THE BAHAMAS ADVENTURE

Page 4

12/11/00 (Monday)

Boats in Fort Lauderdale at nightBy 1:30 AM we were heading into the swells and out of the harbor.  Almost from the time we left the harbor we were getting tossed around by a very unsettled sea.  Waves were coming from the North and the East.  Sometimes combining into large 8 footers that would come out of the dark and cause us to roll 30+ degrees to port or starboard.  Winds from the East and Southeast started pushing us too far North.

We continued hoping the situation would change but it didn't.  A lot of the stores below had come loose from where they were secured.  Cans and jars were being thrown about with each wave that hit us.  I can't explain how violent and frightening the situation was.  Cabinets that were ties closed broke open. Jars of tomato sauce exploding on my duffle bag... All the circuit breakers blew and were now running with out lights!

Around 3:00 AM, Ron decided to turn back (thank God) and wait for better conditions.  It turned out to be a wise decision.  I was in contact with a 42 foot ketch called 'QuickStep' who was about 5 miles ahead of us and they were experiencing 8 foot waves regularly and having a rough time.  When I called them on the radio and told them we were turning back, they agreed it was a smart move considering the size of our vessel.

It was daylight (7:00 AM) by the time we made it back to the inlet. Ron heading down Inter-coastal Waterway from Fort Lauderdale to Miami We reviewed our situation and decided to take the Inter-Coastal Waterway (ICW) down to Miami and try again from there.  This would make the crossing longer (16 hours) but we could use the Gulf Stream to push us North and I could plot a slopping course to the Bahamas.

We immediately started heading South on the ICW, passing the community of Hollywood and many beautiful homes along the way.  We found a spot near where the cruise ships leave in Miami and anchored again until 11PM and our next attempt.  We were now further South and it would take an additional 2 hours ( 16 hours ) to reach West End on Grand Bahama Island.  Ron paddled the dingy ashore to pick up some more supplies while I recalculated our course.

After 4 hours of sleep we got up and headed for the Port of Miami.  We arrived there at Midnight and were met with a surprise!

 

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© 2001, Donald R. Swartz