February 21st- West Palm FL to West End/ Grand Bahama BS

We attempted to get some sleep before my wakeup alarm went off at 3:15am. Not much sleep was had due to our extremely elevated excitement level. Two years! This was the culmination of two years of planning and work. So yes, we were very excited! We have been sailing together for 20 years but today was going to provide us with some firsts. First time crossing the Gulf Stream. First time leaving a port at night. For me, it was also the first time leaving the US (I went to Montreal once but am not sure that counts). We have a lot of experience bashing our way through the bays and sounds around New England but not much time on blue water.

We started hauling up our ground tackle at 4am. While it was quiet when we first woke, around a dozen (or more) boats lit their running lights, hauled anchors, and headed toward the Lake Worth Inlet. There were many calls over the VHF radio, back and forth, from various boats. Shortly after piloting Evergreen into the channel, I realised one of our running lights was out. I grabbed a headlamp and screw driver, went up to the bow, and fixed the light while Lynne idled around the channel. With lights now working we were back on track.

Most of the boats headed out but there were two others waiting around (with us?). We had seen and heard about the huge dredging operation blocking much of the entrance to Lake Worth Inlet. Over the VHF, we had heard cruisers communicating with the barge. A lot of confusion over North and South, port and starboard, seemed to be a large part of the chatter. Apparently, one boat almost ran into a rock jetty and two other vessels almost collided. We approached the barge with our followers relying on my never ending well of expertise and experience (none). The main problem was that the lights on the dredge were blinding. I kept my north/ south, port/ starboard straight and we made it out without issue.

About half of the pack was still outside the harbor entrance. I think people might have been disoriented by the darkness as there was no moon tonight. It also seemed to me that the Gulf Stream was very strong near to Florida’s coast. Two things eventually occurred to us. We wanted to get some distance between us and these other boats. Second, we were fighting the current too much and needed more speed. I pointed away from the pack and let the current pull Evergreen North. Our speed went up and we got away from the other vessels. In all, I let the Gulf Stream push Evergreen about 5nm off course but knew we’d be able to make it up when we got further East.

That was it. Everything just calmed down. The sea was pretty flat. I rolled out the genoa for a little extra speed and to make us more visible. We could see mast lights off in the distance. Crazy Ivan (the auto pilot) did the steering and was very cooperative. Twilight came then the sunrise. Another beautiful day. Lynne made breakfast. I raised the mains’l for some additional speed. With full sail up and the diesel running we pushed on toward the Bahamas.

Sunrise on the Gulf Stream.

I have used the term “blue water” to describe the ocean. After watching the sun rise we learned something new. The deep sea in the Gulf Stream is Navy Blue. We couldn’t believe it! Really deep blue. Eventually the navy blue turned turned to turquoise and we were on the Bahama Bank. Our transit time was around 10 hours. I had figured 10 1/2 To 12+ hours for our passage so we made good time.

There were many boats checking in at West End. The Old Bahama Bay Resort and Marina controls the basin. We lingered around on the ocean for a while to tidy up our sails and get a good look at the entrance. We entered the marina and tied up to the diesel pier for fuel and to check in with customs. The actual docking was more of a controlled collision (to quote one of the cruisers that helped tie us up). I guess I was a little over enthusiastic about our arrival. We made It!

Entrance into West End, Bahamas.

First funny Bahamas problem- Since it was a new moon there was a really low tide which was around when we arrived at the marina. The deck of our boat was about 6 feet lower than the height of the pier. No ladders. After fueling up the woman told me to pay at the office and then I could head over to customs and immigration. She then walked off. It’s been a very long time since I’ve tried to climb a tree (or anything else). Somehow, I channeled some Spider-Man skills and made it onto the pier. Diesel was payed for, then onto customs. I had to fill out a few forms. Everyone was super nice. The Admiral did a great job emailing copies of all the paperwork. One of the customs agents had actually processed all the online paperwork and was familiar with our papers and boat. We were no longer under quarantine and could hoist our Bahamas courtesy flag. I jumped back on Evergreen and boosted Lynne and Ollie onto the pier so they could step foot on Bahamas soil.

For various reasons I opted to anchor off of West End and not stay at the marina. There is a very strong current running through the anchorage area. I would call it an advanced anchorage. Our big anchor grabbed the bottom and we were done for the day. The water was absolutely clear. We could see a large Barricuda swimming right under Evergreen (another 1st).

Second funny Bahamas problem- it’s an advanced anchorage and people are tired when they arrive. Just after watching a stunning sundown another sailboat came in. They lost control in the current and only through the heroic effort of the boat’s skipper did he manage not to slam into Evergreen. Using, not fenders, but his body to cushion the blow. They then almost drifted into a shallow grassy area with us yelling, “DON’T GO THATWAY!” They managed to get control and avoided further calamity. The next day we had a little less luck but I’ll save that for the next post.

That night was dream like and we were further deprived of sleep. The stars came out. It was mesmerizing. The sky is dark without city lights. We could see the Milky Way, Jupiter, Saturn, and a million other stars. Eventually we looked down. I have seen bioluminesence before but nothing like this. It ranged from flashes in the water to little sparkly things zooming by. I’m not sure how long we stared at the sky and water. We were lost in the beauty of it.

This place is amazing!

Old Bahama Bay Resort.

Sunset #1 from the Bahamas.

February 20th- Hobe Sound to Lake Worth/ Palm Beach FL

We got an early start on the day to try to avoid some of the traffic. We didn’t have far to go but had to deal with 7 draw bridges. We ended the day in Lake Worth. We’ve anchored here a few times but not near the inlet. The Lake Worth inlet has a lot of water surging in and out due to the tide. It’s a little bouncy. We won’t be here long.

Evergreen will head out in the middle of the night for our passage to the Bahamas. It’s only 56nm but the trip should take us between 10 and 12 hours due to the Gulf Stream current.

We are excited. This has been a dream of ours and we have spent many hours preparing for it. Onward!!

Hopefully I can keep this blog updated when we are over there. Communication is a little more complicated and the whole experience is new to us.

Jupiter Light.

Bon voyage!

February 19- Stuart/ St Lucie River to Hobe Sound FL

Our original departure was planned for Saturday but a heavy north wind kept us at anchor for another day. After wrestling with the anchor, we departed Pendarvis Cove, only to be delayed by the railroad bridge for about an hour. The bridge is old and used heavily. It is being repaired or replaced.

We try not to be in transit on the weekends in Florida but it wasn’t to be avoided. There is a busy cross roads where the St Lucie River bisects the ICW. It was packed with water craft going every which way today. In general this whole portion of the ICW is very busy. We motored along until just after midday and anchored in Hobe Sound. I jumped in the dinghy for an Oliver beach commando raid and took a look at the bottom of the boat. The antifouling paint is working well but there were many barnacles on the propeller which was slowing Evergreen down. Lynne donned snorkeling gear, grabbed the scraper, and went to work on the problem. Eventually I joined her and noticed the sacrificial zinc was gone from the propeller shaft. This is a very important hunk of metal that protects the prop and shaft from corrosion. We have an aditional zinc on the bottom but this one needed replacement. We’ve hired a diver to do this in the past but today I managed to get the thing on without donating the zinc or any tools to Neptune. The whole job lasted an hour and we lounged around for the rest of the day.

Despite a few hurdles we felt good to be on the move again.

Back on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Evergreen anchored in Hobe Sound.

February 17th- St Lucie River/ Stuart FL

Monday. Monday might possibly be the day. Maybe.

Lynne is bringing Ollie to a local veterinarian to obtain his Bahamas health certificate on Saturday. Afterwards, the plan is to head towards West Palm Beach/ Lake Worth. The weather next week looks fairly benign so we hope to cross over to Grand Bahama Island on Monday. There are a few variables to contend with so the plan is fluid.

Evergreen has been drifting around in circles (mostly clockwise) for almost 2 months. Our anchor chain had developed a significant twist to it. This would complicate retrieving our anchor. I spent a few hours untangling anchor chain yesterday. Lynne bought a few last minute supplies.

Water. Check.

Diesel. Check.

One concern is that Evergreen’s bottom might have some fouling. Another problem is barnacles growing on the propeller. The waters of the St Lucie are completely opaque so I can’t actually see the propeller. We were unable to find a diver that would service the anchorage. We hope to stop in Hobe Sound where the water has more clarity. I should be able to scrape some of the barnacles from the propeller if needed.

Some scenes from Stuart.

No pink birds up North.

Do we live here now?

Good bye Chapman Way (our street address at Pendarvis Cove Park).

February 4th- St Lucie River/ Stuart FL

Evergreen still lies at anchor in Pendarvis Cove. We’ve been in the Stuart area for over a month. Originally, we had planned on taking a mooring over at the Sunset Bay Marina but decided we like our spot near Pendarvis Park. The Admiral is on a first name basis with most of the residents of the anchorage. I’ve started to call her,”The Belle of Pendarvis Cove.”

We’ve had a few visits from family and have had some great meals together. The Admiral is also on a first name basis with Tucker, our waiter at the Osceola Street Cafe. Since we’re not spending cash on a dock or moorings, we’ve been renting cars to go for a ride or resupply. Stuart is a nice town and we’ve enjoyed our stay.

Sculpture garden at Memorial Park.

Some of the locals.

Over the past few weeks preparations for the Bahamas has continued. So far, the hardest part has been the paperwork. Since paperwork is not one of my strong points, Lynne took over the task. We obtained passports before leaving Dartmouth. Next was the Pet Import Permit. In order to expedite the process we had a guy (Wellington) take care of it in the Bahamas. He did an excellent job and we’d recommend him to anyone bringing a pet over there. — bahamaspetpermit.com — Ollie had to get a tracking chip before leaving home and proof of vaccinations. We still need to bring him to a veterinarian in Stuart for a health certificate. This has to be done shortly before crossing over. Lynne then conquered the required Cruising Permit from the Bahamas Customs Department. This was able to be done online using Click2Clear which is basically answering a ton of questions and paying the fee. Doing it this way avoids having to fill out the papers on the dock at the customs office when we check in. At this point I thought we were done but then found out we needed to inform the US Customs and Border patrol of our return. To do this we (actually Lynne) filled out more online paperwork and she familiarised herself with the CPB ROAM app. Done. Nope. In order to get back in (legally) we also need to pay a fee and get a DTOPS decal (Decal and Transponder Procurement System). This decal is issued to boats over 30′, planes, and commercial vehicles.

Happy to be done with customs paperwork.

While she has been wading through the difficult process of crossing borders I’ve been soaking up the sunshine and drinking beer. Just kidding!

The Admiral wanted an increased measure of safety by having a reliable way of tracking us and communication. To that effect I purchased a Garmin Inreach Mini 2. This device transmits to the Iridium satellite network. We are able to text from anywhere in the world without needing to be in range of a cellphone tower. It also transmits our location to an online map located here: share.garmin.com/weirsailing (link also at side or bottom of blog page depending on screen size). This map can be zoomed in or out to see the details of the area we are in. There is also an SOS button to alert the cavalry should something cataclysmic happen.

I also bought a cheap Nokia phone. When we get over there we’ll be able to purchase a local BTC sim card, install that in the Nokia, and make calls. I’ve learned a lot about communication.

I then spent my time learning about weather windows. Florida’s winds are heavily influenced by the fronts that move through the area. Wind direction is very important to factor in for a Bahamas crossing. The Gulf Stream is essentially a river of warm water flowing northward. This “river” flows between Florida and the Bahamas. If the wind is out of the North large waves develope (bad). There are also the Easterly Trade winds (very common). This direction is also not great since that would put the wind on Evergreen’s bow as we are heading East. That leaves us with a South through West wind direction being favorable. Also common to Florida’s coast is -no wind- which would also work. The wind directions basically go clockwise as high and low pressure fronts move through the area. To predict the weather/ wind state I have been using an application called Windy . I also monitor the National Weather Service Marine Forecast. In addition to those tools I have recently subscribed to a weather routing service from the Marine Weather Center. They send me custom detailed forecasts daily. We had a few really good weather windows but were unable to leave before February 1st.

“A sailor with no schedule always has good weather.”

Right now the weather isn’t good to cross (gale warning). Next week isn’t looking good so far. So we wait. Patience. Stuart’s a nice place to wait. Grilled Tilapia and rice pilaf for dinner tonight!

Some scenes from Stuart FL.