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No, I’m not whining but come on… this isn’t really what we signed up for! The boat was 32F in the salon this morning and colder down in the hulls. I have no doubt that it is even colder than that outside in the wind.

Rebecca and I will soon have to jump in the dinghy and wrestle the Walker Bay inflatable that we have for sale into it so that we can drop it off at our friends’ house. They are going to attempt to sell it for us while we continue moving south.

Today’s destination is Vero (Velcro) Beach. We’ll see if it is as appealing as everyone says.

38 Comments

  1. I know you guys are from Canada, but get you a $15 space heater from Lowes before you wake up toe-less, which is not the same as sailing topless. : )

    OR GET TO THE ISLANDS!!! I’m excited to see yall’s pictures from the islands as well. Still sailing vicariously through you guys. Looks like a few more months of dry for us.

    • Space heater we have (from West marine) and it is good but running it off the inverter wouldn’t be too smart. We really need to be on shore power at a marina (which we aren’t) or run the generator (which I don’t want to do unless necessary). Getting to the islands sounds like the best solution. 90F in Grenada today!

  2. What are you guys using for heat (other than each other)?

  3. Vero’s great. I hope you can stay for a few days. You’ll likely raft up with someone on a mooring – it’s a good way to make lifelong friends. Make sure to get familiar with the free bus schedule if you need to get anything. It’s a medium walk to the beach – probably some great rough surf today with the weather that’s been happening.

    I hope it warms up for you (and me)!

    • Hi Jeff

      I think we’ll only stay the night. We need to blow off some of these cool places (and by cool I mean both neat and FREEZING) and get south!!! We did the majority of any provisioning we need in Melbourne so in theory we could make the jump at any time once we get south enough.

  4. Got ya beat, Mike. Minus 12 C this morning, minus 20 windchill. Am I ever glad Sunset Chaser is safely holed up in her garage now!

  5. It feels like I’m back in Alaska…its cold down here in Vero beach too….. Im sure you guys are wishing you were further south by now.

    Check out Ft. Pierce too just a bit south of Vero. http://www.fortpiercecitymarina.com I rode my bike around there the other day, lots to do and see there. Lots of boats stoping there on their way south too. I’m sure most plugged in to shore power for heat with this weather. Terry

  6. 61F In Nassau right now. 19F outside my door. Really enjoying your posts. You guys might win the record for most consistant posting. Keep them coming.

  7. So much for global warming.

  8. Remember the end of the movie Cocoon when all the old people went on the space ship to a happy place? That’s Vero Beach.
    😉
    Am I going to get in trouble for that?
    When Doug and I were there I was 28 years old, and my step-dad flew down to visit with us. EVERYONE (who had previously ignored us) greeted him assuming HE was the cruiser. No no he said, the boat is my daughters… silence. Another 20-something couple pulled in and seriously 3 other retiree cruisers told us to go meet them like they were setting up a play date. We were thankful they did though, those other young’uns are still great friends of ours.
    Have fun and may the sun follow you!

  9. Yes, we’re breaking records in the South this year! We’re looking forward to hearing about Vero Beach and your passage to the Bahamas.

  10. Sorry to hear about your dental problems. We arrive in the BVI tomorrow evening for a week. Why don’t you guys hop a plane and join us. 🙂

  11. I went for a short sail to day–a fools errand, but nothing broke and I had fun. The conditions?

    GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
    SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH
    LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT

    REST OF THIS AFTERNOON
    W WINDS 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. WAVES
    4 FT. AIR 24F high 17F low, WATER 34F.

    Right snotty, not question. Really stupid, maybe. It was also the first time I have sailed when using the jib was impossible; there was so much ice on the front half of the boat that I would have had zero chance of rolling the sail back in, and even with jacklines and harness, it was an absolute ice rink up front. Just getting to the mast to lower the main was stimulating; I needed crampons rather than deck shoes.

    I guess this is the first time I’ve sailed when it was both rough and sub-freezing. Not at all my cup of tea, but I did learn some things. An expereince. I imagine a real far-north sailor would need to re-think sail handling gear.

    Just in case your next cruise is to Baffin Island (you said “islands”….)

    However… Thanks to a Dixon heater, my cabin was a comfortable 55F, even with opening the door and the wind. I also have window covers and storm windows on.

    Enjoy the Bahamas!

  12. Keep moving, we wil be taking off for the Abacos Thursday, Looks like a great window to cross over. We have a Mr. Heater F232025 MH9BX Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Portable Radiant Heater, it is a propane catilitic heater and uses the 1 lb cylinders. its specs;
    4,000- to 9,000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 200 square feet
    Clean-burning; nearly 100-percent efficient; heavy-duty wire guard
    Auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels
    Fold-down handle; swivel-out regulator; connects to propane tank (not included)
    Measures 9 by 14-1/5 by 14-2/5 inches; 1-year limited warranty
    Sells for about $80 we really like ours. There is a bigger model that has a fan for around $120 but the buddy works fine for us.

    • That propane heater sounds great. Our friends have a propane heater that they use in the enclosed fly-bridge of their trawler and it keeps the area toasty.

      Have a great crossing… we won’t be far behind you.

    • Just remember you can’t sleep with such a heater. Yes, ther eis a sensor, but they have failed and there have been bad acidents with similar heaters. And they give me a headache.

      You will need an open window.

      You will get a lot of moisture in the boat (water in the exaust).

      It is no more efficient, really, than the stove burners, no matter what the literature says.

      In my mind, good in the cockpit, a hazard in the cabin. I would either use the stove in exteme moderation or get a real heater. Or go to the Bahamas.

      Curious; is a bit of nighttime heat ever useful in the Bahamas? I know it sometimes is in Hawaii.

  13. Am watching the news. West Pierhead Light in Cleveland is COMPLETELY covered in ice! Not just a glaze, either! Thick, yellow, ice. When the sun hits it, it glows. Not sure how far out in the lake it will shine under these conditions! As to temps, 12 degrees Fahrenheit, wind chill -9 Fahrenheit. Stiff wind out of the west. Still churches, schools, recreational facilities, day cares and libraries closed. Going to have to make up any more days when kids can’t go to school. I should have worn a mask when I went out to shovel yesterday, something which dawned on me about halfway down the walk to the car! I ducked into the car a couple of times to get out of the wind and catch my breath. My son, however, was grousing last night because it’s 60 F inn Ft. Lauderdale, was going down to 35F last night. VERY cold for Florida, and places in Northern Florida and the panhandle got down to the upper 20sF last night. Welcome to some of the side effects of global climate change!

  14. andy & sonja Pulman

    Hope it all warms up for you “fast” & those seas are following with good wind. Vero beach looks great on google maps, & i also hope you are locking that outboard motor up at night, I have heard of a few being stolen “down south” n used for drug runners

    • We have become very protective of our new dink and engine. It is getting locked up at docks and each night, it is raised in the davits. I even came outside in the cold last night, half way through watching a movie, to lift it up for the night.

  15. Hi guys

    Bruce and Karen. From ookpik are in vero now . Possibly you
    can raise them on VHF. Ps it’s much colder here !!

  16. Guys – don’t worry – we are in the Keys right now, and this morning we spent an hour trying to find our toes and fingers as they froze off during the night and rolled all around the boat. It IS still cold here… not exactly the kind of sailing I was hoping for in Florida!

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