Gulf Stream crossing, you're doing it wrong.

 As part of the preparation for the Gulf Stream crossing we regularly checked the weather looking for a break that included low sea height projections from a few sources. While they might all use the same data or models, some have a person look it over and add the human spin to it. The forecast for Saturday November 27 was very good. All sources agreed that the waves would not be significant, the period of time in between the waves would gradually grow to about 10 seconds, and that there was only a 20 percent chance of showers. With that news we spent quite a bit of time the night before making sure we had everything locked down, stowed and accounted for. The ditch bag was loaded a bit more than usual, the PLB was secured as well as the dink, and bolt cutters were made available in case we had to drop the dink in a hurry.

 We planned our departure from the dock at the municipal marina by the 3rd avenue bridge for about 6:00 AM. This would put as at the inlet after the arrival of the cruise ships in Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale, Fl). This information is available on the web at http://www.porteverglades.net/cruising/arriving-and-departing/ on one of their radio buttons. They were all supposed to be docked by 6:00 AM. However our arrival at the inlet was greeted by the Carnival Miracle. Out in front was the Homeland Security inspired escort. Note the boats out in front of us are just off the shore of the inlet considering when it will be safe to sneak past the transom and get to the serious business of fishing. Everyone is obliged by law to keep about 100 yards off of these ships. We waited with them and after about 10 minutes of idling we all left the inlet.

 Getting outside we were greeted by an accurate forecast. It was even better than we had hoped. The water was calm and we were making about 9 knots on our course made good for West End. We were surprised that there were not many folks out fishing, perhaps they were home sweating off the holiday. But they were out there and we could hear reports of some good luck on VHF 68. 

 Eventually we hit the Gulf Stream and the water color shifted to an appealing blue. Our speed over the ground picked up as the stream current swept us North towards West End. We were now making 11 knots over the ground. Life is good we thought since this meant we would be arriving earlier than we planned, something like 1:15 PM.

 But we started seeing some ominous clouds. After checking WxWorx radar we noted that some of them had some very active centers. There were cells that had the peak color for reflectivity. Knowing people that were in Lucaya last March when the Tornadoes hit we were concerned and steered North for a while to avoid them. This put us on a course away from West End and everything else including what appeared to be all of the storm cells. We watched this for a while hoping that the cells would dissipate since many had already. But that was not to be as eventually we saw the first of many water spouts. Fortunately it was about 12 miles off the bow (click on the photo it will be easier to see). This got our attention in a hurry since no one wants to get hit by one of these things and the clouds started to line up behind us on a course to West End. That is to say, they were going to line the course we needed to follow to our destination. Because we had tried to go North for a while (see the GPS track) we now had a line of storm cells developing behind us and to the South West as well as a line going to West End. We were boxed out of West End and Florida was looking like where we should go. This is happening in the middle of the Gulf Stream. Better than half way across.

 By this time I had tuned the radar to spot the water spouts and it was doing a good job of letting us know where they were forming. We continued North hoping the cells would dissipate but in a while one started forming right over us. I asked Deb to look up and behind us but there was nothing there. Thinking this was an anomaly I continued on with a wary eye on the radar. Then the blob on the screen started growing, and that was when I said to myself, later for this, and pulled a donut in the Gulf Stream. This is quite visible on the track as well. What I did was swing around and look for a break in the clouds. Once at the break we cut under them and got on the East side of the freight train.

 Sure enough not long after we left that area a spout dropped down making us glad we left that spot but wondering what else was in store for us. And there was more. The show started to intensify and spouts started dropping in a line to the North of us, following the cloud line. We were now only 6 miles off of the line and some of the spouts were quite threatening. We were clearly able to see the water spray up at their bases and how they changed color when they touched down. We supposed they got darker with all of the water they ingested.

 With the cat and mouse game in full play we tried steering a course that put us towards Grand Bahama in between West End and Lucaya. Every now and then things started to improve and we were actually within 10 miles of West End. We kept poking towards West End until the "BOW Echo" came on the radar screen. Those are associated with severe Tornadic activity. This put us on course to Lucaya with all possible speed of about 17.5 knots in a beam sea of about 2-4 and a period of about 4 seconds.

 Farque'

 And by the way, to our "pleasant" surprise another squall line developed to the South of us moving North and this was headed for Lucaya. Fortunately this only indicated rain and gusty winds, with no bright echos within it. Freedom had the salt washed off her before we tied up at the dock.

 We pulled into the Port Lucaya Marina, and to our advantage they fueled us up while we filled out all of the required immigration and customs forms. Happily they granted us the full 6 months as opposed to the 3 months others were seeing at other stations. Filling out the marina guest information and turning that in was all that was left of a long day. Instead of something like 73 nautical miles on the water, or 86 nm to Lucaya directly, we wound up putting in 100 nm screwing around in the Gulf Stream. It's not all bad, because in spite of all of the heavy handed throttling, we still wound up with 1nm/gallon. Even though we like almost 2, 1nm/gal under the circumstances was well received. 

 In retrospect, I'm wishing I had taken some more photos of the spouts. Even some video. But we were too occupied with where we were, where we were going, the water, the gauges, the radar, the plotter, and WxWorx to relax enough. The first one we saw was cool. It was 12 miles away, and we thought it was a loner. Wow, were we wrong. When the large one showed up 5 miles off our port side with all of the spray at the base, we were more interested in making tracks instead of watching it. 

 So here we are, and we are safe thank you, pondering what the next batch of forecast data has in store for us. We still have to make our way around the North side of the Bank to the Abacos. Given all of the issues launching the boat and waiting on weather it looks like we will skip over Guana Cay until March so we can be on Elbow for the holidays.