Thanks to our friends Glenn Becker, Angela Smith, Boozle, and Lola on “Kai Makani,”we have some great pictures from Powell Cay. (We will be returning here for lobster season.) Enjoy!
0 Comments
We have decided that we need an underwater camera. There have been so many cool things to see in the water – almost always when we don’t expect them. Two days ago we stopped at Manjack Cay – there is supposed to be good snorkeling, a neat mangrove for kayaking, and some sharks to swim with on the east end. We did a short 20-minute kayak ride and then the weather started to look dubious. It was early in the day and our boat had swung in a full circle because of shifting winds, so we decided to move up to Powell Cay. We found good holding and some great snorkeling.
Thursday’s thunderstorm missed us by about 10 miles, so we encouraged our friends Glenn and Angela to join us on Friday. Just as they got to the anchorage a storm came up. Instead of snorkeling they invited us over for a movie and popcorn – not a bad deal! We watched In the Heart of the Sea. Good nautical movie. Today we snorkeled on the east end (ocean side) working our way back towards the anchorage. We saw juvenile spotted drums – a very small but cool looking fish. We were also able to find the Batfish we spotted yesterday – a very odd looking fellow. Glenn and Angela have dived in Indonesia and other places, and they were able to point out (and name) some other very cool sea life for us. We also saw a few Lionfish – pretty to see but they are an invasive species that is doing tremendous damage to the reef systems. We are looking forward to snorkeling tomorrow and spearing a few of those suckers. We also saw our first lobster in the wild – though they are out of season so we didn’t bother him. There are many large starfish around this harbor and lots of urchins. The weather is kicking up again this afternoon so we are back on Blue Bonnet watching the storm pass by. In addition to finding the right underwater camera we have also decided that we need to replace Pudge. She is a good boat but not a great dinghy. We would be able to see more and do more with a slightly more powerful and more stable boat. We'll let you know how our first excursion with the Hawaiian sling works out! It’s May 31st as we write this, and today we are anchored off of Tahiti Beach. This beautiful beach is on Elbow Cay, the same island that is home to the quaint little village of Hope Town. So far, these two spots would be our suggestion for anyone needing a great place to escape to. Lots of places to rent on the island at varying price ranges. (Although, if you need a short, inexpensive break, just come sail with us!) So how did we get from Black Point to this point? We set off on May 22nd, and the wind was just right for three great days of sailing. In these three days we covered over 120 miles and motored only for a bit at the start and end of each day. Compare this to the week before where we covered 45 miles in 3 days of motoring into the wind and seas and burned fuel for over 15 hours – no sails. Needless to say, sailing is better and quieter! We stopped first at Leaf Cay (next to Allens Cay, near the top of the Exumas), where Robin finally got to feed the iguanas. On the second day we made it to Spanish Wells where we picked up a mooring (tiniest, tightest mooring field known to mankind), and met up with our friends Glenn and Angela. Did we mention that Angela is a gourmet chef? After dinner out with our friends, we strolled through a bit of the village of Spanish Wells. This village has an unusual history. Settled first by shipwrecked Puritans from Bermuda and later by disgruntled American Loyalists after the Revolution, today many of the residents still share the same last name and gene pool. And the island is no longer dry! Although we had read many things online saying that the island residents were not visitor-friendly, we found quite the opposite during the brief time we were there. The next morning, we set sail for and anchored in Little Harbour on the southeast side of Great Abaco Island. From here, we scooted over to Marsh Harbour Marina to wait and see what Storm Alberto was going to do. The marina was nice, Marsh Harbour offered good shopping, lots of restaurants and a low- key shelter. There we caught up with Gary and Theresa on their Morgan 41 (like ours, only 8 years newer) and caught up with two other sets of boat friends who had the same plan that we had. After leaving Marsh Harbour, we headed out to anchor off Tahiti Beach. We’ve been able to enjoy the funky floating boat bar on the beach and watch a new acquaintance named Ryan fly overhead in his paramotor (a motorized hang glider). Ryan is from Canada and spent a month learning how to fly that contraption. It made Robin’s heart stop to watch him take off. Later in the day, we dinghied over to a local marina with Gary to watch a faux Junkanoo procession. Junkanoo is a street festival/parade that takes place on Boxing Day (December 26th for us Americans.) Folks dress up in colorful feathered costumes and masks and dance through the streets to the sounds of horns, drums, and cowbells. It was fun to watch the mini-parade and has made us determined to be back in the Bahamas to see the full festival this holiday season. After Tahiti Beach, we spent some time snorkeling off the northern tip of Guana Cay. This was perhaps our best snorkeling so far. The reefs were beautiful and the fish were outstanding. We saw a huge barracuda (about 4 feet long, huge to us!), and a nurse shark, plus many colorful reef fish. AND our friend Angela treated us to gourmet meals, amazing chocolate desserts, AND let the rest of us beat her at Mexican Train! Right now we are in Green Turtle Cay hanging with our friend Tom of New Life. Tom has been helping us troubleshoot our water maker and some electrical issues. Yesterday, we made a seven-mile bike ride into New Plymouth, where we had lunch, coconut cream pie (YUMMM) and a banana daiquiri. It was hotter than heck, and Robin doesn’t believe she has sweated like that EVER! For now, our overall plan continues to include a trip back to Florida before the end of June. After that, we will make our way towards the Chesapeake, with a planned arrival date sometime in early August. For now, enjoy the pix! Here are some things to know about the friendly little village of Black Point:
-The cops on the island are the friendliest anywhere. Sergeant Smith even has his own hit record, which he may play for you at Scorpios if you ask him nicely. -“Plucker” is the name given to a green liquor concoction expertly made by Mr. Turnquist. It is also the term used when a woman who has had a few too many falls off the dock and into the water while boarding her dinghy: the husband in the dinghy becomes the “plucker.” -The “secret’ to Black Point barbeque sauce: take your favorite sauce and add copious amounts of coconut rum. -There’s a handy place to drop your garbage right off the public dock. Don’t forget to leave a donation in the box to support the local school. -Black Point has a population of around 300 people and there are at least 3 churches along the main drag. - Lorraine’s has a buffet for cruisers which is a great deal. (The ribs are DELICIOUS!) Get there before 2:30 when the fast boats come in for lunch. Also, Lorraine’s mother makes the best coconut bread we have ever had! We were lucky enough to also get coconut, cinnamon raisin bread! - The “blow hole” is worth a short walk. -The “garden of Eden” is half a mile from everywhere. It’s also no longer much of a garden. -Naked swimming after sunset is still not a good idea in a crowded anchorage. However, we will need to return to find the answers to these burning questions: -Will Smashie bring home the trophy or will Cedric’s boat be ready for the big race in August? -Is Captain Nick’s card still up at the laundry? -Is the Black Point laundry really the best in the Bahamas? “Windward” is the side where the wind is hitting. “Leeward” is the side where the wind passes over. The leeward side of an island is the “protected” side and preferred for protection by boats at anchor. By many accounts, this season for sailing has not been great in the Bahamas. Of course, for people who have only been on a boat for about six months, the sailing—and life at sea—is still great! But, we have had to sit out some heavy winds, storms, and bouncy seas at anchor, on a mooring, or in a marina. This only pushes us to make the most of the good days.
We have made a decision. (Like all of our decisions, this one is subject to change.) We turned the boat north after Black Point instead of continuing to points south and east. We will head towards Spanish Wells on Eleuthera and then Marsh Harbor on Abaco. From there we are planning to head to Florida and start a trip north for the summer. We are not sure how far north we will go – may leave the boat in the Chesapeake or keep going to New England. This will allow us a little peace of mind for hurricane season. We will then plan to head south at the end of September/early October so that we can continue exploring the Bahamas. More to come… |
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
Categories |