After breakfast we headed into shore to return a movie and locate a spring for the whisker pole.  We ended up going to NAPA auto parts for the spring and they’lll have to special order it tomorrow.  We DID find a place to park the car when we leave.  NAPA will keep the car and start it up once a month for $30/month.  That’s better than the $50/month I was paying in Charleston, and we plan on returning here in the fall anyway.

Not much happening today.  I was able to loosen up the ‘trigger’ on the whisker pole end so it looks like I’ll be able to put it back together once I get the spring.  Perhaps this was a lot of effort to rebuilt a part that I could have bought for just over $100, but there is a feeling of accomplishment, and my time is pretty cheap nowadays.

Today we drove down to Williamsburg  to pick up my new glasses.  This is what we’ve been waiting for before we can leave Deltaville and start heading north again.  On the way back we met up with Warren and Scott (and their friend Skip) in Gloucester just to say hi and visit for a while before going to do our laundry.  We’ve decided to make one more run to Warren’s home for a BBQ before leaving the area…probably on Monday.

After a hot night (literally) I decided to get a couple of chores done before firing up the generator and A/C unit and just hiding from the heat.  I was able to complete the disassembly of the whisker pole end; a device used for holding the headsail out when sailing downwind).  It was pretty rusted up on the inside and needs a new spring.  I also finished up replacing the switch on the passageway light and getting it mounted.  ENOUGH work…time for the A/C.

We spent the day with my cousin Warren touring the Battle Field site at Yorktown.  Had a real nice time and learned a few things.  It’s amazing how the outcome of the revolutionary war could have been changed simply through one or two decisions made differently.  On return to the boat we fired up the generator and air conditioner and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching movies.  We turned off the generator and A/C after 10PM and the boat heated right back up making for a long night.

After talking to my cousin Warren, in Yorktown, we headed down that way for a nice visit and then went out to dinner with them.  Warren, Kimiko and their son Scott were most gracious hosts and always make me feel welcome.  It was a really good evening.

Okay…I’ve done it.  Today I climbed the big mast and was up their for a little over an hour.  I removed the lens on the tri-color navigation light and am working on a solution to add an anchor light.  There are no extra wires going down the mast so I’ll either need to run a new one, replace the optional tri-color light, or a third more technical solution where I can run two lights separately with just two wires.  I’m leaning toward running a new wire.  I would also like to convert the tri-color light to LED technology to save energy since it usually is running with the engine is not.

It was an interesting day today.  We had to pull up the anchors and go into the docks this morning, so we could fill our water tanks and pump out the holding tank.  Pulling up the anchors went well enough and getting in and out of the docks went smooth.  It wasn’t until we set the anchor that things went a little awry.  We’ve been getting a little soft about coiling our lines and keeping the decks clear since we’ve been in this nice quiet harbor.  It came to bite us when II was backing down on the anchor as one of the lines from the dinghy davit fell into the water behind the boat.  You guessed it…the line got caught in our prop and wrapped around the shaft.  Guess who had to go swimming.  All in all, the water was nice (if not a bit murky) and the line wasn’t tangled too bad.  It only took me 4 or 5 dives to get the prop clear.   A bit later I was sitting in the cockpit enjoying the view when a neighbor came over in his dinghy and ask me if I was missing mine (dinghy).  I looked where our dinghy was supposed to be and sure enough…it was gone.  He pointed to it near the shore and said he saw it go by.  A little humbled (since I sort of tied the knot), I asked for a ride to go get it and in no time we were back in business.

We finished off the day taking a ride to Kilmarnock to make a grocery run and see some new sites.  When we returned we stayed in the cruisers lounge for a bit and watched ‘Blind Side’ before heading back to the boat for supper.

Well a few days have gone by and I still haven’t gone back up the mast.  The rigging is still in place so I can profess that I’ll get it done as soon as the wind dies down.  We weather guessers have forecast some winds with gusts up to 25 mph, but they never came.  We even put out a second anchor because the holding in this little harbor isn’t as good as I would like.  One night we had some 30+ mph winds and the anchor broke loose.  We only drifted about 150 feet before it took hold, but I had to use the engine to slow the boat down enough for the hook to grab.  Anyway…it’s still been too windy to climb the mast.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  When I do go up I should get some good pictures.

After procrastinating all morning I decided to take a shot at climbing the main mast.  I have to install an anchor light at the top, which is at least three times higher than when I climbed the mizzen mast to install the radar.  It had been calm all morning but, about 8 feet from the top, the wind shifted and began to blow some waves into the harbor.  It’s no fun (at least to me) being up there when the boat is rocking so I came down and will go up early in the morning before the winds pick up.

We started off the morning being productive.  I repaired the mizzen sail that was damaged in the storm at Ponce De Leon when we came in from the Bahamas.  It was just where the top car (the thing that slides up the track on the mast) had separated.  The job took about three hours counting the run to the sail shop to pick up the right size of webbing strap I needed.  While I was repairing the sail, Vicky took to giving the interior a good scrubbing and vacuuming.  We really don’t like the carpet and have plans to replace it later down the road.  When chores were done Vicky made up some potato salad and I cooked up a pot of chili.  We’re going ashore tonight to grill some steaks and corn on the cob to go with the chili and potato salad.  While we eat well on the boat Vicky and I have both lost about 20 pounds since beginning this life style.  We haven’t been trying to lose weight so I have to attribute it to the more active lifestyle.

The night went pretty well.  We did get some rain but no serious wind.  Just the same I stayed up late waiting for ‘the big one’.  I like to be ready in case the wind does kick up and pull the anchor loose.

After a nice stay and a little rest in Oriental we headed out at about 1:00PM to put in a few miles.  We travelled 25 or so miles to an anchorage called Campbell Creek.  This is a little wide open but gives reasonable wind protection and appears to be good holding on the anchor.  We’re out of range for Internet again so I’m still not going to be able to upload these updates.  

During our travels today the weather service had a ‘special’ alert for thunder storms about 12 miles from us.  It was right in our path so we slowed down to let it go by.  We see other stormy looking systems all around, but can only be prepared if they hit since you can’t outrun them.  The worst wind predicted in the thunder storms so far has been 34 knots, which we should be okay in (if not a little rattled).

Starting off as a lazy day we didn’t get up till around 7:00.  We were socked in with fog, so decided to just take our time this morning.  After breakfast the fog started to lift and we began preparing for the next leg.  This was a short run to Oriental, NC (about 8 miles) where they have a very nice city dock free of charge for 48 hours.  There’s no power or hook-ups, but it is a nice dock right in town so we’ll have a chance to pick up some odds and ends at the store.

The dock only accommodates two boats and roughly an hour after we tied up a trawler came in and tied to the other side.  He is a surgeon that works part time at the hospital in New Bern, NC, and is just out for a few days cruising on his days off.  While we were off to the store he was nice enough to close our hatches for us when a thunder head moved through the area and drenched everything.

Our run to the store was on foot at first, but as we started walking up the road from the first store a nice lady pulled up, rolled down here window, and asked “Are you cruisers?”  When we replied that we were she offered us a ride to the next two stores and waited for us, giving us a ride back to the boat as the rain began to pour down.  As I’ve said before…you meet the nicest people out here

I was going to get the updates loaded on the page today, but we anchored in an area with no Internet coverage.  Perhaps tomorrow.

Today was a much nicer and more productive day.  Because of the limited number of anchorages available for the next leg we decided to make a long day of it and travel a little over 70 miles to the Adams River, just north of Beaufort, NC, where there are numerous anchorages.  We left the dock at about 7:30 AM and had the hook dropped in Cedar Creek (off the Adams River) by 5:30.  In 10 hours we travelled 73 miles.  The anchorage is lovely, calm, and just two other boats in sight.  Burgers on the grill for dinner and a quiet evening in store.

We put in a record day yesterday traveling 86 miles from Thoroughfare Creek (just north of Georgetown, SC) to Southport, NC.  On the way we did bump the bottom just a bit where there was some uncharted shoaling building up at marker 119.  We radioed the boats behind us to give warning ad ran into them later at the marina.  They were very appreciative since their boats had a much deeper draft depth) than ours.  We had an anchorage in mind in Southport but there wasn’t room, so we puttered around looking for a place to settle in.  We found one nice little bay with lots of room, but the holding was really poor.  About an hour before sunset we decided to just pull into a marina and relax for the night.  The marina was South Harbor Village Marina in Southport.  Their rates were reasonable, facilities were nice, and the staff were among the friendliest we’ve come across.

This morning we left Southport at about 7:30 and will put in about 45 miles with plans to anchor at Sloop Point.

At the end of the day, today would rate a 2 on a scale of 10.  The scenery was only so/so.  The channel up the ICW was narrow with very shallow water on both sides.  Lots of boat traffic speeding by.  And, to top it off, the anchorage we were going to was too shallow in all of the recommended places.  We tried to find some ‘deep enough’ water for 2 hours before giving up and going to a marina in Surf City.  Spending two days in a row at marinas gets expensive, but there weren’t any other anchorages we could get to before sunset.  I put the boat aground (yep, it happens) more today than I have in the last 6 or 7 months.  Fortunately all the groundings were slow and Independence does a pretty good job of backing off.  Perhaps I was a little too sure in trying different spots because I knew we were at low tide and could just wait for the water to rise if we really got stuck.  Suffice it to say I am ready for a better day tomorrow…..whines, whine, whine…..

We stayed the night at Thoroughfare Creek.  The name is deceiving as we were the only boat there.  The scenery was gorgeous, the water was calm with no current, and wind protection was good from all directions.  This made for a very pleasant evening in one of the nicest anchorages we’re stopped at so far.

After a month with me at the Charleston City Boatyard and Vicky in Seattle we’re back together and underway again.  We left the boatyard at about 9:30 AM and arrived at the Charleston Maritime Center about 3 hours later for fuel and water.  After fueling we headed up the ICW and dropped anchor in Dewey’s Creek for the night.  It was a little windy so I was up several times through the night to check our anchor and position.

Vicky’s back!!  She came in last night on a 9:00 PM flight and it’s good to have her home.  We’ll spend the next couple of days stocking up and getting ready to go before heading out.  A NOTE FROM VICKY:  Just a note to let everyone know I had a wonderful time in Seattle.  I was there for the birth my first grandchild and he came in to the world 4:39 4/28/2012 at 8lb 9 oz.  He`s beautiful, Katie did good .He is so cute I loved being able to hold him and love on him the hold time I was there. I also was able to visit with friends and family.  I would give a special thank you to our good friend Norris for letting me stay at his house and being a gracious host.  Jim, a good friend (and neighbor) of many years, took me to lunch and we had a really nice visit. I also had a nice evening with Lori and Denise.  We talked about what Gary and I are doing living and traveling on a sailboat, and maybe them coming out and staying on the boat with us some time. You Guys are welcome to come any time it a small boat but you’re welcome.

I haven’t written much over the last couple of weeks since it’s been pretty boring except for getting some work done on the boat.  I had the yard put in a new thru-hull, replace the steering ram, and repair the davit (about $3000 worth of labor and material.  I built a shelf in the forward hanging locker, installed a macerator pump so we can dump our tank when out to sea, and repaired, installed a few other odds and ends.  Today they put the boat back in the water and will let me stay at the docks until Vicky returns and we’re ready to go.  I can’t say enough nice things about the folks at Charleston Ciity Boatyard.  They do good work and are always friendly and welcoming.

After hanging at the boatyard dock for about a week they hauled the boat out of the water this morning so they can begin work Monday.  We’re not in a big hurry to get it done since the dockage waiting doesn’t cost anything and I’m pretty much just loitering until Vicky returns.  The item that will take the most time (and probably money) is the steering repair.  It is loose where the hydraulic ram connects to the rudder and they likely have to rebuild or replace the ram.  It was enough that it made me worry about the steering failing, but it also made a hell of a racket clunking around under our bed when we were trying to sleep at night.

This is the same place where Buddy was allowed to roam free on and off the boat last fall.  After a week, he has shown no interest in going ashore and exploring.  The only time he left the boat on the docks was to jump aboard other boats and explore.  I think he is officially a ‘boat cat’ now and this is his castle.  

Life on the boat has been pretty uneventful the last couple of weeks.  We made it to Charleston on the 11th and Vicky caught her flight to Seattle on the 12th.  The night of the 11th was another ‘fun in the windstorm’ kind of night.  The wind was ‘only’ 30 mph but it rattled the boat enough to keep me up most of the night while at anchor.  One of the boats already anchored there had told me the holding wasn’t very good so the wind on top of that made me nervous.  I even put out a second anchor (which I almost never do).

On the 13th, Harry (from Zydeco) helped me pull the anchors and take the boat over to Charleston Maritime enter (a marina) where I took a slip for one night.  I spent the rest of that day playing tourist with Harry and Elaine in Charleston.

On the 14th I single handed the boat to Charleston City Boatyard about 13 miles).  This is the same place we had repair work done last summer/fall.  I did donuts just off of the boatyard marina until the tide was slack and brought her in just like Captain Ron….Sweet!  

While at the boatyard I’ve got a couple of repairs to be done on the steering and the dinghy davit (the thing the dinghy hangs off on the back of the boat).  I’m also getting a new thru-hull put in under the galley sink so we can wash dishes in sea water and rinse in fresh.  Saving water is a big thing on a boat, especially when you have to dinghy it out from shore in 5 gallon jugs and lift it up to the boat.  Lastly, I’m having new zincs put on.  These act as magnets for the corrosive properties of salt water so the important things (like the propeller shaft) don’t rot away.

Still working our way up the Inter oastal Waterway.

It’s interesting how your perspective about time and distance changes when living on a sailboat.     I used to be pedal to the metal trying to do 60 miles in less than an hour.  Now I jump for joy if we get in over 45 miles in a day.

Today we travelled about 35 nautical miles arriving at the Redbird anchorage off Florida Passage.  We dropped the hook at about 3PM and will leave early tomorrow to go through Hell’s Gate, a narrower passage with shallower depths and strong currents.  

Weather reports today showed heavy winds moving in to the north of us by 2:00pm.  We decided to make a run for it and try to get north of where the winds would hit.  Early afternoon it was becoming clear we weren’t going to get far enough north to avoid the winds so we decide pull in and stay at the Jeykl Harbor Marina.  This was a very nice marina with all the facilities and even a swimming pool (too cold to swim).  As the afternoon progress no serious storms developed but there were a few blustery cells that rattle our gages at the dock.  All in all it was a good decision and we were able to get a good night’s sleep.

We’ve been working our way up the Inter Coastal Waterway anchoring each night.

Talk about your terrifying experience.  We have left the Bahamas and were working our way up the east coast…destination Charleston, SC.  The weather was forecast to be near perfect for the Journey from Thursday, when we left Rock Sound on Eleuthra, until Tuesday.  As we were riding the Gulf Stream north, just past Canaveral, FL on Saturday, the weather report said there were storms brewing in our path in the late in the afternoon.  We were 63 miles from the Ponce De Leon inlet where we could seek harbor.  With throttle up and sails out we headed in.  As we approached the coast we could see the storm cell ahead and there was no getting around it.  I went on deck to shorten the sails and prepare for the blow.  I had just crawled back into the cockpit when we could feel the wind starting up and there was a wall if heavy rain directly ahead with no (I mean ZERO) visibility.  I was still putting on my rain gear when it hit.  The wind started howling, the sails were flapping hard, and I was saying a prayer.  About 10 or 15 minutes into the storm it became clear the boat was handling it well (again better than expected) and I was able to control the boat.  At this point my terror turned to a kind of exhilaration and I was almost having fun (ALMOST).  The whole thing last about 45 minutes before we passed through the worst part of the cell.  We were completely drenched but, aside from the top car (connector) on the mizzen sail coming loose, we were unscathed.  Now we can put this down on our check list of ‘been there, done that, and lived through it’.  We’ll continue to avoid storms when possible, but this proved they can come out of nowhere and showed us we can make it just fine.

We made it from Rock Sound to Alabaster Bay (still on Eleuthra) today.  This was the most wind we have sailed in with winds 20-25 knots and gusts to 28.  Again, Independence performed better than expected.  I was nervous going out, but the heavy boat just hugs the waves and keeps on going.  Lighter boats get pretty beat up in this kind of weather.  We were on a close reach most of the day averaging 6.2 knots.  We also caught some fish but no keepers.  The first in was a Little Tunny at about 3 or 4 pounds.  These are a stronger oilier fish so we threw it back.  Shortly after another fish hit the line and put up a good fight.  We lost it when it went under the boat.  Lastly we caught a Spanish Mackerel.  Just a little guy about 12 or 13 inches.  He too was a throw-back.  Even throwing them back, the fish were fun to catch.

A change of plans is in the works.  The wind was right so we decided to make a run to Rock Sound on the island of Eleuthra.  We were there in January and really enjoyed it.  This is on the way back to the states (sort of), heading north and East from the Exumas.  This was a great day of sailing with the boat at a close haul (as far into the wind as we can sail).  She performed far better than expected averaging 5.9 knots and making 7+ knots on occasion.

It’s time (actually past time) to put on the snorkel gear and start cleaning the bottom of the boat.  When I got down there I found lots of furry vegetation and a smattering of barnacle, but I must admit it was worse than I thought it would be.  The bottom paint we put on last fall was VERY expensive and supposed to be top of the line.  II guess there’s no getting ‘round the chore of cleaning the bottom.  I finished the rudder in about an hour and worked up another 3 feet on both sides before tiring and having to get out of the water.  This task is going to take several days without tanks or some other form of air supply.  I can hold my breath and submerge okay, but between the exertion of scrubbing the bottom and the added effort to keep my plump buoyant body submerged I can’t hold my breather too long.  Just getting some dive weights would help make the job go faster.  Oh well…. More scrubbing tomorrow.

After a short rest, we left with Elaine and Harry (of Zydeco) to go exploring on the ocean side of the island.  The weather was nice and the views breathtaking.  Hary was more ambitious than me and went climbing.  We decided to go again tomorrow when I’ll climb the hill and get some pictures of the boat in the harbor.  

An absolutely beautiful sailing day, we only had a short run from Black Point to Cambridge Cay of about 21 miles.  We took our time getting started and left sometime between 8:30 and 9:00.  The wind was from the starboard quarter (back and to the right) at 15 knots the whole way.  With the exception of the final 3 miles through the cut into Cambridge we didn’t use the motor.  We were on the west side of the Exumas where it is crystal clear water and looks shallower than it really is.   We had a fishing pole in the water but were not real optimistic.  We arrived at Cambridge Cay at about 1:00pm and shortly after mooring were told there was a happy hour on Sandy Cay, an very small island a short way from the boat.  As always the company was good.  We met some new people and some folks we’ve seen at different stops.

We had planned to leave at 7:00am but, because we didn’t get the dinghy out of the water last night, didn’t leave till after 7:30.  This was another great day for sailing and we didn’t use the motor at all.  We raised the sails while still at anchor and, once the anchor was was up, sailed through the other boats into the channel.   This trip  we put out a fishing line and caught a nice mahi mahi  for super.  We had originally planned on going to Galliot Cut just to spend the night before moving on however, we arrive at Galliot a little early and decided to go on to Dotham Cut.  This is a wider, easier cut to go through and it was more fun because there weren’t any swells or breakers but the current was good.  We breezed through at over 9 knots.  Super tonight was great thanks to Mr. Mahi.

Wow…it’s been two weeks since my last entry.  I couldn’t begin to piece it together, but will give you the highlights.

Regatta ended on Saturday the 10th with an awards ceremony and dance on Friday evening.  The only event that Vicky and I participated in was the Coconut Harvest (see previous entry).  We were entered in the Poker run, where folks dinghy around the harbor to get cards from different businesses trying to get the best hand.  It was cancelled due to high winds and unsafe water for the dinghies.  We were also entered in the Texas Hold ‘em tournament, but didn’t make it to the game in time to get seated.  The game was supposed to start at 6:00pm, but I guess they announced that we needed to be there by 5:30 to get our seats (I missed that announcement).  If we come down next year we’ll likely enter more events, but this year it was fun just to be spectators.

On Sunday the 11th we finally made it to Chat ‘N Chill for the Sunday pig roast.  We had gone a couple of other times, but they were sold out before we got there.  Now we know why as it is really good.  The meal includes roast port, peas and rice, Bahamian style Macaroni and cheese, and cole slaw.  We ordered just one plate but we both left full and satisfied. 

This is the second day of a 4 day windstorm and it has really been blowing.  There have been at least 5 boats in our anchorage that have had their anchor break loose (we were one of them), ad several others that have had to reset their anchor several times.  Vicky and I are trying to make sure that at least one of is in the cockpit at all time.  When the anchor broke loose I was below, but felt it as the boat suddenly smoothes on and turns side ways as the wind catches it.  The anchor alarm went off and Vicky called down to me.  In a (57 year old) flash I was up in the cockpit, started the engine and held our position until we decided how to handle it.  Vickky went below to get the headsets (they call them marriage saver) so we good talk to each other when I went up to the bow.  I went forward and pulled in the anchor while Vicky piloted the boat forward to make it easier.  Once the anchor was in the boat started blowing toward out neighbor so we throttle up and went out in the open water to make another approach.  Again Vicky was at the helm while I went forward to drop the anchor when we got to the right spot.  Vicky dropped the boat to an idle and I let the anchor down just enough to touch bottom, then continued to lay out the chain and rode till we had the right amount out.  Alas….we dropped it too soon and were 80+ feet back from our previous position and too close to the boat behind us.  After a considerable break to recover, we gave it another shot.  Vicky pulled the boat forward while I pulled in the anchor again.  We dropped the anchor about 100 feet further up than we did the last time and let out an additional 40 feet of rode (rope and chain) to get a better angle and better holding.  When all was settled, we were in nearly the same spot as before the anchor broke loose, but this time with more line out for better holding.  We have another 2 days to go before things settle down.  It’s a great time for reading books, watching movies or playing games on the computer ‘cause we ain’t goin’ nowhere for now.

We’re riding out the weather that’s blowing hard for the next 3 to 4 days.  The phrase ‘calm before the storm’ could apply better than it did here last night.  At 11:00 PM the water was like glass with no breeze at all.  Just 4 hours later it was howling at 30 mph and hasn’t stopped.  This is supposed to last at least until Thursday and maybe longer.  I made water runs yesterday to prepare, but on the last run when I took my gas cans in the fill (for the generator) all the stations were closed.  This afternoon I bundled up in my fowl weather gear to venture the 1 mile across the bay for gas.  The ride over wasn’t bad, but the wind came up worse before I headed back so I got a lot of water in the face.  With the foulies on I only got a little wet and beat up from the rough ride.  Anyway….we have gas for the generator now so we can watch movies the next few days.  (The solar panels don’t keep up with all the cloud cover).

The regatta around the island sailboat race was today.  It started at 9:30 with 3 different boat classes.  The catamarans made the most exciting start and they were all close together.  Nearly 20 miles later they came back to the start/finish line just behind our boat and I got some ‘okay’ pictures of each of them crossing the finish line.  We went to the after race party at 6:00, but didn’t really hang around long.

I tore apart the dinghy motor’s lower end this morning and found the impeller was okay.  The problem turned out to be a plugged water passage that was fairly easy to clean.  While I had the motor off I went ahead and changed the oil and it’s running great.

Vicky and I were on one of the coconut harvest teams today and had a blast.  Teams of 4 gather as many of the 1100 coconuts dumped in the harbor as they can from a motorless dinghy.  The only equipment allowed are swim fins to paddle the dinghy and a bucket.  We didn’t fair very well (13 coconuts) but had a lot of fun and came out of it soaked.

Today started the cruising Regatta which lasts for 10 days.  There was a pet parade, which we didn’t attend but could hear the laughing and cheering on the beach.  In the evening there was a talent show that included music and comedy as well as skits and finally the door prizes.  It was a lot of fun and I wish we had remembered our camera.  I will try to get some pictures from someone who brought theirs.

Earlier today I had to make a dinghy ride into town to get some cash and groceries.  The wind was higher than I like, but the run had had to be made.  The trip over was dry and, for the most part, not too rough.  I can’t say the same for the trip back.  I was taking lots of water in over the bow of the dinghy and was completely soaked when I got back to the boat.  Surprisingly, all the groceries survived except for a roll of paper towels that got a little wet on one end but was still useable. Had it not been for worrying about the groceries getting soaked I wouldn’t have minded so much.  The water was 75 or so degrees…just enough to be refreshing when mixed with the wind.

Went to “Beach Church” this morning and enjoyed a nice service with the message given by a 14 year old girl (Ayla for 3 at Sea) than is wise beyond her years.  Clear, articulate and confident she shows, once again, how the youth on cruising boats can excel.

Later in the afternoon we went back to the beach (Chat ‘N Chill) to watch the Daytona 500.  The race was rained out, but not until we had sat at the bar for 3 or 4 hours.  I’ll be feeling that in the morning.

Hooray!!... The radar is finally installed and working great.  This little project took over a week and 5 trips climbing up the mast, but the installation is good and I’ve got the mast climbing thing down to a science.  It’s a little uncomfortable going up but, once you get to the top and tie off the safety strap it’s not bad at all…until a speed boat goes by…

Oops…another repair job in the making.  The water pump impeller on the dinghy outboard is giving up the ghost.  I think it sucked up some sand when I took it to the beach to put trash in the dumpster.  The tide was low and the bottom came up fast quite a ways out from the beach.  Oh well…life on a boat means fixing things on a fairly regular basis.  I don’t have a spare so ordered parts yesterday.  It could take a while to get here but, for now, the pump is trickling enough water through the engine so we can still use it for short runs.  I’ll be pulling the motor off and disassembling it today in hopes iit’s a clogged line rather than bad impeller….but I’m not optimistic.

I managed to get the radar platform down and the cable for the new radar fed through the mast.  Once down I was able to get all the new holes drilled in the platform and made a run to the store to get some new bolts etc…  I had planned on putting it all together this morning, but the wind has come up just enough to make it unsafe to go up (too much rocking/swaying).  I could probably go up, but would be hanging on for dear life and couldn’t use my hands to do the work.  It’s supposed to settle down this evening so tomorrow may be the day.  I guess this shows how a one day project takes a week or more on a boat.

Weather today was gorgeous, if maybe a little too warm.  Temperatures were in the mid-to-high 70s and there was very little wind.  I didn’t make it up the mast to finish the radar project.  My excuses for the day were it was too hot and my muscles ached from the prior two climbs.  We’ll either work on it today or go into shore to sew the sun guard back onto our headsail.

I went up the mast again today hoping to pull off the radar platform and drill a second hole in the mast for the second cable on the new unit.  I got the hole drilled okay but ran into some trouble pulling the platform.  The original installer did not use stainless steel nuts and bolts so they’re fused in pretty good.  Tomorrow I’ll go back up with a grinder to take them off the hard way.  Once I get it down and new holes drilled I hope to be able to complete the project with just one more trip up.  I can always dream can’t I ?...

Weather is great today, some of the nicest we’ve seen.  It’s about 75 degrees with just enough breeze to keep you cool.  The forecasts have the weather remaining pleasant for the next week, which should give us some good opportunity to go snorkeling and exploring.

The cruising community is spinning up for the 32nd annual cruiser’s regatta that starts on Monday.  It lasts for two weeks and is filled with lots of fun activities from cruiser sailboat races, to pet parades.  There’s also a poker tournament, scavenger hunts, sand sculptures and plenty more. 

Feeling lucky, after Thurday night’s poker game, today seemed like a good day to climb the mast for the first time.  I need to change out the radar dome on the mizzen mast.  This is the shorter mast and the radome is only ¾ of the way up, but it’s have enough for the first run.  I rigged the line and set up the ‘Top Climber’, which is a rig that lets me go up without anyone cranking the winch down below.   Vicky likes this!  There seemed like a lot of sway as I climbed, but once I got up there and got used to the idea it wasn’t bad at all.  I got the old radome off and pulled the old wire, pulling through a cord to bring up the new wire tomorrow.  I was up there for a couple of hours and it only took a few minutes to come down when I was done.  Tomorrow I go up twice.  I have to bring down the old platform so I can re-drill it to fit the new radome.  Then it’s back up again to finish the project off.

It was poker night at St. Francis.  A max crowd of 50 players was in attendance and Gary took 3rd with a prize of $35.  

At 5:00 a bunch of us (probably 20 boats) met on the beach for sundowners (drinks) and snacks to watch the sunset.  Conversation was good and a couple of folks brought their guitars and sang some Cat Stevens and other music.  We ran into Harry and Eileen from Zydeco who had arrives yesterday, and met some new folks as well.  Vicky made pinwheels for the snacks and there was a lot of other good food.   We had a good time and were among the last to leave.

Tom, from Polar Pacer, gave a talk on visiting Cuba this morning on Volleyball Beach.  There were probably 30 – 40 people in attendance and his talk was really informative.  Officially U.S. Citizens are not allowed to visit Cuba, but cruisers from other countries have no such restrictions (Tom is Canadian).  Apparently, Cuba welcomes U.S. citizens, but because of U.S. restrictions, our cerdit and debit cards will not work there, so it’s strictly on a cash basis.  We don’t plan on going, but Tom’s talk sure made it seem inviting as one of the friendliest and most economical ports to vist.

After the talk Vicky and I went over to Chat ‘N Chill, a bar and grill on the beach, and had sandwiches and just enough rum punch to make the rest of the day a leisure day on the boat.  We had planned on going to the Valentine’s Day dance, but our get up and go got up and went so we passed.

After the weather forecast this morning we put the laundry and trash together and headed to shore.  The wind was still up to 15 knots which made for a bumpy wet ride for the mile into town.  We dropped off trash and then I dropped Vicky at the Laundromat before taking off to fill the gas cans (we were really getting low).    After hauling the gas back to the boat (another wet ride) I headed back with the computer to go to the Internet shack.  There weren’t any seats available I picked up Vicky and laundry and headed back to the boat (again).  Once back in the boat we took yet another ride into town and had lunch at Eddies Edgewater.  He has Internet available to customers, so I was able to catch up on email, get my banking done, and have my mail forwarded from St Brendan’s Isle (mail forwarding service) to here in Georgetown.  I also picked up a planning fin for the outboard.  One more trip back to the boat and we’re ready for a break.  We’ll likely head over to IBIS (one of the trawlers we’re hanging with) for a visit this evening and then we’ll be done for the day.

Everyone was gearing up for a big blow yesterday.  The forecast had it hitting around midnight, but it showed up a couple of hours ealy last night and blew all day today.  Winds were 25 – 30 mph.

The community out here is always standing by to assist.  A large trawler broke loose in the wind and dragged through a mooring field.  The call went out over the radio and 20 or so dinghies (including myself) were on sight within 5 minutes.  The dinghies pushed up against the trawler so keep it from beaching or hitting other boats while a couple of folks boarded the unoccupied boat.  Once they found the keys she was started up and taken to a safe place to anchor.  Later through the night there were at least 3 dinghies that got away in the wind, but all were retrieved by other boaters.

We stayed on the boat all day today (except when I left to help the trawler), because I hate to leave the boat alone during a blow almost as much as I hate pounding the waves in the dinghy to go ashore.  We watched movies and read books and just had a relaxing day.

Neither Vicky nor I made it to the final table in last night’s poker game.  We did have fun and got to meet some new people.  I was also able to update the web page, up to Farmers Cay, but the Internet went out just before I could get the last changes uploaded and get an email off.  Maybe in the next day or so.  We have to take the computer to shore in the dinghy to get Internet (which make me nervous, and we buy it for 75 minutes at a time.  Given how slow it is, 75 minutes isn’t much time here.

We had planned to leave this morning and dinghy out to a reef for snorkeling.  We haven’t made it yet as I wanted to try out our shiny new bread pans.  The loaves are almost done with their second rising so we ought to have fresh bread in about an hour.  After that we’ll head out to the reef.

Okay…so we didn’t leave right after the bread was done, but we did go at about 4:00.  We went to a small reef nearby and had a nice time.  Along with the small colorful fish and live corral Vicky spotted a lionfish and I saw sever grouper.  The lion fish was pretty, but they’re spines are poisonous.  They have no natural predators, so are becoming more plentiful and considered a nuisance.  Lionfish have become a delicacy and you are allowed to take as many as you want.  They are also very slow moving and easy to catch with a net.  With no gloves and no desire to get stuck we’ll pass for now, but will give it a try later on when we see more.

We took on less water than I head suspected yesterday and the pump wasn’t doing its job to get pressure to the faucets.  I suspected the pump had fail rather than the water tanks emptied.  Today I crawled under the sink and loosened a few fittings while Vicky ran the pump.  Apparently there was either a plugged line or the pump just needed a little priming, but 15 minutes later all was working and I was happy not to have to pull the pump apart.

It’s poker night at St. Francis, so we’ll cook an early dinner and head over.  Tomorrow we’re planning on a snorkeling trip just south of Crab Cay (about 3 miles away).  Hopefully we’ll run across some lobster to take home for dinner.

After a slow start this morning we pulled up anchor and motored to the other side of Elizabeth Harbor for water.  It’s about a mile from where we’re anchored and, because it was going to take several trips, it was easier/quicker to get the boat closer to where the water was.  We have 3 15 gallon jerry cans for water and figured it was going to take 6 to 7 trips.  You can pull right up to the filling hose on the dongy dock to fill your jugs without getting out.  The toughest part is lifting the full jugs out of the dingy and up to the boat.  The whole evolution took us a little over 2 hours and we were ready to head back to our anchorage after supper.  Vicky cooked up some wonderful mahi mahi with finish potatoes and peas in a cream sauce.  Hmmmm…  The mahi mahi was given to us by our neighbor and new found friend Fred, from the motor yacht North Star.

After a fairly leisurely morning we lowered the dinghy into the water and headed to town.  We in the northern most anchorage so it’s quiet a jaunt (about 4 miles) across the bay into Georgetown.  This was mostly a look around to get oriented, hit the bank to draw some cash and have lunch.  We found the public dinghy dock which was better than most we’ve seen for a while, and also found the place where we can dump trash.  We’ve got about 10 days of trash stored on board and this is the first opportunity to offload it.  Lastly, but most important, we found out where to get water.  Our tanks are just about empty so we need about 140 gallons.

We started in with the boat to fill with water but were convinced by a couple of other cruisers on the way not to bring the boat into the dock.  It seems these are newer docks, but there are bolts sticking out that haven’t been cut and covered yet.  These can do a number on the side of your boat, so we opted to turn around and just take trips in with the dinghy and fill jerry jugs.  This will take about eight trips and a serious back-ache to get done, but is worth it to not scar up the boat.

There is a Texas Hold ‘em game every Tuesday and Thursday at St Francis Resort.  Buy in is just $5 and there are usually 30 to a max of 50 players.  We went in early enough to have dinner before the game.  Both Vicky and I made it to the second round, with Vicky placing 8th.  I was out early in the second round but had fun losing my money.

We left Farmer’s Cay at around 8:00.  The cut (channel between the inside and the ocean) was really nasty.  First we had to fight the swift current of the incoming tide.  Second, right outside the channel, the deep water of Exuma Sound meets the very shallow water of the cay.  This made a very rough ride with some of the waves (surf) reaching 12 or 14 feet.  Lots of water over the bow and the crashing noise when the boat would get some air time and smack back down.  It’s pretty normal…but unnerving just the same.

Since we had a short run and lots of time, we decided to slow it down and put a line out.  After about 2 hours and no bites we reeled in and picked up speed.  As we approach Rat Cay in became more and more apparent this might not be a good idea.  Maybe I was still rattled from the morning passage through Farmer’s Cay, but this one is a lot narrower and you have to come in at an angle.  The surf was smashing into the rocks and up in the air on either side.  As we were almost ready to enter the Cay a large wave picked us up and gently moved us a good 50 feet to starboard (the right).   Gentle or not, that was too much variation to attempt the cut, so we made a quit u-turn and headed back out.

We decided to transit all the way to Georgetown, but after fooling around with fishing and spending time at Rat Cay cut we were cutting it thin to get in before sunset.  We throttle up and made good time arriving at the cut (much wider) an hour before sunset and dropping the hook with a whole 15 minutes to spare.  Whew….

We’re just resting up and getting the boat ready for the next leg of our journey.  Tomorrow morning will be a fairly short and easy run to Rat Cay.  Rat Cay will be an overnight stay in a protected anchorage, and we’ll leave the next day to end up in Georgetown.

At about 5 we went into the yacht club for dinner and watched the Super Bowl.  There was a large crowd there with a fairly even split of Patriots/Giants fans.  What a great game with it still undecided in the final 9 seconds.

Today was more about cat boat racing and spending the day on the beach.  During one of the races I took the dinghy out to get a better look and some pictures.  Like I said earlier, the direction of the boats was unpredictable (at least to me), and I found myself in their path.  It didn’t seem to matter where I drove off to, they were headed right at me.  I finally scooted around to hide behind an anchored catamaran and watched them go by and then tack back the other direction.  Hopefully I got some good pictures…

Its 4:00 in the morning and one of those noises is keeping me up.  This is one of those ‘round to it’ items I’ve been putting off for no particular reason.  The radar and radio cables coming down the mizzen mast (back mast) have too much slack in them and slap the inside of the mast when the boat rocks.  All I had to do was pull them tight and put a zip tie on them so they couldn’t slide back.  There…it’s fixed and I’m going back to bed….

At about 7:30 this morning the mail boat from Nassau cruised by our boat with Bahamian music blaring and a boat load of people dancing and having a good time.  This pretty much marks the beginning of the festival.  There were also 8 or 10 Bahamian Cat boats stacked on the bow being brought in for the races.  We headed to shore for the festival at about 9:30.  Our first stop was at Oceans Cabin, a restaurant and bar, where met up with some friends and tried to figure out what was going on and when.  There was a printed schedule of events on the door that didn’t match what was broadcast on the radio an hour earlier that didn’t really match what was happening.  As the day went on we learned that schedules aren’t really rock solid here…anything but…

The races were head just offshore on the west beach.  They were a little far off to see much other than their sails and direction and it was hard to figure out who was in the lead.  There were some boats that took off in the opposite direction of others.  The finish line was apparently nearer the shore as they all eventually made it in that way.  Lots of fun to watch since these boats are more sail than they are boat.  Most boats had 3 or 4 crew on board.  One steered the boat and the others were pretty much there for ballast.  As the boats heel well over in the wind the crew would climb out on boards to keep it from tipping all the way over.  When the boat would tack (turn the other way into the wind) the crew would scramble to get to the other side.  This was no easy feat since the sail boom came almost all the way down to the deck and they would virtually have to crawl under.  Anyone can volunteer to crew on these boats and a lot of cruisers did just that.  I’ll just stay a spectator this year…but maybe next time… 

In the early afternoon there were hermit crab races.  The master of ceremony was Roosevelt Nixon, the owner of the Farmer’s Cay Yacht Club.  He was really great and got the spectators involved and cheering for their crab.  Of course the betting on the crabs helped to inspire.  The crabs (8 of them) where put under a bucked in the center of a circle with multiple rings.   Roosevelt would do a countdown with the crowd and then lift the bucket.  The crabs could go in any direction and still wind.  The first 3 crabs crossing the outside ring would win, place and show.  Vicky won on one of the three races and came out just a little ahead.

In the evening there was a music fest at the yacht club, but Vicky and I ran out of gas and didn’t go.  I think that was a common problem as I heard the crowd was quite small with only about 4 people playing their music

The F5 festival is the First Friday in February Festival at Farmers Key.  We made the sail down here from Black Point (Just 14 miles).  The sailing was great (and quiet) with no motor at about 7mph.  We arrived at 10:15 which I think is the first time we anchored anywhere before noon.

During the festival there will be music, lots of food, games, and a Bahamian sailboat race.  Cruisers not only join in on the festivities, but some even help to put it on.  The festival lasts from Friday through Sunday.

We took a walk around the island (literally…it’s a very small island) after parking the boat.  Stopped in at the airport after walking down the runway, and were told the bar and grill was only open for 3 days a year (during the festival).  The convenience store was closed, but I thought you’d appreciate a picture, as well as Oceans, where we stopped in for a burger and a beer.  I’ve also include a picture of the government building.  

Vicky on the Farmers Cay Runway.  Airport building in the background

It's either the air terminal or just a bar and grill at Farmers Cay.  They serve a good grilled snapper and rum punch.

Oceans...in city center.

All the comforts of home.  Actually most super markets we've run across more closely resemble a 7-11.  The convenience stores carry bare essentials.

I can really see why many of the books on cruising caution about expectations over the first 6 months. In fact many cruisers don’t hold on past that 6 month mark and quit before the fun begins.   We’ve been on the boat for just over 5 months now, but the real enjoyment didn’t start until about a month ago, and we’ve still got a few kinks to work out.  Our first mistake was trying to hold to schedules for the first few months while, at the same time, working out the kinks in the boat, building a routine, and adding new systems.  Until you’ve been on the boat for a bit you just don’t know what you need to maintain your accepted comfort level.  There was both an adjustment to what IS acceptable, and the things you do to the boat to meet your absolute requirements.  

Until the first part of December (at 4 months) we were trying to beat schedules.  First to get out of Florida (north), then get back to Florida, then get out of Florida again (east).  In the midst of all that we took on a guest that we really enjoyed having aboard, but we really weren’t ready.  The accommodations weren’t as nice as we would have liked to make them, and we had yet to really enjoy our own experience so how could we share it.  Finally, we were naïve to think someone could join us for the trip from Florida to the Bahamas.  The weather just doesn’t cooperate this time of year and it’s a pretty miserable trip across the gulf stream when do get a chance to go.  I only hope our friend wasn’t put off and will join us again as we’re now getting pretty good at this and are learning the good places to go and things to do.  

Then there is the experience factor, or just learning how to do things.  Even with all the courses, reading, and day sailing I was still green at navigating the boat and feeling comfortable under different conditions off shore.  What was considered a terrifying wave 5 months ago is now just another wave.  Water over the bow is no surprise now when the sea kicks up a little and can actually be exhilarating.  And then there are the noises unique to living on a boat.  As time went by I investigated each and every noise (all night long).  Now I know what causes most of them, have made changes to quiet those I can, and simply accept the others and know its okay.  Then there is the nightly worry about the anchor not holding.  When we first started out I was up half (or all) the night checking our position.  If we slipped 10 feet I was sure we’d be drifting out to sea or crashing into something before the night was over.  As time went by my anchoring skills improved, confidence increased, and I sleep through the night in all but the worst winds or currents.  This is just a little rambling to give some perspective to those that might consider trying this.  If you do…make a commitment to stay with it for at least 6 months.  We did and are now really enjoying ourselves and looking forward to the next port.  

Oh…today??? The weather turned sour as expected with winds about 25-30mph most of the night and continuing through today and tomorrow.  It has been a lazy day for the most part.  Vicky and I did scrub down the cockpit (looking good) but that’s the extent of our ambition.  We watched a movie and have just been hanging out listening to music the wind blowing.  We may go to one of the little islands and let Buddy loose for the first time.  It has to be a small island in case he doesn’t want to come back and I have to huff and puff to catch him .

Windy weather is moving in for the next couple of days so we’ll be staying here at Cambridge Cay until things settle down.  It’s a beautiful place with lots of exploring to do both on the main cay and the surrounding smaller islands.  We even saw a turtle swim by the boat this afternoon.

Since we’ll be here a few days Vicky and I decided to make a run to the store at Compass Cay (the next cay south).  That would have been a 3 mile dinghy ride, but the store only had beer, soda and snacks.  We decided to extend our trek further south to Staniel Cay, another 7 or so miles south.  This was our longest dinghy ride so far and Vicky is getting to be a salty sailor.  We had the dinghy up on a plane most of the way, bouncing about in the not so smooth water and wind.  We ‘found’ a couple of sand bars on our own, since we didn’t study the charts for the longer ride.  At the marina in Staniel Cay we were surrounded by nurse sharks.  We’re told that these sharks are really quite docile and you can actually swim with them….no thanks…  All-in-all it was a good trip, albeit a wet one.  When we returned to the boat about 5 hours later it was time for earlier sundowners, a quick rinse and a nap.

The trek to Cambridge Cay was really pleasant.  We were up at 5:00, had some breakfast and pulled the anchor at about 6:00.  There was a little more wind than the predicted light and variable, so we were able to put out the head sail to pick up some extra speed.  About half way into the trip we decided to put out all sails and shut down the motor.  No sooner did I have the sails rigged to go up, the wind direction changed and was pretty much on the nose.  Not only did we not put up the main and mizzen sails, we had to pull in the head sail too.  Still, all-in-all, in was a nice trip and we arrived 2 ½ hours earlier than scheduled because of the extra speed.

Cambridge Cay is within the Bahamas Land and Sea Park.  The water is some of the prettiest we’ve seen since stating out.  It’s clear turquoise where you can see the bottom and all the fish swimming by in 20+ feet of water.  There’s no fishing is allowed but, unfortunately, some folks don’t heed the rules.  I’ve seen fish, including a 3 foot barracuda, but the fish are not as plentiful as expected.  They discourage anchoring and provide some nice mooring balls for $20/night.  We switched roles today and Gary drove while Vicky retrieved and attached the boat to the mooring ball.  Everything went like clockwork and she got it on the first attempt.  I think we’ve got the hang of this.

Right after we had moored, a couple pulled up in their dinghy to let us know there was going to be a happy hour on the sandy island about a quarter mile from the mooring field.  Vicky made up some finger sandwiches and packed an ice chest while Gary lowered the dinghy into the water and got the deck in order.  Just after 4:30 we arrived on the sandy island and met 3 other couples.  Surprise…one of the couples was Harry and Eileen from Zydeco (we met them at Highborne Cay a week ago).  Conversation, food and drink were great, and Joe blew the conch horn to mark a gorgeous sunset before we headed back to our boats. 

Yesterday Vicky went to shore for a manicure and we picked up laundry in the early afternoon.  In the evening we attended a community benefit BBQ.  The grilled fish was spectacular.  The music was good and we were able to keep listening from our boat.  It went on till the wee hours of the morning.  Sorry, but we left without the camera.

This morning was navigation and charting time getting ready to leave early tomorrow.  We’ve changed our mind about going to Cat Island since it’s such a long run.  We will instead be head back to the Exumas to continue our trek southward.  Tomorrow’s destination is Cambridge Cay, a distance of about 52 miles.  We’ll leave before sunup to make sure we have plenty of time getting there.  The winds are supposed to be very mild so we may have to motor.

This is our second day in Rock Sound.  It is a quiet community where it seems everyone knows each other and not even visitors are strangers.  One of the easiest things to get used to out here is that everyone greets each other with a ‘good morning’, ‘good afternoon’, or ‘good night’.  Folks are always ready to lend a hand when you look lost or need directions.  And the smiles are overwhelming.

Today we took our laundry in.  We had a choice…either use the cion-op laundry at $3 a load to wash, and $3 to dry plus bring your own detergent or….take it into Dingle’s gas station where a lady picks up your laundry to wash, dry and fold for $6 a load.  Which would you chose?...

After dropping off the laundry we walked to Ocean Hole.  This is an inland hole filled with ocean water, and is very deep.  The local community has built a park around it and uses it as the town swimming pool.

Our next stop was the Market Place, a little over a mile up the road.  This is the largest shopping center in the area and includes a hardware store, a grocery store, a NAPA auto parts, and a gas station.  While it’s not big compared to centers at home, it carries the necessities albeit at a reduced number of choices.

Our last stop on the way back to the dock was Pascal’s at 4 Points for lunch and a couple of Bahama Mamas.  Pascal has recently taken over the establishment and is looking for ways to make it more inviting to cruisers.  Probably the first thing to do would be put in a good dingy dock.  There’s only one dock in the area and it is more of a pier with a high climb at low tide.  His building is inviting and the food is good at a reasonable price…it’s just the getting there part he needs to work on.

On Wednesdays (today) the Market Place closes at 2:00PM.  It’s open until 5:00 on other days except Friday and Saturday where it’s opened until 7:00.  Of course they are closed on Sunday.

You know…. I’m beginning to think I could forecast the weather (or at least the wind) by knowing my destination.  If you want to know which way the wind is coming from….just ask which direction I’ll be heading.

Today we left for a short run to Rock Sound on Eleuthra.  It was suppose to be perfect for sailing, but the wind has a mind of it’s own and was on our nose the whole trip.  After about 3 hours of motoring we arrived at Rock Sound.  This is a really nice anchorage with good protection from most directions and a town full of what seem to be very friendly people.  Vicky and I went exploring in the afternoon and didn’t get back till after dark.  We ran into kids playing in the street, stopped at a grocery store and found the local shop for getting a WiFi Internet code.  We’ll go again tomorrow and head up to the Market Place. 

Independence was refueled and the water tanks filled preparing for our departure.  She took on 51 gallons of fuel at $5.55/gal and 97 gallons of water at $0.50/gal.  At the end of the fuel docks we noticed a slew of sharks, so had better not fall off the dock.

After some debating and indecision we finally decided to leave Highborne Cay and start working our way toward Rock Sound, our next stop before Cat Island.  For the most part our debating was about whether or not we had enough time to make it to Round Sound before sundown.  We actually didn’t leave until almost noon, after fueling and filling the water tanks (at $0.50/gal for the water).  We never put the sails up as the wind was on our nose the whole way.  Our average speed was about 5.8 mph which wass not enough to get us to Rock Sound by sunset, so we diverted into a marina in Eleuthra about 12 mile short of our destination.

Cape Eleuthra is a gorgeous stop, with luxury condos, a small restaurant, laundry and shower facilities.  Unfortunately there were almost no boats in the harbor.  They have 55 slips in the marina and only 6 of them occupied.  The condos were pretty empty too.  The story is that it went bankrupt years ago, some Saudis purchased it but never opened, and it deteriorated severely.  It was just recently refurbished and reopened, so perhaps business will pick up when word gets around.

That’s the best way to put it…a triple-header plus.  

After breakfast and boat chores this morning we went for a 3 mile dinghy ride to Leaf Cay (pronounced key) for a picnic lunch.  There is an abundance of iguanas on this island on the one next to it.  Just moments after we landed the dinghy these guys were on their way to check us out.  There must have been more than 50 of them and they are not shy.  We met their expectations and tossed them pieces of bread, and then gave them half of our lunch.  We took pictures and video which I’ll get up on the site.

When we were done ‘playing’ with the iguanas we trolled back to the boat, but the fish weren’t biting.  We were getting ready for our next excursion (snorkeling) when Harry and Elaine from Zydeco, the sailboat anchored next to us stopped by for a chat.  On the way out we swung by their boat and, while we were talking, a local pulled up next to us with some fresh caught lobster.   We only bought one because they were really big.  We dropped off the lobster at the boat and headed out toward a beach about 4 miles away.  The site we picked for snorkeling wasn’t great, but we enjoyed it just the same.  Both of us found several conch, but they weren’t big enough to take home and cook.

Once back to the boat we rinsed off and headed over to Zydeco for sundowners (cocktails).  The conversation was good and the sunset was gorgeous.  Harry and Elaine were great hosts and we felt most welcome.  When we headed back home it was time for the grand finale of a lobster dinner.  I don’t think we could have packed much more into the day….

Harry and Elaine from Sailing vessel Zydeco

With the dinghy in the water for most of the last month, it had built up some barnables on the bottom and on the moter.  Before putting it back in and going exploring we decided to scrape them both off.  What a chore.  They don’t come off easy and will cut the bajeebies out of your hands if your not wearing gloves.  It’s not pristine clean now, but it’s a lot better.  Looks like there is some dinghy bottom paint in our future.

Our journey to Highbourne Cay got off to a late start.  Gary pulled to motor from the dinghy so we could put the dinghy on the deck instead of hanging it from the davits.  While taking a break after pullin the motor, the dinghy line worked its way loose and the dinghy floated away.  It was ony about 150 away when we noticed it, but by the time Gary put on his wet suit and flippers it was almost to shore.  At least the oars were still it it so he could row back.

The trip to Highbourne Cay was pleasant, but with the late start we were battling the clock.  With all sails up and the engine we were making about 9 mph most of the way and pulled in about 10 minutes before sunset.  There are 8 other boats anchored here and the holding is very good, but the wind/wave protection from the north leaves a little to be desired.

We decided to spend the day relaxing and stayed a little longer in New Providence.  In the afternoon we decide to walk to the store, hoping a Jitney (the local bus system) would come by and we could wave it down.  It was a little late in the afternoon and no Jitney appeared, but a very nice lady (Carmina) pulled over and gave us a ride.  Good thing too since the store was a lot further than we thought.  Carmina took us to the store, waited while we shopped and offered to take us back to the harbor where the boat was parked.  She even made an extra stop for us to buy some ice on the way back.

We left Morgan’s Bluff this morning and made the trek to New Providence.  The ride was a little rough but nothing unbearable.  The wind was on our nose so we had to motor the whole way.  Our arrival was a little late but we were easily anchored before sunset and settle down for our evening meal.

On the island of New Providence is the capitol of the Bahamas.  The island has a population of about 250,000 and Nassau is more of a big city feel.  The crime rate in Nassau is supposed to be higher than most of the Bahamas, but we anchored on the west end of the island away from the city. 

We are at Morgan’s Bluff (named after the pirate).   We left Cat Cay on the 13th and made it half way across the Bahama Banks where we anchored for the night.  The water is beautiful, but it’s a little creepy being able to see the bottom so clearly.  It’s around 12 feet deep but doesn’t look deeper than 3 or 4.  The next morning we sailed the rest of the way to Morgan’s Bluff.  The wind picked up but was on the nose so the ride was a little uncomfortable.  Once at Morgan’s Bluff we anchored in the cove.  There is not much wind/wave protection so the nights are a little long.  We went into Willy’s bar for a beer and some of Captain Hard A**’s (that’s how he introduced himself) boiled conch and conch salad.  Both we really good, but the boiled conch (kind of a stew) was a little too spicy for Vicky.  Today we went into town with Shalom (the harbor master) to do a little shopping for groceries.  He is a wealth of information, but the ride was a little expensive.  Tomorrow the wind is supposed to settle down and we’ll head out for New Providence, our last stop before heading to the Exumas.

Today was a casual day (still recovering).  We left Bimini at about 9:00 and sailed just 14 miles down to Cat Cay.  The island is a private yacht club, but we planning to go ashore.  There are a couple of boats around us and the anchorage is very quiet.  I went for a swim and tried out my shiny new snorkel gear.  The water wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t balmy either.  I climbing half way in before climbing out and grabbing my old wet suit.  It still fit!!! (Well sort of….).  The swim was nice.  I dove our anchor to make sure it had set since we dragged quite a bit when I was trying to set it.  It was mostly grass and sand on the bottom so the anchoring just skipped along merrily for 100 feet or so before grabbing some sand.  I also tried the handy pump up spray bottle to rinse off.  INCREDIBLE !!  It was nice and warm from the sun and I was totally rinsed off with less than a half gallon of water.  (Water is a commodity out here costing as much as $0.80/gallon).

We anchored in Alicetown on Bimini Island at about 2:00 PM.  We got a late start heading out from Marathon, pulling out at 3:00 and till having to fuel up.  The weather window was not nearly as nice as forecast and the waves were pretty bad as we approached the Gulf Stream.  We decided to turn around and come back to Hawk’s Channel (off the Keys) and travel up the coast.  As we approached Key Largo there were just too many reefs to navigate comfortably at night so we headed east to try the Gulf Stream again.  When we got out there it was still pretty rough but seemed to be settling down.  As we pushed forward it got a little better each hour, but was still not a pleasant ride.  By the time we got to the middle it was either getting better, or we were just getting used to it.  With the extra push of the current we were making 11 mph with the head sail up.  All in all we traveled 160 mile from port to port.  The zig sagging out and back in then out again added 30 miles to the trip, but faster speed made up for it and we pulled in an hour sooner than planned.  

Check in went well but is a gob of paperwork.  Our cruising permit expires April 11th, but can be extended up to 90 days if we decide to stay longer.  We are officially exhausted and getting some rest tonight.

Tomorrow is the day.  We took Buddy to the vet for be heading out to get his health certificate and will be leaving for Bimini (Bahamas) if the weather forecast holds.  From Marathon it will be a 130 mile trip taking about 24 hours.  We’ll be heading straight out to the Gulf Stream, and taking it diagonally across. 

We’re as ready as can be.  All I have left to do is change the oil in the engine,  but I can do that in the morning before we leave.

We kept the car a couple of days to get additional running done.  The first day we drove to Key West after our appointments to get shopping done at the base.  We also stocked up on soda (6 cases)  and beer (3 case) since it is so expensive in the Bahamas.  We’re told beer is as high as $50 a case there.

Today both Vicky and I have doctor’s appointments to stock up on prescriptions before setting out.  We rented a car so we could make our appointments in Pine Key (20 miles away) and then get some running and provisioning done.