44. Bahamian Heritage

May 3, 2008

 

 

 

(See Photo Album Bahamian’s at their Heritage Festival, The Royal Bahamian Police Marching Band and Fire Dancing & Into the Night.)

 

New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco

Island Roots Heritage Festival

The Bahamas: The Jewel of the Crown

 

People came from all around. When we returned from a walk our path crossed a young woman hurrying down the road. We asked if she was late for work, she said, “No I have to catch to ferry! The Police Band is performing at 6:00! Aren’t you coming!?” We said we where going the next day as she ran on calling out to the ferry to “Wait!, Wait!” and calling back to her friends to “Hurry! Hurry!” The next morning leaving White Sound, we rounded the point to find over 25 cruising boats anchored outside of town where there had only been two the day before. Everyone was in high spirits! Teenagers and young adults were strutting like the roosters at the dump, families ambled through the festivities and grandmas sat in the shade watching over the babies. Bahamian woman come in two sizes: pencil thin and “Bahama Mama”. Either way they were dressed to impress! “Ya Mun!”  There were activities and presentations all day long. Everything from a hoola-hoop contest for kids to a talk on bush medicine to a fashion show of Monarchs and Royal Subjects dressed in period costumes. Everything heated up when the Royal Bahamian Police Force Marching Band performed with choreographed dance moves and flying base-drums. The festival buzzed with excitement! “Did you see that?? There isn’t a marching band in the world that’s better!!” The whirl of activity continued through the Junkanoo Rush – a parade of locals in dazzling costumes that rivaled Mardi Gras! An amazing “Fire Show” was followed by some down home “Rake & Scrape” by the Gully Rooster and the Lassido Boys. “A good time was had by all” and an even better time by some as the dance area filled and the night went on…

 

 

43. Our Vacation Island

Back & Forth between Green Turtle Cay and Munjack Cay from April 18 and May 16, 2008

 

(See Photo Album of the Same Name)

  Most of you wouldn’t think we’d need a vacation from cruising, but the rigors of life aboard a boat do wear a bit from time to time. When we got to Munjack Cay, Abaco we felt like we were on vacation! The cay is only a few miles north of the popular Green Turtle Cay, but it feels quite remote. The bay is large and well protected, but less than an hour away from the all-round protection of White Sound. There are only a few dwellings on the cay, one of which is owned by former cruisers. We heard that when they were cruising they got tired of hearing people say, “No, that’s private property!” Because of this they generously welcome cruisers to their area. They have a lovely beach for us to leave our dinghy or gather for a bonfire. They have an internet antenna that provides us free internet in one of the cay’s four anchorages. Best yet is that they have riddled the island with hiking trails that take us all over the cay. Our days here are truly relaxing! We read books, enjoy conversation over morning coffee or an evening cocktail and hike. Almost every day we traverse the cay to the Atlantic. The trail winds through lush bush on the verge of bursting into spring. Birds serenade us down the path as curly-tale lizards dart from beneath our next step. The Atlantic beach is expansive – a walk north to the end of the island and back is a nice three hour jaunt. Depending on the wind direction the barrier reefs either warn us to stay away with crashing waves or tempt us with cool calm water and the lure of fresh fish for dinner. Onboard, we even tackled a few boat projects and some “fun” endeavors like making conch horns and sorting treasures from the sea. Internet has allowed us the luxury of e-mailing family & friends along with following weather patterns as we prepare to return to the US before the end of May.

42. “A Black Tie Affair??”

April 17-18, 2008

 

(See Photo Album of the Same Name.)

 

Birthdays are the perfect excuse to indulge, so we ignored the events of the recent blow and the fact that Keith and Joanie would be leaving for the States and celebrated Joanie’s upcoming birthday. I asked Joanie to wear a dress and told her that Keith had been given instructions – I peaked her curiosity. Joanie joined me down below and when the guys came in they were wearing palm frond ties with shorts – no shirts. Joanie gave us the reaction we were hoping for with her beaming smile. We enjoyed champagne, dinner and even dessert. Joanie delighted in her new conch horn among other home-made gifts. Over dinner we reminisced over the journey we’ve shared together. Our acquaintance started at Pike’s Bay Marina where we cordially greeted each other at marina gatherings. We left knowing that they would be cruising in the Bahamas and hoped that our paths would cross. Our routes intersected in Charleston, SC in mid-November. What we didn’t know was that we would travel together excluding a week or two here and there for five months. In that expanse of time our friendship grew and developed into one that will last a lifetime. Our companionship enriched our journey and enhances all of our experiences from exploring daily destinations along with the joys and challenges of cruising to wonderful meals shared on each others boats to conversations about life philosophies, believes and dreams. A greater gift we could not have wished for… The next morning we waved goodbye as they set sail for home. They crossed the Gulf Stream safely to Port Canaveral and are working their way up the Coast to the Chesapeake where they will leave Pelican to return to Minnesota for the summer. Joanie kept a wonderful blog of their journey: www.pelicanposts.blogspot.com.

 

41. Pandemonium

April 14 – 16, 2008

 

(See Photo Album of the Same Name.)

 

2:30 am the wind came up and howled so loud you’d have thought it was a full moon! *** White Sound although protected from all wind directions is small – only a quarter of a mile wide and a third of a mile long. To complicate matters, mooring balls are prevalent yet there is plenty of room for boats to anchor amongst the moorings.*** Shouts rang out over the screech of the wind, air horns sounded, spot lights flashed and boats began to move. Pandemonium broke out. The boat next to us dragged and almost ran into the moored boat behind them. They pulled up their anchor and tried to reset it. They circled ‘round us too close for comfort finally leaving our immediate area for better holding. In the darkness boats where swarming everywhere, some with their running light on to show that they were underway, but others only with their anchor lights showing. We could see their attempts to anchor and re-anchor until they finally found security until day break. The wind blew endlessly, but it seemed that things were settling down when trouble struck close to home. Our friends Keith and Joanie on SV Pelican had a Moorings’ catamaran from the local charter company anchor too close to them the day before and the consequences of this unfolded before our eyes. The cat’s anchor dragged and they backed within hands reach of Keith on Pelican’s bow. (Why they didn’t power forward we don’t know.) The horror reached us when Keith’s voice carried over the cry of the wind, “You’ve got our ANCHOR!!!” Helplessly we stood on our deck as the surreal scene unfolded. The cat pulled Pelican’s anchor free catapulting them into the catamaran. Tangled side by side they careened through the anchorage. Keith & Joanie pleaded with them to put down their anchor, but they didn’t. Pelican narrowly missed several boats only to be T-boned into the bowsprit of a large vessel by the catamaran!! Keith totally released their anchor and chain from their boat to finally free them from their captor. The catamaran drove off and re-anchored leaving them entangled on the other boat (Samaria II). Unfortunately, Samaria II’s anchor chain & snubber were fouled on Pelican’s rudder. The silver lining was that both boats were secure on Samaria II’s anchor (a 60 lb CQR) until they could be separated at dawn. The blessing was that no one was injured. White Sound was full of eyes on anchor watch peering into the blackness listening for the wind to abate. Morning brought little decline in the wind, but before sunrise boats were moving to find more secure locations, many flocking to the local marinas. The VHF radio buzzed with stories, but it wasn’t over yet. Claus and another Wisconsin cruiser joined in to help liberate Pelican from Samaria II and retrieve Pelican’s anchor from the bottom of the sound. In the middle of this process another boat skated by with no one at the helm. Claus, Barry & Keith put their endeavor on hold to rescue the runaway that would soon ground itself on the rocky shore. Sleepy people appear on deck as their boat was being pushed by dinghies out of danger! (Their mooring line had chaffed through setting their boat adrift.) Back at their own task, Pelican was finally freed. She sustained extensive superficial damage that will be a royal hassle to have repaired. To add insult to injury the charterer of the catamaran tried to deflect responsibility of the incident onto anyone but himself setting a harbour full of cruisers into an incensed uproar. Moorings’ handled the situation professionally and made assurances that the repairs will be covered. The night’s wind topped out at 45 knots (over 50 mph for land-lubbers) with sustained winds of 30-35 knots; the forecast called for more of the same. Next stop, the dock for camaraderie and a good night’s sleep.

 

39. By Land or Sea

February 19 – April 3, 2008

 

 

(See Photo Albums Hope Town, Red Hot & By Land or Sea)

 

Paul was welcomed aboard with cockpit full of sunny faces. “The Family of Four” and our friends from SV Pelican where on-board to welcome Paul and sample a batch of my conch fritters. Paul is our dear friend that is living in our house in Minnesota and taking care of things we’ve long since forgotten about like snail-mail and snow. The weather in Abaco was squally and gusty which prevented us from leaving Marsh Harbour for several days. To make the most of Paul’s stay we rented a van with Keith and Joanie. We headed south on Great Abaco Island. Keith took a left and we wove our way around a marshy mangrove area to Cherokee Sound - the cutes little town you’ve ever seen. It was obviously a very old settlement with its old homesteads sparkling with fresh paint. The streets were made out of concrete, but were barely wide enough for a car let alone a mini-van. Most of the yards were ringed with chain-link fence, which we only scizzed by as we drove the narrow streets. The sound is home to the longest pier in Abaco jutting 775’out over the shallow bay. At low tide the sound was absent of water and we took the opportunity to walk the sand and hunt for sand dollars. The other highlight of our day was a visit to Little Harbor where we enjoyed fabulous fresh fish at Pete’s Pub and toured the Bronze Sculpture Gallery and Foundry. See the photo journal of the process named “Red Hot” for more details on lost-wax casting. For more photos of their finished work check out http://picasaweb.google.com/johnstonartfoundry or www.petespubandgallery.com has info about the family’s history and life at Little Harbour.

 

 

Eventually the wind relented and we set sail for Little Harbour through the Sea of Abaco. The entrance to the picturesque harbour only has a few feet of water at low tide, so we anchored at nearby Lynyard Cay to wait for the morning’s high tide. We weren’t altogether certain that we could get in at all, so we dingied in at low tide with our hand held depth sounder to check it out. Back at the boat I looked up the high of the next high tide and calculated when we could start to attempt the entry.  Luckily, Keith & Joanie transited the opening first and gave us the all clear with 6’ 3” as their shallowest reading. Snug on a mooring in Little Harbour we all settled down to some serious relaxing. By day we hiked one way or another exploring the area or hunted for beach glass and shells. We snorkeled a nearby reef and came home with four lobsters. In the evenings we enjoyed cocktails and dinner on either Pelican or Kyanna bathed in the glow of friendship and conversation. Days slipped by and too quickly we were hugging Paul good bye as he left Little Harbour in a taxi to catch his flight back to snowy Minnesota.

 

Claus & I were ready to sit tight for awhile, read books and attend to the ever-neglected project list. As I write this we are still bobbing in the bay at Little Harbour. Later in the week when high tide is high enough and will rise in the light of day we will make our way back to Marsh Harbor to provision for our last month in the Bahamas, but back to the stories. The day after Paul left we where fortunate to watch “a pouring” at the foundry! It was a fascination process and gave us a real appreciation for the extensive process, the art and the price tags on the finished pieces. Joanie and Keith left after a couple of days to explore other cays. We settled down to being productive by day; I waded through our taxes, wrote the blog and played “monkey in the rigging” for a couple of hours replacing halyards and topping our mast with a new LED anchor light. Claus worked on our mysterious electrical system, attended to annoying leaks in our plumbing and ticked off e-mail forwards from weeks of spotty internet. The last calm day before lobster season ended we spent on an outer reef, but I didn’t see a one – time to set our sights on fish and enjoy our last few days in this quiet harbour.

 

38. A Family of Four

March 12 – 19, 2008

 

 

(Don’t Miss the Photo Album of the Same Name.)

 

It was a bit like putting together a puzzle in the cabin every morning and evening, but we had a wonderful time with our friends from Bayfield! Fred & Heidi with their teenage daughters, Hilary (18) and Molly (13) made Kyanna their home for a week. Claus & I had the luxury of relaxing much more than usual! Both Fred and Heidi are excellent cooks, so I was able to step out of the galley for the first time on our voyage. Summers on Lake Superior on their own boat made the whole family comfortable on board, but Fred and Hillary easily stepped in to help us run the boat when we were underway. With Fred’s extensive knowledge of marine electronics him wheels were always turning as he and Claus tried to figure out some of Kyanna’s quirks. The weather was on our side most of the time, which allowed us to sail and explore several cays in the area. Our days were filled with swimming, sunning, shelling, hunting for beach glass and relaxing. One day on a tip from friends we hit the mother-load of conch. Within minutes we had our limit and started a selection process to find the largest conch for eating or the best shaped shells to be made into conch horns. Hilary, Heidi and I turned into quite the conch cleaning team. There’s nothing better than fresh conch salad on a sunny afternoon, followed by Lobster Alfredo for dinner. Hilary, Fred and I scoured an area of coral heads were we had heard lobster could be found. We only found one, but that was enough to top the evening’s pasta. Another day they treated us to the weekly pig roast feast at Nipper’s on Great Guana Cay. It was a sumptuous spread of Bahamian favorites – more than our tummies could hold. Luckily there was a beautiful beach where we could work off a bit of our overindulgence with swimming and walking. It was a real extravagance for us on our cruising budget! In picturesque Hope Town we took cover from strong winds. It was the perfect place to shop for souvenirs, tour Elbow Cay and climb to the top of the lighthouse for an endless panoramic view. By the end of the trip there were four more conch horns sounding at sunset and we were all wondering were the week had gone! (Thank you all for your friendship and generosity!)

 

37. You Know You’ve Stayed Too Long When…

March 4 – 7, 2008

 

When we finally pulled up the anchor in George Town we were dismayed to see a nice crop of furry “sea grass” growing on the chain. “With a scrub, scrub here and a scrub, scrub there…” I removed most the slime as we slowly pulled up the anchor. The weather had not been cooperating with our plans after we finally installed our new engine water pump, so we opted for routing Plan B. With guests arriving in the near future 300 miles away in Marsh Harbour, Abaco we abandoned our hopes for getting to some of the out-islands and headed north. We left George Town, Exuma in the late afternoon and sailed overnight through Exuma Sound to reach the Banks near Sail Rock in daylight, which is critical for spotting the coral heads lurking below the surface. Claus beamed in the afternoon sun when he caught a beauty of a Mutton Snapper. We tucked into the anchorage at Royal Island, Eleuthra and awaited daybreak for our open ocean crossing to Abaco. The day was lovely with following seas, but more importantly the Little Harbour Cut was comfortably passable into the protection of the Sea of Abaco. We found a comfy anchorage for the night and I calculated the tides for our passage to Hope Town. Many of the routes throughout the Sea of Abaco as well as its harbors are too shallow for the draft of our boat. This means that we need to plan our days to travel through these areas at high tide only. Luckily the distances are short and we manage fine with only a little extra stress.

35. Adult Day Camp

January 30 – February 3, 2008

 

 

(See Photo Album – George Town, Exuma)

 

George Town, Exuma is the winter mecca for cruisers in the Bahamas. The community goes to great lengths to cater to the flood of cruisers that stream into Elizabeth Harbor. When we arrived there were over 200 cruising boats in the area and by the time we left there were almost 300.  The tide of cruisers goes out after the annual week-long Regatta (which we did not stay for). For us, George Town was a place to enjoy visitors from home, deal with boat issues (like a new engine water pump), make new friends and get involved in the activities. A day goes something like this… I get up early and listen to Chris Parker on the SSB to get the weather. Claus gets up and we listen to the Cruiser’s Net to find out about weather, activities & other info. I zip off to yoga class under the casuarini trees on the beach and Claus tries to get an internet connection. Next it’s a mile or so run across the harbour in the dingy. If it’s calm we go together, if not only one of us goes to keep the weight down. Exuma Market’s provides free RO water to the cruiser’s on the long dingy dock, so if the line is short then that’s the first stop. We fill our 20 gallons of collapsible containers and then head off to get dingy fuel or groceries or LP or baked goods for “Mom’s Bakery”. “Mom” makes to best apple bread and pineapple turnovers! She sells her goodies out of her van under the big shade tree. You don’t leave without a bag of delights, a smile, a huge hug and a God bless you dear! Back at the boat we unload, which can be a challenge depending on the wind direction especially with the unwieldy water containers. Water goes in the tanks, things get stowed and it’s time for lunch. On days were we didn’t go into town, we explored the beaches and coral shores of the Atlantic side of Stocking Island, went snorkeling or hunting lobster on the outer reefs and plugged away at the endless list of boat projects. Most afternoon we went into Volleyball Beach where all the cruiser’s activities took place. Claus was into “4 on 4 regulation” volleyball, while I whiled away the afternoon at “regulation” basket weaving, chatting with new friends or slipped in for a game of “fun” volleyball. Some days there were seminars that we attended on weather, sail trim, navigational charts… By the time the sun was on it’s way to setting we were cleaned up and off to pot luck appetizers and live music on the beach or heading to a friends boat for cocktails or maybe another evening event like Rockin’ Ron’s dances at  Chat & Chill. At sunset we honed our conch horn blowing skills and dinner wasn’t far behind. By night the harbor was aglow with a city of anchor lights. (Make sure to take a close look at the George Town Photo Album to see friends we met and many more things we did during our stay. There are also more photos from our stay in George Town in Albums “Together Again”, Gilligan’s Island and On a Huntin’ We Will Go.)

34. Gilligan’s Island

February 21-23, 2008

 

 

 

(See Photo Album - Gilligan’s Island)

 

Claus’ former work buddy Dan started out his escape from the frigid winter of Minnesota with a few of days in the Bahamas. He had some reservations about boat life after being sea-sick for extended periods in the Marine’s.  Fortunately the weather cooperated and all he got was a drenching while crossing the harbor in the dingy.  Dan brought gifts, some with strings attached. Over the years when Claus was still at work dreaming of the cruising life, Dan started to call him Gilligan. He teased him about life at sea and the “three hour tour”. We had big question marks over our heads as he handed us shirts and hats as a gift, but then he produced “the picture” – a photo of Gilligan and the Skipper. The “strings” where that we reenact the photo for everyone’s viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

 

33. Sheer Joy

February 2 – 9, 2008

 

(See Photo Album Together Again!)

 

The doors to the plane opened; waving from the top of the stairs were Annie, Sean & Kyah (our daughter, son-in-law & granddaughter). We waved with huge smiles from behind the fence. The six months that we’ve been apart melted away when they came through the doors and we could hug them. As we rounded a bend and they caught their first glimpse of the turquoise bay, they exclaimed, “Oh my god, the water is so blue!!” A week never flew by faster. The weather was paradise perfect and we made the most of everyday.

 

George Town was ideal for a fun filled family vacation. Kyah (age 7) had been looking forward to shelling ever since we sent her sea shells and a shell book for Christmas. She found treasures on every beach we walked. She loved them all, from tiny shells barely larger than a grain of sand to the shells of the lovely pink conch.

 

Soaked with sea spray from our dingy ride we hooked up with two other families. The kids spent hours in the shallow water at low tide scouring the area for sand dollars. Kyah, who became an expert in sand dollars explained to me, “You can only take the dead ones! The live ones you can pick up and look at, but you have to put them back. I’ll use this one as an example, see this one is alive – it is brown and furry. The dead ones are white like sand, they’re harder to find…” Sea biscuits (a cousin to the sand dollar) were also abundant in the area, but they were found snorkeling.

 

Before we went back to the small reef Kyah learned to use her mask, then her snorkel, then her fins.  Like most new snorkelers she screamed through her snorkel when she saw her first fish and tried to do the “daffy duck” to get away from creatures she didn’t know.  Before long soon she was tooling around like a pro showing me starfish, shells & fish. Back at the reef Sean & I went on a scouting mission to check out the current.  We hit the sea biscuit jack pot and I added two more conchs to the one Claus had already found. When we all went out together, Sean was the master spotter, spying a lion fish in its coral grotto – beautiful, but very poisonous. As we swam through the garden of sea fans, Kyah became more comfortable with her new skills, she pointed excitedly at colorful fish, sea urchins & coral. Claus found a huge triton (a type of snail) a foot long for us all to see. Before we left we had collected 66 sea biscuits! The shear quantity begs the question, “Why so many?”  Kyah wanted to bring back a treasure for her friends and the all kids in her class. Annie said, “How about a shell.” Kyah said, “No, sea biscuits!” What’s a little extra weight in the luggage?

 

We took a page out of the book, “living off the sea” when we collected conch to eat. Claus & I have eaten our share of conch salad, but have never made our own. I’m challenged by the process of “doing in” creatures of any kind, but I’ve yet to become a vegetarian. Sean grew up in Florida fishing, so he was up for the new venture. Annie doesn’t like knowing where her food comes from and was against the notion. I had explained to Kyah that we could only eat conch after they are “big” enough, so with a few misgivings she was okay with the idea. I wanted to watch the locals clean a conch before I gave it a go, but we were so busy I never did. In the mean time we kept them in a bucket on deck. Kyah watched them turn themselves over and Annie threatened to name them and turn them into pets. As I was preparing the meat, Kyah asked, “Oma, did that make you sad?” I said, “Yes, I didn’t like it at all.” Then she said, “But we’re still going to eat them, right?”  Everyone sampled the conch salad and Kyah is now the proud owner of two beautiful pink conch shells and her very own Bahamian conch horn. A local tradition is to blow a conch horn at sunset. We were gifted a horn before we left and have been honing our skills every evening. It turns out Annie can blow a horn like a native and Kyah is a natural. She blew her own conch horn with gusto making it sing when everyone else could only make it squawk.

 

Most afternoons while Kyah was entertaining herself with other kid or building sand sculptures, Annie, Sean & Claus were volleyball fanatics. They were a hot trio! Whether they were playing a regulation game of “4 on 4” or the regular “cruisers” game they were up for the challenge. Annie caught everyone’s eye with her fantastic sets and spectacular dives. It didn’t hurt that she was bikini clad. Sean and Claus had some pretty impressive moves of their own, but they don’t look as good in a swim suit!

 

The week breezed by… Sean got to watch the Super Bowl at the beach bar, Kyah learned to drive the dingy, we shopped for souvenirs at the Straw Market, everyone got to feed and pet stingrays, we ate local food, Sean & Kyah slept on deck under the stars, we explored the island and Kyah even found time do her home work and read books. With lots of tears and blubbering we hugged and kissed as they departed for the frigid north. We close our eyes and the memories flood in. 

 

32. 007 & Coconut Bread

January 27 – February 1, 2008

 

(See Photo Albums of the 007 – Staniel Cay and Coconut Bread – Black Point)

 

Heading down the Exuma chain our next stop was Staniel Cay, home of the famous Thunderbolt cave. That would be Bond – James Bond. The cavern was also used in the movie Splash. Hoping for our own movie deal we snorkeled into the cave that was riddled with holes leading in and out both above and below the water. On Sunday morning we joined the locals to sample a native Bahamian breakfast. Fish soup, grit and Johnny cake. Fish soup is made of fish heads, lots of bones and very little meat. As Joanie was delicately trying to eat it with a spoon the waitress came over and in her Bahamian accent said to her, “You just pick up the bone and suck on it.” In town we wandered around the windy streets finding both stores – the Blue Store and the Pink Store. Both of them had a little of this and that along with white wine that had long since turned to vinegar and a few over-the-hill veggies. The cruisers hot-spot was the Staniel Cay Yacht Club Restaurant/Bar. Not that they had great food, but they had free internet. Most of the time 5 to10 cruisers where huddled together on the veranda eyes glued to their computers many with headsets and mics talking to family using Skype. Live at sea is rough, but we felt like royalty when Keith shared Beluga caviar with us that he bought in Moscow last fall. It was extraordinary!!

 

A quick sail brought us to Black Point Settlement which tauts the best coconut bread in the Bahamas. The bread is made by Lorraine’s mom. Lorraine owns a local restaurant and internet café. There is no bakery or anything that complicated. When you want bread you call Lorraine on your VHF radio in the morning and order it. In the afternoon you go to her mom’s house behind the restaurant and make your way into the kitchen. There you will find Lorraine’s mom up to her elbows in flour, bread dough and freshly baked bread. I can still smell it!! The coconut bread lived up to its reputation – white bread with a swirl of sweet coconut and cinnamon tucked in the middle – yum!! Lorraine will also send you down the road to her cousin Willie, proud owner of the Garden of Eden.  His garden is filled with driftwood creations that he concocted (mostly in his head).  He will regale you with every detail of every sculpture from its conception to the multiplicity of its interpretation. We were relieved when a new group showed up at the gate and we got away. We meandered back through town and chatted with the ladies waving palm fronds into strips to sell in Nassau where they will be made into purses & bags and sold at the straw market.  On to George Town.

31. Warderick Wells

January 23 – 26, 2008

 

(See Photo Album - Warderick Wells)

 

Warderick Wells is the hub of the Land & Sea Park. The north mooring area where we stayed has a horse-shoe shaped cove ringed with moorings nicely spaced with a shoal in the middle that becomes visible at low tide.  What you do is up to you! You can get lost in the miles of hiking trails that weave their way around the island, catch up with other cruiser, snorkel the reefs, or sit on the porch with the “sugar birds” (bananaquits) while you post your blog updates or talk to family on Skype. Yes, we did it all!  One of the notable spots is Boo Boo Hill where cruisers leave a memento with their boat name on it to appease the ghosts who haunt the island.  It is said that at the full moon you can hear moans and singing from the ghosts of ships that wrecked on the shores of Warderick Wells.  We opted of stay on the moorings to weather the next cold front and used the time for boat projects, relaxing and more exploring (and not to forget write the blog and edit pictures).

30.  Shroud Cay

January 22-23, 2008

 

(See Photo Album - Shroud Cay)

Fair winds sent us flying under full sail from Allen’s Cay to Shroud Cay!  What a glorious sail!! Kyanna had a "bone in her teeth" and was ready to play as she reached hull speed.  Unfortunately a course change put us hard on the wind and we needed to reduce sail.   Shroud Cay was our first port of call in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park which encompasses 15 major cays and 176 square miles of protected area.  We took a mooring in the calm water of a bay.  Conjure up in your imagination an idyllic tropical island surrounded by an azure sea and that was our view.  The interior of Shroud Cay is riddled with mangrove creeks that serve as the nursery to the many creatures that inhabit the Bahamas.  The mangroves protect and the tidal creeks provide nutrients.  The four of us set off to explore the creeks just after low tide.  Before long we ran out of water and walked the dingy through the shallows discovering a carpet of conch at our feet.  Oh - they would have made a tasty meal, but the “no take” park rules rang in our collective conscience and we wandered on.  Claus was in rare form as he regaled us with quotes from The African Queen and WC Fields, “…there I was in the deepest part of Africa at the edge of a 10,000 foot cliff, surrounded by a million pigmies with poison blowguns.  So I took out my knife and I sliced my way through a wall of human flesh, dragging my canoe behind me…”  From time to time our way was blocked until the tide rose a little; in the low water we saw baby sharks, baby puffer fish, and crabs practicing for a public television special.  Claus & Keith kept us laughing with more than a few antics and later Joanie glided through the water like the Queen of Egypt on her private barge down the Nile.  On the other side of the island, we hiked to the top of the hill known as Camp Driftwood.  In days gone by there was a hermit who lived on his boat in the creek and build a Robinson Crusoe style camp of driftwood and other gifts from the see atop the hill.  Few remnants remain, but cruises still bring a “donation” and the view is spectacular.  By the time we made our way back to the creek the tide was high and we slipped through the water with ease.  We completed our exploration the next morning with a hike a the natural fresh water well - still tasty!

29. Island Time – The Exumas – Allen’s Cay

January 18^th – 22^nd, 2008

 

 

 

(See Photo Album - Allen's Cay)

 

The Exumas are a string of over 50 major cays and countless small cays that stretch 130 miles along the east edge to the Great Bahamas Banks. This cruising ground is known for its pristine waters and remote anchorages. Shimmering turquoise water greeted us as we turned into the protected channel at Allen’s Cay. The anchorage was already full of boats, but we managed to tuck in comfortably. The island is known for the Rock Iguanas that inhabit the cay always on the alert for a hand out. Some people say that they are ugly, but they reminded me more of mid-evil knights decked out in jeweled chain-male ready for battle.  But the real battle was between Keith and the 3 lobster (crawfish) we ate for dinner the next day. After Keith & Paul came back to the boats with grins as big as the lobster that Keith speared, Claus & I joined the hunt at the next slack tide. The current around their rocky lair was strong which made the task of diving down 15+ feet and scouring under the crevasses and ledges quite a challenge. Keith managed to wedge his spear deep into a hole with 2 lobsters that he & I had poked and prodded for some time to produce his 3^rd strike. I provoked the 2^nd one enough that it left its hidey hole to skirt the coral in search of better cover. My aim was true, but the Hawaiian sling spear bounce off of the shell and it found safety in the coral. Joanie and Keith prepared our first lobster feast which was exquisite.

 

A cold front was on the horizon with predictions of gusts to gale force (35 knots/hour) and sustained winds of 25-30 knots.  We felt protected and secure in the anchorage, but became apprehensive after one boat broke free of its anchor when the blow first started.  I was trying to sleep when Claus & Paul heard the boat thud on the bottom! With the full moon the tide was lower than usual and our security was shattered. In the darkness and howling wind we had to move!  Fortunately Paul could relay shouts from me at the bow to Claus at the stern most of the time, but the situation got extremely hairy more than once before the anchor was firmly set in the sand again.  The wind didn’t let up for 2 days.  We kept anchor watches at night and Paul worried about how he was going to get back to Nassau. He had arranged to hitch a ride with one of the “iguana feeding boats”, but they didn’t show up because of the forecast. Eventually he was able to stow away on a Canadian vessel bound for Nassau with guests who were also trying to catch a flight.  We said farewell to Paul, but don’t know whether he made any of his flights.

28.  Exploring  Nassau

January 15 – 18, 2008

 

 

(See Photo Album - Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas)

 

Nassau Harbor was brimming with cruising boat all focused on weather, provisioning and the best internet connection.  The Green Parrot Restaurant caters to cruisers with their complimentary dingy dock and free wifi.  They also provide the perfect spot for a weekly cruiser's meet & greet lunch.  A special treat for us was listening to Keith’s stories of growing up in Nassau (ages 9-15) where his parents ran a bookstore.  We walked to the house that they lived in and delighted in his pleasure of revisiting familiar places that were “still there” including the bookstore building and the local bakery.

 

We dingyed across the harbor to bath in the opulence of The Atlantic.  The place is dripping with excess from the mega yachts that fill the marina to the luxurious décor of the grounds.  We passed up overpriced pizza at the Atlantis for some freshly made conch salad at Potter’s Cay.  The narrow cay is packed wall the wall with venders hocking local favorites and produce. 

 

We enjoyed the island attitude that started to seep into our days as we made preparations to set sail for the Exumas.  The winds diminished enough for us to escape another night of karaoke lullaby and we set our iron sails in light head winds over the banks to Allen’s Cay.

Four New Albums:

Maimi With Relatives

Travelin' the ICW

Birds of a Feather

Cumberland Island Georgia

27. Into the Islands “Mon”

January 11 – 16, 2008

 

We crossed the Gulf Stream from Fort Lauderdale to the Great Isaac Light – 60 miles due east. The wind was SE at 15 knots accompanied by 2-4’ seas. With the effects of the Stream pushing us north this meant that Kyanna crabbed east while pointing south most of the trip. Our speed varied from a dizzying 2 knots to our typical 6.5 knots.  At times we didn’t think we would reach the banks until well after midnight, but we arrived in the dark at 8:30 pm – 12.5 hours total. There is not protection from wave action when you anchor on the banks, so we oscillated like clothes in a washing machine throughout the night. The next day we sailed the crystal clear waters over the banks and anchored at Northwest Shoal on the other side of the Great Bahama Banks. It is a curious sensation to anchor in 10’ of water with absolutely no land in sight!! The water beckoned and we all went for a swim before a relaxing dinner on Pelican.