The Window

There is something that is important to think about before each boat trip, or crossing, and that is what is referred to as the Window, or Weather Window. We recently replaced the windows on our boat to keep the weather on the outside of the boat for once, but that is not what we are talking about here. It is not a real window, it is an opening, an opportunity to sail in the desired direction without having Mother Nature bitch-slap the crap out of you like a whiney 7 year old having a tantrum. In our case, the first leg of our Bahamas trip involves crossing the Gulfstream. On most days, no biggie, we have fished in the Gulfstream hundreds of times, and although we respect it, we do not fear it. This respect means that we know better than to blindly enter it with no regard to wind and waves. This is the part where we prevent a good bitch-slapping. Here in south Florida, the gulfstream cruises almost due North, right off the coast, and pretty much emcompases the majority of our crossing to Bimini. Any front that moves through, heads south in a hurry, and when it is forecast to blow 25 knots headlong into the gulfstream, it will create some pretty bad waves. We had planned to make this crossing tomorrow, but there is a cold front blowing through tomorrow, and depending on the timing of it's arrival, the crossing could be barely squeeked in, or it could get ugly pretty fast.

The thing is, you need to avoid the bad things that you know about, and deal with those that you don't, and somehow live to tell about it. Plowing through 10 foot seas 4 seconds apart is not my idea of fun. Neither is a good old fashion butt kicking, so we have decided to recheck the insurance policies, and wait for a better weather window, probably on Monday. That should give us a chance to get a bit more organized, and hopefully do this crossing in better conditions. Even if it means we have to motor along into an East wind. So, we wait. No Chuck Norris style butt kicking this time!