Backwards and forwards!

‘Backtracking for repairs’ and ‘Florida here we come!’
(This blog was written in two stages as we haven’t been able to get near an internet connection for a few days.)
Tuesday 7 April, 2009

Last time I wrote we were still in Orchid Bay on Great Guana Cay waiting to go north through ‘the Whale’ the following day with some of the other boats that had been sheltering from the strong winds. We had really enjoyed our time there because even though the winds were howling, a warm sun still shone in a clear blue sky, the marina was lovely and there was lots to do and see around the little ‘settlement’ and its beautiful beaches.
On the day before our departure Bill had discovered an important repair which needed doing – getting a new ‘zinc’ fitted. We had hoped to get it done on the north side of the ‘Whale’ crossing – at Green Turtle Cay. But, when we phoned around on the morning of our scheduled departure, the only place where we could find our type of ‘zinc’ was at Edwin’s Boat Yard in Man O’ War Cay. So we had to decide whether to go on with the others and risk it, or backtrack to get it fixed. We decided to be cautious and backtrack to Man O’ War. We also decided that we should get our dinghy outboard motor fixed as it’s our lifeline to shore when we are at anchor or moored. The only place that could do this was in Marsh Harbour. This was really backtracking!
So on that beautiful Monday morning we waved farewell to everyone as they sailed north and we sailed in the opposite direction. It was a lovely day with much lighter winds and we went in to Man O’ War marina for two nights (this time we didn’t run aground!), and then sailed over to Marsh Harbour to spend three nights at Mangoes Marina while we waited for our outboard to be fixed. Everything went smoothly. We met up with Michel and Maryse on ‘Maduro’ once again and had a nice ‘cocktail evening’ on board ‘Southern Vectis’.
On Friday we said yet another ‘farewell’ to Marsh Harbour and had a good sail over to Fisher Bay, Great Guana to take a mooring for a night before crossing through the ‘Whale’ the next morning. It should have been a peaceful and lovely evening. There were about eight other boats either moored or anchored nearby and the sunset promised to be spectacular. Suddenly, from around the corner of the bay, two huge ‘Moorings’ chartered catamarans appeared. Usually when this happens everyone holds their breath and prays that they’ll move on. This was not to be! They moored right next to our boat – each tying on to the same mooring ball – and proceeded to party and play loud music into the early hours of the morning! And we had thought that the music from the restaurants around the marinas in Marsh Harbour was loud!!! What can we say except that our unwelcome neighbours were not young party animals, but three or four ENGLISH families complete with middle aged parents and teenagers! We left very early the next morning!
Our trip through the dreaded ‘Whale’ was perfectly peaceful – just a little one foot swell – and a beautiful blue day. We anchored off Green Turtle Cay until mid-afternoon as we had to wait for mid-tide to get in the channel to ‘Black Sound’ where we had booked a mooring buoy through Donny’s Boat rentals. On our way into the harbour we noticed ‘Gray North’ out of the water at ‘Abaco Yachts’ boatyard, and Glen hard at work on the topsides. So once we’d moored we dinghied back and brought Glen and Louise for drinks on board. ‘Gray North’ is spending the summer here, as are a lot of other ‘northern’ boats. Glen and Louise flew out to Florida yesterday and will drive back to Ottawa.
‘Black Sound’ is a lovely harbour and is within an easy walk of the town of New Plymouth. Yesterday the harbour filled up as the wind filled in to 25 knots yet again. Another fierce cold front was in the forecast and everyone was making for shelter.
Last night the cold front arrived and dropped the temperature from a humid 83F to a cool 71F with raging winds of 25 – 32 knots! We are spending today listening to the weather forecasts and planning our route back to Florida as, unbelievable as it seems now, a weather window is supposed to open up tomorrow or the next day and may last for more than one day! We need at least three days for our passage back to Lake Worth/Palm Beach from here. Our first day will take us to an overnight anchorage at Great Sale Cay, the next day we’ll sail on and spend the night at ‘Old Bahama Bay’ marina at ‘West End’, and the following day, if the wave heights look reasonable and the winds favourable, we’ll make the Gulf Stream crossing. We think there will be quite a few boats doing the same as us, so we shan’t be going it alone! Wish us luck!

April 10, 2009
Florida Here We Come!
It’s ‘Good Friday’ – April 10 – and we arrived at ‘Old Bahama Bay’ Marina yesterday evening after two beautifully calm days of travelling. At Great Sale Island we came across our lovely friends, Rob and Laurie from Jacksonville, on board ‘Arita’. We were going in opposite directions so only had time to shout between boats. They are off to Antigua and then, eventually, to Australia. Brave souls! We were sad that we didn’t have a chance for a proper get-together. Bon Voyage ‘Arita’ and ‘Svea’, their buddy boat.
We plan to cross the Gulf Stream tomorrow – Saturday 11 April. We will either cross to Lake Worth/Palm Beach (55 miles) or Fort Pierce (82 miles). I vote for the former and Bill the latter. We shall see who wins! ‘Southern Vectis’ will be stored out of the water at ‘Riverside Marina’ in Fort Pierce for the summer. We will make our crossing travelling together with Robert and Carolyn on their motor cruiser, ‘Sea Island Girl’. Robert is past Commodore of the Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club, a club we shall join for next year. We’ve heard from many people that the club holds great parties and that membership also gets you discounts at various marinas!
Fingers and toes crossed for the crossing tomorrow!