May 21-22, 2023 Crossing from the Abacos to Ft Pierce

 5-21 Sunday  We figured it would be close to 24 hours to reach Ft Pierce, FL  We did’t have to leave early in the morning, because if we took less time, we would be entering the inlet and anchoring in the dark.  We slept in a bit because we woke during the night with bites from no-see-um”s.  I did my PT, as always.  That has really helped my back this year in the Bahamas.  We brought our bed mattress and sheets out into the salon to make a bed on the dining table.  It’s much smoother sleeping here than in the v berth at the bow while you are under way.  Dave had to store the dock lines and fenders and put away my snorkel gear.  I made breakfast and cleared the galley and stabilized everything on the counters so they wouldn’t end up on the floor if we heeled.  
We left at 11:30am on a beautiful calm day.  The waters are such a beautiful blue green color.  I always miss that and can’t wait to get back.  It took us 4 hours to get to Sale Cay.  That is usually where we stop when we come over from the States. 

 

 At about 5:30, we set sails, along with the motor, and took them down about 8:00pm.  The direction of the wind wasn’t favorable for sailing.  We had a nice pasta dinner (that I had prepared yesterday) about 7:00.  

 

Then I cleaned up the galley, showered and went to bed about 8:00pm.  I didn’t really sleep until I put in ear plugs about 9:30.  The engine is pretty loud inside the boat.  I set an alarm of 1:00 to take over for Dave, but didn’t hear it and woke up on my own at 1:30.

5-22 Monday.  I took over  watch at 2:00.  We were already in the middle of the Gulf Stream.  So only about 40 miles to go at 7mph.  There was a cruise ship passing in front of us.  Dave said there had been about 6 of them tonight.  I guess they all leave port on Sundays in Florida.  There were a few sailboats heading back to the US, like us, and a tow boat pulling a barge.  So I had no trouble staying awake.  I was constantly checking positions of the other ships.  I didn’t have to change course because of them, so all was good.  

 

You could see the glow of lights on the horizon from the city lights of Florida all along the coast.  About 25 miles out, I could see the flashing red lights of the inlet for Ft Pierce.  I always enjoy the sunrise, which was at about 6:30am.  

I woke Dave when we were about 5 miles out, so he would have time to wake up and clear his head before anchoring.  The inlet was the smoothest we had ever seen it.  Actually the whole trip was very nice.  We anchored just off the inlet at 7:30 am, a 20 hour passage.  Good timing.  Dave used the Customs and Border Patrol app, ROAM, to check in to the US online.  We had a quick response of “welcome to the United States, enjoy you stay.”  The rest of the day was spent taking turns napping.  We both felt out of sorts.  Can’t pull those “all nighters” like I used to,  TeeHee.