankland bridge, about 500' under planes landing at Tampa International. Sounds unpleasant, but wasn't at all. Steaks on the grill, fireworks display for some reason in the direction of Raymond James Stadium, and a cool, comfortable night's sleep.
Sunday, 4-11. Up early on a sweatshirt-cool morning, to reach the other two bridges at low water. Howard Frankland charted at 45' but bulkhead marks showed 41' even at low water. Saturday evening I had recalculated the mast height, measuring the luff of the jib, the distance from the tack of the jib to the water and to the mast, eyeballing the distance from the head of the jib to the top of the antenna, and figure we're about 38' to 38 1/2'. Easy beam reach up the Bay, through both bridges, and a run down to Safety Harbor, the Bay's northern end, by 11 in the morning. The area is quite shallow. There's a little marine there, and I'd called twice to ask about a slip, with no call back. Took the channel into the marina anyway, in 5' of water, and did find an empty slip. A local sailor told us the slip had been empty for a while so an overnight stay was no problem. Lucky, because it turns out there's no provision for transient slips, and a 200-boat, 10-year waiting period for slip rentals. To make a noon Mass we hustled on foot 1 1/2 miles in our sailing clothes to the local church. The woman sitting behind us must have noticed our unusual appearance and asked if we had cycled there (cycling T-shirts, I guess). Learning we were at the marina, she offered us a ride back, which we gratefully accepted.
Safety Harbor is a pretty little town and we enjoyed our visit. A strange thing about the area is that because of the low bridges all the boats are about our size. We ate lunch ashore, relaxed aboard, and later walked to the top of Main Street for a nice dinner. The wind has shifted to N! Our luck is holding.
An odd thing: this afternoon a 6' alligator swam by our stern in the marina- in salt water yet. I later looked it up online and found that although alligators can live in fresh water only, very occasionally they are seen swimming briefly in salt water. Anyway, a first for us.
Mon. 4-12: Awoke hard aground with 2 hrs remaining to low tide. A leisurely breakfast and then checked depths with the dinghy- good water except in the slip. I set up spring lines under tension and we pulled off at 10:30. Wind had clocked around to NE, and to Courtney Campbell bridge was 4 miles to windward, our first beat of the trip. Then a close reach to Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges with wind piping up to 15-20 kts, with higher gusts. Reefed the main toward the end. Docked at Tampa Marina in the Rattlesnake Point area, took a walk up to Gandy Blvd. and back to boat for dinner, with wind continuing to increase. By evening it was howling and the boat was listing several degrees to starboard, but we were well protected and snug. Dinner and Rays on the radio, beating Orioles. Record now 4-3.
Tues. 4-13. a.m. wind gentler. Decided to skip downtown St. Pete- been there, and it’s only 6 miles. We’d have to stay in the marina because a strong E wind would make anchoring in Vinoy basin uncomfortable and difficult for a dinghy landing. So we had a long but easy broad reach down the Bay, 22 miles to home. Arrived at 4:50, by which time the wind was piping out of the E. After allowing for bridge opening waiting time, we averaged 3.3 knots for the day’s sail. Not so bad for a small boat. Obviously, a fair wind. Arriving home, we had three baseball-sized chunks of ice left.
We enjoyed ridiculously fair winds on the cruise, temperature mostly in the 70’s, no rain except one night. As perfect conditions as you get in this world. No mishaps, and a modest to-do list of improvements for the next cruise. Visited several interesting places which were new to us. A really fun trip. We look forward to the next one.
We hadn’t really cruised on the boat since the kids were kids. The boat is in better condition than ever, and a good size for the two of us. How we cruised with four children and a large dog I can’t imagine, but we did, and had great times doing it.
I’ll try to add a few pictures when I get a chance, but the next real post will be in August. Have a good spring and early summer.
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