First, let us start by saying we would love to see you! Then, let us proceed to things you might want to know before you head down here.
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Filling the time gap between the 4th and today: We found that blue hole on Hoffman's Cay – lots of turtles, some cliff jumping, and having the place to ourselves made for a great couple of hours. The next day we went to shore on Devil’s Cay to find the “hot tub.” The ocean side of the island had some significant swells and the crashing waves closed off any potential bathing site near the rocks. We will visit some other day when the weather is calm. After Devil’s Cay we decided to head to Nassau while the weather permitted a reasonable passage. Four days in Nassau allowed us to re-provision, refuel, and deal with a couple of maintenance items. The two Robins did a fair amount of sightseeing while Bob tended to some boat items while the boat was safely in a slip at Yacht Haven. We left Yacht Haven on Wednesday and headed SE toward the Exuma Islands. Once we were anchored in Leaf Cay, we knew that we had been at the marina (and near a city) too long. The peace and the scenery were fast reminders of what we are here to enjoy. The Robins went to shore to check out the endangered rock iguanas. The iguanas were happy to see them, until they realized the Robins had not brought food. Later the next day we sailed down to Saddleback Cay hoping for a quiet anchorage and some new sights. Despite having an anchorage recommended from Active Captain, we found ourselves in a very strong current. Without realizing how swift the water was, Robin D jumped in to dive the anchor. She barely got into the water and found out that even with fins on the current was too strong and she was being pulled away from the boat at a rapid pace. Luckily a long piece of line was nearby and we were able to pull her back onboard. In addition to not knowing if we had good holding for the anchor, we discovered that Blue Bonnet would not go into reverse! A quick check below and we discovered that an engine mounting bracket had broken. We immediately pulled up the anchor and motored around the Cays to the inside banks. Shutting down the engine, we hoisted sails and set our course back to Nassau. Even though it was not planned, this event gave us the great opportunity to sail through the night with fair winds. The stars and moonlight were a bright backdrop to the sails set for a broad reach all the way! Today we are anchored off Fort Montague in Nassau. A local boat mechanic/fabricator will be onboard Monday to remove the broken bracket. He will then return to install a replacement that he will fabricate in his shop. While we wait, we have been entertained by boats from the local yacht club’s sailing school, navigating a course that is near our boat. Yesterday we saw sailors of 420s getting a lesson in teamwork and spinnaker flying. Later we saw a group of Lasers racing. Today there was a fleet of Cat boats competing and then a small group of sunfish sailors. There is also a local DJ spinning tunes on the beach nearby and a fresh food market. Lots of fun in this beautiful harbor. No wonder Oprah has a house just across the bay! We are thinking of popping in, but we have big plans for a beans and rice dinner tonight. I thought I had the hang of adding photos to this blog, however, that is not the case. So here are some photos of our most recent adventures. In the early morning hours of February 17, we finally made it to Bimini, Bahamas. The night crossing was not too bad, although we worried about voltage all the way over. MANY cruise ships at night.
In Bimini, the captain went to shore to clear customs. The two Robins stayed with the boat and took their first swim in Bahamian waters. Luckily for Miss M., Bahamian customs declined to come on board to check the vessel. We kicked around in Bimini for a week, checking out the wreck of the Sapona and doing some snorkeling. We saw stingrays, dolphins, fish, and even a shark or two. Even before our first week in Bimini, we quickly learned what all boat owners know: It’s always something. Bob cannot get the watermaker to work. The anchor light quit, followed by the foredeck light. The windlass had a short in it. Rust on the bow has caused worries about other electrical issues. With all that being said (along with some creaks and squeaks), we are loving life on Blue Bonnet. On February 24, we made the ill-advised decision to leave Bimini and head for the Berry Islands. The ride over was a nightmare. We probably should have waited for a more favorable forecast, but off we went. Heavy seas and high winds on our nose made the entire 18.5 hour-trip extremely unpleasant. But at 1:30 am, we finally made it and anchored in Bullock’s Harbour. The following morning we treated ourselves to an overnight at the Great Harbour Marina. The entrance to Great Harbour Cay was cut out of a small hill and the 75’ wide canal that was created made steep walls on either side. If you did not have ready navigation tools or if you did not know the markers, this entrance would be very hard to find – giving it a sense of a “hidden” grotto. After a quick bout of laundry-doing, we headed back to Bullocks Harbour. Our last night there, we hailed a local fisherman who sold us 6 yellow snappers for $10 and offered to bring us lobster if we stuck around another day. As tempting as that was, we left Great Harbour Cay, circled north around the islands at the top of the Berrys to the east side of Great Harbour Cay. Our anchorage in Petite Cay was one of the best we have had so far. Instead of coming directly to Petite Cay with the wind on our nose, we headed out for a couple hours of quiet sailing. Robin Moore got two poles out and had lures in the water, just in case. As we turned toward our destination with sails doused there was a hit on one of the reels. The barracuda that made it to our net was the first fish caught on this trip – though he was released to live a little longer. On the shores of Petite Cay we did some beachcombing. Lots of shells, a couple of sharks in the shallow water and just beautiful scenery provided a really great afternoon diversion. We made a short stop on Little Petite Cay and Robin M brought back a few live conch that she and Bob harvested. Robin D made conch ceviche, and learned a few hours later that raw conch does not agree with her stomach. Luckily, everything had worked its way out by morning. Today is March 4, our son Andrew’s birthday. We really miss our kids, and hope to see them soon. Unfortunately, Bud gets seasick sailing, so we’ll have to think of some other way to connect. We are currently at Little Gaulding Cay, waiting for the weather to improve. We hope to check out the Blue Hole on Hoffman’s Cay before we head further south. Nick also mentioned something about his having a personal hot tub on Devil's Cay, so we’ll be looking. No swimming today, due to the two small sharks* swimming below our boat, checking out the fish we painted on the hull. Robin D. has named them Ernest and Patrice, because they seem pretty friendly. Miss M. refuses to put her toes in the water, regardless. *3/18/18: The sharks were actually fish called remora, also known as sharksuckers and whalesuckers because they, well, you know, suck on those creatures. |
AuthorRobin and Bob recently quit their jobs, sold all their belongings, and headed south to begin a new life on the sea. Check back here to find out how life adrift is going. Archives
February 2019
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