Where are we?
Still at sandpiper marina in Port St. Lucie where our boat has been docked for 2 months.
We have been looking at the weather each and every day to plan our crossing.
People tell us we cant go across on a North wind due to the gulf stream going north.. that means a clash of wind and current. Oh I think I already explained that.
Any way… tomorrow we will get as far south as we can…. We might pull and over-nighter depending on the wind direction. It seems to shift every three days in a circle from south east to south west to west to northwest to north to northeast and round it goes again. Sometimes we see it spinning one way …stall out …and then spin the other.
We have a few options… One is to get south. Then wait two or three days then sail straight to Nassau in one shot and not stop and don’t stop in bimini.
OR
Get south on an over nighter… the only challenge with that is the wind is to be a perfect southeast wind (which is what we want to cross over) but we need to be 25 miles south of our target which means 25 miles more south of Miami. So if we left from here to head south we have a head wind which is so hard to make any way. Plus the winds are to be 5-8 knots – not much to get sailing. We can go on the ICW but that you can only motor during the day! It is too shallow for night motoring and too many obstacles.
OR….
Well those are the options now. We will get as far south as we can, then check out the weather window.
My father is antsy to get going. So antsy he wants to get going and cant understand why we won’t just leave. Last time he sailed over he started in Marathon Cay which is way way south of Miami and had no problem getting to Bimini. That very fact of him starting way south of Miami is what I can’t get across to him. And he is a little frustrated cuz he can’t get me to understand why we just can’t leave and it will take longer than normal to get across but we will be getting across.
Here is where listening to other experienced sailors is the lesson. If people and the Bahama book we read all say not to be going on a north wind and you need to be 25 miles south of the target to get there. Then that is what we will be doing. It’s that simple.
Today we still had to get the boom vang bracket put on and could not leave anyway. So it was a day of needed preparation. I went to the store with the neighbor Charlotte for much needed girl time. (guys are more quiet than girls) so charlotte and I got to just chat as girls do. Plus get needed chores done.
We have done all the checks I can do…
Check oil
When was the last fuel filter changed at 689 hours
Last oil change 217 engine hours ago so we will need a oil change soon at 250 hours
Water changed and filled
All cotter pins checked – Oh hey for those of you that read our blog and was with us during the dragon… there is another cotter pin 16 inches above the one that let loose. Guess what? It was not stainless steel and that one was rusting out… could it be we did see a cotter pin and it rusted out.??? Ben said still we should have seen a rust cotter pin! I have to agree….
Rigging checked – taped a few places
Extra 10 gal of water
Extra 10 gal of gasoline
Tanks were filled and on port we are running with 55 hours used up (total on that tank is about 400 hrs)
Ben tried to caulk a chain plate but it would not come up so he caulked around it for now.
Propane tanks are full
Wind sock for the front hatch is installed
Ben swam and checked the prop – but forgot the zinc
We ate with our neighbors for dinner – yumm yumm a nice time was had by all.
Time to go to bed! And be ready to get up early to get moving.
More later
Blessings
Pam
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