Monday, April 27, 2009
Return to the tropics of Toronto
Such a lot has happened since I last wrote....our epic voyage has come to an end (until next time, that is!)....and we have returned to a startlingly warm Toronto and Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL). As I write this the temperature in NOTL is a muggy 29C, and Bill and I are wearing the shorts and T-shirts we thought we would wash and put away for at least a few weeks!
Back to our trip....We had a wonderful time with Fruji and John at Harbour Ridge Golf and Country Club. We celebrated John's birthday in style, did not disgrace ourselves on the golf course, and enjoyed two nights in a real, static, windproof bed!!
After two relaxing days, we set off to travel up the ICW to our final destination - Fort Pierce. We knew that Carole and Bob on 'Sea Change' had returned from their trip home the previous day, and that they would probably be moving north from Lake Worth soon, but we were surprised to hear them requesting a bridge opening not too far south. They had also heard us requesting a bridge opening and we spoke on the VHF radio. Little did we know how close we were! As we left the St. Lucie River to join the ICW once more, the first boat we saw coming up behind us was 'Sea Change'!
So we journeyed together on to Fort Pierce where we took a slip at the Harbortown Marina, and 'Sea Change' anchored off because they were anxious to leave early the next day. We also met up with Mike, on 'Norma Fay'. We had last seen him at the 'Orchid Bay Marina' at Great Guana Cay in the Abacos. That night we all had an Italian dinner at a great nearby restaurant recommended by Bob and Carole.
For the next four days we organized the haul-out and any repairs that needed to be done to 'Southern Vectis' over the summer. We changed our mind about hauling her out at Fort Pierce's 'Riverside Marina' and decided to haul her out at Harbortown as the boats are strapped down (hurricane-proofed!?), and all the marine services are on site in this well-organized boatyard. 'Southern Vectis' came out on Tuesday - we spent a couple of nights in a nearby hotel and then, after dropping in on Fraser and Edi, Southern Vectis' babysitters of last summer, we returned via US Air to Buffalo to be met late at night by our dear Louisa. We got lost in Buffalo....we always do! It's lovely to be home and to see Louisa, Steve, Leo, Orson and Simon.....not to mention Brandy our cat! But we haven't forgotten 'Southern Vectis' and our many promises made along the way to all those friendly cruising mates....."same time next year!" Watch this space!
Back to our trip....We had a wonderful time with Fruji and John at Harbour Ridge Golf and Country Club. We celebrated John's birthday in style, did not disgrace ourselves on the golf course, and enjoyed two nights in a real, static, windproof bed!!
After two relaxing days, we set off to travel up the ICW to our final destination - Fort Pierce. We knew that Carole and Bob on 'Sea Change' had returned from their trip home the previous day, and that they would probably be moving north from Lake Worth soon, but we were surprised to hear them requesting a bridge opening not too far south. They had also heard us requesting a bridge opening and we spoke on the VHF radio. Little did we know how close we were! As we left the St. Lucie River to join the ICW once more, the first boat we saw coming up behind us was 'Sea Change'!
So we journeyed together on to Fort Pierce where we took a slip at the Harbortown Marina, and 'Sea Change' anchored off because they were anxious to leave early the next day. We also met up with Mike, on 'Norma Fay'. We had last seen him at the 'Orchid Bay Marina' at Great Guana Cay in the Abacos. That night we all had an Italian dinner at a great nearby restaurant recommended by Bob and Carole.
For the next four days we organized the haul-out and any repairs that needed to be done to 'Southern Vectis' over the summer. We changed our mind about hauling her out at Fort Pierce's 'Riverside Marina' and decided to haul her out at Harbortown as the boats are strapped down (hurricane-proofed!?), and all the marine services are on site in this well-organized boatyard. 'Southern Vectis' came out on Tuesday - we spent a couple of nights in a nearby hotel and then, after dropping in on Fraser and Edi, Southern Vectis' babysitters of last summer, we returned via US Air to Buffalo to be met late at night by our dear Louisa. We got lost in Buffalo....we always do! It's lovely to be home and to see Louisa, Steve, Leo, Orson and Simon.....not to mention Brandy our cat! But we haven't forgotten 'Southern Vectis' and our many promises made along the way to all those friendly cruising mates....."same time next year!" Watch this space!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The weathermen lied!!!
(Just a brief news update while sitting in a 'Panera Coffee Shop' in Stuart, Florida.)
Every weather forecast we consulted before our Saturday Gulf Stream crossing promised seas of a mere 2'-4', and winds of 10-15 knots dying down to 5 knots or less!! They were all wrong! 'Barometer Bob', Chris Parker, 'NOAA', even computerized 'Passage Weather' spoke with forked tongue! We travelled across in company with a 32' sailboat, as Robert and Carolyn on 'Sea Island Girl' who were originally to be our 'buddy boat' waited an extra day to meet up with some friends. By the time we had fought the 30 knot winds and 8'-10' waves, not to mention the strong Gulf Stream current and reached the sunny shores of Lake Worth 12 1/2 hours later, the sun had just about set. It was dark when our 'buddy boat' appeared! We anchored thankfully for the first night, and then took the boat into the 'Old Port Cove Marina', which had been recommended by Carole and Bob. We tied up just behind their boat, 'Sea Change'. They had gone home to Canada for Easter. We had to go out to the airport to check in, and then rented a car from there so that we could do some much needed food shopping etc. Going in to a 'Publix' supermarket after three months of local Bahamian stores was like going into Aladdin's cave! So many choices, so much food, and such succulent, fresh vegetables! I went crazy for tomatoes! That day we went to a little restaurant beside the Intra-Coastal waterway called 'The Raw Bar' for a late lunch. Later that day Robert and Carolyn on 'Sea Island Girl' arrived from the Bahamas and the next day we were invited to dinner on board and met up with a whole group of Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club members. Great fun, and we all pledged to meet up next year in the Bahamas. Most of the group have been wintering in the Bahamas for many years and most have graduated to trawler-type power boats from sailboats!
Yesterday (Tuesday) we set off up the Intra-Coastal (ICW) to Stuart to visit John and Fruji Bull at their lovely golf resort, 'Harbour Ridge'. Unfortunately when we were about 10 minutes from the dock a huge storm with 40 knot gusts of wind broke over us. We had to stay out in the river until the winds went down to a mere 20 plus knots before we could try for the dock. Bill did a fantastic job of getting us in safely, aided by John and the dockmaster. It was John's birthday, so he and Fruji and a couple of their friends from Ottawa came on board for champagne before we all went out to a lovely birthday dinner. Last night it was wonderful to spend a night in a real bed...one that didn't rock and roll! Today we shall go up to Fort Pierce by car to check out the marina where 'Southern Vectis' will spend the summer, and then we will play a game of golf! Hope we're not too rusty! We expect to be back in Canada by the end of next week.
Every weather forecast we consulted before our Saturday Gulf Stream crossing promised seas of a mere 2'-4', and winds of 10-15 knots dying down to 5 knots or less!! They were all wrong! 'Barometer Bob', Chris Parker, 'NOAA', even computerized 'Passage Weather' spoke with forked tongue! We travelled across in company with a 32' sailboat, as Robert and Carolyn on 'Sea Island Girl' who were originally to be our 'buddy boat' waited an extra day to meet up with some friends. By the time we had fought the 30 knot winds and 8'-10' waves, not to mention the strong Gulf Stream current and reached the sunny shores of Lake Worth 12 1/2 hours later, the sun had just about set. It was dark when our 'buddy boat' appeared! We anchored thankfully for the first night, and then took the boat into the 'Old Port Cove Marina', which had been recommended by Carole and Bob. We tied up just behind their boat, 'Sea Change'. They had gone home to Canada for Easter. We had to go out to the airport to check in, and then rented a car from there so that we could do some much needed food shopping etc. Going in to a 'Publix' supermarket after three months of local Bahamian stores was like going into Aladdin's cave! So many choices, so much food, and such succulent, fresh vegetables! I went crazy for tomatoes! That day we went to a little restaurant beside the Intra-Coastal waterway called 'The Raw Bar' for a late lunch. Later that day Robert and Carolyn on 'Sea Island Girl' arrived from the Bahamas and the next day we were invited to dinner on board and met up with a whole group of Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club members. Great fun, and we all pledged to meet up next year in the Bahamas. Most of the group have been wintering in the Bahamas for many years and most have graduated to trawler-type power boats from sailboats!
Yesterday (Tuesday) we set off up the Intra-Coastal (ICW) to Stuart to visit John and Fruji Bull at their lovely golf resort, 'Harbour Ridge'. Unfortunately when we were about 10 minutes from the dock a huge storm with 40 knot gusts of wind broke over us. We had to stay out in the river until the winds went down to a mere 20 plus knots before we could try for the dock. Bill did a fantastic job of getting us in safely, aided by John and the dockmaster. It was John's birthday, so he and Fruji and a couple of their friends from Ottawa came on board for champagne before we all went out to a lovely birthday dinner. Last night it was wonderful to spend a night in a real bed...one that didn't rock and roll! Today we shall go up to Fort Pierce by car to check out the marina where 'Southern Vectis' will spend the summer, and then we will play a game of golf! Hope we're not too rusty! We expect to be back in Canada by the end of next week.
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