With all boat systems functioning well, we have made our way up the ICW a short distance from Vero Beach to Indian Harbor Beach to stay a couple of nights at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club. Since we had a full day to explore, we opted to take an Uber ride to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and be tourists for the day. It has been at least twenty-five years since we have visited the facility and there have been substantial upgrades to the exhibits. It brought back memories of being glued to our tv sets as youngsters watching the United States Space program mature through Mercury, Gemini and the Apollo programs. The extraordinary exhibit of the Atlantis Space shuttle missions brought tears to our eyes as we realized the sacrifices and dedication of all the heroes it took to accomplish these goals. It certainly made us proud to be Americans. The comparison of our small boating journey to the magnitude of what has been accomplished in space over these short decades is best stated by Space Shuttle Engineer, Tom Milner. He said, ”We have dreamed big, ventured on wild seas, lost sight of the land, and found stars to guide us on our journey. We expanded our horizons and learned lessons.” God Bless America!
Category: Lifestyle
Calmer Waters Heading North/Higher Fuel Prices
After spending two days getting necessary boat repairs accomplished in Fort Lauderdale and North Palm Beach, we are underway again with all systems operational. The big change since we got back from the Bahamas has been the extreme increase in the cost of gas and diesel fuel. The good news about cruising the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway is that a good portion of it is restricted to slow speed (7-10mph) which has greatly reduced our hourly fuel consumption while we travel. We are now enjoying Vero Beach where our daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren will join us for a few days of relaxation. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a month since we have seen our children and grandchildren.
Back in the USA!
Although we have enjoyed our two weeks cruising in the Bahamas, especially the beauty of the turquoise waters, it is great to be back in U.S. waters. Most of our decisions to move from island to island were based on the predictions of the wind and wave height of the seas. We reduced our planned stop at Chub Cay from two days to one so we could make our way south to Nassau before strong tradewinds settled in. The plan of cruising further north to Grand Bahama was cancelled due to a combination of deteriorating weather and some annoying mechanical issues with our boat that needed to be addressed as soon as we could get back to the mainland.
We therefore, circled back to Chub Cay from Nassau with a new plan to cruise west to arrive in Ft. Lauderdale. We crossed the Gulf Stream Thursday March 10th in some uncomfortable seas to arrive in Ft. Lauderdale where we ultimately lost our steering capability due to a combination of hydraulic issues. Thanks to Tow Boat U.S. for towing us to the Lauderdale Yacht Club where we were able to arrange for necessary repairs which occurred on Thursday afternoon and most of Friday. We took advantage of our unscheduled stay in Ft. Lauderdale to have dinner with friends who live nearby. They were even kind enough to loan us their car to run some errands and re-provision the boat for our first true installment on the Great Circle Loop. We are now taking advantage of the slow pace and calm waters of the Atlantic ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). Today we cruised from Ft. Lauderdale to Boca Raton, passing through five drawbridges en route.
Becoming more salty
We haven’t had much of an opportunity to post since leaving homeport in Sarasota and heading to the Bahamas. In our first two days after tossing our lines we covered over 210 miles to Marathon Key. From there, we traveled another 120 miles to the Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami. Cruising in the Bahamas is all about watching the weather and choosing travel days when the seas won’t be rough. Out boat can handle tougher seas than the Captain and First Mate. From Miami, we crossed the Gulf Stream (45miles) to Bimini staying at the Big Game Marina. This is where Ernest Hemingway loved to fish for the big fighting fish. From Bimini, a long 97 mile run to Great Harbour Cay Marina in the Berry Islands. On March 3rd, we had a shorter 59 mile cruise to Chub Cay. We planned to stay two days at Chub Cay but were forced to leave a day early because of building wind and seas which would have made our last leg to Nassau a very uncomfortable ride. Being stranded at the Atlantis Marina on Paradise Island in Nassau for a few extra days waiting for the winds to subside has been far from a stressful environment. In another day or two we will start working our way westward back to the USA entering at Fort Lauderdale. From there, we head north to resume the Great Loop route.
Becoming a Captain
Even though we have had over thirty years of boating experience both along the Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys, I felt a need to be as prepared and qualified as possible in order to be comfortable on our long cruise ahead. Much like getting board certified in a medical specialty, my certification as a U.S. Coast Guard Captain made me more ready to face the challenges that we will surely encounter. No voyage or even a day trip by boat can accomplished safely without the capable help of my First Mate, Jeanne. She is the lookout, the second set of ears, the line handler and fender (bumper) jockey when pulling into a tight slip at a marina. Safe boating is always a team approach.
The Great Circle Loop
The Great Circle Loop is a circumnavigation of the eastern US and part of Canada. We will begin our Loop journey from Sarasota, FL and move counterclockwise, first heading south to our familiar cruising ground of the Florida Keys. Although, technically not part of the Great Loop route, the Bahamas are so close to the east coast of Florida, we plan to take a side trip there. We plan to cruise to Bimini, the Berry Islands, Nassau and Grand Bahama Island before returning to the east coast to resume our trek to the north.
We will move up the eastern seaboard utilizing the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) all the way to Norfolk, VA. We will enter the Chesapeake Bay, cruise the eastern side of New Jersey and enter New York Harbor. Here we will pass the iconic Statue of Liberty and proceed to the Hudson River traveling north past the West Point Academy and onto the Erie canal north of Albany. Off the Erie canal we will travel north via the Oswego river and canal to Lake Ontario. We will cross into Canada and follow the St. Lawrence Seaway to Montreal. From there, we will cruise north and west to Ottawa and down the Rideau canal system back to Kingston, Ontario. A beautiful time to spend the summer in Canada, will allow us to cruise up the Trent Severn waterway and canal system to the north Georgia bay of Lake Huron. As summer fades, we plan to make our way back to the US via Mackinac Island, Michigan. From there, we will move south along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan until we reach Chicago. We will enjoy the fall weather as we move down the Illinois river, the Mississippi river to the Ohio river. Near Paducah, KY we will cruise south along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. From there, we will work our way along the Florida panhandle and then shoot across the Gulf of Mexico to return to our home port of Sarasota. Returning to our starting point is referred to as ”crossing our wake”. Overall, we will cruise in excess of 6,000 miles and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime. We are happy to share our adventure as we make our way.