off to paradise

Finally, finally, we are ready to go (almost ready since we forgot the dish washing liquid although we rushed bak to Publix for last minute shopping). With a very nice sent off from Babette and Claude, we took the first giant step from Cooley's Landing to Lake Sylvia around 11:00 in the morning, almost 2 miles, not including a little tour towards Las Olas bridge so that Ajut could take a gazillion pictures of the mega Yachts anchored around the Hall of Fame marina.
At Lake Sylvia, we had lunch and we waited until around 3:30 to get going, top up the fuel tank at the Lauderdale marina and sail under the 17th street bridge at the 5:00 p.m. opening.
Across the Gulf Stream, the conditions were perfect with southerly wind and less than 2 feet seas, although we almost had to beat into the wind when the forecast was for SSW wind. We sailed all the way across under the guidance of Mister Monitor.
I realised however that, as it is mentionned in the manual, it is important to have the sails well balanced for the monitor to steer with ease.
Once we got on the east side of the gulf stream, the seas became a little rough while the wind veered from SSE to SSW and we could ease the sheets quite a bit. As we prepared to enter the channel into Port Lucaya at 8:30 a.m., the lever that command the transmission broke off. Ajut made an emergency repair that allowed us to enter into Port Lucaya and drop the hook, time for us to make a more permanent repair.
Once this was done, we went into the Port Lucaya marina to clear Customs and Immigration, which took almost 2 hours, and then went out again to get to Ezio's place, 8 miles to the East of Port Lucaya.
The weather had become a little rougher, and one breakfast went back into Neptune's domain.
We arrived at Ezio's at 13:10, in time for a nice lunch (Claudine and Ajut are first class cooks and I stay away from the galley).

More photos in the photo album
It is now time to enjoy the Bahamas !