2015/01/01 - Lake Worth to
Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay, Exuma
12/04/2014 North Lake Worth to South Lake Worth, FL 7 nm
12/05/2014 South Lake Worth to Ft. Lauderdale, Rio Barcelona
Canal, FL 41 nm
12/10/2014 Rio Barcelona Canal to Los Olas Anchorage, FL 2 nm
12/11/2014 Los Olas Anchorage to Palm/Hibiscus Islands, Miami,
FL 24 nm
12/15/2015 Palm/Hibiscus Island to Nassau Harbor Club,
Bahamas 169nm
12/19/2014 Nassau Harbor Club to Hawksbill Cay, Exuma 48 nm
12/20/2014 Hawksbill Cay to Pipe Ck, Exuma 25 nm
12/30/2014 Pipe Ck to Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay,
Exuma 12 nm
Total Miles to Date: 1024 nm
“The cabin of a small yacht is truly a
wonderful thing; not only will it shelter you form the tempest, but
from the other troubles of life; as well.” L.Francis Herreshoff
“The sea belongs to us all, and every
aspect of it, from halcyon calm, to howling hurricane, is fraught
with beauty.” Samuel Eliot Morison
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| Trumpy |
The Crossing:
The Turtle hauled her anchor in N Lake Worth,
took on her last fuel State side, and motored 7 miles down the ICW
past the Ribovitch Boat Yard where huge mega yachts are serviced and
anchored about 2 miles South of Lake Worth inlet to stage for the
trip to Ft. Lauderdale. It turned out to be a good choice, it was
quiet, not crowded, the ICW wakes did not seem to reach us, and we
got to share the anchorage with a beautiful classic old wooden Trumpy
motor yacht in the 100 foot range.
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| S.Lake Worth Anchorage |
The plan was to push on the next day down the
ICW to Ft. Lauderdale either inside on the ICW or outside in the
Atlantic...we were praying for weather to take us out side. The next
41 miles on the ICW are hell on earth to sailboats and power boats
alike. Over those 41 miles there are 28 bridges and sailboats have
to open every single one (we get a break and only have to open 10).
But that is not all the evil in store in those mile, most of the trip
is thru what is known as the “canyon.” The canyon is really a
concrete walled ditch. Every boat wake sets up a rebound off the
walls of the canyon and makes for confused, un-endingly uncomfortable
seas. Stir in a few South Florida Assholes with a peppering of small
unpredictable boat traffic and you have my idea of boater's hell.
Rule: Never ever do this section of the ICW on a weekend or
holiday!!!!!!!
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| New River |
Well the weather did not cooperate and we did
go down inside..stupid us (and it was a Monday). Never EVER again!!
By the time G and I got the anchor down in the Rio Barcelona Canal
our nerves were tied in one large knot that it took 3 rum &
tonics to even start to loosen. As bad as it was for us, the poor
sailboaters behind us had it much worse...there were 2 busted bridges
that were operating on an “adjusted” schedule – one opening
every 6 hours...god help'em. Never EVER again!!
Well Rio Barcelona is not really an anchorage
but Middle River was full..and any port in a storm as sailors like to
say. We spent the next few days anchored at the ass end of the Rio
with the tour boats using us as a turn point since we blocked their
further progress...we put out extra anchor lights and slept like
babies.
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| "Rabbit Warren" |
Lauderdale is a veritable “rabbit warren”
of canals with little marinas, gorgeous homes, and boats, boats and
more boats. It took us a little over an hour by dink to
by-gosh-in-by-golly our way out to the New River, that severs the
heart of Ft. Lauderdale, and make our way to the Downtowner, a local
bar that had a good Sunday brunch and even better “bloodies.”
What's not to like about a place that asks you if you want your
Bloody Mary “to go?” We left “bread crumbs” in the water and
it only took 20 minutes on the return trip.
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| Los Olas Anchorage |
After waring out our welcome in Rio we moved on
down the ICW to Miami Beach, enjoyed some good Cuban food, made our
last Publix stop, and settled in to wait for a window...and for once
it was not a long wait – only 5 days.
There is a rule in Gulf Stream crossings –
“Never cross with any wind out of the North East to North
West.” The winds were supposed to be a less than 10 out of the
North and seas between 1 & 2 feet...but close
together (the closer the seas the more a pain in the butt).
Non-the-less, it sounded good and we were about to break that rule.
It takes Salty Turtle about 24 hours to cross
to Nassau out of Miami and we plan accordingly. We pulled anchor
around 8:00 AM and cleared the inlet a little before 9:00. The
crossing was a piece of cake (even with that N wind). We saw only 5
ships in crossing, actually had to alter course for 2 and hailed 3.
It could have been better but we have seen much worse. By 3:00 PM we
were in the Bahamas, our Q flag hoisted (yellow quarantine flag), and
the beautiful aqua waters of the Bahamas foaming off Turtle's bow.
Turtle was home tasting Bahamian waters again.
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| Green Flash..Well Greenish |
The sunset was spectacular with colors from
brilliant reds to soft golds and ending in our first “green flash”
at sea with the actual setting of the sun. Tongue of the Ocean was
its usual “cluster.” Where the Tongue joins NW Providence
Channel there used to be a light (now a submerged stump of what's
left of a light). Thru here pass most of the traffic East and West
bound. No matter what the time of day or night it is a busy spot and
you best keep a good watch. We spoke one small Bahamian freighter at
NW Providence Channel “Stump” and passed a safe port to port.
It had been a dark night with stars painting
the sky and the great swath of the Milky Way slashing its way across
the heavens. A dark night at sea is one of the true wonders of the
world I wish you all could experience it. I was headed somewhere
with this story before the sky side tracked me..Oh ya, the “devil
moon.”
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| Nassau Sunrise |
It was about 2 in the morning. Gigi was off
watch and asleep. I had been fiddling with the chartplotter when I
looked up and saw what appeared to be two iridescent orange horns
rising from the sea...an unholy sight at best. Then it gained a body
and morphed into what appeared to be the hull of an orange ship, sort
of a crescent shaped bowl with bow and stern accentuated with those
“horns” all aflame slowly rising out of the sea and it was
BIG...and I mean big. I was stumped. What the hell is this thing?
Was it a ship afire? A cruise ship with every light it had on and
its hedonistic passengers preparing to party in the dawn? I grabbed
the binoculars and pinned them on the mystery ship. Even thru the
binoculars it was a puzzle. Gradually it dawned on me it was a
crescent moon rising out of the sea so distorted by atmosphere it was
almost unrecognizable in it's shimmering orange coat – a “devil
moon” and as odd a sight as I've seen at sea. ...And no rum was
involved.
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| Clearing in Customs and Immigration |
By 9:00 AM we were tied to the dock at Nassau
Harbor Club and with the help of our friends Dudley and Clark and
another safe passage under our belt. It was time to check in with
Immigration & Customs and then grab a well earned nap.
Exumas!
Three days later we were anchored off Hawksbill
Cay in the Exuma Land and Sea Park for the night. We had planned to
stay at Harbor Club until Monday but we had changed the oil in all
engines, washed the boat, rummed up, had lamb chops at East Villa,
made 4 mandatory trips to BTC (phone company) to get our phone and
broad band stuff done, and had a nice catchup with our friends Clay
and Rita Kay. We were ready, the boat was ready and the weather was
too good to miss. By noon the next day we were anchors down in Pipe
Creek and it was time to decompress after a long journey.
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| Green Turtle in Pipe Ck |
Christmas dinner was a potluck organized and
hosted by our friends Joe and Carol aboard “ Just Ducky” and we
were joined by new friends Garheart (German) and Innes (Dutch) off
“Fussel” (Dutch for “dust bunny”). Innes said when they
bought the boat it was full of “dust bunnies” so Garheart said,
“We name her Fussel.” I asked them how they met? Garheart and
Innes in unison said, “Spain... of course.” Gotta be a story
there.
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| Over Younder Cay |
We have spent our days snorkeling, fishing,
hunting lobster and conch (finding little) and getting back into the
gentle swing of the life in the Bahamas. We are currently anchored
off Black Point Settlement spending a few pleasant days among friends
here before we head back to Pipe Creek for another go at those
lobster, fish and conch.
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| A Christmas "Just Ducky" |
May the New Year Be Kind To You All,
Fairwinds and Rum Drinks,
Vic C.
