Back in the Good Old U.S.

March 11,2013

Fort Pierce, FL

We worked our way from Marsh Harbour to Munjack Cay anchorage after
anchoring at Green Turtle Cay for three days, one of our favorite places. The
staff and facilities at the Bluff House are always great and we go there for happy
hour and to use their internet. The wind was pretty strong from the northwest
for a few days so we weren't able to anchor off of some of the islands we had
hoped to visit. "Kankita", friends from Annapolis we had met in Marsh Harbour,
was heading back to the States at the same time so we were traveling together.
There has been a lot of wind day after day so the seas have been running high.
We chose to aim for a weather window of Sunday -Monday and traveled to
Great Sale Cay and anchored to stage for our crossing.
Another boat joined us and we actually took off with five other boats, leaving
at 8:30PM shortly after dark. The night sail was beautiful, dark with lots of
stars out. We left the Bahama Bank at 7:00AM just at first light after 52 miles
continuing out into the ocean. The seas were as forcast, With 9-12' swells and
8-10' waves from a 90 degree angle to the swells. We had a rolly ride all the
way to Fort Pierce,FL handsteering the whole way, motorsailing. We didn't feel
in danger but it was a little intimidating being in the bigger seas. We couldn't
sleep at all on the crossing so by the time we got to Florida we were exhausted
from the 20 hour trip. We got into Fort Pierce right at maximum ebb tide which
is not recommended so we had an exciting entry. They have strong currents
at the inlet.
After tying up at the City Marina we walked downtown to a nice Italian place
for pizza. We hardly had the energy for the short walk back to the boat where
we crawled into bed and died, sleeping soundly for ten hours before waking.
We loved Fort Pierce, enjoying the bakery nearby, the marina area and the
downtown. We watched three manatees in the marina near our boat.
We loved the Bahamas but it's great to be back in the U.S.

Manatees at Fort Pierce Marina