03/29/2010

Today (Saturday, March 27) was a fun day for Sea Sharp here in Stuart. I have mentioned our friends Sandi and Peter a number of times in our blog as Frederictonions who have a winter home here in Stuart. They have extended us much hospitality and companionship in our several stays in Stuart. They are interesting people with interesting hobbies; Sandi is as expert quilter and she has shown us some of her amazing works. I'm particularly impressed with one of her current works; a portrait of their cat Angus assembled from all kinds of scraps of cloth (I'm sure there's a more appropriate name for this particular technique but suffice it to say that it is both artistic and technically impressive).

Peter is a car aficionado and accomplished racer. I love to talk cars with Peter; he is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Anyway, I had shown an interest in watching Peter race and he and Sandi invited me to be pit crew today at Palm Beach International Raceway where they are racing. I was delighted and following their directions made my way the 30 miles or so this this Raceway. Actually it's a racing complex with a drag strip, two mile, state-of-the-art road course, go-kart track and mud bog track(?). So, I get signed in as crew for car 35 (Peter's race car) and work my way through the maze of cars, people, trailers, etc, looking for Peter and Sandi, I'm following some other vehicles, including race cars obviously making their way on to the track, and the next thing you know, I'm almost on the race track with Judy's Jeep Grand Cherokee. Imagine the scorn I would attract and the embarrassment to Peter and Sandi had I kept going and made a few laps along with these flat out race cars?

Anyway, I make a u-turn and soon locate Peter and Sandi. I will spare the details, but this turns out to be a very heady day. It is a veritable orgy of sensual bombardment. It is loud almost to the point of pain; smelly, gritty, gaudy and just great fun.

This type of racing is class racing and there is an almost weird collection of cars on the track at one time. I saw a Fiero (I used to own one and it was cute but asthmatic), a Volvo sedan, an old AMC Gremlin, a vintage Austin Mini and a Dodge Neon, dukeing it out with late-model mustangs, formula one style cars and all kinds of other cars. Peter's run group of 23 cars consisted mostly of Porsche, Corvettes, BMWs, and Mazda RX8s. Fascinating!

I spent a bit of time over at the drag strip and while I have often watched drag racing on TV I have only occasionally seen it live; it was quite a spectacle. To watch these fire-belching, ear-splitting beasts hurtle down a quarter of a mile track, reaching speeds of over 200 miles an hour in 5 seconds is impressive!

Anyway, thanks Pete and Sandi for a really fun day.

Returning to Sea Sharp, Judy and I decide to treat ourselves to dinner at the restaurant on the same site as the Marina. It's called Sailor's Return and it's a very popular place, with reason. It's very busy but we get preferential treatment from the maitre d' as we are residents of the marina, and we are provided a table outside under the warm Florida sunset and close to the band. We have a nice meal but the band is great playing lots of our old jazz favourites. We "cut a rug" so to speak and leave way past our bedtime and cruisers' midnight (cruisers' midnight is nine o'clock).

All in all, a great Florida day or as Jimmy calls it Floriday.

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03/26/2010

Well, this season's winter cruise is nearing an end for us and as I reflect on our past five months, it was quite different from last year; and perhaps not what we had anticipated.

Our rough plan would have been to launch in Florida but cross to Bahamas around Christmas, spending the winter exploring the wonderful Bahamas; perhaps getting to some places we did not last year because of poor weather and lack of time. Well as you know by now, we ended up remaining in the US, a decision which, in retrospect, we surely don't regret.

In my mind, I had pegged the Florida Keys as "a second best" to cruising the Bahamas and while it is not as picturesque to be sure, it was just right for us this year. And as well, many, many other cruisers made this same observation to us in our travels. The weather was abysmal as you know and we heard tales of difficult conditions in the Bahamas. It is telling that Marathon, where we spent our month in the Keys, was so crowded this year while we understand that Georgetown was very sparse.

Anyway, maybe it's a bit of fox and grapes but we thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely saunter down the Keys and back. In contrast to our long cruise from New Brunswick, down the eastern seaboard, across to the Bahamas and back of about 3,000 nautical miles last year, this year we did something like 500 miles. Many days our travels only brought us 10 or 15 miles. We are starting to appreciate the slow cruising life.

Another aspect which we needed and appreciated this year is better communications with our families. We loved the Bahamas and it's remoteness but not being able to readily pick up the phone or Skype to home was unsettling last year, given our needs in light of our personal tragedy.

Sea Sharp was excellent, notwithstanding the various things we had to do to her like new batteries, new auto helm, alternator, dinghy (yeah, you heard that one) and many other trips to West Marine. After several months on board, Sea Sharp shrunk a bit and we got a bit of a dose of two footitis. We began browsing for a larger boat. But, as usual, the decommissioning process has the effect of making the boat larger again. We've been working away at getting the salt and grime of two people and a feline living aboard for 5 months in harsh conditions and it feel good to have Sea Sharp restored to her Bristol condition. I find it satisfying that she shows remarkably little wear and tear despite the last two years of cruising and if you keep on top of maintenance, these modern boats can last a long, long time.

We're about a week away from hauling Sea Sharp and putting her to bed for the summer. We're already talking fondly of our near over cruise and wondering what the summer will bring for us. But we do have a land life and miss our families. I'm anxious to get home to Fredericton, run with my buddies, go to the shop with Harold, hang around the boat yard, bicycle with my nieces, get together with Ricky and Bubbles at the airstream, perhaps doing a bit of consulting work, take motorcycle trips, drive around in my yellow Celica, sprucing up our home, and beginning the list of maintenance and improvements to Sea Sharp for next fall.

While this year's cruise was very different from the last, some things were the same; we met so many wonderful cruisers and have fond memories of the great sunsets we saw along the way in exotic locations.

This does not mark the end of this season's postings but I thought I'd muse a bit about our past five month. Thanks for reading.

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03/25/2010

We're at the comfortable and luxurious Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart where we'll prepare our boat for ultimate summer storage up the way in Fort Pierce. Here's our plan. We'll work away at the many jobs it takes to decommission the boat here in Stuart, Judy and Chopin will fly to New Jersey on April 1, I'll take the boat the rest of the way (about 30 miles) to Riverside Marina where we'll have her hauled and I'll do the remainder of the decommissioning. They I'll drive to New Jersey where we'll spend some time before returning to NB about mid April.

I make the decommissioning process sound complicated but it is. We take good care of our boat and there are many lay-up things to do not the least of which is to deal with our clothes, food and other items which we will take off the boat. It's truly amazing how much "stuff" you end up accumulating while cruising. I like to get as much fabric things off or in large zip lock type bags to minimize the likelihood of mildew. In addition, we need to get all the canvass (sails, dodger, bimini etc) off the boat, service the boat engine, dinghy engine, generator, clean all surfaces inside and outside of the boat, and a long list of other details. I don't mind this work, particularly here at Stuart where the weather now is very pleasant.

On Sunday there is Rock and Roll in the Park and we take in a very interesting blues/rock band overlooking the St. Lucie River. On Monday evening, we join Sandi and Peter for dinner at a great rib joint. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there is a potluck here at the Marina and we socialize with our fellow boaters. Last night we went to a wonderful little Italian restaurant in historic downtown Stuart (nominated Florida's most beautiful downtown).

With our vehicle now available, we make various trips to stores. I put a new set of tires on the Jeep and wash and clean her. We go for great runs and walks including lots of shore time for Chopin. Our dinghy is fine so we have the short-term luxury of having two dinghies (we still have Ellen and Eric's) so like a two car family, we can come and go as we each please.

Judy starts dealing with the clothes and I clean and wax the deck. We are now getting anxious to get home; Judy in particular as she will be reunited with her family soon. Chopin does not know it but he's in for a plane ride from West Palm to Philadelphia; he will not be so pleased.

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03/25/2010

Recall, that we destroyed our previous dinghy on the way down this fall trying to muscle our boat off a shoal and had to buy a new one? This was an expense we had not planned for (nor were the various other unforeseen expenses we faced and are beginning to understand that this is the norm for cruising), but we liked our new dinghy. So, picking up from where we left the last post, we tied up to a rough rock wall in Boca Raton and head for a walk, then lunch. It's a great afternoon, warm and breezy and life is good.

We get back to our dinghy early afternoon and the tide has fallen a few inches since we came here and there is a slight ledge now under the boat but it is still floating. Judy gets in the dinghy and as we push off, the dinghy rubs along some very rough protrusions in the ledge and I hear the dreaded hissss of a puncture in the hull. We're in trouble! I yell at her that we've got to get back to the boat and quickly. We motor as fast as we can the relatively short distance back to Sea Sharp with one side of the hull quickly deflating. Picture the two of us along with our 8 hp outboard flying along with one side of the boat sagging rapidly. Back on Sea Sharp, we scramble to get the engine off the dinghy so it will not go under water. Normally we prepare for this exercise and have a routine where we move it from the dinghy to its storage place on our stern rail in stages. There's not time and we quickly wrestle the motor onto the boat. They we hoist the now Dali-like sagging dinghy onto the foredeck and inspect the damage (recall Salvador Dali, the great artist who did works featuring clocks and other items hanging over tree limbs). There are three gashes in the hull! Needless to say, that like the dinghy we are deflated.

I bring out the repair kit and do my best to patch these cuts but we can't use the dinghy and I would be hesitant to trust it until we know whether the repairs will take hold. So, this puts off our visit with JP and we now have to figure if we need yet another new dinghy. Ironically, we are only twenty miles or so from West Palm Beach where we purchased this dinghy on the way down so I call the West Marine store where we bought it. They were sympathetic but could not offer us any solution other that taking it to the repair place they use in Stuart.

So, now without a reliable way ashore we figure we might as well head back to Stuart, where we intend to decommission the boat anyway and see about permanent repair or replacement.

Next day, with the soggy dinghy on deck, we head up the ICW. Our destination would normally have been Lake Worth, West Palm Beach but without a way of getting ashore, we decide to head as far as we can with will put us closer to our penultimate destination of Stuart.

We clear something like 20 bridges today, all but one which have to open to let us through. Most are on fixed opening schedules and there are various other boats on the waterway so it's a very mentally challenging day figuring how and when to approach these bridges. We have good luck with some favourable current for the early part and do quite well. We are quite tired as we pull off the ICW into Hobe Sound off Jupiter Island (you'll recognize this latter as the home of Tiger Woods).

I inflate the dinghy on deck and it appears to be holding air.

Next morning, we head out for Stuart where we'll spend a couple of weeks preparing Sea Sharp for summer storage. It's an easy run and they've dredged and remarked the complicated channel into the St.Lucie River where we ran aground on the way down. We take a mooring at Sunset Bay Marina, that great place we stayed in December. Our friends Eric and Ellen from Nova Scotia who had our Jeep when we were gone, have their boat in a slip so were able to lend us their dinghy until we can figure out what to do about ours.

So while we're disappointed about the dinghy, we are pleased to be back in Stuart. We know many boaters here, the Marina folks are great, Peter and Sandi from home live here and there are lots of things to do. Later on this Saturday, the Marina is hosting an appreciation barbeque for patrons so it's a great opportunity to reacquaint old friends and meet new boaters.

First thing on Monday, I take the dinghy by car (we now have our Jeep) to the repair facility. The guy there examines it and tells me that the repairs I did should be fine and would not be very different that what they would have done. He suggests an additional precaution by adding seam glue along the patch, which I do. We inflate it and I put soapy water on the patches; no bubbles! So, look like we're ok with the repairs. Just another adventure.....

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03/25/2010

We spend a very pleasant overnight in Boca Chita and renew old acquaintances and make new friends notably Mike on Jack of Hearts, and Bruce on Dolphin Dance. Mike is a retired state prosecutor and Bruce is a professor of forensic criminology at Florida State University. Interesting folks.

Next day, we head the short distance up the remainder of Biscayne Bay to Miami. We get a mooring at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne which we liked a lot on the way down. We're in the shadow of Miami but in the quiet and security of Key Biscayne. This is a great place to stay as they have both moorings and a large marina.

We talked about spending a few days in Miami but the "barn door is open" and there is a good weather forecast for tomorrow for the transit up the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale. Recall that there is one bridge in Miami which is only 56 feet, apparently an error made by design engineers as it does not conform with the 65 foot standard of the rest of the bridges. While this transit is not that big a deal; it's only about 30 miles or so, there are tides to contend with as well as the complexity of departing and entering these major ports, usually in the company of many other vessel of all shapes and sizes. You've got to have your wits about you.

Our transit was easy and we get into Fort Lauderdale early in the afternoon. Instead of going up the New River to the downtown as we did on the way down and suffered the various indignities I chronicled in that post, we anchor in a very nice place called Lake Sylvia. Again, like many of the other "lakes" around this area, it I really the hole that was dug to build up the land areas for the housing developments so you are really in rich folks' back yards. We anchor along with various other sailboats and Judy and I dinghy to a funky bar/restaurant where St. Patrick's Day celebrations are in full flight. Despite our heritage, we aren't inclined to join too much in the merriment and head back to Sea Sharp for a quiet night at anchor.

Next day, we wrestle with the many bridges and gawk at the unbelievable houses which line the intercostals as we make our way to tony Boca Raton. We anchor in Boca Lake with a back drop of glamorous homes and high rise condos. Judy is trying to arrange to meet JP, a long time family friend who lives here. We dinghy ashore, but there are few place to tie up (we're surrounded by private homes and condos) but we do find a rock wall with anchor bolts in it to tie up to. And so starts another saga to be continued in the next post.......

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03/15/2010

We leave Key Largo today at 9:00 a bit bleary after a full day of enjoyment in Key Largo. Our goal today is to get to Boca Chita in Biscayne Bay, not far from Miami. Recall our post on the way down and how much we enjoyed this tropical paradise in the shadow of Miami. We have some fairly complicated sounds and channels to transit today but we know that we can make it 'cause we got down here the same way after all.

There are very few boats on the waterway despite this being a warm and pleasant day. It's a bit blustery but not uncomfortable and soon we are able to sail! Always a bonus day when we can turn off the motor and rely on Aeolus (Greek God of Winds) to propel us. We a wonderful sail through several sounds then to Biscayne Bay and up towards Boca Chita. Miami is prominent on the horizon but for tonight we'll be in this secluded basin tied up to a seawall with hopefully few other boats. And yes, there are two other sailboats including Rumrunner who we've been travelling with a bit and met here on the way down, as well as a powerboat.

We love it here; Chopin can run free (well, not run, saunter) and we have a great stuffed salmon dinner. I'm catching up on emails (yeah, I have internet here thanks to my Verizon doohickey).

We're about 15 miles from Miami but you wouldn't know it as it is dark, quiet and peaceful. We're starting to think about getting back home for mid-April despite the leisurely and enjoyable time we've had lately.

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