Private Beach

     Sharon and I got to spend some time south of Black Point Settlement at Little Bay.  Our buddy boat had some matters to take care of at Staniel Cay, so we took a few days to hang out on the beach.  For 3 days Little Bay was our private beach.

Above photo - Sharon makes landfall at Little Bay

Above photo - his and her footprints in the sand

Above photo - view of shoreline on eastern side of island across from Little Bay

The Man Made Stuff In The Bahamas

Some of the man made stuff in the Bahamas

Not the home but their tiki bar.

Cool shot from Black Point Settlement Regatta Point

For a few million you might have a chance to own this home!

Stone beacon on Adderly Cay indicating salt was available.

Free Showers

     We woke up this morning with a plan, but before we discuss the plan let's regress.  We returned from Long Island in the Bahamas to George Town on Saturday January 22nd and anchored at Red Shanks.  Then the weather went "south" when a cold front stalled and became a trough, and we were stuck in Red Shanks since Saturday because of the wind.  Last night I was awakened by an eerie calm that came over the boat as the wind died down and the boat stopped dancing around.   This is where the plan from this morning comes into play.  Our plan was to weigh anchor, go to Kidd Cove which is the closest anchorage you can get to George Town without running aground.  Phase 2 of our plan was to go into town for a few items, return to the boat and head up the coast to The Marina at Emerald Bay.  Before we discuss The Marina at Emerald Bay phase, let's go back to the part about weighing the anchor and getting underway to Kidd Cove.  Sorry, not gonna happen.  Long story short, the engine decided to go on holiday and would not start.  After an hour of trying this and trying that I called Rick on M/V Broulee for some input.  Before I could hang up the mic after our discussion, Rick was standing on our back porch asking what I had tried and what I didn't try.  After about an hour of collective thought and turning wrenches we managed to diagnose the problem and had the engine running.  Damn batteries gave us some false readings.   We managed to get to George Town, which was very busy because all the other boaters that also had been pinned down by the winds from the previous days.  Using a dinghy in windy conditions is just asking for a saltwater shower.  We finished our business in George Town and cruised up to The Marina at Emerald Bay to reprovision the boat as we  head north back to the Exumas and anchorages we missed on our trip south to George Town.  So here we are at the marina again to get some water, food, wash some clothes and yes, those free showers.

 Above photo - this group passed us today as we were pulling the anchor at Kidd Cove.  The theme for the party was James Bond & Thunderball.

 Above photo - breakers on the reefs as your leaving Elizabeth Harbour.

Green Flash

     There is a optical phenomena that most boaters have seen or have heard about.  It usually occurs over water as the sun sets on the horizon.  It can also happen at sunrise over water, the moment before the sun breaks the horizon.     Sharon and I saw our first one on January 3rd when we were at Warderick Wells and the sun was setting.  On January 19th I witnessed my second event and it was the best of the two I have seen.  Sharon claims she did not see it.  It may have been that she blinked at the moment the event occurred.   As the sun is setting, at the very last moment (read less than a second) the light is transformed by a prism effect and the sun emits a green light.  This optical phenomena is known as a green flash.  (Sorry, no pictures of the event)

Another Great Anchorage

     In Florida, there is a boater's destination called Velcro Beach.  Actually its rightful name is Vero Beach, but many boaters who have stopped there for visit call it Velcro Beach because you get attached to the place and it's difficult to leave.  That is what is happening with us and George Town in the Bahamas.  We are back for the third time.  Last week we left George Town to go over to Long Island.  While we were at Long Island we stayed at Salt Pond (see previous posting) and then moved up the coast of Long Island to Calabash Bay and one of the best looking beaches we have seen by far.  Then on the next weather window we crossed the Exuma Sound back to Great Exuma Island and George Town.  We are not in Elizabeth Harbour (George Town) but a very close anchorage callled Red Shanks because of a blow that came through on Saturday night.  The front passed through and has stalled and turned itself into a (weather) trough.  So here we are waiting for another weather window to head north back into the Exumas.  There are a lot of anchorages we passed up in the Exumas so that we could be in George Town  when we needed our permits renewed 2 weeks ago.  At least for now we are waiting out the weather in another great anchorage.

Above photo - raising the anchor early one morning on one of the many trips to Geroge Town.  Photo credit - Deb on M/V Broulee.

Above photo - Cruising on the Exuma Sound on the way to George Town.  Flat calm waters, cloudless skies - that's ideal conditions.  Photo credit - Deb on M/V Broulee.

Above photo - Bob & Sharon going for a dinghy ride.  That's our little "sports car" when we are at an anchorage for extended periods.  We need more power!  Photo credit - Deb on M/V Broulee.

Long Island's Eastern Coast

Photos of Long Island's Eastern Coast

Above photo - Sharon taking a break in the shade.

Above photo - the seas were calm but they were still rolling onto the beach.

Above photo - looking north.

Above photo - Bob watching the waves roll in.

Salt Pond Sunset

   Above Photo - Last night's sunset at Salt Pond, Long Island, Bahamas

She's A Lady

     Having left The Marina at Emerald Bay yesterday, we anchored once again in Elizabeth Harbour at George Town.  It sure felt good to be cruising and on the hook again.  However, before we left the marina, we had a blowout of a football party on Saturday and Sunday in the marina's lounge.  The late game on Sunday between New England Patriots and the New York Jets was the icing on the cake.  All the stops were pulled and we had an warm-up to Super Bowl Sunday.  Most of us won't get to see the game!  There were probably 18 boaters for the final game, and everybody brought food and their own adult beverage.  There were many interesting people who joined the party, but there was one feisty woman who was something special.  If you recall, I was discussing in an earlier blog about the gentleman, George,  who gave us fish,.  This woman is his wife and her name is Carolyn.   George had flown back to Washington, DC on Friday.  Otherwise George would  have attended the party with Carolyn.  More about Carolyn later.  We had chicken, nachos & cheese, conch fritters (with some of the hottest sauce I ever had), both yellow fin tuna spread and salmon spread, and every other snack you can imagine.  The whole gang was rooting for the New England Patriots except for one and that was me.  I was rooting for the New York Jets.  Sometime in the 3rd quarter I was bragging up the Jets when Carolyn piped up "Do not calculate your juvenile poultry until the process of incubation is fully materialized."  When I said Carolyn was feisty that may have been an understatement.  Carolyn could go round for round with the guys but with a dignified and sophisticated manner.  She's a lady.     

Rage

     In the following photographs there is a certain appeal of the seas that have been blown by the winds and crashing onto the coastline.  But from a boater's aspect it is something you don't want to get caught in.  The Bahamian term for seas of this condition is called "rage".

Above photo - South of marina on the eastern coastline of Great Exuma Island.
 

Above photo - Same location as the previous photo, showing the fury of the ocean.
 

Above photo - Looking north, marina entrance is on the left side out of view.
 

Above photo - Just north of the marina entrance, lower rock formation is jetty on north side of marina entrance channel.

The Non-Technical Stuff

     When the weather has you hunkered down and you have a great WiFi signal what do you do?   You make changes to your blog.  We have added a "PROFILE" gadget and a "FOLLOWERS" gadget.  Trust me that's what they call them - gadgets.  Another highly technical term from the world of computer  gurus.  Both of the new gadgets can be found in the right hand column.  Our "PROFILE" will be "evolving" over the next few weeks as we decide who we are.  As for "FOLLOWERS", that will be up to our family, friends and others to sign up to show their interest in our blog.  Hopefully, Monday, when the weather breaks we can get back to cruising and the non-technical stuff.

Turtle

Saw this guy swimming around in the marina.

Outstanding Chef

     It has been 2 days since we arrived at The Marina At Emerald Bay.  We are getting very spoiled with the free showers and the great lounge for the boaters.  There is also a billiards room and a social room with a small but unstocked wet bar.  Darn.  The free WiFi has come in very handy.  We have been able to Skype friends and send and receive emails very regularly.  Sometimes the system is overloaded from all the transient boaters holed up in their boats.

     The weather (wind) had me up the first night as the wind was gusting very strongly.  At 2 a.m., I was putting another spring line on the boat.  I installed an aft spring line from the bow of the boat to the midship cleat on the dock.  We already had our aft spring line installed from the boat's midship to the cleat on the dock at the stern of the boat.  Spring lines prevent the boat from  moving  forward (aft spring line) as was the case here.    The next morning Rick, on M/V Broulee, informed me he had done the same thing through the night.  Great minds think alike!  Rick also suggested we move the boats forward so that we each could install another stern line to help stabilize the boats.  His idea was a very good one to keep the boats from rubbing the floating docks despite our deployment of fenders.  So here we sit being tossed around like a fishing bobber.  You know, one of those red and white ones you used when you were a kid.  Yesterday I checked the weather station at the marina office and we had sustained 24 knot winds.  Our attempts to secure the boats from leaving the slips has worked but they still are continuously moving about as the wind blows and the waves generated by the winds destabilize the boats.  We have become accustomed to the boat movement at the marina,  so when we are on land it just doesn't feel right.

     Yesterday afternoon a very nice gentleman was cleaning fish and offered us some Wahoo steaks which we graciously accepted.  After spending time talking with him while he finished cleaning fish, Sharon and I returned to the boat where Sharon made a wonderful dinner with the fish.  Unfortunately for Sharon, I don't take her to restaurants because she is an outstanding chef.

Oh, What a feeling!

     Here we go again.  Weather is playing a major role in our cruising.  Originally, the forecast was for Thursday and Friday to have winds that would make traveling uncomfortable.  Now, it sounds as if the winds may carry over into the weekend with a possible let up on Sunday afternoon.  My thought about weather forecasters - they are the only ones that can do their job wrong and not get fired.

     We have taken up residence for a few days at The Marina at Emerald Bay.  We choose the non-service dock (water only) at $1.00 a foot per night.  The full service dock (electric, water and cable TV) starts at $2.25 a foot per night.  If your mega yacht is 100' or longer your per foot rate is $3.25.  You still have to pay for your electric usage ($.85/kwh) and your water usage.  In the Bahamas, water is generally what they call RO water.  RO stands for reverse osmosis, the same type of water you get from a watermaker on your boat if you have one.  Been there, done that and we still don't have a watermaker.  Water at this marina is 40 cents a gallon.  Fortunately for us, we just checked our water usage for the last 17 days and we estimate we used about 200 of the 360 gallons we carry.  That's very good considering we use the water to cook, drink, wash dishes, bath and flush toilets.  Our new estimate of how long we can stay on the hook has now risen to 25 days.  We may just try that on our next trip when we leave this marina.  It was a pleasure today to take a regular shower  at the marina facilities instead of a navy shower on the boat.  A navy shower saves water because you turn off the water after you have gotten wet.  Then you will soap and shampoo as necessary and then turn the water back on again to rinse.  So today, I let the water run and run and run some more.  Oh, what a feeling!

Better Than Store Bought

     And now for something totally different.  Big Run is very well stocked.  We have all the necessities.  One thing that is difficult to keep onboard are the perishable items such as milk, lettuce and bread.  When we were in Spanish Wells our bread stock was getting low so we decided to look at what the local grocery store and bakeries had to offer.  At the grocery store, bread is $4.50 a loaf.  And the local bakeries - closed on the day  you stop in or they don't bake bread on that day, Monday.  So Sharon has decided to take up baking her own bread.  Her bread has turned out so good she now bakes 2 loaves at a time.  Better than store bought.

Sharon's bread cooling on the cooktop.

Not Like The Last One

      Despite all the beautiful sunrises, sunsets, white sand beaches and clear water you can experience in the Bahamas, every once in a while mother nature will throw you a curve.  Last Friday night into early Saturday morning we were expecting a "blow" to come through.  We knew this well in advance and moved from Warderick Wells on Wednesday to Staniel Cay.  Staniel Cay's claim to fame is that part of the James Bond movie Thunderball, the grotto scene in particular, was filmed there.  Well, Friday night came and so did the blow.  At 3 a.m. I was awakened to strong winds and rain.  Sharon had gotten up just before to close a few windows and bring the foredeck cushions in.  I returned to bed only to be rudely awakened by even stronger winds with high gusts at 5 a.m.  We survived the blow and learned the next morning our buddy boat had dragged their anchor, almost clobbered Big Run but pulled off a miracle of a save.  Thanks Rick.  We also learned the winds were sustained in the 30-40 MPH range with much higher gusts.  It blew so hard that our wind generator went into an automatic self protect mode to prevent it from spinning to fast!  What a night!

     On Sunday we took advantage of a weather window and traveled 60 miles on the Exuma Sound to  George Town.  Good news, while in George Town we got our immigration extended to May 15, we may never come home. Just kidding Mom.  Now we sit at George Town in Elizabeth Harbour pondering the next blow predicted for Thursday/Friday.  I'm just hoping it's not like the last one.

Reflecting back over the last week or so, I pulled out some more photos for everyone to enjoy.

Sunrise at Governors Harbour, Eleuthera Island.

We spotted this bird at Rendezvous Beach, Warderick Wells.

Sharon at Leaf Cay looking for the Iguanas.

Sunrise at Staniel Cay Cut

No, Sharon is not swimming in a very large pool.  That is what we have been  anchoring in.

 Bob and the Iguanas.

The Lizards of Warderick Wells.

Damsel In Distress

     Within the Bahamas and the string of Islands known as the Exumas is the Exuma Cay Land & Sea Park.   The Bahamian government has set aside this area for marine research and tourism, fishing is prohibited. We made this a 2 day stopover to give us a chance to explore Warderick Wells.  Day one was primarily to get our bearings on land and to visit the park headquarters.  As we were studying the map of the island and the 4 miles of trails a small bird flew in close to us and landed on a branch very close to us.  Jokingly, I stuck my finger out as a perch and the bird flew over and landed on my finger for just a few seconds, not long enough for anybody to get a picture.

     The next day Sharon and I prepared for a long hike, big breakfast, back packs with hydration bladders, hiking clothes and shoes.  We were ready.  Rick and Deb joined us onshore as we set out for the trail leading to the "ruins".  Shortly into our walk Deb, who has the bad leg from her fall back at Governor's Harbour, decided it was too strenuous of a hike for her bum leg.   Rick and Deb encouraged us to go on and they would stay in contact with us by portable radio.  Sharon and I walked south to the wall built by the loyalist along time ago.  We then turned and walked to the east towards the eastern coast of the island.  Sharon and I consider ourselves to be in shape for long walks and hikes.  What we were not prepared for was the heat and the intense sun.  About 2 hours into the walk along the coast I started seeking shade to get relief from the sun.  We had planned on walking north to Boo Boo Hill to meet up with Rick and Deb but decided to take a path west to the other side of the island.  We arrived at Butterfly Beach only to find that we would have to backtrack on the trail to get to the next beach south of our current location.  Not wanting to walk additional steps in the heat, I decided to walk on the limestone ledges to shortcut to the next beach.  Not a good idea, shortly after starting out, Sharon lightly overturned her ankle and returned to Butterfly Beach.  I, being a hunter from Pennsylvania, breezed over the limestone as if it was the rocks on Stoney Mountain that as a hunter I was always told by my father and uncle to stay of the rocks.  Within an hour, the knight in shining armor that I am returned to Butterfly Beach with the dinghy to rescue my damsel in distress.

(Click on any photo to enlarge and hit back button to return)

Group photo - Deb, Rick and Sharon

Above - crystal clear waters and sandy beaches need palm trees

Above - Not Iguanas but the local lizards of Warderick Wells Cay

Above - Warderick Wells Cay eastern coastline -we never get tired of the clear water or the beaches.

Above - a sample of the limestone coastline I crossed to get to dinghy after Sharon twisted her ankle.

Above - View of dinghy from hill as I was returning to get dinghy and rescue Sharon.

Dinosaur

After a extended happy hour onboard M/V Broulee for New Year's Eve, Sharon and I were back onboard Big Run by 10 p.m..  No, we did not see midnight, but we did have a very good time with Rick, Deb and Izzy. 

     We did not have any plans set in concrete for today’s cruising.  As a matter of fact we now follow the jello plan.  It’s not a hard concept to follow, you just take one day at a time and be flexible.  The only real plan was to stop over at Allans Cay to check out the wildlife.  But not before our navigation computer throws a hissy fit.  When Sharon started the navigation software she received an error message that we would have to contact the navigation software company to receive updates to the magnetic variations because it was 1/1/11.  What?  I don’t need this out in the middle of nowhere and no internet connection or phone service.  Remedy – turn the computer’s date back to 1/1/10.  Problem solved.  Now let’s go look for monsters on Allans Cay.  After a very “short run” of 1 hour and 10 minutes to Allans Cay, Big Run dropped the hook at 11 a.m. Allan Cay is next to Leaf Cay.  On the Island of Leaf Cay are iguanas.  They may not be monsters but they resemble something leftover from the days of the dinosaur. 

Happy New Year

Our Happy New Year wish for you

Is for your best year yet,

A year where life is peaceful,

And what you want, you get.

A year in which you cherish

The past year's memories,

And live your life each new day,

Full of bright expectancies.

We wish for you a holiday

With happiness galore;

And when it's done, we wish you

Happy New Year, and many more.

Poem By Joanna Fuchs