It's Not About the Destination

1. BAHAMAS TRIP. As the entries below attest, we started planning for our Bahamas trip months in advance. We purchased and installed all the necessary equipment. We packed our little boat until she could take no more. We poured over charts and had many discussions planning our crossing and itinerary to follow. It seems that the only thing we could not control, was the one thing that stood in the way of us being able to reach our destination - the weather. Prior to our planned departure date, there had been a persistant and strong East wind, courtesy of a very strong high pressure system off the eastern Atlantic. The strong east wind had caused the eastern Florida coast to have small craft advisories for several weeks straight. No problem, our plan was to go down the ditch to Lake Worth. By the time we arrived, certainly the high will have weakened, the wind subsided and switched to south to accommodate a comfortable crossing. Our first day out we traveled from Harbor Town, Merritt Island, which is just east of Port Canaveral, to Peck Lake, south of St. Lucie Inlet. I am guessing that has to be about a 100 mile trip - a new one-day personal best for us on the ICW.

2. PLAN B. We met up with several other ECSA Bahamas bound boats at Peck Lake. We were all very discouraged because the new long range forecast revealed the east winds would not be subsiding any time soon. The beauty of this place helped soften the realization that we would not be able to cross the gulfstream in our time frame. I learned a hard lesson that you can not will the weather to cooperate - no matter badly you want it. Climate is something you can prepare for, but weather is something you get. The new plan was to head south to the Keys.

3. TRANSITION MODE. The next day we hung out at the beach that is just over the bank at Peck Lake. Our other ECSA boaters were readjusting their plans as well: some were heading home, a few were going to wait for a weather window, and we were going south. That morning was a real bummer in the anchorage: Our buddies Jim and Donna had their motor go boom/bang and ended up needing a tow back to Vero. Another boat was hard aground on the low tide. We headed out of the anchorage with heavy hearts for our friends and feeling quite sorry for ourselves as well. Our pity was soon overshadowed by the power boat rodeo that was unfolding down the river all around us. The scene that unfolded when we got to Peanut Island in Lake Worth was frightening and amazing. Apparently, Peanut Island is the place to be on Memorial Day weekend if you are a horny, drunk power boater. Hundreds of power boats were rafted up all along the banks of the channel and partially into the channel. In fact, you couldn't even see where the channel was. We gently manuvered our twenty two thousand pound boat around the throngs of "girls gone wild" fun seekers. At one point we were squeezed between a sunken barge and an oncoming boat driven by a group of guys that were looking the other way and aimed right at our bow. I screamed every profanity I could think of at the top of my lungs and we narrowly missed a collision. Scared the hell out of me! After the maylay we found a nice anchorage south of the inlet. The masts of the boats that were anchored there in advance of our arrival were music to my eyes. "Look honey, I see our people." We were treated to a beautiful sunset and the rum also helped to erase the memory of those awful creatures that inhabited the island just north of our peaceful anchorage.

4. ENJOYING THE RIDE. We pulled anchor at O-early-thirty. Chris said that we were either going offshore or he was going to shore and would catch a ride home. He was not going down the ditch any further. Seas were predicted to be big 6-8 feet. Worse yet, it was a beam sea, which meant an uncomfortable and hairy ride. When we headed out the inlet the tide was coming in. The rough sea combined with the incomimg tide treated us to a rodeo ride at the mouth of the inlet. We watched the exiting sailboat in front of us bucking like a bronco and knew we were in for the same. When we hit the current, the bow of the boat came straight up into the air and dove down deep under the green water. We did this about 10 times before we cleared the mouth and were in less confused waters. The seas lived up to their NOAA prediction and we heaved and rolled our way down the coast. After a couple of hours of getting beat up, we learned how to balance our boat in the heavy seas and wind under reefed main and jib. LaLeLu sailed gracefully and comfortably through the big, tight swells at speeds from 6 to 8.4 knots!! We never felt unsafe and we have a new found admiration for our boat. We arrived at Pier 66 Marina in Ft. Lauderdale yesterday afternoon. This marina services the Hyatt Hotel. We are docked next to a 50 million dollar mega yacht. We are definately the small fish in the fish bowl. Upon our arrival here, following the exhilarating run down the coast, it finally dawned on us that this trip is not about the destination, it is about the ride.