It has been a month since I last wrote. I left Green Turtle Cay off to Nunjack Key. While I was sailing there, my engine overheated. I found that my belt had snapped off from the alternator and water pump, so I had to install a new belt, praying this one wouldn’t break as well. When I pulled up to Nunjack, my engine started having revving problems as it idled. I looked at it and thought, that can wait for later. Then my fresh water wasn’t working, so I couldn’t clean my dishes. Six hours later, I found out I was out of water and had to use my gallon jug to keep from getting dehydrated.
I met my mooring neighbors, Jim and Jean, at Nunjack, and they were concerned that I wasn’t going to make it to Marsh Harbor with this engine problem, so they joined along. I told them that I was going to take the cut but go to the shallows in Don’t Rock on the inside of the bay. We sailed for two hours to the north side of Treasure Key and then anchored in this really cool sandbar. There was a really nice resort that no one stayed at, and I used their outside shower with a heater in it—it was nice. That night, however, the waves came directly from the sea, and it was really rolly. I couldn’t see and maybe got five hours of sleep until it was time to go the next day.
We left early morning to time the tide right and went an hour through Don’t Rock. Everything went perfectly. We ended up in Marsh Harbor, where I would pick up my buddy Joe. Again, when I anchored the boat, the idle was stalling out, and it was a bit concerning. I already changed the air filter—maybe I have to change the fuel filters? I decided to wait until I was in Hope Town because I was going to stay a month over there. Joe flew in, and we hung out that night in Marsh and then went to Hope Town the next day.
When we got to Hope Town, I had no control over the engine. It would stall out and then rev up really quickly, but luckily, I had friends to tow me in with their dinghies. But it shattered my confidence in the boat and myself. For the next five days, Joe and I explored the island and celebrated my birthday week. Once he left, I spent that whole month trying to fix the boat. I checked all the fuel lines, replaced all the filters, and cleaned out the breather, but still, when I went on trial runs, coming back, the boat would stall just slightly. Also, I overheated pulling two dinghies on the side. I then cleaned out the heat exchanger and adjusted the throttle pin, and it appeared to be working fine, but I was still skeptical that it was really fixed.
In Hope Town, though, I had a blast. I was surfing and fishing and spearfishing. I met so many people to go out with and party or go to the beach or go diving—it was an amazing experience. It was really hard for me to leave because it was just so perfect there, but people were saying that I have to keep sailing and going with all the time I have, so I left a month later to Marsh Harbor, where I would meet a mechanic and find out the true problem with my engine.
My engine’s injector valve was worn, and therefore, there was not high pressure in the fuel injectors, causing weak and stalling flows at idle speed. I had the mechanic fix it the next day, and bam—problem solved. Now I am just waiting for my mechanical lift pump, which comes Monday, and I will install that and start heading south with new confidence. I am nervous about this 12-hour crossing to Eleuthera, but it must be done, and my fears conquered.
Thoughts Halfway In:
I have done a journey like this before, and I know how I behave and act. I always think a grand adventure might change who I am as a person, but it just doesn’t. I thought this trip would be an island-hopping oasis where I drank from the coconut trees, speared my food, read books about development, and started building my dreams in my line of work. It has not been that at all. It has been the same thing as my trip overseas.
I just meet new people all the time, and the Bahamas is centralized around drinking, and unfortunately, I love drinking—especially with people. I haven’t been sailing but just been parked in a mooring field like a van is parked in a mobile home park. I just have cheap rent at a nice island resort and spend thousands of dollars on food, drinks, and cigars that turn to piss, shit, and smoke. I wake up from a hangover and continue to have fun just like the night before with my friends—and repeat.
Little things in between I enjoy, like surfing and fishing, but it’s exactly what I do at home with my other friends. Just the scenery is different. This was supposed to be a sober trip, a trip where I traveled and didn’t feel like ass half the time. But no, I haven’t changed—I have way too much fun hanging out with people, and these people love to drink like I do. They don’t mind the hangovers or don’t get them. I don’t even drink that much—I have at max five beers of light beer and still feel down in the morning.
I’ll go for 3–5 days sober, finally feeling normal on day 3, and then day 5 comes—the weekend—where everyone is going out. You should have a beer—let me buy you the first couple rounds so you can join in and have fun. I always join in, and from there, the bender begins throughout the weekend to early week, and I repeat back to sober. This trend has happened this whole trip, and it still happened yesterday and the day before, with me now trying to be sober before my big crossing.
For the next three months, there do need to be goals so I am less bored on days when I have to hunker down because the wind is too strong to move or it’s storming. I need to start designing and planning to build my own home that is sustainable. I have three free months where I do not work, so I should make use of that. I know if I start getting the train going, I will be happy.
It’s amazing when you grow up and have traveled a lot already. You do appreciate the different cultures and scenery, but I know Florida is where my heart is. That is where I like it the most and will be for the rest of my life. A week to three weeks is great to travel, but I am no nomad. I am a man that likes to travel but longs for a nice home to go back to with a dog and one day a wife and family. Being solo is nice because it is supposed to give self-perspective, but I have already done this eight years ago and knew what it would mean to travel again.
I had to do this trip to make my 18-year-old self proud. My 18-year-old self, looking at all the sailboats, dreaming that one day when I’m 30, I’ll travel through the Bahamas with my own sailboat, being powered by the wind.
Yes, my younger self would be streaming with joy to know that I did this—I made it happen—and that is what has made this trip for me the most.
Well, my next goal is on my mind now, and it focuses on Florida and sustainable buildings. I have manifested this dream so much in the past few months that it is my new drive and new vision when I get back home and work again. I also want a dog and want to find a beautiful woman and partner that will share experiences with me and life and be my best friend and partner. I have sacrificed what could have been great relationships for my own selfishness and need to change that immediately when I get home and take a chance at love again.
The pushing away for this go of two years was not good for me, but everything happens for a reason, and I will let myself find love wherever it will be when I get back home. Those are my thoughts while I sit here, bored on a windy day, awaiting one of the last big winds of the season.
One week has turn to three weeks as I stay in green turtle cay. I have been on a morning ball for two weeks and then the actually dock for another week. The island is amazing. The people of friendly and welcoming and the mooring ball community is amazing as well. When I arrived here I instantly was told to come out to 4pm happy hour at the marina and meet everyone. I grab some beers from the local liquor. Pretty cheap I might add 3 for 10 dollar deal and relaxed in the beach sand hangout area.
Everyone was in their 50s and beyond. Retired, semi-retired but all had the same relaxed vibe and drink in their hand. People was impressed that I was by myself and also questioned if I was lonely. I was lonely but not now. Every day from that point I would have someone to talk to and someone to hangout with. The goals of the island I wanted to achieve was find someone willing to spearfish with me. Go surfing one day. Go to all the beaches. See the sea turles and the string rays. Catch some lobster. Catch a mutton snapper by fishing rod.
Weeks went by and I did the majority of this but only once or twice when the weather permitted. Since I have been here there has probably been 5 days total of good weather out of the 23 days. The winds would just be so strong blowing at 25 knots and no sun with a barely chilling temperature of 68 degrees with humidity. Just enough to not be able to do anything on the water. The days that were nice I would take advantage of and be fully in the water. One day I did get to spearfish with 2 gentlemen that were on sailboats as well.
We went on the outside reef with our dingys. Anchored them and then drifted over this beautiful corral head that was a bout 15 feet tall with huge caves teaming with life and a 30 foot shelf drop off on the outside sand bar. One of the crew caught a lobster and I speared a lesser amberjack. I bleed the amberjack and gave it to the guy to go back to the boat. Suprisedly a minute later I saw a shark swimming fast in the shallows chasing him down. Luckily he did not get hurt. There was other days when the wind was down and I would take my dingy around the whole island. I would stand on it looking into the shallows and see turtles, sharks, barracuda and bonefish. I would go visit no name island to check out the pigs and then see every beach.
Another day the surf was up in the one same bar section. Rainy it was that day but the water still clean at 2-3 feet breaking right. I remember I caught a wave and it was so clear and smooth that I could not tell my board was on the water. It looked like it was levating above the same and the pitch of the wave made it very confusing on how to angle my board and I almost feel several times in awe of view. I did fish a couple times and spear fish on the inside with no luck. I would see big snapper but they would not come for my bait, only grunts would and then the same thing for spear fishing. They would keep just enough distance where I wouldn’t be able to shoot them.
In and out of these good days where the windy, rainy and chilling days that took the majority of my time here. I was glad I was on a mooring ball or else it would have been an awful time. These days ended up consisting of drinking. There would constantly be people coming into the marina and wanting to check out the bars. My local favorite was pineapples. These people would be 50s and below and would always ask people at happy hour if they wanted to go. The 20 people would deny and I would look around feeling bad and say I’ll join. Always those nights I would think would just be a couple beers and chill and some how some way we would meet some locals and go bar hopping.
Cheap rum and cheap beer would put me a coma the next day and I unfortunately would do nothing but lay down and sleep on and off till 4 o clock when I felt better. I didn’t feel too bad about this as far as wasting the day because I always planned on if I go out and it better be an awful weather day the next day. This is the lifestyle though on the island about this time of the year. There is not much to do so come sunset people drink and party and repeat. I have gotten into this rhythm and as I come to move on from this island I will get out of this rhythm.
It has been fun though. The reason why I have stayed is because of the weather but also because of the people and the community. I have made friends with the locals and also the boaters. Boating life for a solo sailor is a little different. You meet these couples mostly that are awesome and you become friends as quickly as they leave. You meet awesome people for two days and then never see them again. The process repeats time and time again and you just get used to accepting people going and that’s it.
Today is my last day at the marina. I am writing here this morning and by 10am I’ll be at the beach getting a tan and reading my book. It is an actual nice day again after 5 days of brutal rain and wind. The boat batteries can finally charge and I can start charging up my computer. I will leave tomorrow morning before 9am to go to Nunjack Cay. It is this beautiful island that is uninhabited and a national park. There I will enjoy the beaches and the wildlife and stay for a day or two and then off to Marsh Harbor where my buddy will be.
On the way to Marsh Harbor I will have to either go through Whale Cut Cay a passage of waves and terrible stories if you go the wrong day or take a risk at high tide through the shallows. Where people have gone but everyone is scared to get stuck on bottom because its 2.5- 3feet on low tide. I have yet to decide but I am excited that my good friend Joe is coming February 1st through the 5th for my birthday. I will be turning 32 and we will go to Hope Town where I can finally say I lived out my child who dream to come here by sailboat.
The journal will be a short one because island life is simple. You start to slow down and don’t realize the day of the week or time. You only look at where the sun is and where the winds are going. There is nothing planned for tomorrow so you only live day by day. Days go by fast and then all of a sudden, you’ve been in the same place that you though only week turns to 3 weeks. I am excited though and nervous to out there on anchor again and start to become a better sailor.
I stayed in West End till the 30th of December 2024. The weather was still blowing 20 plus knots from the east and I needed to the winds to shift to the south. Finally that day came and I was off during mid to high tide to try to do a 9 hour day to Great Sale Cay and then wake up early the next morning and make it to my second town called Fox Town for New Years Eve.
Coming out of West End there is a passage you can take the saves an hour of time. The thing about this passage is that on low tide it is 4.5 feet for 5 miles straight. So that being said I was a little nervous about leaving mid tide dropping down but I had to to get help off the docs at 9am when West End Marina opened and that’s the best I could do to beat the tides. Getting to the passage you have to go out to the Atlantic ocean again. The waves were rolling on my port side 3 feet tall and I did not prepare for that and everything started crashing down below for not being secure and my propane tank off my magma grill was clanking so hard like a snare drum. For thirty minutes it was like this and I was eyeing for the small 80 foot length passage to go into. Finally I saw it.
It a deep cut that walled up the water washing out and on each side there was 2 feet of water and waves. I gulped looking at it but pressed forward with confidence. I was it through and then it was a mission for the next hour to look at my garmin and make sure I stay within 50 feet of the center line of the passage so I would not run aground. I did this for an hour cruising about 5 knots. I needed atleast 5.5 knots to make that 10 hour window so once I got into deeper water I slowed down the engine to put up the sails. This was the first time I was out in open water to do it by myself but the water I was in was like a lake and then wind was only 10 knots so it was no problem.
Once the sails were up I was cruising about 6 knots with the motor on. I was so happy because this mean I would for sure get there on time. For hours I just sat and stared at the teal vastness with the island that I came from disappearing. I got comfortable enough to cook some velveta, constantly checking navionics to make sure my autopilot was working. About 5 hours into the trip the wind died and my sails were fluffing. I had to take down the main Jib but I could leave the main sail up because it barely had wind. This part of the trip was incredible. The water was so flat for miles and that’s all you saw for miles and nothing else. No land in site, in. the middle of nowhere 15 miles in all directions.
I sat up at the nose for 2 hours staring as the sand and small rocks drifted by. I couldn’t believe I couldn’t see on fish. Finally after these 2 hours I could see Great Sale Cay and an hour later I was anchored on the north side protected by south winds. It was dead quiet, 25 miles away from everything. It was so quiet I could here the dripping off my prop shaft into the boat which kept me up and made me think I should fix that once I’m in a safe spot. While I was up, I went up top to look at the stars and they were great. Thousands of them I could see and I felt like I jump into the vastness of the universe from the perspective it gave me. I went downstairs and back to bed to await the next big journey. From Great Sale Cay to fox town for New Years Eve.
I woke up the next morning had a coffee and some eggs. Quickly started the engining praying it would start because I was nowhere and thank god it did. Pulled up the anchor and off I went. I had 6 hours of sailing going about 30 or so miles. The winds were great blowing about 10-15knots. I was so nervous turning off my engine but I was tired of burning up diesel and paying money for something I can get for free with wind. I acted and turned off the engine and had the sails up.
It was an amazing experience. The boat was perfectly keeled over cutting through the waves like butter. Felt like I was in a car on a flat surface. I was flying 6 knots and the sails were humming all way for 5 hours in the end. I had some dolphin visitors along the way that I played with for an hour and then just relaxed and soaked it all in for the last 4, very proud of myself. I arrived at fox town to a little bit bigger waves, about 1 foot but not a big deal and anchored. The winds were slightly south still and the anchorage seemed all right for the night. I went into town and asked around if there is anything to do for New Year’s but unfornately there was not.
So I ended up being by myself on the boat. Told myself I deserved tequila on the rocks from my journey and had a nice drunken dance along myself night with some tabacoo. I woke up the next day with a hangover that was bad and to 2-3 foot waves. I was so mad at myself that I went too far and then I had to deal with the worst anchorage I have had as far as rolling of the boat. Huge waves would be crashing on the bow. I told myself I had to do something that day so it was a big struggle getting into the dingy and back out of it when the fishing didn’t go well. I was pretty much seasick by 4pm and was filled with so much anxiety seeing that the weather was only going to get worse with 20 knot winds from the NW. I manned up and pulled the anchor up and went a mile to the North side and reset my anchor. Much better but still 1 foot waves.
Even so I was very proud of myself and went to bed. The next day I felt recharged and ready to get the hell out of Fox Town. Nothing to do or nothing to see. The journey would be the start of the true abacos to Spanish Cay were things would turn around and feel more rewarding and comfortable.
I pulled up my anchor and once I was out an open water I again turned off the engine and brought out the sails. The sail trip was sporty. Two foot waves on the East side and the winds at 15 knots. I had full sail out humming the rudder and water a half foot under the rails. I sailed with no autopilot to feel the sport for two hours and then decided to have a little break and give the autopilot a go. The goal today was to sail all the way to Spanish Cay and then a mile out drop sails and motor in and I just did so.
When I pulled up the Spanish Cay I tried to furl the main jib and it just wasn’t budging. Back and forth I went and then finally the line came undone with I what I thought was rust shooting out from the bearings. A fix that will need to happen once no winds either from less line or something else. I came up on the Northwest side of the island, set anchor and off to shore I went to refuel up and get some lunch.
The island was private and you were only allowed to use it if you were staying in the expensive marina or in one of the villas. The island was owned by one man that had his yacht stationed on the outside slip. I went into the restaurant that felt a little bit Jimmy Buffet themed with no one insight. Finally a lady came out and I ordered some conch fritters. The people that worked on the island had said they had a big New Years party and now everyone was on their way to Green Turtle Cay. Darn I thought to myself. I keep missing the fun stuff.
I asked one of the managers how do I fish here and the guy was very polite and the said the only way to catch fish is with conch entrails if I am going for snapper or trigger fish. He gave me a free bait bag of conch entrails and pointed out the spots all around the island where the fish congregated the most. With in minutes I got my rod and set up and instantly started to catch fish. Eventually I caught my target species, the yellow tail snapper. I was so excited. I have never caught this fish and looked at it with awe. I have always just been an inshore fishing men and this was the first offshore fish I caught in a very long time.
I cooked up the fish that night and felt like finally the trip is starting to feel what I thought it would feel like. Catching my dinner, cooking it up on a nice sunset and hearing the gentle breaks of the waves on the outside reef. I didn’t want to leave this place. I had things to do. One was fish for bonefish in the morning on the flats. The other was to find lobster on this one rock overhanging by a house that was sharky. The last was to fish the reef on the ocean to catch even bigger fish. Evidently this was basically the best fishing I will have from Spanish Cay to Green Turtle Cay.
I woke up the next day and did all three things and the only luck I had was fishing on the outer reef catching a massive grey triggerfish. Dinner for the night. As I brought it done in the sailboat I checked the weather it showed 25 knot winds from the west later in the night. I thought oh no there is no way I will be protected in this island with winds in the direction. The manager of Spanish Cay helped me out. She called Donny’s Marina in Green Turtle Cay and asked if there were any mooring balls available. There was and the guy wanted me to stay for atleast 7 days and I was skeptible but the lady told me you might stay there a whole month cause that is where to most fun is in all of the Abacos. I agreed with her and paid the week amount.
I had to leave right away to Green Turtle to beat the low tide. This cove was only assessable at high tide or else you would get stuck. I motored the whole way for about 2.5 hours and finally arrived through the tight channel. Donny had a guy come out on a dingy to help me tie to the mooring ball. It was the first time doing this so I was nervous but there was no wind inside the marina which gave me confidence. I tied up and I was save and sound. The marina was nice. Had somehow grass everywhere with a little gazebo and a sand pit underneath it giving it beach vibes. All the people there were very nice and semi to fully retired enjoying the comfort of a bay and the mooring ball. It was awesome to finally socialize with people and I felt like finally this is where I need to be.
I slept fantastic on the mooring ball that night. No worrying of drifting away. The flatness of the water made it feel like I was on land and no clanking of halyards on masts. This is going to be a hard place to leave I am glad I bought a week. Better make it two weeks and enjoy my time here.
I left off meeting my uncle and grandma for brunch. Brunch was great and had a few drinks to unwind leaving the boat. I took the dingy and showed all them the boat and had a few more tequila drinks and took them back to shore. I thought to myself the day is not over and I would love to bar hop and get signature drinks at each place so I did. Bar hopped all the way up to publix on the west side and ended it at Bradleys were I used to hangout and listen to live music when I was 24. I could see my boat from that bar which was a surreal experience. I took my dingy back home and had one more drink before bed.
I woke up at 2am to a thud noise. The boat would rock up and down because of the wind and the bottom would hit the bottom and come to immediate stop jolting the whole boat. I must have been in 4 feet of water because I draft 4.33 getting a lift and slam. I laid in bed with my eyes open feeling the jolts, hearing the deep thuds and the clanking of the anchor line along my port side. Man was I hungover and the hangiexty was through the roof. I just sat and stared at my Navionics seeing how far I was moving. It kept showing me in one place because I was a ground but then at 4am I finally lifted up and started heading towards an even more shallow section claimed at low tide. I had no options and had to reanchor.
In the dead of night I pulled up the anchor and shifted over to the south thinking the next spot would be better. I anchored down and then awaiting where I would shift over to. It was no good, I ended up in a spot that read 5 feet at low tide but it was mid tide going to high and my depth finder only read 5 feet. There was going to be a negative tide under a foot and I knew I would be stuck like chuck again. I had to wait till 7am and then pull my anchor up during high tide and head out the bridge to the north away from the tight anchorage chaos.
At 7am I got situated and started to turn on the engine and get going. I pulled up the anchor and off I was toward the bridge heading north. Unfortunately I had to wait for an hour in the middle of the channel because rush hour was happening. I waited paitentialy and finally the bridge open for me. I made my way down the larger portion of the intercoastal and found the spot I wanted to anchor 500 feet away from the closest boat. I dropped the anchor and sat and stared at the massive homes on Palm Beach until none where moving. I was holding good. I was so relieved that day. Nobody around me, the weather was calm and I was to myself. Finally after days I felt at peace. I relaxed all that day. Didn’t do a damn thing. I just saw and stared at the clear water. Took a nice shower and then watch sports the rest of the night. This is what I wanted some chill vibes.
In the early morning the winds shifted. A northern wind blew in at 15 mph and the boat began to rock and roll. Waves piled up to 2 feet almost throughout the day and the anchor was banging so loud on the nose of the boat. Creaking and wailing with a sudden bang of metal I was in hell again. The anchor line tot holding for dear life. Gust of 20 mph winds, the air was 60 degrees and rain. What the heck kind of chill vibes is this. I checked the wind apps and all the apps said it would be blowing from the north the next two days and then the NE the next three days after. All at 20 mph steady with the topping gust at 30 mph on Thursday and Sunday. Thursday came it was right waves got up to 2-3 feet and the anchor continually banged the nose of the boat. I got zero sleep because it was so loud and had to put in ear plugs. That night my buddy (1 of 3) was asking how everything was going excited to see what he had in store. I had to be completely honest with him and said it has been miserable pretty much the whole time and every now and then I get a 6-hour peaceful moment that doubles down on the worst chaos. He was optimistic and said everything will be better once the boys come to town.
The boys arrived on Friday night. I dingy’d a mile into town to go meet Jack first at 8:30pm. We had a couple beers and a small Thai restaurant and had some Thai tacos. Connor and Tyler would arrive at 10pm so I had to take Jack and his stuff to the boat fix since the intercoastal was still rough from the 20mph NE winds (not as bad as straight North). Jack got absolutely rinsed but luckily his stuff stayed relatively drive. On to get Connor and Tyler next. I picked them up at the dock and they were glemming with joy. The sawing me pulling up like a sailor and greeted me with an a hoy matey. I told told the sailors to pile in with all their gear and get ready for the splash mountain of a ride. The ride ended up being quite dry and we made it to the boat. Everyone was so excited and each person picked their spot to sleep. Connor would sleep on the side couch, Tyler on middle pull out bed and Jack in the stern queen bed. The boat felt tight but then again not really once we were all in bed. But bedtime was far from near.
The rest of the days were mixed into each other. That night of arrival we drank for the celebration of the start of the adventure. I was pouring shots for everyone and we stayed up till 4am in the morning. We had nothing but time to kill. The winds would not be right for the crossing till Wednesday of next week. Each day and night we did something fun. From going to the beach, to exploring the wealth of Palm Beach to bar hopping the restaurants local to West Palm. We were gracious with our money not worrying how much we would spend. We all knew deep down inside this was a once in lifetime moment and to live it up. Each day the hangover would linger and turn into a 12pm beer to a 3pm beers to a 6pm shot to a 9pm night beers. Nights mostly were short from the excess moving and grooving during the days. Laughs and jokes were told and guys just being dudes.
The weather window was coming up. It looked like Wednesday was now a ESE wind of 15-20mph and Thursday was a 5 mph S wind but then it would change to 10 N. North is always a big no no when it comes to crossing the gulf. The boys and I were anxtious to get a cross but we decided Wednesday was not a go because the sea state was still 5-7 feet going directly east. That lead to Thursday for crossing. Since we decided to cross Thursday, it was time to drink again with my Uncle Jonas and his girlfriend. Boy it was a fun time and those 8 percent Florida Mans and two espresso martinis tasted good. The plan was to be completely sober the next day and be serious about Thursday. That Wednesday we woke up to 15mph SE winds. The forecast should that it would settle down to 5-10 by 3pm and then 0mph in the middle of the night but then would pick back up again to almost 15 mph from the North on Thursday! We couldn’t believe it. One app said no wind on Thursday and the other said that. What was it? All we knew was today if we left at 5pm it would be the safest. So hungover with lack a sleep we decided to go for it.
We checked my oil and it was low so we filled it up and I will do an oil change once I get to the marina. We pulled again and then the anchor didn’t work and I frantically tried to figure out the problem. The breaker popped from all the torque and then switch the breaker and we were back in business. It felt like we were all nervous. An overnight sail hoping the engine would perform those 14 hours straight of motor boating. My hangiexty was through the roof. Today was not supposed to be the day and I was not ready. We made it out the channel with a little bit a of swell that came over the bow once but that’s it and heading at 110 degrees basically east. The sun set and it became completely night time. I was blinded by my instruments and Connor and Jack kept out a look out for ships. We were going to take shifts who would sleep but we were so Jacked up (except for Tyler he slept the most of the way) we couldn’t. For hours we would just sit and stare at the blank dark night. The swell would slightly roll us but not too bad. The Gulfstream ended up not being bad at all and we picked up some good wind speed. The last few hours we were going 7 knots (7.7mph). We made it to West End in a record 11 hours. Arriving at 4am in the morning.
Pulling into the the Marina was nerve racking. I couldn’t see through my windows because of all the salt water and my instruments were blinding me. All I saw is rocks about 10 feet from each side. I remember saying where can I park? And we just did not know. We took a gamble and parked in a random slip and my god all my senses were firing and so how I wedge into this small spot with no vision perfectly. I was toasted. We looked down at the water and saw the clearness of it. We were definitely here. I tried to turn off the engine and the stopper was not budging. I couldn’t believe it. How do I turn off this engine? I read the manual for five minutes and found where the stopper was on the engine. I pulled hard on the engine and boom it turned off. The stopper was no longer jammed. My god I said to myself. We all had two to three beers and went to bed at 5am. A few hours a sleep before checking into customs.
The next day I checked into customs and everything went well. I received my cruising permit but accidently put 3 months instead of a year because I was completely ignorant for how big the Bahamas was. The Customs officer said just redeclare in another port and I should be fine (I hope so). The boys got to go to dry land and got to take a nice warm shower. We all raced down to the tiki bar by the water and grabbed the local drink, the goombay smash. The taste was glorious. We did it! We made it, a thought that we thought would never happen. I cheers to the boys and said thank you so much for the help and I thought I would have to be stuck in West Palm for another month in that shitty anchorage. The next 3 days we were generates.
We drank when the sunrise’d till late at night. Being obnoxious and loud and free. Time to spend all our money still and live it up while we can. Each morning would be a hangover like West Palm Beach but with endless sea in our eyes and the locals pitching us with drinks and places to go. We all dipped crazy with our nicotine pouches of Zyns and drank and yelled and danced the days away. We would go to an island one day and then catch lobster the other day to eat up at night. We would watch the sharks circle the boat and then go into town for more beers and fast food. We had so many Zyns that we ran out hence why we went into town. Like degenerates we bought 30 black and milds like we were back in highschool again and smoke all 30 in one day. We endlessly drank on our last night together and then the boys had to go home the next day.
We all woke up hungover like always and went to the breakfast where we would have bloody marys and mimosas. Maybe even a straight shot of rum or beers because why not. The boys were leaving me though and we all said our goodbyes and off they went. I was alone again in a foreign place. Wrecked from the fun and my mind and body were not right. I need days of recovery till I gain the confidence on my next big sail which is 25 miles to Mangrove Cay ( a small 1 mile island in the middle of nowhere) and then 25 miles to Great Sale Cay and then the start of the Abacos, fox town where I will be for two months working my way down.
It is now the day after Christmas. I have not drank for a couple days and had a nice tobacco smoke while writing this entry. I have started to work out again and feel normal. When I am sober I have way more confidents. I have done an oil change to my little dingy motor and to my engine. I have filled up the coolant, restriped the anchor chain, refilled my fresh water tank with my reverse osmosis. Installed my filter to my fridge bilge pump and only have a few more items to get and do. I need to go back into town to get a couple more safety waters and food for the three day adventure where I will not see anyone and I will have to wait till the 29th for the correct weather window. The place is pretty expensive here. It will amount to 75 dollars a day if you include the Bahamas tax. A free gym, nice showers and peace of mind sleeping at a marina is great but I must get back out of my comfort zone and keep believing in myself and the boat. Live on the anchor and trust in myself and in Getting There.
Monday December 1st. The last day at the marina before the big journey. I have done all my essential activities prior to leaving. That day the sole focus was to organize the boat, put extra items like my ac unit in the storage and buy can supplies that will last me a few months with my meal.
As I start to organize I check all my thru holes one more time and unfortunately I have found a leak turning on the thru hole to the sanitary out that was at a drip rate of 1 cup of water in 2 minutes. My trip, I thought is now delayed by a month. My mind starts to race on how do I fix this? Who can fix this? Do I have to take the boat out of the water. I call over my dock buddy Scott to access and he says go to the marine mechanic store next door named sadler point and ask for their advice.
I go over to sadler point and they say it needs be fixed. My heart sank. My dad was supposed to leave with me tomorrow. My friends bought their plane tickets and took a week off of work already for this. I have let everyone down. I voiced my thoughts in my head a little less sulky and luckily the owner of sadler said if you bring the boat over here in 30 minutes we will try to find the parts and fix your boat before 1pm tomorrow and you will still be able to leave. I couldn’t believe it.
I brought my boat over and they immediately started to work on it. I sat and watch them go in and out of my boat till about 5:30pm and the guy said not done yet and will most likely finish tomorrow.
I still had to get groceries and still had to go to Gainesville from Jacksonville to drop off my truck at my dads to stay there for six months. I went to Walmart, got my provisions, walked them all up a 12 foot latter and then off to Gainesville arriving at 11pm. Time for sleep and being up at 5am to get back over to Jacksonville at 8am.
Day 1:
We woke up at 5am and got over to the marina where they were fixing my boat at 8am. I took them a few hours to fix and they said you are good to go at 11am. We were off on the start of the adventure.
I was nervous getting through the railroad bridge and downtown Jacksonville because the current was going against us at 3knots and my boat only does 5.5knots. Luckily with a lot of steering and control we made it through that section and for 5 hours, motor boated against the current and until it changed 4 hours in to the spot we would rest. It was an absolutely cold day and night with a low of 34 degrees.
The spot we anchored was surrounded by shallow shoals and oyster heads. The deep spot was 18 feet but instantly rose up to 2.5 feet in 200 feet distance we had to drop the anchor in the perfect spot in order not to drift over the shallows. The current was ripping 3.5knots at one point and setting the anchor at sun down and checking the garmin gps was intense to see what would happen with our drift as the tide was going out.
While checking the gps and garmin, I was also checking my voltage and none of my batteries were charging. I started to worry my electric was not wired right from the work scott did and called him up. He said check the belt and make sure it is tighten and then see what happens.
It was pretty loose and tighten the conveyor belt and then watched the voltage readings with a little bead of sweat down my head even though in was 42 degrees at the time. After 45 seconds the batteries started to charge. I could breathe easy again, or so I thought.
The Garmin while I was fixing the charging problem, was saying we were drifting too far back and not holding. How does my 20lb anchor not hold!? The tide dropped and we were an officially on bottom stuck. I was in disbelief. Out of panic and action I quickly turned on the engine, flooring and rocking the boat left to right to wiggle our way out of the situation. After a minute the boat inched its way out to deeper water and my dad and I had to reevaulate where to anchor.
We decided it was best to anchor closer on the north side of the channel with the wind being from the north the hole night. It was now night time and it was cold. We set the anchor and started getting ready for bed.
I stared nervously at the garmin now not trusting the anchor. For an hour or two I stared as we kept drifting more and more from what was the max distance on rode line we left out. I couldn’t believe it, again we are drifting! I woke up my dad and 3:30am and told him we are drifting out to the channel and we had to get up and reset the anchor in 34 degree weather with the wind howling. We reset the anchor again and I stared at the garmin till 4:30am and then just said fuck everything I don’t care if we drift or not at this point I’m done.
Day 2:
The alarm sounds at 5:30am. On one hour of sleep, I wake up ready to pull the anchor and move on from this anxiety driven anchor spot. I turn on the engine and check the voltage and we are charging which was a great start to the day. We motored all the way the Palm Coast. 10 hours straight. We went through the beautiful nature scenes of Guana Park and Mantanzas. It was a very pleasant intercoastal ride but just freezing still at 45 degrees during the daytime with the wind.
Tons of eagles, ospreys, king fishers and pelicans. The live oaks would lean over the tannic water and the palmettos would stick out from the banks. Tall sabal plams and pine tries will be the back drop at the higher elevations.
When we made it the Sisn’t Augustine we had to wait 30 minutes for the next opening at the Lion Bridge but we didn’t care. We thought it was so cool to see downtown Sisn’t Augustine from the view including the Matanzas fort. The first settler building in the United States.
When the bridge opened we continued the intercoastal and my Dad started driving the boat. He wanted to be efficient and hit the edge of every channel marker with the shortest distance and angle to the other. We were having an intriguing conversation and through thought we were both distracted and all of sudden came to hard stop.
It took awhile for us to know what happened and then we realized we were stuck again on a near high tide! I told my dad to floor it and rock and then after a couple seconds we were in the channel. The amount of adrenalin I have had plus the lack of sleep I was feeling all kinds of ways. I told my dad to stop hugging the channel markers and just go straight down the middle which is did slightly.
There is nowhere to anchor in Palm Coast so we decided to stay at a marina. We had a side slip next to the diesel pump and hooked up the power there. We took warm showers after being freezing for a couple days with no heater in the boat and then filled up the water tank and filled up the diesel. We walked to the nearest restaurant in a little town center which in the end was very pleasant. We ate at a pizza joint which had amazing pies and then had two nice strong IPAs to calm down the nerves and then walked back home and went to bed.
Day 3:
I woke up feeling refreshed. I started up the boat and read the voltage making sure it was charging the batteries and it was. As we started getting going though the voltage was reading way too high at 14.6-14.65. This voltage is on the cusp of damaging all my batteries for over charged and I called up Scott who wired everything and he said that is the max voltage if there is any increase let him know and also let him know what the batteries are the next morning.
Nervously I motored the boat, hopping down stairs continuously monitoring. It kept holding 14.6 and then all of a sudden, no charging anymore because the belt loosened again. The belt is continued to my water pump and so I was constantly checking the exhaust out making sure water was spilling out so I would not over heat. I turned on my solar panels to charge just my house batteries and continued on. Slighlty all right that I wasn’t continuing to fry my batteries.
When we arrived into Mosquitoes Lagoon it was beautiful. Barely any wind and about 65 degrees with the sun out. The amount of birds we saw was insane. So much wildlife was out there and dolphins surfing along the boat, it was a moment we could enjoy. Our plan was to anchor out in this massive lake like lagoon just outside the ICW. A lot of comments said it is a horrible place to anchor because it is so exposed to the winds but we got lucky.
We anchored out for the night and decided to enjoy the rest of the two hours of daylight and try to do some fishing for reds. Fish were popping everywhere but we managed to only catch two ladyfish on artificial which was still awesome to see my dad catch a fish with my for the first time on my sailing adventure. The sky light up with all sorts of colors from blues to purples to oranges. It was a surreal evening that made the all-day journey worth it.
We motored back to the boat once it was night time, cooked some dinner and had our two shots of liquor and watched the gator’s basketball game. I again adjusted the the alternator belt with some jerry rigging and extra nuts and washes and thought that would do the trick. It was so quiet I could hear the drip of my shaft of my propellor and nothing else. I slept with ease knowing there was no current or no winds to budge my untrusted anchor.
Day 4:
We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and it was about 50 degrees. Another cold front was moving down and we could feel the cold wet wind in our clothes. I started the boat and again looked out my voltage meter. It was reading 14.6 and I was okay with that and started going. I kept checking my voltage and then It was reading way too high! 15.7 voltages at one point I started to panic and told my dad we need to fix the problem and then the voltage dropped because the belt slipped after 30 minutes.
The wind was howling on our backs for 7 hours and the ICW was choppy and hard to steer. Whenever I had enough open space, I would set on autopilot and then catch a breather until a boat would go by. The only cool thing about this day was Port Canaveral and the thousands of dock in the bay. I called up a marina in Melbourne once we got close to stay the night. There was a little channel to get through and as I was going through I hit a sandbar the boat instantly stopped in its tracks. I told my dad to rock the boat and floored my engine as hard as I can and pointed left and right. It took a minute the boat rocked its way out of the sand bar and back into deeper water. Holy cow it’s been I day I thought to myself.
Once we got there and docked I had a game plan. Go buy the proper bolts and nuts at Boathouse Discount and fix the slipping of the belt which I assumed why I was getting such high reading before the belt slipped. I paid an uber there and back for 40 dollars and fixed the parts where I knew the belt was holding way better. I cranked the engine and read the voltage and again it read 15.7 volts. My heart sank something was wrong other than the alternator belt and I don’t know how to fix it. I called out Scott and he said the only thing it could be is maybe the regulator and I need to figure out to reset it.
I needed a magnet to reset the regulator and I spent an hour trying to find my magnet and in the end it was lost. I had to hurry up and call another Uber to West Marine and pray they had a magnet, 30 minutes before closing. Luckily, they did and another 40 dollars later I was back on the boat with a mission. For an hour and half, I tried programming this thing I was not getting it at all. I told my dad we will try to figure out tomorrow but if not, we will have to stay here for the day. My dad was not happy with that because he had to be in West Palm by December 8th. I told him it is was it is but I am not hurting my batteries and at worse case I’ll drop him off at a closer town so he get take a rental back home and do the rest by myself.
Day 5:
I studied the programming guide an hour before bed and then an hour in morning while drinking my coffee. I was confident I need how to program it. It took me an hour to program the regulator but finally the right flashes indicating the setting were appearing and I thought I did. I turned on the engine and sat for 30 minutes staring at the voltage. It would not go over 14.10 volts. Success!
We gassed up the boat yet again and let around 10am for our 8 hour day. Luckily we had current and wind on our side. We flew down to Fort Pierce in under 7 hours and found an anchorage at the inlet. As we made our way down there were really cool islands along the way where people would camp and beautiful mangroves in the area of Vero.
The Fort Pierce inlet was so crowded with boat I could not find a spot to park without hitting other boats. The tide was ripping and movement was hard. After 30 minutes I finally found a spot and anchored. Everything looked okay I am just praying my anchor holds in this ripping current. There were neighbors next to us that were odd. The yelled and introduced their selves but the cadence the way the spoke and pauses I didn’t like. After 10 minutes I walked down stairs and let my dad deal with them. My dad walked down stairs and said they said we can come over if we want to hangout. I said no freaking way. I have bad vibes with them.
I again sat the Garmin before bed. Staring at the glowing screen watching the distance we were swaying with the anchor. The tide was going out and we were staying in a good spot. The tide wouldn’t change again till 1:30am so I was comfortable going to sleep. I woke up to the weird neighbors yelling the Titanic song to us. The whole freaking song at 1:30am! I was like wtf is going on? The song the whole song and then ended with your drifting away, good luck and good bye neighbors and started laughing and then silence. I pulled the garmin out for an hour and stared. We definitely moved but only because the tide was coming in. The anchor was holding for that hour and I shook my head and went to sleep thinking fuck everything I don’t care what happens.
Day 6:
The final day, we are almost there. We decided to go offshore for this last leg of the trip and motor sail. It was help us by pass all the bridges you have to open which was like seven. We will out the inlet at 2.5knots current with an eastern breeze. The waves were massive at 4-5 slightly capping and coming over the boat. I was wigging trying to control the boat for 30 minutes until finally we were out at sea. The adrenaline and lack of sleep was getting to me. My head space was all fucked up.
We motored sailed for 7 hours going about 6-7 knots consistently. Good when and seas were semi rough 2-4 feet. Felt like 6 feet to me but my dad said no way. It was fun and sporty actually once I got used to the crazy rocking and leaning of the boat. We sailed like this all the way to West Palm.
The last hurdle making it to West Palm was going through an outgoing inlet. Big waves again were shifting the bow left and right and I was going 3 knots max. Terrified I would hit the jetties I locked in and focused so hard to keep the boat straight and dead center. Once we passed the jetties and into the intercoastal it was a huge relief. The last step was to find an anchorage.
Again there were no anchorages I kept trying to park by people at the start of nighttime and they would all come out saying do not park there you are going to hit my boat. I got denied by 3 people and then finally to a gamble an decided to anchor in 5 feet of water (boat drafts at 4.33) that swings to 4 feet at 150 feet away. This is all just based on Navionics and can be completely different. This was the only option and this is what I did. I don’t care if I go a ground during low tide. I am just tired and want to chill.
So that is what I have been doing for the past two days after anchoring. My dad left that night and the day after I literally just sat in the boat all day and did basically nothing. The only thing I did is install my grill, reorganize the boat, put the canvas back up on the boat, reorganize the lines, and set up starlink. I little bit of non brain work and nothing. Now today I hangout with my grandma and uncle, leaving the boat for the first time unattended at shallow anchor. It does feel like I hit bottom at peak low tide but every other time it is fine and feels like it is holding. Only time will tell and I am sure that there will still be stories. Hopefully mostly good and some bad.
Simple Guy Goes For A Journey 