In the Bahamas

We are in the Bahamas and enjoying being back.

We left Fort Pierce at first light and motored south against mild headwinds working our way down to West Palm Beach.  The winds had started to build so we made the left turn to cross the gulf stream overnight under sail.  Once across we again turned south and motor/sailed to the Great Bahamas Bank.  We were again able to sail as we crossed the Bank.  During night #2 we moved into The Tongue of the Ocean, a deep area between the different island groups.  We continued on until we reached a channel that is shown on our charts and crossed the banks to Big Majors Spot and anchored just after sunset.  Big Majors Spot is famous for the pigs that will swim out to your dinghy as you attempt to come ashore to feed them.  Any Google search will bring up many photos and videos.  We anchored for the night and in the morning we moved to the fuel dock at Staniel Cay to top off the fuel tank.  Leaving the fuel dock we worked our way around Harvey's Cay sailed down to Little Farmers Cay to stage for the trip through the cut between islands the next morning.  In the morning we caught an outgoing current going out the cut into Exuma Sound.  Turning south we then sailed down to Great Exuma Island and motored into Elizabeth Harbor and set anchor near several of our cruising friends.  We had arrived at Georgetown.  397 nautical miles, or 456 land miles in five days.   The harbor is large and last time when we were here there were over three hundred boats. It's still early in the season and there are only thirty boats with more arriving every day.  We dinghied into town the next morning to check in with Customs and Immigration.  Once cleared in we visited the phone company store to get a sim card for our Bahamian hotspot.  We suspend our US phone service and rely on the hotspot for data and phone service while we are in the islands.  The next stop was at a restaurant to celebrate arrival with a Kalik, a local Bahamian beer.

The winds are blowing in the 15-20 knot range so we will stay here for a few days.  We have checked out several of the hiking trails, relaxed on the beach, collected shells on the ocean side and visited with friends.  When the winds let up we will continue on.

Our Spot position locator has died and I am experimenting with other means to show our travels.

Winter Cruise Is Underway

We have started our winter cruise.

The survey is done with no serious issues, the part arrived and has been installed and we have started off.

We spent a couple of days in Oriental waiting on a water pump that gave out.  The town has two docks that cruisers can stay at for 48 hours free of charge.  We were allowed to stay a couple of extra days since without the pump we could not run the engine.  Once the pump was installed we left the dock and moved down to Morehead City and anchored to wait for a weather window to move on.  Several days later on Saturday we had a good forecast and we headed out the entrance setting a course for Beaufort SC. The opening was for only two days and after sailing and motoring we arrived midday on Monday and moved up a creek to wait out the weather.  The forecast was correct and we sat out several days of the wind blowing hard but we were well protected.  Thanksgiving morning we headed off again with our next stop St Augustine.  We arrived midday on Friday and set anchor by the fort.  Saturday we dinghied into town and got together with several other cruisers for drinks and stories.  After dinner at our favorite barbeque place we went back to the boat for the night.  We planned to move on Sunday but it was a rainy chilly day so we stayed at anchor.

Monday morning we caught the first bridge opening and moved down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) making a long run of eighty miles and anchored for the night at New Smyrna Beach.  We were only fifty miles from Cape Canaveral and were able to watch a rocket launch that evening, once it cleared the buildings that were in our way.  The next morning we started off early again and made a sixty mile run to Melbourne FL and anchored for the night.  The next morning we were underway early again to make our way to Vero Beach.  Vero Beach is very cruiser friendly and is often referred to as "Velcro Beach" since it is hard to leave once you show up.  Cori has gotten several loads of laundry done, I have worked on getting the boat ready for the next leg and we have made several trips on the free bus to stock up on groceries for the winter.

We have just about everything ready and will be moving on further down the Florida coast before making the turn to the Bahamas.

End of the Summer Cruise

Our summer cruise has come to an end.  That is not all bad because it means that the winter cruise is getting underway.

At last blog post we were just inside the Dismal Swamp Canal with friends.  From there the three of us, Hi Flite, New Song and Packet Dreams, moved down the canal to the visitors Center which is a combination of highway/canal visitor center and highway rest stop.  The next morning we left continuing down to the South Creek Locks.  After locking down we continued to Elizabeth City.  Elizabeth City is very cruiser friendly with several free docks available.  The three boats decided to stay at the Mid Atlantic Christian University docks.  These people are very friendly, they gave us a ride to and from the laundromat, offer use of the showers in the gym, use of the cafeteria for our meals and a firepit for an evening fire, all of which we greatly appreciated.  In the morning, after a breakfast in the cafeteria, we moved down the river, crossed the Albemarle Sound and anchored for the night at the Alligator/Pungo Canal.  In the morning when the fog cleared we continued down the canal crossing the Pamlico River and anchored for the night in Goose Creek.  The next morning we continued on to the Neuse River and moved up Broad Creek to tie up at the dock at our friends, Jerry and Donna on Bluejacket.  

After picking up a rental car we started our projects.  We made several trips to the storage unit swapping out summer stuff for winter stuff trying to get ready for the trip south.  There were multiple trips to provision and pick up some boat parts we had ordered and delivered to friends.  Cori got out her sewing machine and materials and worked on a couple of projects.  After nine days at the dock we moved down to Oriental.  We need to have the boat hauled out of the water to have an inspection, called a marine survey, performed to satisfy our insurance company.  We made arrangement at one of the boatyards to be hauled out and have a couple of maintenance issues taken care of along with the survey.

At this writing the survey is complete with no major issues, the final report will arrive in a couple of days, and we are waiting on a part that should be here in the morning at which time we will be moved back into the water.  There is a weather front forecast so we will stay in the area over the weekend and then head out on our next adventure.

The final numbers on our summer cruise 1576 nautical miles or 1813 statute miles.  About the distance from New York City to Chicago and back.

Our plans, always subject to change, are to make several jumps down the eastern seaboard arriving in Florida.  Once there we will wait for a weather window allowing us to cross over to the Bahamas.  Most years we stay in the islands for six months but this year we are planning to only stay for three figuring mid December to mid-March.

Maine Recap

We have left Maine and are working our way down the East Coast.  I wasn't able to post updates because almost everywhere we went we had very poor to nonexistent cell phone coverage.  We are currently just south of Norfolk VA.

Where did we go and what did we do?  Here is a recap:

Leaving Portsmouth we started moving up the Maine coast first stopping at Richmond Island, a little short of Portland, and anchored for the night.  In the morning we started on our way but quickly discovered a problem and moved over to an empty mooring to tie up and figure out the problem.  We spent the day working on a cooling water problem and the next day continued on our way to Boothbay Harbor.  We had been here before and decided to revisit.  We rented a mooring that allowed us a short dinghy ride to the dock and walking distance to downtown.  On the third day we dropped the mooring, moved to the other side of the harbor to take on fuel and continued on our way.  Once out of the protection of the bay we found ourselves beating into a headwind and waves.  Since we are not on any kind of schedule we diverted into the next bay and picked up a mooring for the night in Christmas Cove off of the Damariscotta River.  In the morning the wind and seas had calmed down and we continued on to Long Cove just off from Tenants Harbor.  Unfortunately we had to motor instead of sail.  In the morning we launched the dinghy and went to shore on Clark Island to hike the trails there, part of the Clark Island Preserve.  After lunch back on the boat we dinghied over to High Island and hiked the trail there.  We use a combination of apps that show us the trails in the areas we are at.  The next morning we moved up Penobscot Bay to Vinalhaven Island, motoring through the fog, our first foggy day.  We had decided that with the limited time we had left this would be as far up the coast as we would go.

We chose to go up into Southern Harbor since we had not been there before and it was in walking distance to the town of North Haven.  We rented a mooring for the night and while in the boatyard to pay they helped solve one of my outboard problems by giving me several pieces of fuel line and parts off of a scrap outboard.  They also provided information on other anchorages in the area that we had not been to.  The next day we dropped the mooring and headed down to Hurricane Island which was new to us.  The island has a research center which provides moorings and a dock and a number of hiking trails.  The island was the location of a major granite quarry and the trails take you around, through and above the quarry.  We spent three days hiking the trails on this island and dinghying to a nearby island to hike the trail there.  On the dinghy ride we noticed a couple of heads popping out of the water and stopped to watch a dozen seals watching us.

By now the weather alerts were warning of the former hurricane, now tropical storm heading towards Maine.  We moved up to Perry Creek, one of our favorite anchorages and picked up a mooring there.  We spent several days hiking the trails and relaxing on the boat.  The storm tracked further east hitting up by Arcadia National Park and we only experienced some winds up to 20 knots and rain.  We also had our second day of fog.  We also made the short dinghy ride around the point to North Haven to pick up cellular service and attach to WIFI while having lunch.  Business taken care of we headed back to the boat for a couple more days.

By now it was time to start heading back, the temperatures were dropping, days in the 50's and nights in the 40's and we don't have heat onboard.  Consulting with our weather advisor and checking several weather sites we found a window that would allow us to make the jump to the Cape Cod Canal and move into Buzzards Bay, a 25 hour trip.

We moved down the bay and spent the night at Allen Island and prepared to leave the next morning.  The day started out with light winds but the forecast was for the winds to build from the southwest and west allowing us to sail instead of motoring.  The forecast was off on the timing and the winds didn't arrive until around midnight blowing up  to 20+ knots.  We arrived at the Cape Cod Canal at 9:30 the next day just in time to ride the current trough the canal.  Once through the canal and at the entrance to Buzzards Bay we usually pick up a mooring to prepare for the next leg.  This time with advice from friends we stopped in Onset and rented a mooring for two days.  Cori took the opportunity to get some laundry done and pick up some groceries and I worked on another mechanical problem.  We also took the bus for some shopping and had lunch and dinner ashore instead of on the boat.  Our next jump would be to Norfolk VA which would take four days.

We were advised that due to weather moving up the coast we needed to be in Norfolk by Wednesday afternoon.  We finalized preparations Sunday morning and headed down Buzzards Bay and out into the Atlantic.  We had good winds and were able to sail, going past Block Island in the late evening.  From there we set a straight line to the mouth of the Chesapeake.  We had winds overnight in the 20's so we only had a reefed headsail and the mizzen doing 6-7 knots.  Unfortunately the seas were big and we were getting bounced around a lot.  By morning the winds and seas dropped down but we were able to continue sailing. One of the things that broke the boredom was the arrival of a small bird followed by a second.  They spent the afternoon checking out the cockpit and flying below to check out the rest of the boat.  Eventually they settled into the v-berth to spend the night.  About mid-morning they both decided to try making their way back to shore, I hope they made it. By mid-day the winds had shifter and were too light to keep the sails full so we started motoring.  Nothing else exciting happed the rest of the day which is a good thing.  Sunrise Wednesday morning we were approaching the mouth of the bay and we decided to continue on to the anchorage at hospital point in downtown Norfolk.  While passing through the naval base and looking at the variety of ships we had a submarine go past us on their way out to sea. We dropped anchor in Norfolk just after noon after sailing/motoring 440 nautical miles, or just over 500 miles in about 73 hours.  What so we do on these long passages?  We take turn being on watch, there is always someone in the cockpit keeping a lookout usually listening to music, podcasts or an audible book.  The other is either relaxing or sleeping, eating when convenient.  That afternoon I set about solving an oil leak problem, more about that later.  Once that problem was solved we pulled anchor and moved up the river and took the turn to follow the Dismal Swamp Canal.  Once through the lock we pulled over to the free dock and tied up.  Once settled in we walked up to the shopping area for lunch and picking up some groceries.  That's where we are now, taking a break and recharging the batteries, literally, there are power outlets on this dock.

I have mentioned several maintenance issues along the way.  A boat is a combination of a house and a car with a lot of the same issues.  This time I had issues, again, with our 3.3 horsepower outboard.  I have two carburetors for it and often switch back and forth depending on how cooperative they are.  This time I tried swapping parts between them to get one that ran right. Among the problems was that the fuel line had gotten hard and could not be used again.  This was one I got from a scooter repair shop in Florida.  The boatyard we stopped at in Vinalhaven gave me a possible replacement and also pulled several of different sizes and lengths from scrap motors.  I also got another replacement carburetor off of one of them.  It turned out that the new hose fit and when I tried the new to me carburetor it ran better than ever. Problem solved for now.  Another issue was the cooling water.  The engine is cooled by seawater pumped through a heat exchanger and pumped out with the exhaust.  One morning as we got underway we noticed there was no water coming out.  We were able to get to a mooring and tie up before it overheated.  I spent the day taking almost all of the cooling system apart trying to solve it.  I finally got it working by rerouting some hoses using a variety of adapters to accommodate different hose sizes and added a pump into the mix to push water to the engine to help the main intake pump.  This got us on our way and was solved, temporarily, with adapters and new hoses from the hardware store in Boothbay Harbor.  The next issue I had was the fresh water pump acting up.  We take what are known as "navy" showers where you get wet, shut off the water, soap up and then rinse off.  During my shower when I tuned the water back on to rinse off there was no water.  I have a washdown pump at the bow that I use to wash the mud off the anchor and chain.  It also had valves that will allow me to switch it to fresh water.  While still soapy I had to access the valves in the v-berth to switch to fresh water and then go up on the bow to rinse off.  After several attempts at troubleshooting I got the pump working and tried again to finish my shower and once again I was left covered with soap and no water.. One more time up to the bow to rinse off with very cold water.  It was a good thing we didn't have neighbors.  The next morning I went to work on finding the problem.  There was an electrical connection to the pump that was loose and decided that was the best time to fail.  New connections were made and better crimpers and connectors have been ordered.  The biggest issue was an oil leak.  When arriving at Onset I found that oil had been spraying in the area around the new transmission.  First I confirmed that it was not transmission fluid.  I finally found a spot on the hose connecting the oil filter to the engine.  The filter is separate from the engine with two hydraulic hoses to make it convenient for filter changes.  I tried sealing it with rescue tape and wrapping it with oil absorbent pads.  When we arrived in Norfolk I found that we were low on oil and the pads were soaked.  After calling several shops to find replacement hoses I went to work on removing the old.  I found I didn't have the proper tools but got by with a crescent wrench, vice grips and a screwdriver.  I was able to get them off struggling with the connection to the engine which has a very small access area.  The next morning we dinghied to shore and walked the almost three miles to the shop.  They were able to make them while we waited and took an Uber back to the boat.  I had done enough walking.  For some reason they went on easier then they came off.  So far there are no leaks so I must have done it right.  Next was cleaning the area with degreaser and cleaning the bilge.  Problem solving is an important part of cruising.  It' not all rum punches and sunsets.

We had a great time visiting some of our favorite spots and discovering new ones and will miss being there but the Bahamas are calling.

These photos can be enlarged if you click on them.

Back On the Water

We are once again on the water.

After our time in South Dakota we rented a car, loaded it up and drove back to the boat which we had left in New Hampshire.  The transmission was ready but there was one part that they could not order until we arrived.  After giving them the information they needed we went about getting the boat ready.  First we needed to deal with the rental car.  In ordering the car for a one way rental we had return it to an agreed agency.  This one was in Manchester N.H. about an hour away.  In order to drop off the car and return to the boat we first had to rent another car locally, drive both to Manchester, drop one off and return to the boat and then return the second car a couple of days later.  It's all about logistics.  We needed a gallon of paint to touch up the bottom and the closest dealer was near Boston, so off we went to Massachusetts.  Having the car made everything easier making runs for groceries, boat parts and to treat ourselves to several meals out.  After a couple of days we had to turn in the car hoping we didn't need to make anymore trips.

We planned to have the boat launched as soon as the transmission was in but Mother Nature had other plans.  Hurricane Lee was churning out in the Atlantic and no-one had a good idea where it was going to make landfall, but Maine was definitely on the list.  We worked on getting the boat ready while watching the hurricanes progress.  As predicted the hurricane was going to impact Maine and since Maine is just across the river we were going to have to deal with the storm.  As the storm got closer it became apparent that it was going to shift to the east and, luckily, we would only feel the effects of the outer bands.  Friday was a beautiful day and I took the opportunity to apply the paint to the bottom and get ready for the rain and winds.  Saturday started off with rain but quit about mid-day but the winds built.  Taking a break from sitting on the boat we walked down to the harbor and realized that the boat was sitting in a well protected spot.  The winds were much higher down by the water.  Sunday and Monday were rainy just as forecast.

With the storm moving on we were scheduled to be launched.  After lunch on Tuesday the lift arrived, picked up Hi Flite and brought her down to the harbor.  After being lowered into the water they let us stay in the slip until the water calmed as the tide changed.  There is a very strong current in the river as the tide rises and falls with a bit of calm water as the tide changes.  Once the current dropped we moved out to a mooring ball to spend the night and preparing to leave the next morning at low tide.  We needed to leave at low tide because of a bridge we have to go under.  The top of our mast is almost fifty feet off the water.  The bridge we were going under is listed at forty-six feet of clearance.  There is about six feet of tidal range which means that at low tide there SHOULD be fifty two feet of clearance.  It was a very tense moment when we went under the bridge when we first arrived and it was just as tense going out.  Once out into the main river channel we proceeded down the river and back to the Kittery Point anchorage to spend the night before continuing on in the morning

We had hoped to be back on the water soon after arriving and moving up the Maine coast visiting some of our favorite anchorages and exploring new one.  Circumstances changed that and we ended up spending over two weeks on the boat waiting to be launched.  We planned on spending about a month before starting our way south but we will have to cut that short to stay ahead of the weather.  We have our next week planned and then will be playing it by ear letting the weather dictate what we do.

It is good to feel the boat moving gently below us again.

A Slight Change In Plans

Our plans have changed, as usual.  Once we made it to Maine we were going to work our way up to Harpswell, put the boat on a friends mooring and spend the next couple of months in South Dakota working on our remote cabin.  Due to the problem with the transmission we have hauled out at Portsmouth NH and will leave the boat on the hard for the next couple of months.

The transmission is water cooled and the cooler has failed letting water into the transmission.  Fortunately the transmission continued to work enabling us to get to Kittery then motor up the river to the marina to be hauled out.  We were able to find a well recommended mechanic to do the transmission overhaul.  We anchored off of the Kittery Town Dock for the weekend and on Monday we borrowed a car and visited and called marinas looking for someone that could haul us out in a timely manner.  We chose Great Bay Marina as they could haul us out the quickest.  We needed to time the tides so on Tuesday we pulled anchor and headed up the river.  There were two bridges to be concerned about, the first was a drawbridge that opened on the hour and the half hour.  We rushed to get there for the three o'clock opening and continued up the river fighting a current.  We needed to be at the last bridge at low tide.  The bridge has a vertical clearance of 46 feet.  Our mast is 50 feet off the water.  The marina assured us that at low tide the clearance is 53 feet.  We arrived just as the tide was turning and started for the bridge.  As we got closer it looked like we were going to hit it.  Looking up at the mast when going under something almost always looks like you are going to hit it no matter the amount of clearance.  We were so sure that we were going to hit that we did a quick reverse and motored around while calling the marina to verify the height.  Being assured that it was more than 50 feet we tried again and made it.  It was the most terrifying feeling that at any moment there would be a crash.  It took some time after for the nerves to calm down.  We picked up a mooring and spent the night planning to be hauled out the next morning.  We were glad to be on a strong mooring because the current rips through on every tide change.

In the morning we dinghied in and made the final arrangements to be hauled.  We were scheduled for slack tide when we would have the least amount of current and at 11:00 we dropped the mooring and motored into the lift only to find that we would have to back in to be lifted.  Backing out, making a u-turn and backing into a narrow spot is not my favorite maneuver.  This time with no current or wind it looked like I had been doing this on a regular basis, if they only knew the truth.  Once out of the water I was amazed at the condition of the bottom.  There was no growth, no barnacles and a quick power wash made it look freshly painted.  I strongly recommend Sherwin Williams bottom paint.  After taking a lunch break they moved us to the yard and got us set up convenient to water and electricity.

Once we were settled in I went to work on pulling the transmission.  With only a couple of problems it was free of the engine but needed to be lifted out and lowered to the ground.  Fortunately we are a sailboat and have block and tackle and plenty of rope onboard.  Once lifted into the cockpit we lowered it to the ground using one of our halyards used to raise sails.  One big project completed.

This morning we needed to pick up our rental car and our friend Adina offered to give us her car or to take us.  Once back to the marina with the car we loaded the transmission and delivered it to the mechanic.  I explained that we would not be back to pick it up until late August so there was no rush.  Once back at the marina we started loading the car.  We have a full size SUV and it will be packed full.

Over the next few days we will be driving back to Spearfish SD to spend time with Cori's Mother and siblings and work on the cabin.  This years big project will be to finish the solar electric system to make us self-reliant.  Last year we were using a portable generator to keep the batteries topped up.  I also expect that there will be time to relax and have some fun.

That's what has been happening and what we expect to happen, only time will tell.

I won't be posting any updates until we are back on the boat, late August or early September when we plan to visit some of our favorite places in Maine before being chased south by the cold.

We Have arrived in Maine

 We have arrived in Maine but just barely.  We are on the Kittery Maine side of the Piscataqua River looking across to Portsmouth New Hampshire.

We waited a week at Norfolk and Hampton VA for a weather window to allow us to go offshore to Buzzards Bay MA instead of traveling up Chesapeake Bay and down the Delaware River then jumping off at Cape May.  This route would be shorter and require less travel time.  We spent several days with fellow cruisers in the Hampton area and were able to attend the Blackbeard Pirate Festival which commemorates the defeat of Blackbeard the pirate.  It was very entertaining and educational.  I was able to watch a demonstration on how rope is made and there were several canons of various size being shot off.  Once again we were able to get together with my Great-nephew for dinner and a visit.

The forecast was favorable for a Monday departure and at 6:30 AM we pulled anchor and started motoring out of the Chesapeake Bay and into the ocean.  Once clear of land we turned North-northeast for Buzzards Bay.  The winds were light and we had to motor but there was a promise of the winds increasing.  Unfortunately the winds that we got were from behind us and we did not have enough apparent wind to sail.  The apparent wind is the actual wind on the sails when you factor in the boats speed.  For example, we had ten knots of wind from behind and the boat was moving at five knots we would have five knots of apparent wind not enough for us to sail.  Because of this we continued to motor on.  The forecast was for the winds to shift from the northwest but when they did they were under ten knots so we continued motoring.  This continued through the night and in the morning we were able to sail for a short time before the winds dropped off again.  We continued motoring.  Wednesday, day three, we had about four hours of favorable winds and we were enjoying the sail when once again the winds died. During the night we passed by Block Island and continued up Buzzards Bay.

On day four we arrived at the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal in time for the tide change and had a favorable current to go through the canal.  Last time in the canal we did not have a favorable current and had to fight a two to four knot current making the passage much longer.  Once out of the canal we set course for Gloucester MA.  Once again we didn't have enough wind to sail.  We arrived at Gloucester and attempted to anchor in a small bay rather then go into the main harbor.  We were unsuccessful in getting a good set so we continued on to Thatcher Island.  The cruising guide said that there were several guest mooring there.  We arrived and picked up a mooring and shared the harbor with one other boat.  We had not been here before and the two lighthouses were so interesting I had to look up the history.  Very interesting island with the first lighthouses built by the British before the Revolutionary War all the way to the island used to hide someone in the Witness Protection Program.

This was our first stop in four days.  We had motored/sailed 461 miles in 84 hours, most of it motoring.  We carry 80 gallons of fuel and another 15 in jerry cans on deck.  I have always calculated that we could motor around 400 miles before adding fuel.  When we arrived at the anchorage the fuel gauge was getting very close to empty.  By not pushing too hard and maintaining our speed round five knots we were able to conserve fuel.

The next morning as the fog cleared we were getting ready to continue.  We added the fuel from the jerry cans, checked the engine and v-drive oil and the transmission.  Here we had a big surprise, instead of bright red transmission fluid we had a dark grey sludge.  I suspected water had gotten into the transmission, possibly from the transmission oil cooler.  I pumped out the sludge and refilled with fresh fluid, started the engine and did a quick test, the transmission worked shifting forward and reverse.  After completing our preparations we restarted the engine and continued on, hoping to sail instead of motoring.  I did notice that our exhaust had some oil in it telling me that the transmission oil cooler was most likely the problem.  We tried sailing for several hour but the winds were shifting and too light, so again we were motoring.  By mid-afternoon the winds came up and we were once again a sailboat.  We were heading to Kittery Maine to visit friends we made in the Bahamas and we were able to sail all of the way into the harbor dropping the sails just before we reached the anchorage.  After three tries to get the anchor set we finished off the day with adult beverages.  During the day we had been calling different facilities to find a mechanic and where we could keep the boat for the duration of the repair.  Checking the transmission we again found the grey sludge.  No matter what the cause is I am sure the transmission will need to be rebuilt, it's not designed to run with salt water.

This being the weekend we are spending time on the boat and will be visiting our friends.  Monday we should have a better idea of what our options are.