Georgetown, Exuma

Arrival in Georgetown Saturday, lots of fun and many cruisers.  Our friends on Discretion, Ann and Art, are leaving their boat here and flying home for awhile - we will miss them.  

Ann looking for shells on deserted beach on Stocking island, Exuma.

The bathroom at Big D's restaurant in Georgetown

Beautiful beach on Stocking Island

Cruising child having fun on the "chat 'n chill" beach

We attended a meeting for cruisers t listen to someone who has done the trip south many times give us advice.

Fun sign at the beach showing distances - Pittsburgh is on there - 1073 miles

March 14, 2013

Hoping to leave Walderick Wells tomorrow if winds below 20 kts.  Here are a few memories.

March 12, 2012  Walderick Wells. Exuma Cays, Bahamas

Main street in Alicetown, Bimini.  Ended up really liking Bimini because the people are so sweet and friendly, but it is a tired, poor area.  But we like to see where the people actually live their lives, rather than just resorts.  And it is a step back in time where everyone knows you and lives are simpler.

Three Amigos - Art, Ray, Dave

We rode in the back of a pickup truck to Edith's restaurant on Bimini.
While on a walkk earlier inn the day, she drove past us and gave us a flyer and said she would come to get us at the marina.  We were a little nervous as we did not know what the food would be like but it was delicious.  The best part is that we gave some business to a wonderfully sweet woman who is ambitious enough to go out and get some business.  She had no help, just an elderly brother-in-law who did the serving on her deck.  A unique experience.

This is a picture of our chart plotter while under way to the Exumas from Bimini.  It's a little crooked as we were sailing well - you can see SOG top left (speed over ground) is 7.6 kts/hr and that is fast sailing for us.
The picture shows our boat - the black boat-shaped icon - going through what is called "The tongue of the ocean" and this pic shows why.  We left Bimini in the morning and then at night we entered into deep water (white color) 2,000-7,000 feet from really shallow 6-20 feet (green/blue color).  The yellow areas are land - Andros island on the right, New Providence Island on the left with the circle marking Nassau.

In Bimini

In Bimini, people bake in their houses and just put a sign on the street directing people to their houses.  We bought bread from this nice lady.  They just sell right out of their kitchens.

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013

Definition of a weather window for cruisers (otherwise known as the Big Wait"):Waiting for three days of predicted high pressure with winds having no northerly component.   Why?
Because we have to cross the Gulf Stream, which is flowing north, and if it hits wind coming from the north the seas get all "kicked up'.  Since I am a sissy sailor, that is a no go.  The weather here in Florida this year has not been very cooperative.  Every day we wait for the word from the weather guru, Chris Parker, who advises us when to go.  We all refer to him as "Chris" - 'nuff said, we all know him, though have never met him.  His job is only to predict for sailors weather conditions and we trust him.  Cruisers are always saying "Chris said..."   But just to be safe we all double check with at least 3 other weather sites on the internet.   What people did before all this advice and technology, I don't know.
Anyway, planning on leaving for Bimini on Tuesday.

This is the bench seat in our main salon FILLED with food for the next few months.  When closed and cushion on it you can't even tell.  There are storage places like this all over the boat but this is the biggest.  We have 8 cases of beer stored all over the place.  Then paper goods take up a lot of room.  I know where it all is !  Ray has to depend on me.

March 7 -  Happy Birthday Charlotte

Made it to Bimini Tuesday, March 5, easy trip though light winds so had to motor the whole way.  So much fun to get in with a whole group of people.  Celebrations ensued.

Bimini in sight, beautiful clear blue water.

Remains of Earnest Hemingway's establishment

Saturday March 2, 2013

Hello from No Name Harbor in Florida.  We have been here an amazing 10-11 days - who's counting?
Of course, it is all the weather's fault.  Our weather here has been fine but we hesitated to cross over to the Bahamas due to some bad weather due there.  In hindsight, we could have done it but were afraid we would not reach a safe harbor in time to get a good place.  What happens in the cruising world is:

1)  We check various weather sites every day and discuss them at length with other cruisers.
2)  Then we figure out where to go as the winds will change and where we will end up is good for crossing -  but not for anchoring!
3)  We know everyone already in the Bahamas will head for that safe place and get all the mooring balls, leaving us to anchor out in high winds with poor holding.
4)  Alternative is marina but do we want to spend the money?
5)  Ok, lets just stay here and enjoy ourselves and be safe
6)  10 days later we are antsy & no good weather window has appeared!

So, we have explored Miami a little, had lunch at an Argentinian restaurant (great skirt steak), and had a lot of happy hours with other cruisers.  
No Name harbor is in the Bill Baggs Florida State Park in Key Biscayne.  Lots of weekend activity but quiet Mon- Friday.  We are enjoying the Hispanic culture and food, not to mention dolphins, manatees and other sea life who show up in the water around us.

Eating out with friends at the Boaters Grill at No Name Harbor.
Dina, ginny, Ann, Art, Jesse, David

Diana from GeoNova made a big pot of Broccoli soup one day, then dinghied around the anchorage to share with friends!  We just handed down a small saucepan and she ladled it in.  A sailor of many talents.

Diana also makes jewelry - here we are showing the bracelets she gave us as mementoes.
Ginny is getting into the jewelry making also. It would take too long to go into Ann's accomplishments
 I make reservations quite well.

The grilled whole fish at Boater's Grill - incredibly good.  this baby cost about $36

After a day of provisioning in Ft. Pierce - priorities?
the fun part is finding a place to stow it all - and there is a lot more stuff than this.

View of Miami river from the people mover - reminds us of the Chicago river with palm trees.

Boats at No Name Harbor. We are in the middle behind the boat with tan canvas.

Tuesday, Feb.19 2013

Well, we have not made it far from Ft. Pierce.  One week ago today we left, planning to get to Miami by Thursday or Friday.  Our first stop on Hobe sound was serene and comfortable, and we continued on to West Palm Beach, where we anchored as planned on Lake Worth.  The trip was a motor the whole way but we saw some bald eagles and their nests plus one big red-headed woodpecker.  Also, LOTS of huge fancy mansions, reminding us this is Donald Trump Land.  Picking up our mail at the Palm Beach Sailing Club was a priority and a pleasure, as we ran into some people we have met here before plus met new sailing friends Dave and Diana on S/V Geonova, a beautiful 48 ft. Tayana sailboat.  We had drinks and food at the bar but soon ray was not feeling well (relapse of flu/virus?), so back to the boat and decided to stay another day.  Good choice as it rained all day and most of the next.  Then a big northeast system was on the way - of course - so, we are still here.  Weather decides our every move !  However, good place to hang out and we have shopped, eaten out, walked into downtown, etc.  The lesson to be relearned re' the cruising life is to just enjoy yourself where you are and not waste time trying to buck Mother Nature.  Tomorrow we plan to go off shore to Key Biscayne, a 71 mile trip, so will leave at 3 AM along with Geonova.  No new pictures but will try to put some of Orlando on just for fun.

Jane in the Lazy River

Erin's birthday

Mark and Mac on the Lazy River

Charlotte

Gig, Jane and Charlotte on the Lazy river

I Know it has been a long time since I have updated this blog.  I confess to laziness and also frustration with this blog site - it does strange things!  I write my text, upload a picture, then everything gets a little screwy - the picture and text move, I can't find a way to fix it, etc.  I meant to practice while we were home in Pittsburgh but mostly just didn't want to "ruin my day" by dealing with my poor skills.

Anyway, we have been busy, of course.  A trip to England this summer, Mom having coronary bypass surgery, a trip in the fall to a beautiful wedding on Whidby Island, Wash., which included an overnight train trip from LA to Portland, Oregon, on the Coastal Starlight.  We took advantage of being out West by visiting good friends Peggy and Neil from our cruising days in the BVI in Laguna Beach, CA - what a beautiful place.

We returned early November to Brunswick, GA, where Megerin had spent hurricane season in the water at a marina.  We really had a lot of work to do, as for some reason mold and mildew had gone on rampage inside and the birds had pooped all over the outside!  On the plus side it was great to see old friends Ginny and Jesse from Wind Dust, plus many more.  We then flew to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with Megan and Judd - COLD, but lots of fun.  We love that city.  Back to the boat, which we moved south to Satellite Beach, FL, after stops in Fernandina Beach and St. Augustine.  St. Augustine was beautifully decorated for Xmas and we had a very exciting time there meeting up with good friends and relatives-in-laws Marti and Larry Madson. 

While we were home in Pgh. for the holidays, Megerin's canvas was changed from tan to navy blue and we love it.  We also had the jib sail restitched and had a rigger repair our topping lift which holds the boom up - it had broken in the Bahamas last year and Ray had jury-rigged it with a spare halyard.

We loved the Satellite Beach-Melbourne area - we were on a private dock on a beautiful canal where dolphins and many tropical birds entertained us every day.  thanks, Dave and Marci !  But on the Ft. Pierce, where we had the boat hauled out at Cracker Boy to have the bottom painted and some other maintenance done.  We were lucky to stay in Melbourne Beach, FL, with our good friends and former neighbors in Upper St. Clair, Bonnie and Lou, while the boat was on the hard.

Then back in the water at Harbortown Marina, our favorite place to hang out with friends and get ready for the trip south and maybe Bahamas to the Caribbean.  We have fixed and cleaned and provisioned and planned and the DVD's are ready for the year (Downton Abbey, Homeland and Damages) - time to move!  It is always hard for me as I seem to nest where ever I am.

Ok, I have done the text, next will try to add pictures and hope it all works and will be readable.

Best to all, and hope to hear from you too.

   

Megerin with new canvas.  Spending boat $ helps the local economy - You're welcome !

While in satellite Beach it was a short drive to Kennedy Space Center, which was really interesting.  This is the actual Saturn rocket.  They call this area the space coast.  Ft. Pierce is on the treasure Coast.

Pizza at a local restaurant with a group of cruisers in Ft. Pierce

Megerin in the sling.  I always makes me nervous to watch this but these people know what they are doing.  The lift is  remote controlled.  We just drive it over the slings, then get off (on a narrow board) and they take over.  We highly recommend Cracker Boy in Ft. Pierce.  We had the bottom painted black - it was green - looks like new.

At Bonnie and Lou's condo - they run a great B&B - good food and company
(Just kidding)

Wew ent to Orlando to visit Erin, Mark, and kids while they were there for Mac's lacrosse camp.  This is Ray with Gigi, Charlotte, and Jane