Weeks 14 & 15 - Lauderdale to Nassau
Week 13 - North Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale
Week 12 - Daytona to North Palm Beach
Week 11 - Savannah GA to St. Augustine Fl
Week 10 - South Carolina - dolphins
Week 9 - Goose Creek-Beaufort N.C.- N. Murtle Beach S.C.- Thoroughfare Creek

Subject:  Weeks 14 & 15 - Lauderdale to Nassau
Date:  Tue, 2 Jan 2001 08:16:03 -0800

We were happy to see Dana when she arrived 25 hours late.  She had slept at Metro Airport the previous night.

As planned we went to Miami & anchored off South Beach in Biscayne Bay.  For 5 days we explored South Beach & its beautiful Art-Deco buildings & beaches.  The window came on Monday Dec. 18 at 4pm & it was to be a brief 24 hours.

We departed at 7:30 pm.  The first 7 hrs. was a motor with light winds on the nose.  The  Gulf Stream which flows north made the boat corkscrew through the water.  At one time our compass & GPS headings differed by 40 degrees.  As we rounded North Rock, north of Bimini we were thankful our friends on Hand Basket had radar.  They saw the unmarked rock & the approaching squall on their radar screen.

After passing the rock, a light squall came & then we altered course across the Great Bahama Bank.  The water depth changed from 600ft. to 18ft.  We sailed  nicely from 6am to 1pm with a south wind.  Then the wind shifted to SW & increased in velocity.

Approaching Chub Cay we were hailed by another boat who  mistakenly thought they saw us just at the E harbour entrance.  We went into the anchorage but it was very unprotected.  This detour cost us valuable time as the sunlight was diminishing & the weather was deteriorating.  We entered the sheltered  W anchorage in the dark following Hand Basket with her radar & using GPS co-ordinates.

Once in the shelter of the island we both ran  aground.  It was low tide & we knew we would be floating at high tide.  After setting 2 anchors we had dinner & went to bed.  As expected at 1am we were floating & Jim readjusted 1 anchor.  Two squalls with 30 & 40 knot winds blew through that night.

In the morning we saw Hand Basket laying on her side in 3ft of water.  Her anchors dragged 300 metres during the squalls.

The high tide activity was getting her off.  Everyone in the anchorage helped.  What a thrill it was to see her floating & undamaged.  We broke out the champagne.

At Chub Dana went conch hunting, saw rays, starfish & even a nurse shark.

We got a lesson in conch cracking & cleaning.  Jim & Jan on Hand Basket  prepared them for dinner after our smooth sail to Nassau the next day.

In Nassau we got Dana a flight home as she had to work the 24th.  On her last night we went to the magnificent aquarium at the Atlantis Hotel on Paradise Island.

We were sad to see her leave.  She was so much help.  It blew very hard & rained  when she left & continued to blow when Jamie came on Christmas Day.

Our position is  N 25^o03.700'        W 077^o14.700'
Jim & Lee Ann

Subject:  Week 13- North Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale
Date:  Tue, 12 Dec 2000 10:11:04 -0800

It was a 2-day trip.  On the first day it took  8 1/2 hrs. to cover 45 miles because we passed through 16 bridges.  Some opened on demand, some on the half hour, some every 20 minutes, some every 15 minutes, one bridge opened 3 times daily (no mention of this in the guidebook). We were fortunate to arrive at it 15 minutes before its midday opening.

Travelling  the ICW  through  this section was like going through backyards.  At anchor we watched teenagers ferry each other from house to house by boat- no need for a car.  The water was very choppy there because the canal banks were cement & there was a lot of boat traffic including a floating casino.

Lauderdale is the powerboat capital of the east coast & the second busiest cruise ship port.  The city is filled with canals & boats of all sizes.  At night, 100 ft. party boats go by us decorated with Christmas lights (what a nice place to have a staff Christmas party).

All our provisioning is done.  Beer is $38 for 12 in the Bahamas so we have put a few cases on board at $14 for 24.  The butcher froze the meat for us & some new found friends taxied us around.  Winter clothes are packed away & we can sleep covered with the duvet cover minus the duvet.  It is wonderfully  WARM- 70-80^oF.

Skylark is docked at Las Olas Marina 3 blocks from the fabulous beach.  Downtown has a lovely Riverwalk mall where there is nightly entertainment in a courtyard next to the river lined with large yachts.  We heard a talented flamenco guitarist there one night.

Monday we rented a car to pick up daughter Dana from the airport.   She was been delayed 24 hours because of mechanical problems & then a snowstorm.  Tuesday we will get the car for another day & hope she arrives on time.

Wednesday we will go to Miami.  It looks like there may be a weather window later this week, so we may be able to cross to the Bahamas.

Our position is N 26^o07.168'    W 080^o06.517'
Distance travelled 2231 nautical miles.
Jim & Lee Ann aboard Skylark

Theodore II in Fort Lauderdale.             The beautiful beach in Lauderdale.  We are in shorts at last!
 
 

Subject:  Week 12-Daytona to North Palm Beach
Date:  Thu, 7 Dec 2000 08:56:04 -0800

The highlight of this week was Jim's Birthday on Nov. 30.  Those Americans really do aim to please.  They had  fireworks in the form of a shuttle launch to help us celebrate: and they even sent up a Canadian - Marc Garneau (for his 3rd time).  We were anchored off Titusville 10 miles from the site.  There was a low lying island between  us & the site but we saw it seconds after blast off.  It made a huge fireball that lit the sky  for about 10 seconds..  Then the noise came.  It shook the ground, the water & even us.  After a couple minutes we saw the boosters fall away from the shuttle.  Within 10 minutes it looked like a shooting star.  One of the radio stations broadcasted mission control.  It was a thrilling experience.

The weather has warmed up nicely for us but the locals find it a little too  cool.

The intracoastal in Florida has been varied. Some of it goes through wide rivers & lakes, some winds through mangrove islands & as we approached North Palm Beach, some of it was a canal lined with lovely homes & boats.

In the Indian River area south of Melbourne a fruit company had a dock where boaters could stop to buy their well known delicious fruit.  The further south we travel the larger the  homes  get & the denser the population becomes.

Presently we are anchored with 80 other boats in Lake Worth (North Palm Beach).  This is a jumping off point for the Bahamas.  Some people have been waiting 3 weeks so leave but the weather has not co-operated. We have had one cold front after another & it is extremely  unwise to  cross the Gulf Stream  to go to Bahamas when there is a north wind.  The waves double in size in the Gulf Stream  during a northerly.

We plan to cross from Miami & head toward the Nassau area when we get the right conditions.

In the meantime our task is to get provisions for 3 months.
Our position is N 26^o50.463',   W 80^o03.263'
Jim & Lee Ann

Subject:  Week 11- Savannah GA to St. Augustine Fl
Date:  Thu, 30 Nov 2000 09:40:52 -0800

We spent a very cold day touring 250 year-old Savannah.  It was settled by the English as the 13th colony to protect the northern colonies from the Spanish in Florida.  The city had a very elegant atmosphere with  24 squares in the historic district.  In the centre of each square there is a park where people could gather.  Most of the large  colonial houses had kitchens in the basement which were at street level & beautiful walled (hidden) gardens in the back.  Savannah is located on a bluff overlooking the Savannah River.  Warehouses including the Cotton Exchange used to line the river.  Now these have been converted into shops & restaurants.  It amazed us to see a huge container ship on this river which was 1/3 the width of the Detroit River.  The ship looked like an apartment building going through the water with large containers sacked as high as the bridge of the ship.

Heading south from Savannah we travelled through  marshland lined with deep creeks & playing dolphins.  We motored past the Golden Isles of St. Simons and Jekyll then stopped at Cumberland (JFK Jr. was wed there).  Cumberland used to be the site of Carnegie's summer home but now it is a National Seashore Park.  The ruins of the estate are still visible & wild horses, pigs & alligators roam freely.

Our next stop was St. Augustine.  It is the oldest city in the USA & was settled by the Spanish. The evidence is all over the historic town.  Remember Ponce de Leon - he was looking for the fountain of youth there.  As it was Thanksgiving weekend the Christmas lights were on.  The city sparkled  at night with all the white lights.

Our first manatees were spotted in St. Augustine harbour.

A bridge operator let us know that there are 600 boats are heading south (most of the bridges are swing bridges & have to be opened for sailboat).

Our position is N 29^o13.653',   W 89^o01.210'
Distance travelled 1996 nautical miles.
Jim & Lee Ann

Subject:  Week 10 - South Carolina - dolphins
Date:  Sat, 25 Nov 2000 12:01:13 -0800

We visited 3 jewels of South Carolina, Georgetown, Charlestown, & Beaufort.

Georgetown-a pre civil war colonial town had abundant indigo (a plant used to make blue dye) & rice plantations & a deep harbour for export.  At that time most of the rice grown in the U.S. came from there.  Because these crops were labour intensive, they disappeared after the Civil War & were replaced by steel  paper.

Charlestown is quite a spectacular small city.  All the major sights in the historical section are within walking distance.  As most of the slaves brought into the U.S. came here first there was a slave market.  In the open air market sweet grass baskets are made & sold by descendants of the slaves.  The homes have a french & spanish influence with ornate wrought iron work on gates & verandas  (piazzas).  Houses are very narrow with the side facing the street & the piazza & garden along  the depth of the lot.  The flower boxes & gardens are magnificent.

Beaufort - this picturesque  port has been the sight of movies such as Forrest Gump.  The day we were there it rained so hard we couldn't enjoy it.

The morning we arrived in Charleston harbour we sighted our first dolphins. Each day we travel along the Intracoastal we see about 10 and are thrilled every time.

Tonight we are at the Palmer Johnson Marina with yachts of the rich & famous - 100 ft. plus. Tomorrow we tour Savannah.  The weather has turned very cold - record low in Savannah - 25^oF.  Thank heavens we have an electric heater & 2 down duvets.

Our position N 32^o01.517',   W 81^o02.868'
Don't forget to vote.
Jim & Lee Ann

Shrimp boats in North Carolina made for some fine eating.     The old being replaced by the new:  65 ft. clearance on the new bridge.

Record low temperatures of 25^oF in Savannah!

Subject:  Week 9 - Goose Creek-Beaufort N.C.- N. Murtle Beach S.C.- Thoroughfare Creek
Date:  Thu, 16 Nov 2000 08:38:28 -0800

As we are in the Carolinas, we are in shrimp country.  Shrimp are caught in the rivers as they are heading out to the ocean to spawn.  Fishing boats suspend huge nets over the side to catch these tasty creatures (remember Forrest Gump).  Baby shrimp will affix themselves to the bottom of boats & eat any algae.  When they eat, they make a paper crunching sound.

We spent some time touring colonial Beaufort, a town settled in mid 1700’s with a Key West flavour.  Artefacts from Black Beard's  ship - Queen Anne's Revenge, were located in the Maritime Museum.  It seems that the locals were loyal to whoever would give them the ‘best deal’- so pirates were welcome.  The area is a fabulous diving centre.  Many wrecks from WW II eg. German submarines are there & other older wrecks.  A dive boat skipper takes clientele to 34 spots.  The area is a corner of the Bermuda Triangle.

From Beaufort  we motored to Mile Hammock Bay  a basin in a military camp.  Tanks were visible along the shore so were helicopters.  The latter were practising landing until 8PM & seemed to be flying  far too  close.

A weather front came through that night. This meant 2 days of NW winds so we were able to motorsail.  We  worked  the mainsail all day to get optimum speed in the gusty winds.  However our labours were rewarded when we arrived at the free dock at  Barefoot Landing Outlet Mall in N. Murtle Beach.  The mall surrounded a lake filled with fish & turtles.  We purchased a shortwave receiver so we could hear Canadian News & Herb's weather forecast.  He watches coastal weather & broadcasts from his home in Burlington ON.  The US Navy even uses him.

From  Murtle Beach we moved south through swamp land & anchored off deserted rice fields.

Our position is N 33^o30.804',    W 079^o08.682'
Distance travelled 1572 KM
Jim & Lee Ann