Swimming

By Finn

We went to the beach.  So…I want to say about me swimming with my life jacket on and with my floaties.  I just swimmed.

We went sailing and I put my life jacket on. The boat was tipped and it was fun.

My Shell

By Finn

I want to tell you about this shell I found on the beach. As I was walking I saw this shell. I showed it to you, Anna and Dad. I am going to bring it to New Hampshire. I’m going to show it to everyone in New Hampshire!

Sampson and Bitter Guana Cays

While in Vero Beach, Bob worked hard to get the SSB radio (a radio similar to a HAM radio) up and running. This was a long process which had started with installing a grounding plate on the hull on the hard, having an insulator installed on the backstay when the rigging was redone in Morehead City, creating a grounding system with copper foil in the bowels of the boat and hours figuring out how to make the whole system work. All this allows us to listen to the Chris Parker Radio program each morning giving the weather, geared for sailors. We had been listening for days to the growing speculation that serious weather was approaching. Through conversations with Mark C and others, we learned that Sampson Cay was a good harbor with good holding. In study, the harbor looked well protected from the north, where most bad weather comes from, and is adjacent the Sampson Cay Marina if things look really bad.

We pulled anchor on Friday morning and headed north. It was only a five mile trip but we arrived feeling beat up, wet and tired. The wind wasn’t supposed to have started yet, but it certainly was windy. We did a little snorkeling and settled in for the evening. We shortened the chain a bit to avoid a discarded dredge bucket and chatted with the one other boat in the anchorage. He had made a reservation at the marina but was hoping to ride out the storm without the expense.  That morning Chris Parker had announced that he was more and more confident that there would be a westerly component to the coming system, which would leave us exposed. If this came at low tide, we probably didn’t have enough depth to exit.  He suggested that we listen to Chris again in the morning and then make a decision on moving into the marina. One of our many guide books had listed the marina cost at $2.50 per foot, which is quite steep, so we were not too excited about the stay. By 7:30 Saturday morning, after listening to the radio, we knew the wind would have a strong westerly component. This was going to be rough. We had just decided to call at 8 when the boat next to us hailed the marina. He was headed in. We hailed immediately after and were told the marina was full. There was no room for us. The guy headed in offered to let us raft up with him, but to no avail. He then offered to let the kids and I bunk on his boat. We moved the boat as far in to the cove as we could and let out all our chain.

The wind was not too bad yet so we decided to check out the marina, the marina store and ask if by any chance there were any cancellations. We piled into the dinghy and entered the cut into the marina. The difference between the wailing wind and the peace and quiet within was vast. I was let out at the dock and made my way to the store. As I walked in, the lady behind the counter asked “Are you the one with the kids?” I was a little taken aback, how did she know I had kids? I said yes, and asked her if we were blocking the way to the marina. She responded that they had a space for us. I was a little confused but decided to run with it. The dockmaster, Fly, came in and said Bob was waiting for me at the gas dock. We fetched Midwatch and settled in at the marina.

I made my way back to the office to check in, $4/foot (Wholly S#$T!) but hey, we were here and would get to sleep that night. As the day unraveled, the drama that had occurred within the marina was revealed to us. We learned that all in the marina knew there was a family in the boat outside and knew that we had been turned down. At least three boats, that we are aware of, had gone to talk to the managers, requesting we be allowed to enter the marina. At least one threatened to leave and never come back.  We were ignorant of the whole thing.

We ended up staying a second night, partially because the wind was still strong, but also because, we weren’t really sure we could safely get off the dock. We got a well-deserved rest and were able to explore a beautiful island. Great fun was had by all. Word has it, that the marina is owned by some wealthy individual who isn’t too keen on having a lot of people around, hence the “we’re full” statement. Either way, except for the price, I’d go back in a minute. It was a beautiful, well maintained and comfortable spot. And a good place to spend a few cool and windy days.

Weather-enforced relaxation

A Dragon!

Finn on the beach at Sampson Cay

After half hour of trying and very careful instructions from Bob, Anna was successful at catching a fish in her hand! She was very excited.

 

Anna caught a fish in her hand!

After leaving Sampson Cay, we headed to Bitter Guana Cay, a sanctuary for endangered Exuma Iguanas. We thoroughly explored the island and had a great time. What a beautiful, wild spot.



Midwatch from the top of Bitter Guana Cay

An endangered Exuma Iguana

Beach Combers

Finn showing Bob the cave where the iguanas live

East side of Bitter Guana Cay

Our brave leader! (We were waiting in the dinghy to see what they would do.)

Staniel Cay

It became apparent as we were leaving Green Cay that the 400 miles we had travelled over the past week had really taken a toll. The wash-down pump and chart plotter had stopped working and as we sailed towards the first marker on the Decca channel shortly after dark, the radar quit. We were able to plot a course with the GPS that we believed kept us north of the channel markers but as we approached areas of greater population and fog, we decided it was not worth it to continue in the dark; we travelled a half mile north and anchored for the night in still conditions.

We awoke in the morning and were able to sail right off the anchor and had a great sail south, averaging over six knots, into the Staniel Cay area. We attempted to enter the Leaf Cay dock area but found the depths inadequate and travelled back north a short way to a crowded but great anchorage full of boats awaiting the coming blow. This weather system was part of the same system dumping snow on the northeast. As we sat in the bar, purchasing airline tickets for Grampa’s flight home ($10 internet fee) we watched pictures of snow piled high back-home; we relaxed and tried to enjoy the island life.

There are two means of air travel in and out of Staniel Cay. It was Saturday afternoon and you can’t purchase tickets online with Airline One so we opted for the online alternative, Airline Two: Flamingo Air; and then found a flight on USAirways from Nassau back to Syracuse. After entering all the information for purchase of a Flamingo Air ticket, no price listed on the web site, we awaited the promised email with confirmation number, which never came. Grampa thought we might be able to get some information at Isles General Store and we headed over there, they radioed Monique who was working at the Library bake sale.  We dingied over to the Library bake sale at the Town Beach, no Monique. We travelled back to the bar and still no email confirmation. I asked the bar tender for help. He sold me a $10 phone card and told me to call Samantha who would help me out. So there I was on a payphone by a bar giving my credit card number to a gal whose phone number had been written on the back of a bar tab. If we are home broke next week, you will know why.

Grampa flew out Sunday morning from the booming Staniel Cay Airport and hopefully he is home! We had a fantastic two weeks with Grampa and are very grateful to him for all the help. We made more ground than we ever anticipated when we called for help and can’t wait for him to return later in the winter with Grandma.

Swimming Pig on Great Majors Spot

Nurse Shark at The Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Staniel Cay Airport Terminal

Green Cay

 

Grampa and Grandma had visited Staniel Cay and Friend Mark C in September and had spent a lot of time with Bahamian local, Hollie. Hollie had told Bob all about Green Cay, an uninhabited Island, off the beaten path, with only goats and lizards to liven things up. Grampa really wanted to go. After spending nearly two weeks trapped on a 35-foot boot with a family of four, it was the least we could do for him. I was a little timid about venturing so far off the beaten path with so little experience until, while perusing the Bahamas Explorer Chart Book, I stumbled upon a chart of Green Cay which showed two nice anchorages. The final approach to the island was pretty exciting. Bob had decided to troll the drop-off, the depth goes from 30 to thousands of feet deep almost instantly. Upon reaching the drop off, the fish, (and dolphin!) activity was epic. Huge blitzes, slicks of fish oil and whining reels. Soon, both Grampa and Bob were in the stern and I was left steering, trying to navigate. We reached Green Cay and I followed the 3 meter contour into the designated anchorage, completely stressed that we would hit a coral head while Grampa and Bob were on a fish-high, screaming behind me.

We dropped anchor on the north side of the island at lunch time, shoveled down something (I don’t even remember what) and jumped in the dinghy to begin explorations. The kids were beyond excited after months of talking about the Bahamas, warm water and beaches, we were finally here! The island was amazing, beautiful beaches with long reaches of shallow water, great for a three-year-old ready to learn to swim. Finn was over the side and out of the dinghy before we even reached



 

the beach. We played at the beach, Anna attempted some snorkeling and did some shell collecting. Grampa and Bob tried hunting up some lobster on the way back to the boat and were shocked by the cold water. Apparently, the water from the depths of the tongue on an incoming tide were a little chilly! We headed back to the boat for a dinner of grilled red snapper with Uncle Ted’s homemade chicken rub, rice and green beans, MargaritavilleRadio on the newly borrowed Sirius and a beautiful sunset. Yummy!



We awoke on Day 66 to adventure. We dingied over to the east end of the island and anchored a little way off, allowing for an outgoing tide and started a trek, clockwise around the island. The goats have created a browse line, which, combined with strips of bedrock, made for fairly easy walking.  It wasn’t long before we spotted the local residents including both goats and lizards.  An object first identified as King-Kong poop, turned out to be a termite mound, a favorite lizard-snack.

The Local Wildlife:

King Kong Poop?

The large flats around the west side of the island are conducive to conch, and the shore up into the interior, was littered with conch shells. We had a real Lord of the Flies moment with goats and conch shells and deciding who really has control of this expedition. Obviously it is not the adults.

 Who has the conch?

 
 

 

 

 

 

Grampa left us about half way round the island to backtrack and retrieve the dinghy to pick up any stragglers on the flip side. We continued on, eyeing baby goats, a goat roundup area complete with cleaning station, an inland lake, awesome beach debris (and washed up shoes, of course) and fantastic views. We finally rounded the northwest bluff and caught sight of Midwatch anchored in the beautiful turquoise water and knew we were in a little piece of paradise. We trekked the north side of the island in one to two-feet deep water with the kids stopping to play, swim and explore along the way. We were trailed by a rather large barracuda like a lost puppy following us home. We began to wonder what had happened to Grampa, and with Finn and I trailing behind, Bob and Anna rounded a bend to find Grampa napping on a grounded dinghy. I have to admit, it wasn’t the worst place in the world to sit and wait out a tide.

We knew there was an approaching front and Green Cay is unprotected, so upon returning to Midwatch, we pulled anchor and fished our way north to the Decca channel entrance, which is routed east across the banks to Staniel Cay, Grampa’s departure point.

Fun at Green Cay:

Green Cay South side bluff

Goat Roundup

The Tongue of the Ocean: Great Harbour Cay to Green Cay

Grampa’s red snapper

We left Great Harbour Cay Marina as early as possible on Wednesday morning, Day 64. We either needed to head slightly west and south or travel clockwise around the north end of the Berry Islands. We decided that a run on the banks would probably be the more pleasant trip so we headed southwest sailing in a very flat sea. It was a glorious morning! We had decided during the night to head to Green Cay. Grampa had heard about Green Cay from a local in the Staniel Cay area.  Green Cay is an uninhabited island near the south end of the Tongue of the Ocean. The trip south would allow us to sail in the Tongue, a strip of very deep water that runs right down through the middle of the Bahamas, all night, again taking advantage of the weather and the extra hand to get south while we can. As we travelled south we headed into the well-travelled Florida-Nassau route and joined a parade of boats heading east towards the Northwest Channel. The Channel funnels lots of water off the banks and is known as a great fishing spot. We sailed right up to the point and had to turn the motor on briefly to stay north of the channel marker, and then sailed out into deep water and turned south, just as the fishing reels started to whine. Grampa hauled in a monster red snapper and provided a great mid-afternoon diversion.

We had a lively sail down the Tongue of the Ocean and as dark approached, with 20 knots of breeze, the Autopilot “Otto” was overpowered and needed a rest. We reefed the sail and continued on, arriving at Green Cay around noon on Day 65.

Finn watching Sail TV, portholes awash in the sea

The Crossing

Our last ICW bridge

After months of planning for just the right winds for crossing over to the Bahamas, we were presented with a weather window opportunity we had never anticipated, calm. We bought a sail boat so we could sail, but hey, Grampa was here for the crossing and a short motor over to the Bahamas was way better than sitting and waiting in Fort Lauderdale or Miami for the right wind. A crossing opportunity had occurred earlier in the week, it had been a cold front that would provide south and west winds but it was strong and fast and we weren’t quite in the right position so we let it go, we definitely were not letting this opportunity slip by.

The weekend in Fort Lauderdale was just right with friends, shopping opportunities and nice weather. The sailor weather-expert, Chris Parker, had said that the Gulf Stream would lay down in the afternoon on Monday and it would be good weather until Wednesday or Thursday. We discussed our plan for the entire weekend, whether to cross the Gulf Stream in the day and anchor on the banks or cross the Gulf Stream at night and continue on the banks in the morning. We finally decided that with Grampa here to help, and it was a huge help to have a third adult on board, we would make as many miles as possible in hard-to-travel directions, and leave as soon as possible.

Anna eating her ice cream on the way out of port

Waking on Monday morning, we began preparation for departure with a planned departure of 4 P.M. As we have done from the beginning, we kept our plans pretty loose, but figured we could figure out where to make landfall in the Bahamas once we crossed the Gulf Stream and knew what landfall we could make. We were ready around lunch time and departed with a planned stop at the Lauderdale Marina for gas and water. The Lauderdale Marina is adjacent the last ICW bridge before our departure point, the 55-foot span, and after loading up with gas, water, Gatorade and ice creams, we passed under the 55-foot span, turned to port, and headed out to sea. Departure time was 2 P.M.

Sunset over South Florida

We had a light wind out of the northeast and tried sailing south for a while to try and counter some of the push we would get north in the Gulf. The Gulf current was so close to the shore that we were soon sailing south but making no ground, so we turned to port and motored east. The sunset over south Florida was pretty amazing and we were all in a festive mood.

Bob at the Navigation Station, crossing into the Bahamas

It was hard to sleep with all the excitement. Grampa and I were up on deck keeping watch. There were lots of boats and ships out so we were really using all our resources, radar, AIS and visual sweeps of the horizon. About 9 P.M. we noticed a boat approaching us, but it veered off to the south. Soon we were noticing more and more starboard-side green lights. We were discussing all the fishing boats that must be returning to Miami, but as we got closer, all did not seem right. Bob came up on deck and was concerned so I grabbed the binoculars and realized  they were bouys, “It’s a long-line!” Bob reacted with lightning speed, put the auto-pilot on stand-by and grabbed the wheel, turning us north with not too much space between us and a huge mess. We followed the line north and then resumed course slightly south of east. The only other excitement during the night was a close encounter with one of the many cruise ships heading east too. Grampa woke the captain and after a little maneuvering, we were past that danger.

Waking up in the Bahamas

After all our worries about seasickness, I was very careful about getting my medicine which left me sleepy. I headed to bed with the kids and left the piloting to the boys. I awoke around 12:30 and found Bob up, Grampa asleep and the Gulf Stream behind us. Bob and I chatted quietly as we crossed onto the Great Bahama Bank between a place called Great Issac to the north and Hen and Chickens to the south. The Bahamas Explorer Chart Books have charted routes and we headed east on the Hen and Chickens-Mackie Shoal route. After an hour Grampa got up and took over and Bob and I headed back to bed.

Bahamas, Hooray!

We had decided at some point during the trip to enter the Bahamas through Great Harbour Cay Marina in the Berry Islands. We called and let them know we were coming an hour out and they were ready for us with customs paperwork when we arrived. Customs went fairly smoothly with a few extra charges that we were not prepared for. Change to the rules or a little extra? We didn’t push our luck, and paid.

Las Olas

After three days in the Land of Bridges, we pulled into Las Olas on the north side of Fort Lauderdale and set anchor a stone’s throw from an old college friend and experienced cruiser, Lisa Ann (and SO Scott). In addition, Sea Captain-friend Mark C. was in town for work. We had a super weekend catching up with these great friends and received loads of advice and a Christmas-load of gifts. Great thanks to all!  In addition, we got in a shake-down cruise out to the Gulf Stream which was definitely one of those terrors that needed to be confronted.

On Saturday morning, we sailed several miles out into the Gulf Stream; no one got sick and everyone got a good taste of what a 3-knot current feels like,

or at least what it does to our course. We all got a chance to steer the boat and got to see a huge cruise ship departing the harbor on our way back in. The Coast Guard was putting on a show, zipping around the ship with a big gun and amidst the excitement and multi-million dollar homes, Finn dropped ‘trow’ and peed over the side.  Upon our return, Saturday evening, we dinghied over to a local restaurant and enjoyed a great dinner with friends.

On the way out through Port Everglades Inlet, the last bridge on the ICW we had to pass, had a clearance of 55 feet. We have a document stating our mast is 51 feet and another identifying it as 54 feet. We didn’t know if either was correct or if these measurements included the weather equipment on top. We radioed in an opening and the operator radioed back asking if we were sure we needed an opening. My thoughts immediately said “shouldn’t the question be ‘Are you sure you don’t need an opening?’” We took the opening and on the way back the tide was out and we skirted under a 58-foot span. Bob and Grandpa got to work the next day to figure out just what the height is which came in somewhere between 52 and 53 feet.

We spent Sunday running around doing last minute shopping, Kim and the kids with Lisa Ann and Scott and Bob and Grandpa with Mark and finished up the final preparations for departure on Monday.

Bahamas!

We made it! We are in Great Harbour Cay Marina, in the Berry Islands. We had a great crossing, no one got sick and there was just enough excitement to keep us awake. More later.

In the Land of Bridges

After much grief from friends and relatives we finally pulled off from Vero Beach (AKA Velcro Beach) on Day 57. We really had a great time while we were at Vero and used our time wisely in a very pleasant spot. The mooring field was full of life and the kids learned to spot a manatee trail, enjoyed beautiful sunsets, scared up catfish, and listened to osprey sing their victory tunes.  In addition, the free bus made adventuring in the land of humans a little easier.  Part of the reason for the extended stay was to catch up on school and work, but we also completed a significant number of boat projects including fixing, repairing, replacing, learning and maintaining boat systems.
Bob travelled for work last week and returned on Sunday, with Grampa in-tow, who will be with us until we reach the Bahamas. We decided some time ago that it would be prudent to have another adult onboard for the crossing of the Gulf Stream and we have had a great time with Grampa here (he even does dishes!).

We finally cast off from mooring ball No. 54 on Wednesday morning, fueled and filled with water and headed south on the Intercoastal waterway.  We once again have shunned the cities in our travels passing through Fort Pierce and Stewart and anchoring adjacent a beautiful State Park in Peck Lake on Day 57.

Of all the museums and amusement park opportunities in Florida, the only one that really piqued my interest was the Kennedy Space Center.  With our homeschool theme of Adventurers and Explorers, I launched into the internet to figure out how to get a car and drive up to Cape Canaveral for a visit. We decided that the ticket price- $180 for a family of four- was a huge deterrent and that it wouldn’t be worth it. We also learned that there would be a rocket launch at the end of the month.  The morning we left, I was reminded of the launch when I heard a coast guard security announcement on the rocket launch and Anna and I sat down for a little lesson.
We found Cape Canaveral on Google Earth and the compass course from our anchorage on Peck Lake. The launch window was 8:48 to 9-something, so we all trundled up on deck around 8:45, some reluctantly, and waited, looking north towards the lights of Stewart. There was at least one skeptic in the bunch but a few minutes after we arrived, I asked Anna to confirm her compass course relative to the bright orange light I could see in the sky. Duh! It was the rocket! We watched as it climbed high into the sky, arcing off to the east and developing a real cone shape as it burned through the atmosphere. It was very exciting. And just like that…it was gone. Finn was hesitant to leave, insisting that he could still see the rocket, which was the anchor light on the boat anchored adjacent to us. The fun part was the next night, he asked to go up and look for rockets again.

We knew there would be a good cold front coming through first thing in the morning on Day 58 and planned to rise early and decide if it was safer to ride it out in the anchorage or travelling. Neither Bob nor I sleep all that well while anchored and were a little slow to rise in the morning. We knew the cold front was imminent so we sat in the cock pit waiting for it to blow through. As we were watching the boats bounce around, a 50-foot catamaran broke loose and careened through the anchorage.  We were discussing trying to radio them when one of the other boats started blowing a bull horn. The occupants quickly came up top, but not soon enough. They managed to break something which left them with little steerage. They dropped a spare anchor and got on the radio, hailing Tow-boat. They received a prompt response but were then shut down when the operator told them to go back to channel 16 and try calling Tow-boat Stewart who apparently was still asleep. After several unanswered calls to Tow-boat Stewart, the Coast Guard came on the radio and eventually they were able to wrestle up a Tow-boat operator. We started moving then, anxious to get out of the way before the extraction began.

We then entered the Land of Bridges including passing through 14 opening bridges in Day 59. Bridges can be exciting but often involve a lot of waiting. Grampa took advantage of this time and Anna and Grampa got in some good fishing including catching, an … electric eel? Well that was at least the first guess when he pulled this electrifying-looking, prehistoric beast from the deeps of the ICW. Anna poured over the fish ID book and still was not able to find it. Bob suggested a ribbon fish, which was not in the ID book index, but Grampa managed to find it on Google.  What did people do before the internet?  Turns out, the beast, a good fighter on the line, is a cutlass fish, AKA a ribbon fish. Don’t EVER question Bob’s fish knowledge! These fish are deep water ocean fish which is why it wasn’t in our reef fishes book, but this was not apparent to the fish...apparently.

We pulled into Fort Lauderdale on the afternoon of Day 59 and were stunned by the wealth in both boats and houses. We have had a productive few days visiting with friends, taking a shakedown cruise out to the Gulf Stream and prepping for the crossing. More news to come soon!