Recalling the 12-day voyage to Marco
June 15, 2007
In 2002, John and Ruth Putnam were getting ready to move from Sturgeon Bay, Wis., to Marco Island. John checked the cost of trucking their 40-foot Sea Ray Express Cruiser and decided he'd bring the boat down himself.
By Capt. Carl Kelly
So, with some help from a knowledgeable friend who'd made the trip several times, he planned a course that was basically down the Mississippi and across the Gulf of Mexico. He gathered a couple of friends to help - Bob Berres and Karla Harding.
On Aug. 16, John Putnam and crew aboard the boat called My Ruthie set out on a 12-day voyage marked by multiple problems and challenges that may have ended when they arrived at Marco Island.
The obstacles confronted him almost before he got started. On the first day, he idled out of Sturgeon Bay into Lake Michigan and applied full throttle, but only the port engine responded. His actual start came two hours and one water pump hose later. Then, he fought foul weather all the way to Milwaukee.
This kind of ill fate dogged his entire trip.
On Aug. 16, John Putnam and crew aboard the boat called My Ruthie set out on a 12-day voyage marked by multiple problems and challenges that may have ended when they arrived at Marco Island.
The obstacles confronted him almost before he got started. On the first day, he idled out of Sturgeon Bay into Lake Michigan and applied full throttle, but only the port engine responded. His actual start came two hours and one water pump hose later. Then, he fought foul weather all the way to Milwaukee.
This kind of ill fate dogged his entire trip.
Sixty miles north of Memphis, the port engine overheated.
"We spent the next two days in Memphis while Cummins repaired the port engine at great expense," Bob said.
Farther south, "We pulled out of Baton Rouge with just enough time to reach Burnside before dark, but the river had other plans for us. A mile or so south we managed to put the boat aground on a sand bar. We were near idle at the time so no damage was done."
Then, the port air filter collapsed. Soon after that, they found a cast-off shrimper's net "the hard way."
Despite their troubles, there were things for My Ruthie's captain and crew to celebrate. During the two days they spent in Memphis, they ate and drank at BB King's and they found, "The music was superb."
Their travels took them past a marina restaurant, where bridesmaids flashed them. They cruised over snags in the river to stops at smelly one-slip marinas with flimsy docks and battered barges for moorings. They suffered groundings, difficult currents and foul weather.
After they had cleared one of their odyssian tests, John said, "The celebratory beer tasted great!"
Then, they came to Marco Island and the island gave them the usual welcome it gives northern boaters. About 1 p.m. on Aug. 28, My Ruthie went aground on her approach to Marco.
"I got my first big lesson about tides, and it was an expensive one," John Putnam said.
That was then.
Today, John and Ruth Putnam belong to the Marco Bay Yacht Club and enjoy having company on their Sea Ray.
"I love to have no less than four people on the boat, even if we're staying overnight," he said. "We always have guests. When we cruise around here, we always ask if there's anyone who wants to go an overnight boat cruise because that's more fun."
But guests may want to ask John Putnam whether his odyssey is over.
Capt. Carl has held his USCG captain's license since 1994. If you have questions or would like to make suggestions for this column, contact Capt. Carl at
marcocaptain@comcast.net.
"We spent the next two days in Memphis while Cummins repaired the port engine at great expense," Bob said.
Farther south, "We pulled out of Baton Rouge with just enough time to reach Burnside before dark, but the river had other plans for us. A mile or so south we managed to put the boat aground on a sand bar. We were near idle at the time so no damage was done."
Then, the port air filter collapsed. Soon after that, they found a cast-off shrimper's net "the hard way."
Despite their troubles, there were things for My Ruthie's captain and crew to celebrate. During the two days they spent in Memphis, they ate and drank at BB King's and they found, "The music was superb."
Their travels took them past a marina restaurant, where bridesmaids flashed them. They cruised over snags in the river to stops at smelly one-slip marinas with flimsy docks and battered barges for moorings. They suffered groundings, difficult currents and foul weather.
After they had cleared one of their odyssian tests, John said, "The celebratory beer tasted great!"
Then, they came to Marco Island and the island gave them the usual welcome it gives northern boaters. About 1 p.m. on Aug. 28, My Ruthie went aground on her approach to Marco.
"I got my first big lesson about tides, and it was an expensive one," John Putnam said.
That was then.
Today, John and Ruth Putnam belong to the Marco Bay Yacht Club and enjoy having company on their Sea Ray.
"I love to have no less than four people on the boat, even if we're staying overnight," he said. "We always have guests. When we cruise around here, we always ask if there's anyone who wants to go an overnight boat cruise because that's more fun."
But guests may want to ask John Putnam whether his odyssey is over.
Capt. Carl has held his USCG captain's license since 1994. If you have questions or would like to make suggestions for this column, contact Capt. Carl at
marcocaptain@comcast.net.