Underway for the Bahamas

Today I finally got underway, heading for the Bahamas! Pastor Carey and Doug Grace dropped by on the way to Miami at 0530 to pray for God's blessings on the trip.

I hauled the furntiture in off the proch, and put the last couple of shutters up, got gas for the compressor, and did about 500 other things this morning. My good friend Rudy, came over and helped me with some last minute stuff, and getting the tow on the Whaler rigged. I was underway with the tide at 0935.

The weather this morning has kind of rainy, and the winds are probably 12-13 out of the east. I'm running up Hawks channel until the Keys turn more northerly, and then I'll either jump across the Stream, or anchor for the night further up the Keys, depending upon the weather. If I don't repost today, you know I crossed the Stream.

All equipment is functioning well, and though not calm, the seas are manageable, and the forecast looks about the same for tomorrow. Tonight I'll tuck in behind Riding Rocks to anchor and sleep for a couple of hours until good daylight to cross the bank I love crossing the shallow bank in a slow boat (good thing!) to enjoy looking at the diversity of stuff!

All equipment is functioning well, and though not calm, the seas are manageable, and the forecast looks about the same for tomorrow. Tonight I'll tuck in behind Riding Rocks to anchor and sleep for a couple of hours until good daylight to cross the bank I love crossing the shallow bank in a slow boat (good thing!) to enjoy looking at the diversity of stuff!

All equipment is functioning well, and though not calm, the seas are manageable, and the forecast looks about the same for tomorrow. Tonight I'll tuck in behind Riding Rocks to anchor and sleep for a couple of hours until good daylight to cross the bank I love crossing the shallow bank in a slow boat (good thing!) to enjoy looking at the diversity of stuff!


Update: All is well, and I'm crossing the stream this evening. Can't beleive I've got coverage this far out!

For people who like to be on the water, a Gulf Stream crossing is always interesting, if you like to look at fish, birds, seaweed, and beautiful blue water.  I’ve always figured if you are bored, it is because you aren’t paying attention!  At one point during the night crossing, the phosphorous was everywhere in the water, sparkling its brilliant green glow lights as our wake moved the phytoplankton.

Anybody remember the old video game Frogger?  The point of the game was to get your frog across the stream/highway/etc without getting smashed by a truck, ate by an alligator, etc.  I was never any good at it.  I think about that and laugh now, as I’m crossing the stream, dodging ships, and not letting the current wipe me off the page.

As much as I enjoy being on the water, by the time I got to Riding Rocks, after pulling an all-nighter, I was ready to be there!  There was too much swell to comfortably anchor, and I wanted to see Riding Rocks up close, so I waited until daylight, snapped a photo or two, and continued on a little ways across the Bahamas Bank for an hour or so before I anchored for a few hours of sleep.

At some point during the transit, the pressure switch (I determined later) stuck, and when the fresh water pump exceeded the pressure allowed by one connection, it blew the hose off, and pumped all my fresh water into the bilge.  It was at that point that I decided to head to Morgan’s Bluff, Andros, where water is free, and I could clear customs without paying a marina to do it.

So after a few hours  of sleep on the bank, I continued onwards to Morgan’s Bluff.  Darkness caught me once again, but rather than sleep in the open, on the bank, I continued in to Morgan’s Bluff, with its well-marked (by Bahamian standards) channel, and anchored just west of Joanne Point @ 25 10.659N 078 02.443W about 2200.

In the morning, I took the Whaler into the commercial dock to find out where I could tie up to clear Customs and Immigration, and went back to fetch the Mercy.  I docked at the commercial dock @0900, and filled my water tank while I waited for the Dockmaster to arrive.  She called Customs for me, and by 1045 had cleared Customs.  I spent another bit of time  pulling the water pump apart, cleaning the pressure switch, assembling it back, and readjusting the pressure.