Crossing the Gulf Stream

Crossing the Gulf Stream – December 9 -10, 2009

We were ready and waiting at North Palm Beach on Lake Worth for Chris Parker’s weather service to confirm that we would have a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream from Florida to the Bahamas. We waited for winds that were not from any northerly direction and preferably not too much from the east. North winds against the Gulf Stream would make big waves and east winds would be pushing us back to Florida. We got a forecast of wind from the south and southwest at 15 to 20 knots for a short window of about 20 hours which was about the length of time we needed. The closer we got to Christmas the weather windows would likely be shorter and less frequent so we decided to head out.

We charted a course that would take us to Memory Rock then mangrove Cay and on to Great Sale Cay where we could anchor for protection from the weather front that was expected to move into the area shortly afterwards. The distance straight across is about 65 miles. We planned to follow an S-curve pattern for our crossing heading south to counteract the northerly flow of the Gulf Stream as much as possible then changing to a more northerly direction once we reached the Bahama Banks. Our distance to travel would be around 100 miles.

The Bounty at Peanut Island as we left Lake Worth Inlet

We left Lake Worth Inlet with Decibelle at 4 PM hoping to arrive at Great Sale Cay by noon the next day. The wind was from the south at 20 knots as we left the inlet with gusts to 30 knots. The wave height was about 4 feet with a few 6 footers thrown in.

The crossing was like being inside a giant washing machine with Polar Pacer pounding through the waves and taking waves over the bow almost into the cockpit. Tom had the foresight to take some Bonine (sea sickness preventer) before we left but I needed to use the bucket a couple of times during the night. It was my first time to get sick since we started the trip in August. I may not have succumbed this time either except I spent too much time down below when I found out that the bilge was almost full and there was water sloshing around on the floor in the head. It was not too big a surprise asa we had water come in that area before and we really did take a lot of water over the bow. We also knew there was some loose tabbing in the forward anchor locker that needed fixing. We should have sealed it with duct tape like we did for the last overnighter on the ocean! Not a big problem, just keep pumping out the bilge, wipe up the salt water and rinse it with fresh water in the morning.

The next surprise came when I checked the starboard bilge and found it full too. We had never had any leaks on that side before and were a little annoyed. There was not much we could do about it in the middle of the Gulf Stream in the middle of the night but keep pumping.

It was too rough to sleep down below so we took turns napping in the cockpit while the other kept watch. I was in no condition to do any cooking so we both skipped dinner.

We had a visitor sometime during the night. It was too late to save this little flying fish by the time we found him lying on the back deck.

Once we reached the Bahama Banks the wind and seas died down. The stars were spectachlar. I watched Orion as he traveled from our port bow to directly overhead and down over the starboard stern quarter. A half moon came up and gave us a little more light for the passage. I have not seen a night sky that beautiful since we lived in northern Alberta. Even better – the temperature did not drop below 82^o F/24^oC all night. So sorry about the cold and snow back in Canada.

By daylight the sea conditions were much tamer and we were in Bahamian waters. Down came our American courtesy flag and up went the yellow Q (for quarantine) flag we needed to fly until we cleared customs and immigration which would be a few days yet.

Our first Bahamian sunrise over Mangrove Cay, our first sighting of land in the Bahamas

By noon we were anchored at the uninhabited island of Great Sale Cay, well protected from the squalls that Chris Parker assured us would be coming our way over the next few days. The temperature was 92^oF/34^oC. We set up the lawn chairs on the back deck and enjoyed a couple of ice cold beer before going to bed for some well needed sleep. We had arrived.

Our view of Great Sale Cay from the back deck

Fernandina Beach to Lake Worth

Fernandina Beach to Lake Worth – November 19 to December 9, 2009

There are very few mechanical things on Polar Pacer that Tom did not replace before we left Toronto. Two of those things were now starting to give us some grief and needed attention before we headed offshore. The port rudder had been rattling and keeping one of us awake at night. Tom thought that both rudders would have to come off and have the bushings replaced with new ones. The other thing was the pump for the hydraulic steering. The original hydraulic steering pump was not performing as well as it should with the new Raymarine Autohelm system. We did not want to cross the Gulf Stream and have a repeat of the Cape Fear to Charleston experience and needed a hydraulics expert to help with the installation of the new pump that we had on board. Arrangements were made to haul the boat at Sadler Point Marina in Jacksonville and we were ready to work on the boat project list.

When we crossed from Georgia into Florida our first stop was Fernandina Beach where the whole town was already getting ready for Christmas even though they had not celebrated Thanksgiving yet. Christmas lights and decorations were up on the main street and the merchants had snowmen displays in their windows. Many of the houses had their lights, wreaths and other outdoor ornaments up. They seemed a little out of place with the freshly mown green grass and the azaleas in bloom.

Decibelle

In Fernandina Beach we caught up with Decibelle, another 37 foot Prout catamaran, that we had met on the water in Georgia. Ian and Linda joined us for drinks before dinner at the Palace Saloon which is apparently the oldest bar in Florida. They were also getting ready to go to the Bahamas.

When we woke up the day after our arrival in Fernandina Beach this is what the forward cabin looked like. We had known that the liner would need to be replaced but thought we could do it on our own schedule. The effect of the high humidity on the original water soluble glue moved this project up a few notches on the urgency scale. I really don’t understand why anyone would use water soluble glue for anything on a boat! We would need to find a replacement headliner to match the section we had already done in the galley, remove the old stuff that was not falling down on its own and clean off the old glue so the new glue (that we would also need to find a source for) would stick. Very messy! Oh yes, we would also need to find somewhere to stash all the stuff that we had stowed in that cabin while we did the work!

Another project!

Sadler Point Marina is located on the Ortega River, a few miles upriver from Jacksonville Landing. To get to Jacksonville we left the ICW and traveled with the current up the St Johns River several miles. We kept expecting the current to turn against us but managed to ride the tide all the way.

Approaching downtown Jacksonville

196 When we arrived at Jacksonville (Jax) Landing they were assembling a giant Christmas tree and putting up decorations around the central square and getting ready for the parade of lights on the river.

Dressed for Christmas

We tied up in Jax Landing to a dock that was just down the way from CSXT headquarters.

Docked at Jax Landing

As a working, self help boatyard Sadler Point Marina is not a pretty place but is practical and convenient for getting work done quickly and at reasonable prices. They have lots of people to give you advice if you need it and are great at sourcing supplies and products that they do not have in stock. We arrived at their docks around noon on Sunday, were hauled, power washed and up on blocks by 9 AM Monday and were back in the water by 11 AM Wednesday with everything crossed off the to-do list plus a few more jobs completed that were never on the list. Fixing the headliner in the forward cabin turned into a full scale makeover with an ugly shelf being replaced with a nice new teak one and all of the teak getting a fresh coat of epiphanies (teak wood finish).

Before

After

Many thanks to Brooks, Chip and the rest of the gang at Sadler Point for all their help with the boat and for picking me up from Publix with my groceries. Thanks also to Pete and Stephanie on Brilliant who sent us there. Our only regret is that we never made it to the giant bookstore.

This was home for a few days.

Very early in the morning on American Thanksgiving we left Jacksonville Landing in patchy, dense fog Good thing there was not much traffic on the St. Johns River as the visibility was very limited. We kept the air horn close by and kept a close watch out for the channel markers, obstructions and other boats. We used the AIS system to locate large ships, barges and dredges on the river before we could see them through the fog. Thankfully, the small fishing boats seemed to keep clear of the marked channel. It was also very cold 62^o F/ 18^o C. Toques and foul weather gear in Florida!

A barely visible channel marker

An obstruction to avoid

St Augustine was on our list of ‘must see’ places in Florida. It was only a short stop but we managed to squeeze in quite a bit in a day and a half. We were welcomed into the harbor bay the canon firing from the Castillo de San Marcos, a fortress that was built by the Spanish in the late 17^th century to protect their empire in America. It is now a National Monument and part of the National Park Service. The stone that it is built out of is called Coquina, a unique sedimentary rock with high seashell content. When we walked around later in the day we were on the other side of the canon when it fired.

Coquina

Right in the Firing Line

Henry Flagler, the cofounder of Standard Oil, is responsible for much of the beautiful architecture in St Augustine. He built three luxury hotels in the town in the late 19^th century that are still in use today. Flagler College was originally the Ponce de Leon Hotel, City Hall was the Alcazar Hotel and the Casa Monica Hotel has been refurbished and still operates as a hotel.

Flagler College

Of course we had to make a trip to Sailor’s Exchange. We found excellent prices on some items we needed to complete the makeover in the forward cabin plus a few more things that we didn’t know we were looking for. The prices were great on both new and used items. Every boater should go, it’s well worth the walk.

Sailor’s Exchange in St. Augustine, one of Florida’s many marine salvage stores.

Getting fresh water to your boat can sometimes be a challenge. We saw this arrangement in the harbor at St Augustine. This is why we have a water maker.

Filling the water tanks the hard way.

The Kennedy Space Center was visible in the distance as we passed to the west of Cape Canaveral. There were no launches scheduled for the time that we were in the area.

Cocoa was another very short stop. Just long enough for dinner with Kismet and Passages (VT) and Jim and Joyce from Tranquility II who had come to Florida by car. We had met them previously on their boat in the Thousand Islands (Lake Ontario) when we began our trip in August.

Picture with Santa at Cocoa

Sunrise as we left Cocoa

Vero Beach (affectionately referred to by cruisers as Velcro Beach) is a god place to stop if you need anything before you leave the US. So many boats stop there that it is normal to have two or three boats tied to the same mooring ball. We were there for a week making several trips to West Marine for more parts, Publix for groceries, Wal Mart for more groceries and a blanket light enough to use in the Bahamas, Business Depot for a camera to replace the one Tom sat on, Dollar General for more groceries and a new garbage can, Target for an airtime card for the Net10 phone and Goodwill for some very inexpensive designer t-shirts. The bus system is free and picks you up right at the marina. It stops at all of the major stores and makes a special announcement when it arrives at West Marine.

Some sights around Vero…

Live Oaks – host for Spanish moss and ferns

Christmas decorations in the live oaks

Polar Pacer on the mooring ball

Some type of spoonbill?

Waiting for the bus

A small grocery trip

Where have all the manatee gone? We started seeing these signs at the Isle of Palms in Georgia and watched for them all along the ICW to Lake Worth. We did not make one positive sighting.

What manatee?

Our last stop in Florida was on Lake Worth where we would wait for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. We signed up for Chris Parker’s weather service and would rely on his forecasts to make our decision when to go.

Good Idea - Baby Diapers

Good Ideas – Baby Diapers

Every time the oil is changed there is a mess to clean up. These newborn size baby diapers are just the right size to fit under the motor to catch the drips and are easy to remove and dispose of when the job is done.

Savannah to Cumber land Island, November 13 to 18

Savannah to Cumberland Island - November 13 to 18, 2009

We were glad to have sunshine once again as we made our way towards Savannah. Both boats and wildlife were on the move after being holed up waiting for the weather to improve. Just after we crossed the Savannah River three small deer swam across the Elba Island Cut in front of us on their way to Bird Island while a huge OOCL container ship leaving Savannah passed behind us. The railroaders in the audience will know what OOCL stands for.

Deer crossing.

Note the 32 ft sailboat on the left that was put in a holding pattern as the ship went by. When you are that big you always have the right of way.

As we neared Savannah we passed the Bonaventure Cemetery which was made famous by the book and movie ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’ , a story built around several murder trials and based on real life events that took place in Savannah in the 1980’s.

Our first night in the Savannah area was spent anchored in the Herb River, just past Thunderbolt on the Wilmington River. In the morning we moved to Hogan’s Marina on Turner Creek on the other side or the Wilmington River. The facilities there are pretty basic (one shower for both the men and the women but only accessible from the ladies washroom) but the Publix grocery store is next door and the stop for the public bus is just across the street. The nice man on the bus pointed us in the direction of the City Market area for a good place for Laurie’s birthday lunch.

Lunch with Marilyn. Happy Birthday Laurie!

Roses made from Palmetto fronds are a common street craft in the South.

Cobblestoned River Street is a popular place to browse, window shop, eat, drink and watch the action on the Savannah River. There is a free dock where you can tie up your boat if you can find space.

The wrought iron balconies do not look very safe.

Every city has its own Happy Hour rules. You might get $1.00 Miller Draft on Sunday, Half price margaritas on Wednesday and Thursday or 2 for 1 martini’s on Saturday. In Savannah, the rule is buy one, get one for $1.00. Of course you’re not going to have just one drink, even if you know that the last bus home leaves in 10 minutes and you have 7 blocks to walk to the bus stop. No problem. In downtown Savannah, you don’t need to finish your drink in the establishment where you bought it. They will give you travelling cups. You don’t even need to ask. And you can take them on the bus.

The Velvet Elvis gave us our first travelling cups.

The gang on the bus ride home to Hogan’s. Mo still has her traveling cup.

Taking the groceries home.

Our next stop in the Savannah area was at the luxurious (comparatively speaking) Isle of Hope Marina with two showers plus laundry facilities and two courtesy vehicles that you can reserve for two hour periods. If you book the last two hour slot in the day you can stay out late and the courtesy van does not turn into a pumpkin.

Here we are at Isle of Hope. Polar Pacer is the little one on the right with the shortest mast.

Isle of Hope mailbox.

Mandarin oranges in the front yard.

We liked downtown Savannah so much we took the courtesy van back there to see if we could find some good blues music. Well, things were pretty quiet at the Mercury Lounge on a Sunday night so we took our cups and went traveling back down to River Street. If you walk past the open door of another drinking establishment while carrying your traveling cups they might encourage you to come in and liven the place up a little. And if you make a musical request that the one man band does not know the words to, he might send one of the bartenders out into the darkness to get a copy of the lyrics so he can sing it for you.

Savannah is full of artists and art galleries. Even the window displays in the retail stores are works of art.

We said goodbye in Isle of Hope to our friends on Kismet and Passages. We need to have the boat hauled to get some work done and need to pick up the pace a little.

In Georgia, the Intracoastal Waterway mostly runs through the swamp marshes, winding its way back and forth and following the deeper channels. In some places the water is not very deep and many boats get stranded waiting for the tide to come back in so they can pass through. The tide can change the water level by as much as nine feet. We only need a little more than three feet of water but places like Jekyll Creek made us nervous when the depth gauge showed four and a half feet. There are many places to anchor along the ICW in Georgia in the small creeks and rivers. There are not a lot of trees so none of them are protected from the wind. They are narrow enough that there is little chance of getting big waves.

These gulls thought we were a fishing boat and followed Polar Pacer hoping to pick up the ones that got away. I’m afraid they will go hungry trying to mooch off of us.

A crab pot at low tide in the Creighton Narrows.

Mud flat in Old Teakettle Creek at low tide.

There are many military bases on the US Eastern coast and when we travel near them it is necessary to monitor the radio channel that they use to advise you that the area is closed if they are going to be doing exercises in the area. We have not encountered any closures but have heard warnings to another boat that was either not on the radio or was not following instructions. They were basically advised to remove themselves from the area or ‘the vessel will be disabled by firing at its stern” Georgia has a submarine base located close to its border with Florida. We were listening carefully.

A submarine parking spot?

Cumberland Island was our last stop in Georgia. It is a popular place for cruisers and we met up again with a number of boats that we had not seen for a while; Brilliant (Stephanie and Pete), Luff Affair (Mary and Don) and Chris Pam Mel (Lois and Howard). The anchorage is quite shallow in spots and there is not much wind protection except from the east.

We took our dinghy in to shore at the Sea Camp station and walked across the island to the beautiful white sand beach on the Atlantic Ocean.

The trail through the live oaks to the beach.

Sand dunes on the Atlantic side of the island.

The island is mostly unpopulated by humans and is reported to be abundant with wildlife. We had seen some of the feral horses on the shore near the northern end of the island when we passed by on the water. On foot, we hoped to see wild turkeys, vultures, armadillos or even wild pigs. There were lots of unidentifiable animal tracks and horse poop in the sand dunes and along the trails but no warm bodies. The single horse that we saw was near the sea camp and so accustomed to people that he couldn’t even be bothered to look at us when we walked by.

One of the feral horses.

Beach combing was productive. There were so many shells it was hard to decide which ones were keepers. There is only so much room to carry them on the boat. It did not take long for Tom to find a sea bean buried in the debris left behind by the tide.

The dark brown one is the sea bean, often used to make jewelry.

A molted Horseshoe crab shell wider than Tom’s size 10 shoe.

Next Stop – Florida!