A thought before we go...

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I have tried to add two maps to the blog site, one is a picture I took of our overview chart and the other is an advertisement from Rum Cay (pronounced key) marina. We may not be going there, but they have a nice website. Anyway-we are traveling from the upper left corner to the lower right corner.
Our tentative itinerary has us leaving Ft. Lauderdale on December 1, crossing the Florida Strait and entering the Great Bahama Bank just north of Bimini. We will cross the bank towards Nassau, clearing customs at the south end of the Berry Islands at Chub Cay. The next leg is from Chub Cay to Exuma Sound. At this point, we will either cross the sound to Cat Island, or stay inside the Exumas-depending on the weather report, down to Long Island and on to Crooked Island. How long we take on this leg will be determined by weather, fuel and how much fun the crew is having. The next big jump is from Crooked Island to Turks and Caicos Islands. We then have two more big jumps, from the Turks Islands to Dominican Republic, then DR to Puerto Rico.
The route planner on our Nobeltec system says we are going 986 miles and the yachting guides say we are going to the finest cruising in the world. I am sitting in Eugene looking out over a soggy field and drippy sky, packing bathing suits and sunscreen and dreaming of the tropical sun. We will all meet up in Atlanta on November 28-Paul and Berit from Seattle and Mark and Libby from Portland-and fly into Ft. Lauderdale. If we can get all our chores done quickly, we may try to leave before the 1st, but we have signed on to a weather routing service and they will let us know when the going is good.
I am hoping that the marinas that we stop at will have internet and I will be able to send out reports, but it may be very intermittant. We will be checking in with Steve Holden (541-726-0324) and Eivind Schweiss (503-754-8621) if we can't get out with email.
Much love to you all and Happy Thanksgiving.

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Photos

Chart Photo
If you go to google maps, you might get a clearer picture.

Rum Cay
Just shows the Bahamas beyond Crooked Island. Caicos Islands are just off the chart beyond Great Inagua Is.

29 knots
Bahama Banks in fast forward

Comments

[Al Laemmer]

Frequency of splicing the main brace
My personal suggestion would be spicing after anchoring. It's lonely in the deep dark ocean. Hey Mark, no smoking! Have a extraordinary time with lots of pictures of sea creatures encountered.

[Kelly]

Best Cruising
It seems as though you all will have a "pre-tan" before we get to Hawaii!! Do me a huge favor a hoist a pina-colada for your sons watching the sun setting over the Carribean! I would say I jealous, but I am really just extactic for you 4 .... trip of a lifetime!! Be safe, and cruise well (you always do). I love you all, Kelly and Jackie

[Capt. Ron]

Freezing to death
Unless you guys are leaving anacortes you can't appreciate the cruising you are about to do. At this time it is 21 degrees and the wind is blowing out of the north at ????? oh yeah can't tell you that becase the anemometer is FROZE SOLID!!!! We are having some fun now. Off to San Dog in the morning to warmer weather I hope. Happy flying and happy cruising

[Anne]

This will be fun. Will have more time to find the chart etc when I get back to Mom's. You picked the right time to go. I want the words to the song "Say Hello to Castro" (to the tune of Give my regards to Broadway)...