Alabaster Bay anchorage

Conferring w/Short Walk, we agreed to leave between 7 and 7:30am to make it through Current Cut near slack tide. Bandit had not come to collect our mooring fee of $20. I hailed him at 7am Sunday, afraid the whole town would be unavailable all Sunday, but he answered and said he’d be out to collect. We left our moorings about 7:30am, Short Walk having to weave in between 2 fishing boats. Current Cut is a small cut between Current Island and Eleuthera Island where the current can be 4-6 knots and it’s best to time one’s passage at slack tide, which is hard to predict w/high tide being 2 hours different from one side of Eleuthera to the other. Needless to say, we weren’t on the mark and fought the ebbing tide, getting down to 2.6K. Ken and I were debating whether we were early (Ken’s vote) or late (my vote).

We motored across the Eleuthera bank into Alabaster Bay and dropped the hook near a beautiful beach and the resort Coco diMama. Short Walk went on to Hatchet Bay. The next morning we dinked ashore and asked at the resort the way to the Atlantic beach, walked along the road through an old abandoned US missile base to the shore littered w/ the detritus of modern life, gutted small huts, and large cement blocks.

Back at the resort we lounged on the chaise longues under the shade of a tiki hut waiting for 12 noon and lunch. I had the Coco Insalade: greens, tomatoes, sliced apples, walnuts, and grilled shrimp w/lime vinaigrette, and a pinot grigio.. Ken had the strawberry grouper, broccoli, and potato wedges w/the special of the day: mango daiquiri. Mmmm…

We asked the waitress, who is from Clarence Town, Long Island (and recommended visiting her family’s resort, similar to Coco diMama), about snorkeling, dinked out to the rocks and Ken snorkeled at Alabaster Bluff. Tomorrow: Rock Sound.

Spanish Wells

Ann hailed Bandit in Spanish Wells to see if there were moorings available for our 2 boats and there were: #1 for Short Walk, #2 a large cat Double Diamond, #4 Makani, #5 Plumpuppet, #6 a small trawler, #7 a small sailboat, and #8 Coyote, all in a small area with Charlies Island on one side and sandbanks underwater at hightide on the other. Double Diamond stopped by to say hi, one couple having a cabin in Elmore, VT and having skied at Jay Peak, and gave us pointers. Tomorrow being Sunday, everything closes down even at Spanish Wells and Harbour Island and the ferry to Harbour Island leaves later and returns earlier on Sundays.

We, Ann and Joe, found the tiny dinghy dock in front of Pinders Supermarket crowded w/2 dinghies already tied and a small ferry. We were assured by one former sailor gone landlubber that the ferry was not being used today and this was the only dinghy dock, so we maneuvered around, got in, and tied our dinghies to poles. The town reminds us of most other Bahamian island towns w/almost every little space taken up by small shops and houses. Our first concern was food. After checking out the beach we found The Gap Restaurant and settled down for a nice lunch. Ken had the cracked conch burger; Ann and I had the hickory smoked chicken salad, and Joe had the BLT w/potato wedges. Delicious!

Ken and I walked on to the end of the island to a park w/pink sand from the coral w/a stop at Food Fair, a fairly extensive large supermarket comparable to Maxwell’s in Marsh Harbour, and left Ann and Joe to stop for an internet connection at the internet café.

Walking back we stopped and asked about leaving garbage and buying fish. Spanish Wells has a large fishing fleet and supplies over half of the Bahama’s commercial crop of lobster, conch and fish. A Sweeting, related to the original Eleutherian Adventurers, a group from England seeking religious freedom that shipwrecked on the reefs in 1648, found us some frozen mutton snapper, driving us on his golf cart regaling me w/stories about his life on Spanish Wells and showing us his large fishing boat.

Eleuthera

Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012: We listened to Cruisers’ Net, prepared the boat, paid our marina bill for 33 days and then were on our way, waving goodbye to Sue (Ariel), hailing Kilissa to say goodbye to Richard and Carole who are staying in the Abacos for the season, and hailing Short Walk. Ann said they were waiting a day, and we should have waited w/them because we had to beat into the south wind the whole way to Lynyard Cay. We did catch a small jack near Pelican Cays that Ken filleted for supper.

I hailed the boats anchored and ‘Moira’ answered. They were thinking of waiting a day because of the large swells coming into the ocean. Heck! We’re in no hurry and tomorrow Pete’s Pub is open!

There was a fire SW of Little Harbour and with the south winds veering from the SW the smoke blew into us most of the night. Bahamians tend to burn things, like their garbage.

Thursday we dinked ashore to a small beach on Lynyard and walked up for a view of the ocean which looked flat and calm. About 4 boats had left that morning and we were thinking it would have been a good day. Later we heard the crossing wasn’t that nice and we were glad we waited a day.

The wind had shifted from the N, NW. We thought we’d try the anchorage right outside Little Harbour and dink in, but with the swell and the waves, we weren’t comfortable leaving the boat and came back to anchor farther south at Lynyard Cay. We could have gone into the harbour and left early the next morning because the tides would have been okay, but we hesitated going into the little harbour. Boats were coming down, some to anchor, some entering Little Harbour. A large sailboat, 45’ or so, anchored behind us waiting for high tide to go in and we wondered how crowded the anchorage was.

We were bouncing on our anchor with the NW wind which was to veer later to the NE and then we’d be in the lee of Lynyard.

Friday Jan 20th
3 boats left the anchorage before dawn, one, Down Island, going out the North Bar inlet and the other two slowly motoring to Little Harbour inlet allowing the sun to rise. We and Short Walk left soon afterwards, got through the inlet, raised out sails and were able to sail most of the way to Royal Island. Our only excitement were 2 freighters crossing our bows, Ken veering to the west to give them plenty of room. The swells increased in size near the end and we were glad to get behind the bank. This NE Providence Channel is deep, 15,000 feet! Motoring into the calm anchorage at Royal Harbour, we dropped the hook in 9 feet of water. Nice!

Cameran Leaves, Bingo, Mexican Train, ETC.

3 weeks have sped by. It’s time for Cameran and Nova to leave. Boo hoo! Richard and Carole (s/v Kilissa) stopped by to meet Nova. Carole was enthralled with her and Nova smiled and cooed at both of them.

Ken and I went into town and he picked up a sensor at NAPA’s, wonder of wonders!, plus another bottle of rum to go along w/it, of course. And the new dinghy dock has been installed. Great job Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club!

Wednesday we went out for our last lunch together at the Jib Room. James Williams, taxi #94, was there at 1:45pm to pick them up and we gave our precious cargo over to him. Goodbye Cameran and Nova! We’ll miss you! It’s been a blast!

Thursday, Jan 12, Ken helped me lug the sleeping bag, quilt, and 1 blanket to the town Laundromat, where about half the machines have ‘out of order’ on them, typically Bahamas. Ken installed the new sensor. Then it was Bingo!, a fund raiser for Every Child Counts. I sat w/Jeanette (s/v Tallyho), Chris (s/v Missing Link), and Brenda (s/v Sea Return). Who would have thought Bingo could be so complicated. I mean, there’s regular ole Bingo, where a full line, up or down or diagonal, constitutes a Bingo, but then there’s the ‘Postage Stamp’, ‘the 4 Corners’, the ‘double line’, ‘outside perimeter’, ‘inside square’, and I forget all the others. And guess what??? I won $100 gift cards to Price Right!!

Friday night it started lightning about 3am then poured and we had sporadic electricity all day, which affected the internet. Chris stopped by to ask if I wanted to play Mexican Train. I said sure and met the group of ladies in the Jib Room at 2pm. It’s a lot of fun and I actually won that first day, but lost the 2nd day. We’ll play again Monday. Ken and I readied the boat for our departure. I defrosted the fridge, finished the wash, cleaned the boat, and he topped off the fuel and water and saw that the new sensor is working. We’re ready to head out as soon as the weather calms down and we can get out of North Bar or Little Harbour inlet. But……now that I’m playing Mexican Train, these women need me!

Treasure Cay and Great Guana

Thursday, Jan 5th, was happy hour at the Jib Room starting at 5pm, open to the harbour. Cameran and I brainstormed to find something that both of us could eat: no dairy, soy, gluten, corn. I finally settled on quesidillas with spicy beans and olives in the middle of the dish, not something I could eat, but she could. It was nice to meet some of the people anchored, and one, John on Piscator, is from E Johnson, VT!

Friday, Jan 6th, we went in to Buck-a-Book then Cameran, Nova, and I went to the beach for Cameran to snorkel. She said it was coollldd! Ken worked on the boat, removing the sensor so he could find another to replace it.

Saturday, Jan 7th, we started out on a beautiful sunny day to Treasure Cay. The place is practically deserted w/a few boats anchored and only a few in the marina. It was rather eerie, but it is their off season. The long impressive beach is one of the most beautiful in the world. We walked it with Nova asleep in the Ergo carrier then stopped for a drink at Coco Bar. The next day after breakfast Ken was pulling up anchor and saw an odd looking fish lurking around the anchor rode. Not until it lifted its head and we saw the distinctive tentacles could we tell it was a squid. Numerous small fish were darting around the disturbed sand, and the squid must have been waiting for a meal. We slowly motored out of the harbour disturbing numerous large turtles as we left.

We headed towards Fowl Cay, a land and sea preserve, dropped the hook and went ashore. Ken snorkeled on the ocean side; Cameran and I walked the beach, me involved in my usual activity of beach combing. We'd decided to spend the night there since it was so calm, but gentle rollers were coming in from both sides and we opted to leave. I turned the key to start the motor--nothing. It took Ken awhile to figure out not only the main breaker was tripped, but the engine breaker also. We finally got on our way with a near full moon coming up in the east and a brilliant sun setting in the west. We dropped the hook at the south end of Great Guana. I made a huge pot of salmon chowder and we settled in for the night.

Monday January 9th, we motored over to Fishers Bay and walked up to Nippers for lunch. Ken and Cameran found out where the best place to snorkel and were impressed with the clear water and quantity of fish. The ocean is actually warmer than the Sea of Abaco. We headed back to Marsh Harbour and the marina and were greeted by Charles (Ariel) and Carolyn (Summer Tilt) asking us to another happy hour at the end of the other dock. Cameran, Nova, and I joined the group.

The Big Blow

We dinghied over to the Tupp’s dinghy dock and ate lunch, Eliz’s treat, at Snappa’s. Afterwards we went to Mermaid Reef again to swim before another big blow and cold weather descended upon us with nights predicted in the low 50s. And blow it did with Little Harbour clocking 41mph, and we clocked a gust at 27k on our boat. Hardly anyone was moving, all hunkered down in their boats. Eliz and Elena walked to town, though, and spent the day shopping and looking around. We’ve had glorious weather until now and were able to do and see a lot while the kids were here. The wind stirred up the silt and sand and the Sea of Abaco was a milky sea green with the dark front behind it.

The New Year, 2012!

We all walked to Mermaid Reef. I sat on a little sandy beach w/Nova and Elena while Ken, Jeremy, Cameran and Eliz snorkeled. We made a great farewell dinner for Jeremy of grilled mahi-mahi, sprouted bean salad, and fried plantains. I tried hailing a taxi on VHF 06 where a cacophony of taxi drivers answered the call. Yikes! Pam and Dan from Skall and Bones suggested James Williams, Taxi#94. Jeremy hailed him to pick him up at 5pm. We’ll miss him. He was a great help when we sailed and was quickly learning ‘the ropes’, he, he. Jeremy left to catch a flight for Nassau and the Junkanoo.

New Year’s Eve in the Bahamas

In the afternoon Ken took everyone but me into town for some shopping while I enjoyed a quiet boat. Supper at the Jib Room was to be at 7pm, but would not be served until 8pm. We’d all signed up for their special dinner: either BBQ chicken, mahi-mahi, or steak. And we were starved! No one but Jeremy stayed up until midnight. We were woken up with the fireworks at Snappa’s, though.

Nippers at Great Guana Cay

Heading back to Marsh Harbour from Hope Town, we waited for the wind to abate some (a strong front came through the area while we were in Hope Town) yet still to have some tide to help us out of the harbour. We put up the sails and had a great run!

Eliz and Elena were to arrive Wednesday night and would stay 3 nights in an apt owned by the marina proprietors, Linda and Tom. We met at the apt Thursday and fixed a great shrimp stir-fry. We had dinghied there at near low tide and had a hard time getting up on the dock. Cameran and Nova would spend the night in the apt. After supper Jeremy helped me get back on the dinghy w/Cameran shining a flashlight down on us. We made it and motored back to the boat in the dark. Jeremy walked back later.

Friday, Dec 30th, we motorsailed to Guana, anchored in Fishers Bay and dinghied to the beach at Grabbers. We walked through the little town up to Nippers on the Atlantic side. Cameran treated us all to lunch. We headed back to the boat and motored back to the marina just before sunset.

Hope Town

On our way to Hope Town we anchored right outside Mermaid Reef again and Ken, Jeremy, and Cameran snorkeled. Nova and I stayed aboard. Then we motored over to Hope Town and picked up one of Alley-oop’s moorings for 2 nights at $20/night. We dinghied into Cap’n Jack’s for lunch then walked around the little neat town and to the beach. Since it was Boxing Day, and a national holiday, most of the stores were closed.

Tuesday the 27th we went into Cap’n Jack’s for breakfast then over to the lighthouse. Nova fell asleep in my arms and she and I sat in the sun on the deck (with her covered up) at the Lighthouse Marina’s Ship’s Store and watched all the people stocking up for New Year’s Eve at Lighthouse Liquors. Jeremy and Cameran went up and down the lighthouse, Jeremy for pictures and Cameran 5 x to pass the time. Later we went to the beach, Jeremy running in barefeet on the packed sand, and Cameran walking Nova in the Ergo. Ken and I read sheltered from the sun in a little park. We did some shopping, then back to the boat for coconut rum and lime juice drinks and playing ‘Dice’.

Christmas 2011 in the Bahamas Cont.

Saturday morning proceeded from slowly, as to be expected w/that full of a boat. We sailed to right outside Mermaid Reef expecting mild winds from the SE, which would make snorkeling comfortable, but the winds turned the East. Jeremy and Ken decided they’d try snorkeling, while Cameran rested, and I gladly watched Nova. Returning back to the boat, Jeremy was impressed w/the number and types of fish they saw, but both were getting a little seasick from the waves. We motored on into the marina w/Polar Pacer next to us.

Ken put up lights and I semi-decorated the boat w/garland. Many other boats in the marina were decorated w/lights for the holidays.

The marina hosted a potluck for the marina that was open to the harbour. About 30 of us gathered in the Jib Room for great food and camaraderie. We’d exchanged some small presents, walked to Pelican Beach, and enjoyed the beautiful day.

Fish Cays and Bakers Bay

Our boat with Nova in the V-berth
Our boat was taken over: Cameran and Nova had the salon with the table and settee made into a bed, and the settee across w/her large suitcase and backpack. We'd cleared out a space in the aft cabin for Jeremy (we use it as a garage and took out the mattress so Ken would have an easier access to the back of the engine), put down some pads, a sleeping bag, a sheet and a pillow. We felt like we were living in the sugarhouse again!

To those that don't know, we raised our kids in a small converted sugarhouse in the woods of Vermont. It had one bedroom which the kids shared, and Ken and I pulled out a couch. When Jeremy was 13yo we moved to our present house.

We started out on Friday, Dec. 23rd, to the Fish Cays. When I started the engine, the buzzer went off, which I thought was a little strange but I didn't give it much thought, just turned the key to turn it off. When Ken took over the helm he noticed none of the instruments were registering. It took us a minute to realize when I turned the key, it turned off the control panel. He turned it back up and immediately it started buzzing, which indicated the oil pressure was low. (Hmmm....that could be important). Ken checked everything and everything checked out fine...but the buzzer continued to warn us of low oil pressure.

By this time we were drifting around and I had Jeremy unfurl the jib to give us a little more direction in the light wind, so we drifted slowly towards the Fish Cays.

Ken was getting frustrated. Jeremy said something was triggering the alarm to go off; maybe some connection was broken. I tell you. It's nice to have 2 engineers aboard. Between the 2 of them, they determined the sensor was broken. The panel could be turned off and we'd be fine. We continued on our way.

We dinghied to shore at the Fish Cays and explored. Then continued on to Bakers Bay where we anchored for the night. Our intent was to snorkel at the north end of Great Guana, but it was late. Only 1 other boat was anchored in this beautiful bay. Later that night I saw lights flashing past the hatch in the v-berth and found Jeremy shining lights in the water watching needlefish being chased by a large predator fish. When he shined the light at the fish, the large fish almost jumped in the boat. The needlefish were jumping all over evading it.

(I don't know if it's our computer or not, Carole, but uploading pictures just does not work for me. I'll try to upload a more positive picture later. Right now we are late for happy hour with Bingo following!)

Christmas in the Bahamas

Wednesday, December 21st, was D-day, with both kids arriving, Cameran with the baby, Nova. I sat up at the gazebo at the entrance to The Jib Room waiting for Cameran for an hour. I was getting nervous wondering what was going on, if she'd missed her flight, if it was delayed, and here she is with a 3 month old! As I've said, communication in the Bahamas is spotty. We didn't have a Bahamian compatible phone; I'd left the phone number for the marina with them, but I didn't know if their phones would work here. And while traveling, internet is always spotty. Ken checked email and finally received an email from Jeremy that Cameran had missed her connection in Denver, had spent the night there, and was getting a later flight but still arriving today. Whew!

Jeremy was to arrive about 6:20pm. Again I sat up at the gazebo. Finally around 7pm I started walking around (pacing---would either one actually make it to the Bahamas??) and talked to John from Tallyho. I looked up and here was Jeremy! Finally!! His plane had been delayed for an hour in Nassau, for no apparent reason that he saw, then it was a 20 min. flight to here. The Marsh Harbour airport is very primitive; they waited on the tarmac until someone drove all their luggage over, then everyone grabbed theirs and headed to waiting taxis or rides.

Jeremy looked up flights from Ft Lauderdale to Marsh Harbour. Cameran's flight looked like it'd be the 8:30pm flight. I'd turned on the VHF and told them to page us on channel 16 if they needed to. Right then I hear: 'Plumpuppet, Plumpuppet.' I rush to the mike and respond. Again: 'Plumpuppet, Plumpuppet'. I respond: 'This is Plumpuppet, come back.' Ken heads to the gazebo and I hear talking and a baby gurgling. They made it!! Nova is sitting in the carseat crunching a bag of Sunchips and gurgling and laughing. Ken hands her over to Jeremy and he puts her down below and we all greet smiling, laughing Nova. Of course, we greet Cameran, also.