Last Waltz Adventures

Friday 31 January 2014

31 Jan 2014

Black Point, Great Guana Cay, Bahama.

We are sitting in a anchorage with approx 50 other boats, it is a very busy (for us) anchorage, with most of the boats awaiting the Superbowl on Sunday. Scorpion’s the local bar is hosting a huge Superbowl event. We will probably take a pass on this event…

So since my last post I’ll back track. After New Year’s almost half the boats left Bimini at the same time, we motor-sailed all night across the Bahama bank and dropped anchor in Bullock’s Harbour. As we napped in the morning we did not notice that Time and Tide had slid past us and were secured in Great Harbour Cay Marina!

Seems that problems had once again crept into their engines, causing overheating. Gary & Christelle were not about to proceed until the situation was resolved.

We had also developed a reoccurring problem with our starboard engine/transmission thanks to the fishnet back in Florida! A change of the transmission oil seemed to have everything back in order, so on we proceeded, moving down the Berry Islands to Little Harbour where we anchored beside “Duet” a boat we had befriended in Vero Beach. Bill and Barb convinced us to slow down and spend some time in this beautiful anchorage. To quote them “what’s your hurry, this is one of the best anchorages in ALL the Bahamas”, so we stayed almost a week, beachcombing, hiking, fishing….

Finally after a front moved through we departed for Nassau, having a decent wind and following seas it was a pleasant trip…until starboard transmission decides to lock up once again, stalling the engine! After a couple of hours it cooled enough to restart the engine and keep it running until we docked in Nassau.

After making contact with a marina next door, I arranged a haul-out for Monday morning at 9 AM. Long story short, removed the prop, purchased seals and we were back in the water and underway, repaired in 2 hours!

It seems that a piece of the fishnet had worn the outer seal to the propeller shaft and was allowing water to seep into the oil reducing the cooling properties, causing the transmission to overheat & lock up. For 2 weeks now the engine and transmission have performed as expected (or else we would be back in the US!)

So after Nassau we have picked our way south at a leisurely pace, sailing most of the way! We have anchored at Allen’s Cay, Shroud Cay, The Exuma Land and Sea Perk at Warderick Wells, Staniel Cay and now Black Point.

With too many stories for each one I’ll share some pictures and let them speak for themselves…

Oceanside Berry Islands

Hopewell Rock, Bahama style?

Monique at the blue hole rim

Blue hole base

Dinner...Triggerfish, VERY good eating!

Swimming pigs, Staniel Cay

Until next time, we bid adieu, Bob & Monique S/V Last Waltz

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Ok blog followers, here is the first instalment for this year. Internet has been very tough to get, we have been using our new ipad, which is cellular & costs too much to upload pictures.
So I'll post my saved update from Florida & add to it in the next day or two complete with pictures...

07 Dec 2013 Titusville Florida

Floating again!!! After a very hectic week cleaning, upgrading systems, and living “on the hard” we are sitting at the dock enjoying a cool beer. To those of you not acquainted with boating terminology, living on the hard means living on your boat in a boat yard. Every task requires at least 2 trips up & down or down then up a ladder. Yes even a trip to the bathroom is twice up & down, then a walk across the boat yard. Then there’s the forgotten tool ,part, cloth or cleaning product…OK I can hear the moaning now…yes it’s warm we don’t have alarm clocks, and the beer is cheap! But all in all it has been a week of hard work and we both have the sore unused muscles to remind us each evening.

So a little recap is in order, after returning home in April to a freezing rain storm, life once again became a routine. Monique went back to work nursing for a relief agency, while Bob secured a position driving a small dump truck for a local contractor.

Weekends were spent visiting with family, birthday celebrations and later in the summer, visits to Poverty Pond.

16 – 22 Dec 2013

Once we began to move out from the marina, things got interesting, we met back up with Gary & Christelle on M/V Time and Tide, and travelled together again. We spent some time in Vero Beach, then as we were bound for Fort Pierce we picked up a stray chunk of fishing net which became entangled in our prop, stalling & overheating the starboard (right) engine. Fortunately Gary had his scuba gear & was able to quickly remedy the situation.

24 – 25 Dec 2013

Christmas was once again shared with Time and Tide, at anchor in Boca Raton, a nice dinner, simple gift exchange & a quiet evening.

26 – 29 Dec 2013

Without a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream we once again made our way south and ended up in Miami, anchoring in a very quiet harbour on Biscane Bay. Again we had to wait for a weather window, allowing us to meet up another boat from CFB Trenton Yacht Club, S/V Haven with Al Phillips and Brenda Russell. They introduced us to another 6 boats all waiting to cross to Bimini.

30 Dec 2013

FINALLY, we get the window we were all anticipating, so plans set, timings agreed upon, it was off to bed for the early departure. As anticipated the weather cooperated & by 3pm all were secured at brown’s Marina on North Bimini. By 5pm the quarantine flags were replaced by the Bahama courtesy flag & it was time to pop a top & celebrate!

31 Dec 2013

A New Year’s pot luck was organized and well attended by the 20 boats in the marina. So now here we sit, once again waiting for a weather window to cross the 70 miles of the Bahama bank, and make our way into the Berry Island where there are plenty of anchorages and beaches to explore.

Stay tuned there will be more frequent updates as we now have an ipad mini with cellular capabilities, so even in the remote regions of the Bahamas there is always a cellular signal. For those inclined to text or call our Bahama cell # is 242-551-4090.

Sunday 24 March 2013

14 – 21 Feb – We began our journey back northbound through the Abacos in preparation for our eventual return to Florida. From Green Turtle Cay we made our way back to West End arriving on Monique’s birthday. Celebrations were postponed as we readied the boat to cross the Gulfstream once more. With an approaching cold front expected we made an early morning departure and although it was a bumpy crossing, seas were not overly rough & winds were from the aft quarter and we managed a steady 7.5 knots, arriving at Lake Worth, West Palm Beach 9.5 hours after departing.

Our plan from here is to slowly make our way back up the east coast of Fla, visiting some of the places we rushed past on our way south, eventually turning down the St John River to Green Cove Springs where we will lay the boat up for the summer.

03 Mar – Manatee Pocket, Stuart Fla, a quaint little harbour, quiet with all around protection. While here we got in touch with Monique’s aunt & were treated to an excellent home cooked meal ashore, Danke Schurn Tante Helga!!!

06 Mar 2013

So here we sit in Vero Beach Fla, aka “Velcro Beach”, since other boats may raft up to you because of the limited # of moorings, and because it has SO much to offer that people end up staying. For $15 per night on a mooring you receive FREE wifi, showers, pumpout (at your boat, they come to you!), as well as a free bus system that is amazing!

With the approaching cold (yes I said cold!!) we have had nights as low as 4 & 5 degrees C with more to follow in the next few days. So we will pass the time doing some bus tours, shopping & generally taking in the local scene.

Speaking of local scene we were fortunate to take in an AWESOME stage show called Woody Sez, a tribute to Woody Guthrie set to his music, performed by 4 people, with acoustic instruments. seating was limited to 150 people & we were front row center! After the show the cast came out into thew lobby & were joined by several of the audience for a hootenany! What a wonderful Sunday afternoon...

Our 1st Gator sighting....

24 March 2013

So here we sit in "sunny St Augustine", actually warm but blustery, rainy, winds blowing 55 -65 km/hr rain extremely heavy at times, it took us 5 full minutes to bail out Levon!! Waited out the rain at a pub, getting wet inside!

Our plans to lay the boat up have changed, it seems that Green Cove Springs cannot lift us after all. So we have made plans with a great marina in Titusville. Expecting to have boat haule dout in another week or so, then pack up & head home for mid-April. seems like forever since we left home in August.

We will update again before we head home, but for now here are a few photos of Florida, sorry no dolphins, they are very camera shy & without a quick at hand camera snappy photos are not possible.

Beth & Jim S/V Dog Gone in Daytona Beach

Daytona in sunshine!!!

Thursday 7 March 2013

Update 18 Feb (that never got posted!!!!)

The huge snowstorm the Ontario area suffered through has now brought us some severe wind and the cold as well. Winds blowing 25 - 35 knots, so we hunkered down at the Bluff house Marina on green Turtle Cay to enjoy electricity, hot showers, & free wifi. If this sounds familiar it is the location of the New Year's celebration...

The last month has been awesome, favorable winds which have kept us SAILING from destination to destination....

A brief recap and as promised more pictures, so I will let you enjoy the pics with minimal comments about each location...

15 Jan - Man-O-War Cay