Update

Debi left for South Dakota for mothers day and to go to the grandkids dance recital yesterday. Chance Burleson from Deadwood will be here this evening and my friend Horace will come in on Monday.

 I realize how blessed Debi and I are to have done what we have. Now I look forward to the Black Hills and all its beauty. Already I miss Debi and wish that we could have made the last leg of the journey together. Another time!!

Lake Worth to Miami

When we arrived in the US at Lake Worth we had quite a surprise. It was Cinco Demyo and the natives were restless. We came through the Lake Worth cut and into the Intercoastal Waterway to get to our marina. Right in the middle of a narrow part of the ICW was a police boat that had pulled over a party barge full of Bikinis. Anyway I had no where to go except around them, Wrong, Hard aground less than 200 yards from the Marina.  It was my lucky day since there was a rising tide so we only had to sit there for about 20 min before we got loose and into the marina.


The Carnival Cruise Ship coming out of Port of Miami called the Sail boat that was crossing the shipping lane. He just missed him! What was that guy thinking.



The next day we were on our way again to Miami and the Coconut Grove Sailing Club which actually took us 13hrs to cover the 80 miles because of a head wind. After four Days of travel and close to 300 miles we were ready for a break.

Just to prove that I can catch fish even though they are Barracuda that you can't eat!!

Marsh Harbour to the US

My Able Crew Off Shift

Well we finally left the Abaco's with two other boats, CasaDee & Missing Link. We spent the night together at Great Sale Key and then we left for West End, they went to the northern edge of Little Bahama Bank to stage for their Crossing. When we got to Old Bahama Marina at West End and were about 10' from the slip I discovered that I had lost forward and reverse. Debi threw a perfect line toss to the dock hand and he pulled True North into her slip. Quite a tense moment but we were thankful that it didn't happen anywhere else as it could have been much more of a problem. One of the motor mounts had loosened and that wiggled all four bolts coupling the transmission to the prop. After about three hours of aligning the engine and putting the bolts together we were ready to make the crossing of the gulf stream the next day. We had a great crossing, which was our first one with just Debi and me. Oh I forgot that Lucy our First Mate boat dog was with us as well.



Lucy has her eyes on the controls during her watch!



Our Plans

While I have a good internet connection since it is alittle later at night I decided to try one more blog.

Although not on my diet this is a cheeseburger in Paradise

Anyway we will be leaving this paradise with some other boats on Thursday 5/3/12 and heading back to the states. We have enjoyed our time and the people in this part of the world. We really feel at home here and are amazed at how easy it is to meet people and become quick friends. We are ready to start the trip home as are all of the other cruisers that are ending their season south. At dinner tonight the owner of the restaurant said to all of us "Hope you're having a great vacation" it made us realize how great it is to have the vacation be our life for the moment. I will add some more blogs when we get to West End when we have service again.

Guests



This is the beach on Guana Island



Our last guests were Lynn and Lecia Delameter from South Dakota. They left a few days ago and we had a great time showing them the islands. We went to Hope Town, Man O War, Guana, Treasure Key, and of course Marsh Harbour.



This is having a Toddy at Abaco Inn with the Atlantic Ocean in the Background

We had such a great time walking the beaches looking for shells. I finally knew Lynn was in relax mode when he joined Lecia in me collecting shells.

More Interesting People

We met Glenda at a steak night dinner at Marsh Harbour Marina. She then invited us over to the boat that she crews on at another marina in Marsh Harbour for a going away party for Mary. Anyway she spends the winters crewing on various boats and the summer in France where she owns property that she rents out to vacationers. She is quite the chef,first mate, and stewardess on a 75' Hattaras yacht. We have gotten to know her quite well and she has been all over the world on various boats. She lives quite a life but as she explains it's alot of work catering to the rich and famous.


 





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Top part of the meal that she prepared and bottom rt is the boat that she crews on.

 

Interesting Sailors

We've met some interesting sailors on our trip so I thought I would introduce some. We met a couple from Ireland, Sean and Mary. Sean just finished medical school and decided to fulfill his dream of sailing across the Atlantic. His father was the producer for two of Sean Connery's James Bond movies Thunderball (parts filmed in the Bahamas) and Never say Never Again. We asked Sean if he was named after Sean Connery and he wasn't sure but his father was good friends with him so who knows. Mary is a professional singer /song writer and along with her three sisters (the Brennan Sisters) are quite well known in  Ireland. Mary and Debi have become close friends in a short period of time, so much so that they have invited us to Dublin to visit. We definately now have a reason to visit Europe.

Sean and his friend Norman are taking Sean's Cape Dory 30' sailboat from Marsh Harbour to Bermuda,740 miles, then to the Azores 1,800 miles and finally to Ireland another 1,200 miles. The trip will take them 35-45days of open ocean sailing. We and alot of people in the marina have been helping Sean and Mary get the boat ready. The boat is 30 years old and needed some work. He purchased it in New York and spend some time bringing it to the Bahamas so he has put some miles on it already.

Sean and Norman left today on their voyage 5/1/2012. We will keep track of them via their spot positioning system, Mary left a few days ago. She said nothing goes to weather like a 747. She is already in Dublin waiting for Sean and Norman. We all wished them a safe journey!!!