Back in the good ol USA!!

Ohhhh boy - don't expect much we are dog-tired.

We crossed from Great Sale Cay Grand Bahama Island to Lake Worth yesterday. Eighteen hours!! Most of it was very pleasant except for the last 25 miles to the Florida Coast. The wind piped up to a steady 18 with gusts to 22 (not forecast!) and it was rough. It can certainly get a lot worse but for us cruisers - it was rough.

We arrived of the Lake Worth Inlet about midnight because I was having problems rectifying my GPS course parms. I had a bearing of 249, I was on magnetic 244 and the GPS track kept saying 273!! Obviously a current affect but so close to the shore I didn't expect it. I finally gave up on the GPS track and navigated by compass to the outer mark. Tough ion the DARK!!

Once there I realized that I had not approached from the direction I thought I was coming from and was experiencing a lot of flood tide current.

We got in with difficulty and trepidation - the night vision is not as good as it once was. Found the anchorage which was quite full and had trouble finding a spot since distance was so difficult i9n the dark and several boats had no anchor light. We were finally secure by 1am!! Hit the sack shortly after that.

This morning I was up at 7am and cleaned up from the crossing and checked in with Homeland Security. We still had to present ourselves to their office at Rivera Beach. That was a JOKE. I had to pay $10 dollars to dock the dinghy that is not running well, the wind is blowing 20 kts this morning with a lot of fetch.

We went in to the office just as an officer finished with a customer. We made eye contact and he left. I expected him back. After a couple of minutes I noticed a bell on the desk. I thought about ringing it but that would probably make him mad so I waited a few more minutes. Then another officer came and took a startled look at us. He said you had to ring the bell to get service!!?? I suspect the first guy is playing a game. He probably sits there during the day and pulls his gun on the other agent!! What a BOZO!!
I suspect this type of work is what causes folks to "go postal".

We left soon after returning to the boat. We had both got completely soaked from the spray of the dinghy. We made reservations for Vero Beach tomorrow then motored to Hobe Sound this afternoon to anchor. We made 6 bridges!! It was not pretty. The wind was blowing 20+kts and we had a favorable current except forcing us into the bridges while we waited. Several Bridge Tenders asked us to bunch up before they opened but in these conditions it was terrible. Several us had to spin at the last minute to hit anything. We need to complain top the folks that have instructed these tenders to act like boat captains!!

Should sleep well tonight. It is still blowing 20+ this afternoon but the fetch is slight and the holding is great here in Hobe sound and the closest anchored boat is a ¼ mile away.

Were BACKKKKK!!!