We get the green light for a Gulf Stream crossing....maybe!

     February 5, 2015

          We think we have a plan! A group of Bahamas bound-sailors gathered beside the fire pit at the Harbor Cove bar last night and talked about weather....among many other things!  The outcome of our discussion was that we would try for a Gulf Stream crossing on either Sunday or Monday - 8th or 9th February.  It will mean that probably we shall be stuck for a few days at the pricey 'Old Bahama Bay' marina before we can carry on for the two day passage that will take us to Green Turtle Cay and the Sea of Abaco. But as the crossing opportunities are so infrequent this year, we have to take what we can get!  At the moment a powerful cold front has blown in with very heavy rain overnight, and strong winds in the 30-plus knot range to come.  However, the forecasters promise us 36 - 48 hours of respite over the weekend, with more calm weather to come at the end of next week after the passing of yet another front. It is winter, after all!
     In the meantime, we have enjoyed some good times with our dock mates. We also had a very enjoyable lunch with Bill, Trish and Kelly of 'Irish Mist II', who were to have been our third 'buddy boat' to the Bahamas this year. Their boat is still docked at a marina in Miami as Trish has broken her ankle and is not too mobile - no jumping on and off boats for a while! Unfortunately they'll be abandoning ship next week to fly back to Ontario until Trish's ankle heals.
     We also made the most of our crossing delay to visit Mary's Isle of Wight school friend, Sue, in Coconut Grove, Miami.  We had a lovely day just enjoying the sights and sounds of Coconut Grove. We were interested to see that Dinner Key Marina, where we have spent time in past years, is undergoing a large expansion. The office block is being re-built into a large, two-storey building, and the whole marina and dock area is to undergo some changes.  We had a drink at 'Scotty's Bar' on Biscayne Bay for old times sake, as it will be demolished in the new dock design plan.
     The next time I write may be from the Bahamas......maybe!