In Titusville, Florida
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Thu 26 Jun 2014 13:34
|
In position
We have arrived at our final destination for this summer and
are now tied to 'B' dock at the municipal marina in Titusville. It's time to
pull the boat apart, install some new systems, have a good spring clean, cross
off some jobs from 'the list' and try to stay cool in the process.
But first we must finish our voyage back from the
Bahamas with some pictures of our last anchorages in the Abaco and the trip back
across the Gulf Stream to Fort Pierce.
Powell Cay, with it's mile long beach and crane wreck, gave us
a few pleasant days anchoring and exploring. However, the 'GFS' computer
model from which we gain some of our weather forecasting was predicting a
tropical storm to develop in about seven days which posed a threat
to the Bahamas and Florida coast. A daily look at this prediction continued
to always develop the storm on day six or day seven even a week later. This
storm was nowhere in sight proving that computer predictions are sometimes
errant in their forecasting. The 'Euro' computer model (which isn't so
accessible on the internet unless you pay megabucks for access) gave no such
warnings. With such uncertainty in the forecast we decided to take any
early weather window to get across the Gulf Stream to Cape Canaveral and
start work on the boat.
   Beautiful long sandy bank side beaches - and the
crane wreck........................
   Shells (the hair has been cut since) and patterns
in the fallen tree roots and 'Ajaya' in the
distance........................
From Powell Cay we called into Spanish Cay where there is a
'high end' marina and grocery store with equally 'high end' prices.
When you need basic goods you just have to pay. We knew that in a few days
we would be back in the 'Land of Plenty' as Americans affectionately call their
homeland. But eggs and bread are a staple and our loaf making skills have still
to be honed. Laying eggs is another matter altogether.
   'Ajaya' is anchored in the far distance, the
'store' and dinghy-park at Spanish Cay..............................they said it
was high season (?)
Having pit-stopped at Spanish Cay we motor-sailed on to Crab
Cay. It looked like a useful anchorage situated right at the end of
the land mass known as Little Abaco which is joined to Great Abaco by a
causeway. Just a few small communities live this far from Marsh Harbour the main
town further south. But it was the first time in ages that we had problems
getting the anchor to set. The bottom appeared to be sandy but this was only a
very thin layer over a scoured hard bed. After three attempts and an
unscheduled tour of the bay we final found a spot in some turtle grass which
appeared to hold. Had it been windier it wouldn't have been a good nights
sleep. Maybe that's why we only had just one other
boat for company at Crab. Both of us were gone the next day as we
motored on to Great Sale Cay which could be re-named 'First and Last Cay' as
it's either the first or last stop depending on the time of the season for many
boats heading into or out off the Abaco. There is nothing there.
 
Sunset at Crab Cay and there is nothing at Great
Sale Cay....................
From Great Sale we were poised to head to Cape Canaveral with
the probability of motoring most of the way due to light winds. One of
the great things about Bahamas cruising is that there is no need to check out of
the country. This means you can pick the right time to go without going through
the process of visiting officials in any one place. Whereas in Mexico, once you
have cleared out you have just a short period of time to leave, otherwise you
have to clear back in and pay the $300 odd dollars for the privilege! We've seen
many boats leaving in weather conditions that were less than ideal because of
such a policy.
We arrived in Great Sale at dusk and anchored just
as it was getting dark. Luckily the anchorage is large, the entrance easy to
navigate and the holding good. We stayed that night, planned to leave in
the morning but left just before sunset the following afternoon. Skip had
replaced a pulley on the port engine raw water pump en-route to Manjack Cay
the previous week and on a pre-passage inspection discovered that it was
chewing up belts. He spent the day in a sweltering cockpit stripping it all down
again. Finally we motored through the night across the shallow banks towards
Mantanilla Shoal. It's a fifty mile trip before you enter deep ocean water
and after that the Gulf Stream. Listening to the morning forecast on SSB radio
we learned that the trough that had been over the Carolinas and Georgia had now
drifted further south than predicted (Oh! those forecasts!) and that it would be
squally with thunderstorms in the Gulf Stream and south of Cape Canaveral. A
quick discussion amongst our crew and the decision was made to head straight to
Fort Pierce, the shortest possible route across to the USA which would
leave us seventy miles south of Canaveral but without hopefully the risk of
being caught out in a nasty thunderstorm.
(Fishing report - nothing, nowt, nada, not a decent nibble
except - yes! you guessed it - a Barracuda and lots of weed. We'll be painting
lures and sharpening hooks for next season. Watch out Mahi, Wahoo and
Tuna we're coming back.)
We made Fort Pierce around sunset having motored all the way
from Great Sale Cay on both engines and were anchored off Faber Cove,
Causeway Island just off the ICW an hour later. One hour after that a very
nasty thunderstorm hit us moving quickly offshore. Apart from the lightening we
were hit with a banshee gusts of fifty knot plus winds from various directions
as the storm went right over our area out to sea. We were relieved to be in port
and later heard that boats caught out in the stream had a very difficult time
especially with the heavy shipping moving through the Gulf Stream. We can judge
the holding at Faber Cove to be brilliant as the anchor had to reset in
different directions as the storm passed and visibility was down to yards from
the torrential rain.
Fate must have played a part in our decision to go in at Fort
Pierce because we later heard some friends calling another boat on VHF. We
hadn't seen them since Mexico having originally met in
Panama. They had been residing in Harbortown Marina waiting
to be lifted before flying back to the UK. We still had to check into the USA so
booked into the same marina. Their friends they had been calling had been
caught in the storm off-shore with a disabled engine and had been towed in that
morning. We all enjoyed a meal ashore in the marina restaurant catching up and
exchanging stories. It was bliss to enjoy a long hot shower after so long
on the hook. An event Skip nearly missed before the meal as he 'popped' over to
West Marine (USA marine superstore) for a couple of chandlery items and wasn't
seen for a couple of hours. Akin to a kiddie let loose in a sweet shop!
   Fort Pierce Marina and the view from the Homeland
Security Office................
The following day we took a taxi out to Fort Pierce airport to
see the Immigration authorities and to buy a cruising permit for the next year.
This proved an interesting and painless experience helped by our very friendly
taxi driver called Tizzi who drives for Yellow Cabs. She's a careful and
considerate driver - a rarity amongst taxi drivers! We had been dreading the
check-in but needn't have worried. As in the past we were treated with courtesy
by the Homeland Security officers and departed shortly after with our cruising
permit. Tizzi even waited for us with no extra charge.
Now legal, Skip borrowed one of the marina bicycles and
disappeared off to a nearby marine salvage store with our anchor windlass gypsy
in the back pack. Our anchor chain after 6 years has rusted badly.
The foredeck and lockers are rust splattered and very unsightly so the chain
needs to be replaced or re-galvanised. Easier said than
done. It is UK chain on a European windlass and we all know the
Americans have not totally embraced metric. Rumour had it that the salvage
place had some chain of the correct size. On inspection Skip decided it
wasn't of good enough quality, was actually showing early signs of rusting and
was a poor fit on the gypsy. Back to the drawing board.
  The rusty mess and a calm morning in
Vero..................
After a couple of nights at Fort Pierce we were ready to move
on to Vero Beach for a few days of retail therapy using the completely free bus
system there. We stayed a week buying 'stuff' including some aluminium tube to
mount the forthcoming new solar array onto at the stern arch. This we achieved
but had to cut the eight foot sections into their correct lengths before
catching the bus(s) back to the marina. Home Depot kindly provides a mobile
sawing trolley for such events but we took our own hacksaw!
  The free buses at a 'hub' - you wouldn't be
allowed to do this in B&Q......................
We should mention the free bus system at Vero. It's amazing.
Not just because it's free but because it works like a well oiled machine. There
are a number of 'hubs' around the city where the buses all arrive at roughly the
same time and all leave at the same time which means you don't miss a connection
because of any traffic delay. Once all buses have arrived and have swapped their
passengers around they all leave again en masse for their various
destinations in the city including the other smaller hubs. It wouldn't work in
many cities in the UK unless the bus lanes could be guaranteed to be unclogged.
Being free means the drivers are not wasting time collecting fares.
Cyclists can use the buses as each bus has a cycle rack on the
front.
A week was long enough in Vero although at this time of
year the mooring field was virtually empty. Our dinghy was often the
only one on the dinghy dock where in the season it is hard to find a gap to
park. We had one more stop over at Dragon Point at the entrance to the Banana
River before motoring the last thirty miles to Cape Canaveral. Amazingly we met
up with more friends, also anchored at Dragon Point, whom we'd left in the Abaco
so another excuse for a long happy hour. There use to be a 100' Ferro
cement 'dragon' on the point which after 30 years of providing a land mark
at the entrance to the Banana River sadly collapsed in a heap as if
slain in 2002. Apparently the eccentric owner (who lived in the house
next door) ignited gas canisters inside its mouth on each July 4th. Someone
did say the dragon and house were to be renovated but it all looks a little
beyond repair.
  A collapsed dragon and a
dragon.....................
The final few miles to Titusville, which is just inside Cape
Canaveral and in view of the NASA launchpads, were interrupted by a very slow
moving thunderstorm that just hovered around the Cape for over ninety minutes.
We stopped just short and anchored to avoid being caught out in the strong winds
and extremely heavy rain. We got away with just a few drops of rain on deck and
only fifteen knots of wind, so that was a good move. However, we had
to slow down when we did get going as the next opening bridge didn't open
between 15:30 and 17:00. The bridge keeper was prompt. At just after 17:00
we proceeded on to Titusville whose own swing bridge has now been replaced with
a brand new high rise that we can sail under with ease. We are here
now and will be until October when we will be off on our travels
again.
  We'll wait until this passes - we're told 'its
that time of year'! Haven't managed to get a lightening shot yet
(hiding).
|