tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69820532162643477032024-03-05T07:29:53.463-08:00Docs Holiday Coming Home"Life is about more than just maintaining oneself, it is about extending oneself.
Otherwise living is only not dying"...
Simone De Beauvoir
(1908-1986)DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-54145555596098566072020-08-17T13:33:00.001-07:002020-08-17T13:33:16.889-07:001985 Huckins Pilothouse "Betsy"<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OV_9S7M0oio" width="480"></iframe>DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-66651418603792138222018-05-08T04:56:00.000-07:002018-05-08T04:56:00.815-07:00Boynton Beach, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, to Jacksonville The rest of the trip up the ICW was anticlimactic. Protected from the 20 knot offshore winds we got little salt spray except for when crossing the open bays, even then Betsy easily handled the cross winds as we opened her up to 18 knots and skimmed across the short choppy water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfynWesJLUGE_Jo2Ki0YAKWh8RiWxGc8UMVlh2nqjR1YOQL42EkRe7jElPC84OY1aGjkFSh-WYIXTBUg514izzsXSZRTO3BaWQm3DyHCpqJQa-Rr-s8-lSAoFFy9fsbwrrp-izXBJoBR1I/s1600/IMG_5625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfynWesJLUGE_Jo2Ki0YAKWh8RiWxGc8UMVlh2nqjR1YOQL42EkRe7jElPC84OY1aGjkFSh-WYIXTBUg514izzsXSZRTO3BaWQm3DyHCpqJQa-Rr-s8-lSAoFFy9fsbwrrp-izXBJoBR1I/s320/IMG_5625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf2-B8Tz0WdEmKc_iV0Y5kAGlk__L85KXKZu8XWFmenEwNfx26K7svT77HNiAH33jV5PYWbkSDCeXBGTnYUqVEsFAD2GwdsTSVeUTcU5jydrrat_tVtgdDFWvuMLPlhAfBH4hUU6cidHb/s1600/IMG_5626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf2-B8Tz0WdEmKc_iV0Y5kAGlk__L85KXKZu8XWFmenEwNfx26K7svT77HNiAH33jV5PYWbkSDCeXBGTnYUqVEsFAD2GwdsTSVeUTcU5jydrrat_tVtgdDFWvuMLPlhAfBH4hUU6cidHb/s320/IMG_5626.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNF7U77Rd6CTwUubMi46pp2bAUq4rLf5mhyphenhyphenpgmGrBI2TAgUU3uvb1wAl5zlwOVssDpW3osW5h2q95e54IKb4rp-ifp90zXURkIHPHRLfNji6AOpwvDYFMtImucHUjKkOz43bkgcMquWCK/s1600/IMG_5627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNF7U77Rd6CTwUubMi46pp2bAUq4rLf5mhyphenhyphenpgmGrBI2TAgUU3uvb1wAl5zlwOVssDpW3osW5h2q95e54IKb4rp-ifp90zXURkIHPHRLfNji6AOpwvDYFMtImucHUjKkOz43bkgcMquWCK/s320/IMG_5627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Manatees drink fresh water from a leak in a water hose. Daytona City Marina.<br />
<br />
Coming down with a "flu like" illness of nausea, joint pains, stomach pains and vomiting, I wasn't much use so Beth took over the helm. As she got more experience her moans of anxiety quieted and only aroused me when she felt uncomfortable passing a boat or narrow bridge. By the time we entered the Sebastian River to tie up at Rivers Edge Marina in St. Augustine I was well enough to help her with the swiftly moving current to get along side the T dock. The more Beth handles the boat the better and more comfortable she gets.....Maybe she can be captain for a while and I can be admiral!....NOT!<br />
We left St Augustine early the next morning and flew up the St. John's River to Jacksonville. It seems that once the urge to get home strikes, little else matters and the push is on. Fortunately the Huckins crew were waiting on the dock to help us get tied up because, the wind was up and the current was running strong such that it took several attempts to back Betsy into her covered slip.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwJYRH4AWd4DjtjnomchuCBmmykDJvcEffmo9QLu27oS9rucvTV1TIh8CWHo_E3t-GwgY0BsRr1mhiVdlvptAlcuhN6sVWxAfdNl8fNqme6DBgDXsFx_vYONOxkMZMq4koP5EaBhfy3BM/s1600/IMG_5631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwJYRH4AWd4DjtjnomchuCBmmykDJvcEffmo9QLu27oS9rucvTV1TIh8CWHo_E3t-GwgY0BsRr1mhiVdlvptAlcuhN6sVWxAfdNl8fNqme6DBgDXsFx_vYONOxkMZMq4koP5EaBhfy3BM/s320/IMG_5631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Sophie's last ride until the next adventure! <br />
<br />
Once settled in, Dave one of the mechanics who worked on Betsy's refit and who installed the Simrad navigation system stepped on board and immediately went to work addressing all the issues I was blabbering about. He immediately fixed the packing gland leak, turning the big nut by hand!.... Apparently I couldn't see one of the two cotter pins that was preventing me from turning the nut with a monkey wrench! A list of repairs was generated as Beth began cleaning the boat inside and packing for our return to Port St. Joe.<br />
A secure nights rest had us both in much better spirits the next day. Sophie and Spencer both seem to like the local groomer so Beth had her give them their summer cuts before we loaded them into the car for our 4 hour drive back home.<br />
As we drove we talked about the Exumas, the beauty of the clear turquoise water, the sandy beaches, the friendly people of Staniel Cay and Nassau, the fun of snorkeling Thunderball Grotto, and feeding the pigs (despite the bite!) and the remoteness of the area, poor internet, mostly no phone service, paying for garbage disposal and concluded that this was definitely not a relaxing vacation. It was an adventure that helped us develop new skills, more confidence in our ability to handle bigger water, more remote anchorages, and a greater appreciation for what we have and don't have in our convenient commercialized culture.<br />
The dichotomy of seeing 6 children waiting at a small house for their teacher to arrive vs the craziness of kids using assault rifles to kill innocent classmates at schools in the USA., forced us to reassess which culture has it right?<br />
Our boating will be limited for a while as we attend grandchildren weddings and family reunions. We hope you all have enjoyed the adventure and hope that we have stimulated some of you to have your own adventures before the inevitable march of time and aging prevent you from fulfilling your dreams. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rVrafU8KP1K4fzwsXvlZPTCQYDedtlmj1Y9XmyMb7gFA2QroR_X77crUROWOJWF1ZquL1EbI9U0PjZk4402u-me3-jIxTHWWbeQZFJL381CjVhyphenhyphenn3LE8BKjQhU9lq0TY4jEc1pF-FylT/s1600/IMG_5630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rVrafU8KP1K4fzwsXvlZPTCQYDedtlmj1Y9XmyMb7gFA2QroR_X77crUROWOJWF1ZquL1EbI9U0PjZk4402u-me3-jIxTHWWbeQZFJL381CjVhyphenhyphenn3LE8BKjQhU9lq0TY4jEc1pF-FylT/s320/IMG_5630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Signing out until next adventure.<br /> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-19485845089723256912018-04-29T13:36:00.000-07:002018-05-04T18:22:14.641-07:00Nassau to Bimini to Back in the USA Watching the weather intensely, we finally picked what looked like the best wind and sea conditions to get across the "Tongue of the Ocean" between Nassau and Chub Cay in the Berry Islands (remember on a good weather prediction going down we got our asses kicked!). This time we intended on passing Chub Cay to get on to the calmer Bahamas Bank and either anchor at Honeymoon Harbor or if the conditions were right and we made good time, cross the gulf stream to Fort Lauderdale.<br />
Bang! We nailed most of it. A little rough when we first pulled out, it smoothed out for us once we got up on plane. Thank you Huckins. This boat has been mechanically sound and smooth running, able to take more heavy seas than either Beth and I would prefer.<br />
We passed Lucky One about 10 miles out of port and checked with them to see if they needed me to shadow them, since Huen was still struggling with broken shifters, oil loss from his port motor and and was taking on water from his packing glands. Linda laughed and indicated they were fine telling us to go on ahead. Lucky One was wallowing from the sea swells and they knew if I traveled at that speed I would most likely get sea sick.<br />
Once on the Bahama Bank, the sea swells stopped and we cruised at 20 knots all the way to Gun Cay, the passage through to the gulf stream. As we eased through the narrow shallow passage way and navigated slowly through the shifting sand and strong current we entered some larger waves. At first I thought it was just that the tide had shifted but as we got further off shore.....the admiral spoke, "This is bullshit! Its too rough! The dogs are scared! Redirect to Bimini!"<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGC8SsPsHjnRH5kywjnDQUi01-VdUerZThNjClETCnt-Jb45RLnzjMvA7Pjy1LVz8Ax5gywR3J8CdFZz__12J1tSOyDKYzow2MwqgPnRzGoI4h5GaCzEoJdBKLM9sc3X138KlAaT2cVshQ/s1600/IMG_5605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGC8SsPsHjnRH5kywjnDQUi01-VdUerZThNjClETCnt-Jb45RLnzjMvA7Pjy1LVz8Ax5gywR3J8CdFZz__12J1tSOyDKYzow2MwqgPnRzGoI4h5GaCzEoJdBKLM9sc3X138KlAaT2cVshQ/s320/IMG_5605.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Coming across the Bahama Banks....smooth and clear....lots of starfish.<br />
<br />
<br />
My plans for a feather in my cap to travel from Nassau to Fort Lauderdale were thwarted. We rocked and rolled our way into Blue Water Marina in Bimini, settled in to our slip, broke out the cocktails and grilled some steaks. The Admiral was right. Even though we stopped early (leaving Nassau at 06:30 and arriving in Bimini at 2:00), it was much more relaxing to stop early to enjoy the last of our time in the Bahamas.<br />
Next to us was a sailboat from Blue Hill, Maine. They were waiting on parts from the states and we enjoyed talking to some fellow Maniacs about how they were enjoying being out of the snow. One of them put 1,000 miles on his snowmobile over the winter.<br />
Lucky One decided to anchor out at Honeymoon Harbor and left to cross the gulf stream early the next morning. The Admiral opted to wait until later in the morning as the prediction was for the stream to settle down to one foot. Ah! A lazy morning to enjoy in bed, the fragrant smell of coffee, bacon, home fries wafting down from the galley, the puppies snuggled up beside me.<br />
Finally it was time to tackle the Gulf Stream. As we pulled out of Bimini, Beth rocked up and down on deck as she was storing the lines and fenders. In the shallows it was rough and the puppies got that wide eyed look of "No not again!" in their eyes, but as we got up on plane things settled down and they curled up on the seat beside me. Interestingly, we experienced turbulence mainly on the east and west walls of the Gulf Stream, the center being relatively calm. Beth's predictions were right on and we felt we got the best weather window possible, with 10 knot winds, 1 foot waves and only 1 foot swells. We flew across the Gulf Stream.<br />
Lucky One arrived before us and as we tried to join them in Dania Beach, informed us that they totally lost their port engine on arriving at the Sea Buoy off of Fort Lauderdale. They had to work their way in at low tide, to a congested marina on one engine. We arrived just as they were tying up and with no place to dock, decided to go back out. Mistake! As we idled through a very shallow spot our starboard propeller grounded shutting down the motor and the port engine pushed us more toward the shallow water, totally grounding the boat. Crap! I had to come all the way back here to have a mishap, but I could only reflect that it was a minuscule problem compared to the multitude of problems that Lucky One had encountered and effectively dealt with to complete this entire adventure. We relaxed waiting for the tide to come in, taking the opportunity to check all of our strainers for any debris that might have gotten sucked in and created a clog, clearing customs and immigration by video conference on our phone and coming up with the plan to continue on up the coast to an open marina for dockage. We wouldn't be able to have a final farewell dinner with Lucky One but knew that with Huen's capabilities, they would be fine.<br />
As we continued along the ICW, Beth and I discussed how even though we had to wait for multiple bridge openings, it seemed easier than rocking and rolling in the ocean waves. " After all there really wasn't much to see out there in the big blue," she commented, " And just look at the exquisitely maintained mansions lining both sides of this waterway". We felt safe....but were we?<br />
Beth noticed it first. She said she could hear it! As I looked at her quizzically, the VHF radio burst into a very loud siren, then an announcement, " Take immediate shelter, high winds, rain with the possibility of hail and the formation of water spouts that can overturn boats," was emphasized by forbidding black clouds swirling ahead of us and sharp cloud to ground lightning flashing on both sides of the waterway! Waiting for the terminally long bridge opening ahead, the deluge swept in with gusting rain blinding us from even seeing the bridge. I struggled with the wind and current to keep Betsy centered, trying to keep the nose into the wind, trying to keep the boat off of the cement walls and docks lining both sides of the waterway, made even more difficult by the wipers inability to keep the streaming water off the windshields. The afternoon thunderstorm threatened us all the way to Boynton Beach, but eventually blew through, off toward the Bahamas.<br />
Exhausted, we tied up at the marina. Too tired to cook, we sauntered over to the restaurant (2 Georges) and much to our surprise had an excellent meal, Beth thrilled with the Tuna Thai salad and me enjoying the blackened Mahi and of course a few tasty libations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03pFZs4gGAl98-UXjrgrp4LysCPYiyUjTOLNyOX6xF1JXzpmX-zwD3VdEbdrUsGJ1DBYJI_vJsEAbindEyLJVkyfZ1J0aKC1HtLDZ4TU3qt-Xd5Mu6alemRLjrP9w4y0fzaYX2RO3PYbh/s1600/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg03pFZs4gGAl98-UXjrgrp4LysCPYiyUjTOLNyOX6xF1JXzpmX-zwD3VdEbdrUsGJ1DBYJI_vJsEAbindEyLJVkyfZ1J0aKC1HtLDZ4TU3qt-Xd5Mu6alemRLjrP9w4y0fzaYX2RO3PYbh/s320/IMG_5611.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Mama duck and babies cruising by Betsy at dock.<br />
<br />
A restful nights sleep and heading north in the morning. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-84797812117469714912018-04-29T05:52:00.004-07:002018-04-29T05:52:44.872-07:00Back to Nassau Lucky One left Staniel Cay before us as we were getting fuel. A calm sea with only a few waves that crossed our path when transversing the openings between the islands allowed us to power up to 2100 rpms and an 18 knot cruise, relax with feet up on the helm, relive and laugh at the previous days adventures and enjoy the smooth ride. As we passed each island our memories were revived, each adventure specific to each island and anchorage that we experienced on the way down to Staniel Cay and we discussed how our expectations of calm serene anchorages, conditions smooth enough to sail the dingy, relaxed picnics on the beach had been somewhat unrealistic.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnx4LlJSpliMER-WhVIH6V0BMsJBCLwNaPMDI7h4bMOwC6qLWTLYdf-fvIfS2MLmdP8i4Ov7DULDD_EVI_RPdxi7Cbl34Ph2cGUp0baeq7r9hu93ZxlYCO-FiHS84MDxnhSKE6H1QD8V8/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnx4LlJSpliMER-WhVIH6V0BMsJBCLwNaPMDI7h4bMOwC6qLWTLYdf-fvIfS2MLmdP8i4Ov7DULDD_EVI_RPdxi7Cbl34Ph2cGUp0baeq7r9hu93ZxlYCO-FiHS84MDxnhSKE6H1QD8V8/s320/IMG_5536.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Four day post Mama Karma Pig Bite <br />
Noting a few clouds on the horizon, I checked the radar to see rain ahead that would cross our path and could not be avoided since it would strike exactly over the dog legged path I plotted to avoid the coral heads of the yellow banks. The sky darkened and the rain began to fall, light at first than increasing with a little more wind, streaming water down the side and front windows, washing away the crusted salt accumulation on the rails and sides of the boat, cooling the entire helm. Fortunately there was no lightning and our speed kept the agitated waves from rolling the boat. As we neared Nassau the sun came out, the rain stopped and we glided into harbor on shining flat calm seas.<br />
We settled into our slips and helped Lucky One get tied up. A few days to explore Nassau allowed us to experience some more of the down town and the ghetto and Huen to have his first ever city Bus Ride...."Not my cup of tea!" quipped Huen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51dOhOgauq7_LxziV-b-XIE6-O-ssOL6mr5R6xCB929TveChkUnDLje95lHLiLG8Vq_-oyc7BRkLz6s1fViNyCK2Ngmdx1AOIeHvdHX1VzQCu7GDszlROV-zyU6GCornIS2YBEqU3Wr0-/s1600/IMG_5601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51dOhOgauq7_LxziV-b-XIE6-O-ssOL6mr5R6xCB929TveChkUnDLje95lHLiLG8Vq_-oyc7BRkLz6s1fViNyCK2Ngmdx1AOIeHvdHX1VzQCu7GDszlROV-zyU6GCornIS2YBEqU3Wr0-/s320/IMG_5601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Having a refreshment downtown Nassau where the cruse ships dock.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a5qE1Ke4r6j1sj2hYNHNz0lmcUxh469gRaICJ19qkhtYATvqdsS2gPO2-LAmL8UJHrwBpkJEI05CJciYhYBhTscE3V7PZVzHAA2KFzxRMrsxC_9QM1H0TlRSL22tYbaXhyaOo_PP5_75/s1600/IMG_5531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a5qE1Ke4r6j1sj2hYNHNz0lmcUxh469gRaICJ19qkhtYATvqdsS2gPO2-LAmL8UJHrwBpkJEI05CJciYhYBhTscE3V7PZVzHAA2KFzxRMrsxC_9QM1H0TlRSL22tYbaXhyaOo_PP5_75/s320/IMG_5531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Local Rum Cake Factory. Yum. We stocked up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitthef2lSy6Fe-Qat3TMOIiWj9mBJAgGAER-huZk_G2zvkTR709PSsIEbg45GUxbu-yyU8H1F4wiLxwL6Gh2toLW0yHdo_o8WdTYrIwjFpTXxqpBgqdyrZ6HZM9EgIp85t0KK-tNn8OssM/s1600/IMG_5530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitthef2lSy6Fe-Qat3TMOIiWj9mBJAgGAER-huZk_G2zvkTR709PSsIEbg45GUxbu-yyU8H1F4wiLxwL6Gh2toLW0yHdo_o8WdTYrIwjFpTXxqpBgqdyrZ6HZM9EgIp85t0KK-tNn8OssM/s320/IMG_5530.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /> Beth approached a local conch diver cleaning his catch near the marina.<br />
Marshall said, " I've been doing this for 60 years, Mam. If you want any conch or conch shells you can have them for 2 to 3 dollars apiece. I sell the meat to the local restaurants so it would be more if you want the whole conch."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT92FNPpfSH5nb012sw6ZQRhelNUvnjW7s1lzG70I7hdFuLdlKQ5jb2EWXtvwfig-ydBNcR-1c-ytG-SsACTA651AftDzZuB_cOt7t4Y6rykPELUWkSBM0KdG5gQcN9kK9MgGPM-8zsbe/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFT92FNPpfSH5nb012sw6ZQRhelNUvnjW7s1lzG70I7hdFuLdlKQ5jb2EWXtvwfig-ydBNcR-1c-ytG-SsACTA651AftDzZuB_cOt7t4Y6rykPELUWkSBM0KdG5gQcN9kK9MgGPM-8zsbe/s320/IMG_5593.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Marshall's Conch Cleaning Station<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5SbXBMD0KP8UQ9rOZ5p5UXBu_RLd4q7JjbmC8miDozXs_05YA3US1VdACBHOq0766pJLkXDl6SweYvulyybEBXFaqOga-m0Ikab6xirlYDRr9PbqVc2J_FATygnPi1FAr8ukqvD39rab/s1600/IMG_5594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5SbXBMD0KP8UQ9rOZ5p5UXBu_RLd4q7JjbmC8miDozXs_05YA3US1VdACBHOq0766pJLkXDl6SweYvulyybEBXFaqOga-m0Ikab6xirlYDRr9PbqVc2J_FATygnPi1FAr8ukqvD39rab/s320/IMG_5594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Huen and Linda looking over Marshall's Conch<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybD5AyRYWDGOPqH6B3OIR0q8hyphenhyphenuWqgaN_3wvgUspjrfCrMsm1VI7vRxLOaz103Ap1VLg4j4iKCjJHEiCuWbbY0r1Ykik1dHGvJYJFRJ4K4lyoDYg7yzpTLU7AZ-Ho-wWpxN1m0MolDKdV/s1600/IMG_5595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybD5AyRYWDGOPqH6B3OIR0q8hyphenhyphenuWqgaN_3wvgUspjrfCrMsm1VI7vRxLOaz103Ap1VLg4j4iKCjJHEiCuWbbY0r1Ykik1dHGvJYJFRJ4K4lyoDYg7yzpTLU7AZ-Ho-wWpxN1m0MolDKdV/s320/IMG_5595.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Beth and Marshall<br /><br />
Beth immediately noted how much more intense the conch colors were compared to Florida conch shells and purchased several of them to give out as souvenirs to friends back home. She also asked him to make one into a shell that she could blow. Later she found a conch seller downtown who made one she could blow and inscribed it for her with "Betsy 2018 Bahamas" which she says will stay on the boat as long as we are owners. Maybe before we get back she will actually be able to get a sound out of it! Its hilarious to watch her practice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS05KuIxr5LcmIs2CcWu9Ohjc92mx4YMtj2yLizxeWab2TpLmEvU1nF5CtN-FJgdukAGEwPnONOleGc3W6Y-GtDE5LDUV8oWHraGmdTZvXafvYs9xvO7yvwkSa5L8EXe3GUtYM_gG9W9lB/s1600/IMG_5624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS05KuIxr5LcmIs2CcWu9Ohjc92mx4YMtj2yLizxeWab2TpLmEvU1nF5CtN-FJgdukAGEwPnONOleGc3W6Y-GtDE5LDUV8oWHraGmdTZvXafvYs9xvO7yvwkSa5L8EXe3GUtYM_gG9W9lB/s320/IMG_5624.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
An exploration of the local zoo left us somewhat disappointed to see the animals, such as the ring tailed lemur not in the best of health, but thrilled with the parrot feeding and flamingo show. They are doing the best they can but need more financial help. We did our part to support them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjeX4sVfi6EuFMjn89uaRL38E5Uabty3VSdLJKFtbRj_GJaOP1ZqOw_Ni-W81ZJt1De8BiLFbYQqqLYVnbo7VFXHNeVHgemkGDu6q4V7TAF7rrgnatEGsGhULqhTKW_mq91MsnbN8o-JX/s1600/IMG_5541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjeX4sVfi6EuFMjn89uaRL38E5Uabty3VSdLJKFtbRj_GJaOP1ZqOw_Ni-W81ZJt1De8BiLFbYQqqLYVnbo7VFXHNeVHgemkGDu6q4V7TAF7rrgnatEGsGhULqhTKW_mq91MsnbN8o-JX/s320/IMG_5541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFAsk5x7xF6bCVjcsFCHH4fPT16DLrpGV6zrR-dWijyscKWfAeMa2oWAU2ld214SwqkGAE2VHYioknV0IGNezIG158To_bKehy3Ti0mppMVPUHu_LLYsLeeiR6yKLf7jutUDHowSBohxa/s1600/IMG_5564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFAsk5x7xF6bCVjcsFCHH4fPT16DLrpGV6zrR-dWijyscKWfAeMa2oWAU2ld214SwqkGAE2VHYioknV0IGNezIG158To_bKehy3Ti0mppMVPUHu_LLYsLeeiR6yKLf7jutUDHowSBohxa/s320/IMG_5564.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zO476EF1gVz5yLUaSokW74jD4BRiOkMfZnzQ2YvlLzoiLNLPpXyoJ6fug4B-XH59g9_vHUCNDX43mSyEAsFVlBoqEj7AtZ1IzCqdzGf615iPyQvhLQ6YM6gpXwmCgWV4rOyzoP9llfIN/s1600/IMG_5560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zO476EF1gVz5yLUaSokW74jD4BRiOkMfZnzQ2YvlLzoiLNLPpXyoJ6fug4B-XH59g9_vHUCNDX43mSyEAsFVlBoqEj7AtZ1IzCqdzGf615iPyQvhLQ6YM6gpXwmCgWV4rOyzoP9llfIN/s320/IMG_5560.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOCG8AUCcSmj-1WLpYyTb9LRGTCV1XTy8xp1i_0IQUimfhmpl_Olm5netq6YFtOAvs6t9JznluqiWV77zcJUsXZ7fEjXRIPnF89tuSOOHE7xbTuEyeO-8UUTYg2eU__jt4RBiUNglRvq3/s1600/IMG_5569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOCG8AUCcSmj-1WLpYyTb9LRGTCV1XTy8xp1i_0IQUimfhmpl_Olm5netq6YFtOAvs6t9JznluqiWV77zcJUsXZ7fEjXRIPnF89tuSOOHE7xbTuEyeO-8UUTYg2eU__jt4RBiUNglRvq3/s320/IMG_5569.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK3zf2LJPRtKEzkY2cUCDEqWQCO-xQknUmYW6DPg4UGx2J0qwBgVbqJUcBbTMf6q8szB27t1ePhY-IdctIi2kEqrWi0qvlxBXlEBf3YNTLBEcIsBG1iOWp0Vr0hsZqeYU4TnhMqNhC_Ci/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBK3zf2LJPRtKEzkY2cUCDEqWQCO-xQknUmYW6DPg4UGx2J0qwBgVbqJUcBbTMf6q8szB27t1ePhY-IdctIi2kEqrWi0qvlxBXlEBf3YNTLBEcIsBG1iOWp0Vr0hsZqeYU4TnhMqNhC_Ci/s320/IMG_5582.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpdfoaQ7mkoZePgHNqs8C_G2vOrAqAdgyMIh1IMFjOd0hGw_CmR6sO4QwrjKCTcKfy5KICLMOgly2tix9WcD1_flVYjG70FFpcw1Tpy0d8t_HibmKn5u49t-mmfbr-BEo0LYb7ziw1Tuw/s1600/IMG_5574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpdfoaQ7mkoZePgHNqs8C_G2vOrAqAdgyMIh1IMFjOd0hGw_CmR6sO4QwrjKCTcKfy5KICLMOgly2tix9WcD1_flVYjG70FFpcw1Tpy0d8t_HibmKn5u49t-mmfbr-BEo0LYb7ziw1Tuw/s320/IMG_5574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Being Silly!<br /><br />
<br />
With the cruise liners arriving 3 to 4 per day the tourist industry is booming for Nassau downtown jewellery stores, bistros and restaurants but seems expensive such that the locals would rather spend their money on more affordable fare. Bahamian food is healthy fresh fish and conch salad with local spices which Beth and Linda raved about. Huen got a local preparation and will no doubt prepare it just as well. I will stick to the fresh Mahi.<br />
Our final dining experience was at Lucianno's (from Chicago). A 5 star rated Italian restaurant that was within walking distance of the Marina. A bottle of Sicialian red enhanced the catch of the day which was fresh grouper for Beth and was emboldened my choice of true Italian lasagna. Waiters with black shirts, bow ties and long white aprons with white towels draped over their arm emphasized that this was dining at its finest. Both of us commented that this really was the best meal of our whole trip. <br />
At the marina not only do we pay slip fees, electric fees water usage fees but a 7% value added tax is tacked on to the total and American money is at par with Bahamian money so that often you get Bahamian currency for change.... On top of that you get an additional 5% service charge on Mastercard or Visa and 7% on American Express. I can tell you Bahamian money is not accepted at par back in the U.S.A<br />
We are waiting a 3 day weather window to return directly from Nassau to Bimini in one day and Bimini to Fort Lauderdale the next. So far it looks like we may be able to leave this Thursday and be in the US on Friday.....we will see!<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-12554792930634553002018-04-24T07:00:00.000-07:002018-04-24T12:31:43.630-07:00Staniel Cay/Biting Pigs!/The Grotto/Conching The stress of the wind rocked anchorages, mechanical problems with Lucky One, inability to book future spots for the boat, isolation from cell phone and internet service had all of us on edge and arguing amongst ourselves but with Beth's relentless drive ("We are going to Staniel Cay to see the pigs before turning around!"), we continued onward. Kevin, our dockmaster in Nassau grew up in Staniel Cay and convinced us that we had to see "Thunderball Grotto" and "The swimming pigs" He also told us that , " The water was so clear you feel like you are looking down 100 feet and could pick something up from the ocean floor". He spoke true. It was as he described and it lead to the best adventures of the whole trip.<br />
Staniel Cay is home to only 80 people during most of the year and about 30 more residents during the winter season. The quintessential Bahamas that Northerners dream about with brightly painted yellow, red, blue, green, and purple trimmed houses were surrounded by brightly colored blossomed flowers allowed to grow bushy thus giving the whole area a natural wild look.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4024S_pTbF-Pq4b7_0eGhzbPwYODpygTqN3IPVpOzDWsX_l3fs-2lpIlzbJrR8aEjMHQeLgIbRDYQGNe3V3oIW7fRimuOVuL1ggmlaIQKirbE2Mk2epDhUfHi49S-r7GVp3L-DvB6mXkb/s1600/IMG_5474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4024S_pTbF-Pq4b7_0eGhzbPwYODpygTqN3IPVpOzDWsX_l3fs-2lpIlzbJrR8aEjMHQeLgIbRDYQGNe3V3oIW7fRimuOVuL1ggmlaIQKirbE2Mk2epDhUfHi49S-r7GVp3L-DvB6mXkb/s320/IMG_5474.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The few stores weren't hard to find, "Just look for the yellow or purple house!" we were directed and easily found the laundry place, the bakery and the depleted of stock, marine store.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaptO1X8e7ka18EDMUfhlJmfeYrFEGOoAMx1mUJMlKAqzkXWVIo389wXmc8I0dtUGwQlRMlc1j28SLhlwrye9R3LSuHU3GctWR-o9ioFyykKTkGpeVqD4sUx8j1mnNYJYovQPyegRxSTue/s1600/IMG_5446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaptO1X8e7ka18EDMUfhlJmfeYrFEGOoAMx1mUJMlKAqzkXWVIo389wXmc8I0dtUGwQlRMlc1j28SLhlwrye9R3LSuHU3GctWR-o9ioFyykKTkGpeVqD4sUx8j1mnNYJYovQPyegRxSTue/s320/IMG_5446.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nVlqxsCxMUCavKcsmAESImNLCBnI3TqwpiAK-Mzo0N2p9ntE6kZWJsHCBnnwLSwu3NzHNI_7y0iB-mmEVKh2JK11qDNp4BmRkHPZ_icLGlJJDcVUHvNtIjFhrXzn7t56H3fpJ5FpXR05/s1600/IMG_5450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nVlqxsCxMUCavKcsmAESImNLCBnI3TqwpiAK-Mzo0N2p9ntE6kZWJsHCBnnwLSwu3NzHNI_7y0iB-mmEVKh2JK11qDNp4BmRkHPZ_icLGlJJDcVUHvNtIjFhrXzn7t56H3fpJ5FpXR05/s320/IMG_5450.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Road signs we encountered during our golf cart ride around the island.<br />
<br />
The school was a small house that had just 6 students who eagerly attended, showing up at 8:30 to wait for their teacher to arrive at 9:00. Exploring the island with Linda and Huen interfered with returning when the teacher was present so Beth and I left a bag full of toys for them before we departed.<br />
Renting a boat we launched to see the "Swimming Pigs". One of the sailboaters told us that "It's just a bunch of pigs on the beach. Not worth the trip, really." He was so wrong! We sat a short distance from the shore and when the girls took out some carrots a big 500 lb sow swam out to the boat and opened her gaping mouth for the girls to throw in a few carrots. Beaching the boat, the girls took the food ashore to feed the baby pigs. It was fun and seemed safe enough, but as I was taking pictures I noticed a picture with a warning of the same sow who swam out to the boat. She has a history of biting! Although I informed Beth, she assured me they seemed tame enough and growing up on a farm she could handle them......All went well until Beth ran out of carrots and decided to give momma pig something that is apparently more desirable then carrots...BREAD! The sow wanted more and pushed forward, Beth turned around......and the next thing I heard was OUCH!! as the pig bit her on the Ass!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RcwFcZROuGMxx4ZMfMwm2FdjHs1J_S1xHN26BxYKAuE9z42ZcHuhcAdElqbQmcTO9p6xlmBz-k6ZcRxs53udVmULBAjNsbD3jhUYc6BY1staL_p_u45G5gOBIWxVSk0XmEUxRYLw4a2N/s1600/IMG_5483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RcwFcZROuGMxx4ZMfMwm2FdjHs1J_S1xHN26BxYKAuE9z42ZcHuhcAdElqbQmcTO9p6xlmBz-k6ZcRxs53udVmULBAjNsbD3jhUYc6BY1staL_p_u45G5gOBIWxVSk0XmEUxRYLw4a2N/s320/IMG_5483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDszV5BjyVOqrcWTbn_z73xGiT3KTtr1AkmCuUh38AZINshfimrsPcu2nc9X4rCRb4bQjtMmRT2gwkJhbzDzRct2tS5yiBeLkSYvNfw1RYa6dxD6fcknHlT4vEfsiEg4eD_WZ6KWrEuEQ3/s1600/IMG_5489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDszV5BjyVOqrcWTbn_z73xGiT3KTtr1AkmCuUh38AZINshfimrsPcu2nc9X4rCRb4bQjtMmRT2gwkJhbzDzRct2tS5yiBeLkSYvNfw1RYa6dxD6fcknHlT4vEfsiEg4eD_WZ6KWrEuEQ3/s320/IMG_5489.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k8jNXysSL0Hyxx_43BbPbEkK1_h0ocIrTT6C04SIzF_ISPYs2VmrUX5zoMhRA-yBJuFKsGzhv4kpeD6aYVyHmnGADlq3XBhtcJwZTJ_cR91BYFtx4W7zd3LNnvGSTxsBmYzPFNQYQ9Fk/s1600/IMG_5502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k8jNXysSL0Hyxx_43BbPbEkK1_h0ocIrTT6C04SIzF_ISPYs2VmrUX5zoMhRA-yBJuFKsGzhv4kpeD6aYVyHmnGADlq3XBhtcJwZTJ_cR91BYFtx4W7zd3LNnvGSTxsBmYzPFNQYQ9Fk/s320/IMG_5502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ReNhZgPEsmtqpmmPlZehc-Iv9MSMWjYcZhrRzzwOqU5DpSpxJYUaYqL_LHxV9iyfQURVqN7ZrpSBirvGYOdNnLvggL0BwNilSoeEdgEUlCYkTtCaF6FnrRoE4SxuEsoLBYl-OxaQcqp8/s1600/IMG_5509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ReNhZgPEsmtqpmmPlZehc-Iv9MSMWjYcZhrRzzwOqU5DpSpxJYUaYqL_LHxV9iyfQURVqN7ZrpSBirvGYOdNnLvggL0BwNilSoeEdgEUlCYkTtCaF6FnrRoE4SxuEsoLBYl-OxaQcqp8/s320/IMG_5509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5leyTpY8uM_4KCHP48C108_zo8uQ86RvsJhaRQor_SZ86VB5K7_wdI7DLtuRQGS7J301r4xM14LjFjqCXVIi4rhXDMQfnCwafNJ4wAldx4b8-gFDtMIpdpmhJKfSt1wXV0dv_yAl-Bvwj/s1600/IMG_5484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5leyTpY8uM_4KCHP48C108_zo8uQ86RvsJhaRQor_SZ86VB5K7_wdI7DLtuRQGS7J301r4xM14LjFjqCXVIi4rhXDMQfnCwafNJ4wAldx4b8-gFDtMIpdpmhJKfSt1wXV0dv_yAl-Bvwj/s320/IMG_5484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aJQwM-m-tFWMAX7hCsBm08YsS4eVTAZRgMBkD-G0ub3otBpKhi8Nr5eNTt9rvve6FzAEmmkMjxYq6N-K8K2bKo12EKBhyyVr6atGC5RJXugIgsnT1ySetOpg4wb2nEhom_xY9quA2tTF/s1600/IMG_5498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aJQwM-m-tFWMAX7hCsBm08YsS4eVTAZRgMBkD-G0ub3otBpKhi8Nr5eNTt9rvve6FzAEmmkMjxYq6N-K8K2bKo12EKBhyyVr6atGC5RJXugIgsnT1ySetOpg4wb2nEhom_xY9quA2tTF/s320/IMG_5498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WosxgTPZFieFR-Yj5ddg_Dyid21yHdGMppIPEdNTv34hXNis_fDoCLGuPDjoI1cI5G1FpbzRfcdHLWnZUvT66P0AP5I3J-8mY1LM_IwgCMT7ZalUScfSILDTF4tyLrqxseULZXzW2NrI/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WosxgTPZFieFR-Yj5ddg_Dyid21yHdGMppIPEdNTv34hXNis_fDoCLGuPDjoI1cI5G1FpbzRfcdHLWnZUvT66P0AP5I3J-8mY1LM_IwgCMT7ZalUScfSILDTF4tyLrqxseULZXzW2NrI/s320/IMG_5518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOIf-PRPl3qKLCu6Nl4wNlB_krq_DGK8pUeSVyfQ8srDa-N5LhQVVI8IfAzO0rATcE0BfBd3MX8ewTKEwBDfYbycibE8H5SkwkxRzF0J4L8vDofYfeiagomC6IsAoph9_FCOQo4MwtjpD/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOIf-PRPl3qKLCu6Nl4wNlB_krq_DGK8pUeSVyfQ8srDa-N5LhQVVI8IfAzO0rATcE0BfBd3MX8ewTKEwBDfYbycibE8H5SkwkxRzF0J4L8vDofYfeiagomC6IsAoph9_FCOQo4MwtjpD/s320/IMG_5514.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Thank You Kathy and Mike! We enjoyed our celebratory Prosecco at Staniel Cay<br />
<br />
Needless to say the jokes started flying.<br />
"I hope you don't get pigitis!" was the first, followed by occasional low volume growling grunts and curly tail jokes, but the best was the next morning during our coffee. Beth caught me staring at her and asked, "What are you thinking? Why are you looking at my face?"<br />
"Nothing." I responded fighting back a growing laugh<br />
" Yes you are, You are trying not to laugh!"<br />
" I was just checking to see if you were growing a snout" I busted out. My arm is still sore from that punch!<br />
Thunderball Grotto was the scene in a James Bond movie, so we went there next. Warned that slack tide was the best time to go if you aren't a strong swimmer, I hesitated. We were told that you had to exit underwater in a different direction because of the strong current. Linda went in first and came out the same entrance saying the current wasn't that strong, so I followed her, with Beth trailing behind me. Multi colored parrot fish, blue tangs, and snapper hung around the rocks and looking up there was a beautiful arched dome pierced by 3 foot wide openings that streamed light into the grotto, highlighting the rock structures and the fish. Circling around I came across a white statue of the Madonna someone had planted on the bottom. The atmosphere was serene. With Beth's and Linda's help I conquered some of my fear of swimming and we all delighted in the beauty of the grotto.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi214-EzQ9A504g_AsnpfCEjOpVkNbP59qOY1Se7rjcg7AtiCMSS9MLSl8ArGh0Rd-r6oAby1kv8FHYytaxGPoO5FT8ohgTk8-A5YV36XBsHPOQ4fS-Onfjj22DMxMWn-n-6HlcomJp-GND/s1600/IMG_5521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi214-EzQ9A504g_AsnpfCEjOpVkNbP59qOY1Se7rjcg7AtiCMSS9MLSl8ArGh0Rd-r6oAby1kv8FHYytaxGPoO5FT8ohgTk8-A5YV36XBsHPOQ4fS-Onfjj22DMxMWn-n-6HlcomJp-GND/s320/IMG_5521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIPwDToOXO9HuYBC9uL5mqEKtHkMlRo8D52n_zlD_Dbf2G02CTCz7PawV_SDRpttggDxHOqiMWKM1LptYh' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Next was Huen and Linda's attempt at conching! It seemed crazy but assured by Huen that this was something he had done before, I watched as he knotted and looped up a line, attached it to the boat and told me to drive over the coral heads as he and Linda looked into the water through their snorkeling masks. They trailed behind and when they spotted something, simply let go of the rope the momentum making it easy for them to dive to the bottom and pick up whatever they saw...no conch but they did come up with a couple of amazing star fish. We placed it back in since Beth won't take anything live out of their environment.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40vcVjHqGl0hyphenhyphenHD4xWF-_bxj4V1v08dbY6KjBb-RxQsTCQyaoboQm4mSVJl_2Qt1RltFhBe1ccunGeE8ALS6bX-rTgxIHT43_U4t6RZjQyySH5BWnhon6dT8hLiWrfRvWZs091tuh5xps/s1600/IMG_5523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40vcVjHqGl0hyphenhyphenHD4xWF-_bxj4V1v08dbY6KjBb-RxQsTCQyaoboQm4mSVJl_2Qt1RltFhBe1ccunGeE8ALS6bX-rTgxIHT43_U4t6RZjQyySH5BWnhon6dT8hLiWrfRvWZs091tuh5xps/s320/IMG_5523.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunBln9s2tmyC8Mh3XBDY1cDyF1AVgYGTsVGmNvrCgPjCGZFp4DmPju1RfsUaS8lo3u-SBAicmiwiwdlRtipXTho5AqOKgZu3zmMNllQPFH52XcXtiDZvXPScFlxEYfzEx7RMs6ymbq2x8/s1600/IMG_5524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunBln9s2tmyC8Mh3XBDY1cDyF1AVgYGTsVGmNvrCgPjCGZFp4DmPju1RfsUaS8lo3u-SBAicmiwiwdlRtipXTho5AqOKgZu3zmMNllQPFH52XcXtiDZvXPScFlxEYfzEx7RMs6ymbq2x8/s320/IMG_5524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Having some video downloading issues with the internet here. Will post when back to the states.<br />
<br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-30622202411108809152018-04-23T07:44:00.001-07:002018-04-23T07:44:57.626-07:00Staniel Cay Swimming with Sharks/ Crashing Yachts <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyOon6B3ryjLl1lbVLAQYZOyTl1c8d8m8i7so23EJOdpNn2PmLx-KEEQlahMNRtULsmzpiJmNb6Mabduy0tHOA9k7Tt2FoKPfPt1_XxDSQsXszBH0YgBQcBkxT6lkL3eob7kt-9w5e_4n/s1600/IMG_5457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyOon6B3ryjLl1lbVLAQYZOyTl1c8d8m8i7so23EJOdpNn2PmLx-KEEQlahMNRtULsmzpiJmNb6Mabduy0tHOA9k7Tt2FoKPfPt1_XxDSQsXszBH0YgBQcBkxT6lkL3eob7kt-9w5e_4n/s320/IMG_5457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdKmfpSYO7kWEvfn_wzYkerUJraLL-MDGwND3nt0dz-cQOVJ0l1Ya3Vq0CIE0glMqsmWg4OHEXN7qvenj_sNrBqVI2eulFBA-In1sOk4DnOgpOqbeU1Fx9YkqC7mzqV1BVqvz9XT1jFzK/s1600/IMG_5437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicdKmfpSYO7kWEvfn_wzYkerUJraLL-MDGwND3nt0dz-cQOVJ0l1Ya3Vq0CIE0glMqsmWg4OHEXN7qvenj_sNrBqVI2eulFBA-In1sOk4DnOgpOqbeU1Fx9YkqC7mzqV1BVqvz9XT1jFzK/s320/IMG_5437.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A marina tiki bar was right at the end of the dock. Well mixed drinks and Caribbean music played loud enough to obscure the usual bar room din was the order of the day, and a great place to catch the local mariners advise. The treat of the day, however, was the well appointed dining lounge behind the bar. Reservations had to be made along with your order by 4:00pm for a 6:30 seating that was heralded by a ringing of the dinner bell. A well appointed dining room was enhanced by the sophistication of the food preparation. Freshly caught Mahi, blackened for Beth and seared for me<br />
was brightly presented, moist and flavorful,so tasty we went back twice and my mouth is salivating just thinking about the meal.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23vIJ52fWI242CX0PxXF6dhumnRUK1KHH_51lyYRy9zBksX5b_qnOR3-YfHC8HMtZww812yJTqJkc3bbaZBJhyphenhyphensTZb8UdXeRLArSWWOUnQI_eesfoXdHDf9WaDs674tR3Eg3BoD-o9xjd/s1600/IMG_5458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23vIJ52fWI242CX0PxXF6dhumnRUK1KHH_51lyYRy9zBksX5b_qnOR3-YfHC8HMtZww812yJTqJkc3bbaZBJhyphenhyphensTZb8UdXeRLArSWWOUnQI_eesfoXdHDf9WaDs674tR3Eg3BoD-o9xjd/s320/IMG_5458.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLD0H5UbIcG5Mxt7cYpYMy_A-7cUu780J_r-GW-oRCyIakVyIlnMctdLMfwJeGqhoSD34DM8eDGYF1KRGnVCuEOCkFR4H06dIJObamT2lG2ecFgWKXc7LCaIAiY_-uV46Eu7nKBkVcg_X/s1600/IMG_5438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLD0H5UbIcG5Mxt7cYpYMy_A-7cUu780J_r-GW-oRCyIakVyIlnMctdLMfwJeGqhoSD34DM8eDGYF1KRGnVCuEOCkFR4H06dIJObamT2lG2ecFgWKXc7LCaIAiY_-uV46Eu7nKBkVcg_X/s320/IMG_5438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
In front of the tiki bar was a fish cleaning station below which hovered "pet sharks!" They were advertised as pets so we watched as people swam with the sharks. Being the brave one, Beth went in for the experience. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P5c-xddkvkBsu7Cpy3lAqynD-9EYg0MFji1iT2RasTBdc8bkhzpQbCkCoaCaIFbeMFMFQJEELrx-2kD2aQCokB0JAKMuka4HKMLW6y70v54AeAqMngBG2b6jdase4V1INieheaYc0My6/s1600/IMG_5436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P5c-xddkvkBsu7Cpy3lAqynD-9EYg0MFji1iT2RasTBdc8bkhzpQbCkCoaCaIFbeMFMFQJEELrx-2kD2aQCokB0JAKMuka4HKMLW6y70v54AeAqMngBG2b6jdase4V1INieheaYc0My6/s320/IMG_5436.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Crashing Yachts <br />
A very skilled captain backed in a large yacht in the slip next to us and next to another megayacht. We marveled at his skill and the skill of the crew to get the yacht in a space that was so close to the other yacht that they had to alternate the fenders because there wasn't enough room to place them next to each other.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJxOq-RYmGcgmntEE4AKhthxUlWgWD37PH6zmLCGc4tVr_x0R939U7qdWhA_AqAYL1H9XVj7Mst7zKznEVDn1hwRK1Tq-F9L1uX4X4dAy92cNZy6-Cvqh_7fvVt8rDTTOeHDRCHcmQ-19/s1600/IMG_5443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJxOq-RYmGcgmntEE4AKhthxUlWgWD37PH6zmLCGc4tVr_x0R939U7qdWhA_AqAYL1H9XVj7Mst7zKznEVDn1hwRK1Tq-F9L1uX4X4dAy92cNZy6-Cvqh_7fvVt8rDTTOeHDRCHcmQ-19/s320/IMG_5443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvv2gWrEe_66N74B9gPmliPwFZJICYpow7dz5bbOlTps8ds59gNgd7Re2eeNbpxj9QMKAPDYOKuoIFBZWb98Ym5sAXNmKgGqW61JFtFxlsu9D3OkUtzRwKq7I8pKk3-skVKt-d7nzlc7B/s1600/IMG_5461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvv2gWrEe_66N74B9gPmliPwFZJICYpow7dz5bbOlTps8ds59gNgd7Re2eeNbpxj9QMKAPDYOKuoIFBZWb98Ym5sAXNmKgGqW61JFtFxlsu9D3OkUtzRwKq7I8pKk3-skVKt-d7nzlc7B/s320/IMG_5461.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE3edXfyjf_fZ7DR1s56lE4_96mNV-X2lqtdrKX5EYmTYJf51LOf8wqCEdE_DteECv05ImvbxSOZm5FvFGTC8EvqLEXpTkkmYPnnxcYNA_U62gkFw_g3k1NUeAkPR4UCctx7xY3GEQ-FE/s1600/IMG_5465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWE3edXfyjf_fZ7DR1s56lE4_96mNV-X2lqtdrKX5EYmTYJf51LOf8wqCEdE_DteECv05ImvbxSOZm5FvFGTC8EvqLEXpTkkmYPnnxcYNA_U62gkFw_g3k1NUeAkPR4UCctx7xY3GEQ-FE/s320/IMG_5465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Departing was a different story, however. Their 25 foot assist boat was docked behind Lucky One, who was docked behind Betsy. As the megayacht slowly inched out of the slip he had to turn and back down beside all of our boats because of the shallow ledge that existed along side of us. Backing up he didn't go out far enough and the port corner of the yacht crashed into their own assist boat pushing it up onto Lucky One's inflatable dinghy than into the the wooden dock. As the dock began to snap and crack and begin to twist, I turned to tell Beth to run... but she was already gone!<br />
I was told she kind of looked like the cartoon character the Road Runner as her feet peeled her to a safe part of the dock. There was no damage to Lucky One thanks to the protection of the inflatable dinghy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzXjhk6YayqG0pHJWcKaXXW-7T4VMpPKEFtBsRFiqBIkphqe8SyoRHjLpypcSKfiXn1eyZB5uxjPWIkqYKOEtlV9M5lsb0bd32UolXq82FilRyIkxXIrnbZG0piuiAMUHU4n9vSYckFL_/s1600/IMG_5469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzXjhk6YayqG0pHJWcKaXXW-7T4VMpPKEFtBsRFiqBIkphqe8SyoRHjLpypcSKfiXn1eyZB5uxjPWIkqYKOEtlV9M5lsb0bd32UolXq82FilRyIkxXIrnbZG0piuiAMUHU4n9vSYckFL_/s320/IMG_5469.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Mega Yacht Tender that landed on Lucky One's Dinghy<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Later it was our turn to be the marina threat! They wanted us on the inside of the long dock so that a 210 foot charter megayacht could come along side . Huen was the first to back around.....His transmissions locked into gear and having to throttle up because of the current he propelled backward directly toward the sailboat on the opposite dock.. The sailboaters abandoned ship running away from their boat as Lucky One hurled toward them, Linda crouched in the cockpit braced for impact! At the last second a belch of black diesel smoke spued forth and seconds before impact Lucky One dug in, halted then raced forward towards our dock! Huen had managed to get the transmissions unlocked to avoid the collision and fortunately did it again before Lucky One struck our dock....How's that for an adventure?...Honestly, I would have less grey hair if I would just watch this stuff on T.V.<br />
We became surrounded by monsters. No, not fish. Megayachts. The last one 210 feet long blocked our view of the islands, anchorage and sunset. We decided to finish what we came to experience, the swimming pigs and the grotto snorkel both of which would turn out to be the best adventure yet.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaTWvoKiIubjYqXFQ5noCYF-QYvq4ZTGS_hU0JI4bD7sM8mbrRXCZDS9drHHzw7Ns1ylniiR0toaomO0BabO3MPKVPWZD5iiqLbs3J6EWt1e1jhhhVU7-_m6_jkA6W8HVKBEDcv-vr7sW/s1600/IMG_5472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaTWvoKiIubjYqXFQ5noCYF-QYvq4ZTGS_hU0JI4bD7sM8mbrRXCZDS9drHHzw7Ns1ylniiR0toaomO0BabO3MPKVPWZD5iiqLbs3J6EWt1e1jhhhVU7-_m6_jkA6W8HVKBEDcv-vr7sW/s320/IMG_5472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4-pGL-ZdbdE7fsheuJB3gLc6tkKwpIYPbUbnaV6pjkDwo__1eh42SDDL4vnRNNmaLoo6HExkalpJ1QyxJfDAsWT42m3TBKSqzAZM23zs-Jcu1lB1dvfYXMEaUX0R27vNSI3rm-ujOb7M/s1600/IMG_5480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4-pGL-ZdbdE7fsheuJB3gLc6tkKwpIYPbUbnaV6pjkDwo__1eh42SDDL4vnRNNmaLoo6HExkalpJ1QyxJfDAsWT42m3TBKSqzAZM23zs-Jcu1lB1dvfYXMEaUX0R27vNSI3rm-ujOb7M/s320/IMG_5480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-45618780379337480592018-04-22T13:12:00.001-07:002018-04-22T13:12:52.310-07:00Shroud Cay/Hawksbill Cay/Saving the Dinghies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiNElPwawp6kJZRMpxHbAlc2_C3xmcjydZC5vfcTPVR_-yuW5LLCMKKq1_VZy3t7CPAGMVhj3HZ-0RlnGY40N5ed24tmLm9ozRIO2opYACtDpcKnXYxgPaSk1s6RVxi2bTicuBcdu4uGr/s1600/IMG_5408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiNElPwawp6kJZRMpxHbAlc2_C3xmcjydZC5vfcTPVR_-yuW5LLCMKKq1_VZy3t7CPAGMVhj3HZ-0RlnGY40N5ed24tmLm9ozRIO2opYACtDpcKnXYxgPaSk1s6RVxi2bTicuBcdu4uGr/s320/IMG_5408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Shroud Cay: <br />
Its been a while since we posted because we have been in isolated anchorages without access to phone or internet services. I will try and fill in the missing links but can't possibly detail everything.<br />
Looking for a strong mooring because of the impending winds we quickly moved Betsy to the moorings at Shroud Cay, only an hours ride south of Highbourne Cay. A pleasant ride found us in an idyllic setting with azure blue water, proud white sandy beaches and backed by a few minor scruffy looking hills. I picked the biggest mooring ball, knowing that within 24 hours it might get rough.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIsSDIkF3n3c7iWE0b9tVxwP2WAOwC8BQi8wgOvnMenwygv3RRVYxyNRLQrxqik-dpq6OPz4G0q3MoVpS8cmG34zvn8BBoyjjiF5Ehl8dOmDceJO5EtL515HxGrpwn6LsVP92hcwFGUID/s1600/IMG_5325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIsSDIkF3n3c7iWE0b9tVxwP2WAOwC8BQi8wgOvnMenwygv3RRVYxyNRLQrxqik-dpq6OPz4G0q3MoVpS8cmG34zvn8BBoyjjiF5Ehl8dOmDceJO5EtL515HxGrpwn6LsVP92hcwFGUID/s320/IMG_5325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Shroud Cay Mooring Ball<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtPJ559sXg9pPZ2omH0xKP3IGahUyY8273hbJ5n1RBwpz5tqPhztovno1lb2Uds0bH2mlPBfBQ-3m4ZsiwX0LEP21rjR9zcQZAPXJy_lj8utq6ir51qO9t4lEr-MAvza7ICIguWVgfPCY/s1600/IMG_5330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtPJ559sXg9pPZ2omH0xKP3IGahUyY8273hbJ5n1RBwpz5tqPhztovno1lb2Uds0bH2mlPBfBQ-3m4ZsiwX0LEP21rjR9zcQZAPXJy_lj8utq6ir51qO9t4lEr-MAvza7ICIguWVgfPCY/s320/IMG_5330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85hq4mfK6dEmYySlMN_SRhwq0GQ0uy9S8T7l2GHe-DwefrO638SI9e_yv_OyxrpCkA_mWDwjXnU54r3RAX91gx0DhXDArnHZ4QvpYHiWhfE2dyI0IeGimAeZx4LMv3X4tN-QmkOMpLYcT/s1600/IMG_5340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85hq4mfK6dEmYySlMN_SRhwq0GQ0uy9S8T7l2GHe-DwefrO638SI9e_yv_OyxrpCkA_mWDwjXnU54r3RAX91gx0DhXDArnHZ4QvpYHiWhfE2dyI0IeGimAeZx4LMv3X4tN-QmkOMpLYcT/s320/IMG_5340.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kyl-WB05vANnCvU56MZojREJmi9ofWQ8QvZ7gxt7OXjBXHIEk1w_265FBzneV5BYS56LpQi8Ka9-qmmoF145AD4zzuZeFG2DBwpT6B7zL4vSQkR8nv-bAxxZ0x4q3EmmCBmP-n45o1fL/s1600/IMG_5342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kyl-WB05vANnCvU56MZojREJmi9ofWQ8QvZ7gxt7OXjBXHIEk1w_265FBzneV5BYS56LpQi8Ka9-qmmoF145AD4zzuZeFG2DBwpT6B7zL4vSQkR8nv-bAxxZ0x4q3EmmCBmP-n45o1fL/s320/IMG_5342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Clarity of the water<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The beaches and water invited us to explore so Huen, Linda and Lucky picked us up in their dinghy and to the shore we went. Spencer, Sophie and Lucky were in heaven, jumping around like little kids, chasing one another barking loudly, rolling in the sand, running from the undulating waves on the beach, finally free from the confines of the boat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dUveQSJu2tjY_tE94wQt7NJWQRZj7RyzVzs7LBtZVK2tspm7gnuUZ-pqQxqvRw9_dLBOQaAyVlBp4srUnprUf55_zLLQu8Pb-mUAusmWv63alrIclhVNRXhfmfUX8o20HOMTnDdNuxA3/s1600/IMG_5339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dUveQSJu2tjY_tE94wQt7NJWQRZj7RyzVzs7LBtZVK2tspm7gnuUZ-pqQxqvRw9_dLBOQaAyVlBp4srUnprUf55_zLLQu8Pb-mUAusmWv63alrIclhVNRXhfmfUX8o20HOMTnDdNuxA3/s320/IMG_5339.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Sophie was a relentless pursuer of curly tailed ghekos and Spencer actually seemed to like being carried out into the water so he could swim back to "Mommy". Sophie eventually joined in and repeatedly tried to race Spencer back to shore. Rolling around in the sand to dry off they both got sand deep into their fur, up their nose and in their eyes. For once they seemed to enjoy their rinse off and bath, back in the boat cockpit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MkmDeEiern_pnuJme3ijQ7Y4DE3u3RCDxGSxBI-PTuBxzeK2EHU_eWnpLbHNa60QMre9X5fDd_Zu6ukMjtRFDyekrNW6KkNJ-xtiTS1UGXB01yRjtTmj9VuXsmkANwQRdCGNWF4yifIS/s1600/IMG_5379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MkmDeEiern_pnuJme3ijQ7Y4DE3u3RCDxGSxBI-PTuBxzeK2EHU_eWnpLbHNa60QMre9X5fDd_Zu6ukMjtRFDyekrNW6KkNJ-xtiTS1UGXB01yRjtTmj9VuXsmkANwQRdCGNWF4yifIS/s320/IMG_5379.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGZWd0MaGczMx0pSMeyq7yMOJbrkmBFQzw79ld753jCT2NFb5ZJqm9Av358K0UFyalnoZKLm8VZGBNf0CBO6rZvHBrxDRJO3zQhYUGzaAp8jCWAdW4_L5SO5F9n-BsuR9LokKG4rb7q25/s1600/IMG_5385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGZWd0MaGczMx0pSMeyq7yMOJbrkmBFQzw79ld753jCT2NFb5ZJqm9Av358K0UFyalnoZKLm8VZGBNf0CBO6rZvHBrxDRJO3zQhYUGzaAp8jCWAdW4_L5SO5F9n-BsuR9LokKG4rb7q25/s320/IMG_5385.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Before long other boats joined us. Little did we realize that the loss of Highbourne Cay Marina would put pressure on anchoring and mooring places south. By dusk there were a total of 21 boats anchored and all the mooring balls taken, one by a 115 foot yacht on a mooring ball meant for a 65 foot boat. A serene scene at sunset soon turned into a very tumultuous scene that night. All of the boats survived but mal de mer was the order of the night on Betsy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4KsnHyB7T1TC44B8eGSPEfWWpCzXT851WBGOU2TGKU3CQ7o4ZTrG-UzuYxtVYDqdIUEPLmXgo53wX58A9QQmV4mvpjXlLwEbxbvOWd4M9doaqOrPq0glNEuJ9HnsqRML2oty2Kx9QQut/s1600/IMG_5349-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4KsnHyB7T1TC44B8eGSPEfWWpCzXT851WBGOU2TGKU3CQ7o4ZTrG-UzuYxtVYDqdIUEPLmXgo53wX58A9QQmV4mvpjXlLwEbxbvOWd4M9doaqOrPq0glNEuJ9HnsqRML2oty2Kx9QQut/s320/IMG_5349-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The next day was beautiful. A leisurely ride up a slow moving shallow stream that lead us across Shroud Cay to a beautiful beach on the Ocean side was posted for only 3 mph, but rudely interrupted by two screaming jet skis from one of the charter yachts. We put put putted over the tidal stream looking for wildlife of any sort, finally rewarded by seeing two brown and white logger head turtles. Amazed by how fast they darted out of the way of our slow moving inflatable we continued on to see several long tailed sea birds floating overhead but only scrub brush and sand flats on the banks. Finally we could smell the fresh salt water and turned a bend to see the white caps churning on a purple ocean. Walking the ankle deep sand beach I spotted a coarse rock trail that ascended steeply to a look out that revealed a 360 deg view of the entire island. Scrambling up the cliff, Huen was wishing for a lift to get back down the hill but we all made it with only a minor amount of slipping and no butt sliding.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YS4IBf5_z1p2ScCyUiG-zB5lWwJTMwNW6n7anCqd0Q1vFaFWVgzvc2s_WWdHU7hso4J8XaEAkKNkko4wjaIGZGA7YGmvgax2DXGjgwUAHW0P2_rbv4W9d7lGhjcpcqaLrXQsu_Zn5POu/s1600/IMG_5348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YS4IBf5_z1p2ScCyUiG-zB5lWwJTMwNW6n7anCqd0Q1vFaFWVgzvc2s_WWdHU7hso4J8XaEAkKNkko4wjaIGZGA7YGmvgax2DXGjgwUAHW0P2_rbv4W9d7lGhjcpcqaLrXQsu_Zn5POu/s320/IMG_5348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQo-rARnowAZidoUH__L4mB3x72nzPSnTK0Oz9zue0IFePLGlfkpFx0icasOUMeCEsX-xxJTU1QxnDFsOvr2X2fIfOXaKQ5J88ilBzS_CW-S2fhXztXXVAKUTkEZZ3Eb8c-UPTtotHm9B/s1600/IMG_5350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQo-rARnowAZidoUH__L4mB3x72nzPSnTK0Oz9zue0IFePLGlfkpFx0icasOUMeCEsX-xxJTU1QxnDFsOvr2X2fIfOXaKQ5J88ilBzS_CW-S2fhXztXXVAKUTkEZZ3Eb8c-UPTtotHm9B/s320/IMG_5350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvevJhnlHxrcq3UyWkEjJ0nfMT4YsVqEgRPSnwCM3mFaCWDKPEGXyzG6KUAzAPHOEv4xzCFJIdi_ll1hQ7lRKiWkj7YYqClE_rGQU_kOEYusiUtnIkgKvQAAU8eKTRFLxIPZnoNEdgCre/s1600/IMG_5352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvevJhnlHxrcq3UyWkEjJ0nfMT4YsVqEgRPSnwCM3mFaCWDKPEGXyzG6KUAzAPHOEv4xzCFJIdi_ll1hQ7lRKiWkj7YYqClE_rGQU_kOEYusiUtnIkgKvQAAU8eKTRFLxIPZnoNEdgCre/s320/IMG_5352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7rcbqV2WF2PlhThAslBNjt_87fGGlkfLSBvE8efjmbzzNW75umFK6TOQ5AXBiHDq7xQOIGMXF2ZQCqfsY5pg8f9IOueMD1j0J7WD0uG4oihI3RYkmKeZUj2Uxgd2fSP7LIXE-noXDMBH/s1600/IMG_5357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7rcbqV2WF2PlhThAslBNjt_87fGGlkfLSBvE8efjmbzzNW75umFK6TOQ5AXBiHDq7xQOIGMXF2ZQCqfsY5pg8f9IOueMD1j0J7WD0uG4oihI3RYkmKeZUj2Uxgd2fSP7LIXE-noXDMBH/s320/IMG_5357.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9twATh9SHESsHHMDzhsJSNKEXzR7C11M1ecc3iqRRIza183P2eqh7ZBpaiDib-JOQ-y7zvbChVCwq_Ctceepd1OqyA4B4qUKueD8DxzeqQlHvuuNnekGbJUWJpyRmUblcuzU8Y4jfOX_p/s1600/IMG_5359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9twATh9SHESsHHMDzhsJSNKEXzR7C11M1ecc3iqRRIza183P2eqh7ZBpaiDib-JOQ-y7zvbChVCwq_Ctceepd1OqyA4B4qUKueD8DxzeqQlHvuuNnekGbJUWJpyRmUblcuzU8Y4jfOX_p/s320/IMG_5359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPlfT15o2zrTeX4aQnTZia2s6LLDZaIw9oiliFAZwH9yIIXRxh7HrAgOccIt4iy30WefF8802DW1plbIYG3mwiTG_cJwOxWYf_H-mOQKz2M9HwzfDSnbw6vt5d1zOX8FwQsdQJ-xltHIu/s1600/IMG_5370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPlfT15o2zrTeX4aQnTZia2s6LLDZaIw9oiliFAZwH9yIIXRxh7HrAgOccIt4iy30WefF8802DW1plbIYG3mwiTG_cJwOxWYf_H-mOQKz2M9HwzfDSnbw6vt5d1zOX8FwQsdQJ-xltHIu/s320/IMG_5370.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiv3rpMatTmgY6SM2NXrUZxUT3H8YM1EE4obzJ6Jug4wxJXxFORejLJSTzHr-qfCkC6AX-hsW8hiJPlMzs0O7X3ML2LKMQPgWSJ9fCy9Z4Q9wP-yI_qJZzWsG4RJL27G_pnxIPWyNCymL/s1600/IMG_5374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiv3rpMatTmgY6SM2NXrUZxUT3H8YM1EE4obzJ6Jug4wxJXxFORejLJSTzHr-qfCkC6AX-hsW8hiJPlMzs0O7X3ML2LKMQPgWSJ9fCy9Z4Q9wP-yI_qJZzWsG4RJL27G_pnxIPWyNCymL/s320/IMG_5374.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We were able to ply our way around to come back to our original anchorage via another connecting stream when we saw another dinghy full of guys coming from a different direction. It was actually an area Beth had explored on her paddle board but had to return for lack of water depth because the tide was low.<br />
<br />
Hawksbill Cay:<br />
<br />
The next day we untied and took a 14 mile cruise south to Hawksbill Cay. I guess I suck at picking calm spots to anchor or maybe it was just that the winds were up but we spent another rolly night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQGJDtTNRKPylCv2wMF6nDWIzo0hpK_225eEzfT6v5z0_azqS-hFl81JIf-aBubmR6i85L_SUVLiRoHbH1WTc-zfzpjbWzZkfkw-Sn3cJAFN8MYnfzC31fBpdErShsnzyJUzKvFgUA5Qs/s1600/IMG_5387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQGJDtTNRKPylCv2wMF6nDWIzo0hpK_225eEzfT6v5z0_azqS-hFl81JIf-aBubmR6i85L_SUVLiRoHbH1WTc-zfzpjbWzZkfkw-Sn3cJAFN8MYnfzC31fBpdErShsnzyJUzKvFgUA5Qs/s320/IMG_5387.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiL3ypTwK2ns2YkwCaFCrr-9R8SHSoG6iwDzlpi54PjM8RWx9ECFP1peNqilZjOzS6Q5fschMBRm_RwkujGBT-uwPnv6fAAML-61AtzQvEhfMzOGgfptgnOy9OiBFeO_l8_llhGnyH0-k/s1600/IMG_5388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiL3ypTwK2ns2YkwCaFCrr-9R8SHSoG6iwDzlpi54PjM8RWx9ECFP1peNqilZjOzS6Q5fschMBRm_RwkujGBT-uwPnv6fAAML-61AtzQvEhfMzOGgfptgnOy9OiBFeO_l8_llhGnyH0-k/s320/IMG_5388.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGk3p_TfrcvujAovVmPtJ1rIAjffCuqaT_dTJXhFSHL9Mz4ifwZB4VdEvwnYrRLPAVd7nzsFzFEq-Th4cCVr4vq4W7TZETXo2ilOHgzzgXiWGxbGoisxQ0mND3-dLA_Z8us1CWp4by8Y2/s1600/IMG_5389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGk3p_TfrcvujAovVmPtJ1rIAjffCuqaT_dTJXhFSHL9Mz4ifwZB4VdEvwnYrRLPAVd7nzsFzFEq-Th4cCVr4vq4W7TZETXo2ilOHgzzgXiWGxbGoisxQ0mND3-dLA_Z8us1CWp4by8Y2/s320/IMG_5389.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA5qWULlkBuJqJLFdM0MkVJLDabyv9BjVO_R1qdrAx737LVtcAll1i8swYlQI6lPUUIlbFEz8br_DURcWkpSQ1dBX7LY9r0Jtyu-lIxaeQQ1B-G6ZJZr4N9sm4bFzgQ62rcEiq3d_g2h_/s1600/IMG_5391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuA5qWULlkBuJqJLFdM0MkVJLDabyv9BjVO_R1qdrAx737LVtcAll1i8swYlQI6lPUUIlbFEz8br_DURcWkpSQ1dBX7LY9r0Jtyu-lIxaeQQ1B-G6ZJZr4N9sm4bFzgQ62rcEiq3d_g2h_/s320/IMG_5391.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Rd6p6NTLoPOo9FKbFGKupbBEgAWP8uFTxBUmPS51s7YjzRaSZmBkl-SFJtMBro7buwxEz3LXXeeiKo6oQBvKFw8PlQlp7kBzqUilTMmUjISU2wBVnTh1C077ugAAy9wSjdqBkIXPv761/s1600/IMG_5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Rd6p6NTLoPOo9FKbFGKupbBEgAWP8uFTxBUmPS51s7YjzRaSZmBkl-SFJtMBro7buwxEz3LXXeeiKo6oQBvKFw8PlQlp7kBzqUilTMmUjISU2wBVnTh1C077ugAAy9wSjdqBkIXPv761/s320/IMG_5393.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
A tough climb to put the top rock on a Cairn<br />
<br />
Warderick Wells:<br />
<br />
We moved on to the beautiful Warderick Wells, more snorkeling and one of the worst nights we ever spent at anchor thanks to the wind whipping up to a dish closet clearing 20 to 25 knots, according to Beth. Ha! HA! I slept through most of it thanks to Antivert swallowed with a Cubra Libra.<br />
<br />
Boo Boo Hill<br />
Panoramic Views of the Exumas <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzvNdG6llF-M6fDdv_nPGPvlgj177BP5hVoYKyKvhit5EbUZ8C18st-ja-I3CQvwXVWNbLzlNAJLkSeq2vkMPiwORJZE76hWzUwOlxXTZOSdf8OhBb9bladJMbzGu3nSdhU4ElUuWwo8L/s1600/IMG_5397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzvNdG6llF-M6fDdv_nPGPvlgj177BP5hVoYKyKvhit5EbUZ8C18st-ja-I3CQvwXVWNbLzlNAJLkSeq2vkMPiwORJZE76hWzUwOlxXTZOSdf8OhBb9bladJMbzGu3nSdhU4ElUuWwo8L/s320/IMG_5397.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8fi9nHBTsaxfIvyckaDQVDHp4BT86w88FuwAK6SsTRg6eCN9t-VI3jj5nO7FTlaaDC9Wg4taw77KvSRWEA4GwIFj8Zwyw682vvp8MLhSzL1RIA_RsMiT8O-mVuYJkuN6KcUv7Sm2CoQU/s1600/IMG_5398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8fi9nHBTsaxfIvyckaDQVDHp4BT86w88FuwAK6SsTRg6eCN9t-VI3jj5nO7FTlaaDC9Wg4taw77KvSRWEA4GwIFj8Zwyw682vvp8MLhSzL1RIA_RsMiT8O-mVuYJkuN6KcUv7Sm2CoQU/s320/IMG_5398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisj4YRRn_QLmFiwfw0oCVrFs2XdPccGCY1murlwQLi5zP38n8sL_FPl97e3flQgYBmliHX3WU__ATF9Af_MX0zzulckaLjY3wlsPypI8nQfaFYnMF9OWqFC2hfTIDh6XB24lKrwxnM6hrH/s1600/IMG_5404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisj4YRRn_QLmFiwfw0oCVrFs2XdPccGCY1murlwQLi5zP38n8sL_FPl97e3flQgYBmliHX3WU__ATF9Af_MX0zzulckaLjY3wlsPypI8nQfaFYnMF9OWqFC2hfTIDh6XB24lKrwxnM6hrH/s320/IMG_5404.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Monuments created by Cruisers that have visited the islands.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Legend has it that it is haunted by those that have gone aground on the reefs. Cruisers leave an offering to King Neptune to be blessed with fair winds and smooth seas. Lucky One and Betsy left their offering. We can use all the help we can get.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ60SMFV542tnQAY0dvVxbVFxeQxqhb4-AHIxaGLzeOgI2UwDqAhfLT0RqjZKTS_7c4vJOKe2XYBcXhKkouK1b9CLB8yN2-hXzNuCIQZ23psJ2xtYFai9jaRv9PkdniuDgW1ZNUlxKSVxW/s1600/IMG_5412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ60SMFV542tnQAY0dvVxbVFxeQxqhb4-AHIxaGLzeOgI2UwDqAhfLT0RqjZKTS_7c4vJOKe2XYBcXhKkouK1b9CLB8yN2-hXzNuCIQZ23psJ2xtYFai9jaRv9PkdniuDgW1ZNUlxKSVxW/s320/IMG_5412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHz5ySDYE10EBfO4CJqT1p1UbHiy6n5SbJT9cfMi_B74NGSj9gmozV_IOKwFYwNqxtVaW8FXC0vbQ9uYGWBdOn0Igw5IYiYFYfcSV9HldmLdWoRVwyA4-u05G-TCHqTY09WlZGul0XZI4/s1600/IMG_5408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcHz5ySDYE10EBfO4CJqT1p1UbHiy6n5SbJT9cfMi_B74NGSj9gmozV_IOKwFYwNqxtVaW8FXC0vbQ9uYGWBdOn0Igw5IYiYFYfcSV9HldmLdWoRVwyA4-u05G-TCHqTY09WlZGul0XZI4/s320/IMG_5408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFR-aYA4u_hyYkfTSABGRWzJhe1yPSHM1BwNU9eq0pD1Nc8UUJ2_7F0wNASOtRHSdLFMwHhhYBd4Ol3nceM6tIhZiswaLczx0xXbQoqb8Hdp_mgKdDZzBlkcQj9G0ZFTb4krK0TMcXhxZ/s1600/IMG_5414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFR-aYA4u_hyYkfTSABGRWzJhe1yPSHM1BwNU9eq0pD1Nc8UUJ2_7F0wNASOtRHSdLFMwHhhYBd4Ol3nceM6tIhZiswaLczx0xXbQoqb8Hdp_mgKdDZzBlkcQj9G0ZFTb4krK0TMcXhxZ/s320/IMG_5414.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOG_video_class" contentid="UPLOADING" height="266" id="BLOG_video-UPLOADING-0" width="320"></object><object class="BLOG_video_class" contentid="UPLOADING" height="266" id="BLOG_video-UPLOADING-1" width="320"></object></div>
<br />
<br />
Since we had launched Lil Betsy to take the dogs to shore the dinghy was tied up behind Betsy in the same direction as the swim platform. When the winds whipped the rollers up to 4 feet the slop from the back of the boat quickly started to fill up the dinghy. Futile efforts to use a water cannon, then a large bucket to prevent the dinghy from sinking were abandoned when Huen and Linda showed up to tow Lil Betsy to shore.<br />
Thus, the "Dingy Episode" began!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGAsU4J1eX4t85_LId6Fjuj9wZmQA1RmS9PUtTu7RSOEKQalkcqMvIKp3xsMWmXtT8noQ_Uu6pcrwdGUCehbhOyry6wFGJsjUwgNfiuAifeki2HGyeqUj56JhDlyPUKnz8IStz6KHKyYd/s1600/IMG_5420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGAsU4J1eX4t85_LId6Fjuj9wZmQA1RmS9PUtTu7RSOEKQalkcqMvIKp3xsMWmXtT8noQ_Uu6pcrwdGUCehbhOyry6wFGJsjUwgNfiuAifeki2HGyeqUj56JhDlyPUKnz8IStz6KHKyYd/s320/IMG_5420.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
As we approached the rocky shore before the sandy beach, Huen's dingy spun a prop...ie NO Pushy from motor! Linda and I each picked up our respective plastic oars and pulled into the 3 foot chop with all of our strength. We inched forward managing to keep the inflatable dingy from being punctured by the jagged rocks. I can only guess that the fear of the situation and of course my unbelievable newly found upper body strength were the cause of my oar snapping off the dinghy. Reacting quickl, Linda jumped overboard into chest high water, caught the nose of the dinghy and the three of us hauled both of the dinghies to shore.<br />
"Now what!" I exclaimed after we pulled the bottom plug and emptied the sea out of Lil Betsy.<br />
"We will just use your dinghy to pull mine back to our boat where I can repair my prop." Huen said in a calm voice.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKHqim6VfbGH380OjVYUsR-KOrKe5SsQSXMdudjJDtY9YA-RRIwn0GiseR9VsXu9_zTyv5ICOg2agD2xy8ho-Gi03C4_FtZWg2lLD9TvVnjcihNKFkV5o5rEs9rdHXEMPG_7olmd1uR1w/s1600/IMG_5426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKHqim6VfbGH380OjVYUsR-KOrKe5SsQSXMdudjJDtY9YA-RRIwn0GiseR9VsXu9_zTyv5ICOg2agD2xy8ho-Gi03C4_FtZWg2lLD9TvVnjcihNKFkV5o5rEs9rdHXEMPG_7olmd1uR1w/s320/IMG_5426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
"I have only a 2.5 hp motor. Do you think it will pull the 3 of us and your dinghy? It only carries about a gallon of fuel and we used it some yesterday, I mumbled to myself. <br />
Seeing the look on my face Huen responded like a comment out of the movie "Captain Ron", "If she can't do it we'll just use the oars and ROW!"<br />
So we turned the ropes around, put Linda in Lil Betsy with me and Huen in his dingy. It was my turn to save him. Putting Lil Betsy's nose into the waves, she tugged on to the rope and valiently strained her way across the frothy rolling waves, inching toward Lucky one. Fortunately, their boat was on the other side of my boat. Why fortunate? As we inched our way across the front of Betsy's anchor line the motor on Lil Betsy burped once, and quit. Immediately the waves pushed us toward Betsy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40HI8Gpy22QeB3_tEX98xWtDmQEeILOv-nP2ThoMjSXMHInBVRlsm0P1tzkpTRmcSD-zZoD9K8tTM6bF4MrvZ3S9MIM-29hlbXcPCb3Vrl2fnTWL84kv4WDzy7qz1sVULNN6SA8jVsaOj/s1600/IMG_5431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40HI8Gpy22QeB3_tEX98xWtDmQEeILOv-nP2ThoMjSXMHInBVRlsm0P1tzkpTRmcSD-zZoD9K8tTM6bF4MrvZ3S9MIM-29hlbXcPCb3Vrl2fnTWL84kv4WDzy7qz1sVULNN6SA8jVsaOj/s320/IMG_5431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
"Huen, grab the anchor line!" Linda and I screamed in unison while frantically waving our arms since we knew Huen couldn't hear a thing without his hearing aids.<br />
We threw Beth a line from Lil Betsy to pull us up to the swim platform then she ran and got what was left of the gasoline. Bouncing around we shloshed fuel into the tiny tank on top of the motor. After many attempts by all of us, Lil Betsy's motor kicked over and with an extra load of sea water in the dinghy we managed to get Huen, Linda and the dinghies back to their respective boats.<br />
When I got back to Betsy, Beth looked pale,was nauseated and headed for a beer and bed. It was probably more stressful for her watching us flounder in the white water knowing that I am a poor swimmer than for us who were totally focused on the task at hand.<br />
"Enough with the excitement," I thought. "This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. However, as the unflappable Bob Bitchin of Lattitudes and Attitudes fame once stated. "The difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude!" Ya! Ya! Well I think I'm running out of attitude!<br />
The 3 foot rollers and 2 foot seas the next day seemed tame as we cruised toward Staniel Cay. Maybe in retrospect, Bob is right. It's the tough times that make the less tough times, feel a whole lot easier. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-55504981693743484912018-04-18T14:17:00.002-07:002018-04-18T14:17:18.845-07:00Nassau to the Highborne Cay, Exumas Even though the weather prediction was mostly the same as when we left Chub Cay, there was one major difference. The predicted waves were on our nose and the wind and swell would be in the same direction. Besides, Nassau Harbor is very Rocky-Rolly, being continuously stirred up by the large boat traffic, so we left. This time I was right. The trip was a bit bumpy but there was minimal rolling of Betsy, so we could travel at a constant 10 knots across the water slowing only for the numerous coral heads on the yellow bank.<br />
The forward scanner alerted us of the coral that was just below the surface but for the most part you could see them from 25 yards away, looming just under the surface. There was plenty of time to alter course and go around them but it required concentration and the usual bickering between Beth and me that has plagued this trip, increased.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaso1uhn9YiJ1ShJQujbCd4rLNw0joTUv_9B9bjaldD7f8sY0fC5wVVj0JGVPpgUjROLUZvsdfXrfwbFDmVGcnAHsS3Y7Zood8p1fDxc9BJ1oWK1Um1Sy2ICrnB_UuG3u08nqW-XmdgewQ/s1600/IMG_5315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaso1uhn9YiJ1ShJQujbCd4rLNw0joTUv_9B9bjaldD7f8sY0fC5wVVj0JGVPpgUjROLUZvsdfXrfwbFDmVGcnAHsS3Y7Zood8p1fDxc9BJ1oWK1Um1Sy2ICrnB_UuG3u08nqW-XmdgewQ/s320/IMG_5315.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Coral Heads just below water surface at low tide.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_GNX928ZGtDgRxwzDiwYRupgWA3ONvD0OLjYE9cbfhS7gORPj_VqFRH3QmwY0P3qSjL4MCqqew6fj2rTsE0cxJfep7469bKgAUMPaUVs3W6HE8gYR3TGYA8phgNtBaf-Ln4wGK2kqlJD/s1600/IMG_5316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_GNX928ZGtDgRxwzDiwYRupgWA3ONvD0OLjYE9cbfhS7gORPj_VqFRH3QmwY0P3qSjL4MCqqew6fj2rTsE0cxJfep7469bKgAUMPaUVs3W6HE8gYR3TGYA8phgNtBaf-Ln4wGK2kqlJD/s320/IMG_5316.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Arriving at Highborn Cay we were surprised to learn that they were full and had no slip to rent us, so we altered course and anchored off a beautiful soft sand beach in Bahamian turquoise colored water. Late arrival boats and a triple masted schooner added substance to a softly settling firey globe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx0jDOF6kYWO7wXvrn-TgLflX5ERF8zB4nw-WgFaZD9rYAiImGP3iE8bufhBZnEiaZyLfv0e4UieNEgsD5cqgHnTeOQBHAIpYxrmH-o4lZdjD7KsWfbIWf41xj3KdzllS6PoMrp-M2W5U/s1600/IMG_5334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx0jDOF6kYWO7wXvrn-TgLflX5ERF8zB4nw-WgFaZD9rYAiImGP3iE8bufhBZnEiaZyLfv0e4UieNEgsD5cqgHnTeOQBHAIpYxrmH-o4lZdjD7KsWfbIWf41xj3KdzllS6PoMrp-M2W5U/s320/IMG_5334.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Highborne Cay Anchorage <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KJR5qbg4gEfxDMWy8448-t6A0j3zpKYbtqnRB8wt6ufDr2DRzM54fAwpYaFpDawrv-Hqv_wV_GZtkl2-N_dLHRWYMvlZeUcOsQSpNPShljiboRVcmpUk9YqLx9vvZib1N4N1jL_J4ljw/s1600/IMG_5327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KJR5qbg4gEfxDMWy8448-t6A0j3zpKYbtqnRB8wt6ufDr2DRzM54fAwpYaFpDawrv-Hqv_wV_GZtkl2-N_dLHRWYMvlZeUcOsQSpNPShljiboRVcmpUk9YqLx9vvZib1N4N1jL_J4ljw/s320/IMG_5327.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXR_5nAs-6mto3MSS_I5G5cmdfleElGlB7PljGYAKZ2iZoR1sbnDQSCg-YUT55ie-oUVo93HF_AWhYqr4ejzQ07S0vbwVLUpPYIpTK2XiTkv-gPEWRBhfChNEa1zji-Ozhe4O3YcqvOPRP/s1600/IMG_5323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXR_5nAs-6mto3MSS_I5G5cmdfleElGlB7PljGYAKZ2iZoR1sbnDQSCg-YUT55ie-oUVo93HF_AWhYqr4ejzQ07S0vbwVLUpPYIpTK2XiTkv-gPEWRBhfChNEa1zji-Ozhe4O3YcqvOPRP/s320/IMG_5323.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Later some friends, we had met in Nassau from the sailboat Prima showed up in their dinghy.<br />
John and Kim helped us quaff down, joke and laugh our way through a bottle of French wine and some Coors. Promising to meet up in the morning at the marina we watched them disappear into the dark in their dinghy. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN5TXCUzjX9GLrpa6xIajhzy7USo4i0xtk4kmSOJS3Ifzlg-ASNXiI1ie5AE5GMyYageyMfbUSCrNUpi9PxiFA5YPtKdMjUwUgnJWUX1FG2LQ1Uesh4GDGWmBuk7jZ-y2IT_8mjwbT3CQ/s1600/IMG_5331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN5TXCUzjX9GLrpa6xIajhzy7USo4i0xtk4kmSOJS3Ifzlg-ASNXiI1ie5AE5GMyYageyMfbUSCrNUpi9PxiFA5YPtKdMjUwUgnJWUX1FG2LQ1Uesh4GDGWmBuk7jZ-y2IT_8mjwbT3CQ/s320/IMG_5331.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Linda and Huen bringing Lucky back from shore potty break.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBN_0k1LzmTkF5Fi7TKrhoqatPUg__zolB192LOUp6-44sNP5fhAV-jUzfOQNrcjgMmIeq2GsxWwkCnnz3gRUuaS86aahbYNXJgouuEjmTR0o0C08HNpicKMlgrwgMXgaKWNM61KCCv1X2/s1600/IMG_5335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBN_0k1LzmTkF5Fi7TKrhoqatPUg__zolB192LOUp6-44sNP5fhAV-jUzfOQNrcjgMmIeq2GsxWwkCnnz3gRUuaS86aahbYNXJgouuEjmTR0o0C08HNpicKMlgrwgMXgaKWNM61KCCv1X2/s320/IMG_5335.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZAvt-_PuaMTlEZ0mg479urk6toeR0RBcSW0igtI17GYTR7KT3Aem7ZT-32av_dBPEkaqNC-Xp1blXnWCK8vCVxr_MELdV66TVLL7SZ7B1fDCsgRW8Gdj7PgiQWWAsbGe2mNgb9-pyR9i/s1600/IMG_5336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZAvt-_PuaMTlEZ0mg479urk6toeR0RBcSW0igtI17GYTR7KT3Aem7ZT-32av_dBPEkaqNC-Xp1blXnWCK8vCVxr_MELdV66TVLL7SZ7B1fDCsgRW8Gdj7PgiQWWAsbGe2mNgb9-pyR9i/s320/IMG_5336.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD_1IAI5I8f8wJM-zY_43aV8lrUklj5CRMQVDjkfHAX_NkWzqONzZFFBElDy7drq4sPHV1_cp3R1yi0l11KVK_Yyq22yHCu_LnIBhad-rJwM4R2qtRMLKtbZXyFIWo6vEl4fD6ea2dej1/s1600/IMG_5338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD_1IAI5I8f8wJM-zY_43aV8lrUklj5CRMQVDjkfHAX_NkWzqONzZFFBElDy7drq4sPHV1_cp3R1yi0l11KVK_Yyq22yHCu_LnIBhad-rJwM4R2qtRMLKtbZXyFIWo6vEl4fD6ea2dej1/s320/IMG_5338.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
We were assigned a slip the next morning only to find out that we could only stay for a couple of days because the entire island was rented to someone who was having a birthday party and was putting on a concert. This was bad news for us because the weather was reportedly about to change to winds pushing 25 knots and 4 to 6 foot seas. We have got to find shelter!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0JYWCHsH1oDCYX4P5umW0DUjNxMBBVTRD5GrCUql0NnB3awIkutMZyUvulbD30g2d3Dk-JcstjUs5EtLU7YHOasVplRa_oRDAAaYMBNwG7KVAUuztOkGYzhVp7xq4ppwhqZF9kybsB22/s1600/IMG_5342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0JYWCHsH1oDCYX4P5umW0DUjNxMBBVTRD5GrCUql0NnB3awIkutMZyUvulbD30g2d3Dk-JcstjUs5EtLU7YHOasVplRa_oRDAAaYMBNwG7KVAUuztOkGYzhVp7xq4ppwhqZF9kybsB22/s320/IMG_5342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Very large yachts at Highborne Cay Marina<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZxWC5gBTgrAs_0Gjqa4SG5x6CUIZw99kLkn2pZ095fgh938AqYB96-3nEV4TtfUK5X5KXR-_-d9KsTE-F1gLPJ7a8q0MAxG4MG54acWibyVIlMwohTyR-RRWgBBu-mnmUKCy8_OaXZ9P/s1600/IMG_5344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZxWC5gBTgrAs_0Gjqa4SG5x6CUIZw99kLkn2pZ095fgh938AqYB96-3nEV4TtfUK5X5KXR-_-d9KsTE-F1gLPJ7a8q0MAxG4MG54acWibyVIlMwohTyR-RRWgBBu-mnmUKCy8_OaXZ9P/s320/IMG_5344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unfettered, Beth and Linda used the free bicycles to go to a nearby Beach and do some snorkeling and shelling.<br />
(snorkling video to follow when better internet) <br />
<br />
Waiting patiently for one of the three marinas in this area to return my call, I decided to find a mooring or anchorage that is well protected. The Exuma Land and Sea Park starts with Shroud Cay and there are moorings on the east side (the high winds will be coming from the north and west) so we will try to snag a mooring just in case we don't hear back from the marinas.<br />
The Megayachts have started to arrive at this marina. I don't know who this gig is for but obviously they are throwing a BIG party because they have started construction on a large stage over where the sailboat Prima is anchored. Prima thought they would find a protected anchorage then return to see "What's going on!" Ah! the decisions one has to make being retired in the Bahamas.<br />
Technically, the boat is running smooth but distracted, I inadvertently tightened up the chain on the winch too far and will have to free it before leaving the dock. Once done we will be leaving for the moorings on Shroud Cay today. <br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-64944617109277450242018-04-11T06:08:00.001-07:002018-04-11T06:08:09.259-07:00Chub Cay to Nassau <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6KMGaOCKyw3uFQaDxvbO1cTreV1rNplUAyb8iSn710TK236aAPEVhMa26DDCXKbLwrywjnmQzLzNS9QcfXsJPkDcZEa8hlEclI0rhGG2pycWVJELrdrLmGJuArgxIfU4aT9DJB4ls_20/s1600/IMG_5289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6KMGaOCKyw3uFQaDxvbO1cTreV1rNplUAyb8iSn710TK236aAPEVhMa26DDCXKbLwrywjnmQzLzNS9QcfXsJPkDcZEa8hlEclI0rhGG2pycWVJELrdrLmGJuArgxIfU4aT9DJB4ls_20/s320/IMG_5289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Private Island Chub Cay....Freighter stocking Island with supplies<br />
<br />
The day dawned with a rapidly rising sun, no clouds and little breeze in Chub Cay. I checked the windy app and Sirius which both predicted 1 to 2 foot seas and little wind out of the North. Blah! Blah! Blah!...this lasted for less than a mile out of the marina. At first it was just a chop with some mild beam sea that I thought would settle down as we headed west and the wind was supposed to settle in at 10 knots......IT DIDN'T!<br />
Lucky One called and confirmed that it was pretty lumpy even a mile closer to the shore, so I decided maybe the rolling would improve if we ran on top and increased the speed to 16 knots. It worked for a short time but the rolls coming in from the north still struck us on the front port quarter and we rolled and bucked and rolled to the point that Beth had to make a hole with the couch cushions and keep her hand on top of Sophie so she wouldn't bounce out! Spencer sat next to me in the helm chair glaring at me until he got sea sick and tried to get down to go back with Beth.<br />
"Ralph, can't you do something about this! The TV is going to break off of the wall!" yelled Beth.<br />
"The only thing I can do is slow down. No matter which direction I head there is no better ride. If I slow down we will just be longer in this mess and we are only half way across! Huckins says this boat will take a hell of a lot more than we can." I hollered back We were about to test their confidence. Beth bungy corded the TV to the rail as we flew forward.<br />
Three hours later we pushed well into Nassau Harbor to finally get out of the unforgiving waves. Exhausted we stopped at the fuel dock and with a lot of help from Kevin, the dock master at Harbor Central Marina, got locked in to our slip.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L5-eJBBjuXZoBqu3pLeRAZoFh9_hn0fQjdn7wbcyLQnu2iR0wZSlTGocDd1Hw9rEILBuyzLmN3luCVwZX9e7fziSmXZwl1qKYF3_X_aRomzgrjlN_qIBYCWXeBTsXnMRVfIIr5da7a1j/s1600/IMG_5292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_L5-eJBBjuXZoBqu3pLeRAZoFh9_hn0fQjdn7wbcyLQnu2iR0wZSlTGocDd1Hw9rEILBuyzLmN3luCVwZX9e7fziSmXZwl1qKYF3_X_aRomzgrjlN_qIBYCWXeBTsXnMRVfIIr5da7a1j/s320/IMG_5292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Coming into Nassau Harbor<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj985-9sSJhB_K0g_EovWGo7Nio5l7NSDcRvh-y08SrwJvgp7MLhAtwmKmpSCtZIinD6ez0sfxdfQQgbM88io-EbrlEZuHbx51U2KVItGhc5PZ99_WV5Mq64aseI3stEAvtfi_Au20IViD8/s1600/IMG_5308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj985-9sSJhB_K0g_EovWGo7Nio5l7NSDcRvh-y08SrwJvgp7MLhAtwmKmpSCtZIinD6ez0sfxdfQQgbM88io-EbrlEZuHbx51U2KVItGhc5PZ99_WV5Mq64aseI3stEAvtfi_Au20IViD8/s320/IMG_5308.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Even the big boys run aground. Just took on 5000 gallons of fuel and could not make it back over sand bar<br />
<br />
Waiting patiently, we thought Lucky One may not make it or maybe turned around but within an hour of landing the radio cracked to life with Linda requesting the dock master to allow them to go directly to their slip. Whew! Relief!<br />
With the mechanical issues they have developed ,they just keep rising above the challenge and push through. Damn, that Huen is resilient and a master at coming up with solutions. I believe I will nick name him McGyver!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-988GdA5FMgBgGdh3GB1VF7h6RyLg2nqsYTa7Dy5UPtqPmYi1HClLn6DU2pXGIrAD8wqdOXIeEYjOL8lbNFHc_QZ2nXCx02GsV0NkOedrtyirbcXSAgUPWJYWjszoOKGoWrEgD6C101M/s1600/IMG_1156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-988GdA5FMgBgGdh3GB1VF7h6RyLg2nqsYTa7Dy5UPtqPmYi1HClLn6DU2pXGIrAD8wqdOXIeEYjOL8lbNFHc_QZ2nXCx02GsV0NkOedrtyirbcXSAgUPWJYWjszoOKGoWrEgD6C101M/s320/IMG_1156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
They have very large apples at the Nassau Market <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14nd7U6gOU-RoHVvItU9Fq2XI55kOg2nV8jHwdiJZ45sFZqPU7DKJcQkWmRwpyWhYh366nndLJ12qv8pA-bwVfnoeptcKotX9x57KkjtI9L6_aIvWRa3_W9n2xIawnjLe4mubbPro4md0/s1600/IMG_1158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14nd7U6gOU-RoHVvItU9Fq2XI55kOg2nV8jHwdiJZ45sFZqPU7DKJcQkWmRwpyWhYh366nndLJ12qv8pA-bwVfnoeptcKotX9x57KkjtI9L6_aIvWRa3_W9n2xIawnjLe4mubbPro4md0/s320/IMG_1158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Beth insisted I put on my best clothes to have dinner on Lucky One. We were dining there prior to our planned visit to the famous Atlantis Casino. Huen had prepared a pot roast, whipped mash potatoes with gravy and peas. The aroma had us salivating before we got settled into the seats. A tall glass of wine did me in! No I can drink more than a glass of wine but reaching for a second helping of peas (otherwise poor Lucky, the dog has to eat them), I tipped the wine glass and according to Beth "ruined my clothes!"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Yr2_1rCtv9ScbcXe3HB7pVR5wbGBLwN5tBMu8d8kmTf7gjMdWAy0534IOJt3niV3QVMigP1L0y-2njfysbX0SEmvPyw_nlMQrMmQbtyd8YHrD-QvERGlEG-vwcn58dIwRfguFGwBFFH2/s1600/IMG_5311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Yr2_1rCtv9ScbcXe3HB7pVR5wbGBLwN5tBMu8d8kmTf7gjMdWAy0534IOJt3niV3QVMigP1L0y-2njfysbX0SEmvPyw_nlMQrMmQbtyd8YHrD-QvERGlEG-vwcn58dIwRfguFGwBFFH2/s320/IMG_5311.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Atlantis, Paradise Island<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVR4i_5M2n1NdQcSgpTq0WVyYciQqiVpbnuMPoa8q2lvXOIq6rBr2p4WkrBFXvNblQ5pF7PAqir-A3Qx8Nmhu806H3jolrXEeHmSBpGXqic84pzZ_BzbunudZHkRHS0R3oufVBJUJzXix/s1600/IMG_5309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVR4i_5M2n1NdQcSgpTq0WVyYciQqiVpbnuMPoa8q2lvXOIq6rBr2p4WkrBFXvNblQ5pF7PAqir-A3Qx8Nmhu806H3jolrXEeHmSBpGXqic84pzZ_BzbunudZHkRHS0R3oufVBJUJzXix/s320/IMG_5309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Atlantis, Paradise Island across from the Harbour Central Marina we stayed at.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_VXa_jPFiGtDv4sFIX00omj_NYpepCt9RZDpEDvSuKWoS8k53fUlsRAyb6SVDZXuDg8e6ffoc6_r0MiWac9qdRyK_E35QhZc8Up5WL-7YSHwlOJISTiXFJg-w6zvZKF5xfUJFPzDcjMu/s1600/IMG_5299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_VXa_jPFiGtDv4sFIX00omj_NYpepCt9RZDpEDvSuKWoS8k53fUlsRAyb6SVDZXuDg8e6ffoc6_r0MiWac9qdRyK_E35QhZc8Up5WL-7YSHwlOJISTiXFJg-w6zvZKF5xfUJFPzDcjMu/s320/IMG_5299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Pot of Gold over Atlantis<br /> <br />
<br />
"Settle down. Nobody died!" I responded.<br />
A quick change into more comfortable clothes and we were off. Casinos are not our thing but it was fun watching Huen win money on Black Jack and Linda winning money on computerized Roulette.<br />
For Beth the highlight of the evening was the parade by the Junkadoo band. A colorful display of traditional Bahamian music using goat skinned oil barrels, cow bells, whistles and horns (tuba/trumpet/and trombones). Fast paced with wildly costumed dancers leading the pack, Beth laughed, clapped, and danced right along with them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwiqUnIsw0ntEh3Qm0YVcXp07WUcBgRwGHqWBxZwHFu_v7Q_VsveSOmwxO3whUWaqLekJ-Wxqk8oDugIsNi8w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Junkadoo <br />
<br />
<br />
We finished up with some Ben and Jerry's ice cream then a viewing of the aquarium with its huge Manta Rays. This is the first time I have seen one of these magnificent Rays. We got lucky as well. Clapping caused Beth to lose one of the charms from her bracelet and even with all the people tramping around Beth found it undamaged!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAtuMPYlbi8u1hKLfm39eRQhibD7Jbt3QubI_pI3goWlwxBLEBtCUey_dD6xfUEoXs9ipFpkG2oLnBhzsiYUEbxGu3p-H_mlCrC0uM4WUppu9VS-LDvDM9mYhIMsZprGZgWq5DOTF3C52/s1600/IMG_20180407_194052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAtuMPYlbi8u1hKLfm39eRQhibD7Jbt3QubI_pI3goWlwxBLEBtCUey_dD6xfUEoXs9ipFpkG2oLnBhzsiYUEbxGu3p-H_mlCrC0uM4WUppu9VS-LDvDM9mYhIMsZprGZgWq5DOTF3C52/s320/IMG_20180407_194052.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Atlantis, Paradise Island<br />
<br />
Huen is persistent and is continuing on "Even if I have to go on one motor!" he insisted.<br />
We are waiting for the next weather window while Huen cleans his engine room once again. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-74789285952018798462018-04-08T12:40:00.000-07:002018-04-08T12:40:12.856-07:00Chub Cay and water spouts Lucky One was on the move a half hour before we lifted anchor. This was going to be a long day for them, 75 miles at roughly 10 miles/hour. Apparently, at this speed his engine doesn't lose hardly any oil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9oxrSMfEutvWgv7dVOHr31EU1tboqA4cYMqOMQ6pYafNycJCbhsT7VYeVrAPjK4iBfQ8qqiy0LZZ6PnqKnJqFtX3YEG_WJaRFBveW2XOSAYDQmESo1Eoh5Y6agJ63oqXASda7FeGpC75/s1600/IMG_5274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9oxrSMfEutvWgv7dVOHr31EU1tboqA4cYMqOMQ6pYafNycJCbhsT7VYeVrAPjK4iBfQ8qqiy0LZZ6PnqKnJqFtX3YEG_WJaRFBveW2XOSAYDQmESo1Eoh5Y6agJ63oqXASda7FeGpC75/s320/IMG_5274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Honey Moon Harbour......cloudy but going to clear and be a nice day. <br />
<br />
<br />
We on the other hand, can travel faster but decided to stay within a couple of miles and enjoy the cruise across the Bahamas Bank. It was absolutely gorgeous. No sea swell, small less than one foot waves that settled down to no waves. The blue water became crystal clear appearing almost as though we were looking through an ephemeral gas, easily able to view the star fish and flora 20 feet down.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wZKrXsZd63M2dTM0IBmlBm-5Dp14i6T2_iJ7w57oAGf4hFDGjKlfbd3q29RLdIYAWkTtjg3LYogq-zt3WoZRinmEcHKY_NY7P8KYmJx41KClgUslGnZU0ChLJ8t3tTpVJ2dL2q0zTgOv/s1600/IMG_5275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wZKrXsZd63M2dTM0IBmlBm-5Dp14i6T2_iJ7w57oAGf4hFDGjKlfbd3q29RLdIYAWkTtjg3LYogq-zt3WoZRinmEcHKY_NY7P8KYmJx41KClgUslGnZU0ChLJ8t3tTpVJ2dL2q0zTgOv/s320/IMG_5275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2KtUBPuDlBWmwMvMSLET3fmItHYwZJ4-LAZJF3dLNmp5ANnFxCkg4BL3D4WtmtrcT2Cga4IrnhfLkEWyQE7jxWpy1Psv0BLZUIh-XHko6kGwcold5gsIFPNq0OkajksVMsTGTADMiXv0/s1600/IMG_5277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2KtUBPuDlBWmwMvMSLET3fmItHYwZJ4-LAZJF3dLNmp5ANnFxCkg4BL3D4WtmtrcT2Cga4IrnhfLkEWyQE7jxWpy1Psv0BLZUIh-XHko6kGwcold5gsIFPNq0OkajksVMsTGTADMiXv0/s320/IMG_5277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Spencer slept soundly in the helm chair beside me while Sophie nestled up to Beth on the couch in the galley. It was calm enough that Beth finished her trashy Nora Roberts love story and took the helm, while I nestled up to Sophie for a 20 minute dog nap. This reminded me of the dreamy days we had on Doc's Holiday, but of course it wasn't to last.<br />
The VHF radio cracked to life with Linda calmly asking, "Betsy do you see the water spout off your port side?"<br />
I looked behind me on the port side just in time to see a water spout about a mile away. Huen, later described it well. He said, " A white funnel cloud seemed to suck up the water into the overhead cloud. It swelled and turned black and then it started to rain."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz39EWRPjC4ZE0ZnXxTw352dYCCoz8h6FthwXD1iEcG_v7_wPOWXbLlBMnnzMybvZ-W8Iaeyk-BIxkhPa4EZg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Spencer picked up his head when he heard the fat rain drops start to hit the windshield.....I immediately picked up the boat speed to 16 knots and "got out of town!" Sorry, Lucky One but we had enough of that crap on our trip with Doc's Holiday to Maine, when our boat couldn't out run one....It turned our boat around! (see 2012 Delaware Bay) Fortunately, Lucky One stayed ahead of the storm and had the same calm trip that we had all the way to Chub Cay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyW16qCvGkrBpGjgi9QYe1yAxAWpXRbGDU_cg1W_wAyyGuX97Q7kEgqFefdmIOASMpvjZPe5F_598W102x_vVv1a9fktKEY1jhiJJOcaQDcEF0xALFja9WY6TQ1OuTCvV6VJw_PsgvfR0/s1600/IMG_5278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyW16qCvGkrBpGjgi9QYe1yAxAWpXRbGDU_cg1W_wAyyGuX97Q7kEgqFefdmIOASMpvjZPe5F_598W102x_vVv1a9fktKEY1jhiJJOcaQDcEF0xALFja9WY6TQ1OuTCvV6VJw_PsgvfR0/s320/IMG_5278.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Tucked in safe and sound Chub Cay Marina and Resort<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaE0_m6xjsL1WhuJY3GOQLTzRU7AIWj2N5dgYn_OWH8l4OLAJkQWtV1ANg4hGSiaSJoIedQrISwd8CodVO6xYwUNPRYuTquO-wzq5aRx_t4yezl6chCd0L8MSsfljamaI40LuwJnmI6hao/s1600/IMG_5280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaE0_m6xjsL1WhuJY3GOQLTzRU7AIWj2N5dgYn_OWH8l4OLAJkQWtV1ANg4hGSiaSJoIedQrISwd8CodVO6xYwUNPRYuTquO-wzq5aRx_t4yezl6chCd0L8MSsfljamaI40LuwJnmI6hao/s320/IMG_5280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpKhFwvjXjd00GTYWosztMXMUjnvQX6yNAengCCaEtE0JObPTSeKsK8L_zQiNIS3U-WrqX_i_ZauM1wB6avwhsohczFFrJVnJmVte8RoV04fgHQf9L3UziGaYNc9aJgoteKfdjUZiJYAF/s1600/IMG_5281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpKhFwvjXjd00GTYWosztMXMUjnvQX6yNAengCCaEtE0JObPTSeKsK8L_zQiNIS3U-WrqX_i_ZauM1wB6avwhsohczFFrJVnJmVte8RoV04fgHQf9L3UziGaYNc9aJgoteKfdjUZiJYAF/s320/IMG_5281.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZb6FyZqO97DH0oGXPlUHYN6Ua5KIX1MJ5m3ZkGWYfG13gl566qAKd3QoLBAP0wuf6mXEDgsR9Gjyw9aiIEcv3ixWrhNoyyyUujerrTAijC9OCGPOnoHFsJbiU8voyJ4AY8dWskCDRPYRz/s1600/IMG_5285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZb6FyZqO97DH0oGXPlUHYN6Ua5KIX1MJ5m3ZkGWYfG13gl566qAKd3QoLBAP0wuf6mXEDgsR9Gjyw9aiIEcv3ixWrhNoyyyUujerrTAijC9OCGPOnoHFsJbiU8voyJ4AY8dWskCDRPYRz/s320/IMG_5285.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
We were about 2 hours ahead of them but they called us when they were only 4 miles out. It seemed to take them forever to come into the marina because, they were told on the VHF in no uncertain terms:"Please exit the marina immediately! You are pumping oil out of the port side of the boat. DO NOT ENTER!" This was not an easy task since an afternoon storm had increase the winds to 20 knots. They shut down their bilge pumps and let the marina know they had secured the oil and were allowed to come in and take the slip beside "Betsy".<br />
Huen had checked the engine room two hours prior to arrival and everything was fine. "Something let go!." he said. Linda commented, " He came up out of the engine room with oil splattered on his face!"<br />
He was told not to wash the streaming oil off into the water, so he launched his dingy and wiped the oil off with rags. His plan is to keep adding oil and reassess when we get to Nassau where he may be able to effect repairs.<br />
The marina's attention to Lucky One was soon diverted to an even bigger problem. One of the fishing boats was pumping out voluminous amounts of diesel fuel!<br />
Chub Cay is a resort fishing village. The girls decided they wanted a fancy night out dining so we made reservations for 8:30. Evening wear was in order. Linda appeared in a sexy little black evening dress and Beth in a coquettish white open shouldered summer dress. Dinner was superb with fresh Mahi and a bottle of red wine. The boats radiated blue, red, green,and purple lights that punctuated the darkness and infused a sultry end to our fine dining.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaawSq15jfOEfUSqbsVtMXM7E4XHaqLACp0bNR54wck26CBTtE9hqBxU6n_8RWdzulA6HyQjp3qHXNLA2s_QiV1M7OzkioCn97LWwekX2ORb33EpUwcya-5p6o3akND-y4oEhKdurqubX/s1600/IMG_5283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaawSq15jfOEfUSqbsVtMXM7E4XHaqLACp0bNR54wck26CBTtE9hqBxU6n_8RWdzulA6HyQjp3qHXNLA2s_QiV1M7OzkioCn97LWwekX2ORb33EpUwcya-5p6o3akND-y4oEhKdurqubX/s320/IMG_5283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Tomorrow we plan to head the 37 miles across the "Tongue of the Ocean" to Nassau. The question in my mind is...."Will Lucky One make it?"<br />
<br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-47761564295119175782018-04-07T07:14:00.001-07:002018-04-07T07:14:54.560-07:00Honey Moon Harbour We were anxious to leave Bimini to see the wreck "The Sapona" which has become a coral and fish reef. The plan was to snorkel around it, then cruise on down to Honeymoon Harbor to anchor for the night and thus stage our departure for 75 mile trip across the Bahamas Bank to Chub Cay.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsefEB-i0fP8hRUCjpoUunle6npclUH-ygIw9PLDB1pjS67U4RUI34X_cRq3RPVTyAo6zd6xuUxuP4YHoygRjKf24ZnQRv4ptQQVHkI9QGCTfCSj4ikqgvm3xvorzSK2t8aTgmK2aGQU6T/s1600/IMG_5251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsefEB-i0fP8hRUCjpoUunle6npclUH-ygIw9PLDB1pjS67U4RUI34X_cRq3RPVTyAo6zd6xuUxuP4YHoygRjKf24ZnQRv4ptQQVHkI9QGCTfCSj4ikqgvm3xvorzSK2t8aTgmK2aGQU6T/s320/IMG_5251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Bimini <br /><br />
<br />
Lucky One left before us and by the time we got there Linda, Huen and Lucky were beside the Sapona and getting ready to enter the water. The currents around the wreck seemed moderate but were obviously too strong for a poor swimmer, like me and Beth still coughing from her upper respiratory infection couldn't snorkel, so we watched.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndsGSJnB6EWbEomyZ1VwdRsoY4ZL4MifwoXnKGQ0VJ0mru7s628qSIPhzjTxrBSQtMSbuz8k-U8IhCiKJk5BfO5MVW7pKMTYXnrAvkPvfWY_meEGdWTV7KCr_6BmexJWWjFwNLzygXMrI/s1600/IMG_5256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndsGSJnB6EWbEomyZ1VwdRsoY4ZL4MifwoXnKGQ0VJ0mru7s628qSIPhzjTxrBSQtMSbuz8k-U8IhCiKJk5BfO5MVW7pKMTYXnrAvkPvfWY_meEGdWTV7KCr_6BmexJWWjFwNLzygXMrI/s320/IMG_5256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
"The Sapona" (Linda, Huen and Lucky in dingy).<br />
<br />
Linda being the adventurous soul that she is, put on her full face mask snorkel and dropped off the side of the dingy to swim toward the rusting wreck.....excited, 70 lb Lucky jumped in on top of her! Yes, we thought she was going to drown but she and Huen managed to pull him back on the dingy. She did get to go over and view the wreck and told us about the beautiful colored fish swimming around and in and out of the holes in the wreck.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLIJyyZ8HKEMIsvoT9MtQjKhI4bsy_wvjOlDD49sBt46QsUnsbj78g_z41s9IN0ddEBFaQ1aesEDlNyLb_h8Hj4PJr-oaW3Phh4AelM9fypMmP9ylC9PPg-omJKMaMO73G7zFI7DOtBVO/s1600/IMG_5258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLIJyyZ8HKEMIsvoT9MtQjKhI4bsy_wvjOlDD49sBt46QsUnsbj78g_z41s9IN0ddEBFaQ1aesEDlNyLb_h8Hj4PJr-oaW3Phh4AelM9fypMmP9ylC9PPg-omJKMaMO73G7zFI7DOtBVO/s320/IMG_5258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The locals run snorkel tours to this spot and have a much safer way of getting people in the water. They put a bow and stern anchor out so that people can hold on to a solid line while viewing or getting back to the swim platform to re-board.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTZOCKwMyLr_OhHeGQe6B04vAAhr2i11gl4C9wtwmC5XaTXkTUW6OwSU86GYSgVUPSiRK_vFh-2E-rTkOVuvwfhwANIlQ6gGG5ELF5Ju7TncGWzL8nVeNdHttUXviQltxRN9ix1wxWLvV/s1600/IMG_5257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTZOCKwMyLr_OhHeGQe6B04vAAhr2i11gl4C9wtwmC5XaTXkTUW6OwSU86GYSgVUPSiRK_vFh-2E-rTkOVuvwfhwANIlQ6gGG5ELF5Ju7TncGWzL8nVeNdHttUXviQltxRN9ix1wxWLvV/s320/IMG_5257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A leisurely ride got us into Honeymoon Harbour. This is an idyllic spot on Gun Cay which is protected from a south and east wind by low bars that are visible at low tide. We anchored in beautiful shades of blue water and white sand. A cool breeze kept the temperature comfortable even after soaking in the buoyant clear salt water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e7sM2GpW1PsMGLCkzjB3Pc0HYGSujUnKxarmsikIxMCickcxv_2S73z9qXer0ojgS9UHYfl5E3WnnQ_gOfemec0wTY-TpYKJ0-OnzfJyFWIMoyTj5ZOJvlyfiO2rwfQJJmj2nRQvPNJU/s1600/IMG_5269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e7sM2GpW1PsMGLCkzjB3Pc0HYGSujUnKxarmsikIxMCickcxv_2S73z9qXer0ojgS9UHYfl5E3WnnQ_gOfemec0wTY-TpYKJ0-OnzfJyFWIMoyTj5ZOJvlyfiO2rwfQJJmj2nRQvPNJU/s320/IMG_5269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /> Serene setting, warm sun, cool breeze , easily floating on the top water I felt relaxed....when Beth calmly said, "Ralph, look around you in the water." I thought she was directing my attention to another star fish or coral head.....but no....I saw several triangular dark objects floating toward me. They were about one to two feet across... and then I saw it.....it was huge! ... black in color, triangular shaped and at least 4 to 5 feet across...and racing directly toward me! Crap! It was the biggest sting ray I had ever see....and it looked hungry.....It is possible for a guy to turn blue water white and guess what....this made all the stingrays come faster. It turns out that this area has been a popular place for many years to come and feed the stingrays. We watched as children on the shore slapped the water to get the rays attention, than feed them fish.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79C98I-ziM9lZKcuaeGA1-Azk5rQz4AnfYmDnUluxHCesbSgb3CTak21hV6C3IcijgZ1HWHXWKnlEu_ikf5_zBLzIcaRC2lwGxZcDCjveuhhSg1geZXkjMNsnXPUbCfH0m3MqBPPRl5bh/s1600/IMG_5263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79C98I-ziM9lZKcuaeGA1-Azk5rQz4AnfYmDnUluxHCesbSgb3CTak21hV6C3IcijgZ1HWHXWKnlEu_ikf5_zBLzIcaRC2lwGxZcDCjveuhhSg1geZXkjMNsnXPUbCfH0m3MqBPPRl5bh/s320/IMG_5263.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm two for two in picking rolls spots to anchor. Even though this is a fairly well protected anchorage from the winds, the flood tide caused the water to curl around through the entrance and roll us from beam to beam all night long. There was a 100 foot motor yacht anchored directly in the path that had to move because of the rolling. <br />
Spencer, Sophie and Lucky enjoyed chasing each other on the beach. I think Sophie has a crush on Lucky from the way she teases him and maybe Spencer is just a little bit jealous, but they all seemed to have fun .<br />
Beth blew up her new paddle board and is trying to get enough balance to stand up on it. "No problem. Let me try it", I joked as I kneeled on the board and paddled out to a little deeper water.<br />
Immediately, my audience saw me splash awkwardly into the water when I attempted to stand...cruel little brats! Linda didn't last much longer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi-optuF-3kIPA6QCIwq1wFBPSvizgcZsswyPDbGrToQfTnjnGeYZrYI14QklvkNaZID8-SuXsI8yx_BabatJZ8vE5uboWMVIL7NPQjGuWDNN7vYW64T-UP8_7uAR20HAAwOgR1e4ESZH/s1600/IMG_5264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdi-optuF-3kIPA6QCIwq1wFBPSvizgcZsswyPDbGrToQfTnjnGeYZrYI14QklvkNaZID8-SuXsI8yx_BabatJZ8vE5uboWMVIL7NPQjGuWDNN7vYW64T-UP8_7uAR20HAAwOgR1e4ESZH/s320/IMG_5264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-91274976084625980702018-04-04T07:26:00.002-07:002018-04-04T07:26:38.367-07:00Cat Cay to Bimini We left Dania Beach Marina at daylight and slowly made our way out the shipping channel (Port Everglades) at Fort Lauderdale. Rocky -rolly with all the fishing boats, cruisers and Cruise Liners leaving but once we cleared the entrance marker, not too bad. There were swells coming from the north and a 10 knot wind on our nose but the Betsy handled it well enough to push the speed up to 16 knots and though somewhat choppy, even Spencer and Sophie settled in and seemed to enjoy the fresh breeze coming through the open side doors.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEWspx_nMQx4bO9hB8J353L6A8uL3GC2_980aQ73iyppCGbUM-z6pUOaYIV3tsiwPpULU2gNgllpRdQXBA3Ea5ZzJKHefk4a28qDMYswYutum_KWsX31thqwfFzou40qrrbWvat8CsU1j/s1600/IMG_5213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEWspx_nMQx4bO9hB8J353L6A8uL3GC2_980aQ73iyppCGbUM-z6pUOaYIV3tsiwPpULU2gNgllpRdQXBA3Ea5ZzJKHefk4a28qDMYswYutum_KWsX31thqwfFzou40qrrbWvat8CsU1j/s320/IMG_5213.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Two and a half hours into the crossing I looked down at the helm gauges and watched the pressure on my starboard transmission jump up to over 350 psi, jump around and stay high (occasionally locked hard over!) The port transmission was running at 250psi. Crap....I immediately cut back the throttles to run at 9 knots with minimal change in the transmission pressures. So!.....down in the engine room I go, while Beth took the helm....little did she know she would be at the helm for much more than "just a minute". I could see nothing amiss and the infrared temperature gun read 134 degrees on both transmissions. Needless to say I was worried about blowing a transmission hose or seals in the transmission, so we shut down the stbd motor and ran on one engine until we could get some place where we could work on the problem.<br />
Nauseated and dizzy from rolling around in the engine room and trying to get our navigation system functioning so that Beth could avoid the container ships traveling across in front of us in the shipping lane, I had to lie down. Waves of dizziness and nausea swept over my profusely sweating face as Sophie tried to help by licking my cheek. When the nausea started to pass I would go back up to the helm to help a very nervous Admiral.<br />
Running on one engine caused us to be out in the gulf stream an hour longer but we made it into Cat Cay, tied up at the fuel dock, gathered all the paperwork Beth had painstakingly prepared and rode in a golf cart with the Dock Master to the Customs and Immigration to get cleared in. $440.00 lighter including cruising/fishing permit and "tips", ( but still nauseated) we anchored out just west of the flight path for the air landing field and waited for "Lucky One" to clear and anchor nearby.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5seJajFsNa9wBGYMY4aRbUOBZATszbGCRc8z630JIa-GTfDVyVpo7qXzuCRfHFqS0LB3orAcEvDsUw1QKC_L8OuMsXVf9areLwbDADmL_J_M3DMWXY8-nRjNt7Qxvj00-o-qnWOKHGf1/s1600/IMG_5217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5seJajFsNa9wBGYMY4aRbUOBZATszbGCRc8z630JIa-GTfDVyVpo7qXzuCRfHFqS0LB3orAcEvDsUw1QKC_L8OuMsXVf9areLwbDADmL_J_M3DMWXY8-nRjNt7Qxvj00-o-qnWOKHGf1/s320/IMG_5217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7IaSV_LNmPx09OVyHTAag8scvrJ1FWFs-HMa870e-m2zl6FUlG8pMWQkT9KFRU6IRSTgq6O7HzoggoSPhFzQGkXcQG2oNpbWmNnvp3_8F7A4f204YJFM1Xj3bNJWYa-6IL_vIcXqvxWO/s1600/IMG_5235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7IaSV_LNmPx09OVyHTAag8scvrJ1FWFs-HMa870e-m2zl6FUlG8pMWQkT9KFRU6IRSTgq6O7HzoggoSPhFzQGkXcQG2oNpbWmNnvp3_8F7A4f204YJFM1Xj3bNJWYa-6IL_vIcXqvxWO/s320/IMG_5235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY11UqDrWjqrRmnvQtI9ynJvRywUcNCM9Ap8yiUrvAVX4CjazZ9U1EGRNc_YZyz9E27Ph83ffIKVBtSEDvnI2pVlUEFZ01O1-xdYMGlUyL_jEfPZ5uXJwALF75UNLYrxiCExB7WR1SCyo/s1600/IMG_5219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKY11UqDrWjqrRmnvQtI9ynJvRywUcNCM9Ap8yiUrvAVX4CjazZ9U1EGRNc_YZyz9E27Ph83ffIKVBtSEDvnI2pVlUEFZ01O1-xdYMGlUyL_jEfPZ5uXJwALF75UNLYrxiCExB7WR1SCyo/s320/IMG_5219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Quarantine Flag until we clear customs<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94YCi5z2yqikEiHJ6TuNK4scow4HShw9Vpq2yMU6R9Y2hq_-Ykk4B3MV1Tjcrhf8AmvqtLl336so2W4RwTgwvKSzTbdMYVZg90tXnJ4Tj4R9y2QAA63-Cg4EW1e4rhhiJFLeB0uXVdReQ/s1600/IMG_5242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi94YCi5z2yqikEiHJ6TuNK4scow4HShw9Vpq2yMU6R9Y2hq_-Ykk4B3MV1Tjcrhf8AmvqtLl336so2W4RwTgwvKSzTbdMYVZg90tXnJ4Tj4R9y2QAA63-Cg4EW1e4rhhiJFLeB0uXVdReQ/s320/IMG_5242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Bahamas Flag <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHybeL4j4ThkJdoarKKpIgc9i0evcCDze-9sPh4RIIWph7KfRkyd1ESav0nzDNM9QFCAMiGto0dNohO8T2MPko3F6EY6ovoF1NFB3joRev-_1fpGNaVOZ0b-l_yPdbnPGNY1j5gYHntYvg/s1600/IMG_5223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHybeL4j4ThkJdoarKKpIgc9i0evcCDze-9sPh4RIIWph7KfRkyd1ESav0nzDNM9QFCAMiGto0dNohO8T2MPko3F6EY6ovoF1NFB3joRev-_1fpGNaVOZ0b-l_yPdbnPGNY1j5gYHntYvg/s320/IMG_5223.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Anchored off Cat Cay<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ-_cxeJLh3YcA_QhIdBXHL3t-HcvcM9Iqp6pX41QXanlagRI_r16coMuclq6lZb4Z1y8TuPb2j7yT2vL7d-d51ndAyIisRy4rREc12_1AYDLxlXBsHn8OhmepuS6BjmnBclA-JFFlc8Q/s1600/IMG_5224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ-_cxeJLh3YcA_QhIdBXHL3t-HcvcM9Iqp6pX41QXanlagRI_r16coMuclq6lZb4Z1y8TuPb2j7yT2vL7d-d51ndAyIisRy4rREc12_1AYDLxlXBsHn8OhmepuS6BjmnBclA-JFFlc8Q/s320/IMG_5224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Captain Ralph in the water with starfish. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw979CdcCZwli8xMLT16689FAGgjmeZksxiWW1EaSCNutFTTr4H8Ot8an_qhZIMxU0eVqQz1TYNGk_f-tM0NwPbrXsFNL13rcq4LKiF3sAIG0GX13yUkXiuRidX8OJK8shJQU8uCa_5NZ/s1600/IMG_5216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw979CdcCZwli8xMLT16689FAGgjmeZksxiWW1EaSCNutFTTr4H8Ot8an_qhZIMxU0eVqQz1TYNGk_f-tM0NwPbrXsFNL13rcq4LKiF3sAIG0GX13yUkXiuRidX8OJK8shJQU8uCa_5NZ/s320/IMG_5216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
They had mechanical problems as well with water and oil leaks from the starboard engine. Huen has attempted repairs on these and had two different mechanics assure him "Everything fixed" but it appears he is going to have to tackle the repairs himself. Nevertheless, he and Linda seem to be in good spirits and accepting of their issues.<br />
The wind came up from the east and all the anchored boats banged, bounced, rolled and hobby-horsed all night long. I was so dizzy in the morning I had to hang on to tables, counter tops, hand holds just to move from the stateroom to the couch.....and the boat wasn't even moving...UGH! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAViDFq0RpJIuOIoRr2RNLJAtiFOWJHAfSqKpac9eKBiyUy06gwDS1eO1y5xu6z9h2Mvc0N-3qMJVK4VvrlGokZjqpk3yzaI-9KQsVmM0cpcFGar6XT_jIwXTY98VGGLaGXx8s2-IBlS_/s1600/IMG_5246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAViDFq0RpJIuOIoRr2RNLJAtiFOWJHAfSqKpac9eKBiyUy06gwDS1eO1y5xu6z9h2Mvc0N-3qMJVK4VvrlGokZjqpk3yzaI-9KQsVmM0cpcFGar6XT_jIwXTY98VGGLaGXx8s2-IBlS_/s320/IMG_5246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We hauled anchor in the morning and headed to the closest port where we might be able to fix our mechanical problems... Bimini. As we came back out the Gun Cay pass, there sat several yachts and sail boats slowly bobbing on the lee side (down wind side ) of the island. Crap!...first Bahamas lesson learned. For a comfortable night at anchor, get on the downwind side of an island.<br />
The cruise up to Bimini was only about 10 miles but our transmission pressures didn't improve, so we retained a slip at Blue Water Marina for a much needed rest and recovery from sea sickness.<br />
Bimini is a beautiful island from the water side. Calm turquoise water, brightly painted boats and white sand. You sink up to your ankles in the soft sand on the Florida side beach and it is scattered with different colored conch shells. The shallow water slowly swept in and out, but a surge surprised all of us, soaking our shorts and drowning Huen's shoes with wet sand. I couldn't contain my laughter when I saw the surprised look on his face. Unperturbed, he slogged his way down the beach and back to the boat without a whimper.<br />
The girls gleefully picked up conch shells, discarding one when they found a bigger or better colored one. They finally settled on the one they were going to keep and we headed back to the boat.<br />
The Island folk are polite and friendly and the marina is tidy, has clean bathrooms and is a bargain at $1.00/foot. They charge .75 cents/ gallon for water and 7.5% VAT but all in all it is a comparable price to what we paid in Dania Beach. The rest of the town though, is dirty, dilapidated, and obviously not well respected by its inhabitants. There are no side walks along the very narrow streets down which golf carts careen , the drivers concentrating more on their cell phones than on the traffic. The street is littered with plastic cup, straws, paper and garbage. Malodorous fumes waft from the garbage that is piled up on street corners and littered between buildings.<br />
Remnants of a more glorious past exist in the burnt buildings (Hemingway's) and the boarded up hotels and enclaves that line the beaches, but I suspect those times will not return until the island folk clean up their act and show some pride in their island.<br />
I remember when this happened in Antigua. From my childhood, I can remember that Antigua was the winter vacation destination for my Canadian relatives. When the Antiguans began to resent the tourists, treating them with disrespect and having riots, the tourists stopped coming. The Island folks suffered greatly with a depressed economy. Beth and I visited there several years ago and things had changed. We were welcomed with open arms. The Island was clean, tidy and reasonably priced. We will go back there. We will be unlikely to return to Bimini for anything other than a "waiting for good weather stopover."<br />
A call to Justin at Huckins Yacht in Jacksonville led us to the solution of our transmission worries. He suggested we get a mechanical gauge to measure the pressures directly at the transmissions....VOILA! The readings for the pressures were right where they should be. The electrical gauges were incorrect! Now I know the 250 psi rating is actually 325 psi. Cleaning up the electrical connections solved the high pressure reading.<br />
We will be leaving Blue Water marina today to snorkel the wreck Sapona and later anchor out at Honeymoon Harbor ( maybe relive our honeymoon...if I don't get sea sick!!) Tomorrow, its on across the Bahamas Bank to Chub Cay in the Berry Islands.<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-67781293881048852262018-03-30T18:15:00.000-07:002018-03-31T02:33:31.670-07:00It's Time! We cross the Gulf Stream Tomorrow....I think! The weather gods are smiling upon us!<br />
We have been keeping a sharp eye on the winds/waves and gulf stream activity and it would seem tomorrow will be a good time to attempt to cross to the Bahamas.<br />
For you boaters who haven't discovered it yet there is a great AP called "Windy" which uses NOAA weather data in a unique format that allows you to visualize the wind/wave/swell weather patterns. No more iso bar lines to try an interpret. It will even pattern clouds/sea surface temperature in a visual way. I have been following it for a couple of weeks and a week ago it predicted 2 foot waves and winds less than 8 knots for this saturday....Tomorrow! The prediction hasn't changed for a whole week and checking on the NOAA site confirmed the prediction.<br />
We have all major systems functional and Beth has charged up every electronic appliance. She has our passports, dogs vet papers, all listed in duplicate along with the entrance cruising fees neatly filed in a binder for the customs and immigration, and most importantly has every nook and cranny filled with Bacardis, Tullymore Dew, Gin, Vodka, french wine, Coors banquet beer and girly man beer....coors light....(Oh!...and of course some food.) Yes.....There will be a p.a.r.t.y in the Bahamas!<br />
Excited and ready to say goodby to Dania Beach, we plan on leaving at daybreak.<br />
Since we don't know when we will have wifi connection to up load the blog and pics the posts may be somewhat spotty. However you can always see where we are by clicking on "Spot" at the top of the blog. You can even get a google picture of our location.<br />
We will keep you posted!<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-51242207700029681262018-03-28T08:46:00.000-07:002018-03-28T08:46:27.907-07:00Dania Beach Dania Beach municipal marina is nicely located on the ICW just south of Fort Lauderdale and immediately north of Hollywood, Fl. We easily passed under the reported 17 ft bridge to find much taller boats inside. These boats entered at low tide (4 ft depth) which allowed them 20 ft clearance, or maybe they were here before the bridge was built! Some of them looked like they hadn't been moved in a very long time. A majority of them were live aboards.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRyeSLdh3hcztX9x7zPj_gcuMy5mQ66q46igMYZiuBTMPgb7uzl3Z-qEPuvKfJXKMzZ9RSCHG0gNucThPLhbpZttZfFysKkgG8SofwFnisCU4ehBgtDPZNSORoMDhJvHnGUfJmYowPz1q/s1600/IMG_5195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRyeSLdh3hcztX9x7zPj_gcuMy5mQ66q46igMYZiuBTMPgb7uzl3Z-qEPuvKfJXKMzZ9RSCHG0gNucThPLhbpZttZfFysKkgG8SofwFnisCU4ehBgtDPZNSORoMDhJvHnGUfJmYowPz1q/s320/IMG_5195.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Lucky One at Dania Beach Marina on Whiskey Creek<br />
<br />
We eased into a t-head slip next to a 50 foot Hatteras that sunk during the storm Irma. Avoiding the surrounding water boom, we tied up and struggled with three different corroded electrical connections before we found adequate power, then settled in on the aft deck for the celebratory arrival cocktail.<br />
Slowly perusing the boats and marina, we noted that some of the boats were in disrepair, the docks were floating docks and all had locked gates for security....except for ours! We were on a courtesy dock that allowed local boaters to come in and tie up gratis, so they could visit the local restaurant "The Quarterdeck" and the Atlantic side beach located directly across the parking lot from us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVueDelalXy-PtMPVIxoJV1zTQzewDgS3AgW5Y3jXK9UBQivru3EJwvV33g5hOTbt6rkGlugkBGB5Ku_SFEbgRkSqXqOlG1r_JMqFwo6z8NbRT9X6uzZKciU-mh1MvfXjN1T9f3SMTsqUN/s1600/IMG_5201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVueDelalXy-PtMPVIxoJV1zTQzewDgS3AgW5Y3jXK9UBQivru3EJwvV33g5hOTbt6rkGlugkBGB5Ku_SFEbgRkSqXqOlG1r_JMqFwo6z8NbRT9X6uzZKciU-mh1MvfXjN1T9f3SMTsqUN/s320/IMG_5201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Dania Beach Pier<br />
<br />
Wow, a great location! This being the stomping grounds for the Lucky One crew (actually where they first met), we had connections with the manager who saved us two slips on the courtesy dock. At $1.50/ft/day it is also the cheapest slip in the area and as a bonus we had fuel delivered by truck at a super rate of $2.77/gal (again the cheapest in the area!)<br />
The Quarterdeck restaurant has excellent food serving Maine Lobster on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The service is excellent. I noticed that even on a table of 6, the waiters and waitresses never once wrote down the orders and I never saw an incorrect order!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pvBhL4MeriNOh-6MNZoJT4lYdZBHHu2wB04bB1tlZIOKTy6siTMgVEbTakpMBUGkPMeTE19fKffAKwdgc9Xa7lOP2zmjMrC-TsJChRyoXPPdfyvn-aqsT_l05WH6n-yXGA4MPOyJOG-n/s1600/IMG_5197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pvBhL4MeriNOh-6MNZoJT4lYdZBHHu2wB04bB1tlZIOKTy6siTMgVEbTakpMBUGkPMeTE19fKffAKwdgc9Xa7lOP2zmjMrC-TsJChRyoXPPdfyvn-aqsT_l05WH6n-yXGA4MPOyJOG-n/s320/IMG_5197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPDwg8dl1qiyNeeSBBaWpxi17Iu87vykb34_9pG_gKT3UiusOvJV0IA2cw1uZqpT8x6kOl6qAu7NDar-SEmH-UaiVcVe59gTEYFm9_Qq2J_d8qFBq0-mj7-BW0xjbbrKLjO6Ifjc8gYY4/s1600/IMG_0334%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPDwg8dl1qiyNeeSBBaWpxi17Iu87vykb34_9pG_gKT3UiusOvJV0IA2cw1uZqpT8x6kOl6qAu7NDar-SEmH-UaiVcVe59gTEYFm9_Qq2J_d8qFBq0-mj7-BW0xjbbrKLjO6Ifjc8gYY4/s1600/IMG_0334%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdmghZ0B9CTvUbKs4RL1P0MkHGuI_k1N1XvIsYfnDe3EovAxM4hhVLi6yGqPtDD0W6_VdVeaqAEh9iMAkKPYlPE168x6w-QrbgWz2Eg13FNzFp-0ZnaEmzrjzFjVt26hx3uHgylxVwyq5/s1600/IMG_5189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibdmghZ0B9CTvUbKs4RL1P0MkHGuI_k1N1XvIsYfnDe3EovAxM4hhVLi6yGqPtDD0W6_VdVeaqAEh9iMAkKPYlPE168x6w-QrbgWz2Eg13FNzFp-0ZnaEmzrjzFjVt26hx3uHgylxVwyq5/s320/IMG_5189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrgeWKmQbKIRC2_ilqDqk4XxwuVIB_pTyl-NstP6W1kA0MGKnMjgXWD9g2fvoiKnST_Lp7eGMKKBrRc8MgtNLMMN4Gk5fDjO-FRKcKmfRgPjxGvs3HKoa2F_9AXsD7cCHpKEsdB90jT0a/s1600/IMG_5192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrgeWKmQbKIRC2_ilqDqk4XxwuVIB_pTyl-NstP6W1kA0MGKnMjgXWD9g2fvoiKnST_Lp7eGMKKBrRc8MgtNLMMN4Gk5fDjO-FRKcKmfRgPjxGvs3HKoa2F_9AXsD7cCHpKEsdB90jT0a/s320/IMG_5192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The beach was raked daily providing an optimum vantage point for viewing the large cruise ships gliding out of Port Everglades. We fantasized about their destinations wondering when we will get a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream and live our own adventure.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3hmkXINXUixAPJvlym50z7a8NWyTmj8Zc0H0BIFoqswmJyCq_UROrotbtndLnH7BybIFdQ6UaCK-DfElatU5j8MkfGNNlXH4cGJTIwrWfDgGkRe1e_tShaisKiVgqze-Rc6YP_pW0qhs/s1600/IMG_0342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1455" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3hmkXINXUixAPJvlym50z7a8NWyTmj8Zc0H0BIFoqswmJyCq_UROrotbtndLnH7BybIFdQ6UaCK-DfElatU5j8MkfGNNlXH4cGJTIwrWfDgGkRe1e_tShaisKiVgqze-Rc6YP_pW0qhs/s320/IMG_0342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Dania Beach Waves <br />
<br />
"In the meantime I will launch the dingy and go for a row." I thought. <br />
"No!" said the Gods." Your davit wheel will not turn. It is seized in place. You will take the next 3 days to use a hammer and chisel to massacre the wheel into freedom, and another day to take a grinder and cutter to widen the davit to allow another wheel (sheve) to freely spin in place!"<br />
Plugging in the ac cord to run the davit winch, I watched as the dingy slowly lifted off the cradle. Once cleared, I pushed the davit to the side until the dingy was free to ease down into the water when it happened. Half way down, the motor suddenly stopped. Quickly I jumped below to reset the circuit breakers and tried again.....crap! No go!<br />
After repeatedly using short blasts between circuit breaker failures I managed to get "Lil Betsy" secured back up into her cradle and began the task of figuring out what was tripping the breakers. Smoke coming from the davit motor pointed to the problem. The motor had a short circuit.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8guHsjhvsDFbbuxGT-JZgd8NirEfHj18TobdstlZ8aZbv1VeuSuIQkVSCHrSfOGFMBrK3Aa_NzykAk6eza0UUwswEWo3vtC5rrfA_atXzSCU1emvBktPNIW5Z7LO1e23fZGx6wm6AILVJ/s1600/IMG_5194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8guHsjhvsDFbbuxGT-JZgd8NirEfHj18TobdstlZ8aZbv1VeuSuIQkVSCHrSfOGFMBrK3Aa_NzykAk6eza0UUwswEWo3vtC5rrfA_atXzSCU1emvBktPNIW5Z7LO1e23fZGx6wm6AILVJ/s320/IMG_5194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
"ENOUGH!", I screamed. "I'm going to fix this thing once and for all."<br />
Huen, captain and owner of "Lucky One", grinned when I said I'm going to put a hand mechanical winch on and forget the electrical crap.<br />
Smiling he said, "I don't think you are going to like cranking that dingy up in the wind but I will help you install whatever you decide on. It would be easy to run wires from your boat batteries and use a 12 volt winch."<br />
For Huen it would be easy, but for me it is just something else for me to screw up and I am trying to simplify my boating life. A mechanical winch is cheap and if its not working I can always go back to an electric winch. However, we found an ac powered winch at Harbor Freight for half the price of the usual ac winch and with my help, Huen had it installed in an hour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky27H9BjjT2rur1gvy0aAWTz_v7ao2sx4uEwrS3Ise-SxvblWnSByNbXktlEz5Uq_7QhRaQvFiW_GJxUvDtaP1qeNrQxLoBm-kq9ccabBfDVaqhW25Casx6eSvWmye51QPd6a65Bdol_r/s1600/IMG_6921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky27H9BjjT2rur1gvy0aAWTz_v7ao2sx4uEwrS3Ise-SxvblWnSByNbXktlEz5Uq_7QhRaQvFiW_GJxUvDtaP1qeNrQxLoBm-kq9ccabBfDVaqhW25Casx6eSvWmye51QPd6a65Bdol_r/s320/IMG_6921.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Maybe the Gods were smiling upon me. If this had happened in the Bahamas, no doubt I would have had difficulty finding parts or had to wait to have things shipped over from the U.S.A. More importantly, not being able to launch the dingy is a safety issue in the event of an emergency.<br />
I have been very fortunate during my boating years to know people who are much more mechanically inclined then I. My brother in laws "The Dannies", Tom Dupre, and my good friend Huen.<br />
The contrast in our thought process is interesting. Huen and the Dannies will tackle any repair.<br />
Huen's comment is, "It's already broken so why not try to fix it ourselves!"<br />
In my world we were taught, "Primum non nocere"...first do no harm! Excellent guidance for the medical field, but it has made me very leery to tackle any job that I am not absolutely sure how to fix.<br />
It is also one of the reasons that in my 40 year medical career, I have never been involved in a law suit. Don't misunderstand me. I have made errors and mistakes but with discussing possible complications before a procedure; prompt honest admission of mistakes; and thorough discussion of what should be done in the event of an untoward event, my patients have endeared themselves to me and have not been inclined to include me any any lawsuits.<br />
While I'm on a rant let me add that now that I am retired and had time to reflect on why I have never been sued, I recognized that a major factor was manipulation on my part to work as infrequently as possible with surgeons and colleagues who in my opinion were not at the top of their game, or tended to blame things that went wrong, on everybody but themselves. It has always been evident to me that those who cannot admit they have made errors are unable or unwilling to learn and strengthen their skills.<br />
I chose to work with colleagues who were professional, polite, and enjoyed a pleasant operating room atmosphere with everyone in the OR suite. An operating room often is very stressful, but in my experience it has been the surgeon who is confident in his skills and is able to maintain a collegial atmosphere in the operating room who routinely gets the fewest complications and the best outcomes.<br />
We are still waiting for a weather window to cross to the Bahamas and it looks like next Saturday may be the day. In preparation, Beth continues to provision the boat and to the relief of Beth and the family we have installed a boarding ladder in the "unlikely" event that someone should fall in the water!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-CY3QLBcvrsELw1PE1XmPptBCe00ltIUZspYOJVmwOO9q8y6ln_uEWJcH-5vccEsfw4VT8qEtlWEIQuJCGKi6Dg-0YHJHI26RpECsra4Lz5H5TFBnwfnDE4B-D-_MwnXb4jzNTGP22W0/s1600/IMG_5206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-CY3QLBcvrsELw1PE1XmPptBCe00ltIUZspYOJVmwOO9q8y6ln_uEWJcH-5vccEsfw4VT8qEtlWEIQuJCGKi6Dg-0YHJHI26RpECsra4Lz5H5TFBnwfnDE4B-D-_MwnXb4jzNTGP22W0/s320/IMG_5206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
(Admirals Note) Captain forgot to mention refrigerator started acting up so immediate run to Best Buy while we had the rental car and replaced with new Frigidaire. At this rate we will have a new boat if this keeps up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h-CGYkFlWqpopsJfVj_iqJ0Sl0k7ER6U8FRrGUq5xFtdgAHga-rF05KThe4TdrFEn40xJFhWpPlEhUxMsGVsUB5AILN-otooEgxqvWwTl2nC9fU9mBEtgRjZjz8ka_JI5hc0GdKu2mg9/s1600/IMG_5208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0h-CGYkFlWqpopsJfVj_iqJ0Sl0k7ER6U8FRrGUq5xFtdgAHga-rF05KThe4TdrFEn40xJFhWpPlEhUxMsGVsUB5AILN-otooEgxqvWwTl2nC9fU9mBEtgRjZjz8ka_JI5hc0GdKu2mg9/s320/IMG_5208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
New refrigerator.....may need some help with the molding... Nick?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQZOULX0DEFWtWCk65BGCtpmphflP9JsnoHLy2ED6-z1HneWtc0CIeqb5aAx0vc93epqkA0fH996LNSHm90rHtH43WKnrbzrkSrnbWtncX3SfRIHQm8U7tAq5O6ea4HHLoh9wHvuLQtBp/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQZOULX0DEFWtWCk65BGCtpmphflP9JsnoHLy2ED6-z1HneWtc0CIeqb5aAx0vc93epqkA0fH996LNSHm90rHtH43WKnrbzrkSrnbWtncX3SfRIHQm8U7tAq5O6ea4HHLoh9wHvuLQtBp/s320/IMG_5205.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Broken Seal on old refrigerator.....nothing a lock could not fix. Great drink refrigerator for the Islands.<br /> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-81159065922512145372018-03-19T05:14:00.001-07:002018-03-28T06:51:06.273-07:00St. Augustine to Dania Beach "Where are you guys?" was the exasperated text Beth got from her sister Susie.<br />
We immediately realized that we haven't been keeping up with the blog. We have been so involved with learning the new navigation system (Simrad), learning the anomalies of the new boat, repairing things that we screwed up, and touring St. Augustine, that it has consumed our attention.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFoF6h8ZJkQPHEnN_7Lc29sz4F7D8p_U4kxNtAvf7HOxD_IqH5oPaeMfotyPvMZVeHE41wMTPMM_0PKm2eHAkGbA9CCu2w-bzRHCQmR5gbF_U3cYToxp1nV4vj4Yo8jkB8gpJ7UvQ7zxf/s1600/IMG_5132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFoF6h8ZJkQPHEnN_7Lc29sz4F7D8p_U4kxNtAvf7HOxD_IqH5oPaeMfotyPvMZVeHE41wMTPMM_0PKm2eHAkGbA9CCu2w-bzRHCQmR5gbF_U3cYToxp1nV4vj4Yo8jkB8gpJ7UvQ7zxf/s320/IMG_5132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Maiden Voyage "Lil Betsy"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqULX_EM35Izg2a2WohK9UkGUyUONqgW3uF_JNb2VyqB5dy0qkt4738cmjrQggENdKHNQMw0sk1sUW9OMSFar_c69kGpmd8tm0qmFqbBh53HVAYKrnRU2VloEvXZhc4q0uKPBv-lgr1oWS/s1600/IMG_5133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqULX_EM35Izg2a2WohK9UkGUyUONqgW3uF_JNb2VyqB5dy0qkt4738cmjrQggENdKHNQMw0sk1sUW9OMSFar_c69kGpmd8tm0qmFqbBh53HVAYKrnRU2VloEvXZhc4q0uKPBv-lgr1oWS/s320/IMG_5133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Happy Hour on "Betsy"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKjmafyZtuEYpvrE5qNVhBoq3T62cGE-0bOECdzOt8d4ZraAEg0xyDGTR9wNyyRyZyeEzcbJgxXW9atfcnmETEY25h7aG4KOBwjFxSI9ik3BH6B7KcGV6-4O5qXUvpVLCfvhHL_xKfoKB/s1600/IMG_5136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKjmafyZtuEYpvrE5qNVhBoq3T62cGE-0bOECdzOt8d4ZraAEg0xyDGTR9wNyyRyZyeEzcbJgxXW9atfcnmETEY25h7aG4KOBwjFxSI9ik3BH6B7KcGV6-4O5qXUvpVLCfvhHL_xKfoKB/s320/IMG_5136.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Touring "Alahambra" St. Augustine.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnc68cS8gqvfIB7VV4jyM6OB-kGI-xdK031RUgsLtmzekdQjWiVX2fJ3Aa3nJA-hWwEWheLDnm0nA0zpmgoCqSaE33svEzIzswud004s30Pp_EFx7lOm1Lzsnre6Mh1-0FWdMGMaK_B_y/s1600/IMG_5147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnc68cS8gqvfIB7VV4jyM6OB-kGI-xdK031RUgsLtmzekdQjWiVX2fJ3Aa3nJA-hWwEWheLDnm0nA0zpmgoCqSaE33svEzIzswud004s30Pp_EFx7lOm1Lzsnre6Mh1-0FWdMGMaK_B_y/s320/IMG_5147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Needed to warm up. St Augustine 58 degrees<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvULth4_GNCqpr7h2xb3n6x7eMjS9JCiXptYjVYVeXPVKiYypu92xug15A3OuScogkT9a-RJeGybJYBuHgH1z8zBnacFu9w2pAeX1tt210W6yy8cX7NUITv513fsYrUzvzwSbBd5mWMAAE/s1600/fullsizeoutput_11bb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvULth4_GNCqpr7h2xb3n6x7eMjS9JCiXptYjVYVeXPVKiYypu92xug15A3OuScogkT9a-RJeGybJYBuHgH1z8zBnacFu9w2pAeX1tt210W6yy8cX7NUITv513fsYrUzvzwSbBd5mWMAAE/s320/fullsizeoutput_11bb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The Simrad navigation system provides excellent viewing of bottom depth, contour and whatever is swimming below the boat. The radar is intuitive and the forward scanner has already prevented one of the biggest problems we had with Doc's Holiday...dinging the props in shallow water! However, the navigation system is definitely not intuitive and a far cry from the Nobeltec system that we were very comfortable with after using it for 15 years. I hope with further experience to get comfortable with this new system, but as of this moment I still don't know how to get numbers for bottom depth or have the boat follow a course on auto pilot. This may be a software issue with using the Navionics charts that I just haven't learned yet so we will be working on that over the next few days.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh927-UIXdg6mv9HjRoUTI138ZlJDHWxVP44UXWNSUpqDZkPlyDzd_RkZFvJrYgmSugVjkdBMONvALdpZbmIEvrmMhjrbIjwmSUcffyrs_mRMKsZhVq3AVDe6B3Jmkpo0Ur2D2xHC2lR9ir/s1600/wHbcHBpSRRa%2525SWLO4KY%25252w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh927-UIXdg6mv9HjRoUTI138ZlJDHWxVP44UXWNSUpqDZkPlyDzd_RkZFvJrYgmSugVjkdBMONvALdpZbmIEvrmMhjrbIjwmSUcffyrs_mRMKsZhVq3AVDe6B3Jmkpo0Ur2D2xHC2lR9ir/s320/wHbcHBpSRRa%2525SWLO4KY%25252w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
"Travis Hardware" in Cocoa Village. Great entertainment and a lot of stuff. A must see!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4Un3ZGK-puxisQbA50S8mfBRemuJ8omz5uSX8UtAtNE1XSbDG7oJcmHHFwlVSebWu7R6YgrIuII_BKLWkGG8lvgzf22XPNZfeqdDD2FM6yh150n_UVQKDANXqKm1y42tCT6VitOViS69/s1600/KvsjWa9HQ1SaGV1tWe1%2525DA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4Un3ZGK-puxisQbA50S8mfBRemuJ8omz5uSX8UtAtNE1XSbDG7oJcmHHFwlVSebWu7R6YgrIuII_BKLWkGG8lvgzf22XPNZfeqdDD2FM6yh150n_UVQKDANXqKm1y42tCT6VitOViS69/s320/KvsjWa9HQ1SaGV1tWe1%2525DA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-MhR0kWOinmzQOsavDSokSMMTiE6d6MSSFu7mUMj6Onu7T4M9GWpcEaFKcNEq90DPy7-ntLU28cQYeP0cg4gqUKRl8tGxLK3fQyc2Qq2XcLRipmIwHPxylKZl9-MPG-ELvnjluylmjLt/s1600/IMG_5154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-MhR0kWOinmzQOsavDSokSMMTiE6d6MSSFu7mUMj6Onu7T4M9GWpcEaFKcNEq90DPy7-ntLU28cQYeP0cg4gqUKRl8tGxLK3fQyc2Qq2XcLRipmIwHPxylKZl9-MPG-ELvnjluylmjLt/s320/IMG_5154.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Cocoa Beach with "Lucky One"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_XE126tpdjt4D1SRm3uB6XXOjxZzVCXSLOoSzs9bEyEAQSDic9DPBeqbmm0S_PfzLTIG0WlM6W9OsAjDTB0DKoIgEHxjaxkGmdJC0LLl-uRu_PXAsGWRq_SIzxnIXIoZaxI2FhZ0FRdB/s1600/IMG_5157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_XE126tpdjt4D1SRm3uB6XXOjxZzVCXSLOoSzs9bEyEAQSDic9DPBeqbmm0S_PfzLTIG0WlM6W9OsAjDTB0DKoIgEHxjaxkGmdJC0LLl-uRu_PXAsGWRq_SIzxnIXIoZaxI2FhZ0FRdB/s320/IMG_5157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Linda at the helm of "Lucky One" <br />
<br />
We managed to get the boat to Vero Beach and rented a mooring ball for less than <br />
$20.00/night. This allowed us to see how the generator was going to behave and forced us into learning how to launch "Lil Betsy"; see if we could row her comfortably (not fall out of it when launching and returning); and saved us the $100/night slip fee.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoiwXNzEPhbnfa9ozRIt3LPpWQgnXM4LKtMU4Ucd4AIEhyphenhyphen6_O5QTamONL9U7DJwod8SF2n7K72rn6iTyFiJ3w67tqOc1hY5NEllv0RA06fwCjnCsKcPwVL0zZvcRcEI_6sgl77y48j39Q/s1600/IMG_5162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoiwXNzEPhbnfa9ozRIt3LPpWQgnXM4LKtMU4Ucd4AIEhyphenhyphen6_O5QTamONL9U7DJwod8SF2n7K72rn6iTyFiJ3w67tqOc1hY5NEllv0RA06fwCjnCsKcPwVL0zZvcRcEI_6sgl77y48j39Q/s320/IMG_5162.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Buddies doing their morning workout. Vero Beach Mooring.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABoo_EQDh5scN0dkylV8N7POZ1TMGHLAAjgkkAPvODAbjaUBS459pf50BxheiI2-lcC2b0uV6xKvQATMDvSZE7gDV5yiAqBuxyT0RsA272vAHap5K7bcyXU1rc8pUghuzQIhefzkD0v1i/s1600/IMG_5167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABoo_EQDh5scN0dkylV8N7POZ1TMGHLAAjgkkAPvODAbjaUBS459pf50BxheiI2-lcC2b0uV6xKvQATMDvSZE7gDV5yiAqBuxyT0RsA272vAHap5K7bcyXU1rc8pUghuzQIhefzkD0v1i/s320/IMG_5167.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a more economical way to cruise the southeast coast of Florida but I estimate the cost of running the generator at about 1 gal/hr for 6 hrs/day (average since it is not hot yet) at 6x $2.70/gal at $16.62 plus the cost of maintaining the equipment.<br />
In our case it exposed another lack of maintenance issue. The wheel at the tip of the davit (over which the cable runs) was seized up and put a load on the winch motor resulting in tripping and burning up the ground fault plug in the galley.<br />
Trying to replace the plug led to the following scenario: a $30.00 taxi ride to the local hardware store to purchase a $20.00 ground fault wall plug which kept clicking off when the boat was on the inverter; which resulted in moving the boat to another marina that had an open slip at $120/night, so the electrician could replace the plug and check out the wiring system to make sure there were no other wires that were burnt; which also resulted in our having to remove our new Isotherm freezer; which resulted in a broken compressor line and total loss of freon; which resulted in renting an SUV for the 4 hour round trip drive to get it to the manufacturer in Pompano beach for repair.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTO4yvO9XZVprM28BJSrKYjJDCMlswf5TIvrhvycrc_B8cqiS8V-Wn9wQ9fk65M1RfEVnKseqB2AAfO003v5Ig4sn1mtCr8ubPI_du34Y-G8wTMFylicrQdn6YkQ2MbdFRKHQAseWqQG9/s1600/IMG_5207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTO4yvO9XZVprM28BJSrKYjJDCMlswf5TIvrhvycrc_B8cqiS8V-Wn9wQ9fk65M1RfEVnKseqB2AAfO003v5Ig4sn1mtCr8ubPI_du34Y-G8wTMFylicrQdn6YkQ2MbdFRKHQAseWqQG9/s320/IMG_5207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
New Isotherm Freezer!<br /> <br />
<br />
Frustrated, I decided to keep on moving the boat and we would pick up the freezer when we got down around around Fort Lauderdale. Beth of course was also exasperated with having to move all her nicely vacuum packed meat to a borrowed cooler.... and watching it thaw! ( we ate well over the next few days)<br />
So began our "Man overboard drill"!<br />
In a foul mood I unhooked the power cable, prepared the lines so Beth could release them from the boat, folded up the boarding stairs and placed them behind the rails, grabbed the rail and when I attempted to hoist myself up onto the boat.....slipped and hung on to the rail with one foot dangling in the water......and not enough upper body strength to hoist myself up!<br />
"Help! Beth Help! I cried, as I slipped slowly down into the water. By the time Beth heard me I was half way in and losing strength. Oh!....the things that go through your head when you know you are slipping and about to fall! My one overriding thought was..."Good thing this is from a boat and not the side of a bridge!" Clinging to the life ring Beth threw me, I found out just how hard it is to swim around to the back of the boat with clothes and shoes weighing me down. Hurrah! I made it to the swim platform then realized with a growing sick feeling in my stomach, that there was no boarding ladder and I didn't have enough arm strength left to push up onto the platform! Beth quickly rigged up a rope that I could pull up on and helped me get one leg up and roll onto the platform....thankfully it is close to the water. As I laid there catching my breath, I began to laugh at the foolishness of not having installed a boarding ladder and my laziness in not continuing to exercise to try and maintain the inevitable sarcopenia (loss of muscle ) that occurs with aging.<br />
A well deserved berating filled my ears for the next 45 minutes!<br />
The trevails of boating!<br />
The electric works fine when we are plugged in to shore power or when using the generator so it has something to do with running the inverter. To hell with it we were continuing on!<br />
We spent the next night at a marina in Boynton Beach. Up at dawn we continued down the ICW and it's many bridges to pass through Fort Lauderdale with it's luxurious water side homes to arrive at our current marina in Dania Beach.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSonfOsTJ5mIwQGLgo4paI5eux1m36A0Wv-8yd4TaYGnlOIkcZ9888U9m6vt1cAL7qalLIdkeSPxm0besDdahgcojqA2F_6pNvOBu0ZDhe5PKhG_z5hp0tnthORsvBO1xYEjNok8LJPhb/s1600/IMG_5177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSonfOsTJ5mIwQGLgo4paI5eux1m36A0Wv-8yd4TaYGnlOIkcZ9888U9m6vt1cAL7qalLIdkeSPxm0besDdahgcojqA2F_6pNvOBu0ZDhe5PKhG_z5hp0tnthORsvBO1xYEjNok8LJPhb/s320/IMG_5177.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Decisions, decisions, "Where do I sleep tonight?"<br />
<br />
Why the push?<br />
We needed to be in a place that had easy access to a marine and hardware store so we could repair the electric and the davit while waiting for an adequate weather window to cross to the Bahamas.<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-10914404953139902018-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:002018-03-29T03:26:40.338-07:00The Betsy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally we are starting our new journey with our now 6 month old Huckins which as you can see is not named Doc's Holiday. Beth's father ( Bob Brown) passed away at age 94. He was in reasonably good health and mentally sharp until 2 days prior to his demise when he began to feel unwell and passed away in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. There is no doubt that he would have passed much earlier if it hadn't of been for the excellent care provided by his son-in-law Danny Kennedy and wife Patty, and the relief help from the sisters Beth, Susie and Lori. In honor of Bob we named the boat before he passed after his nickname for Beth....hence "The Betsy." This brought a smile to his face when we told him over Skype as he shook his head and asked, "Do you have TV cameras taking your picture? How the hell can you see me?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgSCs7sQrXE8slxBGIsgigcUFECutGNvI5vQefmeHMJLrLjyM2T1Eg4zxKLTI3tlHTtoM3H8KjH8bi0FzG-hMkdSpYiLn6iIzOoZgCVuiLY1wfhunwPHGPFxgsrBbqYeRNhjzI-YxQwsd/s1600/Robert+M+Brown+8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimgSCs7sQrXE8slxBGIsgigcUFECutGNvI5vQefmeHMJLrLjyM2T1Eg4zxKLTI3tlHTtoM3H8KjH8bi0FzG-hMkdSpYiLn6iIzOoZgCVuiLY1wfhunwPHGPFxgsrBbqYeRNhjzI-YxQwsd/s1600/Robert+M+Brown+8.jpeg" /></a></div>
1960, Laddie, Betsy and Bob <br />
<br />
The boat has taken 6 months to put into shape before I would leave the yard. Basically we had Huckins put in brand new electronics (Simrad) which included radar, automatic pilot, depth finder , VHF, and forward looking scanner. This was expertly installed by a former navy trained tech named Dave who patiently took the time to show me not only the installation panel but explain how to use the equipment. Unfortunately, my aging brain didn't retain most of what he told me but I have the guides and You Tube to keep me on tract.<br />
Dave also replaced all the thru-hulls. Huckins replaced all 4 of the cutlass bearings; balanced the props, replaced the zincs, put on new windshield wipers, did the bottom job and assigned RJ and Jason to do the carpentry work. Lack of maintenance, like securing and recaulking the hand rails and properly rebedding the windows allowed water to run into the walls of the boat which basically caused the rot in a cedar closet, in the wall under the port side windows and the wood in the cockpit deck to become soft. Now all reconditioned I feel it is safe to take on the adventure and travails inherent in boating. These guys are experts at what they do, personable and take the time to explain why things should be done, give an estimate of the cost and answer any questions like, "What are the consequences of delaying this repair?" They stand behind their work. When one of our bimini enclosure doors was lost....no problem..they had a new one made, installed and the bimini reconfigured...at no charge. <br />
The beach shack was endlessly cleaned by Beth despite my question, "Why not clean it when we get back?" (After all 6 months waiting is a long time, unless of course you are pregnant! Then it is a short time!) Things are all a matter of perspective! We did not have to do much talking to convince friend Glenda Lane, (the retired nursing director of the operating room where I worked) to take care of the shack. Glenda is enjoying the beach sunsets and I hope a glass of wine or two in the evenings.<br />
Those who know us, followed the blog or read the book are aware, things hardly ever go really smooth for us in our adventures, so let me describe a couple of incidents that I know will bring a laugh to our friends and relatives.<br />
Tired of the problems with the inflatable dingy we used on Doc's Holiday (ie ethanol fuel crap that kept plugging up my motor, leaks in the pontoons etc. ) I decided to forgo an inflatable for Betsy and had a fiberglass dingy built. This dingy, called a Trinka was built in Vero Beach and was chosen because it is a rowing dingy, a sailing dingy and I purchased a propane motor just in case my rowing skills and sailing skills (which I will have to learn since I have never sailed!) let me down. So while they are refitting Betsy I decide, "Lets try er out!" Towing the new dingy (now named Lil Betsy) to a launch ramp I expertly backed the trailer down the ramp and half way in the water, climbed on to the side of the trailer and pushed Lil Betsy back until she was about 4/5 in the water. I should have stopped there and thought things through but no, I had an inspiration.....instead of pulling the dingy around to the dock, why not just jump in and row er around! OK! OK! I know what y'all are thinking....and your right....I sunk the damn thing without ever getting her off the trailer! My first lesson in dingy mechanics....they don't have a flat bottom. When I stepped into the front of the boat I instinctively put my hand down as she tipped, thus throwing all my weight on the side thus pushing it under water... and fell over board. Picture a guy hanging off the side of a 10 foot dingy with his arm trying to brace against the moss covered ramp with his head under water, thrashing to get his head out of the water to gasp for air and refusing to let go of his new dingy! Well, no dingy ride that day but I did get to do a lot of explaining when the Huckins folks saw a bedraggled sopping wet customer cleaning his new dingy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEfmIhNBi0qbRAFdYe7UPYShn5gILlEo-tngmbmD2JeiDFNtPMgb2Qn9dXeWLmcgy78HJk1sp8YNahqMb261-phPFLEg2YlCgu-fme73ilsKmYLvPzpkHM86vJZ8XTeTG1Vs_W017__4Z/s1600/IMG_20171212_115753_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEfmIhNBi0qbRAFdYe7UPYShn5gILlEo-tngmbmD2JeiDFNtPMgb2Qn9dXeWLmcgy78HJk1sp8YNahqMb261-phPFLEg2YlCgu-fme73ilsKmYLvPzpkHM86vJZ8XTeTG1Vs_W017__4Z/s320/IMG_20171212_115753_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
How is she going to handle with sails?? <br />
<br />
Just to keep the Huckins folks on their toes I had another yard adventure. Since there is no launch ramp for a trailer at the Huckins yard, the crew decided to launch our massive dingy with a yard mobile hoist. Several of the yard crew attended the launch including the owner Cindy Purcell. With lots of jokes and cajouling about the size of the lift versus the size of the dingy the launch was easily done, but I declined the offer to get aboard and one of the carpenters (Schwavek) offered to row the dingy around to the Betsy and help me lift her aboard with the davit. Things went smoothly with Schwavek expertly fitting Lil Betsy into the dingy chocks he built to hold her. As I deftly tried to get around the back of her to tie her down.....oops! I stepped on the canvas top instead of the hard top and fell through. With my cat like quickness and unbelievable strength I grabbed hold of the rugged stainless frame and hung there with one leg on top of the hard top one leg hanging down and my butt dangling in the air. There I was hanging with not enough strength to lift myself off and the yard boss PJ on the opposite dock frantically yelling "Are you ok! Are you hurt! Schwavek get underneath him and help him get off before he falls into the water!" "I could have got off by myself. I was laughing so hard I just didn't have the strength!" I somberly informed Beth. Her response, "Ya. Right!" I latter chastised PJ for not whipping out his camera and getting a picture for me to put on the blog.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVrqQQEGA_sHD4t3cpsxDEwzs8R83LH5DydkNljVTnynzwdQat0pLpdkUejkV_yqwn8xwS94CrBUIj7NRb3a-sGPXIOJifpffHSg3SW05jhCXCrmpwZU8u6moKMrzgGjeX0ETYZNtQtST/s1600/image000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVrqQQEGA_sHD4t3cpsxDEwzs8R83LH5DydkNljVTnynzwdQat0pLpdkUejkV_yqwn8xwS94CrBUIj7NRb3a-sGPXIOJifpffHSg3SW05jhCXCrmpwZU8u6moKMrzgGjeX0ETYZNtQtST/s1600/image000000.jpg" /></a></div>
Hmmmm....Ralph making a new escape hatch!!!!<br />
<br />
Finally, we get to start our adventure. Pulling out of the Huckins yard on February 28 we headed down the St. Johns River towards St. Augustine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD_nWCvB8_cvr_DAjhkD7EWKEUO_m4XFur5H4f6OXVOu3g08vc-_dG4swEEDcK2itVQsOGxMYlVt7hkY5SHTlnb4HK6XnWGhyPnESFK3kigKxj5REJNzOG1mzBHtOKhQ57j8S3YToA3jA/s1600/IMG_5113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLD_nWCvB8_cvr_DAjhkD7EWKEUO_m4XFur5H4f6OXVOu3g08vc-_dG4swEEDcK2itVQsOGxMYlVt7hkY5SHTlnb4HK6XnWGhyPnESFK3kigKxj5REJNzOG1mzBHtOKhQ57j8S3YToA3jA/s320/IMG_5113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Jacksonville....Betsy's home for the past 6 months.<br />
<br />
A warm sunny day with light winds, we glided through Jacksonville past the free docks ( one which had a Hooters restaurant right behind it...How did I miss this attraction in the last 6 months!) It's a wide and deep river with several boat yards, container port, cruise ship docks and navy docks. I pushed up the throttles to 2000 rpm and Betsy quickly came up on plane and stayed there at 1800 rpms and 18 knots. She was just what the other Huckins owners told me....she will handle well. We sat the dogs on the helm seats and opened the side doors so they could enjoy the breeze. They both sat upright with their noses held high sniffing the change from the river air to the salty sea air as we approached the inlet from the Atlantic and the entrance to the ICW. Once in the ICW our progress slowed, necessitated by the frequent small fishing boats and docks that we passed, and our one delay at the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine. Our air draft is only 17 feet with the antennas down but I thought it would be polite to call the bridge. Since they were about to open in "1 minute" we decided to wait for their opening not realizing it would take 10 minutes for all the boats from the other side of the bridge to come through before we could pass......another lesson learned!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTqjXoKIKBgZMgDtjPV1RFISc4wn-WSlXkZFbJqWav90BuDnHnYT6vGncP3J3yPGvmiMZo0iDpiu8wxQE2I3E_On9gwpVkkU4EriYGbDojDfitUQf9tBjNG_9Z7HIfuWh_RbYY-VanUMR/s1600/IMG_5110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTqjXoKIKBgZMgDtjPV1RFISc4wn-WSlXkZFbJqWav90BuDnHnYT6vGncP3J3yPGvmiMZo0iDpiu8wxQE2I3E_On9gwpVkkU4EriYGbDojDfitUQf9tBjNG_9Z7HIfuWh_RbYY-VanUMR/s320/IMG_5110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Whats wrong with this picture?<br />
<br />
We floundered trying to find our mooring ball assigned by the Municipal Marina (their directions were somewhat confusing....at least that's the story I'm sticking to...and the wind was up, but we eventually hooked on to the mooring and spent a rocky-rolly evening until the passing boats stopped at dark. An Antivert and cold beer to help ward off the evil " mal-de mer" devil worked and we retired early exasperated from the anxiety of our first cruise on "The Betsy"<br />
We awoke to a beautiful sunrise with the prediction of increasing winds and non-functioning heads!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZL8DC64LdXf8MV6IkFWQ1un-vf7BpLl-0C3IRAnDeno3JOD_uilM0pruKtoIN4EQTlt3G82ncWCJ5ZnMxRJ6WtswYufXuqC8As_XcvU8JLmqIftg-o8_zqNjMGeM5WN9LHlWfDFPqNy3/s1600/IMG_5120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZL8DC64LdXf8MV6IkFWQ1un-vf7BpLl-0C3IRAnDeno3JOD_uilM0pruKtoIN4EQTlt3G82ncWCJ5ZnMxRJ6WtswYufXuqC8As_XcvU8JLmqIftg-o8_zqNjMGeM5WN9LHlWfDFPqNy3/s320/IMG_5120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Sunrise in St. Augustine, San Sebastian River<br />
<br />
A call to Rivers Edge marina on the San Sebastian River secured us a slip where we could repair the vacuflush pump and enjoy St. Augustine for a couple of days.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZk_S4HtbbXl8xEY7NY21JRllTx35Y3Gin8CgHutVQtsHR8eEi4FUzo939rbrLEVbkwbuyLiJ22QHa-5S693QJ8RAXVnFosZA5dr4FTB1y63QGo2wJD3iwi7Vwi5bycHmyaIj32stkQRN/s1600/IMG_5117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZk_S4HtbbXl8xEY7NY21JRllTx35Y3Gin8CgHutVQtsHR8eEi4FUzo939rbrLEVbkwbuyLiJ22QHa-5S693QJ8RAXVnFosZA5dr4FTB1y63QGo2wJD3iwi7Vwi5bycHmyaIj32stkQRN/s320/IMG_5117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Anyone know a good plumber?<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-38390983488864146602017-08-20T04:25:00.000-07:002018-03-02T08:38:50.447-08:00A Huckins came into our life It should have been liberating. It should have been a sense of freedom. It should have been a month of having care free living....but it wasn't. It was a sense not of loss, but of something missing. Surely it wasn't the labour and toil. No, that in a way was the drudgery that fueled something more ethereal.... It was the dream....It was the fantasy...It was the wish that we could not just dream our dream...we could live it! It was the feeling that we could continue, at least for a few more years, the adventure....BUT....we needed another boat! <br />
Hours of searching the internet, and several visits to view possible boats that would meet our criteria of smaller, less suites and bathrooms to clean, accessible engine room to work in, and classic style were fruitless, until I stumbled into the Huckins boat yard in Jacksonville, Fl. I was there to view a Hatteras yacht in a nearby yard and as we walked through the Huckins boat yard I saw an absolutely beautiful freshly painted yacht sitting up on jack stands. Timeless classic lines with a robust running gear.<br />
"Man, this boat looks like it can take some water!" I exclaimed to the salesman.<br />
"These boats are all custom made for their owners. They got started during the war. Mr. Huckins designed the unique hull used in PT boats. They are sturdy and kept lightweight for fast and economical cruising." he replied.<br />
Thus began my research and review of the Huckins line. It quickly became apparent to me that these boats (unlike the Hinckley's known to me from living in Maine) had maintained their heritage; had not become a production boat. ( the Hinckley's are built 24 hours a day all year long and although you can alter some features per your request....they basically all look the same!) Not so with the Huckins! They build one boat at a time with direct and constant input from the owner. No two Huckins are alike except for their time proven "quadraconic hull".<br />
Searching the internet and the Huckins website, I found the Nena 11. A 1985 50 ft Huckins that had new Cummins diesel motors and Northern Lights generator installed in 2002 and now had only 380 hours on them. The average recreational boater puts about 100 to 150 hours a year on a boat, so even with average use this boat should have had about 1500 hours of use. The motors weren't really even broken in yet! It had two state rooms with their adjoining showers and head and a private owners head, an engine room that was accessible, and per my promise to Beth, was smaller than Doc's Holiday...by 1 foot! Hee! Hee! Hee!<br />
To top it off, the Huckins manufacturer have maintained a following and nurtured a family image that they honestly and truly support. Cindy Purcell (Huckins granddaughter ) and her husband Buddy Purcell even took the time a couple of years ago to tour the country and visit all the Huckins yachts that they could access. They have all the original blueprints of their boats and records of all the upgrades that they have done to their boats. They encourage owners to call them with any concerns or questions and give freely of their expertise and advise. They even took supplies to help some of the do-it-yourself owners continue their maintenance of their boats. ...they want all of their boats to function well, be up to date with new designs and look good. Needless to say Huckins has a committed owners group.<br />
I hired a surveyor who was formerly a yard manager at Huckins. He was not only knowledgeable about the production of these boats but new the Nena 11 personally. This boat was commissioned by a retired Naval officer who in 1985 asked Huckins to power the boat with outboard motors. Unheard of in that day and age! Huckins with their can do attitude consulted with the top outboard manufacturer at the time (OMC) and after several redesigns produced this 50 foot motor yacht powered with four outboard OMC motors. I have been told that "the admirals boat" was a head turner all along the intercostal and cruised (with Buddy Purcell) to the Bahamas and Caribbean. <br />
We can hardly wait to meet Buddy and Cindy to get a recap of that trip and further history on the Nena 11 (which of course you know I am going to change the name to Doc's Holiday 11)<br />
Currently Beth has teamed up with our good friends Terry and Cathy Lee Winchester from Beaumont, Texas to take the boat up to the Huckins yard in Jacksonville, Florida. They left Punta Gorda two days ago and as of last night had not even made it to Lake Okeechobee! It appears that the boat is running just fine but the celebrations (read uninhibited partying!) is slowing them down! Terry says they aren't going to be able to get there by their expected time of 8:30 Monday morning...in fact they might just swing by Bimini (in the Bahamas ) to refuel! Damn I have got to retire!!! You can follow their progress by clicking on spot at the top of the blog. I will probably have to wait for Beth to get back to have pictures of the boat uploaded to the blog but you might try to google 1985 50 ft Huckins for sale...I think there are still pictures up on the internet.<br />
In the meantime, I'm going to sit on the upper deck, stare at the "Guff" of Mexico, listen to the waves and Pout!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcZMXNcKZ1W9KG7uVVH8969wPhafZ73YrgtH_sD-BXYKA6gDt4oyV0KjQL_7ySv-1o2l5iQhpjlpTQohdKXhIfGVkqgGsBDW2fP5H1qYcRACLXLo3laz6H6vV1I8WGgk2QsUaJ8p75jhP/s1600/IMG_5122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcZMXNcKZ1W9KG7uVVH8969wPhafZ73YrgtH_sD-BXYKA6gDt4oyV0KjQL_7ySv-1o2l5iQhpjlpTQohdKXhIfGVkqgGsBDW2fP5H1qYcRACLXLo3laz6H6vV1I8WGgk2QsUaJ8p75jhP/s320/IMG_5122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29HpRTy4KruS5QA5j2ZKvRoJPv6bkUamyNR_Mfpl_l0FgOPcOrbV7Ua8cNyuAc_mnFL52E7q9bpR2UQ_51XXFs0uR36gQwc88tQcMpu_3p9D4wxnbbSoE5ih2E4RP0faY5vFFr663Y6RX/s1600/IMG_5123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj29HpRTy4KruS5QA5j2ZKvRoJPv6bkUamyNR_Mfpl_l0FgOPcOrbV7Ua8cNyuAc_mnFL52E7q9bpR2UQ_51XXFs0uR36gQwc88tQcMpu_3p9D4wxnbbSoE5ih2E4RP0faY5vFFr663Y6RX/s320/IMG_5123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuGPLjpD-uNdCx_MJ7ZrVkyYvoe0gjSDOp6GVvRr3wQTKF4F6Py8_guQgpwNyNykDBU4r2P1IFBqgmGkff3YOp8WxLuYlwC-zp-8bbaV3CevAIKAxt2QAiBqA4PlFfKkV5TXLgk7O6M4G/s1600/IMG_5124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuGPLjpD-uNdCx_MJ7ZrVkyYvoe0gjSDOp6GVvRr3wQTKF4F6Py8_guQgpwNyNykDBU4r2P1IFBqgmGkff3YOp8WxLuYlwC-zp-8bbaV3CevAIKAxt2QAiBqA4PlFfKkV5TXLgk7O6M4G/s320/IMG_5124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-60512047930149501992017-08-19T03:05:00.001-07:002017-08-19T03:05:28.772-07:00A New Adventure Begins<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Time passes quickly. </div>
<div>
Since returning to Port St. Joe, Fl Beth has remodeled a beach town house which has direct access to the "Guff" (the way locals pronounce it!) of Mexico, and I began updates and preparation for my plan to take Docs Holiday to the Bahamas, when I retire (again!) However, like the best laid plans of mice and men, the gods thwarted our plans and our lives changed suddenly when our boat broker called to say" we have an offer on the boat!"</div>
<div>
"What!" I exclaimed, " The contract to sell the boat expired months ago. Were going to the Bahamas. She's not for sale."</div>
<div>
"It's a pretty good offer." he responded. "You might want to take a look at it."</div>
<div>
It was a reasonable offer and considering that Beth and I had been talking about downsizing to a two state room boat that would be easier to maintain with two less bedrooms bathrooms and showers to keep clean, we tentatively accepted the offer. </div>
<div>
After 15 years of living, traveling and pouring our time and money into keeping Doc's Holiday up to date and well maintained, Beth and I agreed, we were not going to pass along the care of our boat to someone who was likely to abuse her. I know "Money is money! Just take your money and run!" but a boat that you have loved and cared for is more like a partner than an inanimate object. At times you get frustrated because they won't behave the way you think they should ; you cajole them trying to get them to perform the way you think they should; and yes, at times curse them because they didn't, but you love and care for them just the same!</div>
<div>
No we weren't going to hand our baby over to just anybody!</div>
<div>
Dustin Kidd, is a handsome young man with an endearing personality who won our hearts when he was touring the boat and exuberantly proclaimed., "This is way better than the pictures! I couldn't figure exactly how it was laid out, but I love it!" It turned out that he had been viewing and fantasizing about being able to own a motor yacht like this for over two years! </div>
<div>
"I didn't think I would ever be able to afford it but I desperately needed a change in my life and this is it!" he exclaimed. When pressed about this comment he solemnly told us that he had just sold his 44 foot Hatteras because he needed a change. He bought his Hatteras and spent several years with his girlfriend enjoying many good times traveling around Louisville, Kentucky. When they parted company he became somewhat morose and after a couple of years decided to break out and move on with his life. This boat would be the start of a new adventure for him and his best friend....his dog.</div>
<div>
As we sat in the lounge, sharing a cold beer. He looked over at me and said, "Where is the good stereo." I responded, "Oh, this stereo is good. See we have large speakers built into the cabinet and the bar. We have surround sound."</div>
<div>
"No" he smiled, "I mean the stereo where you can hear the saliva dripping from the french horns."</div>
<div>
My mouth fell agape. "How do you know about that!" I sputtered. "That was a comment made to me by my now deceased best friend, Jay Hinson. Fighting to keep my eyes from tearing up, I softly repeated, "How do you know about that!"</div>
<div>
Dustin smiled and said, " I read it in your book. I have read your book cover to cover and truly hope that I can have the same thrilling adventures on Doc's Holiday that you have had."</div>
<div>
Deal sealed. The boat is now being lived on and cared for by Dustin in Louisville, Kentucky.</div>
<div>
We have kept in touch with Dustin, who kindly sent us text messages and pictures of his journey back to Kentucky and an invite to come and spend time with him on the boat during the Kentucky derby. Thanks Dustin. We may take you up on that. </div>
<div>
As we watched Dustin and his crew (including his Mother) navigate the boat out by the Panama City fuel dock, I turned around to see Beth standing behind me with tears in her eyes. I held her hand as we walked silently back down the dock .</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-59512931216028923072015-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:002015-09-05T12:13:16.947-07:00Final Leg We planned on staying in Carrabelle for a few days to clean up the boat but when Beth pointed out the impending thunderstorms for the weekend and that Friday was the best weather we would have for several days, the decision to get to Doc's Holidays new home port was made. We filled up the forward tanks with fuel and took off for the 6 hour ride across Appalachicola Bay into the Intercoastal Waterway, and around the end of the canal into Port St. Joe Marina. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05JrLMSYERP3mPQUuUdNdnGnWtxdOEmPcjTBjJ-kRCtXrEesUf3CGpwoK7MhJldZuqqvgl6RJaPo2v99q4HudOAnPYuR3nM7KDXAsFc0d8DDTO38frafeZC2iUbxBNwm78wjGzmk13KCA/s1600/IMG_4375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05JrLMSYERP3mPQUuUdNdnGnWtxdOEmPcjTBjJ-kRCtXrEesUf3CGpwoK7MhJldZuqqvgl6RJaPo2v99q4HudOAnPYuR3nM7KDXAsFc0d8DDTO38frafeZC2iUbxBNwm78wjGzmk13KCA/s320/IMG_4375.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Leaving Carrabelle<br />
<br />
Stopping when we saw a fellow in a small boat waving his arms in distress we quickly determined that he had a problem that we couldn't fix and called Sea Tow for him. We made sure he and the two girls aboard were safe and had water then continued towards our destination. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyuSKGPD1OJcnXOD2yxfBFcT6SNhWMJ6UcqJ2T7azMIln2LZwZpqxvEtuCARAwI7HPhGXZ16cy9DB-Om7-goZE-D2b_aiv_TxiCDWQ6kwpIHIfyf_pikVBXxrQdSzK0mvZgqsKuGkAfQo/s1600/IMG_4380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyuSKGPD1OJcnXOD2yxfBFcT6SNhWMJ6UcqJ2T7azMIln2LZwZpqxvEtuCARAwI7HPhGXZ16cy9DB-Om7-goZE-D2b_aiv_TxiCDWQ6kwpIHIfyf_pikVBXxrQdSzK0mvZgqsKuGkAfQo/s320/IMG_4380.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EQp9Qd3aBZaAzSUpVOByixXD0DxKAduidY30OGqM96PQ319xpzOiaaQxkfxY3t7hphBAMKGr0cRu9adlWlOQ8hpLaZ6vdZr_xTy4SbPsormuYBvMPZSvRHK0NR3szmd9Ic7H_Hn4pjPj/s1600/IMG_4381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EQp9Qd3aBZaAzSUpVOByixXD0DxKAduidY30OGqM96PQ319xpzOiaaQxkfxY3t7hphBAMKGr0cRu9adlWlOQ8hpLaZ6vdZr_xTy4SbPsormuYBvMPZSvRHK0NR3szmd9Ic7H_Hn4pjPj/s320/IMG_4381.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvASfClPIndiQDOxE6msu9H8TYAzJxRbkP3MqHac_25ByC43NsXRmck2eV1xUDox4R2qI649u6i-kORCb7Augg59IXMv9tqKT6-KjPKE0nWIsQEZWtItG8yiE8c2EmrnPtsWJt0TcbcmG/s1600/IMG_4385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvASfClPIndiQDOxE6msu9H8TYAzJxRbkP3MqHac_25ByC43NsXRmck2eV1xUDox4R2qI649u6i-kORCb7Augg59IXMv9tqKT6-KjPKE0nWIsQEZWtItG8yiE8c2EmrnPtsWJt0TcbcmG/s320/IMG_4385.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Apalachicola <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_FLpdc4uzSlKA1Jkb7cyMoTX4ieDUl9m3IhOEs1jwlbH2aQq_DFCUOrieKC_U9OL0KCYo5-fLkhufgwRfmKhuzoUOnAagtAOy3Hfpn5aSyDDutz3N67DDGsNiz6wCvm57nS7AqSeh7PU/s1600/IMG_4387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_FLpdc4uzSlKA1Jkb7cyMoTX4ieDUl9m3IhOEs1jwlbH2aQq_DFCUOrieKC_U9OL0KCYo5-fLkhufgwRfmKhuzoUOnAagtAOy3Hfpn5aSyDDutz3N67DDGsNiz6wCvm57nS7AqSeh7PU/s320/IMG_4387.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Oyster beds our starboard prop met when we were here in 2012<br />
<br />
The wind came up and thunderclouds threatened as we entered and navigated through Apalachicola and the ICW but we only had to go to the lower helm for a brief period of rain. The cruise was easy and relaxing, allowing us to talk about the good times, good anchorages, nice towns and museums, our favorite islands and ....the difficult times. It seemed like such a long time ago that we left Eastport . Both of us were relieved the traveling was coming to an end and we could have a rest from our vacation. Indeed, we had experienced a lot, and no doubt learned a lot about cruising on our boat... The bottom line was,"Our experience continues to grow."<br />
However, our experience was not over! As we entered St. Joseph's Bay I could see the wind had increased producing white caps and some rollers coming into the canal. Beth quickly went forward and closed the forward hatch just in time to prevent a huge wave from filling up the front state room. We had to turn side to the waves to get to the marina and the boat began to roll. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Beth squat down and hang on. When the boat righted itself she went into the main lounge, sat on the floor and hugged her knees.<br />
"Oh! This is the motion I hate." she moaned<br />
" Are you going to be able to get by the rocks at the entrance to the marina? I guess the weather gods are giving us a reminder that they are the ones truly in control!" she said in a low nervous voice.<br />
"Please just relax. I have to concentrate on getting through the entrance. I am going to have to power in through the turbulence." I responded.<br />
We flushed in with a swell and as I maintained control of the boat Beth said with a glee, "Oh my Ralph. Look! The have a Doc's Holiday Welcome home banner strung up!" When I looked up boat horns were blaring, people were waving and I could see the smiling faces of our friends and club members. It was heartwarming.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielZVxgGEzxVSVt4oQ1TSUsoX5St7YmXUbEGDuKe1aRWmjSyf0D5VHg7A0MJwDJEazxdDYM69Q76wIeJx472WLp8JVdQm14vfoRlr1DlxxpTz5ozZUaIp48ie8HKW9Ytf7idLHzaHrIdu6/s1600/IMG_4390-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielZVxgGEzxVSVt4oQ1TSUsoX5St7YmXUbEGDuKe1aRWmjSyf0D5VHg7A0MJwDJEazxdDYM69Q76wIeJx472WLp8JVdQm14vfoRlr1DlxxpTz5ozZUaIp48ie8HKW9Ytf7idLHzaHrIdu6/s400/IMG_4390-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Click on picture to enlarge.<br />
<br />
We managed to turn the boat around the very narrow fairway and glide into Doc's Holidays new slip. We were greeted by more smiling faces; Vicki and Danny-Dale Hellemn; our club commodore Dave and his wife Margo; and holding a bottle of wine and the biggest smile of them all, Huin.<br />
Thank you all for being so kind and making us feel so much at home. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e1vNF35O77BHcC3RCYu69b7F3h4ba0xRNl2ZdW5kLKeOJ1XEmC8slG8ORmZQOyS-_4VCX2n8RijG0GhwoBhravtVFMQ0m9sABMYWNJhryQ-4V7qC-uHKgp1k4IbxLPa2zZIQP30zfhPy/s1600/IMG_4391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e1vNF35O77BHcC3RCYu69b7F3h4ba0xRNl2ZdW5kLKeOJ1XEmC8slG8ORmZQOyS-_4VCX2n8RijG0GhwoBhravtVFMQ0m9sABMYWNJhryQ-4V7qC-uHKgp1k4IbxLPa2zZIQP30zfhPy/s320/IMG_4391.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSTSHyVgohpq-52pOjho_td2gDgftRGQP8w1ybFCb8l5BlxRtvsylAS_VYTp4KHLYBH3g5SeygElwqSP-NYpz5BSDea_vpVF7rEiB4kKocMSyj2FkQOJ72Vl7aJrRcEaFPmK5EzEAmjGV/s1600/IMG_4392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSTSHyVgohpq-52pOjho_td2gDgftRGQP8w1ybFCb8l5BlxRtvsylAS_VYTp4KHLYBH3g5SeygElwqSP-NYpz5BSDea_vpVF7rEiB4kKocMSyj2FkQOJ72Vl7aJrRcEaFPmK5EzEAmjGV/s320/IMG_4392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhpHr4RM5oY453oJzgyPt7lNZAdgFGpCivm7IvthYy8qnH_Ha65FZLTyxtmKgpqS842UzX9psttsjtm6m2DlIsCuMt5mG_RUp4a-Y75s2KHZaJqsUZW0tbPwOhCyfD7-ceWBASMy922Rb/s1600/IMG_4393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhpHr4RM5oY453oJzgyPt7lNZAdgFGpCivm7IvthYy8qnH_Ha65FZLTyxtmKgpqS842UzX9psttsjtm6m2DlIsCuMt5mG_RUp4a-Y75s2KHZaJqsUZW0tbPwOhCyfD7-ceWBASMy922Rb/s320/IMG_4393.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWJUUCoraP32D6_S7neXCK07XJAIdAdIls6KSUCxa5R-tlH2G2XEvOBmrT1iK-01GvDl4jKqzLcIeX6ZUO7l_73CPq4mghLqnD0ji4pXV2kEjMGjeU605ba5hhjtyMpSGiFGvkEj6-n2L/s1600/IMG_4394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWJUUCoraP32D6_S7neXCK07XJAIdAdIls6KSUCxa5R-tlH2G2XEvOBmrT1iK-01GvDl4jKqzLcIeX6ZUO7l_73CPq4mghLqnD0ji4pXV2kEjMGjeU605ba5hhjtyMpSGiFGvkEj6-n2L/s320/IMG_4394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzVJMME3vrKu1ZKI1HU4r6Ps6nIyE1-swOlFxRTAo0O14XX5-PXUo8LgopwO5cs5Qt2egmNQwxtV91STaumv_c78urWxt15g01purnEciLf_drtk6_y9Gte2XT8s1E4kaA9vZcLvLbdOu/s1600/IMG_4395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzVJMME3vrKu1ZKI1HU4r6Ps6nIyE1-swOlFxRTAo0O14XX5-PXUo8LgopwO5cs5Qt2egmNQwxtV91STaumv_c78urWxt15g01purnEciLf_drtk6_y9Gte2XT8s1E4kaA9vZcLvLbdOu/s320/IMG_4395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZEBmjo0JWs_1fQGKelCkvJ3Ax1DsWlIKhaY5sCi0HA7E-4qqKAft3lpEWYZhUAWSGYKUhhA-R8UFC2YL2pAX9eL6sEPI3RcDinrwLPOizZ6AyZMGanLGu8UOpgT60lDHQmjbV6BOq3s_/s1600/IMG_4398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZEBmjo0JWs_1fQGKelCkvJ3Ax1DsWlIKhaY5sCi0HA7E-4qqKAft3lpEWYZhUAWSGYKUhhA-R8UFC2YL2pAX9eL6sEPI3RcDinrwLPOizZ6AyZMGanLGu8UOpgT60lDHQmjbV6BOq3s_/s320/IMG_4398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Bittersweet!!!......until the next adventure. </div>
<br />
<br />
We celebrated by opening the bottle of champagne Beth had on chill for when we reached our final destination.DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-16159454550616934352015-09-03T10:46:00.000-07:002015-09-05T10:56:21.756-07:00The Crossing As discussed in a previous blog, there are many suggestions of how to safely cross from the panhandle of Florida to the west coast of Florida. At trawler speed most people will make a night crossing, leaving in the afternoon to travel the 150 miles so that they can arrive at daylight on the other side, enabling them to see and avoid the numerous crab pots. I hate traveling at night. My imagination contrives all kinds of things that could be just under the water that we might hit and sink the boat. On top of that, with no definite horizon to focus on, mal de mer sets in quickly and I am pretty much bedridden trying to hold my cookies down.<br />
Running at top speed didn't appear to be an option for two reasons. One, I didn't want to travel a further 90 miles north to Steinhatchee, since it would add another 2 days to the trip and I would miss this weather window. Two, I really didn't want to push the motors that hard for that long. I have babied this boat since the day I got her and I just don't like traveling that fast.<br />
I came up with a plan. If we left before daylight, we would have only a few hours of darkness and would be able to see not only what is in the water but when and where any storms were threatening. Pushing the boat a little to a 10 knot cruise, we would be across in about 15 hours.<br />
We were up and off the dock by 4:30 a.m. and passing by the Clearwater entrance marker by 5:00. The waves were less than 2 feet and only a moderate ocean swell which did increase when the 10 to 15 knot wind was on our nose but we passed by Dog Island just as it was getting dark. Beth met us at our assigned dock and we were securely tied up by 8:30p.m.<br />
We watched on our weather XM as storms passed behind and ahead of us, and laughed as we saw the one waiting over Apalachicola Bay move on out towards Tallahassee about an hour before we got to Dog Island. The ride over was no doubt tolerable for most, but I remained supine in the lazy-boy chair or on the bed for most of the trip, relieving Mike at the helm when he needed a break. Hiring him was a good move. He is used to being out in heavy weather and high seas and sea-sickness is just not a problem for him.<br />
My apologies to all who were following this part of the journey... I did not know that SPOT, the signal that shows our boat position at all times, automatically shuts down after 24 hours. Since I did not shut it off the night before we left it looks as though Doc's Holiday went out into the Gulf Of Mexico and just disappears @ 1005AM! Beth was especially upset since she was following a storm that looked like it passed over us when spot stopped working! It wasn't until we were almost all the way across that I discovered the problem and got SPOT working again. I guess that explains the 140 hits on the blog for that crossing.....sorry...but .....I'm BACK!!<br />
<br />
p.s. Beth and the dogs were still grinning when we arrived!DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-11169231334350711212015-09-02T12:16:00.000-07:002015-12-14T07:08:04.694-08:00Fort Myers to Venice to Clearwater Waking up on Aug. 31, I poured a cup of coffee for Beth and handing it to her said, "Happy Birthday, sweetheart. What do you want for a birthday present?" Laughing she replied, "I want off this boat!"<br />
"What!"<br />
She added, "Seriously, we have been working on this boat since June and have been traveling daily since we left Eastport, Maine in July. Except for the days when we couldn't, because of the weather we have been moving. I absolutely do not want to make the crossing across the gulf and besides the dogs want off the boat!"<br />
" Well, the dogs didn't tell me that", I quipped.<br />
I understood. It really has been a hectic trip, more like a delivery than a vacation and the most stressful part would be ahead of us. We have been agonizing about crossing the gulf since we left the east coast. Several times a day we would watch the thunderstorms across the northern gulf, trying to see a pattern so we could time our crossing. On the east coast the storms had been fairly predictable. We could travel in the morning and be anchored or in a marina by 2 or 3 in the afternoon and safely watch the thunderstorms pass. The pattern on the west coast was different. The storms were occurring not only in the mornings but also overnight. We discussed several scenarios such as going 90 miles further north to Steinhatchee to easily cross the 60 miles to Carrabelle, or running at top speed to make it across as quickly as possible or leaving the boat on the west coast of Florida until winter brought more settled weather, etc. etc. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEGYlfU_pVVSjqvh-MoTJL_7Wj6aP-HqhZROio0Aq2YDpavguefJhN1-eTOKG7c7WdfOi84eWjlfo8jE1KF_M6RrkCPVsLc9q0C9_05pCfGQTIl2_-kPmCr6bv6_nyOLHOq1djRMN15uM/s1600/IMG_4371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAEGYlfU_pVVSjqvh-MoTJL_7Wj6aP-HqhZROio0Aq2YDpavguefJhN1-eTOKG7c7WdfOi84eWjlfo8jE1KF_M6RrkCPVsLc9q0C9_05pCfGQTIl2_-kPmCr6bv6_nyOLHOq1djRMN15uM/s320/IMG_4371.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Our pass time during storms. Of course the Admiral had the large glass.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy56Y4vIAoPXPuwBifIroN8raMbtBAVuTk1lH0OdvhIBcXs6r35vZktlJXVWcL6_QAv5J-KDhpxCzM5azCUZyUMNgKVCn3SQPbHu0LdMBLpksq-1kJ_NGi5PjcvlsoeQ3VWuR9ygtn6p6/s1600/IMG_4374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy56Y4vIAoPXPuwBifIroN8raMbtBAVuTk1lH0OdvhIBcXs6r35vZktlJXVWcL6_QAv5J-KDhpxCzM5azCUZyUMNgKVCn3SQPbHu0LdMBLpksq-1kJ_NGi5PjcvlsoeQ3VWuR9ygtn6p6/s320/IMG_4374.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Storm brewing in Fort Myers<br />
<br />
"OK, You got it. I will hire a captain and you can meet us in Carrabelle." A look of relief crossed Beth's face and I swear, both dogs grinned!<br />
I made the arrangements. Mike Chapman is married to Jaimie Chapman, our circulating nurse in the operating room at the hospital. He also has his captain's license. He captained crew boats to the gulf oil rigs and now works for Sea Tow in Port St. Joe. He agreed, drove down to Ft. Myers and gave Beth his truck so she and the grinning dogs could wait for us in Carrabelle.<br />
Tom Delouche, the diver recommended by Coastal Props in Fort Myers, put the props back on and the next morning we headed on the outside to Venice. As I throttled up the Detroit's to see if the motors were going to handle running on the top end we heard and felt a vibration. I immediately pulled the throttles back. The vibration was not so bad at cruising speed but the vibration was still there.<br />
" Damn! Did they do the props wrong? Did something come loose? Did we pick up a crab line? Are we doing any damage to the running gear?" rapidly shot through my mind.<br />
We eased into our dock in Venice and as soon as we were secure Mike donned a bathing suit and jumped into the water to take a look at the running gear. I expected him to come up with a handful of line. He came up with a surprised look on his face.<br />
"Your prop nuts are loose!" he exclaimed. "I can turn the locking nuts and the main nuts by hand!"<br />
Immediately, I called Coastal Prop and they had the diver call me. I explained the situation to him and asked him to come to Venice and correct the problem. He gave me some bullshit story about how the vibration was probably from a line that must have come off when we reversed gears to dock the boat and the props wouldn't come off because the were constantly pushing the boat forward and there was a cotter key preventing the nuts from coming off, blah! blah! blah!<br />
"We see loose prop nuts all the time." he said.<br />
"You need to come up here and fix this." I replied.<br />
"I'm not coming to Venice. Get a diver to go down and tighten them up." he replied.<br />
That ended the conversation. There was no way I would have another diver go down and replace a prop again. They just can't put them on securely underwater. To do so is a temporary fix, at best.<br />
We eased out off the dock in the morning and headed for Clearwater and I started working the phone to find a marina that could do a quick haul on the boat to check the running gear and tighten the props.<br />
Francisco Costa, (Yacht Solutions) at Cortez Cove Marina could handle us as soon as we could get there. It was a tight squeeze to get in but they had 4 men helping and within an hour had the boat pulled, the running gear checked, and the prop nuts securely tightened down. I took pictures of the nuts as soon as the boat came out and they weren't even touching the props. I immediately called Coastal Props and the Fort Myers Marina to inform them of this divers shoddy work and lack of professional customer service.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rAG4ZA-F-5IUtpA9cpMCVKfDaBh3iVRN0DWi8vSF93arPBgX0wWBmntHkqPPTF0746pQyV9YR52so-2TR4b3NkyTn4f7g-i5b6IizsXZPWdrmqFkGj9rOuZY8xhX59Jazu3EuMKMLfxk/s1600/20150902_112711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rAG4ZA-F-5IUtpA9cpMCVKfDaBh3iVRN0DWi8vSF93arPBgX0wWBmntHkqPPTF0746pQyV9YR52so-2TR4b3NkyTn4f7g-i5b6IizsXZPWdrmqFkGj9rOuZY8xhX59Jazu3EuMKMLfxk/s320/20150902_112711.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNNFFLOGwibuDyyq2z5vLgiL4jyb9Dkc3LkpohNtgFdSSp9HE1ShLDDeFG75NnBcSqpTE3d421i3YYCgCMjYbYETQvO0wPNwtWl003aLzmGnuJ3O6NUT8dV993gLb_WS-zZDWL95AwVWi/s1600/20150902_112658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNNFFLOGwibuDyyq2z5vLgiL4jyb9Dkc3LkpohNtgFdSSp9HE1ShLDDeFG75NnBcSqpTE3d421i3YYCgCMjYbYETQvO0wPNwtWl003aLzmGnuJ3O6NUT8dV993gLb_WS-zZDWL95AwVWi/s320/20150902_112658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It turns out that the loose nuts were probably not responsible for the vibration. There is a computer relay that controls the stabilizers that had come loose. We had no further problem once I pushed the relay back in.<br />
We headed back out and enjoyed a smooth ride all the way up the coast to Clearwater. No waves, just a slow undulating swell and the deep throbbing hum of the big Detroits. Mike pointed out a number of sea turtles and flying fish. It was interesting how these fish seemed to tail walk across the surface of the water. Since my photographer had jumped ship, I had no way to capture the images.<br />
Pulling into the fuel dock at Clearwater Municipal Marina was straight forward. I filled the aft tanks to make sure we had enough fuel to get across the gulf. Jumping in to fire up the port motor.....no go! Depleting every curse word in my vocabulary, I used the starboard motor to coax the boat to our assigned slip.<br />
"Where was Beth and her magic finger"? I thought silently. She was always able to get this motor going when I couldn't. This is a problem that has plagued us intermittently for the trip to and from Maine. Mike and I wiggled pushed and poked everything we could thinking a wire or something must be loose...no luck. I tried to call a mechanic....no luck. All I could think of was the weather window we were about to lose if we couldn't get away in the morning. Once we maneuvered on one engine and got all the power and water hooked up I passed by the lower helm and out of frustration jabbed at the start button one more time.....VROOM! I still don't know what is wrong but it appears that given time to cool what ever is wrong is made right. We would be leaving in the morning.<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-90873273528891493502015-08-29T05:19:00.000-07:002015-09-04T01:23:28.836-07:00Sitting in the Cross Hairs Agonizing! Simply agonizing! Tropical storm Erika has altered paths and the prediction is now for it to head up the west coast possibly centering on Fort Myers. Crap! So much for my prediction. Here we sit side tied to a fixed dock with no props! We can't run back in land for protection. We can't even move the boat other than by hand. This doesn't leave a lot of options.<br />
The wind may not be as big a problem as the storm surge. Currently they predict Erika will not reach hurricane status (winds over 75 m.p.h) but if there is a storm surge someone (meaning me!) will have to be here to adjust the dock lines to accommodate the storm surge since it is not a floating dock.<br />
Doc's Holiday has been through 4 hurricanes and sustained only minor damage such as scratches, rub marks and ( in Hurricane Ike) damage to the props and teak rail when the 20 foot storm surge lifted her off the stands and she settled back down on the keel and stabilizers up against another boat. During one of the unpredicted storms Beth and I worked all night to adjust lines to keep the boat out from under the slip roof so she wouldn't get crushed like many of the other boats did because there was no one to help adjust lines.<br />
Well, I guess I will slow down now! <br />
Beth is able to get some reading, cleaning and most importantly cooking done. Hmm! I see brownies in my future and her roast beef is delicious. I am able to get a few more maintenance issues addressed.<br />
Getting a good recommendation from the Hatteras Owners Forum about a straight forward, honest air conditioning tech named Bruce Weld located in Fort Myers, I contacted him to come have a look. The $3,000 estimate I got to replace the air conditioner was fixed for $150.00 and he replaced my holding tank filter while he was here.<br />
No, I don't think the people in St. Augustine intentionally tried to sell me a new install. Here is what I think happened. Remember Danny Kennedy and I found two burnt wires on the air conditioner condenser. We rewired them with screw on caps. One of the wires came off but couldn't be seen without removing the cap. The cover on the relay for this air conditioner had at some time in the past been mixed up with the state room air conditioner which was a 6000 BTU . The failed air conditioner is a 12,000 BTU so the readings on the coil were much higher and the tech interpreted that to mean the unit was failing. Being an old unit it was reasonable to suggest an entire new unit. Bottom line a very experienced and honest tech solved the problem and the boat is very comfortably cool.....even for a Canadian! Great we will be comfortable when we get blown away!!<br />
In the mean time we will explore Fort Myers. The Edison mansion and enclave is nearby and there are lots of pubs within walking distance. They even have an entire store called "Naples Soaps" filled with wonderfully fragrant smells. You know the kind that arouses your senses when your wife gets out of the bath and crawls in bed beside you. I wanted to buy a bushel basket full but Beth declined. Ha...I will sneak back and get some!<br />
<br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-42289318597858221332015-08-28T08:19:00.001-07:002015-09-04T01:22:12.338-07:00Fort Myers <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsBJc-ksxVq9H_ERxrOZGodT_ns_4CU3KdT9H-tbR9VeNeMAl6NGLzESY9NTjqnFFtD9wSowbwXPybE1Q9UaX5tHsN3txf8LnoVQkcmekbzwqBLpYbYpHUY_lnONZrvvUesJjlGxGoy45/s1600/IMG_4352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsBJc-ksxVq9H_ERxrOZGodT_ns_4CU3KdT9H-tbR9VeNeMAl6NGLzESY9NTjqnFFtD9wSowbwXPybE1Q9UaX5tHsN3txf8LnoVQkcmekbzwqBLpYbYpHUY_lnONZrvvUesJjlGxGoy45/s320/IMG_4352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-u4Jmj1scmx7YEq-KVdpe3maQgFRUFHjswfYiJFloz2_uK_Cusynf49lLY-mcTBDavk5jaog-6qouU7PkauweD1Yf0hYdSHHfAHZn6dRxZJK1Cz3ZU6whMoB84fIzXxdp48kUrJQ59z_/s1600/IMG_4353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-u4Jmj1scmx7YEq-KVdpe3maQgFRUFHjswfYiJFloz2_uK_Cusynf49lLY-mcTBDavk5jaog-6qouU7PkauweD1Yf0hYdSHHfAHZn6dRxZJK1Cz3ZU6whMoB84fIzXxdp48kUrJQ59z_/s320/IMG_4353.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Spencer and Sophie loved all the grass at River Forest. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIMMybxnXMEOpkq31RPZNS7cQTGeLazhmq_2BH-E0EO01RRTO7z7P2IZySMSiTdJIyobpEzjz_ZYsa8DLhr_tt0EL-A7xB1O-9hI6xgzdJv-Sqq_2_fvy6LTwnzvQ_vJdwm5XI92GrSkm/s1600/IMG_4354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIMMybxnXMEOpkq31RPZNS7cQTGeLazhmq_2BH-E0EO01RRTO7z7P2IZySMSiTdJIyobpEzjz_ZYsa8DLhr_tt0EL-A7xB1O-9hI6xgzdJv-Sqq_2_fvy6LTwnzvQ_vJdwm5XI92GrSkm/s320/IMG_4354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdZpgOwtzuizV06_689HOuy3cDd2nX_D1P2ZDUwQggB3ZZdHV4ZlcSxYt-gxS5WnZfJc50Hv6RgVKiZnj0ioorVcbViyqVT0i2WaVoHEuj1Hrduuze8EuF2x2FSCTlbIjvcKCb9KocZEN/s1600/IMG_4355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdZpgOwtzuizV06_689HOuy3cDd2nX_D1P2ZDUwQggB3ZZdHV4ZlcSxYt-gxS5WnZfJc50Hv6RgVKiZnj0ioorVcbViyqVT0i2WaVoHEuj1Hrduuze8EuF2x2FSCTlbIjvcKCb9KocZEN/s320/IMG_4355.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Waiting to lift Doc's Holiday.<br />
<br />
<br />
John, the manager at River Forest Yachting Center in LaBelle is prompt. As promised he pulled Doc's Holiday at 08:30 and within 45 minutes the crew had the bottom of Doc's Holiday pressure washed. It wasn't really dirty and our loss of 1 knot at cruising rpm was most likely due to the damaged props. Not only was their a piece curled over (Beth can claim it!) but it was obvious that we had touched bottom a couple of times with the tips of the props shining from the abrasive sand shoals.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxhBhhXpQlvSBEi6vC7LpTdRP5LX9ddPXXA13mQ-5XJiGaicw6AiMoRyEPetCVlXaIpKipRpMuHogtV_HaofsJ8y6BPs9D2x0RPMVawu0vClHXasvUzWMyC4JFolSVdCLPvTYcuD-lqbc/s1600/IMG_4357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxhBhhXpQlvSBEi6vC7LpTdRP5LX9ddPXXA13mQ-5XJiGaicw6AiMoRyEPetCVlXaIpKipRpMuHogtV_HaofsJ8y6BPs9D2x0RPMVawu0vClHXasvUzWMyC4JFolSVdCLPvTYcuD-lqbc/s320/IMG_4357.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXg9Oa7ugZvM3AERv3aqML_AZ-_aPDGcOGXXGdFmOxnYv5YwxVFtmlW3enaFt-dY_4Gi8EuLxk3Ca_5htJtaoJjsOSxBUf06zOoUuia2zvOTIt-7XXPn8V6TbGEeJbXown7vw3xc3didR/s1600/IMG_4359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXg9Oa7ugZvM3AERv3aqML_AZ-_aPDGcOGXXGdFmOxnYv5YwxVFtmlW3enaFt-dY_4Gi8EuLxk3Ca_5htJtaoJjsOSxBUf06zOoUuia2zvOTIt-7XXPn8V6TbGEeJbXown7vw3xc3didR/s320/IMG_4359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaY_-ByxI72lC7WwiQ2pOEwkEM1H-XKK2eFpBqakLF4mc6UzdcC6R-UBWc9vITfjn1KIQJs0hL8DALpxFbAUlHjMEGYdRY8KPpi4TTejgl6N5uwJr_drpBU5ZIhwfFVLTm2Hbp5XqRGal2/s1600/IMG_4361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaY_-ByxI72lC7WwiQ2pOEwkEM1H-XKK2eFpBqakLF4mc6UzdcC6R-UBWc9vITfjn1KIQJs0hL8DALpxFbAUlHjMEGYdRY8KPpi4TTejgl6N5uwJr_drpBU5ZIhwfFVLTm2Hbp5XqRGal2/s320/IMG_4361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSzJdMEkUvFFty8tk46N8rdfT02IjaS58VBmvXWv_No9HZjn9tjM-RApEIdEm0ws1SqdcVvoZcahVdR5mQFOBBQwh37JKEv0dilvEyBjKdklnbfOeLQPS1QpTV3xY1YfXMuMogYFq2V1u/s1600/IMG_4362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSzJdMEkUvFFty8tk46N8rdfT02IjaS58VBmvXWv_No9HZjn9tjM-RApEIdEm0ws1SqdcVvoZcahVdR5mQFOBBQwh37JKEv0dilvEyBjKdklnbfOeLQPS1QpTV3xY1YfXMuMogYFq2V1u/s320/IMG_4362.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Our prop damage is minor compared to this boat. He happened to be beside a boat that caught fire that spread to his.<br />
<br />
Floating the boat, we waved good by and headed for Fort Myers wanting to get their before the afternoon thundershowers. We thought the delay at the Ortono lock was no longer in effect.....wrong! We took 2 hours of idling the motors and holding position in the middle of the river, waiting for the lock to open.<br />
Lightning with rolling thunder started just as we entered the Fort Myers basin so we throttled up and made it into the marina, just as the lightning storm passed behind us. As we tied up and finished filling the forward fuel tanks the rain started as another storm passed near. The Internet radar showed MUCH more headed our way, but we were secure.<br />
Beth contacted our daughter Jennifer in Naples. She and our grandson Cameron drove up to see us and join us for dinner. They arrived just as the heavens let loose. For the next 2 hours we couldn't leave the boat as the 40 mile an hour wind swept the rain sideways into a torrent of water pounding the windows. Finally, we were hungry enough to brave the downpour and the boat bouncing off the dock. We jumped off and got soaked running for the car.<br />
Stopping at Mel's Diner, chilled from the drenching and the air conditioning, we were still able to laugh and joke at our predicament and enjoy a filling meal. Still, I was surprised when Cameron and Nami ordered ice cream for dessert! Now they were really cold!<br />
With unsettled weather predicted for the next few days, we elected to stay in Fort Myers to get the props repaired. Hurricane Erica is predicted to be near by Monday morning so we may have to stay put until things settle down next week. Maybe the atmospheric turmoil from Erica will settle down the thunderstorms long enough for us to get the boat across to Port St. Joe. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZumqRQxA0FX4FGorxse9IGq6J-qYxZJGenjN0ao7v6Sh8iGwoXn1zMTZbWEHQLYKfZkr5-Bt7j3JaRlutaSGwH_2oBk-oU405pTPX310EUfvdB-EX2VUL2Ddqqfo5mouAQZiqhK5oslP/s1600/IMG_4363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZumqRQxA0FX4FGorxse9IGq6J-qYxZJGenjN0ao7v6Sh8iGwoXn1zMTZbWEHQLYKfZkr5-Bt7j3JaRlutaSGwH_2oBk-oU405pTPX310EUfvdB-EX2VUL2Ddqqfo5mouAQZiqhK5oslP/s320/IMG_4363.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Tom the diver removing props.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXegxjV0lMgZLu7nhXOOjEXxC9EHpPnUcNR69kclBl4LPX9nZPktWDZWcw48Zm0q_MNs4E-DGYgSmj6tt5eJ2NXIvwAEkI8BA3ZSmGoOVK2BkL9HTLu2iVjHPTvyZ4e2gc3LX4E4to3avs/s1600/IMG_4365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXegxjV0lMgZLu7nhXOOjEXxC9EHpPnUcNR69kclBl4LPX9nZPktWDZWcw48Zm0q_MNs4E-DGYgSmj6tt5eJ2NXIvwAEkI8BA3ZSmGoOVK2BkL9HTLu2iVjHPTvyZ4e2gc3LX4E4to3avs/s320/IMG_4365.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_jeJ0OtFt5AvZirkAg870b9SOuimAqviFOl9KLjUe9zRgyDeB_3r4Pcfuv64ZWMtiqv3sG0lmZt1EpDYv9MwMmxpOjXeQ-h0sBZ7_umooW7i_EKjoivU-15lN9u6GGHKICBU2uCDUNc9/s1600/IMG_4368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_jeJ0OtFt5AvZirkAg870b9SOuimAqviFOl9KLjUe9zRgyDeB_3r4Pcfuv64ZWMtiqv3sG0lmZt1EpDYv9MwMmxpOjXeQ-h0sBZ7_umooW7i_EKjoivU-15lN9u6GGHKICBU2uCDUNc9/s320/IMG_4368.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
With the props off we can't move the boat which presented us with an opportune time to work on the boat. I started on getting the motors in optimal condition for the crossing. This meant addressing the issue of the port motor heating up at full throttle. It is strongly advised that the temperatures do not exceed 200 degrees They should run between 185 and 195 degrees. I struggled to get the intake and output hoses off the heat exchanger and finally hooked up a 12 volt bilge pump to push phosphoric acid through to clean up any rust or debris that might be impeding flow and heat transfer through the coils. I guess I underestimated the capacity of the chambers because the 5 gallon pail kept emptying....Not sure of just where the acid was all going, I let the acid sit in the system for 45 minutes than flushed it all out. It is supposed to circulate via the pump for 2 hours, but time will tell if my technique worked. First chance I get. we will throttle up and see where the temps stabilize.<br />
The prop repair shop initially indicated that they might be able to have the props back on in 2 days. Just got word that they won't be ready until Monday....oops! <br />
<br />DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-50444680694102509582015-08-25T05:20:00.000-07:002015-08-29T02:56:43.932-07:00Vero Beach to the Ocheechobee<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhbOqtfQsxhAphnlgO5YehH6GsoKk39RnBb4CzOb0_4VRPqXCqNcEZ7qzj9MUzi2vVG0-13poOodwmvpVIzZteFJ7Un2F-_T5cPIJVsymT7uw-ROYd4dnj7Ajq1Cawul-uxG-CyDFGMhZ/s1600/IMG_4324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhbOqtfQsxhAphnlgO5YehH6GsoKk39RnBb4CzOb0_4VRPqXCqNcEZ7qzj9MUzi2vVG0-13poOodwmvpVIzZteFJ7Un2F-_T5cPIJVsymT7uw-ROYd4dnj7Ajq1Cawul-uxG-CyDFGMhZ/s320/IMG_4324.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Leaving Vero Beach City Marina<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QxCkKz_pZV0bpoz-m2MlxqxDFvMdoJMJSJO7mm5hEfuXThuRx7vEfIoB1vRtELOuQE0p0ePZgNbCS_PKi8RV31XbVkmy500QRMqHP0kQZnTV48bbpcIBNjoJkXQ0SNSv1BzTs95_JYju/s1600/IMG_4326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QxCkKz_pZV0bpoz-m2MlxqxDFvMdoJMJSJO7mm5hEfuXThuRx7vEfIoB1vRtELOuQE0p0ePZgNbCS_PKi8RV31XbVkmy500QRMqHP0kQZnTV48bbpcIBNjoJkXQ0SNSv1BzTs95_JYju/s320/IMG_4326.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Our last East Coast Sunrise on Doc's Holiday ( not clear pics, lens fogging from humidity!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIfHKoiNSsyKnL2leqdt2-LZ2CXC-xKzhhbG9AHTeoIdww8K0C1AYB5P9IJ3_RxUMI2Cx9C8rQsR6dmjmGP5WMcueIeEDx7-tgv4T1D4CVQmrJ_lPJdxd4_krM3njAqN0WO2pgcRs8fR4/s1600/IMG_4332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIfHKoiNSsyKnL2leqdt2-LZ2CXC-xKzhhbG9AHTeoIdww8K0C1AYB5P9IJ3_RxUMI2Cx9C8rQsR6dmjmGP5WMcueIeEDx7-tgv4T1D4CVQmrJ_lPJdxd4_krM3njAqN0WO2pgcRs8fR4/s320/IMG_4332.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
So far our plan of leaving early in the morning (daylight when possible) and being in a marina or anchored by 2 or 3 in the afternoon has worked admirably for being secure when the thunderstorms roll through. We had an easy cruise down the ICW from Vero Beach turning inland at Stuart, Fl and heading across the Okeechobee waterway.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-57aPJ2xqrR3E_TmbEofhbPMmEfIc6tFN5NcrTP94uHHMjmyCiPWajo9OK7fOO1_o11qwbJMkgMbyvsQGvFmU8QW1PrZQsCPafaHE6JfEpZYPMSLjZQwXiZxk4-drJ43WWTNSO-qaXVMl/s1600/IMG_4337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-57aPJ2xqrR3E_TmbEofhbPMmEfIc6tFN5NcrTP94uHHMjmyCiPWajo9OK7fOO1_o11qwbJMkgMbyvsQGvFmU8QW1PrZQsCPafaHE6JfEpZYPMSLjZQwXiZxk4-drJ43WWTNSO-qaXVMl/s320/IMG_4337.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Boat that caught fire recently.<br />
<br />
<br />
For those not familiar with the geography this waterway is a cut through the middle of Florida, thus avoiding having to go all the way down to Key West on the east coast and back up the west coast to Fort Myers. Well marked with little current and few obstructions, it is a joy to travel. One can leisurely watch the boat's coarse and take time to admire the beautiful architecture and landscaping of the homes lining the banks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfqVuLD7nwdPFqmO4XUazhPcFoA8ybzmWQ3ENNvLhCzD237Ao923xt-0lULL4cXRXRjvdsqnmhqkrzLqhQrOtFU4q7ze-hb4fEDSPAdmq5Q73vjuNMA8DeyXDOWG3JiqUbUqOulubQUP0/s1600/IMG_4339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfqVuLD7nwdPFqmO4XUazhPcFoA8ybzmWQ3ENNvLhCzD237Ao923xt-0lULL4cXRXRjvdsqnmhqkrzLqhQrOtFU4q7ze-hb4fEDSPAdmq5Q73vjuNMA8DeyXDOWG3JiqUbUqOulubQUP0/s320/IMG_4339.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Dotted with marinas and no significant tide, it is easier to estimate where we will be in the early afternoon and thus easier to pick out a marina. Since our next challenge was to get across Lake Ocheechobee before any significant winds or thunderstorms came up, we stopped at Indian Town Marina located about 10 miles east of the Port Mayaca Lock. This would be our entry to the lake which is described as "Can get very rough. Think of a puddle of water with wind blowing over it!" The lake level is controlled to a depth of 12.5 feet via the locks at each side. If the water goes below this level than they drop the opening of the locks from "on demand" to a schedule of 4 times daily. The boats just have to wait. In fact they are apparently working on the Ortona lock and we were informed it is only open from 7:00 to 7:30/ 12:00 to 12:30 and 4:00 to 5:00. This could slow us down but at least we are in relatively protected waters. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQc9LYm1G346vuO7nDTt_RGQxfzthsRH11TlPtcu83LYwoHqu1RWHNeE-_78PMoJ-AeDfYyP4GvV1fW02r6jPi7i0bHEvfdoSWO_y0W2aEEc3X6z4O2syLSZyWXQYMWZctQ-gmiRv6krM/s1600/IMG_4348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQc9LYm1G346vuO7nDTt_RGQxfzthsRH11TlPtcu83LYwoHqu1RWHNeE-_78PMoJ-AeDfYyP4GvV1fW02r6jPi7i0bHEvfdoSWO_y0W2aEEc3X6z4O2syLSZyWXQYMWZctQ-gmiRv6krM/s320/IMG_4348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Port Mayaka Lock<br />
<br />
Our start into Lake Ocheechobee was significant. Just as Beth took over the helm, the starboard propeller tinged off of an obstruction. It was listed as possibly no longer being there on Active Captain but it was and we touched it. There didn't appear to be any vibration when I increased the boat speed but before doing our crossing to Carrabelle, this would need to be checked.<br />
We got across the lake before the wind came up, locked through at Moore Haven, watched numerous alligators move out of the way and landed at River Forest Yachting Center at La Belle.<br />
It was a tight entry but when I saw boats larger than mine at the docks I knew we could get in and there was enough room once in, that I could spin the boat around and easily drift into the the cement dock. Once tied up we quickly got the power on and the air conditioners going but the lounge area just doesn't cool off without the help of the rear air conditioner. This will be the first thing I fix when we get to Port St. Joe. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2pKlEj2pan6xtHM65X15NUFfLN_5XI6sn2uuLpM_Y945-bDyQZIkkydf93lOW3TLoQP8mgTu9vFowxFBm_sa5YQk-1XOIo8nVtFve6rppwnoPM6tuiiMGhwtP4VHOsFnpbH3FnDTA3OU/s1600/IMG_4344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2pKlEj2pan6xtHM65X15NUFfLN_5XI6sn2uuLpM_Y945-bDyQZIkkydf93lOW3TLoQP8mgTu9vFowxFBm_sa5YQk-1XOIo8nVtFve6rppwnoPM6tuiiMGhwtP4VHOsFnpbH3FnDTA3OU/s320/IMG_4344.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Trying to cool off!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExNotqXRBoZlVMJoB87xXPlOq2_ecWG6JKhCmj8Wim5bXHMsZzX24OHu_T3j_CfHxWX-MUJ-K9_ltWkp3DNhB9i17LQFWSsizZqyEhHdNwswZ_ZF9LIDDKokdnn_3ozk2fdDgaIYU9-i2/s1600/IMG_4346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExNotqXRBoZlVMJoB87xXPlOq2_ecWG6JKhCmj8Wim5bXHMsZzX24OHu_T3j_CfHxWX-MUJ-K9_ltWkp3DNhB9i17LQFWSsizZqyEhHdNwswZ_ZF9LIDDKokdnn_3ozk2fdDgaIYU9-i2/s320/IMG_4346.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Morning visitor at Indian Town Marina.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbYi4suyLh1V4AIKsBEpVCoW7-X9EuACI56Vwe5d-KheCOs5oOz7YYjkqf5CA8R8-BcZNrd7TJHaozc88LpMFTmiEjSw9x69WFexB_SkXr3N3p2dGsL4EdfwbGNFOQcAA5Zgf_ftaeUx6/s1600/IMG_4350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbYi4suyLh1V4AIKsBEpVCoW7-X9EuACI56Vwe5d-KheCOs5oOz7YYjkqf5CA8R8-BcZNrd7TJHaozc88LpMFTmiEjSw9x69WFexB_SkXr3N3p2dGsL4EdfwbGNFOQcAA5Zgf_ftaeUx6/s320/IMG_4350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
More cooling!<br />
<br />
<br />
The owners immediately informed us that there was another Hurricane (Erica) headed our way with increased winds possibly by Monday. They would be making a decision about starting to haul out 13 boats and yes they had 4 more spots if we decided to stay. After looking at the projected path on the Boat US Hurricane tracking website, it is just not clear if the storm will go out to sea toward Bermuda, go up the east coast, or get into the gulf and go up the west coast.<br />
After some intense discussion Beth and I came up with a plan. First, we will have the boat hauled out here in the morning to have the bottom pressure washed and the props checked. Next, we have plotted our course from here to Clearwater with stops at Fort Myers, Venice, and Desoto Park near Tampa Bay. The municipal marina in Clearwater has indicated that they have slips that can accommodate us and although they can't pull the boat out of the water they can secure it in the slip should "Erica" come our way.<br />
There is a High Pressure predicted to settle in the area this weekend and the jet stream is south, so I predict (Ha! Ha!) that the storm will get pushed off the east coast. Nevertheless, we can leave the boat in Clearwater, rent a car to go to Port St. Joe and get our second set of props or get out of the way of the storm, if need be. This will at least put us in position for our crossing to Carrabelle.<br />
Already we are agonizing about "The Crossing". Neither of us really want to do a night crossing, not only because we can't see what is in the water but also because of the thunderstorms which start in the afternoon and sometimes persist into the night. It would be safer, I think to do this crossing as quickly as possible during daylight hours. This would mean hopscotching up the coast to Steinhatchee which is only 60 miles from the entry to Carrabelle, running the boat on the top end(13 to 15 knots), and leaving at daybreak to make the crossing in about 4 hours which would put us into port before the winds and thunderstorms start up. The problem is that this area is very shallow with lots of obstructions (ie. it is recommended to only go up the Steinhatchee river at high tide and a south west wind if you draw over 4 ft of water. Of course, we draw 4.5 feet and we had our starboard motor heat up when we made the run from Boston to Cape Cod at full throttle! (which had much colder water!) The alternative is to do the night crossing at trawler speed. This is going to take some planning and a good weather window. <br />
As the venerable Bob Bitchin so aptly put it, "The difference between an ordeal and an adventure, is attitude!"<br />
What would you do? <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6982053216264347703.post-61305124644691277622015-08-23T13:27:00.000-07:002015-08-24T01:49:45.644-07:00St Augustine, New Smyrna Beach, Fl and Titusville and on to Vero Beach. This was the longest time we have waited to get enough tide to pass the shoaling water of the ICW. Even though we didn't pull away from the dock until 9:30, which gave us an hour of incoming tide and almost 2 hours of tide before we hit the shallow areas, we still passed one section which showed only 3 feet of water under the boat. Our props will hit at 2.9 feet! Nevertheless, we got through without hitting bottom. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpki0xx8fv2Ipjcr5nG_qydgcuildlUz2S-N2-gMnf_SjDyzxzmFARB9pZwnJNO4_RsLDWzN6EtUpz-WuCgN6TtyhynjP4ak-NcC-L6mSP0R7p3DMggdF3nuPm4EfEllNipVaBzLdshwk7/s1600/IMG_4254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpki0xx8fv2Ipjcr5nG_qydgcuildlUz2S-N2-gMnf_SjDyzxzmFARB9pZwnJNO4_RsLDWzN6EtUpz-WuCgN6TtyhynjP4ak-NcC-L6mSP0R7p3DMggdF3nuPm4EfEllNipVaBzLdshwk7/s320/IMG_4254.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We were now seeing an increase in big boat traffic, passing a number of cruisers going in the opposite direction. Several passed, but only one had the courtesy to ease back on the throttles and give us a slow pass....hmmm....seems like things have changed a little here....but I guess I will continue to slow down for the passing cruisers (except of course for the Sea Rays and Sports fishermen who continue to show complete disregard for anyone on the water!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGK7Aq8RLyiZfFAP7st7kKcNMEaEmW3thFPp47yZ2ofvkO61-Yc_9eTXArDKQ_Fa5woY0g-f_2NgKt7BEbOSUGRyrGeLx22IeIVBvZbHLnvaH481oZxwk2Pu1196-SbU7So6JAVXWyusF/s1600/IMG_4262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGK7Aq8RLyiZfFAP7st7kKcNMEaEmW3thFPp47yZ2ofvkO61-Yc_9eTXArDKQ_Fa5woY0g-f_2NgKt7BEbOSUGRyrGeLx22IeIVBvZbHLnvaH481oZxwk2Pu1196-SbU7So6JAVXWyusF/s320/IMG_4262.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Two boats that had some bad luck!<br />
<br />
Leaving late of course, put us at risk for the afternoon thunderstorms but I reasoned that with the violent deluge we sustained in St. Augustine there couldn't be that much turbulence left in the atmosphere. This appeared to be true. Other than a constant wind on our nose that slowed us down we had clear cruising all the way to New Smyrna Beach Municipal Marina.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7UlTKIfPgrr9LcolQcEXI_VjtayfPmI53t9snulapNBlC4Msu6U4FJURPtYaq2waJCq_nW4RjqL5et6SDjv9OVPn69osuwZ7w7To_jMvFP8v4j4xGzO0wKBglQOxakMw7DoU6CIZcKKK/s1600/IMG_4265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7UlTKIfPgrr9LcolQcEXI_VjtayfPmI53t9snulapNBlC4Msu6U4FJURPtYaq2waJCq_nW4RjqL5et6SDjv9OVPn69osuwZ7w7To_jMvFP8v4j4xGzO0wKBglQOxakMw7DoU6CIZcKKK/s320/IMG_4265.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxcPKIeIjHMvX-mJyT_vofwmASpzrN8NaOQP1wJf_jl7yDbGBzng0o_2qSeuZZFMrxQ3u43mWoG70pBFpmeMy7QAIDabUxOJqelehNRzlPER7fFXwADdlW8YKwBRMo3penDfsPg5tdFyv/s1600/IMG_4267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxcPKIeIjHMvX-mJyT_vofwmASpzrN8NaOQP1wJf_jl7yDbGBzng0o_2qSeuZZFMrxQ3u43mWoG70pBFpmeMy7QAIDabUxOJqelehNRzlPER7fFXwADdlW8YKwBRMo3penDfsPg5tdFyv/s320/IMG_4267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The former days deluge, however was strong enough that our upper helm depth finder leaked and showed droplets inside the screen. After we settled in, I pulled the monitor off, disassembled and cleaned out the water, dried it, and siliconed every place a heavy rain might penetrate. This Datamarine monitor is original equipment and of course the transducer for measuring the depth will apparently not match up with any of the new monitors on the market, so I will treat this one tenderly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC34sjLY1673k41ZrUxc0oVDaXTgRB0_why3paaakdpPkFY9Lf3xLW9JNoT7HKk7yQELbsswGK1x36TkFRAmPs4dCsH8pwz4oQP92FB1dBzZtFSknhyphenhyphen71x0Sxi4BovDw0Q6IWJ4MMY2jRv/s1600/IMG_4271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC34sjLY1673k41ZrUxc0oVDaXTgRB0_why3paaakdpPkFY9Lf3xLW9JNoT7HKk7yQELbsswGK1x36TkFRAmPs4dCsH8pwz4oQP92FB1dBzZtFSknhyphenhyphen71x0Sxi4BovDw0Q6IWJ4MMY2jRv/s320/IMG_4271.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This fellow does not seem to be frightened of the owl!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy2l3z0J_FGy4g45b0952MmV0xQCUdJe_ja54r1GZcknB4vYC7U8bQuoRa_WMLDDoernMj2R9HYoSo-qZhbGkDBOmjxrQhQQmvdF4-X3UtiiYODmuivFxsF1qGk6PdgHCCYwFmsmDZzpz/s1600/IMG_4275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy2l3z0J_FGy4g45b0952MmV0xQCUdJe_ja54r1GZcknB4vYC7U8bQuoRa_WMLDDoernMj2R9HYoSo-qZhbGkDBOmjxrQhQQmvdF4-X3UtiiYODmuivFxsF1qGk6PdgHCCYwFmsmDZzpz/s320/IMG_4275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Not sure what this was about.<br />
<br />
<br />
Not having the aft saloon air conditioner working we have to put up with a very hot seating area that takes a long time to cool down. Sophie and Spencer relish the fans we set up for them. They could go down into the bedrooms where the AC keeps everything comfortable but like humans they are "pack animals" and would rather put up with the heat rather than be separated from us.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxXxogI0BSnRFfwC68ZapXLlMxYgThKyRaMQ6eHW3GTzrPl14_9dx9F5YDprNXViHAVHe5G8fNWwfT7qsBFHuGxAQcLjeWm4DPoIaM3yIvyyjKQUQa2cj-dLYbcaHturZlkzBA_2F7gFs/s1600/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxXxogI0BSnRFfwC68ZapXLlMxYgThKyRaMQ6eHW3GTzrPl14_9dx9F5YDprNXViHAVHe5G8fNWwfT7qsBFHuGxAQcLjeWm4DPoIaM3yIvyyjKQUQa2cj-dLYbcaHturZlkzBA_2F7gFs/s320/FullSizeRender-4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pgkfBeBqzOTGMUbr_UxaQu4VBlXFidGj4ioJBm_CkGquJblDiPPfFfkpEh3jmqXy9mxKh1sPr2IZ2ucb16feiQsmKonVQQh8T_aAIP77e7y068Hv-daEICIF-YNQzyFlQpSNVCtJTkmz/s1600/IMG_4256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pgkfBeBqzOTGMUbr_UxaQu4VBlXFidGj4ioJBm_CkGquJblDiPPfFfkpEh3jmqXy9mxKh1sPr2IZ2ucb16feiQsmKonVQQh8T_aAIP77e7y068Hv-daEICIF-YNQzyFlQpSNVCtJTkmz/s320/IMG_4256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The highlight of New Smyrna Beach was the Saturday morning Farmer's Market. We were able to stock up on fresh veggies and Indian River fruit. We didn't mind the 10 o'clock departure time because we were only going 35 miles to Titusville. It was Saturday and we knew all the fishermen, pontoon boaters and marine police would be on the water necessitating a slow ride.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lrVhcY6A636yfbGw2lITxvjEmIK3NM9OrFORgIbb8ujRDNvsaP4pA60Fnqf_pmIW53Hy72_iC_PyPYmcRYQX_4h3vT4T02uhZTNcvF6Rj5mEkDWxOHKw4BE532mtwDz-hcAwwDH7Hqui/s1600/IMG_4280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lrVhcY6A636yfbGw2lITxvjEmIK3NM9OrFORgIbb8ujRDNvsaP4pA60Fnqf_pmIW53Hy72_iC_PyPYmcRYQX_4h3vT4T02uhZTNcvF6Rj5mEkDWxOHKw4BE532mtwDz-hcAwwDH7Hqui/s320/IMG_4280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Many dolphins riding our wake <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIh4srF70ayr4-fnnzblIilrjsVhI_1qzq8AeVd3slRe8z1HN91no2wyBkkQN6q0-MeDoVYIQ4uk3pCIxikpCJTkSM7ofp8SmlGD4b1yN7kHGu8HcCnxtpvVUE3mOkvlfbSk2-UfTGyN9-/s1600/IMG_4295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIh4srF70ayr4-fnnzblIilrjsVhI_1qzq8AeVd3slRe8z1HN91no2wyBkkQN6q0-MeDoVYIQ4uk3pCIxikpCJTkSM7ofp8SmlGD4b1yN7kHGu8HcCnxtpvVUE3mOkvlfbSk2-UfTGyN9-/s320/IMG_4295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
and lots of Manatees to slow down for.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Titusville Municipal Marina was an easy in/out and only one block away from a very large and clean dog park. Spencer ran around with the other dogs while Sophie stuck close to us only cautiously venturing a few feet away when another dog approached her. She has not seen this many dogs in one spot since she was a litter mate.<br />
Sophie and Spencer were in awe of these large critters. Affectionately known as "Sea Cows", the Manatees were in abundance around the boats in the marina and we had to come to a full stop a couple of times to avoid hitting some in the ICW itself. Apparently they are vegetarians and just float around munching on any floating sea grass. It just wouldn't be a pleasant experience for the Manatee or the propellers if one hit one of these weird creatures. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghs-AaRtvCqQVh4OiJKeQgFI8FJJ3ljydaMXA2cHY17-lqjQckiuEx_efa0SzoiRBLsjCfswCY_nkOWhnxXL_Egw-WMEvGhPI8Na8Z3JHcKgzI6I5T_rGSNVlZwtAn2jGNHmuDorYbdLFL/s1600/FullSizeRender-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghs-AaRtvCqQVh4OiJKeQgFI8FJJ3ljydaMXA2cHY17-lqjQckiuEx_efa0SzoiRBLsjCfswCY_nkOWhnxXL_Egw-WMEvGhPI8Na8Z3JHcKgzI6I5T_rGSNVlZwtAn2jGNHmuDorYbdLFL/s320/FullSizeRender-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Manatees at Titusville Marina getting a drink from the water pump on the boat!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQhNyv7GoGInJKEqR1TRrHe2zkqN52i0YHhThqfcnpiRPQBnFFyqpa8jHK_QxpNfCMXg0JRftg04NZKKCZZERHGba4CBQdOydK1g0U-9t6yHriW-EaajVIBNnkIVckT2GoDGmwgKPTwC1/s1600/FullSizeRender-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQhNyv7GoGInJKEqR1TRrHe2zkqN52i0YHhThqfcnpiRPQBnFFyqpa8jHK_QxpNfCMXg0JRftg04NZKKCZZERHGba4CBQdOydK1g0U-9t6yHriW-EaajVIBNnkIVckT2GoDGmwgKPTwC1/s320/FullSizeRender-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRnffK3AJWTnS0PJJzfcP4cHAtkGwJtnTl-5Qa42D4PGnR-W8MlGueDD7_x3oPYTm3nvhtPPIAhyphenhyphenqKLdDF05As9wvUuxoMc3-_skUQ3XvMsJFsJbwkT7hiHiykc95hWJi5q5PoD1PKa7T/s1600/TOS1501156992741974699330188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRnffK3AJWTnS0PJJzfcP4cHAtkGwJtnTl-5Qa42D4PGnR-W8MlGueDD7_x3oPYTm3nvhtPPIAhyphenhyphenqKLdDF05As9wvUuxoMc3-_skUQ3XvMsJFsJbwkT7hiHiykc95hWJi5q5PoD1PKa7T/s1600/TOS1501156992741974699330188.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyToSoOGt6mh7-yGMUVj_NFdbE8PNY4BrFaTFvlAO_StzYwu1VE2BO4Jk8LfesvPZLfZGgU3ummuEvYviIA1Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Manatees in the Marina Harbor feeding on grass on top of the water <br />
<br />
A follow up on the depth finder....no glory. It will have to be sent to Datamarine for a fix.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUAmbxl1J769Keae4x5Z1d50ZJ5PleVPqJfuxtizFJhVzgLSCJt2rgTF4wdpPj0AGon0j4d2bo3PNiUL0V0Sufw6JOTVyAQ0PBFxg65OJe8y-I7gQCZt8V6ayLpqEE4EyLRyJPb63bgOJ/s1600/IMG_4298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUAmbxl1J769Keae4x5Z1d50ZJ5PleVPqJfuxtizFJhVzgLSCJt2rgTF4wdpPj0AGon0j4d2bo3PNiUL0V0Sufw6JOTVyAQ0PBFxg65OJe8y-I7gQCZt8V6ayLpqEE4EyLRyJPb63bgOJ/s320/IMG_4298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH0NRG3uCFKYpVsrZQ0KqsGDmhvmZ_VgI8TrhXJYGqTloaXktu_sISsMr2BZrbcPMisDmKNTLbOWZlXCNSFuU3gwBHKx037CQlmyKeYJmcTwLF_058Cdq6zxCWCPtv7Q9KZMG_Rg41wVF/s1600/IMG_4306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH0NRG3uCFKYpVsrZQ0KqsGDmhvmZ_VgI8TrhXJYGqTloaXktu_sISsMr2BZrbcPMisDmKNTLbOWZlXCNSFuU3gwBHKx037CQlmyKeYJmcTwLF_058Cdq6zxCWCPtv7Q9KZMG_Rg41wVF/s320/IMG_4306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdeaGCotAkfoGCXQPw2lJj1qsbc_6RL3yPswtIBYjUZFjf6WLp9qYG7IVWS8KCgG-kdv37P_KBT5EkqguhB-fbIZrJxpsgJaK-j1HIpIq0OjCQxb-023e8BBWaP8xYKk_i6SnDsXtn_I_/s1600/IMG_4310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdeaGCotAkfoGCXQPw2lJj1qsbc_6RL3yPswtIBYjUZFjf6WLp9qYG7IVWS8KCgG-kdv37P_KBT5EkqguhB-fbIZrJxpsgJaK-j1HIpIq0OjCQxb-023e8BBWaP8xYKk_i6SnDsXtn_I_/s320/IMG_4310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Beautiful sunrise this morning as we were leaving Titusville.<br />
<br />
<br />
The rest of the ride to Vero Beach was plagued with Sunday boaters, who were out enjoying a nice sunny day on the water. I felt sorry for those who had beached their boats as the sports fishers and Sea Rays continued to wake them. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiicAX6rzsQF22ZSf3V8iN_Z5eD7Cvsxvdo8YqJZ2NcaE8F0hyphenhyphen4n0UJarHmQAK-3B99QrABghNwQI-95CWUed_j1FngePtGOzmzJElH-i0vfBMdOlLwSCO8vwZkHRy5r4mw3N6g9U3E50u/s1600/IMG_4314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiicAX6rzsQF22ZSf3V8iN_Z5eD7Cvsxvdo8YqJZ2NcaE8F0hyphenhyphen4n0UJarHmQAK-3B99QrABghNwQI-95CWUed_j1FngePtGOzmzJElH-i0vfBMdOlLwSCO8vwZkHRy5r4mw3N6g9U3E50u/s320/IMG_4314.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Cape Canaveral Nasa launch site<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCbbi6Igwz6IHZB7ff_jcL5QgPEzDsuIkbjHnGt3Q8NDbW_i9tjJ0zHx_DlHdhfOkACbD14eh5EsOSHKJA7tO6ph3_VhE-iPbghNUCn2d70JBnCfE0YVk0TPPZKnPbaSTzyss_ClXC7ET/s1600/IMG_4321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCbbi6Igwz6IHZB7ff_jcL5QgPEzDsuIkbjHnGt3Q8NDbW_i9tjJ0zHx_DlHdhfOkACbD14eh5EsOSHKJA7tO6ph3_VhE-iPbghNUCn2d70JBnCfE0YVk0TPPZKnPbaSTzyss_ClXC7ET/s320/IMG_4321.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Dolphins..dolphins and more dolphins.....everywhere....even pink bellied dolphins! <br />
<br />
<br />
Vero Beach has remained the same. Tim, the manager was very helpful and offered to drive me to the nearest West Marine and K Mart so we could replace our worn flag and get batteries for our spot locator. Seems this is their slow time of year and he chocks up the 40% increase in transient traffic during the busy time of the year to the lower fuel prices. <br />
<br />
DocsHolidayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12204042148273588992noreply@blogger.com1