Category: 2015 Feb Positions

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/17 12:08
LATITUDE: 22-25.01N
LONGITUDE: 084-41.59W
COURSE: 240T
SPEED: 9.0
COMMENT: Beach House Milestones…..EnRoute-Isla Mujeres, Mexico

One of the more well founded metrics for a circumnavigation is crossing the longitude of which you began while
remaining mostly in the tropics. As of about 20 minutes ago at 084 degrees 40.7 minutes West, we were 795 miles due north
of Bahia Herradura on the WEST COAST of Central America. That is where Cindy and I left Central America on the 21 of April, 2009.

It\’s taken awhile and we\’ll have at least two more \”country to country\” circmnavigation milestones. First will be tomorrow when we arrive in
Mexico and next will be at the Rio Dulce in Guatemala. At that point, we\’ll only be 150 miles from where we were on the West Coast of Guatemala.

The crossing so far is flat seas and currently (pardon the pun) we\’re getting a 2.8 knot PUSH across the Yucatan Channel which we are just entering.
It won\’t last! ETA around midnight.
We\’ll keep you posted!
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/12 23:22
LATITUDE: 23-05.35N
LONGITUDE: 082-29.83W
COMMENT: Beach House -DOCKED- Havana – Marina Hemingway

It was a VERY long 13 hour day to move the 88 miles from Cayo Blanco to Marina Hemingway here – 10 miles SW of Havana.
We have a nice slip and again…lots to tell, especially about our check in process here…
The Harbor Master speaks excellent English and will try to get us our needed expertise as soon as possible.

Knowing \”how it goes\” in the land of Manana…we expect to be here at least a few days before heading west.
All is well, crew safe, tired and sound.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/11 21:55
LATITUDE: 23-12.07N
LONGITUDE: 081-02.14W
COMMENT: Beach House -ANCHORED- Cayo Blanco – Havana tomorrow.

We\’ll update everyone soon in a couple of blogs. So far, we were told we could get some assistance
in Marina Varadaro, but we are definitely in the land of \”Manana\”. As such, we\’ll move on to Marina
Hemingway just west of Havana to see if the big city can assist us with our needs. Again, no worries.
Just want to take care of everything before moving west to Mexico if possible.

Lots to tell…..:-)
Remember, we have NO internet but we can be reached on email directly.
We get the FB notices of post, but can\’t view them till internet happens.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/06 00:30
LATITUDE: 23-11.47N
LONGITUDE: 081-07.62W
COMMENT: Beach House -DOCKED – Marina Gaviota – Varadero, Cuba

The weather ruled out the Cay Sal Bank completely and then…..A funny thing happened on the way to Mexico…

Well, with the Fuel line leak getting worse, the engine kill solenoid on the port engine malfunctioning, the oil temperature sender on the same engine malfunctioning.
AND, a HUGE cold front coming down out of the Midwest. Discretion being the better part of valor, we\’ve declared a \”pan pan\” situation. That is the maritime term for, \”we\’ve got some problems, but we\’re not screaming for assistance\” (That would be a Mayday – \”help me\” in French). Safety of the crew and vessel come first.

We needed to get out of the 30 knot gusts and rain squalls that were just starting when we tied up at the dock. We need to have a stable platform to work on some of the issues. The fuel leak is the most important. After a good rocking around last night while sailing, we noticed a big increase in the leak. It\’s a potential fire hazard and the fumes do not make the crew function at their best…:-)
It needs to be dealt with which I will do here. We expect to be here in Varadero for a few days waiting out the weather. We may need to get the repairs done at Marina Hemingway in Havana..
90 miles to our west.

LOTS to tell in the next blog.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/04 17:28
LATITUDE: 24-41.49N
LONGITUDE: 078-34.21W
COURSE: 213T
SPEED: 7.6
COMMENT: Beach House – ABEAM Biliie Island – En Route Anguilla Cay – Cay Sal Bank

We decided to press on as the weather looks good now, but deteriorates in a couple of days.
We will arrive at Anguilla Cay on the Cay Sal Bank tomorrow, early a.m.

It\’s flat calm out here on the Great Bahama Bank…so with flat seas and winds expected to arrive on the beam before
dark, we press on… Very strange to see the sea foam green of the shallow water. We\’ll travel a 100 miles in waters less than 10 feet deep!
If it was 10 feet shallower. This would be the world\’s largest beach!
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/03 19:34
LATITUDE: 25-07.61N
LONGITUDE: 078-14.94W
COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Big Cross Cay, Andros Island – The Adventure Route!

In a straight line, we came 24 miles today. However, due to the reefs and shallows, it was 44 miles overall.
We have a nice feature on Nikki\’s Navionics Charts on her IPAD. It gives us depth contours. This was very helpful creeping into our little anchorage here.
It\’s pretty flat, 15 knots of wind, expected to build up to 20 tonight, but we\’ve a pretty sweet spot at this anchorage. We like to be anchored early enough that if we have to hunt for anchorage, we\’ve got daylight to do it. This trip reminds us a bit of \”over the top\” through the Aboriginal Lands in \”OZ\”. Lots of lore to tell about in the next blog update.
We\’ll head another 25 miles further south tomorrow, then look for the weather window to jump to Anguilla Cays (if possible) in the Cay Sal Bank.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2015/02/01 22:00
LATITUDE: 25-24.55N
LONGITUDE: 077-54.57W
COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Chubb Cay, Berry Islands – The Bahamas

We had a lovely get together last evening aboard Beach House with new friends Anneke and Tom (from Holland) aboard s/v \”Elisa\”
They left very early this morning for The Abacos and we left on the 70 mile trip to Chubb Cay in the Berry Islands. We had great wind from dead astern
all day and with a full mainsail and genoa poled out to windward, we made very good time. We actually anchored in this exact spot last June just before our arrival
in Ft. Lauderdale. We suspect we\’ll be here tomorrow waiting out the southerly that is expected and then may have a nice weather window to pursue the \”adventure route\” down the west side of Andros Island.

Enjoy the Super Bowl…we haven\’t decided yet if we\’ll go into the restaurant and watch yet or not. It\’s a bit blustery…..:-)
KIT,
Scott and Nikki