Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Crossing
March 31, 2010 Wednesday. Today is beautiful in Bimini. We have decided to let the seas calm today and cross the Gulf to Port Everglades tomorrow with Release and Higheeled. Time has flown and it seems like just yesterday we arrived here. I am hoping our trip back home is warmer but as much fun as our trip down. So today is check out the boat, pick up a few supplies, laundry and get ready to go.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Bimini and Beyond
March 25, 2010 Thursday We had a beautiful sail yesterday from Nassau to Chubb Cay. The wind blew around 11 knots all day in a favorable direction so we could put out our main and head sails. This morning we hauled the anchor at 6 am and started our long trek across the Northwest Passage to Cat Cay and then Bimini. We will be traveling appx. 75 miles today to Cat Cay anchorage and don't expect to get there anything before 8:30 pm. Tomorrow to Bimini. The wind isn't as favorable for us today, but we are flying the jib. As our usual practice, we take 1/2 hr turns at the helm, and do boat duties in between turns.
March 26, 2010 Friday. Long day - 14 1/2 hrs - but we are in Cat Cay today. We dropped anchor in the dark at 8:15 p.m. Again I wish to state I don't like sailing in the dark, and anchoring is no fun either. Today is very warm and humid and threatens rain. We are leaving the anchorage at 1 pm to travel to Bimini on the incoming tide. We will stay there until the weather favors a crossing to Florida. It was nice to have this morning to sleep in awhile and do fueling, engine checks and boat work. Also to catch up with our fellow cruisers whom we have not seen, only radio contact, for two days. Bill is making a conch horn now for Erik. I am thinking since he has mastered the trumbone he will be able to blow the conch. I sure as heck can't. I now can pick up emails through my Blackberry - still not using the phone because of the $50 roaming charges - but as soon as we are on the mainland we will be reachable by phone too.
We set sail for Bimini at 1 pm and what a 15 mile trip it was. 20 kn winds and high seas, the barometer dropped like a rock and just as we pull into the harbor the storm hit with driving rain. We dropped anchor at first site and waited out the storm until we could see again. Then we moved to a second anchorage. It rained so hard for about two hours that you could see a foot in front of you. Anyway, we are here safe and sound. It feels like we have come home for whatever reason. The weather forecast - not that we can trust it obviously - says we probably will be here until the middle of next week. The winds are all northerly and we don't want to think about crossing the Gulf Stream with winds with a "N" in them. Today is beautiful and warm. We have dried out the main sail and done some other odds and end boat work. Bill is now trying to get the outboard running. Anything to do with water, and it won't run. Who knew! Then we will go ashore and get off the boat for the first time in days.
March 28, 2010 Sunday We enjoyed the beautiful weather yesterday. Did some shopping. Had lunch on the beach. We dined with our fellow cruisers on conch chowder, salad, corn bread and strawberry shortcake. It was a feast! During the night however Higheeled swung onto a shoal and they woke up to the boat heeded over to the toe rails. They kedged to keep it steady and when the tide came in it took them off the shoal and they moved about 7 am. The Bahamian shoaling waters are a test for all of us. This morning Release, Higheeled and Snow Goose all headed in to the marina here to ride out the next couple of days with the front coming in - high winds and at least a day of rain. Once done with that, we enjoyed the beach and hot showers!!!! Skipper is here visiting us now watching the Pelicans. Snow Goose is a bird's eye view, and besides we have good treats. We met a couple on the beach today that have a 43' 1980 Grand Banks Classic yacht. They are from Scotland. I wondered if that is the boat Rob and Karen have - Miss Julia???
March 26, 2010 Friday. Long day - 14 1/2 hrs - but we are in Cat Cay today. We dropped anchor in the dark at 8:15 p.m. Again I wish to state I don't like sailing in the dark, and anchoring is no fun either. Today is very warm and humid and threatens rain. We are leaving the anchorage at 1 pm to travel to Bimini on the incoming tide. We will stay there until the weather favors a crossing to Florida. It was nice to have this morning to sleep in awhile and do fueling, engine checks and boat work. Also to catch up with our fellow cruisers whom we have not seen, only radio contact, for two days. Bill is making a conch horn now for Erik. I am thinking since he has mastered the trumbone he will be able to blow the conch. I sure as heck can't. I now can pick up emails through my Blackberry - still not using the phone because of the $50 roaming charges - but as soon as we are on the mainland we will be reachable by phone too.
We set sail for Bimini at 1 pm and what a 15 mile trip it was. 20 kn winds and high seas, the barometer dropped like a rock and just as we pull into the harbor the storm hit with driving rain. We dropped anchor at first site and waited out the storm until we could see again. Then we moved to a second anchorage. It rained so hard for about two hours that you could see a foot in front of you. Anyway, we are here safe and sound. It feels like we have come home for whatever reason. The weather forecast - not that we can trust it obviously - says we probably will be here until the middle of next week. The winds are all northerly and we don't want to think about crossing the Gulf Stream with winds with a "N" in them. Today is beautiful and warm. We have dried out the main sail and done some other odds and end boat work. Bill is now trying to get the outboard running. Anything to do with water, and it won't run. Who knew! Then we will go ashore and get off the boat for the first time in days.
March 28, 2010 Sunday We enjoyed the beautiful weather yesterday. Did some shopping. Had lunch on the beach. We dined with our fellow cruisers on conch chowder, salad, corn bread and strawberry shortcake. It was a feast! During the night however Higheeled swung onto a shoal and they woke up to the boat heeded over to the toe rails. They kedged to keep it steady and when the tide came in it took them off the shoal and they moved about 7 am. The Bahamian shoaling waters are a test for all of us. This morning Release, Higheeled and Snow Goose all headed in to the marina here to ride out the next couple of days with the front coming in - high winds and at least a day of rain. Once done with that, we enjoyed the beach and hot showers!!!! Skipper is here visiting us now watching the Pelicans. Snow Goose is a bird's eye view, and besides we have good treats. We met a couple on the beach today that have a 43' 1980 Grand Banks Classic yacht. They are from Scotland. I wondered if that is the boat Rob and Karen have - Miss Julia???
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
3-17-10 Wednesday This morning the flotilla of cruisers we are presently sailing with decided to head out of beautiful Compass Cay. All pulled anchor but Snow Goose had a problem. Her anchor was wrapped around a coral head. We would circle around the head in one direction and she would snag the head on the other side. Pulling forward was no help. Pulling backward didn't do it. Quite the dilemna! Finally through our circling and maneuvering we managed to coax the anchor free. Foreward Ho! We sailed to Hawksbill Cay that day, a portion of the Bahama Land and Sea Park. Blessedly, there were moorings!! The area is an attempt by the Bahamas toward conservation. This cay was sterile. Nothing - no shells, no conch, no fish, dead coral reefs. The sand was beautiful and the water was beautiful, but there was nothing alive. We had cocktails on the boat of a Vermont couple this evening. They bring their boat to Florida. Go home for December, January and February. And in March they fly back to Florida and sail the Bahamas during March and April. They find the weather better during those months, and have done this for a number of years.
3-18-10 Thursday We woke up during the night to the mooring ball banging against our hull and incredible rocking and rolling. The sea had picked up during the evening and there was no sleeping from then on. An early VHF conference among the flotilla as we hung onto the coffee pots on the stove was to get the heck out of Dodge. We sailed out of Hawksbill at 8 am, destination Normans Cay. We have sailed in worst conditions, but the Exuma Sound does blow up quickly. Normans Cay turned out to be a good decision as the entry to the harbor was easy and the anchorage is big. There were many boats here when we arrived, but there was plenty of room for the four of us: Higheeled; Release; I Nida Wind II; and Snow Goose. I Nida Wind II had engine trouble on our way to Normans Cay. It turned out to be a fuel pump. They sailed while figuring out a way to syphon fuel and then came into the harbor under power and anchored. The captains installed a new fuel pump here in Normans. Fortunately, Higheeled had a spare onboard. We walked the island this afternoon and checked out the air strip and beach club. We found conch on one of the remote beaches. We took the dinghies to the beach and picked up the very large conch shells. We saw a stingray that was at least four feet wide and a Lemon Shark while we were conching. The captains are at the beach now opening, releasing and skinning the conch. After they are cracked we will make a meal for all with them. We have now sampled conch salad with lemon; orange; and sour orange; and lime pepper. So we are now ready to create the perfect conch salad. We have the fritters knocked! We are just having so much fun, but Bill and I have admitted to each other that we are missing home. Some of the cruisers we meet - many - live on their boats and have no home. I love cruising and the boat, but I can't even imagine not having home. When I listen to them, I think they regret it too. Tomorrow, weather permitting, on to Highbourne Cay and from there it is Nassau, and that means heading home.
3-19-10 Friday In the morning there was some more conch cleaning - we had harvested a lot of conch and it is a process to clean them. In the afternoon we walked around the island and on the beach. The weather is still too cool for swimming and too rough for snokeling. We gathered in the evening with other cruisers and had conch fritters, conch bits and a salad. Very tasty!
3-20-10 Saturday We hauled anchor at 7 am and headed for Nassau, 40 plus miles. As we passed through the mouth of the harbor we passed another sailing vessel kedging off the shoal. He made it. The day was beautiful for sailing - 70 degrees and 9-10 knot winds. I spent time on the bow directing Bill around the coral heads as we sailed through the Yellow Banks. We arrived in Nassau Harbor at 3:30 pm. and dropped anchor. Bill remarked it is almost nice to see civilization again. We puppy sat I Nida Wind II's dogs while Nancy and Cal went in town for dog food. They had run out that morning. We will be here in Nassau a few days.
3-21-10 Sunday All shops and establishments are closed on Sundays in the Bahamas, so we decided it was a great day to do some sightseeing. We walked East Bay Street, the waterside way. We came to a boatyard where there were sailing vessels up on stands being worked on. Mr. Rolle (there are a million and one Rolles in the Bahamas and at least one on every cay) came along as we walked in to check out the vessels. He explained the boats were being prepared for the Regatta held annually. There were three classes of boats in the yard, designated by size, A, B and C. Mr. Rolle's was a B class, Lady Natalie, named after Natalie Cole. He was in the process of preparing to pain the hull. I took some pictures of these awesome vessels. We walked some more and did a little shopping before meeting friends at the fish shacks for lunch. I also took pictures of the fish shacks and the fruit and vegetable stands. They are all located under the bridge going across to Paradise Island. They set up their shacks backwards though. They should have them open to the water instead of to the street, ie the Portsmouth decks. We returned to the boat after lunch only to find that our traveling companion Release had dragged its anchor and was up against a wall within feet of rocks. There was flurry of action among the cruisers and a power boat was summoned. The power boat was able to tow Release out of danger and mercifully without damage. Very scary moments.
3-22-10 Monday We had thunderstorms during the evening and it is now raining. A day on the boat and with a book.
3/23-10 Tuesday Today was laundry, shopping and catching up with banking, blog and emails. Had a wonderful lunch at the Poop Deck. We are meeting with our fellow cruisers later today to talk about our return trip to the mainland. The weather is going to dictate our crossings.
3-18-10 Thursday We woke up during the night to the mooring ball banging against our hull and incredible rocking and rolling. The sea had picked up during the evening and there was no sleeping from then on. An early VHF conference among the flotilla as we hung onto the coffee pots on the stove was to get the heck out of Dodge. We sailed out of Hawksbill at 8 am, destination Normans Cay. We have sailed in worst conditions, but the Exuma Sound does blow up quickly. Normans Cay turned out to be a good decision as the entry to the harbor was easy and the anchorage is big. There were many boats here when we arrived, but there was plenty of room for the four of us: Higheeled; Release; I Nida Wind II; and Snow Goose. I Nida Wind II had engine trouble on our way to Normans Cay. It turned out to be a fuel pump. They sailed while figuring out a way to syphon fuel and then came into the harbor under power and anchored. The captains installed a new fuel pump here in Normans. Fortunately, Higheeled had a spare onboard. We walked the island this afternoon and checked out the air strip and beach club. We found conch on one of the remote beaches. We took the dinghies to the beach and picked up the very large conch shells. We saw a stingray that was at least four feet wide and a Lemon Shark while we were conching. The captains are at the beach now opening, releasing and skinning the conch. After they are cracked we will make a meal for all with them. We have now sampled conch salad with lemon; orange; and sour orange; and lime pepper. So we are now ready to create the perfect conch salad. We have the fritters knocked! We are just having so much fun, but Bill and I have admitted to each other that we are missing home. Some of the cruisers we meet - many - live on their boats and have no home. I love cruising and the boat, but I can't even imagine not having home. When I listen to them, I think they regret it too. Tomorrow, weather permitting, on to Highbourne Cay and from there it is Nassau, and that means heading home.
3-19-10 Friday In the morning there was some more conch cleaning - we had harvested a lot of conch and it is a process to clean them. In the afternoon we walked around the island and on the beach. The weather is still too cool for swimming and too rough for snokeling. We gathered in the evening with other cruisers and had conch fritters, conch bits and a salad. Very tasty!
3-20-10 Saturday We hauled anchor at 7 am and headed for Nassau, 40 plus miles. As we passed through the mouth of the harbor we passed another sailing vessel kedging off the shoal. He made it. The day was beautiful for sailing - 70 degrees and 9-10 knot winds. I spent time on the bow directing Bill around the coral heads as we sailed through the Yellow Banks. We arrived in Nassau Harbor at 3:30 pm. and dropped anchor. Bill remarked it is almost nice to see civilization again. We puppy sat I Nida Wind II's dogs while Nancy and Cal went in town for dog food. They had run out that morning. We will be here in Nassau a few days.
3-21-10 Sunday All shops and establishments are closed on Sundays in the Bahamas, so we decided it was a great day to do some sightseeing. We walked East Bay Street, the waterside way. We came to a boatyard where there were sailing vessels up on stands being worked on. Mr. Rolle (there are a million and one Rolles in the Bahamas and at least one on every cay) came along as we walked in to check out the vessels. He explained the boats were being prepared for the Regatta held annually. There were three classes of boats in the yard, designated by size, A, B and C. Mr. Rolle's was a B class, Lady Natalie, named after Natalie Cole. He was in the process of preparing to pain the hull. I took some pictures of these awesome vessels. We walked some more and did a little shopping before meeting friends at the fish shacks for lunch. I also took pictures of the fish shacks and the fruit and vegetable stands. They are all located under the bridge going across to Paradise Island. They set up their shacks backwards though. They should have them open to the water instead of to the street, ie the Portsmouth decks. We returned to the boat after lunch only to find that our traveling companion Release had dragged its anchor and was up against a wall within feet of rocks. There was flurry of action among the cruisers and a power boat was summoned. The power boat was able to tow Release out of danger and mercifully without damage. Very scary moments.
3-22-10 Monday We had thunderstorms during the evening and it is now raining. A day on the boat and with a book.
3/23-10 Tuesday Today was laundry, shopping and catching up with banking, blog and emails. Had a wonderful lunch at the Poop Deck. We are meeting with our fellow cruisers later today to talk about our return trip to the mainland. The weather is going to dictate our crossings.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
3-7-10 On Monday(I think) we took the dinghy out to Little Major Spot cay and watched the pigs swim. There were four adults on the beach and a bunch of little ones. They will swim out to the dinghy. We fed them carrots. What fun! Tuesday 3-8-10 we motored from Staniel Cay anchorage off Club Thunderball through the cays of Big Major Spot and Little Major Spot and numerous other smaller cays with the most beautiful beaches to Sampson Cay. It was a short distance and we were anchored off Sampson Cay at 11:00 a.m. There is a small marina here. It's a very pretty spot. I Nida Wind II - Cal and Nancy - met us there. Cal's thumb has finally healed to the point where he and Nancy can handle the boat again. They left Georgetown and met us here. It is great to see them again! I used the laundry at the marina and we purchased ice. Still too cool to swim. It rained lightly a couple of times. We are disappointed it isn't warm enough to swim and snokel. We explored a very long beautiful beach on a private cay. It had an air strip that was well maintained and not much else. We did see planes coming in and people met by a launch. You have to wonder what goes on there.
Highheeled, Release and I Nida Wind II along with Snow Goose headed for Fowl Cay on Thursday. A beautiful little anchorage but we decided no protection from the SW winds that were predicted Friday and Saturday. So on Friday we left Fowl and traveled into Pipe Creek, a short distance from Compass Cay, and anchored. Again, what a beautiful area. We explored the beaches with the dinghy and walked the shore looking for conch. Then we went into Compass Cay Marina for water. We were met at the dock by a gentleman from Rockport, Maine. He knew of John's hot dog stand. Small world. Around the marina docks were Nurse Sharks. They hang around to be fed. And of course, feeding the sharks brings other fish - I saw Needle Fish and Snapper. No fishing there however.
3-12-10 Today, Saturday, we woke up to the front coming in the form of a thunderstorm with heavy rain. It's the first real rain we have had in awhile. We hung clothes out to rinse and as soon as it was over took the mop and washed down the boat. Release was out taking baths. I Nida Wind II was catching water (we had just filled our tanks). Bill's morning activity now is engine check and retrieving tools with a magnet that have been dropped in the bilge. I took some pictures of the crew and captains we are traveling with presently the other evening at a dinner gathering on board I Nida Wind II that I am copying on disks for all.
Sunday, 3-13-10 Wow! Time is flying by. The winds calmed down during the morning and after lunch we took the dinghy out looking for conch. We drifted along the shallow shores around the smaller cays. We had no luck but Release and Higheeled found a beach with a lot of them right along the shore. We met at the beach across from the anchored boats and opened, peeled and cracked them. It is a procedure and takes awhile, but in the end we had a dozen or more to make fritters. The evening cooled down. We are almost out of bread and no supplies close by, so I made corn bread on the stove top for dinner and to grill for breakfast.
Monday, 3-14-10 We totally blew off day light savings time this AM and slept through the weather report. We dragged anchor last night, so first drill was to haul anchor and move the boat. We had a little trouble re-hooking, but after what probably looked like a comic routine, we succeeded. Bill has gone fishing with some of that conch scraps. It is a beautiful day. I went out on the pulpit and polished up the chrome. The boat looks great after the big rain washing it had.
Highheeled, Release and I Nida Wind II along with Snow Goose headed for Fowl Cay on Thursday. A beautiful little anchorage but we decided no protection from the SW winds that were predicted Friday and Saturday. So on Friday we left Fowl and traveled into Pipe Creek, a short distance from Compass Cay, and anchored. Again, what a beautiful area. We explored the beaches with the dinghy and walked the shore looking for conch. Then we went into Compass Cay Marina for water. We were met at the dock by a gentleman from Rockport, Maine. He knew of John's hot dog stand. Small world. Around the marina docks were Nurse Sharks. They hang around to be fed. And of course, feeding the sharks brings other fish - I saw Needle Fish and Snapper. No fishing there however.
3-12-10 Today, Saturday, we woke up to the front coming in the form of a thunderstorm with heavy rain. It's the first real rain we have had in awhile. We hung clothes out to rinse and as soon as it was over took the mop and washed down the boat. Release was out taking baths. I Nida Wind II was catching water (we had just filled our tanks). Bill's morning activity now is engine check and retrieving tools with a magnet that have been dropped in the bilge. I took some pictures of the crew and captains we are traveling with presently the other evening at a dinner gathering on board I Nida Wind II that I am copying on disks for all.
Sunday, 3-13-10 Wow! Time is flying by. The winds calmed down during the morning and after lunch we took the dinghy out looking for conch. We drifted along the shallow shores around the smaller cays. We had no luck but Release and Higheeled found a beach with a lot of them right along the shore. We met at the beach across from the anchored boats and opened, peeled and cracked them. It is a procedure and takes awhile, but in the end we had a dozen or more to make fritters. The evening cooled down. We are almost out of bread and no supplies close by, so I made corn bread on the stove top for dinner and to grill for breakfast.
Monday, 3-14-10 We totally blew off day light savings time this AM and slept through the weather report. We dragged anchor last night, so first drill was to haul anchor and move the boat. We had a little trouble re-hooking, but after what probably looked like a comic routine, we succeeded. Bill has gone fishing with some of that conch scraps. It is a beautiful day. I went out on the pulpit and polished up the chrome. The boat looks great after the big rain washing it had.
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