Sunday, July 27, 2014

Bahamas

Well it seemed classes took over a bit of my time, as well as trying to move through the Bahamas.  Figure I'll throw a few of my thoughts into words in order to be able to better remember them in the future.  This includes our trip as we traversed up after arriving in Great Iguana, Bahamas.  Although we were so close to land we didn't use much of our Spot tracker you can see a bit of what our total trip looked like here.


We first arrived and anchored where we saw on the map was appropriate, but it seemed the entire side of the island was good since there was easterly wind.  We had passed a catamaran on the way by and figured it was a rental so we didn't bother to stop by and meet and greet.  Although later we found it was a nice couple about our age, maybe a little younger who happened to give us a dinghy ride to shore and they checked out of the Bahamas, as we checked into the Bahamas.



We ended up exploring the town together, going by and getting some chicken eggs from leon, he had some steroid chickens for sure.  Went by the supermarket, but found everything a bit more pricey then we left Puerto Rico, to include the 7.50 dollar gallon of diesel.  We ended up buying a sausage and some drinks in order to satisfy my meat cravings and stef's sweet tooth.

I used the internet to complete a few assignments and check into my classes. They had free internet at most of the Government buildings that was supplied for the tourist, this we had not experience in the Caribbean at all, and it was a great improvement, over the many improvements we came to see in the Bahamas.

After enjoying the internet and at a safe anchorage for a few days, we decided to pull anchor and head for George Town.  This would be an overnight trip and with the winds and waves we felt it appropriate we could get there before sundown the day after next.  We hit a few squalls while traveling and ended up getting becalmed a day before the forecast said we would.  This made us push further east and we went around the side to Clarence Town instead.


Clarence town was a nice little town with a Marina, Gas Station, Grill, and a tiny market.  We got some fresh fruits for pennies, and drank $7 dollar beers like it was going out of style.  The entire time here we were circled by a young dolphin and her mother.  We swam with them, went to the grill, drank more $7 dollar beer, and were merry.  There was another few couples we met here and shared a few evenings drinking fresh coconuts and watching the day fade to night.

When it was time to leave we were disappointed, but atlas Stefanie needed to get her Visa and she made her appointment before we left puerto Rico.  So off we went, for another overnight trip onto Nassau, the capital of Bahamas.  Here we heard horror stories of theft, violence, and big city drama.  What we found wasn't far off, but it wasn't all that bad either.  The food, and beer was cheaper, we could get three beers for $7 now.  And they had a wendys.   We ended up staying here almost two weeks as we got becalmed just as Stefanie finished her visa and had no wind to make it to Freeport where we intended to pick up her passport.

We laid low during this time enjoying the local internet again, as I continued my classes.  Got frustrated with the technology as I tried to take a certified test with my software on my laptop.  Walked six miles to get cheap food and Wendys.  Xena the dog, suffered a heat stroke. That was terrible.  We also helped move in a 63' Schooner onto the dock that had the longest non-stop sea voyage with its captain Reid Stowe. I also got to spend my Birthday enjoying his cooking while watching fireworks from the close by resort Paradise Island.



It was quite a time, but eventually, there was wind, and we left with the wind.  The wind happened to be the start of a tropical storm, which turned into a hurricane.  We caught the beginning of it and found it to be quite eventful.  We were doing good until we found we were off course to hit free port and there was a 3kt current against us on a lee shore.  We ended up starting the engine and moved slowly against it and made up ground and ran into a harbor at night.

It was a bit unnerving but all and all it went well, and we didn't break anything. Which is always a plus.  After we made port we took a day off and another and just stayed on the boat.  We dried everything out and the weather was beautiful. We found that the "marina" on the map was actually just a sailing camp, and we ended up getting a ride from them into town, but were not able to pick up stef's passport, because the passport was still in Nassau, so the wait continues.

During this time I continued to use the internet and do my classes, and just be lazy.  The weather was beautiful and we were in "paradise".  It was a 6 mile walk to town, so we weren't planning to go there anytime soon.  Once Stefanie fixed her passport she took a cab to town and picked up a few items at the grocery store while she was at it.  This include some much needed bratwurst.  They were great.

After a few week stay, we got wind again.  We choose to take this chance to jump down to Marathon, FL.  We had found a person willing to trade his much larger boat in trade with cash for our boat, although it didn't work out it started us off again.  When we set off we thought we would get more wind then we did and ended up going very slow against the current.  So, we took this opportunity to stop at another Island in the Bahamas. It was a good Choice.

We drank some more Bahamanian beer, ate local food, and walked through white sand beaches with out our shoes on.  Xena swam, and we enjoyed ourselves on our last steps in the Bahamas, before we headed to the Florida Keys.


Saturday, May 31, 2014

Puerto Rico To Bahamas

We have landed in the Bahamas, Originally we were destined to Mayaguana, but with the winds in a most westerly direction, and the shallows on the east of Turks and Caicos, we decided to let the wind blow us where it may.  During this time we were going to do a one night stop in Turks and Caicos and then continue north to Mayaguana.  While we were sitting in the boat during these 3 days we had more time to look at the charts and realized that Inagua was apart of the Bahamas as well and was just north of Cuba.  We made the decision, as well as to continue to follow the wind and waves, and current.  We went and continue to Inagua.
 
    During the trip the engine we restarted after completely disassembling the engine and gearbox in Puerto Rico.  The engine ran fine, but the gearbox is having trouble going from Forward to Nuertral still. Atleast it does move now, so that is a plus.  When we landed, a catamaran that was already anchored went out with their dinghy and stopped by, it was occupied by a young couple and they offered us a ride onto shore.  We had just arrived after a six day trip and took them up on their offer.  This way we didn't have to air our dinghy, and they knew where the customs office was, so that helped as well.
 
     We had one problem during the trip which was our spinaker haylard ripped out again, which put our spinakker under the boat and left a small tear in the sail.  It would of ended a lot worse for the sail, and we are realitively happy about the outcome.


Here is small type up for everyone.  Thanks for reading.

We plan to go through the bahamas for the next month, and avoid hurricanes while being in holes during the time, and spending two days traveling between holes.


Thursday, May 8, 2014

Cost Update

While we have been in Puerto Rico it gives us time to re-examine the "cruiser" life and our experience.  Did we make the right decision? Is this life for us? Are we saving any money?

Well lets take a look.  Here is our updated expense report.  This is a GENERALIZED report.  It groups groceries as a complete purchase, but does not separate into juices/meats/nuts etc... We did not categorize our individual meals.  Although I can say that we, until we arrived here in San Juan, would almost always eat on the boat except for a weekly dine out.

The major numbers at the bottom under "Boat Maintenance" is our engine repair, and purchase of new dinghy inflatable and engine.  The income in January is our last pay checks, and Tax returns in may.  I currently have no phone bill, internet bill, gas bill, etc.  Although I did spend 100 dollars on sim and internet in order to take a college Exam.

This is a very rough draft of our expenses, and this is a generalized, one size fits all budget sheet.  In the future we will further customize this budget sheet to reflect our expenses more properly, but would also like it to reflect an average family budget as well, this way it could reference from your current reports to what you could expect out here on the sea.

Our best month was when we were crossing the Atlantic, where we had purchased our food, and could not go to the supermarket.  We are still adjusting from our past life where we could shop til we drop, and had renewable income.  While we are still eating the fruits of our past labor, we are continuing to make adjustments to further reach our goal and dream.

As well if you have been reading our last post, we have made further electrical upgrades to the boat which also were listed under Boat Maintenance.  This field will go into further detail in the future.  Let us know if we can improve this in order to better understand our expense report.


Wednesday, May 7, 2014

San Juan Puerto Rico

We are now in San Juan Puerto Rico.  We arrived here after traveling up through the East Caribbean Islands and picking my parents in  USVi in order to fly them home.  We decided while we are here we would catch our breath, our bearings, update our blog, take some pictures and a much needed break after our hard charge to cross the atlantic, and then meet with the folks.

   We are luckily NOT DOING ANY ENGINE WORK!!!!!!!!! Thank goodness for that.  Finally we are at a stage again where we are improving comfort items rather then fixing items that have seized, fallen into the water, broke, ripped or otherwise are unserviceable.  So we ordered 200 Watts of new solar, a Bimini, A new alternator(I suppose this counts as broke, but its been broke for 3 months now and we haven't missed it), some solar lights to hopefully illuminate us at night, as well as outfitting 200 Amps of new batteries.  We had picked up an old norcold that come off a fishing vessel and hopefully with our new battery storage and solar panels arriving we will be able to run this non-stop.  DID I MENTION?  We also ordered a "Water-maker" off cruiser forums from a member.

  This all means when said in done, we will be able to produce our own water, have cold drinks, and produce 200 Watts of more energy into 200 amps of more batteries, with also a new 50amp charging from engine as well.  We are one step further to being "off" the grid as they say.  The fridge will be my favorite, if it will work.

San Juan is a large city, the largest we have visited since getting the boat.  It is a shame that the marina is not as nice.  There is no hot water in the showers.  Although it is cheap. We paid 55 dollars to anchor, use their dinghy dock, shower, fill our water...etc..  Although they have an address problem as the lady had given us one address to "mail" letters, and her "Street" address to receive packages. Luckily the PO box worked because I had my mail card sent, but the "Street" address was not recongnized by USPS and I had over 200 dollars in shipping charges I had to eat, because of the failure of the marina as I see it.  I suppose I should have know better then to trust a system I had yet tested, but General Delivery, I havent found out, but hope it works as we have re-ordered all the items, as the previous are returned to sender.

NOT PR(JUST SAILOR "PORN")


  We are spending the next few weeks here as we refit the boat, and decide which way we are going to turn.  Either to Panama, or North.  Either way we will working to escape the hurricanes.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Virgin Islands

When we departed Antigua we made for the British Virgin Islands, West End in patricular, as we were trying to go to the closest port to check in, that was also in route to the US Virgin islands.  The skipper on the boat did not file their Visa paper work and in order to gain access to the United States had to ride the fairy from BVI to the USVI in order to qualify under the Visa Waiver Program.

Once we were registered, and checked in payed our dues, we decided to stay a day at the marina.  We ended up almost hitting our neighbors on the way in, and then again on the way out of the marina.  Note: We do not have a reverse, so once we start the engines we are moving.  We have to shut off the engine to "stop". Although the choke switch was rusting because it had caught on our rudder.  We have since fixed the problem, but at the time it was our way of moving from one place to another. We began to get really good at anchoring and snagging while moving forward through a field of boats and then swinging around.

   The day we had to leave the marina, the day after we arrived in BVI, because it was mainly for boat rentals and we paid 1.25 a foot, with paid water, and paid electricity and a token for shower that didn't even work.  I had to leave the marina alone, and a preventor that was tied on to the boom, stuck on a cleat on the dock and swung our boat straight into a commercial 50+ luxury yacht.  Luckily we escaped unscathed and I went and anchored in the bay without a winch, shutting off the engine and running up front and throwing the anchor against wind and current and then running back to wait. The anchor didn't catch, do i'd have to pull it up by hand, then run back and restart the engine.

  Luckily it caught on the second attempt.  During this time I had no connectivity to the web and the Skipper missed the fairy the entire day until finally getting into town on the last fairy at 5:30pm. Mean while when I was anchoring the dinghy flipped and lost our paddles as well as putting our electric engine under water and out of commision. It never worked again, and during this time I took the dinghy to shore by paddling with my hands, later we found a piece of two by four.  This went on for weeks while we were in the motor/dinghy market in the BVI, through USVI, and onto Puerto Rico.

 While we stayed a few more days in BVI to enjoy the souroundings we ran into a grand old couple sitting on their boat while we were dinghy shopping in our heads to see what our cruisers were using.  Fritz was his name and Connecticuit is his Game.  He ended up sharing stories, tips, and helpful information.  We departed traded information and both planned on leaving the area the next day.

   Come to find out Fritz had an old 9.9 Mercury that he had for 12 years and had commissioned by not put together for some reason.  He offered us in our bad luck to give us the Engine where it was, how it was.  We had just checked into the USVI, but how could I refuse.  I ended up taking the ferry back to BVI and getting a cab to get the engine, then carring it back to the boat over a few miles on my back.  All in all we got the engine together and have it running. We are going to mount it to our boat in order to hopefully get better top speed when transiting the panama canal.

  During this time in the USVI we continued to shop for a new dinghy and a motor.  We ended up getting a used Mercury 3.5 in great shape basically new.  We had bought a used Mercury Dinghy Sport, without paddles, a floor, and it ended up blowing up on us as we took it for its firs
t ride with our new 3.5.  Luckily we got rescued by a passing sports boat and dragged to shore.  Along with our engine that I blew out with wd/40 changed the oil 4 times and it is still running on us.  Although that experience made me break down and buy a brand new West Marine Aluminum Bottom Dinghy for well over value.  Now I don't have to worry about malfunctions and feel safe and secure in our decision, we have a real engine, a real dinghy, and thanks for a fellow sailor a great addition to power the main boat as well, if we end up having any more engine problems.

After the dinghy had blown up, we had a new engine and put it on the back of our Dinghy that we used to have our electic motor on. While it had handled the electric it was not a fixed marine wood transom and could not handle the waves and speed of our new 3.5. Which also pushed us in the direction to get a new one.  During this time we had met a fellow sailor while we were shopping for a new dinghy, who had a used dinghy for sale.  She shared most of these adventures with us, but after the dinghy exploded we were not wanting to buy the dinghy in fear of another one exploding, so we bought new.

  On the day that my parents flew in we picked them up with our dinghy, after I dragged them on a 4 mile hike right off the plane, nearly killed them first day, but I made it up by having them relax the next five.  Our new engine pull string had snapped on the first pull. We ended up messing around and replacing it with a 550 cord in order to make it back to the boat and still use the cord now.


   We trans-versed from the USVI to Culebra, Vieques, and over to Puerto Rico.  During this time the weather was perfect each day with dolphins greeting us in Farjardo when we showed up to Puerto Rico.  We snorkeled at the reef and then made our way to San Juan.  This is where we sit now and where we shipped off my parents back home.