Category: Sitting at anchor

White Point

by  on  in Bahamas, Destinations, Exumas, Sitting at anchor • 0 Comments

We’ve been doing short hops up and down the Exuma bank now that the weather has started to cooperate.  It’s been blowing 10-20 from the east/southeast every day for the past two weeks, which has allowed us to stay in the lee of Great Guana Cay as we jump from anchorage to anchorage (no more than 5 miles a day).  It’s great!  We’re finally settling in :)

White Point beach

White Point beach

Caitie was smart to pick up this dinghy anchor in Ft. Lauderdale. We use it every day!

Caitie was smart to pick up this dinghy anchor in Ft. Lauderdale. We use it every day!

IMG_0255

Scruffy Captain

Scruffy Captain

Amazing rock formations along the beach

Amazing rock formations along the beach

Here's a screensaver

Here’s a screensaver

 

Broke Down (and Out)

by  on  in Bahamas, Boat Projects, Boat Work, Deep thoughts, Sitting at anchor, Surprises • 0 Comments

Ok, first of all – we are safe, as of writing this post, and the boat is too.  But it was a challenging few days after our first engine failure of the trip, which happened this week (on Valentine’s day, but who’s counting?).

We were en route to black point from Georgetown in the Exumas to meet Caitie’s parents for a week visit when we heard a squeal and a hint of burning coming from our Diesel engine.  We cut it quickly (thankfully) and after a quick series of deductions and tests discovered that our fresh water circulating pump (that which circulates the coolant) had seized and was not allowing our alternator vee belt to cycle around.   Despite spending a lot of time and money organizing spares for this trip, this, of course, was not one of them, so there was no easy way to fix it on the spot.  We were headed almost directly upwind and there was no way we could sail to black point before dark, especially since this involved getting through one of the high current cuts from the Exuma sound (aka ocean) side of the islands to the bank (aka shallow) side.

Since there is no real coast guard or towing service here, we issued a pan pan and luckily had two high powered dinghies come assist to pilot us in through a cut and onto anchor.  This went smoothly enough, except for the fact that we were now anchored at an uninhabited island, 30 miles from civilization and our newly arrived guests.  To add insult to injury, our cell phone cards had unexpectedly expired and we had no email or phone communications.  DRAMA!

After taking our dinghy to a few nearby sailboats we managed to get an email out to Caitie’s parents as well as a weather check to decide what our plan would be.  After much deliberation, we decided to continue up to black point and try to fix the engine on anchor there (with the assistance of a newly flown in part from Florida), with the hopes of still salvaging some of the visit.  A very kind Bristol 47 sailboat towed us out of the cut the next morning at slack tide, which was still very scary as the wind created a “rage” condition of steep, short waves that jerked us around.   We managed to sail the 30 miles up the Exuma sound in high swell but safe conditions and had an adrenaline filled downwind run through Dotham cut (hitting over 8 knots), passing by the steep rock walls closely but safely.  We anchored under sail and even managed to get in to have a celebration drink with Caitie’s parents at their rental cottage.

We’ve ordered our replacement parts and have had to sail off and onto anchor again, to move to a slightly safer location for a heavy northerly front coming in tonight.  We have been channeling the spirit of Lin and Larry Pardey (wherever they are), as their books of sailing around the world in small boats without engines have been sources of inspiration and awe on our trip so far.

Although this has been really challenging, emotionally and logistically, to deal with this situation, it has been a learning experience and will hopefully make a good story… Once it’s all sorted out :)

PS – Thank you so so much to our boat friends (and family) for reaching out to offer assistance, encouragement and kind words these past few days.  We are beyond grateful and only hope we can pay it forward.

M & C

First month cont’d

by  on  in Bahamas, Boat Projects, Boat Work, dinghy, Sitting at anchor • 0 Comments

Well …we didn’t shoot many photos during the first month…we kept saying “just enjoy the moment”…most at of what we got were project photos but here goes!

Still somehow smiling

Still somehow smiling despite finding half an inch of sludge in our drinking water tanks.  Don’t worry – they’re clean now.

image

Blue water shot. It really looks like that, which is wild.

 

 

Starting to chill a bit

Starting to chill a bit :)

 

Mark destroyed the dinghy pull cord with his brute strength.  Caitie braided a new one with some small twine on board.  Works like a charm!

image

 

image

image

Gratuitous sunset shot

 

 

One month in the Bahamas!

by  on  in Bahamas, Berry Islands, Boat Projects, Boat Work, Destinations, dinghy, Sitting at anchor, Sunsets • 0 Comments

Ok we haven’t posted for a month! Sooooooo lets get caught up.

First of all – we’re doing this post on an iPad, using data, on a SIM card that we bought during the THREE hours per WEEK that the Bahamas telecom employee is available in black point, Exumas, since our other one expired two months earlier than we had expected.  Oh yea, did we mention that was the day we had a serious engine breakdown and also the day Caitie’s parents arrived?  More on that later…but please excuse the horrible editing, typos and general quality decline compared to our usual attempts at blogging…

Week 1 – the Berry Islands.

Our main man JWay came to visit (Jeff money)!  We picked him up on a beach with lotsa swell – not a great decision as I fell out of the dinghy and got soaked en route to pick him up from the airport, and he got soaked on the way back to the boat.  Welcome to Tara Jeff!

we spent the week exploring the relatively empty Berrys and had a blast snorkexploring including a cool visit to hoffman’s blue hole (undoubtably filled with deep sea monsters)

image

image

We caught a few fish (mackerel, amberjack, and a couple barracuda) but…the crowning achievement was the Mahi-Mahi en route to Nassau :)

imageimageJeff with a sweet gaff job.  Mark with a sweet filet job. Caitie taking the photos and navigating the boat..as per.

 

 

 

The joys of working underwater

by  on  in Boat Projects, Boat Work, Florida, OpTrop, Sitting at anchor • 4 Comments

Now that the water is a bit clearer (and warmer) it was time to break out the snorkel gear and check out the boat beneath the waterline!  Fun stuff, eh?

We discovered:

The good – The coat of antifouling paint we applied before we left is holding up great!  No barnacles to be seen – woo hoo!

The bad – Our zincs (sacrificial metal that is supposed to corrode before your propeller does) have mostly corroded away…and by mostly, I mean MOSTLY.  For sailors, it’s hard not to cringe at the sight of the photo below…

Crumbling away…

 

So today, was zinc replacement day :)  We didn’t want to go for a haul out, so this meant gearing up and getting in the water.

I learned a couple cool tricks via the interwebs:

– Tie string to all tools you plan on using underwater (lanyards around the wrist) – this was a no-brainer.

– Duct tape the anodes together (across one side of the split) to keep the halves from falling apart when trying to get it on the shaft – this one was actually really helpful because it would have been hard to tighten both screws in one breath of air

– Wear one glove on your left hand (assuming you’re right handed) to wedge bolts into when you’re diving…(no, not just because you’re trying to do your best underwater moonwalk)

– Paint nail polish in key areas to avoid corrosion around bolts

image

Tools of the trade

 

Impossible to look cool in a snorkel mask. Believe me, I tried.

It’s impossible to look cool in a snorkel mask. Believe me, I tried.

Victory!

Victory!

 

It was a major success getting the (2) new anodes on.  I got to use my shorty wetsuit (though I probably didn’t need to), the snorkel gear, and tools…underwater!  It felt good getting this one done.  Officially crossed off the list, with more projects to come.

No Name Harbour (Part 1)

by  on  in Boat Projects, Boat Work, Florida, Sitting at anchor, Sunny days • 0 Comments

We are now sitting in No Name Harbour in Key Biscayne!

We’d heard about this anchorage as the “go-to place to wait for a weather window” for a crossing to the Bahamas, and we weren’t sure what to expect…I’d envisioned a packed/busy place with lots of amenities (like most of Florida), and Caitie envisioned the opposite.  Honestly, it’s kind of nestled perfectly in between.  We have enough room to anchor (though it is a little tight amongst the 20 other boats here), and there are washrooms. pump out facilities, and a restaurant/bar that makes a great grilled snapper ;).  On the other hand there is no fuel, no water, and no access to provisions.  The anchorage is in the middle of a natural park, so there are walking trails and beaches, etc. etc. etc., (though honestly we haven’t had much chance to explore – we hope to take some photos tomorrow/this weekend to do a proper update later…see part 2).

Frankly, we are in GO mode.  This is our last chance to get our shit together in the US and we want to make sure we have enough food, spares, and supplies to make it in the Bahamas (and potentially beyond).  First thing we did when we arrived was to rent a car.  We spent an entire 8 hour day (yesterday) hitting major marine stores and filling our CNG tanks.  We even managed to hit the Westerbeke distribution center just outside of Miami to stock up on all the necessary engine-related parts (and manuals) at rock-bottom prices.  We felt great, despite now having worn out our credit cards :S

And yes, I treated myself to some fishing supplies – including a hawaiian sling for spear fishing 😉

IMG_8066

Honestly, this isn’t even 1/4 of the stuff we have purchased as spares/provisions/toys…

When we got back to the boat today, we re-did our TO-DO list.  Every boater knows this is never ending, and for us it’s the same way.  It was a good opportunity to re-prioritize what we need to work on, and to appreciate the fact that we have actually done a lot…

Here’s a snapshot.  DONE:

  • Put top batten in main
  • Re-rig lazy jacks
  • Tighten reefing lines
  • Install lower slug/hank for main
  • Replace toilet seat hinges
  • Fix coolant leak
  • Tighten throttle cable
  • Check rigging and tighten shrouds
  • Tighten ignition key/instrument panel
  • Build solar panel stainless steel frame
  • Install solar panels
  • Drill weep hole in mast step
  • Install filter for foot pump in galley
  • Replace all batteries, and add 100ah to house bank
  • Install battery monitor
  • Install LED lights
  • Fix wiring for high output alternator

TO-DO starting tomorrow (and hard to read):

IMG_8099

Honestly, thus far on the trip, we haven’t let ourselves settle into a place, so it’s really nice to just have some time to relax and work on things at our own pace (in nice weather!)

Lastly, here are some random self-indulgent shots, for the sake of completeness.

SUNRISE! Leaving Lake worth. First day on the ocean in a loooong time.

SUNRISE! Leaving Lake worth. First day on the ocean in a loooong time.

Ft. Lauderdale Mc. Mansions

Ft. Lauderdale Mc. Mansions

Cutie

Cutie

My boat is bigger than your boat.

My boat is bigger than your boat.

Tall buildings looking tall

Tall buildings looking tall

Like Vancouver, but with palm trees :)

Like Vancouver, but with palm trees :)

Miami Skyline at night

Miami Skyline at night

Lowcountry Living

by  on  in Georgia, ICW, Passage, Sitting at anchor • 0 Comments

This section of the ICW can be boiled down to 3 main themes:

1) Fog

2) Marsh

3) Wilderness

We’ve been a little MIA from the internet, because we’ve been a little MIA from society the past week since returning to the boat.  We are transiting one of the more desolate sections of the ICW, with few (and far between) towns, and even fewer boats on the water.  To add to the feeling, we’ve had some crazy Bermuda-triangle style fog white-outs, including one that came in so fast that we we were able to tick something off our bucket list:  spontaneously anchor in a non designated anchorage (because it was too risky to keep going).

It’s been great though!  We’ve continued our “Phase Two” ethos, we still have a stocked library and pantry (after our thanksgiving haul), and have been enjoying shorter transit days in the quiet of the marshland.

Jurassic Park

Haven’t seen one yet, but not for lack of looking!

Seagrass birdsnest

View to the left

View to the right

Misty morning

Best visibility we had all day

IMG_9894 IMG_7363 IMG_9947 IMG_9940

Mark hit a wall the other day with our “high output” alternator, as it was not delivering adequate charge to our NEW batteries.  It took a couple days of testing and tinkering (with a few cruisersforum.com posts), but he re-did the wiring and managed to solve the problem!  Small victories.

Spaghetti!

Boat maintenance is 80% fitting into small spaces.

IMG_7383

“I don’t think so, Tim”.

Big Sky, Georgia.

Our next few days should include a peek at Jekyll Island (home of Rockefeller mansions), Cumberland Island (wild horses!) and then F.L.A.!  BIKINIS! (or at least, fewer sweatpants).

P.S. Thanks Pat for the beersocks!

I wish we could brew on the boat!

I wish we could brew on the boat!

SHRIMP N GRITS

by  on  in Destinations, Rainy Days, Sitting at anchor, South Carolina • 0 Comments

WE MADE IT TO CHARLESTON!

After waiting out one day of torrential rain in an anchorage near the Isle of Palms, we decided to brave the fog and head into town (also, our meal morale was plummeting quickly with our empty pantry).  We headed out around 7am and were unsure if we would be able to make it through the lift bridges, potentially busy harbor and shallow areas* with such low visibility, but luckily for us it cleared just enough to help us through.

*we waited for the full 6ft high tide to transit this stretch of the ICW, and still only had a few feet of water under the keel at spots.  We’re getting so used to this shallow water business that a 12 foot depth is now considered “big water” for us.

We didn’t get any shots of the Charleston Harbor, but it looked something like this:

(ok not quite that bad, but definitely not much better)

After a challenging high-current docking (Mark is killin’ it lately with the tricky docking scenarios), we celebrated finally making it to CHARLESTON – culinary capitol of the south, and our temporary boat home for the American Thanksgiving week.  We borrowed our beautiful marina’s courtesy car and checked out the downtown strip on King St (which we LOVED), complete with a proper Southern meal of Chicken Biscuit, Ribs, Collared Greens, Hush Puppies, and other fried delicious things.

Blurry/happy photo.

And it was WARM!  Since I knew it was going to rain, I wore my foulie jacket, which led to many stares, since everyone else was dressed like a casual fall day in the South.  Which means a light layer over your tshirt?!  Let’s hope this may be the end of the Arctic Explorer phase of our blog photos…

Now we’re excited to spend some time with Mark’s family in South Carolina, eat lots of Thanksgiving food, use modern plumbing exclusively, and catch up on all of the internet (and friends/fam) we’ve been missing lately.

PS the following two pics are not from Charleston at all, but we had to get at least one dolphin shot in, and I had been pretty crabby lately due to the weather, so it felt appropriate.

H.O.V.A.