Between NOAA Weather, Chris Parker of Marine Weather Central,
and Marv’s Weather the information all pretty much agreed that today was the
best day to go across the Gulf Stream.
Over the next few days conditions will deteriorate and then over the
weekend (while the northeast may get another pounding) and all next week winds
will shift around to the north and east and make crossing toward the East very
difficult if not downright unpleasant.
Not wanting to experience that situation we opted to go today.
We positioned ourselves last night in Lake Worth as close to
the inlet as possible where we could find a suitable anchorage, ate dinner, and
went to sleep by 7:30 pm. This morning
we awoke at 3:00 am and departed our anchorage at 3:30 am. Some had already left and others left
afterwards. Last year we departed from
Ft. Lauderdale thinking that we could really get a boost from the Gulf Stream
heading northeast toward West End. Not
so took 13 hours. Distance was something like 82 miles as I recall. This year from Lake Worth at 57 miles straight across to West End took
only 9 ½ hours. Much better all around.
Gulf Stream crossing was pleasant. Nothing worse than a fall day on the
Chesapeake Bay. Light chop and long
swells. We alternated every so often and
even though we awoke a 3:00 am this morning we were not tired when we arrived at
1:30 today. We cleared customs, fueled,
and got into our slip assignment for the night.
As always Gerry prepared a scrumptious dinner and we feasted
aboard.
Out Spot Gen 3 device works great to provide the location
information you see either on this page or through the “Overall Trip” link below the
map on the right.
Tomorrow we will head on over to Great Sal Cay, then onto
Green Turtle Cay the next day for a few days over the weekend. We might have to wait there before we can
cross over a location called the Whale Cut which requires you to go out into the ocean
around Whale Cay and then on its East side cross back into the Sea of
Abacos. If there is any high winds
coming in from the ocean this cut can be dangerous so we may have to play a
waiting game. Oh well Green Turtle Cay
is a great place so that won’t be too bad.
Tomorrow we will be totally off the grid until we get to
Green Turtle Cay. No cell coverage
between here and there (110 miles). So,
you won’t be hearing from us again probably until late Friday or sometime
Saturday.
Weather is nice and pleasant, T’s and shorts and light
shirts. Plenty of sun and it is not
expected to rain for the next week or so.
We will be in touch in a few days.
Gerry & Larry
s/v Galileo
