Refreshed And Ready To Go

We are getting underway again after about a month here on the St. Johns River in northern Florida. It has been both a wonderful and a very exhausting time. The marina is a laid-back and friendly place, and its location close to shopping was perfect for what we needed to get done. Linda's sister, Dale, and her husband Steve live just 35 minutes south of the marina. They came to see us right after we arrived, and we went to their house for Easter dinner, and Linda also took a couple of days off the boat to stay at her sister's. Enterprise Car had a weekend special going at $9.99 per day, so we were able to have a car on weekends. We also just recently rented one for a week and made two trips to the Daytona area with it. We first went down to see our son Dan and his wife Lesli and and our grandson Thomas. They were vacationing in Ormond Beach, which is just north of Daytona. It was a cold and slightly damp day, but we managed to play one round of putt-putt golf and had a great day with them.  We returned to Daytona a second time and spent a weekend in a condo that Linda's sister, Darlene, had reserved with her RCI points. Then on Monday, Linda's sisters, Darlene and Lois, arrived, as did Dale a short while after. After sharing a couple of pizzas at the condo, Steve and Norm were on their way, leaving the four sisters for their week together. They had a wonderful time and kept quite busy. Besides just enjoying the sun and the beach, they also visited a chocolate factory, a botanical garden, the speedway, and a luau, among other things.

Darlene, Dale, Lois, Linda

Darlene, Lois, Linda, Dale

Now, the exhausting side of our stay here. Let's just say working on the boat is getting old. We stripped the exterior teak again down to bare wood and refinished it. That actually consumed one-half of our available work time. We touched up all the bright metal, which was in great shape when we left Mexico, but we now added a protective coat of wax. We cleaned and waxed the hull and topsides, which were really showing the stress it had endured from the tropics. We cleaned the bimini and dodger and sprayed them with a protective coating. We also built a new clear vinyl connector between the dodger and bimini. Inside, we re-oiled the teak and gave it a good cleaning. Repairs were few and inexpensive.  Anyway, we repaired a leaking pump on the head, replaced a failed part on the watermaker, and repaired the generator without any new parts, other than replacing the air filter. The generator had been hard-starting. An expert at Massey (Massey acquired Entec West, the manufacturer of our generator) suggested that the air filter could be clogged by mold, but also suggested re-torquing the head bolts and checking valve clearance. I did all three, but the filter was probably the culprit since the generator sat idle in a rainforest for several months. The filter looked normal, so I hadn't suspected it. We did many other small things, and Ariel is now probably in the same condition as when we began cruising six years ago.

The weather was a little cooler than we anticipated. We knew it would be cool at times, but for the first two weeks here, it was actually running about 10 degrees below normal. All and all, it has been very pleasant with very little rain.

Our plan is to go offshore from the mouth of the St. Johns to Charleston and then stay on the inside on the ICW to Norfolk, Virginia.

A Couple Days With Bill And Pat (Mobetah)

The highlight of our trip up the ICW in Florida was stopping in Palm Coast to visit Bill and Pat. We last saw Bill and Pat in the spring of 2011. We took an inland trip to Antigua and Lago Atitlán in Guatemala with them and had a wonderful time. Some of our fondest memories were made with Bill and Pat, with whom we also traveled to Copan, Honduras, in 2010, amongst other adventures. At one time, they directed readers of their blog to ours to find out what they were doing. We missed seeing them when we returned to Guatemala in the fall of 2011, before we departed for Panama. They would usually return at about the same time, but they were delayed while trying to buy a condominium in Palm Coast. Bill had investigated condominium foreclosure sales and had decided the time was probably about right to jump into the market. It was a time-consuming process, but having now seen their home, it was no doubt well worth the effort. We always planned to visit Bill and Pat, one way or the other. We thought we would go up the coast on the outside, and then, once Ariel was secure in a marina, we would drive over to see them. As it happens, we could not go outside, so the ICW took us right to their condominium, just a few steps away. It is a great spot for watching boat traffic.

Pat and Bill

They had arranged for us to keep our boat in the condominium association’s marina (free) while we stayed at their home. We could only stay a couple of days as we were already running a little behind schedule, and Bill and Pat made it hard to leave. We really enjoyed our visit. They have become full-fledged dirt dwellers, but they are working very hard to bring some of the social aspects of the cruising life to their community. Thanks for being wonderful friends (Bill and Pat), and thank you for opening your wonderful home to us.

We are now at Fleming Island Marina, on the St. Johns River and near Orange Park, Florida. We were last on the St. Johns our first year cruising. Linda's sister, Dale, and her husband, Steve, live farther up the St. Johns River near Palatka.   A bridge just above Green Cove Springs prevents us from taking Ariel to their house. We are registered here for a month. During that time, our son and his family will be vacationing at our timeshare in Ormond Beach, which we bought in 1982 and which is still getting lots of use after all these years. Ormond Beach is a short drive, so we look forward to seeing them. We will, of course, spend a lot of time with Steve and Dale, but also Linda's other sisters, Lois and Darlene, are coming to Florida while we are here, so all the girls will be together. Darlene's husband, John, passed very recently, so it is fitting that they will spend some time together. When not otherwise engaged, we are doing some serious work on Ariel. Three years in the subtropics and tropics was very hard on the sun-exposed surfaces, plus we have a list of maintenance items to address. Hopefully, everything will be working when we leave Florida, and Ariel will look much better.

Getting Reacquainted With The Ditch

We had hopes of continuing up the Florida coast on the outside, but a gale in the north Atlantic has created a large swell up and down the eastern seaboard, including Florida. Rather than wait for better conditions, we are slowly plodding along on the Intracoastal Waterway. It is very confining for us to stay in the Ditch, that is, stay within the lines, after we haven't even had lines for so long now. We have stopped at the Titusville Municipal Marina. Our water tank, last filled in Isla Mujeres almost three weeks ago, was almost empty, and the laundry situation was reaching a critical point.

Another pelican - can't help it, Norm especially likes these guys. We have two right now sitting on posts behind the boat, keeping and eye on us

Working Our Way North Along Florida

The forecast for the next several days is for winds from the north or northwest. There is a fixed bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway in Miami that we cannot get under, so at a minimum, we need to go out and around to Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale). Still, we planned to re-enter at Lake Worth and avoid 21 bridge openings over about a 44-mile stretch of the ICW. We found an opportunity for a night trip, with winds forecast to be light and more from the west-northwest. We knew the seas would be calm with the wind coming off the coast. We pulled anchor just before 6:00 pm. There was a cruise ship in port, so we went around behind, rather than going down the cruise ship channel. We went out about 2 ½ miles and then turned north to parallel the coast. It was perfect, and we were enjoying a nice motoring ride in very calm seas. Well, we at least thought it was perfect. Norm, upon waking up at 3:00 am to take his turn at watch, checked the battery voltage and found the bank seriously discharged. The alternator was not charging the batteries. He couldn't find a quick and easy solution, so we turned off everything except the navigation lights. Since we were running along the coast, it wasn't too difficult to steer a course holding approximately the same distance from shore. The depth was not an issue, so we felt comfortable. We turned the chart plotter on once an hour to get a fix on our position.

We arrived at our planned destination, the Lake Worth inlet, just before sunrise and turned on the instruments for the few minutes it took to enter and get to a place to anchor. After getting some sleep, Norm diagnosed the problem to be the voltage regulator. He was able to bypass the voltage regulator and, very carefully, recharge the batteries at a safe voltage by controlling the engine speed. Later in the day, we moved the boat to North Palm Beach, which was where we had intended to anchor before our problem. What a break, or we are living a charmed life because there is a West Marine in North Palm Beach within a short walking distance. We were able to get a replacement voltage regulator, and all is well. Knock on Wood.

Now, southern Florida is experiencing the coldest weather this season, and we are asking ourselves if we got here too soon. Just kidding, it feels good to be back in the States. It looks like we may be here a few days waiting on a break in the string of fronts sweeping down from the north and west. Posted from Dunkin Donuts, Oh yeah, we are back in America.

Back In Our Home Country

We just completed our best open water passage ever. We made it from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to Dry Tortugas, a distance of 300 miles in 48 hours, by far our fastest ever passage. Of course, having both a favorable current and a favorable wind made it both easy and possible. The same current that carried us north from Belize at 2 knots also carried us north as we crossed the Yucatan Channel. We set the boat up to sail on a close reach and just let the current carry us. We saw currents as high as 3 ½ knots.

Our trip plan was developed by Linda. She reluctantly agreed to make landfall in Dry Tortugas, a place that has always been high on Norm's list. We arrived at Dry Tortugas National Park at a little after ten in the morning, which was perfect to allow time to get the boat organized, have lunch, and then visit Fort Jefferson. After visiting the fort, Linda exclaimed that it was well worth stopping there. Following our plan, we set sail after dinner for an overnight trip to Boot Key in the Florida Keys. This was another pleasant sail, and we arrived there just before lunch. We now had access to our cell phone, so we called Customs and Border Protection to report our arrival. After lunch, we pulled anchor and stopped at the fuel dock to top off the tank. We hadn't used much fuel, but the fuel docks are so convenient at the entrance to Boot Key Harbor. We re-anchored and relaxed the afternoon away. After an early dinner, we again set sail and continued along the Keys, arriving at one of our favorite anchorage spots in Miami Beach at 10:30 am the following morning. Wow, what a trip. We remember our very first night at sea going down the New Jersey coast six years ago. Neither of us slept at all; we were so keyed up. Now each of us falls off to sleep within minutes of being relieved from watch. What a difference a few years of experience has made.

The Dry Tortugas lie about 70 miles west of Key West and are accessible only by boat or seaplane. The seven keys and surrounding coral reefs make up Fort Jefferson National Park. These keys are isolated, and there are no provisions or fuel here. 

Ariel Within Range

Ponce de Leon discovered these tiny islands in 1513 while on his famous quest for the Fountain of Youth. He called the area Las Tortugas for the large number of sea turtles that inhabited the islands. Later, the area became known as the Dry Tortugas, as the word "dry" was a warning to sailors that no fresh water was to be found here.

Surrounded By A Moat

Pirates enjoyed the isolation of the islands until 1821, when Florida became part of the US and the pirates were finally driven out. In 1825, a lighthouse was erected on Garden Key to warn of the shoals and reefs, which had sunk a great number of ships. 

High On Top Of Fort Jefferson

Then, in 1846, the strategic location of the Dry Tortugas was recognized, and construction of Fort Jefferson began. It took some 30 years and 16 million bricks to build the hexagonal fort, though it was never fully finished. In 1856, the present lighthouse on Loggerhead Key was built, making it the southernmost lighthouse in the continental US.

Next To Big Gun

Federal troops occupied the fort during the Civil War, when it served as a military prison. The most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd, a physician who, not knowing of Lincoln's murder, set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth. Dr. Mudd was sentenced to life in prison for this act.
Epidemics of yellow fever swept the fort during this time, but the efforts of Dr. Mudd saved hundreds of lives, and he was pardoned in 1869. Through the efforts of his family, he was finally absolved of all guilt in 1979, 110 years after his sentencing.

Garden Key Light - Anchoring Permitted Only Within One Mile Of Light

Next, Fort Jefferson became a naval base. In 1898, the battleship USS Maine left the Dry Tortugas and headed to Havana, Cuba, on her fateful voyage. A year later, the ship was blown up, an event that started the Spanish-American War. The fort also served as a coal station and a World War I seaplane base. Although its importance as a military base waned, its value as a natural resource grew. John Audubon visited the Dry Tortugas in 1832, and the area was made a marine sanctuary in 1908. In 1935, it was designated as a National Monument, and in 1992, it became a National Park. Today, the area is known for its abundant bird and marine life, its pirate and sunken-gold legends, and, of course, its incredible, unspoiled beauty.

Several of the keys in the Dry Tortugas are off limits during the nesting season between March and September, when some 100,000 sooty terns call Bush Key home. Disturbing the nest can be death for young birds. Brown and black noddies also nest in the vegetation between the sootie's rookery. While Bush Key is closed during the nesting season, Hospital and Long Keys are closed to visitors all year. All keys, except for Garden Key (where Fort Jefferson is located), are open only during daylight hours. 

Prison Where Dr. Mudd Was Held

Some of the other birds that are likely to be spotted include the magnificent frigate birds with their huge seven-foot wingspan, masked boobies, brown boobies, double-crested cormorants, brown pelicans, and roseate terns.

There are day trips from Key West by boat or seaplane, and if you're in Key West, we recommend checking them out. Take along a swimsuit and a nice lunch. Bring everything you will need and plan to leave with any trash you may have.

Stopping in the Dry Tortugas was a nice, relaxing stop after three years in Central America, before moving on and entering Government Cut in Miami and then dropping anchor in Miami Beach. While very relaxing on the boat, we are surrounded by luxury homes and can just feel the pace of a very vibrant city. We are happy to be back in the United States. We were really impressed with the new dinghy dock the city has built across from the Publix grocery store. Nowhere has shopping been easier than in Miami Beach, and with free WiFi provided by the city, this place is hard to beat.

Back To The Beginning

On March 9, 2010, we entered the Western Caribbean, making our first port of call at Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Here it is, almost three years later, and fittingly, Isla Mujeres will be our last port of call in the Western Caribbean. Since leaving the San Blas on December 1, it has been a fast-paced trip revisiting, albeit briefly, the places we got to know so well on the way to the south and west. It has, in many ways, been so much more relaxing on the return since we have been revisiting what had become something like our local neighborhoods, where everything is familiar.

More than anything, it has been a time for reflection as the memories have come surging back, especially of the people we have met, but also the places we visited and the things we did. We have necessarily spent many days and nights at sea since leaving the San Blas, so we have had plenty of time to reflect on our experiences and reminisce.

Isla Mujeres is as good as ever, and we won't mind waiting here for the weather. We are at Marina Paraiso, the same marina we stayed at three years ago. The cruising community,  at times, can be so small. After securing our dock lines, Norm looked over at the boat next to us and was shocked to see Nicki on Ajaya, waiting to say hello. We last saw Phil and Nicki in Providencia and thought that was our final goodbye. That is one of the great aspects of this life, that you never really know when you will see your friends again, but you usually do.

I should mention that on the way to Mexico, we did spend some time in Belize, spending a few days each in both Placencia and Caye Caulker and overnight stops at smaller cays. We like Belize and found the check-in and check-out procedures much improved, especially the fees charged, meaning they now seem uniform and aboveboard.   As we approached Isla Mujeres, we passed Cozumel at night and Cancun in the early morning hours. It was amazing to see the bright lights at both places, especially after so long in Central America, where electricity is prohibitively expensive and often unreliable.

We didn't plan it this way, but they are having Carnival in Isla Mujeres this weekend. We have never been to Carnival, and from what we have seen so far, the one here is family rated, which is what we would have expected based on our past experiences on the island.

As readers of this blog know, we have been traveling with Daragh and Cathryn on Chantey V since Providencia. It has been a great partnership as our schedules could not have been more closely aligned. We will be going our separate ways now, as they are headed for Cuba and then to the Bahamas,  and well, we are not. They are a very interesting couple, and I am sure they will have some interesting stories to share about Cuba and beyond.

Ariel Splashed

Our original five-day haul-out turned out to be thirteen days, but the quality of the work was excellent. Much of the extra time was due to rain, and the rest was probably due to a heavy workload at the boatyard. But we are back in the water, and as soon as we are provisioned, we plan to be underway again.

Final Touches

We're In, Well, Almost

Ariel Starting Year With Bottom Job

We did not get the new year off to a good start on Ariel. In all of our years cruising, neither of us has been sick, thank the Lord, other than maybe a couple of very minor colds. On returning to the Rio Dulce, we became aware of a stomach virus and possibly a flu-like illness as well, going around. This should not be surprising, as so many people are returning from their home countries, and there are also many vacationers here at this time of year. It hit Linda first on New Year's morning, actually just about midnight. Luckily, it is intense for about 24 hours, and then it takes a few days to regain strength and appetite. We had Ariel scheduled to be hauled-out for bottom painting at 9:00 am on January 3. Norm awakened on that day knowing his turn was next. Luckily, they were ready for us when we arrived at the travel lift, so the haul out went quickly. We had moved our stuff to the bungalow we rented at  Captain John's Marina and made up the bed the day before, so as soon as Ariel was secure, we were off to the bungalow, and Norm was off to bed. Norm, like Linda, recovered from the worst of it in about 24 hours.

Living Room and Kitchen Very Open (Bedroom and bathroom in back are enclosed and have windows)

Our Own Dock

Fully Furnished Kitchen

Paint Removed Port Side

Starboard Side - Almost Done Removing Paint

It has been over ten years of adding layers of bottom paint to Ariel, so we decided it was time to remove it all and start over. We contracted with RAM Marina to remove all existing paint, epoxy over any imperfections, apply a barrier coat (to prevent water penetration into the fiberglass), and then apply new bottom paint. Having experienced living aboard the boat while in the yard two years ago, we knew it was not something we would repeat. We rented a very nice, fully furnished bungalow for Q1200, which is about $150 per week, or Q2500 for an extended stay, about $320 per month. One of the benefits was that we were able to move our food from our freezer and refrigerator (which does not work without seawater for cooling) to the bungalow. The work so far has been progressing on schedule, which is somewhat of a miracle because each night since we hauled, we have had steady and at times heavy rain, but the days for the most part have been dry. While writing this, though, our luck seems to be changing, as it is raining in what looks like an all-day event.

Back On Rio Dulce

Daragh and Cathy Traveling On The Rio Dulce

Our travels from Providencia to Roatan with Daragh and Cathryn on Chantey V went exceedingly well. We were very often out of sight, but never out of radio contact, and we arrived at Roatan together. They are on a tight schedule as Cathy has to return to her teaching job in the fall of 2013, so they are trying to pack as much into two years as possible.

It is out of character for us to move at a fast pace, but we reached Honduras much sooner than we expected, so we decided to push on so we could spend Christmas in Guatemala with our old friends and new friends. We do not mean that we sailed fast, but just that we would not spend much time in Honduras. After just three days in Roatan, Chantey V and Ariel departed for Utila. We cleared Honduras in Utila and left there after just two days. After an overnight passage, we were back in Guatemala. When we left Guatemala the previous year, we did not expect to return with Ariel, but, as we have mentioned many times, our plans are always very flexible. Besides wanting to be in Guatemala for Christmas, we also wanted to haul the boat to have the bottom painted. We contacted friends at Catamarans Hotel and Marina to see if there would be space for us. Catamarans is very difficult to get into as they do not accept reservations and are usually full. It is also helpful to have a recommendation from someone already there, in our case, Iain and Jan from Jocks Lodge. Catamarans did indeed have a side tie slot. We were familiar with Catamarans, as when we stayed at Monkey Bay just across the river, we would go to Catamarans on Sundays to watch football. As expected, it felt like we were coming home, seeing all our friends and immediately getting reengaged with some of the many activities on the Rio Dulce. Catamarans has a nice pool, so afternoons are spent hanging out by the pool with friends.

Dominos (Jan, Celine, Linda, and Suzanne)

On Christmas Day, a few of us decided not to go out to any of the several Christmas dinners, but instead to gather together, with each bringing some (someone else's term) heavy hors d'oeuvres.  We had a wonderful time, with good food and good company.

Christmas Dinner Poolside

Iain's Birthday is on Christmas Day

We are scheduled to haul out at RAM Marina on January 3, so our rapid pace (not sailing) continues. We will be back off the river before we know it. Daragh and Cathy only planned about a month in Guatemala, so we would not be surprised to be sailing with them again.

Watercraft Of The San Blas

Excellent Sailor

Bringing Us Our Coconuts

Colorful Sail

 

Coco Bandero Images

The Coco Bandero Cays were our favorite in the San Blas. These small uninhabited islands are very scenic with white sand beaches and wonderfully clear water. We enjoyed walking the island's perimeters along the sandy beaches.

 

 

These pictures are associated with the original posting date, 11/21/2012

Nargana Images

Original Nargana posting dated 11/19/2012

Our Main Man - Federico

Playing With The Kids

Norm’s WiFi Spot

Molas

These are the pictures associated with the post dated November 15, 2012.

The mola forms part of the traditional costume of a Kuna woman, with two mola panels incorporated as front and back panels in a blouse. The full costume traditionally includes a patterned wrapped skirt (saburet), a red and yellow headscarf (musue), arm and leg beads (wini), a gold nose ring (olasu), and earrings, in addition to the mola blouse (dulemor).

In the Kuna's native language, "mola" means "shirt" or "clothing". The mola originated from the tradition of Kuna women painting their bodies with geometric designs using natural colors; in later years, these same designs were woven into cotton, and later still, sewn with cloth bought from the European settlers of Panama.

Portobello Photos

These are the pictures associated with the post dated November 6, 2012, which was posted via SSB radio and Pactor modem without attachments.

San Fernando Fort Battery (constructed in 1760)

San Fernando Fort Battery

San Fernando Fort Battery

Customs House (originally constructed 1630)

Passage To Roatan

The memories from last Christmas season came flooding back during our brief return visit to Providencia. Providencia is a very special place to us and to most cruisers who stop there. Very few people find their way to Providencia, so it remains very much an unspoiled island community. We quickly got back into the Christmas spirit as they have music and organized activities going on almost every evening. It was wonderful to see people we met last year and to see other familiar faces, and to see the recognition on their faces as they recognized us. We rented a mule for the day. It is a golf cart-sized utility vehicle. We used it to haul our jerry cans with diesel, but also to tour the island one last time.

A really good weather window came up, so we had to go on. Staying any longer for another window could have meant staying several weeks, and while that would be very agreeable with us, it was not in our plans.

Forward 911

Our first day out of Providencia, well off the coast of Nicaragua, the US Coast Guard ship Forward 911 came by to check us out. We first spotted them on the far horizon and watched as they made their way to our location, approaching from our starboard. We had previously heard them on the radio with Chantey V, a Canadian boat we were traveling with that was several miles ahead of us and not visible. We hailed 911 as they approached to identify ourselves, and they had a few questions for us, which they spread out over about half an hour. They trailed behind us during this time, and then we saw them veer off to the right and guessed they were putting a launch in the water out of sight from us. Sure enough, they next announced we were to be boarded, and immediately their launch came around the stern of 911. The launch had eight persons aboard, of whom four came aboard for a safety inspection and a search. They were all very cordial and friendly, and we enjoyed their company. We do not mind boardings (this is our second) and appreciate all the Coast Guard does for mariners. It also gave us reassurance that they were in the vicinity of the coast of Nicaragua, which is one of the least safe places.

Our three-day, three-night trip could not have been better. The seas were fairly calm, and the sailing was good. Last night, the wind was directly behind us and very strong, so our issue was keeping the boat speed down. We arrived at 7:00 am at French Cay Harbor, right on schedule.

French Cay Harbor is the place to be again for cruisers on Roatan. A new place, Brooksy Point Yacht Club, opened last Christmas as a cruisers club. It is a nice facility, and for a club fee of $15 per week, they have everything we could want, including WiFi, showers, Sky TV, coin laundry, a gathering place, and much more. It was set up by Mike, a cruiser who had to give it up for health reasons. We are almost tempted to stay here awhile, but we think we will keep pushing on, weather depending.