Friday, May 13, 2016

Black Point to Marsh Harbor 2016

Black Point to Marsh Harbor 2016

Tuesday, April 12, 2016.  8am. Heavy clouds, looks like rain, 80 degrees, wind ENE 10-15.  We are still trying to find out why our outgoing email is not working.  We called BTC and talked to yet another person about the problem.  She was understanding and called technical support, who said that it was not a BTC issue if we can get online and if we receive email.  We called Metrocast again and finally reached someone who at least provided an explanation.  We send out a lot of email when we update the blog to let people know it has been updated.  When the Metrocast system sees those emails, it thinks they could be spam, and when those emails originate from an offshore IP address, the system labels that address as a spammer and will not allow any further emails to be sent.  So the solution is, when over here, I must get onto the wifi email for Metrocast in order to send out those bulk emails.  Not what I wanted to hear, but at least I know the answer.

10am.  We hear from Down Time, Saber Tooth and Greenstone.  They are in Cambridge Cay and will be there until Thursday.  We lift the anchor and head north.  As we turn into the south entrance of Cambridge Cay, the engine begins to bog down.  Time to change the fuel filters.  The primary filter is only 2 microns and the good news is it picks almost everything including water out of the fuel.  The bad news is it gets stopped up sooner than a filter with larger “holes” would.  2pm Jaz is already here and helps us onto the mooring.  Nice to have help in case the engine quits all together, but it does not. 8 boats here (including 2 mega yachts) and more come in before nightfall.  21.5 miles today.  24°18.17’N  076°32.40W

Lisa went to the beach with Jaz, Down Time (Roger and Connie), Saber Tooth and Greenstone and folks from the 2 mega yachts.  I am nursing this toe I messed up yesterday and stay aboard.  The cellular booster seems to be working as we have a good signal.  Jim and Judy Foster inquired about visiting us again this year.  We discussed some possible dates and will see if it works out.

Dinner on board and then cocktail hour at 6:30 aboard Jaz (Chris and Margaret) with Greenstone (Bob and Judy), Saber Tooth (John and Nora), Down Time (Roger and Connie) and Lisa and I.  Nice evening and early to bed.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016.  Sunny, 75 degrees, wind East 10-12, a few puffy clouds, a beautiful morning.  The wind is supposed to die off completely, but so far has not.  Lisa goes with Jaz in their dingy over to see the new Down Time.  It is a 1978 Irwin 52 that Connie and Roger bought over the summer.  Roger buys older boats and fixes them up and resells them.  This is another project, but he says they will keep this one.  Green Stone, Saber Tooth and Down Time have delayed their departure for Eleuthera until tomorrow, so we will get to spend a bit of time with them today.  I spent the bulk of the day changing the primary filter (Racor) and the filters on both the engine and the generator.  It has been about 150 hours since the last change and they are obviously due. 

Majestic Phoenix comes in about 3pm.  Nice to see Joanne and Phil again. Our cell phone booster seems to be working as we get “No Service” without it and 3 or 4 bars of service with it.  Nice.  Jaz comes over to make some phone calls using it.
Jim and Judy Foster called and they will not be able to come for a visit while we are in the Bahamas.  We will miss seeing them.  Maybe we will stop on the way to New Hampshire from Brunswick for a visit.

6:30pm cocktails and sunset on the beach, then back to the boat.  Down Time, Green Stone and Saber Tooth are heading to Eleuthera tomorrow morning early.  We hope to cross paths again in Spanish Wells in a couple of weeks. The solar lights on the stern are attracting small fish, which attracts larger fish and seagulls, which attracts sharks – all right off our stern! The smashed big toe is doing much better thanks to Nurse Lisa (she actually is a BSN,RN).  Hopefully it will be ok for a snorkel tomorrow.

Thursday, April 18, 2016.  7:30am wind E at 15.  Sunny, 70 degrees.  Greenstone, Saber Tooth and Down Time leave for Eleuthera. 9am, Lisa Chris and Phil snorkel around the small islands (One known as Bonsai Island as it has one small tree).  11:30am drop the mooring and head to the next cay to the south.  12:00pm, anchor down at Fowl Cay next to Rocky Dundas.  Wind SE at 5-10.  Some surge here from the ocean here.  It would not be a good spot for overnight, but ok for the exploration of the cave at Rocky Dundas.  Very neat coral outside of the caves.  There are stalactites and stalagmites in these caves, which shows that the caves were here before there was water here.  30,000 years ago all of the Bahama Bank was above water.  Both caves are very neat.  The southern one has a shelf, so at low tide you can actually around in it.  Both caves have holes in the roof allowing a lot of light inside.

There is a crashed twin-engine Aero-Commander on the beach of Fowl Cay, where there is also an airstrip.  As the story goes, the plane was on the way to Staniel Cay and had to declare an emergency as the cockpit filled with smoke. The pilot tried to land at Fowl Cay, but the runway was too short and the plane went off the end and into the ocean. It was drug back onto the beach, and there it sits. Fowl Cay, 2NM 24°16.48’N 076°32.24’W

1:30pm anchor up and headed 2 miles east to Compass Cay.  2:30pm anchor down at Compass Cay.  We took the dingy over to the ocean side of the island to Rachael’s Bubbles.  This is a pond that at high tide, the waves from the ocean breach the rocks and splash into the pool.  The pool about 100 feet in diameter and is connected by a creek to the other side of the island, so the water flows and is not stagnant.  Compass Cay, 2NM 24°16.34’N  076°31.50’W

3:30pm anchor up and we head north to Warderick Wells with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix.  5:50pm on mooring #13 at Warderick Wells.  Sunny, wind NE at 5.  80 degrees.  We saw another Adagio as we entered the mooring field.  We traveled with and Adagio for a time last year.  Dinner on board.  14NM  24° 23.70’N  076°37.95’W

Friday, April 16, 2016.  Lisa and Margaret (Jaz) go for a walk on the beach.  At 11am, we go for a snorkel at the Coral Garden by the ranger station.  We worked on the wiring for the cell phone booster and the wifi booster.  Jaz and Majestic Phoenix come for dinner.  Benny made Chicken Lillian.

Saturday, April 17, 2016.  High winds are predicted as another frontal passage is predicted.  Wind is ESE at 15-20+, sunny, 80 degrees.  Exuma Park is looking for some items like rope, glue, etc.  We go through the sores and come up with a dingy load of stuff we really don’t need to continue to carry around.  We finished the wiring project.  There is a sundowner-meet-and- greet sponsored by the park on the beach.

Sunday, April 18, 2016. Heavy rain overnight.  Cool, cloudy this morning, 50 degrees, wind NE 20+. We moved a bit north in the mooring field where the water is smooth.  We walked to the Blow Holes on the other side of the island. 

This afternoon four charter catamarans came in to the mooring area.  There is about a 2 knot current moving from north to south and they came in with that current.  A lack of experience on the part of the “captains”,  the current, and the narrow mooring field almost lead to disaster.  The four were very close to each other.  When the first cat turned toward it’s mooring, it was pinned against another boat.  The second cat in the line tried to avoid the first and almost went aground.  The third one almost rear-ended the second one.  We managed to warn off cat #4 and told them to go outside the mooring area and wait until the first three settled.  The park ranger was trying to give them directions from the park boat, but all the people aboard all four boats were Italian, who spoke little or no English.  We helped get two of the boats hooked up to their assigned moorings and finally all four were safely “hooked-up”.  Exciting afternoon, luckily only minimal damage and no one hurt.

Dinner on Majestic Phoenix.

Monday, April 19, 2016.  8:30am went to the Park Office with Jaz to check out.  Sun and clouds, wind NE at 15+, 75 degrees.  A huge cat (maybe 70 feet) comes in, but did not have a reservation and all the moorings were full.  He tried to go out of the mooring field through the south end, but he’s too wide and it is low tide.  Maybe if he consulted a chart????  The ranger tried to call on the radio, but he’s not answering.  He finally gives up and leaves.

10am off the mooring, wind still NE @ 15+.  Foresail out, making 5 knots. Nice sail north until we get to Hawksbill Cay and turn into the northeast wind to get to the anchorage. 
1:30pm on a park mooring at Hawksbill Cay. Sunny, 75 degrees, wind still NE at 15+.

Hiked across the island with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix to beach on the eastern side of the island, about 2 miles following a mangrove creek most of the way.  The trail is well marked with cairns (tapered piles of rocks).  Lisa and Chris (Jaz) hiked to the top of the hill on the south end of the island.  There is a very large cairn there used as a navigational aid.

Dinner on board – clean out the fridge of leftovers night.

Wind and heavy rain overnight as the front comes through.

 15 NM today. 24°28.03’N  076°46.15’N

Tuesday, April 20, 2016. Sunny, wind E at 15+, 75 degrees.  Jaz and Majestic Phoenix meet on Rhiannon to discuss plans for the next week’s travel.  Saturday looks like a good day for wind and weather to head toward Spanish Wells (Current Cut) (due north on the eastern end of Eleuthera).

11am Everyone goes for a sail on Jaz.  It’s a great sailing boat – 9 knots of speed in 15 knots of wind.  It’s a bit small for our taste for cruising, but great fun to sail.

12:30pm dropped the mooring, sailing north to Shroud Cay (also part of Exuma Park). Sunny, wind East at 15+, 75 degrees.

2:30pm anchor down at Shroud Cay.  Dream Catcher here.  We met them crossing Albemarle Sound in Virginia two years ago and had dinner with them at Coinjock.  They are headed to Nassau then home to the Chesapeake.

We went with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix exploring in the dinghies.  We traveled across the island in the southernmost mangrove river which is wide, but not very deep.  When we got to the east side of the island, we found that the crew of one of the anchored mega yachts had set up a beach party on the beach – lounge chairs, food, umbrellas, jet skis, paddle boards, and even drones to play with.  Sort of ruins the mood of paradise.

Dinner on Rhiannon with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix.  Lisa made eggplant ptarmigan and pasta.  Nice.

5NM today.  24°31.88’N  076°47.82’W

Wednesday, April 21, 2016.  Wind ENE 20-25.  Cloudy this morning, but clearing off later in the day.  Lazy day today.  Worked on the blog and started a batch of red beans and rice.  The 4 catamarans loaded with Italians come in, but here there is plenty of room and we are far away.  Jaz made a vegetarian dinner and we ate aboard Majestic Phoenix.

Thursday, April 22, 2016.  Sun and clouds, 78 degrees, wind East at 20+, saw gusts to 28 last night.  The wind is forecast to ease by tomorrow.  Cool overnight, we had to put the quilt back on the bed.  Worked on Jaz’s outboard’s fuel leak.  Looks to be the fuel pump.  We walked the beach and followed a trail along one of the creeks.  We had dinner on Rhiannon with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix – Jim Bade’s Red Beans and Rice.  Jim was Lisa and I’s Best Man and passed on 5 years ago.  We still miss him.

Jim Bade’s Red Beans & Rice

Ham bone
1 ½ pounds of ham
4 stalks of celery
3 - 4 cloves of garlic (more if you really like garlic)
2 large onions (Vidalia, red or other "sweet onion) - 3 cups
2 sprigs of fresh parsley
3 cups of pinto beans
pinch of baking soda
salt and pepper
4-5 tablespoons of ham or bacon fat
3 - 4 bay leaves
rice
1 cup chopped green onions
Place 3 cups (about 1 and 1/21bs) of pinto beans (dry beans) in 10-12 cups of water. Add a
pinch of baking soda (reduces acidity). Salt to taste - generally it is not necessary to add
salt if using ham - be careful not to over salt! Let stand at least 12 hours. You can also
use canned beans (GOYO pinto beans) - about 3 - 4 cans.
Place 4 - 5 tablespoons of ham or bacon fat in frying pan. Cut up ham into 2 inch cubes
and render (brown) in the fat. Also cut as much ham off the bone as possible. Place
rendered ham, ham bone, and beans in a large pot.
Dice 4 stalks of celery (including tops).
Chop garlic cloves.
Dice onions.
Chop parsley.
Sauté vegies in grease from rendering the ham until soft. Put vegies in with the beans. Add bay
leaves. Cover with water.
Cook over very low heat for 3 to 8 hours - stirring (especially the bottom of the pot!)
every 20 minutes. Add water as required to keep mix liquid.
Cook rice according to package directions.
When done, if gravy isn't thick enough, crush some of the beans on the side of the pot and mix in.
Add salt and pepper to taste (usually doesn't need any).
Serve over rice with French bread. Sprinkle chopped green onions over the serving.  Serve with Trappeys Hot Pepper Sauce (hot peppers in vinegar) or other hot sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

Friday, April 22, 2016. Anchor up at 8am. Partly cloudy, wind SE 10-12, 75 degrees.  Wind was very strong overnight, but eased about 4am, currently SE at 15-20, so the sail will be all downwind.  10:30am anchor down at Highborne Cay.  Wind still SE at 15-20.  Jaz and Majestic Phoenix already here.  11:30am, we dingy in to the marina for fuel and water (in jerry cans).  We visit the store for some groceries.  The marina, store and restaurant are very nice, but expensive.  Dockage is $2.75 a foot plus water and electric.  At 3pm, a seaplane lands in the anchorage with passengers for one of the mega yachts anchored here.  Dinner on board.  15 miles today,  24°43.01’N  076°49.84’N

Saturday, April 23, 2016. Anchor up at 8:30am.  Partly cloudy, 75 degrees.  Wind has gone South at 10.  The wind came up again at 10pm last night and another night of rocking and rolling in the anchorage, but it looks like the wind has finally let up. Both Shroud and Highnorne allow the waves and surge to “wrap around” the south end of the island, which means the waves come at you from the south and the wind is coming from the east.  The boat sits facing the into the wind (or the current) when on a mooring or at anchor, so we sat facing east with waves coming at us from the side (south), which makes for a very uncomfortable night with the boat rolling from side to side.

10:45am We are motor sailing with only 8 knots of wind from the south (right on our stern as we continue north).  We pass Beacon Cay and head north across the Banks (avoiding the many coral heads). We are out of the Exumas and headed to Current Cut on the east end of Eleuthera.  It is similar to going through the Annisquam River or Woods Hole – narrow cuts with a lot of current as the tide moves through – so, you try to time it so that you pass through at slack tide.  Ideal time today is about 5:30pm.
1:30pm Passing Finley’s Cay, which is a huge sand bar (called a sand boar in the Bahamas) south and west of Eleuthera. Sunny and a few cumulus clouds forming in the west.  Thunderstorms are predicted.  Wind South at 10, 80 degrees, sailing making 5 knots.  Heard Saber Tooth on the VHF, but couldn’t raise them.  Jaz caught a 3 foot barracuda, but released it. They also saw a porpoise, which are few in the Bahamas because there are few fish that they feed on.

2:30pm Heard Down Time on the VHF, they are going through current cut.  We are about 18 miles away.

2:50pm Wind down to less than 7 knots and we are only making 2 knots headway.  Sails in, motor on.  Hot today, 85 degrees.

5:30pm Current Cut more or less on schedule.

6:00pm Anchor down east of Current Cut (north side) with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix.  48NM today.  25°24.70’N  076°47.46’W
Saber Tooth, Greenstone and Down Time are anchored behind Meek’s Patch, an island just south of Spanish Wells).  We hope to see them tomorrow.  They have been cruising Eleuthera since we last saw them in Cambridge Cay.  Dinner on board.  Thunderstorms dissipated, but we did get some rain overnight.  Interestingly enough, the wind was from the south when we entered Current Cut and from the west on this side.

Sunday, April 24, 2016.  8:30am. Wind North@10, Sunny, puffy clouds.  It was rocky in the anchorage for a while last night, but the wind died off completely overnight.  Anchor up, heading north to Spanish Wells.

10:30am On the dock at Spanish Wells Yacht Haven.  They have almost completed the rebuilding of this facility, new docks, electrical, water, condos, restaurant, laundry, admin building, showers, nice!  Sunny, 80 degrees, wind NW at 10.  Jaz, Majestic Phoenix, Aurora (met in Warderick Wells) here along with several other boats. Aurora is leaving with a couple of other boats for Royal Island (10 miles east) and then Nassau and back to the US.  Leroy (Dockmaster) and his brother Treadwell are here to greet us and remember us from last year.  We met Dennis and Bart (Lighten Up – a 65 foot sportfish) and he gave everyone some Mahi, Nice!

12 NM today.  25°32.47’N  076°45.36’W

We walked with Jaz and Majestic Phoenix up to Budda’s for dinner.  Since last year they have added a floor (used to be gravel) and another covered seating area (also with a floor). It is 2 for 1 happy hour and some of the patrons a very happy! Click on this link for more info on Budda’s https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g5785959-d6725864-r241899648-Budda_Snack_Shack-Spanish_Wells_Eleuthera_Out_Islands_Bahamas.html

Greenstone, Saber Tooth and Down Time come in to the mooring filed at the east end of the island.

Monday, April 25, 2016. Partly cloudy, 75 degrees, wind NE 10-15. We rented a golf cart and go with Majestic Phoenix to Pinder’s Gas Station to get propane tanks refilled. They cannot refill them and we find out later that someone complained about safety concerns around the process Pinder’s uses to refill the tanks.  So, they have suspended operations.  That’s an issue, because most of the stoves on the Spanish Wells and neighboring Russell Island are propane.  We then went to Spanish Wells Marine to get fuel in the jerry cans and then to the grocery.  It’s a good thing we rented a 6 passenger cart, because we had us, Majestic Phoenix and Jaz and all our groceries to carry back to the boat.  We also visited Kathy’s bakery (acrtoss from the grocery) for Bahamian Bread and carrot cake.  Afterwards, we sat by the new pool for a bit and then Lisa, Majestic Phoenix and Jaz all went exploring in the cart.  I stayed behind and replaced a faulty 110 volt outlet in the cockpit.  Jaz had dinner on Majestic Phoenix and we went to The Shipyard to meet Greenstone, Down Time and Saber Tooth.  We also met John’s daughter Elise, who is visiting (Saber Tooth).Very nice evening.  We stopped at Pappa Scoops on the way back to the boat for ice cream.  Tonight’s flavors are Vanilla and Red Cream Sherbert.
Click here for more info on Papa Scoops https://www.facebook.com/Papas-Scoops-228516510493302/

Tuesday April 26, 2016.  Sunny 70 degrees, cool NE wind 15+.  Chores today (laundry, boat bath, interior cleaning).  Took the cart on a tour of Russell Island and went to lunch at The Sand Bar where Lisa and I met Jaz (Chris and Margaret), Majestic Phoenix (Phil and Joanne), Down Time (Roger and Connie along with Connie’s sister Carla, and parents Roy and Billie), Saber Tooth (Nora and John and John’s daughter Elise), and Greenstone (Bob and Judy). Quite a loud group.

After lunch we did some shopping on the island and stopped at Delroy Sweeting’s Ponderosa Shell Shop.  We met Delroy last year and since then he has gotten in to photography.  He is doing a Spanish Wells calendar, photos to frame and notecards, beautiful stuff, as is everything in his shop.  Well worth the stop if you are in Spanish Wells.  Click here for more info on Ponderosa Shell Shop   https://www.facebook.com/SpanishWellsPonderosaShellShop/

Dinner and a movie (Captain Ron) on board Majestic Phoenix.  Ice cream at Papa Scoops, which is only open in the evenings.  Tonight’s flavors are White Chocolate and Cherry. Ummmm!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016.  Sunny, cool, 70 degrees.  Wind NE at 10.  Majestic Phoenix headed to Nassau this morning, then back to the US.  Saber Tooth and Greenstone headed the same direction.  Elise (John’s daughter, Saber Tooth) is flying home from Nassau.  Down Time is staying in Spanish Wells for a few more days to visit with Connie’s parents.  Jaz and us are off the dock @ 8:30am headed for the Abacos.  Once we clear the headland , there are big ocean rollers and a chop on top of that.  Wind NE at 10 and we are motor sailing.

2pm Wind has gone into the east and the chop has subsided.  The rollers are probably 10 feet but widely spaced so the sail is more comfortable.  We are sailing at 6+ knots. 

4pm Little Harbor in the Abacos.  Can’t raise Pete’s Pub on the radio to see if there is any room inside the harbor and it is low tide anyway, so we can’t get in (only 4 feet at the harbor entrance at low tide. The anchorage outside the harbor is very rolly from the ocean waves and surge, so we head a couple of miles north to Laynard Cay.  As we approach the anchorage, 3 sailing charters come in.  They are milling about, weaving in and out of the anchored boats, trying to find a perfect spot.  There is 5 miles of beach here, so not sure why they are trying to anchor close to others.  They manage to cut us off twice, so we circle out and wait until they get settled. 
5pm, anchor down and we are in the Abacos. Many boats are here, but little wind and no waves, nice and flat. Jaz already here.  We met Pushkar, a nice young couple out cruising for the first time.  Providence and Carrie Mae are here.  We met them last trip.  56NM today.  26°21.43’N  076°59.14’W.  Dinner on board.

Thursday, April 28, 2016.  Sunny, wind SE at 10.  75 degrees. Perfect. We took the dingy over to Jaz and then took Jaz over to Little Harbor.  Lisa has been wanting to visit here because the sculptor Randolph Johnston, who worked primarily in bronze.  He set up his foundry and studio in the out-of-the-way spot.  His son Pete and grandson Greg are carrying on the art.  Click here for more information  http://www.petespub.com/

We walked across the island to the beach and found some sea beans.  Jaz found 2 hamburger beans and one purse bean and we sound a couple of golf ball beans and a hamburer bean.  The pub is a neat spot, but we opt to head back to the boat.  We lifted the anchor at 2pm and travel 10 miles north to the north end of Tiloo Island.  4pm anchor down.  10NM today.  26°28.23’N  076°59.54’W.  Dinner on board with Jaz.

Friday, April 29, 2016. Sunny, wind esat at 5-10. 75 degrees.  Another beautiful morning.  11am, anchor up and heading a few miles north to Hopetown.  Our VHF is acting up again.  For some reason it does not like channel 68, which is the primary channel used in the Abacos.  We have a new radio ordered, so when we come back to the boat after Jeff’s graduation, we will install it.

1pm, on one of Truman’s moorings in Hopetown.  Jaz is already here.  His outboard has completely given up.  Hopefully, he can get a new fuel pump for it.  We had lunch at Capt. Jack’s, went to the grocery.  Lisa and I went for a long walk on the beach – all the way around the north end of the island.  Didn’t realize it was 2 miles!  We found four more golf ball beans, but in tough shape, one hamburger bean, one Sea Pearl and one Beach Pea (aka Bay Bean).  We managed to hitch a ride with one of the locals (Mary) in her golf cart on the way back.

We found Pink Sands (aka Sands Grapefruit Radler) Beer at the local liquor store.  Bought a case.  We bought a buch of stone crab claws from a local fisherman and split them with Jaz for dinner.  Yum!

10NM today.  26°32.28’N  076°57.62’W

Saturday, April 30, 2016.  Cloudy, murky morning.  Wind south at 15.  Humid, 80 degrees.  Breakfast at Capt. Jack’s.  Reasonably good food and excellent wifi.  Walked the beach, paid bills, worked on the blog.  Walked the beach, then checked out some of the shops.  Tried to have dinner at the Abaco Inn, but they are closed because they are hosting a wedding.  Tried the Hopetown Inn and Marina, but they too are closed because of a private function (fishing tournament).  We wound up back at Capt. Jack’s.  Turns out this is the farewell dinner with Jaz.  They are leaving in the morning headed to Green Turtle and then back towards the US.  Showers overnight.

Sunday, May 1, 2016.  May Day. Jaz is still here.  Decided to wait until the tide is high this afternoon to try the harbor entrance.  Many of the harbors in the Abacos have very shallow entrances and this is one of them.  We have breakfast with Jaz at Harbor View.  Last time we ate here, the food was just ok and the prices very high.  At least for breakfast, the prices are reasonable and the food was very good.  Jaz shared sous chicken (a kind of chicken stew) and we had sausage and grits (yellow grits).  Both dishes were excellent.  Jaz went off to church and we walked the town, had an ice cream and met them after the church service.  We said our farewells again, and then watched them sail away.  Such is the nature of cruising.  Hopefully, we will cross paths with them again.

Dinner on board.  Mahi from Dennis (Lighten Up) in Spanish Wells.

Monday, May 2, 2016. Another murky morning, but clears later. Wind SW @ 15-20. Heard from Down Time.  They are headed to Treasure Cay. There is supposed to be a weather front coming through on Wednesday and they are headed to a safe harbor.  Boat chores today.  Changed the oil and filter on the engine and the generator, changed the primary fuel filter (RACOR), checked and cleaned the sea strainers for the sea water on both units, put 12 gallons of fuel in the tank from jerry cans.  The propane has run out, so we swapped that tank for a full one (we carry two). Engine hours 2035.  Generator hours 1013.  Propane changed.

Dinner on board.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Dropped the mooring at 9:30am.  Beautiful day, partly cloudy, 75 degrees, wind SE at 15-20.  We are headed to Marsh Harbour, only eight miles and downwind all the way.  Very skinny water as we leave the harbor as it is just past mid-tide and falling.  11:30am Passed Jaz headed in the opposite direction.  They are headed to Treasure Cay, a very protected anchorage and marina, to wait out this next storm, due tonight.  12:00 noon, we are tied up in slip 28 at Harbor View Marina.  We will leave the boat here while we fly home for a couple of week’s for Jeff’s graduation from Emmanuel College in Boston.  The marina next door (Mangoes Marina) has quite a few boats in it (presumably for the coming storm), as does this one.  However, Mangoes is shallow and at low tide a couple of the sail boats are leaning over at what must be an uncomfortable angle.

Lisa and I walked to the hardware store and then across the street to the marine supply store looking for filters for the drinking water (hardware store had them) and the holding tank vent filters (no one has them).  We had dinner at Snappa’s at the foot of our dock and then walked to Jamie’s for ice cream.


8NM today  26°32.81’N  077°03.21’W

Wednesday, May 4, 2016.  Today was spent doing laundry, cleaning the boat (inside and out) and stowing items out of the way, making room for Jeff and Carly when they arrive.  I walked down to the marine store to get chemicals for the head.  We had dinner on board.

Thursday, May 5, 2016.  Today is a travel day.  A taxi picked us up to go to the airport.  The flight (Silver Airways) to Fort Lauderdale was late, but we had plenty of time to change planes.  Fort Lauderdale International has grown a lot (now four terminals).  It took forever to get through US Customs and Immigration, mainly because there were very few officers working.  Then we had to catch the shuttle bus from Terminal 4 (International) to Terminal 1 (Southwest).  The shuttle let us off at the garage instead of the terminal, so we still had quite a walk.  Once we got to Terminal 1, we had to go through security again, which was very crowded.  Nothing about flying is fun anymore.  Both Southwest flights were on time, but as always the flights were absolutely full.  Our flight arrived in Manchester, NH, at 11:50.  Our son James picked us up and we were home in bed at 2am – long day.


We will be traveling back to Marsh Harbour on May 22.