Day 15 – Here we go!! – Sunday 12/16/18
What a whirlwind couple of days. My brain just can’t keep up with the pace of change…..but here we are….packing up the boat and preparing to start our open water journey at midnight tonight. We will be in motion for 43hrs. We will depart Fort Lauderdale at midnight, head east through the night to enter the Bahama banks around noon tomorrow – then continue sailing for another 12hr in only 10-20ft of water, but no land visible. Very cool to experience this in the daytime to look for conch and sea life. Then more deep water sailing through Monday night and should be anchored in Spanish Wells sometime Tuesday afternoon. There are several good island anchorages to bail out along the way if we need to.
Weather forecast is for 2-3 foot seas, Winds under 12knots in gulf stream through Wednesday night. Though perhaps 15knot at dawn tomorrow from NW. Overall, more motoring than sailing we predict.
I was curious how the kids were doing. I tried sitting with Henry and Emma and asking them my friend Ann’s favourite question “So how do you FEEL about this?!”. I didn’t get much back except “kinda excited, a little scared” and “can we go play now?!”. I’d say they are continuing with their happy go lucky life as children where life is often just fine and they have fun in the moment.
Me on the other hand. A whole ‘nother story. My momma bear protection hormones are at elevated levels causing havoc in my body. Yes – I have done many multi-day trip at sea on Mandolin with Mike….it was never an issue before but now I have 2 cubs to care for…that often get seasick….and other then motor on the ICW we haven’t even sailed in last 10 days. I’m headachy, tired, and probably the most nervous crew on board. I bought out the drugstore on seasickness medicine and natural remedies…and have a healthy supply of saltines and gingerale for Henry.
The option to take this weather window was made possible by Mike’s awesome friend Aaron Mullins who lives nearby. We got to have lunch with him, Kara and Fox (3) and baby Hart (7 mo). He also bought and delivered us some engine oil, loaned us a grinder to adjust an injector bracket to fit correctly, and most importantly he offered to take the engine parts that need to be rebuilt to the machine shop tomorrow morning. Mike got to return the favor in part by washing a poo-tastrophe out of Aaron’s shirt while he changed Hart’s very full diaper! Aaron and Kara are amazing parents and also juggle her teaching, and his termite research work and his PhD. Coincidence: they were married on Smith Mountain Lake in VA, the same inland lake where the Whites found and purchased Amel. It’s a small world!
We need to get off the laptop and finish getting ready. Tina is amazing: she has 43hr of food at our fingertips, the settee area will be made up into all beds for easy sleeping in the most comfortable part of the boat. We will be on shifts (we used to do 2hr on, 2hr off…but will just see how it goes). Not sure if kids will get up at midnight or just sleep through it all. Hope they do ok when they realize there is no land in sight….
There might be some facebook updates we can get to friends through our satellite InReach text system. If not…hopefully you hear from us again by Wednesday IF our Bahamian SIM card works as it should, otherwise no news is good news till we find wifi.
Tina and Mike
Fun Afloat 