Wind and waves are down and we are off for the 36hr transit back to Florida. There is still a 2ft swell running but winds are only 6-10kts from astern. The problem is that is not enough wind to keep the sails full so we are basically motoring with the mainsail keeping us steady and genoa furled up.
Rivah is much happier with this transit, (Sue as well), quite different from the trip over. We're hoping to get a little sailing in but the wind is pretty much astern and not much help.
There are two opportunities to fish along this transit. It is deep water with flying fish and mahi for the first 8hr leg from Nassau to the Northwest passage. Then no fish on the 12hr transit across the bank, which will mostly be at night anyways. Then 16hrs across the Gulf Stream to Florida where the fishing is good.
Our fishing rig is a spool of 200lb line with a blue plastic lure that acts like a flying fish splashing on the surface. The bungy cord acts as a shock absorber and "fish on" indicator as it stretches out when the fish hits the lure.
Our first catch. As we came through the Northwest Passage cut we caught this small barracuda. Proof that our lure is a good one.
We throw the barracudas back. Too many teeth and bones although these small ones can be good eating.
This is the pole that marks the channel at Northwest Passage. Its supposed to have a white light but the light hasn't worked for the past 15years. The pole does show up clearly on radar as it has a radar reflector at the top. There's another one of these poles at Mackie Shoal on the bank where a lot of transitors anchor for the night. The white light works on that pole.
Sunset on day one of the transit. Wind and waves are still down so it has been a motoring trip. The crew is definitely not complaining.
We will transit across the bank during the night and come off at Moselle just north of Bimini at around 2am. Then its northwest over to the Gulf Stream and Florida coast - another 100miles to Fort Pierce. We should arrive there late afternoon, but definitely before dark.
In the Gulf Stream now and we caught this small tuna. Sue got this one picture before the fish went crazy trying to get away. We tried the alcohol and cloth over the eyes with little success. Normally the alcohol knocks them out but he was a fighter. As I tried to hold him down with a cloth he violently shuddered and threw out the hook and went overboard. Oh well, no sushi for dinner.
We hoped to get a mahi later in the day, especially as we trolled through a gaggle of fishing boats off Fort Pierce later , but no luck.
After our 32hr motor transit over calm seas we arrived at the Fort Pierce Inlet as the winds built to 15-20kts and seas 3-4ft. Sue took some video of us rolling and yawing but I can't load video to this blog. It was only for 15-20 minutes though and we were soon inside the breakwaters and back into smooth water.
Anchored in the Fort Pierce Inlet with the wind dying down. Its been two full days and one overnight and we are ready to crash. We both got only a couple 1hr naps during the night.
I was amazed at the number of boats and ships between Florida and the Bahamas but between the 6 cruise ships and multiple mega-yachts, added to the normal merchant shipping and cruising boats, it's a busy piece of water.
Another successful ocean crossing without any incidents. Tomorrow we'll be off heading north up the ICW.
