Nassau to Miami

Just finished a three day charter with a very nice extended family of six from New England. I had thought to cancel the charter before they arrived because of the dangerous potential and close proximity of the Cat IIII hurricane. The forecasters seemed convinced that the upper air wind shear, and the mountains of Cuba, would take the storm apart and they were right.
It was a hard decision to make, staying there, since my natural inclination is to sail away from the threat.
Talking with my guests by Sat phone, I learned that the airlines and hotels would make no concessions for them. That news, coupled with the forecasters consistent predictions, I decided to stay, it all worked out fine and a good time was had by all.
I'm underway with two sails up in twenty knots of wind making about eight knots. We are broad reaching comfortably on a starboard tack in six foot waves, It's about eighty two degrees out here.
Last night I anchored near the Yacht club since I was able to pick up a WIFI signal from a boat named Camelot. I woke up about midnight and couldn't get back to sleep, the wind was at times 30/35 but everything was good when I walked around the boat so back to bed. At two AM I heard a bang, jumped up and ran to the cockpit to discover that Stray Cat had dragged three hundred feet to the concrete sea wall inches from the bow roller of Camelot. Even though I was awake I didn't feel the slow drag of the anchor. The bang amounted to a two inch dent in the gel coat at the starboard aft transom. Lucky me, could have been much worse.
Mark

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com