Nassau Again

Silent Wings and we anchored on the lee side of Highbourne Cay. Boats kept coming in during the evening until there were about 20 boats anchored. I jumped up in the middle of the night after hearing a deep loud toot. A large yacht with all its lights tooted at the small blue sailboat behind us with no anchor light.

Wednesday February 29th, Leap Year Day, we motorsailed to Nassau, and it wasn’t too pleasant with large waves behind us, and, when we turned up, the waves were on our beam. We’d made a dogleg thru the whitebank to avoid the yellowbank and the numerous coral heads. I hailed Nassau Harbour Club Marina but they were full so we went into Nassau Yacht Haven, a much bigger marina at $2/ft. Coming into the harbour, I hailed Nassau Harbour Control to ask permission to enter. They asked the name of our boat, our registration number, number people on board, last port of call, and the marina we were staying.

After securing the boat we went up to the Bahamas Vision Center in the Harbour Bay Plaza to change Ken’s appt for the next day. Then a bite to eat at Bahamas Subs and Salads and some shopping at City Market. Nassau Yacht Haven had laundry for $4, wash and dry. We thankfully did 2 loads: clean sheets!, clean towels! While waiting for the washing, we enjoyed happy hour at The Poop Deck and met a 93yo Bahamian who lives on Paradise Island.

We were waiting for the dryer sitting on our boat when, BANG, something hit our boat! We jumped out and some drunk in a dinghy apparently mistakenly put the motor in reverse, hit the dock piling and was catapulted into our boat. I ran out to see if he was okay. He kept saying, I’m okay, I’m okay. He could barely stand up and didn’t even know where he was going. Ken asked for a line and tied him to a ladder. Meanwhile a large motorcat came in and the helmsman and 2 crew were drunk and that’s where this guy was headed. To think they were out on the water!

Heard on the Cruisers’ Net, VHF72 at 7:15am that a strong cold front was expected on Sunday night or Monday morning. We would need to head to the Abacos ASAP. Thursday the doc gave Ken the go ahead. We did some internet, stopped for conch salad at Potter’s Cay, ate Chinese at Double Dragon, and were ready.