Arrived in Marsh Harbour, Abacos, Bahamas

We are anchored off of Man-O-War Cay near Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas after a 180 mile passage from Staniel Cay in the Exumas.
In the southern Bahamas the Exumas are the main cruising grounds and George Town is the main town. In the northern Bahamas the Abacos are the main cruising grounds and Marsh Harbour is the main town. It is another place with thousands of places to anchor and travel can be done in the protection of the barrier reef and the Cays that lie to the north of Grand Abaco Island. In fact the barrier reef is the 3rd longest in the world.

After we explore the area for a while we will be ready for the jump up the east coast of the US.
We are right now due south of Kingston and need to go from 26 degrees north to 44 degrees north or about 1100 miles due north. The next passage will be to one of Charleston, SC or Beaufort, NC or right to the Chesapeake Bay inHampton, VA depending on the weather.

When we get a good Internet connection we will upload the latest video and pictures.

Jon

Staniel Cay, Bahamas

     Here’s a recap of the trip through the Exuma Islands so far. After leaving George Town last Wednesday and spending the first night at Lee Stocking Island, we did another short day sail to a spot called Cave Cay Cut. Many of these small “cuts” exist along the long stretch of the Exumas (the shallower western side of these islands is known as “the bank” and the deeper eastern side as “the sound"). The water is dazzling everywhere along the bank side; always a clear and sparkling tropical blue. That afternoon spent at Cave Cay Cut, Sarah, Jamie and I donned our snorkel gear to explore the shallows along the shore, which had a long rocky ledge worn away underneath by the constant motion of tides. Small fish, corals and other sea life clung to the rocky walls, magical as always.
    
     The next morning we left CCC through large choppy waves created by the wind pushing against a receding tide and sailed to Staniel Cay, where we’ve remained since. For the first time in ages we’ve experienced strange currents created by the rise and fall of tides. Sometimes we look above to find the boat facing a strange direction and the water moving slowly by, which makes it feel like we are moving despite being firmly anchored. When Jamie went swimming back at Lee Stocking Island he almost floated away with the current and had to swim fairly hard to get back to the ladder.


     Staniel Cay has several spots to anchor and protection from different wind directions. Dad chose it primarily because some bad weather came through last weekend and it offers protection from a west wind. We had an unsettled night on Saturday when a barrage of rain and lightning came through. It was the only lightning we’ve seen on the trip that felt close and threatening. The anchor alarm was set to a short distance that night, so as we swung around with the wind and changing tides it went off at least three times. The next morning, our dinghy was half full of rainwater, which had poured down in a constant, pounding stream all night long. Since the storm the weather has been fairly good, but with stronger winds so we plan to stay here until Thursday or so.


    Staniel Cay is an interesting spot to visit. First, it is the site of “Thunderball Cave,” a beautiful snorkeler’s delight where scenes from the James Bond movie “Thunderball” and the movie “Splash” were filmed. With its wonderful variety of fish, various crevices to explore, small openings to swim through, and lots of colourful coral, it quickly became our favourite snorkel spot of the entire trip. With the strong currents created by tides in this area we had to be sure to visit at slack low tide, and even then a fairly strong current flowed through the opening on one side, through the domed central area, and out the side facing "the bank" where the dinghy moorings sit. Holes in the domed ceiling of the cave allow light to filter through, making everything sparkle like colourful crystal.


     A second feature of Staniel Cay is a section ashore with hiking trails. These trails meander over crumbly limestone that has been formed into some interesting patterns by wind and waves. In some spots the rock resembles the flaky, layered inside of a pastry, in other spots it looks like a dusty white moonscape. One beach over from the hiking trails has a whole area covered in white rock that has this moonscape feeling as well. The rock is incredibly soft and crumbly, so climbing up the hills sides in sandals felt a bit unstable, but the view of our anchorage and the water in the distance was spectacular.


     Staniel Cay also has a small town with marinas and an airport with daily charter flights. Doing a serious re-provisioning here isn’t really an option, but there is a small bakery and a few shops to peruse. The island beside us (Big Majors Spot) supposedly has freckled pigs on it that will swim out to a boat for scraps on occasion, but the beach on our side doesn’t have any trails leading across it and the bushes would be hard to trek through.

That’s all to tell for now, so until next time.

Nicole.

On George Town etc.

The passage overnight to George Town in the Bahamas was okay. After arriving, our thoughts always quickly turn to the surroundings and the details of the passage fade into the background. We motored a long way in behind a long reef and Stocking Island to an anchorage across the bay from George Town, a small community that caters largely to cruisers. Days passed quickly in that anchorage, where we were surrounded by many other cruising boats, some of which had been there for months.

George Town is well known in the cruising world for being the last anchorage before the open ocean must be faced to travel into the Caribbean. Our guide mentioned that many people sailing in the Bahamas have ended up in George Town and decided to stay in this haven much longer than planned, often giving up entirely on traveling any further south.

After visiting the beach on the ocean side of Stocking Island I have to say that I certainly can't blame them. The entire well-protected shore of the island was dotted with anchored boats, and three small coves shelter boats on mooring balls, including many that look like they've become permanent fixtures in the area. For long-term cruisers the area offers many things: lots of eccentric fellow-cruisers for company, good provisioning and amenities in George Town, gorgeously clear shallow waters, and miles of amazing beach.

Every Wednesday the propane truck pulls in promptly at eleven. It only comes once a week and we were lucky enough to ask a jolly cruiser on the dock about where to get propane on Tuesday, or else we might have missed it completely (he also happily supplied the information that one can grab a beer to pass the time while waiting for the tank to be filled). Jamie and Dad went to meet the truck the next day and Jamie found it incredibly amusing to watch as a multitude of white haired male cruisers (who all looked alike with their sun-bleached, salt-stained, button-up shirts)started to line up their propane tanks. Every third guy smiled and asked where the front of the line was and would then jokingly put their propane tank at the front of the line and laugh at his own cleverness. It would seem that the boys took part in what is likely a weekly ritual for those long-term eccentrics who spend months kicking it back in the lazy waters around George Town. It's funny to say, but a lot of the full-time cruisers have started to look alike to me, and this little encounter perfectly portrays their laid back attitude.

The beach on the ocean-side of the island was by far the most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Pink-white sand stretches for several miles, backed by large sand dunes covered in tiny palm trees, mangroves and rustling grasses. It reminded us of the beaches in Cape Hatteras, but with the added benefit of incredibly soft sand and perfect, crystal clear turquoise water that we couldn't seem to get enough of. Every time I looked up at the layers of blue and green extending out from the golden beach I felt a renewed sense of awe at its beauty. I wish I could capture those colours and take them home with me.
Surrounded by such loveliness the days passed swiftly while we swam, sunned, walked, and tried to soak it all in. Dad and Jamie even got out kiteboarding in the surf when the wind picked up. They had a great time boosting off waves and riding the choppy surf over reef and sand alike.

This beach was strangely empty during the majority of our time there. The occasional person would pass us while taking a beach walk, or would come down for a swim and some sun, but compared to the large number of boats anchored in the area it was starkly empty. We found it baffling that people wouldn't want to spend more time on such an amazing beach. The sheltered side of the island had a few small beaches that other cruisers appeared to frequent more often, including 'Volleyball Beach,' where people gathered to play volleyball and enjoy refreshments from the beach bar. Swimming ashore on our first day there we discovered that several large stingrays happily swim right up to your feet in the shallows off the beach. I suppose this beach offered more social opportunities, but for us it was far outclassed by the pristine beauty of the ocean-side beach.

Other than enjoying the beach and the friendliness of people in George Town, we spent a lot of time relaxing and trying to keep busy in our own ways (sometimes reading, sometimes watching movies from our movie collection, which is becoming quite sparse lately since we've pretty much watched everything already and have no way of refreshing it). We've all quickly realized that having a hobby like reading is essential to survive the cruising lifestyle, and everyone has started to read a lot more than they ever did before. Although we have all had an amazing time on this trip, most of us are definitely ready to be heading home. I find myself daydreaming about all the little luxuries and conveniences of home more and more over the last weeks. But we will soon be passing out of these amazing blue-green waters into the sadly less-exciting dark blue waters of the east coast, so for the next few weeks we will do our best to enjoy them as we explore the beautiful Bahamas.

Today we left George Town and did a day trip to a lovely spot behind another Stocking Island (this one is Lee Stocking Island). The water colour is just as nice here, although the tides create strange currents that leave us facing in random directions. Tomorrow we will continue to make our way along the outside of the Exumas to another spot further north called Rudder Cut Cay. I will try to keep up with posts as our journey northwards continues.

All the best,
Nicole.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

George Town, Bahamas

 Here are some pictures from Mayaguana and George Town. I will write about George Town soon, but have to say that the beach on Stocking Island, behind which we are anchored, is the most perfect beach I could ever imagine!

Nicole.

A nurse shark, a barracuda and a starfish

Going ashore at Mayaguana

Stocking Island, Bahamas

 

Tales of Mayaguana

     Arriving at the remote island of Mayaguana last Thursday was a relief. The passage was smooth, but four days and nights at sea with not much to do but sit and think random thoughts can be very tiresome. The water inside the reef was the clearest of blues, like the most perfect sandy pool imaginable. We tucked in behind the reef several miles from the small town and far from the beachy reef-strewn shoreline. While Dad made the trek to town to check into the Bahamas the rest of us set about tidying the boat. There's something about cleaning and eliminating all traces of a passage that is so necessary for us after arriving. Lee cloths go away (sling-like pieces of fabric that keep us from falling out of bed during a passage), life jackets and harnesses are stowed, smelly clothes are washed, and we start to feel like normal human beings again.

     Over the passage we celebrated our second birthday at sea when Jamie turned 20 on April 4th. We had a belated celebration with some of Sarah's perfect brownies instead of a cake. I don't think many people in the world can claim to have turned 20 while at sea…it certainly makes for an interesting story!

     We spent the next few days swimming in the perfect blue water and trying to ignore the messy swell that came over the outlying reef at high tide. While snorkeling around the boat one day Jamie spotted a nurse shark slowly circling towards us. The water was so clear that Mom and Sarah could see it perfectly from the boat deck. It swam closer and closer until it passed us by about 15 feet away! It was my first shark sighting and although I was calm at first, as it got closer I tried to scramble into the dinghy. Nurse sharks are basically just fish and not thought to be dangerous at all, but still, when a 5 foot-long sea creature starts swimming towards you it is pretty unsettling! Funnily, a huge barracuda kept following the shark around, hovering right behind it. I couldn't help but wonder if it was just hoping for handouts or trying to irritate the shark. Maybe they're buddies?

     On the second day, Sarah, Jamie and I were determined to go ashore, despite the reef that blocks the entire shoreline. I mean, what's the point in having an island that is basically just one huge white beach when you can't even get to it! So we ended up weaving through coral heads, past a nurse shark in the shallows and the fastest turtle that ever lived, and pulled the dinghy up onto some crunchy turtle grass a few feet from the beach. Along the shore rocky coral rose from sand composed of colourful corals broken down by the sea and beyond the beach was a forest of scrubby bushes and trees, empty of life except for the sound of distant birds.

     Savouring the sense of freedom at being on land after so many days we wandered along the beach and picked through all the debris that had washed ashore in storms. So many random objects were scattered everywhere: old sinks, fishing nets, colourful frayed rope, glass bottles, wooden bits, plastic bins and even old rotting shoes. I tried to imagine being shipwrecked here and thought about how useful all these objects could be for someone lost on an island. We kept an old piece of wood carved in the bowl-like shape and enjoyed lying in the sun for a while. While on the beach the tide went out so our dinghy was completely beached by the time we wanted to leave. Having grown up around lakes and rivers makes us so unconscious of tides sometimes.

     That night we were all compelled to go up on deck as the sun set to gaze at the golden glow of a full moon. On looking in the water we were shocked to see the dark and ominous shape of a nurse shark sleeping right below us! As the sun set the shark remained shockingly visible lurking below on the white bottom- a testament to just how clear the water is here. The shark was back again the next day and we couldn't help but wonder if it was the same one returning again and again. I guess they like hanging around boats and with so many shark sightings already I have a feeling we're going to encounter more interesting sea life in the Bahamas than anywhere else.

     While at Mayaguana only two other boats arrived to anchor beside us, so we were often the only people for miles around (any other boats there anchored over by the town where we were wary of going because of the depth). It was a strange place, being so empty of people and civilization, but a beautiful one for its untouched remoteness.

More to come soon on our time in George Town,
Nicole.
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

George Town, Bahamas

We safely arrived in George Town, Bahamas this afternoon after a 190 NM passage in very nice conditions. The water colours are amazing. I think we will like the Bahamas!
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Passage - Mayaguana to George Town

We are on passage from Mayaguana, Bahamas to George Town, Exumas, Bahamas. George Town is the most popular cruising destination in the Bahamas. We plan to spend a couple of days there re-provisioning the boat and then plan to cruise north in the more remote Exumas. The passage is about 190 NM and we are down to 145 NM to go. We have a beautiful day with 15-18 knot wind from the East and 7 foot seas. We should reach George Town some time tomorrow afternoon.
Jon
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Fourth Day - Mayaguana, Bahamas

We are approaching the anchorage on Mayaguana, Bahamas. This is a very remote island with a population of a couple of hundred people. The anchorage (Abrahams Bay) looks like a paradise behind an almost completely enclosed reef. On the fourth day out of the BVI's we managed 120 NM with some nice sailing and 12 hours of motor sailing. There was a 7 foot north swell combined with the chop from the SE winds making for a rolly sea that was better to travel in by motor sailing.
Its nice to put the 530 NM behind us and we will rest for a few days looking for a weather window to move to George Town in the Exumas.
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Third Day

On the second day out of the BVI's we managed 136 NM with some nice sailing and about 3 hours of motoring. So far we have been doing much more sailing than expected. We are located about 20 NM NE of Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. The possible stops are Providenciales (Turks and Caicos) about 70 NM to the NE, Mayaguana (Bahamas) about 130 NM to the NE or George Town (Exuma, Bahamas) about 310 NM to the NE.
The water is currently calm and we are expected the wind to fill in from the E in the next few hours.
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Second Day

On the second day out of the BVI's we managed 128 NM with a combination of a very nice upwind sail into an unheard of west wind and motoring overnight after the wind dropped to nothing. We are located about 125 NM NE of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
The water is currently calm and we are expected the wind to fill in from the NE in the next few hours.
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Good First Day

We have been able to sail the entire first day doing about 125 miles in 24 hours, not bad considering the light winds. We flew the spinnaker for much of the day before nightfall.
We are just passing the western tip of Puerto Rico about 70 miles offshore.
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

Trip to Turks and Caicos or Bahamas

We will be on our way this morning from the BVI to either Turks and Caicos or the Bahamas. The weather is expected to be very light so it will be a long, slow trip. We may turn the SPOT on just once a day to update position if the conditions are really slow.
I will let you know how the trip is progressing via email.
Jon

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com