Fort Pierce, FL to Beaufort, NC

4/22/17
63 hours from Manatee Pocket, FL to Beaufort, NC!  We had less wind than we would have liked but a fairly comfortable passage.  The gulf stream current added up to 4 or 5 knots at times.  Average speed about 10 knots!  Now that's moving.  We were thinking of our friend Jeff who has a performance catamaran and travels in excess of this speed all the time.  Fast!
The swells were large and confused as we approached the Frying Pan Shoals area of NC and we rocked and rolled.  An area of heavy rain, thunder and lightning greeted us as we exited the gulf stream current and headed for Beaufort.  A nice fresh water boat wash to clean the salt water spray away.  By 11 pm we were anchored in Taylor Creek.  In the distance at the Beaufort Town Docks we could see our buddy boats:  Blue Jacket (Donna and Jerry) and Scheherazade (Deb and Ron).  They arrived earlier after a 4 day sail from Great Sail Cay, Abacos, Bahamas.   We picked them up in the morning by dinghy and Jerry made breakfast aboard Persephone for everyone.  It was the beginning of a wonderful day with Ron, Deb, Donna, Jerry enjoying the sights of Beaufort. 

Don't tell anyone that our friend, Capt. Bob, who singlehands from NY to FL every year has his 82nd birthday next week.  Anyone looking at the photo would assume that Capt. Bob is our age.  Photo taken aboard Persephone in Lake Worth, FL.

Ryan, Harmony, and Zoe drove up to visit in Lake Worth, FL.  Here's what Zoe thinks of sailing.

Dale brings Dale's Pale Ale to share with Jerry aboard Persephone in Manatee Pocket, FL.

Here's a ink to a video Jerry took near the end of our passage from Ft. Pierce, FL to Beaufort, NC: https://youtu.be/rdc6hPwfjBc

4/14/17

With a favorable 4 or 5 day forecast we left St. Thomas headed west not knowing where we'd actually make landfall.  The wind would choose the destination.  In a little over 6 days we arrived at the inlet at Lake Worth.  It was a wonderful passage with wind between 5 and 20, all pretty much on the beam or a little after, sun shining or stars and near-to-full moon each night.  There are 2 videos as we approach Lake Worth Inlet.  You can click this link to go to Youtube to view:  https://youtu.be/I10ELFRLMRM   This one is the sun coming up:  https://youtu.be/5M0bigobQmM.

We counted 4 flying fish on deck after we anchored in Lake Worth.

The moon rising over the fancy houses at Lake Worth.

Sunset on passage through the Bahamas.

The next day we moved south to the City Docks in West Palm Beach with a view of the Trump Tower building looming and walked all over the hustling downtown.  We met the other sailors at the anchorage and had an interesting evening of sea stories.  Our friend Bob, who is anchored at the north end of Lake Worth, came down via bus and we sailed together to his neighborhood with a stop to see his son's new boat on the way.  Our plans are to hang out with Bob, go visit friends in Stuart, and continue heading north.  Please write when you have a chance!  We love to hear from you!

PS  One last video that I just found - my favorite brother-in-law Tom Shepard at the helm aboard Persephone in March.  https://youtu.be/cnR1tHYl8K8