Fort Lauderdale to West End
We slipped
off our mooring ball at 0230 and made the 0300 opening of the 17th
Street Bridge. It was an easy ride through the turning basin and out the ship
channel into the Atlantic. By 0330, Foreign
Affair was passing the Port Everglades harbor entrance light with Hakuna Matata close behind. The
autopilot course was set for 090 degrees, due East, and we were on our way to
the Bahamas.
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| Hakuna Matata - Wing on Wing |
Our initial
speed was 7 knots with the engine at 2800 rpm. Two foot southeasterly waves
were gently hitting us on the starboard bow. The wind was 5-10 knots from the
south. We motored on without sail under clear skies with a bright half-moon
shining on us and the ocean. We unfurled our genoa after getting accustomed to
the sea state. This kept us loping along
at a steady 7 knots. Hakuna Matata
raised her mainsail just before daybreak to keep pace with Foreign Affair. The two boats ran well together maintaining course
and speed.
Just before
dawn, we encountered the parade of cruise ships heading into Port Everglades.
Frank was running his radar. So, the chance of collision was near zero. Still,
we had to alter course slightly several times to avoid getting too close to
these fast moving marvelous ships.
Our new
heading became 080 as we entered the Gulf Stream. We continued to fly along at
7 knots. All was good as the sun began to rise. However, there were some huge cumulonimbus
clouds on the horizon ahead of us which raised some concern. Fortunately, they
moved quickly to the south and we altered course to 070 which kept them at a
good distance.
The winds
continued to clock around and increase in velocity. We continued to gradually
change our course to a more northerly direction. As a result, the waves
eventually were on our starboard stern quarter and increasing in size which helped
push us along. We began cruising at 8 knots with additional help from the Gulf
Stream. We were very pleased with our progress. Hakuma Matata was able to sail wing-on-wing for well over an hour.
The farther
north we got the stronger the winds became and the more they clocked. We had a
relatively comfortable ride until the waves exceeded 4 feet in height. By the
time we were two hours from West End the waves were at 6 feet and winds NW in
the high teens. We could see this trend continue until we arrived at West End. We
were still moving along at over 7 knots which made us feel somewhat better
knowing we couldn’t get to West End any faster.
A US Coast
Guard cutter was cruising just off Grand Bahama and hailed us. She was checking
vessels in the surrounding waters. After a through vetting, the Coast Guard bid
us “fair winds and following seas”. By this time we had more than enough wind
and the seas were already at 6 feet and growing. At least, West End was in
sight and safe harbor was two hours away.
Two other
boats were a short distance ahead of us as we approached the harbor at West End.
It is a narrow entrance and getting into the harbor with the strong following
seas was a matter of concern. Consuella
went in first and reported back it was a bit challenging clearing the
breakwater. The skipper reported he played the dual engines on his power cat
while his wife used the bow thruster to help him make the turn into the calmer
waters of the harbor basin. Mucho Gusto,
a big Leopard catamaran, was next in and passed on what was learned during her
experience entering the harbor. Foreign
Affair and Hakuna Matata
benefitted from this information and were soon safely in the harbor waiting for
docking instructions.
By now, the
winds were in the low twenties with gusts a bit higher. The marina fairways are
fairly narrow. Getting into a slip was going to be a real challenge. Foreign Affair was docked first. The ASA
docking course we took and almost two years of experience at the helm came
through as we entered our slip without incident. It was a combination of
experience, good luck and miracle that brought us to a safe landing in the
Bahamas. Hakuna Matata pulled in
right next to us. She too was tied off without incident.
We traveled
a total of 74 nautical miles from the Port Everglade “PE” light to West End.
The rhumb line (direct line) between these two points is 69 nautical miles. We
only went 5 miles more than the most direct route which is amazing. That’s the
result of a little good planning, a lot of luck and a minor miracle. It was one
crossing we will never forget.
We were
surprised to find Claus of Silver Girl
handling our dock lines and helping us get into our slip. He saw us come in and
ran over to help. We first met Claus at Vero Beach and discussed crossing over
together from Fort Lauderdale. He and his wife, Marie arrived yesterday. We
would have gone with him but we had to delay our departure by a day waiting
for Hakuna Matata to join us. Claus
said they had a wonderful passage as the conditions were much more benign.
Clearing
customs and immigration was very easy and pleasant. A dozen forms and $300 got
us a 90 day cruising permit and fishing license for the Bahamas. The marina
staff was also pleasant. Dockage is only $40 for us as there is no electricity
or other amenities at the dock due to the severe damage sustained during
Hurricane Matthew. Electrical power has been restored to the marina buildings
but not yet to the dock. We heard the nearby town is in really sad shape as
well. We’ll soon see first-hand the extent of the destruction as we explore the
surrounding area waiting for calmer weather before proceeding on to the Abacos.
Future postings will be made on and irregular basis due to limited cell and internet coverage.
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