We spent 16 days in the marina at Great Harbour Cay waiting for windlass parts. Although it seemed as if we were never going to leave, we had a great time there. We made lots of new friends, visited the many ruins on the island, bicycled extensively, and saw the island’s caves. And Robin enjoyed fried (Bahamian) lobster for the first time. (It was delicious.) For about a week, we were moored next to two fishing boats, captained by four Florida men. Not only did they share their catch of hogfish with us on one evening, they also provided a nightly show. As they cleaned their catch each night, the guys threw the fish remnants into the water, attracting sharks, fish, gulls, and cats. We missed seeing the bull sharks, but saw lemon sharks and nurse sharks. During our stay at Great Harbour, Bob performed amazing feats of endurance and daring. A young couple we met lost their dinghy after hanging out with us for the evening. Using a couple of flashlights, Bob and the young man spotted the dinghy floating in the middle of the bay. That in itself was a miracle. For various and sundry reasons, Bob went into the water, swam out to the dinghy, and brought her safely back to shore. Bob wants you to know that he did all this in 40-knot winds, 8-foot waves, and with the dinghy painter between his teeth. (Robin wants to assure you that it wasn’t quite that dangerous.) On Tuesday, May 8, we left for an anchorage on the eastern side of Great Harbor so that we could dinghy Shark Creek during high tide. When Robin was young or when we have been on other trips, she would often have her face buried in a good book while traveling. Other folks in the car or boat would suggest that she might be missing some great sites. Well, during our Shark Creek trip she had her feet over the bow and watched every turtle, school of fish, and stingray swim by or under us. Additionally, the constant marvel of looking at the mangroves, clear water, waterfowl, and all of the environment kept her thoroughly engaged. Believe me when I tell you, she saw some turtles! Yesterday we made it down to Hoffman’s Cay and anchored at Little Gaulding Cay (third time here). Today we had a fantastic sail all the way down to Nassau. We are once again parked outside Oprah’s, but because we didn’t give advance warning, no invitation was forthcoming. We plan to re-provision and make a repair to the dinghy motor before heading back to the Exumas and points south. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures.
0 Comments
Our current guest list is empty. Robin M stayed a while and on the day she left, Brenda and Joe came aboard for a couple of days (THEY GOT ENGAGED WHILE WITH US!) – so it has been fun. Now we are back to being just the two of us – no schedules, no expectations until we head back to Connecticut for Meg’s graduation on August 17! Yes, we miss you. We miss our kids and our grandson. We miss our parents and friends. We stay in touch so that we know you are good and you know that we are still doing OK!
At the end of last week, we were dealing with our anchor’s windlass (electric contraption for dropping and lifting the anchor and chain). Our last attempt at correcting a malfunctioning windlass was to get it rebuilt in Nassau. The newly rebuilt motor was kind of a Frankenstein since it was pieced together from 2 different motors. This cost a few dollars and worked for exactly 30 minutes. We dropped anchor in Montague (near Oprah’s house) and hoisted it manually since the motor died. Having been less than successful in finding good assistance in some of problem areas (lights, watermaker, windlass etc.) we thought it was time to “pull the plug” on the Bahamas, head to Florida to find better problem solvers and then perhaps, make our way up the East Coast over the next couple of months. Our first stop after Nassau was back in Great Harbour Cay Marina. We made it to the marina before the sun was completely gone on Friday night and when we started to look around on Saturday, we decided it was way too early to leave the Bahamas! We will be in Great Harbour a few days and probably pay a little more to have a new windlass motor shipped over – or find a different solution – but we are not on a schedule and have no commitments until Meg’s August event. So instead, we are enjoying the area (swimming, biking, exploring ruins, snorkeling, drinking) and meeting a lot of great people from all over. Each with their own stories. When you see a picture of us holding a coconut drink on the beach, you may understand why we cannot leave yet! “We travel not to escape life, but so that life will not escape us.” It’s been a month since our last blog, and we’ve been busy and happy. Luckily, we found someone who could weld the broken engine mount bracket for us, and we sailed back to the Exumas. The winds have been very cooperative over the last month or so, and we’ve used very little diesel, something we are pretty proud of. We hope that, once we no longer have a schedule to follow, we’ll go only where the wind takes us and use no diesel at all! Before we left Nassau, we had some excitement when our dinghy decided to take its own moonlight tour of the Nassau waterfront. Bob and I hopped into the kayak the next morning and began scouring the south shore. Luckily, a cargo ship had picked Pudge up and delivered her safely to the Royal Bahamas Defense people. We got to take a fast ride back to Blue Bonnet in a police boat to pick up the Pudge’s documentation. Everyone was very nice and super friendly. The police told us that this happens often, so we didn’t feel too bad. Once back in the Exumas, we visited Norman’s Cay, snorkeled on a sunken drug airplane, and had a cheeseburger and beer at MacDuff’s. One of my favorite parts of the trip was our time in the Exumas Land and Sea Park. We hiked up Boo Boo Hill, snorkeled on several reefs all around the park. At Shroud’s Cay, we met a solo sailor named Bob who taught us the domino game Mexican Train. I am now addicted. At Shroud’s we jumped off a small cliff into a strong current that pulled us out towards the sea, dumping us on a sand bank before deep water. Another stop this month was Staniel Cay. We snorkeled the Thunderball Grotto (yes, the movie was shot there) and went to see the swimming pigs. Both Robins agreed that the pigs were kind of sad. So many tourists throwing food at them and chasing after the piglets. Although there was supposed to be a keeper there watching out for the animals, we didn’t see anyone. Just last year, seven of the wild pigs died suddenly. It is thought that they ingested too much sand while rooting on the beach for tourist food. The local folks and tour companies make a lot of money from these pigs, so I don’t see anything changing for them soon. One striking thing about this month’s voyage has been the number of mega-yachts we have seen. One of the captains told us that the boats have rerouted from the BVIs. Not only are the ports down there still far from being whole, but sunken boats pose a hazard to travel. SO MANY PEOPLE!!! Hopefully, we can find some spots that are not so crowded. Now we are back in Nassau. We’ve re-provisioned, watered up, and are getting ready to take off. We’re hoping to find a fishing spot so that Robin M. can catch something big before she goes home on April 12. Bob’s been chatting with some local fishermen, and they’ve given him a few tips. Wish us luck, and we wish you a happy and warming spring! Enjoy the most recent spate of photos below. 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.
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. Hi folks! Our new phone number is 242-473-2052. No text messages, please, it costs money. Peace and Love.
I'm blushing. The link I posted here to follow us on Garmin was incorrect. I guess after numerous people complained about it not working, I should have followed up. Anyhow, here is
THE CORRECT LINK: https://share.garmin.com/RobertDoak Please note the colon after https. ;-) On Sunday, February 5, we gassed up and began our trek to the Dry Tortugas. Our first stop was at Boo Boo Key, part of the Marquesas Keys. Here, the two Robins dinghyed ashore and picked up some cool shells. The next morning, we motored on a flat sea down to Fort Jefferson, on Garden Key. We went ashore for a quick but thorough tour. As you history buffs may know, Fort Jefferson was the prison where Dr. Samuel Mudd served a four-year sentence for treating John Wilkes Booth after President Lincoln's assassination. We returned to the boat and found that we had company. Rather large company. At least three goliath groupers decided that underneath Blue Bonnet was the the happening place to be. They were good company throughout the evening. After a second day of exploring the fort, we headed over to Loggerhead Key, home of a very cool decommissioned lighthouse and some neat snorkeling. From there, we sailed south for about a mile so that Bob could snorkel over the Windjammer Wreck. He saw a nurse shark and some tarpon while he was splashing about. Perhaps the weirdest part of the trip took place that night, anchored at Bird Key. Just as Bob and I would doze off, a thumping noise kept jarring us awake. After some investigation (first making sure that Robin M. hadn't fallen overboard), the only thing we found were some HUGE goliath groupers hanging out below the stern. There are supposedly groupers the size of a car in the waters around the Tortugas. Robin M. says that bumping is not grouper behavior, and that possibly nurse sharks were the culprits. We'll never know!
We are now back at Key West, anchored in the Flemming Cut. Over the next couple of days, we plan to provision for our Bahamas jaunt, do some overdue laundry, then head up to Boot Key Harbor to wait for a weather window. Cheers, all! We finally found a cord that allows us to download pictures from our digital camera. So without further delay, here are a few selections from our adventures thus far. Just a little of the Irma devastation in Boot Key. |
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 |