Key Largo Express: A Couple Explores the ICW from the Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Keys and Gulf Coast aboard their small Express Cruiser

By Paul Michael Day

Key Largo Express is a beautifully written account of a couple's six-month cruise aboard their small express cruiser, Sir Pop, traveling the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)from the Chesapeake to the Florida Keys and Gulf Coast. This pair of typical Chesapeake Bay "weekend" boaters started out from their home waters on the Bush River in late October, 2001, determined to realize a long-held dream--a "Huck Finn" voyage, living aboard full time, slowly making their way south, enjoying the water, the towns, the people and whatever came their way. They had no schedule to keep, and aside from a month's slip reservation in Key Largo, no commitments. After retiring from a lifetime of work, with nest empty and house downsized, their intent was to take a lifetime sabbatical, a six month pause in their complex lives to mosey along through unscripted days and just enjoy. This book is an invitation to owners of small cruising boats everywhere to enjoy the beauty and freedom of the ICW. But it is an honest invitation, recounting the anxieties and difficulties without the gloss of nostalgia. Liz and Paul will take you along with them as they visit 54 ports of call, adapting to the joys and challenges of life aboard. Learn along with them as they sharpen their navigation, anchoring, and docking skills. Share their journey as a couple, drawn closer by the laughter, the crises, the sunsets and the storms, as they make Sir Pop their safe and comfortable floating home. They hope that you will be tempted to make your own voyage on the ICW. They know that you, as they did, will have the time of your lives. Key Largo Express includes a highly detailed Appendix, with practical information and advice for the first-time ICW cruiser: a log of all cruising legs (hours underway, miles traveled, etc.), a section debunking some of the myths and misconceptions about the ICW, a how-to section on techniques for navigating and laying out a course line (chart work), checklists for avoiding and recovering from anchoring emergencies, and a detailed list of the most useful charts and guides.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1481114794
• ISBN13: 9781481114790
• Release Date: December 2012
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"