A Little cruise a lota learning

  The short Version.

  We often get asked what sailing we have done.  We feel that we have done a lot of sailing.  OK it was lake sailing but none-the-less days and days on the water with changing conditions.  One thing about lake sailing is if you don't like the conditions wait a short while and they will change.  And since it was a lake we were experts on tacking.  So between day sails, racing and teaching yes we know how to sail.  What we did not have a lot of experience with was cruising.  Yes we had chartered a boat and sailed from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and had a great 10 days sailing the west coast of Florida.  But no we had not done any real passage making.

  Our dock neighbor was planning to leave in early 2016 for a passage to Alaska via Florida, the Bahamas, Panama Canal, Galapagos, Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Hawaii.  The first couple of legs from Galveston to Key West and then into the Bahamas was scheduled to take 3 weeks to a month.  After several conversations with Captain Larry Joan decided that I should see if I could go along   Captain Larry was more than happy to have a 4th person on board for the journey.  So it was all set that I would join the crew for some passage making.  Just before departure one of the other crew member had to drop out so now we are down to 3.  

  The purpose of the trip for me was to get some experience and to help Captain Larry make his trip.  Oh and did I learn.  Rick, another crew member, was sure after that I was headed back to buy a farm in Kansas.  

   From the very start it was a series of first.

Leaving Kemah

As soon as we left the fuel dock the fog rolled in and we had to anchor for 2 hours outside the ship channel .

Tanker in the Houston Ship Channel

It was very unnerving to hear the huge ships passing and not knowing where they were.  Finally the fog lifted and we headed for Galveston.

Tied up in the travel Lift

 That evening we were able to tie up in a travel lift slip with a shrimp boat partially suspended a few feet from the bow and a shovel of a backhoe as our cleat.

Backhoe Cleat

   The next morning was cold and we set off in the brown water of Galveston Bay for Key West.  On the way out we went along the jetties, the longest in the world, dodging a variety of ships, sport fishers and ferries.

Hard to miss these guys.

One very cool thing was seeing the dolphin leaping and swimming in the bow wave of an oil tanker.  

    So started our passage to Key West, cold air and brown water.  Day one following the ship channel east and hand steering as the wind vane self steering would not engage.  Seas built through the day and into the night.  Rick and I shared the first couple of nights of watches.  Still cold but the water was green now.   Captain Larry decided I could do my own watches now which means we all could get more sleep.  We got the wind vane working and the wind has swung around to the south so we are closed hulled.  The ship traffic is still tremendous.  Mostly oil tankers and at night cruise ships.  You always knew when the cruise ships were coming as it looked like the alien mothership coming.  And the oil wells!

Big Rig 300 miles offshore

There was one about every 5 miles.  Easy to spot but reduced your maneuvering room.  By day 3 the water was that beautiful deep blue you only see in the middle of the ocean.  The other thing of note was the stars!  Seeing the Milky Way stretch from horizon to horizon.  

  The days and nights were pretty much the same, watches, eat, sleep and make sail changes to keep the boat going.  Sail changes always seemed to happen at the end of my shift.   Until midnight on day six.  At shift change I was at the helm as the wind began to really build.  Just as I was calling for some assistance to reduce sail a wave came on board and filled the cockpit with water.  Now I am sitting in sea water but still on the boat as I was tethered in.  The other two made it on deck and we got the sails reefed.  The wind was very strong now, gusting over 30 knots, as soon as the other two made it back to the cockpit the whole back of the boat was shaking violently.  At first we could not tell why but then quickly saw that the wind generator had lost a blade.  We were able to get it under control and things settled down. 

 The morning of day 7 we woke to 80 degree weather, calm seas and that blue green water of the tropics.  And only 40 miles to go!   At 4 on the afternoon of the 7th day we motored into a very busy Key West harbor.

Coming into Key West, Blue Water!

There was so many kayakers, para-sailors, and jet skis that it looked like some crazy amusement park.  The unfortunate part was we arrived right at the start of J-Worlds race week and there were no slips or moorings to be had.  So we ended up in the worst anchorage, in terms of holding, in all of Key West.  If Active Captain and locals tell you an anchorage is crap believe them!

  We knew a front was heading in so we got as set as we could.  But when the 50 knots wind gusts hit that night we dragged anchor.  We spent the next 4 hours driving into the wind to hold our position.  I did not do much but was a least awake to help.  Finally the anchor caught and we were able to get to sleep.  Unlike the day before there was almost no activity on the water.  But it was still rough so we could not get to the dock.  But that did not matter to us much.  We were safely anchored, had all the food and water we needed and a great view.
  Next step was to start heading for Nassau in the Bahamas.  We headed east for Marathon Key. We left at dawn on the outgoing tide.  Beautiful turquoise water but cold!.  We headed up the Hawks

Sunrise Key West

channel inside the reef passing several places we had enjoyed from the land side.  We sailed up the

Condos we enjoyed in Key West going up the Hawk Channel

channel in a good breeze but almost no waves.  It was a great sail and I really enjoyed sailing under

7 Mile Bridge on US1

the 7 Mile bridge.  Arriving in Marathon we again found there was no room at the inn.  There were no slips at various marinas and there was a 57 boat wait list for a mooring ball in Boot Key Harbor.  We ended up on the Gulf side in a new marina called Faro Blanco.  Great facility, real "Yacht Club" type of place.  But then again we were paying for it.  Why no place to find a slip?  Seems all the boaters were hunkered down waiting for a weather window.
  We spent 5 days in Marathon getting another taste of being a cruiser.  In 5 days I bet I walked 10 miles.  While we there we needed to affect some repairs to the boat.  We were not quite sure the

Getting a new deck joint

marina would put up with that.  We needed to repair the hull to deck joint on the boat.  Not long after we started that chore the marina staff was running around finding us tools and supplies we needed.  While doing laundry on the 4th day, in preparation for our departure, Capt Larry and Rick walked into the laundry room and asked me how I was doing.  I figured they were about to ask me to head home but quite to the contrary Rick was having to head back to Texas and they were asking me if I would agree to go on to Nassau with just Capt Larry and I.  I can tell you I was apprehensive but also did not see any other options.
  Sunday Rick left and we moved the boat over to an anchorage right outside Boot Key harbor to be ready to take off.  Beautiful anchorage, set anchor and seeing both the sunset and moon rise.
  At dawn we weighed anchor and headed out into the Gulf Stream trying to make it across the steam and just north of Bimini.  Well current and winds would not let us do that and while we made good time going north we were set to the west just being able to stay off the reef.  Finally about mid night we were almost inside Miami harbor when the winds came up and the cruise ships were coming out.  While working on a sail change our speed over ground reached just over 10 knots.  Smokin!  We had to tack back to the southeast but our track was to the northeast.  You have to love the Gulf Stream.  We were doing 4 on and 4 off and by the time I was on watch again we had just turned east north of Bimini.  Still cold but now the water was a completely different shade of blue.  We motored sailed, hand steering again,  east all day waiting for the winds to shift the southeast and then south.  Guess what?  That never happened.  We finally ran out of room over by the Abacos islands and had to turn west again,  and then had to tack again when we ran out of room because someone had put the Barry islands in the way.  4 on 4 off.  On the third night right as I came on watch we did a sail change.  To do that we hove to.  A great maneuver for all sailors to know.  Once the that was done Capt. Larry said  "do what it takes to keep the boat speed over 4 knots."  I had a great time trimming and getting the boat working without to much heel.  Now it was time to check the AIS, which was down below on a laptop.  A quick check showed we were gong to get pinched between two cruise ships.  I choose to come closer to the wind.  Now we were only going 3 knots.  And the darn Disney boat was going slower than were were!?  We finally made it past him and suddenly the wind died and then came from the northwest.  What the heck?  Got the head sail in, main sheeted in, engine started and my coat on and the rain squall just dumped on us.  Since we had no bimini I got a great fresh water rinse and all Capt. Larry did was put the hatch boards in and say "good night."  Next up on the AIS was a fast moving motor cruiser.  I kept slowing the boat but he kept coming right at us.  Finally I turned the boat 90 degrees to parallel his course.  Once he passed I started to turn back and noticed he was towing a pretty good sized tender.  Nice lights buddy!!  Back on course and we were at least headed in the right direction.  
  In the morning the water was blue and it was finally warm and we were 25 miles from Nassau.  At 10:55 I was watching a large tanker to starboard and we I looked left there was something on the

Paradise Island Nassau, Bahamas

horizon.  "Land Ho!"  boy it felt good to say that!  It was the towers of Paradise island on Nassau.
  Now not only was it warm but the waters were that Caribbean blue we had been looking for.  Since

In the Harbor

Capt. Larry is a bit hard of hearing he asked to handle the radios.  This meant asking Nassau Harbor control for permission to enter the harbor but also get hold of our marina for docking information.  We entered the harbor nose to nose with 6 cruise ships.  Not liking those guys at this point.  Got tied up, checked in with Customs and Immigrations and we had arrived!

Cheers

Two Kalic Beers to celebrate.
  We spent 2 days being a cruiser, grabbing hot showers, getting internet access and provisioning the boat for the next leg.  After 1100 miles of sailing in 3 weeks I was headed home.
  I had told Capt. Larry that I was glad that all of it had not been a milk run as that would not have given the lessons I needed.  I saw a lot and a little of everything.  If any of you plan to go cruising then find a way to spend 5 or more days out of site of land.
 

Captain Larry and s/v Liberty

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Capt. Larry Toenjes, Rick Bonsey and the fair ship S/V Liberty.  A longer version this will be posted on the site under its own tab.
  Up next our own cruise after the boat is ready.