Little Harbour Continued

Little Harbour Sights

Little Harbour

We took 3 days and sailed to Little Harbour and back, the southernmost harbour on the Sea of Abaco. It was a beautiful day for sailing and we leisurely made it to Tiloo Cay anchorage Saturday night and spent a calm night there between fronts, the boat lazily going around in circles.

Sunday morning we got out of the anchorage and pulled up the sails before the rain and winds hit us. Taking a zigzaggy course around the sandbars, we came around in the lee of Pelican Cays where the surge was coming over the reef making a bumpy ride until we got behind Lynyard Cay. The entrance to Little Harbour faces north and with the strong north wind and the surge from the inlet, it looked like one of the Exuma Cays inlets, but little powerboats were coming in and out, bobbing up and down on the waves. And the entrance is shallow, 3 1/2 feet at MLW (mean low water), meaning most boats have to play the tides, and we waited until after midtide to be sure we'd have plenty of depth. Ken got out the directions to go in: head towards the large house on the west hill until in the channel, then turn and head towards the large house across the bay. I concentrated on the chartplotter and the channel and we powered through the waves until we hit the calm bay. We grabbed a mooring, rather a strange affair, looking like a flat disc in the water.

Little Harbour is the home of the late sculptor Randolph Johnston and his family. Sculptures grace the little village.

Marsh Harbour Marina

More howling winds, sounding almost gale force, would rock the boat at night and make the bay fairly lumpy during the day. It’s blowing stink, as Ken said.

The Cruisers’ Net, VHF 68 at 8:15a gives the weather and community announcements every day, plus there’s open mike if there are any concerns. I called in to ask about the lack of a town dinghy dock. One is being built for the first of the year. (Can you believe it? It’s almost 2012!!) Meanwhile there’s a small dinghy dock that the storeowner has allowed the boaters to use close to Mangoes. It’s a hike to da market but doable.

Thursday we came into Marsh Harbour Marina because we needed water and to do laundry. They put us in a slip with the wind, which makes it a little trickier getting in because the wind keeps pushing the boat. Ken said to keep up my speed to keep it on course and let the dockhands catch the boat, so that’s what I did and we were fine. Jason, the dockmaster, was there to help, plus Charles on the boat a couple slips up from us.

Off to do laundry ($6/load--$8/load if not in the marina) and take showers. This is a really nice marina with a pool and The Jib Room, a nice restaurant and bar. I think our company will be pleased.

That night we joined a group of people going to a Christmas songfest at The New Vision Ministries. The talent in this small community was amazing. One 7yo boy got up and sang ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ with a voice bigger than he was.

Marsh Harbour

We anchored in the large bay close to the NE corner near Marsh Harbour Marina. There is evidence of hurricane damage: one sailboat askew on land; the dinghy dock gone. The first day we had a good boat-washing rain. It was Friday and we were entertained by a calypso beat band at Mangos or Curly Tails.

Saturday we dinghied into the dock, now a large, study dock with one ladder and no easy access by dinghies. We walked into town to True Value and The Chemist and Maxwell’s Market then stopped to talk to South Wind, anchored not far from us.

After unloading the dinghy, we went into The Jib Room and had lunch and then walked over to Mermaid Reef. We were disappointed to see the beach enclosed by a fence with No Trespassing, Private Land signs all around. The only access by land is a narrow road with no beach. We walked around to town and stopped to say hi to Southern Heat and some refreshments at Curly Tails.

Sunday and Monday we decided to stay put with the strong NE wind that howled all night. We walked to the castle that overlooks the Sea of Abaco.

Thursday, December 8th, Man-O-War mooring

A generator ran all night. Must have been to the large tug that left at dawn pushing a huge barge through the channel at high tide. Yesterday they tried it and got stuck in the channel, churning up sand and having a hard time getting back into their space at the dock.

We went ashore and walked around to the little quaint shops and the ocean beach and ate lunch at Bradley’s on the Harbour. Spoke to one shopowner about schooling. There are 30 elementary students on Man-O-War and 15 high schoolers, some opting to take the ferry over to Marsh Harbour. Her 2 older children went to college in Florida, both US citizens having been born in the US so there is no problem with getting travel permits through the Bahamas. If not a US citizen, one has to reapply for travel permits every few months. And there are no aid programs to help defer the cost of university.

Met a couple with a Sunsail boat, she from France and he British. We see lots of the Sunsail boats in the Abacos from the Moorings in Marsh Harbour. It’s rather like a timeshare with boats. After chartering one for 5 years, then there’s the option of buying it and one can then reserve a boat anywhere there are Sunsails: the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, etc. One wouldn’t have to worry about the maintenance or storage!

Wednesday, December 7th, Man-O-War mooring

Jillian hailed us about 7:30am to say they were on their way. Then Dave hailed us to say they were leaving, too. We hurried up and readied the boat (hoisting the dinghy) and were not far behind. Out the White Sound channel we noticed more buoys and we saw better depth.

Reports were coming in on the condition of the Whale. One boat said there were 4-6’ rollers; another said 3-5’ gentle swells. It didn’t sound bad. If one’s draft is shallow enough, and ours could be at 4’6”, there is another way, the Dont Rock Passage across the bank, which is what the ferry boat does. But, if it’s rough outside, it’ll be rough inside, and it’s very shallow, 2 feet at low tide. One would only want to do that at high tide, adding another 3 feet. We did see a ketch going that way.

The rollers were big in the Whale Cay Channel, we thinking we should have taking our antinausea pills. We followed the chartplotter line and made it past the breakers and into the calmer ocean. Coming into the Loggerhead Channel was calm and easy. We were on the other side!!

The day was gorgeous, sunny and near 80 degrees. We could only think of getting to Man-O-War, picking up the sailslide, taking showers, and possibly getting on the net.

The channel into Man-O-War reminds me of some of the entrances in the North Channel where someone stands on the bow directing the helmsperson to avoid rocks. Ken directed us in and we slowly made our way into the moorings to pick up a white one with a blue stripe, Man-O-War Marina’s moorings. There were 2 available, one by a wide catamaran, and another close to the stern of a sailboat. We chose the one by the catamaran thinking we’d have more room, although all the moorings seem like they are measured to the inch. We all dance around almost, but not quite, touching.

The other mooring ball was behind Windrose, we noticed after we were situated. We met them in the Sassafras River in the Chesapeake and Steve came over to say hi. The cruising world is a small world.

We went in to pay for the mooring, $17/day, which didn’t include showers, $5/each, which we were glad to pay…needed to pay!! Did they feel good!! Ken dinghied to the sailmaker on Dickies Cay and picked up the sailslide, plus a couple of extra.

We have internet on the boat and we did some much needed business and catching up.

Tuesday, December 6th, Green Turtle Cay anchorage

We were debating whether to go into breakfast at Green Turtle Club but could see no activity. We charged the batteries with the generator and listened to the Cruisers’ Net. No ‘Whale’ report, or not what I thought was a report, someone correcting me on the VHF. Then a boat broke in and said they were going around the Whale and it wasn’t that bad. Tomorrow! Probably leave around 10am to time the passage for slack tide.

We dinghied into Green Turtle Club and walked to Coco Beach and the ocean beach. We saw Jillian and Al and agreed we’d contact each other tomorrow when we found out more about the Whale. After GTC we figured we’d check out Bluff House where we saw Beth and Dave from Grateful Attitudes. The last time we saw them we were heading out onto the banks from Hog Cay, Dave leading the way over a very shallow route. He said people still comment about that. They were leaving to go around the Whale tomorrow also, and one of the boats at Bluff House left earlier to go around and would give us a report. (They hailed Beth later and said it was no worse than going out into the ocean at St Augustine on a rough day.) We’d all keep in touch.

Monday, December 5th, Green Turtle Cay, White Sound anchorage

Dinghied into Crab Cay and found a few shells. A boatload of people came in after us, some in dress shoes—I’m not sure how they got ashore. They were having a ceremony to prevent the sell of Crab Cay, one man’s grandmother having lived there in the 1800s and farmed the island.

We saw Baroda and Local Knowledge leaving and a ketch coming in changing their minds and heading into beautiful Coconut Beach cove. We decided it was time to move on. The NE winds were still strong and we motorsailed to Green Turtle to charge the batteries. After slowly motoring through the shallow channel (seeing 6’5” at midtide), we found a spot of sand and dropped anchor. The place looks deserted with only 1 Sunsail boat at Green Turtle Marina, a few at Bluff House, and a few transient boats anchored (many that looked like local boats on moorings). Sad. The last time we were here in the spring of 2009 it was packed with both marinas near full and wall to wall boats in the anchorage. But it is early.

Sunday, December 4th, Manjack Cay anchorage

Finally remembered the Cruisers’ Net at 8:15am, VHF68, and got the weather report from Troy: strong NE winds through Tuesday, abating some on Wednesday, then another front approaching. No ‘Whale’ report.

Once onto the banks in the Abacos, the next thought is getting around the ‘Whale’, an island where we have to go out the Whale Cay Channel and around Whale Cay then onto the banks through the Loggerhead Channel to the other side of the Abacos. Sometimes one can be caught on one side or the other for some time before the weather cooperates. If the weather is wrong, the channel can ‘rage’, a mixed up impossible mess to traverse.

We went ashore again and hiked to Coconut Beach then back to the ocean beach. We met Al from ‘Baroda’ and Bill and talked weather for some time. Bill said there’s been one front after another going through the Bahamas and people have lost their lives going through the inlets when they are raging. Even the supply boat got caught up on a reef and was there 5 days until they could motor it off, it sturdy enough to take the beating.

We went back to the boat and charged the batteries with the generator. We might as well languish here another day….a gorgeous setting, beaches to comb…

Saturday, December 3rd, Manjack Cay anchorage

We could hear the wind which would move the boat around, but there were no big waves and it was fairly comfortable. I had the last of Nancy’s grapefruits for breakfast.

We launched the dinghy in this wind, it blowing all around with Ken trying to hold it while I quickly released the halyard to let it down. We put on the motor, got the anchor, life jackets, put the camera and vhf radio in a waterproof bag (we do learn, sometimes), and I hopped aboard. Ken put the motor into gear and it died! The wind was quickly blowing us away from the boat. I was trying to untangle the anchorline as Ken rowed us back to the boat. One has to be prepared for strong current and winds in the Bahamas. He started the motor again, letting it warm-up for awhile, then we were on our way into a beautiful little beach next to some houses.

We’d heard the owners of Manjack welcomed cruisers but we didn’t know if we were welcome everywhere. A sign on the beach said ‘Pet chickens roaming. Please leash dogs’ so we figured people were expected. Then another sign pointed to the beach and we proceeded. Next we saw a mast! and a walkway. Someone hailed us and we met Bill, the owner, and later his wife Leslie. They’ve lived on the island 20 years, Bill with his boats and Leslie with her gardens.

Rosa and Jillian arrived from the 2 other boats and we walked to the beach with them, where we beach combed for an hour or so. I found a heart sea bean and a sea biscuit and Jillian found a hamburger sea bean. We left them to join Bill and Leslie while we went back to the boat to recover from our long walk!!

Friday, December 2nd, 2011 Manjack Cay anchorage

The winds are to kick up to 20-30K tomorrow through Tuesday. We could hear the wind howling and whistling through the rigging most of the night, but by morning it calmed down.

We went into the ship’s store and marina office to ask about breakfast. The workboat from Coopers Town was just arriving. We were shown the way into the restaurant, seated at a booth—the only 2 customers, of course. The waiter brought a menu: 2 eggs, sausage or ham, homefries, Bahamian bread toasted for $14; an omelet for $16; and 2 other choices. Ken and I both opted for the first choice with coffee. We got the royal treatment and a grand breakfast, plus Ken got to try a piece of Bahamian carrot cake that was more of a brownie, he said.

Back at the boat we filled the water for 30 cents/gallon. I sponged off what salt I could off the stanchions, bimini and dodger frames, and washed all the eisenglass. They were lenient with the checkout time of 11am and after paying our bill, including some Bahamian pineapple rum, 2 mats, and 2 green peppers, and saying goodbye to Dave, Camellia, and Ryder, we were off.

Out into the Sea of Abaco we pulled out the jib and sailed here. It was a relaxing, quiet sail, we being the only boat out in it. Three boats were anchored at Manjack. We chose a spot between Crab Cay and Manjack (pronounced Munjack) that is protected from the NE and E. To celebrate we broke out the pineapple rum. A beautiful anchorage!

Thursday, December 1st, Spanish Cay Marina

Okay, so Ken wasn’t nauseous and didn’t feel seasick. I did and Camellia said she did on Southern Heat, and I felt a little queasy most of the day.

We woke up and looked outside and it looked like we were in the middle of nowhere. We were in the middle of nowhere! Boats had left the anchorage, 2 boats pulling out, leaving Southern Heat, and us. I hailed Dave and Camellia to say we were ready to leave and they said they’d be right behind us. We’d both decided to clear customs at Spanish Cay Marina.

After motoring into the wind around the west end of the cay, Ken pulled up the m’sail to find one of the sail slides was broken, so he pulled it down and tied it. We pulled out the jib rounding the corner and were able to sail with the strong 18-20K north wind. The water was turquoise clear and we’d see dolphins playing at the bow, diving under the boat, coming out of the water, then diving back under. Three stayed in front of the boat for about 5 minutes.

I hailed Spanish Cay Marina to let them know we needed a slip and we’d be clearing customs. We were informed the customs officer would only be there until 4pm. Ken turned on the motor to motorsail, but we were too far away to make it. Dave assured us this would not be a problem. Ken pulled up our yellow quarantine flag.

We pulled into the marina after Southern Heat, taking a slip next to the only other boat there. The place was deserted of boats, not the busy marina like it was when we’d come here in 2008. Later we learned it had been hard hit by Hurricane Irene and most of the docks had to be replaced. We were warmly welcomed by everyone, the deckhand asking if we’d like to eat in the restaurant. We declined but said we’d be in for breakfast. Dave and Camellia went in for supper, the only 2 customers.

The customs officer waited to check both of us in, which was nice of her. Then I rushed off to take a shower. We even have internet on the boat!!

Wednesday, November 30th, Great Sale Cay anchorage!! Bahamas!!

The wind died down about 3:30am. By 7am it looked great. This would put our timing off, getting to Great Sale Cay at night, but it looked like our only opportunity for awhile. I hailed Southern Heat and they were thinking the same thing. South Wind hailed us, but we couldn’t catch the message. It sounded like he’d left, probably when the winds died, and he was on his way. We never caught up with him.

We were underway at 7:30am. Just as we were going out the Lake Worth Inlet, a huge container ship was coming in. We were on our way! Ken kept an eye on the water temperature. When it was a steady 87-88 degrees, we knew we were in the Gulf Stream, plus the water was cobalt blue. And the waves were big, big enough the autopilot couldn’t manage so Ken steered most of the way. We kept wondering when they’d lie down, like Chris Parker predicted, but it wasn’t until early afternoon that it calmed. There were flying fish, their little fins beating fast like wings. Other than that and a couple of ships, one huge mega-cruise ship, we didn’t see anything but Southern Heat’s sails ahead of us. It being rolly, we were both nauseous and avoided going below. It would have been very uncomfortable doing this at night with the waves large and the autopilot unable to manage.

At 4:30pm we were on the Bahama banks! An 8 hour crossing! Yea!! We were still motorsailing with both m’sail and jib, wanting to make our destination ASAP, and going 6.8-7knots with the wind out of the north. Things were going well, even in the dark with not much to guide us but the chart plotter, Southern Heat’s lights ahead, a few dim stars in the cloudy night, and the compass. I was at the helm and Ken was resting in the cockpit when the boat veered off course due to the strong wind. I put the autopilot on standby and tried to get the boat back on course but was completely disoriented by the lack of anything to focus on. Other night crossings, like going up the New Jersey coast and through Lake Erie and Lake Huron, there were lights on the horizon, but here there was nothing. Finally, we got back on course, but furled the jib so the autopilot could manage the wind.

Because of the lack of lights, the lights from the anchorage were visible 5 miles out, and it looked like there were only a couple of boats in there. Southern Heat hailed us to let us know what was in there: a few boats with anchor lights, but some without, which is stupid because this in one anchorage where boats do come in at night. We took down the m’sail right before the anchorage, in the dark. I’d thought of insisting we take it down before dark, but forgot how important that would be. We slowly motored into the anchorage, distances deceptive. We dropped the hook out in the middle far away from any other boat, and still somewhat sheltered from the north wind. What a relief! We were sore and achy, cranky and exhausted and seasick. But we were in the Bahamas!!

Tuesday, November 29th, South Lake Worth anchorage

The wind quieted to nothing and the water was dead calm. It was a peaceful night.

Boats were pulling out of the anchorage and headed south?, we weren’t sure because it certainly hadn’t calmed down outside yet. Some were going to the south anchorage to wait to cross over to the Bahamas, like we were going to do.

We left after a nice lunch, stopping at the Riviera Beach Municipal Marina for fuel, water, and to dispose garbage. We had to wait for a long time for a SeaTow boat to leave, another SeaTow waiting for it. As we were going into the channel to the anchorage, both SeaTow boats were towing MitSeaAH, a huge sailboat we’d seen going into Tidewaters Marina in Norfolk.

Just as we were pulling into the anchorage, a hail went out from Southern Heat for boats wanting to cross to Great Sale Cay tonight. I answered the hail and said we were. This started a discussion among boats about the weather and the crossing. I heard Discovery talking on the VHF about Chris Parker’s report saying the cold front would funnel air down the Gulf Stream building up waves. Marilyn from Discovery read Chris Parker’s report to us, which also said to check Fowlie Rock buoy. South Wind from Alaska chimed in to say he’d be interested in going with our group, if we went. Exuberant was outside on their way to Miami and Prue hailed us to let us know what it was like out there and to call them later to check with them when we were ready to go.

At 6pm the consensus was to go. The weather had calmed, the buoys looked good, but we’d check again at 11pm, our departure time. We readied to leave, putting the dinghy on the bow, fixing pizzas to eat on the way, taking the sailcover off, getting the jacklines ready, and resting as much as possible.

At 10:30pm I turned on the VHF to hear Southern Heat and South Wind discussing the crossing. Southern Heat said the buoys didn’t look good; the wind had kicked up with the waves and Dave thought it a no go. I hailed Exuberant and Burt said he had to veer out into the Gulf Stream to avoid a freighter and it was nasty out there. That decided it. We’d wait. Unfortunately, if we didn’t go now, we probably wouldn’t get a chance for 5 or more days because there was a strong frontal system coming in with strong east winds.

Monday, November 28th, North Lake Worth anchorage

The south winds were predicted to be strong with gusts in the 30K. I’d thought of staying right where we were, protected behind the causeway. We left fairly early into a sunny fairly calm ICW and the south wind did not pick up until almost through the St Lucie Inlet, then it started blowing and kicking up waves that would splash into the dodger. We’d considered anchoring in Peck Lack, where about 10 boats were already anchored, but it really didn’t look too well protected and Ken wanted to continue. The clouds were black all along the west and we would see rain in the distance, but everything dissipated before it reached us, thankfully.

We had 7, yes, 7 bridges to go through! The Hobe Sound Bridge, opening on the hour and every 20 minutes after, which we timed fairly well. Then the 3 bridges, 707 Bridge, Jupiter Federal Bridge, and Indiantown Road Bridge around Jupiter Inlet. Because of the current and wind, we were way off the mark at the Donald Ross Bridge and had to do donuts biding the time. The last 2 were fairly easy. We timed the PGA Bridge fairly well, then it was just 15 minutes and 1.5 miles to the Parker Bridge.

The waves and were kicking in Lake Worth. We followed the markers in the anchorage, which was crowded with boats, and picked a spot. North Lake Worth has large condos with marinas with mega-yachts on the west side and large houses on the east side, so we were somewhat protected from the waves.

Sunday, November 27th, North anchorage, Jensen Beach Bridge

Katja, Geoff, and we said goodbye at Riverside Saturday night. It’s been a long, hard trip and we’ve done well getting this far together. We’ll miss them and are sorry we didn't go to the Bahamas together.

Zzzsplitch…we separated from Vero!! We untangled ourselves from the mooring ball, Plumpuppet in the middle between Interlude and Blue Planet, then waited in line for the fuel dock. After filling up with fuel and water, we were once again on our way, which took a little time to get used to after 10 days on a mooring ball. The day was uneventful, a beautiful, sunny warm Florida day. It was Sunday and we had quite a few powerboats overtake us or meet us, but all were considerate of their wake.

We entered the anchorage carefully and found 6’5” at high tide at one spot. We picked a spot to drop the anchor in the middle and in front of 2 small anchored sailboats. One skipper came up to us in his dinghy and said to anchor farther back from shore because there was a lot of electricity in the water this close to a buried cable, and we would hear a lot of crackles and pops. We up-anchored and anchored in the middle and behind the 2 boats. One other boat came in later.

We could see Nettles Island and Jan and Bob’s condo. I called Jan and waved to them and she said to look for their Christmas tree, but we couldn’t see it. It was a beautiful night and we were sheltered from the south wind behind the causeway.