Port Lacaya Marina

Wednesday May 14, 2014
25 44.855 N
77 51.603 W

We have looked at a lot of weather forecasts this week. Apparently the weather is not settling down into its Summer pattern yet. Last night we had decided to stay another day but when we got up this morning the new forecast was a bit better and so we decided to get rolling. We feel that we have to take the windows as they appear, or we will not get back to the USA for weeks. The tide at Pt Lacaya was also an issue because we needed to arrive at 1/2 tide to get over the bar.

We were under way at 8:30 AM for the 65 NM trip over the North West Providence Channel. Not that it makes much difference, but the channel is over 3,500' deep and carries a branch of the Gulf stream, and we were not too sure how that would affect conditions (wind vs current can be an issue). Within an hour or so we were outside the lee of the islands and started to experience pretty big swells, but 75% on our stern, as expected. There was not much chop.

As usual we were "on our own". The route we are taking back is bit unconventional so that is to be expected. But is is just a bit spooky to be in 3,000' deep water with not another object in sight. Makes me really watch those engine gauges! But about lunch time we happily spotted another boat heading towards us. As it got closer we discerned it was a trawler very like our own. It was having a harder time in the conditions as it was going against the weather. As it drew near I called them on the radio, just to say "Hi". Amazingly, we soon discovered that it was a boat from the same dock as ours at the IOP, and that we knew the crew quite well.

About 1/2 way across we started picking up speed - we must have found the Gulf Stream. We did not want to arrive at the bar before 1/2 tide, so the extra speed would be wasted, so I throttled back the engines to slow down. We normally cruise at about 1,700 RPM but after that adjustment we were doing 7 knots at only 1,250 RPM! We slowed down again when a big squall arrived and we were a few miles from the entrance. The channel is reported as "narrow" and we did not want to arrive in that wind.

Lucaya seems a big tourist place with several large hotels and casinos. We decided to stay at a "fancy" marina right where the action is so we could enjoy the town. When we arrived the dock guy put us in bow first, but the finger was too short to reach our gate, so I ended up backing the boat out, turning it 180 and backing in, all in a narrow fairway with a bit of wind.

Approaching the Lacaya entrance - actually looks like civilization

We went ashore for dinner. Looks like there will be plenty to explore in the morning.

Thursday May 15, 2014

Went exploring on the local buses. Seems they were not allowed "in town" so we had to walk a mile or so to find the first bus stop. The bus was a tiny 9 seater and they were all taken. The driver had to open and close the access door because it was so beat up. We ended up in "the business district" and walked around a bit but there was not much to see.

Went out or Chinese - was the worst, we left half the meal on our plates.

The tide here has been a pest. It's only about 4' but it is hard to keep the boat in a consistent place against the dock. Low tide the lines are all slack and the boat moves around too much, especially with all the wind. Plus its hard for Deidre to get on and off. When we returned to the boat this afternoon it was just too low for her to get on. So I passed her a chair and her book and an iced tea and she spent a couple of hours on the dock.

Friday May 16, 2014

It rained all day. I finished a draft of the "DeFever Cruisers eMail Newsletter" and sent it off for approval. We had dinner on the boat - way better than any meal we ever buy at a restaurant.