Back in the USA

It's good to be back.   The out islands are beautiful and something to go back to, but there are just some things that we take for granted in our daily life in the US.     We decided to not leave Rock Chalk  in the Abacos during Hurricane season.  Too much behind that decision to bore you with, but none the less, we decided to get back to Florida and find a good marina, where we can put the boat on the hard, in a safe place.   Hopefully we found one.

We are back in Ft. Lauderdale today.  What a change from the Exumas.   180 degrees different.   But our cell phones work, and the internet is back on.   Ahhhh, modern life.   It took 4 days from Highbourne Cay to Ft. Lauderdale, but it was pretty easy.   Other than big thunderstorms, we had a nice trip back.   We stayed one night in Nassau, and will never make that mistake again.   As the French say, "It is a soo-er".

Did I mention thunderstorms.   Here is what that looks like from my windshield and from my chartplotter/digital radar.   Yikes....run.

Notice we are in 12.7 ft of water, and no land in sight.   Welcome to the Bahama bank.   My chartplotter and radar are my lifeline.

What is unique about the geography of the Bahamas is that we followed the "Tongue of the Ocean" on a northwest heading out of Nassau.   The depth is over 6,000 ft.   Within a quarter of a mile, that depth goes to 12 ft.   That is like going from sea level to Denver in    a couple of football fields.   Amazing.

Today we crossed the Gulf Stream from Cat Cay to Ft. Lauderdale.   We had a nice push from the Stream as we made a 311 degree heading.  It was fairly comfortable, except right in the middle of the Stream, where it got pretty rocky.  That is because it was blowing 12 knots from the north against the northward bound Gulf Stream.

But Rock Chalk handled it very well and we made it the 60 miles from the last island in the Bahamas to Ft. Lauderdale in 4.5 hours.   So now what?   Not sure.   Still more adventure to come before we put her on the hard.    We'll be in touch.   You should too, now that we are back in cell range, and internet range.   Yahoo!!    Marc