Bellatrix

26 November - 2 December 2014

Double Breasted Cay, Bahamas

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We spent most of Tuesday in Grand Cay getting Bahamas phone Sim cards for our phones, nothing happens very fast here.

We have anchored in a small bay at Double Breasted Cay. Yesterday we had weather, warm but another of your northerlies came through with wind and a rain squall. Robin used the fresh water from the rain to wash the boat with a soapy rag so the boat is clean for Thanksgiving. The morning was fine, we explored a little with the dink and will more today. Bella launches herself from the dink when close to land, she didn’t notice the large stingray and neither did the stingray. The weather is 80 degrees, clear skies, and wind at 15-20 from the north. This seems to be a pattern, north winds clocking around to the NE, then E then SE, then S then W for a short bit then back to another northerly.

We have invited Kim and Tim from Diesel Goose for Thanksgiving dinner later this afternoon. Turkey breast, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. They brought brownies and rum for desert.

We had a small concern last night, I opened the engine cover to check on things and found water in the bilge. I tasted it and it tasted of salt, sea water. The prop shaft seal was leaking. Well we were sinking, not very fast, about three ounces a hour but sinking none the less, slowly. After reading the instructions for our seal, it said to “burp” it to clear any foreign material and that seemed to work, no more sinking. I do have a small leak from a fresh water engine hose I have used magic tape on and hope it holds till we get to Green Turtle Cay or Marsh Harbor where there are boat supplies. The one type of hose I didn’t bring as spares.

This does bring up something I’d like to mention, here in the Northern Abacos it is far to anything. Marsh Harbor is about 75 nautical miles as the crow flies. The closest town with marine facilities if you needed a haul out. It is neat to look out to the horizon and not see land or another boat. The VHF radio is only good to the horizon so no help there. It is still early in the cruising season and with these back to back northerlies only a few boats have attempted to cross the Gulf Stream from Florida. It is peaceful or lonely depending on your circumstances.

We left Double Breasted to Yankee Key, spent the day exploring. There were 5 boats anchored there, it’s getting crowded. From Yankee to Crab Cay where we spent the evening, Kim and Tim had caught Grouper and invited us to dinner, grouper, red beans and rice, and mango rum drinks, excellent.

Sunday at Powell Cay, a really nice spot, 74 degrees at 0800. Powell Cay is beautiful with white powder sand, limestone cliffs, and some protection from the strong east winds. There is a small boat wreck with many fish, angels, snappers, and small grouper. We caught some snapper for an appetizer for dinner. We will stay another day to explore more. There is a bluff over the anchorage, we will climb it tomorrow.

Monday. I went fishing this morning with a fly rod on the flats, bone fishing, every fly rodders dream fish. You walk the waters of the flats, eyes searching for a glimpse of a fish tail or a shadow moving slowly. The art then is to cast a shrimp type fly just ahead of the path hoping not to spook the fish and hoping the fish sees the fly and takes it. I did see a few as they saw me first and scooted away. I did see a shadow within my casting range and made the perfect cast (with the help of divine intervention), and the fish took it, WOW, what excitement, the fish ran about 50 yards at break neck speed, I palmed the reel as drag and felt like I had a blister. I started to reel the fish in, gained 25 yards of line back and he took off again. This all happened 4 times before I could get the fish to hand, 23’’ of bonefish, I can’t tell you how exciting it was. I spent 2 hours walking the flats for one fish but it was worth it. I’m told there are places around here where you find schools of them feeding, I can’t wait for the next opportunity.

We came back to the boat to get our snorkel gear to go to the wreck. We took the Hawaiian sling to try to spear dinner, chicken tonight, more practice needed. We did see a Lionfish, a green sea turtle, and schools of angelfish 12 inches in diameter.

No walk to the bluff, we were told the trail was overgrown with a poison ivy type plant.

We will sail to Green Turtle Cay tomorrow for water, bread, and green vegetables. Maybe Manjack (pronounced Nunjack) Cay the day after where I’m told of schools of bonefish.