24C and a beautiful sunrise
11/29/2009, Manjack Cay

Another rather busy time!

The freighter left at 7pm with Louise and I sharing the crew lounge and our pallet of provisions tarped and stowed on the main deck.

A simple crossing with reasonable flat seas, we were served dinner and breakfast and arrived at Green Turtle Cay at 11am the next morning to clear immigration and customs.

A quick golf cart ride to the marina (two trips) allowed us to hump all of our belongings up and onto the boat and then the work began.

Solar panels installed, canvas installed, sails installed, running rigging installed, decks cleaned, interior organized, instrumentation checked, batteries checked, etc.etc.etc.

The boat was is very good shape thanks to Scott and Crystal at Abacos Yacht Services. They run the best marina in the Bahamas, and we've booked our spot for next year for storage.

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Hot (84F) with light winds at 6 mph
11/23/2009, West Palm Beach

A great day for a crossing...

We visited the freighter this morning and deposited a pallet of baggage for the voyage, with a second load to accompany us this afternoon, after we drop off the rental car the WPB airport and take a taxi back.

Remarkable security due to US Customs and homeland security at the port. Enormous amount of truck traffic with thousands of cargo containers, trucks, deliveries, pickups..... steel, oil, fruit, lumber, a real throbbing port and vast in size and security procedures. Louise and I were fingerprinted, searched, photographed and the "escorted" to the freighter to unload our small car.

The shipping company simply provided at 42" pallet and away we went depositing our provisions for the next six months....

Lots of fun, and the hotel has allowed us a late checkout, so we can pack some more "stuff", and relax before the departure which is anticipated at high tide ( ~ 6pm). I hope to get some nice photos of the Port of WPB from the water as we leave, as well as some of the boat.

Louise has put together a picnic for our on board dinner, and apparently we'll be eating breakfast with the crew.

My first freighter voyage in over 35 years....

The adventure continues...

glen

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82F, humid, and no wind
11/22/2009, West Palm Beach

Thanks to our wonderful neighbour Patsy, we were driven to the Ottawa International Airport to catch our direct flight to Ft. Lauderdale Florida yesterday at 1pm.

A brand new WestJet 737-600 delivered us on time..... wow! it is great to ovoid the mess that is called Toronto...

Our rental car from Alamo (via www.priceline.com) is great and we motored north to West Palm Beach to our Marriot Hotel (again priceline.com), to enjoy a very busy day provisioning the boat..... it wasn't all work...

Louise and I treated ourselves to a wonderful dinner at Charlie's Crab Restaurant on South Ocean Blvd in WPB..... the food was great, the service spectacular.... great fresh oysters, yellowtail tuna, and vintage Napa Valley chardonnay from 1996..... next time I'll have to try the crispy duck!

We spent today visiting Home Depot, Walmarts, Total Wine, West Marine (three times), 6 different health food stores, pharmacies, the port of Palm beach, etc.etc, etc....

Our hotel room is "packed" with baggage and boxes.... I hope it is a BIG freighter....

As you can see from the photo, this is not the busy time of year in Florida. The US thanksgiving is this coming Thursday so folks are focused on other things.... the roads, hotels, restaurants are almost empty and there are too many for sale/rent signs visible.

The size of meal portions is incredible.... Louise and I cannot finish our meal even if we split a single order....

Given my beautiful bride's newly developed sensitivity to food we need to purchase large quantities of "non-standard" food types to ensure she will be happy for the next several months.... we're bringing 30 litres of almond milk to the Bahamas, so she can have wet granola...

More to follow....

I hope the snow stays away until the foundation at the farm is completed....

glen

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