Grand Bahama -- Sunrise Resort and Marina

 

Tracking 104 degrees true on a heading of 130 degrees true through a northerly gulf stream current of 2.5 knorts, a mild 10 knots wind from the SE, two to three foots swells with a > 10 second period, "Otto" (autopilot) at the helm keeping us on a steady course for 70 nautical miles at 8.5 SOG (knots speed over ground).  WOW, what a seven hour ride!!  In fact we arrived early off the coast of Grand Bahama and had to slow down a bit to arrive at the inlet to Sunrise Resort and Marina at high tide.  The red and green buoys were actually stakes in the sand.  The inlet was very narrow.  I had Bettilynn on the bow looking and pointing at dark patches under the water meaning rocks and coral heads -- hitting bottom here would not be the same at pushing through soft mud or sand !!   Great experience for narrow approaches to come.  But, we came in with no less than 5 feet under the keel and entered the marina with 10 foot depths.  The dockmaster met us at out assigned spot and had already called customs and immigration.  They have done this before.

 

The Bahamian authorities came to the boat, we filled out all of the required paperwork, paid our $300 cruising fee, and settled in for the night.  The cold front came through the next day with all of the winds and rough weather that would have made the entry nearly impossible if not plain dangerous!!  Great timing!

 

 

 

A view South toward the inlet entrance.  Mavourneen is moored port side to on a floating dock.

Another view of Mavourneen with the resort in the background

The water is so clear in the marina, the entire hull, rudders and props are visible,  Big difference from being moored in the Chesapeake Bay.

Some resort amenities.

We chose this marina fron reviews posted on the Active Captain website.  That site along with Passage maker website for weather information is invaluable for cruising.  They offer transient fee discount for retired military, Boat US, or Active Captain members.  We plan to stay a week, catching the next weather window to head South to the Berry Islands.  In the meantine, we'll drop the dingy, find some place to do a bit of snorkling, visit the international marketplace in Lucaya and enjoy the warm Bahamian weather.

Christmas Crossing To Grand Bahama Island

 

Arriving in Palm beach, we cleaned the boat, fiiled the tanks with expensive Florida marine diesel, called everyone with Christmas wishes and turned in early.  Cruising is all about catching "weather windows" so Christmas Day, we departed the USA for Grand Bahama Island knowing a Cold Front was following the next day.  The forcast winds and wave height would have made the crossing very uncomfortable,

 

 

 

Lake Worth inlet -- heading east against inbound traffic.

 

Loofing back throught the inlet -- last chance to turn around -- Nope!!

This is what the North Atlantic looks like with a good "weather window".  Perfect !!

Florida and the high rise apartments getting smaller as we head east !!

Patrick AFB To Palm Beach

 

We left Patrick AFB on 23 December in great weather and headed South.  Leaving the Bananna River we "scraped bottom" but, thankfully, no damage except to my nerves.  Back on the ICW for an uneventful trip to Jensen Beach and a great overnight anchorage.  On Christmas Eve day, we got underway early, went to the "outside" and cruised to Palm Beach through the Lake Worth inlet.  No more ICW !!

 

 

 

Sunset view of the Jensen Beach bridge from our anchor spot

 

Domino the Cat seldom emerges from his numerous "hiding" places when the engines are running but cnnot resist a comfortable perch by the firepit.

 

St Augustine to Patrick AFB via Daytona Beach

 

Leaving St. Augustine, noticed a leak in the generator's raw water pump.  So, we made arrangements to stop at the Aquamarine marina in Daytona Beach.  Explaining my problem to the dockmaster, He knew who to call.  A boat mechanic arrived on scene 30min later, removed the pump, and returned within a hour. To make a short story even shorter, the pump needed a new seal (one I did not have in my assembly of spart parts -- of course) and all is back to normal.  We left the next morning for the Manatee Marina at Patrick AFB.  Thanks to Dave and "T" on "Pagan Lady" back at NAS Pax for the tip on Patrick AFB

 

 

 

 

 

One can never get tired of watching Dolphins ride your bow wave !!

Pierside at Manatee Cove Marina, Patrick AFB.  Its a bit tight and shallow coming up the Bananna River, a few scary moments of shallow water and "where's the channel" concerns.  But we arrived safely in this truely gem of a marina.  Big Exchange and Commissary within walking distance, super golf course nearby and lots of activities going on every night.  Yup, we are moored right next to an outdoor Tiki Bar.

 

A Bow view with an outdoor patio.

Mavourneen from inside the Tiki Bar !!  Tom, the marina manager, told us Dave and "T" came to stay for just a few days and decided to stay for almost "forever".  We can see why.  A must stop and stay for anyone with a Military ID cruising anywhere in Florida.  Our plans are to leave Thursday morning, two day trip South to catch (we hope) a weather window for crossing to the Bahamas.

St Augustine !!

 

   Left Jacksonville and continued South to St Augustine.  After stopping for fuel we arranged for a mooring ball with the St Augistine city marina.  Our first experience at a mooring ball.  Bettilynn and I worked out some hand signals for anchoring and they worked equally well for retrieving the mooring pendant.  She drove the boat and I did all the work in the cold rain!!  Seems fair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We liked swiging on the "ball"; far less expensive ($20 / day) than paying transient fees at a slip AND it gave us the opportunity to bring the dingy down and explore St Augustine..  The marina also had a free water taxi, but it was more fun in our own boat.

 

 

Bettilynn in one of the many alley shops and restraunts in St. Augustine.  This is a great city to explore!!



 

 

Lots of old churches and buildings, some dating back to the eary 1800's.

Another view of Mavourneen "on the ball".  We met several other boaters doing the same thing -- heading South to the Bahamas.  We hosted a few on our sun deck the night before leaving, exchanging e-mails, blogsites, and promises to meet at various places in the Exumas!!

Leaving Jacksonville -- heading South!!

 

Our Slip At Ortega Landing Marina

 

 

Clubhouse,Pool, Hot Tub, free laundry, showers, great rates etc. -- Ortega Landing Marina is a first class marina operation 

The pool and hot tub

Bettilynn's son Wesley and his girfriend Rachel.  Wes is in the Navy, stationed at Pensacola and came for the weekend to visit !!  The weather cleared up on Sunday, so we went out for a few hours, cruising through dowtown Jacksonville.




Ortega River Bridge -- Very narrow, opens on request.

A Mega-Yacht visiting Jacksonville

 

 

Downtown Jacksonville

 

 

 

 

  It is December 9, 2012 and this is our last evening at Ortega Landing Marina.  We have been here two weeks, taking care of administrative details, stocking the boat, doing oil changes, some maintenance, etc.  Tomorrow, we get underway early for St Augustine and plan to stay on a mooring ball.  So far the weather has not been very cooperative.  Only a few days of our trip have been clear and sunny but the long range forecast suggests a change for the better latter next week.  It has been getting warmer as we move South -- that's a good thing.

!! Florida !

 

Scene on the ICW from our spot at the Jeykll Harbor Marina

Actually stopped counting Dolphin sightings, but one can never get tired of watching them "play" in your wake!!

 

Downtown Jacksonville on the St. John's River

 

We left Jeykll Island on November 26 after a two day stay that included a bike ride through the island and a fabulous brunch at the Jekyll Island Club and Hotel  -- very swanky!  The weather was once again great, so we transited through St Andrews Sound into the Atlantic for the 40NM trip to Jacksonville FL.  The seas were less than 2', sunny, with only a gently sea swell coming through with a very long period.  In other words, it was a great ride!!

We decided to stay awhile in Jacksonville to take advantage of the commissary and exchange at NAS Jax, do some boat maintenance (never ending), and get everything ready for the transit South through Florida and on the the Bahamas.  After slogging through a 2-43 knot current on the St. John's river, we are comfortably situated at the Ortega Landing Marina on the South side of Jacksonville.  We'll be here till 10 December.

Cruising on The "Outside"

Fort Sumpter

Another cruiser "on the outside"

 

 

The Atlantic on a nice day

 

Leaving Charleston, NOAA reported 3-5 foot swells with a 10 second period in the Atlantic and forecast to get better later in the day.  For us it was an opportunity to leave the ICW, set a waypoint 60 NM south and let "Auto" drive the boat for a change.  First day, Charleston to Tybee Inlet Beaufort SC.  Next day, Beaufort to Jekyll Harbor Marina.  By staying to the "outside" a 50 NM trip is nearly equal to 100 miles on the Georgia portion of the ICW.  And, it is much nicer to let "Auto" drive the boat PLUS, having stabilizers on the boat makes for a really smooth ride.  Tomorrow is off to Jacksonville FL, again on the "outside".

Thanksgiving In Charleston SC

Finally the weather is beginning to cooperate, more sunny days and easy cruising down the ICW.  Arrived in Charleston the day before Thanksgiving and stayed through the holiday.  Went on a horse drawn carriage ride through the city and had thanksgiving dinner at a restraunt called Slightly North Of Broad or "SNOB".  It was terrific!!  Some pics.

Dolphins "hitching a ride" on our wake and bow

Weather -- Grounding

Ouch -- Just North of Wrightsville Beach we hit a sandbar while (we thought) firmly centered in the marked channel.  The boat came to a sudden stop.  Fortunately, the current set us free BUT, after bringing up the RPMS, there was a noticable vibration.  Slow speed into Wrightsville Beach Marina, and they had called a dive team for us.  Yup, the props were bent.  We later found out another boat (48' Sea Ray) had hit the green marker, fouled his prop with the buoy chain and dragged it all while beinbg towed into a Marine Max boatyard nearby.  Fortunately for us the divers were great, there was a "prop shop" working over the weekend and the weather was windy, rainy, and cold.  We sat tight for the weekend, the props wre put back on on Monday and we resumed our trip.  No vibrations and we don't want to experience that again ($$$$).

Weather Delay !!

Unfortunately, we can't control the weather.  We spend an extra day at the Coinjock marina as the winds picked up to over 30 Knots.  Along with a bunch of other boats who stayed an extra day for the same reason, we left with everyone else on Wednesday and made it to Bellview NC.  An early start on Thursday morning and here we are at Spooners Creek Marina, just west of Beaufort NC.  We have elected to stay at marinas instead of anchoring out as the winds and low temps just make things uncomfortable.  Had our first major dolphin sightings today as we struggled through a confusing set of buoys and markers through Beaufort.  Mavourneen is running perfectly, no problems at all -- hope that trend continues.

Some Travel Pics !!

"O dark thirty", Day 1 of trip South !!! A bit rough going South on the Chesapeake Bay, but it smoothed out by mid afternoon. The first bit of interesting scenery was entering the Elizabeth River and passing by the Aircraft Carriers (three of them) and all of the other Navy ships in port. One of the CVN's was the Enterprise (CVN 65) which remined me of a time in January 1969, while serving aboard the USS Bainbridge (DLGN 25), helping to fight the fires on the Big E off the coast of Hawaii. Made it down the ICW to the Top Rack marina. Great price on Diesel AND, if you east at their restraunt (Amber Lantern), the overnight transient fee and electric hookups are free! The restraunt was great!

The Boat

"Mavourneen"

1986 53' Hatteras "Classic" Flybridge Motor Yacht

 

 

 

Built in 1985, finished and first sold in 1986, this boat has been well maintained through two previous owners.  Equipped with Detroit Diesel 6V92TA engines and a fairly new Northern Lights 16KW generator, and NAIAD stabilizers, it gives a great ride at hull speed (around 10 Knots) and, for a medium sized motor yacht, a fairly economical one at that (about 15 gal/hr).  In addition, an Outback inverter was installed along with a third battey bank for cruising and provding AC power at anchor without having the run the generator all the time.  Of course, with three staterooms, three baths, a washer/dryer, KVH Tracvision (Direct TV at sea), stove, range, side-be-side refigerator, and dishwasher, the comfort factor more than offsets the increased operating cost of a motor yacht as compared to, for example, a sailboat.  But, to each His own. 

 

Electronics include two radars, 2 GPS chartplotters, 1 GPS trackplotter, 2 VHF radios, one SSB radio, a forward looking sonar system, and a Raymarine Hish-speed bus system to drive the Autopilot and display system.  On back is an 11' Boston Whaler with a 15hp Yamaha outboard for scooting arouud at 20+ knots.