Square Between The Eyes

     The crossing from Nassau to Miami went as planned.  We did leave Nassau on Monday about 1.5 hours earlier than planned, we figured if we got to Goverment Cut in Miami to early we could always throttle back to delay our entry back into the States.  As we crossed the Tongue of the Ocean from Nassau to Northwest Channel Light waypoint the seas started to laydown as the winds let up.  The journey across the Great Bahama Bank is always a pleasure even though most of that was done in the dark.  Around 1 a.m. Tuesday, we approached the last Bahama waypoint, Triangle Rocks.  By taking this route from south of Bimini back to Florida, we were hoping to set a heading south of our rhumbline to compensate for the push north by the gulf stream currents.  According to our last update on Monday from NOAA, the western wall of the gulf stream was 10 miles east of the Florida coast as reported at Fowey Rocks.  The crossing of the Florida Straits went smoothly with only a few extra large ships to avoid.  The seas were still a little confused from the winds as we had following seas with rollers attacking from both the port and starboard quarter.  It's strange how waves can intercept each other and not cancel each other out.  Another one of the "mysteries" of the oceans.  Finally, around 7 a.m. we were able to start to see civilization, the coastal skyscrapers.  Also, we were approaching the western wall of the gulf stream.  At this point, any push from the gulf stream should have pushed us north to our rhumbline, but we were still 1.5 miles south of the rhumbline as we had planned.  Then, once inside of the "reported western wall" of the gulf stream where there should not have been a current it grabbed us and took us for a ride.  Long story short, 1 hour later we were 1 mile north of our rhumbline as we tried to buck the current and head SW to Government Cut.  So we changed course to a westerly heading, drifted north with the current and then when the current released its grip we headed SW to Government Cut.  By 10 a.m. the anchor was dropped at the  Belle Isle anchorage in South Beach.  Another successful crossing.  

     Our plans were to recuperate from the crossing the rest of the day on Tuesday, drop the dinghy on Wednesday and visit a grocery store, where the shelves are filled to the max.  No waiting in line to get fresh produce.  And that one day on Tuesday would allow us to adjust to the "cultural shock" of being  back in the States.  All the noise, congestion, people and the madness of civilization, that isn't found in the Exumas Cays, is overwhelming and will hit you square between the eyes.

Not So Happy Ending

     It all started yesterday, Saturday, as I was killing time on the boat.  Our number one source of entertainment, as boaters, is checking and keeping an eye on the weather.  After checking windfinder.com and passageweather.com and a few of the noaa.gov pages, it was confirmed that our weather window to leave the Bahamas and head back to Florida was going to be Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  It was time, our immigration permit (visa) expires in 3 weeks on May 6th.  Imagine, over 5 months in the Bahamas, what an adventure. As this was a sudden decision to depart on Sunday morning, we were not able to depart until the news was dropped like an atomic bomb on a few friends.  After we said our goodbyes over the VHF to some dear friends, the anchor was up and stowed by 8:15 am.  Late by Big Run standards, but still early.  Our original plan was to run up the Exuma chain to Highbourne Cay to an anchorage we used last year for the same purpose, heading "home".  After fours hours of cruising the decision was to forgo the Highbourne anchorage and head to Nassau.   The weather forecast was for the winds to be in the low teens (knots) out of the southeast.  This would be a following sea as we crossed the Yellow Bank to Nassau and provide a little push to get us there before sunset.  By 6:30 we made it to the Porgees Rock waypoint at the east entrance to the harbor.  Just 5 miles to the anchorage at the west end of Nassau harbor.  At 7:30 as we were deploying the anchor, the anchor chain got jammed in the pipe leading from the anchor locker to the foredeck and the windlass.  Thanks to a 5lb. persuader (read sledgehammer), the problem was remedied in under 5 minutes.  Time to kick back before dinner and unwind as we waited for Sharon's world famous Stromboli's to come out of the oven.  After a long day, the dinner was perfect, well almost perfect.  As we sat at the table discussing our plans for an overnight passage to Florida on Monday night, there was the sound of a police siren next to the boat.  When I went out onto the cockpit, there was a Bahamian Defense Task Force boat on the port side of Big Run.  We never heard them approach Big Run.  Then, to what was almost a perfect day, came the words "Prepare to be boarded".  Fortunately, our cruising permit and immigration papers were in order and the officers left after an uneventful "inspection".  Now, if it would have been 3 weeks later and our permits had expired, well, that would have been another story with an not so happy ending.

Coconut Bread

    The Bahamas are filled with many treasures and most of those treasures can't be taken.  The greatest treasure is the Bahamians themselves.  Once you get away from the "big city" of Nassau or even George Town and meet the Bahamians of the family islands (cays), you will truly meet some great people.  Another treasure is the cays and the waters surrounding the cays, but you can only take pictures of those.  But there is one treasure that you can have and that is the Bahamian cuisine.  The conch is a staple to the Bahamians and is prepared in many ways.  My favorites are the conch salad, conch fritters and the conch chowder.  Mac and cheese is also a Bahamian favorite as well as peas & rice.  There is also the many different species of fish - Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Wahoo and Mutton Snapper just to name a few and, although not a fish, the Spiny Lobster, which in addition the traditional "lobster tail' dinner is also great as a lobster salad.  There is one other Bahamian food item, among many, that is very basic but very, very good and that is Bahamian bread which is prepared in many different ways.  There's plain bread, cinnamon bread and our favorite coconut bread.

Coconut bread from DeShaMon restaurant in Black Point Settlement, Exuma, Bahamas

 

Good Looking Boat

Photo credit - Perry & Karen, M/V Morse Code III

     Weather!  You can never have enough sources for weather information.  What was thought to be a good weather day for motoring, well, as you can see in the above photo, turned ugly very quickly.  We were very fortunate that day because the ominous skies only brought heavy rain and brief strong winds.  This photo, which we just received, was actually taken September 7, 2011 on the Chesapeake Bay, south of Poplar Island as Big Run was heading south to Knapps Narrows.  Perry & Karen on M/V Morse Code III took this photo of Big Run and submitted the photo in a photo contest and won a prize.  Congratulations!  I always knew we had a good looking boat!

Williams Bay Anchorage, Exumas

The ICW Isn't The Bahamas

Coming to the surface for fresh air.

     Dolphin sightings in the Bahamas are far and few in between.  Since our arrival back in November we have spotted dolphins less than 10 times.  Although in the past seasons our sightings have been even fewer.  In the United States, especially the lower section of the section of the ICW, the sightings are very common and do not cause any particular interest from the crew of Big Run.  There is one occasion we do enjoy the dolphins and that is when they play in our slip stream just off of the bow when we are motoring.  Because the waters are so murky on the ICW we do not get to enjoy the dolphins playing in the slip stream except for when they surface for a breathe of fresh air.  Today was different in Bahamas as we crossed the White Cay Bank on our return trip from Salt Pond, Long Island.  We spotted the dolphins off the port bow and saw them race over to the boat.  We knew immediately what they were going to do so we went to the bow.  There they were, playing in our slip stream and because of the crystal clear water we were able to catch all the action below the surface.  It is amazing how little effort they exert to stay in front of the bow as it slices through the water at 6.5 knots, almost 8 mph.  Every once in a while they would roll over on their side and look up at us.  Then, as in the photo above, they would surge ahead of the boat off to one side to surface for fresh air and then return to the bow of the boat below the surface to ride the slip stream.  Definitely not something we are privileged to see on the ICW, but then, the ICW isn't the  Bahamas.

Grin & Bear It

     Just as forecasted, the cold front arrived but not with all the gusto as predicted.  However my predictions were more accurate than the weather gurus.  My prediction was for the arrival of many boats seeking a safe harbor in Thompson Bay, many coming from the Jumentos & Ragged Islands.  We are now anchored with 30 other boats nicely spaced apart from each other, except for one boat.  Yes, you're right, the boat in question anchored right next to Big Run yesterday.  So close (125') that we can hear their conversations when they're in the cockpit.  Of all the open water to our east and a larger open area further to the west, this last minute arrival, just 3 hours before the blow started, anchored right next to us.  Considering the forecast I would have been happier had they anchored somewhere else.  Getting back to the weather, the gurus missed the call on Wednesday and Friday, which were to be calm days - 8 knots or less.  Instead, each day, we had southerly winds in excess of 18 knots and all the associated fetch of the open water to the south of us.  All the boats in Thompson Bay were "hobby-horsing" for hours. For all the landlubbers, hobby-horsing is when the bow & stern rise and fall.  One rises as the other falls, just like the plastic horse we all rode as kids that was mounted on a frame with springs - Yeeeeeee  Haw!  Giddyup!

     There is a window of opportunity for us to head north to the Exumas this week on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Oh, how we miss the Exumas especially Plain Bay.  Although we may have one day of discomfort because of the winds after we arrive back in the Exumas.  Until then, we'll stay anchored in the Salt Pond/Thompson Bay area where we'll just have to grin & bear it

Safe Harbor

     Round two (strong cold front) appears to be in the making somewhere to the north and/or west of us.  According to the weather gurus, the next cold front to drop in on the Bahamas is 7 maybe 8 days away according to yesterday's predictions.  Realizing the time frame and the vast enormity of variables, for example mother nature changing her mind, the predictions are for a sustained influence (days) of weather from the W, NW and N.  In the above weather map, to the trained eye, is the bad boy that will be effecting the changes this weekend in the south Bahamas.  They, the weather gurus, are predicting light/strong winds for many days but the exact number of days has yet to be determined.  About the only thing that really catches our attention is the direction of the wind, anything from the S clocking through to N and the wind speeds.  So, once again, as with the previous blow, we'll be making the necessary preparations and moving the boat about 2 miles to the north into Thompson Bay.  After the previous blow last weekend, we had moved the boat back down to Salt Pond because yours truly was not happy with our anchor set in the west side of Thompson Bay when the winds shifted back to the east, and we were faced with a lot of fetch out of the east.  As we move the boat to Thompson Bay we will be looking to anchor in the eastern section of the bay where the bottom has a little more bite.  Our moving of the boat today may sound a little premature of a blow 6 days from now, but you would be surprised how many boats will come to Thompson Bay because of the protection it offers.  On the west side of Long Island, Thompson Bay may be the only safe harbor.

Salt Water Shower With A Rain Chaser

S/V Seas The Day under sail on the White Cay Bank

     Typically, when a cold front swings into the Bahamas from the United States it brings high winds and creates havoc in the anchorages.  Since our arrival in the Bahamas back in early November, the cold fronts have been mild.  When I say mild, the winds have been clocking around from the E to the S and continue clocking to the W and then to N and never present any concern because of the low wind speeds.  Yesterday, that came to an abrupt ending as a very large cold front entered the southern Bahamas and our location in Salt Pond, Long Island.  This cold front had been anticipated by the weather gurus for the previous week, and all the cruisers have been taking whatever action they felt was necessary.  This cold front was the "gentle" nudge we needed to motivate us to depart from our "winter residence" (read anchorage) in Plain Bay and Black Point Settlement.  So, with a near perfect weather window for a trawler, we left Black Point Settlement after a 2 day layover for laundry and a dinner out at DeShaMons Restaurant.  However, on the eve of our departure we had dinner at DeShaMons, where we had a chance encounter and met some wonderful cruisers on S/V Seas The Day, Mark & Jan and their dog Daisy, a Golden Doodle.  Unknown to us when we departed on Wednesday morning, it would be the start of a new adventure with the crew of S/V Seas The Day.  Mark and Jan had never taken the back route through the Pimlico Cays and have never been to Long Island.  So, Big Run was able to not only get herself through the back route without going aground again; Big Run was also able to bring another boat through the skinny water safely.  After a one night layover in Williams Bay just south of Lee Stocking, Big Run and Seas The Day made the 10 hour run to Salt Pond on Thursday.  It was a glorious cruise down the Exuma Sound, White Cay Bank and the Great Bahama Bank.

     Friday was a day for doing land things like a walk over to the east side of Long Island for a view of the Atlantic Ocean.  We also did some reprovisioning of the boat at the local hardware store that is also a grocery store - only in the Bahamas. On the island there is also a lumber company that doubles as a butcher shop.

     On Saturday, the wind as predicted started clocking from the SSE to the S.  After moving the boat early Saturday morning from Salt Pond to Thompson Bay, a distance of 2 miles, the winds starting building in from SW.   But as this point in time, it was not enough to curtail activities as we went to yet another grocery store for more reprovisioning.  Saturday evening was spent onboard S/V Seas The Day for another round of "The Meixcan Train Game", a great domino based game.  Then, almost right on cue, it happened.  The winds jumped from 10 knots to 25 knots gusting to 30 knots as a squall ushered in the cold front.  Needless to say, our return in the dinghy that night to Big Run was the equivalent of a salt water shower with a rain chaser!

Big Run and crew.  Photo credit Mark & Jan - S/V Seas The Day

    

You Can Do It Too

     Below is a copy of a email I sent out to friends today, their names were removed to protect me.   I thought I would share it with the rest of the world:

Hello (insert your name here!)

     Well, we did it.  Don't ask me how, but we did,  We managed to get up the courage and defied all odds and did it.  We tried to do it last week but the boat said no.  Then, this morning with a little coaxing we managed to do it.  Then part way through the day it happened, we ran aground.  No problem , we did it, we moved the boat.  We actually made it to Lee Stocking/Williams Bay.  It was a beautiful trip despite be grounded for 1.5 hours waiting for the tide to come back in, but we did it.  I guess you have probably figured I was writing this well after happy hour started, but hey, we did it!

     Now that you know that we did it, I hope all is well with you.  We think of you often and think you can do it too!

     Have fun!

     Bob & Sharon

     This was written after being on the hook for 35 days at Plain Bay.  We tied last year's record!

Dirty Laundry

Photo credit - Ken & Cindy, S/V Meant To Be

     The dinghy, the backbone of the cruising world.  Once you drop the hook for the mothership, the dinghy becomes your runabout.  In the above photo, Sharon and I are returning to Big Run after doing laundry at Black Point Settlement.  It's a 15 minute dinghy ride over to Black Point Settlement from Plain Bay.  If we didn't have the dinghy, it would be a 2+ mile walk to town with over 2 weeks of dirty laundry.

The Plain Bay Gang - Part 2

Photo courtesy of Cindy & Ken, S/V Meant To Be

     Christmas dinner at Frank & Peg's home included turkey and all the fixings for the Plain Bay Gang.

The Plain Bay Gang

       We had left Plain Bay about 10 days prior to our return to the bay on the 16th of this month.  During those ten days, we anchored over at Black Point Settlement for a few days before heading north to Pipe Creek to do some snorkeling and fishing.  The anchorage at Pipe Creek is a little exposed to foul weather, especially when the weather comes from the south, west or north, so we were forced to leave after few days because of an approaching "cold" front and seek refuge in between the Majors (Big Majors Cay & Little Majors Cay).  We are not to thrilled with between the Majors as an anchorage because the currents and winds combined can sometimes foul your anchor.  After anchoring that morning, we decided that afternoon to head over to the Big Major anchorage near pig beach.  Pig Beach is for pigs that haven't learned to fly so that they can go swimming!  Well, after watching pasty white women in muumuu dresses and large sun hats get absolutely giddy over swimming pigs, we decided Sunday morning it was time to get back to Plain Bay.  As we rounded Black Point we could see there was one catamaran anchored in the southern section of Plain Bay.  As I glassed the bay I thought the boat looked familiar and just about the time my brain was thinking the boat looked familiar the call came over the VHF "Big Run, Big Run.....where have you been?"  There she was, the boat, and crew we have been searching for - Bill and Mara on S/V Puddlejumper!   I immediately returned their hail and after a few moments Puddlejumper informed us they were 10 minutes away from leaving the anchorage and heading south.  I asked if they could stay for an hour or better yet can they stay for happy hour!  It was a great surprise to see Puddlejumper anchored there.  Back in January 2012 we left Puddlejumper in Plain Bay without getting their email address.  Then in August I posted on the Blog that we were seeking contact information for Puddlejumper.  Many people helped us with the endeavor, but still no contact.  Then in early December our friends on S/V Meant To Be contacted us from Morgan's Buff in Andros, Bahamas that Puddlejumper had dropped anchor just 2 hours after Meant To Be dropped their anchor.  Yes, Puddlejumer stayed in Plain Bay with us for happy hour that evening and over the next four days we had plenty of time to catch up over more happy hours, land excursions and a few games of Euchre.  We learned from Bill and Mara that many friends had contacted them about our inquiry we had posted on this blog.  Bill and Mara had attempted to contact us through the blog's comment section but without success.  Then, when Puddlejumper arrived in Morgan's Bluff, Meant To Be informed Puddlejumper that Big Run was in Plain Bay.  After a few days in Morgan's Bluff, Puddlejumper headed down to Plain Bay only to find an empty anchorage.  Had our departure from Big Major been delayed by 10 minutes we would have missed a glorious 4 day reunion.

      As the week progressed, S/V Meant To Be arrived at the anchorage and the homeowners at Plain Bay also returned to the islands. Thursday evening we all went to town for burgers and rum punch at DeShaMon Restaurant in Black Point Settlement.  As there was ten of us for the dinner party,  the restaurant sent a pick up truck to shuttle us into town which is 2.2 miles from Plain Bay anchorage.   In the photo below is part of the Plain Bay Gang.

The Plain Bay Gang at DeShaMon Restaurant.

    

Trying To Escape

    Last night was a typical night.  We went over to S/V Eleanor M last night for another social hour(s).  What we did not expect was the surprise that was laying in store for us this morning.  You have to get up early to catch the weather reports, and we also had laundry to do today.  I was up at 6 a.m., and Sharon was up shortly thereafter.  During my morning routine, I noticed a "new" sailboat in Black Point Harbour.  The odd thing was its location and its orientation to the wind.  The sailboat was on the north side of the harbour laying in an east west fashion.  All the rest of the boats on the hook were on the south side of the harbour facing SSE because of the breeze.  Upon further investigation with the binoculars, it appeared the vessel was on the rocks, in a state of disrepair and not a soul to be seen.   After the weather report and breakfast, we went into town and discovered the story behind the mystery vessel.  The story goes like this.  The boat was sailed from Haiti with 103 immigrants on board trying to find a better life.  Sometime during the night,  many individuals were dropped off at Bitter Guana Cay, an uninhabited island lying to the north of Black Point Harbour.  Then, the sailboat with many people still onboard was sailed south to Black Point Harbour and scuttled on the rocks so that the remaining passengers could escape to land.  As we did our morning errands in town, we witnessed the local police boat hauling (Haitian) people to Regatta Point at the edge of town.  This was the processing station for the illegal immigrants as they are going to be taken by boat up to Nassau and then returned to Haiti and the life they were trying to escape.

103 people on this boat gives you idea of how desperate they are for a better life.