of St. Petersburg via a direct north of us. They were route across the Gulf. We forcing me to return to decided to angle up to Tampa Bay out in the Gulf Charlotte Harbor and then without an engine, at the continue the trek to Tampa mercy of variable winds Bay in the protected waters present at the time, and I of the ICW, just in case told them so. As we made Charley sped up or changed our way out of Charlotte course. (That evening, as we Harbor, night fell as we were halfway to Charlotte pushed on with our plan to Harbor, Charley had head north. become a Category 1 hurriWe continued to tack cane as it approached out into the Gulf of Mexico Jamaica.) We sailed and engineless. But, upon motorsailed into Charlotte reaching the junction of the Harbor, anchoring just Results of the gale the night before Charley. Gulf and entrance channel behind Gasparilla Island we found no wind and big north of the entrance a couseas, with huge breakers ple of hours past daybreak. across the transition beBut we had now sailed 72 tween deep and shallow of the past 96 hours, and water. thought it best to stay Inhospitable well-rested. Environment The next day, Thursday, These conditions were not August 12, after a latewhat we needed to return morning nap, we weighed to Tampa Bay, 70 miles disanchor to finish our journey tant. We decided we did to Tampa Bay, but I noticed not want to be caught out an acrid odor as we headed in the Gulf away from a up the ICW. harbor of refuge, so we It seems a contaminatcrawled back into Charlotte ed electrical connector had Harbor and studied charts caused a current surge in to locate a place to weather the wiring harness and a storm. That evening, melted wires, connectors Charley became a Category and the voltage regulator. 2 hurricane as it approachAnother failed component Clearing the deck before Charley arrives. ed Cuba and was predicted turned out to be the starter to remain a Category 2 until it made landfall at Tampa Bay. motor for the inboard diesel engine. But an announcement It was very peaceful on the bay as we edged northward over the VHF got my attention. and inland 20 miles. The wind picked up as we sailed along The Coast Guard and the Department of Transportation nicely toward our new chosen hurricane hole in the mouth (now two separate entities) picked this moment to start of the Peace River at the northern end of Charlotte Harbor. “locking down” bridges across the ICW—over 24 hours We had 12 hours before the hurricane was predicted to pass before the storm was predicted to arrive—to facilitate land west of us, hitting land at Tampa Bay. Sandy and I discussed evacuation. The list of bridges included ALL bridges farther
Local News For Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS
November 2004
25