Lena Bea - Tales From a Formerly Reluctant Sailor

Final leg of our journey

2011-04-17T22:01:00.001-04:00

Tonight is the last night of our trip and we are anchored on the southeast side of Sanibel. Tomorrow - home!

We haven't had much wi-fi lately, so I'm combining a few posts that I've worked on along the way. Photos will come later:

Saturday, April 9 - I'm sitting in a gazebo at Sampson Cay Marina, gazing out at beautiful scenery and relishing the soft, cool breeze. Life is good. Colby, a nine-year old boy, just joined his dad here with his bag lunch and asked me if I needed any cleaning done on our boat. After living on it for nearly six weeks? Um, yeah - it could definitely use a little cleaning. I told him to go have Wayne put him to work.

This is probably the nicest marina we've seen in the Exumas - nicely maintained and scenic, with a relatively well-stocked (for the Exumas) grocery store. It also offers great protection from foul weather, - whatever that is. We've only had one day of rain, one nighttime thunderstorm, and a couple of scattered showers since leaving home.

After our 112 mile crossing from the Ragged Islands on Tuesday, April 5, we anchored for a night at Little Farmer's, then went in to the marina for a night. We used their free wi-fi to catch up on email, etc., then walked into "town."

JR the woodcarver, signing our purchase

Next stop was Big Majors for two nights, where we snorkeled Thunderball Cave (sure hope fish don't carry rabies - they got a bit over-zealous when I was feeding them),

visited the swimming pigs, popped in to Staniel Cay for a drink and cracked conch, and played dominoes on Windswept Dreams with Ed, Ann, Chris, and Sheila. We met Ed and Ann when we were anchored at Norman's Cay and, without knowing it, anchored near them at Big Majors. Also anchored right next to us there were a couple from Punta Gorda who are good friends of Marilyn and Bruce. That's how it is cruising the Bahamas - you keep running into people you know and you share common acquaintances with nearly everyone you meet.

Which brings us to Sampson Cay. A little while after we docked, we ran into Ed and Ann at the fuel dock. The four of us went for a late lunch of pizza and conch fritters, then after dinner they stopped by so I could give Ann a basket weaving lesson (she had gone to a class in Georgetown but forgot how it was done). Sunday morning Reflection called us on the VHF and they, too, were anchored at Sampson and coming in for fuel. They stopped over afterward and Marilyn gave ME another basket weaving lesson.

We left Sampson Cay about noon on Sunday and made the short but tricky trek down to Pipe Creek, which is probably our favorite spot in the Exumas. It's tricky because of the windy entrance with shallow rocks and reefs en route to the anchorage off Thomas Cay; good visibility is a must for safe navigation there. On the plus side, once you're in you probably have it to yourself because not many boats go in there. And it's beautiful, with good shelling and snorkeling (you have to snorkel at slack tide to avoid the current, though). Ed and Ann dinghied down from Sampson to snorkel with us. I was the first one in the water and about thirty feet from our dinghies when an Eagle Ray swam by. I yelled to the others, then took photos of him as he circled me three times before swimming off. It was magical.

Thursday, April 14 - Our two nights at Pipe Creek marked the official end of our vacation. We're heading home now, and for us that means we get up as early as 4 a.m., sail all day, anchor for the night, and repeat until we're home. We anchored at Shroud Cay on Tuesday and West Bay off New Providence on Wednesday.

Normally when we anchor for the night we're tucked into a cove or at least on the leeward side of an island for protection from wind, waves, and current. But occasionally we're anchored as we are tonight - with nothing but water as far as the eye can see. We're in twenty feet of calm water about 30 miles south of Gun Cay (the nearest island) and will cross the Gulf Stream tomorrow to Rodriguez Island, off the coast of Florida.

Wayne's up in the cockpit and keeps calling me up to see the weird fish that seem to be skipping over the surface of the water. Hmmm... Of course, I haven't seen one yet. I told him he's been at sea too long.

Last night some "neighbors" stopped by to chat for a few minutes, then motored off in their dinghy. A while later they came blasting back at full throttle to tell us they had just seen a 13 foot hammerhead shark. Um... no snorkeling this evening for us, thank you.

After an uneventful night anchored at Rodriguez Island off Key Largo on Friday, we took a short-cut through the Keys. Wayne had been skeptical of going that way because of the depth, but Reflection draws 5 1/2 feet (we draw 5 feet) and can get through there, so we felt safe. Five Mile Channel saved us one day of travel over our route through Marathon and the Seven Mile Bridge. We had to time it tide-wise to be able to get under the 65' bridge comfortably, but with enough depth to navigate the shallow water; it worked out well.

Last night we opted to skip anchoring in Little Shark River and instead anchored about eight miles north of there. It was very calm and we slept well.

Check back for more photos and videos.

Return to Paradise from Paradise

2011-04-05T11:44:00.065-04:00

As I write this, we are headed back to civilization - the Exumas - after spending two weeks in paradise. Which isn't to say that the Exumas aren't paradise; it's just a matter of degrees and yes, personal preference. We left Buena Vista Cay at 3:45 this morning and expect to anchor at Little Farmer's Cay around 6:30 this evening.

The Ragged Islands were everything we had hoped they would be: We overlooked long, pristine white beaches from idyllic anchorages, and from at least one spot, were nearly surrounded by MANY beautiful beaches. The crystal clear waters beckoned to us and our snorkels relentlessly, and the unspoiled and abundant reefs - teeming with countless varieties of coral, plants, and sea creatures - mesmerized and thrilled us, making it an effort to tear ourselves away.

Especially me. Except for being with loved ones, nothing makes me happier than reveling in God's creation, and revel I did. Wayne enjoys it too, of course, but spent a lot of time following me and waiting for me in the dinghy, patient man that he is. At one spot we went to, near our anchorage at Double Breasted Cay, the ocean floor was littered with sea biscuits, as many as I cared to scoop up (and I did collect quite a few).

We saw a remarkable number of Barracudas while snorkeling, far more than we've seen in past snorkeling or diving excursions. They're curious creatures and show a disconcerting level of interest in us; it feels like we're being stalked. Wayne saw about a dozen of them at one time, which admittedly caused him a bit of anxiety. I seem to be the one who always spots the sharks, though; I saw probably half a dozen (only one per excursion), while Wayne spotted none. They don't pay us much attention, Mom.

We were only in Duncan Town one day to deliver books and school supplies with the Conklins (coordinators of Operation Bahamas Project), explore the settlement, have a burger, and make use of the restaurant's wi-fi. I use the term "restaurant" loosely because there is only one table and the few other patrons were school kids on lunch break, watching TV and lounging around an adjacent sitting area.

One of the major attractions of the Jumentos and Ragged Islands for us is the solitude. Many boaters cruise the Caribbean and the Bahamas, but the Jumentos and Ragged Islands are largely undiscovered (although there have been more visitors in just the past couple years). We were with Marilyn and Bruce most of the time, but there were days when we saw no other boats and the only conversations on the VHF were between Reflection and Lena Bea. That level of solitude isn't for everyone and two (okay, maybe three) weeks is probably enough for us, too. But we were blessed by the experience and will return.

We've enjoyed spending time with Marilyn and Bruce. They're dear people and oh, can Marilyn cook! One day she had us over for a breakfast of Eggs Benedict and that evening for a spur-of-the-moment dinner of fresh cracked conch. Bruce and Wayne had gone out in the dinghy in search of conch. Wayne dove for them and the guys came back with over a dozen conch, which they took to the beach to clean (Bruce mentored Wayne on that fine art).

I've never cooked conch and Marilyn has made cracked conch, conch fritters, and conch chowder, so she showed me how to prepare them. Our share is in the freezer, waiting until we get back to Punta Gorda for me to give it a go.

Of course, we had Marilyn and Bruce over for dinner a couple times, too, but I can't keep up with Marilyn. Did I mention her bread? She makes the yummiest artisan bread! Oh, and one day Christian and Martin - a couple of local fishermen - came by with a boatload of live, freshly-speared lobster (and a humongous Goliath Grouper).

Wayne and I bought half a dozen very large tails for $25. We froze five of them and shared one for dinner that night; I couldn't even finish my half. Anyway, Conklins bought some as well, and a couple days later Marilyn made lobster bisque and gave us a container of it to have for lunch. It was the best!

Thanks, Marilyn and Bruce, for inviting us along and helping make our stay in the Ragged Islands a richer and more memorable experience by sharing so generously your food, your nautical experience, your knowledge of the Raggeds, your weather reports, and most of all - your friendship. We admire the work you do collecting books and supplies for the children in the Bahamas and we thank you for that on their behalf. Oh, and I certainly have to thank Marilyn for teaching me how to weave baskets! What a surprisingly fun and addictive hobby!

Basket-weaving is not something I ever imagined myself doing, but with no internet access, no TV, no cell phones, and few unread books remaining on my Kindle... well, basket-weaving while listening to music is a pleasant pastime.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with all my shells.

Greetings from Duncan Town, Ragged Islands

2011-03-25T13:50:00.003-04:00

Marilyn and Bruce Conklin, coordinators of Operation Bahamas Project,
delivering books and school supplies to the school in Duncan Town, Ragged Islands

Just a quick check-in to let you know we made it to the Ragged Islands. We grabbed a burger at the Bonefish Grill in Duncan Town, where we have internet for the first time in a week. Cuba is about 50 miles west of here.

We are now officially in the tropics and we can feel the difference. Can't wait to get in the water and do some snorkeling.

We're traveling with Bruce and Marilyn Conklin; this is their third or fourth trip down here and it's a bonus to have guides in these mostly uncharted waters. Marilyn taught me how to weave baskets from Silver Palm fronds, and I'm progressing well - she said I'm her star pupil, but she probably says that to all her students.

Well, more later, but it could be another week. I should have photos, too.

Heading to the Jumentos and Ragged Islands

2011-03-19T14:22:00.003-04:00

We're sitting at Lorraine's Cafe in Black Point, using the wi-fi access Lorraine makes available to cruisers for a small donation. We're trying to get all our online work done before we leave civilization sometime in the next few days. We've decided to head down to the Jumentos Cays and Ragged Islands with Bruce and Marilyn. It's a perfect opportunity because they've been down there a number of times and it's good to go with someone who's experienced and knows the area. It's very remote and the only settlement, Duncan Town, currently has a population of only about 50 people. Cruisers who go there must be very self-sufficient because there's supposedly no place to get food, fuel, or water. That works for us; we prefer the more remote areas anyway, and love the adventure of going to a place less traveled. Snorkeling, fishing, and shelling are said to be superb, and those are favorite past times of ours. If we wait and travel at the same time as the Conklins, we'll leave Wednesday or Thursday at around 4 a.m. and go nonstop a distance of 130 nautical miles, arriving at about 9 p.m. That's the plan, anyway, and of course plans are subject to change - especially when cruising the Bahamas.

We had just anchored yesterday when Marilyn called us on the VHF to invite us to join them and another guest - Randy, whom they met cruising back in 1989 - for dinner; that was a nice treat. Dinner was fabulous and we had a good time visiting. The Conklins also have a frisky little maltese named Nemo... We really need to introduce him and Emma.

We were standing in front of Lorraine's at noon when she leaned out the window of the cafe and motioned and called for us to come in. There was a TV cameraman and reporter from Bahamas National TV doing a story on Lorraine's and they interviewed us, so if you happen to be watching, be sure to look for us.

Lorraine was a busy woman today: she was also catering a lunch/picnic/fundraiser for her church across the street from the school, so we and the Conklins partook. There was a choice of chicken, fish, or barbecued ribs, with peas and rice and a choice of macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, or potato salad. Guess I won't have to cook tonight, either. YES!

Catching up

2011-03-18T22:00:00.004-04:00

We stayed anchored on the south end of Norman's Cay Sunday-Tuesday nights. Norman's Cay is best known for its history as the base of a major drug smuggling operation, although the only evidence that remains today are bullet holes in buildings and a smuggling plane resting in the shallow anchorage near us.

There is so much beauty around the anchorage to enjoy and so many areas to explore, it quickly became one of our favorite anchorages in the Exumas. As in the rest of the Exumas, you can't imagine more beautiful water - one can sit for hours and just gaze in awe at God's amazing creation.

We wandered the sand flats at low tide in search of shells and explored to our hearts' content. Several 4-5' rays spent the afternoon lying in the sand next to our boat, occasionally swimming off gracefully to return later. We enjoyed conversation with other boaters and invited Ed and Ann on Windswept Dreams over for drinks and appetizers.

Wednesday at Shroud Cay brought rain - a much needed shower for Lena Bea and the perfect opportunity for her captain and admiral to get caught up on indoor chores. I made yogurt, baked bread and granola bars, cleaned out and reorganized the frig, etc. It cleared up in time for Chris and Candace (on Juniper) to come over for attitude adjustment hour at 5:00. Thursday afternoon as the tide was rising we took the dinghy up a windy, shallow creek to a beach on the east side of the island. We climbed up to Camp Driftwood for a lovely panoramic view of the area.

Shroud Cay is on the northern end of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, where we like to spend a lot of time hiking, snorkeling, and enjoying the pristine, unspoiled beauty of the place. There are strict regulations to ensure that it stays that way, and hunting and fishing are prohibited. We had planned to slowly mosey our way through the Park and down south, then blast up north at the end of our stay in the Bahamas, but the Exuma Park will have to wait due to a change of plans...

We've kept in touch with Bruce and Marilyn Conklin aboard Reflection since leaving home; they are also in the Exumas and live in Punta Gorda as well. They've been awaiting a weather window to head down to the Ragged Islands. The night before last they sent us an email from Black Point saying the weather wasn't cooperating yet (Marilyn likes it really calm), so Wayne and I decided to skip on down to visit them today. We are en route as I write this. It's about a 36 mile trip and we're making good time in very favorable winds. We'll probably spend a few days in Blackpoint, which is the second largest settlement in the Exumas (after Georgetown), then continue further south for awhile before heading north to catch what we skipped over on our way down.

Bruce and Marilyn coordinate Operation Bahamas Project - they collect books and school supplies and recruit boaters to deliver them to schools in the Bahamas. This year's efforts resulted in over 700 boxes of books and supplies being delivered by 50+ boats. We have 17 boxes aboard Lena Bea for delivery to the school in Black Point.

Another reason it might be a good idea to head south now is the hope of warmer temperatures for snorkeling. We've had gorgeous weather, but the temperature has been in the 70's - not warm enough to inspire us to go in the water. Of course, we wouldn't have missed snorkeling in the Exuma Park, regardless of temperature, but two weeks later into spring might make a difference.

Mahi mahi for dinner!

2011-03-13T17:53:00.005-04:00

Two strikes and a hit! First one got our lure, second one made it up to the boat, third one is dinner. Don't know how big mahi mahi normally run, but this one was 34 inches. This is the first fish we've ever successfully caught from the sailboat (except for a barracuda, that is). We're grilling it and serving it with a lemon and butter dill sauce, which I've carried with us on every sailing trip with fresh fish potential since 2007 (always kept refrigerated, so it should still be good).

Serious fishing

2011-03-13T11:45:00.000-04:00

We're off to do some serious fishing today before heading over to Norman's Cay. I hope to have photos and video to share later on, or at least a fish story. Wish us luck (we'll need it).

Fond memories

2011-03-12T20:33:00.003-05:00

Thinking of my brother, Brian, on his birthday. We miss you, Brian.

Wayne has fond memories of 2009 in Highborne Cay... especially the seafood buffet on the beach hosted by the island caterer, Cool Runner, on Saturday nights. Wayne has been talking about it for days in anticipation, so imagine his disappointment when we found out they weren't doing it tonight because Joe had to work on a boat all day (he's also in the charter boat business). Oh, well - there's always next Saturday or the Saturday after that.

I have fond memories of 2009 in Highborne Cay because this is where I swam with the sharks. There won't be a repeat performance because Mom made me promise "never to do that again," but if you want to see the blog entry with photos, check it out here.

After we docked and checked in, I called Mom and was horrified to hear for the first time about the earthquake in Japan and resulting tsunamis. Our prayers go out to the people affected by this tragedy and to the country of Japan.

We spent an hour making use of the marina's wi-fi, then went for a beach walk. Before returning to Lena Bea we stopped by a boat we saw on our way in that hailed from Punta Gorda, New Horizons. Of course we have mutual acquaintances. We chatted with Karen and Richard for a while and learned that Richard is quite a successful fisherman - to the extent that Karen won't let him fish any more because they've run out of freezer space. He said that this area is one of the best places in the Exumas to fish. Richard gave Wayne a few pointers and a couple lures, so we'll have to give it another try.

Turned on the radio this afternoon and heard a reminder to change our clocks tonight. I don't know if they observe daylight savings time in the Bahamas, but does it matter? The worst that could happen if we fail to change our clocks is that we might be late for happy hour tomorrow :)

Juvenile conchs were everywhere on the southwest beach today

Hey, Pat and Don - I found our first hamburger bean ever on the beach today.

Greetings from the Exumas

2011-03-11T14:58:00.003-05:00

After a leisurely morning, a walk on the beach, and a stop at the fuel dock, we left Chub Cay around noon on Wednesday. We opted to skip Nassau this trip and anchored in West Bay off New Providence Island (Nassau is on the north end of New Providence). We cleared customs in Nassau in 2009, spent a couple nights, and also spent a night at the Atlantis (Paradise Island) Marina on our way back to FL; it's definitely worth a stop if you need provisions or haven't visited before.

West Bay proved to be a comfortable anchorage and we had a good wi-fi signal, so we indulged ourselves with some wi-fi TV (we don't have satellite TV).

With fairly light winds on the nose, we motored 48 nautical miles over to Allan's Cay on Thursday. Allan's Cay is uninhabited except for iguanas, and they are EVERYWHERE. Small tour boats even make excursions to the island. I enjoy watching and hearing the exclamations of the kids and their parents as they delight in the dozens of iguanas that come to meet them on the beach, hopeful for handouts. Our own kids would have gone nuts over them back in the day.

Our anchorage here was calm until the winds turned to the NW during the night; by mid morning everyone else (mostly power boats) had left except us and three catamarans. We don't mind rolling a little bit and are planning to spend another night here so we can get chores done today. There aren't too many anchorage options in the Exumas with west winds anyway.

Now that we're in the Exumas we won't have any long travel days for awhile unless we decide to shoot down to the Ragged Islands; all the islands here are very close together. Finally the Captain can relax a
little, too.

Checking in at Chub Cay

2011-03-08T11:43:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my hubby!

We docked at Chub Cay around 3:00 and Wayne had to take a bus to the airport to clear us through customs. Emma and I are just sitting here waiting for him to return (we're not allowed to leave the boat until we've been cleared). I don't know which of us is more eager for a boat break, but we both hope to be taking a walk on the beach very soon! After that we'll figure out how we want to celebrate our official arrival in the Bahamas and Wayne's birthday.

Gun Cay

Cat Cay

On our way

2011-03-06T09:20:00.000-05:00

After making a quick run to a dive shop to replace the wet suits we forgot to bring, we should soon be on our way. Don't know when we'll next have internet access, but I might be able to post from my iPhone until we make our crossing.

Sounding the Conch Shell at Sunset

2011-03-05T14:51:00.001-05:00

Every night at sunset people in the Keys gather to blow their conch horns, and last night was no exception. A group of folks from our dock assembled in front of our boat and we went out to join them, Wayne with his conch and me with my camera. I teased Wayne afterward about the size of his little conch compared to everyone else's large conch. He responded that size didn't matter, to which I responded that the performance wasn't that great, either. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Conch shell blowing has been practiced in the Florida Keys for generations. Early settlers blew blasts to signal that a sinking ship had been spotted offshore, and native-born islanders are commonly called Conchs. The shell of the sea mollusk is a symbol of the island chain, also known as the Conch Republic.

Wayne is a happy sailor today, having made his run to West Marine and replaced his anchor. He also stopped to pick up an SD card reader (which I apparently left at home) so I am now able to post photos taken with the Nikon.

We've started to make the transition to island time by spending another night at Marathon. It's nice to have a leisurely day to get things done and not rush off. I've been able to get things done that would have been impossible to do in the seas we've had since leaving home. I made bread and yogurt this morning - the two items at the top of my list - and did lots of miscellaneous boat chores. I'm also trying to make the most of the strong, free wi-fi signal we have here; it may be a while before we have that again.

We're invited to another boat for happy hour, then hope to catch a seafood dinner at the restaurant. Considering our fishing skills, it may be a while before we have that again, too

Sometimes...

2011-03-04T21:29:00.002-05:00

... it takes a village half an hour to dock a boat. 'Nuff said about that.

Anyway, greetings from Marathon Marina in the Floriday Keys. Yes, we're actually docked here. We intended to pick up a mooring ball at the city dock, but they were full and had a waiting list. Wayne needs to make a West Marine run tomorrow - he was THRILLED to find out that they carry his Rocna anchor and sees it as a sign that things will start going more in our favor. He also needs to get parts for a winch that broke today.

As for me, well, we've been having battery issues (resulting in "power" struggles with my husband) and I plan to finally bake some bread in the morning.

We had perfect sailing again today, averaging well over 8 knots and often up to 9.

Crashing Through the Waves and Other Issues

2011-03-03T20:36:00.000-05:00

The day started out well, with perfect winds once again, but afternoon brought with it a few challenges:

It turned out to be one of those days where it wasn't safe to move around the boat. I never thought our cockpit enclosure would fail to keep us dry and protected from the sea, but today we had many waves crashing over the top of our enclosure and we were WET. The force was even enough to cause a major crack in our dodger (windshield).

We headed in to Little Shark River - a lovely, peaceful anchorage on the edge of the Everglades where we chose to spend the night - only to discover that we had lost our primary anchor. Ok, well, that's why we always have a spare. Except Wayne was particularly fond of THIS anchor (a Rocna anchor) and quite distraught about losing it.

There are other boat issues that I won't bother to mention, but THAT'S BOATING, FOLKS!

Marco Island

2011-03-02T18:39:00.002-05:00

We finally got underway yesterday at 3:45. Whew! It feels so good to be done with preparations and able to just relax and enjoy the journey. We anchored in Charlotte Harbor last night, just happy to be away from our dock, and today we made it down to Marco Island, where we're anchored off the beach for the night. Perfect winds had us going about 7.5 knots and sometimes up to 8.5.

Bahamas, here we come!

2011-02-28T23:54:00.001-05:00

After weeks of preparation, we're finally leaving tomorrow on our second trip to the Bahamas and plan to be gone 6-7 weeks. We'll be in the Exumas again and may go as far south as the Jumentos and Ragged Islands. Stay tuned!

New Journey on a Different Boat

2009-07-27T23:28:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow morning we leave to drive to New York, where we will meet and commission our new catamaran, "Chat-Eau," and sail her to Bayfield, Wisconsin. We didn't buy her for our personal use, but to put in the fleet at Superior Charters. Wayne has more information about her and has started a blog where you can follow our journey once again, if you're interested. Check it out here.

Photos finally!

2009-06-02T02:08:00.002-04:00

I've finally sorted, edited, and uploaded photos of our Bahamas trip. You can see them here:
http://gallery.me.com/mrmsharp/100068

4/6/09 - Yes, we're home

2009-04-06T10:35:00.002-04:00

Sorry for keeping you all in suspense, but yes, we did make it home. We're happy to be home, and of course we've been busy unloading the boat, sorting through two months of mail, tending the yard, doing load after load of laundry, etc. I'm not complaining, just filling you in. Our trip to the Bahamas was a great experience and we're glad we did it.

I'll upload photos sometime soon, I hope, and will add some final comments as well.

3/31/09 - Almost home!

2009-03-31T15:17:00.002-04:00

John was kind enough to make reservations for us at the Naples City Dock, and we arrived at 2:00 yesterday. John and Diane came over at 4:00 and we enjoyed drinks, appetizers, and conversation. After trying a couple really busy restaurants, we went back and had dinner at the City Dock restaurant. We were all pleased with what we ordered and the Key Lime Grouper was delicious.

It was so much fun to see John and Diane again, and we hope to get together with them regularly now that they have a condo in Naples.

We've been motoring all day in winds under 10 knots (haven't experienced that in quite a while) from behind us, with a little help from the main. It's getting us where we want to go, though - HOME! We should be docking at around 5:30.

More later...

3/30/09 - Key West

2009-03-30T10:47:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning we found ourselves in a quandry: the tide had been rising since about 4:00 a.m., and with strong winds and big waves, we had serious concerns about being able to make it under the 65' Seven Mile Bridge. We quickly nixed the option of hanging around until high tide later in the afternoon, then decided to save ourselves the stress and go by way of Key West instead. I had been there twice - once on a cruise with Wayne and once on a cruise with my mom - but Wayne hadn't seen the town, having instead opted for a snorkeling trip when we stopped there. We wandered along the boardwalk in the historic seaport area and did the obligatory walk down Duvall Street to check out the sights and shops (although Wayne only went a couple blocks before returning to the boat to wash it down). We went to Mallory Square for sunset, of course, and enjoyed a leisurely drink and a bite to eat while waiting. After that, well... Key West... party town... spring break... Saturday night... Umm, not our scene. We were in bed by 9:00.

Last night was another rolly one, anchored ten miles offshore, but we must be getting used to it because we had a pretty good night's sleep. Shortly before anchoring, a bird (some kind of small swallow, I think) joined us in the cockpit. He not only joined us, he bonded with us. A friend stopped by for awhile and they perched on our hands, chest, shoulders, neck - until Bird #2 finally left. While I was down below brushing Emma, our little bird fell asleep in Wayne's hand, tiny beak tucked under his wing. I brought up a dish of water, made him a shelter from the wind, and set him on a rope to perch for the night. This morning when we got up, our fine feathered friend was exactly where we left him, still sound asleep, oblivious to a couple of his friends flying around the boat that seemed to be looking for him. He woke up around sunrise (wondering, I'm sure, where the heck he was), perched near the companionway and looked around for awhile, then migrated to my neck before eventually flying off across the water.

Tonight we will be at a marina in Naples. Our friends John and Diane (whom we visited in Vermilion, Ohio and met up with in Rock-something - land? port? - Massachusetts on our trip down in 2007) bought a condo in Naples last year and we're going to get together with them today; we sure look forward to seeing friends.

3/28/09 - Making our passage to Florida

2009-03-30T10:46:00.001-04:00

This morning an anonymous voice on the VHF echoed the exact sentiment I expressed to Wayne yesterday: "Is anyone else out here getting tired of all this wind?" He was probably on a fishing vessel, and of course we're on a sailboat, but still... we've had so much wind for so many days that my whole being yearns for stillness. The reality of only getting off the boat twice in nine days compounds that yearning.

The upside, naturally, is that we haven't needed to motor. And Lena Bea has been in her glory, like a wild mustang set free - this is what she was born for! The winds have been blowing at over 20 knots, sometimes topping out at 30. Although the direction hasn't been optimal (too much behind us), we've been riding the waves at the rate of 7-8 knots for nine consecutive days - ever since leaving Blackpoint on March 20.

Along with the winds, we've experienced pretty big waves as well - some 6-8' - but at least we haven't had to sail into them. After we left Paradise Island on March 24 we anchored off Chub Cay for a night. The following night we anchored on the Banks of the Bahamas, with no land in sight, in big waves. Suffice it to say, we didn't sleep, but we did manage to stay in bed without getting thrown out! We wouldn't have chosen to anchor there in those conditions, but being so far from land our only other option was to sail through the night; I didn't want to cross the Gulf Stream alone at night in high winds and waves, so we just rode it out and napped the next day.

We slept REALLY well the next night off Rodriguez Cay, however, and also while moored at Marathon the night after that. Whew! It was a relief to be back in Florida and have the worst (mentally, if not factually) of our passage-making behind us.

3/23/09 - Paradise Island

2009-03-25T08:37:00.002-04:00

We spent Thursday night anchored at Black Point, Friday and Saturday nights anchored at Big Majors, and last night at Hawksbill Cay. With a cool, brisk wind and choppy water, we didn't feel much like going anywhere in the dinghy. Except for a potluck dinner on the beach at Big Majors Friday night with half a dozen other boats (two couples from Minnesota) and happy hour aboard Surprise with Tom and Linda on Saturday, we stayed on the boat. Wayne got a few projects done, I organized some things and made bread and yogurt in preparation for the trip home, and we both read a lot.

So suddenly we find ourselves back in Nassau - Paradise Island, actually. So many people told us we had to see Atlantis, the big resort and casino here, so we took a slip at their marina. They only allow boats that are a minimum of 40' long to stay here because this marina is mainly for mega-yachts; every slip is taken and Lena Bea feels dwarfed by her neighbors. It costs a whopping $4.50/foot to stay here, but that entitles us to use all the facilities that are available to hotel guests, including the beaches, swimming pools, water slides, and so on. We didn't do any of that, but we spent a couple hours exploring Atlantis's lagoons and aquariums. Atlantis boasts the largest man-made open air marine habitat in the world (141 acres) and has eleven exhibit lagoons inhabited by about 200 species, including dolphins, sharks, stingrays, sawfish, spiny lobster, turtles, manta rays, and many others. It is an impressive place and we're glad we stopped.It was a great sailing day: comfortable, with E-NE winds that averaged 20 knots. We made good time and zipped along at about eight knots most of the day.

Oh, and the barracuda we caught? Wayne recalculated and determined it was only 18". But you already knew that, didn't you?

3/19/09 - Return to Black Point, etc.

2009-03-19T18:14:00.010-04:00

Our stay in George Town was short, but with a front due this weekend through Wed. expected to bring winds of 25-30 knots, we decided to hustle on north. As always, we told ourselves we'll be back another time to catch all we missed on this trip.

So we find ourselves back at Black Point, enjoying excellent wi-fi at Scorpio's - no two-for-one rum punches this time though...probably a good thing. Enjoyed good conversation with another IP cruiser.

We're pathetic fisher-people. I haven't even mentioned that we occasionally - when crossing in deep water - throw out a hook, because it wasn't worth mentioning. Today a fish took our whole line and we didn't even notice until it was all gone. After Wayne reloaded (?) the reel, we were vigilant about keeping watch. We finally hooked another fish - a 24" barracuda (I know it looks smaller, but Wayne measured it). Unfortunately for us, fortunately for our catch, they aren't good for eating, so we threw him back.

I'm not sure where we'll end up tomorrow - I'm pushing for someplace near Pipe Creek - but we expect to make our way north at a rapid pace; we could be poised to cross to Florida by early next week. Of course, we'll await our weather window for as long as it takes. We don't know how the coming weather front will affect our plans, though - we may have to hunker down for a couple days.

A few more things about George Town: For many cruisers, Elizabeth Harbor is the ultimate Bahamas destination because of its southern location and because George Town has more of everything a cruiser could ask for as far as services (airport, taxis, package delivery, car rental, boat stuff, hair salons, etc.) and provisions than any Bahamas town except Nassau. But more than that, George Town REALLY caters to the cruisers. Hundreds of cruisers call Elizabeth Harbor their winter home and return every year. Every morning at 8 a.m. they have a cruisers' net on the VHF, where cruisers are informed about weather, hear advertising from local businesses, and share information on activities happening that day. Most of those activities take place on the beach, and include volleyball, yoga classes, Scrabble, dominoes, bridge games, beach parties, and so on... the list is endless. We arrived at the end of their annual Regatta week, and that evening they had a variety show. There were various activities for St. Patrick's Day, etc. As solo cruisers only there for a couple days, we didn't participate, but maybe next time we will stay longer and get into it more; I don't know. We like to socialize on a small scale, but don't go so much for large, organized group activities.

A few of the many sailboats in Elizabeth Harbor

What we did do in George Town: walked around town, went to the straw market, stopped at Exuma Markets for a few provisions. On Stocking Island (just across from GT): Visited Hamburger and Volleyball Beaches and had lunch (conchburgers) at Chat 'n' Chill. Crossed the island and walked along the gorgeous beach over there. The temp was hot and we regretted not having time to get in the water, especially since the snorkeling here is supposed to be fabulous. But... can't do it all and we're ok with that. Next time we want to rent a car and explore all of Great Exuma Cay.

3/18/09 - More on George Town

2009-03-18T15:21:00.004-04:00

First of all - Happy Birthday, Roberta! We send you our warmest thoughts and sunniest wishes for a dream-filled year. God bless you!

I'm sitting at a business in George Town, using their wi-fi service. The sign in front says:

[Name] Enterprises

Exuma Propane
Exuma Pest Control
[Name] Customs Brokerage [whatever that is]
Carpet Cleaning and Tiles
Internet Cafe [minus the "cafe"]
Mailbox Rentals
UPS, Express

Judging from the back room next to the restroom, they also sell office/stationery supplies. I also learned they sell real estate and offer van service.

Wayne dropped me off and agreed to pick me up at 5:00, closing time (he's back at the boat). The proprietor had to go to the airport, so he locked me in (with the key left in the lock inside - I made sure). He said to lock the door and leave the key in the outdoor meter box when I leave. He failed to flip over the open/closed sign, so it still says they're open; sure hope no one comes to the door.

Great Exuma is the cay on which George Town is located. It's the largest (37 miles long) of the cays, and the only cay with any significant population. George Town itself has a permanent population of about 1000 people and is the capital of the Exumas; the Tropic of Cancer runs through the city.

3/16/09 - Arrival in Georgetown

2009-03-16T20:09:00.002-04:00

I apologize for not responding to those who have commented on the blog this past week; I've had very limited internet time. Wayne appreciated the birthday greetings, though, and has asked me to pass along his thanks. We can send email and blog posts via our satellite phone, but it takes a lot of time and patience - we keep losing our satellite connection and the data service is so slow that our messages don't get a chance to be sent or received before losing the signal. And it's far too slow to actually do anything on the blog, like edit messages, add photos, or respond to comments.

We left Black Point on Saturday, anchored off Heddy's Land on Big Guana Saturday night, and Cave Cay Sunday night.

For the past week our inclination has been to skip going to George Town - too many other boaters, too far away, etc. So I have no idea what got into us this morning that made us say, "Let's go to George Town today," especially since the winds would be on our nose. So we left at 10:00, and 6.5 hours later - here we are. We don't expect to spend more than 2-3 days, but at least we'll get a taste of it. From here we start to make our way north, and at a more rapid pace than we made our way south.

3/13/09 - Black Point

2009-03-16T18:54:00.002-04:00

We left our idyllic anchorage at Thomas Cay and anchored at Black Point on Thursday. Black Point Settlement is the second largest settlement in the Exumas, after Georgetown. No marina here (yet), just lots of friendly people - and we love it.

We ordered lunch and tried to get wi-fi at Lorraine's Cafe; we eventually got our lunch, but wi-fi was a bust. We did laundry for the first time since leaving Punta Gorda on February 5; we only did two loads, although a third was probably needed. The general consensus among Bahamas cruisers is that Black Point has the best laundry facilities in the Exumas, if not the Bahamas. The facility has many machines, all modern, and costs $7/load to wash and dry.

Just as we were heading into shore to do our laundry, we got a call from Butch and Gretchen (and their 5-year old son, Reese) on Lucidity; they were inviting us to join them and two other Island Packet couples - Michele and Steve on John Ray and Randy and Nicki on Kristinly - for happy hour. We scrambled to get our laundry done to make it over there on time.

An interesting aside here: We've been in contact with many cruisers throughout the trip, many only via VHF radio (the cruisers' equivalent of telephone with a seemingly endless party line). We had talked to Butch on Lucidity a number of times and Wayne had met him once when we were in Marathon (he is also on the Island Packet email list that Wayne is on); it was as if we already knew him. He and a bunch of other boats crossed to the Bahamas the same day we did. Well, while we were at Lorraine's Cafe there was a couple there with a young child. The dad spent quite a while in the adjacent internet room and I went in and asked him for the password to get online. When he returned to the cafe and I realized he was with the woman and child, I wondered if it was Butch and family, but assumed that Wayne would have recognized him and said something. So when we got to his boat and realized it was the same family and that we had sorta already met in person, we had a good laugh. This is not an uncommon scenario. As we were approaching the anchorage yesterday, we crossed paths with Dues Paid (Betty and Leo from Punta Gorda). They radioed us and told us there were two other boats from Punta Gorda in the anchorage. One of them radioed us later on, and although it didn't work for us to get together with them, we could have easily met them at the dinghy dock, the laundromat, Lorraine's, Scorpion's, etc., without knowing it.

A couple days ago a call went out on the radio requesting volunteers to help tutor students at the all-ages school in Black Point. Wayne and I both knew we wanted to serve, so we, along with Michele on John Ray, were there from 9:00-12:00 to help as needed. Wayne tutored a 4th grade student, Ricky, and I tutored a first-grader, Leon. It felt strange to have to be somewhere at 9:00 this morning (or anywhere at any time), but we managed it just fine. The time spent with the kids was a sweet change of pace and a real joy. There are 43 students at the school; one of the teachers only has a fourth grade education.

We also enjoyed visiting with the head volunteers, Sharon and Charles, who have been doing this for ten years. They volunteer in Black Point for about four months a year and spend the rest of the year in their RV visiting four children and nine grandchildren who live in four different states from Michigan to Florida. In addition to the work they do at the school, they lead adult Bible studies and do work at their church (their primary calling here). Sharon and Charles are an amazing couple.

The two school custodians (another Sharon and a woman whose name escapes me), were busy making jewelry and other crafts from shells in the room where I was tutoring Leon. They (along with the other Sharon) have been taking a shell-crafting class for 10-days, three hours a day. After passing the class, these women will receive a certificate that will help them get a small business loan if they decide to craft shells for a living. Sharon had made some lovely jewelry with shells and sea glass, and the other woman was crafting a lamp from a conch shell. One of their biggest obstacles in doing their craft is finding time to look for shells. Well, they don't call me Shelley for nothing! The ladies were delighted when I returned in the afternoon with shells and divided tackle boxes to sort and keep them in. They shared with me their knowledge of how to clean the shells using supplies like muriatic acid and alum, toilet bowl cleaner, and wax paper. That evening at 7:00 we returned to the school to see the works of the students on their final night of class.

We heard that Scorpio's bar and restaurant had better wi-fi service than Lorraine's, PLUS they have happy hour two-for-one rum punches with complimentary snacks. Any time I can get free wi-fi is happy hour as far as I'm concerned, so the rum punches were icing on the cake. Michele from John Ray joined me at the table with her computer while Wayne went to visit with the guys at the bar. Michele and I had a nice visit, which proved to be a far better use of my time after three rum punches than trying to focus on writing a blog update.

It was 7:30 by the time we left the school and Wayne suggested we stop by Lorraine's to see if she could squeeze us in for dinner. But of course! Lorraine had only limited options for us at that late hour and with no advance reservations, but we didn't leave hungry. Lorraine's mom bakes wonderful bread and is famous in the cruising community for her coconut bread, so of course we had to buy a loaf.

3/11/09 - Pipe's Creek

2009-03-13T18:38:00.004-04:00

After spending days with a significant number of other cruisers, we were ready for some solitude, but where? It's a commodity that's surprisingly hard to come by, even in the Exumas. We settled on a somewhat tricky anchorage that Pat and Don had recommended - on the west side of Thomas Cay in Pipe Creek, with only one other sailboat nearby. It was a delicious break. Temperatures were warm, winds were relatively calm, skies were mostly sunny, and waters (when timed around a swift current) were gentle - near-perfect conditions that meshed with our plan to spend time in the water, snorkeling and shelling.

We didn't post to the blog, didn't take any photos, didn't talk to anyone on the VHF, didn't take any ambitious hikes, and didn't share happy hour with anyone but each other.

The shelling was nothing short of magical, and I don't know if I can even describe it. That mental picture you probably have of walking along a white, sandy, beach, picking up an occasional shell - scratch it. Imagine long expanses of sandy islands exposed by the receding tide, all previous footprints obliviated by the sea. Imagine sand dollars and sea biscuits scattered everywhere, many half-buried in sand - I felt like a kid at an Easter egg hunt. Imagine treasure hunting - and finding a 6-inch King Helmet shell... and five 4" ones. A 4" cowrie...perfection. All this experienced as sunset approaches and the tide rises, forcing us to wade knee-deep to our dinghy long before we are ready to leave.

Thanks to Pat and Don for sharing their favorite spot with us.

The snorkeling was marvelous as well.

3/9/09 Thunderball Grotto

2009-03-13T18:10:00.008-04:00

Got corn?

Wayne's new best friends

Wayne got his birthday wish yesterday: for the skies to clear enough to have sunlight in Thunderball Grotto. Our cruising guide says that to snorkel here is mandatory; all we can add to that is an exclamation point. Snorkeling these caves, with sunlight streaming in and illuminating countless beautiful fish and a dramatic underground landscape, was spectacular. We brought corn to feed the fish this time and boy, did they go wild! They actually bit open the Ziploc bag that I had my corn in.I saw and photographed a lionfish: The lionfish is an invasive species which is native to the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans and has few natural enemies to help control it in the Atlantic Ocean. It poses a major threat here to coral reefs - a new study has found that within a short period after the entry of lionfish into an area, the survival of other reef fishes is slashed by about 80 percent. They are carnivores that can eat other fish up to two-thirds their own length, while they are protected from other predators by long, poisonous spines. Lionfish are venomous; a sting from a lionfish is extremely painful to humans and can cause nausea and breathing difficulties, but is rarely fatal. Wanted posters of lionfish are posted throughout the Bahamas and anyone who sees one is encouraged to report it.

I reported my sighting to Judy at Exuma Park. I hope she followed through because Thunderball Grotto is a popular destination for snorkelers, and I would hate for someone to be stung.

We grilled steaks and I made ice cream and brownies for Wayne's birthday dinner.

3/8/09 - Happy Birthday, Captain Wayne!

2009-03-08T10:02:00.006-04:00

Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Saturday we took a slip at Staniel Cay Yacht Club, one of only two sailboats docked here with many power yachts.

We walked around "town," and eventually made our way to Isles General Store, hoping to find ice cream. No one was minding the store, so we waited awhile, then headed back. Just down the road there were men rebuilding a bridge, with more men standing around watching, seemingly oblivious to the fact that we wanted to pass. As we politely started to elbow our way through, one of the bridge workers asked if we wanted something from the store and motioned to us to follow him back there. He unlocked the door to let us and another customer in, then disappeared. We didn't find anything irresistible anyway, so we left.

We knew where we COULD find something irresistible: the "bakery." On our way up we chatted with a couple who had just bought some gorgeous, freshly baked cinnamon rolls. We found the roughly-hewn plywood sign that said "bread" on the corner next to a yellow house and figured this must be it. And indeed it was! We were tempted by the last loaf of coconut bread, but not much. We each walked out with two cinnamon rolls (they were small!), quite happy to have not found ice cream.On our way back to the boat, we stopped and talked with Ray, owner of Staniel Cay Divers. He lives here on his boat with wife, Michele, a 24-year old son, and an 18-month old son. Ray is from Arizona (originally Iowa) and Michele is from California; he's a paramedic and she's a nurse. In 2004 Ray accepted a job in St. Johns, BVI, but they only got as far as the Exumas and have been here ever since. They started the dive operation last summer and have their son and one or two others working for them. We thought about going diving, but at $180 per person, decided to skip it. Ray is a really nice guy, though, all safety-minded with his paramedic training, and he has one of the nicer dive boats we've been on. It's easy to remember their names because mine is Michele Rae.

We went up to the yacht club for happy hour to take advantage of drink specials and complimentary appetizers. They also had live entertainment - Ray and his son are in the band.

Guest cottages

Because today is Wayne's birthday, we made reservations for dinner. They have one seating at 7:00 and you must put your order in by 5:00. Wayne and I shared a cracked conch dinner, served with conch chowder, fresh bread, coleslaw, potatoes, beans, and strawberry cheesecake or apple pie for dessert. $28 for everything, including gratuity. We were glad that we shared it.

We're headed back to anchor at Big Majors when I finish here; this afternoon we will snorkel at Thunderball Grotto, a spectacular skylit underwater cave that was featured in the James Bond movie of the same name.

3/7/09 - When pigs...swim?

2009-03-08T09:39:00.006-04:00

Big Majors is a cay known for its resident pigs, and sure enough, there were half a dozen of them sleeping on the beach as we approached in the dinghy this morning. It didn't take them long to realize we were headed their way and might be bringing breakfast, so they lumbered to their feet and made their way down to the water. I lobbed them part of an over-ripe apple and within seconds they were in the water headed in our direction. We kept throwing them pieces of apple, trying to make sure everyone got at least one piece. A couple of the pigs actually tried to climb in the dinghy! And yes! Some of them were actually swimming! It was a hoot.

Got apples?

3/6/09 - From Compass Cay to Big Majors

2009-03-08T09:21:00.007-04:00

Rachael's Bubble Bath

Wayne was determined to see Rachael's Bubble Bath before leaving Compass Cay, so we decided to hike up there. It was still very windy and cool, so a dinghy ride did not appeal to us, and we certainly had no intention of bathing. It took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there and back. Rachael's Bubble Bath is a natural pool at the far north end of the cay, full of bubbles from ocean waves crashing over the edge. Here are more photos from our hike:

Did I mention that Compass Cay has pet sharks at the marina? And people swim with them? Mom, you'll be happy to know that I kept my promise and didn't go in.

One of the best things about Compass Cay? They recycle, so we were able to dispose of all the cans we had accumulated for the past month, as well as trash that had been piling up since Nassau. And they didn't charge us extra! Many places charge $2-$5 to dispose of a bag of trash. Of course, we paid $2.50/foot dock fee; electricity would have cost an additional $25-$35/day and water was $.50/gallon, had we used them. We so appreciate the self-sufficiency afforded us by having a generator and water maker. For those who don't know, a water maker removes salt from the sea water and filters it with a reverse osmosis system, so we never have to worry about having good, fresh water. The marinas here usually charge for water. There are places where you can get free water, but not at the marinas, which means you need to schlepp it some distance using containers. Many cruisers we've talked to didn't have water makers on their first trip to the Bahamas, but were quick to install one before they returned; Wayne installed one right before we left.

We left Compass Cay early Thursday afternoon, and with strong winds from the east, sought protection at the anchorage on the west side of Big Majors - along with 40 other vessels (Wayne actually counted them).

I wanted to do some shelling today, but didn't want to venture out too far because of the wind, so we went to Sandy Cay, about 1.5-2 miles west of here. It looked promising, with a gorgeous sandy beach. I didn't find much (even with snorkel gear), but it was a lovely spot and I enjoyed the day. Wayne isn't into shelling, so he amused himself watching the kite surfers who chose OUR beach to do their thing. It was a group of four young people who are the crew of a yacht anchored near us; they are moving the boat for the owner and had the opportunity to enjoy a day off.

3/4/09 - Cambridge Cay and Compass Cay

2009-03-05T09:19:00.006-05:00

We left Warderick Wells Tuesday morning and picked up a mooring at Cambridge Cay, still in the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Chilly winds threatened to thwart our plans for a snorkeling excursion to the Sea Aquarium (not a real aquarium, just the name of the area), but we're tough! We're from Minnesota! Our grit and determination rewarded us with the best snorkeling we've had in the Bahamas so far. We were befuddled at the enthusiastic reception given us by the fish - they swarmed us as soon as we entered the water - until we remembered that they expect visitors to bring food.
It was a long, CHILLY dinghy ride back to Lena Bea in our cold, wet dive skins.

Considering the weather, we decided to move on to Compass Cay. There isn't much to do on land at Cambridge Cay and I'm not going in the water again until it warms up. Our volunteer mooring hosts at Cambridge Cay, Alena and Rick on Movin' On, saved us a couple hours by showing us how we could take a direct route to Compass Cay even though the charts show that the water is too shallow. Alena and Rick call the Bahamas home; they volunteer in the park for about four months a year and spend the rest of the year cruising.

Compass Cay is a beautiful spot! Some say it's the prettiest cay in the Bahamas, and we cannot disagree with that. The marina is small, friendly, and personal, and the island is fabulous. Wayne and I decided to forgo a highly recommended trip to Rachel's Bubble Bath on the northern tip of the island because of the weather. Instead, we went for a 3-hour hike on marked trails that took us to Crescent Beach, then south and west along the shore. We walked across the "low tide airport," climbed the rocky cliffs along the shore, followed the trail along more beaches and through the island back to the marina. The scenery was breathtaking and we enjoyed the lack of monotony. Definitely the most interesting and scenic hike so far. Of course, photos don't begin to do it justice:We were here with some important people in the cruising world - Monty and Sara Lewis, authors of the Explorer Chartbook that is our bible for cruising the Bahamas. They are onboard their trawler, Saranade and had been at Compass for five days or a week, waiting for boat parts to make a repair. While we were chatting with Sara, Monty and the friend who got them the boat parts arrived in the dinghy. They had made their repair and left by the time we returned from our hike.

3/1/09 - Just chillin'

2009-03-01T10:02:00.014-05:00

We're enjoying a lazy Sunday morning at Warderick Wells, where we have decided to stay while an unfavorable weather front moves through. The protection here is good, and though the snorkeling won't be, there are more hiking trails to check out. It's warm today but colder weather is supposed to move in for most of the week; we can certainly deal with that.

We welcomed the shower that blew through about 5:00 this morning; the boat needed a washdown.

Yesterday as we prepared to go snorkeling, an incoming sailboat got stuck in the sand nearby. Wayne donned his Superman cape, jumped in the dinghy, and went to help them out. He successfully dislodged the vessel, saving the park from having to send a boat out. The Coast Guard Auxilliary would have been proud.

Last night, as is the custom at Warderick Wells every Saturday night, we celebrated happy hour on the beach. Everyone brings their drinks and an appetizer to share; it's a nice way to get acquainted with other cruisers. I spent some time visiting with Lynn and Ken on Silverheels III; they're from Toronto and have lived on their boat for four years - including winters on their shrink-wrapped boat in Toronto! They have no other home. Many of you back home in MN would be surprised to learn how many people live on their boats. The simplicity of that lifestyle intrigues us, but cutting ourselves off from family and friends to that extent is not an option for us.

We returned to the boat, too tired to stick around for music around the campfire. I think most of the older folks left about the same time we did.

The bananaquits come by daily for their sugar fixes. I have a plate of sugar in the cockpit and they stop and help themselves.The bananaquits are very tame; a week or so ago we found one in the cabin after we returned from an outing. We got her out of the boat, but she hung around for quite awhile (that was before we learned she was looking for sugar). Friendly little things.

P.S. The morning after I posted this, we found a bananaquit in the galley, helping herself to the sugar I was too slow to put back out in the cockpit:Wayne just asked where I want to hike to today; we'll see how ambitious I feel.

They call this "the causeway;" it's not what I pictured when I saw it on the map.

3/1/09 - Message from Emma

2009-03-01T09:47:00.006-05:00

I like to watch Mom from the cockpit when she's working in the galley.

Hi Mom! What's cookin'? Something smells mighty good down there.

MmmMmmMmm! Freshly baked bread!

2/27/09 - A handful of birds??

2009-02-27T17:28:00.005-05:00

My mom scolded me again when I called her yesterday morning; for the second time she told me in no uncertain terms that she did not want me to swim with the sharks again - "And I mean it!" she said emphatically. Okay, Mom, okay - I promise I won't swim with the sharks again! - at least not on purpose. I think you'll approve of what I did yesterday, though.

High winds motivated us to move on to Warderick Wells, headquarters of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. It was a 3-hour trip from Shroud Cay, sailing and motor sailing. We radioed in at 9:00 to secure a mooring and were surprised to find that we were the only vessel requesting one; we got in at 12:30 and were assigned mooring number 8. The fee for moorings is $20 per night, but as members of the support fleet (we help support the park) we're entitled to two free nights.

We checked in, settled in, then took the dinghy in to explore. Our first trek was over a rugged and pitted black limestone path up to Boo-Boo Hill, where people leave driftwood signs with their boats' names. From that vantage point we were treated to a superb panoramic view of the area.Returning to the beach where we left our dinghy anchored, the sight of two young women feeding birds from their hands as a young man looked on, drew our attention. We wandered over to watch and find out what they were feeding the birds. When they offered us sugar we asked if it was okay, because there are strict rules in this park and one of them is to not feed the critters. We eagerly joined in, but I later asked Judy (park manager) what kind of birds they are and confirmed that it is okay to feed them. She told me they are Bananaquits (nickname: sugar bird) and yes, they are the only birds the park bird guy has given them permission to feed; there is sugar in a container outside the park office that visitors can feed to them.

Well, tell me no more and give me some more of that sugar! I could have fed and watched them all day; we even came back this morning:
This afternoon we went snorkeling off Emerald Rock; what's one of the first things I see when I get in the water? A Lemon Shark.
Believe it or not, as many times as I've snorkeled and scuba dived, prior to this trip I have only seen a shark once before. Sorry, Mom - I didn't do it on purpose this time.

2/25/09 - An Island Packet rendezvoux

2009-02-27T15:35:00.007-05:00

Jodi, John, Wayne, Debbie, and Craig

Charmed (Debbie and Craig) and Jay Sea Dee (Jodi, John, and their mini dachshund, Obie) arrived at about 10:30. When we called to welcome them, Craig suggested we all take our dinghies and explore the mangrove estuaries. It wasn't the best time to go based on the tide, but we were game. It was beautiful, like a scene from "The African Queen," although the water was only ankle deep in places and we were forced to drag the dinghies. The estuary snaked through the island and eventually took us to the most breathtaking beach on the Atlantic side. We finally got to talk to the others in person for the first time.

On the way back to the boats the others suggested we get together for a game of Phase 10, so after getting cleaned up they came over to the Lena Bea. Fun game, but this was a marathon - took us 3-4 hours to finish one game.

Charmed and Jay Sea Dee are headed north and we're headed south, so we bade each other safe sailing and parted ways; we'll probably meet up again somewhere, sometime.

By the way, John, Craig, Captain Jim Stengel (who we met in Marathon) and another guy are taking Jay Sea Dee across the Atlantic to Portugal this spring. It will be fun to follow their blog.

2/24/09 - Shroud Cay and question for Alex

2009-02-24T19:48:00.004-05:00

We intended to explore today and spend another night at Norman's Cay, but high winds and considerable waves made it too rolly where we were anchored. I had no desire to go anywhere in the dinghy in that kind of water, so with that in mind, we vowed to return to Norman's on our way north and headed down to moor at Shroud Cay, just an hour away. Cruising the Exumas is a treat because the cays are so close together - only an hour or two apart - so we don't waste time getting from one place to another. Not that sailing is a waste of time, mind you.

Shroud Cay is also our first stop in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The park, which encompasses 176 square miles, is about 22 miles long and eight miles wide and is the largest protected fish-breeding ground in the Caribbean. The park has strict rules that are enforced: you cannot fish, take shells, hunt, pick vegetation, pollute the waters, or leave behind any trash. Penalties for poaching are severe. "Take only pictures and memories, leave only bubbles and footprints." The diving and snorkeling are spectacular, and at Warderick Wells (the park headquarters) they have marked walking trails and an abundance of wildlife. We expect to spend quite a bit of time in the park.

Alex, do you know what the difference is between an island, a cay, and a key? Well, a cay and a key (both pronounced "key") are the same thing. "Cay" is from the Spanish word "cayo" and "key" is English (Do you remember when we went to Cayo Costa in Florida and found all those starfish?). They are small, low-lying islands, made mostly of sand, limestone, and coral, and usually surrounded by coral. Those in the Bahamas are so small that the people here often call the larger islands, such as Great Abaco, "the mainland." Interesting, huh?

This morning before leaving Norman's Cay we were able to hail Debbie and Craig on Charmed, an IP440. They and John and Jodi, on Jay Sea Dee (an IP 485) were in Warderick Wells and headed in our direction. We hope to meet up with them tomorrow or Thursday. We met Debbie briefly at the Annapolis Boat Show in 2007, but that's it. Wayne knows them through the Island Packet email list and Debbie and I have communicated a bit through WMwaves.com since discovering we were both cruising to the Exumas this winter. The camaraderie of the Island Packet community is remarkable.

I'll close my ramblings with an early "Happy Birthday" greeting to my brother-in-law, Scott. Hope you guys had a great time in Mexico.

2/23/09 - Norman's Cay

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We left Highborne Cay Marina at noon on Sunday and hope to return on our way back north. It's a lovely island with friendly people, beautiful beaches, and a well-run facility - worthy of a few days' layover whether you anchor or dock (we did both).

People feeding "my" sharks

The name of this yacht is "Shadow,"but I think a more descriptive name would be "Darth Vader." Doesn't it look cool?

Now we're anchored at Norman's Cay, which gained notoriety during the late '70's and early '80's as the base for a drug smuggling operation. It's peaceful today but evidence remains in the form of bullet holes in buildings at the south end and a drug smuggling plane which crashed and lies at rest in the anchorage.

Today Norman's Cay is probably known more for tiny MacDuff's resort, whose bar and restaurant is reported by many to have the best hamburgers in the Exumas. We had to check it out of course, so we dinghied in at 6:00 for dinner last night. It's a cute spot with character and a roomy veranda, but probably better suited for lunch with a small group of friends - not so great for just the two of us. In fact, we were the only customers and were outnumbered by dogs by at least 2:1. It was a bit eerie... after dark, in the middle of nowhere.

We each ordered a cheeseburger and a Coke and shared an order of fries for a total of $35 - a bit pricey. We don't expect to have dinner out again except socially, especially with all the provisions we have onboard.

We did quite a bit of snorkeling today, mostly in search of conch for chowder or fritters. There were many enormous shells, but the meat had already been taken, as evidenced by the hole near the top of the shell. I did find one live conch, but we ended up throwing it back in since one conch wasn't enough to do anything with (Wayne's excuse for not wanting to bother with it).

The highlight of our snorkeling expedition today was a Cushion Sea Star, about 14 inches across. My impression of it - after marveling at its size - was that it looked like a cushion, so I wasn't surprised to look in the book and learn its name.

Tonight we did something different - settled in with a movie ("Notes On a Scandal" - I got to choose) and popcorn!

2/21/09 - Michele snorkels with sharks!

2009-02-21T21:52:00.008-05:00

After a night anchored off Highborne Cay, we decided to check in to the marina this morning, visit the beach on the Atlantic side (where it's too rough, rocky, and shallow to dinghy in), and avail ourselves of their wi-fi service for $10 a day (which seems to be the going rate down here).

After our beach walk, I took Emma for a walk around the marina and down the dock. When we got to the end of the dock at the entrance to the marina, we looked in the water and were startled to see about a dozen nurse sharks swimming about and lying in the sand right below us. Of course I had to go back to the boat and get my camera. After watching and taking photos for a while, I knew I just had to do it. I had to snorkel with the sharks.

I stopped at the office to ask Barbara if it would be ok. "You really want to do that? Well, people do it," she said. "Just be sure to get out of there if anyone is on the dock cleaning fish."

I returned to the boat, grabbed my snorkeling stuff and underwater camera, and told Wayne what my intentions were. He followed along with the other camera, uncertain, I think, that this was a good idea.What a rush! The sharks were mildly curious and some came to check me out; one even nudged me with his nose, which freaked me out a bit and caused me to flee momentarily; I had to do this a couple times when they came much too close. I could have easily touched them. Some were about eight feet long and I was told that a couple of them were Lemon Sharks. It was an awesome experience, one I will never forget.Actually, I did it for you. This blog has been too boring and I had to come up with something to spice it up a little.

After we docked, we were met at our slip by Joe, the owner of Cool Runner's Catering Service, who told us about his Saturday night all-you-can-eat buffet served right here at the marina. Except for some conch fritters, we hadn't tried any Bahamian food yet and this was a great way to do it. I can especially recommend the conch chowder - it was delicious. We dined and conversed with two couples who've been cruising together on their respective boats, and a mother and adult son who came in on an 80+ foot yacht with a staff of three. By the way, Cool Runner will deliver food right to your boat.

P.S. Belated Happy Birthday, Robin!

2/19/09 - Allan's Cay

2009-02-21T17:09:00.007-05:00

Our passage here from Nassau was lovely - sailed all the way in calm water. We heard accounts from those who left the following day who were not so lucky, as they were going into the wind and got beat up.

This is our third night anchored at Allan's Cay (which includes the three cays of Allan's, SW Allan's, and Leaf) because it offers protection from just about any direction. Fronts come and go all the time down here, so wind direction is a major consideration. It's a pleasant anchorage and we have lots of company with about 20 other boats anchored here, including Dues Paid.

We had our first beach walk yesterday morning on the Atlantic side of Leaf Cay. I found my first ever sea biscuits - four of them (only three made it back in one piece) - while wading along the shore.

Leaf Cay and SW Allan's Cays are unique in that they are home to large populations of iguanas. Tour boats stop here a couple times a day and boaters who dinghy to shore are met by dozens of the creatures looking for handouts. We brought some slimy, well past its prime spinach, which the iguanas fought over and devoured in ecstasy.

Got spinach?

We had our first taste of snorkeling in the Bahamas yesterday as we and Leo took our dinghies over to Octopus's Garden, just north of Highborne Cay. There was an impressive variety of coral; we saw a ray and a trumpet fish, among other things I can never remember the names of.

Trumpet fish

Our last evening here we spent happy hour with Tom and Linda from Surprise, an IP40. We also bid farewell to Dues Paid, who is headed further south more quickly than we are.

2/16/09 - Had enough of this

2009-02-16T21:46:00.002-05:00

After several hours of walking around Nassau (which is not pedestrian- friendly) - downtown, to the straw market, Potter's Cay, etc., we've decided we are SO ready to leave. Nassau is not without its charms (every place has its charms, right??), but we won't be sticking around long enough to discover them. To us, Nassau is the gateway to the REAL Bahamas, the Bahamas we came here for: uninhabited islands, remote and peaceful anchorages, miles of white sandy beaches, snorkeling and diving opportunities everywhere...

So tomorrow morning we will head for Allan's Cay, about 35 miles away. It will be our first stop in the Exumas.

Alex, you may be interested to know that tonight we had beer and conch fritters at a restaurant here at the marina called The Poop Deck.

Photos added

2009-02-16T09:46:00.002-05:00

I added photos to my previous posts - check them out.

After Wayne finishes up dishes and I finish up here, we're going to head out to explore Nassau.

2/15/09 - For Alex

2009-02-15T15:48:00.001-05:00

Belated Happy Valentine's Day and greetings from Nassau, Alex! We love you!

Papa Wayne and Gramichele

2/15/09 - Engine problems

2009-02-15T15:02:00.008-05:00

Hmm...So this is Nassau. Wonder if they have grass here.
Wait a minute! There's Paradise Island! CERTAINLY there must be grass
on a place called Paradise Island.

An overheated engine is delaying our arrival in Nassau by an hour or so. Wayne dug a little sea weed out of the strainer, which didn't seem to help, then put in a new impeller. That made enough difference that we are able to use the engine on low rpms until we reach the marina, where Wayne can investigate further in the relative comfort of a dock. He suspects a clog somewhere.

I thought this was a funny photo because it looks like the cruise ships are on land. The one on the left is Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas, which Wayne and I cruised on many years ago. We much prefer the kind of cruising we do now.

We made it and are happily docked at Nassau Yacht Haven ($2/ft. + metered electric), still with Dues Paid. Wayne checked in while I got online ($10 a day for dial-up speed wi-fi service), then we went up to the Customs Office (aka the Laundry Room).

Betty and Leo stopped by for awhile, then I walked Emma until a downpour hit.

Wayne fixed the engine problem - sea weed in the engine intake through hull.

2/14/09 - Chub Cay

2009-02-14T22:19:00.002-05:00

After a quiet, calm, pleasant day we anchored off Chub Cay with Dues Paid and quite a few other boats. We decided to wait until Nassau to check in because it costs an extra $100 to check in here if we don't spend the night at the marina and $2.80/ft (($126) if we do. Besides that, we would have to go to the airport to do it, which is a five minute bus ride (or so they say). In Nassau they will come to our boat and it won't cost us any more than the standard $300 for a cruising permit.

I am emailing these updates via our satellite phone, which has slow dialup speed of 38 kbps, too slow to even check the blog to make sure they're posting correctly. Tomorrow in Nassau we will have wi-fi so I will able to post photos, etc.

Betty and Leo had us over for "attitude adjustment" and dinner this evening, which was a real treat.

2/14/09 - For Alex

2009-02-14T22:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Alex! We love you!

Papa Wayne and Gramichele

2/13/09 - Finally we cross

2009-02-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

This morning we watched as, one by one, all the other boats anchored nearby made their departures, including Leo and Betty on Dues Paid. The thought that crosses my mind is that they're all going to the Bahamas (which of course they aren't) and everyone but us knows that today is THE only day to cross the Gulf Stream.

The satisfaction of getting a lot of boat stuff done today helped put us at peace with our decision to wait until tomorrow, though. Wayne cleaned sea weed out of some filters, etc., readied our fishing gear for catching The Big One on our way to the Bahamas, and is now installing some fans. I successfully made yogurt on my first attempt without a yogurt maker (Wayne likes it better than store-bought), made a few phone calls, did a little cleaning, reorganized some things, etc. I best deal with stress by over-preparing (guess it gives me the illusion of control) and I have to admit feeling a fair amount of trepidation over our crossing and passage to the Exumas.

2/12/09 - Preparing to cross

2009-02-14T22:18:00.001-05:00

2/11/09 - A very long day

2009-02-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

We left Boot Key in Marathon at about 4:30 a.m. to time our arrival at Pumpkin Key at the north end of Key Largo for late afternoon. Motor-sailing into the waves made it not so comfortable to start with, but after turning north we had a lovely afternoon sail.

Midday I was down below when Wayne yelled to me, "Hey, I think that's another Island Packet 445! I'll bet it's Gail C." As they passed us from the opposite direction we caught the name of their boat, and it was indeed them. We met Frank and Gail two years ago - after we bought Lena Bea but before we commissioned her. Frank and Gail had Gail C. docked at Burnt Store Marina (which is in Punta Gorda) and invited us over so we could see how they had done things, where and how they had installed various equipment, etc., which helped Wayne a great deal. We knew they left for the Bahamas in January so were very surprised to see them. Wayne called them on the VHF and we learned that they had waited 18 days to cross the Gulf Stream and finally had to turn back due to a family matter. We think it was an unplanned family matter in their case, but cruisers with deadlines or schedules frequently have to cancel their trips when that ubiquitous weather-window just doesn't come along in time. The Gulf Stream is like a river in the middle of the ocean and it flows north at about 2.5-3 knots. When there are winds from any northerly direction, crossing can be miserable (depending on how strong they are) and even treacherous because the wind and current work against each other causing large, turbulent waves. After the wind changes to a favorable direction it takes a day or two for the seas to calm down enough for a comfortable crossing, which is why we'll probably wait until Friday.

We were cruising along, happy as clams, until we reached the entrance to Angelfish Creek. Some of you already know what I'm going to say, don't you? Yep, we ran aground. I fixed dinner and we ate while waiting an hour and a half for the tide to come up enough to get off the rocks, then waited another 45 minutes for good measure. Some people think Wayne never gets angry, but those folks have never been with him when he ran aground. I'll let Wayne fill you in on the details for the sake of accuracy, but basically he was looking at tide tables that had conflicting information. Leo and Betty had called to let us know the tide was unusually low due to the full moon and that we should probably wait until high tide to come in (they were already anchored at the other end). Wayne checked tide tables and charts again and called Captain Jim to get his input. Boaters entering the channel ahead of us didn't think we'd have a problem (note to selves: don't trust depth sounders on other boats to give the same readings as ours).

We turned left when we reached Card Sound just before sunset and I grabbed the binoculars to look for Dues Paid - Leo and Betty's catamaran - so we could anchor near them. As I looked around the anchorage at boat names, I noticed several boaters with THEIR binoculars trained on US. Guess they wanted to see who the poor suckers were who ran aground. As the saying goes, there are two kinds of boaters: those who have run aground and those who will. So they either have been or will be some day, in the same boat (so to speak).

We couldn't find Leo and Betty and finally had to call them to ask where they were anchored, and found out we should have turned right instead of left when we reached the sound. Oh well. As we were preparing to anchor and I was finishing up with Betty, someone called us on the VHF. It was a nearby sailboat, Brilliant, and they invited us over to share a bottle of wine. We agreed before thinking it through, then called back and pleaded exhaustion - getting up at 4 a.m., sailing all day, and sitting sideways in the channel for two hours will do that to you. I'm sure it would have been interesting to visit with the folks on Brilliant, though - they've spent the past seven years living on their boat.

Besides - had we not been so tired, we would have liked to get together with Leo and Betty. A couple from the Mariners of PGI, our boating club, put us in touch with them a couple weeks ago because Leo and Betty (neighbors of theirs) were planning to leave for the Exumas about the same time we were. Betty and Leo have cruised to the Bahamas 8-10 times and have shared lots of information with us; they and Wayne spoke on the phone many times, but we haven't met them yet. It looks like our meeting will have to wait longer because they are leaving for the Bahamas tomorrow and we've decided to wait until Friday and the slight possibility of a calmer crossing. We agonized over this and Wayne spent hours poring over wind and wave charts before deciding. The group from Boot Key is leaving on Friday (from Rodriguez Key), as are others we've talked to, so it's probably a toss-up and we'll be more ready after a day at anchor anyway.

2/14/09 - Chub Cay

2009-02-14T22:00:00.001-05:00

After a quiet, calm, pleasant day we anchored off Chub Cay with Dues Paid and quite a few other boats. We decided to wait until Nassau to check in because it costs an extra $100 to check in here if we don't spend the night at the marina and $2.80/ft (($126) if we do. Besides that, we would have to go to the airport to do it, which is a five minute bus ride (or so they say). We plan to stop in Nassau anyway. Immigration will come to our boat and it won't cost us any more than the standard $300 for a cruising permit.

Betty and Leo had us over for "attitude adjustment" and dinner this evening, which was a real treat.

2/13/09 - Are we almost there yet?

2009-02-13T23:00:00.001-05:00

2/13/09 - Crossing the Gulf Stream at last

2009-02-13T22:00:00.002-05:00

I didn't expect to spend the first few hours of our crossing on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors and cleaning the cabin, but there I was. Crossing the Gulf stream was a piece of cake, even with north-northwesterly winds at about 10-13 knots. We had an occasional one-foot wave, but it was as calm as we could have hoped for. We left our anchorage at 6:30 and passed between Gun and Cat Cays (pronounced "keys") at 2:00. We motored all the way with help from our sails.

It feels like a different world over here - "I don't think we're in Florida any more, Emma!" Crystal clear waters of turquoise and azure welcomed us, and I was mesmerized by the white, sandy bottom of the ocean, dotted with bits of grass and countless starfish. It was very warm and I could hardly wait to get in the water.

We were in radio contact with Leo and Betty, who had checked in and spent last night in Bimini. We motored another ten miles or so and anchored next to them along the banks. After calling them with an invitation to come over, we put on our swimsuits and snorkel gear. I immersed the bottom third of my body in the water and changed my mind. We hadn't taken the time to don our wetsuits and the water was too darn cold - about 76 degrees.

Tomorrow we'll probably check in at Chub Cay, anchor there for the night, and continue on to Nassau. We traveled about 70 miles today from Key Largo, but have another 110 miles or so to reach Nassau.

2/12/09 - Crossing tomorrow

2009-02-12T22:18:00.002-05:00

We haven't had Internet service the past couple days - I'm emailing this from my cell phone - but will post updates the next opportunity. And that will be from the Bahamas, because we're leaving in the morning. Yea!

2/12/09 - Preparing to cross

2009-02-12T22:00:00.001-05:00

The satisfaction of getting a lot of boat stuff done today helped put us at peace with our decision to wait until tomorrow, though. Wayne cleaned sea weed out of some strainers, etc., readied our fishing gear for catching The Big One on our way to the Bahamas, and is now installing some fans. I successfully made yogurt on my first attempt without a yogurt maker (Wayne likes it better than store-bought), made a few phone calls, did a little cleaning, reorganized some things, etc. I best deal with stress by over-preparing (guess it gives me the illusion of control) and I have to admit feeling a fair amount of trepidation over our crossing and passage to the Exumas.

2/11/09 - A very long day

2009-02-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

2/10/09 - An alarming situation

2009-02-10T14:57:00.001-05:00

This morning we moved from the marina back to our anchorage for a third night at Marathon. A group of Bahamas-bound cruisers was meeting to plan their crossing, so Wayne took the dinghy in to the City Marina to join them.

We have these great little gadgets on our life jackets - a LifeTag system - that set off alarms on the boat if we get a certain distance away. That's so we'll be alerted in case one of us falls off without the other knowing it. It's a horrible, shrieking alarm, and guess what? Wayne forgot to take his LifeTag off before he left in the dinghy. I frantically tried to figure out how to turn off the alarm, but to no avail. I tried to call Wayne on his cell, but it was in a waterproof bag in the backpack and there was no way he could hear it over the sound of the outboard. I left a message ("The LifeTag works really well, but you can turn it off now," with appropriate sound effects in case he needed proof). Finally I retreated to the bedroom where Emma was already hiding out, closed the door and - hey! - I have ear plugs! I finally reached Wayne half an hour later and he told me how to turn the darn thing off - push the same button I had been pushing, but hold it down for five seconds. If you were on one of the many boats anchored around us today, we send our most embarrassed apologies.

2/9/09 - A day in Marathon

2009-02-09T21:03:00.008-05:00

This morning after a peaceful night at anchor, we went in to Marathon Marina (where we're spending the night) because Wayne was expecting a visitor. We were met at the fuel dock by John and Chuck, two marina residents.

Being here afforded me the opportunity to get online, so I have been busy tweaking my posts and uploading photos, as you may have noticed.

Cruisers are such friendly people! Chuck and Judy stopped by this afternoon for a visit and to ask about places to stop along the west coast. Shortly after they left, Captain Jim (who Wayne knows from the Island Packet email list) and his friend, Bob, came over. Captain Jim lives in Marathon and has been doing boat deliveries for the past twelve years. He knows the Keys and the Bahamas very well and gave us advice on our crossing and places to go once we get to the Exumas. They were just getting ready to leave when John and Julie came by. They have an IP 485 - Island Chariot - which they sailed down from their home in Oriental, NC last fall. They invited us over to their dock for sunset celebration (they take their sunsets very seriously down here in the Keys), a daily event. So we meandered over there just minutes before sunset and watched people blow their conch horns (a sunset ritual).John and Julie then invited us onboard Island Chariot for a tour and to meet their beautiful cockatoo, Elvis. Coincidentally, we had been on their boat before - at the Miami boat show in 2006. Check out John and Julie's website at http://islandchariot.com/

2/8/09 - Blogging in the Bahamas

2009-02-08T22:04:00.006-05:00

The blog for this trip will be quite different from the previous one because it's a totally different kind of trip and the audience is more diverse. On the trip from Lake Superior we traveled about 5000 miles in 109 days, so we were moving constantly and there were many destinations to write about. Our trip to the Bahamas will be more like an extended vacation. The blog from 2007 was written as a simple way to keep friends and family abreast of our journey. Very few of them were cruisers, but this time around it's a different story - some people reading this blog have cruised to the Bahamas (and much farther) many times. I expect the diversity of my readers this time around to make writing the blog more challenging.

At this point I need to pause and thank other cruisers who have so generously shared their wisdom and experiences with us, which will help us enjoy a safer and richer trip. To them - and you know who you are - we send our heartfelt thanks. And I might as well 'fess up right now to the fact that I am nautically challenged because it won't take you long to figure it out.

During the last trip someone asked me early on what my objectives or goals were for the trip. I think my response was that I just wanted to make it all the way to Punta Gorda without abandoning Wayne. My objectives for this trip are to 1) soak up the beauty and splendor of God's creation., 2) scuba dive and snorkel, 3) do some decent underwater photography, 4) take lots of long walks on as many beaches as possible with Wayne and Emma, 5) collect shells, 6) enjoy the fellowship of other cruisers and native Bahamians, 7) eat all our citrus fruit before any spoils, and 8) read - if I have time.

I probably won't have the ability to post to the blog as frequently as I did last time. The Exumas are quite remote and internet access isn't widely available. That said, we do have a satellite phone with a very slow (think slow dial-up) data connection, which I will attempt to use to email my blog posts. By popular demand, I plan to post lots of photos, but they might need to be added later when I have high speed internet access. We'll see how it goes.

2/8/09 - Anchored in the Keys

2009-02-08T22:00:00.006-05:00

Last night at Little Shark River there was another Island Packet - Kismet - anchored near us and Wayne called them on the radio this morning. Jim and Lori had recognized the name of our boat because they read our blog!

We could hardly have asked for a finer day of sailing: winds 15-20 knots off the beam the entire day.

We never get tired of visits by dolphins.

Seven Mile Bridge

We're anchored off Marathon in the Keys tonight.

2/7/09 - An update

2009-02-08T21:59:00.004-05:00

A quick update for those of you who were with us on our previous trip in '07: After we arrived in Punta Gorda on November 12, I wasn't interested in going anywhere on the boat for several months and was content to entertain lots of company that winter. We had planned to go for a couple weeks last spring, but I had rotator cuff surgery the end of March and my right arm in a sling for four weeks, followed by months of physical therapy. So much for those plans.

After summer at home in Minnesota, we returned to Punta Gorda the end of September. On November 13 - a year and a day after our arrival in Punta Gorda - we left on a nine-day cruise to the Dry Tortugas, a national park about 70 miles west of Key West. By then we were so ready to go again. We also needed to initiate our new crew member, Emma - a Havanese puppy who was born Oct. 12, 2007 - in preparation for our trip to the Bahamas. Before heading out for a couple months, we needed to know that she would adapt to the cruising lifestyle. And we needed to figure out the potty thing for when we're away from land for days at a time, which can be a very big deal for boaters and their dogs. Our solution was to teach her to go on one of those synthetic chamois cloths, which we put in the forward shower. The first 48 hours were agony for all of us (we had no idea she could hold it so long), but Emma got the hang of it and now sits at the bathroom door when she has the urge. It works very well; we just flush what is flushable and wash out the cloths.

By the way, our trip to Dry Tortugas National Park was great and we will return. The weather could have been better, but we managed to get in some decent snorkeling, toured Fort Jefferson - which was historical, interesting, and photogenic - and spent time with some very nice people... from Punta Gorda (hi Nancy, Steve, Laurie, and Paul). If you're not familiar with the Dry Tortugas, I'd encourage you to read more about the park online. You can check out my photos of the trip at http://gallery.me.com/mrmsharp/100045.

2/7/09 - Our new best friends

2009-02-08T21:56:00.004-05:00

Last night we anchored in 23 feet of water about fifteen miles west of Everglades City and a couple miles south of Cape Romano Shoals. After years of sailing in Lake Superior, which is hundreds of feet deep, I'm always amazed at how shallow it is around here.

Within minutes of setting out this morning we crossed paths with a Coast Guard cutter and knew instinctively that we were about to be boarded for the first time. For those who don't know, the Coast Guard can board any vessel at any time to make sure we're in compliance with safety regulations and have U.S. Coast Guard required equipment on board. Wayne is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and they do the same safety inspections (but strictly voluntary), so we passed with flying colors (we even had a trash management plan, which few boaters have - ours was the first boat these guys had seen that had one). By the way, the Coast Guard Auxiliary does everything the Coast Guard does except for law enforcement.

Our new best friends

Tonight we're anchored at Little Shark River, which leads into the Everglades. As I write I'm distracted by dolphins frolicking in the late afternoon sun and pelicans diving for their dinner.

2/6/09 - Provisioning

2009-02-08T21:54:00.002-05:00

Our delayed departure on Thursday was a blessing because I don't think we could have been ready to leave any earlier than we did. Oh, we would have rushed and left anyway, but I wouldn't have felt good about it. We were able to get things well organized and really took the time to make sure we weren't forgetting anything.

I have so much food! But provisions are more expensive in the Bahamas and besides, I don't want to spend time grocery shopping except to pick up an item or two here or there. We have powdered milk and I will bake bread and make yogurt. The frig is well-stocked, my freezer is packed to the brim, and I have canned goods galore. Oh, and dozens of grapefruit, oranges, and lemons. We have one tree of each and I went on a fruit-picking rampage before we left. These two sailors will NOT get scurvy, no siree!

On our way

2009-02-06T12:09:00.003-05:00

We anchored at 9:30 p.m. near Alligator Creek. We were warm and cozy sleeping, although there were freeze warnings out for as far south as Fort Myers (I don't know if it ever got that cold on our trip from up north). Wayne knew the only way he was going to get me up at 6:00 was to crank up the furnace. We're counting on more natural heat in the Exumas (southern Bahamas).

Right now it's noon and we're south of Sanibel.

Leaving now

2009-02-05T19:56:00.000-05:00

It's 7:57 p.m. and we're leaving the dock. Will anchor close in tonight.

2/5/09 Ready to go, but...

2009-02-05T19:49:00.008-05:00

Here we sit

all ready to go

But we can't leave--

the tide's too low!

Lena Bea--

she just won't float

Now this is a problem

for a boat!

Could we have loaded

her up too much?

With too much rum and beer

and such?

So I sit here writing

a silly poem,

at my computer,

stranded at home.

Preparing for the Bahamas, 2009

2009-01-23T11:25:00.003-05:00

Check back soon as I reactivate the blog for our trip to the Bahamas. We plan to leave around February 1, so I'll post something within the next week.

In closing...

2007-11-30T13:04:00.002-05:00

Photo by Norma Cavanaugh

I wasn't going to do this trip - it was waaayy outside my comfort zone.

Wayne had often talked about taking a long sailing trip - in fact, his dream was to spend our winters living on the boat. I nixed that idea because 1) our 37' boat wasn't big enough to live in (for me) and I would get claustrophobia, and 2) I didn't care to sail nearly as much as Wayne. I had visions of being left on the dock with a sleeping bag and suitcase when he wanted to sail and I didn't. I liked the idea of a condo with a dock in the backyard, but we ended up with a house.

With the purchase of our Florida home in February, 2004, Wayne suddenly had a purpose and a destination for that long sailing trip. I agreed that we needed to get the boat to Florida, but had my own ideas on how to get it there. First choice: truck it down. Second choice: take it down the Mississippi. Wayne's first choice: the east coast via the Erie Canal and Hudson River; Wayne's second choice: to the Gulf of Mexico via Chicago, the Mississippi, and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to Mobile, Alabama. Part of my reasoning was that, initially, retirement was not in the picture and I thought 3-4 months was far too long for Wayne to be away from the business. It seemed to me that expedience was the wiser, albeit less adventurous, way to go.

We obviously had some compromising to do. So how did our compromise result in a trip that was approximately 1500 miles longer? And how did I end up making a trip I wanted little or no part of just 14 months ago?

In the spring of 2006, someone approached Wayne about buying the business. Things happened quickly, and by the middle of the summer they had an agreement. With my blessing and encouragement, since he would now be retired, Wayne started making plans to sail the boat down the east coast via the Erie Canal and Hudson River. The plan was that I would meet up with him and do a week here or there, but mostly he would be accompanied by other friends and sailors, who were eagerly lining up to do the trip.

I had many reasons for not wanting to do the whole trip:

1) Fear: the thought of being in water with no land in sight freaked me out, as did the thought of being caught in a storm and all those other Vague Unknowns.

2) Inexperience: the longest sailing trip I had ever done was a week; 3-4 months seemed like too much of a jump. I had no idea how I'd do on a trip like that and was afraid I would be more of a liability than an asset to Wayne.

3) Lack of interest: Unlike Wayne, sailing is not my passion.

4) I just didn't want to be gone that long - I like my land life too much.

5) I was concerned about communication with loved ones, based on previous trips Wayne had done just in Lake Superior, where cell phone service or any other type of communication was almost non-existent.

6) Being away from friends and family for so long.

7) I was used to having lots of alone time and frankly, the thought of being with only Wayne (or anyone) 24/7 for 3-4 months made me very nervous.

We closed on the business November 1 and, after much deliberation and research, bought the Lena Bea shortly thereafter. With the new, larger boat and its modern conveniences (like a freezer and vacu-flush toilets), I started to consider the possibility of making the entire trip. Only six months away, the trip was becoming reality and I was having second thoughts about missing out on the adventure. I reasoned that, if worse came to worse, Wayne could drop me off somewhere and I could fly home; someone else would fly out to replace me.

I should mention here that, although he was leaning towards the east coast, Wayne still hadn't decided for certain on the route. As he did his research, the thought of taking down the mast and stays (1500 pounds - necessary on all three routes mentioned above due to low bridges) was making Wayne nervous, especially after they launched the boat up in Lake Superior on May 31 and he saw what a major operation it was. Stepping down the mast is done routinely for boats that make the trip (there are people who will do it for you), but most masts are 10+ feet shorter and who knows how many pounds lighter than ours.

There was one route, however, that didn't require him to do so: the St. Lawrence River. It would have been Wayne's first choice all along, but he hadn't seriously considered it because it would have been 1500 miles longer than the Erie Canal/Hudson River. After talking to other sailors and doing more research, it started looking like a more attractive option. He mentioned the possibility to me and to his surprise (and mine), I was excited about taking the St. Lawrence because it meant more wilderness to travel through and more adventure. The possibility of seeing whales hadn't even crossed our minds at that point.

So less than two months before our departure, we finally decided our route and added 1500 miles on to the voyage. Our initial departure date was August 1; with the change of itinerary we moved it up, but Wayne still had lots of work to do before the boat was ready to go. We weren't ready to leave until July 27, which is why the trip ended up being more rushed than we would have liked.

I realize the blog would have been more interesting had I shared this information at the beginning, but it didn't occur to me at the time. I think someone asked me early on what my objectives or goals were for this trip. Given what I've just shared, it shouldn't surprise you to know that I just wanted to make it from beginning to end without abandoning Wayne.

As for my concerns about the trip:

1) Fear - There were only a couple times when I felt that our safety was in jeopardy; I was more concerned about the boat crashing into a dock or hitting a bridge. I really did feel a sense of peace that could only have come from the Holy Spirit's presence. Of course, Wayne's caution and skill at navigation, piloting the boat, docking, etc. cannot be overstated. I was very impressed by that.

2) I did very well on the trip and never entertained the thought of flying home. I became more of an asset to Wayne as time and experience gave me confidence and skill.

3) I'm still not passionate about sailing, but I do love to travel and spend time outdoors, so I enjoyed all the places we visited and sights we saw. And yes, I even enjoyed the sailing...tremendously.

4) It was a long trip and I wouldn't have wanted it to be any longer. Yes, I missed my land life, but this experience was worth giving it up for 109 days.

5) Communication was seldom an issue. We were pleasantly surprised to have cell phone service probably 90% of the time. We had the satellite phone for backup, but didn't need it much, and we never went more than a few days without having internet service available.

6) Although there were some lonely times, we were blessed with visits from family and friends along the way. Traveling with Claus and Rachael came at a time that would have otherwise been the loneliest, as we were in remote areas. The blog and email were lifelines for me.

7) I did just fine being with Wayne 24/7; we both put a lot of effort into making it work and we got along very well. In fact, in response to the many people who asked, it was actually good for our relationship. Hmm...maybe this retirement thing won't be so bad after all.

Because I had so many concerns about doing this trip, the fact that I did it is so much sweeter...a personal victory of sorts. It reminds me of the huge feat of overcoming my fear of water to get my scuba diving certification and going 100 feet deep when I had no intention of going deeper than 20 feet. It's too soon to know how the trip has changed me; time will tell.

I will continue to upload photos to the Costco site (haven't done too well at that), so check back if you want to see them. I may not get around to it until after the holidays, though.

So there you have it. And here I end it. I expected to be seeking out a 12 Steps group for recovering bloggers, but it doesn't look like I'll have a problem. Although there will probably be be other blogs for me in the future, it's sad to say good-bye - I miss you already. The Lena Bea blog has been a vital link to you, a creative outlet for me, and a memoir of our trip, but this chapter is now complete. Thanks for reading.

I'm still here...

2007-11-29T17:03:00.001-05:00

Left to right: Wayne; granddaughter, Alex; daughter, Suzanne; my favorite son-in-law, Brian; my Mom; Wayne's mom; my favorite daughter-in-law, Amy; son, Michael.
We wanted Joey, our other son, to come down,
but he had to work :(

I don't know if anyone out there still cares, but I haven't forgotten about doing a final post to the blog. We've been delightfully occupied with company and our Thanksgiving celebration, but everyone's gone now, so I should have time to add to the blog tonight or tomorrow. I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Final thoughts on blogging

2007-11-19T09:45:00.001-05:00

I hardly knew what a blog was before this trip, but Wayne and I both knew we wanted to do one as a simple way of keeping family and friends abreast of our journey. It quickly took on a life of its own, though, as we realized other benefits and I became a blogoholic. This blog has been a blessing in many unexpected ways.

First of all, I was amazed at how many people were reading the blog - not just friends and family, but their friends and family as well - and how interactive it became. You encouraged us and cheered us on. We received so many comments and emails from readers, and suddenly it became a lifeline of sorts...it helped alleviate loneliness and became my social life. I developed a compulsion to write and couldn't believe I had so much to say.

As the trip progressed and our memories were already beginning to blur (Where did we...? When did we...? What was the name of...?), we realized how important the blog was for ourselves. Now, due in large part to your encouragement, we're even entertaining the idea of putting it into a book for our children and grandchildren.

If you've ever thought about doing a blog - or even if you haven't - I encourage you to try it (especially you, Paula G.). My cousin, Tracy, keeps a family blog with beautiful photos and very fine writing (http://tracysscrapbook.blogspot.com/); I can only imagine how precious it will be to her children some day. Although blogger.com has a frustrating array of bugs and glitches, it's very easy to set up and use. And if you do have a blog or decide to start keeping one, please share it with me at my Comcast email address (which I don't want to publish here because of spam) or lenabea07@gmail.com. I haven't decided whether I will start a new blog (email me if you'd like to be notified if and when I do) - our normal life is pretty boring and not particularly blog-worthy - but would enjoy reading others in the meantime.

Finally, to those who have faithfully kept up with our blog or even just checked in periodically, we are humbled and grateful. It means so much to us that you care enough to take time out of your busy lives to follow our journey. I feel a bond with you because it's almost like you were with us. When people ask, "How was the trip?" I don't know where to start, but I want to say, "Read the blog - it's all there." If you were with us on our journey via the blog and have kept silent so far, I'd love to hear from you.

There will be at least one more post before I'm finished with this blog, so please check back.

Another world

2007-11-16T08:43:00.001-05:00

During the past 3½ months, we learned that there's another world out there, fully experienced only from the water, with texture, ambience, sensations, and culture so foreign to me (being a Minnesota girl). It is a world of marinas as varied as a Motel 6 is from the Ritz-Carlton, communities on the water where people live, work, play, and socialize, or in our case, simply pass through (we're referred to as "transients").

It is a world whose livelihood is dependent on the sea and where many towns have memorials to honor those lost there; it is a world where fishing boats seem to outnumber cars, and lobster and crab pots seem to outnumber people.

It is a world of peaceful anchorages, wilderness areas, sandy beaches, marshlands, rocky and wooded shores, lighthouses, small fishing villages, beautiful resort towns, large commercial sea ports, all types of housing imaginable, and metropolitan cities - both modern and steeped in history.

It is a world of barges and hard-working tugboats, alert and wary Coast Guard boats, huge freighters and cruise ships, classic and regal-looking tall ships, intimidating war ships, car ferries, tour boats, luxury yachts, lazy trawlers, high-powered cigarette boats, and recreational sail and power boats of all sizes and descriptions. It is a world of swing bridges, lift bridges, bascule bridges, and of course, 65' fixed bridges.

It is a world where the sea is more than just water - it's a living thing with a temperament and personality, a powerful being who can toss us, rage against us, frighten us, delight us, calm us, lull us to sleep, and yes, make us a little queasy. It is a world where whales dominate and inspire awe, seals swim by curiously and inspire humor, dolphins frolic and inspire joy, and manatees bathe lazily and inspire love.

It is a world where people are...well, people - no different from people everywhere, and we smile as we remember them fondly. Each person we met along the way left an imprint on our hearts and made our journey a richer, more textured and colorful experience. There are too many names to mention, but we are grateful to all who contributed to the memories we'll savor of this trip. A special "thank you" goes to those we encountered en route who joined us on our journey and cheered us on via the blog, like Roberta.

We are so grateful for the privilege of experiencing this other world for the past 3½ months.

Stay tuned, there's more to come...

Spiritual thoughts

2007-11-16T08:41:00.002-05:00

The spiritual aspect of this trip was profound. First of all, we felt the power and blessing of your prayers every day, and for that we thank you. As I've mentioned many times, God blessed us with unbelievably superb weather throughout the trip. He kept us safe and healthy (except for two minor visits to the ER) and protected us from countless things that could have gone wrong.

So often in our busy lives it's hard to make room for God. Even if we take time for prayer, study, worship, and service, the communication is mostly one-way because we're immediately on to the next thing and often fail or forget to listen for God's voice. We're busy with work and family obligations, and in our free time we often live in a world of television, radio, iPods, Blackberrys, telephones, computers, and what have you. God could be screaming at us and we wouldn't hear him above the din.

Wayne and I were without TV, radio, newspapers, and except for occasional evenings, music, for 3½ months; four months ago, I would have panicked at the very thought (we thought we were equipped). Work was mostly limited to boat "stuff," navigation, and trip planning (if you can call that work). Our only family obligation was to keep in touch, which we did by cell phone and computer. (Of course, there's no escaping electronics altogether, even at sea; the navigation and weather instruments are vital.)

Without so many distractions, we learned what it really means to abide in Christ. He was our constant companion and we were always aware of his presence, often spending most of the day just enjoying our Lord's creation and our relationship with him, steeped in his love and peace. We were more "tuned in" to him, which allowed him to guide our travel and protect us to a degree that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. I experienced peace that could only have come from Christ in the face of many hair-raising situations, scores of low bridges, and vast expanses of shallow waters. I experienced joy that I didn't even know how to express, and which also could only have come from Christ.

Every day we were blessed and awed by the wonder of God's creation. The variety and beauty of birds, trees, clouds, winds, rocks, terrain, aquatic mammals and fish, sunrises and sunsets, flowers, land creatures, sea shells, water - and of course, homo sapiens - fascinated and delighted us as much on day one and mile one as they did on day 109 and mile 5,325.

God is good...all the time.

Stay tuned, there's more to come...

Adjusting to life on land

2007-11-16T08:34:00.000-05:00

We've been home four days now and are gradually getting our land legs back, both literally and figuratively.

Our first day or two, I kept wanting to secure things around the house so they wouldn't go flying. I kept looking at the boat docked behind the house, wondering why it looked so strange; it finally occurred to me that we have one home parked in the backyard of our other home. We're getting used to having "luxuries," like a dishwasher, TV, radio, laundry facilities, a roomy shower, a king-sized bed (it feels like we're sleeping alone), and as much internet access as we want. We're getting used to being more than 30' away from each other. It feels good to be back on land, back to our "normal" life.

I was looking forward to being able to sleep later than 6 a.m., but ironically I've been up before Wayne every day except one, wide awake at 5:00 or 6:00.

We've had fun talking to and getting together with friends, but there's also been a lot of work to do. Besides the usual stuff involved in opening up the house after being gone for six months, we've had boat stuff: unloading it and trying to find room in my kitchen for extra food and duplicate containers of everything (I'm still working on that). Wayne spent most of yesterday cleaning the outside of the boat - there was already oxidation from the salty air and water - and I'll take care of the inside...when I get around to it.

We'll also be preparing for Thanksgiving, which we will celebrate November 24th, the Saturday after. Michael and Amy are flying down on Thanksgiving, and our moms, Suzanne, Brian, and Alex will arrive on Friday; they'll be here for five days. We're so excited about having some quality time with family.

Yesterday we made reservations to fly home to Minnesota on December 5; we'll be there for about a month and will drive back down to Florida in January. So far, we have very few plans except over Christmas and we hope to see many of you while we're in town, so please call us.

Final Thoughts from Captain Wayne

2007-11-15T11:25:00.000-05:00

Captain Wayne: After leaving Miami, the sailing conditions were nearly perfect. We took the Hawk Channel, which is the outside route vs. the ICW, but is still inside the reefs that are south of the Keys. We had a downwind wing on wing sail on the first day (Genoa and Main on opposite sides of the boat), a Spinnaker run the second day, and when we headed north in the Gulf of Mexico, the wind was off the beam. What a great way to end the trip! We did take a short cut at Marathon, going under the 7 mile bridge and through the Old Spanish Channel to the Gulf of Mexico.

We covered 4,630 nautical miles (5,325 statute miles) and traveled for 109 days. We were in 4 Great Lakes, the St Lawrence Seaway, the Saguenay Fjord, the Gulf of St Lawrence, the Atlantic Ocean, The Gulf of Mexico, and numerous bays, rivers, lakes, channels, and canals. We went through 18 locks as we descended about 900 feet from Lake Superior to sea level. We were in 5 Canadian provinces and 18 U.S. states. We spent 62 nights in marinas, 34 at anchor, 8 on moorings, 2 docked behind a friend's house, and sailed through the night 3 times. We spent time in about 46 different towns or cities.

We met a lot of great people in the places where we stopped, and met many cruisers headed to different parts of the world. We were visited by friends and family along the way, and more would like to have joined us if we could have made the schedules work.

We were able to test our abilities with the boat, navigation, weather, unfamiliar waters, currents, and tides. We also worked well together as a team.

As much as we enjoyed getting to our home in Punta Gorda, I already miss being on Lena Bea, and I am looking forward to our next voyage. I am glad we could share our adventure with all of you. Thank you for your emails, comments, and calls.

Stay tuned for more thoughts from Michele.

Home!

2007-11-13T20:21:00.000-05:00

Back row, from left to right: Al, Mom, Barb, Carol

Front row, from left to right: Bill, Marge, Bob, Norma

We have the best neighbors in the world.

What a thrill it was to turn down our canal and see Mom and the neighbors waiting for us on the dock, cameras in hand.

We were euphoric! We docked in our very tight spot with the help of Bill, Bob, and Al. Marge handed us a dozen roses and a bottle of pre-chilled champagne and they all took our pictures. We felt like celebrities.

Norma and Jay invited us, Mom, Bob, Barbara, and their brother-in-law, Ronnie, over for spaghetti dinner. Barbara is an extremely talented professional musician who treated us to piano and singing after dinner. Norma and Jay sing beautifully as well, and they sang along while the rest of us feebly attempted to if we knew the words. It was such an enjoyable evening, and a wonderful welcome home.

Yes, we have the best neighbors in the world.

There are more posts to come as we collect our final thoughts and photos (and wits), so please check back.

Minutes away

2007-11-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Here I am with up-to-the-minute, late breaking news... (I) just missed our turn and Wayne is turning around to head down the second to last canal. We'll be docking within ten minutes. Now let's see if any of our neighbors have wi-fi...

Our final night

2007-11-12T08:22:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite things to do when we're in Florida is to take our little power boat over to Cayo Costa, one of the barrier islands in Charlotte Harbor. It's a state park, largely uninhabited, and accessible only by boat. We like it because the long, beautiful beach on the gulf side is usually almost deserted and has great shelling. I've often longed to anchor offshore, walk the beach till sunset, spend the night, and walk it again the next morning, which wasn't do-able in our little Hurricane.

It was so fitting then, that wind conditions and timing made the gulf side of Cayo Costa the best place for us to anchor tonight, the last night of our trip.

We anchored at around 3:30 and were headed in to shore in the dinghy when we noticed there were dolphins all around us - several pods with too many dolphins to count. We've never seen so many at one time before! We cut the engine and sat there watching them, certain that God had sent them to welcome us home. As we pulled the dinghy up on shore, the first thing I saw on the beach was a sand dollar, my favorite shell. I walked and combed the beach until sunset, when Wayne had to almost drag me away, as always.

We watched the sun disappear into the Gulf of Mexico, the last sunset of our trip, and sat in the cockpit drinking champagne and eating brie and crackers. We toasted our last night - unbelievable! - of an awesome journey.

Almost home!

2007-11-12T08:03:00.000-05:00

We haven't had internet access since leaving Miami, so you may be surprised to hear that, as I write this on Sunday morning, we're approximately 26 hours from docking behind our home in Punta Gorda. Skipping a stop in Key West brought us one day closer to home. We anchored off the coast west of Everglades City last night; we just passed Naples and expect to anchor off Useppa Island or Cayo Costa tonight. From there we're about four hours from home, but we promised Mom, who wants to be waiting on the dock when we come down the canal, not to arrive before she gets there, around 12:30-1:00. She helps teach a line dance class Monday morning, and with the two hour drive, can't get there before then. No problem, Mom...after 3½ months, we can sleep in a little on our last day and take our time.

The journey isn't over yet, though, and we'll have more to say when it is, so don't leave us yet.

We've had our best and longest stretch of fabulous sailing of the trip since leaving Miami; we've sailed every day and it's been close to perfect. Today and tomorrow promise to be the same.

On a totally unrelated note, I just finished reading a book, Epicenter, by Joel C. Rosenberg, which blew my mind, opened my eyes, and changed my thinking.

I'm highly skeptical of things I read, but Rosenberg convincingly establishes his credibility in the first few chapters of the book. He is well-respected by world leaders and other influential people, and has interviewed an impressive array of top political, economic, military, intelligence, and religious experts from the U.S., Russia, and Middle East. In Epicenter, he writes about recent, current, and future events in the Middle East in light of biblical prophecy as recorded in Ezekiel 38-39.

Although this book is non-fiction, Rosenberg has also written several political thrillers about the Middle East that proved to be startlingly prophetic, one of which opens with radical Islamic terrorists hijacking a plane and flying an attack mission into an American city. He wrote it before 9/11.

Gary read Epicenter when he was with us and I couldn't wait for him to finish so I could get my hands on it. Wayne is next in line. You can learn more about it at www.joelrosenberg.com. I can't recommend it more highly.

Plowing a channel through the Keys

2007-11-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

We left Miami Beach around noon on Thursday and sailed 31 nm outside (in the ocean) to an anchorage south of Key Largo. Friday brought us 74 nm closer to home with another day of idyllic sailing south of the Keys. An intended layover in Key West for Saturday was aborted when I called the local marinas for reservations and learned they were all full due to a big power boat race this weekend. We were sure glad to know about that in advance so we could steer clear of it. Instead, we went to Plan B: rather than continuing on the outside south of the Keys and around the west side of Key West (35 nm farther, but a safer passage due to deeper water), we passed north through Moser Channel and under Seven Mile Bridge to Big Spanish Channel, and found an anchorage near Little Pine Key.

How does a boat with a 5' draft not run aground in water that is 3½-4' deep? That is the question I kept asking myself Saturday morning as I stood on the bowsprit in a futile attempt to guide Wayne through the "deeper" water, which in reality was "very shallow" and "shallower still." I'm 5'2" and the water could not have been more than waist deep in places. A couple weeks ago, Wayne measured around the boat with a portable depth sounder to determine how much our depth instrument varied from the actual depth of the water; he found that the instruments give a reading one foot less than the actual depth - a good thing. Taking that into consideration, we were still in 3½-4' deep water, literally plowing our way through the sand. Or whatever it was on the bottom. It obviously wasn't coral, I did not see weeds, and Wayne swears it couldn't have been sand because we would have been stuck in it. But what else could it be? Divine intervention?

Always one to make lemonade when handed lemons, I'm looking at the bottom, seeing (or imagining I see) conch and crabs galore and thinking "dinner!" - almost hoping we'll get stuck until the tide comes in so we can get out the snorkel gear. "Hmmm, our mesh laundry hamper with handles on each side would work great as a net for catching fish...Dang, did we bring our Florida fishing licenses or did we leave them at the house? Oh, and that island with the great sand bar over there? I'll bet there's great shelling, and I wouldn't even need to take the dinghy..." That's how my mind works.

Our last meal...

2007-11-08T09:04:00.000-05:00

We decided days ago that dinner in Miami had to be at Joe's Stone Crab (not to be confused with Joe's Crab Shack), as we all had scrumptious memories of it from previous visits, so it wasn't by accident that we chose to dock at a marina a block away. We knew it was a splurge (not just the dinner, but the marina), but justified it by saying it was our last dinner together, and also, it occurred to us, probably Wayne's and my last restaurant meal of the trip. We were not disappointed.

No more restaurants...no more provisioning...no more doing laundry at marinas...no more refueling...no more water tank refills...no more pump outs...Reality is setting in - we're almost home, less than a week away (three hours by car, but I don't let myself think about that too much)! When I think back over the past three and a half months, it almost seems like a dream. Did we really do all that? Over 4000 miles traveled and less than 300 to go. Unbelievable!

Gary just left and it was sad to see him go. He's a great guy and we enjoyed his company.

I've spent the morning uploading photos of the past week and so on. I also added a post with a clarification of our rocky day at sea on Oct. 31, which you can scroll down to Nov. 2 for or read here: http://lenabea.blogspot.com/2007/11/setting-record-straight.html

Catching up

2007-11-07T13:48:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, November 7 - Our trip down the east coast of Florida has been a delight, and if you're wondering why you haven't heard from me, it's because I've been enjoying the sights, the beautiful weather, clear blue skies, dolphins frolicking alongside the boat, and an occasional manatee sighting. Now we're approaching Miami Beach. Here's a brief synopsis of the past few days:

On Saturday we traveled the ICW from St. Augustine to Daytona Beach, where we anchored for the night. Sunday and Monday nights we docked in Melbourne, where we rented a car and drove up to the Kennedy Space Center for the day. The three of us agreed that it was fascinating and well worth the visit.

This building (Vehicle Assembly Building) is one of the largest in the world and equals 3.75 Empire State Buildings! One indicator of the building's scale is that each of the stars on the American flag painted on the building is six feet across, the blue field is the size of a regulation basketball court, and the stripes are as wide as a standard road lane.

En route to the Space Center, we traveled over a bridge that we traveled under the previous day, which is notable because our antenna went plink plink plink as it hit the support beams of the bridge going through.

We've been traveling on and off with another Island Packet, Gigi, and together we've braved the bridges, sometimes taking turns at being the first to pass under. We've had some very close calls, including one yesterday where we backed under in order to extricate ourselves more easily if it looked like the anemometer would hit. The flexible antenna of about 18" bent in half as it hit the support beams, but the anemometer was clear.

If you're getting sick of hearing about bridges, imagine how sick we are of passing under them. We've been able to have the genoa (one of the sails) up quite a bit in the ICW. Gary is a very experienced sailor, and by his account, 99% of his experience has been racing. It doesn't matter that there's no one to race with; he's like a race horse who just has to do what he was bred to do, so if the sail is up, he is constantly trimming it to maximize speed. I told him we would have been in Punta Gorda weeks ago if he had been with us the whole trip. It's been fun having him aboard.

Yesterday we left the confines of the ICW for the blue waters of the Atlantic so we could fly our spinnaker and avoid a multitude of bridges. Surprisingly, there are very few safe inlets for passing between the ICW and the ocean because of shoaling and other hazards, and we would have gone outside sooner had there been the opportunity. We didn't have a lot of wind, but definitely made the most of what we had. It was much more pleasant than our day out last week.

As much as I like to sleep with a little wave action, last night's anchorage (in the ocean, about half a mile off Jupiter Island) wasn't much fun. There was way too much rolling with the waves hitting us from the side, and that made dinner preparation a worse chore than normal, even though I only needed to heat things up. Sleep was another challenge, and I don't think the three of us got a combined total of eight hours. We decided not to fight it and got under way at about 3:30; Gary and I were able to go down and catch a few more hours of sleep. It's 1:40 p.m. and we just docked at South Beach, so please excuse me while I grab my bikini...

HUH?

WHAT THE...?

Florida at last!

2007-11-03T13:47:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful feeling it was to sail across the Florida state line on November 1! In the back of my mind it has been my target date (I'm not even sure I shared that with Wayne), and even though we weren't specifically shooting for it, we were right on. We're definitely on the home stretch now, and should easily make it to Punta Gorda by the 15th, if not sooner.

We're seeing many dolphins, which never ceases to delight us, and signs warning boaters of manatees have become common. If someone had blindfolded us and dropped us off here, we would have known we were in Florida because of the tropical vegetation and the home styles with pool cages and tile roofs. There's a lot more boat traffic, and power boaters here aren't as courteous - many roar by without warning and without slowing down, leaving us to rock wildly in their wakes. In the Carolinas and Georgia, they always radioed us to state their intentions or ask permission to pass, and always promised (and kindly gave us) a "slow" or "gentle" pass. Many do here as well, but we can't count on it. It especially disturbs me to see so many power boaters ignore the manatee zone signs.

Although Hurricane Noel started out on Friday directly east of us and a little over 400 miles away, the effect on us in the ICW was negligible. Had we been in the Atlantic, we'd probably have a story to tell that would make Wednesday sound like a walk on the beach (sorry to disappoint you, I know you would have enjoyed the excitement). Had the insurance company not given us the go ahead to travel south of Cape Hatteras before Nov. 1, we'd probably be hunkering down for a couple days, partly because wind and waves would have made going under all those bridges much more treacherous. Looking at where Noel has been and where he's headed, where we've been and where we could be now, we have no doubt that God continues to protect us. For that and for who He is, we give God thanks and praise.

Yesterday we docked at Camachee Cove in St. Augustine and borrowed the marina's courtesy car for a quick look around town. We parked the car and strolled the narrow old cobblestone streets lined with old Spanish architecture. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 as a Spanish military outpost and is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. Traces of the city's Spanish heritage are everywhere, and we were taken with its charm. We only had a couple hours, unfortunately, because we had to return the car. Gary treated us to a wonderful dinner at the marina, after which he went for a run and returned to find the little city hopping with nightlife.

Setting the record straight

2007-11-02T11:27:00.000-04:00

I received a very nice email from a friend commenting on Wayne's post from yesterday. Here is an excerpt: "...A fascinating juxtaposition of your blog from the day before and his today. You wrote of the tumult and Wayne begins simply "Well after a great day in the Atlantic . . . " what a contrast. When I finished your blog with the image of you curled up on your bed and Gary off somewhere fighting being green, I wondered how the captain fared. I learned today in his blog and clearly he fared well..."

All three of us roared with laughter when we read the part about the Captain faring well. There's no way Gary and I are about to let Wayne get away with leaving that impression, so here he is with clarification:

Captain Wayne: Oops, I was laughing as well! The "great day" in my post was intended to refer only to the distance we covered that day. The ride was as uncomfortable as any I have been on. The waves were steep and coming from several directions. They were actually piling into heaps most of the day. Gary called them "hay stackers", which is a great description. The wind was so close off the stern that sails did not help the motion. I hope we can avoid more of these. At least we were nice and secure in our Island Packet even if we were all a little "green."

Slow day in the ICW

2007-11-01T23:09:00.000-04:00

Message from Captain Wayne:

Well, after a great day in the Atlantic, or at least a day where we covered a lot of distance, today we only made 48 nautical miles instead of the planned 69. We started out making great time. With 15-25 knot winds, we were sailing down the ICW at over 8 knots most of the day, so we expected to easily arrive at Jacksonville Beach by 3PM, well ahead of my calculated time using 7 knots average speed.

If you guessed our delay was due to bridges again, you are correct. We arrived at the Seaboard System Railroad Swing Bridge about 2:15PM. The bridge is normally open, but a train was coming, so we had to wait about 20 minutes in strong wind and currents until the train passed and the bridge was slowly opened. This bridge is immediately followed by 65' twin fixed bridges.

Since we were nearing high tide, combined with higher than normal high tides due to the lunar cycle and strong current, I was especially concerned. So it was all hands on deck to see if we could clear. It just so happend that an Island Packet 440 with the same mast height arrived just behind us with the same concerns. They were glad that they could watch us to see if we made it.

As we approach a fixed bridge, the first thing we look for is tide boards. These tell us the height of the bridge based on current water level. There were none in site. After going through the swing bridge and slowing the boat as much as possible against a following current and 20 knot winds, I noticed the tide board on the right side placed sideways so you had to be almost beside it to read it. It showed 62', which is 18" less than needed for us to pass under the bridge. So I had to turn around in the narrow channel while warning the other boat that there was not enough clearance. Fortunately, I was able to stop and turn around in the narrow channel less than 30 feet from the bridge. I am sure glad that Lena Bea has bow thrusters, a feathering propellor and a powerful engine to be able to turn around in a 1.7 knot current with following winds of 18-22 knots.

After getting clear of the bridge, we anchored to wait for the tide to go down. I calculated that we would have to wait untill about 5:12PM before we would clear the bridge. We went under at about 5:20 PM with only an inch or two to spare (we think the antenna may have ticked against the bottom of one of the support beams), 3 hours after we arrived! We then had to anchor earlier, before dark, which means we could not make it as far as we wanted. We did find a great place to anchor about 5 miles after the bridge, but we will not be able to get to St Augustine as early as we were hoping for on Friday (tommorow).

So cruising goes on the ICW. At least our mast is undamaged, and we are securely anchored. Michele made a wonderful dinner again, and now we can relax and plan the next segment of our trip. Weather is keeping us in the ICW for at least another couple of days, and we are glad that Hurricane Noel is continuing the projected path to the northeast (I get real time information via Sirius, and can track it on our Raymarine E80 displays).

A rough day

2007-11-01T10:23:00.000-04:00

Wed., Oct. 31 - It was one of those days where you just hope to make it to the anchorage without throwing up. We avoided the hazards of the ICW in this section and made twice the distance (101 nm) we would have otherwise, but it wasn't a freebie...Eight to ten foot waves (some higher) left us all feeling pretty green around the gills - especially Gary, who unlike us, doesn't have three months of getting used to it under his belt. He and I slept as much as possible, which is about all you can do to get through it.

We left the marina at 4 a.m. I went around and made sure everything was secure, then did it again after we got out in the ocean and the second tier of stuff went flying around the cabin. But today was a three-tier day: stuff that had only gone flying a couple times on the trip went flying again today.

With an extra guy on board, they didn't really need me, so I was able to take care of myself. Sleeping in the cockpit was next to impossible without being strapped in because it was so rough, so I went downstairs. To keep from rolling, I laid across the mattress at the head of the bed with pillows between me and the cabin wall to cushion myself from being thrown against it. On my other side, I put a rolled up quilt stuffed with pillows. It was still pretty hard to sleep, but at least I was (relatively) comfortable.

I don't think we saw a single other boat out there; few boats can handle conditions like those and there are (arguably) none better than the Island Packet.

We anchored in time to have an early dinner and were all in bed by 8:00.

It feels good to be in the calm and security of the ICW again today, and the view is better, too.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-30T21:46:00.001-04:00

Granddaughter Alex requested that I post this poem on the blog for Halloween:

Five little pumpkins
Sitting on a gate
The first one said,
"My it's getting late!"
The second one said,
"There are witches in the air!"
The third one said,
"But we don't care!"
The fourth one said,
"Let's run and run and run!"
The fifth one said,
"I'm ready for some fun!"
"WOOOOOOOH", went the wind,
And OUT went the light;
And the five little pumpkins
Rolled out of sight!

Happy Halloween, Alex! We love you!

Charleston

2007-10-30T20:30:00.001-04:00

Tuesday, October 30 - We're at the Charleston City Marina, home of the Megadock. They provide a service we haven't seen before: a free USA Today newspaper delivered to the boat each morning - first newspapers I've read since leaving home. Mom and Mary arrived around dinnertime on Saturday and the four of us decided to go out. On our way out we stopped to gawk at Themis, a yacht that was docked nearby. We were peering into the engine room, the only area we could see into, when a guy standing nearby commented that not too many women are interested in seeing engine rooms. I replied that we were only looking in the engine room because we couldn't see the galley, to which he responded, "Would you like to see the galley?" We responded enthusiastically in the affirmative, so he brought us inside and gave us a tour of the 156 foot Themis, one of the 100 largest yachts in America and worth 21 million. She is grand, plush, and opulent, and appears to lack nothing you would expect to find in a multi million dollar house (as if I would know) - she took our breath away: marble floors, exquisite ceilings, beautiful exotic woods, priceless art. She has four guest cabins and five crew cabins; the luxurious owner's stateroom includes his and her bathrooms. Here are some features of the galley (there's a separate galley for the crew):

Gagganeau triple ovens with Gagganeau cook tops, griddle and deep fryer
(2) dishwashers
KitchenAid trash compactor
Dual stainless steel Delfield refrigerators and freezers
Dual microwave/convection ovens
Dual warming ovens
Sub-Zero Ice Maker
Stainless steel walls throughout galley

You can see photos and read all about Themis here, http://www.trinityyachts.com/156themis.asp, but scroll past the photo of the yacht on the top of the page (M/Y Lady Michelle) - it's not her.

The full-time crew of seven sign confidentiality agreements and aren't allowed to even say who owns her, but our guide gave us enough clues that we were able to find out on our own: it's renowned lawyer Ronald Motley, the litigator who brought down the tobacco and asbestos industries, and who was profiled in the movie The Insider.

The rest of the weekend was fun, if anticlimactic. On Sunday Mom, Mary, Wayne, and I took a mini bus tour of Charleston - a beautifully preserved/restored historic city. Gary joined us Sunday afternoon. This was the first time we've had more than one extra person spend the night on the boat. We can accommodate seven people comfortably, as long as no one brings any stuff and doesn't walk around (Lena Bea ain't no Themis). It might have been a little too claustrophobic for Mom and Mary, because they decided to leave Monday morning instead of Tuesday. They said it was because they wanted to stop and see Savannah on the way home. I spent the afternoon strolling around downtown Charleston, while Wayne and Gary perused the Maritime Museum. They stopped and picked up some fresh salmon, which Gary prepared for dinner. It was magnifique!

We're spending the night in Beaufort, SC. We plan to leave the ICW tomorrow (3:30-4:00 a.m.) for the open waters of the Atlantic and sail to St. Simons Island in Georgia. Because there's been no funding in recent years for maintenance dredging of the ICW from south of Port Royal Sound, SC to Cumberland Sound, GA, there are a lot of trouble spots. Add to that a tidal range of 8-9 feet and the advice of locals to avoid the ICW in that area...well, it didn't take much to convince us. Of course, we checked the weather carefully before making our decision and have noted places where we can easily return to the ICW if conditions outside are unfavorable. Of course, we are keeping a close eye on the tropical storm, Noel. I'm disappointed that this means missing a stopover in Savannah, but we have to weigh all our options and make the best decision based on all factors.

Gary's favorite spot on the boat

Photos

2007-10-27T23:32:00.001-04:00

If you go back and look at the posts from the past few days, you'll see that I was finally able to add some photos. They give you an idea of the variety of scenery on the ICW and were all taken this week, but not necessarily on the day of the post you see them on.

Of course, I just had to take a photo of this boat as it passed us:

I get to see my Mom!

2007-10-27T21:21:00.000-04:00

Digging for clams

Today we'll be docking in Charleston, where we have a busy weekend planned. Mom and her friend, Mary, are coming to Charleston today and will be staying with us until Tuesday; we plan to do some sightseeing. Gary will join us on Sunday and stay to accompany us on the next leg of our journey.

Today is notable for another reason: three months ago, on July 27, we left the dock in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Wow. Sometimes I can hardly believe we've actually done this and made it so far. Yesterday I packed up my down and fleece and woolens to send back with Mom. We're on the home stretch and it feels good.

I think I mentioned earlier that Mom lives in Winter Haven, Florida - about halfway between Orlando and Tampa, and a two hour drive from us in Punta Gorda. She just put her home up for sale, though, and plans to move closer to us.

God's protection

2007-10-26T21:21:00.000-04:00

"I think you scraped some paint off your mast on that one, Captain," were the words radioed to us by the captain of the boat behind us, referring to the first of a set of three fixed bridges we slipped under. Although we're watching, it's impossible to tell whether we're going to make it or not until we've actually made it...or not. This was one of the worst so far - it didn't look like we could clear it, but we did. Whew!

Although radar showed that we were surrounded by thunderstorms today, we only experienced periodic light showers (excluding the heavy downpour that delayed our departure by half an hour). We were grateful to have missed the storm that left the Waterway littered with leaves and branches.

Inadequate depth was almost not an issue today. Our shallow-water alarm, which we have set to go off at eight feet, didn't go off until the last hour of the day, and even then it didn't get terribly shallow. We did get stuck as we were anchoring, but the rising tide freed us within minutes.

Yes, we certainly felt God's protection today.

More ICW

2007-10-25T21:55:00.001-04:00

Sand dunes

We are really enjoying the Intracoastal Waterway...there's lovely scenery and it's far more interesting than sailing in the Atlantic, miles from shore. We're seeing more wildlife, too...the first dolphins since Canada,

Out for a swim with the kids

many birds, and today we even saw a bunch of goats. There's evidence that we're farther south, including palm trees (in North Carolina? That's pushing it), the first pelicans of the trip, and yes, even no-see-ums.

It is slow going on the ICW, though, and requires vigilance. With shallow water due to shoaling in many places, we often have to slow down; we hit bottom a couple times and came close several more times today. Because of that, it's easier and more relaxing to travel during high tide, but it's less stressful going under bridges at low tide. I must say, though, that the bridges have almost become a non-issue; we've gone under so many that we've gotten used to them, and of course it helps that we haven't hit one yet.

The weather continues to be hot and muggy and cools off very little at night, but we are not complaining, considering what the weather could be. Today we were supposed to be in thunderstorms all day and they totally missed us; more are predicted for tomorrow.
Because the ICW is so narrow and shallow (so far, anyway), there are very few places to anchor, but tonight we had planned to anchor in Calabash Creek in Little River, South Carolina, which we were told is a very nice anchorage. Usually we prefer to anchor when possible, and besides, the price is right: free. Well, we tried to get into the creek but ran aground at the entrance (how did all those other boats get in there?). Wayne managed to get us free and wasn't about to try again, so we ended up at another marina.

Call me a tightwad, but it annoys me to have to dock when we'd rather anchor, and then have to pay for it besides. Many of these marinas have wonderful facilities, which we pay for whether we use them or not, which we don't. All we need is a place to tie up the boat so we can sleep. It's like being on a road trip and staying at a Marriott when all you want or need is a bed and a bath. Or traveling in an RV when all you need is a truck stop or WalMart parking lot, but being forced to pay for a campground with all the amenities. Tonight is pretty cheap, though - only $1.00/foot ($45).

On a tragic note...

2007-10-23T23:18:00.000-04:00

Our son, Joey, called us on Monday with tragic news: Jeremy Ceaser, a friend of Joey and his roommate, lost his mom, Tammy, and his brother, Jayson (his only parent and only sibling) in a car crash. Jayson's friend, Nicholle Oseland, was also killed. You can read the newspaper article here: http://www.startribune.com/west/story/1495089.html

Please remember Jeremy in your prayers, and also ask God to show Joey and Kyle how they can best support their friend during this unspeakably tragic time.

ICW, bridges, and schedules

2007-10-23T20:46:00.001-04:00

Wayne again. Of course, each time I go to write something Michele has beat me to it. But I thought I would add a few thoughts anyway.

So far we have traveled about 200 miles in the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) since leaving Norfolk. I was hoping to avoid some of the ICW by going outside (in the Atlantic). By going outside, I can avoid those areas of shoaling (where the bottom is filled in by the bottom shifting from currents; reduced funding for dredging has made the problem much worse in the last several years) and the many bridges. The soft grounding Michele referred to on Monday was shoaling from a sand bar. I had turned away from it and slowed down as the depth quickly dropped, but still caught the edge, which is why we were lucky enough to get off with a little help from a rising tidal current.

As far as going outside (in the Atlantic), sometimes we have a shorter distance and are able to go faster. Of course, going outside has it's own set of problems, the primary one being weather, so I have to constantly look at the pros and cons. I was hoping to go outside tomorrow to save time, but the weather is not cooperating, so we will take the ICW.

About those bridges! They have been a concern since before we left the marina in Bayfield. It is very scary to go under a bridge that is only 1 or 2 feet taller than your mast. It looks like you are going to hit the bridge until you are under it. There are also navigation lights that usually hang down from the bridge that I have to avoid hitting. I need to watch tide levels and currents. It is much easier now that we have gone under several of these, but I will still approach with caution!

We originally had a tight schedule to get from North Carolina (actually 35 degrees North latitude) to Punta Gorda by Thanksgiving. This was because of a clause in our insurance policy that required us to stay north of 35 degrees before November 1st. We were planning to be in Oriental, NC (35 degrees and 1 minute north) until November 1st, and then get to Florida as quickly as possible. When the insurance company agreed to let us go early, we quickly changed our plans. It was only yesterday that they approved October 22nd as the early date. We were en route to Oriental to get the final approval, but I was able to talk to them by cell phone and get the written confirmation via satellite phone and email while underway. I love it when technology works! This allowed us to keep going to Beaufort and take an extra day to enjoy Shackleford Banks before heading south. It also gives us time to stop in Charleston and be less rushed in getting to Punta Gorda.

Uh-oh!

2007-10-22T20:03:00.001-04:00

We were twenty minutes from Beaufort and I was taking a quick shower when all of a sudden, thud! The boat stopped abruptly and the first thought that came to mind was, "Why did he slam on the breaks?" The second thought was, "Oh. The boat doesn't have any breaks. So what made it stop so abruptly?" I grabbed a towel and ran to see what was going on, only to find a very irate Captain...who had just run aground. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Just call Tow BoatUS." Wayne didn't appreciate the suggestion, so I made myself scarce while he figured out what to do. Before long I felt us moving again - he had wiggled and finessed the boat free with the help of the engine and the rising tide.

Change of plans

2007-10-22T14:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and today we've been in the company of many more sailboats than we were over the weekend - fellow cruisers heading for Florida, the Bahamas, and other points south. Much of the channel through this part of the ICW is so narrow - not unlike a two-lane road - that boats will radio each other if they want to pass, so the increase in traffic definitely has an impact.

Last week we got word from the insurance company - which has had the policy of making absolutely no exceptions in this regard - that they have given us the go-ahead to travel south of 35 degrees latitude before November 1. This impacts our plans in a big way: instead of traveling nonstop from Oriental, NC to Miami, we have time to stop in Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. Sorry if I've already mentioned this (it's hard to remember what I've said in the blog and what I've only said in emails), but we have a deadline of making it to Punta Gorda, FL before Thanksgiving because two of our kids (Michael and Suzanne) and their families are coming to visit and will arrive the day of (Michael and Amy) and the day after (Suzanne, Brian, and Alex). I want to get there the weekend before Thanksgiving at the latest to allow us time to regroup, catch our breath, and get the house opened up and ready for company.

A big disappointment in North Carolina is that we aren't able to go to the Outer Banks because of shallow water. With that in mind, we decided to skip a planned stop in Oriental, NC ("The Sailing Capital of North Carolina"), and go all the way to Beaufort tonight. From there we can take a water taxi to Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout, etc., which will give us a small taste of the Outer Banks. When we leave Beaufort on Wednesday, we will leave the ICW (weather permitting) and sail the Atlantic to the Cape Fear Inlet, which returns us to the ICW.

Morning at the beach (Shackleford Banks)

We plan to arrive in Charleston Friday or Saturday; the best part is that my Mom and her friend, Mary, are planning to drive up from Winter Haven, FL to visit us for a couple days! We are so excited about that. (You can't back out now, Mom - it's on the blog.)

Gary DeSantis of Sailor's World on Lake Minnetonka in MN - a good friend and the dealer from whom we bought the boat - plans to join us in Charleston and will probably sail all the way to Miami with us. By the way, Gary and we have a beautiful and well-maintained, freshwater IP-37 named Wind Dancer for sale. We can personally vouch for the integrity of both vessel and dealer (and present owner of Wind Dancer, obviously). Check it out here.

Disclaimer: all plans are subject to change based on weather, winds, and what-not, including the whims of captain and crew.

Faith or folly?

2007-10-21T17:26:00.001-04:00

Faith: \ˈfāth\ (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust (3): to pass under a bridge said to have vertical clearance of 64' in a boat approximated to be 63' high.

Saturday, October 20 - We anchored at the mouth of the Alligator River in North Carolina after a day of spectacular sailing through the Albemarle Sound. We made it safely under two more 65' bridges without incident, but not without anxiety.

Sunday, October 21 - Wayne's starting to feel so comfortable with these bridges that he asked me to take photos of our passage today. The water depth under some of them can vary by as much as two feet based on tide and wind, so we approached the 64' bridge with apprehension, especially after seeing this ambiguous sign:

We anchored at Belhaven, NC and dinghied into shore. A quick look around town revealed that there appeared to be nothing open nearby except the local Ace Hardware store. Very interesting place. They sell everything from the usual hardware fare to clothing, used books, appliances, and wine. There was even a cooler filled with beer, champagne, caviar, fresh crab meat, and gourmet cheeses...on the same shelf as the boxes of NIGHT CRAWLERS!

"Me" time, ICW, bridges

2007-10-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

Friday, October 19 - As soon as I knew there was an actual shopping mall within walking distance of the marina, I knew how I would spend our first day in Norfolk. I needed some alone time and Wayne had boat projects to do, which invariably involves having all the cushions off the settees so he can get to his tools, and having tools, cushions, and junk scattered all over the boat. The chaos makes me a wee bit crazy since there's usually no place left to sit, I'm in his way, and it's hazardous stepping around tools and what not. He was probably glad to have a little space himself, so it was a win-win deal.

[Men will probably want to skip this paragraph.] I was at the mall ten minutes before it opened, pacing in front of the Dillard's entrance, looking at my watch every thirty seconds. I think the last time I was at an actual shopping mall was in Sault Ste. Marie, and that was rushed. I wasn't planning to buy anything, but to have time to just browse as long as I wanted was a luxury; I spent five hours there! Speaking of luxury, the first thing I did was treat myself to a badly needed (and well deserved) pedicure. Aaaaaah! As I told Wayne afterwards, I finally felt feminine again; I haven't worn makeup since well before the start of our trip and the pedicure gave me a boost.

The marina couldn't let us stay another night because of the wine festival this weekend and even the anchorages nearby appeared to be fully occupied. We had wanted to see Nauticus (The National Maritime Center), which is now the permanent home of the largest U.S. battleship ever constructed, the USS Wisconsin. There was no time to tour Nauticus, but we did run over to tour the Wisconsin before checkout time at noon.

Although mile "0" on the Intracoastal Waterway is in Norfolk, the ICW actually starts in Boston (some resources say Maine, and yes, it does include the Chesapeake Bay). From Boston it goes south to Florida and then along the Gulf Coast to the Mexican border, via interconnected canals, creeks, rivers, bays, and sounds. You can read more here or do your own Google search: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway

We started this section of the ICW in the Virginia Cut, which feels like a river (sometimes a creek) lined with forests, grasses, and marshes, and traversed by many bridges. We passed through one lock and under three lift bridges, five bascule bridges, and three swing bridges. A few are open continuously except when there's a train. Most of them only open on the hour and the half hour, and some don't open at all between 7-9 a.m. or 4-6 p.m.There were also two fixed bridges - each with 65' of vertical clearance:

At Wayne's insistence I stood on the bow trying to calculate whether or not we would make it under the first fixed bridge, and make it we did (hallelujah!), with probably a couple feet of headroom to spare. As I returned to the cockpit, Wayne asked if I would steer while he went down to change his pants.

The second fixed bridge was a different story: we cleared it, but barely. From my vantage point on the bow, there didn't appear to be any space between the anemometer and the bridge; we think the antenna actually hit it.

Yikes! I just looked at the chart and counted thirteen 65' bridges (one is 64') ahead of us in North Carolina! I told Wayne and he said we will probably go out in the Atlantic to avoid some of them.

Freakin' out

2007-10-19T12:02:00.001-04:00

We are about to leave Norfolk and Wayne is freaking out. We will, God willing, pass under the first of some 65 foot bridges today, and Wayne is calling everyone from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Coast Guard to President Bush (ok, probably not him) to find out if it is truly 65 feet, or, as we've read, possibly a foot or two lower. Our mast is supposedly 62 feet (we haven't actually measured it), but if you add on the VHF antenna and the anemometer (wind instruments), it's probably 63', give or take a few inches. Sure wish I had some tranquilizers for the Captain. Stay tuned...Meanwhile, your prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Norfolk, Virginia

2007-10-18T00:37:00.000-04:00

As we were leaving the York River yesterday, Al and Betsy on Morning Star (another Island Packet) saw the boat and hailed us on the VHF radio. They're from Virginia and have been following our blog, which they learned about from the IP email list. Hi, Al and Betsy! Wish we could have met you in person. We're glad you're enjoying our blog.

Now we're docked in Norfolk for two nights. We may stay longer, but there's a big wine festival on the waterfront this weekend and the marina will be full with prior reservations. We'll try to anchor nearby if we decide to stay longer.
Regardless of how you feel about the war, it was an jaw-dropping experience to boat through Norfolk and see all the "war ships" as they call themselves...dozens of them. It was interesting to listen to them on the VHF radio; we heard one ship - "amphibious assault ship number 7" - announce that he was under way just moments before we saw him leave the dock. I'm not into war ships (or ships of any kind, really), but even I was impressed. Just one look at these intimidating monsters should be enough to make the enemy surrender. I took a bunch of photos and will upload them to the Costco site if my wifi signal is strong enough.

Connecting with cousins

2007-10-17T21:53:00.001-04:00

Wed., Oct. 17 - Today we're leaving Gloucester Point, Virginia, where we've been since Saturday evening. The highlight of our time here was re-connecting with my cousins. Diane and Terry moved their family to the east coast about 20 years ago and Karen moved out here with her son, Charlie, about 10 years ago (I hope I have those years right). We've seen them on occasion when they've returned to Minnesota to visit, but only at funerals and other family gatherings. Prior to their moving, we didn't see them much more than once a year at the annual Christmas party, so it was special to have time with just them.

Karen, Diane, and Terry joined us at the marina Sunday morning at about 9:30. We spent some time visiting on the boat, then they took us out for brunch in Historic Yorktown. We went for a nice drive on Colonial Parkway, through Historic Williamsburg, and to Karen's new townhouse in Williamsburg, where we met 20-year old Charlie. From there, we all went over to Diane and Terry's new house, just five minutes away. Both families moved up to Williamsburg from Yorktown in May/June to be closer to Terry's office and their kids.

We spent a very pleasant day with them, as well as Diane and Terry's son, Alex, who's 21, their daughter, Steph, son-in-law, Dave, and their lively, adorable 14-month old twins, Hannah and Jack.

Diane and Terry insisted that we take their car for two days. It was such a generous offer and how could we possibly turn it down? I doubt that a newly-licensed 16-year old on her first night out with the family car could have been more eager.

Monday we had 500 hour engine maintenance done on the boat and other miscellaneous stuff, then used the car for a few errands. Tuesday we took the car to Historic Williamsburg and spent most of the day exploring and imagining what it must have been like in colonial times. It was interesting, informative, and made that period of American history come alive for us. To quote from their website (http://www.history.org/):

"In Colonial Williamsburg's 301-acre Historic Area stand hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. Costumed interpreters tell the stories of the men and women of the 18th-century cityblack, white, and native American, slave, indentured, and freeand the challenges they faced. In this historic place, we help the future learn from the past."

Later...Diane called me this morning at 9:00 to see if we had time for visitors before heading to Norfolk. Hers and Karen's other sister, Marilyn, and her husband Paul were visiting from MN and wanted to drive down and see us and the boat. Never ones to miss a reasonable opportunity to see family, we moved our departure time back a bit and welcomed them aboard for a short but fun visit.