Sally & Conrad With Our Christmas Present

 

Bill Gates Used To Own this Property

 

We Arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the first time that we have had internet since Miami to do a post. We are in Big Majors Spot by Staniel Cay in the Exumas. We left Miami on Saturday (around the 18th?) crossed the Gulf Stream (very calm), and did a 24 hour trip to Frazers Hog in the Berry Islands. We stayed there for several days waiting out weather, then traveled to West Bay on New Providence Island (where Nassau is), then sailed to Normans Cay, and yesterday sailed to Staniel Cay where we will be for several days. There are about 70 boats here for the New Years Celebrations. All is well with us. We wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, New Year!

18Kts on Biscayne Bay

 

Miami Skyline

 

Stiltsville There were 30 now there are 7

 

I Wish We Were Eating Canned Food

That would mean that we were in the Bahamas. The weather has continued to deliver NE & E winds at 15-20 knots, not viable for leaving. We went to No Name Harbor a few days ago and saw the Christmas Boat Parade last night. The sailboat was the best in our opinion, congratulations,"Second Wind" Today we realized that the conditions for sailing were idyllic for sailing Biscayne Bay. We took a trip past Stiltsville and up to Coconut Grove Sailing Club,a wonderful spot. We did go to Fresh Market because I think we have developed a supermarket "Jones" Is this one of those dreams where your legs don't work?

Cape Florida Light West View

 

Cape Florida LIght North View

 

Sis & Mom

 

Is Anybody Home? Elena's Cat

 

Hurry Up and Wait

That is what we are doing know as the window to cross to the Bahamas was good for crossing but would have made the last leg of the trip to The Berry Islands pretty dicey. This is an interesting decision considering our trip from Ft Lauderdale to Miami. I was going to name a post "the definition of insanity", because even though I knew that exiting an inlet with the current opposing the waves is tough, I thought how bad can it be. In other words doing the same thing and expecting a different result. The NE swell was about 5-6feet and the pounding was barely tolerable however when I started the turn South and found the shallower water(15') it became a tumult of square holes bordered those by those same waves. It was an interesting lesson in hydrodynamics. Once we freed ourselves from this error, we were able to put the sails up and took off at nearly 7 kts. The wind was on the beam,blowing 18-25kts,the NE swell had company(an easterly 3-4'wind wave)which made for an "interesting" motion. Needless to say we made good time to Miami to meet Conrad and Sally. After missing the weather window we decided to cruise down to No Name Harbor today,we had a nice sail and a fun cruisers get together. Looks like we could be waiting awhile for the next opportunity to cross the Gulf Stream

Waiting for Laurie

Laurie will be on the "Red Eye" from LA tonight. As per my last post I have spent the last few days being busy getting very little done. The boat is pretty well provisioned and prepared. I now have a spear,Cuban yo-yo and assorted lures(the fish and lobsters are laughing hysterically). For those who have not had to buy food for 3-4 months and stuff it into a closet that you also live in, all I can say is,lucky you.
If things go according to plan(the ones molded in jello)we will cross to the Bahamas this week. At least we should be able to sail to Miami tomorrow and maybe check out a different Publix Supermarket.