Cruise 2001

Our cruise begins from St. Augustine, Florida. This is where we completed our cruise last year and spent summer, fall and part of winter. We departed St. Augustine on February 22^nd and anchored North of the Bridge of Lions, a very old and beautiful bridge leading from the downtown historical district to the beaches. Claude McGhee (no kin to Travis) joined us on this leg. Claude owns a 41 Morgan in Jacksonville. We had planned to go outside and sail to Melbourne. Well, as our luck would have it a pea soup drizzly fog/rain developed overnight and forced us to motor on the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) to Melbourne. This was a two and a half-day trip. We stopped at Daytona Beach on the first night.

The second day saw much better in fact beautiful weather. We motored from Daytona to Cocoa Beach and anchored near one of the bridges leading out to Cape Canaveral. While day one was without incident day two was "interesting" By late afternoon thunderstorms were developing. We noticed a sailboat slightly out of the channel so being the good Samaritans we inquired if they needed help. Well, it seems the captain/owner spoke no English and we spoke no German. Thanks to his passengers we were able communicate, throw them a line and drag them closer to the channel so they could escape the bottom. Although it took two attempts and we were inundated with rain we managed to pull it off, so to speak.

The third day we continued to the Dragon, a prominent meeting place and popular monument to sailors in Melbourne. It actually is a green dragon made as a playhouse for someone's children many years ago. The home and dragon are now for sale. Dragon needs much work! As a realtor would say, a handy-mans special.

We met our friends on Ladybug, Ed and Cheryl Byers in Melbourne and enjoyed several days of food, drink and friends. March 1^st found us underway for Vero Beach. This was almost another uneventful trip. About five miles south of Vero Beach Municipal Marina Ladybug dropped anchored as their engine began to overheat. After several moments of deliberation we took Ladybug in tow the last five miles and both moored on the same mooring. They do this in Vero Beach. We stayed in Vero with Ladybug awaiting a new waterpump and decided that when the problem appeared to require the mechanic to leave for Miami as this was our destination for this first leg.

There are a million opening bridges (actually there are 44 bridges most of which are bascule requiring an opening) between Melbourne and Miami. We finally arrived in North Miami Beach, Maule Lake on March 7^th. We went to Maule Lake to meet more friends, Bud and Joye Mills who were next to us in St. Augustine. We had previously intended to make the crossing with them to Bimini. As luck would have it, they were on a boat delivery delivering a powerboat to North Carolina. So, we sat at anchor enjoying beautiful weather!

Well, as fate would have it we were called to do a great deed. While talking to Ed of Ladybug we learned of the extent of their engine problems. Without getting into all of the trials and tribulations related to their engine they were faced with having their engine rebuilt. Their dilemma was to have it done in Vero or return to Melbourne and be at the dock and closer to the mechanic and friends. So, on March 10^th we left Maule Lake and headed for Vero Beach. We arrived in Vero Beach on March 11^th we arrived in Vero Beach. On March 12^th we towed Ladybug to Melbourne for their repairs. On March 14^th we departed Melbourne for Maule Lake. Now the fun begins. We anchored north of West Palm Beach for the evening. During a routine check of the engine fluids (coolant, oil, transmission fluid) I discovered the transmission fluid was extremely low. It was here I learned that a ground wire running between the thru-hulls had caused the rear seal on the transmission was damaged. This was caused during the tow (not because of) to Melbourne where I discovered a wire had wrapped around the end of the transmission and broken. While I had removed it I didn't suspect a problem. Not knowing the extent of the problem we decided to find a marina and learn more.

We entered the Palm Beach Yacht Center at 11:00 the next day. After several phone calls we determined that there really wasn't anyone around to help. I called Bud who by this time had returned to Miami and he suggested we get plenty of transmission fluid and come on down to Miami where he and Tom Rader (a super great Captain/Engineer) could assist us with the problem. So, after talking to the marina we departed at 11:30 PM, yes that night. The marina said there would be no charge so that was good news. We slowly motored down the waterway until 3:00 AM where we anchored at Lake Boca Raton. At 6:55 AM we were underway again and arrived at Maule Lake, North Miami Beach at 12:50 PM. Now the work begins.

After anchoring Bud and Tom came out to inspect the problem. A determination was made that the rear seal needed changing. So, without further ado we set about pulling the shaft from the transmission and removing the seal. This was accomplished and everything was back together on Monday. Now we are ready to go or so we think.

We waited for our mail, which was held up by a misunderstanding at the mail pickup place. Once we got the mail it was a weather wait. Finally on March 31 we are ready to leave. I have the anchored almost off the bottom and Marie informs me that we have now forward motion. I let some chain out and go back to check it out. Yep, no forward or reverse. Now what? I call Bud on the radio and we decide to take the boat to the marina and get into the problem. I went in with the dinghy and brought Bud out. He operated the dinghy while tied to the Sun Seeker and Marie and I steered the boat. After a few harrowing moments we got her into a slip. Now begins the real work.

Without knowing the extent of the problem we (Bud, Tom and myself) began to disassemble the drive train. First removing the shaft from the end of the transmission. Finding now problems there we decided the transmission would have to be removed. Having never done this before it was quite a learning experience. Between Bud and Tom I was about to learn some major mechanical stuff. We remove the transmission and discover the problem. The vibration dampener, that part actually connecting the transmission to the engine had completely disintegrated scaring the pump housing on the transmission. We removed the transmission and carried it to a transmission shop in Ft. Lauderdale. The transmission shop could do a bench test on the transmission, which would give us some degree of satisfaction, that there was not a problem with the transmission. We did however, put on a new pump. The transmission shop needed to keep the transmission for 3 days so in the meantime we replaced the vibration dampener. That having been done we relaxed and shopped.

We finally left Maule Lake Marina on April 6 and anchored. On April 7^th we fueled up and transited to Virginia Key for an overnight anchorage with "Satisfaction", Bud and Joye, before the crossing to Bimini. On April 8^th at 23:55 (11:55 PM) we departed the anchorage for Bimini accompanied by "Satisfaction." During our transit out the Miami channel as the swells were building Satisfaction's anchor rode came off deck and wrapped around their prop rendering their engine inoperable. As we began turning around in the 4' rolls we encountered severe rolling which caused our solar panel rack attached to the davits to break. This in turn caused the dinghy to swing freely giving grave concern for the davits and solar panels. In the melee one of the panels was damaged and thus rendered useless. In the meantime Bud and Joye were fighting to return under jib. With wind and sea conditions being what they were, little wind and 3 to 4 foot rollers, they fought to gain way and return to an anchorage. Luckily there was enough wind to sail back to the calm of the channel. Using their cell phone Bud called TowBoat/US and obtained a tow to an anchorage behind Fisher Island. We followed Satisfaction and anchored for the remainder of the night/day.

During the following day we reattached the solar panel rack to the davits and placed the dinghy on the foredeck. Seems the davits were no longer capable of carrying the dinghy.

So, with dinghy on deck we finally departed the U.S. through the port of Miami at 06:06 on April 10^th. Approximately four hours out during a routine check of the engine room I discovered a spray of transmission fluid coating the engine. We immediately shut down the engine. It seems there is a plug on the top of the transmission for a sending unit. During the transmission testing, the normal plugs were replaced with plastic ones. Since the Borg-Warner Velvet drive transmission is pressurized a leak developed around the plastic threads which helped by the heat of the engine/transmission probably cause the leak. I replaced the plastic plug with the original, refilled the transmission and we were on our way again. We arrived in the Bahamas and anchored in the harbor in Bimini at 18:53. Finally we made it!

We stayed in Bimini at the Bluewater Marina for two days and got underway for the Berry Islands or so we thought on the 13^th. After a pleasant trip to Gun Cay we anchored overnight in Honeymoon Harbour. On the 14^th we were underway. At around 07:00 during a routing radio contact with our friend in Atlanta we were informed of the death of a nephew so our plans were becoming liquid in a hurry. Our decisions were to turn back to Bimini or Miami or go straight to Nassau. After much deliberation we opted to go to Nassau. We would then anchor out there and Marie would fly home.

We arrived in Nassau at 04:20 on April 15^th. At around 9 AM we moved to a better anchorage in Nassau harbor. Marie flew out at approximately 2 PM and returned on Friday April 20^th.

We remained in Nassau Harbour until April 25^th when we departed with my brother Tom and his friend Rebecca to the Exumas. There we visited Norman's Cay and Shroud Cay. Since the weather wasn't exactly cooperating we returned to Nassau a day early under less than desirable conditions, 20 knot winds with 4 foot seas on the beam. That makes for Mal de mer.

After Tom and Rebecca left we remained in Nassau Harbour until May 10^th due in part to high winds. The winds usually were 20 to 30 knots. On May 10^th we attempted to depart for West Bay which is on the West end of New Providence Island. As we reached the mouth of the harbour we encountered 8 to 10 foot swells and decided real quick to turn around and wait. So finally on May 13^th we got underway and did indeed make West Bay. We stayed there a few days and on May 18^th left for Fresh Creek, Andros a distance of 20 miles.

Fresh Creek, Andros is a rather small community about 30 miles from the northern end of Andros. Fresh Creek features a few good restaurants, bars, motels and a marina. Just a few miles south of Fresh Creek is a U.S. Naval facility known as AUTEC for Atlantic Undersea Testing and Evaluation Center. Here they perform acoustical testing on submarines. We departed Fresh Creek on May 22^nd and returned to Nassau that afternoon.

On May 27^th we were joined by my nephew Brian Hewitt and his Fiancée' Jae. Our first stop was Allan's Cay. We spent a day snorkeling and beach combing. The following afternoon we left for Elbow Cay which is about a mil and a half from Shroud. We used this as a staging for our departure the next day for Staniel Cay. Staniel Cay is 31 miles away so needless to say there was a long day of motoring.

We stayed in Staniel Cay two days and snorkeled Thunderball Cave. This cave was made popular by the James Bond move Thunderball. It is a beautiful grotto full of fish and color. There is a hole in the roof of the grotto where "James Bond" made his escape via a helicopter pulling him out on a tether.

On Jun 1^st we were underway again to Warderick Wells. This is the center of the Exumas Park and is where the warden and his family live. We snorkeled here and met two couples on boats. We went to the boat Carpe Diem owned by OWNERSNAME and a French couple who were on a round the world cruise.

June 2^nd we were underway again to Shroud Cay. This cay contains many creeks running throughout and across. One particular creek is worthy of snorkeling from one side to the other. On the eastern side is a beautiful beach and lagoon. A wonderful place for a picnic.

We left Shroud Cay the next day bound for Nassau. About an hour out of Shroud Cay during yet another routine inspection of the engine room I discovered an electrical problem with the alternator. We turned the engine off so I could get into the engine room and try to correct the problem. Upon checking the alternator I learned the polls (studs) which the main positive and negative #6 wires run to were loose. I tightened them and we were underway. After a couple of minutes underway, thick white smoke began billowing from the engine room. I quickly shut down the engine and turned off all power with the battery selector switch. After clearing the smoke from the engine room I discovered all of the red (positive) #6 wire had melted! Allowing it to cool first, I removed the wire from the alternator to the battery. We then cranked the engine and go underway. Since we were unable to charge the batteries except with the solar panels and the sun wasn't to be found, we continued under reduced electrical consumption. This meant no autopilot and no radar. We entered Nassau Harbour around 18:07 (6:07 PM) and anchored for the night. The following morning we decided to stay in a marina until repairs were made and therefore made our way to the Nassau Yacht Haven. Much to our good fortune Bud and Joye were staying here so I was able to once again gain the assistance of Bud in checking out the alternator.

To make a long story short, I contacted Tom in North Miami Beach and he shipped me a new alternator with new wire. There is a way to do this without having to pay import duty however I still had to pay $30.00 tax. They get you one way or the other. We installed the new alternator and I am waiting send the old one back to Balmar after we return to Carrabelle.

We left the marina on June 9^th and remained at anchor in Nassau Harbour until June 18^th. On June 15^th Marie's brother and sister along with spouses and a friend arrived in Nassau. We enjoyed their visit and company until the 18^th when they left to return to North Carolina and we left for Fresh Creek, Andros.

We arrived in Fresh Creek, Andros at 21:20 (9:20 PM) and docked at the Lighthouse Marina. The following morning we took on five students, one instructor and her mother for a four-day trip to the Berry Islands. We departed Fresh Creek on the 16^th for Morgan's Bluff, Andros. Morgan's Bluff is the northern most settlement at the north end of Andros. It is said that Captain Morgan staged from this location and may have buried his treasure here. If so, it still remains unfound. Morgan's Bluff also supplies some 8 million gallons a day of fresh water via water tanker ships, to Nassau and New Providence.

After leaving Morgan's Bluff we visited Chub Cay, Frozen Cay and White Cay in the Berrys. We returned to Morgan's Bluff on June 23^rd and disembarked our passengers. Following their departure we sailed to Frazier Hog Cay at the bottom of the Berrys. We stayed there a couple of days then moved to Chub Cay. At 2 AM on the morning of the 26^th we left for Gun Cay.

While mostly an uneventful crossing to the Northwest Channel light and over the banks, our first night at anchor off Gun Cay was anything but uneventful. That evening we say winds of at least 50 knots, more lightening than I ever care to see in one place and a sailboat that nearly blew down on us when their anchor dragged. They eventually cut the anchor rode to escape as their windlass jammed and they couldn't retrieve the anchor. They did retrieve the anchor and rode the following morning. We moved the following morning to Honeymoon Harbour and relaxed for the day.

On June 28^th we were underway again, this time for the U.S. We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale and moored at the Las Olas bridge at 16:11 (4:11 PM). The following morning we decided to stay at the dock so we took a slip for a few days. We departed Ft. Lauderdale on Monday July 2^nd for Marathon.

Doing what we don't like to do, we transited the Intracoastal Waterway to Miami. We anchored behind Fisher's Island, which is where we started. The next day we sailed Hawks Channel to Rodriquez Key just of the coast of Key Largo. After an overnight stay there we left for Marathon.

We arrived in Marathon, Boot Key Harbour on July 4^th in time to see the fireworks. There we happened upon more friends, Mike and Lynn Ratliff from Ft. Myers Beach. We had a wonderful week in Marathon with plenty of time at Dockside, a local watering hole. Of course you don't want to go to Marathon and miss the Dockside entertainment especially with Joe Mama! Joe and his wife own the local Harley-Davidson shop called Mama Joes Cycles.

Sadly we left Marathon on Friday the 13^th for Boca Chica Key and Marina at NAS Boca Chica. After an uneventful eight-hour trip we docked at Boca Chica where we spent 4 days.

We departed Boca Chica on Thursday July 19^th for Carrabelle, Florida. This is a 369.7 mile trip over open water in the Gulf of Mexico and in a sailboat takes around three days. Thankfully my brother and a friend of his Terry came along. This helped considerably with watchstanding, as you don't just stop when you are 50 miles from the nearest land and rest. The days generally proved uneventful with the exception a passing thunderstorm. The nights on the other hand were a different matter. The first night we encountered a thunderstorm around 2:00 in the morning. This provided a rather exhilarating ride for an hour or two. The second night proved much more entertaining as we encountered a much stronger storm system and were crossing the Egmont Channel (this is the channel big ships use for entering/leaving Tampa Bay) in the middle of a storm and night. Our third night allowed some reprieve as we had no storms but did encounter some winds early in the morning. We entered Carrabelle on Sunday morning and docked at The Moorings Marina at 11:42. Our total cruise logged over 1,900 miles.

And thus ends our Cruise 2001. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.