Mar 10 – 11, 2017
We decided to go crazy, anchored up at 3:41 AM, and motored it straight through, with a 2 hr break at Cat Cay to clear customs. For customs, we are carrying flare guns with a subcal insert which allows them to shoot 410 and colt 45’s. Officially, the flare guns, themselves, do not need to be declared, but the ammo does. So, we didn’t know how smooth the clearing in process was going to be. We ended up declaring the guns, because, “Why would you have ammo, if you do not possess a gun?” Anyways, it was easy-peasy. We are well under the 250 rounds each, this time.
Mark felt a shudder in the starboard engine/saildrive unit while crossing the Gulf Stream. (The one he just replaced). While at Cat Cay Marina in Bimini, he donned his snorkel gear and had to see if there was anything wrapped around the rudder or prop. We have some play in the rudder, but that was about it. While in the water, a shark decided to see what Mark was doing. All must be good, because he swam off without any further interruption to the inspection. Cat Cay is also the first place where the black flies swarmed the boat. So, it is time to make those bug screens! Making a different screen door for our salon slider has been on Angie’s To Do list. It is going to have to move up in priority! However, motion sickness will not allow her to do much while the boat is moving. We will need to find a nice, calm anchorage.
219 nm, 34 hours, with 4 hour shifts. Our longest continuous trek so far! Angie was on ¼ doses of Bonine (The same as Mean Kitty’s (our belated 6 lb cat’s, dose). 4 hours for Angie to sit still at night, and not fall asleep is actually a miracle, but she did her shifts. The knife wound got infected, so she got to squeeze puss out of her thumb for one of the stints. (No Pain, No Gain, Right?) The heat and throbbing from it actually woke her up during a sleep session. She got to experience sunsets and sunrise, cargo ships passing too close for comfort, and beautiful, clear, starry night skies. She actually enjoyed trying to figure out what type of ship was heading for us, based off of their light configurations. Some, she never figured out, and some, were chalked up to UFO’s. Being on the water at dusk and dawn are interesting times of the day. The colors of the water and sky blend perfectly so you cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. While experiencing this very cool phenomenon has its moments, Angie will never be a morning person, nor one who deals well with lack of sleep. Everyone says that for longer crossings, it takes a few days to get used to the sleep schedule. We will see how it goes for the next one!
For the crossing, Angie made a Greek cucumber salad, Thai beef wraps, GF pumpkin cranberry muffins, and celery, carrot, snap peas with French Onion dip, along with a snack bowl that had granola bars, nuts, applesauce packets, a can of mini ravioli, and sardines (For Mark), coffee, and iced tea. You would think we were crossing an ocean, but, “It is better to have too much, then to run out.” Besides, you never know what someone wants for snackage or when they will want it. The food assortment worked out well, but was a complete overkill.
Thankfully, the seas were as flat as we had ever seen them, and the trip was uneventful!
