Voyage to Florida, the final leg 11/30/2009

To ensure that I did not sleep through my intended departure, I left the inverter on to power my alarm clock. I awoke in the night and arose to check the battery levels as without sun for the solar panel and no breeze for the wind generator I did not have reason to suspect a problem but felt it prudent. The time was 1:30am and as long as I was already up I decided to begin my day. I started the motor, made coffee and awakened my electronics. The moon was nearly full, high in the sky and with no cloud cover I was able to see my shadow on deck with surprizingly good light. Once the anchor was retrieved I made my way through the entrance to my anchorage, back to the sea and on my way by 2:00am.

Traveling at night alone I relied on my electronic friends. "Radar" and I came to an agreement that he would maintain a watch zone of 6 nautical miles to permit me to cat nap should I elect to do so. I would need all that Knot-A-Lot could provide to make best speed for the 130 miles I will transit today so I unfurled the headsail and raised the main in the still of the night before I was to experience the breezes the sun will bring later. I retired to the cabin with my coffee periodically checking for traffic with "Radar". There were few intrusions into our guard zone, mostly fishing boats working the bank west of the Berry Islands. As fate would have it my course was well off the path of the east/west freighter traffic north of me. This would not have been the case if the alternative routing prevailed as originally intended.

The sun and I greeted a wonderful day with 1 - 3' seas from my aft starboard quarter and 5 knots of breeze from the south on my beam. I am hoping for more wind as the morning progresses.

The winds did build as suspected during the morning to a steady 10 - 15 knots by late morning. I added the staysail to my propulsion package and now had all that the boat had to offer contibuting to speeds of 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 knots over the ground as I entered the "River".

The GPS makes arrival calculations based on the distance remaining and current speed. The favorable seas, winds and my northwesterly track across the Gulf Stream all contributed to favorable velocity made good to my destination. I should have but did not anticipate the impact of the numerous eddy currents in and around the stream that slowed the boat to less than six knots over ground at times and speeds approaching 9 knots at others with no apparent change in the trim of the boat. None the less my speeds were better that those that I used to decide this run today.

With about 10 nautical miles remaining the sun retired from my company over the West Palm Beach shore having shared what was to be one of the most relaxing sails across the Gulf Stream any voyager could ever experience. The only incident was a condition common to sailing vessels, that being the tendancy of the boom and my head to compete for the same physical space. I arrived at Riviera Beach Marina at 9:00pm using the current of the intracoastal to lend assisstance to my docking alone, a tad weary. Once fastened to the dock I went to the Tiki bar for a rum, the journey over.....for now...................................

Voyage to Florida, Day 1 11/29/2009

I set my alarm clock for 5:30am to prepare for my departure. Claire said she would get up to assist me and came aboard at 4:45, a bit premature. She returned to her quarters on the Canadian boat and I dozed back and awoke at my prescribed time of 5:30. I prepared to depart, made coffee, started the iron jenny, heated up the electronics and went topside to survey the situation, no Claire. I walked over and knocked on the cabin of Claire's quarters. She rambled over shortly thereafter as did the captain of the boat behind me, Brian. With their assistance the boat was positioned so to allow me to back into the fairway, make my turn and Knot-A-Lot slipped into the pre-dawn darkness at 6:00am with Claire and Brian standing watch on the dock.

I made my required request to transit the harbor to Nassau Harbor Control on the VHF. The sun was beginning to greet me as I motored toward the sea.

As I cleared the harbor numerous small fishing boats were returning and a cruise ship was making port for their scheduled stop. I will be retracing our path back to the states. The course was set, the auto pilot engaged for the 52 mile leg north by northwest to Great Stirrup Cay.

The seas were 1 - 3' on my beam with light east by northeast breeze. I set the headsail and motored my way northerly in complete comfort. As the boat approached Great Stirrup dolphins greeted me and played off my bow. I logged better time than anticipated so decided to round the north end of Great Stirrup and anchor between Great and Little Stirrup for the night. I had debated with myself the idea of completing my trip tommorrow by setting course across the Gulf Stream direct to Florida in instead of the additional two legs previously considered. The decision to was made to push across in what could become a 24 hour run. By camping here I would shave just under an hour from my next leg.

I had my anchor down by 4:30, prepared myself a cocktail, settled in for some burgers on the grill and watched the sun set over a quiet anchorage.

The moon was already high in the sky shortly after sunset. The boat was quiet, my day was long and I retired to my bunk at 7:00 with the intent to get underway by 4:00 am tomorrow.

Beginning of the end 11/28/2009

This is the lighthouse at the west entrance to Nassau Harbor channel

Paradise Island lies to the north of the channel and is the home of the Atlantis resort.

We were berthed at the Nassau Yacht Haven. Crime in Nassau is prevalent and all of the businesses are locked with security even during business hours. This is Ricardo, one of the security guards on the docks at night. We shared conversation and coffee (beer) with them discreetly.

After Mason had left I moved the boat to a better slip situation on a dock with a Canadian charter company. They are French speaking from Lake Champlain and winter charter from this area. I met Shawn on the left down here with his sister on one of two boats his parents have here to charter. They had only arrived days before us and were geared to play. Spent one evening with them and discovered I could not keep pace but Claire could and did. 

Claire has endeared the Canadians and is not interested in ending her adventure. She has found quarters on one of their boats and will stay with expectations of a compensated position cleaning boats. I will take the boat back to Florida solo. This was to be my last night here. My weather window opened today after storms the past two days. The boat will slip away at 6:00am tomorrow.  

Trouble in Paradise 11/23/2009

Mason received word of trouble up north late last night and left the island on the first flight out to get home. As of today (Thursday) abandonment of the voyage is in the works. Claire and I will wait for favorable weather here in Nassau and then take the boat back to Florida to be put on the hard.

Nassau, New Providence 11/22/2009

Hoisted anchor in Great Stirrup Cay at 6:40am and made revolutions for Nassau 52 miles southeast. The sea was more typical today with 15 - 20 knot winds and 1 - 3' waves atop 4 - 6' long period swell. We thought we would try our fishing again today and set the pole right away. FISH ON at 7:15!

I landed this Jack after a few minutes of winching. Amazing the fight they have.

I was well beyond my expertise filleting the jack we kept.

Three more fish were caught and released regularly on the hour. When we left the shallows of the island bank to deep water the action stopped. Knot-A-Lot cosyed up to the dock in Nassau at 4:00pm.

Great Stirrup Cay, Berry Islands 11/21/2009

We cast of our lines at 6:45 am and set course for Great Stirrup Cay in the Berry Islands, 62 nautical miles. As one can see the seas were uncommonly calm under sunny skies. We did have a light breeze and motored under our mainsail sheeted close to center.

Claire had a pole with lead core line, a thirty pound monofiliment leader with a silver spoon and a BIG hook. I did not believe we would catch anything motoring at 6 knots and if we did what we would do with it without a net or gaff. I was mistaken because at one point I noticed we had some interest in the lure and I believe we did have a strike. The fish was only on the line for about 3 or 4 minutes and I did not get a chance to winch any line back in. We should have slowed our speed but as we did not I think I pulled his teeth out.

The largest waves today were made by our boat.

So calm you can see the reflection of our pulpit in the water before us.

Some cruise ships make this a regular stop on the north side of this northern most island in the Berrys

The same island from our anchorage looking north. Our first attempt to anchor was unsuccessful with difficult holding on hard stoney bottom. The second attempt found good hold and we weathervained off 75' of scope in 15' of water. In the photo you can see one of four permanent moorings in a square pattern that were used by ferries that sevice the cruise ships visiting the other side of the island. One was occupied when we arrived the other three vacant with boats in service at the time. One by one the remaining three came in after dark. We were relatively close to one of the moorings and when the last boat maneuvered into the field they rafted to another ferry instead of claiming their mooring near us. I can only assume they extended us the courtesy of bouy room, very polite.

We settled in for cocktails dinner and a movie on the computer after dark. I leave you with the sunset from Great Stirrup Cay.

Port Lucaya, Ocean Reef YC 11/20/2009

We cast off our lines at Old Bahama Marina leaving Dan Pearce on the dock snapping photos and waving goodby. Dan was to take a resort bicycle to to the bus stop a few miles down the road for a 30 min ride to Freeport where he intended to wander the streets and later catch a plane at 3:00pm to Ft. Lauderdale. He had the shower room keys we left Riviera Beach with. In Ft. Lauderdale he was to taxy to the train to West Palm, take another taxy to Riviera Beach to return the keys and fetch his car for the drive to the Orlando area.

We on the other hand set out to make Port Lucaya 29 miles easterly down the coast of Grand Bahama. Mostly motored in light air close to the nose. Bypassed Freeport taking the photos of the traffic as we passed.

These guys are pretty impressive.

Channel entrance to the Ocean Reef Yacht Club. The club is a timeshare type resort with all the typical ammenities. Spent the afternoon in the pool and visiting with people. There is a pattern developing with some. The guy stopped here because he had an engine that needed a head gasket, this was four years ago. There are a number of Canadian boats that winter here. The Ocean Reef offers reasonable rates to boaters to encourage them to stay and lend ambiance to the resort.

Claire went to an event in town with friends we met from Alaska. Mason and I retired to the bar for a couple of nightcaps. We discussed the economics of beer that now costs $37 -  $42.00 in the islands and rum. The verdict is rum will be far more space efficient and cost effective.