Ft Pierce to Lake Worth

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Tue 16 Mar 2010 19:56
26:46.06N 080:02.66W
Ft Pierce to Lake Worth:
 
After 7 weeks in Florida, we are finally off to the Bahamas.  We got the new propellers on Friday, which Mike quickly fitted and then 'spashed' Indigo on Saturday morning. We took Indigo down the waterway to Doug & Terry's house, where we were able to tie her up alongside the house for two days. What a pleasure to have your boat outside your house!  We then worked furiously on getting her cleaned up, serviced and stocked, ready for Frauke and Willy's arrival on Monday afternoon. 
 
   
 
The weather forecasters promised us a decent "window" to cross the gulf stream to the Bahamas and we set off at noon on Tuesday.  Although the distance between Florida and the Bahamas is not very wide - you have to cross the gulf stream which races north at 2 - 3 knots. The best plan was to head south about 50nm to Lake Worth (just south of Palm Beach), where we could sleep before heading across the gulf stream the following day.
 
Doug & Terry (& Max, the dog) were kind enough to escort us all the way from their dock, out into the ocean. The waterway is full of sandbanks which are difficult to avoid - with Mike already having the nickname "mud-flats Mike" - we were grateful for their escort. Here they are on their 'panga', with the buildings of Fort Pierce far in the distance. We are really going to miss them  - but hope to catch up with them in a few weeks again.
 
 
With the Learmonths on board, we had a pleasant and uneventful motorsail down to Lake Worth, where we managed to anchor just before sunset.