Wish Granted

Norman's Cay   

Last night I had hoped for a repeat of yesterday. We were treated to more of the same today. We kept a similar schedule with chores, stretching, and reading in the morning. After lunch, we took the dinghy to the beach for a long walk in the gently lapping surf. Barry interrupted my silhouette photo with hand shadow puppets. There was just a slight breeze and it was warm in the sun. A large ray glided through the shallows just a few feet offshore. When we completed our out and back beach walk, a few more wild and scary creatures entered the water.

I enjoyed about 30 minutes of floating in the shallows with gentle waves, before Barry grew tired of waiting. We returned to Crossroads and brought out the inflatable ring lounger. We both took turns floating in the clear water. The dock line kept us from drifting with the current to the next island. Showers followed and I took my place on the flybridge for the final few hours of the day. One last flight took off from the runway to our east as the sun was setting to the west. We could stay here much longer, but will move tomorrow and move further south.  

 

We Would Happily Take A Few More Days Like This

Norman's Cay   

We had a peaceful night at anchor. I vaguely remember waking up at some point to the sound of rain on the roof, but there was minimal wave action and I quickly fell back asleep. The sun rose bright in the sky and the morning was gorgeous. After a few chores and my stretching had been completed, I relocated to Fiberglass Beach and read for a couple of hours. The conclusion of every page was marked by a glance around the anchorage. It is sill difficult to believe that we are back in The Bahamas. After lunch we lowered the dinghy and set off for a little exploring around the island. Crossroads sure looks good in blue.

The tide was falling so we thought it would be an opportune time to go take a look at the submerged plane that lies in shallow water on the southern end of the island. Our idea was not a novel one. Several dive boats and a sea plane were all gathered around the wreckage. We circled then headed back to the western shore. Along the way we scoped out the guest cottages along the shore. On our last trip here two years ago, they were in the early stage of construction. We beached the dinghy and went for our first walk in the sand. 

We followed the posted directions and stayed away from the rental cottages at McDuff's. Scattered palm trees soared above the otherwise low vegetation. The main draw was the water. No matter at which angle it was viewed, it was breath-taking. I could walk its edge forever just studying the transition from clear and blue to clear and transparent. The water was chilly, but far from cold.

We hurried back to Crossroads for showers before gathering on Southern Abode for appys. We enjoyed a great few hours on Cyndy and Doug's 53 Selene. It is so true that when you've seen one Selene ... you've seen one Selene. The constant, however, that every Selene is beautiful. The sun dropped behind a large cloud bank and we all moved to the side deck to watch it fall below the horizon. Cyndy and I were fortunate to see the green flash -- her first. The boys were talking and missed the whole thing. For them, there's always tomorrow. We would be extremely happy to repeat days like this with sun, fun, and friends.  

Back In Our Happy Place

Nassau to Norman's Cay  |  7 Hours  |  42.5 Miles   

We were more than ready to depart Nassau Harbour for bluer destinations. The sun made a brief appearance behind the twin bridges before rising into a heavy cloud bank. Moments later it emerged below a dramatic upward beam. The cruise ships began filing into the Cruise Ship Port. Raising the anchor took a bit longer than planned, but we were soon on our way. Upon exiting the harbour, we passed Fort Montague to the south. The four-cannon limestone fort was built in 1741 by the British to defend their interests against Spain.  

Large estate homes lined the edge of the Paradise Island Golf Course. On the south side of New Providence more moderate -- and interesting -- structures occupied the waterfront. A spotted oleander caterpillar moth was discovered hitching a ride with us. We watched as an impressive rain cloud moved across our path. Eventually we did get a little deck wash, but it was over quickly.

By mid-morning, the day had turned absolutely beautiful. Our path took across the shallow Yellow Bank. There was no wind and the water was smooth. Everything on the white sand bottom below 20 feet of water was perfectly visible. I sat on the bow and watched as we passed by various species of coral -- branch, fan, and brain. Larger coral heads supported their own micro-ecosystem with schools of fish darting in and out of crevices. Also interesting was how the mind searches for patterns and symmetry. Sea stars were easily identified. As we neared Norman's Cay we saw that another Selene was already in the anchorage. We followed our old tracks in and anchored near Cyndy and Doug on Southern Abode. A lone dolphin cruised through the anchorage while I spent a few hours reading.

We've waited two years to take in a view like this. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. We are fortunate to be back in our happy place.

Weathering The Blow

Nassau     

For all the talk about the impending cold front raging through The Bahamas, the night was eerily quiet. A light rain was falling when we came upstairs this morning. Unlike days before, the cruise ship docks were mostly empty. Symphony of the Seas soon arrived and we watched intently as it eased onto the pier and the dockhands secured the bow lines. Not five minutes later a Disney ship arrived under a freaky black cloud. Before it reached the dock, all heck broke loose. Just like someone had opened the door, a massive wall of wind roared across Nassau Harbour. By the time we got the instruments powered up, the wind had calmed to just under 40 knots (45 mph). After our experience last year, our next reaction was to check upstairs and make sure we still had a bimini, solar panels, and our StarLink. All three were holding fast. Win. We then stood at the saloon door and watched as the wind whipped waves in both our flag and the water.  Our large fenders went flying as if they weighed nothing. Then the heavy rain started. Visibility diminished and both the Symphony of the Seas and Atlantis were lost in the clouds.  

I retired to the downstairs and focused on other things like reading and stretching. By 1:00 the blue sky had returned, the clouds had moved out, and the cruise ship dock had its full complement of vessels. I took my book outside and enjoyed the afternoon on Fiberglass Beach. We have grown accustomed to the schedules associated with the cruise ships. All the excursions begin returning around 3:00 -- the dive boats, the sightseeing boats, the pirate ship. The first cruise ship departs at 4:00. Three long horn blasts indicate that it is backing out of the slip. The process then repeats. By sunset only two Disney ships remained. The calliope blared "Its A Small World" as the Dream departed. Finally, the Wish pulled straight out of their slip and made a right turn out of the harbour on its way to Castaway Cay. As color faded from the evening sky, it towered above the low land of Paradise Island. Nassau Harbour provided us a great place to weather this storm, but it is far from the serene and beautiful Bahamas that we long to see. Now that the front has passed, we are ready to move on to The Exumas.    

A Run To Shore

Nassau     

What a difference a day makes. As anticipated, the morning brought a new gathering of cruise ships. For the record there was one Royal Caribbean (the huge Freedom of the Seas), two Celebrity, and two Carnival vessels at the dock. Clouds and a light rain replaced yesterday's beautiful blue sky, but did not deter our mission of going ashore. We lowered the dinghy and headed west under the two bridges to Nassau Yacht Haven where we paid our landing fee (which also included disposal of our bag of trash). Barry had our worn anchor roller with him that we were looking to replace. We hit five marine supply stores with no luck. We did, however, pick up a few ideas on how to rehab this one to last a few more months. Our final stop was the grocery store located in a large shopping center. We quickly and easily picked up a re-supply of bread, milk, lunch meat, and more fresh produce. In case you're wondering they had plenty of eggs, although at $12.49 a dozen there was hardly a run on them. 

While leaving the shopping center, we stopped to peek into Bahama Hand Prints. We found this company equally as interesting as the Androsia Batik factory we visited last week. Here, a colored ink pattern is applied to white fabric, while in batik wax is added to resist the dying of the fabric -- opposite takes on a similar process. Although no production was occurring this morning, a little internet research provided some interesting photos. White fabric is stretched across long tables. A large screen slides on rails to replicate the continuous pattern. The company was founded in 1966 and still uses the same tables and method, with minimal mechanical help. They have over 150 unique print designs inspired by the culture, people, and colors of The Bahamas. 

We were back onboard by 10:30. We brought the dinghy up and began to reassemble the anchor roller as the rain continued to fall. All went back together without issue. We let out some more chain in preparation for the upcoming high winds. While wet, I tried to give Crossroads a wash to remove some of the black stains we picked up while in the Dania Beach boat yard. She looks better, but to get her looking sharp again will require a lot more elbow grease, a healthy supply of rubbing compound, and a couple coats of wax. At least I have job security. A heavy rain fell throughout the afternoon so we were thankful that StarLink gave us our favorite channels and internet. All of the cruise ships departed. Tomorrow will bring the strongest wind and waves as the front passes through. We're ready to head to the Exumas as soon as Mother Nature allows. 

Watching Traffic

Nassau     

The current switched just before midnight and, before all the boats settled into place, we ended up uncomfortably close to a catamaran. Barry woke me and seconds later I was on deck to raise the anchor so we could relocate to a new spot several feet away. No harm, no foul. That's just part of cruising. The worst part was not being able to fall back asleep. Eventually we did, but turned off the morning alarm and ended up starting our day much later than usual. The sun was already high in the sky when I made it upstairs. Overnight, a new collection of cruise ships had arrived on the dock. Carnival, Disney, Margaritaville, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean (with two) were all represented. Voyager of the Seas (foreground right) was the world's largest cruise ship when it was commissioned in 1999. Today, it is tied for 19th largest -- in the Royal Caribbean fleet. By 11:00 I had already found my spot on Fiberglass Beach with my latest book. It was a "Chamber of Commerce Day" -- a gorgeous day photographed for all the marketing materials.    

In between turning pages, I was turning my head as I watched all the activity in the harbour. I laughed to myself as I compared my actions to that of my grandfather. One of his favorite activities was sitting on the side porch watching the traffic travel and down South Main Street. He always came up with a comment or a story to go along with everything he saw. Before noon the excursion boats began to depart with loads of cruise ship guests. There were dive boats, fast boats heading to see the swimming pigs, and then calmer options like the glass bottom boat. Barry and I attempted to figure out how everyone on the upper deck could take advantage of the glass bottom feature. The Bahamian Queen Booze & Cruise touted itself as the "World's #1 Party Boat." It was pretty quiet. Meanwhile vessels of all sizes were coming into the harbour. Some were definitely larger than others. 

Mail boats came in and out, sometimes at the same time. The most puzzling passage was made by a jet ski towing a "car." We even spotted a fellow Selene passing through. Barry contacted Next Chapter on the radio to say hello. We plan to see them at our Selene gathering next month in Staniel Cay.  

The excursion boats began returning in late afternoon. One by one, the cruise ships backed away from the dock bound for their next destination. The afternoon was chilly and I reluctantly moved out of the breeze and into the pilot house. The harbour was quiet as the sun set so we went out on the bow and worked on our anchor roller. The evening ended on a good note as I watched the UVA women play their best game of the year. Wahoowa!

Almost Paradise

South West Bay to Nassau  |  4.25 Hours  |  22.5 Miles   

It was a beautiful golden morning in the anchorage. The plan was to spend another day in South West Bay. After breakfast I went downstairs to stretch while Barry reviewed all the morning weather reports and called fellow cruisers to compare notes. I could overhear his conversations and knew before I finished that the plan had changed and we would be departing. A significant wind event is approaching in the next few days and we needed to seek protection form south and west winds. Our entrance into the heavenly Exumas would have to wait a few more days. We were going to make a run for Nassau. We pulled the anchor at 10:45 and motored clockwise around New Providence. We were well-protected from the waves generated by the east wind as we passed Gaulding Cay. The island is notable for its lone palm tree and its designation as a bird sanctuary. A significant chop greeted us upon turning east. 

The ride into Nassau Harbour was sporty, but not uncomfortable. Large resort complexes on the northern shore towered above the trees. Atlantis on Paradise Island became visible. We called for permission to enter the harbour and made the turn in front of the Nassau Harbour Lighthouse. The elements have taken a toll on the structure, but it still stands defiantly and proudly over the shallow water. Five cruise ships were tied up at the Nassau Cruise Port. The light blue-hulled Utopia of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, is the second largest cruise ship in the world. She entered service on July 19, 2024, and has 18 decks and 2,834 staterooms. Passing by in close proximity, the only word that came to mind is massive.

We had identified a few anchorages and ranked them in order of preference. We traveled the length of the harbour and reviewed all three. After deciding Option 1 was not good for the current wind direction and Option 2 was full, we circled back under the bridges and dropped the hook at Option 3. The iconic Atlantis arch is in full view. The sun set over the vacant cruise ship dock. Tens of thousands of passengers are on their way to enjoy their Bahamas vacation. I wonder how the upcoming front will impact their itineraries. For us, we'll be here a few days waiting for the wind and waves to calm. Our setting is almost Paradise ... Island that is. We're knocking on heaven's door as Shroud Cay and the Exumas will be our next port of call. 

 

Holding Tight

South West Bay     

The weather forecast was spot-on. The morning arrived gray, cloudy, chilly, and windy. My first view out the window was of our trawler neighbor. The island of New Providence was blocking the north wind and our anchorage was slightly rolly all day, but never uncomfortable. I cleaned the downstairs and read before lunch. An early afternoon lap around the deck revealed several large yachts doing the same as us ... just holding tight on anchor waiting for better traveling weather. The upstairs was dusted and vacuumed during the afternoon. We restocked some provisions and Barry made water. In a slight improvement since yesterday, there was a tint of orange on the horizon at sunset. The fuel tanker was inbound to the power plant. Throughout the day, we checked the weather and tried to plan our escape to the Exumas. We will stay here tomorrow, but the "yellow" on the wind map should be turning to green meaning we'll be good to go Sunday morning.  

Repositioning For The Front

Morgan's Bluff to South West Bay  |  4.8 Hours  |  31 Miles   

Today was moving day. An approaching cold front will bring a significant period of northerly wind over the next few days. We had searched the charts and decided that it would be best to make a run for South West Bay at the, you guessed it, southwest corner of New Providence. We set the alarm a half hour early and I was on deck for the sunrise and a 7:00 am departure. But not so fast, a combination of rain and heavy dew had Crossroads dripping wet. It was time to give her a much-needed sponge bath to remove some of the dust and grime that accumulated during the week in the service yard. A boat bath actually provides a better stretch than any of the yoga I try to do regularly downstairs. Once I finished we brought up the anchor and exited the harbor into the Tongue of the Ocean. As a part of breakfast, Barry and I both enjoyed some of the strawberries we purchased yesterday at the Mennonite farm. It was another pretty day with bright sunshine. Soon we spotted land on the horizon. When we neared shore we could see the rocky face of the Clifton Heritage National Park. Rounding the point we passed by Bahamas Power and Light's Clifton Bay Power Plant. It supplies electricity to the entire island which includes Nassau. We pulled into the anchorage in a rocking sea -- we had staged for the wind shift yet to come. I spent a few hours on Fiberglass Beach and finished another book. The rocking intensified to a point where it felt like we were in a big hammock. A light shower and increased cloud cover chased me inside. There was no visible sunset. The house lights just dimmed to black. The opportunity to watch the UVA women's basketball game on TV ended in a disappointing loss. The good news is the waves have calmed and we should get a good night's sleep. 

Caves, Blue Holes, and Batik

Morgan's Bluff   

During our visit to Below Deck yesterday, we booked an Andros tour for this morning. We, along with Tom and Sabrina (Honey Ryder), had rented a car for a day of exploration. At 9:00 a group of eight gathered. Barry drove our rental car and followed Jay with his group of four. The car was right-hand drive so it took a few miles to get used to driving in the left lane (even with the reminder sticker on the windshield) and the reversed position of the blinker and windshield wiper stalks. We soon arrived at our first stop and followed a path through the woods. The largest hermit crab I've ever seen was an unexpected highlight. Soon we arrived at a large cave. Following the standard guided tour operating procedures, we all posed for photos.   

From the cave, we continued further into the forest. Quite quickly the green foliage grew more vibrant and denser, the sun burst through an opening in the canopy, and we had arrived at a the clear water of a blue hole. The whole setting seemed surreal. A large palm tree reached out over the water as it grew toward the sunlight. Our next stop was at a small beach on Conch Sound. The tide was in and the wind was stiff so we stayed only long enough to take a few photos. The final stop on our Jay-led tour was the Mennonite Mission Farm. The Mennonites settled in Andros in 1983. San Andros Mennonite, established by the Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Church, created a commercial farm along with a large auto repair shop, carpentry shop, and a bee farm. All of us cruisers were very excited to have such a wonderful selection of fresh produce. We filled our bags with tomatoes and strawberries ...  

... that were freshly carried in from the field. Bunches of bananas and plantains hung from the ceiling. Multi-colored peppers made a beautiful display. 

Beets, red and green cabbages, and zucchini added color. We went away with three slicing tomatoes, a head of red cabbage, a bunch of romaine lettuce, and two pints of strawberries for $16. We said goodbye to Jay and the rest of our group and headed south down Queen's Highway. Andros is the largest island in The Bahamas and remains virtually untouched. It has a total area greater than all the other 700 Bahamian islands combined. Roughly 40 miles south of Morgan's Bluff, we stopped for lunch at Brigadier's Resort & Restaurant. Lindsay, our hostess, led us out to the waterfront deck where we enjoyed the best view possible. We celebrated a great day with beverages and conch fritters while waiting for our mahi sandwiches to arrive. 

Full and happy from a delicious lunch, we loaded back in the car, went another 10 minutes south, crossed the bridge over Fresh Creek, and came to Androsia Batik Factory, a spot that has been on my bucket list for a while. The family-owned business began in 1973 and is the center of production for the colored authentic Bahamian hand-dyed cotton fabric. The first step occurs in the wax room where stamps hand-carved from sponge and foam are dipped into vats of hot wax and pressed onto rolls of fabric. 

Stage two is the Dye Room where the cloth is soaked in vats of vivid dyes. The wax resists the dye and the that area of the cloth remains white. After coloring, the cloth is dipped in hot water to dissolve the wax, which is then recycled. The cloth is then hung to dry. Buildings three and four are for cutting and sewing. We visited the onsite store where I purchased a T-shirt and Sabrina (being more crafty than I) picked up a beautiful piece of raw fabric. The afternoon was getting away from us so we had to head back north. The final item on our itinerary was a visit to Rainbow Blue Hole. 

A rain shower moved over us as soon as we exited the car, but we were undeterred. We made the 20 minute walk into the woods over a rocky trail. Several small holes lined the path. Signage along the way identified a wide assortment of trees. Just when we wondered where this path was taking us, the woods opened to an incredible view. Soon thereafter, the rain began to fall much harder.

We scampered back over the rocks which had become slippery. Barry and I let out a squeal as we met a three-foot snake crossing the path. All four of us were soaked when we got back to the car. We toweled off and continued while speculating about the possibility of a rainbow. Lo and behold, a full arcing rainbow appeared. We arrived back at Below Deck around 5:00 and shared a final beverage with everyone while discussing everything we saw today on Andros. I found it interesting that Barry had ended up on today's menu ... as one of the lowest priced entrees. 

As the sun was setting we returned to Crossroads and raised the dinghy back onto the upper deck. We will depart in the morning to seek shelter from the predicted shift to a north wind. Morgan's Bluff was a great stop and we'll definitely see Jay and Kizzie again. 

Our Welcome To The Bahamas Moment

Morgan's Bluff   

The harbor here at Morgan's Bluff is well-protected from wind and waves. It was a nice quiet evening on the hook as we slept well and awoke recovered from the overnight trip the previous evening. The sun had risen above the trees, several boats had departed, and one large freighter arrived all before I finally ventured upstairs. We cleaned up a few messes, did some paperwork, and made a couple of phone calls. By the time I finished my stretching it was after noon and we were ready to go ashore for lunch. As I was untying the dinghy a large fuel supply ship passed behind us on its way to the dock. We took a slow ride to shore and were excited to see two turtles and a fish along the way in the crystal clear water. The tide was falling so we anchored the dinghy in the knee-deep water to allow for an easier exit. A short walk took us to Below Deck, a one-year-old restaurant that has received nothing but good online reviews from fellow cruisers. We joined another couple at the bar and they proceeded to share their conch fritters with us. Jay greeted us and and took our orders. We both enjoyed a Kalik Lychee Radler. That was a new flavor for us, but it was tasty and refreshing. I see a few more of those in our future. Kizzie was delightful and prepared my conch burger and Barry's crack lobster. Delicious. Our lunch was definitely our "Welcome to The Bahamas" moment.    

We hung around and chatted for a while with two cruisers who had anchored as we came ashore. Afterwards, we took a short walk to the namesake bluff and climbed up the rocks to see what we could see. The Tongue of the Ocean was calm and a deep blue on this sunny and warm day. On the way back to Crossroads we stopped and visited with the folks on a newly arrived sailboat. Turns out they are friends of friends who have spent a great deal of time in Deltaville. The world continues to get smaller. An hour of reading on the flybridge led up to sunset. The wind had shifted to the east so our stern-tied dinghy made for perfect foreground subject matter.

The fuel tanker left the dock and exited the harbor. We attempted to watch the rocket launch, but the cloud cover hid all the excitement. Those same clouds, however, made for an interesting sunset. 

Return To The Bahama Blues

Key Biscayne, FL to Morgan's Bluff, Andros, Bahamas  |  18.8 Hours  |  134.6 Miles   

Within 10 minutes of posting last night's blog entry, I was on deck and bringing the anchor up. Even with my LED neck light on it was dark and difficult to see the chain. Slow and steady proved to be the best plan. The anchor came up clean from its temporary sandy home, so there was thankfully no need to wash it. We eased our way out of the anchorage while identifying the blinking red and green channel markers. The rotating light of the Key Biscayne Lighthouse provided little illumination, but did supply a spatial reference. We followed our old tracks out the shallow inlet and into the Atlantic. We had been asked to document our crossing to The Bahamas. Honestly, there wasn't much to see other than a few light dots on a black background. A couple of cruise ships were returning to port. The glow from the city lights was visible off our stern for many miles offshore. The most interesting scenery was in the sky as a dozen airplanes lined up in the approach patterns for both the Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports. The moon rose at 10:00 pm and provided a comforting horizon. We entered the Gulf Stream and set our course. The autopilot held us in a 25-degree crab angle to move across the strong north-bound current. When I came on watch at midnight, there were several ships in our area, but everyone was playing nice. The lights of Bimini were becoming visible in the distance. The predicted three-foot waves never materialized and we had another peaceful overnight trip. At North Rock we entered the shallow Bahama Banks. Barry came on watch and I got some sleep from 3:00-6:00 am. My favorite watch begins at 6:00 when I get to observe as dark turn to light. Our first Bahamian dawn was a good one. Blacks and oranges transitioned to blues and pinks.

As the sun rose over the horizon, the upper sky was already a bright blue. A thick cloud bank momentarily created a golden glow. 

We were waiting with anxious anticipation for the sun to rise high enough in the sky to reveal the many shades of Bahamas blue. Oh, how we've missed these waters. At the Northwest Channel Light, we entered the Tongue of the Ocean. Water depth dramatically dropped from 20-feet to 6,000 feet in a quarter mile. The turquoise water transitioned back to a deep blue.   

While in the deep water, we completed our customs and immigration forms. It was a warm afternoon with with very little wind. A definite improvement over home. Prior to our final turn into the Morgan's Bluff anchorage at the top of Andros, Barry raised our yellow quarantine flag, signifying that we had yet to be cleared by customs. We anchored, brought the dinghy down, and Barry headed to shore to check in. The process was quick and easy as the customs official was already at the harbor master's office. We celebrated by swapping the yellow flag for the Bahamian courtesy flag. I read onboard and watched as the sun set to the west. The large white clouds to the east were probably more impressive. We're supposed to get rain overnight, but should be able to get to shore tomorrow and do a little exploring.

 

Bahamas, Here We Come

Key Biscayne   

The final thing we did last night was study the weather. The first thing on our minds this morning was the weather. We were hoping a one-day weather window still existed that would allow us to cross over to The Bahamas. The wind picked up overnight and the long-range forecast was turning bleak. We have decided to make a run for it and will leave tonight around 8:00. The timing has us arriving in Morgan's Bluff (at the northern tip of Andros) tomorrow afternoon. I stretched for the first time in over a week then retreated to Fiberglass Beach for an afternoon of reading. More pages were turned and my tan is coming along. We prepared Crossroads for the voyage by commissioning the watermaker and stowing anything and everything that could roll around during the passage. Barry completed our Click-to-Clear paperwork. Sunset came and dinner was prepared. As soon as this posts, we'll begin our departure procedures. It has been two years since we've made this crossing. We are excited and, admittedly, a little rusty. Many thanks to dear friends Greg and Glenda for their advice and direction. We can't wait to catch up with them -- and The Boyz -- in about a month. 

Crossing The Marathon's Finish Line

Dania Beach to Key Biscayne  |  4.6 Hours  |  26.2 Miles   

We went to bed early last night, confident that our stabilizers were better than ever and happy to be continuing our journey to The Bahamas. This morning we awoke to find the invoice had arrived overnight via email. Mike, our amazing service tech, arrived at 8:30 make a final inspection and make sure everything was perfect. Before handshakes and farewells we transferred a significant number of B.O.A.T. Units in exchange for his attention to detail. Tim from the marina also bid us goodbye as we brought our lines onboard and moved off the dock into the Dania Cut-Off Canal. The waves were to be a bit sporty on the Atlantic today, so we turned right and headed south down the ICW. We timed our arrival at the Dania Beach Bridge for the 9:30 opening. All systems were working great, including the knot meter (think speedometer). While Crossroads was out of the water Barry cleaned out the barnacles and it was spinning freely. Moving right along, we made the 9:45 opening of the Sheridan Street Bridge and the 10:00 opening of the Hollywood Bridge. We were slowed as a large catamaran was towed across our path. 

The private residences were getting grander, with each having a dock or lift. Even the waterside Publix had a dinghy dock to make shopping easier for cruisers. We arrived a bit late for the 10:15 opening of the Hallandale Beach Bridge, but the kind bridge tender kept it open for us to pass. Nearing Golden Beach, the private residences grew larger still and condos towered into the bluebird sky.

The view of the waterside high-rise buildings was much better from our stern. We did not make the 10:45 opening of the Sunny Isles Bridge, but with a clearance of 32-feet we were able to pass under the closed span with five feet to spare.

We closed the gap and joined a line of boats to make the 11:15 opening of the Broad Causeway Bridge. Giant show kites soared above Haulover Park at the 33rd Annual February Kite Festival. The jellyfish and whale were our favorites. As we neared the Venetian Bridge, vessel traffic dramatically increased. On the south side of the span began the Miami International Boat Show, marketed as the largest boat and yacht event in the world with over 1,000 vessels on display and attendance in excess of 100,000.

The Miami skyline was impressive to the west, but the shiny gathering of multi-million dollar yachts to the east was equally so. Small boats cruised by to take a look. Sea planes landed on the water to add to the mayhem.

Multiple boats were beached along the shore of small islands and folks were out enjoying the sun and sand. The Ferris wheel at Hard Rock Cafe loomed over the restaurant in the same manner that the 21-foot tall bronze sculpture of a Tequest Indian blowing a conch shell dominated the mouth of the Miami River. Folks gathered on the seawall to watch as dozens of boats queued up for passage under the Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge.  

With the skyline of Miami shrinking in the distance and Biscayne Bay opening wide before us, we breathed a little easier and entered the home stretch to our usual anchorage outside of No Name Harbor. The day's 26.2-mile journey equalled the distance of a marathon. We dropped the hook at the finish line and enjoyed the after party. I read in the sun while also dozing off a few times. Before we knew it, the sun had set on another day. With this stretch of the ICW, we have now traversed the entire 1,090 mile lenght of the waterway. We have also reached our final stop in the United States. This initial segment of our journey has been very similar to a marathon. We started out quickly, slowed a bit, rediscovered our pace, settled into a zone, achieved a high on our offshore segments, hit the wall within sight of the finish line, recovered, and finished strong. I have pulled out our quarantine flag, Bahamas courtesy flag, and Bahamas Explorer Guides in preparation for our next stop ... and the beginning of the next segment of our winter cruise.

It Was Stressful, But In The End All Is Good

Dania Beach   

I didn't get much sleep last night with all the unknown "What Ifs" of today running through my mind. At 2:00 am I was searching for hotels that could house us over the holiday weekend, without costing a fortune -- identifying a property 75 miles away. I even found a small freezer at Best Buy that we could pick up to accommodate our frozen food during that time. We had to have contingencies in place, but we were still trusting/hoping that our service would be wrapped up by the end of the work day. The knowns were that we had to check out of our hotel by 11:00 and return the rental car by noon. By 6:30 we were up and each enjoying one last long, wonderful shower. Our bags were packed before heading to the lobby for our final "free" breakfast. We may have taken an extra helping of scrambled eggs just because we could. Our clothes and refrigerated items were taken to the boat before the service techs arrived. The starboard fin had been installed yesterday afternoon. The port fin would go in today. We then returned to the hotel. I read by the pool for an hour before packing up the frozen food in the cold bag. The key cards were returned and we followed our well-traveled route from the hotel back to the marina once more, still looking for The Big Orange as the landmark to turn left onto NE 2nd Street. The rental was returned and the young man from Iowa who was the next recipient of the car kindly dropped us back at Crossroads. All that was left to do was wait. I finished another book in the process. At 4:00 we were loaded into the Travelift slings, moved to the basin, and lowered back into the water. We exited, spun around, and tied up to the face dock. The thorough Hurricane Marine techs then made their final checks, calibrations, and clean up. By 6:00 pm were pronounced "good to go." On this Valentine's Day, our heartfelt thanks go to Mike and Brian at Hurricane Marine and Tim and Morgan at Royale Palm Yacht Basin for all their assistance this week. We're ready to get moving again tomorrow morning.     

Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken

Dania Beach   

My favorite quote comes courtesy of Isak Dineson: "The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or the sea." The afternoon temperature here in South Florida has reached the low 80s with strong sunshine, perfect conditions to work up a little sweat while doing boat busy work. This trying week has already resulted in a few tears of "why us" frustration. Still looking for that elusive promised cure this morning, we took the advice of our service tech and headed to the beach. A short drive east on Sheridan Street took us over the ICW and right into Hollywood North Beach Park. We parked just steps from Keating Beach. Looking across the short cut through the sea grapes, we got the first glimpse of the blue water for which we've been longing. 

We exited the park and continued south along the Hollywood Boardwalk, a 2.5 mile brick-paved and palm tree-lined thoroughfare. At 9:00, it was already packed with people walking or enjoying an al fresco breakfast at one of the many hotels lining the oceanfront. There was very little elevation change from the surf zone to the boardwalk, perfect for beach access, but not so good during hurricanes. Walkabouts featured fountains with sculptures and plenty of seating. We were mesmerized by the iguana drinking out of a splash fountain.

Once satisfied, it scampered back to the shade and met up with a smaller iguana. One area of sand has been designated as a dune restoration area by Adopt A Dune. The young sea oats looked to be doing very well. One of the best things that happened on our walk was when a flock of green birds with yellow heads flew overhead. I'm no ornithologist and cannot determine if they were parrots or parakeets, but they were definitely cool.  

Colorful lifeguard stations were spaced out along the beach. Multiple flags were flying today warning of both high surf and stinging wildlife. We walked down the south end of the boardwalk then retraced our steps to the park. At the end I finally gave into the urge to kick off my shoes and go splash in the surf. 

I will confess that while I was walking along the edge of the sea those words rang true and I was indeed cured of everything that has been going on. Eventually, however, I had to return to the Boardwalk. Three-level showers are located behind pretty arched gateways all up and down the beach. I washed the salt water from my feet and we returned to the car to go visit Crossroads and check on progress. I should not have washed off all the salt water. Today's progress was slow and we're unsure if we'll be relaunched tomorrow as planned. We returned to the hotel and I made my way poolside for a few hours of afternoon reading ... and sweating. Barry returned spent most of that time on the phone in our room. We're praying there will be no tears tomorrow.