The Bahama Bank to Stuart and home

Sunrise and Rhumbline

We pulled up the anchor at 6:15 and spent the next nine and a half hours motoring toward Stuart, FL and reached the Sunset Bay Marina at a reasonable hour. We keep a grass mat on the boat for long hauls for Cappy and he really prefers not to use it for its intended purpose. However, he finally couldn't wait and made us proud mid morning while crossing the gulf stream. He got LOTS of treats! We dog parents ALL celebrated when one by one, they gave in and "went" on their mats.  It was a perfect day for crossing as the sea was calm and beautiful.  In years past on the sailboat we would then only have to continue on up to St. Augustine, which was home. But now that we live in SW Florida we have to either cross the state via Lake Okeechobee or around the Keys. This would be the first time for us across the state. The sailboat didn't have this choice due to the tall mast and the deep draft. 

Crazy activity in the St. Lucie inlet

Fabulous Italian dinner

Sharon and me, chilling with the dogs

Another nine hour day through the St. Lucie River and canal to the town bulkhead in Moore Haven on the southwest shoreline of Lake Okeechobee. What a surprise to find that all the other boats there  were from Punta Gorda. One couple, good friends John and Ann Taylor had let us know they were there and we had planned to catch up with them for happy hour that night. We passed through three locks on the way to Moore Haven and two more on the Caloosahatchee River to Fort Myers. The lock system takes you up about 12 feet to Lake Okeechobee, then drops you back down and spits you out into the Caloosahatchee. We spent two nights at the St. Charles Yacht Club relaxing in the pool, strolling the beautiful neighborhood and meeting new friends. We'll definitely revisit there. 

We miss the clear water in the Bahamas!

The next day, June 1st, we were home in five hours. Cappy knew he was back in our canals! Back on terra firma with EXILE back behind the house and ready for a long summer's nap. We'll prep the boat for hurricane season and keep our fingers crossed.

Parting ways with Rhumbline

Cappy is happy!

Manjack Cay to the Bahama Bank

Next stop was Manjack Cay, a beautiful beach where the dogs could run and splash to their hearts content. There are a few houses on Manjack and one of the owners erected this Tiki Hut swing that Sharon and I enjoyed. There is also an "Art Trail" on the island. A pathway around the south end of the island with various pieces of decorated flotsam and jetsam along the way. The tidal cut between Manjack and Rat Cay is a turtle haven.  We dinghied at a slow pace through there and turtles were swimming in every direction. As the tide changes, the trigger fish and rays appear for their daily feeding on the small fish swept in by the incoming tide. We all ate dinner aboard EXILE and I managed to be able to tune in to The Voice to watch the finals. Pretty amazing since no one resides on the island. We were able to pick up a cell signal to run the modem from a neighboring island I guess. 

The following morning friends of ours, Cindy & Jeff aboard Salty Dog, messaged us and said they were in Powell Cay, just north of where we were so Jeff and I set out to motor by to say hello. After briefly swapping stories, we continued north and met back up with Dan & Sharon  to continue our voyage. 

Allen's Pensacola is the last uninhabited, sandy beach out island that we stopped at before crossing the Little Bahama Bank to start our journey home. It has a protected anchorage, clean bottom and a large tidal area which is a good place to find sand dollars and sea biscuits. The snorkeling is also good there on the southern end of the island and the Atlantic side. Jeff was going to scrub the bottom of EXILE but reconsidered when two sharks started circling the boat looking for any handouts!   

Two sharks kept Jeff from scrubbing the bottom of the boat

Crab under clear water

We anchored for an hour at Mangrove Cay where Jeff thought he saw a beach to let the dogs do their business since  it would be some time before they would get another chance. We'd be anchoring at Memory Rock on the edge of the bank and crossing back to the US in the morning. It wasn't really a beach but rather a mucky sloppy piece of land. The dogs came back with black feet and all had to be cleaned up before we could leave. 

Another two hours and we were on the Bahama bank for the evening. It would be an early morning on Friday.