DECISIONS AND DELAYS

February 7, 2014
     We are now at anchor in Lake Worth, Palm Beach. Last Monday we set off from Ft. Pierce in the company of Dick and Margaret on Alize, their beautiful 42 foot Beneteau.  As usual, we had enjoyed our time at Harbortown Marina and met up with old friends, Al and Maggie, Sigita and Martin and Fred and Debbie, from our previous sailing adventures.

     We had decided to sail to Lake Worth down 'the outside', but changed our mind the day before our departure because of our Sunday afternoon drive to the mouth of the Ft. Pierce inlet!  It was a beautiful and seemingly calm day. The sea wall was busy with people and sea birds of all sorts, but what caught our eye immediately was the large sailboat struggling against waves and rolling in the huge current at the mouth of the inlet. At one point it looked as though it would be dragged onto the rocks.  Luckily it just made it through. There aren't too many 'good' inlets for sailboats along the east coast, but Ft. Pierce is one of them!  However, timing is crucial. The devil's brew of wind against tide can be fatal.  It was a sobering experience!

     Our trip to Lake Worth down the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) took us about 8 hours. It went fairly smoothly except for a heavy downpour and being at the mercy of the sometimes cranky bridge-captains of the seven opening road-bridges en route.  We breathed a sigh of relief when we reached our peaceful anchorage in the north end of Lake Worth.  Next day we relaxed, took the dinghy and had lunch at the 'Rum Bar', beside one of those pesky ICW bridges.

     We had signed on to get Chris Parker's e-mail weather forecasts and knew that there were 'weather windows' for a Gulf Stream crossing coming up in the next two days. We had already changed our plan and decided not to go on to Miami, so decided we would make the crossing along with other boats who had been waiting for the window.  It was not to be. We discovered that our batteries were not holding an electrical charge, and we needed to buy new ones.  We made arrangements to go into New Port Cove Marina and have them installed.  So, two days later, the batteries were installed, our faulty alternator was fixed and the 'weather window' had closed!  We did think of making a 'dash' across the Gulf Stream tonight, but were saved from our foolishness by the arrival of un-forecast 18 knot winds!  But we are happy with our decision, because now it means we can go to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow and wait for the next weather window there.  But will we take the 'outside' route or struggle through the eighteen bridges on the ICW?  Watch this space.