The Back Story

Monday, January 12th: Old Bahama Bay Resort and Yacht Harbor, Bahamas

Are we having fun yet? Yes!

When we picked our way in past the breakwater at noon on Sunday, we didn't expect this - we've ended up docked at a resort! - Old Bahama Bay Resort and Yacht Harbor - sounds so much fancier than "marina", doesn't it? And it is. There's a beautiful pool, an exercise room, 2 restaurants, and a white sand beach complete with chairs, umbrellas, and beach bar. All this for $1 a foot and for us that translates to $35 a day (plus $10 a day for water - water is not free in the Bahamas).

There are few people staying here, so perhaps the resort is glad to have we boaters stay, hoping that we'll eat in their restaurants, buy souvenirs at their store, and order drinks at the beach bar.

Looking back, the memory of anxieties during all the days leading up to crossing the Gulf Stream is fast fading. What a week that was. Since it's behind us now, I'll tell you a little about the troubles we had. First, Bob had a relapse of the very bad chest cold he'd had a Christmas. As we motored down the ICW from Lake Worth to Fort Lauderdale, he felt increasingly lousy to the point that I became captain for a day. Once I had persuaded Bob to lie down, he was loath to get up and I took over calling for bridge openings, keeping the boat in place while waiting 'til opening time and then bringing the boat under the raised arms of each bridge. Since we were eager to get docked sooner rather than later, on some stretches, I revved up the engine to the max so as to make it to the bridge ahead in time for the next opening. We arrived at the Las Olas marina at 5 p.m., docked next to the Mursells and went for a casual dinner with them. Bob dove into bed as soon as we returned.

Thank God for the Mursells. Tuesday morning, Mary drove us to a clinic where Bob saw a doctor and was prescribed a second round of antibiotics (he had taken some over Christmas), then it was back to the boat and into bed where Bob slept for the rest of the day. The following morning, there was a flurry of activity when we heard of a possible upcoming weather window - but it was too much too soon and Bob was back to bed for the rest of the day. That evening the Woolseys arrived with their on board guests, John's brother Peter and his wife Donna. We all went out to dinner. About half way through dinner, I began to feel unwell. By then end of the evening, I had asked Mary if she would take me to the clinic the next day for 8 a.m. (Dennis and Marilyn were coming to the boat at 11:00). Luckily, I got in to see a doctor quickly and was prescribed an antibiotic to treat an infection. After a full nights sleep, I didn't feel all that bad and we were back to the boat in good time to greet the Hurls.

By the time we headed out to Lake Sylvia on the day of the "crossing", Bob and I were both on the mend but we had a bad case of pre-crossing anxiety and the afternoon preceding our departure did not go well. After we had anchored and had lunch, we launched our dinghy, but Bob was unable to get the dinghy engine started (likely the engine got flooded ---- somehow) so we could not go shopping onshore nor could we join the Mursells for a visit to the oyster bar. We were very disappointed as there were groceries I was hoping to buy and the activity would have been good for us. Then, in preparation for the "voyage", I was mixing hot chocolate in the thermos, and with an explosive sound the canister inside the thermos broke sending hot chocolate drizzling to the floor. Yipes.

And finally, when we turned on the GPS to enter way points, we found that, mysteriously, the GPS had reset itself to default settings. While I began to check out the set up menu, the unit turned off completely. Bob was not happy - after all it was crossing night. What was going on with the GPS?? Bob tightened up all connections, and long story short, as he would say, the GPS settled down, I reselected our preferred settings and all was well.

When we up anchored at 11:15 p.m., I think it would be fair to say that the crew of all 3 boats were full of nervous expectation. Going out the narrow Lake Sylvia channel in the dark, we cut a corner too close, and each boat touched bottom, ours perhaps more frighteningly than the others. The thought went through our head, will we end grounded on the big night? - but we all bumped over the high spots and carried on into the waters by the 17th Street Bridge. Mary called the bridge: "17th Street Bridge, this is the outward bound sailing vessel, Southern Vectis requesting a 12:00 opening, do you copy?" Mary called and called. No response. Again, we wondered, is this it for us? no night opening to let our tall masts through?? Finally, minutes after 12, the bridge operator responded - "This is the 17th Street Causeway Bridge" so apparently he hadn't twigged to the fact that we were calling his bridge - some people can so particular or was he just ---- inattentive? And then, finally, out we went through the inlet to the ocean where the churning seas gave us pause. The 3 helmsmen had a conference VHF call and agreed to go a half hour further out to see if the waters were more manageable. The rest is as we have already said. It got easier, and easier as we settled in for our night on the ocean and looked forward to a new day and our arrival in the Bahamas.

The moral of the story is this - Don't get your shirt in a knot about crossing the Gulf Stream. The preparation and build up are many times more difficult than the voyage.

Here's to new adventures in the Bahamas!