November 25 Rock Point Anchorage mm 925 We pull off the ICW a short distance to anchor in 7' of water behind a very small island. No wind so not much wind protection needed.
November 26 Ft. Pierce Fl Municipal Marina mm 977-Here is our plan. Rent a car in Ft. Pierce and buy groceries and provision for the Bahamas on Wednesday. Have a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner aboard our boat on Thursday. Leave for lake Worth on Friday and cross over to the Bahamas on Saturday. As we listen and look at the Bahamas crossing weather it looks more and more like Friday will be the day to cross over. So with Judy's blessing we put off Thanksgiving dinner until a later date and we will travel to Lake Worth (North Palm Beach) on Thanksgiving day. Okay back to provisioning. Enterprise rents us a SUV. Lots to accomplish at Ft. Pierce-drugstore, grocery store, office supply, Radio Shack, fishing supply, liquor store and one afternoon to get it accomplished. John and I load up the SUV with 28 cases of water and 20 cases of pop-it is full-another couple of trips back to the boat with the groceries the girls bought. In between we squeeze in a trip to the fishing store to get some advice so we can throw out a lure in hopes of catching the big one on our trip across the water. It all gets accomplished by about 8pm in time for fried chicken from the grocery deli. I even managed to stow the pop & water -the boat is still floating and on an even keel after topping off the tanks with fuel ($2.63 for diesel). On Thursday morning I get up early, throw the foldie in the car and go to Enterprise, drop off the car and ride my bike back to the Marina-Along the way I spot another fishing store and pick up one more 'hot' lure.
November 27 Lake Worth mm1018-Our way down the ICW from Ft. Pierce to to an anchorage not far from the Lake Worth inlet to the Atlantic Ocean is sceanic. Very impressive homes. We arrive at the anchorage around 4pm and agree that tomorrow looks like a crossing day. Very light north winds shifting to the east with waves 2' or less. The anchorage is exposed to north and south winds but we have neither so we settle in for a short nights sleep
November 27 Lake Worth mm1018-Our way down the ICW from Ft. Pierce to to an anchorage not far from the Lake Worth inlet to the Atlantic Ocean is sceanic. Very impressive homes. We arrive at the anchorage around 4pm and agree that tomorrow looks like a crossing day. Very light north winds shifting to the east with waves 2' or less. The anchorage is exposed to north and south winds but we have neither so we settle in for a short nights sleep
November 28 Atlantic crossing to West End Grand Bahama Island. John and I arise about 5am. John calls another boat that left earlier and he reports great conditions and 1-2' rollers. So off we go at 6am-it is still dark but we find our way out into the ocean and the sun comes up on the horizon very shortly. it is a glorious day. The rollers soon go away and we have nothing but calm seas. It is so calm John & Gail turn the autopilot on and sit on the front of the boat as in the picture above and watch the sea go by. I throw my lure out. At the speed we are traveling (7.5 smph) it dives and pulls on the rod so hard, I knew that if I caught a fish I could not pull it in so I have Judy slow the boat down so I can retrieve the lure. On goes a more subtle lure with smaller hooks but by the time we reached West End all of my lures were well washed and nothing to show-I was disappointed. By the way the water depth is in excess of 2000' as we cross over. Arrival time was 3pm at Old Bahama Bay on West End.
November 29-December 3 West End Grand Bahamas Today the 29th is supposed to be a good day weatherwise. However then a front is going to move in bringing gale force winds. It is three days to Marsh harbour with no place to hide on the second day so we decide to stay put and wait out the front. It is a good thing we did. On Sunday the wind started to blow and by Sunday evening we had steady winds of 45mph and gusts to 60 mph. Before we crossed over I expected to have some time to have my flybridge canvas repaired. Some of the stitching was beginning to unravel. However the sudden crossing opportunity prevented that. While the wind was howling I tried making some emergency repairs using dental floss and a needle. In the process a big gust of wind came along and ripped the stitching out on one side of the top so I had to remove the side curtains and move some of the things I stored up top down below so they wouldn't get wet.
Thanksgiving dinner was prepared by Gail and Judy. Judy prepared her famous Oyster dressing for Gail & John. Gail baked a pumpkin pie. It was a great meal even though the wind was howling and rainy outside. Temp was still 70 degrees.
I have found someone on Man O War Cay (pronounced Key) to repair my canvas. On our way to Marsh Harbour, I will stop in and see him.
The local lobsterman came by yesterday selling fresh lobsters. 4 for $20. We bought 8 so he threw in 2 extra. Last night we boiled them and had a great feast as well as freezing a couple of them for later.
The wind has died down but it is still blowing so we will stay here and leave on Thursday (4th) for Marsh Harbour. It takes 3 days to get to Marsh Harbour and we must cross "the Whale" which is exposed to North winds and it can get wicked and unsafe if you are not careful. It looks like Saturday will be a great day to cross the Whale
1 comment:
Hey guys...I'm just reading the updates. Been away from a computer for a few weeks. Sounds like great fun...Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and don't forget the Junkanew for New Years! Remember...they can't tell time down there!!!
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