Cheryl's Notes:

Happy New Year to all of our family and friends. We had a great evening on Scandia with Bev and Arne, and Barbara and Jerry, the crew of Kumbaya. The six of us pooled our resources for dinner and dessert, and actually stayed awake until midnight to welcome in the new year. We stood on the deck of Scandia and could see fireworks from downtown Miami, South Beach and the bay front area. We kept spinning like tops trying to see everything at once. One of the locals had a party along the waterway, complete with flashing colored lights and a DJ that played until 6:00 am. We didn't get much sleep. We met again on Scandia the next morning and toasted the new year with brunch and mimosas. We were joined by a fourth couple, Wayne and Joyce. They are trawler people, but we had fun with them anyway.

The next cold front moved in while we were enjoying our mimosas. By afternoon, we had gusts up to 38 knots and blowing rain. The rain didn't last long, but the wind will be blowing for the next four days. We will also be enjoying cooler temperatures. It will be in the 40's at night and a high of 60 during the day until Wednesday. We will start looking for a weather window to Bimini when the front moves on.

John's Notes:

Quite a New Year's Eve. Not the big bash people are used to but certainly fun. After dinner we divided into two camps. The girls were up on deck and us guys were down below. Not sure what the girls were discussing but down below the discussion was broad reaching and invigorating to say the least. The subjects varied from the war on terror, the economy all the way through health care reform. It didn't matter which side of an issue you were on, someone had an opinion. Me, I'm glad I'm an independent. I can take either side just to keep the peace.

We currently have a German couple in a catamaran anchored behind us. At least I think he is behind us. I have to look out the companionway every now and then to make sure he isn't on top of us. He anchored here while we were ashore and he isn't a boat length away from us. I know his anchor is laying somewhere under our boat. Because of the wind, we were laying in a different orientation when he anchored and not sure why he thought he should anchor so close to us. There is more than enough room here for another ten boats. I'm not pleased with this guy but when I say him at the dingy dock a couple of days ago and said hello to him and his wife they never acknowledged that I existed. I know he doesn't speak much English but he could have said something.

It is not looking like we are going anywhere soon. Just one front after another. What ever weather comes through here will be in the Bahamas in 12-18 hours. Not point going if it's just going to be more of the same. We might be here for another couple of weeks. By the time we get to the Bahamas we will have to start looking for weather windows to get back. Jerry and Barbara have thousands of miles of offshore experience and it appears that they are willing to take a weather window that is a lot less favorable than we are. Bev and Arne fall somewhere in between. We don't want anyone to delay their trip because of us though. If they go and we don't, we will just wait for a window that is more to our liking. From everything we know, you do not want to cross when there is any northerly component to the wind. When you have the wind coming from one direction and the gulf stream coming from the other it makes for a rough ride. I'm getting way too old for that. Now I know why everyone charters so much. We have been gone two months today and still are not in the Bahamas. We have spent half of our time waiting for repairs and weather windows. A plane gets you to your cruising ground in a matter of hours. The money we have spent on repairs, meals, moorings, marinas, etc. could have paid for a two week sailing vacation. Sure, but you would have missed all the kewl and bizarre things we have seen and the great people we have met. Well, not counting the German couple anchored just outside our cockpit.

The new couple we met yesterday have a 43' Marine Trader. I would like to get a look at it before they leave. They also have a Cal 39 in San Diego. Gees, two boats and one of them is a trawler. Must be nice to have money. It seems like everyone we meet is living on a bigger budget than we are.