Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Today I informed the dock master that we had decided to stay at Lighthouse Point Yacht Club until we get a weather window and leave from Hillsboro inlet. We had previously thought we would move further north to Lake Worth for the crossing. Hillsboro inlet is a longer distance, but may be a faster crossing having the gulf stream push us north. At Lake worth the distance is shorter but you are having to fight the gulf stream a bit.
The dock master assigned me a slip and so we moved into a more permanent location. We also asked if we could arrange for fuel and a pump out. The fuel truck was coming to fill up a 75’ yacht and the dock master was not sure that any fuel would be left. The fuel trucks are like the guys that deliver fuel oil to homes with furnaces. My guess I might be able to take on 80-100 gallons and that might not be a big enough amount for the fuel truck guy’s minimum. The dock master had scheduled the fuel truck for 3PM for the 75’ yacht. We would be 2nd if there was any fuel left or if the truck had to go get more.
A little after 3PM the fuel truck arrived but the yacht would be delayed and the dock master got us in first. Of course this had us get underway from the slip that we had just tied up to and got our lines just so. We left the lines tied to the dock so when we backed into the slip we would just have to slip the loops of the lines over our cleats and everything would be the same as we left it. We did that without too much fanfare or in the case of others watching you dock, docking watchers. Everyone watches everyone dock.
We topped off 70 gallons in the port tank and 53 in the starboard tank. That has us enough range to go to the Bahamas and back to the USA without refueling in the Bahamas. So, we are set to go.
We just need a weather window - and that is no where in sight with the approaching cold front.
We met some people from the Shenandoah Valley on the boat right behind us. How funny is that? We had them over for conversation and drink and ate with them in the club. It was pasta station night and it was wonderful. Some of the best food we have had on our entire trip. You know what we say,” The best part of boating is eating.”
Today’s picture is our intended route from Hillsboro Inlet to West End, Bahamas.