Lynx, America’s Privateer arrived in West Palm Beach at 3 pm.  She was escorted into the harbor by many vessels in the Grand Arrival flotilla and the numerous bystanders lining the breakwater, Peanut Island and Palm Beach Maritime Museum.  Thank you to all of you for your support.  Also, many thanks to the media in Palm Beach for your your tremendous suport for this event.

Last days run – 8th of Jan noon = 186.8 miles
Jan 8 noon to 1500 was 25.1 miles
for a TOTAl of 4910.9 miles from San Diego to Miami
39 days and 1 hour sailing time (not including port stops) for an average of 5.25 knots!!!

Now we’re in Miami docked directly in front of the Inter Contenintal Hotel at Bay Front Park on the South Dock. Miami is experiencing an extreme (for them) cold, with temperatures in the 40’s and rain… brrrr, we’re all bundled up and warming our hands on the stove! What a difference from two weeks ago!

Captain’s Report
The wind has fallen light. We’re motoring along in the Straits of Florida getting a very nice push from the current, 1.5-2 knots in our direction. Seas have come down, clouds clearing, we’re actually getting a little sun today. This morning we were within sight of Cuba so we took the opportunity to send the pigeons back where they came from. It took a couple tries. We’d pick them up, show them the land and launch them. They’d circle the boat once or twice and come back. We’d launch them again. Finally Duffy took to chasing them with a deck brush. It took almost an hour but they finally got the message and flew off to the land of Fidel. And there was great rejoicing aboard Lynx. Today’s numbers…
Noon position (1700 UTC): 23d 36.1m N, 082d 38.3m W. Steering 045C, making 7.1 knots. wind ENE F 2-3, seas NE 2-3′, 1019 mb, 7/8 cloud cover and clearing, 76 degrees F, 55% RH.
Day’s run: 142.7 nm. About 240 to Port Everglades.
The latest GRIB file shows 30 knot northerly in 48 hours so we’re not waiting around for that. Cheers, Jake.

Crew Report
Greetings all. Dennis here on this fine Thursday afternoon. We are seeing the back of Cuba, and the beginnings of gulf traffic.. Florida is so close I think I can smell Miami from here. We said goodbye to the pigeons this morning, set them free and on their way, they will be missed. We then had our 11/13\/Homeward bound party today complete with pizza, magic, and songs. For those keeping up, this will probably be my last blog, seeing as how we are very close. So thanks for following the trip, we’ll see you in West Palm Beach. Love and miss you all. Good night, good luck, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Hi folks, Ben here. I’m happy to report that all is well as we get close to finishing up the final large leg of our voyage. Florida is getting closer and Cuba is slowly receding, and everyone is pretty excited to be almost back. Traffic has picked up, and we have started seeing some dolphins and flying fish. The pigeons are thankfully gone, and it’s almost time to get back to the old routine. Although Florida is close, our grand arrival is still not going to take place for a little bit. We’re going to have our hands full in the next couple of days cleaning up the boat, mounting the guns, and catching up on other projects that could not be accomplished underway. Thanks for keeping up with all of our adventures, and best of luck to you all in your own adventures in the near and distant future. All my best, Ben

Gabe here. I only came on deck because I thought we were gonna tack. Jake made me blog. There is nothing I could write here that I won’t be able to say in person in a few days or when I get back “home.” No use forcing it, I need to finish my nap. Old age and all… See you all soon.

Captain’s Report
We are now NOT in the Yucatan Channel but in the Straits of Florida. The northerlies have eased and we’re motor sailing off the north coast of Cuba. The seas are much more regular than in the channel and we’re able to keep way on. The prediction is for the wind to fade all together in the next 24 hours then re-build in to 20-25 knot northerly again by the 10th. I would prefer to be tied to a dock by then. Yesterday we earned every inch.
Noon position (1700 UTC): 22d 40.3m N, 085d 03.3 W. Steering 070C, full and by, making5.4 knots. Wind N by E F 4, seas mixed, mostly NNE 3-4′ with occasional 6-8′ to keep it interesting. 1018 mb, 4/8 cloud cover, 75 degrees F, 58% RH
Day’s run: 102.1 nm. I’m surprised we made it that far in those conditions and made 40 miles to the north.
Still sitting on lots of fuel, we’ve only put on something like 20 engine hours in the last 10 days. So, Port Everglades here we come. Not waiting around here for more north wind, thank you. Cheers, Jake.

Crew Report

Just moments ago, Jimmy Alex and I(Ashlee) saw what I believe to be Spinner dolphins. A group of about 30 maybe more were swimming along side, jumping in the air and spinning above the surface. A lot of them looked like they were dwarf size. The weather has been changing back to a climate that I’m used to, cold, most of the crew has grabbed out their foul weather gear from the bottom of their bags and bunks. We still have our two passengers (birds) that decided to join us a couple of days ago, they are pretty happy with the sprout seeds that we have been feeding them. A watch has been practicing for the half way party, jimmy has been practicing his magic tricks while Alex and I are his assistants. Ashlee Mitchell

An older, yet wiser, Gabriel says hello from north of Cuba. My last prediction of no more shorts has come true, at first it was shorts and foulies but a few nights back I had to break down and put on…. pants! Gosh, whats next? Shoes? It’s been a great way to spend the winter so I can’t complain. I just hope we all don’t lose our tans over the next few weeks. I’ve been asleep the last few blogs, but there wasn’t much to report on. We are three or four days out of Florida if the weather cooperates, a journey of nearly five thousand miles is almost complete. Karen made me a cake today and the crew sang me my birthday song, it wasn’t very long. I’ve had a sailing trip like this on my list for a long time, and now that it feels checked off, I’m feeling the need to check that list and see what else is there, and get a few more checked off before I have too many more birthdays and can’t lift a finger to check items off that ol’ list. Shouts out to my fellow Capricorns, if there is a Capricorn-fest this year someone raise a glass for me. I’ll talk to you all hopefully by the weekend when we get to port. Cheers!

Karen here. I bet few people talk about Cuba as much as we have for the last few days. When will we get there? How will we get around it? Why is the weather SO bad here? And as we skirt across the North end of the island i can’t help but wonder why we can’t stop? A feud from my Grandfather’s time – yet I, as a tourist can (and have) visit North Korea?!?!Some things make such little sense. What has become clear, though, is that we are only a short way from home (a raft ride, really) and only a few days out. The crew will start to notice larger portions of food as I quit rationing. I’m dreaming of leafy salads, and raw vegetables that don’t have to be washed and soaked for an hour like our Mexican and Central American counterparts. I’m dreaming of a bed that doesn’t try to boot me out of it, and of course, spending a few hours watching the NFL. Let’s be realistic – it’s the playoffs! Go Chargers! And Happy Birthday to Gabe!

Captain’s Report
We are in the Gulf of Mexico. Can’t say we’re having a great time of it but we’re here. It’s northerlies again, 20-25 knots. We’re hard on the wind again, holding on to what we’ve gained, waiting for the wind to fade in a few hours. Looking forward to a better day tomorrow. Today’s numbers…
Noon position (1700 UTC): 21d 59.8m N, 085d 23.8m W, 290C, 3.5 knots, wind NNE F 5, seas mixed 5-8′, 1020 mb, 3/8 cloud cover, 76 degrees F, 69% RH.
Day’s run: 128.6 nm
We overheard the tall ship Sea Cloud on the radio and can see them on the horizon. It looks like they’re headed west.
More later, Cheers, Jake

Captain’s Report

Last night and this morning the wind was up and we were flying along, slamming north, getting ourselves in position for the Yucatan Channel tomorrow morning.  Sailing to weather tends to work things loose and we’ve been making regular rounds re-lashing things as they try to get away.  It’s now early afternoon and conditions have eased to the point that work party today was doing laundry on deck (galley towels).  We should be heading through the channel in the morning although there still might be some left over northerlies.  We’re used to it now so we’re going for it.
Noon position (1700 UTC):  20d 51.7m N, 083d 31.6m W, 340C, 4-5 knots.  Wind ENE F 5, seas NE 3-6′, 1014 mb, 6/8 cloud cover, NEWS FLASH!  It’s below 80 degrees.  78 to be precise.  65% RH
Day’s run:  138.3 nm.  100 nm to Cabo San Antonio, the west end of Cuba.
Also in the news, we have two new passengers on board.  Pigeons (Rock Doves).  Both banded and very comfortable around people.  We were about 40 miles off Isla de Pinos when they landed.  I’ve held both of them and the band numbers are:
FCC 2009  222529  and  FCC 2008  028534  They both will drink water and eat sunflower seeds and seem happy to hang out on the quarter deck.  They will squabble from time to time and I have to break them up.  Go figure.  Cheers,  Jake.

Crew Report
Greetings all. Dennis here on another hap-hap-happy day at sea. The weather has calmed down considerably and tom. we will be in the Yucatan Channel. Today we picked up some political refugees. Two pigeons which we are affectionately calling Peabody and Sherman have made a brief home on the quarterdeck of the Lynx. We have set up a deluxe suite out of a cardboard box, and even given them a dinosaur bowl bathhouse. More on this as it develops in the portion of this leg we will call “Pigeon Watch.” Love and miss you all. Dennis out.

Hi folks, Ben here. What Dennis says about calmer seas is absolutely true. For the last couple of days we have been dealing with seas that were somewhat less fun than the stuff we are seeing now. Even better, the squally weather seems to have given way to a nice 15-20 knot breeze that is currently blowing us right to our destination–Yucatan Channel. The sailing has been wonderful and except for a bit of motoring to clear some sketchy banks, we’ve been under wind power alone for the vast majority of this leg. Grand plans are underway for our “halfway” party to take place at some undetermined point in the future when we are not dodging traffic in Yucatan Channel. Stay tuned! Miss you all. -Ben

Captain’s Report
The strong NNE’erlies let go of us around 0600 this morning. We have a 24 hour window of ENE at the usual strength so we headed 350C with the Staysail, Fore and shallow reefed Main set and started the motor for an extra boost to get as far north as possible. Tomorrow will be more northers so the plan is to get up by Cuba, well east of the Yucatan Channel and fall off once they get here and go sailing again. The prediction is for 20-25 knots. After 24 hours of northers it’s suppose to fall light. That would be our opportunity to scoot through the channel into the Straits of Florida and the home stretch.
Noon position (1700 UTC): 18d 45.2m N, 082d 36.0m W. Steering 350C, making 7.6 knots, wind ENE F 5, seas NE 3-5′ with some lumpy stuff from the NNE left over from last night. 1010 mb, 7/8 cloud cover with a few squalls. 80 degrees F, 68% RH.
Day’s run: 79.2 nm. Hanging on to every inch we gained yesterday we stayed hard on the wind all night and made 37 miles to the east and 7.8 miles to the south in NNE wind 20-25 knots. Really confused sea, like being in a washing machine.
The opportunity is presenting itself. Jamming north, then one more night in the Maytag. Cheers, Jake.

Crew Report

Its been an exciting week of sailing having a great time. Had a fun little new years celebration with glow sticks techno music  brownies, and nacho’s good stuff. going to have a half way celebration were A watch (me Jimmy and Ashlee) are going to put on the best magic show ever. other than that just going about our watch rotations, keeping the boat looking nice and sleeping. Hope everyone had a good holiday and my friends and family back home stay warm.

~Alex

Hello everyone out there in INTERNET LAND!!!

So back in Dec 06 with my very first contract with Lynx, and my first new years on a boat.  The discussion of New Year’s resolutions came up and we all decide on some attainable ones.  Well here’s how my list went.  1) Learn two foreign Languages 2)Master chess 3) Learn fifty magic tricks.  Well it turned out to be an unaccomplishable list, but a fabulous contract aboard the Lynx.  Fast forward a few years, Lynx has me completing those resolutions.  With all our port stops in Latin Americas, I have definitely improved my Spanish, half of #1 completed.  When we got aboard Lynx this contract, there was no chess boards, much to Marks dismay, now with xmas passed we find ourselves with three sets aboard, time to start playing.  And lastly seems silly that a grown adult would want to learn magic.  Well I wanted to as a kid and never had the chance, and always still wanted too.  I figured rope tricks would be a good place to start seeing as how I’m a sailor surrounded by the stuff, sailors also turn out to be the toughest crowd for these tricks. So I bought some books, and simple beginner kits, soon I will have my first performance.  Break a leg

Jimmy

We’re headed North again, after a half day of beating East but really going no where. Slowly you look around and more and more of the crew are wearing shirts again, and pants now. An odd sweater lays upon the deck looking odd, even though it’s January. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in shorts and a tank top, with the galley windows closed to keep out the spray, it’s toasty – not the sweltering from the Pacific side. Toasty. It makes you want to drink tea and curl up with another good book, which I have been doing much of. So, I guess these signs make it officially Winter now that Solstice has passed, even here in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, South of Cuba, not far off from The Cayman Island. Must be time to go make something warm for dinner – maybe red curry and pad Thai… add a little spice into this winter night!  Karen the cook

Captain’s Report
Yesterday, around 1730 hours, we were sailing along in gentle trades on an easy sea and we had the sails trimmed just right to the point that Lynx started sailing herself. At first we were just amused but as the wind shifted back and forth Lynx would head up or fall off to match. If the breeze increased, she would head up. If it eased, she would fall off. Nobody touched the helm. As the evening wore on she kept doing it then on through the night and into the morning. Finally, around 1100 today, the wind started piping up to 20-25 knots and we had to take her back. It was 17 3/4 hours and we never touched the wheel.
But that party’s over. We took in the Jib and Topsail, tacked and now we’re slamming into it again trying to hang on to what we gained.
Noon position (1700 UTC): 18d 14.9m N, 082d 59.2m W. Steering 095C, making about 4 knots. Wind NNE 20-25 knots (F 6), seas NE 5-8′. 1012 mb, 5/8 cloud cover, 82 degrees F, 72% RH.
The wind is supposed to ease tomorrow and veer back into the east. We’ll resume making way toward the target when it does.
Cheers, Jake

Crew Report
Gabe writes from the Caribbean, west of Jamaica and south of Islas de Pinos, Cuba. We had 6 great days of sailing behind us, everything so perfect we were able to leave the helm alone for most of yesterday and the Lynx was just sailing herself along perfectly, as if she knew where she was going and wanted to get there. I woke up at 5:30 on the first of the year, while most of my friends were probably not even done celebrating I was out on a yard unfurling the topsail. I hope everyone had a safe New Year. We had a petite soiree on the quarterdeck without too much fanfare. Our days of wearing shorts seem numbered, I had goosebumps on deck for the first time since leaving San Diego. Probably nothing compared to some of the weather in the States, I’ll be sure to bring back some sunshine and warmth when I return. I told a few people last port that we were taking Cuba to the east, but now we are headed for the Yucatan Channel and will go between Mexico and Cuba, and we look to be on schedule and best of all, it’s all been sailing! Counting away the days until I get “home”, but each day I realize how comfortable and used to this life I have become. I’m gonna miss the Lynx when I have to leave her, but I am glad I got to see her to her new home on the Eastern Seaboard. Happy 2010 everyone and some xoxoxox to you know who.

Captain’s Report
This morning around 0600 (1100 UTC) we were lined up on the channel between Roselind and Gorda Banks so we fell off, re-set the Jib and Fore Topsail and ran 335C making 8-9 knots. It felt so good to be off the wind a bit and not clawing for every inch. Lots of traffic rolling through here. It’s the short route between the Gulf of Mexico and Panama. Still sunny and hot. Seas much diminished by the banks on either side. This is about as nice as sailing gets.
Noon position (1700 UTC): 16d 22.5m N, 080d 55.2m W. Steering 335C, making 8.2 knots. Wind E F 4, seas NE 2-4′. 1014 mb, 2/8 cloud cover, 87 degrees F, 70% RH.
Day’s run: 122.8 nm. That’s 555 nm to Cabo Corrientes near the west end of Cuba. Happy New Year everybody!
Cheers, Jake

Crew Report
Greetings all, Dennis here. A beautiful first day of the year 2010. For you readers probably filled with rose floats, b.b.q, and football. For us here on the Lynx, we have rainy squalls, a 10 mile wide/50 mile long cut between the Rosalind and Gorda banks, and 15-20 kph of wind. What’s even more crazy, is we are loving it. A huge refreshing down pour just gave us our shower a day early:) We brought out the stbd. course, and are making great speed over ground, even with light and variable winds. The seas have calmed down, and last night we had our mini-new years eve party. Which we the Caballeros hosted. Miss and love you all. Dennis out.