Rough Passage from ST. Augustine to Fort Lauderdale

The weather was forecast to be winds of 10 to 15, with deteriorating conditions, but was already above 15 when we left the harbor. By dark we had gusts to 27 and were surrounded by a boiling sea where waves collided in every direstion, eventually settling for 4 to 6 feet waves that rocketed into us from the north. Imagine black night, running downwind with the jib all unfurled, the howl of the wind in the stays, the seethe and bubble of the passing waves, and the creak and groan of the wood interior as it responded to the stress of wave and wind. Could it get worse? Did I mention the pouring rain at midnight? or the Bahama bound cruise liner that was following a path directly behind us at 4 am, at the exact same time that a fishing trawler pulled up on our right about a mile away? On the radar, I watched as the cruise liner closed in, 6 miles, 5 miles, 4, 3. I could see the lights and the enormous bulk of her getting closer and closer! Finally, I turned to starboard, directly into the path of the fishing boat, preferring to take my chances with a boat twice my size rather than a 500 foot cruise ship! As soon as I turned toward the trawler, he sped up and passed us in 5 minutes. On Thursday, we fought through 6 to 8 foot waves and gusts to 30 as we pounded our way to Fort Lauderdale. We are happy to be snug in Fort Lauderdale now as conditions outside have worsened and the wind now howls at gusts up to 40 with 7 to 9 foot seas.