Enjoying the Abacos!

We're back!! Finally had to bite the bullet and pay for internet access again, just not many free wi-fi spots in the Abacos.

So after a few days in Green Turtle Cay, we made the move south to Man-O-War Cay.

Here is a link covering our current "stomping grounds", the Abacos region of the Bahamas.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Great+Abaco,+South+Abaco,+The+Bahamas&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=27.081735,86.396484&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FW8fkQEdvXRm-w&split=0&hq=&hnear=South+Abaco,+The+Bahamas&ll=26.558129,-76.973648&spn=0.146484,0.337486&t=h&z=12

Man-O-War was another beautiful little spot, once again quiet streets and a laid back pace (and also dry, no alcohol is sold or served). Our first afternoon on the Cay was spent exploring the town. That took all of 15 minutes, so then it was time for ice cream and doing, well, not a whole lot!

The next day we loaded-up the dinghy and went to a beach just beyond the anchorage where we geared-up for a little wakeboarding. The water was flat calm and crystal clear, but unfortunately the winds soon picked-up and it was time to put the boards away and do a little more exploring.

Later that night we enjoyed some fun in the cockpit, knowing that cooler temps were on the way.

This was our last day of nice weather on Man-O-War. The front came down from the North, and although it wasn't as cold as Florida (they had snow in Stuart and just above freezing in Miami), it was not what we had hoped for in the Bahamas!! The winds stayed over 25kts for 2 days, gusting over 30kts at times, with cold rain on the first day.

Then of course we ran out of propane!! Lisa and I must have miscalculated because we both thought we would be fine for a few more days. Anyway, no propane on "Charlotte-Ann" means no cooking, no hot water (showers) and no refrigeration!

Anyone care for some turkey SPAM!!! Mmmmm...... with ketchup.

So after 4 days on Man-O-War we moved along to Marsh Harbour. MH is the largest town in the Abacos, and the 3rd largest in all the Bahamas. I believe the population is around 5,000, but I could be wrong (I'd Google it right now, but this connection isn't very good, the Blog entry is taking enough time as it is). We anchored out and had a visit with our friends Terry and Kim on "Clarity". The next morning was , for lack of a better term, "efficient". It was time to do all the things we hate to do, but that can only be done in larger towns.

First Mitch and I brought our 2 empty propane tanks to the hardware store. If you have them there before 0900hrs you will get them back by 1030hrs. So we dropped the tanks off and returned to the boat. Lisa, Delaney and 2 loads of dirty laundry joined us for the return ride to the public dinghy dock. We brought the clothes to the laundromat, and after they were loaded, Mitch and I went back for the filled propane tanks while Lisa and Delaney went to the grocery store. By the time Mitch and I dropped the full tanks off on "Charlotte-Ann" and got back to the laundry, the wash was done so we loaded it into the dryers. We then went to find Lisa and Delaney, grabbed all the groceries, and again made the 10 minute walk back to the dinghy and then out to the boat.

We then turned around, got back to Lisa and Delaney and lugged all our clean clothes back to the boat. Not bad for under 3 hours!!!

That afternoon Mitch and I went over to the Moorings to check out the catamaran my cousin and his family were chartering in a weeks time. This 40 ft. Leopard Catamaran really made our 34-footer seem incredibly small!!

Our next destination was Hope Town, about 4 miles SE of Marsh Harbour. What a difference compared to Marsh Harbour!! Once again, narrow, quiet streets and beautifully kept houses all done in pastel combinations that in most circumstances you would never think of matching on the same structure. This is the Bahamas we have come to expect.

Once we were settled in, I caught a glimpse of what seems to sum up Hope Town.

Yes, this is a picture of a cat sleeping in a hammock!!!! Doesn't get much more laid back than that, does it!!!

And once again, a stunning beach just a 1 minute walk from the dinghy dock.

Not only is the beach beautiful (and not busy) but the reefs just off the shore are great for the kids. We spent our entire first day swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear water.

So how did we spend today??
A little schoolwork first thing in the morning. Lunch on board (BBQ'd some hot dogs). Off to the beach for a little kiteboarding (unfortunately very little, bad wind direction), sunbathing and castle-building.

Mitch and I then went skateboarding through town to buy some fresh grouper, after which Lisa and I went back to the boat while the Delaney and Mitchell played in the park with some local kids they met. Once supper was made I dinghied to the park, called for the kids and we made our way back to the boat. BBQ'd grouper, a game of Yahtzee, kids and Lisa in bed while I work on this Blog entry.

Here is a short video showing "downtown" Hope Town with the Library, Post Office, and Police Station (the beater Jeep is the Police car). This is also the park the kids have been playing , all within 100' of the dinghy dock and300' from the beach.

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So we are heading back to Marsh Harbour tomorrow. They are calling for gale force winds on Sunday, and that is when Colin, Natalie, Freya and Callan arrive from Oman for their 2-week charter. They will get their boat on Monday, so we will spend that day loading up with more provisions, then head back to Hope Town on Tuesday. Alan and Spencer fly in on Thursday (to Marsh Harbour, but they will catch the ferry to Hope Town), then after they get here we will head to ..... ????

All for now.

Mark, Lisa, Delaney and Mitchell

PS. Eddie, we plan to get some answers to you this weekend!

Lazy Days in Green Turtle Cay, Time to Move On

Today marks' 1 week since we arrived on Green Turtle Cay. We have really enjoyed our time here, fallen into a groove of bed when the sun goes down and back up in time to listen to the weather on the Marsh Harbour Cruisers Net at 0815hrs on VHF16. This is a volunteer operation that provides weather, passage reports and personal messages via VHF radio every morning. Not that the NOAA weather reports are worth much, but unless you have a satellite link, a SSB radio or the internet, this is the only way to get the weather.


We have been spending our days lately hanging out in Gillam Bay.

Partly because it's a beautiful spot with the potential for some great kiting, but mostly because for the last few days the winds have been out of the Northwest and a bit cool (high 60's/low 70's), and the Bay is on a lee shore. Thankfully the water is 78F (sorry for all the Imperial numbers, that's what's quoted here and I can't be bothered to convert!).We bring the dinghy to the end of the anchorage and have about a 10 minute walk to the beach. The kids are content to make sandcastles and splash in the water. They also seem to be intrigued by coconuts, spending alot (maybe too much?) time trying to open them to see what's inside. We did get one opened the other day and all had a good fill. That's about all the excitement we have had lately, although we did think we had a fried holding tank macerator which would have really been bad since I'm still not sure how I would have emptied our holding (sewage) tank without it! Crisis averted, pump is now fixed and we can all relieve oursleves as much as necessary!!!

The winds have been howling lately, not dropping below 20kts for 3 days (great for keeping our batteries charged, just wish the direction was better for kiting!), but they are "supposed" to lay down tomorrow so we are going to move South. Our plan is to head to Man-O-War Cay before the next cold front comes through. Hopefully the weather and internet access will be a bit better.

All the best from the crew of "Charlotte-Ann".

New Year's in Green Turtle Cay

Back again, still trying to take advantage of Internet while we have it. We are currently in Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Green+Turtle+Cay,+North+Abaco,+The+Bahamas&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=27.081735,86.396484&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FbeMmAEdXQtk-w&split=0&hq=&hnear=Green+Turtle+Cay,+North+Abaco,+The+Bahamas&ll=26.774733,-77.329502&spn=0.073103,0.168743&t=h&z=13

There are 2 main anchorages/mooring fields on GTC, White Sound and Black Sound. Our first night here we anchored in White Sound, but then after a day of exploring we moved to Black Sound where we (unsuccessfully) tried to anchor. We ended-up grabbing a morring ball for $10.00/night. This put us a short dinghy ride from our new hang-out, Pineapples!!! Nothing more than a little Tiki-Hut, they serve killer rum punches (rum with a splash of juice), amazing food (conch fritters anyone??), a saltwater pool for the kids along with a small beach. They also have free internet and showers for $3.00.

As you can see, the water colour is amazing, and it's all around 78F.

On New Years' Eve we joined a bunch of other cruisers at the Green Turtle Club for a Cruisers Potluck. Everyone dinghied over from the 2 anchorages, laid all the food out on a table and had a few drinks.

After the pot luck, the four of us along with Aimee and Brian, Katja and Madelaine all made our way back to Pineapples. We had some fun with the kids, but we back on our boats by 2100hrs.

New Years Day was Junkanoo, a smaller version of Carnival you would see in Rio. It was "supposed" to start at 1400hrs, but like everything else in the Bahamas, it runs on "Island Time" so no one was expecting a prompt start.

Above you can see the kids talking to a couple of Policewomen. The kids wanted to know why some of the police carry small sticks/batons. Here she is explaining how when they move up the ranks they go from silver to gold buttons, and that the sticks are used for crowd control (better than a Taser I suppose!). Even though there was alot of rum punch and beer flowing, at no time did it not feel like a family event.We left the dinghies at Pineapples and walked 10 minutes into New Plymouth, the main town on Green Turtle Cay. This is just what we imagined a small Bahamian town to be like. Pastel coloured houses, narrow streets and alleyways, very few cars (mostly golf carts),sleeping dogs and cats and very friendly people. The whole town was out and the place was full of people. The parade starts at the top of the hill and does a big loop through the town. All the locals have booths set-up selling BBQ food, cakes, breads, candies and anything that can be made with conch!! So we settled in with some great food and a few Kalik's (the local Bahamian beer) and waited for the show.

Here is a little video of the highlight of Junkanoo for Lisa. The poor guy was obviously dehydrated and exhausted, all skin and bones and barely able to out run her!! Yes, I'm talking about the guy in the white pants, not the one in the fat suit!!

After Junkanoo was over, Aimer, Brian and the kids joined us on "Charlotte-Ann" for a BBQ supper. We all had a good time, including the kids as you can see.

Yesterday Lisa got a few well-deserved hours of solitude while I took the kids for a walk through town. The original plan was to get our propane tank filled, so I needed to find out the timing since it has to be sent away from here. It was going to be another 4 days before the mailboat was here next. That would be Wednesday, so the tank would go in on the boat and be returned the following Wednesday. Once again, Island Time. We walked to Gillam Bay, the spot where I am hoping to get some kiting in. The wind was good, both speed and direction, but by the time we got there it would have been a long haul back to the boat to get my gear.

No worries, the weather has cooled somewhat and will be strong out of the North for a few days. Plenty of time to get caught up on schoolwork and get some kiting sessions in.

Right now I am sitting on the deck at Pineapples listening to the waves crash and the church bells in New Plymouth annnouncing the start of Sunday Masses. There are 3 dogs and 2 cats sleeping under a palm tree in front of me, 2 lizards that keep jumping out from under the deck everytime the sun comes out, and a few Bahamian wild parrots screeching in the mangroves near the dinghy.

A guy could get used to this!!!!

Later,

Mark, Lisa, Delaney and Mitchell.

Christmas in Florida, Boxing Day in the Bahamas!!!

Yes, we are alive and dealing with sparse internet access here in the Bahamas! I guess I should back up a little first.
So we made it to West Palm Beach , Florida a couple of days before Christmas. Our day started by checking the weather forecast, hoping for a window to get the 56 miles across the Gulfstream and over to the Bahamas. Nothin' doin', everything was sketchy and out of the north. All my research told me not to try a crossing with a north component to the wind. When the north flowing Gulfstream hits a wind out of the north, it builds steep, square waves making for a very uncomfortable (and sometimes dangerous) crossing. More on how this worked out for us a little later. So we hung out in Palm Beach, playing paparazzi and stalking Tiger Woods yacht.

Ironically his boat is called "Privacy", but even with covers draped over the transom, everyone knew it was his boat.

So with no prospect of a crossing likely, we accepted the fact that Christmas would be spent in the anchorage in Palm Beach. Not that we are expecting any sympathy from anyone, it was still better than being in Port Colborne, but it wasn't where we wanted to be.

Anyway, we had a really nice Christmas morning, finally pulling the gifts out for the kids (not easy to hide this stuff on a 35' boat!!). And much to the kids relief, Santa manged to find us even though we were anchored out.

After all the gifts were opened, we once again listened to the forecast, as well as checking out passageweather.com , and it appeared we might have a small weather window to cross on Boxing Day. We pulled the anchor and moved a few miles north to Peanut Island, the staging anchorage for boats preparing to make the crossing.

The weather window was small, but the forecast called for 7-11kts out of the northwest (good sailing direction) with seas 2' or less. We got the boat ready with a planned departure of 0500hrs on Boxing Day.

Well, let me tell you this, DON'T TRUST NOAA WEATHER FORECASTS!!!!!! We left in the company of our friends Terry, Kim and Brynne on "Clarity", as well as another boat , "Windswept IV". Both of the other boats had made numerous crossings, this was our first.

We left the anchorage in the dark, and according to NOAA the edge of the Gulfstream should have been about 6 miles offshore. If you don't know, the Gulfstream is basically a river that flows north along eastern seaboard, sometimes at speeds up to 4 kts. If you have wind out of the north going against it, you wind up with short, steep, ugly seas. Plus, since the Bahamas (or at least West End, Grand Bahama) is due East, you have to point your boat south to make up for the northerly flow.

Anyway, we got out on the ocean and soon realized the forecast was out to lunch. I make a living working on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. A regular part of my job is checking the weather and estimating sea heights to determine if we can dive the subs or not. We found ourselves in 20-25kts, gusting to 30kts out of the NW. The seas were 8-10' at their worst (our video clip doesn't really give an accurate picture of what we had going on), but thankfully following us. Lisa and I were apprehensive to say the least, figuring if it got really bad we would just turn south and head to Miami. After awhile we realized that both the boat and crew were handling things just fine.We gave Delaney and Mitchel half a Gravol each, but otherwise they just stayed inside reading and playing DS.

10 hours later we arrived in West End, Grand Bahama Island!!!

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=west+end+grand+bahama&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=27.081735,86.396484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=West+End,+West+Grand+Bahama,+The+Bahamas&t=h&z=13

Grandma Annie treated us to 2 nights at the marina, so we managed to get a few more projects done on the boat, as well as get our first taste of the Bahamas.

After 2 days in West End, we had another 40 miles to get to an anchorage on Great Sale Cay. We had a great day on the water, still getting used to travelling in 6'-8' of water that is cleaner than what we have in our pool!

We met up with a young family from Boston travelling with their 2 little girls, age 2 and 3. They left a few hours before us since they had to take an outside, deepwater route, while we took a shallow water inside route. The anchorage was very windy, but well protected, so we had a good nights sleep in anticipation of our next days travel of 65 miles to Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos.

4 days ago we arrived in Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos. Our days have been filled with checking out the local beaches, the town (New Plymouth) and just hangin' out enjoying the sun and warm weather.

So I have now been sitting on the deck at our local hang-out, Pineapples, and my butt has fallen asleep. I also seem to be missing some pics, so I'll end now and make another post later today. )(Junkanoo was yesterday (New Years Day) and we have some great pics and video).

Or maybe tomorrow........ I dunno, we are working on "Island Time" now!!!

It is definitely "Better in the Bahamas!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

Later,

Mark.