May 6th....Crossing back to the States

Our plan all along had been to take the next weather window... usually but not always a week away. But after listening to the weather in the morning it sounded like the trade winds were going to insert themselves next week to their fullest extent, which means about 25 knots. Sailors in the Caribbean have learned to be OK with these winds but we aren't quite there yet.

The current window was closing as a cold front approached Florida on Saturday evening. The question is always ... should we stay a few days or go? We first made the decision to stay put for the day and stage tomorrow. But the combination of a forest fire directly opposite us.... sending smoke and ash, along with "Madcap's" decision to head up to
Great Sale Cay to stage during the afternoon, got us off our buts and on the road.

At first our goal was a cay about 20 miles north called Allen's Pensacola, but after enjoying a good sail and being passed by "Savage Son" flying their A-Sym Spinnaker, decided to continue on to Great Sale Cay, even though we'd be arriving after dark.

We all talked about the possibility of continuing on to Florida during the afternoon and in the evening as we passed Great Sale, made the decision to keep going.

There was an amazing line of thunder storms to our north all night filling the sky with constant lightening flashes. But to our good fortune, they all stayed there in a line heading east as we sailed west.

By morning we were in the Gulf stream with north winds on the nose... .but still going 9 knots. I wonder what we could have done not pounding into waves and wind. In the evening, with Cape Canaveral still on our port beam we worked our way out of the Stream and set a course for Fernandina.

The mornings weather still called for a front sweeping through southern Florida around supper time so we backed off and changed course to St. Augustine arriving around noon.

After checking in by phone, (we love the local boaters option) Kathy fired up the computer and we were back on line. We'll stay here for a couple of days and then head a little north.