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Oops!
06/22/2006

Its hard to get a good nap in with that radio blasting! Oops, looks who's been trying to hail us. We weren't expecting the Coasties 25 miles out. Our bad, really though. They were nice enough, though the head honcho had a serious Top Gun thing going complete with blindingly bleached teeth. Everything in order and a golden report card for us. Yep, even had that 8" bell so critical for safety in the fog shrouded Florida waters.

Bahamas Shake Down
Finally!
06/22/2006

Hot damn! Finally something besides 'cuda. First a Spanish Mackerel and then this nice bull Dorado. Spencer was beside himself and Bill, well, clueless. Howard was kind enough to teach us the cleaning and filleting techniques that go along with the fishing part proper. We still need practice, but we can get by now. Thanks Howard! (Too bad we didn't find any conch. We need a lesson or two there as well.) We put the Dorado fillets on ice for dinner that night with Howard's mom in Ft. Lauderdale. We pretty much docked the boat, called customs, and had a wonderful dinner after an easy crossing. We had to diesel it for a good bit without a breath of air.

Bahamas Shake Down
Bimini Bound
06/21/2006

Just can't get out from under this squall line. We could see clear air in front, but the thing hung with us all day. A water spout, lightening so close it knocked out the electronics. (Fortunately, a power cycle rebooted everything to working condition.) Double reefed main only. Not as windy as last night, but a solid 30 kts. for the day. A bit choppy, but not too bad. At least we're making good time.

When we arrived at Bimini, we anchor on the East bank given the strong West winds. Hopefully things would settle down for the Gulf Stream crossing. Sure enough, the morning broke with a gorgeous day and light winds.

Bahamas Shake Down
Devil's Cay
06/20/2006

What an incredible anchorage, at least in calm weather. Quite a current on and off the banks, so its best to be off to the side. Still, the boat ends up pointing in all sorts of weird directions with the anchor off some random point. Great view here from the mast looking over the entrance. Only two boats with us and everyone wanted their privacy. In theory, at 5'9", we could have taken an inside passage heading South, but the bar had clearly shoaled from 3' MLW to 1' or so: no go. Could have stayed here a long time or at least until we ran out of provisions.

Next step was heading back North, over, and across the banks to the West side of Bimini. The weather was starting to turn sour as a tropical low formed just east of the Abacos and we we're in the frontal zone. It became real while anchored on the banks for a rest when the winds came up to 38 kts. about 2 AM. Gee, it was clear blue and calm when we went to bed... We had chosen an area pretty well sheltered from the chop, but the howling kept us up for the night. Some rest.

Bahamas Shake Down
Headin' Back
06/19/2006

Crew change in Marsh Harbor and we're off for the return trip. We spent a relaxed two weeks going between Ft. Lauderdale and Marsh Harbor. We have at least as far to get back around the South side of Abaco and less than a week. Our plan was to send the girls home from Abaco and import Howard, a sailing friend of Bill's, for the return trip and the longer legs 'outside'. We left Marsh Harbor to make the Man 'o War cut and then a night sail outside heading South. We thought we were going to have a sleigh ride down as we started on a beam reach with just a reefed main and doing 8 kts. Once it was dark, things calmed down: too much. By midnight we were seriously becalmed and fired up the Volvo for the remainder of the night until we had a bit of morning wind to make Devil's Cay.

Bahamas Shake Down
Guana & Nippers
06/18/2006

We always have to do Nippers at least once! On the sad side, something's wrong at Bakers Bay. It looks like its being developed and though there was no work force evident, there was a security guard shooing folks off. I'm not sure you could easy get to the Atlantic side without being spotted. The old trail is gone. Its been cleared and bulldozed. What a shame, this used to be a favorite stop for us.

Bahamas Shake Down
New Plymouth
06/17/2006

A favorite stop just north of Whale Key Passage! We stayed awhile traipsing around by golf cart: too funny! Our favorite settlement in the Abacos (Man'o War is a close second) now that Hope Town is so crowded.

Bahamas Shake Down
The Kid's are in Charge!
06/16/2006

Gee, I wonder what the parent's are doing? Shelby's a natural at the helm as we work our way down to New Plymouth. We also gave her a work out earlier with a man overboard drill: just have to watch that mainsheet so it doesn't loop around something precious - flesh or helm - while spinning the boat around. The sheet aside, the boat is easy to handle and very responsive while maneuvering.

Bahamas Shake Down

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