December 9

Our voyage today was a short trip just over two hours in length to an offshore anchorage in the lee of Elliott Key. Since both boats couldn't get into Marina Del Mar until Monday, we elected to go part way today and then get into Key Largo nearer high tide tomorrow. The winds were twenty plus knots but because we were inside of the reefs and keys we were protected from high waves. We left at 0900 and were at anchor by 1130. We crept as close as our keel would allow and put the anchor down in clear water about 7.8 feet deep. I couldn't resist jumping in and checking out our bottom in the clear water. I saw a few fish and some sparse vegetation on the white sand below us. Pat and Walt came in and did the same although they later reanchored. Here they are just returning to anchor as the sun colored the evening sky.