Little Farmers Cay and South



Renegade at anchor Little Farmers Cay

We stayed in Little Farmers for two days doing a bit of exploring of the beaches and Dirk did a bit of hunting with not so much luck.

Found all these illegal conchs that were harvested on the beach. What a shame...



Several Chitons were spotted on the rocks. I'm surprised Dirk hasn't pried one off and eaten it yet as they are edible





A tree managing to find a way to grow in the rock



Renegade from the shoreline

On the 17^th we pulled out and headed down to Lee Stocking which would be the first for us. We had never stopped there in the past. As we pulled out of the cut it didn’t look so bad in the Atlantic. It wasn’t much of a sailing day as the wind was just about off the nose and we tacked back and forth for quite a while. We finally decided to motor sail the rest of the way as the wind and the waves were beginning to build and the ride was getting very uncomfortable.  There were a few times that our bowsprit actually touched the water and it sits about 6 feet above the waterline so you know if it touched we were bouncing pretty well. After many hours of rough riding we finally arrived at our way point and being first in we navigated and reported back the best way to enter the cut which turned out to be no big deal. As we were heading into the channel that took us to the anchorage we noticed that the mooring balls for the research center were all available. We got on the radio and asked about them as they are suppose to be first come first serve. Another cruiser came back and said the research center had been closed down but the balls were still available. We had another blow coming and it was in a protected area so we elected to pick up a mooring ball which turned out to be a pretty difficult feat with the winds blowing as they were. We finally got hooked up along with s/v Hiatus, s/v At Last, and s/v Indian Summer who had all been travelling together. The following day Dirk went hunting returning with a beautiful 6 pound Nassau Grouper and a 4 pound Dog Snapper along with 1 lobster.

Brian on Indian Summer managed to snag a huge Mutton Snapper and it was decided we would all get together that evening for a potluck with fish head soup that Chris on At Last was making. Later that afternoon a 50 foot Catamaran came in and after everyone talking it turned out that the party was moved to their boat as they had the most room. About 6pm we all piled aboard and the preparation for the soup began. I had never had fish head soup so I was a little apprehensive when I saw that what normally goes overboard after cleaning a fish was going into the pot. Hummmmmm, I would give it a shot to be polite. As it was being served up everyone was asking who got the eyes, apparently it’s like the hidden baby in a king cake (Louisiana Mardi Gras tradition) and I guess its good luck. Well Dirk was double lucky and found both eyes. I too was lucky when I found the lens in mine. Hummm somehow I would feel luckier winning a scratch off then finding a fish’s eye lens in my soup. I offered it up and Chris eagerly scooped it up and ate it. After several bites and pulling more scales out of my mouth I decided the thing the soup could have used the most was a strainer. Don’t get me wrong, it had a great flavor but the mystery parts that I was biting upon didn’t do anything for me as I am a texture person. Anyone else who is, knows exactly what I’m talking about. It turned out to be a wonderful evening and after dark everyone returned home. The following day our plan was to head to Emerald Bay so that we could get laundry done and a day on a dock. When we called them we found out that one must stay a minimum of 3 nights to qualify for the $1.00 foot per day deal. After tossing it about we decided what the heck and made reservations. I ended up doing 5 loads of laundry which would have cost me $50.00 elsewhere to do and since they have free laundry it made it work out a little better for us. s/v Indian Summer decided to join us and everyone else headed on down to George Town. After getting the boats settled in we decided to go to the Grand Isles Resort and have lunch overlooking the beautiful pool and ocean.



Brian & Teddy Sue from s/v Indian Summer and us enjoying a meal out

Hamburgers, fires and one drink apiece shortened our wallets of $50.00 per couple. Not the cheapest place to eat but it did have a beautiful view. The next day as I did laundry, Dirk hit the reefs several Cays up and returned with 3 lobsters with about 9 inch tails. We headed to Brian and Teddy Sue’s boat for dinner that evening cooking lobster and mutton snapper on the grill. The following day was a repeat and Dirk returned with 4 lobsters the same size as the previous day.

I have to say, my freezers were getting full and he was starting to be called lobster man around the marina. At about 5 that evening all the cruisers got together for appetizers and sun downers in front of the marina office.

We met some very nice folks and at one point someone came up to me and asked if I was lobster man’s wife. I guess he does well with hunting. I know I won’t go hungry anytime soon.  At about 10 the next morning we all started making tracks to the fuel dock and this would be the first time to take on fuel since leaving the Cape Marina boat yard in December. We didn’t have to have any but we figured if we got some here it would last us till we returned to the states. As we are sitting on the fuel docks our friends on s/v Triumph hails us on the radio and is just outside the marina coming in for fuel. We all fueled up and headed back out for the seven mile trip down to George Town. Being the hunters and gatherers that they are they decided since the winds and waves were calm we would find a spot to pull over, throw the hook out and find some reefs. Dirk dropped me off at Triumph and Elaine and I caught up as the boys hunted. After 3 lobsters and one beautiful Queen Trigger fish were gotten they were happy and we continued on. As we pulled into the harbor I was surprised to see so many boats still left over from the cruising regatta. Usually afterwards they swarm out of there heading back north after spending several months there without ever moving the boat. I suppose it was probably all the fronts we had coming through and people were just staying put until the weather settled some. We found a spot in front of Volley Ball Beach and put the hook out, sat back and relaxed for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we would go into town and get some fresh veggies and fruits to replenish my empty baskets. After talking to s/v Triumph we decided to make the trip over to Long Island and planned on leaving on Monday.  Dirk and Bill had a few days to hunt and hunt they did. Three more lobsters were bagged by Dirk and by this time we are eating them almost daily as the freezer is full. Now that’s a problem, said no one ever……..So Monday morning the weather guru was heard and we were on our way. It was a beautiful sail but I will fill you in on that next go round. Till then…….

Through Eleuthera and onto the Exumas

We sat for 3 days in Royal Island with rain and wind and no amenities; it was time to move on. Monday has promise as the winds were supposed to be calming down in the afternoon and we were hoping that people in Hatchet Bay would take this time to move on themselves. We pulled anchor along with one other boat and pointed her south towards Current Cut. After several days of high winds even the shallow banks had pretty good waves and chop on it and it tossed us back and forth. We finally made it to the Cut which is a small opening in the island that allows you to transition south or north without having to go all the way around. They suggest you transit the cut at slack tide and a tide going with you rather than against you. We didn’t hit it at slack tide but we did have the current flowing with us so it was a bit sloppy in the entrance with winds and current opposing but once we made it in the current gave us a nice 4 knot push and the water was calm. Once it spit us out the other side it was like glass as the island had blocked all the winds and we saw a great beach we could have spent our days anchored in front of rather than where we were. Oh well, I will keep it to memory for next time. When we were about 10 minutes from the Hatchet Bay Cut we radioed our friends Dave & Tanya on Dea Latis that we knew were here to check in with them. There still were no mooring balls available and even the anchorage was pretty full. I had never seen as many boats in here. We headed for the northeast shore and dropped the hook only to drag while trying to set. We then picked it up again and tried resetting elsewhere. Dirk got into the dinghy and saw that the anchor was completely buried in muck and mud but that’s all it was so when any pressure was put on it, it just slid through it. This is why we don’t like anchoring here. Even the locals say the holding is horrible. One cruiser told Dirk “You can’t back down on your anchor cause it won’t hold” Well duh…..with another front coming I certainly don’t want to figure out my boat isn’t holding till I’m sliding back onto someone else. We found a spot that would do for the night and then tomorrow we would have to make the long trip down to Rock Sound where we knew the holding was good.  We then headed up to The Front Porch to say hello to Gina & Francis the owners. Every year we come here we always try and get a good meal as Francis is such a wonderful cook. We grabbed a Kalik and sat on the porch overlooking the bay chatting with Francis and just relaxing.

Dirk enjoying the relaxation of The Front Porch

We then headed over to Dea Latis to have some sun downers and catch up with each other as we had left the Abacos after they did.  As we are sitting there another boater came up and said he overheard from another boater that he was leaving the next day and asked if anyone wanted his mooring. We are game, so Dirk headed over to speak to the man and the next morning before he took off he radioed us and let us know he was leaving, Dave hopped over on his dingy sitting next to the ball till we got the anchor pulled and headed over to him where he handed us up the lines. Now that’s better and we wouldn’t have to leave. We decided since we were able to stay that we would take a hike over to the Atlantic side to do some beach combing.



The goats kept a close eye on us as we walked past



Usually this is one of my favorite beaches as no ever visits it so there is always nice sea glass to be found. Wow, we got to the top of the sand dune and looked down, what happened to the beach? Must have been the last hurricane that moved through this past summer but there was very little sand and many many rocks.

The beach is reduced to many many rocks

What a bummer, this use to be one of my favorite beaches to walk. Dirk managed to score me a heart sea bean and I found a couple pieces of sea glass before we made the trek back across the island. After returning to the boat the guys decided to go hunting and it gave me some time to do some cleaning and reading aboard. The following day we took a walk into town and hit the little grocery store on the hunt for fresh veggies. We found a few items needed and I actually scored a bag of romaine lettuce. Ummmm I haven’t had lettuce in a long time. No wonder there was no price on it as I didn’t realize what I paid for it till I was back to the boat. At $6.00 a bag I think I will go a little longer in between buyings. On the 7^th we decided it was time to head south. Dave & Tanya were staying a day or two longer as they wanted to explore Hatchet Bay a bit longer. We decided that the winds were perfect for us to try out the spinnaker for the first time. Before we left the mooring ball Dirk had everything on deck prepared, poles up, lines run and even had Dave come by to double check everything. All good…They were gonna follow us out of the anchorage and wait for us to deploy the sail then take some photos while under sail so I gave them my camera and they would speed it back to us before we got to far. We said our goodbyes and dropped the mooring line and headed out the cut. We deployed the sail with no problems other than the line to pull the sock back over the sail and douse it had gotten stuck in the sock and was now about 40 feet up in the air. Hummmm, that would be interesting. Oh well, we would deal with that later, our task at hand was to get the sail adjusted right. Dave & Tanya rode along side snapping photo after photo before passing off our camera and saying final goodbyes. Thanks guys and we will see you down island.



The first time for us to fly the spinnaker



We shut the engine down and had a wonderful 3 to 4 hour downwind sail averaging 6 to 7 knots of speed. It was wonderful and smooth. As we were getting close to our way point Dirk pondered what to do. How do we douse the sail and have it go smoothly. There is an emergency release that releases one side of it causing it to drop the wind but one still has to pull it down to the deck without having it trail in the water. It’s a huge sail and a big undertaking. Dirk decided the easiest thing would be to climb the fore stay. He made himself a harness and I pulled him up as he climbed the jib till he reached the line hanging out of the bag. This as we are booking along at 6 knots. It took a bit as he would have to rest the arms but he got it down and he was able to pull the sock down to douse the sail. Lesson learned; tie the rope off so it can’t be pulled up. We found our way into Governors Harbor and anchored by the north wall as the winds were still coming out of that direction. We were the only ones in the harbor so we picked our spot and for the first time ever, we were able to set the hook on the first try and buried it. Usually the harbor is known for poor holding and it takes a while to find a spot that you’re just not sliding around in. We know where to go now but it is on the other side of the town although we did pick up a great free wifi signal there. The only reason we stopped here was this is the only place around that we know of that has an ATM and our cash was getting low. The next place wouldn’t be until George Town and we couldn’t wait that long. Dirk took the dinghy over to town, hit the bank and found a veggie stand where he picked up some bananas, plantains, and limes. We settled in as two other boats pulled in and followed our lead anchoring behind us. The winds were mild but we had a swell coming in that continued all through the night.( As I was preparing dinner the  words from the song The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald kept going through my head. (When suppertime came the old cook came on deck sayin'. "Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya.")

Sleep didn’t find us much that night as I found myself laying there counting 20 seconds off before the next big swell hit. The next morning as soon as the bank was open Dirk took one more ride into town to score additional money as one can only remove a certain amount each day. It was high tide and basically there are no dinghy docks and one must beach your dinghy. Well with no beach right now he anchored it in the surf and took off. When he returned to the boat the dinghy was a mess with grass and water that was thrown in, what a mess.  



Dirk and the mess he returned with. Its an optical illusion but the dinghy isnt that small

Today was Dirk’s Birthday and we would head to Rock Sound in hopes of a better day. We flew the spinnaker again, this time tying the line down and had a nice day. Pulling into the sound there were several boats anchored on the northwest shore due to the winds that had come the previous days. There was only one boat anchored in front of town so again we got to pick our spot. Dirk ran into Dingles motors and picked us up a card for internet and then we changed and went out to the little restaurant on the water so we could celebrate Dirk and his day. We toasted the day with a specialty drink, had some wonderful burgers and fries. We then headed back to Renegade and had a piece of Key Lime Pie that I made underway for his day.

A quiet early evening and a great night’s sleep was had and the next day we made a trek into town in order to hit a grocery store. It was nice to have a nice sized one that actually had a decent selection to choose from. With us having two freezers on board now I was able to pack them with all sorts of stuff before leaving the states and between Dirks hunting and that I have yet to buy any meat. After heading back to the boat and putting groceries away we had a relaxing day on board do a little bit of nothing. Since we had gotten internet we were able to download the weather and see that the following day would be good for making the trip over to the Exumas and we readied the boat for an early departure. We talked briefly with a single hand er gentleman from s/v Cloud 9 that was heading that direction also so we decided to make the trip together. Seems everyone else in the anchorage was heading north. After an uneventful trip, including the lack of catching any fish we made it to the Highborne Cay Cut, made our way out to the anchorage and set the hook. Dirk couldn’t wait to put his wet suit on and hit the reefs so I stayed behind and let him do his thing as I tidied up the boat a bit. That evening we hailed s/v Triumph whom we knew should be in the area at the time and actually got a reply. He was the next island up and plans were made for him and Dirk along with Steve on Cloud 9 to go on an early morning hunt. We met Bill and Elaine several years ago while we traveled on s/v Tybee Time and have stayed in contact ever since meeting up where we can here and in the states. Small community this cruising life offers, that’s why we love it so. After one Lobster and one Queen Trigger fish was nabbed by Dirk everyone returned to their boats picked up anchor and we headed to Normans Cay to wait out yet another cold front. There we hailed s/v Marylee whom we had met 4 years ago in Marathon and kept in contact with since. They were in the anchorage so we had them over for sun downers to catch up. There’s that small world again. They would be leaving the next day heading back to the states so it was nice to be able to catch up and he gave us some pointers on a few places to go while in Long Island. We have never been and are hoping to make it that far south this season. The following day Dirk went on the prowl again and returned home with another Queen Trigger fish and 2 Lobsters. I landed myself another hamburger sea bean thanks to John on Marylee missing one on the beach. That evening Steve from Cloud 9 came by for sun downers and Trigger fish fingers that Dirk fried up with some curried dipping sauce. The next morning we decided to make the trip down to Staniel Cay for, you guessed it, another cold front. What a season this has been, one front after the other has made this one windy, cold season thus far. I put my bathing suit on once so far as you usually find me wearing a light jacket right now. It was a long day motoring down to Staniel but we made lots of water and charged the batteries up nicely. The anchorage by Big Majors was crammed full of boats. I had never seen so many there before and I really didn’t want to have to fight to find a spot in there. We elected since the winds were due to come out of the North to go on the other side of the island and found a spot in about 9 feet of clear water to drop the hook in. There was only one other boat with the same idea so it was quiet except for the wakes of all the power boats and dinghy's flying by. We knew that would taper off as the evening wore on. Not 30 minutes after setting the hook you could see the front approaching with its gray cloud wall leading the way. Soon the winds and rain hit and we sat back comfortably in the cockpit with the side curtains down enjoying the rain and relaxing. We made it to Little Farmers Cay yesterday and are making the decision on how far to move south tomorrow as it depends on how large the sea state is.

Sailing from Staniel to Little Farmers, pretty pretty water



Looking from Little Farmers out to Renegade



We must leave the sound and travel on the outside at some point to make it down to Emerald Bay which is a stop that we always make. It is usually the only marina we stay at while here as they offer $1.00 foot per day on the non service docks. Non service means no electricity but that’s never been a problem. The great thing about it is that they offer free laundry with the huge front loaders and it pays for us to stay there when I have so much laundry to do. The last time I did any was when we were in the Abacos staying in Hope Town. They have great facilities as it is attached to a Sandals resort and the cruisers lounge is great with the pool table and large screen TV’s and a huge sitting room. The staff is wonderful and they greet you at the docks helping take your lines with all your paperwork in hand to sign. If you need to make a trip to the store they will take you in the golf carts if someone is available. Just don’t know what we will do when they ever finish the resort and start charging real prices. We won’t be able to afford it then so we take advantage of it now. After that our plan it to head to George Town before trying to make it over to Long Island. When and if I have internet I will update you.

Getting Out While We Can

With us having to go back into Hope Town to wait out weather we wanted to make sure we made the next weather window to make our escape down to Eleuthera. We said our goodbyes to m/v Ruby Slipper and s/v Clairvoyant who had pulled into a mooring behind us a few days earlier. We had met them while in Green Turtle and had them and their daughter over for sun downers, conch fritters and hog fish fingers with a curry mayo. It was nice to catch up with them again but it was time to go. The day before I had gone and done another 2 loads of laundry at the Lighthouse Marina.

Hope Town Lighthouse

Anyone wanting to know they have wonderful quiet facilities, all new washers and dryers and you can view the lighthouse as your clothes do their own thing. Right on the premises they have a wine and spirits store so I went in to check out the prices. I bought a bottle of Bahamian Rum for $9.95. Heck that was cheaper than one load of laundry at $10.00 a pop. I have been to Hope Town on a couple of occasions and I never checked out the laundry and spirit store before. It’s on my list now. The morning of the 27^th we got up, listened to Chris Parker, made the decision to go and so it was a quick trip to drop off the trash, get fuel, run over to the grocery to stock up on fresh veggies and then back to the boat to get out before we lose too much water due to the tides. We got out just fine and traveled a couple hours down to Lynyard Cay. The winds were predicted to be coming from the South West which affords us little to no protection. One place we tried to anchor close to the west side didn’t seem to have good holding and we didn’t feel comfortable there so we moved to an anchorage closer to Little Harbor but it was very rolly due to the ocean swells coming in. We decided to head back up to Lynyard Cay and anchor away from the island in case we drug we wouldn’t be so close. We found a sand bar in about 11 feet of water, dropped the hook and set it well. We wanted to have dinner at Pete’s Pub but with the wind being what it was it would have been one long sloppy wet ride all the way there and back. We decided to cook up a couple lobster and pasta instead. Before dinner we took a ride to the beach to see what could be found. There were several pretty shells and one sea bean I found. We then took the dinghy to the next beach over which has a trail through the scrub to the Atlantic side. There we had the beach to ourselves. Heck we had the anchorage all to ourselves; I have never seen it empty before, that should tell us something. Anyway while walking the beach I found two more sea beans and there were hundreds of sponges of all shapes and sizes littering the beach.

Two sea hearts & one hamburger sea bean

I picked up a couple cool ones and we make the trek back to the boat to cook dinner. That evening the winds laid down a bit and we actually had a pretty calm evening with only the gentle roll of the ocean swell. The following day Dirk wanted to check out the reefs and see what he could scrounge up. He said the reefs had lots of elk horn coral which he has never found to be a favorite of lobster and he did come upon a decent size shark so he decided to come closer in. He ended up collecting 4 conchs and took them to the beach to clean them. That evening we did have a couple boats come into the anchorage from Eleuthera and one that rolled past us to ask if we were heading south in the morning. He wanted to know if he could tag along with us. So at 5:30 am the alarm went off, coffee got made, and everything was situated for the ride south. We had just exited the pass and just getting the sails set when in the distance we saw about 5 huge dolphins jump out of the water at the same time making tracks for our boat. They jumped again almost like saying “ Oh a toy, let’s go play” They made a bee line for the bow of the boat and spent several minutes jumping and zigzagging just ahead of it. Before long they became bored and headed off to do what dolphins do.  It was a good sailing day, the winds weren’t too strong, we had all the sails up and we averaged over 7 knots for the fastest trip we have ever made to Eleuthera. At times we saw over 10 knots. Midway through the trip one of the two fishing lines we had out started screaming. As usual, I take the helm and put the engine in neutral and then set about getting the gaff and trash bag for Dirk. We have found if when you get the fish on board just dropping him in a large black garbage bag it makes it easier to handle. Plus it keeps the blood to a minimum on deck. He had a decent sized Mahi and got him on board and filleted in no time while I set about getting us underway again.



Dirk with the fist Mahi



We decided to pull the lines in as it was beginning to get a bit rough out. Once we hit the Northeast Providence Channel it got even a bit rougher and the winds picked up. We decided to drop the mainsail to level out the boat a bit and give us a more comfortable ride. We did this for a while until things settled a bit and with land in sight we hoisted the sail again and threw the lines back in again. Before long Dirk had hooked a barracuda and quickly sent him on his way. While we were both sitting back relaxing the line that had the cedar plug on it started screaming and Dirk jumped into action as did I. Just at that moment the line on the other side went off too so I set about trying to bring in a fish. I figured we had two more Mahi as they school together. As I got mine close to the boat Dirk told me to put the rod in the holder and he would come bring it on board while I continued to bring his fish in. We switched off and I went about bringing in another one. Actually I was almost hoping one would get free as I was getting tired and winded from the fight. Finally I had the other one close to the boat as Dirk was finishing up getting the first one on board then he came and we both landed the second. Whew, that’s tag teaming and we high fived each other in celebration.



Dirk with the second and third Mahi caught

By this time we were getting close to our way point at Egg Island and while Dirk took in some sails I took us through the reefs and started heading towards Royal Island. Earlier Dirk had called Bandit, the keeper of the moorings in Spanish Wells and was told all the moorings were taken. We had never been to Royal Island but we had to go. There is nowhere else really protected to anchor and the winds were still coming from the east. We pulled in to find only a couple boats anchored and tucked up to the island, dropped the hook and called it a day. It had been cloudy and overcast the entire day and as the sun was setting it was beginning to get cold. While Dirk set about cleaning the last two Mahi caught I made us a curried chicken dish over rice. Nice hot showers and early to bed as our plans were to head to Hatchet Bay in the morning.

All the meat packaged, not too bad and my freezer is full

We got up at 6:30 and listened to Chris Parker. The cold front that was heading our way would be here this afternoon some time and we needed to make the decision to try and outrun it to Hatchet Bay or risk getting hit by squalls all day. We decided the best thing was to stay put. Several more boats came in today looking for shelter also. We called our friends from Dea Latis and we missed them by hours here as they headed to Hatchet Bay. He reported there were no moorings available there either. He had to anchor and said there was room if we wanted to head down. We felt securely anchored here so we would stay. Tomorrow is suppose to be more of the same, rain, wind and generally nasty. As I write this it’s raining and 63 degrees. That’s way too cold for the central Bahamas and for me. On Sunday the winds were a bit calmer in the morning so Dirk decided he would take the dinghy and make the 5 mile trip to Spanish Wells to see if he could get a minute of internet to check the weather. Sunday is the only day Chris Parker doesn’t air so we were in the dark about weather as Royal Island has no amenities. No internet, no anything. It is a private Island that was bought to put a resort on but when the building boom hit bottom it affected the islands here too. Investors pulled out so it sits. You’re not suppose to dinghy to shore and since there isn’t anything there, there is no reason too. We all sat in our boats for 3 days getting cabin fever and itching for better weather. Dirk arrived back to the boat after being gone over an hour cold and wet as it was raining yet again. He did manage to get the weather and we saw we had a window to get to Hatchet Bay the next morning. Tonight however we would have high winds again. As the day progressed they did increase and we had a boat break free and start heading for a large power boat. Dirk and another guy hopped into action to help the single hand er re-anchor his boat while all the power boater did was put out fenders and pull his dinghy out of the way, pick up anchor and move. Thanks for the help jack nut. Apparently we had one more boat drag as the next morning there was one boat repositioned. The next morning we awoke to calmer winds and headed south to Hatchet Bay where I will pick up next time. Till then.......

To Tahiti Beach & Beyond

I left you at Tahiti Beach the last time and this is where I shall pick it up with some photos of our stay.



Tahiti Beach anchorage



Tahiti Beach loaded with coconut palms

Looking back to the beach at low tide.

Renegade and Dea Latis



Dirk getting us some fresh coconuts



The anchorage was fairly empty the first evening with only about 5 boats in it. The next day however it began to fill up as there was a cruisers race close to Hope Town and I think once people finished racing they headed down to the anchorage. Being a live aboard cruiser I can’t imagine why these people want to race their houses. Well most of the people that cruise only live aboard the boat while cruising and return to their homes once done and so they only carry on board what is needed. I don’t need my stuff flying about as I have that enough already. Dirk and Dave had gone hunting that day and were gone for a couple hours returning with only a small hog fish. Dirk said the reefs they visited looked dead and some looked bleached which is a shame. For those not familiar, some people will actually take bleach and take it over the reefs to flush the fish and lobster out and kill them. This is illegal and it has huge impacts on the reefs and all the fish it comes in contact with. It actually bleaches and kills the reef and all the fish. What a shame as the people that do that are only hurting themselves for future hunting.  Once Dirk got the hog fish filleted he pan cooked it and I made a smoked fish dip out of it. It wasn’t my best batch but it was edible. Later on he decided that it was so calm that he would try it again. He returned with nothing but said he enjoyed his snorkeling. As the sun went down we sat on the back with a sundowner enjoying some music and just relaxing. On the 21^st we decided to pick up anchor and head down to Tilloo Bank and drop the hook close to the island as the winds were suppose to pick up from the east. We took the short cut which meant we had to wait for a rising tide to take the channel by Lubbers Cay which is the home of Cracker P’s. We inched our way through and found 6.5 feet a couple times. We draw 5.6 and it makes you hold your breath till you at least see that 7 foot mark again. Its only sand on the bottom but still with the width of our keel she would sit there like she did in Vero Beach until the tide came up a bit. Dea Latis was about 15 minutes behind us and set the hook right beside us. We were the only two boats here and that evening we had sun downers and when the sun went down the guys blew the conchs to mark the passing of another beautiful day.

Insert photos

Dirk & Dave blowing conchs at sunset

The next day was a bit overcast and drab but we had plans to take the dinghies across the sea of abaco to Snake Cay. It’s a nice little dingy trail with shallows that house many starfish, stingrays, and turtles.



Beautiful large cushion starfish we had photo opps with




Dave and Tanya's turn, then we returned him to his home back in the water



It’s beautiful when the sun is out because you can see right through the turquoise water but with the cloud cover it was hard to see really anything. By the time we were through the trail the sun was getting low on the horizon and we had about a 2 mile ride back in rough water. We had to head north a bit in order to turn back south and head to the boat as the waves were too big to take on the nose. I got quiet the workout as I find it is easier to ride in the dingy standing up and holding onto a rope. I call it doing my palates because there is so much balancing to do and your core muscles really feel it. Not to mention the legs. As we were getting closer to the boat the sun was just sitting on the horizon and was sinking fast. We had split up from Dave and Tanya as they chose a different route back and they move a little slower. As soon as I was back on board I put the anchor light on so they could see our location and got the binoculars out to scan the horizon. I was beginning to worry when I didn’t see them for a bit and then in the distance I saw a speck coming into view. Whew, had me worried for a minute. After a long day we grabbed a shower and some dinner then called it a day. While in the Tillo Bank area Dirk and Dave took the opportunity to do a little hunting and they both scored 3 lobster apiece. The bigger one was an 11 inch tail and the other two were about 7 inches.I don't think were going hungry anytime soon. Yippie.....



Not bad for a days catch




This is his biggie for the season

The next morning we listened to the weather guru Chris Parker and checked our favorite online weather sites. Not one of them was giving us a favorable forecast for heading south. We had a weather day to get south to Eleuthera but the thing is, once you are in Eleuthera you don’t have many choices of where to go and anchor. The winds in the near future are due to be in the 30 knot range and the holding in many areas is iffy at beast. After talking it over we made the decision to head back to Hope Town and wait the weather front out while our friends on Dea Latis made the decision to try and make the hop to Eleuthera. They have friends that were flying in and really needed to make this crossing. One reason why Dirk and I make it a rule that you can pick the time or the place to fly in but you can’t pick both. We are basically at the mercy of the weather and when Mother Nature says you’re not moving, you don’t move. We said our goodbyes and we hope to run into them again on down the road. Dirk was enjoying having someone that liked to hunt buddy along with him. We have since heard they made the crossing just fine and made it to Spanish Wells just fine. We slipped back into Hope Town and grabbed a mooring. I was worried that they may be full with people preparing to wait the weather out like us. We really didn’t want to have to spend a week in an overcrowded, busy Marsh Harbor at anchor where we would have to worry about dragging or being hit by a dragging boat. We grabbed a shower, cleaned up the boat a bit and decided to head into Captain Jacks for a burger and a beer.



Hope Town Lighthouse



Another photo of the lighthouse from our mooring




While doing laundry I found this pretty hibiscus

On the way back we noticed there was a boat we had met in Tahiti Beach on a mooring so we ended up going over to say hello. They invited us aboard and we chatted a bit before heading back to Renegade and calling it a night. The next day the winds were suppose to be calm and Dirk took the opportunity to go hunting. He took off about 10:45 and didn’t return until about 3pm. We kept in contact via radio and he returned with 4 lobsters and a conch. Time to start freezing these so we have some for our guest when they arrive. We had Linda & Bill from m/v Ruby Slipper over for sun downers and sat on the back chatting by almost a full moon.



Bill & Linda M/V Ruby Slipper

Bill wanted to go hunting, so Dirk and him took off about 11 the following day to check out some other reefs. Many hours later they returned and Dirk had gotten 2 more conchs, 2 more lobsters and 1 nice sized hog fish. Bill didn’t do so well but he had fun anyway. This morning as I write this the winds have picked up just a small amount. We are looking and waiting for our next weather window which seems to be ever changing in order to hop down to Lynyard Cay and then make the day long crossing to Spanish Wells in Eleuthera. Till then……

Through the Whale Passage and Onto Other Places in the Abacos

We pulled anchor about 9ish on the morning of the 11^th to make the trip across the Whale Passage and onto Great Guana Cay. The Whale Passage is a short ride to the Atlantic, through a set a reefs and back down into the sea of Abaco. The only way to avoid it is basically have a boat with just about no draft so you can go across the shallows. Most boats however cannot do that. I took the opportunity when we first took off to do a bit of house cleaning, vacuuming and such. Just about the only time I can vacuum is when the engine is running or the generator and I want to take advantage of the power. All was nice and calm for a bit but then as we got closer to the inlet it started getting very rolly. The cat and I went upstairs in the cockpit. I knew he would be getting sick and I wanted to control the damage. I had not prepared as I should have and before long I was hearing items falling out of shelves and rolling around. I headed below to tie everything down and as I did I watched the TV swing very hard away from the wall. Geeeze, I quickly tied it in place and set about laying lamps down putting kitchen items inside the sink. We radioed back to Dave & Tanya on s/v Dea Latis to be prepared. They pulled anchor about an hour after we had and I wanted them to be ready for this. The waves and wind built and a couple times we saw seven foot waves and took them on our side. We slightly changed our course to take them more on the nose but one can’t be too off course due to the reefs that sit right below the surface. We trudged on and on until we finally made our turn back into the channel and headed for Fishers Bay in Great Guana. We found a nice sandy patch and dropped the hook burying it in up to the shaft. After settling in, cleaning up and having a shower Dirk and I headed into town to Nippers. We were 2 of about 6 others there including the workers. We decided to walk the beach and soak in some of the scenery. Just a reminder, you can click on any image and enlarge it for better viewing.



The Atlantic looking from Nippers



Dirk Enjoying his beach walk



After returning from our walk we ordered two frozen nippers and settled back to watch the ocean lap away at the shoreline. Soon after, Dave & Tanya from Dea Latis showed up and joined us.

After sitting and chatting for a bit we decided to take a walk down to Grabbers to grab a bite to eat and have a frozen grabber while watching the sun set. There use to be a dock here that dinghy's could tie up to but with the hurricane that came through last summer it has been taken out. So now you just have to beach them. On shore instead sits a barge boat that they use to move cars about from island to island. I'm sure its final resting place is here as they are on island time here and it will rust before it is moved.

We also noticed a huge container ship sitting on the reefs as we came back through the whale passage. As we sat watching the sun set the mosquitoes and no see ums did a changing of the guard with the flies. It was time to make tracks back to the boats.



Dave & Tanya from s/v Dea Latis



Beautiful sunset




Our dinghy with Renegade far right in the anchorage



The following morning Dirk and I took the dinghy out to the Atlantic through a small cut in the island. The waves were rolly but not too rough. He did manage to bag a lobster and after a bit we called it quits, headed back to the boat and prepared to head to Marsh Harbor. It was time to restock the fresh fruits and veggies and they have a great grocery store here.



Dirk & I enjoying a night out at Snappas




Marsh Harbor anchorage from Snappas



We ended up staying several days here due to the winds and on the day after Valentine’s day we took off for Hope Town because we wanted a good hidey hole to wait out a passing cold front that was expected to bring winds into the 40 knot range. I’m glad we left Marsh Harbor early as we needed to have a rising tide to get into the entrance. Once we got in we realized just how crowded and full they were. Dirk went forward to look for open moorings as I drove Renegade through the maze of floating obstacles. Can I say I was just a wee bit nervous about it? Usually I pick up the moorings as Dirk does the operations but today we switched and we got hooked up without a problem. Our friends on Dea Latis followed in about 30 minutes after us and picked up the ball next to us. About a half an hour after that a squall decided to grace us and within a matter of seconds the boats were being blown around. Geeeeze, where did that come from? There was a couple next to us trying to pick up a mooring during this and Dirk took the dinghy out to assist them. Within a short amount of time I think every ball in the harbor was full, and they stack them close.

Dea Latis sitting right in front of us



Renegade in Hope Town, love the red & white lighthouse



All that evening and the following day it rained on and off. Wasn’t so bad as our decks needed a good fresh water wash down. We had Dave & Tanya over for cards at about 5 which is what time the winds started. By the time they left that evening we were having winds clocking about 28 knots steady. As the evening went on we clocked winds gusting to 40 and had to keep setting the high wind alarm higher and higher as we wouldn’t get any sleep with all the beeping. Throughout the night I would wake up as I would feel the boat swing on the mooring and come to an abrupt stop, the whole while hoping the mooring held. The next morning the winds had died a bit and Dirk was ready to check out the reefs once again. I stayed behind as did Dave and he returned with a couple conch and one lobster he nabbed. Later on we ventured into town and walked the beach. It was nice to get off the boat for a change.



Hope Town streets are so bright and cheery



The Hook House where my sister vacationed



Atlantic view just off the Hook House



Borrowed from Dea Latis, this is Hope Town Harbor with I believe Renegade circled in red. Like I said, they pack them tight.



The next day both Dirk & Dave went hunting and Tanya and I did the laundry and hit the harborview grocery which is nice as you can just dinghy up to it. One dozen eggs, 2 bell peppers and 2 onions set me back $7.50. Guess it could be worse like the $10.00 I paid to do one load of laundry. Ah, not to complain, I’m in paradise. Later the guys came back with one lobster and 7 or eight conchs. They took them to the beach to clean them and then took some time to make Dave a conch horn. I assume he spent some time practicing as by sunset he had it playing very well. Today we headed to Tahiti beach where I write this. So let me go enjoy the sunset and I will catch up again soon.