Sym had got loads of work done on the boat when i had been gone and completly built two tables( one for the saloon and a fold up one for the cockpit) and re varnished all the exterior wood work. It looks brillant and has gone from looking quite tatty to brand new!
Sym studying our charts on our new cockpit table
We did not have much time to chill out when i got back as Sym visa run out on the 6th April and we went to go and see customs ans immigration at the airport and there was no way we could extend his visa...so that left us with 5 days before we had to leave the states. It was a bit if a bummer really cos we really wanted to see Miami and hop down the Florida Keys, instead our only option was to sail to the Bahamas. We were not planning to stop at the Bahamas, just because it was out of the way and we had alot of miles to cover (heading south to Panama) in a short time , before we fly back to the UK to have our little girl.Secondaly, it costs 300 dollars to get a cruising permit.....how mad is that?? Out of all the countires we have visited the most expensive by far was 70 UD dollars to clear into Columbia. We would not have minded so much if we had a few months to chill and hop around loads of the islands but we only have time for a couple and need to start making a move to Cuba as soon as possible.
Anyway, we had 5 day to sail from Daytona to West Palm beach before having to leave and it was about 180 miles so it would give us all of a day or two to pray for a good weather forecast to cross the Gulf Stream to Grand Bahama Island.
Me chilling on deck catching some rays
The waterways were much busier as we headed south and to be perfectly honest got a bit boring after a while...its alright for the first week or so, but then it gets quite monotomous...especially with having a six foot draft and at low water, we were bearly floating in lots of places( the depth alarm beeping like crazy).
However it was very different in West Palm Beach compared to the rest of the trip...the money there is out of this world!! I have never seen so many expesive boats racing around with teenagers all drinking and partying in boats with engines more expensive than our whole boat out together...CRAZY!!
Me and my fat belly admiring the houses in West Palm Beach
This was one of the small ones:
Only joking!!
The houses on the waterways were amazing( must have been worth millions), each with their own pontoon with their sailing yacht, motor yacht and jet skies all moored outside. We arrived in west palm beach on the bank holiday weekend of spring break so you can imagine how hectic it was. Imagine Cowes week in the Solent , with boats being skippered by everyone under the age of 18 and it was way worse!!!
It would of been an amazing party town..if i was not pregnant and able to drink..lol..arrrggg!!!!
Im gutted i did not get to take any pictures of all the madness as at the time we were pretty stressed out trying to avoid crashing with everyone!!
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