Heads UP!!!

"A ship is always referred to as 'she' because it costs so much to keep one in paint and powder." Chester W. Nimitz

It was Thursday; we were exhasuted; we had come through 20+ bridges, in some cases, waiting for 45 minutes for one to open.  Our lovely 6NM/hour had been shaved to 4NM/hour.  We would not make it to Ft. Lauderdale.  It was already 1700 and the staff at Lighthouse Point Marina was set to go home.  We barely made it.  Just after we tied UP, John visited the head.  I heard a deep groan.  He stepped out of the head with the toilet seat in his hand.  The plastic that had once attached it to the lid looked rotted.  Can that happen?  Looks like it did.  With a land based shower and bath only steps away, we decided to set aside the challenge of replacing the toilet seat until Friday.  After all, I had found the original owner's manual in our boat documentation and was armed with the Bemis part number: 1238A.  (Or so I thought.)

Friday morning, we explored the internet looking for the seat, using the part number, to no avail.  We found nothing even somewhat similar.  We were tied up near Vero Beach so we called the local West Marine which looked UP 1238A and, lo and behold, found one--and only one--in all of Florida at the Ft. Lauderdale store.  As luck would have it, a delivery from said store was expected over the lunch hour.  Yippee!!!  As we gathered our things to go ashore and get a taxi, we noticed that the skies had opened UP and a downpour was underway.  The universe must have a rule, we figure:  if the O'Neals need to go ashore, let it pour.  With slickers on, we were driven to the West Marine--not close.  Total cab fare for outbound and return was $45.  Nonetheless, we had our seat.  We were thrilled.  Back to boat.  Within minutes, we could see that the new seat:  1238A was about three inches shorter than our broken seat.  It would not even be possible to "make it work."  Sad, and out the cost of the seat, since in Florida, there is a state law that prohibits the return of such items.  The Captain did the only thing possible:  he duct taped the seat to the hinges and restored it to the bowl, so we could depart the next day, which we did.

On Saturday, it was only six bridges to get to Ft. Lauderdale where we entered the Atlantic for a lovely--and uneventful--sail to Miami.  We settled on Dinner Key Marina in Biscayne Bay.  Again we did some internet research on Sunday (found a Bemis seat that was a bit shorter each way but might work) and arranged for an early Monday rental car.  We got the phone numbers for Bemis customer service; for the local Home Depot, which was clearly a Bemis vendor; and for several plumbing stores in the Coconut Grove area.

Early Monday, with the heavens dropping rain in sheets, we set off to the local Enterprise.  Along the way, we contacted the local Home Depot which only sold two Bemis seats:  one too short and one too long.  We also left a message at Gratitude Yachting Center in Maryland where we originally purchased Llyrical hoping for some direction.  At Enterprise, we learned of a local chandlery which might, just might, sell toilet seats for Marine heads.  That chandlery did not but referred us to another that did.  They had a Bemis seat which sounded like it might work.  While driving there, we heard from Gratitude that they had a seat they could overnight to us.  We also heard back from the kitchen and bath sales rep at Home Depot.  He had decided to contact the manufacturer's rep for the head, with offices in Coconut Beach, and, lo and behold, they had a seat too. 

By then, we had arrived at Hopkins and Carter Marine Supplies and, indeed, their seat was in all respects identical except for the fitting that attaches the seat to the bowl.  We purchased it with a wish and a promise, returned to the boat, and were quite pleased to see it fit perfectly.  We let Gratitude and Home Depot know we did not need their seats.

I am sure if I were the Captain, I would have some clever pun that would sum up my lesson learned.  We got our seat and with good weather can depart.  UP, UP and away!  sandra

The journey...not the destination

"It is of great use to the sailor to know the length of his line, though he cannot with it fathom all the depths of the ocean."  John Locke


By this, Day Nine, of our trip, I had expected to be in the Bahamas or, at least, just about to go.  Our next weather window, if PassageWeather retains its current forecast, will be Thursday at the earliest...15 days from our departure.  That has been unexpected.  Also unexpected, was the loss of the alternator belt (magnificently repaired by the Captain); bridge after bridge over the ICW, dropping our lovely 6NM/hour to 4NM/hour and the toilet seat that sheared off from its lid.  Its replacement took five days, two cabs rides, one flase start, a rental car, an hour on the internet and several phone calls.  In the end, there were three toilet seats.  That story is worth a separate entry. 

While we were sitting at Lighthouse Point for our "rest day" last Friday, I realized that this trip is not about the destination, it is about the journey.  We may get to the Bahamas; we may not.  We may visit a few islands; we may visit many; we may visit none.  We have spent and will spend a good deal of time trying.  That journey, with its challenges; its upsets; its quiet moments; its dolphins delighting Murphy is, I think, what this is all about...not the destination.  I suspect that is what life is all about.

As I enter retirement, it seems appropriate to stop the headlong rush and consider the joys and struggles along the way.  sandra

Monday, Monday...

"Can ye fathom the ocean, dark and deep, where the mighty waves and the grandeur sweep?" Fanny Crosby
Monday, Mar. 29, Dinner Key Marina, Cocoa Beach/Miami, FL
Well, we made it to Miami! On Saturday! Here's how it went:
Day 1: Daytona Beach on ICW
Day 2: Titusville on ICW
Day 3: Rest Day - visited NASA/Cape Canaveral
Day 4: Vero Beach on ICW
Day 5: To Ft. Pierce on ICW into Atlantic. Motor sailing (Genoa) over a wallowy day with NE swells. A pod of a dozen or so dolphins kept us company for quite a while. Good thing Murphy was tethered or she would have gone swimming with them.  Much wagging of tail and heart-felt whimpers at her seagoing friends. Several were interesting and grey speckled, albino-looking. Unfortunately, the master belt (water pump/alternator) on the engine shredded. We shut the engine down so it wouldn't overheat and Sandra took the wheel and kept us moving south under the genoa. After an hour or so of scrounging below, I came up with the right combination of tools to put the spare belt on.  After retesting the belt tension several times, we gradually brought the engine rpms up to 2400 rpms and resumed our run.  I tumbled back on deck and took a bonine. Being below in the unsettled sea conditions had taken a little of the pleasure out of my successful repair (thanks Mack Boring and Larry Berlin). Finally, at 1830, we chugged into Riviera Yacht Center to spend the night and await a mechanic after briefly sticking our keel into a mud bank 15 yards off the dock. 
Day 6: Thursday, March 25 - Sandra was walking to the bathhouse when she noticed an ongoing classic boat restoration. Turns out it was the Honey Fitz, John Kennedy's presidential yacht, a beautiful wooden boat built in the 1930s. The folks at Riviera were hard at work on her restoration.
Nearby Ramsay Marine had a mechanic on site by 0930.  By 1000, we had a new belt on and a new spare for my parts bag and were able to get underway for what we thought would be an easy offset to yesterday. Interestingly,  Today, since it was windy, we would stay inside, keep our run short, and motor throught the Florida 'Gold Coast' enjoying the excess of too many mansions and megayachts. Then we discovered the challenge of South Florida bridge openings.... Arrived Lighthouse Pt. 1830. To finish an exhausting day, upon arrival, I was visiting the head. I lifted the lid and it came off in my hands.
Day 7: Make and Mend day.... i.e. rest... rainy weather
Day 8: Saturday, Mar. 27 - Off at 0900 15 miles and 8 bridges to Ft. Lauderdale! Sunny skies and 10-15 kt winds out of the NE moving to E.  1100 we decided to go Port Everglades Outlet to Biscayne Bay.  Motor sailed with genoa and main making 7+ knots, 1 mile offshore (to avoid northbound currents that would have slowed us).  Arrived Dinner Key without event, refueled, and tied up at Dinner Key Marina.  We will be here until the Brenner/Bakers arrive and a good weather window opens.  Next Thursday??????
Day8: Collapse
Day 9: RAIN!!!! and reprovisioning do not go together!
And now I'm caught up...

Day One...At Last

"The ocean is a mighty harmonist." William Wordsworth


Today--to no fanfare except our own--we departed the Camachee Cove Yacht Yard bound for the Bahamas.  Our oldest (longest term) friends, Karen and Mike Myers were aboard.  We double dated years ago in Dallas before each couple married.  They moved to Santa Fe, NM and onto Washington, DC while John and I moved to St. Louis, Philadelphia and Tallahassee.  While Karen and I studied together years ago for English Ph.D.'s  (she got hers; mine was ABD), we each took a very different career path.  Neither of us became professional academics.  I took the opportunity to consult and she ultimately became the head of the Washington office for Computer Associates.  So, the day was spent chatting about health care legislation, climate bills and financial regulations.  All four of us took our turns at the wheel, cruising down the ICW from St. Augustine to Daytona Beach.  The Myers will be with us one more day before they fly back to Washington.  When they depart on Monday, we will still have over 200 NM to go to get to the Bay of Biscayne, likely four days, if weather does not stop us along the way.  We are each getting our sea legs but boating is still a physically challenging activity.  We'll sleep well tonight.

The skys are blue.  There is a sufficient breeze.  John is playing Memories  (my favorite).  And we are drinking margarittas.  Could this get any better?  We'll see.  Sandra

The Beginning... Part two

"My ship was also in better condition than when she sailed from Boston on her long voyage. She was still as sound as a nut, and as tight as the best ship afloat. She did not leak a drop - not one drop!" -Joshua Slocum
Today is the day.  Llyrical is to be returned to the water this afternoon; we return as well.  We expect to find our little vessel 'sound as a nut' at dockside.  We will drive a rental van filled with a last load of food and other essentials.  I believe Llyrical will be well ballasted as we depart on the coming voyage.  As well as we can, we have provisioned ourselves with food and books and drinking water for the coming six weeks.  We have clothing that will keep us warm at 40 degrees or cool at 90 degrees.  We will be equipped to fiddle a tune, spear a fish, and swim in or under the deep blue sea. 
Tonight we will load the gear and get our first look at the new Single Sideband radio.  Tomorrow, we will check over the rest of the boat, pay our dues to Camachee Yacht Yard, and go to the Customs and Protections Branch office in St. Augustine to apply for the Local Boater Option (LBO) to simplify our return.
At the end of the day, tomorrow, I will head for JAX (the Jacksonville Airport) to return the rental van and to pick up Karen and Mike Myers for a few days aboard.  DEPARTURE now scheduled for SATURDAY 1200UTC (0700EST)!

Feeling Crabby...

Have you ever watched a crab on the shore crawling backward in search of the Atlantic Ocean, and missing? That's the way the mind of man operates. - H. L. Mencken
It's Monday, March 15.  We would have been in the Cape Canaveral area today if our original backup plans had worked out.  Still, the last news from the yard was positive and we have been able to book crew in for the first few days of our dash south.  Mike and Karen Myers, weary world travelers that they are, will make one more trip in 2010.  They will fly into Jacksonville spend the week-end aboard Llyrical and fly home to DC out of Orlando.  We are also planning for a stretch with Michael Brenner and Susan Baker in early April and with Christina Kachulis towards the end of April.
Otherwise, we are ensconced in Tallahassee, sort of crawling backwards towards the Atlantic, and generally missing. 
The last few days has required that we make emergency trips to the grocery for food since our previously perfectly timed departure would have coincided with running out of food.  Similarly, we are suffering underwear and other clothing shortages since all such items are neatly packed in the seabag. 
We are begrudgingly replacing our store of these necessities and wondering if we will ever go.
We keep looking for silver linings and there are a few: additional Sundays at First Presbyterian are a blessing; we found our ship's station and ham radio licenses on my bedside table (how did they get there?); we got a replacement chronometer; cold fronts seem to be gradually growing a little less significant; and Sandy has had a few days of a springtime allergy or flu which will have a chance to recede.
To some extent, we know we are marking time... and if we mark too much, the trip plan will have to be scrapped.  Perhaps, if time grows too short, we will have to spend time on Biscayne Bay and in the Florida Keys intead.  But none of that for now!  We remain indomitable!  (But we still feel a little crabby) - John

How Much is that Doggie in the Window???

The answer is a US money order for $10.  The question is:  "What must one do to get a pet (in this case Murphy) to the Bahamas?"  One contacts the Department of Agriculture in the Bahamas and completes a form that is then mailed to the DOA along with the  money order.  They process it and return an "importation permit" which must accompany the pet.  The pet also needs a "health certificate" from a US vet that attests to certain immunizations, a lack of parasites and good overall health.   The vaccinations are fairly standard and most well cared for pets would have them:  rabies, distemper, etc.  However, there is one vaccination that is  non-standard: coronavirus.  Theoretically, the vet's attestation is sufficient for entry but must be followed by a visit to a Bahamian vet within 48 hours of arrival.  The various sources are in conflict about this last rule, and I suspect the vet visit is up to the official who checks you in.  We are planning to go to a lovely marina on Bimini with its own Customs and Immigration officials. I hope that helps to avoid trekking Bimini to find a vet.

A bigger challenge will be to get Murphy to "potty" on a square of astro-turf, assuming we cannot get her to land.  She can "maintain" for up to ten hours but there will certainly be some nights when we are at anchor and the only "land" about is the square of turf.  Almost all of our friends think we are crazy to take a dog on a sea voyage.  Nonetheless, she was named Murphy for a reason.  Beside being John's grandmother's family name, it also means "sea warrior" in Gaelic.  This, we are sure, provides some sort of charm.  We'll soon see--at least we hope so.  Sandra

Weather (or Not) to Go

"When all is said and done, the weather and love are the two elements about which one can never be sure." - Alice Hoffman
With our departure delayed by by ongoing repairs, there are several days to fill but little left to accomplish before we head for Llyrical. One task that continues is an attempt to understand the characteristics of a good weather window for crossing the Florida straits from Miami to Bimini.  I have spent the last few weeks monitoring weather patterns, primarily using a website called PassageWeather,  and I am still unsure.  Now, I know what perfect conditions look like:  It is daytime.  The skies are clear with no rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours.  The wind gently builds to a steady 10-15 knots from the south, southeast maximizing boatspeed.  It would be okay if the wind were from the southwest, but the wind can have NO northerly component to it at all.

When I traveled to Bermuda, we crossed the stream with a 10-15 knot northerly wind. Short, 10-12 foot seas pounded us for the length of the crossing. At the wheel, you felt like you were driving some wild creature. The boat would gather herself, surge forward off the crest of a wave, then fall into the trough, burying her bow in the wave beyond. As water flew past the cockpit, you gripped the wheel and began to climb the next wave. Below, you had to go handhold to handhold or wedge yourself onto a leeward surface. I took a nap in the forward berth by lashing myself within the lee cloths. Every 30 seconds or so I was thrown into the air, where I hung weightless for a moment before crashing back to the bunk. This was not an experience that I want to share with Sandra.

This time of year, perfect conditions are fleeting.  Twice a week, a  new cold front presses into the Bahamas bringing heavy rain and north winds.  After a day or so, the rain clears and high pressure builds.  Gusty north winds steady and begin to clock around to the east, southeast for a day or so.  As winds clock around to the south and then the southwest they continue to build in strength.  Another day, and they are back to the northwest, portending the next cold front.

So what does an optimal weather window look like for mid-March in terms of pressure systems, precipitation, wind direction and speed? If I have to give up one of my criteria, which is least important?   Well, lack of rain is not critical to safety as long as visibility stays fairly good and will have only a minor impact on comfort.  Llyrical can also manage stronger breezes comfortably, especially if they come from astern.  However, that does make approach to a harbor more challenging.  For that matter, Llyrical could handle a gulfstream crossing with northerly winds creating a wind against current 'rage'.  However, that's not a good option for her crew.

I have another two weeks to explore this question theoretically. By then, we hope to be at anchor in Biscayne Bay looking for the 'perfect' calm. - John

'Mission Impossible' or Time to Adjust Sails...

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William A. Ward
Today, we accepted the inevitable.  Another cold front pushed through northern Florida; it rained all day today and will rain again tomorrow.  We just aren't going to get the bottom paint done this week.  So, next week, Camachee will complete 4 coats of epoxy barrier paint followed by a couple of coats of Interlux VC Offshore Bottom Paint that will work well for this trip as well as in northern waters.  We are hoping for a splash day of Thursday the 18.  Hopefully, we will go on board Thursday night or Friday morning.  Departure is pushed back till Saturday the 20th.  - John

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...

"Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day." - William Shakespeare
Well, we are all dressed up and no place to go.  Or maybe, more accurately, we have a place to go, but aren't yet dressed.  Yesterday's problem was the discovery of a damaged propeller shaft and bearing.  That addressed, we moved on today to two new issues... or is it three?  First, we discovered that the weather was looking a little mixed on Saturday, our newly planned departure date.  Secondly, Breaking News!  The bottom paint is in worse shape than expected.  It is going to need to be sanded more thoroughly before the paint goes back on.  More sanding = more men, more money, more time.  Given the press of circumstance, a Sunday departure looks likely.  The third issue?  Sandra's allergy attack is looking more serious.  At least I'm feeling..... ah..... ah........AH CHOOOOOO! - John

I Fought the Law and the Law Won

Cards on the table:  I have never written a blog entry before and, alas, I have been assigned a topic that no one else wanted:  dealing with Customs.  These are the people in those ugly orange boats who run down drug lords and hapless boaters.  You do not want them in your face.  To avoid that, you need to know their rules which are not so easy to discover.  So, after only three calls and attendant voice mail messages, I got a real person who answered some simple questions:  If, and I stress IF, we want to take a hand gun into the Bahamas, I understand what we have to do.  On the other hand, I cannot find the process for getting the gun back into the United States.  Imagine my surprise when I learned that form 4457, which I was directed to complete, does not provide "permission" to return with a gun, it merely identifies that you owned the gun before you departed.  What we have here is a way of avoiding duty (tax) on merchandise that was not purchased out of the country. No one provides permission to return with a gun:  permission is not necessary.  As my husband declared:  "This is the United States.  You don't need no stinking permission to bring a hand gun back from the Bahamas."  He appears to have been right.  After chatting with Officer Terry in St. Augustine, I decided we should complete forn 4457 for the gun (IF we take it), as well as, for my Tag Heuer watch, our Pentax camera and anything else that has value (perhaps even Murphy).  My next question had to do with what "arrival" to the US constitutes.  You see, you need to check in within 24 hours of "arrival" and that could mean finding your way by taxi to an airport if no Customs office was located near the water, depending on where you came in.  Apparently, "arrival" occurs when you enter US waters from international waters.  So, that led me to ask how we could apply for the "Local Boater Option," which allows boaters who live in and depart from Florida for nearby islands (the Bahamas counts), to only phone in their arrival.  No need to make ones' way to the actual Customs official.  Officer Terry will help us apply during an appointment, now set for Friday.  He carefully explained to me how to use the "yellow box" walkie talkie at the gate to get his attention.  Now onto more interesting pre-departure activities:  final provisioning; waiting for the arrival of the SAT phone; laundering our boat linens; and preparing a detailed location log of where we have hidden two months worth of food.  I have not yet been driven to drop a waterproof bag into the bilge, but I might. - Sandra

"A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money." - Anonymous

The good news is that the crew at Camachee Yacht Yard are making amazing progress (as promised).  Halyard replacement, fresh water system pressure repair, teak refinishing, bottom paint, main engine maintenance, dinghy motor maintenance, and SSB radio  installation are all underway.
But there is bad news as well.  Routine inspection of the drive train found a damaged cutlass bearing.  During replacement of the cutlass bearing, damage to the propeller shaft was found.  Both of these problems were undoubtedly caused by electrolysis.  In any case, the yard is making up a new shaft and will get it replaced during the course of the week.  As long as the boat is hauled and the shaft out, I have decided to upgrade the stuffing box with a dripless PSS shaft seal.  This is an upgrade for more of Llyrical's systems.
We had evidence of a problem when we brought Llyrical south down the ICW in fall of 2008. There was some unexpected vibration through the drive train and the stately drip.... drip..... drip..... of the stuffing box turned into an enthusiastic spray while our manual bilge stroke count went from 2-3 strokes per hour to 25-30 strokes per hour.  The stuffing box was adjusted upon arrival, but I have been worried about an underlying problem since. 
Our timeline is only slightly altered.  Llyrical should be splashed on Friday, so we can't go over Thursday and sleep aboard.  We're planning to go on Friday instead.  This may have minor implications for departure.  It may be Sunday rather than Saturday. - John

T-5 Days and Counting

"Victory awaits those who have everything in order? People call that luck.
Defeat is certain for those who have forgotten to take the necessary precautions in time ? That is called bad luck."  Ronald Amundson 14 December 1911
Preparations continue apace.  Provisioning is almost complete. Sandra fears that we have more food than the freezer can hold.  I fear that we have more than we can eat.  In contrast, we are short of wine (been known to drink that) but long on liquor (which we drink rarely).  After corresponding with Carl, I became worried about the challenge of getting fuel, water, and provisions to the boat on smaller islands .  In response, I purchased a folding hand truck.  It seems like a pretty useful item.  We'll see...
We still need to find a replacement for our erratic but discontinued ship's chronometer, but we're getting close to the end of our preparations.  I will call Camachee Yacht Yard today to see if we are on schedule.  Victory awaits!  - John

Victory at Sea

"Victory awaits those who have everything in order? People call that luck.  Defeat is certain for those who have forgotten to take the necessary precautions in time ? That is called bad luck."  Ronald Amundson 14 December 1911
We will contact Camachee Yacht Yard today to find out if the SSB install and maintenance items are on schedule.  If so, we depart for Llyrical and St. Augustine on Thursday with departure down the ICW on Saturday. More provisioning going on over the week-end.  Sandra now is expressing concern that we have more for the freezer than it will hold.  I am expressing concern that we will never be able to eat/drink our way through all the food and booze we are putting aboard.  On the other hand, I believe we are short of wine.  I purchased a folding hand truck meant to help fueling, water and reprovisioning.  We'll see... - John

7 Days to Go

We are trying to get our household affairs under control.  For example, we have to file our tax return!!!  We are stacking gear in the garage in anticipation of departure on Thursday afternoon.  I will be making a run out today for food storage bags and chocolate bars.  Sandra is trying to get a spare pair of glasses later today. 
On the technical front.  I'm still grappling with the largely theoretical question of how to do weatherfax using the Icom M802 HF radio and my Dell (you don't really need a serial port) laptop.  I say it's theoretical because I haven't even see the radio yet. It will be waiting for us when we get to the boat at the end of next week. Information that I've found conflicts but here is the general idea: NOAA thoughtfully takes its weather charts as greyscale fax images and and encodes them into frequency modulated radio signals.  I should be able to receive these signals on the Icom and send them to my laptop to demodulate and display them.  The first and last parts should be fairly straightforward.  The challenge seems to be interfacing the radio and the computer.  One possibility is to run an audio cable from the headphone jack on the control head of the radio to the mike jack on the laptop.  While this sounds like a natural, I have generally found individuals reporting failure who try this.  A second, related option, is to use the speaker output on the radio's base unit.  I don't have much data on this approach.  Another pair of possibilities is to use one of the radio's serial ports.  One is designed for computer communication so perfect, right?  The other serial port is provided for a modem, so that sounds pretty good, too.  The primary problem with this approach is that I have no serial port on my laptop.  However, there are serial to USB interface cables.  I don't know whether audio can be transmitted via USB but since it is a "universal" serial bus, it seems like it should.  I have also seen serial to audio conversion cables, but that approach uses 3 of the 9 pins on the RS232C end and I have to be sure that the right pins are used.  Some folks make their own, but I am like Jack the Ripper with a soldering iron.  Expensive adjacent components are likely to melt into a messy slag of molten solder when I try to do anything delicate.
With all of these alternatives, there is still a great deal of uncertainty present.  The software does not easily match up with the input signal.  I am theorizing this is largely because the signal at the laptop has too much amplitude, but I don't really know.
What to do? I think I will try to obtain cables for all 3 approaches: 1) audio, 2) serial to USB, 3) serial to audio and try them all.  It's wasteful, but once we are underway, obtaining the cables gets difficult to impossible. - John

Counting down... 8 days till departure...

If all goes well, we will leave on Saturday.  Llyrical is lying up in St Augustine for installation of an SSB, sealing of the teak toe-rails, and a myriad of small but expensive maintenance items.  Sandie and I are in Tallahassee, handling business, provisioning and getting ready.  John

"There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures." - William Shakespeare