Rio Dulce Chisme Vindicator

[DonGato]

My compliments on a very informative and well written article about Mar Marine.

I knew they had been making some changes, additions and such but I have been there only once since I got back to the Rio and that was just a quick trip upstairs to the store.

It is good news about all the new plans you mentioned. I was also misinformed about the cost of dockage. I thought it was more expensive. That swimming pool sounds inviting, and moving the store to the ground floor would be wonderful. I always hated climbing those stairs.

Again as usual very informative and well written article. I love it when we get the whole real story instead of the usual bits of Chisme we pick around the Rio.

[elpolvo]

agreed!

sounds like the only necessity missing is internet access (WiFi).

or was that just unreported in the article? didn't see it listed on their website either.

[encor]

...yer right, not mentioned, but when i was there for lunch last week, saw a couple of laptops keeping busy. think it is there, let's hear from calamity or roy to verify.

my only complaint (get ready for this) they only have wine by the bottle

damn

[Scoop]

Yep, there's wifi .. it was a very weak signal when I got there but I upped it with an Access Point Router and flat antenna and the signal is hitting the marina pretty good. Gato you might be able to pick it up as well. It's the linksys signal .. not encrypted. And they've agreed to max the signal out as much as Telgua can provide.

Encor .. there's always WBTG (wine by the glass) for you on the Steel Magnolia, darlin'.

Polvo .. I need to have Ram Marine's article published this Saturday and run for a few days before getting shoved down too far. Gato sez he doesn't remember what day of the week it is. Since I imagine I'll be somewhere between the Dry Tortugas and Isla on Saturday, could you remind him .. or just click the Publish on Front Page icon. The story is already published and formatted .. just needs the click to go to Front Page?

Gracias to all of ya!

We're now in Apalachicola and will cross the Gulf to Charlotte Harbor tomorrow and most of the next day. It'll be Bill's first offshore experience so there might be a story here. Then we'll hop to Key West then Isla.

Hope the weather window holds ..

Roy

[elpolvo]

[DonGato]

Hey Your Editorship! Give me a break! I saved the email. You want the RAM story up on the 16th, that's Saturday and I would have gotten it done.

I will also get this one done and publish it after MAR gets their equal time.

Just cause I don't know what day it is most of the time doesn't mean I don't have a calendar. I was standing by to press the publish button on....what day was that again? Looks like Dusty beat be to the punch.

The thing is I don't really care much what day it is, unless something important is happening. Everyday is a holiday in paradise!

[Scoop]

Hey guys .. need a little help here. According to the VHF weather forecasts, this front was supposed to be nasty .. now, at 5:28 p.m. Friday, after deciding NOT to make the run straight to Key West we tucked in to Clearwater, Fl. (condo city with little bitty channels and hardly nothing in the way of an anchorage) and we're sitting here with barely any wind, a little drizzle of a rain, and would like to get the hell out and back offshore for the Key West run.
And the only way to get internet access is to buy 4 hours for $4.95 from the city of Dunedin. And to tie up to a slip for the night with NO services is from $52 to $80 a night. Now I know why I live in Guatemala.

Anyway, if anyone has time to research this cold front and can advise in the next 3.4 hours, I'd just as soon head back out now and take my chances. Heading south on the ICW is a nightmare .. we tried it for a while and discovered there's a series of at least 5 bridges which open when they damn well feel like it .. not upon request.

If this cold front .. and the one following .. don't have much punch, I'd rather shoot straight on down to Key West, pick up the supplies friends have asked us to get .. and go on to Isla Mujeres.

But I also don't want to trash the boat .. it's more of a coastal cruiser, not bluewater.

Nice cruise over from Appalachicola .. but getting frustrated on this New Jersery-Florida Shore. Diesel fuel went up to $4.30 a gallon today (according to the Bronx fuel dock attendant who "ain't paid enuff to know anything" he remarked).

Help me get the hell out of here!

[Scoop]

Polvo ..

I'm not much of a weather guy (well, duh) .. and just reread what you sent. Does that mean the front weakened a bit and we might have a window to get out of here and go offshore from Clearwater to Key West tonight or tomorrow? If it's tonight, I'll drink a half gallon of coffee and go .. despite sleeping maybe 3 hours running from Appalachicola to Clearwater today .. ain't much of a sailor if you have to sleep much, right?

But it's now 6:43 and the winds they predicted are absolutely not here .. it's a dead calm. What to believe, huh matey?

Gimme some advice and I'll go for it and grumble mildly later if it's not quite right.

[X ISLE]

Scoop, here is the best weather advice I have found from WINDY DANCER:
The most important thing to look for is weather. During these months we get the northers coming down across the gulf and they can blow like stink. It really doesn't matter where you leave from you are still in the Yucatan Channel which will be running a 2+ knot current to the north. That is in your favor however if a norther comes down the current is running against the wind and it will build up big steep seas.

You are giong to need a weather window that will get you at least to Key West. the best weather modeling I have found is that used by the US Navy and it is available online at https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/wxmap_cgi/index.html When you go there you will get a certificate error warning. Ignore the warning and continue to the site. Then click on Tropical Atlantic. Then click on the "all" link for Surface Strmlns and Wind speeds [kts]. This will give you chart modeling for the next 7 days. Note that the times indicated are UTC (Greenwich, Zulu, etc.) and you need to subtract 6 hours for our local time.

If you look at the current set you will see that at Sun. 12Z (0600 local) winds in the Yucantan are SE 10 to 15. The next chart Mon 00Z (1800 local) the winds are shifting more to the east and up in the gulf off the Texas coast a norther is starting to move down with NE winds 20 to 25. 12 hours later the Mon 12Z chart shows the front has moved a little deeper into the gulf. The frontal boundry will be the area where the winds shift from light and variable to strong northerly. On the Mon 12Z chart the boundry would be from about Panama City, FL to Veracruz, MX. The Tue 00Z chart shows not a lot of movement. More of a southerly shift on the northeastern part of the front with winds light and variable along your desired route. Tue 12Z shows more frontal progression but still light and variable winds between the Yucatan and Key West. Wed 00Z (Tue 1800 local) it is moving into the Florida straights and if you were there you better be in Key West.

Using this as an example, if you could make it from Adventuras to Key West between 0600 Sunday and 1800 Tue. (60 hrs) with a margin of safety then you would probably have a good crossing.

You have to plan on motoring most or all of the trip as winds on the leading edge of a front tend to be light and variable and you only have a small window of oppertunity.

Another useful set of charts can be found at https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/ww3_cgi/index.html then click on Central America, then click the "all" link for Wind Wave Height (ft.) and Direction. this will give you another set of charts for for wave height for a 48 hour period.

To see everything that is available, which is a lot, go to https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/public/

I hope this is helpful.

P.S. I watched the weather 2 maybe 3 times on the tele in Marathon and reviewed it at the above sites before responding. This is not a strong cold front. The winds will howl as you may see brief 15-25 from S to SW late Saturday (12Z thru 18Z) pre front. Not much behind the front. (5-10 Sun 00Z-06Z from W shifting N) For the easiest ride, chill and wait till the 15-25 S-SW blows out, then take the lighter NW-N winds S) Bookmark those sites and use them often. It is now 7:40 EDT Call me if you get hung up in KW 305-393-2082, I'm 50 miles and $20 RT in gas away.
Good Luck
X
Just checked the Clearwater weather 15-25 from SSW tomorrow Sat. You might want to wait till that passes.

[captnemo]

Been handling some emergencies here and just getting to this at 8:59 PM EDT.

I used to live in that area. Interesting bit of activity moving straight west to east. If you are in Clearwater you ought to get hit with heavy stuff momentarily. I estimate it will last about 50 minutes to 1 hour and then quit.

Looks like for the 24 hours after the front passes you will have decent weather except for winds S to SW from 10 to 25 MPH.

Hope that helps.


(Edited to correct a typo)
_________________

http://www.mayaparaiso.com
http://maya-paradise.blogspot.com
http://shuttersparks.blogspot.com

[X ISLE]

21:30 Fri Mar 14, 08

From the NWS:
OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO

.SYNOPSIS...SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AND SAT AHEAD
OF A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL MOVE OFF THE TEXAS COAST SAT
AFTERNOON. THE FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO S
TEXAS SAT NIGHT THEN BEGIN TO STALL FROM S FLORIDA TO TEXAS SUN.
STRONG TO NEAR GALE RETURN FLOW WILL DEVELOP ON MON AND TUE
AHEAD OF A SECOND FRONT WHICH MOVES OFF THE TEXAS COAST TUE. THE
FRONT WILL EXTEND FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TO THE YUCATAN
PENINSULA WED WITH WEAK HIGH PRES BUILDING OVER THE WRN GULF.


GMZ086-150330-
E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W
430 PM CDT FRI MAR 14 2008

.TONIGHT...S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT N OF 25N
AND 2 TO 4 FT S OF 25N.
.SAT AND SAT NIGHT...N OF 25N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4
TO 6 FT. S OF 25N S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.
.SUN...N OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. S OF
FRONT S TO SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
.SUN NIGHT...NE TO E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FT.
.MON...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT INCREASING TO 20 TO 25 KT LATE.
SEAS 3 TO 5 FT BUILDING TO 7 TO 10 FT S OF 25N AND 5 TO 7 FT N
OF 25N.
.TUE...SE TO S WINDS 20 TO 25 KT DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 20 KT
LATE. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT.
.WED...S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT THEN
BECOMING N BEHIND FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
TSTMS NEAR FRONT.

The Navy site shows winds clock W 5-10 by 06Z Sun Mar 16 going NW-N 5-10 12Z along the W coast of FL. That's the end of forecast time frame, perhaps new infor in the AM.

Fair winds, X

[X ISLE]

And this weather from Key West:

Cell Phone Weather/Marine Page (wap) URL: cell.weather.gov

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
GMZ656-657-150830-
/O.ROU.KMFL.MA.F.0000.000000T0000Z-000000T0000Z/
COASTAL WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE, FL OUT 20 NM-
939 PM EDT FRI MAR 14 2008


TONIGHT
NORTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHWEST AFTER
MIDNIGHT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

SATURDAY
SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN
THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

SATURDAY NIGHT
SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR
LESS. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

SUNDAY
WEST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. BAY AND
INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

SUNDAY NIGHT
NORTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING NORTHEAST 10 TO
15 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. BAY AND INLAND WATERS
A LIGHT CHOP.

MONDAY
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. BAY AND
INLAND WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.

MONDAY NIGHT
EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS BECOMING 10 TO 15 KNOTS
AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A MODERATE
CHOP.

TUESDAY
SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET. BAY AND
INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

TUESDAY NIGHT
SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR
LESS. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

WEDNESDAY
SOUTH WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. BAY
AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.

[Scoop]

Like I said, I'm not much of a weather report guy, mainly because I'm a bit too impulsive.
I know, I know.
Other than a major hurricane bearing down on me, I have this nonchalant ho-hum attitude about weather which has, ahem, put me in situations where I've had the living s**t stomped out of me by Mom Nature.
Just ask my wife. She's been through a couple of those "damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead" episodes with me and won't come aboard unless she checks the weather herself. And hides the ignition key.
But in this case, I can't be so cavalier and nonchalant 'cause I'm on another guy's boat with the owner on board and me getting paid to do it (cool, huh!) and am trying my best to be somewhat professional (if you know me, you just had a big chuckle) and deliver the boat and owner to the Rio Dulce without too many dings and bruises.
If I was on the Steel Magnolia, I'd have probably forged on ahead all night and most likely would be cavorting around Duval St. in Key West tomorrow evening. The SM enjoys these pissy little cold fronts. Just plows right through 'em with a little bit of a smirk on her bow. But I'm on one of these fiberglass blowboats and I guess I'd better behave (just kidding, just kidding, settle down!)
Anyway, if I'd known Clearwater was actually a little skinny strip of ICW flanked by ritzy condos and obstructed to the south by a myriad of low bridges that don't exactly "open upon request" I'd never have poked my bow in here and would have stayed offshore and kept going south. But I did. Now I'm stuck here for a bit. Frustrating. Life is so much simpler offshore where there aren't any channel markers or "no wake" zones (as if the boats I drive have much of a wake at even full throttle).

But many thanks X-isle and CaptNemo for the advice ... yes, yes I'll check out the websites .. but if you have a good inkling of an adequate weather window to bust out of this affluent and proper and really, really boring anchorage and get back into blue/black water, let me know, por favor.
Oh, and if you know how to dinghy in to the nearest liquor store, I'm outa rum.

"May the winds on yer stern not be yer own"

[Scoop]

Didn't realize that this thread was still active ..

Yep, between me and the boat owner (another story) we disregarded all advice and ventured out .. too far for a safety entrance to another port ..and got slammed by the cold front. A miserable two days of fighting wind and current and clogged up fuel filters.

Ah, well. More things to learn.

lf you leave Key West on a "virgin" boat .. CLEAN YOUR TANKS!!

All the sludge in your tanks from sitting at a dock for XX years will bite you on the ass ..


R

[X ISLE]

Yeap, I've been there, done that with the dirty fuel and fuel filters. Cleaning is marginal at best. It's like trying to vacuum clean a box with baffels and chambers, you just can't get to them all. Most important, this problem never shows in calm conditions, only when the caca hits the fan, the most inopportune moment! What I have done and what I recommend is to install a second filter in parallel so that when one filter is clogged, the other filter can be activated, keeping the engine alive and giving time to replace the clogged filter. I installed this arrangement on X ISLE 8 years ago after the first failure I had in Nicolas channel between Cuba and Bahamas. Now, when I hear that engine burp I look at the vacuum gage on the fuel system (also recommended) and if there is vacuum , I switch filters by turning two valves. I maintain engine power and can then go below and replace the filter at my leisure. Of course you do have to have filters, buy a case, never be without plenty of back ups.