Crossing the Gulf Stream...

I had worked my way into a frenzy with all the online research I had been doing about crossing the gulf stream. "Wait for the right weather window" was the term that I heard over and over again... what does that mean anyway? Remember, I'm a newbie to the sailing world and boating on the east coast. I viewed a magitude of videos where other boaters had to turn back mid-passage because the wind and seas were too rough, their boat was being tossed about and crew members were getting sick. I worried about all the traffic we might encounter out there - the freighters, cruise ships and personal vessels. I was a basket case of nerves.

The night before we were going to cast off from our comfortable dock at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, I went up to the facilities to do a couple last minute loads of laundry. While the laundry was doing its thing, I bashfully joined a group of fellow boaters who were sitting on the boardwalk having a sundowner and enjoying the sunset. After the sun set and the firepit came on, I expressed my concerns about our impending "crossing". They all started to chime in with this story and that story and frequently going off on a tangent. Once I wrangled them in, I learned a few things. Bottom line... I had nothing to worry about. I learned that the weather window is just that... a window, a period of time, when the winds were at a reasonable speed, heading in the right direction and the sea heights were such that it would be safe for us to sail, motorsail or simply motor. According to the Windy app and my trusty Captain, that time was upon us.

We shoved off the next morning and made our way south through the intracoastal waterway to Lake Worth, a common launching area among boaters making the crossing to the Bahamas. I don't think either one of us got a lick of sleep. I was so excited... and nervous. My worries switched over from the crossing to, "Oh my gosh, I hope I have all the dog's travel papers in order so we can get them into the Bahamas without question". My cell phone alarm went off at 4:30am - I'm bursting with excitment of the thought of sandy beaches, warm water and fun cocktails with umbrellas. "Anchor up at 5:30" chimed Doug as we both jumped out of bed. While Doug checked the oil in the motors, turned on the electronics, and did one more check of the weather, I did one last check around to make sure that things were properly stowed and locked up before heading out to the ocean.

And off we went...

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The gulf stream is a a strong ocean current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. It extends all the way up the eastern coast of the United States and Canada (scijinks.gov).