Green Turtle Cay, Abacos, Bahamas!!

After agonizing over a weather window that was rapidly trying to close on us (for the second time since Christmas!), we decided to 'go for it' as, at the last minute, the weather looked like it was going to hold after all.

We washed the moss off the bottom of the boat (haha), dropped our mooring line, and headed back on to the ICW, looking to exit at Fort Pierce where there is a good inlet for going out in to the Atlantic.  We reached Fort Pierce in time to catch the out-going tide and were passing the last buoy marking the inlet at 3:00pm on December 29.

heading toward the Gulf Stream

The winds were predicted to be high all morning, but decreasing about 7:00pm, until about midnight when they would be down to 5 knots.  We raised the main with one reef in for the 15-20 knot winds that were blowing outside of Fort Pierce.  The winds were south and were predicted to clock around through west and then north as the front approached, and as we were headed SE, that meant that, for now, they were on our starboard bow, as was the swell from the both the wind and the Gulf Stream, which the boat can handle well.  This SE track would work well for us, as the stream would push us north, landing us on the Little Bahama Bank where we planned to enter the Bahamas.

About an hour out, we were hit by a squall with winds hitting 25 knots and pouring rain!  Fortunately, it only lasted about 15 minutes, so we just let the boom out and headed in to the wind to keep from getting knocked down, as there was no way I was going out in that to put in a second reef!!  After it passed, we got ourselves organized and settled in for the trip across the Gulf Stream.  Just before nightfall we both agreed it felt that, despite the weather predictions, the winds were building -not weakening-, as were the seas, so we decided to put in that second reef which turned out to be a wise decision, as the night settled in to strong 20 knot winds with 3-4 meter swells and waves slopping around in all directions!!  For the first time on this trip I felt queasy going below, however, it was also far too sloppy to do any cooking of any sort anyway!  Also way too uncomfortable to try and rest below, so we both spent the night in the cockpit.  The waves were crashing over the front of the boat, with the occasional errant wave hitting us just in the wrong place, splashing over the dodger and all over us and the cockpit!!  Luckily it was warm, so being soaked was uncomfortable, but not too cold!  We were also happy that the wind actually stayed south during the night, so we were able to stay on the same tack all night, so no sail changes in the dark and sloppy seas!!

Finally, about 2:00am we were through the stream and the seas started to settle down to slightly smaller swells and far less waves, so we were both able to take turns lying down and resting for a bit!  At last, at about 5:00am we entered the Little Bahama Bank.....and were completely soaked again, only this time by a heavy rainfall!!!!  Which in fact, was just what the boat needed to wash off all that sea water that had made its way on to our decks!!  Despite the rain, the next morning once the sun had risen, when we I went on deck to shake out the second reef, I found two small fish on the deck just forward of the dodger which we decided must have come aboard with one of those waves during the night that had soaked us sitting in the cockpit!!

As the sun rose, we were greeted by smooth, emerald green water as far as the eye could see!!  We had made it!!  We marked the occasion by changing out of our wet clothes and I put my bathing suit on!!!!  The conditions were perfect for putting some miles behind us, and as we wanted to meet our friends Guy and Pika at Green Turtle Cay for New Years Eve, we decided to push on past Sale Cay, where we had initially thought we would anchor after the crossing, and made it all the way to Spanish Cay where we anchored in the lee of the island, as the front was finally catching up to us and we thought it might hit during the night.

The Sea of Abaco!!

As it turned out, it was fairly calm all night, so the next morning at 6:00am, we weighed anchor and made a run for Green Turtle Cay, about 15 miles away.  Finally, the front caught up to us!  The wind had come around from the north, so was on our port quarter, as it picked up to 20 knots and finally, just before we entered White Sound on Green Turtle Cay it started raining again!

Luckily Guy and Pika were watching for us, so were on the pier to help catch our lines in all that wind, so we were able to dock without too much incident!!  It was so nice to see them again!  We hadn't seen them since Camden Maine, so we had a lot of 'catching up' to do!

These are some photos of the leeward beach at the Bluff House Marina and where the Tranquil Turtle Beach Bar is!

The four of us partook of the New Years Eve celebrations here at Bluff House Marina where the staff worked hard to decorate and put on a nice meal for us, followed by a beach bonfire, a dance with a DJ at the beach bar (The Tranquil Turtle), and finally, a fireworks show at midnight!  The night passed quickly, and we eventually made our way back to our respective boats at 2:00am!!  WAY past our bedtime!!

The next day, the office helped to make arrangements to get us in to New Plymouth, the town here on Green Turtle Cay where the local Junkanoo was being held!  This is an annual celebration on New Years Day, where the people dress in costumes and masks, and dance through the street to the beat of the drums.  They also sell all kinds of wonderful food on the street for all the celebrants!  We had some conch ceviche, which was wonderful.  We tried to stay away from all the burgers, fries, and baked goods that were also plentiful and looked and smelled great!!!  Junkanoo can be really crazy I think, especially in Nassau, but this one was great and very family oriented.  The dancers and drummers went all around the town in a big circle, so we could walk down some of the side streets and watch it all again!  It is quite an endurance test for them, as the parade lasted about an hour and a half!  Because this is a small town, they only start to 'train' a few days before, but the participants in the Nassau Junkanoo have to train all year, as they have a much bigger route and they do it twice!!!

making conch ceviche

eating conch ceviche!

Here are some photos of the Junkanoo parade in New Plymouth!

After all that activity, we are ready to slow down and start living life on 'Bahama time'!  This has been a wonderful introduction to the Bahamas, so we will stay for a couple more days, and after the next front we will make our way south where I will try to make another entry in the blog!

Merry Christmas!!

Well, two weeks have gone by and we are still in Vero Beach!!  We have officially been 'velcroed'!!  In fact, we have really enjoyed being here and decided to stay soon after our arrival, as we had packages to put together and mail, re-provisioning for our stay in the Bahamas, planning for the sail over to the Bahamas, and we felt it was time to stop and enjoy the good weather here and the convenience of the marina and it's ammenities! Staying has also given us the opportunity to meet other sailors and create some new friendships, particularly with Wendy and Warwick on Belum, and Alva and Per on Hug.

I have divided the town in two for my own convenience.....'beach' side and 'work' side!  Both are easily accessible by the bus, so groceries (on the 'work' side) are just as easy as play and 'fun' shopping on the 'beach' side!

We have really enjoyed the chance to wander to the beach side and go out for lunch, or enjoy an ice cream cone after walking along the beach.  George and Warwick even managed to get in to the Atlantic and had some fun diving in to the waves a couple of days ago! And then the distance back to the marina is one that we can choose to either walk or take the bus back again.  The neighbourhood that we walk through is very pleasant, and so as long as George's hip is not bothering him too much, the walk is very 'do-able'!  Also on this side there is the Vero Beach Museum of Art, which we wandered through one day with  Wendy and Warwick.  Nice to infuse a little 'culture' in to the trip!!

Date Palm?

Live Oaks and Spanish Moss

amazing vine on this tree!

Streetscapes on the beach side!

sunny and warm on the Atlantic!!

Christmas Carolling Kayakers!

On the 'work' side of town, our main shopping needs are met all in one general area, so it has been nice to easily pick up groceries, check out the marine store, and re-stock the liquor supply all at one bus stop!!

Given all this convenience, and intermittent cold fronts, we elected to stay at Vero Beach for Christmas, and then look for the next weather window to cross the Gulf Stream and be in the Bahamas for the New Year!  We feel so close, and yet so far!!  To cross over to the Bahama Islands we are really only looking at about 27 hours, so only one night, but the trick is to try and cross the Gulf Stream, which flows strongly northward when the winds are such that they won't kick up the waves too badly for the crossing.  That means ideally, we would want a wind with some south in it so it is moving with the current, instead of kicking up waves against the current!  At this point, the weather looks like it will be co-operating over the weekend, so as long as things stay as predicted, we hope to be on our way by Saturday or Sunday!

Meanwhile, I want to take this opportunity to wish all our wonderful friends and family a peaceful and joyous holiday season and a healthy and happy New Year!  We enjoyed a quiet night together on Christmas Eve, listening to the Christmas programming on NPR and dining on Seafood Newburg with a salad and wine!!   Christmas Day we joined a number of the other boaters here for a delicious and generous pot luck Christmas dinner in the afternoon, and then joined Per and Alva for a Christmas cocktail on Hug, so we had a pleasant couple of days, however we have missed being with the family and enjoying the various Christmas family traditions!!

Christmas Eve appetizers

Christmas Eve Seafood Newburg

Christmas Morning Coffee!

Merry Christmas!!

Florida!!

After waiting for the weather to improve in Brunswick GA, we left with a north wind behind us to tackle the shallow Jeckyll Creek....no problem!...and the last three sounds and rivers of Georgia before finally entering Florida.

shrimp boat getting ready to put out his nets

The day, unfortunately, turned out to be very windy which, in turn, kicked up the water, especially in the sounds, as they open to the ocean and feel the tides more.  Wyvern and her intrepid captain handled the inclement weather with their usual aplomb, but we did see a shrimp boat hard aground!  Her crew had already abandoned ship in the wee hours of the morning, so no rescue required!

We finally crossed the state line in to Florida at about 3:00pm, and dropped the anchor in Bell's River, just north of Fernandina.  We have heard good things about the town, however, the winds were 25 knots, and we were anxious to keep moving the next day, so opted for the anchorage.  Luckily, our poor old propane heater worked for two, final, hours after we had anchored, so we were able to warm up the boat and get some of the chill off before the heater gave up the ghost and refused to re-light!  This was the last straw!!!  We DEFINITELY had to find some warmer weather!!!

The next morning we headed out and made our way down the Amelia River to Jacksonville Beach, where we stopped for the night at the marina there....under sunny skies!!!  Whoo hoo!  Now they did cloud over and things cooled off in the evening, but that was okay, we had electricity, so plugged in the heater for the last time????

The next morning we headed out and made our way along the Tolomato River and admired the beautiful homes lining the waterway.  We were seeing for the first time, the Florida communities that use waterways instead of roads!  Pretty cool!  We also passed through some beautiful marshland on our way to St. Augustine, where we picked up a mooring.  The sun was shining and I am pleased to make the long-anticipated announcement!!!...... The butter is SOFT!!!  Not melting, but that's okay, that's probably too hot!!!!  Also as we were getting our dingy ready to take in to town, a manatee swam by the boat!!

how the 'other half' lives!!!

St. Augustine is a lovely town with all kinds of old world Spanish charm about it!!  Ponce de Leon arrived here shortly after Columbus discovered the Americas, ousted the local natives who had been here for 700 years, and set up a Spanish military outpost. Along the way, the French have also inhabited the city, only to be ousted by the Spanish again, and then finally the English took over, trading the island of Cuba for it!  Interestingly, because the Spanish also brought the Catholic church with them, and it was the ultimate authority on how people led their lives in the new community, as long as people were Catholic, there was very little concern about the nationality or colour of their skin, so the Spaniards, the local Ticuamu Indians, and immigrants from South America, all co-existed and inter-married, creating a diverse, cross-cultural community.

There is still a Spanish fort, called the Castillo de San Marcos, built from the native coquina stone, formed when shells  have been compressed in to limestone.  The interesting thing about this material, is that when the English fired their cannonballs at the fort, the balls would simply lodge in the wall without breaking it, so there are a number of indentations in the wall still there!  Needless to say, there are a number of houses and walls still standing that are made with coquina.  They also used to make walls with mud and whole oyster shells, called tabby, however there are not too many of those left.

The old downtown St. Augustine is very busy with tourist stores and attractions so can be a bit overwhelming, but George and I also enjoyed getting off the beaten track and walking down some of the side streets, one of which led us to the beautiful Sisters of St. Joseph convent!  The streets themselves are fairly narrow and, in the old town, often still 'paved' with brick, so interesting to walk along.

Sisters of St. Joseph Convent

coquina

the Lightner Museum

Flagler College

dining al fresco!!

old entrance to the city of St. Augustine

St. Augustine's Bridge of Lions

Leaving the St. Augustine mooring field we finally did it......we ran aground!  To be fair, it was on an unmarked shoal in 13' of water, so impossible to avoid it, unless of course, you already knew about it.  We got towed off fairly quickly and easily, so no damage done, however it is an experience we are not anxious to repeat!!

That day we took a spot on a dock at the Seven Seas Marina, just outside of Daytona Beach.  We walked over to the beach the following morning, but no racing cars to be seen!!!  Actually, we were further south than where they race the cars, however, there were tracks on the beach!

Daytona Beach!

After Daytona Beach we anchored in Titusville, where, some time in the night, a planehead filefish jumped into our dingy and proceeded to flop around, poking it's very sharp dorsal spine in to our inflatable floor and deflating it!!!  Unfortunately we didn't find him until the next day when we were anchoring, so too late to save the fish, and we have been trying to save the dingy ever since....so far have found and patched three holes!  As of yesterday, the floor seems to be holding air again, so hopefully we have found them all!!!  After Titusville we passed Cape Canaveral and the space launch site at NASA.  We actually saw a rocket launch as we were returning to our boat by dingy one evening in St. Augustine!  The evening was really clear, so we watched as it dropped it's various engines, and then as it went through the atmosphere and finally disappeared from view!  Very Cool!

I know this doesn't look like much...but it was really far away!!

NASA and launch platform?

We discovered the Flying Filefish Fiasco when we were anchoring outside Cocoa, so ended up staying at anchor and on the boat for two days, waiting for the dingy repairs to take effect!!  It was windy, but warm and sunny, so very relaxing not to be able to go anywhere for a change!!!  George actually took advantage of the lull in activity and tightened up the stuffing box, so good to get that done, as it was starting to drip too much!!

planehead filefish after killing dinghy

putting books to good use as weights for the 'glue job'!

2 holes patched...1 to go!!

We are now at the point in our trip where we are once again able to consider going outside and sailing on the ocean for a while.  To that end, we have stopped at Vero Beach, about 15 miles from Fort Pierce, where there is a good outlet to the ocean.  We will stay here for a few days, get some chores done that we want looked after before we leave for the Bahamas, and then see how the weather looks on Sunday or Monday for a day sail to Palm Beach.

Meanwhile we are going to explore this delightful town!  It is nicknamed Velcro Beach because so many cruisers arrive planning on staying for a couple of nights and never leave!  And it seems for good reason!  The cruisers are very friendly here, as is the overworked staff!  We are close to the beach and there is a free bus service in the county, so easy access to beach and shopping!  As of 'press time', we haven't had a chance yet to do any sightseeing, so will include some pictures and any stories on my next blog!  This is a busy marina for cruisers, so, for the first time we have had to raft up to another boat while on a mooring ball!  It has worked out very well.  Our neighbours are two gentlemen, Bill and Vern.  Bill owns the boat and Vern is helping crew it down south.  Bill's wife will join him later and Vern will head home for Christmas with his family, but meanwhile we have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them, and having late night chats over our respective cockpits!  Another first while we were here.....I went swimming off the boat!  Yesterday was very warm, so when Bill and George headed in to the water, I decided to join them!  The water was cool, but not cold, so we stayed in for about half an hour before getting cold enough that we had to climb out!  We have seen one other manatee swim by our boat while here also.  Hopefully the next one will surface more than once and I will be able to get a photo to share with you all!!

Meanwhile, here are some photos depicting the changing flora and fauna of the Florida ICW!

pelican

 Pelican

Will try to get the real thing ASAP!

Egret in the marsh

Ibis on a lawn in Daytona Beach

The streets of Florida!

And just because, 'Tis the Season!!!

Merry Christmas!