Getting so Far Behind I Must Fast Forward

So between being so busy on one hand and incredibly lazy on the other, the blog sits neglected as I have gotten so far behind that it’s too mentally challenging to try and remember everything that took place. So in the interest of sanity I will do a quick recap of the rest of our time in the Bahamas before returning back to the states. I think I left you after our arrival into Rock Sound Eleuthera where we were to sit for several days due to very windy conditions. After that we left for Governors Harbor for an evening and then the following day we headed to Hatchet Bay where we would spend a couple days. This time it was more for enjoyment rather than weather. We always love Hatchet Bay for the Sea Glass hunting on the beach and the incredible folks at The Front Porch. Every time we are here we must have dinner as this place has some of the best food I have ever eaten. Gina and Francis are the owners and are always super nice. Any cruiser that we meet that has been there knows and loves them. If you have never been, it is a must stop as there are free moorings in the very protected harbor. At this point we are still traveling with Jens and Regula aboard s/v Emerald Mist and we still haven’t decided if we are going up to Spanish Wells, heading to Nassau, and then back to the states or heading north to the Abacos before making the jump back. Oh well we still have a couple days to decide. On the 16^th we decided to head up to Spanish Wells and what else? Wait on the weather to calm down so we could make our next move. As we pulled into the channel we had heard that Bandit with the mooring balls was all full so we wouldn’t be able to go where we always did. Hummmmm. In the past we have seen people anchor just past the mooring field but we have heard the holding isn’t that great. After about an hour of trying to set,we finally found a spot we weren’t dragging too bad in as we backed down. We had heard one of the balls was to become open later in the afternoon so we would wait. At about 5pm we got a call on the radio, the ball was free. So we pulled anchor and picked up the ball happy to be secure to the ground. Bandit has gone up once again on his fees up to $20.00 per day. Before long it will be cheaper to pull into a marina in Spanish Wells. After sitting for 3 days here and after changing our minds back and forth we finally decided that the path we would take back would be via the Abacos. Our buddy boat s/v Emerald Mist had to go the route of Nassau as they had to take care of paperwork in order to enter into the US as they are German and Swedish. On the 19^th in the early morning we pulled out of Spanish Wells and set our sights north. There were two other boats that pulled out behind us traveling the same direction so at least there was some company around. There is an area that is a large shipping channel you have to go through and we passed fairly close to a cruise ship. So close in fact Dirk got on the radio just to make sure they saw us so as not to have any problems. After an uneventful motor sail we arrived into Lynard Cay, dropped the hook and called it a day. The other boat that was travelling with us seemed to be having trouble setting anchor and since our dinghy was down Dirk offered assistance with checking it. They said they were fine. Hummmm famous last words. The next day the winds picked up and shifted leaving them anchored in front of us rather than behind us. We kept an eye out and sure enough we poked our head up one time and saw their boat dragging down besides us. Dirk went topside and the other guy was sitting in his cockpit “keeping an eye out”. How about firing up that engine and pulling anchor before your anchor crosses mine and drags mine. Finally they pulled anchor and re-anchored further up. With yet another front passing we sat for 3 days here. Dirk did get some conching in and we managed to dinghy into Pete’s Pub for a Blaster that ended up being several apiece. Whew…..We located our old Tybee Time signature from a couple years back but forgot to bring a marker to write our new boats name. Next time…..On the 22^nd we headed on up to Marsh Harbor as our fresh meat supply was just about out and we had run out of veggies. Upon entering Marsh Harbor I was very surprised and had never seen so many boats in there before. I guess with the fronts coming by every couple days people were staying put. We dropped anchor perhaps a bit to close to some people we met in the Exumas but Dirk went over and spoke to them and they felt alright about it. We had to be as far out of the channel as possible but our rear was probably sticking a bit into it. Oh well, gotta do what you can. A day or two later a couple boats finally pulled out and we re anchored in one of their spots. I always feel better when we have good swing room as Renegade tends to dance a bit. She has a high free board which causes her to be pushed to one side, the anchor chain tightens and then she swings to the other side. We had a full day of very strong winds and even had a tornado touch down on the next island over. We and everyone else sat in the cockpits watching everyone else and making sure no one broke loose and drug. Finally when we had decent weather we actually took the dinghy into town and made a run to Maxwell’s grocery store. It was the first time we had been off the boat in about a week. It was time to stretch the legs. We even made time to go to Snapper’s one evening for dinner. After listening to the weather and trying to plan our escape we decided after 4 days of being in the harbor to make a run through the Whale and over to Green Turtle. The winds would be coming across the bay and the area we anchor at in front of the government dock was probably gonna be rolly so we elected to anchor on the other side. This would prove to be a problem as we couldn’t find any good holding and after several tries we gave up and headed to where we always go. We wouldn’t be able to make it into Green Turtle itself as we need high tide to get in and that was past so this would have to do. It actually wasn’t too bad and after two days we decided if we were going we had a short window coming up. This was the end of the line for Internet and phone so any weather we got was going to have to be Chris Parker and he doesn’t broadcast on Sundays. So we left Green Turtle after the last weather report on the Internet and made the trip over to Great Sale Cay. Normally we go into the south anchorage but due to the winds coming from that direction it would have been wide open so we anchored up in the north along with several other boats. Soon after we got there several left as this is the jump off point to the Gulf Stream if you don’t plan on going to West End first. Most people will travel the shallow banks at night and come daybreak you are hitting the Gulf Stream. That evening we relaxed and started mentally preparing ourselves for the trip back. We don’t have a problem making the trip by ourselves but it looked like there would be several boats joining us. The next day we went and visited with a couple, got their float plans and found that two of the boats would be headed into Ft. Pierce which was our plan. We made a trip over to the island and found the last of my Bahama treasures for this season. I found 2 or 3 sea beans and a couple shells. Yippie, I was a happy camper. Then it was back to the boat to put the dinghy up, put the fuel cans into the tank, and tie down and stow everything. Our plan was to pull anchor at dusk to begin the journey and as I prepped the food items Dirk went and had a nice nap. I hate that he can nap, try as I might I just can’t do it. At 7:45 pm several of us pulled anchor and set our sights west. After an uneventful motor sail we hit Ft. Pierce, anchored just a bit before sunset and called it a day, a long day at that. It ended up being about a 22 hour day, we were whipped. The next morning we headed north on the ICW and pulled over in Eau Gallie. Always seems like we plan our trips to end up at this spot. It’s always a nice quiet spot by the bridge and we have never had any problems. It was no different now and we got a great night’s sleep and made our final leg of the journey the next day to Harbortown Marina in Merritt Island. So here the boat sits while we do more work on her and take care of all the things cruisers must take care of while back on land. So forgive me for such a delay. I do hope to do better.

Busy Times

Wow, it’s been a while since I have blogged. So much has happened and many miles have been put under the keel since last time. Let’s see if I can catch you up without missing out on too much. When I last left off, our guest left us after 9 days of vacation. Of course we were battling winds every other day it seemed and so we sat in Staniel Cay for another two waiting on weather. Finally on the 18^th of April we were able to pull anchor and head south. We headed on the outside with the hopes that we could land a Mahi Mahi. We hadn’t any luck while our guests were here. With our sights set on Galliot Cay we settled in for a nice sail. It was good to be on the move again although there was to be no bites today. The following morning we decided to go onto Emerald Bay and stay in the Marina there. We loved it so much last season that it was a must stop this season. The fuel dock is easy to get to so on our way in we slid on in and filled up the tanks before finally going into the slip. Great place to stay if you have never been before. The marina is not quiet finished so it’s only $1.00 per foot, per day. Electricity is extra and water is I think .40 cents a gallon. You can elect to have the no electric dock for that price. Since we had been running the engine all day there was no need for electric. We did find out the grocery store that was within walking distance has closed down but the liquor store next door is still open if anyone is interested. Free laundry was what I was after as I had not done laundry since we left the states. Aside from a few essentials that were washed in a bucket that is. So needless to say I along with everyone else had many loads apiece to do. Our plan was to pull in, get a nice calm night of rest as the marina is very protected and the following day I would do laundry and clean up the boat while Dirk did maintenance. Oh wait, before I continue on, I got so excited about the free laundry that I forgot to mention shortly before arriving at the marina Dirk landed a nice Mahi. The first for the season.



Mahi on the menu

So where was I……Oh yea, laundry, cleaning, and maintenance. I did decide that evening to go ahead and get a jump on the laundry as one washer was free when I checked it out. I’m glad I did as the next morning I got up early just for that reason and there was already a line of dirty clothes bags and ladies standing around in our laundry day garb (cleanest dirty clothing) chatting. This is the way we meet new folks and make new friends. Several hours later I returned to the boat with everything that wasn’t tied down washed and smelling fresh once again. After listening to the weather and realizing that if we stayed another day we would probably get stuck in the marina we opted to go ahead and pull out that afternoon and make the short sail on down to George Town. On our way into the harbor we spotted our friends and dock neighbors Don & Barb from Cortez on their catamaran Dulcinea and hailed them on the radio to say hello. Strange how often you run into people you know from everywhere. Since the winds were due to be coming out of the west we elected to anchor in Kidd Cove which is close to town and I could get some provisioning done in town without having to make the wet ride across the open harbor. That next day when we went into town it was very rough but we didn’t have far to go thank goodness. On the way back we did the best we could to avoid the waves but I still had to rinse everything I had in fresh water as my groceries took a good soaking a couple times. Three days later the winds calmed down enough that we were able to go back across the harbor and anchor at Volleyball Beach. Dirk would be a happy camper now as he could get back to playing volleyball and we would be a lot closer to the St. Francis resort for poker nights. We love playing Texas Holdem but it’s hard to find anyone to play with. The first night we played Dirk came in 4^th and basically made his entrance money back. The second evening we played I came in first winning $50.00 and Dirk came in 3^rd winning $20.00. Winnings always good but even when we don’t win it’s a cheap night’s entertainment. So for a week we sat and relaxed, visited and watched the races as it was the week of the Family Island Regatta.

Now this is relaxing, Renegade marked with the red arrow



A sea plane landed in the crowded anchorage and headed right for us



Drove between us and the swimmers before pulling up to the beach.


It's always cool seeing the boats using people as ballast flying around the anchorage. This year it was windy so there was some nice heeling going on and since we were anchored so close, they basically sailed right behind the boat.


Tidal Wave




Racing through the anchorage



On Friday the 27^th our short time in George Town was coming to a close. Usually after the regatta most cruisers take that as a signal to make tracks north and back to the states or if heading south, it’s time to get going. We ran into a couple friends we met last year and had a sundowner get together. The Abby, Triumph, and us ran into each other several times last season and it was great to see them all again. We also met a couple new folks in George Town this year. It seems the Germans were in full force and Dirk would set off to meet this one or that one. He even got a couple of them together for a game of Skat. (a German card game that no Americans understand) I don’t know any… We ended up leaving George Town in the company of I think most of the Germans and headed to Galliot Cay. We anchored for one evening and then headed up to Blackpoint on the inside the following day. We did end up staying an extra day there as the All Age School was having a Bar-B-Que and we know its always the same thing, chicken, ribs, coleslaw, peas & rice, and mac & cheese. Oh and all the flies you want plus some. But we always like to support the islands whenever we can and it’s a night I don’t have to cook. I did take the time to do a couple loads of laundry here as it’s too easy not to take advantage of it when you can. Where else can you pull up to the dock, walk 50 feet and throw your clothes in the wash. At $8.00 for a wash and dry it’s almost a steal too. At least in these parts and this would probably be the last chance to wash till we returned back to the states.


Renegade from Rockside Laundry dock




What a nice view while washing clothes



On the 6^th we pulled anchor and headed once again on the outside to make the trip up to our favorite anchorage in Compass Cay. Along the way we were fortunate enough to land another Mahi Mahi.



Yea, another Mahi

Once anchored, Dirk decided to take advantage of the slack tide to get some conchs. He and Jens from s/v Emerald Mist, yes a German, and our buddy boat since leaving George Town took off and returned with a couple in tow. When they returned Dirk set to the task of cleaning the Mahi and when he threw the carcass in we had plenty of critters coming in for a snack. We had about 3 good size nurse sharks, sting rays and 1 small real shark. I am not sure what kind of shark it was, perhaps a reef, or black tip. All I know is it’s the kind with real teeth that like to hunt.



Cleaning fish in paradise




Someone wants a handout

We decided to have Emerald Mist over to the boat for dinner and cooked the Mahi into fish fingers with a curried mayo on the side. Yummy. We decided to stay put for a couple days as yet again the weather was going to be nasty. So the next day the guys decided to do some spear fishing and ended up bringing home a Yellow Snapper and a big ole Hog Fish.



Nice Hog Fish

Yea…..Dirk and Jens cleaned the fish and Jens took it to his boat to cook it for all of us for dinner. What a great dinner it was. The next day a small Queen Trigger fish was gotten but put in the freezer to be made into a smoked fish dip as it was too small to make a meal of. I got a wonderful smoked fish dip recipe from a fellow cruiser that is simple simple and I will post it in my galley section. Its great with any fish.



Renegade anchored in our favorite spot

On the 9^th we decided the weather was the best we were gonna see, so we made the all day uneventful motor sail over to Rock Sound Eleuthera which lays to the East of the Exuma chain. Of course we were getting stuck here for several days due to what else? Weather……So now I have you updated to at least another part of the Bahamas and I promise to try catching you up even further very soon.


Jens, Regula, and Dirk relaxing for dinner in Rock Sound

Guest on Board

So after a long break of internet that has been poor at best I will try and post this blog over a month late. Hopefully it will get through and I can continue to catch you up on our travels but I think we will be back in the states before the next blog is written as we are beginning our trek north and east coast bound. So here goes…..Our friends were due to arrive at 3pm on the 6^th of March, so that morning the last of the preps were done, the beer was put in the freezer to get nice and cold and we relaxed till it was time to head to the airport. I use the term airport loosely as it is basically just an airstrip with a wood shed that Dirk dubbed terminal one. Before heading out I threw a couple large black garbage bags in the dinghy as I have learned from past experience that it can be a wet trip and wanted the luggage to stay dry. We hopped in and headed out knowing right away this was going to be a rough ride as the waves were splashing over the sides. We were totally exposed to the west winds getting to the airstrip. Once we made it into the canal it calmed and we beached the dinghy at the Isles General store with intentions of picking up some groceries on the way back.  The Watermaker flight was on time and Dirk stood with a Terminal 1 sign so they couldn’t get lost.

Dirk & I standing at the terminal. Hope they don't get lost....

Yeah right…. As they approached us I noticed the shirts they were wearing and knew what it was they wanted that photo they asked us for.

We made it.....

How cool, there was a pic of our Renegade that our friends Tony and Robyn took while leaving Marco Island along with the saying I have on our boat cards “ Living The Dream” . On the back side it gives the definition of sailing. Later on we received ours that they got for us.


The four stooges

Thanks guys….After luggage was recovered we headed back to Isles General in hopes of picking up a few last minute items but they were closed at the moment, like so many other moments so we just hopped back in the dinghy and headed back to the boat breaking them in well for their vacation by getting completely soaked by the time we made it back. Such is life of a cruiser…..Our plan was to take them over to the yacht club for an early dinner but with the winds being what they were we decided to stay put and hop into the water for a swim and to get them use to the snorkel gear they brought.  The following morning we moved back over to Big Majors in front of the Pig Beach where Dirk & Mac tackled a water maker problem. We had been having no issues till we were in Highborne Cay and we noticed the parts per million for water quality kept creeping up.  We had a new membrane put in before we left so after calling and emails the manufacturer said it could be a bad one and he would send us a new one. Well with Mac & Margie heading over we had it sent to them and they brought it with them. After taking it out and installing the new one we gave it a shot and it seemed to be working well. So far so good.  At slack tide we took them over to snorkel Thunderball Grotto with a bag of boiled rice for the fish.

Margie with her rice feeding the fish

I was surprised how many people were here as I have never seen it so busy before. But then again, it was Easter weekend; all the big go fast boats had come over from the states for an extended weekend. Afterwards we hit the yacht club where we introduced them to the Bahamian beer Kalik and they wanted to pick up some beer for the week ahead. I’m glad we don’t drink much beer as Bud Light was $64.00 a case. Drink em slow guys, they gotta last 7 more days. We also made a run to Isles General to pick up a few more veggies and then we headed back to Renegade dropped off supplies and picked up some food scraps to feed the pigs with over at the beach. Everyone has to visit the pigs when they come and I noticed there are even a few new babies around and several pushy moms.

Here piggy piggy

Okay buddy that's close enough

Later on we headed over to Pirate Beach where we set up the horseshoes and sat back relaxing while Red, the new addition to the beach checked us all out to make sure we had no food to offer.

Dirk with Red, the new addition to Pirate Beach

We retired back to the boat once the sun started to set and had a quiet evening on board. The next morning we picked up anchor and headed north up to Emerald Rock, close to the south mooring field in the Exuma Land and Sea Park. After finding a spot outside of the mooring field we dropped the hook and Dirk took Mac & Margie to snorkel the reef inside by the office as I stayed on board and prepared dinner. It was Easter Sunday after all and there were no eggs to hide or be found so cooking dinner was the least I could do. Mac and Margie had a good idea that somehow never got followed through with. They went out and bought all different kinds of alcohol in mini bottles and were gonna hide them all over the boat for a hunt. Instead we all picked our favorites out and left the others for some poor unsuspecting soul to get when they visit our boat. Dinner consisted of a cooked sliced ham with “real”, that’s right, “real” mashed potatoes, no instant this time with red cabbage and fresh hot brownies. I think we may have watched a movie or played cards afterwards before calling it an evening. Monday morning found us finding our way to Normans Cay where we anchored on the inside of the cut in front of “Palm Tree Island”.

Palm Tree Island

I don’t know what the real name is or even if it has one,but we and everyone else we know calls it that as that is the only thing on it besides a bench that some cruiser added as a memorial to a loved one.  We stayed there two days and explored the secluded beaches on the Atlantic side, poked around the remains of buildings left over from the days of the island being under control of drug lord Carlos Lehder and collected lots of beach treasures where ever we went.

Us checking out the remains and looking for bullet holes

Dirk deciding he wanted a coconut

Almost there

A spotted Sea Hare

The Sea Hare  after we touched him. He put out a magenta dye.

The beach combers stance. No wonder my back hurts

Posing for a pic with lots of discarded shells

A small thorny Sea Star, wonder if Sponge Bob is around

Dirk did some conching and as he cleaned them we watched the sting rays, nurse sharks and spotted eagle rays gobble up the remains. 

Cleaning the conch

We also had lunch at the Beach Club; formally McDuffs and all had the $18.00 hamburger with several of their Exuma Mamas, the signature drink while we soaked in the atmosphere of the cozy porch.


Dirk & his best bud Mac



Sorry buddy they are closed and have been for a while

On the 11^th we headed back to Warderick Wells, but with the idea to stay in the north mooring field which is a beautiful cove.  Attached to the mooring ball we settled in and Margie went to work making a sign on her drift wood she found in Normans Cay for Boo Boo Hill.

While topside she had a bananaquit visit her. Very friendly especially if you have sugar to offer

A bit later we made the hike and visited the blow holes first although they were not that active due to the quiet state of the water.

Margie standing on top to the blow hole posing with her sign

We then went up to the top and they placed the sign among many others.

Adding the sign to Boo Boo Hill

 After returning to the boat we were all hot and sweaty from the hike so decided to inflate the floaties and pack up the snorkel gear and do some water activities.  After an hour or so we drug Mac & Margie back to the boat and settled in for the evening.

Mac & Margie relaxing as they get pulled back to the boat.

We decided the following day to travel on the outside to Compass Cay as the winds were light, actually too light to sail so we motored the entire day. It was calmer than I had ever seen it and we all took turns sitting on the bow sprit staring into the water below pointing out conch, and fish along the way. It was so clear that we finally lost sight of the bottom at about 90 feet. A couple hours later we were in one of our favorite anchorages and with the tide being slack Dirk took Mac and headed out to see if he couldn’t spear dinner. When they returned there were no fish but a couple conch they had picked up. With a full day planned Dirk just tied them together and hung them from the ladder in the water where they will hang out awaiting cleaning. Guess you could say they were on death rung. I know, bad joke and I hate it for them, especially since I don’t eat them.  We loaded the dinghy with all the snorkel gear, sunscreen, towels, and water and headed off to explore. First stop was the beach at the cut as we can sometimes find some good nice shells. The tide was still a bit high so we didn’t have too much luck.

Mac & Margie taking a closer look at some starfish

 As usual, Dirk had put on his gear and gone into the waist deep water to look around. Soon he was back on shore telling tales of two sharks that had scared him pretty bad. These were real sharks, not nurse sharks and he would prove it as he had video. This was the same spot that he was approached by a shark the last time. Hummmm, note to self…….so we loaded back up and headed down into the Pipe Creek area for some snorkeling and beach walking. Usually at low tide there is a great expanse of sand that is dry with a deep canal surrounding it. This would be the first time we hit it where it was completely covered with water so we found a shallow spot threw out the anchor and proceeded to snorkel. Once we saw all there was to see including a large sea turtle we headed back with one more stop in mind. We pulled the dinghy into the Compass Cay Marina which is on a private island so they charge you $8.00 per person to dock your dinghy. In years past we said, no way are we paying. Last year was the first time we did and while that is a lot to ask we keep doing so as it is a nice visit. They have a wonderful beach which is a nice walk across the island but with the winds being from the east fairly strong we knew it wouldn’t be the best beach time so we opted to hang out on the docks and wait for feeding time for the nurse sharks.  While waiting we popped into the store and got a round of Kalik Golds which is the beer of the Bahamas. The gold has a 7% alcohol level so it makes for a nice strong brewsky.  Dirk and Margie decided to snorkel and swim with the sharks as Mac and I walked the docks watching from above.

Margie getting her time with the sharks

When it was obvious that feeding time had been forgotten we sat around playing checkers, talking and before we knew it one beer had turned into three.

 Whooo hoooo, time to get back to the boat and get something to eat.

That evenings sunset from the boat

The next day found us travelling back to Staniel Cay as our friends vacation was coming to a close.

Margie got put to work hoisting sails as Mac looked on

Margie really enjoyed sitting here soaking up the scenery

We trolled the entire time hoping for a mahi for the grill but no such luck. We decided to anchor in front of Thunderball Grotto as it would be a shorter trip to the airport and the winds were predicted to be blowing yet again from the east. Soon after we anchored, another boat came in and anchored in front of us. With the winds beginning to blow Dirk wanted to make sure the guys anchor was set, especially since he was in front of us. Dirk took the dinghy over and looked through the lookie bucket at his anchor. It was laying on its side but told Dirk he let out enough chain and it would be fine. We can’t make him do it right, just hope when he drags that he drags past us without hooking our anchor. That evening of course in the middle of the night, the winds picked up and both Dirk and I went topside to do a check of the anchorage. It’s surprising just how many people don’t have anchor alarms and thus have no clue their boat is travelling while they are all cozy in bed. When we went up top we noticed the boat in front of us was in fact a bit closer and hopefully his anchor had caught, we would keep an eye on him. Throughout the night he did inch closer but as soon as daylight broke he picked up and moved. Dirk spoke to him the next morning and he apologized for getting so close and said he spent the evening in the cockpit on watch. With the winds being so strong it was too bad to move that evening. Well duh….that’s why you do it right the first time. I kinda felt bad for him though as one of the people he had on board had gone ashore in the evening and when they returned they had not properly securedthe dinghy and it managed to come untied and was never seen again. Amazing how many people lose dinghies’ in bad winds each year. I never hear of any being retrieved so there must be some pocket of the Atlantic that they end up in just floating around forever. The following day we headed into Staniel Cay for lunch right as a downpour was beginning.

 As we ate the rain came down in buckets and we were glad to be dry with a great club sandwich sitting on each of our plates.The following day we headed into town once again, parked the dinghy at the yacht club and walked over to the Blue store but they were closed due to a death in the family. The Pink store was open but in the past it usually only has dusty shelves with little to no provisions so we bypassed it and kept going. We did find a “boutique” for Margie and she was able to buy a new Kalik T-shirt, her new favorite beer and a new beach bag.

Margie and I with lots of color

 After that it was back to the boat where we played our last game of cards and had a quiet and early evening, they had a long day ahead of them as they were flying back to Ft. Lauderdale  and then had a 7 hour drive back to Tybee Island only to have to go to work the following morning. Early up the next morning and we took them over to the yacht club to check into their flight for Watermaker.  Once the plane was 10 minutes out they let us know it was a go and to head over to the airport. The yacht club took them and the luggage as Dirk and I made the trek in the dinghy up the creek. We met again on the air field and after too many good byes we gave them a final hug and said so long. We headed back to the boat and both ended up taking a nap. We would plan on heading south to George Town but had to first wait on the winds that were still too strong from the East to make the passage on the outside. We did make it to George Town but the story from there to here will have to wait till next time.

Still in the Bahamas, but Internet is Horrible

Readers, just letting you know that until I can get better internet connections I will not be able to make a new update with photos. I have to say that the internet connections we are having this season are horrible. I dont know if it has to do with last years hurricane perhaps knocking out some towers that have not been repaired or what. Plus my blogging site has changed itself up a bit and my computer needs some updates to run it easily. Cant do that till I get a good connection. So just hold tight until I can post.

Bahamas

After sitting in Marathon for over a week it looked like we were going to be getting a break in the weather. A very short window that many boats were going to take advantage of.  Anyone familiar with Boot Key harbor knows about the bridge span that has been removed but I’m guessing not everyone knows that there are still lines and cables that span that bridge at 65 feet.  Apparently from what we heard on the rumor mill, a boat with a 70 foot mast decided to attempt to go under them. Hummm, Anyone knowing me knows I’m not very good with numbers and math but I do know that 70 feet isn’t going under a 65 foot clearance. Apparently he hit the cable pretty hard and brought the front of his boat out of the water. Bet that got his attention….Well the cable is wrapped with another steel cable to keep it from breaking but it doesn’t keep it from stretching and that’s what it did. So for several days we all wait for the city to come out and repair the cable. Unless you had a mast height of about 55 or less you probably wouldn’t make it. No biggie, the weather is bad and no one is moving anyway. Days go by and the window is getting closer and no attempt to repair the cable has happened. People are starting to get anxious as we know that if we don’t make this window there may not be another for over a week. Preparations we followed through with, laundry was done and Butters had his visit to the vet for his clearance papers into the Bahamas. We also made a couple runs to re provision and do last minute stocking up on fresh items. Thanks go out to Lynda and Harry on s/v Cool Change allowing us the use of their vehicle while there in Marathon. It saved us several Taxi rides and much walking. Too bad things aren’t a bit closer to the marina there.The night before we were due to take off many boaters were planning on staging right outside of Boot Key Harbor and take off early the next morning. There was one boat in the harbor that had a mast height of 63 feet. He had climbed his mast and removed his antennas and instruments in order to squeeze under at the lowest of tides. Since we were the last boat in the field we had a good view of the bridge and Dirk was on the radio with him looking through binoculars with everyone holding their breath. If he could get under we all could. He managed to make it along with one other boat behind him, than a third slid under catching his antenna but since they are flexible it bounced back. Great, we should have no problem and set about getting the boat ready for travel again. The next morning at first light we let the mooring ball go and headed up Hawks Channel with our sights set on Rodriquez Key. Lots of people anchor here on the way to the Bahamas as it is easy to navigate the reef system in the dark when leaving the next morning. It was a long day, but we pulled in and anchored along with about 20 other boats that evening, got a quick bite and called it an early night as we had a 5 am departure set. At about 4:30 am we turned the radio on and a few boaters were already talking but I think we and two other boats were the first to leave that morning. It was actually a bit rough as we were getting through the reef system before hitting the Gulf Stream. Both of us were hoping it wasn’t gonna be like this the entire trip. We heard that our friends on s/v Mini Pearl actually took flight there for a second. They told us we were rocking and rolling pretty good for a while with a few waves crashing across the front. It seemed once we hit the deeper water of the Gulf Stream that it calmed down a lot. Dawn broke and that’s always a nice thing as things are always scarier in the dark.


We were getting a decent push from the current in the Gulf Stream. 8.3 knots



Capt Butters as snug as a bug in a rug in his carrier

It was so calm that Dirk decided to throw in a line and do some trolling. In the past we have never had success in the stream but we always try. Before long we had a hit and after reeling it in he realized that he had his first Wahoo ever.


Dirk with his Wahoo

He filleted it on the fish cleaning station and before long he had another which we released.  About an hour later we had two lines go at the same time which usually mean we have Mahi on the line. Heck, s/v Mini Pearl had just radioed us not long ago and said he got two at the same time, maybe these were ours. I pulled the throttle back as Dirk took one line and I took the other. After just a moment we knew we didn’t have Mahi on as they didn’t do the normal jump they do when caught and they were fighting way, way too much. A couple times I felt as if the pole was going to be ripped from my hands, thank goodness Dirk keeps them tied to the top life line for just this reason. Just when I would make some ground this thing would take off once again. I was actually beginning to get fatigued.  Dirk and I were asking what they could be. Tuna? Tuna would be fabulous and yes tuna put up a hard fight. Suddenly my line went limp as mine out maneuvered me and found freedom for himself. So I went to help out Dirk by getting the drop cloth laid out to dump him in and the gaff and fish whacker in case he needed help into the afterlife. Well you can imagine our disappointment when we got it up to the boat and saw that it was a Bonito. A Bonito is a member of the tuna family and thus that is why they put up such a fight. Unfortunately this is a very dark meated fish and doesn’t taste very good. Just as well mine got free and Dirk set his free also.  After that there were no more fish caught for the day. Oh well, we have a nice Wahoo in the fridge.  Our idea was to hit south Bimini and try out the Bimini Sands marina so many boaters go into. After looking at our charts we realized we would be arriving in Bimini at dead low tide and the entrance states it is 5 feet at low tide. Getting on the radio we called other boats around us we knew was going there and they said they heard some dredging was done. Hummm. I tend to believe my charts more and so the decision was made to go on into North Bimini. Customs check in seems is so much easier there as it is just a short walk from the dock.


Q flag going up

Dirk went up front hoisted the quarantine flag and we continued in before he contacted the Sea Crest Marina and asked if they had a tee dock we could have for the night. Last time we came in we stayed in Bluewater marina and they put us in between two large power vessels that we barely squeezed in between. They had no available tee dock and no way are we squeezing this one in. Sea Crest had the dock master waiting out front ready to welcome us and take our lines.  Once we got settled he also gave us the necessary paperwork we would need to carry to the customs and immigrations office. When Dirk left to check us in I stayed on board and began the task of picking up and putting stuff away. Once he came back I hoisted the Bahamian courtesy flag then we took showers and headed out looking for a bite to eat as both of us were a bit tired and I didn't feel like cooking.


Me hoisting the Bahamian courtesy flag

The first place we hit was closed for repairs, the second and third decided they weren’t  serving food today so we ended up at CJ’s, a bit of a hole in the wall right on the beach and had cheeseburgers and fries along with a cold Kalik beer. 



Ahhhh

As we ate we sat and watched our first Bahamian sunset of the season being thankful that once again we were here. 

First Bahama sunset of the season

Later that evening back at the boat we discussed the possibility of staying one extra day or heading out east further.  After looking at weather, we decided it was probably better to leave the next day and head to Morgans Bluff on Andros Island which would have been 80 miles and a good part of 13 to 14 hours to get there.  Our thought was, if we get close and not too tired we would keep going onto the Exumas. That would be a total of 155 miles and about 26 hours of travel time. The weather was predicting a few squalls ahead of the front that was coming and we already had 2 rain showers pass over while still in the marina, they weren’t bad so we took off about 11:30 and headed out the channel. We were going to be travelling the Bahama Banks most of the day which is water really no more than 15 to 25 feet all around, sometimes less than 10. The winds were a bit more than they predicted but no worries, how bad can it get in water so shallow? We have never had bad waves on the sound in the past, not until today. I can’t say they were bad but they were uncomfortable.  As daylight faded we could see the lighting in the distance and it looked like a strobe light. We couldn’t hear the thunder so we knew it was miles away. Darkness fell and we noticed off to our right there was lighting beginning to show. According to the wind direction and speed, it would probably hit us. So we decided to slow the engine down some and drop back behind the storm in hopes it would pass us up ahead. We managed to dodge that one till there were about 4 more surrounding us. We did a bit of backtracking but we did manage to stay out of their way through out the night. There was a boat some miles ahead of us that was planning on heading onto the Exumas also but decided to turn back to Nassau after getting beat up by the storms. We continued on into the tongue of the ocean which we have not travelled in during the night. I don’t know what it is about deep water but I prefer to travel it when I can see.  In the tongue the water depth is 9500 feet marked in a couple places, average I think is about 1500 to 3000 feet, that’s a long way down and we had to be in it until early morning. Dirk and I took shifts with one person relaxing in the cockpit while the other stood watch. I can’t sleep while we are travelling so I basically lay there with my eyes closed. Dawn broke as Nassau came into view and before long we were in the company of other boats once again. The day trudged on and finally we saw Highborne Cay come into view starting as a small speck on the horizon. By 4pm we finally had our anchor down and ready to clean things up and settle in. We were both so very tired but I knew if I fell asleep now I would wake sometime in the early morning hours and wanted to sleep straight through. So I first cleaned up the boat a bit, it’s amazing how unorganized it can get when you travel. I had me a nice shower and washed away 27 hours of grime, climbed in bed and tried to read before my brain just could not comprehend the words any longer which for the record was very early on. Into a blissful sleep and 12 hours later we awoke nice and refreshed. Of course Dirk was chomping at the bit to go find some lobster as there were only a couple days left in the season and he wanted to bag a couple. In three days at Highborne he got 3 decent sized lobsters and 6 conch.

Dirk with the first lobster

While he was chasing lobster I was watching where the Bahamians were getting conch from and I trolled with Dirk till he got his limit.

The locals transferring conch from one boat to the next



Dirk made a heap of conch salad, two on the left are his and mine minus the conch on the right. I like the salad, just not the conch.

On the 31^st we decided 4 days in Highborne was enough and headed down to Normans Cay. As soon as Dirk set the hook he spotted a boat we had radio contact with during the night crossing from Bimini. Dirk headed over to talk to him and before I knew it they were off conching.  That evening we met several new boaters when we were invited over to s/v Lime N for happy hour. Our plan was to stay another day there but the wind had changed direction during the night and it turned out to be a very rolly night. I even went to sleep in the salon in hopes that since it was more in the center of the boat it would have less motion. Not to be, so I ended up laying awake in bed reading till the sun came up.  Since we had no clue about winds and weather due to no internet we decided to head to Warderick Wells where we could pay for internet and at least get some weather.  No one really has been able to catch the weather guru, Chris Parker on the single side band lately. The propagation has been horrible so we have all basically been in the dark. We ended up getting the last ball available in the park and happily connected to our first internet in a week. That evening we had our first gathering on Renegade and had 9 people on board down below very comfortably. We are making new friends but are surprised we have not run into anyone we know yet. After a very calm, peaceful night on the mooring ball, the next morning we hiked up to Boo Boo Hill in hopes of finding our old Tybee Time sign that has been there 2 years in a row now.


Me at Boo Boo Hill looking for our sign

I didn’t have high hopes as there was a considerable hurricane that came through last summer and I figured if it wasn’t tied down it was gone. So as were digging around I tell Dirk that I’m afraid it has blown away when he pulls a board out from under several others, tosses it over to me and says “blew away huh”?

A little worn and faded but still there

 So we now have our old sign on board and will remake it with Renegade. 

Renegade from atop Boo Boo Hill

We took a few new pics of the girl sitting on her mooring and headed back to the boat, dropping the mooring before noon check out time with Cambridge Cay in mind. We had never been here so it seemed like the place to go. After setting the hook right outside of the mooring field we hopped in the dinghy and headed off to snorkel the aquarium. Being still inside the park boundaries it is abundant with fish and as soon as we tied up our dinghy to the moorings available the fish were swarming under the boat ready for food. Sorry guys, not today. I forgot to boil rice and they will just have to get over it but it doesn’t seem to stop them from looking. It’s almost a bit eerie being surrounded by so many at one time all eyeing you. The sergeant majors  are the worst as there are so many of them. Then you have the yellow tail snapper, a few parrot fish and the rest pretty much mind their own business such as the groupers and gray snappers. The queen angel fish are always so bashful and its difficult to get close to them to get a good photo. We snorkeled for about a half hour before heading back to the boat, happy for the exercise but both pooped.


Beautiful sunset in Cambridge Cay

Tomorrow the 3^rd we will head into Staniel Cay where we will stay for several days. We have friends flying in on the 6^th and it will give us time to do last minute stuff in anticipation of their arrival.


laundry day on board

We will have them on board until the 15^th so you probably won’t hear from me again until a bit after that to catch you up on all our activities.


Butters checking out the fish swimming in the clear water