No Name Harbour (Part 1)

We are now sitting in No Name Harbour in Key Biscayne!

We’d heard about this anchorage as the “go-to place to wait for a weather window” for a crossing to the Bahamas, and we weren’t sure what to expect…I’d envisioned a packed/busy place with lots of amenities (like most of Florida), and Caitie envisioned the opposite. Honestly, it’s kind of nestled perfectly in between. We have enough room to anchor (though it is a little tight amongst the 20 other boats here), and there are washrooms. pump out facilities, and a restaurant/bar that makes a great grilled snapper ;). On the other hand there is no fuel, no water, and no access to provisions. The anchorage is in the middle of a natural park, so there are walking trails and beaches, etc. etc. etc., (though honestly we haven’t had much chance to explore – we hope to take some photos tomorrow/this weekend to do a proper update later…see part 2).

Frankly, we are in GO mode. This is our last chance to get our shit together in the US and we want to make sure we have enough food, spares, and supplies to make it in the Bahamas (and potentially beyond). First thing we did when we arrived was to rent a car. We spent an entire 8 hour day (yesterday) hitting major marine stores and filling our CNG tanks. We even managed to hit the Westerbeke distribution center just outside of Miami to stock up on all the necessary engine-related parts (and manuals) at rock-bottom prices. We felt great, despite now having worn out our credit cards :S

And yes, I treated myself to some fishing supplies – including a hawaiian sling for spear fishing 😉

Honestly, this isn’t even 1/4 of the stuff we have purchased as spares/provisions/toys…

When we got back to the boat today, we re-did our TO-DO list. Every boater knows this is never ending, and for us it’s the same way. It was a good opportunity to re-prioritize what we need to work on, and to appreciate the fact that we have actually done a lot…

Here’s a snapshot. DONE:

~~Put top batten in main~~
~~Re-rig lazy jacks~~
~~Tighten reefing lines~~
~~Install lower slug/hank for main~~
~~Replace toilet seat hinges~~
~~Fix coolant leak~~
~~Tighten throttle cable~~
~~Check rigging and tighten shrouds~~
~~Tighten ignition key/instrument panel~~
~~Build solar panel stainless steel frame~~
~~Install solar panels~~
~~Drill weep hole in mast step~~
~~Install filter for foot pump in galley~~
~~Replace all batteries, and add 100ah to house bank~~
~~Install battery monitor~~
~~Install LED lights~~
~~Fix wiring for high output alternator~~

TO-DO starting tomorrow (and hard to read):

Honestly, thus far on the trip, we haven’t let ourselves settle into a place, so it’s really nice to just have some time to relax and work on things at our own pace (in nice weather!)

Lastly, here are some random self-indulgent shots, for the sake of completeness.