January 14 - 17, 2015 break down, US Coast Guard

Joe changing one of the fuel filters

both of them look like brand new, and they are

TowBoatUS giving us a tow

MODAKI going above hull speed

finishing up the paper work

our 12 miles out to the ocean and back

Alderaan and Sanderling crew

buying water for 30 cents a litre at Publix

fire on shore

crack in the fuel line … this is probably the issue all along

US Coast Guard after our boarding … 

we had no violations

January 14, 2015

When you anchor within 200 ft of the ICW you are awakened at daylight by all the monster tall fishing boats heading out to sea.  Time to get up and hold down what ever we left on the table last night. Soon we started to change the fuel filters, the first one was not dirty but we found a few very small crystals. Then changing the small filter it looked brand new, both of them where changed and had only 12 engine hours on them.  Then we worked for about 1 1/2 hours bleeding the lines and nothing was working..

Our friends that had to turn around and head back radioed us to see how we made out., not good.   A decision was made to call TowBoatUS, within 20 minutes we where hooked up and Joe was raising the anchor.  The tiller tied down securely and off we went in tow.

Monitoring Channel 11, we where checked on a few times to confirm everything was ok. Modaki went well above hull speed, but she was not complaining at all.

Joe remarked that maybe some bottom growth will be washed off. (our speed meter is not working again).

Before noon we dropped our anchor, then the tow lines, just a few 100 ft from where we left some 18 hours earlier. The wind was from the north and we dug in well.

We googled to find a Yanmar dealer, and one was about 2 miles away, so we ordered parts.

The wind overnight was so strong and whistling and howling it reminded us of a snow storm.  Thinking of our family and friends back home.

We had a great happy hour with Bob and Diane (Sanderling) and Mark and Anne (Alderaan). With lots of laughs, which made us all feel better after all our mishaps in the last 24 hours.

January 16, 2015

Sanderling, rented a car and offered to take Joe and I to pick up our parts.  With a quick walk back, we installed them.  Joe also found a crack in a fuel line and he repaired that too.

Tomorrow we take MODAKI for a test drive to see how everything works.

We received some very sad news yesterday, Joe's ex-boss and good friend, Dave Taylor, owner of Lands and Forests Consulting, passed away suddenly, he was only 63 years.  We are in total shock on this news.  Thinking of Susan and family back in Chesley, Ontario

January 17, 2015

our engine test drive down to the Lake Worth Inlet and back went without a sputter, but we sputtered a bit the

U.S. Coast Guard pulled us over and boarded

they checked our passports, boat registration, safety gear, made sure that we had a holding tank and it was locked, checked out the engine, asked when we entered U.S., and what the next step was etc etc.

We had no violations, and we have the paper work to prove it too.

Once back to our usual anchoring spot we headed to town to get diesel. Joe was wanting fish and chips for supper, so we picked that up at Publix and back out to the boat for a quiet evening aboard.

Tuesday now looks like a weather window for a day time crossing to WestEnd, Abacos, Bahamas

There will be no more night crossing if we can avoid it.

to be continued ……

January 12/13, 2015

making some food ahead for the passage, a port roast, ready to BBQ

mashed potatoes for supper, with some of the port chops and curry chicken for the next day in the Bahamas

Joe doing the cooking … winds are dying and all looks good to leave at 3:30 pm

off we go down to the Lake Worth inlet … little did we know we would be back at just about this exact spot, some  6 hours later

what there is for anchoring is full of liveaboards, and abandoned boats

next is some cruise ships

this boat looked like it was either being loaded or unloaded from a trip across the ocean

the dredger blocking most of the frontage to another anchorage

Jerry on " PIPER "

now PIPER, below a wave

all looks good, it was a bit lumpy

off we go to the Bahamas … maybe not

January 12, 2015

Finally I got to wifi and posted the last few days adventures, and for most of you you are as bored as we are … we need to get moving.

We found out today that "Black Hawk" got caught in a strong currant on the Chesapeake Bay and hit the bridge, dropping the mast and shredding the sails and taking out part of the bridge rail.  This happened around 4am leaving the Bay. No one seriously injured.  Black Hawk was in Owen Sound Harbour for months near the boat launch, Joe and I me him at Annapolis, this cruising year at our Canadian Get together.

Once back from shore we packed the dinghy and had a great visit from Persuasion, Mike and Mary Ellen Taylor, from Ottawa area.

making food for the passage

we both had to cancel or suspend our phones and iPad , because once we cross and leave US there is no coverage for us ….

with these plans   …. 

January 13, 2015

we are up early listening to Chris Parker on the SSB again for the last minute crossing weather info.

Most boaters made the last minute run to Publix (groceries ) and water.

The crossing to WestEnd or Memory Rock will take us 10 hours averaging 5 knots, which we will passage in the dark.  Crossing the Gulf Stream, on a "S" pattern due to the gulf stream. Then we will see how the weather is and will either go into WestEnd  (dockage) in the dark, or pass thru Memory Rock, 3am, into Little Bahama. Banks, getting light now to Man Grove Cay, Great Sail Cay, Green Turtle Cay … to check into customs

So off we all went about 10 of us … one of the Women, who sail, organized a radio contact with all of the boat names , so we could keep in contact with each other … Smart Woman … we all did not know each other, but now we do by VHF

The North East wind was 6 - 8 knots and seas 4 feet on the front quarter at about 10 seconds.  It was roll and rough and more than Chris Parker and Marine VHF called for. (isn't this always the way)

wasn't the word going around DONT CROSS WITH any NORTH

wind ?

About 10 miles out our motor started to sputter and loose power. We gave it a few minutes and it happened again.

Earlier " Sanderling " had to turn back because of GPS failure.  His buddy boat " Alderaan ", headed back too guide him into the entrance at Lake Worth and another 5 miles to the anchorage.

" Piper ", sailing with us said he would stay back, while we changed the fuel filters and bleed the line … but we decided  it was too choppy and WHAT IF ??? … we said thanks, Piper, but please go on ….

so at 12 km out from Florida  we turned back, it was heart breaking , but the right move, we sputtered and motor/sailed back to the inlet in the darkness … 

we furled the foresail before the inlet and kept the main up, we sent a couple of security to warn of our approach.  Once inside Lake Worth inlet, we had to avoid small fishing boats with no lights, get confused with the land and inlet lights.  We brought down the main, then another security came on the VHF, a tug was coming towards us pulling a submerged submarine, yes , submarine…  it was  500  feet or more  long.  We radioed back telling of our not working engine issues and was told not to worry just stay close to Peanut Island, as we approached each other our depth sounder said 6 ft .. we radioed again and submarine tug said come more to his port and we would be okay   (later we thought he is pulling a submarine under water, so his water is deep), this area we passed thru is only about 50 ft wide 

Once past his lights our eyes had to adjust to the darkness once again, it is now 9pm …

watching the chart plotter with our previous passage 5 hours before  and the iPad for back up, Joe yelled to STB now, out of the dark was a red ICW marker, it is not lite … think red markers to right (ICW markers are always red to land, green to ocean), we are going inland….. (later we found out our other 2 returning boaters nearly hit the exact same marker)

Next we heard on the VHF, is "Alderaan " calling TowBoatUS because they ran aground, while they are leading " Sanderling " to the anchorage.

Remember in earlier blogs I said you can not transit the ICW in the dark … well we had to do it so we could find an area to anchor.

at this point MODAKI was only going 2 knots, and this was too fast for us in the darkness, we checked out the first anchorage with the dredger in the entrance, that was impossible, too deep and too many boats, next two anchorages had 1/2 sunken boats, abandoned boats, boats with no anchor lights on, it was impossible to anchor there.

we went under the A1A bridge and it got even darker, going north.

Joe found an area on Navionics on the  iPad that had a 10 ft depth, other areas are 1 - 5 ft, just off the channel

our motor is struggling a lot now, we just need another 5 minutes please … 

Just as we got to the area that we could leave the channel, a black boat, with black clothed people, with no lights came at us at high speed,  from no where, we thought they where going to TBone us

, and at the last minute they turned in the opposite direction we where going. 

well my heart sputtered just like the motor, Joe was speechless ,

now that we have talked to some other US boaters they said they are Govt' Boys, Drug Busters, … they must of had night vision glasses to miss us.

now back to us, the motor is not feeling well at all, we both said another 5 minutes … 

we got to the beginning of the depth we wanted and we had to drop the anchor, the wind hooked us … might I add here …anchor is Rocna, and all chain …. the wind built and we sat parallel to the ICW

It was 10:30 and we where burnt out and stressed out, not even hungry or thirsty 

So we did not cross to the BAHAMAS, our main goal of  this adventure and now we have to fix Modaki's engine/fuel/what ever our issue is ..

p.s. we now realize we need to un-cancel and un-suspend 

our phones and iPad … we may not leave for a while  … oh no

January 9 - 12, 2015 North Lake Worth

Banyan Tree

these are amazing

thanks Sue, the cockpit light is fantastic

Joe working on the laundry

and hung out, with the jack lines installed for our crossing to the Bahamas

Tow Boat US , came to help this boat get away from a dragging yacht … no one is on the dragging boat and other sailors, boarded it and put out a second anchor that was on the bow

this boat's anchor was under the dragging boat

our friends on a boat from Australia, was feeding the seagulls … there must of been 200 gulls, oh my !!

taking time to sew the bimini back up, after 5 years the threads are falling apart in the sun

sewing 6 layers of sunbrella is tough … using the cutting board to push the needle thru

January 9 - 12, 2015

Right now everyday is running into each other, we are anxious to cross the gulf stream, but these low's keep coming with strong North and NE winds.

We have bought everything from West Marine that we need, but  still go just about everyday to get water.  A couple of days ago we left the boat with 4 - 1gal jugs and came back with only 3.  Somehow I managed to leave one on the sandy beach dinghy dock, the next day we found it and it had been opened and used, so off we went to buy another jug.  We have been catching up on our laundry, doing clothes one day and sheets the next day, and using our precious fresh water.

Yesterday I had an awful scare, we where heading off to a sailor's get together at a Pizza place, and I couldn't find my camera. Oh the thoughts that goes thru ones mind. We tore the boat apart, looked in our coat pockets, backpacks, and every corner. The evening before we visited another Canadian boat from Quebec. "GIVA", so I was sure that I left it there, but they had moved into a near by marina.  Still feeling sick about this we got the dinghy ready to take to town. Joe had to fill up the outboard, and what did he happen to find up at the mast, yup camera.  Lucky for me it did  not rain overnight, and there was no dew either.

We had a great sailor's greet and get together. Got more water and back to the boat just before a squall hit.

As it turns out our first chance to cross the Stream is now Tues at noon or Wed after midnight, there  will be squalls with Thunderstorms, before that with high north east winds.  Tomorrow morning after Chris Parker gives the word on the weather and crossing we will decide.

This morning we reconnected with Mike and MaryEllen Taylor on PERSUASION, they came into the anchorage last night. We first met at the Canadian get together in Annapolis, when we where there for the boat show, back in October. They are off to town today getting supplies and hope to cross with us.  HOOT HOOT

Well that is it for now, once we do cross it will take us a few days or a week to get organized with 3G and wifi …. we will buy a pay as you go phone, get a SIM card for the IPAD, and only be able to do the blog when we have wifi.

heading to town, for water and wifi, to post this

to be continued ……

January 5 - 8, 2015 North Lake Worth ….. Happy Birthday, Sue Allison

January 5 - 8, 2015

LAKE WORTH, mile 1014 (also known as North Palm Beach)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sue Allison, my life long friend

The east side of the anchorage is quite large and depths from 9 - 14 ft.  The west side has some mooring balls and 2 marina's, the guide books say that you can only stay on the west side for max. 4 nights and you could be charged.

Right now there are 25 boats anchored here….. when we arrived here ,there was 15 boats.

The dinghy landing area is about 1/2 a mile away, heading north before a bridge and it has a small sandy beach, at high tide the water is past your knees, and at low tide you are still going to get wet feet.  You bolt your dinghy to a steel fence, dividing private property and the shore's edge.

Up over the bridge and one block is Publix, (grocery store).  Turn to the left 1 1/2 blocks is West Marine. Wine and Spirits, 4 blocks right.  Joe walked over the PGA Bridge, 3/4 mile to buy diesel at $2.87 gal. from a gas station because the Marina close by wants $4.47 gal.  We have a foldable West Marine dolley that we got at a 2nd hand store to carry heavy goods and we use it for diesel, water, groceries.

For water we bring our 4 - 1 gal jugs to West Marine to fill them from the washroom tap, then back to the boat to fill our inboard tank.

We had an issue with our macerator, a bolt dropped off inside the motor, so it too now had to be replaced. The messy job turned into a not so messy job, because we have not used our head for over a month.  When we where in the boat yard at Ft. Pierce we used the washrooms there.  It was a bit of a mad dash either late at night or first in the morning, but we had no place to pump out legally..

Then the gremlins hit again and our portable anchor light refused to work. Joe took it apart and the sensor was broken, he spent a lot of time on bypassing the sensor, but it still was not reliable. So off to West Marine for another light and more water.

There is no laundry facility near, so we have been hand washing clothes in salt water, rinsing twice in salt water and then in fresh water.  It has been windy enough to dry them from the life lines in 1/2 a day.

Yesterday another Canadian boat arrived, "Mistress" but have moved to one of the Marinas.  One other boat is from Switzerland and the rest either live aboard or from US.

Last night we had gale force winds in the anchorage. Many times  Modaki just shuttered. And it got cold with the north wind we had to pull out our douvet.

It is now 5pm and the winds have picked up again.

Today is a stay on the boat day.  I'm making Spicy Lentil Stew for supper. We are both organizing the boat again. It is not easy keeping  a 30 ft boat uncluttered with all the extra food, parts, supplies, etc that we have put on for our 3-4 months in the Bahamas.  And when will we get there????  As soon as the winds settle down from the north, maybe the middle of next week.

Joe is also tweaking the motor again, and cleaned out the cockpit locker and rearranging, fenders, lines, shore cords to make room for our snorkelling fins, masks and gear.  Another cruiser from "Sanderling" came to help Joe understand the SSB a bit better, and give us more channels to investigate.   Every morning at 6:30 - 7:30 we listen to Chris Parker for  the weather from Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida and the Gulf Stream and getting his advise on crossing the Gulf Stream.

 … to be continued

fishing lines caught in hydro lines crossing the bridge

there is a lot of money hanging there

McLaren sports car

jJoe's thinking about selling the boat and buying one of these … just around 1/2 million dollars

We have been trying to stay connected with our sailing friends that we have met since July 2014

Janis and Cam on Te Amor (Nova Scotia), is on their way to Cuba, Janis has a hip operation there soon, but they are stalled in GeorgeTown, because of the weather.

Andy and Judy on Jacobs Ladder (Nova Scotia)

and

Dave and Corinne on At Last (Nova Scotia and Ontario)

are in the Bahamas heading south to the Caribbean, and for sure that bunch are having a great time.

Janine and Dave on Snowbird (Ontario) our buddy boat for 6 weeks, we sure miss the 5pm drinks with you guys

are in the Abacos, some where hiding from these north winds … we will see you soon !

Catherine and Gavin on Jump (Toronto) they are back from Christmas in Canada and work on their boat is still in progress, they are in St. Augustine, Florida, and will be heading to the Bahamas soon.

Carman and Randy on Walkabout (Peru and Annapolis), are also in St. Augustine, Florida, getting electrical issues looked after, but are soon heading our way, maybe we will cross the Gulf Stream together

Susan and Rick on OtherGoose  (Owen Sound), have been following us for a while now, they are in Georgia … hurry up you two ….it would be good to see you soon

Jerry on Cloud Chaser (boat Wiarton, Jerry, Nova Scotia and Ontario)

is launching January 10, 2015 from Fort Pierce, and will cross to the Bahamas soon after … see you there Jerry

there are so many others that we contacted with here and there … looking forward to seeing our friends again and making more new friends along the way

to be continued ……

January 3 - 4, 2015 off to Lake Worth

Joe installing our new inverter, for charging the computer, iPad , camera batteries, phone, I'll be able to use my mini blender etc.

just before we left Stuart, a barge and tug chugged by, we thought for sure there would not be any up this skinny, shallow river

pizza night, using corn flat bread for crust

leaving Stuart with the road bridge, that opens on demand, railroad bridge that is usually open during the day, but not night, and the 65 ft new bridge, there was lots of currant in this part of the river

under the fixed bridge

our speedometer is working again

some fishermen on the ICW net fishing

more abandoned boats

Dockominiums ???

this area had a fire recently

days passage to North Lake Worth, and 11 bridges today

some great sausage, chicken with feta cheese and spinach, gluten free, green beans and yams

we are happy to say that our solar panels and wind generator is supplying us with enough power

hoot hoot !!!!

December 26 - 31, 2014 January 1 and 2, 2015

Joe and I left his mom's house in Owen Sound at 7 am for the long road trip south, on Boxing Day.

All of our pictures of the next week are stuck on a corrupt SD card, I can't retrieve them at the moment, so these pictures of the 2nd of January.

We got to Sarnia and the US Boarder at about 11 am, and there was already a long line up for clearing customs.

Soon it was our turn and there was many questions asked and answers given, he wanted to know about the boxes in the back seat.(our canned food for the Bahamas)

- for some reason he asked if we had bags of rice and dried beans, … Joe said No, we thought that was a strange question.  So the officer was ready to let us go, passports handed back and off we went.

Once out of hearing distance I told Joe that in one of the open boxes of food behind the drivers seat, was a bag of rice and dried beans.  

Any way off we went to see how far we could travel before we became to tired.  By 9pm we stopped at a Super 8 Motel in Gerogia, for $62.00, taxes included.  we slept soundly.

Up and off again at 7am for Fort Pierce, Florida.

We stopped a few times to grab fast food, washroom break and change drivers.

At 8pm we finally got to the boat, a 13 hour day.  It was a good sign to see the security guard parked, in his truck, next to our boat, watching who was coming and going.

The boat was how Joe and Scott left it, except for a few dozen  Red (FIRE) ants on the deck and cockpit. We figured they came aboard by the dock lines that are tied to shore.

All the bites that I had, had all cleared up, just in time for another round of them.

I'm now taking antihistamine 's.

When we unpacked the dinghy Jan. 2 we disturbed about 50 - 60 Red Ants.  We squashed or drowned most of them.

We spent the rest of the week packing away our canned food and taking off the boat what we don't need, like survival suits, charts of the area north of New York, heaters.

We got our 4 water jugs filled and the 2 extra diesel tanks filled, laundry done, our car to its new home, for a few months,Under Mike Ashmores home near Lake Okeechobee.

Next was buying , meat, cheese, fresh veggies.

New Years Eve came and we had a few drinks with Jerry on Cloud Chaser.

Jan 1, we had a hand off the dock from Jerry, Dave and Sylvia

It was so nice to finally leave the boat yard, even though it was during a rain storm.

Jerry radioed us about one hour later to see if we made it by the shallows, without going aground.

The rain stopped and we where heading south once more.

We motored sailed to Hobb's Cove, near Stuart for the night.

Joe noticed some oil in the bilge, so we tore everything apart to find the leak.  No luck

Jan 2 we headed 3 miles to Sunset Marina and mooring balls, to be ready for a diver to come on Saturday.

This time there was no oil leak, but a fuel leak, so we tore everything apart again.  We check everything again and still could not find the leak.  

Saturday the diver came and installed our new anode, the other had completely disappeared in 6 months.  He cleaned the bottom of fuzz, (no Barnacles), cleaned the odometer (speed wheel)

all for $70 dollars …. a good buy for sure

our neighbour had Gary clean his prop, and he advised the owner that his anode was crumbling away, and it is only 3 months old

cleaning done