SOLD HIGH SPIRITS

Hello Everybody

Well, we sold High Spirits last week, got our cash and decided to start some new adventures by travelling all over the world over the next 5-10 years.

We had a great five year adventure, met a lot of friends and enjoyed some great sunsets in the Bahamas.

We will never forgot the places and the people we have spent time with and hope that in our future travels we will cross paths with  you.

Fair winds to everybody

Joe and Joy

life at Green Turtle

We are in Green Turtle Cay at the Green Turtle Club for the past week and for another 5 days or so.

Waiting for the weather to improve to cross over to the Florida.  Had thought about leaving High Spirits in Marsh Harbor, but it looks like we are still going to Ft. Pierce but not until May 12 or so.

Our friend, Madonna, is here for two weeks.  The is Cleveland Madonna, not the "Like A Virgin: Madonna who now lives in London. this Madonna is a friend of Joy's from Lactation Consulting in Cleveland, Ohio for twenty years until we retired.

No new pictures today, but we did go on a big wave ride in a powerboat to go to Nippers Restaurant at Great Guana Cay.  The waves were 6-8 feet and we were doing 12 knots so just plowed into them.
It was an interesting ride, coming and going. 

The current plan is to leave on Thursday and start moving west to position us for a crossing on Saturday/Sunday.  Using our forecasting tools, we should have a better idea on Tuesday or Wednesday if this is going to be possible.  Our forecast tools only go out for a week.  There are a lot of weather oriented apps on the IPAD or on the PC that are free and helpful.

Friday and Saturday was the Island Heritage Festival at Green Turtle.  Here are some pictures from last night Junkaroo parade.

Joy, Madonna, and Margie( she is a sailing friend from Nova Scotia.  She and Mark are leaving their boat in Green Turtle Cay for the summer and will be back in Jan.)

Time to go watch Call the Midwives, first tv in 8 months


Joe

Life at the Job room - Marsh Harbor

Well here we are again at the Job Room, eating ribs On Wed night cookout and steak night for Joy on Saturday. all of a sudden, my pc has come back to life, although it is helped by a new plug in keyboard and plug in mouse.  Looks like the water damage from the storm may not be permanent.

We are waiting for our last friend, Madonna, from Cleveland to arrive tomorrow. She will be with us for two weeks or so.  Trying to start to head back after next week.  Island Festival is next weekend at Green Turtle and we are headed there on Tuesday, which looks like a good day to cross Whale Cut.

The Whale Cut is part of the Abacos that is open to the ocean swells from Africa. It is about 2 miles of unprotected ocean , so you need to go through with low waves.

just got a flash on the Internet that Bahamas may have very strong winds next weekend.  Should be interesting.

Spend yesterday with Steve and Lisa Wallace.  Went to lunch at Sandy Point, a real small settlement at the end of Abaco Island, then an art show at a high end development, Schooner Bay, and finally trying to find the parrots at  Bahamas Palm Shores

did find the parrots

They love whatever these berries are called.

It is definitely getting to the end of the sail cruising season in the Bahamas. After a short lull, the fisher people start coming over in the big power boats.

More later on the storm coming next weekend

Joe

Life in Hopetowntr

We are in Hopetown until the weekend. Our
friends, Stev and Lisa Wallace, stayed with us on High Spirits for three nights.  we had sailed over to the villa they are renting in  Treasure Cay to pick them up.


anyway, we are in Hopetown  till the weekend, and then going over to
Guaya Cay for a couple of days.  then
Over to Marsh Harbor to await the arrival of
Madonna who is coming over to sail back with us across the Gulf Stream.

got to figure out the photo upload procedure for IPads and Blogspot.

Joe

In the Abacos

Well it has been a while since I wrote something.  a lot has happened, all of it good except for the loss of my computer.

We had a rain shower early in the morning and we thought we had latched the center hatch tightly.  however the latch was not tight, and the water poured in, right on top od the laptop.

it already was not working properly, bad keyboard.  Nick and Sue brought me a plug in keyboard and that  worked until the rain storm.  thought it might work, packed it in rice for a couple of days, but alas, it would not turn on.

fortunately i had backed up my important files on a flashs drive.  Will get a new PC when we return to the States in mid May.

Nick and Sue came and stayed for two weeks, one week in the Blacpoint Settlement area and then one week traveling north throughout Exumas Lake and Sea  Park and flying home out of Nassau

 I have problems accessing our photos via the  blog.  So new picture ofNickand Sue.

We will be spending the month of April here in the Abacos.  One of Joy's college friends, Lisa is coming on High Spirits for a few days with her husband,SteveN.

Lisa was a bridesmaid in our wedding 45 years ago.

The at the end of April, Madonna is coming for two weeks to help us  sail back to Florida.

More later after I figured out how IPAD and blogspot work together to load up pictures.



Joe

Life at Blackpoint Settlement

getting ready to leave this wonderful little Bahamian town, past Staniel Cay but before Georgetown.

this past Sunday we went to a special Bsptist service on Sunday at the local church.  the three churches got together to close  a 3 day women's retreat. lots of great music.  Sorry that we did not get pictures but everyone was  dressed up.  not us boaters of course.

We are moving out of here  and waiting for Nick and Sie tsar rive next Momday.

wanted to thank Larry and Annette on Islsnd Breeze and Charlir  and Jane on Ibis for hanging with us for the  past 2 weeks. Ibis heading north and Island  Breeze is heading south.  we are just staying  in the local area around Staniel Cay to pick up the Behlers

Joe

Ps. will load some pictures when I figure out how to put them on the IPAD.

Laundry at black Point

today is sheets and towels day at the Rockside Laundry, BlackPoint Exumas.  Ida Patton and her husband opened up a 10 washers, 10 dryers facility in the middle of the Exumas.  so now everybody stops here. she has expanded into fresh water showers and a small store with boat parts.

did not talk about Staniel Caywheer we stayed beforeBlackpoint but that is also a great place to stay

well just figured out how to laid phots using the IPAD.  here is a picture of Nate the Bread guy in North bimini.

Her is Joy with a fish she caught for supper.

laundry is finished and goipng ovetScorpio's for Happy Hour

Joe

We are in Black Point Settlement

Has been a long time between logs due to the inability to find free wifi and a broken PC.  so I am doing this blog on the IPAD, but may be a little shaky on attaching pictures.

Been traveling with some friends, array andAnnette Carter from our previous trips
.  they live in Stuart, Fly, not to far from Sally's house.  they have an
Island Packet 40 footer.  right now they are working on  refrigerator issues.

We are at the happy hour  at Scorpio's Restaurant.  going to headband to the boat fairly soon as the sun will be setting soon

Joe

In Nassau

Arrived in Nassau after spending the night on the Bank, spent Thursday night. The wind was light and the seas were pretty gently. We had motored 10 hours after leaving North Bimini.  Then the next day we motored 9 more hours and arrived yesterday afternoon about 3 pm

We are staying at the Nassau Harbor Club which is in pretty good shape and being remodeled by the new owners.  They are rebuilding the restaurant and bakery shop.  The docks are in good shape, the showers are okay,

The good thing is that it is across the street from City Shopping Center, which has a large supermarket, Drugstore, Starbucks - with free wifi, and a ton of other stores.  We are at the Starbucks right now.

I have included two pictures, one of Joy's fish that she caught on the way from BImini

The next photo is the side of the Norwegian cruise vessel which we passed in the Nassau Harbor

There were two large cruise ships in the Harbor yesterday

We plan on leaving on Monday for the Exuma chain.  The weather's only bad spot is Wed and Thursday.  Hopefully we can pick up a mooring.

Joe

Life in North Bimini, Bahams

Have been in North Bimini for the past three days, but planning on leaving tomorrow.

We have been here two times before and did some old stuff as well as some new stuff over the past 3 days.

Came in on an overnight from Marathon, left Sunday morning, and arrived Monday morning.  Seas were a little rough at first but calmed down after we took the 5 hour break up at Travenier Cay

this is a picture of Nate the Baker.  He runs the best bread shop in North Bimini out of his house.  He has a commercial bakery built into his kitchen.  Sells great Coconut Bread and Raisin Breads.

This is where we had lunch today, Wed, 2/11/15.  Joy loves conch salad.
Went there with Russ, Kathy, and Glen.  Three friends from Marathon City's Boot Key Harbor.

Here is a picture of Joe, pulling out the conch from the shell.  He uses sour oranges as his final juice to "cook" the conch and give it the traditional Bahamian taste

That is it for now.  On to the Exumas tomorrow with a possible stop either in Nassau or Palm Cay Marina on the southeast shore of New Providence Island for food and laundry.

Joe

Left Boot Key Harbor, on to North Bimini Bahamas

We spent a week anchoring having started number 19 on the mooring ball waiting list.  Finally moved up to #1 on Friday and Saturday, but nobody left so we stayed number 1, today, Sunday Feb 8, but left at 10 am to start the movement to the Bahamas.

We anchored in several places, dragged in one place, had to tie up at the fuel dock of Burdines one night, had to pick up a vacant mooring ball at 3 am as we were floating through the mooring field.  Finally went to Sisters Creek which was a nice spot to drop the hook, but twice as long to get to the dinghy dock.    Perhaps next time we will go right to Sisters Creek if we end up on the waiting list.  By the way, the all time record on the waiting list is 44, set in 2010-2011 winter.  Boats were all over the place as nobody could leave because of storms.

Had a great time in Marathon, saw friends from Cleveland, Steve and Linda Franko who were our dock mates at East 55th St Marina for several years.  Actually Linda knows my sister, Connie, as they were both math teachers at Cuyahoga Community College.  Lots of great card games, but as Linda said, we have to start video recording the game because people remember whose deal it is.

A good thing about Marathon is that it is very social, we saw some old boater friends,  Bob and Barbara, some newer friends, Gail and Don, and a really old sailing person, Captain Jack who celebrated his 93rd birthday three days ago.

Got the boat stocked with everything we need for a while.  So now it is just putting in the hours to get to North Bimini, one of our favorite places in the Bahamas.  Going to have dinner here, check the oil and coolant and leave about 10 pm for a 12 hour overnight. We did 8 hours today.

We did try to get the boat bottom cleaned but the guys pictured below had some equipment issues and had to pass on our boat.

They were trying to run their air compressor with a Honda 2000 but the current draw was too much for the little Honda so it was shutting off.

Next post will be from Bimini Blue Water Marina in North Bimini, Bahamas.

Joe

Arrived in Marathon

Hi Everybody

We arrived in Marathon today about 1 pm or so after a short sail from Indian Key.  However I woke up at 4 am and really did not get back to sleep

On our last day in Coconut Grove, Joy went to visit the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, built by James Deering in the 1920s.  I went across the street to the Miami Science Museum. We both had a good afternoon.

Picture of the gardens at Vizcaya

On the first day of travel out of Coconut Grove we drove through Stiltsville, a bunch of "house" built in the middle of Biscayne Bay.  I need to do some research on why these houses were built but here is a picture of one of them

Just did he research, there were 27 structures built starting in the 1930s.  Now the remaining 7 structures are part of a National Park.  Visit by permits only.

That is it for now, time for dinner

Joe

Small boat racing in Biscayne Bay, Coconut Grove, Miami, FL

We are in the anchor field and have a great view of the small single and double sail boats going out and coming back from their regatta races.  Attached are several pictures and a video that hopefully you can see.

Also today, Tuesday, we went to see the movie Birdman, up for several Oscar awards.  It was interesting but I think Theory of Everything will win for Best Actor.

Took it easy this morning as we have a 10 minute dinghy ride into the dock from the anchor field.  Only going in and out one time of day, so that means eating lunch in Coconut Grove.  Today we went to the Bookstore in the Grove Café and had some delicious Cuban food for lunch, before the movie.

Here is short video.  Hope it loads

That is it for now.

Joe

Sitting in the Wind and Raid - Dinner Key

We are sitting in the anchor field at Dinner Key, Coconut Grove, FL.  Coconut Grove is part of the City of Miami, on the south side.  In fact the City Hall is the old Pan Am terminal for the aquaplane fleet.

Arrived yesterday after a 6 hour trip from Ft. Lauderdale.  Got a couple of boat picture.
Based on information from one of our boater friends the large blue boat, 200+ fee I length, belongs to Steven Speilberg, Famous Movie director

We ended up taking the dinghy over to have dinner with Charlie and Jane, 40 Tartan called IBIS.
They are from NYC and are retired.  They worked on the theater industry mostly on lighting.

The darker part of their  dodger is the bottom half of a new solar panel built with flexible solar cells.  Charlie installed it over the last two weeks. 

Not much to do today as it is too windy and raining to go to shore.  Tomorrow should be better, time to do some errands, pick up some meds at CVS and go see the movie, Birdman, which got of Academy award nominations.


Joe

In the land of The BIG boats

Travelling south today we ended up going outside from Lake Worth to Port Everglades,  the Ft Lauderdale area.  The story today is:  how about these big boats, who owns them, what size are they.

Took several pictures,

First one is a huge sail boat that was at the Rybovich Superyacht Marina,  We anchored just off their property in Lake Worth.

this is a two masted sailboat about 200 feet long.  Sorry we did not get any closer

After a nice long ride down the Atlantic Ocean,  skipping 21 bridges that we would have either had to open on request or get there at the right time of the opening schedule, we ended up coming into Port Everglades.

PE is a major port and here is one of the oil tankers that was coming out as we were going in.

 

There was about 100 feet of separation between us and them

 

However this is a commercial boat.  As we started up the river to the mooring field we came across a magnificent ship that has a most interesting feature.  The side of the ship opens up so you can access all your water toys,  like ski boats, jet skies, etc

 

 

 

That is enough of big boats for now. We will be here for a couple of days to hang out with Mark and Sue on Merlin.  Then on to Miami and Coconut Grove mooring field


Joe

Sailing South

We are back on High Spirits after a Christmas break of four weeks.  Got to see our children and grandchildren for Christmas and afterwards.

High Spirits had some work done on her after we returned to the Hinckley yard in Stuart, FL.  Had two new coolant hoses installed, seems to have stopped our coolant leak and need to add coolant every other day or so.  Had the new solar panel controller installed and away we go.

We stayed at Sally and Manny's house for a week while the yard completed the tasks.

Finally left Stuart, stopped for an afternoon and evening at Peck Lake, and now have been two days at anchorage outside of Palm Beach Sailing Club and Rybovich Supermega Yacht Center.  Wish I had my camera when we went ashore today.  It is something to see a 200 foot motor yacht in the air, held up by a 200 metric ton travel lift.  Unbelievable.

I did get a picture from our anchor spot of the large ships

 

I am guessing that this mast is over 125 feet.

 

 

Joy and I walked 6 miles, 3 down and 3 back, to have lunch at a French Bistro restaurant in West Palm Beach. Walked past a lot of houses with either large hedges or walls.  There is sure a lot of money down here in the Palm Beach area.

Our new selfie!!

Joe

Life in Fort Pierce

Arrived in Fort Pierce today after a nice visit with Melody and Bob.   They are in the process of selling Melody's house and moving to her condo.  There are piles of stuff that they are trying to sell through a couple of garage sales.

On the way south today to Fort Pierce from Vero Beach we have a picture of a sail boat in front of us and a power boat being towed by Tow Boat US. 

Wanted everybody to see how blue the sky was today after several days of overcast.

Unlucky power boat guy heading north.  Hope he has insurance as getting a tow costs several hundreds of dollars.  That is why the word  BOAT spells Break Out Another Thousand.

Speaking of another thousand we still have not solved our dinghy engine problem.  Starts but stutters to a stop in 10 seconds of so.  Have now replaced the fuel hose, fuel tank and brand new gas yesterday.  We think the problem is in the carb or the fuel pump.

Fort Pierce has a great Christmas display,  Joy took some pictures of the lighted trees.

Leaving on Friday for Stuart, then north on Wed Dec 17 by plane and car

Joe

ORION LAUNCH

Today was the Orion launch.  It had been postponed from yesterday due to technical issues and there was a rumor that a boat was out in the range safety area where it should not have been.  The official reason is weather, high winds, and some valve issues on of the engines.

Anyway, we watched it from the second floor of the Cocoa Village Marina along with about 8 other boaters.  We all got up at 6:30 am or so, some people even had coffee with them.  Joy waited until afterwards to brew her own.

You only could see it for about 30 seconds, then up in the clouds.  The noise was loud just like a shuttle launch. Here in Cocoa the cable company carries the NASA cable channel so that was on in the clubhouse and you could watch the flight longer from the ground and also from the camera on the rocket looking down.  Saw the stage separations.

Then on to Travis Hardware where we bought a new lock for the dinghy cable and some wire to create tie downs for our Y valves in the heads.  Going to put locks on them so that we will not get in trouble if stopped.  Friends got stopped two days ago up in New Smyrna  Beach.

Still having dinghy engine problems. Followed Manny's suggestion and got some starter fluid to spray in the engine air intake.  Engine ran fine with the spray then died out.  Figure we have a fuel problem, not getting gas to the engine.  Possible source of trouble is leak in fuel line so that air is getting into the line and stopping the flow of fuel.  Also bad gas could be a source, but gas is only 4 weeks old.

Tomorrow is Christmas holiday here in CV.(Cocoa Village) with an arts festival all day, Christmas singing and Christmas movies in the park. Bring you Popcorn and chair and watch "The Grinch that Stole Christmas".  Should be fun

More later.  Leaving for Vero Beach on Sunday

Joe

on free dock - New Smyrna Beach,FL

Today and tonight we are tied up at the free dock at New Smyrna Beach, FL.  The dock is round so it makes for an interesting landing and tie up.. We are closest to the dock at the center of the boat so just the ends stick out.

We had an easy two hour trip, 2 hour trip as we only had to do 11 miles today.  Last night we stayed at Seven Seas Marina, a nice older marina/boat yard just a short walk to the beach, drug store, miniature goal, and supermarket, in Daytona Beach Shores.  Hit all of the above places, plus Joy walked out on their long fishing pier to chat with the locals.  Going to try her hand fishing this afternoon.

On the way to Daytona Beach Shores we passed by this large tug boat that looks like people are living on it as they had all their laundry strung out on the starboard side.

The weather has turned much warmer, in fact it is now in the 60s at nights instead of the 40s or 50s.

We continue to move south, aiming for Stuart, Fl to tie up for the holiday season.  Since we did the overnight from Charleston, we have now time to enjoy the small cities along the east coast of FL.


Joe

Marineland, FL

Here we are in Marineland, FL.  Probably the small town in FL, recent population is a count of 10.

This is an actual town that was really big a long time ago when Marineland was started in the 30's by the movie picture industry to shoot underwater films.  Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges also was shot here.  The were dolphin shows and other attractions. In fact, 300,000 people a year stopped in, the second largest attraction on the east Coast of Fl after Miami

We are in the marina, has about docks for 20 boats. Be here until tomorrow, have to go out at half tide as the water is a little skinny at low tide,

that is Joy on High Spirits.  Washing down the deck. We are going on a beach walk shortly

They also have a Farmer's Market here every Sunday from 10-2 pm.  Plus live music

About a dozen stands selling everything from fresh fruit to dog matts.

 

The hat shop

 

 

Joe