Wednesday, January 31, 2018 - Layover at Crandon Park Marina

I was up fairly early and on my way to the northern part of Key Biscayne.  Bruce had told me about a great marina there.  I had called them but they had no openings.  I wanted to top off my fuel and water before leaving for the Bahamas and figured I'd come up with some place to anchor that night. 

The trip down to the marina was a little surprising.  There was much more fetch than I had expected and the wind was NE around 15.  I was towing the dink and it got a little rough at times.  Also, I passed through a fairly narrow channel to save time. The depths were charted at around 6' but I never saw under about 8'.  I don't mind cutting corners so much when the tide is rising and there is no wind but it was windy that day.  So I stayed on the windward side of the channels in case the worse happened.

As I approached the marina, I called them and it sounded like they might have an open mooring.  I got fuel and water and got the only mooring they had left.  Moorings are nice because there is less work and they give you a feeling of security (so you get a good night sleep).  It was a really nice facility and I would go there again without hesitation.

I spent the afternoon getting the dinghy on deck and lashing it down for the crossing.  I also swapped out anchor rodes from mostly nylon to my new 60' piece of 5/16 high tensile chain - then to nylon rode.  It took a while changing out and re - "mousing" shackles (wiring the pin in place with mousing wire).

Tuesday, February 30, 2018 -  Miami (Venetian Causeway) Layover

I'm making my way south - knowing that the weather forecast is looking good for a Friday crossing of the Gulf Stream.   I'm assuming things are backed up further south since it has been a while since there was a good opportunity to go.  I figure there is no point in me getting to the staging area too soon only to find there are no good anchorages left. 

I did a lot of research on this center of Miami area.  I wanted to do my last provisioning before leaving for the Bahamas.  There are two Publix grocery stores on the West side of Miami Beach.  There are several anchorages in the area but things are changing in the area and some of the Active Captain comments are a little out dated and contradictory of one another.  My first move was to check out the anchorage most accessible to the store.  It is near a public boat ramp/marine police headquarters.  The area was way too congested for me and was loaded with unattended (some derelict) boats.  Some were at anchor and some at moorings.  There was a good amount of current.  That didn't look like my kind of spot.  Plan B was to anchor in Sunset Lake (about 1/4 mile away) and dinghy through the canals to some areas that MIGHT have shore access.  I dinghied around for an hour and gave up on that approach.  Then I called the marine Police.  They told me anchoring where I was is now prohibited overnight.  He also told me the boat ramp had a 20 minute limit (it DID have free water and trash receptacles).  OK - back to plan A.  So I went back to the boat ramp and carved out a small space to anchor.  It was pretty choppy with a west wind but I got in the dink and motored to the ramp.  When I got there, I spoke with an officer standing outside and asked if it would be OK for me to make a quick trip to Publix.  Thankfully, he said "no problem" as long as I promised to return.  So I locked up the dink and hustled to the grocery store two blocks away.  I got some weird looks from other shoppers as I scurried through the isles.  About $80 later, I was back in the dink with no trash and two good size jugs of water.  Thank You Miami Marine Police.

It didn't take long to pack the cold items in the fridge and I had that anchor up and was out of there.  I was interested in a very peaceful night at anchor so I went to an AC anchorage between the two islands (Hibiscus and Palm).  They are both man made islands that are part of the Venetian Causeway (between Miami and Miami Beach).  I was lucky to make the only draw bridge between the north and south side of the causeway with perfect timing (without really trying).  I motored around the south side of the causeway a little before making my way to the anchorage.  I later found out that my friend Bruce and his wife had anchored in the same spot before. 

Moonset over Miami

West Venetian Causeway Bridge between
Miami and Miami Beach

Add caption

Miami - where the "cruisers" hang out!

Monday January 29, 2018 - Oleta State Park to Miami

What a difference a day can make. I was up at 5:30 to get an early start.  I am now spending the first part of the morning listening to weather - trying to determine if later this week will be good for my "crossing".  Just as I went forward to weigh the anchor, it began raining - better wait (it stopped after about 5 minutes).  I was underway at around 7:30am and did a great job timing the only two draw bridges I had in my way to my first stop.  It rained off and on until about 1pm but I was lucky to almost always be in the right place at the right time and never got soaked.  As long as I'm on True Blue, it is pretty easy to stay dry since I have a dodger and a bimini and a connector that goes between.  That allows me to at least keep from having to close the boat up completely.  It was a fairly stressful day.  I ended up anchoring 3 more times.  The first spot, Sunset Lake, no longer allows overnight anchoring.   That was one.  Then I anchored temporarily off a boat ramp, marine police station so I could go to the Publix for groceries.  It was a rough anchorage - lots of current, chop, and crowded.  I raced through the grocery store.  Then I perfectly timed making it to the East Venetian Causeway bridge for the 5 o'clock opening.   I motored around the south side of the causeway for a while and finally got anchored between two of the man made islands.  A quick shower and dinner and I was done for the day.

January 28, 2018.  Oleta State Park Layover

I had planned on leaving for Miami today.  I think it is Newton's second law that states "bodies in motion tend to stay in motion and bodies at rest tend to stay at rest".  Well, Newton must have been thinking about me when he came up with that one.  At times, I can come up with so many reasons for not wanting to pull up that anchor and GO.  However, I DID decide that I was not going to be leaving for the Bahamas until this coming Friday (at the earliest).  Since I didn't have a good plan for where I was going, I spent the day studying the charts and reviewing anchorages where I might get rid of trash, get water, and do some final provisioning  I'll also need to get diesel and gas and get one last pump out.  

January 27 2018. Oleta state park layover.

Today was one of the nicest weather days I've had since I've been in Florida. It rained for 20 minute a early but really cleared up nicely by 9am.  The wind even calmed down a little (10 to 20).

The breeze didn't keep the paddlers away!

January 26, 2018 Oleta state park layover 1

The wind blew at 25 to 35 all day! I looked at the weather forecasts numerous times. I was having some mysterious output from the two 50 watt solar panels so I decided to just remove and store them for a while. 

January 25, 2018  Layover in Oleta

The forecast is for WIND for at least the next 10 days.  Looks like I'm going to have some time on my hands.  But like my friend Fred pointed out, I could be here where it's 70 degrees with 25 knot winds or I could be in the Bahamas where it's 75 or 80 and 30 knot winds.  Either way, I'm sort of stuck on the boat. 

So, I thought I'd report on what I've learned about forecasting over the last 6 to 8 months.  Weather is a huge part of a trip like the one I'm on - on the ICW but especially for going "outside/offshore".  But it is especially important for crossing over from Florida to the Bahamas.  I'm still on a learning curve with this so I'd really welcome any feedback on what I may be missing or doing wrong.  I'm currently in North Miami so this may change after I get to the Bahamas.

This is a little backwards (and maybe premature) but I'll give my conclusion FIRST:

I've found that the forecasts available from several websites are the easiest to understand and reliable of all the sources I've tried.  These sites employ forecasters whose job it is to listen to and look at tons of raw weather data published by NOAA and the US Coast Guard and present it in a format for lay people like me.  I can't be alone or these new sites wouldn't keep appearing the way they have been.

If you are not a cruiser, you may want to stop reading here - the following is sure to bore you.

And please note that sources you might use at home, like FM/AM radio and TV, are not even a consideration on the boat.

First, here is a list of the methods/devices for obtaining weather info.

1.       VHF radio - 20 mile range

2.      Short wave single side band radio - I paid $200 for a really nice radio almost a year ago.

3.      Phone via wifi or data - 10 to 20 mile range

4.      Laptop,tablet - via wifi and/or data via phone's hot spot

From these devices, I'm able to get forecasts in the following formats (in no order):

1.       NOAA voice (via VHF radio) - NOAA has large antennas up and down the east coast from which they broadcast a short summary of on and offshore weather conditions. It comes over 7 different channels and repeats itself about every 10 minutes.  I don't consider these very helpful but I'm not real sure why.  I often get distracted when they are talking about weather that is not relevant to me and then miss it when it is.  Also, the new radio uses a fair amount of power (the handheld vhf) would help with that but has less range.  I usually use this when it's all I have available.

2.      Cruisers Nets (via VHF radio).  These are primarily in large population areas of the Bahamas (Georgetown, Marsh Harbor, etc.).  They are usually on channel 68 every morning at 8am.  Everyone in the area listens in and has a one hour chat session that includes weather.  I'm looking  forward to listening to these but I'm not one that likes to move with the crowds (that could change).

3.      Chris Parker (via SSB radio) is a weather router.  He is well known to cruisers.  His claim to fame is being able to tell a given cruiser when and which way to go and when to stay put.  For a sizeable ($50 per month?), he will give you customized advice via email, SSB radio, etc. just for your location and tentative plans.  He is located near Orlando and his (open air) broadcasts are supposed to reach the Florida coast, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean.  He broadcasts on a set frequencies and on a widely published scheduled every day.  I purchased the SSB receiver primary to listen to Chris Parker and had high hopes that he would be one of my primary sources of weather.  So far, I've listened for his broadcasts 15 to 20 times, up and down the east coast and have been able to barely make out what he is saying 2 or 3 times.  My friend Bruce told me his signal jumps over Bimini.  I think it has jumped over 90% of the places I've been. 

4.      US Coast Guard high frequency voice (via SSB radio)-  This is broadcast out of somewhere on the Chesapeake and from New Orleans on a published schedule and frequencies.  I was never able to get it to work at home but just tried the New Orleans frequency this morning and it comes in great.  The bad news is that 90% of what they report is giving longitude and latitude.  Since I don't have these well engrained in my head, it is a little hard to follow.  It is almost amusing to listen to - sort of like reading html for a web page - gibberish. 

5.      US Coast Guard Weather Fax (via SSB radio) - this is another method I had high hopes for.  The Coast Guard publishes a schedule of times and frequencies when they broadcast weather maps via facsimile.  When you listen to it, it has all the whistling and screeching you are used to hearing when you hear a fax machine over the phone.  It is very distinct. In order to turn all that noise into a map, I downloaded an app to my tablet. I tried it at home with fair to poor results.  The maps were barely readable - due to background noise in the radio signal.  It may work better here in Florida where the signal comes from New Orleans.  The maps are for current conditions, and forecasts for 24, 48, and 96 hours into the future. The problem I have with this is that I'm not good at reading weather maps.

6.      Marv's Weather (website requiring internet) - This is a great service but is only available when the internet is available (by wifi or phone data). He publishes an email daily at about 7pm with a 7 day forecast for wind and waves at about a hundred locations up and down the east coast and the Bahamas.  The locations are in categories (eg. S. Florida).  The one I'm focused on now is Miami to Bimini.  It is very easy to read and interpret and is free.

7.      PredictWind (via the web) - A great service for graphically displaying forecasts.  I downloaded the software onto my PC and tablet.  Once every few days, I'll download the GRIB (forecast data) files that the program uses to display wind, waves , temps, etc. for the next week.  I had to pay an annual fee of $50 to get the waves. 

8.      PassageWeather.com - (via the web).  This is a great site with all sorts of data, displayed numerous ways.  It boarders on being too (for me) busy.  One thing I do like about it (besides being free) is that it allows you to download zipped grib files for, not only wind and waves, but also for Gulf Stream forecasts. 

9.      Windy.com (via the web) - This is a very cool site in that it graphically displays (using color and hundreds of arrows) the wind direction and strength.  It's very intuitive and simple on the surface but has lots of tools that I've just begun to explore.

10.  NOAA Tides and Current (via the web).  NOAA has weather buoys all up and down the east coast (there are 10 or 20 in the Chesapeake too).  They broadcast (real time) current conditions.  It does not give forecasts - only current conditions.  NOAA displays the data in the form of a histogram showing the wind direction and strength as a function of time.  I look at this all the time at home and Bruce suggested I monitor the data from the buoy just off Key Biscayne when I'm thinking about crossing.

11.  NOAA has some good near shore and Atlantic Marine forecast sites with maps and text forecasts.  Again, it requires you to be able to interpret the maps.  Thanks Steve!

12.  L-36 Weather (web only) -  this is a great site that Bruce told me about recently.  I had been aware of it but, like many websites, it has soooo much information that I never really found the weather info. - until recently.  It converts all the NOAA and Coast Guard raw data into a text format that is very well written and informative.  Thanks Bruce!

13.  Accuweather APP  (web only) - this is a great app/site.  It uses a relatively small amount of data and I check it routinely for current conditions, hourly and daily forecasts. It is also my source for weather radar.  If anyone knows of any good radar only sites (I know there are a bunch) - please let me know.  I love being able to "see" what is coming my way!

14.  Bahamas Met Office (web only) - haven't used yet but read somewhere or was told it is good.

15.  Barometer Bob (web only) - For Bahamas only. Ditto 13 above.

January 24, 2018  Oleta State Park Layover

Why is that nothing is (sometimes) easy?  This morning was the first duty day for the new Honda generator.  After adding gas, it started on the first (half hearted) pull - hooray!  Then I plugged it into my shore power connection and went below to close the breaker - NOTHING!  I've never had any issues with my shore power wiring or anything related to AC.  So, I shut the generator down and began troubleshooting.  Generator output - OK.  Extension cord - OK.  30 amp adapter - OK.  Wiring from shore power connection to panel - OK.  Lots of head scratching - went lightly on that.  Another cup of coffee - OK.  Repeat of all of the above - done.  Try a store bought extension cord - BINGO!! Tested the short (heavy gauge) extension cord I had made up - OK (for the 3rd time). 

I slowly disassembled both ends of the 3', 10 gauge cord and found no issues.  I slowly reassembled it, testing it between an outlet and a fan - no problem.  I fully reassembled it - still no problem.  I replaced the store bought cord with my home made cord - no problem. 

conclusion:  it's one of the mysteries of those little electrons.  Seriously, it's a little upsetting since I consider myself fairly well trained and experienced in electrical.  To be foiled by a three foot piece of three conductor wire with a simple male connector on one end and a female connector on the other is somewhat embarrassing!  Oh well, I'm moving on!

So, part of my troubleshooting (above) was to empty out the entire lazarette (no small feat).  I needed to get to the back of the shore power receptacle which was nearly impossible.  The good news was that it needed a cleaning out and I found an anchor rode that I intend on using with my Fortress as a backup bow anchor and a stern anchor.  The Fortress is an FX-11 (my everyday anchor on the Chesapeake).  I also have a Fortress FX-16 (storm - for me) anchor as a second backup.  The bad news is that I noticed 30 to 40 little black specs that looked like sprinkles that come on donuts.  But they looked like tiny "turds".  When I was done cleaning and putting things back in the lazarette, a HUGE Florida cockroach scurried out of a bundle of dock line onto the companionway floor.  Fortunately he was easy to grab and quickly went for a swim.  Unfortunately, he may have relatives or hatchlings hiding in the bilges.  I do remember Phil Heisley warning me about these things and to be very careful about what I bring aboard.  He recommended I not bring ANY cardboard on board and I know I haven't adhered strictly to that advice.  

Tuesday January 23, 2018

I'm getting behind on my blogging again.  Today I'll have to recall the last 3 days.  That's about my limit.  But I should do better over the next few days since I'm now very close to my destination to cross over to the Bahamas.  I'm in Oleta State Park.  I'm at anchor in a very protected spot.  There are lots of other boats in the anchorage but it's not crowded.  Today was a fair weather window for heading to the Bahamas and I think that cleared out many of the boats that had probably been here waiting.  I got here yesterday at about 4pm and it was sunny and around 80 degrees - really nice.  I actually stowed most of my winter fleeces and jackets (hopefully they won't be coming back out). 

I realized this morning that the water tank not only overflowed, but about 3 gallons of water ended up in my bilge.  One of the things I don't like about the Pearson is it's shallow bilge.  The deepest part is only about 6 inches below the sole.  But that 6 inches covers a fairly large area.  So, when three gallons end up in the bilge, it covers a lot of area.  Since I like to keep the bilge dry, this meant hand pumping and sponging the water out.  Even though it is very humid, the sun is mostly out today so I'm able to hang carpets, towels, rags, etc. on the lifelines. 

Just to feel like I'm relaxing now, I decided to clean, compound, and wax the stern of the boat.  It really needed it since the exhaust from the diesel seems to love attaching to the back of the boat.

One of the things I've enjoyed about the trip is the design and architecture of many of the bridges.  For years, light houses have been the subject of many books, calendars, etc.  Like most people, I appreciate the looks of many light houses.  But they have been so trendy (key chains, shot glasses, etc.) so  I've somewhat lost interest.  I think it is time that many of the countries bridges get some recognition.  Maybe when I get home, I'll start a movement.  In any event, you be the judge from some of the photos below.  Sorry, I don't know the names of them. Some have their names printed on the sides. 

Monday January 22, 2018  Las Olas to Oleta State Park (North Miami)

I was up early this morning.  I had lots of need for wifi on several devices.  I dinghyed over to the marina office at 7am and connected up all my devices (electrically and internet).  In case you are wondering what I need internet for, here is a list (note that Facebook is not included):

·         Grib (weather) files for the next 7 days

·         Check on checking account

·         Download Active Captain markers on 3 devices

·         Download recent podcasts for 3 subscriptions

·         Update apps on 3 devices

·         Download Passage Weather Gulf Stream forecast

·         Copy Bruce's blogs from he and Gayleen's last 5 Bahamas trips

After I finished all that, I walked across the Las Olas Bridge for some True Blue photo opps.  I was off the mooring at noon.

After motoring for about an hour, I entered the Fort Lauderdale Inlet.  This is a big inlet. It is very busy and has lots of big ships loading and unloading cargo.  There are also lots of small, medium, and large pleasure craft going every which way.  It was a nice day but was a little breezy.  Along with all the boat wakes, it made for a choppy harbor (I do not like chop).  Bruce had suggested I stop at the Lauderdale marina just north of the huge (and very busy) 17th Street Bridge.  I did but was disappointed when the told me there is a $10 fee for any amount of water - even if I were getting fuel.  This is a big marina and I think it's intended for BIG boats.  I needed about 20 gallons which would have made the water more expensive than what I expect to be paying in the Bahamas.  I did get fuel (since I was already tied up) but declined on the water.  About 3 miles south, I stopped at the very friendly Hollywood City Marina and got all the water I wanted - free!

The scenery has definitely changed.  About all you see now are high rise apartment buildings and a few waterfront houses.  I was tempted to go to the Stone Crab House restaurant for lunch.  It is directly across from the Hollywood City Marina and what they were cooking smelled sooo good.  But I stuck to what I know - bridges, motoring, anchoring, etc.  And I was exited to get to Oleta State Park about 5 miles south.

For some reason, I had trouble with bridge timing today.  One would open 5 minutes late and would make it impossible to get to the next one for the next opening.  I ended up spending a couple hours sitting or motoring very slowly to wait for bridge openings.  Also, I have noticed that the bridge tenders in the north Miami area are a very cranky bunch.  At least two tenders never did answer my requests for an opening (but did open around the scheduled times).  One tender snapped back several times at a woman with a strong German accent who was requesting an opening. 

For some reason, I had a lot of trouble filling the water tanks today.  I normally can see the level through the ends of both the port and starboard tanks - so I don't overfill them.  I've had problems before with overfilling one and had water all over the cabin sole.  Today, I was simply not able to see the level - even with my normally trusty flashlight method.   Well, at about 9pm, I stepped on one of the carpets on the starboard side and instantly realized it was soaked.  So, I spent the next 2 hours trying to remove floor boards, emptying my tool bag with a wet bottom, etc.  There is always something to keep you busy on a boat!

Hmmmmm - wonder which one?

New Scenery!

Sunday January 21, 2018 (Boca Raton to Las Olas  (Hollywood)

Today was a short day (distance wise).  I motored about 15 miles from Boca Raton to Hollywood Florida.  I had planned on staying at the Hollywood City Marina but they were full and could not make room.  I called a couple other marinas - everyone seems to be FULL.    I really needed water and to do a load of laundry and I wanted to make it a short day. Looking ahead, I knew there was a weather window for Monday but I also knew it would really be pushing it to get to my departure point.  For those unfamiliar with the area and crossing the Gulf Stream - The Gulf Stream flows north at around 2.5 to 4 knots.  That means for each hour you are in it, you will be carried north that distance.   If you are in it for 8 hours, that can be 30 miles.  That's the distance I will have motored south (leisurely) over the last two days.  Since Bimini (closest point in the Bahamas) is due East of South Miami, that means you need to depart from as far south as you can and head ESE in order to arrive at Bimini.  For me, that means leaving from the southern tip of Key Biscayne.

Well, Bruce Danadt to the rescue.  Thank you AGAIN Bruce!  Bruce suggested I look to see if there were any empty moorings just south of Las Olas bridge (in Hollywood).  The moorings are on the West side of the ICW and the Las Olas Marina is on the east side - a short but tricky dinghy ride away (tricky because of the strong current and the bridge/bridge traffic.  There are only 10 moorings so I was (as usual) a little nervous.  As I went through the bridge, I spotted not just one but TWO moorings.  Of course, I grabbed one.  It is a very busy area.  The Las Olas Bridge (about 100 feet to my north) has lots of traffic since the Beach is just 2 blocks to the east.

It took me a while to gather my laundry, trash, water jugs, electronic devices, etc. and get the motor back on the dinghy. I had not used the motor for a couple weeks and was a little nervous.  I dinghyed over to the marina and checked in.  I got my laundry going and made a quick trip to the beach.  I'm not much of a beach person but it was fun to see all the activity on and around the beach.  The street is lined with beach bars playing loud music.  When I got back to the boat, I had a beer - to not feel too left out!

Las Olas Bridge by land

It's all about being FLASHY!

 

True Blue happily at anchor

Saturday January 20, 2018  Layover at Boca Raton

I spent the first 3 hours drilling holes in fiberglass (makes me cringe just thinking about it) and installing tie down eyes in the back of the boat.  It went well and I feel the generator will be secure in heavy seas.  I used all self tapping screws and may want to switch to machine screws later.  I think the nylon eyes will break before the screws pull out since the fiberglass in that area was fairly thick.

Then I filled the generator with its first batch of oil.  That went well also and, with the exception of adding gas, the generator is ready to generate!

I'm playing catch up (it's now 1/23) and I just realized I had my days messed up.  I'm not sure what I did the remainder of the day on Saturday - must have napped all afternoon!

Friday 1/19/2018 - North Lake Worth to Boca Raton

After spending the night in a sleeping bag covered by blankets, I got up at 5:30 and prepared to be underway at first light.  I wore my normal northern winter attire plus my bibbed foul weather pants, a fleece, a vest, and my warm foul weather jacket, and my winter gloves.  I'd say I was "comfortable".  I left the North Lake Worth anchorage at 7, only to find out that all the commercial "sport fish" boats leave between 7 and 8 - heading for the Lake Worth Inlet about 3 miles south.  A sport fisher boat is usually about 50 to 70 feet long, are very heavy, and produce a very big wake.  Over that 3 miles, I was passed by about 8 of them.  Three or 4 gave me a "slow pass".  I was invisible to the others.  I'm sure it costs them $10 dollars in gas to slow down and speed back up but it IS the courteous thing to do - and they know it.  By 10am, it had warmed up enough that I was able to shed some of my winter clothing.  It turned out to be a pretty nice day - the boat warmed up to 72 degrees by the time I dropped my anchor in Lake Boca (Boca Raton). 

What made it a great day was that my friend Bruce Dandt had given me a tip yesterday for navigating the draw bridges of south Florida.  He identified the bridges that are required to open, creates a waypoint for each, and  transfers the waypoints to his chartplotter.  Then, as he motors down the ICW, he finds the next bridge and selects it as a waypoint to "Navigate to".  That creates a screen that constantly shows you the distance and the expected time of arrival (based on your current speed).   If the expected time of arrival is 5 minutes after noon for a bridge that opens on the hour, speeding up a little may get you there on time to make the opening.  Last night, I spent a couple hours creating all the waypoints and this morning, I put them into the chartplotter.  Needless to say, it worked GREAT!!  Thanks Bruce!!! 

Thursday 1/18/2018 - Layover in North Lake Worth

I had planned on making a short (15 to 20 mile) day today but I got lazy and decided to stay put and do some boat work.  I wanted to finalize some temporary solar panel/controller wiring I had done recently.  That took about 3 hours and went pretty well.  It's nice to no longer have wires with alligator clips running all over the chart table.  I also replaced a cheap 12 volt/usb outlet with another cheap (but better) outlet.  By noon, I had convinced myself that there was no good reason to rush to Miami.  How much warmer could it be just 60 miles south?? 

The highlight for the day was spending over an hour on the phone with Bruce Dandt talking about my favorite subject.  He is so full of good advice and is so willing to share it with newbie Ron.  Bruce and his wife Gayleen have been to the Bahamas 5 out of the last 5 years but this year, they are leaving in March and heading north to their previous home in (I think) New Jersey.

Wednesday 1/17/2018

Was up at 5:30 and off the anchor at 6:30.  I could have gone outside but the forecast was for the wind to pick up in the afternoon and the bridges between Ft. Pierce and Lake Worth didn't seem too bad.  So I stayed inside.  It was an uneventful day but I found that I need to be looking ahead more than I have been for bridges.  I was surprised by a couple and had to wait for their timed openings - because I had been lollygagging.  I made it to the large North Lake Worth anchorage well before sunset so it wasn't a big problem. It's nice to be on the move again.  I think it was about a 45 mile day (with bridges).  The highlight of the day was pulling into the anchorage and being passed by a large power boat with a young man surfing on his wake.  But it was the girls on board (in their thong bikinis) that made it the highlight. 

Tuesday 1/16/2018

Put the motor back on the dinghy to go into town. Plan was to leave early tomorrow but cold weather is coming and I was interested in heading south.  Caught the 8am city bus (to Walmart for odds and ends) and was back at 11.  Filled several water jugs, got the generator parts that had come, and mailed my PA tax extension letter.  Was back to the boat (with dinghy motor issues) by 2 and underway at about 2:45pm.  Motored about 15 miles to just past the Fort Pierce Inlet. 

Monday 1/15/2018

More boat work - installed new solar controller and solar switching panel.  Wind blew all day.  Parts for generator had arrived but there was no way I was going anywhere in that wind.

Sunday 1/14/2018

Boat work.  Wind blew all day long.

Saturday 1/13/2018

Boat work.   Took the carburetor on the dinghy motor apart - found no problems.  Rained in the afternoon and evening.

Friday 1/12/2018

The generator was to arrive today.  I made an early morning grocery run (for my, now cold, refrigerator), took that to the boat, then returned the rental car. When I got back to the marina, the generator had arrived so I took that to the boat.  I was disappointed to find out that the quart of oil and the cover were not scheduled to arrive until the following Monday.  I left the mooring and spent the next 3 days at anchor (just north of the marina mooring field).

Thursday 1/11/2018

The day was spent removing old batteries, renting a car, getting the new batteries, taking them to the boat (via dinghy), taking the old batteries back (via dinghy and rental car), grocery shopping twice, and installing the new batteries.  At around 5, I drove to Bruce and his wife (Gayleen's) marina and we went out for dinner at a great little local restaurant.  It's a short description but it was a long day.

Wednesday 1/10/2018

The day was spent getting the boat back to being livable.  I got the dinghy re-inflated and launched and went ashore to charge phones, computer, etc.  I measured the space where I was considering stowing a portable generator and began making calls about both batteries and a new generator.  I ended up mail ordering the generator and rented a car to get the batteries.

Tuesday 1/9/2018

Today was the first day of a warming trend (in PA) that would end highs below freezing.  It was a good day to fly and my flight from Harrisburg to Sanford FL was flawless.  I arrived at about 1:15pm.  I had arranged for a woman (Tammy) to pick me up from the airport and drive me to Vero Beach.  She is the owner of a Senior care giver business in Vero and lives near Sanford.  She drives back and forth a couple times a week and (very infrequently) takes passengers for about half the price charged by shuttle services.  Tammy is an amazing young woman.  Here day job is managing a scholarship fund for astronauts.  About 30 years ago, a number of astronauts started the fund designed to find and develop the some of the brightest and most promising minds in the US.  The fund draws from 40 colleges across the country and provides scholarships to about 10 individuals a year.  She has a team of about 12 who manage the fund and, along with a board of several current and retired astronauts, select new scholars, hold fund raisers, etc.  I was fascinated hearing about it.  Her part time job involves the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise she and her husband purchased about a year ago.  Tammy was a care giver for her grandmother for several years and care giving is her real passion.  She wants to focus more on the business in the future. 

Unfortunately, it rained the last half of the drive to Vero Beach.  Tammy dropped me (and my luggage) off at about 4:30pm.  It stopped raining about 5 minutes later and I was lucky to have one of the marina office staff give me (and my luggage) a boat ride back to True Blue.  By the way, I can't say enough about the management and staff at the Vero Beach City Marina.  What a great place to stay.

I won't way I was surprised but waiting for me was one dead and one very sick battery.  The dead one read 7 volts and the sick one read 10.2 volts.  Much to my surprise, my trusty Yanmar engine started - I know, it is hard to believe.  I did have a backup lawn and garden battery but didn't have to use it.  I wasn't surprised about the condition of the batteries because my new friend Bruce Dandt had dinghyed over from his marina 2 miles away (2 weeks before) to check on the boat and told me the batteries were low.  I had prayed things would be better but those prayers were not answered.   I ran the engine for 45 minutes and was able to get the one battery up to 12.2 volts.  Needless to say, the remainder of that night was spent in the DARK.

Monday 1/8/2018

I was home for weeks 10, 11, 12, and 13.   It was great to be home and spend time with Joan and my kids.  It was also nice to spend time with friends, some of which it seems I only see once a year.  I did spend a fair amount of time with my daughter Jeannine and her son Jaylen so that was really nice.  My Son Mike and his wife Jody and their son Quinn came up from Virginia and spent two nights so that was also great.  And, of course, I supported Joan with her Farm Show entries.  She placed in the top 25 of 75 apple pies (we were both hoping for a  blue ribbon) but she did win first place and a blue ribbon with one of her Christmas Wreaths. 

The down side of being home was that it was COLD the last two weeks I was there.  Also, I got a cold around Christmas, had it until I left and gave it to Joan and my friend Joe.

Thursday, January 4, 2018 - Hunkered down in PA

I'm counting the days till I return to a much more tolerable climate.  I do cherish the time I'm spending with my family and friends but the temperatures here have not been above freezing for almost 3 weeks now.  Most nights are below 10 degrees.  Had a little more snow this morning and the wind howled all day.  This week will see highs in the low teens every day.  Am I making myself clear?
OK - the REAL reason for this post.  I just posted 3 or 4 new videos on my YouTube channel.  As I believe I've noted before, I've been really bad about taking, editing, and posting videos.  I meant this to be a big part of my trip but, to date, I've made it a somewhat low priority.  There are several reasons for this but the main reasons are that: 1.  They take a lot of time and I really don't have much, 2.  My videos are sooo poorly done, compared to the 5 or 6 YouTube sailing channels that I watch regularly that they are somewhat embarrassing.
In any event, if you have any interest in seeing my most recently published videos, here is a link:
Going here would be much easier than digging them out of the blog.
Wind on Water YouTube Channel