What the heck you been up to?

       We arrived in Georgetown, Exumas , more correct Elizabeth Harbour on Febuary 6th. The harbour is approx. 5 miles long by 1 1/2 wide, protected to the east by Lee Stocking Island, and beyond the Exuma sound and the Atlantic. Most anchorages were quite full by boats that have been here since early winter, most waiting for the Georgetown Cruising Regatta to begin. We got here at the perfect time, one of about 280 boats( 600 cruisers). The majority are Canadian, but Americans and Europeans had a turn out also.

   We quickly moved into island life and got ready for our first visitor, our son Jonny who was spending a week with us. With the beach just off our anchorage, we spent time walking looking for shells, snorkeling , or fishing.

   The week after, the Regatta started, which had many activities for us to join in. One of the highlights is the big boat races, which I agreed to crew for our friends on Ismael a trimaran.

 First is a, "Around the Island", second "In Harbour" race. We finished a respectable second in both.  Muriels' sister and husband came to visit, so the highlight was racing along side Lloyd, who served as time keeper in the second race. He then went on to place 3rd in volleyball.  Muriels' team took 2nd.

Our days here are spent most days on the Exuma Sound side which has one of the most beautiful beaches, the whole length of the island . Also there are trails that criss-cross to both sides, some we have hiked many times.
It sure will be hard to leave.

      

Cays, Cays and more Cays

  As we sailed through the Cays toward Georgetown, Exumas we spent time in some of the most beautiful anchorages that you could imagine. Just looking around you knew you were in ..........well, paradise.

Spanish Wells is small harbour full of either fishing boats, small freighters or boats to be repaired at the marina.  Due to being shallow we didn't think we were going to get a chance to visit. We hitched a ride with our friends on Ishmael, and spent the day walking around.

 We then moved down to Wardrick Wells, a national park here in Bahamas. The water is so , aquamarine blue it seems you are floating on air. All wildlife is protected, no fishing, just snorkel or swim. We hiked many of the trails on the island.

On top of a hill overlooking the park, called Boo Boo Hill, cruisers who have visited leave a memento, and so we also had to leave ours. We made up a plaque with our info and left it amongst the rest.

After spending a few days, we had nice easy sail to Staniel Cay, a favourite stop for many cruisers, inside the harbour is a grotto where a James Bond movie was shot years ago. When the fishing boats get back with the days catch, it becomes a huge social event with groups of people standing around to watch the men clean their catch. They throw all the entrails into the water which in turn, brings in the sharks. They move in soon as they hear the knives working on the cleaning bench. They are very tame and even allow you to get in the water with them.

 An anchorage where we stayed is famous for it's swimming pigs, located at Big Major Cay, a mile from Staniel.

 They wait around the beach looking for hand-outs.We dingied over and found out, that they like popcorn, so much so, that we had to keep the motor on so he wouldn't climb in the dinghy.

 

 

 

Leaving Marsh Harbour

   We finally said good-bye to Marsh Harbour and started our way down to the Exumas, where everyone says the weather is warmer. All our days here have been in the high 70s or 80s. I don't know how anybody can complain about the temps.
   The sailing life revolves around the perfect conditions,#1: To make passage, and #2: what its going to be like when you get there. Looking at the Island hops ahead of us we picked a small place, rightfully called, Little Harbour.
   When we arrived, we anchored outside the basin and went ashore by dinghy.  The depths inside are for the local fishing boats, only about 3ft. We had our first "cheeseburger in paradise" at Pete's Pub a small beach bar washed down with a Kalik, a Bahamian beer........ it couldn't get any better.

 After our Jimmy Buffet lunch, we visited an art gallery & foundry established in the fifities where magnificent bronze castings are still produced. It is easy to understand why sculptor/artist Randolph Johnson and his family selected this spot to settle and realize their dreams of Island life.
  We then continued our walk, being followed by a couple of stray dogs known as potpies.

  Over to the Atlantic side of the Island the waves pound onto the shore bringing tons of plastic objects and depositing it here on the shore. One of the thinges to search for are known as hamburger or heart beans, actually a large seed from the Amazon fall into the water and travel here. They are a very rich mahogany color and shaped like a heart or a hamburger, they are very hard. Once polished they are a beautiful keepsake. No luck this time, but we feel optimistic counting the number of beaches still to come.

  For the night we moved over to Lynyard Cay 3 miles away to get some protection from the s/w wind, or have a rolly night. As it was, the waves and wind bounced us around till morning.

After breakfast, which we enjoyed in the cockpit we set off to explore close to our anchorage. Cruisers who visit, pick the plastic off the beach, known as flotsam and have decorated the trees. Due to waiting for a weather window we spent two days here in one of last cays of the Abacos.

  We left just after sunrise to cross 50nm to Eleuthera, anchoring in Royal Island, a circle shaped harbour. The stong east wind kept us held here for 3 days. We took a trip in to Spanish Wells oboard our friends trimaran. This is a very shallow harbour and we are glad that we got a chance to visit.
  The wind co-operated so we continued to the Exumas where we made stops at Allens Cay, Normans Cay then to Wardrick Wells where there is Great Exuma Park. A protected area that is true paradise.

Marsh Harbour 2nd time

    We left for a couple of days to sail to Great Guana Cay. A safe little harbour near to a beach with great snorkeling, and a famous bar called Nippers. We had a great sail, something we haven't done too much of since leaving. The silence almost made us nervous. There are so many small Cays here, you just pick one that gets your interest, and set out. As we got near our destination it was tempting to turn out and keep going, but instead sailed right into the harbour. All our friends had left earlier and were already there.
  Soon after anchoring and stowing away gear we got a call from Corsair, a Beneteau 50, sailed by Dana and Matt Pichon inviting us for Sundown Happy Hour. We have more of a social life here than home. So we hurried to make an Appetizer to take over then joined 4 other couples having Sundowners.

One of the traditions is to blow the Conch shell as the sun goes down, so with the help from Karl on Ishmael, I gave it a try. Every cruising sailor should have one, caught by his own hands, cleaned, ate for dinner, then make his own trumpet. Guess that's why I can't even get this thing to squeak. Actually, I can, a high squeal, instead of a horn which is the way it should sound. Karl has had his from previous trips, and is very good at it , sounding for close to a minute. Getting my own shell is now high on my priority list.

  
 We spent the next day walking along the beach, a little to rough to swim but great just the same. And of course we had to have drink at the bar. House specialty.....Frozen Nipper. If brain freeze didn't get you the 1/2 and 1/2 rum would.

On the way back to where our dinghy was pulled up on the beach we came across a interesting tree. Nobody should ever stands under it, even worse in a rain storm. Imagine that,  on the way back from a bar. Who would plant it there.

After spending 2 days, we sailed back to Marsh Harbour. When we had  left, you know me, I feed everything, we were happy to see that our pet fish recognized us and swam up to Mistress. These guys usually cling onto sharks and wait for a hand out. Wonder what the hell they think we are. After meals we have feeding frenzy around our boat. Hope neither one of us fall in.

  

I've even stopped fishing around the boat cause I don't want to catch our pets.

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.

Vero Beach, Florida

    We came here on the 23rd to be in a place with all the comforts to spend Christmas. We picked up a mooring ball around noon after a beautiful sail down the waterway, which is lined with hugh houses on both sides. Somebody said to me, " That it is not amazing that some people have so much money, it's amazing how many, have so much money". The houses were well over 20,000 sq/ ft.

  Usually, they put 2 and 3 boats to one mooring ball here, because this is a very busy place but we were lucky and had one all to ourselves. All the boaters got together on Christmas day for a potluck dinner, everyone bringing a dish. There were over 200 attendees.

 They call this place Velcro Beach, because once you visit, you want to stick around, and you can see why. Free public transportation stops at the marina and will take you anywhere in town. So easy, every hour at 10 after it goes to the beach, at 20 after it goes to the malls. All the big name stores are here, but the most important is the ABC store, which has all brands of wine and liquor. We did most of our provisioning and now have 4 months food aboard.

We have been kept very busy with boat chores but took time out to visit the beach which streches for miles.

Pressing On to our Christmas stop

       We would like to be further south to find a nice spot to spend Christmas. Today it's only 5 days away so the push is on.  Soon as we could get out of the marina where we had the work done we pressed on. Everything is scheduled around the tide and weather, luck helps a lot too.
 To make sure the stuffing box was not leaking more than it should after being repacked we chose a place only 18 miles away. The stuffing box is a unit which keeps the water out of the boat around the drive shaft.
We stopped for the night at New Smyra Beach in a marina with most boats decorated with lights. It's hard to think about the holiday when it's near 80 degrees. Doesn't stop missing our family and friends who are freezing in the north.

  We had to dodge fishing boats netting sheephead. They had the whole waterway blocked so we had to slow down and weave around them. A passing boater told us to head right at them and, it would be up to them to get out of our way.  I closed my eyes and, we made it through.

Tonight we are only 30 miles from Vero Beach, our chosen place to spend the holiday. But again there is a threat of a storm. Mother nature and Santa should have a talk.

                                                                                   Right off the dock!!!!!!