Water Rescue

 

Sunshine Key Rv Resort, Florida  (high 82, low 71)

The winds weren’t supposed to be too high yesterday, so we decided to take the boat out again.  We got in gear earlier and were able to launch at Bahia Honda marina before they filled up.

Once we got out into open water, we realized it was fairly windy and the seas were a bit choppy.  Our little boat handles the waves so well, and as good or even better than our last boat, which was a 25 footer.  We’re real happy there.  We just don’t enjoy the cool winds, so we looked for a spot to anchor out of the wind.

The water is still too cool, especially with the winds and we’re not snorkeling until it warms up a bit.  We just stay near shore and are finding nice little places to anchor.   Yesterday, we went south and found this interesting place nearby the main highway.  It was used for fill and you could clearly see where they dug into the limestone and excavated the land.  It’s shaped like a horseshoe with rock outcropping along the edge of the horseshoe.   We had to travel over very shallow water of about 3 feet to get there, but the depth dropped quickly to 30 feet in the middle.  It was a pretty cool place.

 

 

Shortly after we anchored, I noticed a sea gull standing on some rocks.  When he moved he kind of hopped and it looked like he was dragging something.  I thought maybe he got into some discarded fishing line and was dragging it and some seaweed with him.

I zoomed in with my camera and this is what I found.

It was clear he had a broken wing.  My fist thought was “oh crap.”  Why us?   I can’t tell you how many seabirds we’ve rescued over the years. 

I got on my smart phone (don’t you just love having them?) and looked up a seabird rescue place in the Keys.  Al called and reported it to a woman who sounded disinterested.  She quickly got us off the phone after saying she’d send someone.  We just knew that wasn’t going to happen, so I started looking for other seabird rescue places in the Keys.

Not 5 minutes after hanging up with the first lady, we got a call from another woman.  We described where we were the best we could, but we got there by water and she was getting there by land, so it was hard to explain.  She immediately asked if the place was like a horseshoe, and knew exactly where we were at.

She restored our faith in man/womankind!

Al decided he wanted to get out of the boat (without getting wet) and walk along the rocky edges of the little lagoon.  He extended the anchor as far as he could, but we were still in 6-7 feet of water.   I know Al well enough to know if he’s determined to do this, he would keep at it, and keep at it.   I ignored him as best I could, and he eventually decided to throw another anchor towards the rocks and pull the stern of the boat closer to shore.  

Success!   He only had to get his legs wet!

 

We decided this would be a great place to snorkel and dive.  There is bound to be fish on these ledges.  As soon as the water warms up, we’ll be back to snorkel!

A few minutes after getting the call from the bird rescue lady, she shows up, net in hand.

We pointed the bird out and off she went.

She missed him the first time, but had success the second time.

As soon as she netted him, she immediately took him out of the net and wrapped him in a blanket.

Doesn’t it look like he’s looking up to her to say thanks?  I think they bonded.

We gave her a big cheer and off she went.  Now, we’re going to try  to find which place we called so that we can drop them off a donation. 

After the successful bird rescue, we had our lunch and then read our books for a while.  This is actually nothing we couldn’t have done from shore (without spending so much money on a boat), but somehow it’s more fun in a boat.

There were others along the shore, including this guy with a free ocean front campsite.  He was probably homeless.

It’s sad I guess that we worry about an injured bird and not a homeless human being.   I guess it’s because I assume the man has some options, the bird does not.   I also guess I like animals better than most people.

If I’m ever homeless, I’m going to live here in the Florida Keys!

We spent a few hours in our little horseshoe shaped lagoon.  It’s a real pretty place.

We had a few neighbors.

Pretty mangroves.

After a couple hours, we headed back up towards the pretty little area we found the first day.  We anchored and hung out there for a while.

The sun was beginning to set, so we decided it was time to head back.

Under the bridges and then back to the marina.

Once we got home, Al cleaned up the boat and rinsed the motor, while I fixed us a scramble/stir fry for dinner.  It had diced potatoes, onions, garlic, sugar snap peas, green beans, asparagus and red peppers.  Yummy!  Who says you need meat to have stir fry?

I hit the bed pretty early last night.  I was still not feeling 100%, but this morning I awoke after a good nights sleep with no coughing and I thought I was completely over my cold.  Once I got up, I noticed I still have a bit of drainage, so I guess I’m not 100% yet….maybe 85%.  I think I’ll live…..however, I noticed Al is coughing a bit.   :(