Great Boat

Georgetown is full of fancy dancy boats. They are big, spacious, and have all the stuff. Cruisers know what "all the stuff" is and the rest of you would be dreadfully bored. The eyes grow numb with all the gleaming chrome and shining glass. This boat, however, won the big fun boat award and was worth a second look.

Race Postponed

The wind began howling on Monday and by Regatta Tuesday the waves outside the harbor were picking up to 6 feet. Many hardy sailors live by the motto "Gotta Regatta" and would have persevered, but more sober hearts argued to re-schedule the event. Georgetown seems to be the place where refrigeration units and water makers come to die even in the best of conditions. Pounding seas and intense competition could lead to a wave of serious infirmities, both for the sailors and their boats.

Around the Corner

Sometimes it must seem that these pictures and words come from a pastel land of sweetness. We can be lulled by the blue sky and sea, only to wake up with a start. Several days ago we ambled our way through islands in the early morning. Following the channel east, we found a small run about crashed up on the rocks, its motors still running hard. The bow was stove in and the steering console was overturned. A dog lay on the floor of the boat, stunned, but without any visible injury. There was no one on the boat and no sign of anyone in the water or on the land. Other cruisers arrived, emergency calls were placed, and a search began. After almost an hour, small work boats with local men appeared. Some boats held piles of conch or chum; one had several silent, watching children. They began their search for the man they knew as a neighbor or friend. When we finally left, he still had not been found.

Life in Small

So much of the time we spend looking at the expansive vistas, sky and sea going on beyond our vision. Then, a glance at our feet can open the door to a tiny world. While walking on the beach near Black Point we found a cluster of 1/2 cup pools with beautiful small shells. Expecting a window into the calm slow world of creeping mollusks, we were surprise to find the shells were a flock of hermit crabs, which bounded through the water and tussled together. Due our poor vision, we could not tell if we were watching desperate warfare or an orgy.

Welcome to the Campground

The Land and Sea Park of the Exumas has added mooring fields at several islands, including the south anchorage at Warderick wells, Shroud Cay, and Little Bell Island. In these areas anchoring is either completely prohibited or moved out into deeper and less protected waters. The moorings create a cosy little trailer park of boats parked cheek to jowl. There is even a campground host and hostess, extremely nice people who buzz around the anchorage to share the rules and regulations for anchoring. Always be careful to leave plenty of room for a 60 foot pleasure craft. Honey, somehow we've landed in a KOA (Kampground of Am-Canada).

Water Spout

We saw our first water spout in the Bahamas while heading south towards Bell Island. We changed course to avoid it and it seemed be avoiding us as well. This picture does not capture its frightening quality when seen from a 33 foot sail boat.

Beware the Iron Shore

Advice is good, tales of death and destruction can be helpful, but there is nothing like a beach walk to teach about the need for making wise decisions on a boat.

Hopping down the Islands

We stopped at Allen's Cay for the night and had a brief beach walk to give our respects to the Iguana colony. Without the traditional offering of fruit, we were of little interest to them. The next day we anchored at Shroud Cay and waited out a front for 2 days, exploring the mangrove lined streams and isolated beaches.

Traveling South

We left the dirty water of Marsh Harbor and sailed for 15 hours to Royal Island, anchoring on its shore at midnight. The next morning at 7:30 we were on our way through the Fleeminng Channel to the Exumas. For most of the day there were no other boats, no land, and very little sea life, except for the coral heads. 6 adult and 2 toddler dolphins did have fun and games in our bow wave during the afternoon, but otherwise we were alone.

Marsh Harbor

We anchored in Marsh Harbor for provisions and dumping trash. Dumping trash is usually expensive in the islands so the free garbage disposal at Marsh Harbor becomes very attractive as the boat fills up. We stayed several days roaming, picking up provisions, and enjoying good life and food with Lulu and Gigi on Roi Soleil. We also learned a few things. In difficult times, we (especially Maria) will try to remember "Sometimes it is urgent to do nothing." Unfortunately, out best picture of Lulu and Gigi comes from last year's Junkanoo. We dusted it off for this year and really, none of us have aged a bit.

Whale Cut

After several days of high winds, we followed Roi Soleil out of Manjack Harbor and its comfortable mooring. To head south we needed to sail through Whale Cut to the Exuma sound. This passage is quite rough in less than good conditions and the seas from the last several days were high. All morning on the VHF we heard the constant anxious chatter of other boaters debating about whether to take the Whale or wait for more settled conditions. A complicated communication network developed for sharing news and consternation: "I'm getting closer, but I can't see anything yet." Although waves were breaking over the small islands, we dodged a few crashing 12 footers and had a very manageable passage

Actually, about the anchor

Our stay at Manjack coincided with a series of winter fronts which brought high winds and seas. Without making any excuses about Manjack Harbor, turtle grass, or the limitations of the Bruce anchor; we will admit that on our first night our anchor dragged during some wind gusts. In the dark, the rain, and the howling, we set off to secure the boat. Maria pulled up the anchor 3 times to get a successful set while Vinnie drove around the bay, attempting to avoid the rocky iron shore, other boats, and their anchors. It seems that on land you can live fairly anonymously, but problems on a boat are guaranteed to make you the evening show for everyone else. Bless Bill and Leslie. After our busy night of entertaining they gave us a secure mooring where we have comfortably rocked through the passing storms.

Friends

The tradition of daily beach hikes and trash clean up continue. Again we have undeniable proof that all manufacturing of shoes should stop immediately since every person on the earth can have three of four unmatched pairs of well fitting shoes from the beaches of the Bahamas. Our international exploratory group includes Sasha from Croatia and Australia, Gigi and Lulu from Switzerland (25 years of round the world cruising), and Roger from Australia. Oh, and Maria from Grand Rapids Michigan.

Expert consultation

Fortunately, there are plenty of Grassquits who maintained sobriety and are able to provide free and expert assistance with Internet problems or software issues. Lucky Vinnie.

Bird alcoholism

Unfortunately, the some of the native bird population also demonstrate a poor tolerance of alcohol and a tendency towards substance abuse. Bananaquits are especially susceptible to the effects of Kahlua and became hostile and possessive of "their bottle".

Bird heaven

The bananaquits and grassquits continue to fly in and out of the house, claiming the hanging begonia as their sovereign territory and defending it from invaders. As a conquering army, the birds did not feel any compulsion to maintain basic hygienic measures, making them problematic house guests.

Manjack Plantation and Winery

The yard and flowers are still beautiful and since our visit last year, Bill and Leslie had become chicken herders and bee keepers. The bees seemed to keep better than the chickens are at following even simple directions. Most mornings find Leslie striding across the yard with a cursing chicken under her arm and an agitated and aggressive rooster at her side.

Bill and Leslie

It was wonderful to find that Bill and Leslie were healthy and living well.

Return to Manjack

Unlike the dramatic events of last year, we had an uneventful and calm crossing to the Bahamian Banks. After clearing customs our first stop was Manjack Cay. We had missed the pleasure of Christmas on the island, but it was great to be back and we anchored in the harbor. Securely we hoped...

Boatwork

Some of you have asked about life in the boatyard and all the incomprehensible jobs that we ramble on and on about: transmissions, alternators, regulators, stern tubes, stuffing boxes. Sometimes do you ever wonder if we are just making it up? The work isn't the stuff of photographs, but we can show the setting. Here is Vinnie, getting into position for work and his predestined destination, the motor compartment, aka the dark hole.