Christening Stella Maris–Star of the Sea–February 2023

It is essential to know the genesis of a boat. Ginny and I went to the Lagoon Catamaran production facility in Belleville, France, to watch the final build of Stella Maris. She was then shipped from La Rochelle, France, to Florida. The only thing missing was a case of fine French wine that had been stashed onboard. No problem. A bottle of that wine ultimately appeared in a gift basket, and we christened Stella Maris with Mom and Dad onboard. We miss you, Pop, but we are happy that you were able to help christen the new boat.

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Sea Trial West of Key West–March 2023

The catamaran, I quickly learned, is a different animal from the monohull that carried me around the world. Stella Maris is like a mobile beach cabin with a sail attached. It is a great platform to explore the islands west of Key West, where I spent so many years working as a charter fishing captain. The difference is that instead of pursuing the fish in these waters, the fish now–out of curiosity, and if I am quiet enough–come out to meet me. I can go to sleep and wake up in the islands, and a new day begins.

^{Click on individual gallery photos to see a high-resolution image}

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Shakedown Cruise to Bimini, the Berry Islands, and Abaco–May 2023

Ginny and Amiga were a welcomed crew on the first significant passage aboard Stella Maris from Key West to the Northern Bahamas. We revisited Bimini, where Ginny and I spent so many glorious days in our youth (she proposed to me there 44 years ago!) Gunkholing through the Berry Islands, we found secluded anchorages and nature trails. There is still some out-island tradition at Man-O-War and Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos. The highlight was a rendezvous with our daughter Lilly, who joined Stella Maris for several days, sharing her local knowledge of the Northern Bahamas.

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Dry Tortugas–August 2023

The summer heat of 2023 was frightening. I sailed to the historic Dry Tortugas National Park in light air and torrential rain squalls 70 miles west of Key West. I found some refuge from the heat under the water, but I was dismayed to see the damage done by global warming on the pristine reefs here. Immense brain coral heads and vast stands of staghorn coral, alive only a few months earlier, were now bleached white. The reefs at Dry Tortugas were severely stressed. Still, some indications of hope remained as moon jellyfish began to appear in cooler currents of water. The reef is resilient, but it cannot tolerate many more seasons of abnormally hot water temperatures.

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Florida Keys Backcountry–September 2023

I have always loved the Florida Keys backcountry for its pristine habitat and dramatic flow of tides. Wading birds, lobster, and shallow-water gamefish thrive here. Conservationists recognized the importance of protecting this habitat decades ago. They established the Great White Heron and Key West National Wildlife Refuges. We sailed Stella Maris on the full moon into the rich heart of Jewfish Basin, along the extensive sand flats of Snipe Point and Marvin Key, and into Cudjoe Basin and Sawyer Key, where nature has been allowed to reclaim an island that was once developed. 

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End-of-Year Cruise to the Central Bahama Islands–November / December 2023

Trimming the sails again for the out islands of the Bahamas, we headed east and south toward Eleuthera and the Exumas Cays. My brother Bob joined me for the crossing from Key West to Nassau. Ginny and two dear friends, Carol and Gerald, joined Stella Maris from Nassau to Exuma. Highlights were food gathering with Bob, an accomplished free diver, standing watch with Gerald, who is focused and enthusiastic, and watching Ginny and Carol sing and dance through the islands like schoolgirls. As principally a solo sailor, I had forgotten the joy of sailing with a good crew. Stella Maris is now moored in Exuma while I spend the holidays with family in Key West. The year 2024 will find us heading south once again. Please join us here to continue the voyage in the new year.

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As always, sailing is not just about the wind and the sea; the places, the flora, fauna, and people encountered along the way are equally important.

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Text, Photography, and Videos © Jeffrey Cardenas 2024

Let this be a time of grace and peace in our lives – Rev. John C. Baker