Bobthebuilder's next adventure - Part 1, Ft. Lauderdale to Turks & Caicos

[Bobthebuilder]

From their first report it looks like it will be next Thursday the 30th before I can return to continue with the trip. I will post a link to show how detailed their reports are when I can. Very cool.

[Ratickle]

I just hired a firm called Weather Routing, Inc. They employ professional meterologists and will watch for a weather window for me and will plot my route. I will get regular updates sent to my Blackberry and will get several days notice to get down to Great Exuma to continue to T&C. Now that's cool and takes some stress away from me.
Bob

Ah, just do what Charlie and Rich would have done in the old days. Grab a compass, a couple of sandwiches, and go......

[Bobthebuilder]

Ah, just do what Charlie and Rich would have done in the old days. Grab a compass, a couple of sandwiches, and go......

Technology really has spoiled us, hasn't it.

[SLOWOUTBOARD]

hey bob how are you getting the boat home?shipping or driving

[Bobthebuilder]

hey bob how are you getting the boat home?shipping or driving

I expect I will drive it back from wherever I end up whether that be T & C or BVI. The weather should get better as we get closer to summer. One of my problems is my insurer wants this all done with by early June before hurricane season starts. It can be shipped from San Juan to Miami but I think it would just be a pain but may be an option.
Bob

[masher44]

WOW cool trip! best of luck!

[Bobthebuilder]

We are planning on flying back to Georgetown on Wednesday this week to continue with our trip down to the Turks and Caicos Thursday. ( The forecasts I've been getting better hold up !! ) The attached Google Earth pics show two possible routes. Final route selection will be determined by wind and sea direction on the day of travel. Not a lot of difference in distance. Northerly route is approx. 274 miles and southerly is 280 miles. We will of coarse be referring to our charts when under way, and not Google Earth. It is a great tool tho when stuck at home.
Bob

[Ratickle]

Nice Bob, keeping us informed is really appreciated.

[catastrophe]

I expect I will drive it back from wherever I end up whether that be T & C or BVI. The weather should get better as we get closer to summer. One of my problems is my insurer wants this all done with by early June before hurricane season starts. It can be shipped from San Juan to Miami but I think it would just be a pain but may be an option.
Bob

Hey Pal

I think you and I have the same insurer.
I had to have my boat out of Fla. by JUNE 1 to meet the fine print of my policy. Boat at RR now.

[Bobthebuilder]

Hey Pal

I think you and I have the same insurer.
I had to have my boat out of Fla. by JUNE 1 to meet the fine print of my policy. Boat at RR now.

Hey Alec. My policy is the same. I pointed out to Rita that hurricane season does not start until after mid June and she is cool with it. Matter of fact for the first time they have agreed to let me leave the NT in FL this summer. Shhh. It's kept indoors of coarse so as long as the building does not blow down should be good.
I will do the northern poker runs in the Donzi this summer.
Keep in touch.
Bob

[catastrophe]

Boy you've been gone a while .What a trip! So many different places and hotels and resorts. Fantastic pal.

When you've spent the same as one of PRA 's poker runs please post.

[Nortechnorth]

Hey Bob. Why do you always have to be so boring? Try something fun and interesting for a change one of these times!

[baywatch]

We are planning on flying back to Georgetown on Wednesday this week to continue with our trip down to the Turks and Caicos Thursday. ( The forecasts I've been getting better hold up !! ) The attached Google Earth pics show two possible routes. Final route selection will be determined by wind and sea direction on the day of travel. Not a lot of difference in distance. Northerly route is approx. 274 miles and southerly is 280 miles. We will of coarse be referring to our charts when under way, and not Google Earth. It is a great tool tho when stuck at home.
Bob

Very cool...

What is your cruising range on full fuel and what diesel power package does the 50' have in it? Our next boat will be a diesel so we have the ability to do more long range cruising.

Keep the updates coming for all of us that have to live vicariously through you...

[Bobthebuilder]

Very cool...

What is your cruising range on full fuel and what diesel power package does the 50' have in it? Our next boat will be a diesel so we have the ability to do more long range cruising.

Keep the updates coming for all of us that have to live vicariously through you...

Range is just over 400 miles. We have a 400 gal. fuel tank and can easily average 1 mpg. I'm quite happy with the diesel setup in this boat. I'm kinda over the 100 + MPH stuff. I may finally just be maturing ! LOL Some will doubt that.

Bob

[rockstrmkr]

"maturing" ? ? ? I sure hope not.....

[Bobthebuilder]

This is what is happening out there today:

DATE TODAY (AFTN)

Wind Direction ENE-ESE / Wind Speed 22-30 GUSTS 35 /

Seas 4-6 ft. / Swell Direction ENE-ESE / Swell Ht. 7-9 ft. / Per 8 seconds

MOSTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED SHWRS/SQUALLS*

[Bobthebuilder]

Flying back to Georgetown today along with son in law Lee Kram and his buddy Jason Dutton. We are looking forward to getting back on the water tomorrow morning and if all goes well should make T & C by mid to late afternoon. I will get the latest weather from Weather Routers, Inc. this morning. Hope it has settled down some as forecast.
Bob

[Bobthebuilder]

We are now in Georgetown but tomorrow looks like a no, go. On my way to the airport I received the latest update from Weather Routers and they are saying Saturday. That fit with some other info I had gathered late last night. When we flew in today we could see the frenzy out there and huge waves crashing on the beach. We will poke around here tomorrow and will likely take a shot at it Friday if it is showing signs of settling down. The locals say it has been blowing here for 3 weeks with little relief. Boo, hoo. I was all pumped and ready to go but rule number 1 is to stay safe so we will live to do it again someday.

Bob

[Davidmnc]

We are now in Georgetown but tomorrow looks like a no, go. On my way to the airport I received the latest update from Weather Routers and they are saying Saturday. That fit with some other info I had gathered late last night. When we flew in today we could see the frenzy out there and huge waves crashing on the beach. We will poke around here tomorrow and will likely take a shot at it Friday if it is showing signs of settling down. The locals say it has been blowing here for 3 weeks with little relief. Boo, hoo. I was all pumped and ready to go but rule number 1 is to stay safe so we will live to do it again someday.

Bob

Be safe Bob! Have fun, and send pics.

[Bobthebuilder]

I'm looking at the Bahamas weather on my laptop over breakfast this morning and am really frustrated with this windy weather. There are whole host of options before me and I even considered pulling the plug on this thing and heading back to FL. I am not a quitter of coarse and I soon settle down and decide we should get started with our day doing a bit of local boating and make the best of it. We did poke our nose out a mile offshore to see just how bad it was out there and after eating some 8 ftrs came back in to the protected waters. The decision not to go to T & C today was the right one. It was truly nasty water.
So we find this gorgeous little bay with deserted sand beach on the leeward side of an island and drop anchor. We snorkelled some, swam to the beach, got the DUX boat out and just had fun. We then went over to Chat N Chill for a late lunch in the DUX boat and decided life at Great Exuma is not so bad after-all.
We also moved from the Beach Inn into a 3 bedroom villa at February Point overlooking the bay and marina where Team PREDATOR is safely put away.
One of the girls that works at February Point is anxious for a ride on Team PREDATOR and has offered to be our guide tomorrow and take us to a great local dive spot. ( You will just have to wait for those pics. LOL )
If there is some let up in the winds by Saturday we will then make our assault on Turks and Caicos . Until then, we will just tough it out here on Great Exuma.