sv Hula Girl

Category: Captain’s Log

  • Prep for Crossing

    Captain’s Log – Wed 3/19/25

    Busy morning preparing for crossing the gulf stream to Bimini tomorrow. Had to figure out all the paperwork stuff. My documents weren’t in as good an order as they should have been. I’ve been so focused on getting the boat ready and planning retirement that some of the boat admin stuff is lacking. Fingers crossed I have everything I need and that I filled out the application correctly. 🤞😬

    Quick top off of provisions, laundry, engine check, fill water tanks. Updated fuel log and calculated our range to be 230nm plus a reserve of 120nm. More than enough to get the 63nm there and back even with no wind.

    Amidst all this prep, which if it wasn’t already hectic and stressful enough, one our fire extinguishers accidentally deployed. What a f’n mess.

    Reviewed the weather forecast. Would be nice if the various meteorologists could agree. And be reasonably correct. It’s a tight weather window. We need to be in Bimini by 3:pm according to our weather service. So we’re looking at a 4:00am departure. We left the marina and moved the boat about 12 miles north and anchored out to save a couple hours in the morning.

    Dreams are hard to make into reality. let’s hope tomorrow goes a lot more smoothly.

    ✌️❤️⛵️

  • Smoke on the water!

    Smoke on the water!

    Captain’s Log – Tue 3/18/25

    This evening took an unexpected turn when we left for dinner heading to the Caribbean Club in an Uber when we had to turn around because wild fires had shutdown Highway 1 northbound from Key Largo. Unfortunately, The Caribbean Club will have to wait for our return trip. Praying everyone is Ok.

    Thick smoke North of Key Largo

    We did however get to take The African Queen out today! What a treat to drive this piece of nautical and movie history. This made my day.

    We even re-enacted the scene where Katharine Hepburn dumped Bogie’s gin overboard after she was mad at him for being hung over. So much fun!

    In addition to the fun, we learned a bit of interesting history from a very special passenger. The African Queen was originally named The Livingstone when built in 1912 for the British East Africa Railroad company. She was name after Dr David Livingstone, a famous Africa explorer and missionary. One of his descendants, Pam Livingstone, joined us for our little excursion around Key Largo and filled us in on some of the history.

    Pam Livingstone
    Hula Girl from the African Queen

    We also accomplished some boat chores in anticipation of heading to Bimini on Thursday

    • Replaced life ring that went swimming
    • Booked Marina reservation in Bimini
    • Planned the course and uploaded it to the Garmin chart plotter
    • Setup IPad mount at helm for using “Explorer” charts in the Bahamas which aren’t available for my Garmin GPS.
    • Cleaned the head

    ✌️❤️⛵️

  • Key Largo

    Key Largo

    Captain’s Log – Mon 3/17/25

    Exciting news, this morning the weather guy gave us a likely “go’” to sail to Bimini on Thursday. 🤞

    After the morning weather report, we took care of some boat chores. Hula Girl needed a bath from the salty sail yesterday. I’m not sure when we’ll be able to give her another one after we leave so I gave her a spa day. I repaired the sail cover zipper which pulled loose and one grommet that holds it on. Cleaned the bilge, re-stowed all the stuff that we thought was stowed good before the rough waves. 🙄

    This place is rich with Bogart history. The African Queen, from the 1951 movie of the same name, is docked about 30 yards away from us. We saw her go out today and I want to try to get a ride tomorrow. Also plan to go to the Caribbean Club tomorrow where Bogie’s Key Largo was filmed.

    The African Queen

    “We have it all
    Just like Bogie and Bacall
    Starring in our own late, late show
    Sailing away to Key Largo” – song by Bertie Higgins

    At this very moment and single point in time, that feels so true. ✌️❤️⛵️