OK, if a freak accident and emergency room visit was not enough, we are packing up to leave early tomorrow for our trip home, and a big thunderstorm moves through the area. This one was a doozie. We buttoned up the boat, when the THWACK-BOOM came at the same time and strange things happened.
First, we got a bit tingly, then the fans that I had recently installed, all came on at full speed. Weird we think? Then we tried to turn the fans off, and they would not, they remained stuck on high speed. Then it dawned on us that we had been hit by lightning, or at least were in an induction zone around the strike. Holy schmidt, Wanda!!
I then did a survey of our electrical systems: motor, fine, started and ran, tick, radio, fine, tick, instruments, fine, tick, GPS, dead as a door nail. Double doo doo. So, it looks like we will need to enlist an electronics guy when we return to fix the GPS so that our chart plotter will work. Oh boy, more unexpected expenses!! As far as the fans are concerned, oh well, maybe just turn them on and off using the side circuits for the port and starboard reading lights until I get around to replacing them.
More fun and games.
Rob
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Change of Plans
This will be the last blog for 10 days, since we have elected to fly back home to attend to various items including pressing ahead the design of our new house so final permits can be issued and a long overdue visit to 94-year old granny in Ohio, plus clearing out accumulated mail and bills (whee!!).
We will return to Melbourne on April 6th, and will cast off the next day to continue the push north.
Rob
We will return to Melbourne on April 6th, and will cast off the next day to continue the push north.
Rob
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Medical Day Off
After a pleasant anchor out at Palm Beach, we continued north on the ICW rather than heading outside. This due to high wind forecasts. The trip from Palm Beach to Fort Pierce was slow due to about 14 bridges with scheduled openings, and missing one by only a few minutes resulted in getting out of phase, and losing over an hour waiting for next openings. Frustrating. Nevertheless, the lavish homes that line the ICW made for good scenery.
We pulled into Fort Pierce late and tied up at the fuel dock of a marina for the night. The tidal range here was larger than advertised and resulted in having to get up and readjust lines during the night. We pulled out of Fort Pierce at 7:30am aiming for a big run north in overcast conditions and light rain. The ICW from here goes down a wide lagoon called Indian River, and the bridges are either 65 ft clearance or are low bridges that open on demand, so it was a breeze compared to the day before. Strong winds and rain were forecast, but by 10am, the skies cleared, the wind was 10-15 on the beam, so we hoisted sails and motor sailed along at 6-7 kts. Pretty soon a convoy of sailboats heading north became apparent, as we listened as they called in for bridge openings ahead and behind us. Seems quite a few people are joining us in heading home.
By about 2pm, we were in Melbourne and progressing nicely, when Phyllis prepared a snack of hummus and flat bread. She went back down the companionway, slipped and fell, banging her head and elbow on the stainless steel grab bar. This was a freak accident, since it was completely calm conditions. I kind of panicked since she looked very pale, had a nasty knock on the head and couldn't move her arm so I feared a break and concussion. We immediately radioed the nearest marina requesting a slip and docked, and got a taxi to the nearest hospital to check her out at the emergency room.
You know how hospitals are. You wait and wait and wait. Amazingly we were processed by a guy who fast tracked us when he heard we were boaters (note to self, always refer to one's self as boaters, not boat people). Bottom line, after CT scan and x-rays, no serious damage or breaks, but she will be sore, so they said for her to lay low for a day before continuing the journey. So, we had a day off today doing a walking tour of historic Melbourne, an excellent lunch at Matt's Casbah (we give it 4 stars), and a rather too long trek to Walmart for more provisions.
The zinger was the 3 hour visit to the emergency room resulted in a bill for $8,000. If you want to know what is out of control with our medical system, that is it, no cost controls. When I asked for an itemized accounting, and for the results of the CT and x-rays, they could not provide either but still wanted to be paid, and gave a number to call to request these items. Of course the insurance will pay and will reduce the bill, but it is ridiculous that through the whole process of 90% waiting, 5% testing, 4% billing and admission and paperwork, that the time of actual diagnosis was 1%, and that was seeing the doctor's assistant (we never actually saw the doctor). Needless to say, I will be going on the rampage over this. What fun.
Tomorrow we head north to Titusville, then New Smyrna Beach, where we may have to wait for the weather. The Bridge of Lions at St Augustine is closed for repair, which means we need to go outside from Ponce de Leon Inlet up to St Augustine, about 56 miles outside, and current forecasts when we get there are for strong northerlies, which is not good news. Still the forecasts have been predictably inaccurate lately, so we journey north in hope. Once to St Augustine, we are just about out of Florida!!!
Rob
We pulled into Fort Pierce late and tied up at the fuel dock of a marina for the night. The tidal range here was larger than advertised and resulted in having to get up and readjust lines during the night. We pulled out of Fort Pierce at 7:30am aiming for a big run north in overcast conditions and light rain. The ICW from here goes down a wide lagoon called Indian River, and the bridges are either 65 ft clearance or are low bridges that open on demand, so it was a breeze compared to the day before. Strong winds and rain were forecast, but by 10am, the skies cleared, the wind was 10-15 on the beam, so we hoisted sails and motor sailed along at 6-7 kts. Pretty soon a convoy of sailboats heading north became apparent, as we listened as they called in for bridge openings ahead and behind us. Seems quite a few people are joining us in heading home.
By about 2pm, we were in Melbourne and progressing nicely, when Phyllis prepared a snack of hummus and flat bread. She went back down the companionway, slipped and fell, banging her head and elbow on the stainless steel grab bar. This was a freak accident, since it was completely calm conditions. I kind of panicked since she looked very pale, had a nasty knock on the head and couldn't move her arm so I feared a break and concussion. We immediately radioed the nearest marina requesting a slip and docked, and got a taxi to the nearest hospital to check her out at the emergency room.
You know how hospitals are. You wait and wait and wait. Amazingly we were processed by a guy who fast tracked us when he heard we were boaters (note to self, always refer to one's self as boaters, not boat people). Bottom line, after CT scan and x-rays, no serious damage or breaks, but she will be sore, so they said for her to lay low for a day before continuing the journey. So, we had a day off today doing a walking tour of historic Melbourne, an excellent lunch at Matt's Casbah (we give it 4 stars), and a rather too long trek to Walmart for more provisions.
The zinger was the 3 hour visit to the emergency room resulted in a bill for $8,000. If you want to know what is out of control with our medical system, that is it, no cost controls. When I asked for an itemized accounting, and for the results of the CT and x-rays, they could not provide either but still wanted to be paid, and gave a number to call to request these items. Of course the insurance will pay and will reduce the bill, but it is ridiculous that through the whole process of 90% waiting, 5% testing, 4% billing and admission and paperwork, that the time of actual diagnosis was 1%, and that was seeing the doctor's assistant (we never actually saw the doctor). Needless to say, I will be going on the rampage over this. What fun.
Tomorrow we head north to Titusville, then New Smyrna Beach, where we may have to wait for the weather. The Bridge of Lions at St Augustine is closed for repair, which means we need to go outside from Ponce de Leon Inlet up to St Augustine, about 56 miles outside, and current forecasts when we get there are for strong northerlies, which is not good news. Still the forecasts have been predictably inaccurate lately, so we journey north in hope. Once to St Augustine, we are just about out of Florida!!!
Rob
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Great Escape Escapes North
Hey, sailing is no problem, but the prep and planning makes the vision into the reality. We found that out today. You see, on the way down when we trailed Pete, he had been there, done that, and did all the planning. Now that we are on our own heading back, the reality of knowing where to go, and particularly where to go when it deviates from the inverse of our trip down, suddenly amplifys the great value of having a Pete in you life when you do this sort of thing. Hey Pete- we miss our mentor!! Dude!!!!
To elaborate- we cast off from Coconut Grove at 7:30 this morning and planned a run to Lake Worth, some 60 odd miles, no biggie. When we realized it took 1.5 hours to make it through the Miami harbor and out to the turning point north at the end of Government Cut, it dawned that full cycle planning had not occurred. Add that 1.5 hours to the 10 planned, and there was no way to make it before dark. Of cource realization and gung ho optimism are not necessarily the brothers of rational thought, so....go for it.
We unfurled sails and blasted north off Miami beach and were making a good 6+ kts but a southerly current bopped a knot off of us. By the time we made it to Fort Lauderdale, and even though we got a boost on the tide change, it was obvious that Lake Worth as a target was dodgy as a prospect before dark. Memo to self: Robo does not see in the dark worth schmidt. Get in before that. So, we ducked in at Hillsboro inlet and did about 10 bridges to get us into north Palm Beach and a nice anchorage adjacent to the ICW. Great dinner on board of Tilapia and caesar salad sloshed down with a cold bottle of Prosecco. The life of a mariner is rough. Arrrgh.
Side note- The Florida bridge keepers can be power freaks. Some open their bridges on the hour and half hour, some every fifteen minutes, others on demand, and every permutation of that sequence. If you miss a scheduled opening, you simply have to wait the 15, 30 or even 60 minutes until the next opening. This is why you go like warp speed between bridges to try to not miss a scheduled opening.
The trick you develop is to try to con the bridge keeper into to holding the spans open that extra few minutes that will allow our over-heating diesel to propel us through the bridge. We figured out the best way to do this is to enlist a female voice over the radio. Ok, you say, no fair with the sex thing. Well, if it saves you half an hour of having to hold station in a 3 knot current that is trying to force you into a rock abutment, then, well, so be it.
Of course Phyllis was up to this task, mastering the VHF radio protocol and managing to place amazing charm into the sugar-sweet southern accent thing. The charm of this was getting spans held open way beyond where a male voice would be able to do. Now you know how we can knock off 14 bridges in less than half a day.
Yoo hoo!!
Tomorow, try to make Fort Pierce, inside or out side or whatever. The weather forecast will dictate.
Cheers, Rob
To elaborate- we cast off from Coconut Grove at 7:30 this morning and planned a run to Lake Worth, some 60 odd miles, no biggie. When we realized it took 1.5 hours to make it through the Miami harbor and out to the turning point north at the end of Government Cut, it dawned that full cycle planning had not occurred. Add that 1.5 hours to the 10 planned, and there was no way to make it before dark. Of cource realization and gung ho optimism are not necessarily the brothers of rational thought, so....go for it.
We unfurled sails and blasted north off Miami beach and were making a good 6+ kts but a southerly current bopped a knot off of us. By the time we made it to Fort Lauderdale, and even though we got a boost on the tide change, it was obvious that Lake Worth as a target was dodgy as a prospect before dark. Memo to self: Robo does not see in the dark worth schmidt. Get in before that. So, we ducked in at Hillsboro inlet and did about 10 bridges to get us into north Palm Beach and a nice anchorage adjacent to the ICW. Great dinner on board of Tilapia and caesar salad sloshed down with a cold bottle of Prosecco. The life of a mariner is rough. Arrrgh.
Side note- The Florida bridge keepers can be power freaks. Some open their bridges on the hour and half hour, some every fifteen minutes, others on demand, and every permutation of that sequence. If you miss a scheduled opening, you simply have to wait the 15, 30 or even 60 minutes until the next opening. This is why you go like warp speed between bridges to try to not miss a scheduled opening.
The trick you develop is to try to con the bridge keeper into to holding the spans open that extra few minutes that will allow our over-heating diesel to propel us through the bridge. We figured out the best way to do this is to enlist a female voice over the radio. Ok, you say, no fair with the sex thing. Well, if it saves you half an hour of having to hold station in a 3 knot current that is trying to force you into a rock abutment, then, well, so be it.
Of course Phyllis was up to this task, mastering the VHF radio protocol and managing to place amazing charm into the sugar-sweet southern accent thing. The charm of this was getting spans held open way beyond where a male voice would be able to do. Now you know how we can knock off 14 bridges in less than half a day.
Yoo hoo!!
Tomorow, try to make Fort Pierce, inside or out side or whatever. The weather forecast will dictate.
Cheers, Rob
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Basking in the Sun in Miami
We are in Miami for two days to visit our daughter Jennifer. One item forgotten in our last blog was our first celebrity sighting. As we reached Key Largo, a powerboat named Three Rings came whizzing by, with that unmistakable silver hairdo of Jimmy Johnson at the helm, and a bunch of dudes slurping down Heineken on board. I saw him coming, waved, and he actually waved back. I have a way with celebrities. Saw Jimmy once before at the Dallas airport, and he nodded at me. Recognition!! Eat your hearts out Redskins fans!!! The three rings are two Super Bowls coaching the Dallas Cowboys, and one national championship with the Miami Hurricanes.
Prior to arriving yesterday, we spent the night at Sunset Cove on Key Largo. The forecast called for southerly winds clocking around to the west during the evening with the possibility of late thunderstorms. We picked a nice cosy spot that was sheltered from both the south and west, dropped anchor and tucked in for the night.
At about 11pm, the wind picked up to 20 plus and was whistling through the rigging, the rain poured down and the sky lit up with a lightning show that was at first breathtaking and then became down right frightening. With the simultaneous crack-booms all around us, the wind shifted to the northeast, and our anchor tried to reset, and tried, and tried. There were several other boats at anchor, and everyone was starting to move and drag. By midnight the wind moderated, the rain stopped and the storm had passed, but we were still just holding at anchor. So not much sleep. Then at 3am, more wind and we start to drag again. The weed there makes for poor holding, and you have to wait for a sandy spot for the anchor to grab. So, we sat anchor watch until practically dawn. Not much sleep that night.
The morning was cloudy and rain predicted but a nice northeaster at 15 kts. We left for Miami at about 8am, and after clearing the keys into Barnes Sound, we hoisted sails, turned off the engine and romped along nicely at around 6 kts in on a tight reach up Card Sound and into Biscayne Bay. Nice to have the boat moving so well. The wind dropped to 10kt and then started fading as we got to Miami. We booked into Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove which is very nice, has a massive docking facility and you can walk along the shoreline which is dotted with restaurants and bars and lots of boats to look at.
We cast off tomorrow morning with the plan of heading outside to avoid all the bridges on the ICW, and are targeting coming back inside tomorrow night at Lake Worth. Hopefully the wind will cooperate and be a bit stronger than forecast so we can sail that leg. Otherwise we will need to motor to make it before dark.
Got a message from Pete today- they made it home to Kitty Hawk with lots of adventures to tell. I hope he can get them all on the blog as soon as he rests up and recovers!!
Rob
Prior to arriving yesterday, we spent the night at Sunset Cove on Key Largo. The forecast called for southerly winds clocking around to the west during the evening with the possibility of late thunderstorms. We picked a nice cosy spot that was sheltered from both the south and west, dropped anchor and tucked in for the night.
At about 11pm, the wind picked up to 20 plus and was whistling through the rigging, the rain poured down and the sky lit up with a lightning show that was at first breathtaking and then became down right frightening. With the simultaneous crack-booms all around us, the wind shifted to the northeast, and our anchor tried to reset, and tried, and tried. There were several other boats at anchor, and everyone was starting to move and drag. By midnight the wind moderated, the rain stopped and the storm had passed, but we were still just holding at anchor. So not much sleep. Then at 3am, more wind and we start to drag again. The weed there makes for poor holding, and you have to wait for a sandy spot for the anchor to grab. So, we sat anchor watch until practically dawn. Not much sleep that night.
The morning was cloudy and rain predicted but a nice northeaster at 15 kts. We left for Miami at about 8am, and after clearing the keys into Barnes Sound, we hoisted sails, turned off the engine and romped along nicely at around 6 kts in on a tight reach up Card Sound and into Biscayne Bay. Nice to have the boat moving so well. The wind dropped to 10kt and then started fading as we got to Miami. We booked into Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove which is very nice, has a massive docking facility and you can walk along the shoreline which is dotted with restaurants and bars and lots of boats to look at.
We cast off tomorrow morning with the plan of heading outside to avoid all the bridges on the ICW, and are targeting coming back inside tomorrow night at Lake Worth. Hopefully the wind will cooperate and be a bit stronger than forecast so we can sail that leg. Otherwise we will need to motor to make it before dark.
Got a message from Pete today- they made it home to Kitty Hawk with lots of adventures to tell. I hope he can get them all on the blog as soon as he rests up and recovers!!
Rob
Sunday, March 21, 2010
We Are Underway!!!!
Dateline Marathon Marina, 7:30am, the sun is just over the horizon and we have cast off for the trek back home. Great Escape, with her fine growth of Florida Keys flora and fauna clinging to her bottom and rudders, clears the channel entrance into 3 ft seas and a 20-25 kt southeaster.
Due to the forecast, we elected to take the inside route in Florida Bay rather than the Hawk Channel outside route. The forecast was for 15-25 kt SE gradually moderating and clocking back to the S then SW by evening. By backtracking a bit and going inside, we would have the shelter of the Keys and avoid the short chop and uncomfortable ride outside. This would allow us to make better time. The plan worked out well. Once under the bridge, we turned east and found our selves tacking into some heavy air, but the seas were calm compared to the trip outside. We unfurled the jib, and the boat started at 5 kts, and built to 6.5 kts over the next 2 hours, largely as a result of the sea action washing all the critters off the bottom. As the day went on, we continued through some fairly shallow waters, +/- 5ft, and touched a few times, but eventually anchored in Sunset Cove for the night off Key Largo. Great sheltered spot, since the forecast was now for thunderstorms after midnight developing to rain in the morning.
We will hoist anchor at first light and have a rainy and dreary run up to Miami, where we plan to spend 2 days in Coconut Grove marina, and see daughter Jennifer.
Last word from Pete and John is that they were making great time north and yesterday were in Morehead City/Beaufort, NC, after several overnights at sea, but without much wind. Pete said they had the night shift thing worked out and the routine down. No more bridges for them!! Our plans will not be as ambitious.
The departure from Marathon was as expected, bittersweet. We went to dinner with new cruising friends, and vowed to meet again soon. Still, each ending ushers in a new beginning, which is why the photos are of a sunrise at Marathon, and a sunset at Key Largo, the first stop on a 1,300+ mile trip home.
Rob
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Lady I in Georgia/Great Escape on Liftoff Countdown
Just talked to Pete, they were passing Jekyll Island heading for an anchorage in Teakettle Creek. Winds have not been cooperative outside so they are in the ICW, and making good time north.
Life at Marathon Marina continues on. Big party tomorrow night to christen the new exercise room. Great idea to have a party, I mean free beer and hot dogs work for me, but an exercise room? Most of the people around here gave up exercising 20 years ago, and look like they subscribe to the giant sloth physical fitness program. My kind of folks. Hey Fred, you look as fat as a manatee, ha, ha. So what, I have a sizeable investment in this beer gut. Ah, banter!!
Good news on the home front, daughter Kathlene got her visa and is off to her new job in England this weekend, which means I get my wife/little buddy crew member back. We should be off by Sunday I'm hoping. The weather is steadily improving so I'm hoping to have the sails up whenever possible, and will will try to day trip it outside to avoid all the Florida bridges. Let's home the weather continues to improve.
Rob
Life at Marathon Marina continues on. Big party tomorrow night to christen the new exercise room. Great idea to have a party, I mean free beer and hot dogs work for me, but an exercise room? Most of the people around here gave up exercising 20 years ago, and look like they subscribe to the giant sloth physical fitness program. My kind of folks. Hey Fred, you look as fat as a manatee, ha, ha. So what, I have a sizeable investment in this beer gut. Ah, banter!!
Good news on the home front, daughter Kathlene got her visa and is off to her new job in England this weekend, which means I get my wife/little buddy crew member back. We should be off by Sunday I'm hoping. The weather is steadily improving so I'm hoping to have the sails up whenever possible, and will will try to day trip it outside to avoid all the Florida bridges. Let's home the weather continues to improve.
Rob
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Trek Home Begins!!!!
Ok folks, in response to your emails, no we have not been abducted by aliens, yes, we have both taken trips home to take care of business and/or respond to current events, and yes, the journey north is now the next priority.
I arrived this afternoon, about a day behind Pete and his new crewmember, John. The weather in Marathon has been cool, windy and yuckie while we were gone, and turned nice yesterday. As a result, Pete and John elected leave this afternoon and see how far they could go on the outside, with Charleston being the initial target, about a 5 day ride. They left about 3 pm with 2-3 ft seas, the wind 15-25 out of the SE and a hard beat out to the Gulf Stream ahead of them. Once there, the wind should moderate and swing south, which should sling-shot them around Key Largo, and continue to push them north on a broad reach and then beam reach as the wind clocks to the west ahead of the next weather system.
Since my child bride is still attending to matters on the home front, I will be the lone Florida Keys intrepid reporter until she returns and we select our weather window to depart. Watch this space for more riviting news of life in Marathon marina. Actually, the manatee was back today along with it's baby- or probably teenager- these suckers look like they have spent up big at MacDonald's and obviously do not spend much time working out. I look at them floating at the surface, hardly moving, and only raising their heads up to take a breath of air about once a minute, and I think, gee, what a life, I could do that!! The wonders of nature are such an inspiration.
Rob
I arrived this afternoon, about a day behind Pete and his new crewmember, John. The weather in Marathon has been cool, windy and yuckie while we were gone, and turned nice yesterday. As a result, Pete and John elected leave this afternoon and see how far they could go on the outside, with Charleston being the initial target, about a 5 day ride. They left about 3 pm with 2-3 ft seas, the wind 15-25 out of the SE and a hard beat out to the Gulf Stream ahead of them. Once there, the wind should moderate and swing south, which should sling-shot them around Key Largo, and continue to push them north on a broad reach and then beam reach as the wind clocks to the west ahead of the next weather system.
Since my child bride is still attending to matters on the home front, I will be the lone Florida Keys intrepid reporter until she returns and we select our weather window to depart. Watch this space for more riviting news of life in Marathon marina. Actually, the manatee was back today along with it's baby- or probably teenager- these suckers look like they have spent up big at MacDonald's and obviously do not spend much time working out. I look at them floating at the surface, hardly moving, and only raising their heads up to take a breath of air about once a minute, and I think, gee, what a life, I could do that!! The wonders of nature are such an inspiration.
Rob
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)