We are in the Bahamas at Old Bahama Bay, West End, Grand Bahama! This is the only 'resort' marina that we stay at and we plan to spend about a week here enjoying the amenities and waiting for better weather.
 |
| The beach at Old Bahama Bay |
 |
| Nice pool - a little cool this time of year |
Our 'crossing' began in Marco Island on the west coast of Florida 4 days ago. Usually you try to 'stage' closer to the crossing area, but weather and Christmas kept us in Marco. When it looked like a crossing 'window' would open up late this week, we had to cover a lot of ground, almost 300 nautical miles in 4 days, to take advantage of the opportunity.
Additionally the weather was not ideal for traveling from Marco to the east coast of Florida; we had the wind towards our bow for most of the trip to Miami, not the best for a sailboat.
Our first leg on 12/28 was from Marco Island to Little Shark River way down on the west coast of Florida in the Everglades. We had to get a 'first-light' start to cover the 65 mile trip in the short late-December days. Unfortunately this was also the time of a low tide in Marco, but with careful navigation we avoided going aground as we exited the river and Capri Pass. Because of our draft, we have to go the 'long way' out around Cape Romano shoals to get to Little Shark. The first leg to the West was a close-hauled motor sail, but after clearing the shoals, the wind was dead on our bow, so we needed to motor into the wind to arrive before dark.
The second leg on 12/29 was 52 miles across Florida Bay to Marathon which features am incredible number of crab pots - any of which could foul a rudder or propeller. This turned into one of the best pure sails we have had in a long time. It is more challenging to avoid the crab pots under sail, but greatly reduces the risk of fouling the propeller.
We stayed over a day in Marathon to catch our breath and plan our crossing. The weather kept our plans in flux. Plan A was to jump out in the Gulf Steam at Marathon and sail directly to West End; East-Southeast winds would have made the first part of this trip difficult so this plan was abandoned.
Plan B was to motor sail up the better protected Hawk Channel to Rodriguez on 12/31, anchor at Rodriguez for the night and jump out into the stream to West End the next day. The threat of an approaching cold front on Saturday which would bring North winds and nasty conditions made us abandon this plan.
We considered abandoning crossing now and going to Miami to wait for another window (Plan C), but entering Biscayne Bay on New Years Eve was not appealing. Regular Coast Guard broadcasts spoke of a special speed limit in the Bay and the need to obey law enforcement (a special condition in Miami?).
So Plan D was hatched underway, to continue up the Hawk Channel and jump out into to West End near Miami. We arrived in West End on New Year's Day at around 9:00 AM after a 27 hour, 175 mile trip.
The crossing weather was not ideal, but a reasonably comfortable motor-sail. Memorable moments included an interception by an unlit Coast Guard vessel, Leaving Miami or the Bahamas at night seems to attract Coast Guard attention. A fast approach by an unlit, unannounced boat is always exciting, but it seems we are getting used to it.
Joyce was on watch around midnight to see multiple fireworks displays along the south Florida coast. She also wanted it noted that she was on watch to see sunrise, something that she rarely sees -she is not an early riser :-).
The cold front is now approaching and our plan is to stay here for around a week, resting up from the trip, enjoying the resort amenities, and waiting for better weather to continue over to Abaco.
Tom
Docked Old Bahama Bay
West End, Grand Bahama
No comments:
Post a Comment