Key Largo

Today is Monday May 30, 2011, Memorial Day.  I spent a good deal today thinking about my Dad who served in the Marine Corps during WWII.  He landed in the first wave of assault on Iwo Jima.  It is because of people like him that I am able to enjoy my boat and blog away!  One thing about travelling in the US, you meet good people and see new places and realize what a wonderful country this is and how fortunate we are to live here.  Today we left Fort Lauderdale and took the “back" route to the Florida Keys.  One can go via Hawks Channel in the Atlantic, or in the ICW through the Everglades, which is a bit longer.  We took the back route as the wind is howling from the ENE today.  I talked to some boaters who crossed from the Bahamas yesterday, and they were hammered.  We chose the right weather window!  We anchored in a cove behind Key Largo, and grilled hamburgers.  We are watching the sun melt into the Gulf, and patting ourselves on the back for taking the back route.  That did take us through Miami and Biscayne Bay, and there were boats everywhere.    There were also many boats returning from the Keys to Miami today.  Lots of traffic, but pretty scenery.  Tomorrow we head to Marathon, where we have booked a slip at a marina.  We will wait there until the wind lets up, and the head north up the west coast of Florida.  We have our bikes and plan to take in Marathon until then.  Not a bad place to wait! 

Miami.

Government Cut.

The back route.

Fort Lauderdale

We spent today in Fort Lauderdale.  This city is named after Maj. William Lauderdale who was in charge of building a fort here in 1838.  During 1911 the entire city (143 residents) burnt to the ground. After the Great Depression, the city started to grow into the boating mecca it is today.  It now has over 53,000 pleasure vessels registered in this county.  The marine industry employs 134,500 people here, and accounts for $11 billion in annual sales in Broward County alone! Almost two million people live in Broward County.  It is strange how New Orleans has diminished from the largest southern city, and cities like this have flourished in such a short time.  Tomorrow (Monday) we head south to Miami and the Florida Keys.  At Marathon we can cross from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico and begin out trek north.      

Mega yachts.

Water taxis run day and night. 

Pier 66 Marina.

We passed this cruise ship on the way into the inlet.

Back in the USA

We are back in the USA!  Friday we anchored at Great Sale Cay, an uninhabited island in the Bahamas, and a favorite jumping off point for boats leaving the Little Bahama Bank.  We left 5:30 AM on Saturday and arrived Fort Lauderdale 6:30 PM.  We travelled 120 nautical miles today.  Upon arriving I checked in with US Customs via phone.  We had previously obtained LBO (local boater option) numbers, and had electronically filed a float plan with customs.  I gave them our numbers over the phone and we were cleared without having to go to customs house!  The crossing was another easy, albeit, long one.  The seas were calm, but our heading from Memory Rock to Port Everglades Inlet was against the Gulf Stream slowing us down by a few knots. The only interesting thing that happened was that we were shadowed by a US Coast Guard cutter about 50 miles out.  I thought we would be boarded, but never was.  A 30’ outboard came by us at high speed, and the cutter took off and stopped it.  We listened to the conversation, and the Coast Guard was interested if the crew had been to the Bahamas, and took information on all the crew members.  It then let the outboard go on its way.  Moondance is equipped with AIS, which broadcasts our position to other vessels so equipped.  It helps prevent collisions, and is a vessel traffic control device.  It also indicates our registration number, home port, and other information.  I guess the Coast Guard had all the information it needed on us so did not stop us.  We are moored at the Pier 66 Marina in Fort Lauderdale.   It is attached to the Hyatt Hotel here, and is quite swanky. Coming from the Bahamas here is a little surreal.  To get into the inlet we had to navigate around a 1000’cruise ship, cargo ships, mega yachts and a plethora of smaller boats out on Memorial Day weekend.  At the marina, we are surrounded by mega yachts, have concierge service and can watch a steady stream of boats go by on the ICW, and humanity shore side.   Quite different than the slow pace of the Bahamas.  We will stay here until Monday and then journey south.  Will post pics in the morning.     

Exploring the Island

Today is Thursday, and we are still at Green Turtle Marina.  Last night we dined here and then listened to the Gully Rooster Band.  A good meal and night!  Today I snorkeled off the beach, and we rented a golf cart (the primary mode of transportation) and explored the Island by vehicle.  It looks like our weather window will close by Sunday, so we plan to head to Great Sale Cay tomnmorw, anchor out, and head back to the US on Saturday.  Our tentative plan is to go into Fort Lauderdale, and visit Val Marmillion if he is home.  Lake Okeechobee is too low to cross, so we will head to Marathon and cross over to the Gulf.  We will not be able to post again until back in the US.

This last pic is Gillam Bay, and Alexis did some shelling here.  I found the largest sand dollar, much to her irritation...

The Marina displays these flags as there are boats here from each country.

Green Turtle Cay

Today is Wednesday May 25, 2011.  We are at The Green Turtle Marina on Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas.  We are having a great time.  The internet connection here is painfully slow, so this will be a brief post.  We left Old Bahama Bay Marina on Saturday and anchored at Double Breasted Cay (50 nautical miles).  Double Breasted Cay is a small uninhabited island, and is a good anchorage for east to south winds.  There were four other boats there, and we anchored up.  The couple on the sail boat next to us told us about good snorkeling 3 miles into the Atlantic where the fringing reef comes to the surface.  We took the dingy out twice and the snorkeling was fantastic.  It was very calm and we had a great time there. On the second day we took the dingy to Grand Cay, where there is a small village and the famous Rosie’s restaurant.  The people were very nice, but the village is very run down and poor.  We bought some local banana bread, and gas for the dingy and headed back to the boat.

On Monday we left and headed to Crab Cay off of Little Abaco Island, 41 nautical miles away.  Crab Cay is a protected cove and we spent a great night on the hook.  Not much to do at Crab Cay, but the scenery is gorgeous. 

Tuesday morning we set sail for the town of New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay.  We arrived around 10:00 AM and anchored off the town pier.  We took the dingy into town (they have a great dingy dock) and explored town.  New Plymouth was founded by British loyalists who fled from America during the revolutionary war.  It is a town of about 500 people. Very clean, neat and well, British.  There are several museums and parks celebrating the town fathers, and their take on the American Revolution is a little different than our history books! A side note, since we have already established that I am decrepit.  I came down with an ear infection, presumably from all the diving.  I went to the town clinic, was seen immediately, examined and given several prescription drugs.  The total cost was under $50!  The clinic was as neat and well run as any I’ve been to in the States.  The ear is much better.  Today we motored about a mile to this marina, and are dining here tonight.  All is well!
PS-for those of you trying to contact us, we have very limited cell phone service, but can send and receive texts almost anywhere.  Even with wi fi, we are having trouble receiving e-mails, but can access the internet.  Go figure!  Bottom line-the best way to get us is by text.   

The above two pics are at Double Breasted Cay.

The three pics above are of New Plymouth.

Old Bahama Bay Marina

May 20, 2011.  We stayed at the marina today and took it easy.  I snorkeled off the jetty and saw lots of tropical fish.  Alexis stayed by the pool and enjoyed our surroundings.  The economy here in the Bahamas is in the dumps.  They rely on US tourism which is down.  This resort has been in receivership, but the marina is doing well.  Today is Friday and all sorts of sportfishing boats showed up from the US.  Many are small outboards, and the crew rent rooms here and fish during the day.  Just a mile off the jetty, the bottom drops to 1000’, so blue water fishing is nearby.  Tomorrow we head to Double Breasted Cay, and will have no internet.  We will be at Green Turtle Cay Club Wednesday and should be able to post then.  Life is good!    

Small boats

And large boats arrived today.

Snorkeling at the resort.

Life is tough!

West End Bahamas

May 19, 2011.  We made it!  We left Lake Park Marina at 7:00 AM and arrived West End Bahamas 1:30 PM.  We checked in with Customs, and settled into our slip at the Old Bahama Bay Marina.  A really nice resort!  We explored the grounds, and took a dip in the pool.  The weather was very nice today, and the seas were calm.  We traveled 62 nautical miles.  Boat and crew behaved flawlessly!  We will stay here till Saturday, and then  to various Cays on the Little Bahama Bank to anchor out for four nights, then to the Green Turtle Club on Green Turtle Cay for a few nights.    

We saw many cargo ships in the Atlantic.

Upon entering the waters of a foreign port, one must fly the Q (quarantine) flag until clearing customs from the starboard halyard.

After clearing customs the Q flag is replaced with the Bahamian flag.

We have limited internet service, but seem to be able to send and receive texts via our phones.  We will post as we can.  Off to dinner and the spa tomorrow!

Our Great Bahamas Adventure

Today is Tuesday May 17, 2011.  Alexis and I are aboard Moondance in Lake Park, FL.  It looks like Thursday will present a great weather window, and we plan to depart early morning exiting via the Lake Worth Inlet for the Bahamas.  Our first stop will be West End on Grand Bahama Island.  We will check in with customs and stay at the Old Bahama Bay Marina there.  A pretty nice place- this is the web site:   http://www.oldbahamabay.com. 

It is about 60 miles from Lake Worth to West End and we will travel through the Gulf Stream.  One of the great ocean currents in the world, the Gulf Stream flows north and controls the climate of the U.S. East Coast, tempers the subarctic waters of Iceland and affects England’s Scilly Isles. The Gulf Stream flows about three to six knots, and is described as a river in the ocean.  Successful navigation requires adjusting the compass bearing to account for the Gulf Stream.  Our GPS will do that for us, but I have paper charts, and my old manual navigation tools if it should go down!    

In addition to that we have an EPIRB and ditch bag with emergency supplies at the ready in the event of an emergency.  An EPIRB is an emergency satellite communication device.  Once activated it send a signal to the Coast Guard with our position and contact information.  It is accurate within a few meters.    So-if the Coast Guard calls Stan or Claiborne, hopefully they will send the Cavalry!

After staying at Old Bahama Bay a few days, we will begin cruising the Sea of Abaco and visit the Double Breasted Cays, Crab Cay, Green Turtle Cay and possibly Hopetown.  We will post when we arrive West End, but many of the other places have no cell or internet coverage, but we will post as we can.  Click this link for a map of the area:  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=26.635184,-79.06311&spn=1.689071,2.458191&t=h&z=9

We really want to do this trip before we are too old.  As if a sign (omen?) a piece of my front tooth crown fell off last night.  I really look like I am from the Deep South!  As luck would have it, there is a dentist close to the marina.  I walked in and explained my plight, and to my surprise was sent right in to see the dentist.  Dr. Jerry Krape is an old salt and we exchanged sea stories.  Of all things, he is friends with Frank Brazile, a naval architect from Houma. He fixed me up-the crown is old and brittle like me......