We are back from the Bahamas! What a beautiful place.
The water was clear, the people were so open and giving. We will definitely be going back next year.
We sailed from Great Sale Cay to Fernandina, Fla. We buddy boated with Windward and Casa Mare. It was the first time we had ever traveled with other boats. We set up radio contact schedules on both the SSB and the VHF.
Before anchoring at Great Sale Cay we went through a gully washer of a rain storm. We thought all was working well until we tried our cockpit VHF radio. It scanned the stations, we could hear but not transmit. It was a mess. The time we really needed it, it was messing up. Get out the tools. Opened the mic and poured out a bunch of water. Could be the problem. WD-40 to the rescue. Sprayed the mic and the radio and it started working. I guess if you can't fix it with duck tape, wd-40 is the next option.
We stayed in the gulf stream for two days. Casa Mare trended a bit east of us and got caught in a counter current. They were spun around twice. With the sails up that is a real trick to keep the boat stable. They recovered, but decided to put in at Ponce Inlet and make some repairs. Windward and PattyD continued northward.
We called into customs when we reached land. Windward (Ian and Lynn) are Canadian so they needed to go to customs and check in. This was right after the Boston Bombing, so everyone had to personally check into customs. The day we arrived, seven other boats arrived. The group of us decended upon the customs office. The customs officer was a bit overwhelmed, but took our arrival in stride.
We checked the weather and decided to leave for Port Royal Sound the next am. Windward decided to go into Charleston. We were trying to beat a on coming cold front. We arrived just as the waves were reaching 10 feet. Windward got caught up in the storm. They had an hour or so of rough weather, but arrived in port safely.
The could fronts this year are coming so often that we could not get a good weather window to sail up the ocean. Up the canal we go.
Trying to make a bridge, we powered up the engine. Made it through the bridge, but an hour later the engine died. We dropped anchor in the ICW and Matt replaced the fuel filter. Started right up.
The next day tried for another bridge, engine stopped an hour later. Checked fuel filters. Fuel pump did not work. Anchored in the ICW and called Boat US for a tow. Of course the rain clouds opened up and we got drenched.
The mechanic just figured out the problem. Hopefully, we will be on our way soon.
