8 day trip, day 7

Time to head back home...
We raised anchor and headed out in the quiet early morning.
Left before low tide, although this meant that we'd be crossing the Cape Romano Shoals at low low tide, so I planned to take the "safe" way across the shoals again.
It was a beautiful sunrise as we tip-toed by the sleeping campers on Panther Key...
The winds were still kicking pretty good out of the southeast as we headed upwind a bit towards the shoals and then reached across them. The waves which had been building through out the night since yesterday were hitting us broadside along with the wind making for quite a rolling ride across the shoals.
After crossing the shoals we had a nice downwind sail heading north past Cape Romano, Kice, and Marco Island.
Towards late afternoon the winds started to die, but the wave action had not. We were loosing our ability to sail and deal with the onslaught of wave action. The already sorry sails were getting beaten back and forth as forward motion was slowing to a crawl but the waves kept us rocking. I really didn't want to turn on the motor...
We were about mid-way up Keywaydin Island when I decided to call it quits for the night. we motored into shore a bit hoping for some protection... Keywaydin Island really is a beautiful island. Click on 2nd pic down on left to see the beautiful Florida native sabal plams.
The waves were still catching us... but I was hoping they would settle down during the night...
Had time to cook up some yummy food for dinner at sunset. and what a gorgeous sunset it was! I could hardly decide which picture I liked best to post. It was an incredible sunset. It might have almost made up for the sleepless night...
Nope. those waves never calmed down... we rocked quite a bit. the three sister waves coming in intervals of about, oh, i don't know... 3 seconds! no rest for the weary. with each swing of the pendulum the cubboards would knock and bottles would clang. It was quite a noisy night. It's a wonder I was even able to get a few hours sleep... crew didn't sleep. Nate was hoping I'd get up and move us in the middle of the night... but, when I'm crashed, I'm crashed. sometimes I just can't muster the energy, no matter how much I'd like to. Thank goodness for the 90 feet of chain and new anchor.