Great Loop: Lignumvitae Key

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Lignumvitae Key

February 18th, 2022

Lignumvitae Key is an island in the upper Florida Keys. It is located due north of, and less than one mile from the easternmost tip of Lower Matecumbe Key. The island has the Keys' highest point above sea level at 19 feet.  It is also home to a tropical hardwood, Lignum Vitae. This is the densest and hardest wood known. Because the wood is self-oiling, lignum vitae was a popular choice for steamship bearings and for use in equipment like pulleys; composite materials eventually replaced it in marine construction and heavy machinery, and now the wood is mostly by woodworkers.


Smooth Seas on the way to Lignumvitae

On our voyage to Lignumvitae, we caught up with two R29 Ranger Tugs which were also headed to the same destination.  So we fell in line, and were the caboose on a Ranger Tug parade through the keys.  We were all the same color, so it must have been quite the sight as we motored along.

Thank goodness for Amy Marie’s shallow draft.  This reduces the stress as we travelled waters that were consistently less than 10 feet in depth.  In a couple of locations, safe passage was provided by channels that had been cut through protruding limestone or coral formations.  It was a bit disconcerting to have breaking waves on both sides of your vessel as you transited these channels.  Not an area in which you would want to travel at night.

When we arrived, we could see the mooring balls were a new installation.  The lines and balls were free of marine growth!  Our traveling companions, on Perfect Choice, had arrived a day earlier.  There were sufficient additional mooring balls, that all three tugs found a home for the night.


Mint (courtesy of my brother) - for our Mohitos!

After securing to the mooring ball, we launched our dinghy and headed over to meet the other tug owners.  There had recently attended the Ranger Tug Rendezvous north of Tampa.  We enjoyed meeting both couples.


Sunset

As sundown neared, we headed over to look at the island from the water.  We then returned to Amy Marie to enjoy sunset and prepare our evening meal.

In the morning, we would be departing ~ 8:30am for a 39 miles voyage to John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo.  Unfortunately, we did not have time to set foot on the island.  The crew of Perfect Choice, as they were there for two nights, did get ashore and enjoyed the ranger led tour.  We have something to look forward to if we return.

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Trip Log



Location: Lignumvitae Key, Florida 33036, USA

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