Marsh Harbour, Abacos, Bahamas

 

 We left Vero Beach on New years Eve heading for Fort Worth, Florida. We followed our friends Pat and Karl, on Ishmael, a trimaran, that we had met during Hurricane Sandy. The grib files, a weather outlook told us that it was going to be ideal to cross the gulfstream on the Wednesday.

So with out to much hesitation we moved down to the inlet to the ocean. Along the way we had a chance to get to use our Tow boat US card, we ran aground in the waterway. Only pride was hurt. Then in the morning on leaving the anchorage where we had spent the night, we did it again. Not being able to find deeper water, we sat and waited for high tide before continuing.
  We arose at 2:30am with anchors up an hour later and started across the gulfstream. The sky was full of stars, a half moon with very little wind. Ideal.
As the sun came up we put up the sail and had a very enjoyable time till we were 15 miles from the banks. Confused waves bounced us around, but couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces. Ahead we could see bright aquamarine colored water.

                                                    Land Ho!!!!!


We made our way between Memory Rock and a shoal to the south, and got onto the Bahamas bank where the seas settled down and continued on to Mangrove Cay where we anchored for the night. We arrived 1 hour after sundown. A long day.
Upon leaving the next morning, after pulling the anchor, Muriel was on deck tying it down when she looked down and seen 6 ft. Nurse shark in the clear water. Lucky we didn't go for a swim, which we were both thinking of doing.

 Then moved on to Great Sal Cay, where we spent 2 relaxing days, then stopped at Treasure Cay, to check in and get the immigration stuff taken care of. Soon as that was done we sailed to Marsh Harbour where we are now.

Again we are waiting for favourable winds to carry us down to the Exumas.