What a Long, Strange, Trip it has Been (part 3)

We made it to NoName harbor on Key Biscayne.  This was to be our staging point to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas.  I had considered other staging points and, honestly, this was not my first choice.  Yes, many people cross from here to Bimini, but I'd also heard that clearing in at the usual spot in Bimini isn't as smooth as other places and I wanted my first time to be smooth.  You can reach West End on Grand Bahama from Ft. Lauderdale or even Lake Worth (fighting current or backtracking).  But we were picking up our crew member Doug in Miami, so it made sense to be in the Miami area.

Just a couple boats waiting at NoName Harbor

We had a few tasks to complete before we leave.  We needed to do some final provisioning, get the health checkup for our dog (Bahamas says it needs to be within 48 hours, but some leeway is given when arriving by boat), and we needed to complete the Bahamas entry paperwork.  Doug had access to a car, which made provisioning easier.  But if you stop at Biscayne, there is a service called FreeBee that provides free shuttle service to the local businesses on Key Biscayne and we made use of it to go to both the library (to print out paperwork) and the local Winn Dixie grocery.

Of course, weather had to mess with us a few more times.  Shifting winds and cold fronts had us move anchorages 4 times.  The anchorage at NoName is not protected from the Southeast through West, so we moved to hurricane harbor for a couple days.  We tried getting into a marina in Miami at one point, but they were either full or prohibitively expensive, so we anchored out near Coconut Grove for a couple days, then moved back to NoName when things calmed down.

Coconut Grove and Miami in the distance 

The long range forecasts showed a possible weather window for the crossing a few days out, so we made that trip to the library to complete the Bahamas online Click2clear process and prepared to leave.  Naturally, after completing the process (in which you are supposed to provide your date and time of arrival as well as port of entry), the weather window closed on us.  The next weather window was about a week away, but the just submitted paperwork said we would arrive the following day.  The Click2clear site didn't specify what to do about changes other than an ability to cancel.  And, of course it was a Sunday, so we couldn't call anyone to ask.  Eventually we (actually Chuck) did call and found out all you had to do was go back into Click2clear and update the arrival date and save it (not resubmit, only click save on that one page) and it would work.  We could then take the printouts we already had and they would just mark them up or reprint as needed.  I wasn't sure about the health certificate for our dog, but hoped they would grant sufficient leeway for him too. I also wanted to change the arrival port to a different location on Bimini due to those few reports of less cordial receptions at the one most people use there.

We had noted the weather windows that had presented themselves often came with more easterly winds, and this would mean we would beat into the wind and waves and likely have to motor across.  Since we had a bit of time, we decided to move further south and anchor near north Key Largo.  This would give us a slightly better wind angle to cross and the gulf stream as it will push us north anyway.  We anchored around the privately owned Pumpkin key.  We also made a day run to a nearby marina to top off fuel and they let us dock long enough to make a quick run to the nearby Winn Dixie via Lyft.

The weather window was arriving as predicted, so the day before we departed, we made our way out of the Angelfish creek inlet and spent the final night on a free mooring ball at a keys reef dive site (some allow overnight stays).  It was an interesting night to be moored well off shore with the Atlantic on one side of us and Key Largo in the distance behind us.  Near first light, we drop the mooring ball, maneuver around the reef, and start heading east.  Next stop, the Bahamas.

Mooring at Carysfort reef

As we depart, and start motoring out, suddenly my starboard engine alarm went off.  I look down and the engine is overheating.  I quickly shut down the motor and we raise the sails.  The wind was from the Southeast, so we were beating into it about 35 to 40 degrees off the wind with the port engine running.  I let the starboard engine cool off a bit and then go down to investigate.  I find a lot of engine coolant in the bilge.  I look for a leak, but could not find one.  We had some jugs of tap water on board, so I use one to refill the coolant tank.  This is when I discover the leak.  One of the hoses between the coolant tank and the heat exchanger (radiator that uses sea water instead of air to cool) had a slit in it on the side that was facing the engine block where it could not be seen, only felt.

Now, I have a bunch of hose on the boat, so I begin looking through my inventory while I ask Doug to go try and remove the leaking hose.  I have about 30 feet of 2 inch hose, 8 feet of 3/4 inch hose and smaller pieces of 1 inch hose, but no hose that is 1 3/8 to 1.5 inches in diameter that would be suitable as radiator hose.  I think about any other places where I might have some hose stashed or if there is a non-critical system it could be scavenged from, but come up empty.  The only semi-suitable option I have is the wet exhaust hose on the generator...but it is wire reinforced and I doubt I could bend  it enough to install a 7 inch piece in the space on the motor.

I started pondering if we should turn back.  We are already in the Gulf Stream at this point and conditions are about as good as they get there, we are in no danger, and the boat can be operated just fine under sail or on a single engine.  The only time both motors are really needed are when maneuvering in tight spaces such as marinas.  While I know parts and supplies are hard to find in the Bahamas, they would surely have a piece of radiator hose somewhere as there are many boats and cars there.  I also have one trick left, to attempt a temporary repair of the hose.  So we press on.

Doug had managed to get the clamps loosened before the heat of the engine room and the mildly rolling seas made him feel queasy.  So, I went back down in the engine room and completed the removal of the hose.  I found a slit in the hose that was a few inches long and almost looks like it was made with a knife, and part of this slit was what had ruptured.  There is this stuff called rescue tape and I decided to give it a try for the repair.  It is a self bonding silicone-like tape that supposedly can withstand up to 500 degrees F and 950 psi.  I cleaned the hose up, placed a bit of duct tape over the slit as duct tape has fiber reinforcement (I didn't expect the adhesive to hold, just wanted the fiber) and then wrapped the hose with 2 layers of rescue tape.  When complete, it seemed like a reasonable repair, so I went back into the engine room and reinstalled the hose.  I filled the coolant tank with coolant and water and gave it a test.  It seemed to be holding.  There was a tiny seep, but it should be sufficient for shorter term use if we kept an eye on it.

I spent much of the crossing in the engine room, but even there I could tell we picked a good window for the crossing.  It would have been nice if the winds allowed for pure sailing, but the long period small waves were a far cry from the conditions we could have had and have been reported by others.  It was sunny and winds were fairly light and, other than the motor issue, would have made for a lovely crossing.

Fisherman's Village Dock

We arrived in Bimini a bit later than planned due to the motor issue and needing to motor-sail to make a reasonable time crossing the Gulf Stream.  As we entered the Bimini channel, the sun was setting.  I had been listening on the radio and heard reports of where the entrance channel had shoaling (the shifting sands at the entrance there mean it is constantly changing, so local knowledge and reports are a must).  There was actually a boat that had run aground when we arrived, but did manage to free themselves and confirmed the shoaling reports I had heard.

We make our way up the channel to the Fishermans Village marina and dock after their normal business hours.  Fortunately there was one dock hand that was still around and they helped get us squared away for the night.  When I queried about customs and immigration, they said they were closed and would reopen at 9 am the next day.  So, we all stayed on the boat with the Q flag raised, and waited until morning.

I was a bit nervous about my first check in, but after a shower and putting on a bit nicer clothes (a button front shirt and better looking shorts) off I went to customs and immigration in the morning.  Both were in the same building, nearly on site at the marina.  They gave me the immigration forms you get when flying and as I began filling them out, the gentleman from customs came and asked me if I filled out the forms online.  I said yes and he asked me for the cruising permit printout.  I gave it to him and he walked back to another room for a moment, then returned and asked if we had our dog on board.  I said yes and gave him the approved paperwork and health certificate and he went back to the other room.  Before I was done filling out the immigration cards, he returned with the stamped cruising permit and fishing permit and said we were good to go and welcome to the Bahamas.  I finished filling out the immigration forms and handed them in.  They looked them over briefly, noted that I forgot to sign them, and once signed them also welcomed me and hoped we would enjoy out stay.  Professional, yet very friendly and welcoming.  We chatted just a moment, I forget about what, and I thanked them and that was it.  We were now officially cleared into the Bahamas.

Raising the courtesy flag

I returned to the boat, we lowered the Q flag and raised the courtesy flag.  First time crossing the Gulf Stream and first time visiting another country on our own boat accomplished. Now we were ready to explore the Bahamas...and find a radiator hose.

What a Long, Strange, Trip it has Been (part 2)

 So, we are approaching the St. Augustine inlet in the morning fog, my course on the chartplotter taking us straight to the inlet's marker.  Visibility is around a quarter to half mile.  I have the radar on and it finds the marker about a mile away, but I don't see any radar blips for the channel markers.  Then about a half mile from it I notice a shadow of the inlet marker appear from the fog.  About this time, the radar also starts picking up the channel markers.  Hmmm...maybe?

As we continue to approach the inlet marker, I keep looking to the right in an attempt to visually locate the channel markers.  Then I think I see a faint outline of the coast.  Is the fog starting to lift? Sure enough, by the time I reach the inlet mark, 2 to 3 sets of the channel markers appear from the fog.  We make the turn and start heading in.  We pass the first set of markers and visibility continues to improve.  By the time we pass the second set of marks, I can now make out much of the channel.  Whew.  We make our way in and dock at Camachee Cove marina.

A few minutes after we arrive, another Leopard 3800 enters the marina. At our home port we occasionally see another Leopard, but rarely the same model and vintage as ours.  We make their acquaintance, compare, and swap stories about our boats.  They are half owners from England.  John and Dorota on Eagle Song, it was nice to meet and share stories and I wish you safe travels...hopefully our paths will cross again in the future.

Rover and Eagle Song in St.. Augustine 

A cold snap was predicted and arrived, dropping  temperatures to near freezing in St. Augustine...I thought Florida was supposed to be warmer.  We took the time (and use of the marina’s courtesy car) to do more provisioning and some shopping at Sailors Exchange while we waited out the cold.  

A tiki bar boat anyone?

Weather wasn't predicted to be great, so we begrudgingly decided to again motor down the ICW and our next stop was Palm Coast.  One night there and we were moving on to Daytona.  During my morning check of the engine, I found one of the fan belts broke on my starboard engine (fortunately it has two and I had a complete set of spares).  I went to install a spare only to find that it was about a half inch too small in diameter (guess those cross references aren't that good, eh, Autozone? ).  We continued with the single belt on that side.

When we pulled into the marina in Daytona, we noticed a boat we recognized as a couple we met when they were stopped in New Bern. We visited a bit and found out this was their home marina.

The next morning, we got out the folding bikes and rode to Napa to get the replacement fan belt.  Unfortunately they only had one, so I'd have to pick up additional spares elsewhere.  I installed the belt without much fuss.  A check of the weather and again it looks like we will be trudging down the ditch. At least we are slowly making our way south, right??

So we made plans and the next morning headed south, down past the Kennedy Space Center and on to Titusville.  While tying up the boat, I noticed the boat behind us had a hailing port of Durango, CO...so naturally we had to make their acquaintance.  I’ve often mused that we should have made our hailing port Leadville, CO. as I find the thought of my boat somehow making it to Colorado funny. I also checked the Napa there and found they didn't have the belts but could get them by the next morning, so I ordered them and picked them up the next day.  While there, we also ran into a couple we had met months earlier at our new home marina.  Chuck and Tina sail a Beneteau 473 named Whisper.  They too were headed to the Bahamas, so we began traveling somewhat together.

The NASA VAB in the distance

The next two legs of the trip would also be down the ICW as Titusville is a fair distance from an inlet.  Since it was finally starting to warm up some, the next night we anchored out in a wide part of the ICW halfway between Titusville and Ft. Pierce that had several good spots for anchoring.  Not long after we set the hook, we noticed a catamaran that had been some distance behind us all day was also coming in to anchor.  As they got closer, we recognized the boat.  It was the Swiss couple that we met and docked next to in Charleston. We chatted on the radio a bit and found out they were heading to the Keys and then Bahamas.  So, if you are keeping count, we have run into someone we knew on the last 3 stops.  As big as the world and oceans are, it still surprises me how small it can all seem at times.

The next morning we got an early start and made our way to Ft. Pierce.  We docked at the city marina along with Whisper. Here is where one of the downsides of having a cat can be seen.  The dockage rate for our cat was 50% higher than Whisper, even though we were both tied up next to each other on a face dock and their 47 foot boat takes up 10 foot more dock space than our 37 foot boat.  If it were a slip, I could understand an additional charge for our width, but at a face dock it seems silly as we take up less space.  

There was one thing that happened that made up for the overcharge though.  At many marinas, there is a space known as the "free table" where boaters can leave things they no longer need but may be usable by someone else.  We have picked up and left things at various free tables in the past.  Here, there was a working portable clothes washer and spin dryer that someone left when they upgraded.  We have a small bucket size washer that is good for a couple shirts or shorts, but this one is bigger and can handle jeans, bedsheets, and larger towels.  I've wanted to give one of these a try, but never could find one we could fit into one of our storage lockers.

Since the price was right, we figured why not take it to the boat and see if we could find a place for it.  We measured it and our largest inside locker door and it would just barely fit.  The problem was that once I shoved it through the door, I don't think I could get it back out.  But it is lightweight enough that we decided we could just store it in the shower and move it when we wanted to shower.  We had just done some laundry so we also gave the spin dryer a try.  Our small washer had a spin basket and so did a previous one we tried, but I found those didn't extract much water and I could hand wring better.  This one is a game changer.  It spins as well as our home front load washer and leaves things almost dry.  An hour or two hanging on the lifelines, even in humid Florida, and a sweatshirt and towel were dry.  This find mostly makes up for the overcharging of the marina.

The free clothes washer with spin dryer

Since the trip to Florida has taken much longer than planned, we again did a grocery run.  We had hoped to leave out the Ft. Pierce inlet and sail south to Key Biscayne/No Name Harbor, but the weather has been fickle.  It only seems to get better when we are trapped in long stretches of the ICW.  After a couple days in Ft. Pierce, we again decided we would take the ICW so we could make it a little further south.  At least at the end of this next leg would be the anchorage in N Lake Worth and another inlet near Palm Beach to try again.

Rover and Whisper head out the next morning, continuing our trek down the ICW.  I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to this leg of the trip.  I've been through Jupiter before and I remember it to be a circus.  Several bridges in close proximity to one another, with jet skis and small boats that don't have a clue about right of way for boats with limited ability to maneuver (tall masts going through a raised bridge, for example).  This time was no different.  

The trip started out nice and we were making good progress.  As we approached Jupiter, more and more boats appeared.  Party barges with young sun worshipers, jet skis, motorboats with big engines driven by small minds all entered the frey.  It was like rush hour.  We wait at the bridges, trying to keep station in the current as we wait for the next scheduled bridge openings while small boats and jet skis zip around us in all directions.  With two motors set far apart, I have a fair amount of control. I feel for my friends on Whisper that have to contend with this mess in a single engine monohull.  At the last bridge before Lake Worth, a motor yacht passes us, Whisper, and a trawler waiting at the bridge so he can be first through when it opens.  I think it was the trawler that keys his radio mic with two stern words "back off".  Sigh.  If I ever think about coming down this part of the ICW again, please slap me.

We finally make it to the lake and drop anchor with about 40 other boats, undoubtedly also waiting on the weather to continue their journeys.  This will definitely be the end of my journey down the ICW.  Ahead are Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.  The former has lots of mega yachts and expensive marinas, the latter has a fixed bridge built by a dyslexic engineer who made it 56 feet high instead of 65 so we can't pass under it.  And both have rich NIMBY's that don't like us "poor boaters" anchoring and ruining their views.  Besides, I'm growing tired of being just a tall motorboat.

We wait a couple days and a weather window appears.  It isn't perfect, but at this point I'm not picky, I'll take what I can get. We head out the inlet and are met with a little wind.  We raise the sails and make an attempt to sail, but the winds are light.  We even attempt to fly the spinnaker, but by the time I get it rigged, the wind all but dies.  Well, at least I won't be motoring down the ditch anymore.  Whisper had followed us out the inlet and also attempted to sail, but gave up sooner than we did and had motored past us while we stubbornly tried to sail.  Later that evening, as we were passing by offshore of Ft. Lauderdale, the winds picked back up and we were able to sail the rest of the way to the Biscayne Bay channel on a nice reach.  Finally!

We anchored outside No Name Harbor, our intended staging point for crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas.

The anchorage outside NoName harbor...
We are not alone.

Next stop, Bahamas?

(More to come next time)

What a Long, Strange Trip It Has Been (part 1)

 For a long time I've wanted to take the boat to the Bahamas.  To sail in crystal blue waters, explore tropical islands, scuba and snorkel, and find tranquil anchorages.  This past Friday, I finally made it across the gulf stream and am now in Bimini.  I'm still looking for most of that above list, but am now 90% of the way there.

I started this trip back in 2019.  I found some crew and came to the boat to start preparing it for the trip.  After numerous updates and repairs, there was one major bit of work to be done, to replace the standing rigging (the wires that hold the mast up).  It was ordered in early 2020, and then the unplanned delay struck the entire world, the COVID pandemic shut everything down.

Almost four years later and I am back at it.  A new home marina, more boat repairs and upgrades, the rigging that was ordered before the pandemic was finally installed, and the boat was as ready as I thought she could be.  There were a couple minor projects to do, but I figured they could easily wait for a warmer climate. The crew had changed a bit.  My wife and dog are with me now and there are plans to meet up with others from the original crew along the way.

Not quite shorts and t-shirt weather yet.

We departed New Bern, North Carolina at the very end of December.  It was cold.  We made our way slowly south along the Intercoastal Waterway as the weather wasn't suitable for travel in the Atlantic. We stopped at night at marinas so we could plug the boat in and run heaters to stay warm.  It was a slow journey from New Bern back to my old marina in Southport.  It was the last leg into Southport where I discovered I had picked up some bad fuel and clogged the filters. One engine sputtered as we entered the marina basin to provide a little added excitement. A few days in Southport replacing filters, polishing fuel, provisioning, and catching up with friends, and we finally had a small weather window to actually sail further south.

We departed Southport on an overnight passage down the coast to Charleston.  It was still cold and we wore winter coats and foul weather gear...determined to find warmer weather.  The winds varied, so we sailed some and motored some. At one point while motoring, one of the engine room blower fans started squealing, apparently a bearing was going bad.  It made quite a noise so we shut down the engine for a while.  Then one time when I started it to see if the fan would behave for at least a little while, I was met with silence from the fan.  It had died.  It was also on this leg of the trip that we noticed the volume on the VHF radio wasn't as loud as it should be, making it difficult to hear calls when the motors were running.  We made it to Charleston just fine, but with a couple new repair items to take care of.  It is a boat after all.

We stayed in Charleston long enough to order and install a replacement fan and radio.  Then, while waiting on the weather for another chance to move south, the area was hit by a freak high wind thunderstorm line.  This is the first time I've ever seen waves breaking inside a marina, between the boats and the shoreline. During the storm, the docklines on our boat loosened one of the cleats and one of our docklines broke (fortunately I had prepared for the storm and had extra lines securing us). The boat behind us snapped one of the cleats off of the dock.  Elsewhere in the marina, others had broken lines and cleats and during the storm two boats were rocking so bad that their masts hit.  One piece of the marina’s dock broke free and one of their ramps ripped loose and sank.  It was a wild ride, but we made it through unscathed.

Charleston Maritime Center

...and during the storm.

The next weather window was small and only allowed us a day sail from Charleston to Edisto Beach.  The winds weren't quite from the right direction, but we were able to sail a beat (into the wind) that got us to the channel right at sunset.  It was nice to be able to sail for a while without hearing the drone of the motors. 

We made our way up the channel as it grew darker.  The marina said they were easy to find, just look for their sign at the fuel dock.  Well, they failed to mention that the sign was unlit, there was a strong cross current, and they probably didn't know about the fishing vessel that was squatting in our assigned spot on the T head with its bright deck lights shining in our faces.  This combination made finding the marina a bit difficult.  We were able to finally tie up to the dock with only minor issues after getting the squatter to move.  The next morning when staff arrived, one gave us a ride to the local grocery store to pick up a few things as we we hadn't taken into account the length of time it was taking us to make it south when we had provisioned.  Then we waited several days for another weather window to continue.

We wanted to go from Edisto SC to St. Augustine FL on a 2-night passage and, originally the weather looked like it might oblige.  But as the day approached, the forecasts started shifting and we decided we would try for a single night and arrive at Brunswick GA instead.  Again it was a combination of sail and motoring, but we were still heading south at least.  As we approached Brunswick, the weather reports changed. This time it was in our favor as the window that shortened at the beginning was now lengthening at the end.  Given how much we had been delayed by the strange weather this year, it was an easy decision to press on to St. Augustine.  So we continued to sail that evening and into the night.

Before sunrise, we started seeing lightening flashes in the distance.  At first they were east of us and moving east away from us.  Then some started appearing to the southwest, in our path.  We were somewhere near Jacksonville when the weather radio came alive with a warning about a strong thunderstorm around Marineland and heading northeast.  Wanting to avoid that, we reverse course for a bit and allow it to pass by.  Oh, there was also another storm that was around Fernandina Beach to our north, so we waited in between them.  They passed by without much concern and, once the flashes of light were east of us, we turned back on course for St. Augustine.

As the morning light started overtaking the early morning darkness, a fog started to develop.  Listening to the current condition weather reports on the radio, it sounded like all of Florida was covered in fog.  I guess this is a good time to mention, for those not familiar with St. Augustine, that this particular inlet is not detailed on navigation charts because of shifting sands that supposedly change the navigable part of the channel.  It has always seemed rather stable the times I've been in it before, but it has been a while.  As the fog thickened, I grew concerned about having to navigate a potentially changed channel in the fog.  We found our horn and made the required sound signals while we Listened for others. Our radar should be able to locate channel markers...I hope.  Or will we have to wait out the fog or continue on to another inlet...

(More to come next time)