Florida Tomorrow

Could have left today but gave it one extra day for the sea's to die down a little more, Weather tomorrow looks great with under 2ft sea's and less then 10k wind both out of the south east. Lobster tails for dinner tonight $20.00 for a dozen six meals about the only cheap thing here.
By the way if you just want to get out of the USA for a month. The monthly rate here is $500.00 per month and you can do allot of day trips from here. Cat Cay, Guy Cay great beaches, Good fishing, Etc.
If I had only checked into it on the way through.
Well Florida and customs tomorrow and then back to Marathon for a short visit before heading to port Charlotte> Esperanza's resting place.
Keep you feet warm at home.
OOO Mon will need shoes at the airport haven't had any for six months lol
and thanks to all that respond to the blog sometimes I begin to think that I am only doing it for me.

ready to leave but

Well ready to leave, but decided to take it easy today,a me day a maintenance free day no  repairer's just a me day. having fun.

Sorry fokes, I just learned that my camera has a timer so I can take pictures of myself thanks Dan. So here I am taking pictures of myself

Decided to have a good time.

and went to the pool.

And then back to the boat for dinner curry shrimp and egg noodles.
In for a penny in for a pound.
will be leaving on Sat. I hope.

VOODOO'S AT THE POOL


Sorry to hear the leafs did not make the play off, Lane but who would have though they would;hd .lol

cleaning the uper helm head

love you all
back in Florida on Sat.

Bimini

Arrived In Bimini this morning, It was a long trip. Departed from Big Run at the start of the Bahama Banks they were heading north west and I was going west. I spent 11  hours at the helm and had to stop. Drop ed the anchor dinner and bed was the plan. But weather gods had different plans for me and the wind picked up over night from the southwest with 3-4 ft sea's. So without much sleep, it was rise anchor at sun rise and fight a beam sea to Gun Cay 6 hours away. On arrival I dropped anchor for lunch and an hour rest.Leaving Gun Cay I could see the breaker hitting the rocks but I was on the inside so continued on my journey.
2.6 mile from Alice town was as far as I could get turning the corner I was facing the 5-7 footers on the beam. So I went looking for an anchorage. While looking at the chart plotter I drove the boat aground and was stuck pretty good. High tide not until 10.46pm, so empty the water tanks of my .50cent a gallon water. dropped anchor and waited until 1/2 tide and got her off. Setting anchor a little ways out in 6 ft of water. With winds blowing 20-25k I stayed up watching anchor again. Arriving in Bimini this morning the sun out and a warm day I sleeped all afternoon.
Waiting for a weather window to make the final crossing 44miles to Florida.

Out of here

Well should be out of here tomorrow, weather looks good for the next two day should be in Bimini Sunday afternoon. Makes for two long days but I can handle it. Put another 100 gallons on board today $550.00 dollars but should get me to Florida.
Talked to Ron and Jan tonight, I will miss them in Nassau but you have to go when the weather is good.
My buddy boat Big Run has had a ruff time as well but we will cruise together tomorrow for about 10 hours until they start heading north to lake worth. At least we will be running together to test both our transmissions.Bob and Sharon can run all night but I can only do about 10 hours before I need rest. So plan on dropping an anchor on the banks again and continuing on the next morning.
There is another front coming in on Monday with north winds so I will be in Bimini at least until Thursday until the winds shift to the east.
So hope to be back in Florida by the end of next week.
When the cruising guides say not to be in a rush to leave the Bahamas they are right. Its a waiting game.
Report again from  Bimini  maybe I will  try to catch a fish on the way.
lv to all

Still in Nassau

Not much to report the winds continue to blow out to the north east and sea's still running 3-5 ft. Broke the share pin on the outboard yesterday and paddling the dingy against a 3knot current was not easy. So not having a replacement I called out to fellow sailors and got some cudder pins to use. Up and running again.
After sitting in Nassau for two weeks I am looking forward to getting moving again.
Hopefully my next report will be from Florida.

New Date

Well weather looks good for next saturday, winds shifting to the south east with 10k winds. At present I have 2 boats to cross with Big Run should have there transmission up and running on tuesday and a mainship just met today don't no the name of the boat but they plan on leaving the same day. will not have e-met for a couple of days but will keep you updated when i can

Turned around again

Not having much luck leaving Nassau, left this morning at 7am with a forecast of 3ft sea's and light winds 10k. I left with 6 sail boats they were heading to Freeport (north) straight into the sea's I was heading East with the sea's on the beam. Esperanza does not like a Beam sea. So once again I was fooled 5ft sea's I returned to Nassau. It does not look like I will be able to try again for 4-5 days. So I am going to enjoy my time here and do some sight seeing and resupply the boat again and go back to the anchorage. Get the dingy in the water and find a beach and a bar close by Will eventually make it back.

Not going to fast

Left Nassau this moring weather calling for light winds and sea 3-4ft from the east would make for a good run with the seas on the starboard quarter.
But when I left the seas were north right on the beam at 5-6 ft so had to turn back to safe harbour.
Found a anchorage and see what tomorrow brings. I never though I would see FOG down here. did not last long but you could not see across the harbour. Not like our fog but still fog. Talked to my good buddy donnie from NFLD for about a hour and I am feeling better, he is sitting in -47deg with wind chill. so I guess i still have it pretty good. He will be joining me in Miami for 2 weeks. We will do some fishing and cruise down the Keys. Will be good to have some company and someone to talk to..
Esperanza does not talk back just kicks me now and then

On the move

Well Esperanza is on the move again. We left $3300.00 in Highbourne Cay $750.00 pressure plate $800.00 for the service and $1500.00 dockage. and the balance in other fee's.
We crossed from Normans Cay to Nassau on Sat with lite sea and winds and set anchor in Nassau. Saturday was a good night but the winds blow up to 25-30k on Sunday and I was up all night watching the anchor.
We moved to Nassau Harbour Club in the morning requiring supplies and some rest.
Waiting for a weather window to cross to Chub Cay 35miles of deep water and then unto Bimini 80 miles from there and waiting for a weather window to get back into the good old USA.
The cost of everything except rum is very high, Marinas, water, electrical, food, parts everything so after Highboure cay I will be glad to be back in the USA. I figure this little adventure will have cost $ 5-6 thousand by the time I get back to Marathon, I should have went to Cuba as I had planned.
To Donald and Susan and Ron and Jan I have not enjoyed the Bahamas the winds NE all the time the sea's running on average 3-5 ft and I have not found many people all that friendly or helpful other than fellow Canadians and fellow USA sailors.
I am sorry If I sound like I am bitching but I just got back from the grocery store and that even hurts.
O Mom please send money for me to get home. lol
On a better note I have been swimming and beaching when ever I can and my blood suger are low.
have fun
and see you soon

10 days and still waiting

Its 10 days and $1000.00 so far and my pressure plate is in Nassau but with the strong NE and 7-10 ft sea's  the boats are not leaving Nassau so have to sit and wait. Well last night and today were spent in the hole my generator quite working last night. I have replaced the filters again but it is not getting fuel. I have sucked and blown in every fuel line but still have not found the problem yet so as of last night I have no engine no generator and no shore power Unless I bypass the new inverter which I don't want to do yet. until I try everything else. Young Simon just came by and my pressure plate is coming into Normans cay by plane tomorrow, the local generation station broke down last night and they had order parts so my parts will come on the same flight.
Never though I would say this but Can't wait to get back to the USA were things are easy to get and repair.
As a note I would not recommend the Magnum Inverter charger system I have less then 4 month on two units and will require the third, and even under warranty it cost $150.00 per replacement and the failure cost even more.
I am sorry for not being able to be more positive on my remarks but it has not been a good year.
If I can make it down next year the boat will be staying at a marina somewhere on the west coast of Florida probably replacing Inverters every two months
Sun,beaches, and warm weather
but not having fun