Nov. 2-3 We had a leisurely take off because we didn’t have far to go and needed to arrive in daylight and with a slack tide. The weather was sunny and we made good time overnight to the Brunswick, GA area and St. Simon’s Island. Our usual dock girl at Golden Isles Marina, Melissa, was there to take our lines. After a nap and lunch, we used their “loaner” car and did shopping errands. It was also time to top off the tanks before heading to the Bahamas where the fuel is more expensive. That night, we had a lovely dinner with our friends, the Ledbetters, who live on Sea Island. We always streak in and out but do enjoy our times with them. Scott grew up in Greenwich so we knew him when we were kids.

Nov. 4-6 Our last passage down the coast! We left around 6:30am and headed down the coast. As the day went on, the wind picked up till it was around 30 knots but the seas never got above 2-3ft and “Mr. Auto” was able to handle the steering. We were cozy inside once again. By dawn, we were passing Cape Canaveral which was our halfway point in the 355nm journey. As the day progressed, the winds and seas went down and the sun came out.
Now the water is a light turquoise green because we are staying close to shore to stay out of the Gulf Stream which is just a few miles out to sea in this part of Florida. As we have been traveling south, the water has changed colors. In Long Island Sound and down the Jersey shore, it was dark green and in the Delaware River and Chesapeake Bay, it was brown. Off the Carolinas, it was a pretty dark blue but muddy again in Charleston harbor and Brunswick, GA. Once we get to the Gulf Stream, the water is a beautiful cobalt blue and has little bits of Sargasso weed floating in it and flying fish. The water temperature also goes up to the high 70’s or even 80. These two things help us know we are in the Stream as well as the northward current.
As we went down the southern Florida coast, the wind lessened and the temperature warmed enough for us to sit outside on the flybridge and watch the marlin/swordfish jump and the various seabirds fly by looking for fish. During the night the wind picked up again but the seas were not a problem. By dawn, it was blowing 25 knots or better. We planned to go in the Key Biscayne Channel and up the bay and into a new anchorage for us that would give us almost all around protecton. We had heard this was possible from some CCA friends of our neighbors (M.A. & Barnaby Blatch). These friends live in that harbor. We came in the channel and did our route into the harbor but saw a nailbiting 7.2 ft at the entrance. It is good to finally be in Florida even if the temperature tonight will be 29! We will stay here for a few days till the winds calm down and then cross to the Bahamas. Yeah!