We will be leaving Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow and head for Sunset Harbor in Miami. Saturday weather still looks like it might be okay for a crossing. We enjoyed the night life at the beach in Ft. Lauderdale last night - but it isn't something you can afford to do often. Beers $5.00; liquor $10.00. Not much drinking went on, but the music was great in Pirates Bar.
Tonight we will dine aboard the Tiaga, a 44 ft. catamaran. Should be fun just to get the tour.
When you see Bill again, don't forget to ask him about the paper towel conflict - much better story when he tells it.
All is well with us and we are anxious now to move on.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Preparing for the Crossing
We have supplied and have the boat ready. We are planning to sail down the ICW to Key Biscayne and anchor in No Name Harbor until we have a weather window to cross - perhaps Saturday. We've never seen that part of Florida and the crossing mile-wise is almost the same as from Miami's Government Cut. The plan was to head to Key Biscayne today, but the wind has blown up the waters and thunderstorms are predicted. It is becoming hard for us to have so much down time.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Finally Ft. Lauderdale!
Yes, we pushed through the bridges from Stuart to Lantana, Florida on Tuesday; anchored off Lantana Tuesday evening and then did the final push through the dozen or so bridges on Wednesday. The bridges are all scheduled to open at specific times: one and half hour; quarter hour; or 20 min. intervals. Sometimes you can fire up the engine and make the next opening. Sometimes you end up dancing around in circles in front of the bridge for 30 or 40 minutes waiting for the opening. And there are just SO MANY bridges. We are in Los Olas Marina now doing all the things that need to be done before we cross the Gulf Stream to the islands. We have had weather in the high 70's and 80's with warm nights and a few showers. Finally Florida!
Bill celebrated his 71st birthday yesterday. His comment is who knew we could have such an exciting life at 71 years!
So now it is do all the necessities and wait for the weather to cross: a window with no North winds involved.
Bill celebrated his 71st birthday yesterday. His comment is who knew we could have such an exciting life at 71 years!
So now it is do all the necessities and wait for the weather to cross: a window with no North winds involved.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Skipper Aboard
Friday, January 14
Yes, we are still parked on a mooring here in Stuart, and we plan to be here until Monday. The weather turned very cold and windy with small craft warnings up and the cautious sailors that we have become decided to hang here. The weekend will be busy on the waterway with motor boats, so Monday will be the calmer day. We face the many, many bridges with designated opening times on the rest of our trip.
Skipper, the Bahamian Wonder Dog, is aboard Snow Goose today while his owners attend the boat show. That is a big deal here this weekend. We will take it in another day.
Yes, we are still parked on a mooring here in Stuart, and we plan to be here until Monday. The weather turned very cold and windy with small craft warnings up and the cautious sailors that we have become decided to hang here. The weekend will be busy on the waterway with motor boats, so Monday will be the calmer day. We face the many, many bridges with designated opening times on the rest of our trip.
Skipper, the Bahamian Wonder Dog, is aboard Snow Goose today while his owners attend the boat show. That is a big deal here this weekend. We will take it in another day.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Hanging in Stuart, Florida
Wednesday, January 5th.
Yesterday Ken, Francie and Skipper, our Vermont cruising friends, visited us at Sebastian River Marina. What a wonderful relief. Nobody knows what it is like to be broken down and having boat work done like a fellow cruiser. They drove the 1996 Ford Thunderbird purchased for their trip to Vermont for the holidays (cheaper than renting a car) from Stuart, Florida where they are moored. Skipper hadn't forgotten us. We had lunch together at Squid Lips, recommended by locals. Then they drove us around to get our provisions. Our mechanic, Vic, invited us aboard his 37 ft. Endeavor which he is restoring. He served us rum from Argentina. His boat is big and will be beautiful someday.
We left the dock at Sebastian this morning and managed to get out of the shallow water without incident. The day was sunny and in the 60's and very nice along the ICW. A pair of dolphins entertained us for quite a distance with their synchronized swimming and our applauding. We are now anchored in Ft. Pierce, Florida. We anchored later afternoon as there was supposed to be some thunderstorms blow in. Nothing yet but some wind. We hope to be able to make Stuart, Florida tomorrow.
January 6th
We had a very windy, rainy night and the morning brought in more of the same along with thunder and lighting. So here we sit and hope for better weather.
January 7th
Beautiful day and we got an early start. The anchor had buried itself during the storm but it held us secure. We motored into Stuart, Fl on the St. Lucie River about 1:30 pm We have picked up a mooring near Release and will stay a couple of days. Did some much needed laundry and connected with friends.
January 8th
We walked around beautiful Stuart today, in and out of some of the downtown shops, and had lunch out. Got hair cuts. The wind is still blowing so the dinghy ride to the shore is a wild and wet one.
January 9th
The warm weather is here! We walked to Publix and got some food, and then pushed the cart back to the dinghy. The carrying back out have been a nightmare. We are now only a couple of days outside Ft. Lauderdale, and then we will begin to watch the weather for a crossing either from there or Miami.
Yesterday Ken, Francie and Skipper, our Vermont cruising friends, visited us at Sebastian River Marina. What a wonderful relief. Nobody knows what it is like to be broken down and having boat work done like a fellow cruiser. They drove the 1996 Ford Thunderbird purchased for their trip to Vermont for the holidays (cheaper than renting a car) from Stuart, Florida where they are moored. Skipper hadn't forgotten us. We had lunch together at Squid Lips, recommended by locals. Then they drove us around to get our provisions. Our mechanic, Vic, invited us aboard his 37 ft. Endeavor which he is restoring. He served us rum from Argentina. His boat is big and will be beautiful someday.
We left the dock at Sebastian this morning and managed to get out of the shallow water without incident. The day was sunny and in the 60's and very nice along the ICW. A pair of dolphins entertained us for quite a distance with their synchronized swimming and our applauding. We are now anchored in Ft. Pierce, Florida. We anchored later afternoon as there was supposed to be some thunderstorms blow in. Nothing yet but some wind. We hope to be able to make Stuart, Florida tomorrow.
January 6th
We had a very windy, rainy night and the morning brought in more of the same along with thunder and lighting. So here we sit and hope for better weather.
January 7th
Beautiful day and we got an early start. The anchor had buried itself during the storm but it held us secure. We motored into Stuart, Fl on the St. Lucie River about 1:30 pm We have picked up a mooring near Release and will stay a couple of days. Did some much needed laundry and connected with friends.
January 8th
We walked around beautiful Stuart today, in and out of some of the downtown shops, and had lunch out. Got hair cuts. The wind is still blowing so the dinghy ride to the shore is a wild and wet one.
January 9th
The warm weather is here! We walked to Publix and got some food, and then pushed the cart back to the dinghy. The carrying back out have been a nightmare. We are now only a couple of days outside Ft. Lauderdale, and then we will begin to watch the weather for a crossing either from there or Miami.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sebastian, Florida
January 4th
Here in a slip in the Sebastian River Marina the manatees are swimming/floating around the boat. The spinnakers were flying as we passed through Marathon. We plan to head south again tomorrow.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Daytona & Beyond
December 30th
We left Palm City and had a beautiful day. We decided to go into a marina again for another warm night. We motored to Daytona Beach and into Halifax Marina. This marina is very well protected. Bill is getting the hang of his new engine and docked perfectly. We were in early enough to walk around the marina - it is large - through West Marine, and then back to the boat for cocktails and dinner.
December 31st
As I stated, Bill is getting the hang of his new power and backed us out of the slip as if we didn't have a starboard prop warp. We motored hard 48 miles today, giving the new engine a breakin workout. The day was in the high 60's to 70 degrees and very nice. Everyone along the waterway was happy and celebrating the New Year. We anchored in Titusville, a good 48 mile dayl. The sunset was beautiful!
January 1st, 2011
We hauled anchor about 9 am and headed for Melbourne, FL. Again today there we many boats on the waterway - most of them day sailors. The wind was 20 plus or minus blowing the shallow waters out, so we had shallow water most of the day - not my favorite kind of traveling. We are anchored in back of a little island to avoid the wind with 5 other boats. There is wind surfing and barbecuing with locals off the island. The day was stressful between the high winds, other boats and the very shallow waters. We plan to go the 25 miles to Vero Beach tomorrow, weather permitting, and have a day onshore, some boat work, and showers.
We left Palm City and had a beautiful day. We decided to go into a marina again for another warm night. We motored to Daytona Beach and into Halifax Marina. This marina is very well protected. Bill is getting the hang of his new engine and docked perfectly. We were in early enough to walk around the marina - it is large - through West Marine, and then back to the boat for cocktails and dinner.
December 31st
As I stated, Bill is getting the hang of his new power and backed us out of the slip as if we didn't have a starboard prop warp. We motored hard 48 miles today, giving the new engine a breakin workout. The day was in the high 60's to 70 degrees and very nice. Everyone along the waterway was happy and celebrating the New Year. We anchored in Titusville, a good 48 mile dayl. The sunset was beautiful!
January 1st, 2011
We hauled anchor about 9 am and headed for Melbourne, FL. Again today there we many boats on the waterway - most of them day sailors. The wind was 20 plus or minus blowing the shallow waters out, so we had shallow water most of the day - not my favorite kind of traveling. We are anchored in back of a little island to avoid the wind with 5 other boats. There is wind surfing and barbecuing with locals off the island. The day was stressful between the high winds, other boats and the very shallow waters. We plan to go the 25 miles to Vero Beach tomorrow, weather permitting, and have a day onshore, some boat work, and showers.
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