Day 161 - Bahamas Bound — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 8, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $88, daily high temperature 73°f

We will cruise to the Bahamas on Wednesday!

We cast off from Marina Bay at 10:00 am. It was a good 25 days. We said farewell to Dave and Bev on Cloverleaf. They are swallowing the anchor and moving into a dirt dwelling after 39 years as live-aboards. Bev called her friend Elaine at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club to make sure we had a welcoming committee when we arrived. Elaine has two trawlers. She has one on Buzzards Bay near Cape Cod and one in Ft. Lauderdale.

The cruise down the New River was scenic as usual. We fell in behind a red sailboat called Glass Slipper. They called each bridge for an opening. There are two bridges that are lower than we felt comfortable passing under so that was no longer an issue.

There are mega yachts on the New River. The tow boat captains call out their location based on local knowledge not mile markers. Channel 9, the bridge tender VHF channel, buzzes with calls from boats approaching Little Florida, the wiggles, the church and the girls school. Now that we have figured out what they are talking about, we are leaving.

We spent the afternoon in the swimming pool at the Yacht Club, made one last trip to Publix and had docktails and dinner with Bill and Marty Valters. Elaine was calling out the bingo numbers in the YC dining room and came over and gave us some advice on where to cruise in the Bahamas.

The swimming pool at the Coral Ridge Yacht Club.

Bill Valters stopped by to greet us in his Tiara 36 Dorado.

Eddie J. the weather wag signs off until October. Eddie can sleep in for the first time in four months. He won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to analyze the weather in order advise Loopers on the conditions for a gulf crossing.

Ahoy Fellow Loopers! – Mother Nature and King Neptune continue their kindness to Loopers on this last day of February.

Not only will today and tonight have good crossing conditions, but the weather window will continue to be open for a Tuesday-night / Wednesday crossing as well.

I’m going to take time off from doing the daily Weather Wag until October and think about how to make that happen!

Brain Clutter: The International Space Station is about as long and as wide as a football field. See you on the water!

Eddy J. – aboard Spiritus, Grand Banks 36 Classic

We will depart Ft Lauderdale on Wednesday morning, cruise south on the ICW to the Port Everglades inlet, cruise 50 miles to Bimini and stay at the Bimini Big Game Club and Resort Marina.

Bonus photo provided by Jack Orlov.

Carl ( Chef ) Wooden – quote of the day

“Each man must make is own sacred journey.” – Lailah Gifty Akita