30 January 2015

Rock Sound, Southern Eleuthera 

Sorry, it’s been awhile since the last post, I will try to do better.

The passage from Harbor Island down the western side of Eleuthera is either back out Island Harbor Mouth and north then east then south around Northern Eleuthera or a short cut through a reef called “Devil’s Backbone” named because of the number of ship wrecks that have occurred there. We hired “Little Woody”, a Portuguese born Bahamian who was quite entertaining. Woody has been a fan of the Baltimore Orioles since age six. The only channel on the radio he could get was the Orioles Spring training camp in Florida who also broadcast all of the regular season games. He can tell you the starting lineup for all of the World Series games the Orioles played, the stats on any Orioles since 1966.

Woody got us to Spanish Wells and we sailed the short distance to Royal Harbor. We entered the small mouth into the harbor and anchored. We stayed there two nights and explored the island. It is the site of a few failed development efforts, the last by Jack Nicholas and Roger Staubach who were going to create a luxury resort and golf course. Today there are ruins of an earlier effort of development, and signs of lots for the later. Pictures below.

Next to Current Cut, a channel through a peninsula where the current can be 6 knots or more, either with you or against. The guidebooks cause a lot of concern about it but it really wasn’t too bad as we rode through it with the current.

Continuing south we sailed to Hatchet Bay another protected bay with a very narrow entrance. We met up with Chad, Marsha and the kids on “Free Spirit” anchored there. We rented a car and spent two days on the road. We went as far south as Governors Harbour and back north to the beach at “Devil’s Backbone”. We visited the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, a nature preserve of about 25 acres. It was well done and had many trails through the woods and explained the plants and their uses and importance to the islands. We also stopped at “Preacher’s Cave” a site where a splinter group of settlers shipwrecked on the reef and found a cave to use as refuge. The cave continued to be used as a church for many years. The winds were heavy for a few days while there, we returned to the boat one afternoon to find a new line attached from the mooring ball to the boat. A dink approached and the guy told us one of the two lines had snapped and he and another fellow had resecured the boat. The moorings there belong to the government and are not well maintained. We invited the guys to our boat for sundowners. They where David and Corrine from “At Last” and Andy and Judy from “Jacob’s Ladder”. They are from Nova Scotia. We had a nice evening sharing experiences and getting to know each other.

Thursday Free Spirit and us had a spirited sail (that means a lot of wind and too much sail) from Hatchet Bay to Rock Sound, Robin enjoyed the run.

Rock Sound is a settlement that is trying to be Georetown, Exumas North. It has a nice protected harbor, good grocery store, and free water. Yesterday we found the “Ocean Hole”, a 600 foot deep hole with a connection to the ocean. It is about a mile from the ocean side of the island. We also went to “Boiling Hole”, another hole with caves around it. Neat to explore the caves. Free Spirit moved on to the Exumas today, we will spend a few days here before moving. Night time temps in the mid 60's, daytime 70-74, need to move farther south.

Little Woody, pilot

Ruins on Royal Island

Showing lots of failed development 

Robin picked her lot

Ridley Head named for a lost mariner

Budda, you know who you are...

Entrance into Hatchet Bay

Two happy people

Keegan from Free Spirit

Hope you can read it 

 Turquoise water on the banks side blue water on the ocean side

Stella Mia from Free Sprit

The Free Spirit Family

looking up in the cave

Stella Mia and Bode

22 January 2015Harbour Island, Eleuthera

We sailed from Marsh Harbor to Little Harbor home of a artist colony which was started by Randolph Johnston a artist known for his wax sculptures in bronze, his son, Pete continues the tradition. Little Harbor is a pretty little harbor, well protected. We visited “Pete’s Pub” and had a few drinks, lots of friendly people.

We sailed Tuesday morning from Little Harbor, Abaco. We left at 0630 to catch the tide and to make the 60 miles to Eleuthera. We had good sailing for most of the day but had to start the motor when the wind came around to the bow. It is interesting that for much of the crossing the closest land was almost 3 miles straight down. 15000 feet deep, hay you can drown in a bathtub. 

We caught a Mahi on the clothes line rig, fresh Mahi Mahi for dinner. We arrived at the Harbor Island Mouth around 1700, anxious to get through the reef before dusk. It was a bit exciting with the surf behind us, though the reef and a narrow entrance. We got through without hitting anything and rounded into pretty Cistern Bay. It was flat calm and good anchor holding. We cleaned the fish, had dinner and a welcome nights rest.

Wednesday we moved to an anchorage just off of Valentine’s Marina and went to the island town of Dunmore Town, Harbour Island. It is known to be a haunt of the “Rich and Famous”, we haven’t seen any. Things are pretty expensive here, a beer is $6.50 and a drink $11. Last night we went to a locals bar and paid $7 for the same drinks. The dinner menu’s at the resort type places have appetizers around $16 and entrees between $40 and $50. We’re eating on the boat…

We went to the beach, wow. The sand is pale pink and the water crystal clear. You can see through the waves as they approach you. We’ll go back today.

Bella had a ball chasing flocks of birds on the sand flats.

Tomorrow we expect to head to Spanish Wells then down Eleuthera to jump off to the Exumas. The passage from Harbour Island to Spanish Wells is through a long reef called “Devil’s Backbone”. We will hire a local pilot to take us through. More later.

Little Harbor cliff

Some of Pete's art

Bellatrix at anchor in Little Harbor

Made of floats found on the beach

A garage in Harbor Island

A Bahamian boat lift, a lot of this in the islands

Pink sand beaches on Harbor Island, Eleuthera

Note sign on Hospital door "open" I hope so...

Leaving Little Harbor, Abaco

Dinner, caught on a simple cedar plug lure attached to a cotton clothesline to a cleat

Arriving in Harbour Island, Eleuthera

15 January 2015Marsh Harbor, Abaco

We have been in Marsh Harbor for the past week. It is not our favorite place but a place where supplies and services are  available. We mentioned before we have been waiting for mail we requested 7 weeks ago. We also asked for recent mail to be sent 2 day. Well… we finally got the mail from 7 weeks ago. A local suggested we go to the Post Office at the Government Complex and be “insistent and persistent” that they check thoroughly. We walked to the Post Office and were insistent and persistent even though the attendant assured us it wasn’t there. She eventually checked in the back and came back with a box for us, it had been there for 2 weeks. We then went to the UPS office which is in the back of a local connivence store. The UPS employee had to be interrupted from giving a pedicure, her other job, and came to talk to us. She checked our tracking number and told us it would be “delivered tomorrow”. It had been in Nassau for a few days. We are relatively up to date with mail for the time being.

We have reprovisioned for the next leg south. We will be heading to Eleuthera and then to the Exumas. The Exumas are supposed to be warmer and the water even prettier.

We have been eating good, there are good meats and fresh vegetables available here and fresh lobster and tuna.

We have had cold fronts moving through every few days. Winds build, a little rain, and temps between 68 and 78. We are waiting for a break in the fronts to move south.

No new photos, sorry. In a few weeks I’ll have a GoPro and hope to add underwater photos.

9 January 2015

Marsh Harbor, Abaco

We spent a few days anchored alone at Loggerhead Point. The area was lovely, relatively protected, the water clear. We snorkeled, fished and enjoyed the serenity. Robin speared some fish that were next some wrecked equipment and I caught another Bonefish. Robin had been out snorkeling and was coming into shore to pick me up. As she approached I notice three fish about thirty yards away. It’s really hard to see them, they are a silver mirrored color and you kind see a shadow on the bottom if the sun is high and no ripple on the water surface. Well I waved Robin off, made a cast, and all three fish started toward my fly. The largest of the three took it and started to move off, I set the hook and off he went. I tried to palm the reel to add drag and my finger was cut by the line. After 4 runs I got him to hand. Robin got to witness the whole thing and my embarrassing jubilation. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to catch one of these. I’m not very good at spotting them and have walked miles and miles of sand flats looking for them. Sometimes I notice them when they’re only a few feet away and they startle when I try to cast. But all in all it’s wonderful walking beautiful beaches in the sunshine. This fish was 24” long and I guess around 5-6 pounds.

We are now back in Marsh Harbor at a very nice marina, $0.85 per foot, $15 for water, all you want. We are reprovisioning for our next move south. In a few days we will go to Little Harbor and wait for an opportunity to go off shore to Eleuthera and continue south to the Exumas. We spent yesterday at the liquor store and grocery. We bought 6 cases of local “Sands” beer and 6 boxes of wines and lots of groceries. A case of local beer here sells for $36 per case. They did not have a sales tax until January 1, now there is a “VAT” (value added tax) so everything now costs 7.5% more.

This marina has a bar called the Jib Room (maybe a nice rename for the Chandlery at Bowleys). Wednesday nights they have a side of barbecued baby back ribs a pile of coleslaw, a pile of potato salad, and a roll for $29. Last night there was a potluck with all of the cruisers here and anchored in the harbor, a nice get together.

Ravens football tomorrow at “Snappa’s”. 

Only one or two pictures from Loggerhead and some more from Green Turtle. 

This is a brand new 46' Trimaran charter, $25,000  per  week with Capt'n and cook

Marsha and Chad from "Free Spirit" on B-Pier

Carting Groceries

Bar and Grill on the street at Great Guana Cay

Chad and Marsha's elves. They helped Santa Peter and and Santa Steve deliver presents by dink to boats at anchor in Hopetown

4 January 2015

Loggerhead Point

(half way between Treasure Cay and Marsh Harbor)

This is a nice anchorage, there are lots of coral heads around and we have seen many turtles. There are flats near by and I’ll try Bonefishing again if the weather cooperates tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll also seek the elusive lobster.

We left Treasure Cay to go to Green Turtle Cay which means we went back out of the Sea of Abaco, thru the lower Whale Cut and then back thru the upper Whale Cut back into the Sea of Abaco. There is a long shallow area behind Whale Cay that only boats drawing less the 3 feet can cross. The “Whale” can be hazardous, is known for it’s “rage” conditions, there are reefs, and you can wait several days for a weather window to go. We were very fortunate, the ocean was almost flat. We decided to fish. We trolled a squid surface plug on a trolling rod and a cedar plug on a clothes line, (don’t laugh many sailors do it and it produces fish). We caught a Jack and a Cero Mackerel, a couple of nights dinners.

We spent New Years in Green Turtle. A bunch of cruisers met on shore for an early Happy Hour, about 40 people with several musicians, 2 guitars, a banjo and a mandolin. Robin and I had dinner at the Green Turtle Marina, then to The Bluff House for a cocktail, then to Sundowners to welcome in the New Year. Lots of people, DJ, dancing and fun, we left at 2AM, we were told the party continued after 4.

Junkanoo is held in Green Turtle on New Years Day. It is a festival and parade that involves the whole town. Gayly costumed dancers and performers with lots of drums. Some of the drums are cut 55 gallon drums carried by big burly guys. The dancing parade goes on for hours and is followed by the spectators as they pass, everyone shuffling and dancing to the beat of the drums. There are stands along the route for food and beverage.

We left Green Turtle to go to Great Guana Cay to watch the Ravens beat the Steelers. GO RAVENS!!! Those who have been following our blog know how much I dislike the “noseeums” that found us in the Carolinas. We have been to Great Guana Cay twice and have been eaten alive both times. Funny we haven’t had a problem any where else we traveled in the Abacos.

We’ll spend a couple of days on the hook, then back to Marsh Harbor to reprovision and hopefully our mail. It’s been 5 weeks since it was sent USPS from Baltimore. Fed Ex next time.

Trolling in the ocean with a clothes line

Don't laugh it produces

Junkanoo in Green Turtle

Beautiful costumes

and painted faces

This is Yvonne, bartender at "Pineapples"

Future Junkanoo drummer

Drum is a 55 gal. drum

Chad and Marsha from B pier's son  Keegan

Their son Bode

Their daughter Stella Mia on Peter's shoulders, Peter organized the Christmas photo contest

Peter's brother Steve

Following the parade

Note the boat name, it's grounded and full of water