PERSEVERANCE HELD HOSTAGE

Perseverance heading for ship to be picked up 2/13/2013

 

Will and I after weeks of delays returned to Mexico on 1/24/2013 and spent 3 weeks waiting for Perseverance to be picked up and taken to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  The cargo ship Billesborg owned by the Denmark shipping company Nordana is pictured above please note the photo does not have the full ship in the photo.

 

 

We had smiles on our faces thinking FINALLY OUR SHIP has come in to take Perseverance to her new home on the east coast. We headed to San Diego the following day to fly out of the San Diego Airport.

 

 

 

We stayed at the Manchester Grand Hyatt and had Valentine drinks to celebrate FINALLY having our boat on her way home.  We will go to Ft. Lauderdale - Port Everglades on 2/28/2013 and start our BIG ADVENTURE home to Punta Gorda.  We received notifications that the ship would be delayed until 3/3/2013.  No big deal we thought because we were used to delays.  On 2/28/2013 we received the email from Yachtpath (the broker whom uses various ships around the world to transport boats) advising us that due to an unwarranted garnishment from the courts they did not have the monies to pay this cargo carrier owned by Nordana and that we would have to pay them directly ALL the monies we had already paid to them. An attorney's name was provided whom was not affiliated with the broker. He was advised by Nordana's attorney that if they did not have ALL the money for the 16 yachts on board their ship by Monday at noon they would not discharge the boats and continue onto Norfolk, Virginia.  Will and I thought PERSEVERANCE IS A HOSTAGE and we have to get her freed.  I will not get into the details specifically however, the 16 yachts varied from 92 ft. down to our vessel of 35 ft and the shipping costs were over 500K. When we recieved the notification of the required funds it was approximately 48  business hours and a weekend for us to figure out how we were going to get our funds together and wired by noon. (Robbing a bank was not an option.)

Well to make a long story boring PERSEVERANCE was released from bondage on 3/6/2013. We brought her to Harbour Town Marina in Dania Beach, Ft. Lauderdale.  We made a trip back across the state to wrap up some details and buy some provisions.  We are now back here in Lauderdale and in the company of several MEGA yachts.  We are waiting for the weather to clear the last winter storm that crossed the U.S. and are charting a course to  head south.

We are charting our way to pass Miami and head to the Keys.  It is amazing to us that the water is Sooooo shallow.  The approach into alot of the marinas can be as low as 4 ft.  We have a draft  of 4 1/2 feet (or should I say we require 4 1/2 feet of water,  MORE actually or our boat is grounded.) Having a sail boat does not get you any where too fast and combined with the tide changes it is alot more challenging than it looks.  It can take 10 hours for us to get 50 miles and the sun fast approaching sun down at that point. However, if it is low tide we may not be able to make an approach into a marina or anchorage. There are some advantages to sailing the Pacific Ocean but as I always say....where there be roses there be thorns.  The Florida waters are beautiful with clear green and blue hues. The waters are shallow around Florida and have coral reefs.  It is an expensive fine to hit coral and the damage to the boat is another story.  We look forward to gaining the experience of navigating these waters surrounding our new home and venturing out  even further.
 

 

Miss Nikki is relaxing after guarding the boat all day. We will continue to update you on our adventures. LATERS!!!