BAHAMA PICTURES

Here are pictures from various places we have visited in the Bahamas. We are having so much fun and each day is a new adventure. We are going to try to take a side trip to Nassau and Freeport before we leave. The other day, we had a huge Sting Ray swim right by our boat and this was sitting at the dock in our marina. More to come later.

My Cin

Abacos - Bahamas

We have arrived and it is incredible. We left Ft. Lauderdale at 6AM on January 9th and headed out to the Atlantic. It was a scary thought to make this crossing but it was like "just jump off that diving board and swim". We started out and wind/sea conditions were very good. There were three of us..."My Cin", "Whichaway" and "Mascot". We met the captains of Mascot in Ft. Lauderdale and they joined our group. About two hours out, a fourth trawler radio us and asked if they could join our group. Now we are four and "Roving Seas" has joined our fleet. The winds picked up and it was rough for about two hours heading directly into the wind. After that, it settled down and once we approached the islands, very flat and smooth.

We arrived at the West End of Grand Bahamas around 4PM and that was our official checkin - clearing customs. All went smooth and we settled in for the night. The next day we anchored out, third day we stayed at Green Turtle Cay then on January 12th, we arrived at our home base for three months, Boat Harbour Marina in Marsh Harbour, Abacos, Bahamas.

There are about 80+ boats here and you couldn't ask for a nicer group of folks to be with for the next three months. Some are here for the length of time we are and some are here longer. The grounds are very nice. Restaurant, nice showers and laundry facilities, two swimming pools, white beach with the use of water equipment (snorkeling, Sunfish Sailing). Each dock gets together for happy hour and when it's time, you hear the sounds of the conch shell announcing "Happy Hour". On our dock, we have met two other boats from Texas. Every morning, they have a "cruiser net" on Channel 68 (VHF) to announce daily events, weather, news, new arrivals of boats and ones that are leaving. After that, a group of ladies will take off for a four mile walk. There are always some sort of activity going on and things to see. There are so many Cays around to take off and go have lunch or explore a new beach. On one island 12 miles away, they have a big pig roast on the beach every Sunday. We plan on making that event one weekend.

Our camera is really messed up and we are having a hard time taking good pictures. So......that is why so few pictures. I'm going to have to borrow a camera from Whichaway to get some good shots to post on our blog. But in the meantime, here are a few pictures that turned out. They are from part of our crossing and a picture of "Whichaway" at the marina. We are experiencing a series of cold fronts this week, so when it warms up and better weather, I will take more pictures.

It's hard to believe we are really here. It is everything we thought it would be and more. The weather has been so nice that we rarely run the AC. At night, it has been very comfortable sleeping with the windows open.

We are not using our cell phone (very expensive). But we can communicate through email. Drop us a line when you can. Just know that each morning as we sip our coffee and think about what we are going to do that day.....we think of all of you driving to work.....in the traffic.....and as we dinghy over to an island for lunch......we think of you on your one hour lunch break.......and when the sounds of conch shells call us for happy hour.....we think of you driving home......in the traffic.

Much love.......Jess and Cindy

FT. LAUDERDALE

Happy New Year! We left Marathon on 12/31 and spent two nights in North Miami (riding out a strong cold front that hit Florida). Coming into Miami was so beautiful. We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on January 3rd and we are docked at the City Marina which is located downtown on the riverfront. We are enjoying the sights, people watching and admiring the biggest yachts we have ever seen. They are so big that they have to be towed down the river.

We will leave from here to make our crossing to the Bahamas. We are waiting for the "weather window" which hopefully will be in a couple of days. Ft. Lauderdale is beautiful and very very rich. My Cin looks so small compared to the "ships" that pass us everyday. We are having fun and can't wait to get to the Bahamas!

We will update again once we arrive in the Bahamas.

Jess and Cindy

Season Greetings From My Cin

Marathon, Florida.......

It's hard to believe that our time in Marathon is almost up. We have enjoyed our visit here and the folks at Harbor Cay Club Marina couldn't be nicer. Last weekend we attended the Harbor Cay Club Christmas Party and each of us brought food and gifts for the "White Elephant" gift exchange. Majority of the group have gone home for Christmas leaving just a few of us here at the marina.

We will be sharing Christmas Day with Chuck, Fabin, Whitney Miller and her friend Bubba from Austin and Rodney and Katrina Warren for a Turkey Christmas Dinner. Kris and Danny Fletcher are leaving tomorrow for Ft. Walton to have Christmas with their family. The weather is incredible...blue skies and mid-eighties, so we will be working on our tans Christmas Day.

After Christmas, "Whichaway" will cruise south to Key West and "My Cin" will stay here and finish up last minute projects. Then on January 2nd, we will connect with "Whichaway" on their way back north to West Palm Beach. This is where we will wait for the "perfect weather window" to make the crossing. It is a 52 mile run to the first port to clear customs. Then we will head to the Abacos and will stay in Marsh Harbour for three months (taking numerous side trips).

We are really going to miss our kids and family at Christmas but Jess and I went home the first week in December and had a great time seeing everyone.

We are looking forward to 2008 and cruising the Bahamas and the East Coast. Jess and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love to all

My Cin

MARATHON

We arrived in Marathon on November 15th. Our marina is the Harbor Cay Club. It's privately owned slips and boaters can rent out slips when the owners are not here. It's very quaint and located on the west side of the Keys. The day we came in, we had to cruise about 3 hours across the Gulf. In that 3 hours of cruising, we dodged lobster traps like crazy. We were about 10 miles off shore and they were everywhere. Needless to say, we were exhausted by the time we arrived to our dock.

Captain Still turned the big 60 on November 19th. We went to dinner that night and ran into Rodney and Katrina Warren. Their son went to school with Mandy and Jimmy. Plus, Katrina was Ryley's (our granddaughter) kindergarten teacher in Flour Bluff. This is a stop over for them before they head to Belize. Very small boating world out here.

Ed Boden (a friend of ours from Houston) arrived on 11/20 and we cruised to a another island about an hour away. That was our first outing in the Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful waters but a little rough the day we cruised.

It's beautiful here. We have really enjoyed the restaurants. One place we went to is called the "Stuffed Pig". Their breakfast menu is incredible. Everything from pancakes to a wide variety of omelets (lobster, conch, crab, alligator tail) - you name it, they have it.

In our little lagoon marina, there are two Manatees that hang out. They are huge. They will swim right up by your boat and if you spray water on them, they roll over on their backs and just float.

We are going home on 11/30 to see all our babies. We will be there for a week to take care of house business and doctor's appointments. Even though we are having a wonderful time on this trip, I realize now that I need to fly home at least twice a year to see the kids. We plan to head to the Bahamas after the first of January. Until then, hope your holidays are wonderful.

Jess and Cindy

THE CROSSING

Well we made it. We left Carrabelle on Friday 11/2 at 1:00PM to start our journey across the Gulf of Mexico to Tarpon Springs. By leaving at 1:00PM that would have us arriving in Tarpon around 10:00AM the next day. We were told by everyone...do not arrive in Tarpon in the dark. All conditions were good (winds and seas). About 15 miles out, winds picked up and it was getting rough. After 5 more miles of rockin & rollin, we turned back. We made it back to Dog Island and anchored at sunset (picture of us anchoring). Dog Island is 5 miles off the mainland. Saturday 11/3, we left at 11:00AM and all conditions were perfect. The winds were 5-10 and seas 1-2. It stayed this way the whole crossing (picture of flat Gulf). Once the sun went down, it was very very dark but the stars were incredible. We followed "Whichaway" and stayed in line with his stern light. About 2:00AM, the moon came up and did provide some "welcomed" light for us. About 5 miles out of Tarpon Springs, it was still dark and we had to inch our way through massive numbers of crab traps (this is why they say - come in at daylight). As we approached the first "Green Marker" to get us into the harbor....the good old sun was rising.

Once we docked at our marina, we all took long naps. The marina is located in the heart of the strip where all the Greek Restaurants are located and shops. A very fun place to stay (picture of happy couple right before dinner). Once we left Tarpon Springs, we anchored right off of Sarasota (picture of our anchorage).

Cruising the GIWW, we passed many many beautiful homes (picture of homes along the way). Next, we stayed in Venice and it is gorgeous. From our dock, you could see the Gulf of Mexico (picture of Gulf). I had a chance to get "Stella" out and Jess and I rode into the tourist area which is about 6 miles away.

Saturday, 11/10 we headed to Cabbage Key Island (Jimmy Buffet's song "Cheeseburger in Paradise"). And naturally, we had a cheeseburger...pretty good. And now it's Sunday, 11/11 and we are anchored just north of Ft. Myers Beach. Jess is a happy captain, he is currently watching Dallas play on TV.

We should arrive in Marathon next Friday and will be there a month. The west coast of Florida is beautiful. Alot of boats, Dolphins chasing our wake, clear beautiful water, weather in the low 80's and alot of warm sun. Sounds like a tourist ad! We are having the time of our lives and look forward to each day.

We will update again once we get to the Key's...until then, love to all.

Jess and Cindy

Happy Halloween From Carrabelle

We made it to Carrabelle, Florida waiting for the perfect weather crossing to make our journey to cross the Gulf of Mexico to Tarpon Springs. Here are some pictures taken from the Tennesse River, Tenn Tom Waterway (back to the Gulf Coast) to Florida. The trip has been great and we are truly having the time of our life.