June 5, 2011, Blue Bird I, West End to Sebastian Inlet

0600hrs Sunday June 5, 2011 The crew is stirring, time to get moving. Breakfast on board, Bahamian cinnamon bread & coffee/tea whilst filling out our Bahamas Customs Departure Forms.  There is no fee to leave, at least not yet, unlike USA's neighbour to the south.

 

0745hrs departed Old Bahama Bay Club Marina, West End, Grand Bahama Island. Winds are E NE light & building, seas 2' rollers & building, 92 nm to Ft Pierce.

 

0845hrs  30+/- mph, 3100rpm,  34 gal/hr, seas 2'-4' rollers., 68 miles to Ft Pierce. Auto pilot right on.

 

0905hrs 28mph, 2900rpm, , 30 gal/hr, 57 miles to FtP, seas building

 

0955hrs,  27mph, 2750rpm, 28.5 gal/hr, 35.8 mi to Ft P, seas 3' to 5'+, with a 1' – 2' chop and the Communications Officer is typing, trying to get caught up on the daily log.

 

1130hrs arrived at Ft Pierce City Marina, fuelled up, contacted Customs (Homeland Security) they requested that all passengers & crew, on board,  present themselves at their office at the Ft Pierce County Airport. Called "Checker Cabs", no problem, take us to the airport, driver would have a little nap, and bring us back to FPCM.  We presented ourselves at HS (Homeland Security), Our 30 second presentation went, "are you all Canadians", "yes".  Back to the waiting cab/sleeping driver. How can anyone fall asleep that fast in a vehicle (no a/c) ?  Return to Blue Bird at the FPCM.

 

1430 hrs departed for Ponce de Leon inlet at New Smyrna, 120nm north, however E NE 2'-4' seas and we're running into them, not good. It was decided to get on the ICW, the DITCH, at Sebastian Inlet. Very tricky, but as luck has it we followed a commercial fisherman in.  Zig Zagged our way thru 100s of small boats & people swimming on the sandbars which apparently shift almost hourly and headed north for a couple of miles on the ICW and we stopped at Sebastian River Marina 1730hrs.. Diesel $4.39, Electricity $5.00, water no charge.

 

Mixed drinks, washed down the BBI, cooked steaks on the dock, 95F, humidity 100% +, under the supervision of some of the crew who were observing from the air conditioned wheel house. Showered and it's "beddy bye time". We're on the gas dock, which was  the last available dock.

 

TTFN

Blue Bird I