Back in Miami

Arrived back in the Grove after a pleasant trip up from Nassau sailing at a good clip most of the way.
Sailing in view of fuel cost ranging between four and five dollars a gallon becomes more then fun its cost effective. I find myself sailing in light air much more when I would otherwise have just motored.
Miami is a beehive of activity (traffic Jams) parking issues, there's the boat and art show plus something else I can't remember going on over this three day week end.
I have about three weeks off starting now which is very unusual but I'll take it while I can and enjoy my self.
The weather is very fine so it's off to the boat show for me.
Mark

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Valentines Day

Underway at last; the cold fronts continue to roll in from the Florida peninsular making their way to the Bahamas with a little less punch. Then there's the cold front that runs you over morphing into a warm front that turns around and rolls over you again.
I'm sailing between fronts now with the wind a little east of north while sailing a little west of north. The sea is confused since the wind is clocking so the wind driven patterns haven't shaped up yet. I expect the wind to continue to clock giving me an east wind to work my way west with.
Hope you all have a special Valentines Day.
Mark

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Nassau, Bahamas

I have been sailing in the Bahamas for two weeks now enjoying the clearest water anywhere and seeing old friends. There have been two complex weather systems working down the Florida peninsula for the last five days. The spin off here has been very strong winds in fact they are so strong I have opted to stay on the boat rather then to launch the dink and go to town.
The weather has been a wind event till today now its wind and rain. Florida, one hundred and eighty miles west, is on an all day tornado watch today with flooding. Both Florida and the Bahamas are in drought so all is good except if like me, you want to sail to Florida.
The first evening in this anchorage (down town Nassau) a 45' Mono sailboat broke anchor, then both his main engine starter motor and windless failed when he needed them most. The boat ended up behind me on the public beach on its side. By happenstance two Bahamian guys I know came by, at high tide about 10pm we towed him off in strong winds.
Around 4pm yesterday the Bahamas custom/immigration authorities boarded every boat in the anchorage, they were fast and polite, don't know what they were looking for but they were on a mission.
I may be able to sail tomorrow which will get me back for the biggest boat show in the world (I think) the Miami in the water boat show. I haven't been to a show in years but it is fun to look at boats and see what new ideas might work on your boat, something like seeing new model homes.
Since I have three weeks off I would like to fly to Phoenix to see my son and granddaughter Ocean, she will be three soon.
Mark

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Exumas, Bahamas

Since my last note I stopped in Nassau to pick up my new guests, two couples from Canada who were all but snow bound at home last week.
We spent the first night near Rose island where it was pleasant but a with a bit of roll. Next morning it was a motor sail south east towards the Exumas which became motoring into the wind and waves as the wind shifted to the south east. We spent that night anchored off Norman's Cay with out roll, lots of stars and a roast on the Barb-i.
Last night was a very nice meal off the boat at the Stanial Cay Yacht club and today we are sailing and fishing our way north to Allen's Cay in light air and flat seas.
Mark

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From Florida to the Bahamas

I stared sailing from Miami for Nassau yesterday in a flat sea making about 85 miles before getting sleepy. I anchored off the normal sailing routes here on the Bahamas banks in eight foot of crystal clear water.
I'm now motoring into a light east breeze at about 7 knots SOG, it's peaceful out here alone with a sliver of a low lying moon and more stars then can be imagined. I'm in a reflective mood in this peaceful setting, seems I just got use to being back in the states, there's a lot to get use to after the Caribbean/Central America cruise. Now I'm off to another very familiar country.
People seem to impact me the most in this almost constant change life style I live. The last cruise stated in Miami with a number of people I know there stopping by to wish me well in the mist of the chaos of activity that is an inherent part of launching.
They asked lots of questions of me but most were trip related; how far, how long, when will you get back. At the time I wasn't sure I would be back at all. I don't think I realized how many friends and acquaintances I have in the greater south Florida area.
I can imagine that normally someone there might say "have you seen Mark", no I think he's out on charter, he'll be back in a day or two. No doubt my many friends on the various islands in the Bahamas say something like "no mon he's down island, be back soon".
Added to those good people are the hundreds of charter guests that have sailed with me. Many of them come back so I get to see and hear about the changes in their lives, a lot of them keep up with me through this log and email, and some of them have become close friends.
I think that most people who know me think of me in terms of interactions on their tuff so to speak; their place, while having some notion of the places and people I visit elsewhere. That's ok since I suppose I think of them that way as well.
Many people make flattering comments that suggest that someone who can do all of what I do alone is special, they would be wrong in my case, I know I couldn't manage this boat and charter business without the help, encouragement and financial support of so many.
So while I'm still excited by my sailing adventures, when the memory of an island or place starts to become fuzzy, I always recall the people.
Mark

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