Our crossing back was nice and easy – smooth sailin’ right into the anchorage we stayed at before, by some really nice houses on the water. We swam off the back of the boat and it was wonderful. Today we headed to the Dinner Key Marina but all the slips were taken so we went into their three-hour dock to tie up so we could get supplies at the Fresh Market within walking distance.

While Lawson walked to a marine store for FL charts and filters, T and I hit The Fresh Market. Perhaps nothing says arrival in the USA more than entering a fresh market after the island grocery stores in The Bahamas. The presentation of beauty and wealth is overwhelming, but ironically, for cruisers on a depleted budget, it was depressing. We managed to get what we needed ( at 3X the price of a Publix) and the fact that we could only get what could carry was not an issue as we ended up pushing the cart all the way to the marina. Nobody stopped us. ( and Lawson pushed it back.)

But it was a fine day indeed to have a cold Harpoon IPA instead of a Kalik. We stopped at the fuel dock then headed back across Biscayne Bay ( right in the middle of two different regattas!)  to our anchorage. About an hour or two later the foul weather set in. Guess what, we weren’t surprised.

Now Lawson is cooking us some comfort food pasta and I’m enjoying a nice Cabernet that was actually priced its worth. The weather is crap for tomorrow, go figure, and right now we’re trying to decide if we just go for it anyway. It will be a long, soggy slog to our next stop but we’re thinking of leaving really early and trying to get to a safe anchorage in Matecumbe.