US Customs - Small Vessel Reporting System

January 13, 2012

Today we traveled to Key West to register with US Customs under the Small Vessel Reporting System (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure_boats/boats/svrs.xml).   This is a relatively new system which allows you to 'preestablish' yourself with customs and in many cases avoid having to physically report to a Customs office when you enter the US from a foreign country on a small vessel.  This will hopefully expedite our return to the US from the Bahamas later this year.

The program is relatively new and as we proceed it will be clear that they have not worked out all the kinks in the program, although almost all the Customs personnel that we interacted with with very nice -don't want to get on their bad side - but seriously they were. 

The saga began in November when I (Tom) went through an online registration of the boat and myself. You were supposed to receive a confirmation with a registration number after your application was reviewed, which I never received.  After a little anxiety that I was being 'rejected', I talked to a dock neighbor who had a similar response (or lack thereof).  When they later reported to a Customs office near Tampa, they were told 'We can't access any information from that system' and proceeded to get all the required information again and processed the application.

So I ignored the lack of response until we were in Marathon and could report to Customs in Key West.  When I called Customs in Key West, I was asked if I had made an appointment online - I responded that I couldn't because I never got my confirmation and registration number. He asked 'When do you want to come in?' - I said how about Friday - he said 'We'll be here'.  I wasn't sure if that meant I had an appointment or not, but thought that additional questions were not productive at that point.

So on Friday we drove our 1-week rental car to Key West and reported to the Customs house on Simonton Ave which was listed as the SVRS office in Key West on their website.  When the security guards established why we were there, they said 'They (Customs) are not here today, you need to go to the airport', which is across town.

So we got back in our car (with our 5 hour paid parking slip) and headed to the airport.  When we arrived at the airport and found the Customs office, we faced a set of sliding glass doors like you find in stores that should open automatically - but these were not opening.  Searching in vain for a button or buzzer to request entry, we were about to make yet another call to Customs when a gentleman that had exited through the doors shortly before we arrived said 'Pull the doors apart with your hands'.  Although breaking and entering into a Customs office seemed like less than a stellar idea, we did what he said and found ourselves in an unattended reception area.   As we were calling out for someone to notice us, the same man came back in (we believe he was somehow related to the Customs office) and found someone to help us.

After yet another explanation about why we did not have a confirmation/registration number nor appointment they took our passports and boat documentation and told us to have seats in a waiting area near the counter.  As we were sitting there a buzzer kept going off - I thought it was a telephone ringing or some other type of notification.  After a few minutes, the officer that took our papers came back and said that the fingerprint machine was warming up (yes you get fingerprinted) and would be ready shortly and please stop pushing the button on the counter that was supposed to be used to tell them that you have entered the reception area; apparently I had been leaning on it as I leafed through our papers - how to win friends and influence people.

Well shortly thereafter, they took me back for fingerprinting and then the same for Joyce.

Apparently, we 'passed', because he returned to give us back our papers and presented each of us with a plastic identification card for the program with our names and numbers written on with a 'Sharpie' pen; does this qualify as a 'government issued' ID?

After talking to several other couples that have gone through the process, we found out that many did not suceed in registering both individuals in a single visit, so I guess we made out pretty well.

Tips to anyone that goes through this process:

• Your registration number is your online confirmation number preceded by 'BR'. If we knew this we could have scheduled our appointment online even though we never received a formal confirmation.
• Be patient - if you will laugh about it someday, you might as well laugh about it now.
• Don't lean on the Custom's office buzzer.

Tom
Harbor Cay Club
Marathon
Monroe County, FL






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Bahia Honda State Park/Key West - Butterfly House

January 22, 2012

January has been highlighted by a visit by good friends Beth & Bryan from Syracuse. 

After a day for them to settle in (and for us to enjoy the car they rented) we left the dock for a short sail to Bahia Honda State Park (http://floridastateparks.org/bahiahonda/).  The anchorage there is quite nice but unique in that it is nestled between the old railroad bridge and the new US 1 bridge; you enter it through the open span on the old railroad bridge.  I am quite sure that it is the first time we have anchored accompanied by highway noise.

The railroad bridge does create a classic foreground for a sunset picture:


After returning to Harbor Cay Club, we drove to Key West for the day.  The highlight of trip was the Butterfly House (http://www.keywestbutterfly.com/) which houses hundreds of butterflies of numerous varieties.  We had first heard of this place from a very friendly Lower Keys bus driver who said that it was his favorite place in Key West.

Purely by luck we arrived in late morning at a peak activity time (the butterflies must warm in the sun before they can fly). The butterflies were everywhere, even landing numerous times on us.  Near the exit they had a mirror, so you could make sure you didn't carry one out. 

A leaf on a rotting banana?  Nope, look carefully for the legs - it's a buttefly!

Most fascinating fact - after the larvae enters the cocoon, it's body is transformed completely into a liquid protein, which is then reconstructed into the butterfly - amazing!

Tom
Harbor Cay Club
Marathon
Monroe County, FL
http://g.co/maps/u8e62

Marathon

Marathon

Well we have reached Marathon in the Florida Keys, the end of the first leg of our cruise this winter. 

We will be docking at the Harbor Cay Club ( http://harbourcayclub.org/) for about 6 weeks.  We decided to dock for January and part of February to have shore-power and heat for the coldest part of the winter before we head to the Bahamas.  We have learned that Florida can be quite cold in January – February.  When we do not have shore power, our only heat is a small propane heater that we already have used for a couple of nights and mornings around New Years at Little Shark River.

In spite of some challenges, our first leg has been great!  We have had more opportunity, than in previous vacation-length trips, to explore both old and new destinations.

Some statistics:

·         Bradenton, FL  to  Marathon, FL

·         36 nights out

o   7 docked (19%)

o   29 anchored (81%)

·         267 miles traveled  - you could easily walk this far in 36 days J

·         Items fixed - numerous!

We have started to find our way around Marathon. We rode the bus to church and have been able to buy a few fresh items (milk & juice) and are settling into marina life here.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, our blog has much more detail on our trip - http://svbarefoot.blogspot.com/

Tom

S/V Barefoot

Pineland, FL (currently docked in Marathon, FL)

http://g.co/maps/ygcrn

Exploring the Ten Thousand Islands

December 31, 2011

We were anchored in relatively remote locations in the Ten Thousand Islands for a total of 10 nights – 5 in Russell Pass near Indian Key and 5 in the Little Shark River near Cape Sable. This provided a base for exploring this wild area by dinghy.

This area gets its name from the innumerable mangrove islands that dot the entire area; I don’t know that anyone has ever really counted them, but there are a lot!

From Indian Key we explored with our dinghy up Russell Pass to the Indian Key (main) channel and up Russell Bay to West Pass Bay using our marine chart for the area and a hand-held GPS.  It is worthy to note that although these may be called ‘passes’, other than the main channel to Everglades City,  there are no markers and ‘local knowledge’ (or a good chart) is required to travel them.

As we have in the past, we were amazed by how much detail is provided on the marine charts, although these areas are not typically considered navigable waters.  Still it is a challenge to follow the twists and turns while avoiding the shoals.

We were escorted out of Russell Pass by dolphins that were swimming in our bow wake.  We like to think that they ‘texted’ their relatives in Little Shark River to welcome us, since there were more dolphins near the entrance of the river to help us find our anchorage. 

At Little Shark River we explored in the dinghy up the river to Oyster Bay in hopes of finding the Oyster Bay Chickee (camping hut), but were unsuccessful in finding it.  Although this area is more remote than Russell Pass, the waters are more open and we did not find it as interesting.

We did weather a very strong cold front at Little Shark River.  It is amazing how the mangroves block the wind.  Although winds were forecast up in the 30 knot range, we have been very comfortable.  We will let the front blow itself out before we head down to Marathon in the Florida Keys.

We have also shared this part of the river with a couple great blue herons, who have made their home on the shore nearby.  At the same time, we saw a couple manatees (our first this winter), who were headed  up the river for protection from the winds.   It seems like we were all getting ready to ride out the storm together.

Tom

S/V Barefoot

Pineland, FL

(Currently anchored Little Shark River, Monroe County, FL)

http://g.co/maps/gfj6d

Everglades City Christmas

December 25, 2011

Over the years, we have established many traditions to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus.  Traditions included arranging the nativity set on the mantle, going on a cold winter's day to buy a tree and wreath, hanging stockings that my (Joyce) mother made us 30 and 40 years ago, putting the tree up while carols played in the background and maybe a fire burned in the fireplace, going to church on Christmas Eve, and spending Christmas Day with family or friends.  Obviously, this year was going to be different.

First, this was the view from the dock near the bow of the boat.  There would be no need for a fire to burn in the fireplace, and of course, there was no fireplace in the boat.   



In a boat the size of Barefoot, there is no room for a tree, and there really isn't a place to 'stand' a tree.  So, before we left the marina in Bradenton, we bought a Walgreens wreath to hold our ornaments.  We had brought a small box of ornaments from home (our criteria when choosing them was that they all had to be unbreakable and relatively small).  Here is our wreath with most of the ornaments that we brought and some that were added this year by some of my dear friends who are also breast cancer survivors and living life to the fullest.  The angels in the next picture are also gifts from this group of friends.

One of our big regrets was that we didn't have a nativity set.  We had planned to buy a small one (the one we use at home is too large and fragile), but in the busyness of getting ready to leave, we never went to a store that carried them.  I had brought this plaque, which I had displayed in my office for several years, and we used this along with the angels to show that we know and cherish the true meaning of Christmas.

And, there were a few extra ornaments that we could hang around the main cabin of the boat.

Since we didn't have a tree, where does Santa put the gifts?  We created an 'under the tree' in the aft berth.  Note that the Christmas stockings are missing this year, replaced by a sock and Christmas bag.

One thing that was a priority was to find a church with a Christmas Eve service.  The day we arrived in Everglades City, Tom walked around town and found that the Community Church, which was only a couple blocks from the Rod and Gun Club (where we are docked) would have a service at 7:00.  The church was packed that night, and we really enjoyed the service and the pastor's message about receiving the gift of a relationship with God. 

And, even though we didn't have our own nativity set, the church shared theirs with us.



Other times when we had been out of town for holidays, it has seemed a bit strange, so we didn't know quite what to expect this year.  But, docked at the Rod and Gun Club in Everglades City was a wonderful Christmas celebration. 

Joyce

S/V Barefoot

Pineland, FL

(Currently docked Everglades City, Collier County, FL) 

http://g.co/maps/vneq4

Rod & Gun Club, Everglades City, FL

December 24, 2011

Yesterday we came up the narrow and shallow Barron River channel yesterday to The Rod & Gun Club (R&G)  http://www.evergladesrodandgun.com/ in Everglades City. We will be spending Christmas here, because it is the 'in place' to be among the jet set :-)  Seriously, as the R&G website says, "The Rod and Gun Club does not cater to the needs of all vacationers but to those whom are seeking to experience a piece of history!"  Meaning if you want luxury, this is not the place to be.

The R&G was built as a hunting and fishing lodge by Barron Collier, after whom this county is named.  It has hosted presidents and celebrities in the past.  It is now a bit run down but still an impressive piece of architecture and history.

Everglades City is an unique little town with a checkered past.  The area was settled primarily by people who wanted to get away - read the law had an interest in them.  In the late 70's, over half the male population of the town was arrested in a massive drug raid.  The remote location and maze of mangrove islands has always made the area popular for smuggling.

The primary industry is crabbing (stone crabs).  There is a fish house here that is the primary supplier to the somewhat famous Joe's Crab Shack.  Everglades tourism is also becoming more important.  There was a bit of a real estate boom here in the early 2000's as primarily sport fisherman bought places;  that boom has clearly ended and for now Everglades City is settling back into its roots.

We have been here several times going back to the 90's and have always enjoyed its 'character'.

Tom
Everglades City
Collier County, FL
http://g.co/maps/vneq4

Indian Key Pass - White Pelicans

Yesterday (12//21) we left Marco Island and traveled out around Cape Romano to an area of south west Florida called the Ten Thousand Islands.  The name comes from the innumerable number of mangrove islands that line the coast for many miles.  This is the area where the everglades meet the Gulf of Mexico. It is a wild region, both naturally and from its past (and somewhat present) 'outlaw' reputation.

As we entered Indian Key Pass we encountered a collection of probably a hundred white pelicans.  These birds summer in northern areas like Montana and Utah and migrate south for the winter.  They are found in large numbers on the lower west coast of Florida in the winter. 

While we could not take any pictures when we were navigating the pass yesterday, we dinghied back this afternoon and got a few pictures.

Tom

Russell Pass, Collier County, FL

http://g.co/maps/72k47