Markus
16-May-2008, Harbor Town Marina, Fort Pierce, Florida

After a beautiful Gulf Stream crossing last night (up to 9+ kn in light winds on very settled seas) we arrived in Harbor Town Marina, Fort Pierce, Florida today. Bill will head back home to D.C. tomorrow and we'll spend a quick visit to Nicky's cousin Pearl across the Floriday peninsula. We had some of the nicest sailing since starting this trip between the Turks & Caicos and here (despite some becalmed/motoring periods) and very much enjoyed sailing with Bill. Now we have to get an engine repair done before we head further up the coast - a story for another post ... stay tuned...

04 - Puerto Rico to Maine

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Markus
14-May-2008, Port Lucaya Marina

After 48 hrs of great sailing through the Bahamas we're now tied up on Grand Bahama Island on Port Lucaya for one night before leaving for Florida tomorrow. Exact destination in Florida will depend on wind and Gulf Stream - either Fort Pierce or Cape Caneveral. Our previous plan to continue straight on to Florida without a stop in the Bahamas became a victim of (a) a start-up problem of our engine (which we have now fixed or can at least temporarily remedy and which also required a tow into harbor - see picture) and (b) a forecast for a 9 ft NE swell tonight (which is supposed to go down tomorrow). So we'll enjoy a good night's sleep on a boat that is not moving and look forward to another 24...36 hrs of good sailing - stay tuned for further updates...

04 - Puerto Rico to Maine

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Markus
13-May-2008, 25-46N, 077-01W - SE of Great Abaco Island

Hello from underway again, this time about 15 nm SE of Great Abaco Island in the NW Bahamas at 10 pm local time ... the dreaded cold front passed us this morning between 4 and 5 am after a train of scattered thunder storms had passed just north of us... after the wind suddenly clocked about 40 degrees into the NNW all of the sudden the air became cool and dry - we're almost back in temperate latitudes... Bill makes fun of us now for feeling cold in airs of about 25 deg Celsius - we'll get used to it eventually...

Originally, we had planned on a short stop in the Abaco Islands but current wind and the weather forecast may have us continue straight on towards West Palm Beach in Florida in order to get Bill back to the mainland in time... stay tuned for further updates

PS: If anyone has access to news for the Bahamas: we're seeing the glow of a big fire somewhere on the east coast of Great Abaco Island (we can smell it too, about 20 nm downwind) - any information what this is?

04 - Puerto Rico to Maine

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