4.14/Tuesday George Town
I wanted to go back to the beach this morning to search for “more” shells. The winds blew 15-20 knots last night producing strong waves that would push more shells on the beach. When I spoke with Frank and Barb, they were planning to go to the cut where we snorkel, but changed their minds because it was very chilly this morning. The three of us rode the dinghy to the shore and walked the beach for several hours. The shell seeking wasn’t what I had thought it would be, but I still came home with a zip bag full.
After lunch we rode the dinghy over to St. Frances Resort, meeting Sunseeker and Night Star. We walked the beach, and then stopped at the resort restaurant for drinks and dinner. The winds blew 15-20 knots all day making the dinghy ride back to Little Wing bumpy and wet.
4.19/Sunday George Town
We didn’t get off the boat today. The winds blew 15-20 knots from the east all day, resulting in rolling waves that would drench you even at low speed. I finished another book, The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, searched for another book to read, worked on the blog, played spider solitaire on the computer and lounged in the cockpit.
There was a little excitement at Volleyball Beach this afternoon; a hit and run accident with an out-of-control speed boat ramming a sailboat. We kept up with the drama via the VHF radio as boaters were monitoring the speed boat, getting his identification numbers, calling the water police, and trying to detain the driver of the boat as he was pulling his boat out of the water. Hopefully, we can get the whole story tomorrow morning on the Cruiser’s Net.
I haven’t told you about the nudist on a sailboat anchored close to us. He did come out on the deck yesterday, casually walking around the deck. I am not sure if he had a project or if he just needed to get outside. His boat name is Gypsy Venus and his home port is Key West, Florida. Maybe that explains his dress code!
4.20/Monday George Town
I had hoped the weather forecast would be favorable for our departure tomorrow, but that isn’t going too happened. We still have 10-15 and 15-20 knot winds with 4-7 foot waves out front, which would result in a rough ride north. Who knows when we will be leaving! The good thing about staying is the opportunity to participate in the National Family Sailing Regatta festivities the latter part of the week. We have been told this is the largest regatta in the Bahamas and the activities occur both on the water and in George Town.
I spent the morning doing laundry the old fashion way; washing in a bucket, wringing out the water, and then hanging the clothes on the boat lifelines. Steve and I spent a lazy afternoon reading and watching boats come and go.
4.21/Tuesday George Town
The weather does not want to cooperate with our departure. It was a cloudy morning and the forecast predicts 4-7 foot seas and 15-20 knot winds. Maybe Thursday we can leave based on the predictions.
I am getting a little stir crazy on the boat – I have got to get off and go somewhere! After lunch we rode the dinghy to the beach and hiked over the hill to the ocean. Wouldn’t you know it, the sea was calm! Gentle rolling waves not even a foot high. Why do we even listen to the weather forecast? This would have been a perfect day to head north. Steve was upset also. We didn’t say much to each other on the walk back to the dinghy, knowing how disappointed we both were that we had not checked the ocean earlier in the day. We probably would have departed this morning after looking at the waves.
We are watching movies at night while the generator runs. Frank and Barb had a library of DVD’s they loaned us for the duration of our stay. That has kept us entertained.
4.22/Wednesday George Town
Another cold front is moving in to the area bring with it strong winds and large waves. We pretty much have determined that we will not be able to leave until Sunday or Monday. We need to make a trip into George Town to purchase groceries, diesel fuel, and use the Internet to call home today. With the regatta starting today, I wanted to enjoy the festivities and take photos of the races.
Frank and Barb were going in early so I hitched a ride with them, planning to take care of calling home first, and then buy groceries. Steve needed to hang around the boat while the generator charged the batteries for the day, but once that was finished; he was going to dinghy into town to meet me. Every time we make this trip Steve brings the water jugs to refill. Do you know how much water you use in a day? We don’t want to run low, so Steve continues to replenish our tanks on board each time we get close to the shore and the “free” water supply.
I stopped by Mom’s Bakery, which is just a van parked on the side of the street, to purchase her whole wheat bread on my way to the Internet Cafe. Steve and I decided instead of bring my laptop into town and risking something happening to it, like getting wet, I would just use their phone and call Catherine and Jessica. Once I left a message with Catherine and talked with Jessica, I walked to the Tourist Office to get a regatta booklet and headed to the Exuma Market to purchase the groceries. I radioed Steve when I finished shopping so he could meet me at the dinghy dock to pick up the groceries. Again we filled the water jugs for his return trip.
While he was unloading the groceries on the boat, I walked around George Town. For several days, workers have been building “shacks” along the road leading to the point of Elizabeth Harbor. I imagined this area to resemble something like the streets in Birmingham during “City Stages,” but I found mostly bars and a few food stands. I think there is going to be a lot of alcohol consumed in the next few days!
George, Karen, and I watched the second race at noon sitting along a block wall in Regatta Park with other Bahamians.
Look at my photos on the Picasa link. There are three classes of sloops racing based on certain standards. I surmise from my observations these standards revolve around size of boat, number of crew members allowed on the boat, and size of sails. This is a national event, with boats representing many of the islands that make up the chain of islands in the Bahamas. I suggest you Google, National Family Island Regatta, George Town, Exuma for more information.
I finally met up with Steve late in the afternoon. Because the water was beginning to get rough, he convinced me to head back to the boat. As we were getting ready to leave the docks, a lady asked to use our radio to call her husband. She had two very large boat bags full of groceries and could not reach her husband to come pick her up. She hailed him on our radio, but he still didn’t answer. Steve offered to drop her off on our way out the channel. Because the wind was blowing from the north, northeast, the waves had increased considerably. We were getting wet as we slowly headed to her sailboat, which was anchored in Kidd’s Cove a short distance away. As Steve approached their sailboat heading into the waves, we hit a large wave that swamped the dinghy, filled one of her grocery bags, and soaked her and me. After unloading her bags, we headed across the harbor continuing to get pounded by the waves and getting soaked. (Thank goodness I asked for a garbage bag from the lady we helped to cover my camera bag. My new camera would have gotten soaked had I not had it wrapped up.) There was not a dry thread on my body when we got to Little Wing.
Luckily, the race course is close to our anchorage, allowing us to watch the last race from the cockpit. The winds were blowing 20-25 knots with large waves in the harbor.
4.23-25/Thursday/Friday/Saturday George Town On the Sailboat
All I can say “GET ME HOME!” The wind is still howling between 15-25 knots, 27/7. We can’t move north, we can’t dinghy anywhere without getting soaked; we can’t snorkel because the water is so rough, and we just eat, sit, and sleep. And sleeping is not easy with the winds and waves!
We had a great seat for the races on Saturday.
4.26/Sunday George Town
The weather forecast is getting worse. Last night we had 20-25 knot winds all night. I even got up several times to make sure we were still attached to the anchor. Today we are supposed to have 25-30 knot winds and the seas are building. It doesn’t look like we will be able to travel north until the end of the week. When will this end!
Steve, Frank and Bar, and myself took a long walk on the beach today since we were all four going “stir crazy” sitting on the boats. The waves were gigantic; probably 5-8 feet high. We watched three young guys on wind surfers working the surf. I was amazed when the wind would pick the guys up as much as 30 feet in the air. They were pretty brave or stupid!
4.27-28/Monday and Tuesday George Town
I didn’t sleep at all last night. The anchor line bumped all night every 4-5 minutes and the 20-25 knot winds howled through the riggings. I spent the day trying to nap and catch up on my sleep.
We found more Helmet conch shells today snorkeling as well as a Milk Conch and Queen Conch shell. Steve found a Horse Conch and both of us found other shells that were too small to keep. I love snorkeling!
We ate dinner with Frank and Barb tonight. She served grouper that Frank had caught earlier in the month at George Town.
It was great to get off the boat.
4.29/Wednesday George Town
We motored over to Kidd’s Cove in the sailboat today to get water, fuel, groceries, and call the girls. Since we are still having trouble with the outboard motor, it was a challenge to get back and forth from the boat to the dinghy dock. We still had 10-15 knot winds and the water was very rough in the cove. While Steve took care of the water and fuel, I walked to the Internet Café and used the phone to call Alabama. I had to leave messages with Mom and Catherine but finally talked with Emily and Jennifer.
Steve and I are both ready to get home. We miss our families!
We motored back to Sand Dollar Beach and finished getting the boat ready to travel north tomorrow.
Winds howled between 15-20 knots last night. Steve slept on the settee knowing he would have to get up to check the anchor line and the foreword berth would be a rolly ride. I slept off and on…..like riding a horse lying down. The cold front is bringing high winds and producing bumpy nights until the end of the week. (At least, that is the prediction!)
A treat for Steve tonight was watching Cool Hand Luke.
4.15/Wednesday George Town
This morning we moved to Kidd’s Cove in order to make several trips in to George Town. The winds were blowing between 10-15 knots when we departed and the anchor was pretty hard to dislodge. After we made the short motor across Elizabeth Harbor, we wedged Little Wing in between two boats, in order to get a spot close to Lake Victoria, where the dinghy dock is located. Steve felt a little uncomfortable leaving the boat for any length of time, so I stayed on the boat while he made a run to get propane and water. Once back, he emptied the water into the holding tank and took me on the next trip. I had several errands; grocery shopping, visiting the straw market, purchasing a few items at the gift shop, visiting the ATM machine at the bank, checking out the two laundry facilities, and getting on the Internet. Steve gave me the handheld radio so I could reach him when I finished. (He forgot to tell me it was on “Off,” so he wasn’t able to reach me.)
I wanted to visit Mom’s Bakery today to purchase some of her special homemade coconut bread. Her daughter actually is the clerk while her Mom sits in a lawn chair and talks with everyone. It is wonderful how so many of the Bahamian’s create a cottage business from a skill they have in order to earn a living. There are not a lot of work opportunities on the island for the older generation, but for those who were taught the lost art of bread baking, and basket weaving always has customers to purchase these goods.
I am glad I was able to spend some time at the Internet Café today; it seems our daughters were about to call the Coast Guard! It has been a week since we spoke to anyone in the states. Steve showed up at the café; remember the radio is not on and this was the first place he knew to look for me. While I was logging our journal on the blog, Steve talked with an interesting couple from Scotland who are cruising on a 44 foot ferro-concrete sailboat, Swift Wing. Can you imagine sailing a boat from Scotland? They talked of 22 plus days at sea with 20 foot swells at times. Not for me! We enjoy meeting cruisers from across the world and have been enlightened by their travel stories. We always ask about sites to see in their country if we ever find ourselves visiting. Swift Wing hopes to get to Nova Scotia to visit family this year before returning to Scotland.
I spent the remainder of the afternoon in the laundry while Steve continued to fill the water tank. We moved back to Sand Dollar Beach before sunset, where it is less crowded and has less boat traffic.
4.16/Thursday George Town Fowl Cay
4.16/Thursday George Town Fowl Cay
After the morning rituals, Sunseeker-George and Karen invited us to join them on an excursion a few miles south to Fowl Cay to snorkel. We met them in our dinghy, tied up to their sailboat, and rode with them to anchor a short distance from the island and the coral reefs.
I saw a large sea turtle, Steve saw two barracudas, and George said he saw a six foot shark while we snorkeled along the islands. If I had seen either the shark or barracudas, I would have “high tailed” it out of the water. The reefs were beautiful, especially the sea fans that sway in the current. All types and sizes of fish with beautiful colors would swim close to inspect you. Steve said it was the “best snorkel “adventure he has had so far. Karen and George said the same thing except forThunderball Grotto, which was fabulous. That is on our list of stops on our trip north in a few days. I spotted a beautiful Queen’s Helmet shell on the bottom of the ocean floor, motioned for Steve to come check it out, and convinced him to dive down to some seven feet to retrieve it. It is beautiful and in perfect condition.
We were both exhausted after the trip; it takes a lot of stamina to swim around for several hours in ocean current.
4.17/Friday George Town Sand Dollar Beach
S/V Sunseeker and S/V Night Star (Jerry and Diane from Michigan) anchored at Sand Dollar Beach late morning with plans to hike across the trail looking for the blowhole and caverns on the ocean side. Since Steve and I had made this hike earlier in the week, Steve was “the leader.” We first walked to the beach and searched for shells while the guys stood at one end of the beach talking. I am beginning to get the “Sanibel Stoop” from shell seeking. It is like an addiction; you can’t stop and you do not seem to have enough. I keep telling everyone I am getting them for Katie, Steve’s granddaughter, but I enjoy looking at them and wondering about their prior existence. Looks like I will be researching shells when I get home. I need to talk with my friend Steve, who studied marine biology in college, in hopes he can answer my questions about shells.
We hiked around the island for several hours making our way back to Sand Dollar Beach for George to search for sand dollars. Since it was almost high tide, we only found a few on the shore. Plans are to snorkel the area in the next few days.
We hiked around the island for several hours making our way back to Sand Dollar Beach for George to search for sand dollars. Since it was almost high tide, we only found a few on the shore. Plans are to snorkel the area in the next few days.
Frank and Barb, S/V AnnaLeigh, came over for dinner tonight. Our menu was grilled pork tenderloin, Bahamian peas and rice, garden salad, French bread, and Barb brought a crumb cake for dessert. We enjoyed playing cards, telling stories and jokes after dinner.
4.18/Saturday George Town Volleyball Beach
4.18/Saturday George Town Volleyball Beach
I wanted to go back to the beach this morning to search for “more” shells. The winds blew 15-20 knots last night producing strong waves that would push more shells on the beach. When I spoke with Frank and Barb, they were planning to go to the cut where we snorkel, but changed their minds because it was very chilly this morning. The three of us rode the dinghy to the shore and walked the beach for several hours. The shell seeking wasn’t what I had thought it would be, but I still came home with a zip bag full.
After lunch we rode the dinghy over to St. Frances Resort, meeting Sunseeker and Night Star. We walked the beach, and then stopped at the resort restaurant for drinks and dinner. The winds blew 15-20 knots all day making the dinghy ride back to Little Wing bumpy and wet.
4.19/Sunday George Town
We didn’t get off the boat today. The winds blew 15-20 knots from the east all day, resulting in rolling waves that would drench you even at low speed. I finished another book, The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, searched for another book to read, worked on the blog, played spider solitaire on the computer and lounged in the cockpit.
There was a little excitement at Volleyball Beach this afternoon; a hit and run accident with an out-of-control speed boat ramming a sailboat. We kept up with the drama via the VHF radio as boaters were monitoring the speed boat, getting his identification numbers, calling the water police, and trying to detain the driver of the boat as he was pulling his boat out of the water. Hopefully, we can get the whole story tomorrow morning on the Cruiser’s Net.
I haven’t told you about the nudist on a sailboat anchored close to us. He did come out on the deck yesterday, casually walking around the deck. I am not sure if he had a project or if he just needed to get outside. His boat name is Gypsy Venus and his home port is Key West, Florida. Maybe that explains his dress code!
4.20/Monday George Town
I had hoped the weather forecast would be favorable for our departure tomorrow, but that isn’t going too happened. We still have 10-15 and 15-20 knot winds with 4-7 foot waves out front, which would result in a rough ride north. Who knows when we will be leaving! The good thing about staying is the opportunity to participate in the National Family Sailing Regatta festivities the latter part of the week. We have been told this is the largest regatta in the Bahamas and the activities occur both on the water and in George Town.
I spent the morning doing laundry the old fashion way; washing in a bucket, wringing out the water, and then hanging the clothes on the boat lifelines. Steve and I spent a lazy afternoon reading and watching boats come and go.
4.21/Tuesday George Town
The weather does not want to cooperate with our departure. It was a cloudy morning and the forecast predicts 4-7 foot seas and 15-20 knot winds. Maybe Thursday we can leave based on the predictions.
I am getting a little stir crazy on the boat – I have got to get off and go somewhere! After lunch we rode the dinghy to the beach and hiked over the hill to the ocean. Wouldn’t you know it, the sea was calm! Gentle rolling waves not even a foot high. Why do we even listen to the weather forecast? This would have been a perfect day to head north. Steve was upset also. We didn’t say much to each other on the walk back to the dinghy, knowing how disappointed we both were that we had not checked the ocean earlier in the day. We probably would have departed this morning after looking at the waves.
We are watching movies at night while the generator runs. Frank and Barb had a library of DVD’s they loaned us for the duration of our stay. That has kept us entertained.
4.22/Wednesday George Town
Another cold front is moving in to the area bring with it strong winds and large waves. We pretty much have determined that we will not be able to leave until Sunday or Monday. We need to make a trip into George Town to purchase groceries, diesel fuel, and use the Internet to call home today. With the regatta starting today, I wanted to enjoy the festivities and take photos of the races.
Frank and Barb were going in early so I hitched a ride with them, planning to take care of calling home first, and then buy groceries. Steve needed to hang around the boat while the generator charged the batteries for the day, but once that was finished; he was going to dinghy into town to meet me. Every time we make this trip Steve brings the water jugs to refill. Do you know how much water you use in a day? We don’t want to run low, so Steve continues to replenish our tanks on board each time we get close to the shore and the “free” water supply.
I stopped by Mom’s Bakery, which is just a van parked on the side of the street, to purchase her whole wheat bread on my way to the Internet Cafe. Steve and I decided instead of bring my laptop into town and risking something happening to it, like getting wet, I would just use their phone and call Catherine and Jessica. Once I left a message with Catherine and talked with Jessica, I walked to the Tourist Office to get a regatta booklet and headed to the Exuma Market to purchase the groceries. I radioed Steve when I finished shopping so he could meet me at the dinghy dock to pick up the groceries. Again we filled the water jugs for his return trip.
While he was unloading the groceries on the boat, I walked around George Town. For several days, workers have been building “shacks” along the road leading to the point of Elizabeth Harbor. I imagined this area to resemble something like the streets in Birmingham during “City Stages,” but I found mostly bars and a few food stands. I think there is going to be a lot of alcohol consumed in the next few days!
George, Karen, and I watched the second race at noon sitting along a block wall in Regatta Park with other Bahamians.
Look at my photos on the Picasa link. There are three classes of sloops racing based on certain standards. I surmise from my observations these standards revolve around size of boat, number of crew members allowed on the boat, and size of sails. This is a national event, with boats representing many of the islands that make up the chain of islands in the Bahamas. I suggest you Google, National Family Island Regatta, George Town, Exuma for more information. I finally met up with Steve late in the afternoon. Because the water was beginning to get rough, he convinced me to head back to the boat. As we were getting ready to leave the docks, a lady asked to use our radio to call her husband. She had two very large boat bags full of groceries and could not reach her husband to come pick her up. She hailed him on our radio, but he still didn’t answer. Steve offered to drop her off on our way out the channel. Because the wind was blowing from the north, northeast, the waves had increased considerably. We were getting wet as we slowly headed to her sailboat, which was anchored in Kidd’s Cove a short distance away. As Steve approached their sailboat heading into the waves, we hit a large wave that swamped the dinghy, filled one of her grocery bags, and soaked her and me. After unloading her bags, we headed across the harbor continuing to get pounded by the waves and getting soaked. (Thank goodness I asked for a garbage bag from the lady we helped to cover my camera bag. My new camera would have gotten soaked had I not had it wrapped up.) There was not a dry thread on my body when we got to Little Wing.
Luckily, the race course is close to our anchorage, allowing us to watch the last race from the cockpit. The winds were blowing 20-25 knots with large waves in the harbor.
4.23-25/Thursday/Friday/Saturday George Town On the Sailboat
All I can say “GET ME HOME!” The wind is still howling between 15-25 knots, 27/7. We can’t move north, we can’t dinghy anywhere without getting soaked; we can’t snorkel because the water is so rough, and we just eat, sit, and sleep. And sleeping is not easy with the winds and waves!
We had a great seat for the races on Saturday.
4.26/Sunday George Town
The weather forecast is getting worse. Last night we had 20-25 knot winds all night. I even got up several times to make sure we were still attached to the anchor. Today we are supposed to have 25-30 knot winds and the seas are building. It doesn’t look like we will be able to travel north until the end of the week. When will this end!
Steve, Frank and Bar, and myself took a long walk on the beach today since we were all four going “stir crazy” sitting on the boats. The waves were gigantic; probably 5-8 feet high. We watched three young guys on wind surfers working the surf. I was amazed when the wind would pick the guys up as much as 30 feet in the air. They were pretty brave or stupid!
4.27-28/Monday and Tuesday George Town
I didn’t sleep at all last night. The anchor line bumped all night every 4-5 minutes and the 20-25 knot winds howled through the riggings. I spent the day trying to nap and catch up on my sleep.
We found more Helmet conch shells today snorkeling as well as a Milk Conch and Queen Conch shell. Steve found a Horse Conch and both of us found other shells that were too small to keep. I love snorkeling!
We ate dinner with Frank and Barb tonight. She served grouper that Frank had caught earlier in the month at George Town.
It was great to get off the boat.
4.29/Wednesday George Town
We motored over to Kidd’s Cove in the sailboat today to get water, fuel, groceries, and call the girls. Since we are still having trouble with the outboard motor, it was a challenge to get back and forth from the boat to the dinghy dock. We still had 10-15 knot winds and the water was very rough in the cove. While Steve took care of the water and fuel, I walked to the Internet Café and used the phone to call Alabama. I had to leave messages with Mom and Catherine but finally talked with Emily and Jennifer.
Steve and I are both ready to get home. We miss our families!
We motored back to Sand Dollar Beach and finished getting the boat ready to travel north tomorrow.
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