Paradise Regained

We are talking "earthly paradise" here, and every experience I've had of that comes along with disclaimers like "except for such and such". At the moment, the temperature is balmy and the waters are crystalline turquoise, except it is frosted with white wind-blown foam, and on deck it is difficult to breath when facing into the wind. 

With a weather front a day and a half away, we completed our night crossing of the Gulf Stream from Ft. Lauderdale to the West End of Grand Bahamas Island. The crossing went well, a bit "pitchy" as expected from the moderate headwinds. Sirius arrived off Indian Rock at first light allowing a visual approach and passage through the cut and onto the banks. Quite a change from the mile deep water, to be sailing along with the bottom so close it looks as if you could reach down and touch it. This is partly due to the amazing clarity of the water and partly to the fact that you just about can reach down and touch it. It was five feet deep at times passing onto the banks (Sirius draws four feet) so any fat fish laying on the bottom was in danger of becoming flat fish. Hmmm, the origin of halibut??

On the banks yesterday, we had a beautiful close-hauled sail to Great Sale Cay where we battened down for the front arriving that night. When a cold front comes through, the usual southeast wind  clocks around to south, then west, then northwest where it gets pretty strong depending on the pressure gradient. Finally it goes to northeast and eventually lightens and returns to southeast. Our chosen anchorage (not many choices available) is open to the south in favor of good protection from the stronger westerly and northerly winds following. We had no very current data indicating how strong the southerlies would be, so that was a matter of some concern. We set a GPS anchor drag alarm which will sound a signal in the event it moves more than a preset distance from the start point, in this case 100 ft. Four other sailboats were anchored in the bay, everyone wisely spread out so that any possible anchor dragging activities in the night would not involve tangling with another boat. As you would imagine, tangling up two anchors could really complicate the situation. 

It's now morning and all boats seem to be relatively in the same positions as last night. The south wind started rather suddenly at 11pm at 20-25kts and with a deluge of rain and lightening, not too bad, but with no land intervening, it caused an uncomfortable chop. Our anchor drag alarm sounded three times in the night with each major change in wind direction. Each time it reset with no required action, thankfully, as the prospect of going out and moving and resetting anchor was not at all appealing. 

Watching the wind speed indicator while listening to the pitch of the wind in the rigging suggests that it would be possible to make a chart in which the musical note being produced corresponds to a certain wind speed. C = 25kts, D = 30kts, F = Uh Oh. In any case, being below decks is like being in a guitar while the wind strums the strings. Time to dance. 

We've no desire to leave here today, sleep (to make up for last night), eat, read, ponder the imponderable. Tomorrow should be a good downwind run with the remaining north wind to Allens-Pensacola Cay then the next day to Marsh Harbor where we will check in with customs and "officially" arrive in the Bahamas. 

We won't be able to post until arrival at Marsh Harbor. 

OK, maybe the only selfie we'll post

Ducks behind the boat at Ft Lauderdale

Night on the river at Ft Lauderdale

Photos along the river:

A few of the "modest" homes along the water. I guess they had taken down their "vote for Mitt" signs:

Anchored in "Lake" Sylvia awaiting favorable weather for crossing. 

Bahamian waters at last!  Gotta put on the Bob Marley album.