We're off!

My two lifelong best friends, Doug and Geoff, are joining me as I start the return trek towards the boat's home port in the Med. We all flew into Ft. Lauderdale this afternoon. We rented a car, bought a ton of groceries, and stowed everything away. We took the extra fuel cans in the dinghy to the local marina to get diesel but they wouldn't allow us to put diesel in a container intended for gasoline. So we took the cans to a gas station with the rental car instead. It was pouring rain so even if the attendant cared, he probably couldn't see if the can was the right color (yellow, not red). We then dropped the diesel cans back at the boat, stopped for a quick bite at Boston Market, then returned the car to the airport. D & G hadn't used Uber before so I got to show them how easy it is. We made it back to the boat by about 10pm, pulled a weather report (20 knots of wind from the south) and prepared to head out. We needed to go under the 17th Street bridge which opens on the hou
r and half hour so we targeted 11pm.
We then cast off the myriad of lines that held the boat so well for the last month. A big "Thanks!" to Barbara & Bob who kept a watchful eye on her.
As we maneuvered out of the slip I thought I had a steering problem as the wheel wouldn't turn. It felt like the autopilot was engaged. It wasn't an immediate issue as cats are mostly controlled by the two engines when they are moving extremely slowly. I eventually turned the wheel a little harder and it suddenly freed up; apparently some barnacles have been busy. Note to self: check for rudder movement before heading out. Just like in an airplane, you want to know as soon as possible if your control surfaces aren't working
We slipped under the bridge at 11pm just as we had planned and headed out to open water. It's currently 1:30 and we're making 9 knots on our way to West End, Bahamas.