Stap 3, Day 7 - Last Day on "About Time" and "What the hell happened last night?"

At 7:45am we woke up to the sounds of voices in the cockpit of the boat.  Voices that we didn't recognize.

Long story short, the Captain stayed out very late (4am-ish), eventually walked back to the boat, but "decided" to stop and take a nap on the front lawn of someone's house.  After his nap, we woke up and called an Uber to take him back to the boat, not quite sure of where he was.  It turns out he was only a 5 minute drive to the boat.

Oh, and then there was Charles, he was one of the voices we heard in the cockpit, along with two others, all of which returned to the boat at 7:45am.  Charles was probably a little drunk, but his two drinking buddies were pretty well gone.

It took some time to get rid of them, but after we did, we had breakfast, had a quick review and then took the final test for ASA 104 (we scored 95 and 99).

We were 101, 103, 104 and 114 certified!

We cleaned, packed up and said our farewells to the Captain, Charles, Caroline and "About Time".

Given that we had some time, we had the Uber take us to West Marine, just to look around.  From there we walked to a restaurant/bottle shop for lunch.  We still had time, so we walked to Sailorman which is another sailing supply house (right down the street and owned by the father of the wife half of Sailing the Space Between).  Then we took the Uber to the airport to end our vacation and start thinking about our next chance to go sailing...

- Mike

Step 3, Day 6 - The trip back to Ft. Lauderdale

Day 6 was the trip back up to Ft. Lauderdale.  

We started the day early and were all eating breakfast before 8:00am. After breakfast we performed Engine Checks.  One of "About Time's" engine was new, the other was original.  It was quite easy to tell which was which (both visually and audibly).

After the engine checks and topping off the oil in guess-which-engine, we took the ASA 114 test.  I got a respectable 94%.

Before leaving the Harbor, we did some close quarter motoring drills and then left the harbor and  turned south to go around the Southern Tip of Key Biscayne. After getting just beyond the bottom of the Key, we turned, raising the sails and headed out to sea for a mile or so, then turned north to head towards Ft. Lauderdale.

We had great wind and the benefit of the Gulf Stream, so we were moving along at a very respectable 10 kts!

Eventually the wind shifted and weren't getting quite as much speed, but I ended up at the helm for the last part of the sail, and we changed our heading to 270° (west) to head into Port Everglades.  We had a wind directly on our stern, so we ran wing-on-wing for a while (the mainsail on side of the boat and the headsail on the other).  The Captain trusted me enough to do this, without us setting up a(n accidental jibe) preventer.  Using the windex at the top of the mast, I just steered us to stay as close as possible to being directly on a run, to keep both sails happy.

Eventually, we had to turn on the engines as we entered what can become a very busy inlet to the ICW.  Once inside the channel and on the ICW, it opens up and we did a 360° turn, with a brief stop while heading 90° so that we could face the wind, drop the mainsail.  We also furled the genoa during our turn when we had enough wind on the headsail to make sure it furled cleanly.

We headed north on the ICW, waited for the first bridge to open, and then proceeded through, turning immediately west so that we could stop at the fuel dock.  I pulled us up along side as the rest of the crew ready fenders, docklines and got us tied up.

After topping off the tank, the others took turns at the helm, practicing turns as we went the rest of the way to return to the dock from which we started.  The size and number of million dollar plus boats and houses along that section of the ICW is hard to believe.

We got back, took showers at the bathroom in Blue Water Sailing School's office and then got ready for our last dinner together as a crew.

Dinner and the rest of the evening was kind of crazy.  Our Captain, with life and limb responsibilities done for the trip seemed to let himself enjoy the eating...and drinking more than during other parts of the trip.  Our two other crew members, Caroline and Charles also seemed to ramp up on the enjoyment (which was kind of saying something).  We still had one test remaining and it was the longest and hardest of the four, so Sue and I enjoyed ourselves too, but to a more modest level.

Before walking to dinner, everyone enjoyed some/many drinks in the cockpit (the exterior "hang out" area on a sailboat, usually where the helm station is located).  The rest of the bottle of vodka was finished off, as were some beers as was the rest of the bottle of rum.  We then walked to stop #1; a Mexican restaurant.  Well, four of us walked, one of us stumbled.

We enjoyed some Margarita's and appetizers and Caroline didn't seem to slow down on the drinking, as she started to become louder and louder.  Oh, and she also fell off of her chair at the table, at which point she decided to leave our group and go make friends with a group of ladies at the bar.  None of us stopped here, nor felt bad enough for her new friends to retrieve her. :-)

With our appetizers and drinks done, we settled up and prepared to walk to stop #2 for one of the Captain's favorite places to get a Cheesesteak sandwich.  Then Caroline couldn't find her phone.  We called it and no luck.  After looking on the floor, in the restroom, near the bar, on the chairs (and I think the captain wanted to pat down her new friends at the bar), Charles decided it was time to give up, not dwell on it and use it as an excuse for a phone upgrade. I felt bad she couldn't find it, but was happy to be able to move on.

While Charles and I were inside looking, Sue and Captain were outside with Caroline, preventing her from getting into some random person's car, because she felt like talking to the driver.

On to Stop #2: Parrot.  Caroline was still in a deepening "loud, happy drunk" state as we got a table at Parrot. We all ordered and soon noticed most people in the bar/restaurant staring in our direction, their attention drawn by Caroline now at full, outdoor voice volume.  We all moved to a separate room of the place, trying to distance ourselves from the others in the bar.  That was good for a while, but it was obvious that Caroline had not "crested" yet.  Charles soon realized it would probably be best for everyone, if he took her back to the boat to turn in (sleep it off).  When grabbing hold of her to take her back, he all of a sudden reached into her bra and pulled out, wait for it...her phone!  Our jaws hit the floor.

After "properly putting her to bed", Charles returned to hang out and drink for a while.  Soon after, Sue and I were done, and we decided to walk back and get some sleep.  Charles and Captain Keith decided to stay out (more on that in the next post).

We returned to the boat, walked into the salon and happened to notice Caroline at the bottom of the stairs to the starboard hull that she and Charles' cabin were in and she must have forgotten to put clothes on.  We both pretended to not notice and turned in for bed.

Step 3, Day 5 - Man Over Board! (practicing)

Another strong breeze for another great day of sailing!

No test today, so we just had sailing and MOB (Man Over Board) recovery practicing.  We left from our mooring ball with Sue at the Helm and took us expertly out of the narrow channel, especially given the current and wind, which was stronger as we left the protection offered at the mooring ball.

Captain Keith gaves just a destination and asked us to come up with the plan and the expected ETA.  We plotted the course, factoring in some tacks we would have to take and gave an estimate of 12:15p.

We arrived to what was basically a wide open spot out in Biscayne Bay and we started learning and practicing four methods of MOB recovery:

• Figure 8 - Good if you are in warm water and are not really in a hurry to get the victim back on board and want to go on a bunch of points of sail.
• Broad Reach/Close Reach - A lot quicker and involves only two points of sale.  
• Quick Stop - By far the easiest and quickest way to recover a MOB, except...
• Motoring - Probably the prefered way, assuming the motor starts or is already running.

Sue and I both did quite well on the practice of each type and recovered our victim on the first attempt and since I was the last to go, I stayed at the helm and took us back to No Name Harbor for our second overnight stay there.  When we pulled in to No Name Harbor, there was a spot on the sea wall in front of a monohull and behind another catamaran, captained by the friend of our captain that happens to be another BWSS instructor.  I manuevered us into the spot, and using both engines, was able to very smoothly pull us basically moving sideways and did so well enough to get a compliment from a person that was walking by.

We "got to" empty the holding tank, another valuable skill that I was just not that eager to learn.  All that being said, it was actually a very easy and really not that gross of a job.

With that done, I went for a walk on the seawall and noticed a couple coming to tie up on an older monohull.  They were on vacation from Switzerland, on a boat that he owns and keep in Ft Lauderdale for the couple of trips he gets to take a year.  They were super nice and happy that I was so eager to help get them tied up that they offered me a beer and we sat and talked for a while.

Sue found me and let me know that there was a manatee up near the harbor entrance that was eating seaweed from the seawall. I was stoked, I really wanted to see a manatee during this trip!

It is quite obvious why they are often called Sea Cows. Its back was covered with algae and a few boat scares :-(, but very docile and happy to be moving along the seawall, eating as it went.

We had another great meal (steak, potatos, salad, asparagus wine) prepared by Captain Keith, but soon after we were all zonked after being out in the sun all day and all of the grinding involved in the MOB drills, so off to bed we went.

-Mike

Step 3, Day 4 - Great wind!

This was a great day to sail.  A nice consistent 20 kt wind and otherwise nice weather in Biscayne Bay!

So, I had to get up around 3am and re-apply bug spray because the mosquitos were finding me through the hatches we had opened to get some airflow.  I managed to walk up in time to re-apply before beocming light headed from lack of blood supply.

I wake up for good around 6am to a beautiful sunrise above the Atlantic visible from across the small, 200yd wide key.

 

After breakfast, we walked up to the top of the Boca Chita Lighthouse, which is usually closed.  The view of Miami was pretty amazing!

I took the helm to bring us out of the anchorage and into the narrow channel as we headed towards Coconut Grove; our next stop. We continued to take turns at the helm practicing points of sail and taking turns grinding the winches and were averaging around 8kts, which is about top speed for a 37 foot catamaran.

Sue taking her turn at the Helm

When we got to the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, we picked up a mooring ball and then, using the Sailing Club's shuttle dinghy service, we took a trip to the clubhouse to take a shower while the opportunity presented itself.

We then walked into the Coconut Grove area to go to one of the Captain's favorite stops; a very good Indian Restaurant. A few other bar stops on the way back and then we finally returned to About Time, but not "in time" to close all the hatches before the rain storm came through.  Our fellow students ended up with a pretty wet bed, the salon was pretty wet and we were fortunate that the only thing that got wet in our cabin was my iPad, which is in a waterproof case! We all helped to dry off things and then head to bed.

- Mike

Step 3, Day 3 - Let's do some sailing already!

Sue and I woke up at about 700 am and I decided to go for a swim in No Name Harbour.  It was a little cold at first, but I fixed that with a lap around the boat. It is a really nice State Park and would be happy to return here!

Once everyone was up and moving, we pulled the hook and moved over to the face dock while there was an opening.  Captain Keith made us a breakfast of Pancakes and Sausage.  We gathered up the track on the boat and deposited that while we had the opportunity.  

We then took the first our our tests, the written exam for ASA 101.  I aced it at 100%! 

We left No Name Harbour around 10:00 and returned to Biscayne Bay were we headed mostly North, tacking back and forth until about 12:30p when we hove to so that we could have lunch.

After lunch we all took turns practicing all the points of sail.  For those of you that don't know, that would be:

• Port Tack, Close Hauled (heading up as close to the wind as possible)
• Port Tack, Close Reaching
• Port Tack, Beam Reaching (wind directly on our port beam)
• Port Tack, Broad Reaching
• Running (directly down wind)
• Starboard Tack, Broad Reaching
• Starboard Tack, Beam Reaching
• Starboard Tack, Close Reaching
• Starboard Tack, Close Hauled

After we all took our turns at the helm, we continued on towards our anchorage, however our VMG (Velocity Made Good) was not very good at all, so we turned on the motor to make sure we'd make it to Boca Chita anchorage before dark.

We tied up and went for a walk around Boca Chita.  So, so many mosquitos.

Spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread, maybe a few Dark 'n Stormy's and then off to bed around 9:30p.

-Mike

Step 3, Day 2 - "Sailing" down to Miami from Ft. Lauderdale

We woke up early, un-tied and cast off with Sue at the Helm, motoring the 30 minutes down the ICW.  We timed our departure so that we could make the timed openings of the two bridge between the boats slip and the cruise ship port of Port Everglades, where we would access the Atlantic.

We entered the Atlantic and turned South to head to Miami.  Unfortunately, the wind was directly on our nose, so it was about 6 hours of motor-sailing along the coast.

Sure, we would have preferred to sail, but it was a really relaxing trip and Sue was driving the boat like a boss!

After motor-sailing, we entered the Miami area, motored past the Miami Boat Show location and then down to No Name Harbour, where we dropped anchor and stayed the night.
FYI, the mosquitos AND the no-see-ums both found me quite delectable.  Grrr.

On the plus side, the first beautiful sunset of the trip!

- Mike

Step 3, Day 1 - Provisioning for our week aboard our classroom, "About Time"

Saturday night, after being introduced to the boat and each other, we sat down in the Galley and came up with a meal plan and then a shopping list, by grocery store department, for the week to come.  We walked about a half mile to a grocery store, broke up the list and went shopping!  We also walked across the parking lot to the liquor store for some other essentials ;-)

With our three carts worth of bagged groceries, we hailed an Uber XL for a ride back to "About Time".  We stowed all of our groceries in the galley, which honestly all seemed to disappear in to so many nooks and crannies.  While the boat lacked in storage in the cabins, there is a surprising amount of storage in the galley/saloon.  We honestly probably could have provisioned for 150 meals instead of the 75 we provisioned for.

For dinner, we walked about 10 minutes to go to a burger place called BRGR STOP.  Glutenous menu of piled high burgers and milkshakes, which were really good.  Unfortunately, the place decided to have a DJ with blaring music starting at about 9pm, which effectively ended our conversation and completely ruined our otherwise good experience.  Why must places do things like that?!

Back to the boat for an early morning trip down the ICW (Intra-Coastal Waterway) to Port Everglades and the open ocean.

- Mike

Step 3: BWSS Course C+ Cat: Advanced Catamaran Skipper

Time to Learn to Sail!!

The Boat Show was fun and helpful, but not the main reason for the trip.  What is this sailing thing about anyways?!

We started the day (Saturday) in Miami and took an Uber up to Dania Beach to look at a few boats for sale, just to get an idea of what'd out there and see some Leopard 44's currently on the market.  We're currently thinking that getting a 3 or so year old used boat will get us the best value; that's when the depreciation is worst and when the first owner is usually doing upgrades to the boat, that we would likely want or at least appreciate.

The Leopard 45s are brand new and are selling at a premium.  Again, we love that boat, except for the 4'11" draft (and the brand new price tag).  The Leopard 44 is almost as nice, available on the used market (sometimes) and has a 1 foot smaller draft.  We looked at two 44s and it was obvious that the mainteance done by the previous owners makes a big difference in the look of a used boat.

I digress.

We arrived at BWSS and were pointed to the boat we'd be living on for the next 6 days.  It was a 2001 37' Island Spirit named "About Time".  The boat was nice enough, sailed really well, but showed her age and lacked cabin storage space.  She is a 4 cabin, 2 head boat which looks like Leopards of that vintage and was also made in South Africa.

The Salon (living room, of sorts) was plenty large for the five of us (Sue and I, our Captain and another couple that would be taking the course as well).  They Galley (kitchen) was also fine, maybe a little cramped for five, but it was really the cabins where the size seemed small.  Plenty of room to sleep, but when getting ready for the day or ready for bed, there was really only room for one of us to be in the cabin at a time.  For this class, it was fine, just sayin'.

-Mike