Mission Impossible

  It's been a genuine test of our will to get to the Bahamas this year. We almost elected to visit the Florida Keys instead. There were a few glitches with the boat but mainly it was the weather affecting the Gulf Stream that contributed to a rough start of the season. Many of us regularly looked over the weather forecast, shared our opinions, and decided it was not worth the risk to venture across the Gulf Stream on a regular basis. It seemed like every week the winds would build out of the North East and roil up the Gulf Stream to make passage impossible for all but the largest yachts.

 I know I've mentioned before that small craft warnings are meant for all boats shorter than 60 feet but there had to be times the mega yachts would not go out. It would be too rough on the equipment.
 When we decided to leave Fort Lauderdale on 12/23/11 the forecast was for 2-3 feet waves spaced at 8 or 9 seconds. That is the same forecast we had a week earlier when we attempted to cross the stream but the wind and waves were out of the North East on the first attempt. Back then, they were steep and just far enough apart that the bow pulpit was in the water every three waves or so. Our concerns for the freezer and free standing furniture we have aboard Freedom grew. If it started falling over or moving about it would make our ability to focus on handling the boat impossible. That day we looked out at the stream and saw that the horizon appeared to be closing in, and it was not smooth. These are not good signs and given the pounding started within 3 miles of the Florida coast we turned back. And it's a very good thing we did. Shortly after getting back inside we heard the forecast had deteriorated from underneath us and any cushion we had in our assessment of our abilities evaporated.  
 But on 12/23/11 the waves were out of the South East which meant we could quarter the seas making for a much smoother ride. It wasn't exactly a comfortable ride and one crew member thought this was probably number two on the all time worst ride list because yet again, once in a while Freedom took a sudden dive off the back end of a swell into the next wave stuffing the bow pulpit into the water. The forecast may predict 2-3 footers but we all know there are better than that out there and we found them. Deb would say we found them all.
 Initially for this crossing I took a more Northerly course that lined us up with Memory Rock more than it did with West End. This allowed for a smoother ride until we found ourselves in calmer water that facilitated a more direct course to West End. If that didn't work out we had an alternative of going back into the Lake Worth inlet of the Florida coast. It wasn't a desirable alternative but it works if things get bad. As it turned out we eventually had a decent ride that enabled us both to carefully move around on the boat to take care of things like nature calls. Fortunately this wasn't the worst ride so I was able to leave the helm once. On other occasions morning coffee was my worst enemy.
 And then we saw the coast line of Grand Bahama and left the Gulf Stream. With the change in current and a few course corrections we wound up in West End along with a squall that removed a small amount of the salt Freedom was sporting.
 In summary the crossing was good because we made it! It was also summed up by another as "you wouldn't have to wait long for help if you broke down there was so much traffic out there" which is indicative of the number of boats that had piled up in Florida patiently waiting for this opportunity.
 Once at the customs dock at Old Bahama Bay I fueled up Freedom while Deb filled in paperwork. The officials here were terrific moving through all the forms and documents quickly and professionally. All said and done we had our six month hallway permission slip and we cleaned up and met up with others for a burger and brew at the restaurant Old Bahama Bay has. Without question it's a great place to break up the trip, check in, and blow off the stress of crossing the Gulf Stream.
 Early in the morning we spun up the Detroits and made our way past Indian Rock and over the shallow water that leads North East past Church Bank towards Barracuda Shoal. The procession of boats moving on all backed off a bit here due to the shallow water and fog. Thick fog. Enough that we could not see the boat in front of us a mile away. But with radar and common sense we all lined up at a common speed around 7.5 knots and had a safe trip to clear skies by the time we passed Barracuda Shoal.
 Fortunately it stayed that way and we enjoyed a very pleasant ride across the Bahama bank to Spanish Cay. To our pleasant surprise we were welcomed onto the bank by a pod of dolphins that shot under us as we moved. It is always alarming because we are concerned for them but so far by leaving the boat at a constant speed they travel under us and pop up behind us in the wake where they play for a while. Once at Spanish Cay marina we stayed for the night enjoying their house specialty grouper. After dinner Don the owner of the island hooked up the Karaoke mics and music and started belting out songs. He came over to the table and handed me a mic at which point Deb's face took on a horrified expression. No. Not that.
 And it happened. Notice the pictures stop here.
 I got up and started singing. It was about this time Deb cut me off and for good reason. Regardless we all had a good time, although I could not have known otherwise, which resulted in a couple of rocks in the aft cabin that didn't budge until we were an hour late to move on in the morning. Fortunately getting back aboard Freedom went well because I left the transom lights on. This brought in a large number of snapper as well as some sharks. Falling into the water with all the sharks around was not an option.
 In the morning we discussed the evening over breakfast and Deb reflected on a couple of songs I did. She said I could actually have a future as an Elvis impersonator. I laughed and she went on to say there was one song I did that sounded really good! At that point I realized I should have cut Deb off as well. Anyway,
 I have this thing about traveling through Whale Cay Channel when the tide is running since that passageway is known to be a dangerous segment of the trip to the Abacos via boat. It has led people to try Don't Rock passage instead of going outside around Whale Cay and one year we saw many bent propeller shafts outside one of the local marinas testifying to the nature of that course. It's not impossible to pass Don't Rock and many do. I'd rather ride with someone else before I take that leap.
 The trip out Whale Cay channel was effortless thanks to relatively slack tide, light East wind and a calm Atlantic. We had a good feeling about going out directly from Spanish Cay because as we made our way South passing a number of cuts to the Atlantic, we saw no white caps or elephants on the horizon and there was no swell from the Atlantic making its way into the Sea of Abaco. All we had going out the cut and heading to Loggerhead Channel was 2-3 feet of chop that was closely spaced and worked really well at 10 knots. I think we dipped the bow pulpit a few times as we traveled over the reef into the Atlantic. No big deal at all. And in a few hours more time we were tied up at the Hope Town Marina which is one of our favorite Winter hangs. The sun is shinning, the winds are light, and our spirits are up because the journey over here has FINALLY been completed. Mission Accomplished!
 By the way that was a great movie but catch it in an IMAX theater if you can.

          

And now it's getting Ancient. . .

 That's correct we are still in the United States. Fort Lauderdale Florida to be more precise. We are kicking ourselves for not crossing last Wednesday when it was forecast to be 2-3 at 9 seconds. Oh well. We have been in water like that several times before and we could have handled it. For example every time we crossed Lake Ontario from Oswego to the St. Lawrence Seaway and back we had similar forecasts. I believe the last Ontario crossing was worse and we altered course to mitigate the slamming. The determining factor this time was that it will take us all day to cross the stream vs. 4 or 5 hours to cross Ontario. But it is what it is, and here we are still. Adding to all of this gloom, today we heard that a well known expert with regard to weather associated with boating, has come out and said we should all forget about crossing to the Bahamas until after the holidays. So perhaps we will stay Stateside even longer than we thought was a worst case scenario.

  Fortunately at the Fort Lauderdale City Marinas, we have access to shopping, dining, and a rental car if we have need. In spite of all of these conveniences and most importantly, we got a close look at Theodore The Tug. It was only fitting to walk around and get close because he had been staring at us for a few days "weirding us out". He seemed easy going enough and had plenty of Santa's helpers aboard dressed in miniskirt elf outfits so perhaps he's not so bad after all. Maybe that's why he has that grin on his face all the time. And that defines the environment here on the New River this past weekend.
It was holiday season parade time again and we had to move in support of that effort since the Downtown marina was the kick off point for the boat parade that spans two days. Once the parade finished on Saturday night it continued on Sunday to wind up in Pompano Beach. The logistics of making this happen on Saturday were complex and frustrating for many boaters. Dock space on the New River is limited especially in consideration of how large some of the participating boats are.  Not only that but navigating the river during this time is a bit more stressful at best. In support of the notion the authorities were quite busy at the 7th Avenue bridge here when the river was locked down at 2:30 P.M.. This led to a confrontation between the authorities and several boats that did not want to be held up. They wanted to either participate in the parade, which required registration, or get to a good anchorage where they could review it. Since the closure of the river occurred at the 7th Avenue bridge and it is right off our port side we were "offered" a commanding view of the whole affair.

 One boat had a gang of folks on it and they missed the 2:30 deadline by a couple of minutes. My heart when out to them but what are you going to do? Another boat was also caught upstream of the bridge as a matter of happenstance. They also had a number of folks aboard but their intentions were merely to return home. What were they supposed to do? It did not matter what kind of boat you had. It could have been a dink. Some were. The CG was not going to let you under the bridge. The regulations were well published on the web and the notice to mariners probably had this event documented as well since the Coast Guard had a pronounced attendance in the form of boats and a helicopter. Loud speaker announcements were made threatening citations. People held their ground. More boats arrived adding to the confusion. Occupy New River was taking shape. Game on!
 We were not happy about this because our bow pulpit had been the subject of abuse by another boat last month and things were getting very crowded in tight spaces. Let's face it when the tide is shifting on the New River it's not going to be a pleasant boating experience if everyone around you has issues controlling their boat. Fortunately more law enforcement showed up making the point clear to the hold outs and they all eventually left the area one at a time for points up stream. Fortunately for the folks on the boat trying to get home, they were able to arrange a tow through the area and get where they had to be. They did not need a tow, and I am certain it cost them, but they were able to get home. Not exactly a great way to finish a day on the water. Occupy New River broke up after about an hour and a half. Here's hoping other venues are as fortunate with short lived demonstrations.
 Regardless of all the posturing, stress and difficulties it was evident many people had a pleasant evening. Reviewing the above photos will illustrate that well given the crowds lining the waterway at dining tables and chairs. Looking up we saw many condo balconies loaded with people reviewing the event.
 All in all, it was a good time to be on the New River.  

This is getting very old...

 The notion of being stuck in Florida for the rest of the season is gaining some traction. Neither of us recall a "crossing season" that was laced with so much wind for extended periods of time. It's making a mess of the Gulf Stream again as I type. A small craft advisory is in effect until Monday and has been for a day or so because the seas are reaching 8 feet at 9 second intervals. Keep in mind that this is what they call significant wave height which can be half of what peak wave height will be in reality. So having a sense of the reality of it all based on our experience with the Gulf Stream, we know that there will be waves in excess of 8 feet so we are not going "there". It also tempers the urge to get the crossing over with when the forecast indicates seas of 2 to 3 feet. While optimism for success increases at that reduced prediction the period of the waves can make a huge difference. If the period is 4 seconds the waves are close together and the resulting ride will include spray over the top of the bridge with water sheeting down the enclosure making it difficult to see the next wave and prepare. I know, we should install spray rails. But for two crossings a year?
 By the way, according to the United States Coast Guard, the definition of small craft is a vessel less than 65 feet in length. So we are certainly in that category regardless of how some folks have labeled Freedom.
 Along with the delays in getting across the stream we have put the car into storage for the Winter in anticipation of actually getting to the Bahamas. As a result our mobility is reduced but our walking has increased and this has assisted the waistline since we are probably walking at least a few miles a day now.

   But last night we were treated to the Annual Palm Beach Boat Parade. The parade consisted of all sorts and size of boats. Participants included one person dinks, dinner cruise boats, center consoles, sport fishermen and yachts. As far as overall decoration content goes I have to give kudos to this particular boat which was about 30 feet long. It seemed to have as much color and brightness going for it as the fireworks barge that preceded most of the boats from Peanut Island up past us at the North Palm Beach marina.

 And the fireworks! While they had chosen low altitude displays, they had more fireworks going off all the time than I can remember for the 4th of July in Kingston. To provide a little insight, they started shooting fireworks down at Peanut Island and kept them going all the way past us, the Parker Avenue bridge and points North. That spans about 4 miles and at maybe a speed of 3 knots that meant they were shooting them for at least an hour, and they kept going off as far as we could tell.
 Here is a link to a video of the fireworks display at the Parker Avenue Bridge here in North Palm Beach Florida. The bridge carries US 1 across the Intra Coastal Waterway at the North end of Lake Worth. If you look closely you will see that the bridge is open in support of letting the parade pass without delaying it. I can imagine how frustrating this could be to the motorists waiting to cross the bridge. Fireworks Display
 Everyone in the area had to be pleased to see this display with the exception of the bridge operator. It certainly looked like they got the display finished before they passed through the bridge opening but it was close! And no sooner did they get through the opening did they start a new display!
 It's things like this that help us pass the time while we wait for the opportunity to cross the Gulf Stream. At this point it looks like we will move down to Fort Lauderdale to take advantage of the effect the Bahama bank has on the wave height predictions. Generally speaking the wave height predictions are more favorable in Fort Lauderdale and Miami than they are up here. Yes, we will spend more cash on fuel but we will at least make some progress. Even if we wind up at Bimini, the passage North to Lucaya seems to open up more frequently than the path between the Bahamas and Florida.
 Of course we can expect that to change as soon as we locate there.  

North Palm Beach via the ICW

  Last night we took in a final sunset, and you knew this was coming, at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart Florida. Along with the Sunset came calamari at the Sailor's Return restaurant which is located on site at the marina. The evening started by sitting at the bar and being welcomed by Kelly who after one prior sitting remembered us and how we liked our drinks! Amazing, and she makes a great Mojito. Soon enough we had some freshly sliced calamari fried up in some kind of special seasoning with marinara, and we dug in. It was so good we ordered up a second batch. I really hate myself for not badgering them for the seasoning recipe it was that good. All in all I'll give it a 9 out of 10 which represents some of the best calamari we've had in about a year or so. Combining the view and good snacks together the evening was special enough and summed up our stay at the Sunset Bay Marina well. They have great staff here at the marina, and a good place to eat as well. The only thing this marina could use is a pool. With that it would be much more difficult to move on.
 But move on we did. We pulled out of our slip with the help of our neighbors at slack tide. This made it all quite easy especially since they gave the bow of Freedom a good shove. In no time at all we were outside the marina calling the Roosevelt Avenue bridge for an opening. Since this bridge is an "on demand opening bridge" we were treated to an immediate opening that allowed us to move on without delay. There's nothing like an easy start to a day of travel. As we moved along the St. Lucie river heading for the inlet we were treated to views of some very special houses. I have to say that it boggles the mind to think how many folks have so much cash that they can afford to build houses like these. They are all over the place down here and completely line the shoreline. I guess this is why America has such an issue with illegal immigration. All one has to do is review a few places like this to be convinced of the possibilities here in America. Kick it all you like, it certainly has worked well up to this point.

 Moving on we came into the Jupiter inlet area. The water there turns a brilliant turquoise and we thought to ourselves it would be terrific if it stayed that way as we left the inlet area. However soon enough the water color fades to dull green but the passage of the inlet is certainly scenic with the water color and the lighthouse standing proudly ready to mark the location with beams of light.
 And shortly afterwards we found ourselves in a slip at the Old Port Cover Marina on Lake Worth.

 The worst part of this move is we have put the car down for the season. It was left behind in Stuart and hopefully it will survive the Winter in good form and start for us when we return to it next year.

  

 

Still waiting on the weather

 But it's all good.  We had a great Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of Deb's talent in the kitchen, wait, galley. We are on the boat after all. It wasn't the largest turkey we ever cooked but its eight pounds just made it into Freedom's oven and after a good roasting it came out with stuffing as well as the rest of the trimmings including a hearty gravy. The local weather cooperated offering up a sunny warm view from the aft deck ensuring a pleasant environment for our early bird special at 2 pm.
 Since we have some spare time these days we took a few rides to have a look at property down here and while we were driving around in an area near the shore, on a lightly traveled road, Deb says did you see that hawk? I said no and she says it was in the tree just to your left off the road. So I backed up and sure enough there this hawk is sitting there about 6 feet from my window. It was certainly proud looking and I have to admit it was also patient enough allowing me to get a good photo. Certainly this was a rare opportunity. We were lucky to get such a good clear photo of one of Nature's best predators.

 All of this has tempered the urgency we have about getting across the Gulf Stream. Others have come and gone while we have stayed here at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart. We came close to leaving last Wednesday but decided to stay given the wind was going to pick up substantially on Thursday. While we would have made it across the stream the odds were against us making it around to the far side of Abaco the next day or so and having had a bad day on the bank between Spanish Wells and Nassau we elected to sit this one out in a more economical environment.
 Besides this allows us to get more work done on the boat.
 New VDO oil pressure gauges and senders went in and I have to admit this is probably the first time the oil pressure indications on the bridge were accurate and smooth. While we have mechanical gauges in the bilge for each engine, this adds up to a bit more confidence in the machinery while underway. A little less faulty gauge induced apprehension leads to less incentive to check the bilge while underway. With exhaust gas temperature, and solid oil pressure readings as well as a host of alarms we are now better suited to long days on the water without having to check the bilge every 15 minutes. For several years now we would open the salon floor and review the mechanical gauges I installed to ensure the engines had adequate oil pressure. It's one thing to depend on the alarms that are functional, and another to see how the pressure fluctuates within different environments. So now we can take some solace in the more accurate readings we have on the bridge. This will not obviate the need to perform frequent bilge checks but it does offer us some peace of mind while underway.
 Along with these upgrades we managed to get a second starting battery installed. This one was for the port engine. The starboard engine starting battery was one of the first things done after arriving at Stuart since it was relatively easy. In spite of it's 150 pound (plus) weight I was able to remove it from the battery box, bounce it to the center of the engine room, hoist it up about 3 feet to the salon floor, up onto the aft deck, down the steps to the dock, into the cart and then into the car. The only difference associated with the port side starting battery was that it had to be lifted up over the starboard battery before it came around in front of the engine to the center of the engine room. This is all a genuine test of forearm and back strength since this is performed on hands and knees in very tight quarters.
 In hindsight I, and my back, are glad we had a universal machine that I worked out on for several years. For one reason or another this chore went better than it did back in 2005 when I last changed out the engine starting batteries. Maybe the extra working our paid some dividends but regardless the residual effects will be resolved with a few Advils and a Margarita.
 So all of this waiting around is good. Things are getting taken care of in an environment more suited to the task. Parts are located close by and we still have not stored the car so we can travel as we wish. While we could have made due with the batteries for another year we'll sleep better knowing they will not need to be replaced over in the Bahamas at a premium price. Let's face it 190 bucks each at Sam's club is going to be a heck of alot better than anything we will come up with in the Abacos. As an example I believe West Marine wanted 400 dollars and more for a generic lead acid 8D. It's probably safe to include a 100% price increase for the pride of being in the Bahamas.
 However soon enough we will move because we are at least a day away from an inlet that offers safe passage to the ocean. Given all of the logistics we have to get closer to the ocean in the event an opportunity to cross the Gulf Stream arises.
 It's getting late in the season and we will take advantage of a one day window here and there to get going if that is what it takes. The notion is, that if we get stuck, we are at least a bit closer to the goal each time we have to wait on the weather.
 

Deb has Ray eating out of her hand.....

So today in an effort to blow off the stress of getting across the Gulf Stream we went to the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center on Hutchinson Island. It was a short drive from the marina in Stuart. Once on the island it offered us a chance to look out at the Atlantic / Gulf Stream to get a read on how things looked. It's not that we don't trust the forecasters. We just don't trust them. Upon reviewing the water we knew we were making a good decision to sit out the following day in anticipation of the day after which would have been Thursday 11/17.
 Anyway the center http://www.floridaocean.org/p/58/visit has a small air conditioned area with a few tanks of interest as well as a large outdoor pool containing several varieties of fish and a couple of different turtles. All in all it was an interesting stop that broke up the monotony of waiting out the weather that has refused to cooperate. The anticipation of happy hour only goes so far in that regard.
 Along with the pool there is an interesting walk around the facility that takes you through mangrove swamps and out to the lagoon side of the park. As we walked along the path we were constantly reminded of the fact that their are critters out here. Fish, tracks, and rustling sounds caught our attention all along the boardwalks and paths that took us through the swamps with the sulfuric smelling multi-colored waters fed by the decaying foliage. It wasn't offensive like the sulfur springs in Yellowstone Park. Just a hint of sulfur and fortunately there were no Golden Orb spiders hanging out above the path we were walking today. I hate walking into their webs.

 After finishing the trail and upon exiting the building towards the parking lot, we were again reminded of the fact that others inhabit the area. Florida with its warmer climate offers us a different set of living beings from those we are used to in the North East. As I walked down the steps leaving the park I was greeted by a snake that reared up as though it wanted to make a snack out of my foot. Deb elected to divert to an alternative set of stairs but I decided that moving forward was not much of a risk and as I did so, our new friend slithered off into the brush at the left of the stairs. Cheap entertainment and fun.
 And we can use that since we are going to be here an additional week. We originally thought that the Gulf Stream was going to be passable on 11/17 and yes that is the case but the Bahama Bank is going to be a mess Thursday evening into Friday and the following days. Even though the water on the bank is shallow, it still gets ugly and can turn a long day into a very wearing experience. Given the outlook we bailed out on a marginal crossing that would have left us stuck at West End for a week.
 Sometimes it's better to sit it out and we take some solace in the fact that there are others here of the same opine. Maybe next week.

Waiting on a "Window"

 Or how do we spend our time while the Atlantic churns.

 We've actually been ready to cross the Gulf Stream for a few days now but with seas approaching 12 feet recently we have elected to sit things out. Especially since our pain threshold is right at two feet. Call us wuzzy, but I double dog dare you to ride it out with us on Freedom in 4 to 6 confused seas. We've done it. We've learned.  Patience. This latest disturbance was dealt us by tropical storm Sean which made a mess of things for a while, and it seems there are additional disturbances in the form of cold fronts making their way this far South. So the Gulf Stream remains a place for those with strong stomachs or boats able to plow through it. It's not only the Gulf Stream that's rough.
 A mail transport named Legacy ran aground at Lynyard cay in the Abacos this week. Considering we  have received weather reports from them regarding passage of Whale Cay we wonder how they found themselves in such a horrific experience. Fortunately there was no loss of life and Legacy has been hauled off the reef at North Bar, and towed back to Marsh Harbour. We have transited this area and know it to be fickle, best left for calm seas. In spite of being inside the reef this is where we first experienced weightlessness on the bridge of Freedom.
 But it's all good since where we are we have a monthly rate, the condo has been sold, and we have the car with us as opposed to renting cars which we done have in the past. The serious issue here is not going out for dinner because the food at the marina restaurant smells great and based on our experience it also tastes terrific. Calamari at the bar is outstanding.
 Fortunately we are not alone here since there are several folks in a similar situation. We all have frequent conversations regarding the crossing which helps us temper the urge to get the crossing over with. We know this is supposed to be fun. A bit of an adventure yes, but fun. No one wants to take on more risk than they or their equipment can tolerate. While the "battle wagons" go out and crash through this weather, for the most part we are fair weather boaters that would find themselves in a very uncomfortable situation if we moved into this weather on the big water. We could easily take the boat South to Lake Worth and or Peanut island so as to be close to the inlet for an early morning departure, but why give up a monthly rate on the gamble of a very narrow window only to be stuck on the Bahama Bank waiting for better weather? Along those lines today's talk is centering around a crossing on Thursday the 17th but I look at this "weather window" as being quite narrow. Given that we know we will be caught in the stream with rough water, or, caught at a marina charging high fees for docking and utilities the rationale in favor of the crossing is weak at best. But it is a hurdle to surpass and always presents itself as a goal worth accomplishing regardless of the consequences. We look at it this way. Unless you can run at 25 knots you will be stuck at West End, Lucaya, or elsewhere waiting on weather to get around to the Abacos. Most weather windows at this time of year are not wide.
 So we plod along with additional preparations that don't need to be performed but we need to get out of the way. The dink has been hauled, cleaned and waxed. New registration numbers have been applied to the tubes and now all vehicles are registered in Florida. Provisioning has been accomplished but will have to be replenished.
 Anyway it's easy to while away a weekend when the local airport hosts an airshow. We were in the area at this time last year, and witnessed a F/A-18 Hornet buzzing around at very low altitudes. Cool. This year we had the privilege of seeing a restored P-51 in military color fly over head. I have to admit the jets are impressive when they fly over. The F-16 at full afterburner was clearly heard at the marina even though we had to be at least a couple of miles away. But that P-51 with it's old Merlin(?) sounded sweet as it entered steeply banked turns overhead. And then there was the surprise entry a MIG-17.
 All of these demonstrations were a pleasure to watch and commanded respect for the people that were willing to put on the show. Let's face it. Air shows have taken a hit this year with a number of accidental deaths caused by crashes. Nothing happened this weekend and we are all grateful for the show and its safe operation.

 So we wait. Could be a while. So what. Better to be safe.

Making ready for the Bahamas

 Here we are in Stuart Florida backed into slip C38. We had no idea how long we were going to be here and that made it rough on the dock master and his team with regard to scheduling of transient occupancy. Let's face it they want to accommodate everyone they can, but we were clueless. We knew we had work to get done on Freedom, as well as quite a bit of provisioning, but we had no idea how long this would take. What we did know was that the Gulf Stream was a mess and it was not going to lay down anytime soon. So we settled on "about a week".
 With that the first several days here blew by in a whirlwind of maintenance and shopping. The freezer was loaded as well as the refrigerator and pantry. And then it dawned on us that we needed a new laptop, the radar had to go back to Furuno, and several other areas needed substantial amounts of attention.
 After some agitated dialogue with Furuno the radar went back to the West coast for a second pass by the Furuno service team and came back in time given the evict order we originally had from the dock master. As it turned out it required a reworked CPU board because the connector that facilitated communication with the navigation chip card reader had failed during the rework we originally requested, in a couple of ways. We'll leave that item open for discussion in another forum. After getting it back a second time we were very pleased to see that the National service manager had dug in to find out what was going on and get it resolved. So while they may have lost a buck on it, the unit appears to be working now and perhaps everyone is happy.
 But before the radar/plotter was returned to us, I was working on the dink in the water in between Freedom's transom and the dock. I hear all this screaming and yelling up front, Deb comes running aft waving her arms and yelling at me like I should be doing something and it happened. The owner of the restaurant here had his boat resting against our bow pulpit crunching away at the paint and fiberglass. Swell I thought. Well, not really. That certainly isn't what came out of my mouth. The dock hand greeting the man covered her face and pulled her hat down over her face it was that bad. Settling down I went forward and directed him off our bow because he was obviously clueless given the tidal current and wind. Having helped him get off the bow of Freedom I then directed him into his new slip and it went smoothly enough. So we worked out a deal, and to their credit the staff here at the marina ran point for us and made it happen. Freedom had her face fixed and the bow pulpit scars are gone.
 These two prior items took their toll but then the battery issue cropped up again. With a new battery installed for the starboard engine it spins up very well thank you, and the list of concerns is  reduced.   
 That is until we were asked to move to another slip. This is all part of not knowing how long you are going to be staying at a popular marina. If this was a no-name marina we probably would have been good to go for a month but the notion of foul weather slowing everyone up combined with the fact that this is a desirable place to be, made for competition of boat slips. And we moved so we could stay here winding up in C44. Mind you, we moved but the projected new slip owners have yet to arrive. Fast forward we are now in D15 and the new owners for both of the slips we left have yet to arrive. At least we did it in good form without hitting other boats. This in spite of having a mega yacht about 60 or so feet off the bow when we pulled out of C44. A little planning help us get this done easily. All one has to do is review the wind and tide before moving. Just sayin'.
 It's all good because at this point we have a great view in a quiet area of the marina. Works for us. And more work is getting done. Not all of it by me. In fact, the collapsible stair system we have has casters on it that squeak. They squeaked so much a neighboring boat owner snuck up on them and oiled them. Twice. But he was ok with that because he saw how I was coming out of Freedom's bilge on a regular basis and did not have the heart to push the issue.
 After a number of days that combined to reduce my bulk by about 5 pounds we had the good fortune to be invited aboard some friends boat to commiserate and imbibe while watching the Giants win with scant seconds left on the clock.
 Then it was Sunday and the Farmer's Market was active in Old Stuart. It's a small quaint section of Stuart Florida that is on the shore of the St. Lucie River on the East side of the U.S. route 1 bridge to Jensen Beach. It wasn't as large as what we had in Kingston N.Y. but we found some great vegetables and fruit at reasonable prices. White eggplant, peppers, oranges, and various other selections filled up our bags before we left to return to Freedom where Deb went to work on a grilled eggplant, tomato and mozzarella cheese stack for lunch.
 Life is good. Freedom is approaching stability and so are we.

Across Lake Okeechobee a couple of times.

 When I last spoke we were in Moore Haven wondering if the batteries had enough juice to crank the engines over. Our concerns were warranted but we managed to get them running and move Freedom to a dock for the overnight. After quite a bit of thrashing we had Freedom ready to run over to Stuart Fl. where we intended to make ready for the crossing to the Bahamas. We were exhasusted after a long drive, the launching and stowing. But it all went well enough and in the morning with the fog lifting we were happy to realize that two days of charging left the engine starting bank in good shape. The engines spun up and fired quickly.
 Around 7:30 A.M. we ventured out from the marina into the canal with the bridge enclosure all dewed up and difficult to see through. It didn't matter that I had shammied them a couple of times. The moisture settled on them immediately making it a difficult transition into the canal with reduced visability. However no one else was out on the water except, the alligators.
 They were frequent acquaintences along the trip to Clewiston Fl.. We'd see some "debris" floating in the water out in front of us and as we approached it would suddenly dissappear below the surface leaving rings in the water. Alligators are certainly a bit more intimidating than dolphins jumping along the side of Freedom yet they are fun to observe from a safe distance. Without question they are easily scared away by objects larger than themselves.
 The channel leading out to the lake from Clewiston is lined with markers and many of them were occupied by Cormorants and Ospreys. The Ospreys were more amusing due to their animated head bobbing to get a good viewing angle of us as we passed them by. Light winds prevailed and the Okeechobee crossing was smooth. Along with this there was no traffic except for a 52 Egg Harbor that blew by us relatively close enough to rock us a bit but no harm was done. If anything the passing broke up the monotony of an otherwise slow crossing of the lake being followed by gulls.
 We passed through the Moore Haven, Mayaka and St. Lucie locks easily with the light winds and small elevation changes. Arriving at Sunset Bay Marina we backed into a slip, tied up and were greeted by friends we had met in the Bahamas back in 2008.
 After a Looooonnnngggg day on the water, we cleaned up and met Mads and Lani for dinner at the restaurant here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Soon enough we were out cold for what seemed like minutes. The alarm rang at 6 A.M. and we hustled to get off the boat by 6:45 AM since M & L offered us a ride on Dauntless back to Moore Haven so we could get out car back! As they say timing is everything and with our arrivals coinciding at Sunset Bay Marina, a great facility by the way, it spared us the drubbing of renting a car, driving out to Moore Haven and returning in separate cars. A full day of driving was turned into a smooth ride back over the lake with friendly conversation in an air conditioned bridge.
 The fun ended when we they took Dauntless into the marina and there were no easy access spots enabling Debbie to hop off without concern. So Mads ably maneuvered the bow (also the highest egress) of Dauntless to the lift pit where three of us grabbed Debbie by the limbs waist and back while she slid off the bow with a life preserver on. Not exactly graceful but we "got 'er done". After I hopped off we were informed that this was a first for the marina. No one else had ever pulled a stunt like this before. In spite of the notoriety, I'm thinking Deb doesn't have very fond memories of the event....
 Regardless, we were grateful to get a ride, and assisting with the locking was a breeze. Thank you team Dauntless!
 And now the cleaning and preparations begin in earnest.      

Freedom Floats Again, and it's for the Ta Ta's...

 The last week has been a whirl wind of selling the condo, moving into storage, driving South, acquiring driver's licenses and registrations, and launching Freedom. It should have taken a month. But we managed to get all of this done in 6 days.
 But she is afloat, rather grudgingly but she is floating. The crew here at River Forest Labelle did a great job with class equipment getting her in the water. And that is where the fun stopped.
 The main engine batteries were not properly charged because well, the boat was not plugged in enough. Even though we paid for it, the boat was down on charge. Fortunately the port engine spun up as usual but the starboard engine needed help from the house bank. I'm really glad I decided to put in a switch to combine the house bank with the starting banks when I installed the inverter. It was the first time I had to use it and it payed many dividends. Tomorrow we will see if the charger will manage to pump life back into the starting bank. Once tied up at the dock we learned that the satellite tv tracking system went down and needs to be replaced, not fixed. But the real pain showed up when the Radar Chart Plotter we had upgraded by Furuno died. All of this adds up to quite a bit of concern given the itinerary we normally ply. So when we move to Stuart tomorrow, hopefully we don't learn more about what failed over the Summer.
 That's the bad and it probably isn't done showing itself yet.
 The good? She started up, moved out of the slings, spun around smartly and pulled into her new slip running smoothly. She even revved up a bit without complaint. Next time I will remember to turn on the fuel valves. Yes, I did that. I forgot to open the supplies to both engines. But she ran long enough anyway. I'm not sure what that says about the valves but I am sure glad they ran given all of the expensive hardware in the marina right now. Freedom is nothing but a glass bauble in comparison.
 Anyway, before we arrived here at Freedom we stopped in at Green Cove Springs to register the car, acquire our driver's licenses, and register the boats in Florida. It was probably the best experience I have ever had with any department of motor vehicles. Florida really has it's act together. You bring your papers of identity etc. and they enter it into the system. If you qualify the job is done. It took the nice lady named Geri two hours to get all of our processing done. And she worked diligently all that time, non stop.
 And, she did it with a smile, spoke perfect English, and in spite of all the non stop work, she remained professional and courteous. Now for the fun part. You may be wondering about the title of this particular entry in the blog.
 All the while I was standing in front of a glass divider that had one of those holes you pass information through. On the outside of the divider there were cancer walk-a-thon cards stuck up with tape filled out by donors.
 One of them stood out. I kind of laughed to myself without being too obvious but Geri noticed  being the sharp lady she is. She could not read the writing because the card was taped to the outside of her window facing out. So she's typing away and I draw Deb's attention to that particular card. She leans in, reads it and starts laughing.
 Now Geri is really getting nervous and wondering just what is so special about this card that was stuck to her window. She can't read it and obviously never looked at it prior to the contributor sticking it up.
 Being a good sport I waited about 15 minutes and eventually bust out laughing. Deb and I kind of outwardly didn't hide the notion that this was on her window and would be embarassing, but we didn't tell her promptly and let it fester for a while. But then it happened. Yes, I bust out laughing because the cancer walk-a-thon card had an in memory heading filled in with "It's for the ta ta's" along with an anonymous contributor. At the point I fell apart laughing Geri in calm Florida Cracker demanded to  know what that card said. So I peeled if off her window and turned it so she could read it. It was a moment of controlled astonishment for her but being a good sport she shared it with all of her coworkers.
 It was a good moment.
 Having been there, through all of this, she asked if we would be organ donors and we said yes, we will. In spite of all the time spent standing outside her window, it went very well, and we all had a great time.
 And tomorrow we move to Stuart traveling across the State of Florida.

 
   

Buh Bye New York State

 This topic is about one of those large changes in life. It's time to move on. Up to this point both Deb and I have spent all of our lives in New York State. It's a wonderful state full of great attractions and wonderful people to make them all that much better. We have so many great memories of times spent here. Good friends, terrific times, great laughs and bittersweet experiences. Life. Good life. So much to let go of. None of it easy to leave behind.
 But there comes a point in time when we know it's time to cut and run. The state has too many obligations to fill and too little base to fulfill the financial needs required to sustain the infrastructure. It's a damn shame. NYS is now number two with regard to tax burden and given the political climate it will surpass New Jersey quickly. Laws are being enacted to bypass tax levy increases enacted at the state level. Politicians are getting aid to build hotels on their property instead of pursuing money for infrastructure that will make the state a place people want to live in. Low income housing projects demand more attention than keeping us safe.
 All around NYS has what it takes to draw people in for a life experience. Summer beaches, Fall colors, City life, Winter Skiing, Museums, and on. But it's falling apart. Bridges such as the one between Kingston N.Y. and Port Ewen are rusting to pieces. The walkways should be condemned. They are not safe. Pumps are stationed in mid town Kingston in the middle of Broadway to pump waste or sewage because the system can no longer handle the flow. Roads are full of pot holes tearing up our cars and gangs fueled by low income housing and drugs are taking over the streets with their colors.
 Why should we stay?
 In spite of losing a significant investment in our abode we are calling it quits. We just don't see the support required from elected officials to maintain this state at a level commensurate with the level of taxation.
 It's really disappointing. We have a great view off the deck overlooking the Rondout Yacht Basin which has been our favorite escape from drudgery. I have to admit there were many hours of hacking code for main frames spent here, and looking out at a sunset after a full day of debugging or coding was very gratifying and soothing. Even though we worked many additional hours having the view tempered the sentiment that we had to maintain status with this extra effort.
 Family and regular dinners out at Ship to Shore and other establishments, let alone the home cooked meals have been a large part of life here.

 But it has come to this.

 Good bye New York State. You are asking too much and returning too little to those that are footing the bill.

Where did the good Summer weather go?

 I thought Summer meant calm weather in the North East United States! Wow, how wrong can you get? We had Hurricane Irene and flooding that wiped out the New York State canal system, and then the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee about a week later. No one had a chance to recover from all of the water that Irene left behind before the down pours from Lee arrived.
 The Rondout Creek crested at a new record but thankfully all of the marinas survived in good form. Catskill was not as fortunate and suffered extensive if not total damage to all of the creek side facilities. I suspect that the Erie canal is done for the year, and probably will not open until Spring. There is so much damage resultant from the flooding that some marina operators that survived have closed up shop for the season early, asking their guests to haul out. If the flooding did not adversely affect travel plans with closures I am convinced the debris left behind did. It choked marinas and bent running gear all along the Hudson.
 There are rumors about the Internet that boaters trying to make their way South are going to gather in Toronto where they will meet a ship to bring them South. They originally intended to get this done in Oswego, but the Jones Act has prevented this from happening in the United States. Hopefully this works out and these folks only suffer an inconvenience as opposed to a total change in their Winter plans.
 Anyway, Freedom seems to be riding out the Summer, on the hard, in relatively good form. With any luck she will be ready for us to re float her early in October when we head South. Once afloat and provisioned we will head over to the Bahamas again hoping to rekindle friendships and enjoy the hospitality of the locals.
 Our prayers and well wishes are with all of those that were unfortunately dealt a cruel slap in the face by Mother Nature and we hope the emotional and financial injuries heal quickly.  

Here's a Summary of the last 8 months

 Enjoy the show, it runs about 30 minutes. Turn off the screen saver and crank up the volume.

http://www.photodex.com/share/danmapes/ap4b9mg4

The Deed is Done

  We hate to say it but Freedom is on the hard. This was like having a tooth pulled. It was back in October of 2010 that we moved aboard and while that starting point seems quite distant, it tends to lend insight into what we have been about for the last eight months.
 As far as the act of  having the tooth pulled goes we have come to the conclusion that setting aside one day to remove items, and finish cleaning up is totally insufficient. It's not as bad as moving from one apartment to another excluding furnishings, it's worse. The reason being we are the landlords and we know what we need to have when we return. It's not like we can give up a month's rent in security when we walk away (not that anyone would want to do that these days). So when we go down this path again we'll make sure we have at least two days set aside to unload. Note this does not include washing her down, changing oils and all of the other mechanical preparations for storage. Adding all of that up will extend the time required significantly. But as they say it is what it is, and Freedom is taking a well deserved break.
 We put 158 hours on the engines this year and all things considered it went extremely well. Freedom covered roughly 1200 nautical miles over all sorts of water. That translates to an average of about 7.6 nm per hour. Not bad for a 25 year old boat with ancient Detroit 6-71TI technology driving her. Most of it was shallow but we had the deep big water also. You know it's big water when you see the U.S. Navy heading out into the Atlantic and points East. You also know it's big water when the swells come at you and there are no harbours to duck into. We got to know this feeling well on our way to Royal Island from Little Harbour in the Abacos.  This was probably the most risky passage we had given its distance from the States but the risk was mitigated by the notion we traveled with others we knew. At least most of the way. Well, ok, it was only over the most remote sections. Anyway, it all went well and fortunately it went well for those folks also.
 But it's all good. We had a great time traveling. As long as one studies the available forecast data and looks out for changes the chances are quite good that a pleasant passage will result.
 This year we ran into many familiar faces in the Abacos and rekindled several friendships. We spent hours on beaches without another soul around and found many unique shells to add to our collection. We also finally reached the Exumas on the third attempt. It seemed that Freedom was not ready the first two years and she groaned a bit this time but whenever we called on her to deliver she did so without hesitation and most importantly she did so with ease. In spite of some rough water between Fleeming Channel and Nassau, water spouts of West End, and shallow water around the Florida Keys, Freedom kept plodding along smoothly.
 Along with Freedom being such a good sport this year, the weather turned out to be exceptional. We found that out of the last three years, this year was best. Many folks that have Wintered over proclaimed this year the best out of the last five! We'll take it!
 But now it's time to turn our attention up North again. And with that, we'll probably slow down the rate of updates until we get back to Freedom. So with that we'll see y'all later.

Naples up to Fort Myers

 Our ride up to Fort Meyers was prefaced with the notion that we could be in for some rough water. Having been tossed around between Fleeming Channel and Nassau we were concerned for what lay in store for us on this portion of our trip.
 But we've had a couple of good nights in Naples at the City Marina. It was located convenient to many places within Naples, well run, and the fuel was well priced given we got a 10% discount having purchased 200 gallons. Actually it was 197 but the attendant was very understanding. Given our average speeds were a bit high to move us through some rough water, we received reasonable economy from Freedom.
 However our concern regarding the weather on the GOM was not warranted. As long as we stayed within a mile of the shoreline we had calm seas with a light breeze keeping the bridge at a comfortably cool temperature. So we chugged along on a holiday in the U.S. expecting to be confronted by crazed boaters getting their last run of the Summer in. Yet again we were pleasantly surprised to have nothing but pleasant encounters with other boaters. Everyone was well behaved making the passage easy.
 Ft Myers is home to several points of interest including the Edison and Ford vacation homes. Considering their wealth I have to admit they lived in what would appear to be modest accommodations. The settings the dwellings find themselves in is very appealing being riverside and Edison had a penchant for importing many different varieties of plant life and trees. The tour of this attractive site is informative and well worth the stop. I'm sure everyone will learn something while enjoying the scenery. By the way did you know that Edison was Ford's mentor? Just how far this man's creativity went is amazing. 
 Arriving in Ft. Myers signals that our trip is at an end. The 2010-2011 boating season is over and we will be putting Freedom up on the hard for the Summer. If it wasn't for the threat of Jury duty I have postponed already we probably would have stayed aboard even longer this year. At this point we'll have less to talk about with regard to boating but that doesn't mean we won't be working the subject. We're already considering the "honey do" list Freedom is demanding.

Key Largo to Naples

 We've moved quite a bit over the last several days. Our time on Freedom this season is coming to an end and soon enough we'll put her on the hard and drive North. We don't want to but it's inevitable. Anyway the reason we are going all the way around the Florida peninsula is because the Okeechobee Waterway is very low. The locks are on a restricted schedule and only one of the routes across the lake is marginally passable for us. Under these circumstances hearing debris banging against the (expensive) running gear is more likely.
  But it's all good and we have enjoyed staying in various places along the way around. Key Largo was fun and the pool at the Anchorage was good and we had good company there. Several of us shared conversation about politics, economics and boating while enjoying our time in the pool. As an added source of entertainment there were a few boat loads of folks that were practicing their docking skills. Fortunately we were buried deep within the marina thus isolated from their maneuvers.
 The establishment is actually a time share but they rent out slips to defray other expenses. Across the waterway was a large tiki bar and if we did not intend to crank out the miles we probably would have stopped in.
 Moving on from here we went down to Marathon and the Banana Bay Resort and Marina. It's a well laid out facility with a terrific pool and a small poolside tiki bar. The restaurant is currently closed but everything else appeared to be up and running. The docks are only a couple of years old and work well for a boat our size. But then boats much larger really should not be taking the Southern route along the Keys. The water is that shallow.
 At first we started with depths around 10 feet up by Miami, and that gradually diminished here to about 6 or 7 feet. We were quite concerned initially but then we became accustomed to this amount of water under the keel. With the depth sounder set at 5 feet we lumbered along at our relatively slow pace clicking off the miles. About half way down, the depth reduced to about 5 feet and the sense of imminent grounding grew. So we set the depth sounder to 3 feet and continued albeit a bit slower and more attentive to the color of the water. Once in a while near passages to the East a pod of dolphins would ride along with us and their company was appreciated because it distracted us from the possibility of a grounding.
 But nothing happened and we had a great stay at Banana Bay for a couple of nights. We dined out at the Barracuda in Marathon where I sampled their HOT calamari and shrimp. They're not kidding. It's all of that HOT. The interior is simple but loaded with some really good Barracuda art and sculptures making it a fun place to have a meal.
 Once on our way to Everglades City the depths improved and again a family of dolphins swam alongside for several miles. Going up into Everglades City was another interesting passage that wound around mangroves and through some shallow spots. Up in the City we tied up at the Everglades Rod and Gun club which is an interesting place that only accepts cash and personal checks. The lobby has several antiques, stuffed animals, and plenty of old American sentiment. However all of the dock poles lean to the water and happen to be at a perfect height that gets under the teak hand rails along Freedom's perimeter. Not good. So I installed just about every fender we had between Freedom and the poles enabling the overnight survival we had. The area looks well kept as though this is a good community. While some of the waterfront docks are a bit worn from flooding etc. the houses were all well kept and the lawns were mowed. This is a refreshing scene compared to some we have witnessed while house hunting in Florida.
 Going back out towards Cape Romano we were greeted by the lone dolphin who passed under us even though the depth was only 8 feet. Then we heard the updated forecast provided by the coast guard.
 I have to admit they are busy down this way with recreational and migrant boaters. We heard several maydays, and a call about a raft loaded with migrants. Back on the forecast, they changed it to mention the wind was out of the South East, and look out for our favorites, dangerous water spouts.
 "Kewl".
 We saw a cell out in front of us that was directly in our path around the Cape Romano Shoals Light. By the time we were into the open water the waves picked up to a couple of feet plus. Of course there were the occasional swells blending into the water that made for some sudden rolls since all of this was directly on the beam and we had little choice given we had to clear the shoals. All of the reading we had done indicated one should clear all of the shoals by going around the Light. There are several passages through the shoals of 20 feet or more and after an hour of rocking we decided there was plenty of room to travel between the 2nd and 3rd banks. The added advantage of shortening the trip to Naples was that it turned off the rocking and left us in a following sea that was much easier to manage. I just had to watch the charts and depth to make sure we stayed in the path through the shoals. 
This path also took us away from the cell which subsequently gave up and dissipated. So we settled into a more comfortable ride and finished up in Naples with a Tcell on shore sending bolts to the ground on a regular basis. Fun to watch from a distance. On the way into the inlet we were greeted by all of the boaters returning from the Gulf of Mexico that wanted to beat the storm and there's always one Sea Ray in the bunch that rocks everyone at speed. He probably thinks a rain water wash down is a bad thing. If you're in the area, look out for Toot-Sea. She rocks.
 Deb found that there are something like over 500 restaurants in Naples. Fortunately we found a decent Sushi Shop named Thai Sushi Too and they delivered to the marina. With a little left over Saki it was all good after some long days on the water.
 And with a walk around town the legs are stretched out and we're now ready for our next stop Ft Myers. Once we're located there we'll get serious about cleaning up Freedom and getting her ready for storage over the Summer.  

Key Largo

 We had a great ride down to Key Largo today, and for those that happened to watch the helm cam it was probably pretty dull. It was surprising to pass "Stiltsville" and see these houses out near the Atlantic that are built in shallow water. It makes you wonder about the die hard attitude that leads people to take on that sort of risk versus the weather.
 Today's hop was relatively short but helps us break up the trip to Ft. Myers enough and more importantly kill time while the wind blows. Hopefully by taking our time on the Atlantic side the Gulf side will calm down enough to let us anchor out where or when ever we feel like it. Since the weather patterns have changed the predominate wind direction is out of the East. Having this on our side as we move up the West coast of Florida has proven to provide benign wave heights good for motor boat traveling.
 And being back in Florida those loveable dolphins are at it again. I finally caught a short video of them diving under the bow of Freedom as we moved along at 7.5 knots. It always bothers me when they do this and I think they know it. They finish the dive under the bow by popping up for air in our stern wake where they ride along with us for miles.

Miami and wow is life different or, is it normal?

 When I last wrote, we were in Nassau at the Atlantis Marina. I may not have accurately described what that facility is like and words are probably inadequate anyway. With some time to burn I'll discuss a few aspects that perhaps lend insight. It's huge. I believe I spoke about how I thought the rest of the island suffers rolling outages to keep Atlantis "hot" and after being there a couple of nights without so much as a blip in the voltmeter I have convinced myself that many people on Nassau put up with power shortages for the sake of the Atlantis.
 But what a place. I have to admit having Freedom tied up there was probably cheaper than renting a room but consider the price of bringing her there. I'm sure the rational mind will agree if you are going there once, flying in is going to be cheaper than coming by boat. These days the fuel bill alone will set you back enough to justify the room. Freedom get's 1-2 nmpg ok? If it's almost 200nm to Nassau from Florida (let alone NY) so do the math. I am sure you will agree! In spite of the expense we enjoyed quite a bit of what the place has to offer. Heck we walked around 90% of the place. They have tunnels with portals into the aquariums, and many spots from which to gaze down into the pools of fish. The water parks are quite good and the adventurous will enjoy a number of the slides. Couples will also enjoy riding the double tube rides. On the plus side of our stay, the freezer on Freedom was still well stocked so we did not have to eat out. Let's face it, a 50 dollar entree is going to impose a penalty on many budgets.
 We had a great time regardless.
 On the way to Chub Cay we were pleasantly surprised to see a couple of our modern destroyers heading out towards the Atlantic via the North East Providence Channel. The good thing about this was the consideration they showed to all of the boaters out that day. With Summer approaching the Bahamas busy season gets going with a significant increase it boat traffic. Regardless of being in the big water, we were never out of sight of other pleasure boats. If anyone was within a couple of miles of the Navy the Navy hailed them identifying their pleasure boat style, size, speed and course. Everyone answered which I thought was wise. Considering what happened to the U.S.S. Cole my thoughts are that only an idiot would not have a watch going on VHF 16 and refuse to answer the hail. I sort of think the use of deadly force would be authorised if the wrong boat got to close. We were within 3 miles and happy enough with that distance. Clicking on the photo will provide a better image. I wanted to hail #95 and express our gratitude but they were busy. Next time I think I will make the effort to hail and thank them. It's gotta go over well.
 Moving on to Chub Cay we elected to stay off the beaten path at the Berry Island Club. Certainly at 2 bucks a foot the price was right and if you are patient the WIFI is free. They are working on the place and given the situation we are not the least bit sorry for staying there because we know it supported some folks that could use it. Yes, Chub Cay also needs support but wow did the folks developing that place have cash going in. We found the channel into the Berry Island Club well marked, the power was adequate, and the environment quiet except for some locals walking out to the end of the dock to fish. It's exposed to the East but with luck once can look at the weather and if the slip assignment works the boat won't be set on the dock all night.
 From here at the Berry Island Club we set out at 7 AM for Bimini. It's a long ride to Bimini at 9 knots, something like ten and a half hours. Listening to a pair of  6-71TIs drone on for that amount of time wears on you. But we broke up the trip with frequent bilge checks, lunch, snacks, and while one played electronic Yahtzee the other looked out for shallow water and debris. Occasionally much to our enjoyment a pod of dolphins would come out of nowhere and glide right at the bow of Freedom, dive under us and pop up in the wake only to move on without riding along for a while. Perhaps they knew we were not Bahamian because the dolphins in Florida almost always hook up for at least a mile or two. This time across the bank we had no hitchhikers in the form of lost birds so hopefully they all made it home that day.
 Arriving at Bimini, we were severely disappointed to find out our reservation at the Bimini Blue Water marina was lost. That left us without a spot for Freedom. We were very upset given how long we had traveled and that the reservation was made two days ago. Along with this a fishing tournament was underway at the Bimini Big Game Club so we were wondering where we would be at the end of this long day. Fortunately the prepaid BTC cell phone still had some minutes and we relieved to learn that the BBGC had a spot for us. It was not exactly the smoothest approach I made when I pulled in. The tidal current pulled us right up to one of the glossy sporties sitting on a T head. Everyone scrambled but I managed to hit all the levers and move Freedom around the bow and anchor of the boat without incident. Regardless of the long day I should have been more on my game.
 Since BBGC was expensive compared to the Bimini Blue Water we cut our time in the Bahamas short by a week. We were going to stay longer but the cost and facilities issues just didn't line up elsewhere. So various vendors missed out on our dollars. Oddly enough, passing by the Blue Water we saw the slip we stayed at last year was open. We chalked it up to being a "Bahamiam Ting" and moved on to the Gulf Stream the next day.
 But it all worked out well. That took us across the Gulf Stream towards Miami in good water since the forecast was promising. Initially the seas were confused but only 1-2 feet in height and Freedom handles that well. Once out into the stream proper, things settled down into a gentle roll out of the South East and we were making good time. We had a few occasions where we encountered commercial traffic and we had to dodge them, but otherwise the crossing was good. You might think that out running a tanker or bulk carrier is an easy task in Freedom but those large boats move quite well and looking at the distances and closure rates on the radar will put the fear into anyone.
 Back on the military theme, the Coast Guard was stopping many vessels that left Bimini and Cat Island and boarding them as part of our homeland security efforts. All vessels except one answered their hails and it was a go fast doing 43 knots. I'm thinking they radioed ahead instead of continuing the chase. It was interesting to hear others talk about flashing their badges to the CG folks in an effort to mitigate their boarding. All in all that act was no help and we were glad to see that the CG ignored the badges and proceded with their work.
 Now over here in Miami, we are surprised to realize that taxis, wifi, dockage, and many things other than fuel are cheaper in the Bahamas. Filling Freedom hurts but a 25% break in the cost is welcome.

 And that's the last time we come home to be here in time for the Rapture.

 The GPS data is current and there are new photos in the bucket.

Back to Nassau

 After a night out at Shroud we moved Freedom back up to Highbourne Cay where we were going to spend three nights. We had this tentative plan to take advantage of an approaching good weather window to cross from Highbourne back up to Nassau so as to enjoy a smooth ride. Being a bit more conservative with our planning after our experience with the ride from Spanish Wells over to Nassau we were hesitant to take a chance on the weather again. But Highbourne is expensive for what it offers and they were a bit inattentive there. Lets face it, 50 or 60 bucks a night for power is a bit on the cher side or reality even if they need to generate their own power.
 With our original reservation we were offered a couple of nights in a comfortable slip but after that we were going to have to move to an alternative to make room for a long term resident. We had no issue with this and were willing to play along. However, whenever I asked where we would be next we got a less than substantial commitment like "somewhere over there". Having refused a slip "over there" already we began to think about moving to Nassau earlier. On the second day I again asked where we would be and I received another less than definitive answer so we got serious about moving on knowing others had issues with their reservation "system". When Saturday rolled around we looked at the forecast and decided it was adequate and left for Nassau. In hind sight we made the right call since Sunday the bank was much more rough based on our observations from the shore of Nassau which we made during our drive around the island.
 The boat ride up to Nassau was uneventful and calm because the water turned out to be a foot or less of chop which was well within our threshold of discomfort. Upon arrival we tied up at the Nassau Harbour Club where we spent 3 nights. While the price was reasonable and the water unlimited the water was not potable. A test of the water with our hand held TDS meter indicated that it was at least double and almost triple the World Health Organization standards for dissolved solids. So I washed the boat with it. If it was just the water quality we would have been ok with a longer stay but the club is frequently rocked by boats in the harbour and, electricity is frequently off. We suspect that it is off due to rolling black outs that enable B.E.C. to keep Atlantis "hot". The lights are always on over there.
 As I forwshadowed on Sunday, having plenty of time with nothing to do we rented a car from Budget and drove around the island. If you think the U.S. has issues with immigration you have not seen anything yet. I won't go into it but suffice it to say there are serious issues developing in the Bahamas and there is no way anyone could encourage me to purchase property here. It would not matter if it was the outer islands, Nassau or Grand Bahama. Along the way around the island we passed by many upscale developments that have fallen into total disrepair. It's remaniscent of what we have seen all over Florida in our travels there.
 But in spite of the outward appearance we enjoyed the ride having stopped in at the Compass Point Inn for lunch. After another day at the Nassau Harbour Club we decided the weather would  soon look good enough for a crossing to the Berry Islands followed the next day by a crossing to Bimini. With the anticipation of only a couple of nights more in Nassau we moved Freedom to Atlantis.
 Given it's 4.50 a foot plus utilities to keep a boat in a slip here, there was no way we were going to stay here until the weather and water settled down. This is why we started at the Nassau Harbour Club. The notion was to time our stay with Atlantis with an approaching weather window and move on after a night or two.
 Hopefully the plan pans out and we wind up with a smooth crossing to the Berry Islands in the near future.
 I will say that Atlantis offers a means to ease back into life in the United States. The Abacos are wonderfully quiet during the Winter, offering one a distinct change from life in surburban NYS. At least here, while there are crowds waiting in line for water slides etc., there are no cars honking horns and syrens screeming. Neither of which are aspects of living in NYS that we look forward to.