West Palm Beach, FL

After 5 weeks in the Bahamas, we just spent 5 days returning to Florida. We left Black Point on Saturday and had a great sail, on a run at about 5 knots all day to Norman's Cay.

(on a run - sails wing to wing)

Our destination was actually Highbourne Cay, but just outside of Norman's Cay we landed on an unmarked shoal. And boy was this grounding a good one. We could stand up in sand on the port side of the boat while the starboard side, was 6 feet. This was the first time we went aground while sailing. We had to quickly drop all the sails and start the engine. After several attempts to back out of it, we had to drop the dinghy. Steve rode the anchor out 50 feet or so to starboard and then we waited. The theory was that as the tide got higher the wind would point us towards our anchor and the stern would fall back, then we'd be able to just motor our way out. So after about an hour and 1/2, we were able to finally move on. Since the sun had just set, we had enough light to get anchored. While we were aground, Michele breaded and fried some chicken, so we had chicken parmigian for dinner before going to bed. The wind was pretty strong and our anchorage was rolly, but we managed to get a good night sleep.

The next day, we headed across the Yellow Banks towards Nassau. We sailed for most of the day, again on a run (wind behind us). We decided to skip the Nassau harbor madness and anchored at Rose Island just outside of Nassau. This anchorage was also a little rolly, so we wasted no time in getting up and out to head to Chub Cay. We were able to sail most of the morning, but the wind was very light and variable, so we had to start the engine. We got to Chub before sunset and grabbed a mooring outside the Berry Island Club. We chatted with another boat there, Endaxi, who were doing the same passage as us so we planned to leave with them the next morning.

The plan was to head to Mackie Shoal and anchor out on the Bahama Banks for the night, or possibly just keep going to to Hens and Chickens or North Rock at the tip of Bimini. From there we would decide to anchor or keep going across the Gulf Stream. When we got to Mackie Shoal around 5:00 p.m. after a beautiful, sunny sail all day, and decided to keep going on to the North Rock anchorage We would see what the weather was like there before deciding to cross the Gulf Stream. At 8:00 P.M. Michele went below for a nap,


(sunset on the Bahama Banks - the quiet before the storm)


so she could do the next watch at midnight - if we decided to continue on. When Michele got up at 11:00 P.M. we were just outside of the North Rock and we decided to keep going since it was dark. The wind had kicked up quite a bit, we we thought it would be better to moving through the weather instead of getting beaten at an unprotected anchorage. We didn't been in radio contact with Endaxi since 7 p.m., and didn't see anyone anchored at North Rock, so we guessed that they kept going too. Once we got out into the Atlantic, and the sails were set, Steve went below to get some rest, while Michele stood watch. The wind picked up even more and the waves started increasing as well. At 3:00 P.M., Michele woke Steve up as she was getting naseuous. It was a good thing too, because at that point we got hit with a huge squall. Michele went below and started her hellish night of being seasick, thus rendering her comepletely useless as a crew member. The captain was on his own to battle the violent seas and weather. The night was completely black as no stars or moon lighted the way. We had our running lights and foredeck light on, so that Steve could see the sails. All night long, he fought a the northeasterly wind pushing the seas south, and the Gulf Stream trying to push the seas north. He reports waves as high as 16 feet. Michele was up and down all night throwing up and getting cold sweats, praying for the nightmare to end. The captain did a great job getting us from the Bahamas to Florida. When we were just south oof the Lake Worth Inlet, Steve decided it was too rough to try to make it in, so he hove too, and the boat settled right down - even though the seas were still violent. Hove too, means that you steer the boat into the wind until the headsail back winds. Once that happens, you turn the wheel the opposite way so that the rudder acts as a brake. The boat sits pointed into the wind and drifts just slightly, about a half knot an hour. Michele immediately felt better, and Steve was able to come below and sleep for a couple of hours. However, since the boat was drifting towards a lee shore, our hove too had to come to an end and we were on the move again - and so was Michele's stomach. At this point it was 11:00 A.M. We had to beat into it for a few more hours, but Steve was able to get us safely to the Lake Worth inlet and anchored at West Palm Beach! Finally, after 10 hours, the nightmare was over.

When we arrived at the anchorage, Michele was delighted to see that Tranquility was still here - Leighia and Cameron and the kids. Tranquility is rafted up between two Island Packets - as Cameron works on their boats. Since West Palm Beach is their home port, they are very familiar with the area and will be our tour guides while we're here. We hope to get the transmission and the depth sounder fixed before continuing on any further. Privisions are also at an all time low! We haven't had wine for over two weeks now. The refridgerator is also quite bare. We also need to clean up the boat after our rough crossing. Anything that wasn't nailed down, ended up on the floor. Everything that was in the cockpit got soaked too! This was our roughest passage ever, but John Ray handled the weather perfectly. With an excellent, durable vessel and a well seasoned captain, we are safe and sound!