Sunday, June 10,2007

With the engine oil changed, water and fuel topped off, the only mission now was to decide to enter Florida at Lake Worth (West Palm Beach) or Ft. Pierce. We needed to find paper charts for the Ft. Pierce area if that is to be landfall. Our GPS chip covers to Vero Beach (just north of Ft. Pierce) but our paper chart supply only covered to Jupiter, Fl (about 40 miles south of Ft. Pierce). You’re probably thinking - “Why worry about it? You’ve got the GPS.” It could probably work that way, but “what ifs” are a BIG part of cruising. What if the GPS craps out? We do have back up GPSs but that’s where the physical chart comes in handy. It also provides the full view.

Babette put out a request over the VHF radio for anyone with charts of the Ft. Pierce area. Amazingly enough we had several responses - several to loan to look at and one person with a spare one. Rich on Knot Tied brought over his MapTech Chartkit for the Eastern coast of Florida and the Keys for us to look over. We studied them overnight - reading the cruising guide and matching info to the charts - a tedious project but a necessary one. Rich also suggested that the local book swap, Buck A Book (where he volunteers) has some chart kits but wasn’t sure which ones were there. After studying the info we had, we decided we’d really like to make landfall in Ft. Pierce. If we couldn’t find one then we’d make copies of Rich’s.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Off to get another jerry can to carry extra fuel (another precaution) and to Buck A Book. We met Rich at Buck A Book. He’d been doing a lot of unknown to us leg work to locate charts. No Ft. Pierce charts at the shop BUT Rich then offered to sell us his at half price. He would be flying back to the states before he’d be bring his boat back so he’d just buy another chartkit. Cruisers do help cruisers - creating cruising angels. Rich was our angel!!

Decision now made - depart Marsh Harbour, stage at Green Turtle Cay, Great Sale Cay, cross the Gulf Stream and make landfall in Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Anchor pulled at 1:00 pm and after saying good-bye to all our friends we set sail around Whale Cay Passage bound for Green Turtle Cay. The treacherous Whale Cay Passage was the calmest we have ever seen it. We were at Green Turtle Cay by 4 pm. Making such great time we alter our plans, passing by Green Turtle and will anchor at Powell Cay instead (only another 12 miles north). Anchored up at 7 pm we do the final boat prep for the crossing - hooking up the jack lines, securing the jerry cans extra tight, etc. (trip 33.5 nm)

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Ready to go at 7 am - a long haul ahead to Great Sale Cay. We listened to Chris Parker’s single sideband weather forecast. Squalls off Florida predicted but we should be ok at Great Sale Cay, even if we have to wait them out there. We’ll be ready when the weather permits.

Motor-sailed with only 10 knots of wind. Nice gentle trip. Arriving at Great Sale Cay we could see a thunderstorm in the distance. Anchored at 3:45 pm Our cubed ice is dwindling but the blocks are holding up well. Overall a beautiful evening - the thunderstorm missed us and Tom enjoyed feeding the gulls. (trip 45.9 nm)

At midnight all hell broke loose. Squalls were all around us. The winds picked up and changed directions, now blowing in from the WSW - the direction in which the anchorage is exposed. Winds were 20-25 knots and the seas picked up to 2-3 ft windblown waves. Lightning and thunder was off in the distance. The uncomfortable hobby horsing lasted until 4 am but then all returned back to calm waters.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Weather report calls for continued squalls to move over the area (some with winds to 40-60 knots) and a low north of us to move east creating north winds. Not good for crossing the Gulf Stream so we’ll stay put until tomorrow when things are expected to have calmed down.
Our trip from Great Sale Cay to Ft. Pierce is expected to be anywhere from 22-28 hours so the most comfortable weather conditions possible would be warmly welcomed.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Left Great Sale Cay at 7:45 am with a 10 knot N wind - prediction was to switch to a 5 knot easterly - a motor sail day and night. Heading to Matanilla Shoals on the Little Bahama Banks the skies were sunny, just a beautiful day!! This is just a waypoint on the edge of the banks just before the deep Atlantic - no island. Our plan - to cross the banks during daylight arriving at Matanilla Shoals about 7 pm, cross Gulf Stream through the night and arriving at Ft. Pierce Inlet between 7-9 am in daylight. Great Plan…………only……………

Escape was cruising along causing us to become ahead of schedule. We arrived at Matanilla Shoals 1 hour early even after our attempts of slowing down. No problem…we’ll slow down with the lighter easterly winds in the stream. NOT!!!

The winds and waves were behind us pushing us along at 5.5 - 6 knots. At that pace we would be getting to the inlet at 5am before sunrise. Not good. With the lack of wind for speed and the wind/wave direction causing an awful roll just pure sailing wasn’t an option. As we were trying to revise the plan, Tom did his hourly engine checks discovering that the stuffing box wasn’t dripping (thus not wetting/cooling the prop shaft). We quickly change course, head south, kill the motor and sail while Tom made the necessary adjustments. This killed some time (a couple hours) because on that point of sail with a reefed main and no jib into the Gulf Stream current we could only advance ½ - 1 knot. Basically we were sitting in the middle of the Gulf Stream, bobbing like a cork. This plan was working so we continued for awhile. When we were 20 miles off the Florida coast we altered back on course.

The evening’s traffic consisted of 3 cruise ships, 5 freighters, and 1 large tug with a tow. Sunrise came at 6:24 am. The beautiful sunrise was a perfect ending to a fabulous 14 month Bahamian adventure.

Sunrise over the Gulf Stream

At 8 am we headed into Ft. Pierce Inlet, up the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway) to marker #184 where we entered the Taylor Creek channel and the entrance for Harbortown Marina-Ft. Pierce where we had reserved a slip.

Tied up in slip H39 we check in with the marina and then get a taxi to take us to the St. Lucie Airport where we needed to clear back in the USA with Customs and Immigration. Back at the boat we realized that it has been 14 months since Escape has been tied up!!!! The necessary check-ins were all done….now it’s time to sleep. Two exhausted sailors crash for the rest of the day. (trip 123.6 nm)

After a few days of searching for long term dockage, we decided to stay right where we have landed. Harbortown Marina-Ft Pierce is our new home - at least for a year or until the water moves us onto our next adventure. This one has sure been a good one!! Life is good!!

Nestled into her slip

It’s important to enjoy life but to know you are enjoying it is priceless.

Escape to Paradise (4/2/06 - 6/15/07) is out.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Believe it or not!! The weather has finally made the change and we are able to begin our voyage back to the Abacos. We settle our mooring bill with “Cinnabar” at the Pinder’s Supermarket dinghy dock and head out to Royal Island Harbor for an early morning departure.

Bradley Newbold, aka “Cinnabar” is a pillar of the Spanish Wells community. He was one of the first boat pilots in the area to lead boats through the treacherous Devil’s Backbone which runs the eastern shoreline between Spanish Wells and Harbour Island. At age 79 he is still in demand and pilots boats ranging in size from 30 - 165 feet.

We were welcomed into Spanish Wells by Bradley and his wife, Pat. We enjoyed the car tours, assistance, their stories and their family. The opened their home to us as if we were part of the family. We will miss them but back to Abaco we go.

Bradley and Pat Newbold

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Departed Royal Island at 6:15 am

Crossing was uneventful except for rain showers. Gypsy Palace accompanied us. Anchored at Lynard Cay for the night. Exhausted but glad to be home in Abaco. (trip 57.3 nm)

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Sailed into Marsh Harbour about 1 pm. (trip 20.2 nm)

Total Eleuthera/Exumas trip - 460.2 nm or 529.2 statute miles

Thursday, June 7 - June 10, 2007

After catching up with all our friends, enjoying BBQ rib night at the JIB Room we become ready to prepare and chart our return course to the US. We shared info about our trip to Exumas with friends on Island Dream, Pat and Darnell and they shared info regarding places in Florida where they stayed during their recent return.