November 30, 2013.

We've been waiting for a week long series of viscous squalls to run their course through the area. On Friday we had had enough and made the 7 mile trip down to Black Point. We did the laundry, walked the beach, bought some peppers and onions and even scored a loaf of Lorraine’s mothers coconut bread.

The forecast called for light base winds with squalls thrown into the mix so at 0930 on Saturday we headed out for the Jumentos.

Fine Lion was waiting for parts to be flown in so we bade them farewell and headed out a few hours after Barry & Susan on Nighthawk XX.

Its a 120 mile trip and diesel is precious down there as you can't really get any. So we spent the day sailing, alternating between 2 and 7 knots as the breeze varied widely. Sometimes a squall would overtake us with 30 knots of breeze while the next one would be only rain.

Nighthawk XX opted to stop at Flamingo Cay so at 0200 we slipped past them in the dark. We did have to motor for 3 of the 23 hours to time our crossing of the Nurse Cay Cut with the incoming tide. There’s an 18 mile stretch there that is very similar to crossing the Gulfstream. You definitely don't want big wind opposing the tide. Unless getting your ass kicked is something you enjoy.

We sailed into the anchorage at Raccoon Cay and dropped the hook shortly after 0800. A passing rain shower rinsed off the boat and welcomed us back with a series of spectacular rainbows.

Its good to be back in the area we enjoy so much after a 1420 nautical mile journey. We got over the jitters of making the trip in an untried boat. Nobody yelled at me at an ICW bridge. We weren't run down from behind by a blind “sailor” motoring behind his limp genoa. Serenity 5 didn't try to barrel though us as he did his “Ray Charles drives a boat impression”. Alpha Mike had no issues. There was no white trash spectacle on the docks in Nassau. Customs and Immigration were spectacular. And in an hour this afternoon 6 lobster jumped into the Big Red Bucket O'Doom.

Veranda truly has “Done reach”.