We left Chub Cay at 7:00 a.m. April 6th. As we left the harbor and headed out of the channel towards the the Tongue of the Ocean we were climbing 6-7 foot waves which were breaking! It was pretty rough, and we thought we were in for a long day. We were the only boat crew brave enough to leave the marina. After a few tough miles we turned with the waves and wind and put up our sails. It became much smoother and we started really going fast in the 8.5 knot range. The 13 miles through the tongue of the ocean was not bad at all, and once we
got onto the banks it was like a lake. The Tongue of the Ocean is a couple of thousand feet deep, and then it shoals to a water depth on the banks average about 10 feet. If you hit it against the tide and wind it can be very dangerous. We were with the tide and the wind.
got onto the banks it was like a lake. The Tongue of the Ocean is a couple of thousand feet deep, and then it shoals to a water depth on the banks average about 10 feet. If you hit it against the tide and wind it can be very dangerous. We were with the tide and the wind.
Preston & John decided to do some fishing, it took about 45 minutes and we caught a 3/12 foot barracuda. Which we threw back of course.
As we were crossing the banks it was getting dark and stormy, Preston turned on the radar and we could see a big storm coming at us with loaded with rain , thunder & lightning. We fell off our course some to avoid going straight into it. But, we still got hit by the edges of it. It rained hard which washed the salt off Wy'East and us. For about two hours there was thunder & lightning all around us. The sound of thunder only yards away is very scary and loud!During the long passage we picked up some hitch hikers. 3 or 4 different birds landed on Wy' East for a rest and shelter from the rain and wind. One little guy even went inside, put his head under his wing and slept for a couple of hours! We probably saved his life since he was very tired.
We arrived at Cat Cay about 7:00 p.m. It was a long 12 hour day to cover almost 80 miles. At dusk we dropped the hook just outside the harbor. Chennie cooked a great dinner and just as she was doing the dishes the wind started to blow. The bottom was hard and mostly grass, so we started to drag anchor. By this time it was pitch black, so Chennie grabbed the spot light. Preston hit the windless switch and pulled anchor. The holding was not good, so we made the decision to go into the marina instead of re-anchoring. We eased our way into Cat Cay Marina for the night, so we could get some rest before our crossing the next morning. It cost over $100.00 just to dock the boat! But we had no choice really.
We arrived at Cat Cay about 7:00 p.m. It was a long 12 hour day to cover almost 80 miles. At dusk we dropped the hook just outside the harbor. Chennie cooked a great dinner and just as she was doing the dishes the wind started to blow. The bottom was hard and mostly grass, so we started to drag anchor. By this time it was pitch black, so Chennie grabbed the spot light. Preston hit the windless switch and pulled anchor. The holding was not good, so we made the decision to go into the marina instead of re-anchoring. We eased our way into Cat Cay Marina for the night, so we could get some rest before our crossing the next morning. It cost over $100.00 just to dock the boat! But we had no choice really.
Monday, April 7th we left Cat Cay and headed for the cut at Gun Cay. We were bucking 8-10 rollers for about 5 miles, but once we got through that and in postion to get our sails up it was one of our best sails ever! We were averaging 9.5 knots we had the wind, current and waves with us. We had to sail west to go northwest as the Gulf Stream was moving at over 4 knots.
The next morning we left to head north on the Intercoastal Waterway.
After 21 bridges we dropped the anchor in Lake Worth, FL for the night. After a quiet night, we left Friday morning at first light so we could get into Indiantown Marina. Another long day with about 8 bridges and having to go through the St Lucie Locks. We made the 3:00 p.m. lock opening.
We arrived here in Indiantown about 5:30 p.m. Wy'East was tied to a floating dock in Indiantown. There were alligators and turtles swimming all around us. The turtles eat hotdogs right from your hand. We decided not to feed the alligators!
Wy'East was hauled out Friday morning the 18th of April after removed her mast and packed it all away. She is now on a truck headed home to Oregon.
After 8 months living on her, we miss it. We are a bit overwhelmed by the speed of life here in the states and we know it's much safer out in the ocean in 10' waves sailing than going 70 MPH down the freeway in Florida! I'd trade it any day.
Maybe we'll do the Baha Ha Ha next to Cabo San Lucas!!!
At 3:00 p.m. April 7th we sailed into Fort Lauderdale. A cruise ship followed us in the harbor channel and we had to get out of the way! The 54 mile trip took us 6 1/2 hrs to cross the gulf stream, and it was the perfect ride. So we were back in the USA! Back to the rat race too!
By 4:00 p.m Wy'East was on a mooring ball at the Las Olas Marina. We got to have hot showers, and walked to the beach for a day. We also had to visit US Customs, and a really nice lady named Pam from WEST MARINE let us use her car to drive there. Like we always say, the people we meet out cruising, and the boaters we meet in general are so nice and always ready to help each other out! So if any of you are reading this...THANKS for the help you gave us! Our great friend John flew out of Fort Lauderdale on April 9th and we were again on our own to finish the last two legs of our nine month adventure.
The next morning we left to head north on the Intercoastal Waterway.
After 21 bridges we dropped the anchor in Lake Worth, FL for the night. After a quiet night, we left Friday morning at first light so we could get into Indiantown Marina. Another long day with about 8 bridges and having to go through the St Lucie Locks. We made the 3:00 p.m. lock opening.
We arrived here in Indiantown about 5:30 p.m. Wy'East was tied to a floating dock in Indiantown. There were alligators and turtles swimming all around us. The turtles eat hotdogs right from your hand. We decided not to feed the alligators!
Wy'East was hauled out Friday morning the 18th of April after removed her mast and packed it all away. She is now on a truck headed home to Oregon.
After 8 months living on her, we miss it. We are a bit overwhelmed by the speed of life here in the states and we know it's much safer out in the ocean in 10' waves sailing than going 70 MPH down the freeway in Florida! I'd trade it any day.
Well we bought a car, a 1999 Nissan Maxima, supposedly owned by an old couple that kept it in the garage for 6 months a year. Now we are driving across the country. First we are visiting Arkansas, then it's off through Texas, New Mexico then Arizona. From there we'll go to San Diego, then north to Redding, CA and then home to Oregon where Wy' East will be waiting for us.
..
From here we will find out what our next adventures will be. We've made some great friends out sailing that we will stay in contact with. We both plan to get our captain's licenses this summer, and then we'll figure out where our bow will point next, this time on the west side of the country.
..
From here we will find out what our next adventures will be. We've made some great friends out sailing that we will stay in contact with. We both plan to get our captain's licenses this summer, and then we'll figure out where our bow will point next, this time on the west side of the country.
Thanks for following us.
Maybe we'll do the Baha Ha Ha next to Cabo San Lucas!!!
Chennie and Preston
No comments:
Post a Comment