Leaving from Lake Worth????

Our Bahamas departure preparation has taken on a new initiative now that our time for trying the crossing is growing closer. Quite amazing how much planning and preparation is required, preparation that we would not and have not done while cruising in this country. Considering that the Bahamas are not really that far away, it almost seems non-sensible. But we have provisioning and prepared as if we were leaving the civilized world for 3 months or more and have stowed and stocked as if we were crossing broad oceans. The fact remains that the Bahamas are a mere 50 miles away. So why all the troubles of crossing?

First and foremost, the major ocean current of the Gulf Stream separate Florida from the Bahamas. It flows powerfully northward through the Straits of Florida at up to three and a half knots. If you are a fast planning ocean ready motorboat, you can power through at any course when the seas are down. But for slow displacement hulls such as sailboats and trawlers, figuring for the set and drift of the current becomes a navigational prerequisite. Any course that would take us into the Gulf Stream would slow our progress down indeed. As such, we will try to position ourselves far enough south to cross the Gulf Stream at right angle. Further, any wind blowing against the Gulf Stream tends to rapidly build a nasty sea state. As we have learned, it is not the size of the waves, its their shape that make them dangerous. Wind against current produces waves that are steep, much more then the force of the wind alone could create. The stronger the wind opposing a strong current builds very steep, unstable waves that can become downright dangerous for a small boat. It is for these reasons that most of the boats preparing for the crossing are noticeable nervous and approach the crossing with a health dose of anxiety.

Thus the current and future state of the weather has come to occupy much of our waking thoughts and discussion. The central and southern portions of Florida are in the trade wind belt. Most days the wind has been out of some easterly direction, mostly north of east and blowing more then 15 knots. This puts our destination directly upwind of the prevailing winds. The wind clocks around to the southeast, south then southwest before turning to the northwest at the approach and passage of a cold front. Thus timing is everything for a passage across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. A good window for leaving would be when the wind has swung around south of southeast, the seas in the Gulf Stream have had time to settle and the cold front will not overtake us before we are tucked snugly away somewhere in the Bahamas. Honestly, this is the hardest planning we've ever had to do for such a seemingly short passage!

In the meantime, our friends on Oasis have met us in Vero Beach and we've traveled down to Lake Worth at Palm Beach. Many boats are assembled here for a crossing as the inlet here is viable day or night, the anchorage is reasonable for waiting close to the inlet and grocery stores and other necessities are close by. Our original plan was to proceed to Miami for a crossing more directly to the Exumas, but we think that there may be a window late this weekend so we'll stop here to see. There really haven't been too many windows in the past month so we don't want to chance missing a good one. Besides, traveling the Intracoastal Waterway in this part of Florida on the weekend is about as much fun as plucking your eyebrows. Many large motor yachts throw off tremendous wakes that reverberate incessantly within the narrow bulk-headed confines of the waterway that would toss us around mercilessly.

Plus in southern Florida, it's difficult timing the bridges as many are on schedules. One of the bridges along this route, the Donald Ross Bridge, is under construction and now only opens during daylight hours at 9:30 am, noon, and 3 pm. We didn't want to miss the noon opening, so we ended up getting there almost an hour early and had to circle around with the fleet of other boats.
Joyce's note: For those who know Jim well, it may surprise you to find out that he was grilling hamburgers on our outdoor BBQ for lunch while waiting for the bridge. This is the same Jim who wouldn't carry a BBQ hanging up on the stern rail one minute longer than was necessary and certainly not ever while underway.

I've also become quite the hunter/gather in my time here in Florida. I made quick work out of a coconut we found with the machete I'd purchased in Jacksonville. The husk chopped off rather easily and we've been munching on fresh coconut all week. And at long last, I've finally put together a cheap way to fish when we travel offshore. As I explained what I wanted to the old salt at the bait and tackle shop, a unexpected look of understanding flashed across his face. He explained that two women had been in earlier asking him to make up the same thing; one had brought a sample with detailed directions for a ‘Cuban reel'. He showed me the diagram which I copied and for less than $20, I'm now ready to catch the big one.

Lake Worth also has held plenty to entertain. Martin and Tracy on Oasis lived in this area and know the best places to shop, eat and take care of necessities such as laundry. We spent one happy hour at the Waterway Cafe. Six of us ate dinner and drank, some a bit more than others, all for less than $60....that's total not apiece. Then on Saturday night we crashed the Women Aboard's party. The house faced the Intracoastal Waterway on which was the lighted boat parade that evening. After one of the Santa Clauses decided to stop and do a strip tease act for a nearby party, we realized just what kind of a place this is not... surely not Annapolis because the Eastport Yacht Club would never go for that kind of thing and surely not Baltimore because it's usually too freezing cold during their lighted boat parade for anything less than parkas and mittens.

Thus we find ourselves this Sunday evening at the Peanut Island anchorage, just inside the Lake Worth inlet. On our way here we picked up all the fuel and water that we can carry, we filed our float plan and are anxiously listening to any and all weather information. We are among twenty or so like minded boats all doing the same thing. The VHF radio is abuzz with chatter, all about the weather, differing opinions on the state of the Gulf Stream, and differing degrees of resolution as to whether to cross tonight. It's all quite intoxicating such that we find ourselves unable to sleep, caught as we are in the excitement. We listen to Herb Hilgenburg, the sailors weather guru, along with the rest of the boats waiting. Herb's report renews again the buzz. Agonizing indecision hovers around most of the boats. The frustration is real as some boats have been waiting here at Lake Worth for three weeks and more and are not sure if this window is a good one. The seas in the Gulf Stream are still high, the result of stronger than expected southeast winds all day. We get reports of 10 foot seas and 25 knot winds in the stream from one boat returning from the Abacos this afternoon. The cold front is expected Monday making what window there is a short one. What to do? The lyrics from an old Clash song keeping running through my head and seem rather appropriate at the moment. They go something like this:

"Should I stay or should I go now;
If I stay there could be trouble;
If I go it could be double;
So you gotta let me know;
Should I stay or should I go?"