April 4, 2012, North Palm Beach Fl.
We spent the last two days anchored in a bay at north Palm Beach Fl. Along with 25-30 other boats, both sail and power. We went to west marine and picked up a new throttle cable to replace the one that broke twice in different places. It's now fixed and Todd said it is better then ever. We then provisioned and had dinner at Duffy's bar and grill. We pulled anchor today to head to Peak lake at Hobe Sound a small anchorage that we love to stop at. Upon arriving we noticed that the anchorage was full and there was a sailboat that had sunk and all's you could see is the side and the stanchions out of the water at this point the captain decides it's time to leave and go elsewhere but where? Looking at our charts we decide we will head closer to our final destination and through the St. Lucie entrance the current is so strong and with the shoaling we ran aground hard (ouch) once off then we had to drop anchor in the middle of the channel and shut the engine off as our sea strainer was plugged and motor was going to over heat. Once fixed and on our way now I'm frazzled there is no mooring balls left and not really any place to anchor so we have to take a slip at a marina, Loggerhead Yacht Club & Marina must be good they named it after beer. So we take a slip have power, water, Internet, Cable TV. Life is good.
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April 3, 2012, Lantana Fl.
April 01, 2012
We made it to Lantana one of our favorite anchor spots except this time it was not like the last. First in the way there going through one of the bridges after we arranged for a bridge opening we lost power again so I radio the bridge master advise him of what just happened and we idle through the bridge. Once past the bridge I take over the helm and Todd goes down below to the engine room and checks the throttle cable, you got it but it was just a hose clamp that came loose so with a quick fix and back underway with full power we make it to Lantana anchor and have a sun downer we then get ready, and look around at our surroundings only to notice that the bridge is under construction and they have added a few items to the bar so off we go to the bar to check it out. There was a great band (2 guys) playing called DNA so we stayed had some finger foods and a few drinks then went back to the boat to listen to the band from the cockpit of the boat and relax.
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April 3, 2012, Lettuce Lake
Saturday March 31, 2012
We have hoisted anchor and are on our way to our next anchorage Lake Sylvie in Fort Lauderdale once out Government cut past the real lumpy STUFF (that you can get at inlets) we made our way in choppy seas to Ft. Lauderdale and into that lumpy inlet and on into Lake Sylvie as we were arriving at lake Sylvie it started to pour rain (go figure) so here I am in the rain trying to anchor (wait I'm not made of sugar) in a already packed anchorage and not good holding after the 4th try,and now that the rain has stopped we gave up and continued to head north to our next anchorage spot Boca Raton about half way there it started to rain again only this time worse then before just then the throttle cable gave out again and we have no power only idle speed so no power and it is pouring just then an emergency broadcast comes over the VHF radio with a weather warning yep you got it a tornado so as the captain quickly checks his charts he sees there is a place we can anchor in a mile ahead of us called Lettuce Lake, so as we try to beat this storm /tornado that is chasing us and we are only doing 3 knots at 1000 rpm and were loosing so we get to the anchorage and only have one chance as we do not have enough power to make our way through the wind that has accompanied the rain, now we can't see the bow of the boat and you got it I have to go out and get wet again. I'm not outside 15 seconds and I'm drenched and I can't even see the bow of the boat as I'm walking towards it and the thunder and lightening is so intense. I find the windlass and get the anchor dropped hoping everything goes as planned as we have no power to set the anchor and have to depend on the wind to pull us back and set it, and it did now soaked, cold and can't see I find my way back to the boat and stand in the cockpit feeling sorry for myself but happy that the anchor has set and I don't have to go back out in the rain. The rain lasted for another couple minutes and stopped the sun came out I had a drink and the captain found the break in the throttle cable and used his McGuyver skills and used a dowel (wood) and two hose clamps and put it back together. We then sat in the cockpit and enjoyed our surroundings and realized that everything happens for a reason. This is still the life. We reflected on what it would have been like if we had stayed in lake Sylvie with poor holding, a crowded anchorage and strong storm winds; it would have been like bumper cars.
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