Bimini blast we go

Red at night....

Fishing rig for big game..
.

5am UPDATE...we may wait this out: Fowey Rocks is at 20 knots SE which is 15-20 degrees off the starboard bow! Our Weather service, Chris Parker said DO NOT GO if Fowey is over 10 knots!
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We have said for many many years, that the hardest part is leaving the docks and actually getting underway! Deciding to actually depart safe harbor. Deciding to set sail. Deciding to leave our beautiful Biscayne Bay that we love so much. Deciding to sail over the horizon. Off we will sail, Wed morning at 6:30 am. The yacht is fueled up, ten gallons of extra fuel is tied up on deck, the tender is taken apart with the 15 HP Yamaha removed and placed onto the rail. The 6 gallon fuel tank was removed and stowed on the rail. The 110 lb tender has been ratcheted into place and cross tied to prevent swinging.

Extra diesel fuel on deck

The life raft has been pulled out and tied to the helm (Thank you, GREG!!!). The ditch bag has been placed at the mast base and the EPRIB radio has been checked. The SSB communications are working well and we are checking into the Cruiseheimers network at 0830 and at 1700 on frequency 8.152 mhz. The Verizon Cell phones will be suspended in the AM and the SIMM card for the Bahamas will light up when we see a Bahamas cell tower. The WiFi Bullet 2hp rig has been checked and accessedWiFi services, so that will give us a distributed network onboard when connected. Full provisions, food, drinks, paper products, and wine have been bought and hand trucked back to the boat and stored. All spare parts have been checked, the engine oil and transmission oil have been changed as well as all filters. In the last two days, the head pump was rebuilt, the exhaust system was re-worked due to a leaking anti-siphon valve, and the aloft rigging of the radar reflector was installed.

Yes, leaving the dock (or safe anchorage) is the hardest part, as it seems like you are NEVER ready to go. So, you simply set a date and then you go. Once underway, if nothing breaks, it is usually a BIG relief to get to sea and to get away from the continual shopping, repairing, and stowing. By the time you read this, we should be in the Gulf Stream, i.e. The Florida Current, and well on our way. Thanks for sailing along. Bahamas run #3 begins NOW....

Beautiful Key Biscayne

Radeen making a great dinner

Birthday Radeen, heading out to her birthday dinner

The new replacement vented loop on the exhaust system

What a great birthday present. This could top the anchor Christmas present I gave Radeen :-)

The tender gas tank full and stowed on the rail (notice the new helm seat!)

Our last sunset on Biscayne Bay, until next winter.
Biscayne Bay could become our new favorite place.

Bahamas run #3 begins now and we are ready! We planned March in the Exumas and April in the Abacos. Since we are running a little late into the Exumas, we may spend most of our time there in the Exumas Land and Sea Park area. BLUE WATER here we go.....
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More UPDATE 5am:

Our Weather has changed significantly since last night.It is begin effected by this large gale up north. Look at this view of the entire Atlantic and how it is pulling the winds into these lows. Look at the storms and then look at the inflow of the winds from all the way down here in Miami...

Full Gale mid Atlantic pulling the winds SE

Second Gale off NC coast pulls the winds south in the Bahamas

Here are the NOAA South Weather Zones
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/zone/south/stheastmz.htm