Aaaack my plans to leave the boat at Brunswick Landing Georgia have been dashed. No room now. They had space in early May but it is all gone now. Now I need a new plan.
I decided to go into the Marina at Vero Beach City and leave the boat for a month to look at options. I do NOT want to go up the ICW entirely. It is a mess in several places now. So what to do, what to do. They said I could stay til September 1. They put me on a face dock with weak, missing, loose cleats. I do not like leaving the boat only tied to a face dock with daily thunderstorms or worse expected. What to do, what to do. Hmmm go to the Publixs and grocery shop that's what. Got to eat. I've only been away from USA grocery store for a week and half but I acted like a kid in the candy store. Man I bought too much.
Thursday was a surprisingly rainy day -- all day. I did some boat projects - replaced the pump seals in forward head, cleaned aft head, and worked on diverter valve, read, and chatted but still no resolution on what to do. I kind of want to go back to NC but not up the ICW. A couple of days offshore is really too much for just 2 intrepid sailors and the weather is not good for the next week offshore. I could have the boat hauled out here but I don't like leaving a boat out of the water for an extended time. Maybe put together a team of three to return the boat to NC. What to do what to do.
Time to eat some crow and take Marks suggestion to go to the Fort Pierce City marina. He wanted to do that when we crossed into the Inlet Tuesday but I wanted Vero Beach. Fort Pierce City marina had great reviews on the docks there but there is a mean cross current in there. So I decided to go there and leave the boat for a month. I'll either have the boat hauled, stay at marina, or take it back to NC --- brain is squirming like a toad!
Today we left early to get to Fort Pierce at slack tide. Ohh boy now I have a favorable current all the way and even slowing the engine down 200 rpms and we still arrived about 45 minutes early. Still a current running but not bad then again it is nearly low tide. Ohhh man I can't win.
We worked our way through some confusing marks and the lowest water we saw was 6.7' -- I draw 5.5' so close. We made the marina which is much larger than I expected and the dock master guided us into a great slip. Only one slip away from all the amenities -- showers, office, laundry and the famous Tiki Hut. Wow the facilities are GREAT. Floating docks on massive pilings, thick concrete walkways, massive firmly attached cleats, and everything is super nice. All commercial washers and dryers. However in the check-in process every thing is printed on a dot matrix printer -- ever heard of one? 1970s technology. After lunch it was laundry time and the machines I used were just FINE. Unusual for a marina.
Temptation had one surprise for me. The fresh water pressure switch failed. It would not turn on the pump until all pressure ran out. Fortunately I had an extra and replaced it -- working fine now.
WOW this place is nice -- it is right downtown in Fort Pierce and all has been revitalized. We are going to have some fun exploring this place.
Friday, June 16, 2017
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Back in the USA!!
I'm Back...
Wow what a couple of days. We left Green Turtle Cay on Sunday and made the 60+ mile trip to Great Sale Cay and anchored for the night -- a 10 hour trip. Then Monday morning we waited until nearly 11am to head for Fort Pierce, FL - a 19 hour run with all of it over the Gulf Stream at night. I timed it so we would hit the inlet at daylight. I've never been in this inlet. With the delay and the run up to Vero it was actually a 23 hour run.
We had a great run across the banks and once we hit the Gulf stream I had to slow down -- yes slow down in a sail boat. We were going to get there at 4am or the dark. The sailing directions said this was a very rough inlet on an ebb tide and SE winds. Unfortunately that is what we found.
I had both hands on the steering since this is a narrow inlet and LOTS of current. I got scared at one point because without the engine we would end up on the jetty in a heart beat. I told Mark to get my very sharp serrated knife in case I had to drop an anchor quickly. Both anchors were tied down for the crossing. It was slow and we made it in. I then decided to go onto Vero Beach City Marina rather than go to the Fort Pierce City marina because we would have to stop in Vero for provisioning anyway.
The run across the Gulf Stream was as forecast with 2 -3 foot waves but they were directly astern and we could not sail without beating the Genoa to death. It was a very rolly ride. How rolly? While at the restaurant for lunch both Mark and I felt like we were rolling in our chairs -- uncomfortable. Nice to be bouncing on the boat on a mooring tonight.
Boy the Vero Beach marina is nearly empty with only about a dozen boats here. We had our pick of moorings. Away from most since I planned to run the genset tonight and the AC.
We both immediately took an hour nap since neither had any sleep last night. Then a quick shower and lunch at the riverside cafe then onto the Fort Pierce airport to check in with Customs via Uber. It was 30 minute ride for $24 each way but cheaper than the $2.25 a foot at the Fort Pierce marina and still an Uber ride to the airport.
Oh man it took all of 2 minutes to check in but we are legal entries now. Oh you will get a kick out of this. When you enter their office there is no one around just a chair in the middle of the room with a bell like in an old motel and a note that says "ring for service but only once"!
Wow what a couple of days. We left Green Turtle Cay on Sunday and made the 60+ mile trip to Great Sale Cay and anchored for the night -- a 10 hour trip. Then Monday morning we waited until nearly 11am to head for Fort Pierce, FL - a 19 hour run with all of it over the Gulf Stream at night. I timed it so we would hit the inlet at daylight. I've never been in this inlet. With the delay and the run up to Vero it was actually a 23 hour run.
We had a great run across the banks and once we hit the Gulf stream I had to slow down -- yes slow down in a sail boat. We were going to get there at 4am or the dark. The sailing directions said this was a very rough inlet on an ebb tide and SE winds. Unfortunately that is what we found.
I had both hands on the steering since this is a narrow inlet and LOTS of current. I got scared at one point because without the engine we would end up on the jetty in a heart beat. I told Mark to get my very sharp serrated knife in case I had to drop an anchor quickly. Both anchors were tied down for the crossing. It was slow and we made it in. I then decided to go onto Vero Beach City Marina rather than go to the Fort Pierce City marina because we would have to stop in Vero for provisioning anyway.
The run across the Gulf Stream was as forecast with 2 -3 foot waves but they were directly astern and we could not sail without beating the Genoa to death. It was a very rolly ride. How rolly? While at the restaurant for lunch both Mark and I felt like we were rolling in our chairs -- uncomfortable. Nice to be bouncing on the boat on a mooring tonight.
Boy the Vero Beach marina is nearly empty with only about a dozen boats here. We had our pick of moorings. Away from most since I planned to run the genset tonight and the AC.
We both immediately took an hour nap since neither had any sleep last night. Then a quick shower and lunch at the riverside cafe then onto the Fort Pierce airport to check in with Customs via Uber. It was 30 minute ride for $24 each way but cheaper than the $2.25 a foot at the Fort Pierce marina and still an Uber ride to the airport.
Oh man it took all of 2 minutes to check in but we are legal entries now. Oh you will get a kick out of this. When you enter their office there is no one around just a chair in the middle of the room with a bell like in an old motel and a note that says "ring for service but only once"!
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