Latitudes With Attitude, Chapter 1
Sunday, June 18 Outside Boot Key Harbor
Chilling out after dinner. The guys grilled some chicken breasts served with potatoes and green beans al fresco on the deck of the S. V. (Sailing Vessel) Wyvern.
We arrived in Miami yesterday morning from Cleveland on an American Eagle Embraer regional jet. Most, if not all, of the guys had never been on a small jet previously, so their adventure began within the small confines of the jet. Since we departed so early in the morning, nearly all of us dozed on the flight, some with iPods.
After renting cars and finding our way to the hotel, we had lunch and went to Monkey Jungle, an attraction that had dozens of simians, great and small. It was advertised as a place where the humans were caged while the monkeys ran wild. As we walked down tunnel-like corridors of wire mesh, spider monkeys would drop metal bowls on chains to get fruit orts from visitors. The Scouts would put raisins, cranberries and apricots into the bowls, then watch the monkeys pull the bowls up to eat the snacks.
The most fascinating apes were the gibbons, yellowish/whitish monkeys that were in motion almost nonstop. We stood there watching the gibbons moving silently around their cage with incredible dexterity.
An orangutan and silverback eastern lowlands gorilla did tricks for the audience, but the gibbons were fascinating.
In the evening, we attempted to go bowling, but the lanes at Dolphin Mall had a waiting time of an hour and a half. We decided to return to the hotel, where some of the guys went swimming while the others watched a movie in their room.
This morning, we met at 7 a.m. for breakfast in the hotel, then checked out and made our way to the Everglades Alligator Farm in Homestead, where we saw snake and alligator shows and rode an airboat. We arrived shortly after feeding time for the snakes and got to watch several snakes as they ate whole rats. For me, the highlight was going out into the Everglades on the airboat. Starting at low speed, our driver and guide pointed out turtles and alligators in the channel and hiding in the mangroves. Then, rounding a corner, he opened the throttle and we were off, flying effortlessly through the glades. The driver handled the boat extremely well, turning complete circles and splashing the guys in the front row. As much as I enjoyed the airboat ride, it still makes me wonder whether the boat causes ecological damage to the fragile grassland. The open channels had to have been formed from repeated trips down the same path. What once was covered in watery grasslands now is marred with channels.
The Scouts on this trip are largely the same ones who went to Philmont Scout Ranch last summer, including Brian C., Matt S., Matt R., Todd D. and Greg K. Mike B., who didn’t go to Philmont, is the sixth man in the crew and has been elected as crew chief.
On the airboat, Mike and Matt (R., as Matt S. is often called Spaz) got drenched as the driver maneuvered through the grass. Matt also got a lot of mud on his shirt.
Once we wrapped up our visit to the alligator farm, we departed for the Keys, traveling down US 1, first to Key Largo, Islamorada (past the BSA’s Florida Seabase) and eventually to Marathon. We had some cell phone assistance from Capt. Charlie Atha in finding Wyvern, which was tucked away in a little-used marina near a row of dilapidated, half-sunken houseboats.
After Faith C. and I returned the rental cars and got a taxi back to the marina, Capt. Charlie gave everyone an orientation to the boat, from proper use of the marine heads to man overboard drills and cooking arrangements.
Wyvern is a 42’ Irwin ketch, which means it has two masts, the forward one (the mainsail) taller than the aft mast (the mizzen). A third sail, called the jib, is unfurled from the bow of the boat. The captain instructed the Scouts how to raise and lower the sails, set the anchor using a power windlass, and handle the various lines when bringing the boat into a dock or anchoring at sea.
The ladder from the cockpit opens into the main salon, a spacious cabin with settees, a dining table and two swivel chairs. The forward cabin contains a V-berth and head, complete with a marine toilet, shower and sink. Behind the main salon, the galley is on the starboard side, equipped with stove, refrigerator/freezer, microwave, sink and cupboards.
The navigation station is aft of the main salon on the port side and has all of Wyvern’s radios, electrical panel and other controls. Aft of the navigation table is the captain’s stateroom, complete with a second head.
After being oriented to the Wyvern, we motored outside of Boot Key Harbor to officially begin the sailing part of the adventure. The guys all took their swim tests, then Brian and Mike cooked dinner, which brings my first chapter full circle.
Chilling out after dinner. The guys grilled some chicken breasts served with potatoes and green beans al fresco on the deck of the S. V. (Sailing Vessel) Wyvern.
We arrived in Miami yesterday morning from Cleveland on an American Eagle Embraer regional jet. Most, if not all, of the guys had never been on a small jet previously, so their adventure began within the small confines of the jet. Since we departed so early in the morning, nearly all of us dozed on the flight, some with iPods.
After renting cars and finding our way to the hotel, we had lunch and went to Monkey Jungle, an attraction that had dozens of simians, great and small. It was advertised as a place where the humans were caged while the monkeys ran wild. As we walked down tunnel-like corridors of wire mesh, spider monkeys would drop metal bowls on chains to get fruit orts from visitors. The Scouts would put raisins, cranberries and apricots into the bowls, then watch the monkeys pull the bowls up to eat the snacks.
The most fascinating apes were the gibbons, yellowish/whitish monkeys that were in motion almost nonstop. We stood there watching the gibbons moving silently around their cage with incredible dexterity.
An orangutan and silverback eastern lowlands gorilla did tricks for the audience, but the gibbons were fascinating.
In the evening, we attempted to go bowling, but the lanes at Dolphin Mall had a waiting time of an hour and a half. We decided to return to the hotel, where some of the guys went swimming while the others watched a movie in their room.
This morning, we met at 7 a.m. for breakfast in the hotel, then checked out and made our way to the Everglades Alligator Farm in Homestead, where we saw snake and alligator shows and rode an airboat. We arrived shortly after feeding time for the snakes and got to watch several snakes as they ate whole rats. For me, the highlight was going out into the Everglades on the airboat. Starting at low speed, our driver and guide pointed out turtles and alligators in the channel and hiding in the mangroves. Then, rounding a corner, he opened the throttle and we were off, flying effortlessly through the glades. The driver handled the boat extremely well, turning complete circles and splashing the guys in the front row. As much as I enjoyed the airboat ride, it still makes me wonder whether the boat causes ecological damage to the fragile grassland. The open channels had to have been formed from repeated trips down the same path. What once was covered in watery grasslands now is marred with channels.
The Scouts on this trip are largely the same ones who went to Philmont Scout Ranch last summer, including Brian C., Matt S., Matt R., Todd D. and Greg K. Mike B., who didn’t go to Philmont, is the sixth man in the crew and has been elected as crew chief.
On the airboat, Mike and Matt (R., as Matt S. is often called Spaz) got drenched as the driver maneuvered through the grass. Matt also got a lot of mud on his shirt.
Once we wrapped up our visit to the alligator farm, we departed for the Keys, traveling down US 1, first to Key Largo, Islamorada (past the BSA’s Florida Seabase) and eventually to Marathon. We had some cell phone assistance from Capt. Charlie Atha in finding Wyvern, which was tucked away in a little-used marina near a row of dilapidated, half-sunken houseboats.
After Faith C. and I returned the rental cars and got a taxi back to the marina, Capt. Charlie gave everyone an orientation to the boat, from proper use of the marine heads to man overboard drills and cooking arrangements.
Wyvern is a 42’ Irwin ketch, which means it has two masts, the forward one (the mainsail) taller than the aft mast (the mizzen). A third sail, called the jib, is unfurled from the bow of the boat. The captain instructed the Scouts how to raise and lower the sails, set the anchor using a power windlass, and handle the various lines when bringing the boat into a dock or anchoring at sea.
The ladder from the cockpit opens into the main salon, a spacious cabin with settees, a dining table and two swivel chairs. The forward cabin contains a V-berth and head, complete with a marine toilet, shower and sink. Behind the main salon, the galley is on the starboard side, equipped with stove, refrigerator/freezer, microwave, sink and cupboards.
The navigation station is aft of the main salon on the port side and has all of Wyvern’s radios, electrical panel and other controls. Aft of the navigation table is the captain’s stateroom, complete with a second head.
After being oriented to the Wyvern, we motored outside of Boot Key Harbor to officially begin the sailing part of the adventure. The guys all took their swim tests, then Brian and Mike cooked dinner, which brings my first chapter full circle.
posted by Joe Wollet at 8:26 AM
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