7-9 Ft Seas, Blinding Rain and Strong Winds

On Thursday, we made another 12 hour, 85 mile trek across the Gulf Stream to Florida. All was beautiful until about 10 miles off shore from West Palm Beach when we were hit with a severe storm. Strong winds, 7-9 ft seas and blinding rain. We altered course to put the bow into the storm and rode it out for about a half hour. When the weather settled, we headed for the inlet, anchored in Lake Worth and began consuming alcohol delivery devices aplenty.

We are now in Melbourne, FL having traveled to Ft Pierce, yesterday--again in late storms; then here. No storms today. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Comings and Goings

Rickshaw and Tidehiker pulled into Bimini Sands Marina (on South Bimini) after a long 12-hour 87-mile run from Chub Cay in what I would characterize as IDEAL cruising conditions. (Seas less than 2 Ft; 10-15 mph winds from the southeast and only a chance of a summer-thunderstorms) But as boating goes, even in those ideal conditions, something must happen to tense us up. Rick discovered a fuel delivery problem on Rickshaw. The RPM's on his Port engine would vacilate from time to time and the engine would almost die. The starboard engine was working fine. He changed filters while underway, but that did not fix the problem. He nursed the engine the rest of the way and was able to get safely to Bimini Sands Marina without losing power. We on the other hand only discovered a watermaker problem.



As we turned the corner into the marina who did we see? Steve and Di aboard Aurora, Mike and Allison aboard Pokey and Dennis and Nell aboard Dennel. As the association's saying goes--where 2 or more DeFever's gather--it is a rendezvous. Those guys are coming to the Bahamas from the States, making the run from Miami that afternoon. Rickshaw and TideHiker are going back to the States.

As luck would have it Steve is known throughout the boating community. He and Di are both USCG 100-ton captains. They deliver yachts all over Florida and up and down the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico. In fact, they just recently delivered a DeFever to our marina in Delaware. Additionally, Steve is an engine mechanic and all around expert boat technician. He and Di helped Vicki and me deliver Tide Hiker to the Chesapeake from Florida in 2006. Steve additionally has done a ton of work on our boat from time to time, the latest being the installation of our watermaker last January in Stuart FL. Steve and Di also own a sister boat to ours with hull numbers just a few months apart. So, he knows this boat like the back of his own, well, boat. Also, as luck would have it, Rickshaw also has the same engines. So, Steve very generously repaired Rickshaw's fuel lift pump and our watermaker. Fortunately, Rick had a spare lift pump. (You may remember we had to change the lift pump on one of our engines last March. When I ordered a new spare, Rick asked us to order one for him too.)
After the repairs and a nice warm swim in the Marina's pool we headed to the restaurant for dinner. (What did you expect?) It was a night of live island music, cranked conch, conch ceviche and adult beverages. The dancing started righ after din din and we all discoverd that Di Koch has more moves than United Van Lines. We all left at 9PM and Di and Steve stayed behind for the Karaoke--which we discovered the next day did not happen.


So, the comings and goings of DeFever cruisers are always a surprise. In this case a wonderful surprise! Thanks Steve for the repairs and thanks to everyone else for a wonderful time!

On our Way Home

We finally had a break in the weather and departed Nassau on Monday May 25 after 12 days. The day before though, Vicki told Norm he needed a haircut. So she did the deed.

We cruised up the Tounge of the Ocean to Chub Cay Anchorage. What a mistake. We were Rolly Polly so much we could not stand it. So, we went into Chub Cay Club Marina and paid the exorbinant prices there for a good night's sleep. My guess is that we were spoiled in Nassau and not quite ready for a rolly polly night on the hook. Anyway, we did get a good night's sleep and was ready at 7AM on Tuesday for the long 87 mile trek across the Great Bahama Bank to Bimini. We arrived Bimini Sands Marina late afternoon.

Anemometer Envy Too.

Still stranded in Nassau. Rick recorded 55 MPH gusts the other day on his anemometer. We don't have one of those. So, in addition to dinghy davit and dinghy motor envy we also lust after Rick's wind speed indicator. All sail boaters have these so they an measure the wind against their sails. We don't have sails, (and don't want any) but we do want the device that tells us how the wind would affect our sails if we had them. Or, maybe it's better not knowing?

We tried to find trouble in Nassau the other day in between rain drops and gale force winds. Went to lunch at the Bamahan Kitchen--Very good! Then we just walked around the touristy areas and purchased some gifts for the kids and

grandkids. Vicki and Lynnie bought some movies at the straw market knowing we will be here a while. $5 per movie.

Yesterday, we put our bathing suits on, grabbed our beach gear and walked up to the pool for a dip and a couple of hours of reading. About 30 minutes into our lazy day, it poured rain. We had to rush back to the boat and read our books inside. This is getting OLD!

Today we're thinking about touring the Bacardi Distillery and it might also be a double feature movie day. Its still rainy and windy--that's 10 days in a row.

The DINGHY (Our Family Car) REVISED w/PICS

Still in Nassau. Gale force winds expected within the next 24-48 hours. Today, Rickshaw and we are going to downtown Nassau to find some trouble. Wish us luck! More on that later... While we have a pause in the action though, we thought we would tell you a little bit about our dinghy--"Tide Hopper"! ( Definitely not "Tide Humper" as Rick and Lynnie dubbed it.) I know, this sounds like a "snoozer", but read on....

Next to the engines and a strong sturdy seaworthy hull, the dinghy is one of the most important pieces of equipment on a cruiser. It is significant to the owners convenience, comfort and safety. If the boat is our home, the dinghy is our family car. It takes us to shopping, to recreation to entertainment and on Sunday rides in the country. It does NOT take us to work!!!!

Dinghy's or Tenders, or "Dinks", as they are sometimes called, come in various shapes and sizes. There are two common elements to dinghy's though. First, there is a pointy end (bow) and a flat end (stern), just like the big boat. Second, they are all convertibles with the top always down. After that they are different. For example Rickshaw's dink is bigger and Gypsies dink is, well, small. The size of Tide Hiker's dink is about average at 11 ft. They all hold about 4 passengers, but the bigger ones hold them with more comfort. Like cars, dinghy come with options (accessories) not included. For example, SEATS!. Yes, seats are an option. Without seats you must sit sidesaddle on the pontoon and get a wet bum. Gypsies don't have seats. You've seen pictures of them on our blog getting into their dinghy all decked out in their wet weather gear ala the space astronauts getting ready for an EVA.

Other options include a center console with all the steering and throttle and shifter controls. Without the console the driver sits on the pontoon and controls the motor with a "tiller". Another popular accessory is the Tilt and Trim. This allows the driver to raise the engine in shallower water so the prop does not hit the bottom and the cool water intake does not get clogged. Rickshaw has one of these. But, as you read in an earlier blog, it must be activated to avoid the great "sand-sucking" sound. More options include self balers, a myriad of electronics, Bimini tops (sun shades) and on and on.

Our dink is a simple Avon RIB. Avon is the name of the manufacturer and RIB means Rigid Inflatable Boat. It's rigid because it has a fiberglass hull. It is inflatable because it has tubes of air (pontoons) glued to the fiberglass bottom that make up the sides and front. And it is a boat because..well, you know--it floats. Our only luxury is a center console and seats. We like those.

Some dinghies are all inflatable. They have a soft bottom. They are lighter of course, have less support and a bouncier ride. Some of the soft bottom boats have hard floor boards that can be installed to give them more stability inside. Some dinghies are all fiberglass. They are much heavier. The RIB has become the most common, I believe, because it provides a combination of hard hull for a nice ride and soft sides for lighter weight. Although all are very nice and important to have and to maintain.

Dinks are carried on the big boat or towed behind the big boat. We carry ours in our garage--a cradle on the boat deck about 15 feet above the water. Dinks that are carried on a boat deck require a davit (small crane) to lift them out of the water and into the cradle and visa verse. The crane also comes in various sizes and must be selected to accommodate the weight and size of the dink. For example our davit is a simple one. It is of fixed length but turns 360 degrees to move the dinghy off the deck and over the water to raise or lower. September Song's davit is state of the art. It spins 360 degrees and also telescopes to accommodate many different size dinghies.

We know one boater who needed a new dinghy and bought a state of the art RIB with a new state of the art engine (heavy), only to find out that their current davit (still in great working order) could not support the added weight. Yep, a new davit was installed soon thereafter at significant expense. However, like September Song, they now have one of the best systems on a cruising boat and we have dinghy/davit envy.

There's more. The dink has to be propelled through the water. So, it's muscle power or mechanical power. If it's muscle-powered someone has to row the boat. A mechanically-powered boat has, of course, a motor. Like the davit, the motor has to be matched with the dinghy. Dinks are rated for the size motor they can handle. Additionally, some dinks use an outboard motor and some can accommodate a small inboard motor. Tide Hopper uses an outboard motor.

We also have outboard motor envy. We have a 10-year old 2-stroke engine that smokes and coughs and is loud. It being a 2-stroke type, we must mix oil and gas together and put that mixture in the tank. Almost all of our cruising companions have new state of the art 4-stroke engines--even the Gypsies! A 4-stroke engine is like a car engine and does not require an oil/gas mixture--just the gas. So, operators don't have to fuss with the mess and smell of mixing oil and gas. They are also quieter, but they are heavier.

Our dinghy and motor are both 10 years old. They came with the boat. You could say we have a used car. And, like a lot of other things on this boat the motor had to be significantly overhauled to make it run right. But since then, it has been doing just fine. Some purists--mostly sail boaters--will not own a motor and insist on rowing their dinghy. Not us since we tend to go on long Sunday rides in the country.

So, our used family car, while not state of the art is quite functional and has accommodated our transportation needs. If we did not just jinx it, we hope to avoid the significant expense of replacing it for a long time. If we did, we are going to look for an economic recovery act incentive to replace it. Happy motoring!!

Important: Names and events in this blog entry are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Are you still awake?

Atlantis!!

We're still waiting for winds to lay down while in Nassau. Ho Hum. Again, the winds have been consistent at 20-25 knots with higher gusts. We're rocking pretty much in the slip, but not a hindrance. It is good to get off the boat though. So......

On to Atlantis, the premier destination resort on Paradise Island, just across the harbour from New Providence Island and Nassau. They offer day passes ($110 each) for cruise line passengers and others. For this flat fee, we had a full day's use of all the facilities, including the world-famous aquarium, restaurants, pools, beaches and water park. Rick and Lynnie joined us for a day of Aquaventure. First:

The Aquarium

The aquarium is a massive archaeological dig that surrounds most of the entire facility and was constructed to replicate the lost city of Atlantis. Seawater is pumped in and the brochure says that 10,000 fish species are living there. It is spectacular! One can view the entire aquarium from the sides by looking through walls of floor-to-ceiling 6" glass panels; from above by walking the perimeter of the facility and looking down; from underneath through glass tube tunnels; and, via water slides in the water park that whisks riders underneath (also through glass tube tunnels). There is an eel section, a predator section (sharks, barracuda, etc), a jellyfish section, a lobster section and on and on. But most of the fish live all together. Everything from sharks, rays, lion fish, reef fish, grouper, etc are there. Truly a sight to see. Here are some shots of the aquarium that really do not do the facility justice, but will give you an idea. (Please overlook the misspelled labels, thanks.)

The Grounds

No detail was left out. This facility was painstakingly designed and built to replicate Atlantis. The beautiful walking paths through palm trees, the many swimming pools of "gin clean" fresh water, the manicured beaches, the restaurants, hotel towers and all out buildings held the "Atlantis" theme throughout. And, all the employees, no matter what their job, were friendly, accommodating, helpful, respectful and fun. Just walking the grounds and joking with these customer service folks was a blast. Take a look at some of the pics of the grounds.

The Water Park

I did not want to risk getting the camera wet, so we have no pictures of the water park activities. Let me just say that, The Wisconsin Dells, the water park capital of the US can't hold a match to this place. There is a mile long inner tube ride through rapids, falls and currents. Along the way, one can get off the "river" and take rides on the water slides. Some rides are used with the tube and others are just body slides. The first slide was a tube slide. We walked up the stairs and inside of a Mayan-appearing pyramid to the top of the slide. Here we descended on our inner tubes inside pitch black water slides making hair pin turns at high speeds and throwing us out at the bottom in a pool of water. There were several like this. On one ride, it dropped you about 200 ft into a glass tube that crossed under the aquarium's predator tank. So, as you slowly rode the currents to the end, you could see sharks swimming beside and over you. FANTASTIC!

But Norm most enjoyed the "plunge". After 3 or 4 courage-building Bahama Colada's Norm had to try it. This was a body slide where you lay feet crossed and in front of you, arms crossed on your chest and head slightly raised off the surface. "Geronimo", an 85% vertical fall of about 200 ft on a ribbon of water that, again, spit you out at light speed into a warm reservoir of deep water. As Tammy says, "WICKED COOL"!! One more visit to the restroom to change his pants and Norm rejoined the others for a nightcap! Sorry about the pictures, but hopefully you can sense the exhilarating experience it was.

Get the Grill Ready--It's Mahi Time!!

After enjoying the Research Center and a wonderful seafood pasta dinner aboard Life's 2 Short at Lee Stocking Island, we began our journey north and back to the US. (It seems that Brenda is more than a pyromanic. She is also a great cook and the seafood pasta and salad dinner was to die for. Thanks guys. Hope to see you on the waters again soon.)

But there were still places to see that we missed on our cruise south. So, we first went outside (the deeper Exumas Sound, rather than the more shallower Exumas Bank) to Black Point to reconnect with Rickshaw. Life's 2 Short continued south to Terrebarrie. Since we were in deeper water (2000-3000 fathoms), we let out the fishing line in hopes of catching a Mahi Mahi. And, we got lucky. After an hour of cruising, we got a strike. Vicki slowed down the boat and kept her in the right position as Norm fought the fish. We lucked out and were able to land a 36-inch Mahi. Not too big but good for my first catch. After cleaning up, we set the line out a second time. We fished for another hour. Norm went up to the bridge to relieve Vicki at the helm for 5 minutes. Unfortunately, in that short time, another fish was on and took the entire lure and 300 ft of line with it. Bummer! Oh well, we have some meaty fillets in the fridge from the first catch.

We caught up with Rickshaw that night. Vicki had already thawed some flank steak, just in case. So we needed to eat that. Rick and Lynnie joined us for steak and potatoes on the barbie. Hmmmmm.

The winds have been picking up and are forecasted to continue to do that, ala last month. So we were rocking and rolling in the anchorage. We departed the next day for Pipe Creek. We missed it on the way down and it has been described to us as the "Jule of the Exumas". We anchored between Rat Cay and some visible rocks called "the mice". A funny phenomenon occurs here. The boat moves in opposite direction to the tidal flow. This was described in the cruising guide so we were ready for it, but still weird. Neither Rickshaw nor we were happy with the hold here and slept uncomfortably that night. We decided to haul out the next day after a brief dingy ride to look for some "wonderful" coral reefs to snorkel. Ugh! Nothing to be found and the Pipe Creek area, to us at least, is very "over rated". One saving grace was our dinghy ride over to Sampson Cay Yacht Club on Sampson Cay. It was Saturday and lunch buffet was being served on the beach. So, we all feasted on all-you-can-eat Bahamian barbecued chicken and ribs, Bahamian mac and cheese and corn on the cob. We had a great time on the beach with the locals. Vicki decided to challenge all to a game of horseshoes, declaring herself the "Woop-ass Woman". She did in fact win and was crowned reigning champion. We played lots of horseshoes and drank lots of rum punches and beer. So many in fact the tide went out and left us stranded. Ho Hum, stranded on a warm sunny Bahamian beach with all-you-can-eat buffet, ice cold beer and rum punch. Oh, the perils we must endure.

We departed for Shroud, another Cay we missed on the way down; and, hopefully a calmer anchorage with good holding. Shroud has some spectacular winding creeks through mangroves ending at Camp Driftwood-a campsite used by a sail boater for years. The creeks were beautiful with dark blue ribbons of deep water inside light blue shallow parts. Rick, Vicki and Norm hiked up to the top of the hill to the campsite and immediately were impressed by the vistas we were able to view from there.

But again, the winds caught up with us and gave us another rolly-polly anchorage experience. So, off to Norman's Cay and McDuff's restaurant, bar, and Internet WiFi. Here, we skyped 2 of Norm's daughters in Milwaukee and other friends. Norm's brother and a few others were not on line and therefore un-skypeable.

Rick and Lynnie wanted to dink over to Norman's Pond and get some conch for gifts. So, we both dinked the 20 minutes over to the pond. Unfortunately, we did not time the tides correctly and we ended up in shallow waters. Rick's lower unit grabbed up some sand and clogged. We remember what Bob on September Song did and repeated the procedure. We removed the rubber tube connecting the intake to the pump and blew the obstruction free. Da Daaaaaa, it worked and Rick was up and running again.

The winds are forecasted to be worse over the next few days (20-30 knots) So, once again we ran ahead of the strong stuff and are currently in a slip at the Nassau Harbour Club Marina and will be for a few days. Winds have picked up as expected and we have been hit with a couple squalls while here. But we are safe and comfortable here and will wait out the weather before crossing the "Tongue of the Ocean"--the really deep stuff, the Bahama Bank--the really shallow stuff; and finally, the Gulf Stream--the really deep and fast stuff.

While waiting we decided to take advantage of being here and to do some exploring. We took down the bikes and Vicki and Norm biked into town. NOT a very bike-friendly place--speeding cars on very narrow streets. Vicki walked her bike a lot. We got to the Cruise Ship Terminals and toursit haven. Straw markets, conch shell, t-shirt and duty-free liquor and perfume merchants abound. Of course, there are the many colorful restaurants serving Bahamian, Island and American food. One building of special interest is the library. It used to be the jail. The building was a round, 2-story one with a balcony on the top--probably for the guards. The books were on shelves in the cells. Inside pics were not allowed.