Adios Bahamas, Hello USA

The Pearl (Jennifer)

Hola Friends,

Buccaneer and I crossed over from the Bahamas to the USA a week ago Thursday.  We left Great Sale Cay at 1pm and reached the Fort Pierce Inlet in Florida at 1pm on last Friday.  The journey was bitter sweet, we are ready for some of the comforts of home, however we will certainly miss the Bahamas.  This was my first overnight passage.  We prepared meals and snacks ahead of time, we put up the lee-cloths for sleeping and Kluane's light air sail (code zero) was ready!  The forecast was for light winds.  In the end we had very light winds on the bank and light winds as we approached the US.  Hooray, this was a much calmer crossing than the one in November.  We anchored for 2 nights at Fort Pierce, checked in with customs and tried to make up for the sleep we missed.  We are now docked at Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, Florida.  We will take the month to clean and prepare Kluane for storage.  Storing involves cleaning everything- on the outside we will clean the salty sails, decks and canvas.  On the inside we will remove all food, clothes and personal items, clean, scrub and polish the living space.  I'll take photos as we dismantle our girl and ready her for land.

I have been in the US for 7 days and as an American I feel very lucky to live in a country with so many conveniences and resources.  I have also become aware of how much I take for granted.  Buccaneer and I have created a healthy lifestyle while cruising and are excited to integrate it into our life on land.  

Here are some photos of our last days in the Bahamas for our 2012-2013 cruise!

Much Love,
The Pearl

Kluane with her sunshade on

s/v Apogee, our Taos friends Lori and Robert

The road we walk to get to New Plymouth from White Sound in Green Turtle

Bahamas Cactus

Stop

Bartender extraordinaire

Mexican Dinner Party at Kathy's #2: Red Chile Enchiladas and Burritos
 (s/v Velvet Eileen and Yves, s/v Puffin Mark and Marlene, s/v Keltic Kat Pat and Tuttie, not pictured Kathy, Marilyn and Cully)

Full House

Marlene with Jerry (and Mark) s/v Puffin

Ye Olde Gaol

Mug shot #1

Mug shot #2

Apogee sailing into Great Sale Cay with her light air sail up

Our favorite place to relax after our walk into town, New Plymoth Bar and Grill