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With Jim arriving on the 17th to join Windermere and a weather window opening up on the 18th, we left VB to rendezvous with everyone, anchoring off the public docks of West Palm several miles south of the inlet. Although a very convenient spot with easy access by foot or free trolley to a nearby Publix, West Palm was jumping with activities and bands that played well into the early morning hours. All good but we moved the following night up to the inlet for an early start.
Early start as defined by Peter — “getting up at 4, motoring over to the municipal marina fuel dock to get Nina ashore and out the inlet before 5.” The first few hours were dark with choppy sloppy confused seas. More than expected but daylight eased the pain and it got better about half way across. We reached the bank by 10:30 and Great Sale Cay by early afternoon. Not a bad day’s run.
Spanish Cay, a private resort island, was the choice for clearing customs. The resort provides “office space” in their bar and subsidizes having an officer come to the island accommodating guests. I knew it would be more laid back but didn’t expect sipping a drink while filling out the many forms! What we didn’t know was that the resort charged a $50 entry fee to access customs unless their slips are used. All still cheaper than going through West End. The only caveat was that Customs & Immigration are two separate departments. Only a customs officer was at Spanish (& Green Turtle) Cay to issue the cruising/fishing permit but limited to a 90 day stay. We will have to ask for an extension down the line.
Giving Jim a chance to see different islands, we skipped from cay to cay. Spanish to Manjack Cay for a quick row to the beach, swim and watched a family feeding rays and a couple lemon sharks. I gave it a try but didn’t like 3 rays swimming between and around my legs rubbing up against me like cats. Then on we went to Green Turtle Cay for 4 nights renting a golf cart and exploring the island end to end. The Bahamians celebrate Thanksgiving the same as we do so there were many restaurants to choose from. We had a great turkey dinner at Harvey’s Grille in Black Sound with a Bahamian flavor of conch in the stuffing.
One more special stop for Jim at No Name Cay where he found his calling with the swimming pigs. On Sunday the 25th we made our way around “the Whale”, a nasty stretch of water around Whale Cay that is exposed to ocean swell and narrow passages through reefs to Man-O-War Cay where we will call home for the next several months.
Vero Beach is another one of those stops where you can get anything done and stay in a holding pattern until the winds are favorable to cross over to the Bahamas. The VB City Marina has all the amenities including incoming mail and affordable moorings making it possible. The deal is that you must be willing to raft with others. Peter moved the Windemere down from Suntex Marina just a couple miles north and picked out the first mooring (#1) as you enter the lagoon that was perfect for good air, boat watching and very close to the dog park and a restaurant.
Getting to a vet for the Bahamas pet paperwork was the last remaining thing we had to get done. Our first morning, Nina & I headed to the park to ask around about vets and met Margie & Molly. An appointment was made and Molly was good enough to drive us there - one example of the wonderful, helpful people we meet along the way.
VB has a network of 15 bus routes for their county public transit service that is free. We also discovered that a 1 mile dinghy run down and across the ICW to AW Young Park got us a quarter mile from several shopping centers with a Publix, West Marine and many other stores. The time has come to look out a week at the weather and all we see are northerly winds. A hole may open up around the 19th. If so, we’ll make a move down to West Palm. The challenge aside from weather is Nina’s health certificate from the vet is suppose to be dated within 48 hours of entering the country, an impossible requirement coming in by boat. Today will continue to be a weather watch so could be a quick move any time now.
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River’s Edge Marina in St. Augustine is well protected, within walking/biking distance to the city as well as anything else you might need - restaurants, pet & grocery stores, pharmacy, wine, hair salon and much more. And if our legs gave out on the way home, we could have called on our live aboard neighbor Andrew who is a pedicab driver. Or of course, Lynne, who gave us extra mobility for city tours, shopping sprees and dinner at their beautiful new home.
We have been to St. Augustine’s before but never to the Lightner Museum, the former Alcazar Hotel built in 1888 by Henry Flagler. It was built in the Spanish Renaissance Style and on the bottom level has a swimming pool (the world’s largest at that time) with 3 storied balconies above and Tiffany stain glass windows. The pool is now used by a cafe at the deep end and special events including weddings and symphonies. It was elegant and I coming from yoga was not dressed the part nor did I have a camera so will look for a few online.
After wonderful wining and dining with Lynne & Steve, yoga and getting everything on our list done, it was time to move on. We didn’t stay the full week because it was incredibly hot up the river. From St. A’s, we made jumps to New Smyrna Beach and Eau Gallie. Next will be Vero Beach to reconnect with Windemere.
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735 miles after passing through Norfolk, Va on 10/19 we have arrived in FL. Four years ago we were in Morehead City, NC at this time. The journey has been a fast track blur so it’s time to slow it down. We are far ahead of many others making the same trip and as a result have met few. Tomorrow will bring us to St. Augustine where we will stay put for a week taking care of small repairs, oil change, haircuts, Rx refills, flu shots, provisioning and stuff before leaving the country later in the month. Friends, Lynne & Steve have relocated here and graciously have caught several packages and mail. It will be great to catch up and see their new home.
Attached are some “catch as catch can” photos along the way. Highlights were meeting up w/Rod & Susie in N. Myrtle Beach and the Bradfords & Currys in Beaufort, SC. Beautiful anchorages include Walburg Creek at St. Catherine Island, SC, Frederica Creek, SC (shore access difficult w/a missing/damaged dinghy dock), Cumberland Island, GA (this time at the south end - not as tight and protected as Plum Orchard) and Kingsley Plantation on the St. George River, FL.
Storm damage continued to be visible through SC and the northern part of GA. Dozens of boats were blown ashore, docks racked and affects of the incredibly high tidelines along the bottom of the trees, hedges and on homes especially in the Waccamaw River area.
