In the Bahamas

We are in the Bahamas and enjoying being back.

We left Fort Pierce at first light and motored south against mild headwinds working our way down to West Palm Beach.  The winds had started to build so we made the left turn to cross the gulf stream overnight under sail.  Once across we again turned south and motor/sailed to the Great Bahamas Bank.  We were again able to sail as we crossed the Bank.  During night #2 we moved into The Tongue of the Ocean, a deep area between the different island groups.  We continued on until we reached a channel that is shown on our charts and crossed the banks to Big Majors Spot and anchored just after sunset.  Big Majors Spot is famous for the pigs that will swim out to your dinghy as you attempt to come ashore to feed them.  Any Google search will bring up many photos and videos.  We anchored for the night and in the morning we moved to the fuel dock at Staniel Cay to top off the fuel tank.  Leaving the fuel dock we worked our way around Harvey's Cay sailed down to Little Farmers Cay to stage for the trip through the cut between islands the next morning.  In the morning we caught an outgoing current going out the cut into Exuma Sound.  Turning south we then sailed down to Great Exuma Island and motored into Elizabeth Harbor and set anchor near several of our cruising friends.  We had arrived at Georgetown.  397 nautical miles, or 456 land miles in five days.   The harbor is large and last time when we were here there were over three hundred boats. It's still early in the season and there are only thirty boats with more arriving every day.  We dinghied into town the next morning to check in with Customs and Immigration.  Once cleared in we visited the phone company store to get a sim card for our Bahamian hotspot.  We suspend our US phone service and rely on the hotspot for data and phone service while we are in the islands.  The next stop was at a restaurant to celebrate arrival with a Kalik, a local Bahamian beer.

The winds are blowing in the 15-20 knot range so we will stay here for a few days.  We have checked out several of the hiking trails, relaxed on the beach, collected shells on the ocean side and visited with friends.  When the winds let up we will continue on.

Our Spot position locator has died and I am experimenting with other means to show our travels.

Winter Cruise Is Underway

We have started our winter cruise.

The survey is done with no serious issues, the part arrived and has been installed and we have started off.

We spent a couple of days in Oriental waiting on a water pump that gave out.  The town has two docks that cruisers can stay at for 48 hours free of charge.  We were allowed to stay a couple of extra days since without the pump we could not run the engine.  Once the pump was installed we left the dock and moved down to Morehead City and anchored to wait for a weather window to move on.  Several days later on Saturday we had a good forecast and we headed out the entrance setting a course for Beaufort SC. The opening was for only two days and after sailing and motoring we arrived midday on Monday and moved up a creek to wait out the weather.  The forecast was correct and we sat out several days of the wind blowing hard but we were well protected.  Thanksgiving morning we headed off again with our next stop St Augustine.  We arrived midday on Friday and set anchor by the fort.  Saturday we dinghied into town and got together with several other cruisers for drinks and stories.  After dinner at our favorite barbeque place we went back to the boat for the night.  We planned to move on Sunday but it was a rainy chilly day so we stayed at anchor.

Monday morning we caught the first bridge opening and moved down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) making a long run of eighty miles and anchored for the night at New Smyrna Beach.  We were only fifty miles from Cape Canaveral and were able to watch a rocket launch that evening, once it cleared the buildings that were in our way.  The next morning we started off early again and made a sixty mile run to Melbourne FL and anchored for the night.  The next morning we were underway early again to make our way to Vero Beach.  Vero Beach is very cruiser friendly and is often referred to as "Velcro Beach" since it is hard to leave once you show up.  Cori has gotten several loads of laundry done, I have worked on getting the boat ready for the next leg and we have made several trips on the free bus to stock up on groceries for the winter.

We have just about everything ready and will be moving on further down the Florida coast before making the turn to the Bahamas.

End of the Summer Cruise

Our summer cruise has come to an end.  That is not all bad because it means that the winter cruise is getting underway.

At last blog post we were just inside the Dismal Swamp Canal with friends.  From there the three of us, Hi Flite, New Song and Packet Dreams, moved down the canal to the visitors Center which is a combination of highway/canal visitor center and highway rest stop.  The next morning we left continuing down to the South Creek Locks.  After locking down we continued to Elizabeth City.  Elizabeth City is very cruiser friendly with several free docks available.  The three boats decided to stay at the Mid Atlantic Christian University docks.  These people are very friendly, they gave us a ride to and from the laundromat, offer use of the showers in the gym, use of the cafeteria for our meals and a firepit for an evening fire, all of which we greatly appreciated.  In the morning, after a breakfast in the cafeteria, we moved down the river, crossed the Albemarle Sound and anchored for the night at the Alligator/Pungo Canal.  In the morning when the fog cleared we continued down the canal crossing the Pamlico River and anchored for the night in Goose Creek.  The next morning we continued on to the Neuse River and moved up Broad Creek to tie up at the dock at our friends, Jerry and Donna on Bluejacket.  

After picking up a rental car we started our projects.  We made several trips to the storage unit swapping out summer stuff for winter stuff trying to get ready for the trip south.  There were multiple trips to provision and pick up some boat parts we had ordered and delivered to friends.  Cori got out her sewing machine and materials and worked on a couple of projects.  After nine days at the dock we moved down to Oriental.  We need to have the boat hauled out of the water to have an inspection, called a marine survey, performed to satisfy our insurance company.  We made arrangement at one of the boatyards to be hauled out and have a couple of maintenance issues taken care of along with the survey.

At this writing the survey is complete with no major issues, the final report will arrive in a couple of days, and we are waiting on a part that should be here in the morning at which time we will be moved back into the water.  There is a weather front forecast so we will stay in the area over the weekend and then head out on our next adventure.

The final numbers on our summer cruise 1576 nautical miles or 1813 statute miles.  About the distance from New York City to Chicago and back.

Our plans, always subject to change, are to make several jumps down the eastern seaboard arriving in Florida.  Once there we will wait for a weather window allowing us to cross over to the Bahamas.  Most years we stay in the islands for six months but this year we are planning to only stay for three figuring mid December to mid-March.

Maine Recap

We have left Maine and are working our way down the East Coast.  I wasn't able to post updates because almost everywhere we went we had very poor to nonexistent cell phone coverage.  We are currently just south of Norfolk VA.

Where did we go and what did we do?  Here is a recap:

Leaving Portsmouth we started moving up the Maine coast first stopping at Richmond Island, a little short of Portland, and anchored for the night.  In the morning we started on our way but quickly discovered a problem and moved over to an empty mooring to tie up and figure out the problem.  We spent the day working on a cooling water problem and the next day continued on our way to Boothbay Harbor.  We had been here before and decided to revisit.  We rented a mooring that allowed us a short dinghy ride to the dock and walking distance to downtown.  On the third day we dropped the mooring, moved to the other side of the harbor to take on fuel and continued on our way.  Once out of the protection of the bay we found ourselves beating into a headwind and waves.  Since we are not on any kind of schedule we diverted into the next bay and picked up a mooring for the night in Christmas Cove off of the Damariscotta River.  In the morning the wind and seas had calmed down and we continued on to Long Cove just off from Tenants Harbor.  Unfortunately we had to motor instead of sail.  In the morning we launched the dinghy and went to shore on Clark Island to hike the trails there, part of the Clark Island Preserve.  After lunch back on the boat we dinghied over to High Island and hiked the trail there.  We use a combination of apps that show us the trails in the areas we are at.  The next morning we moved up Penobscot Bay to Vinalhaven Island, motoring through the fog, our first foggy day.  We had decided that with the limited time we had left this would be as far up the coast as we would go.

We chose to go up into Southern Harbor since we had not been there before and it was in walking distance to the town of North Haven.  We rented a mooring for the night and while in the boatyard to pay they helped solve one of my outboard problems by giving me several pieces of fuel line and parts off of a scrap outboard.  They also provided information on other anchorages in the area that we had not been to.  The next day we dropped the mooring and headed down to Hurricane Island which was new to us.  The island has a research center which provides moorings and a dock and a number of hiking trails.  The island was the location of a major granite quarry and the trails take you around, through and above the quarry.  We spent three days hiking the trails on this island and dinghying to a nearby island to hike the trail there.  On the dinghy ride we noticed a couple of heads popping out of the water and stopped to watch a dozen seals watching us.

By now the weather alerts were warning of the former hurricane, now tropical storm heading towards Maine.  We moved up to Perry Creek, one of our favorite anchorages and picked up a mooring there.  We spent several days hiking the trails and relaxing on the boat.  The storm tracked further east hitting up by Arcadia National Park and we only experienced some winds up to 20 knots and rain.  We also had our second day of fog.  We also made the short dinghy ride around the point to North Haven to pick up cellular service and attach to WIFI while having lunch.  Business taken care of we headed back to the boat for a couple more days.

By now it was time to start heading back, the temperatures were dropping, days in the 50's and nights in the 40's and we don't have heat onboard.  Consulting with our weather advisor and checking several weather sites we found a window that would allow us to make the jump to the Cape Cod Canal and move into Buzzards Bay, a 25 hour trip.

We moved down the bay and spent the night at Allen Island and prepared to leave the next morning.  The day started out with light winds but the forecast was for the winds to build from the southwest and west allowing us to sail instead of motoring.  The forecast was off on the timing and the winds didn't arrive until around midnight blowing up  to 20+ knots.  We arrived at the Cape Cod Canal at 9:30 the next day just in time to ride the current trough the canal.  Once through the canal and at the entrance to Buzzards Bay we usually pick up a mooring to prepare for the next leg.  This time with advice from friends we stopped in Onset and rented a mooring for two days.  Cori took the opportunity to get some laundry done and pick up some groceries and I worked on another mechanical problem.  We also took the bus for some shopping and had lunch and dinner ashore instead of on the boat.  Our next jump would be to Norfolk VA which would take four days.

We were advised that due to weather moving up the coast we needed to be in Norfolk by Wednesday afternoon.  We finalized preparations Sunday morning and headed down Buzzards Bay and out into the Atlantic.  We had good winds and were able to sail, going past Block Island in the late evening.  From there we set a straight line to the mouth of the Chesapeake.  We had winds overnight in the 20's so we only had a reefed headsail and the mizzen doing 6-7 knots.  Unfortunately the seas were big and we were getting bounced around a lot.  By morning the winds and seas dropped down but we were able to continue sailing. One of the things that broke the boredom was the arrival of a small bird followed by a second.  They spent the afternoon checking out the cockpit and flying below to check out the rest of the boat.  Eventually they settled into the v-berth to spend the night.  About mid-morning they both decided to try making their way back to shore, I hope they made it. By mid-day the winds had shifter and were too light to keep the sails full so we started motoring.  Nothing else exciting happed the rest of the day which is a good thing.  Sunrise Wednesday morning we were approaching the mouth of the bay and we decided to continue on to the anchorage at hospital point in downtown Norfolk.  While passing through the naval base and looking at the variety of ships we had a submarine go past us on their way out to sea. We dropped anchor in Norfolk just after noon after sailing/motoring 440 nautical miles, or just over 500 miles in about 73 hours.  What so we do on these long passages?  We take turn being on watch, there is always someone in the cockpit keeping a lookout usually listening to music, podcasts or an audible book.  The other is either relaxing or sleeping, eating when convenient.  That afternoon I set about solving an oil leak problem, more about that later.  Once that problem was solved we pulled anchor and moved up the river and took the turn to follow the Dismal Swamp Canal.  Once through the lock we pulled over to the free dock and tied up.  Once settled in we walked up to the shopping area for lunch and picking up some groceries.  That's where we are now, taking a break and recharging the batteries, literally, there are power outlets on this dock.

I have mentioned several maintenance issues along the way.  A boat is a combination of a house and a car with a lot of the same issues.  This time I had issues, again, with our 3.3 horsepower outboard.  I have two carburetors for it and often switch back and forth depending on how cooperative they are.  This time I tried swapping parts between them to get one that ran right. Among the problems was that the fuel line had gotten hard and could not be used again.  This was one I got from a scooter repair shop in Florida.  The boatyard we stopped at in Vinalhaven gave me a possible replacement and also pulled several of different sizes and lengths from scrap motors.  I also got another replacement carburetor off of one of them.  It turned out that the new hose fit and when I tried the new to me carburetor it ran better than ever. Problem solved for now.  Another issue was the cooling water.  The engine is cooled by seawater pumped through a heat exchanger and pumped out with the exhaust.  One morning as we got underway we noticed there was no water coming out.  We were able to get to a mooring and tie up before it overheated.  I spent the day taking almost all of the cooling system apart trying to solve it.  I finally got it working by rerouting some hoses using a variety of adapters to accommodate different hose sizes and added a pump into the mix to push water to the engine to help the main intake pump.  This got us on our way and was solved, temporarily, with adapters and new hoses from the hardware store in Boothbay Harbor.  The next issue I had was the fresh water pump acting up.  We take what are known as "navy" showers where you get wet, shut off the water, soap up and then rinse off.  During my shower when I tuned the water back on to rinse off there was no water.  I have a washdown pump at the bow that I use to wash the mud off the anchor and chain.  It also had valves that will allow me to switch it to fresh water.  While still soapy I had to access the valves in the v-berth to switch to fresh water and then go up on the bow to rinse off.  After several attempts at troubleshooting I got the pump working and tried again to finish my shower and once again I was left covered with soap and no water.. One more time up to the bow to rinse off with very cold water.  It was a good thing we didn't have neighbors.  The next morning I went to work on finding the problem.  There was an electrical connection to the pump that was loose and decided that was the best time to fail.  New connections were made and better crimpers and connectors have been ordered.  The biggest issue was an oil leak.  When arriving at Onset I found that oil had been spraying in the area around the new transmission.  First I confirmed that it was not transmission fluid.  I finally found a spot on the hose connecting the oil filter to the engine.  The filter is separate from the engine with two hydraulic hoses to make it convenient for filter changes.  I tried sealing it with rescue tape and wrapping it with oil absorbent pads.  When we arrived in Norfolk I found that we were low on oil and the pads were soaked.  After calling several shops to find replacement hoses I went to work on removing the old.  I found I didn't have the proper tools but got by with a crescent wrench, vice grips and a screwdriver.  I was able to get them off struggling with the connection to the engine which has a very small access area.  The next morning we dinghied to shore and walked the almost three miles to the shop.  They were able to make them while we waited and took an Uber back to the boat.  I had done enough walking.  For some reason they went on easier then they came off.  So far there are no leaks so I must have done it right.  Next was cleaning the area with degreaser and cleaning the bilge.  Problem solving is an important part of cruising.  It' not all rum punches and sunsets.

We had a great time visiting some of our favorite spots and discovering new ones and will miss being there but the Bahamas are calling.

These photos can be enlarged if you click on them.

Back On the Water

We are once again on the water.

After our time in South Dakota we rented a car, loaded it up and drove back to the boat which we had left in New Hampshire.  The transmission was ready but there was one part that they could not order until we arrived.  After giving them the information they needed we went about getting the boat ready.  First we needed to deal with the rental car.  In ordering the car for a one way rental we had return it to an agreed agency.  This one was in Manchester N.H. about an hour away.  In order to drop off the car and return to the boat we first had to rent another car locally, drive both to Manchester, drop one off and return to the boat and then return the second car a couple of days later.  It's all about logistics.  We needed a gallon of paint to touch up the bottom and the closest dealer was near Boston, so off we went to Massachusetts.  Having the car made everything easier making runs for groceries, boat parts and to treat ourselves to several meals out.  After a couple of days we had to turn in the car hoping we didn't need to make anymore trips.

We planned to have the boat launched as soon as the transmission was in but Mother Nature had other plans.  Hurricane Lee was churning out in the Atlantic and no-one had a good idea where it was going to make landfall, but Maine was definitely on the list.  We worked on getting the boat ready while watching the hurricanes progress.  As predicted the hurricane was going to impact Maine and since Maine is just across the river we were going to have to deal with the storm.  As the storm got closer it became apparent that it was going to shift to the east and, luckily, we would only feel the effects of the outer bands.  Friday was a beautiful day and I took the opportunity to apply the paint to the bottom and get ready for the rain and winds.  Saturday started off with rain but quit about mid-day but the winds built.  Taking a break from sitting on the boat we walked down to the harbor and realized that the boat was sitting in a well protected spot.  The winds were much higher down by the water.  Sunday and Monday were rainy just as forecast.

With the storm moving on we were scheduled to be launched.  After lunch on Tuesday the lift arrived, picked up Hi Flite and brought her down to the harbor.  After being lowered into the water they let us stay in the slip until the water calmed as the tide changed.  There is a very strong current in the river as the tide rises and falls with a bit of calm water as the tide changes.  Once the current dropped we moved out to a mooring ball to spend the night and preparing to leave the next morning at low tide.  We needed to leave at low tide because of a bridge we have to go under.  The top of our mast is almost fifty feet off the water.  The bridge we were going under is listed at forty-six feet of clearance.  There is about six feet of tidal range which means that at low tide there SHOULD be fifty two feet of clearance.  It was a very tense moment when we went under the bridge when we first arrived and it was just as tense going out.  Once out into the main river channel we proceeded down the river and back to the Kittery Point anchorage to spend the night before continuing on in the morning

We had hoped to be back on the water soon after arriving and moving up the Maine coast visiting some of our favorite anchorages and exploring new one.  Circumstances changed that and we ended up spending over two weeks on the boat waiting to be launched.  We planned on spending about a month before starting our way south but we will have to cut that short to stay ahead of the weather.  We have our next week planned and then will be playing it by ear letting the weather dictate what we do.

It is good to feel the boat moving gently below us again.

A Slight Change In Plans

Our plans have changed, as usual.  Once we made it to Maine we were going to work our way up to Harpswell, put the boat on a friends mooring and spend the next couple of months in South Dakota working on our remote cabin.  Due to the problem with the transmission we have hauled out at Portsmouth NH and will leave the boat on the hard for the next couple of months.

The transmission is water cooled and the cooler has failed letting water into the transmission.  Fortunately the transmission continued to work enabling us to get to Kittery then motor up the river to the marina to be hauled out.  We were able to find a well recommended mechanic to do the transmission overhaul.  We anchored off of the Kittery Town Dock for the weekend and on Monday we borrowed a car and visited and called marinas looking for someone that could haul us out in a timely manner.  We chose Great Bay Marina as they could haul us out the quickest.  We needed to time the tides so on Tuesday we pulled anchor and headed up the river.  There were two bridges to be concerned about, the first was a drawbridge that opened on the hour and the half hour.  We rushed to get there for the three o'clock opening and continued up the river fighting a current.  We needed to be at the last bridge at low tide.  The bridge has a vertical clearance of 46 feet.  Our mast is 50 feet off the water.  The marina assured us that at low tide the clearance is 53 feet.  We arrived just as the tide was turning and started for the bridge.  As we got closer it looked like we were going to hit it.  Looking up at the mast when going under something almost always looks like you are going to hit it no matter the amount of clearance.  We were so sure that we were going to hit that we did a quick reverse and motored around while calling the marina to verify the height.  Being assured that it was more than 50 feet we tried again and made it.  It was the most terrifying feeling that at any moment there would be a crash.  It took some time after for the nerves to calm down.  We picked up a mooring and spent the night planning to be hauled out the next morning.  We were glad to be on a strong mooring because the current rips through on every tide change.

In the morning we dinghied in and made the final arrangements to be hauled.  We were scheduled for slack tide when we would have the least amount of current and at 11:00 we dropped the mooring and motored into the lift only to find that we would have to back in to be lifted.  Backing out, making a u-turn and backing into a narrow spot is not my favorite maneuver.  This time with no current or wind it looked like I had been doing this on a regular basis, if they only knew the truth.  Once out of the water I was amazed at the condition of the bottom.  There was no growth, no barnacles and a quick power wash made it look freshly painted.  I strongly recommend Sherwin Williams bottom paint.  After taking a lunch break they moved us to the yard and got us set up convenient to water and electricity.

Once we were settled in I went to work on pulling the transmission.  With only a couple of problems it was free of the engine but needed to be lifted out and lowered to the ground.  Fortunately we are a sailboat and have block and tackle and plenty of rope onboard.  Once lifted into the cockpit we lowered it to the ground using one of our halyards used to raise sails.  One big project completed.

This morning we needed to pick up our rental car and our friend Adina offered to give us her car or to take us.  Once back to the marina with the car we loaded the transmission and delivered it to the mechanic.  I explained that we would not be back to pick it up until late August so there was no rush.  Once back at the marina we started loading the car.  We have a full size SUV and it will be packed full.

Over the next few days we will be driving back to Spearfish SD to spend time with Cori's Mother and siblings and work on the cabin.  This years big project will be to finish the solar electric system to make us self-reliant.  Last year we were using a portable generator to keep the batteries topped up.  I also expect that there will be time to relax and have some fun.

That's what has been happening and what we expect to happen, only time will tell.

I won't be posting any updates until we are back on the boat, late August or early September when we plan to visit some of our favorite places in Maine before being chased south by the cold.

We Have arrived in Maine

 We have arrived in Maine but just barely.  We are on the Kittery Maine side of the Piscataqua River looking across to Portsmouth New Hampshire.

We waited a week at Norfolk and Hampton VA for a weather window to allow us to go offshore to Buzzards Bay MA instead of traveling up Chesapeake Bay and down the Delaware River then jumping off at Cape May.  This route would be shorter and require less travel time.  We spent several days with fellow cruisers in the Hampton area and were able to attend the Blackbeard Pirate Festival which commemorates the defeat of Blackbeard the pirate.  It was very entertaining and educational.  I was able to watch a demonstration on how rope is made and there were several canons of various size being shot off.  Once again we were able to get together with my Great-nephew for dinner and a visit.

The forecast was favorable for a Monday departure and at 6:30 AM we pulled anchor and started motoring out of the Chesapeake Bay and into the ocean.  Once clear of land we turned North-northeast for Buzzards Bay.  The winds were light and we had to motor but there was a promise of the winds increasing.  Unfortunately the winds that we got were from behind us and we did not have enough apparent wind to sail.  The apparent wind is the actual wind on the sails when you factor in the boats speed.  For example, we had ten knots of wind from behind and the boat was moving at five knots we would have five knots of apparent wind not enough for us to sail.  Because of this we continued to motor on.  The forecast was for the winds to shift from the northwest but when they did they were under ten knots so we continued motoring.  This continued through the night and in the morning we were able to sail for a short time before the winds dropped off again.  We continued motoring.  Wednesday, day three, we had about four hours of favorable winds and we were enjoying the sail when once again the winds died. During the night we passed by Block Island and continued up Buzzards Bay.

On day four we arrived at the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal in time for the tide change and had a favorable current to go through the canal.  Last time in the canal we did not have a favorable current and had to fight a two to four knot current making the passage much longer.  Once out of the canal we set course for Gloucester MA.  Once again we didn't have enough wind to sail.  We arrived at Gloucester and attempted to anchor in a small bay rather then go into the main harbor.  We were unsuccessful in getting a good set so we continued on to Thatcher Island.  The cruising guide said that there were several guest mooring there.  We arrived and picked up a mooring and shared the harbor with one other boat.  We had not been here before and the two lighthouses were so interesting I had to look up the history.  Very interesting island with the first lighthouses built by the British before the Revolutionary War all the way to the island used to hide someone in the Witness Protection Program.

This was our first stop in four days.  We had motored/sailed 461 miles in 84 hours, most of it motoring.  We carry 80 gallons of fuel and another 15 in jerry cans on deck.  I have always calculated that we could motor around 400 miles before adding fuel.  When we arrived at the anchorage the fuel gauge was getting very close to empty.  By not pushing too hard and maintaining our speed round five knots we were able to conserve fuel.

The next morning as the fog cleared we were getting ready to continue.  We added the fuel from the jerry cans, checked the engine and v-drive oil and the transmission.  Here we had a big surprise, instead of bright red transmission fluid we had a dark grey sludge.  I suspected water had gotten into the transmission, possibly from the transmission oil cooler.  I pumped out the sludge and refilled with fresh fluid, started the engine and did a quick test, the transmission worked shifting forward and reverse.  After completing our preparations we restarted the engine and continued on, hoping to sail instead of motoring.  I did notice that our exhaust had some oil in it telling me that the transmission oil cooler was most likely the problem.  We tried sailing for several hour but the winds were shifting and too light, so again we were motoring.  By mid-afternoon the winds came up and we were once again a sailboat.  We were heading to Kittery Maine to visit friends we made in the Bahamas and we were able to sail all of the way into the harbor dropping the sails just before we reached the anchorage.  After three tries to get the anchor set we finished off the day with adult beverages.  During the day we had been calling different facilities to find a mechanic and where we could keep the boat for the duration of the repair.  Checking the transmission we again found the grey sludge.  No matter what the cause is I am sure the transmission will need to be rebuilt, it's not designed to run with salt water.

This being the weekend we are spending time on the boat and will be visiting our friends.  Monday we should have a better idea of what our options are.

Waiting on Weather

 We have been waiting on weather in a variety of locations for the last few weeks.  First we waited a couple of days before leaving the dock we were staying at.  Once we had good traveling weather we headed up the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) pushing hard.  Our first day we moved up the waterway, crossed the Pamlico River, traveled through the Alligator/Pungo Canal and anchored for the night about halfway up the Alligator River.  In the morning we pulled anchor planning to cross the Albemarle Sound.  The wind kicked up to 20+ knots and we pulled over to wait for the winds to drop.  The Albemarle Sound is notorious for being extremely rough in high winds.  After a couple of hours the front had moved on and we continued on crossing the Sound and entering the Pasquotank River.  Leaving the Alligator River we had two choices on how to continue, up the North River following the conventional ICW or up the Pasquotank River following the alternate ICW going through the Dismal Swamp Canal.  Due to the heavy boat traffic and problems with bridge and lock maintenance we chose the lesser used Dismal Swamp route.  We bypassed Elizabeth City and found a quiet anchorage next to Goat Island for the night.  In the morning we continued up the river and caught the 11:00 am lock opening, locking up to the canal.  Once out of the lock we continued to the Dismal Swamp Canal Visitors Center dock for the night.  The canal parallels Highway 17 and shares a rest stop/visitors center.  They provide free dockage for boats traveling the canal.  Also at this location is the Dismal Swamp State Park Headquarters and hiking trails.  We stayed an extra day to check out the park and hike several of the trails.  During the day several other boats moved on and others arrived.

The weather forecast was for high winds offshore for the next several days but we were ell protected in the canal.  After staying two days at the visitors center we continued a short way up the canal tying up at another free dock.  This was along the Dismal Swamp Canal hiking and biking trail that was a part of Highway 17 in the past.  Along with the dock the State has also built restrooms for the boaters and hikers/bikers.  It has the added benefit of being far enough away from the highway that it is very quiet and peaceful.  Two other boats joined us at the dock and we stayed for two days relaxing and hiking up the road. 

The weather was still bad offshore so in the morning we made another short move up to the Deep Creek Lock but stopped to tie up to the free dock just before the lock.  We waited at this dock for three days waiting for the weather and winds to improve.  We had several days of rain but were protected from the winds.  While here we were able to visit with my Great-Nephew who is stationed at Fort Eustis for training.  It had been six years since we had last seen him.  The next day Cori's brother delivered a package we had shipped to him and we got a chance to catch up with him.

Finally the weather improved and after spending a week in the Canal we moved into the lock and locked down to continue on to Norfolk.  In the past we have transited the canal in a single day and again two days.  A week to go eighteen miles is almost a record.  After stopping to top off fuel we moved up the Elizabeth River and anchored at Hospital Point in Downtown Norfolk.  The next day it rained and the winds picked up again.  We spent two days at anchorage letting the weather move on then motored down the river and across the James River to anchor outside of Hampton VA.  Yesterday we dinghied into town with two other boats that we had met in the Dismal Swamp to have lunch and beverages.  Today we dinghied to Downtown Hampton to attend the Blackbeard Pirate Festival.  Lots of vendors, food, information and cannons being shot off.  The people dressed in costume were also very entertaining.

This morning the weather forecaster told us that by Monday the weather patterns will change and we have a very good chance to make our run up to Buzzards Bay in New England, a three day offshore passage.  We may have finally gotten the change in the weather everyone traveling North has been waiting for.  Our weather forecaster has been saying that the last six weeks have been very unusual and not typical spring weather.  That is still a couple of days off so we will see how accurate he is.  If this works out we will then pass through the Cape Cod Canal and continue up to Maine.

Obviously we did not make straight runs like this map shows but followed the waterways. This is the map from our Spot Locator showing the locations we stopped along the way.

Once Again We Have Closed the Circle

We have closed the circle on our Winter 2022-2023 Cruise.

We left North Carolina on November 1st going to South Carolina then onto Florida.  After Florida we made the jump to the Bahamas.  We spent several months in the Abaco's, moving down to Eleuthera in the Outer Islands then to the Exuma's.  From there we made the jump to the remote Jumentos/Raggeds.  Leaving the Raggeds we moved up to Long Island then out to Conception Island for the first time.  We then made a several day passage back up to Eleuthera then back to the Abaco's.  Our final leg was a four day passage from the Abaco's to Beaufort North Carolina arriving May 11th.

During the trip we were able to reconnect with friends we had made in previous years and make many new friends.  Among the highlights were Christmas and New Years at Green Turtle Cay, the Five F's Festival at Little Farmers and once again the Valentines Party in the Raggeds.

We traveled 2291 nautical miles or 2636 statute miles.  This is the approximate distance between Boston and Los Angeles but traveling at about six miles an hour which is about the speed of a bicycle.

We have been spending the last week at a friends dock getting prepared for the Summer 2023 Cruise.  The plan is to sail up to Maine.  From there we plan to take some time off the boat to visit our property in South Dakota and finish some projects there.

Offshore passage to North Carolina, each mark is 12 hours

Our route this season

Back in the Abacos

We are back at Green Turtle Cay again.

We were down at Spanish Wells on Eleuthera Island preparing for the jump to the Abacos. Our plan was to move out to Egg Island, anchor for the night and leave for the 60 mile jump to the Abacos.  It didn't work out that way.  About twenty minutes into the move the engine quit again.  We had enough wind to sail over to Meeks Patch and set the anchor.  Once the engine cooled a bit I started troubleshooting with the help of Jay on Minks.  They anchored nearby and came over to help.  With his having experiencing the same problems we finally found the bad connection that was causing the shut down.  We were ready to leave in the morning.

About 2:00 am Cori was up and restless so she talked me into leaving early.  We pulled anchor, motored around the Egg Island cut and set the sails.  I went back to bed.  We had almost prefect sailing conditions showing speeds of 7-9 knots.  As we got closer to Little Harbor inlet the seas were beginning to build.  Our early start gave a a great trip.  We arrived at Lynyard Cay and dropped anchor near Jera who we had met earlier in the season.  The next morning we pulled anchor and moved up to Hopetown.  While at anchor at Lynyard Chris and CC on Safari sailed past to say hello.  They had rented a mooring in Hopetown for the month and offered it to us for the night.  While in town Cori took care of several loads of laundry, got a haircut, then we spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at the pool at the marina and inn visiting with several other cruisers.  The next morning we dropped the mooring and stopped at the fuel dock to top off the tanks and jerry jugs.  We sailed up to Scotland Cay to visit Rita who was our basket weaving teacher down at Hog Cay.  Fortunately for us they have a dock we could use for the night.  After a nice visit, tour of the island and a great meal we headed back to the boat.  At high tide the next morning we slipped the dock and headed for Whale Cay.  We went around the Whale and continued on to Green Turtle Cay.  We refer to "crossing the whale" as you are forced to go around Whale Cay going out one cut into the ocean and back into another due to shallow water.  If timed with the right sea and wind conditions it is a pleasant ride.  If the conditions are not favorable it can be a dangerous or an impossible trip.  We had mild conditions again.  It's all about the timing.  We anchored off of New Plymouth.

The weather forecast was calling for several days of strong winds and rain showers ranging from northwest clocking around to southwest for the next few days.  We moved up to Manjack Cay and anchored to sit out the weather.  The forecast was correct and the conditions were not comfortable.  At one point we were sure that the anchor had dragged before resetting itself after a wind shift.  We spent the time monitoring the chartplotter and anchor alarm to determine if we moved again.  For the next three days the winds blew in excess of 20 knots as we rode it out.  I was able to take care of a couple of maintenance items and read while Cori worked on making more baskets.

Once the winds had blown themselves out we moved back to Black Sound and tied up at Donny's dock once again.  We spent the next days visiting with friends, helping at the marina and working on the projects list. Donny has a boat in the marina that was damaged in the hurricane and it will be taken out and scuttled.  Before that can happen we went through it salvaging what we could, especially the winches. We also made several trips for breakfast and lunch at some of our favorite restaurants.   We are big fans of the stewed grouper that is offered for breakfast.

After ten days at the dock we wanted to go out exploring for a few days.  We moved up to Manjack again but this time we were able to get off the boat to hike the art trail and the ocean trail to the beach on the other side of the island.  While there we met several new cruisers and spent some time with them. We had one evening of high winds and rain with the boat near us dragging down on us during the night.  These things only seem to happen at night.  They did a good job of getting their anchor up without fouling ours and got themselves re-anchored.  The next day we moved back to anchor outside of Black Sound again.  We dinghied in since Donny had told us he had some things he would need help with.  We spent a little time in town and picked up another case of Cuba Libre Mojitos since Cori is not able to get them in the states, they are made in Cuba. The next day we dinghied in again, helped with cleaning out the last of the boat getting it ready to be scuttled then went for lunch in town with the crew of Sienna's Choice.  High tide was mid-afternoon and we brought Hi Flite back to the dock.  There is forecast for strong winds from the southwest and west for the next couple of days so we will ride it out in the comport of the marina.  Of course we have become regulars at the ice cream shop.  

We are now checking the weather to make the trip back across the Gulf Stream to the States.  Until then we wait for the right conditions.

Left the Raggeds and Starting to Move North

I'm very overdue for an update.  We are on the move again after spending almost six weeks in the Raggeds.  We did move around a little visiting several of the islands close by.  Most of our time was spent at Hog Cay.  What so you do for six weeks in a remote area like the Raggeds?  Once we arrived our good friend Rita gave us a refresher coarse on basket weaving using the local silver palm fronds. We jumped into that and so far I have made fifteen baskets of varying size and Cori has made six and has four more started.  I will admit that there is a difference in quality and appearance between my attempts and what Cori has been producing. Many days were spent in the tiki hut just working away on them.  After Rita left we took on the role of teachers and spent many days teaching the skill to new arrivals.  We also spent some of our time hiking the many trails that the cruisers have built on the island.  Evening sundowners are always fun with many new people arriving and departing and watching for the elusive "green flash" as the sun goes down.  Mostly we spent our time just enjoying the solitude of the area.

Eventually it was time to move on.  We pulled anchor and moved a short distance up to Buena Vista Cay to stage for the next jump which was a forty-two mile jump to Water Cay.  The next morning we pulled anchor at sunrise and continued on to Long Island, forty-four miles over very shallow water.  We draw five and a half feet and we spent a lot of time in seven feet of water.  Both days were enjoyable sails instead of having to motor.  Once we arrived at Thompson Bay on Long Island we made a run to the grocery and liquor store.  We also treated ourselves to a meal out.  We spent time with some of the other cruisers we had met in the Raggeds that had moved here also. Our last day in Thompson Bay we went ashore to check out the local mutton festival.  Each island has their own unique festival and Long Island celebrates raising sheep and goats.  There was a petting zoo with a variety of sheep and goats, craft vendors, food vendors offering a variety of food choices, centered on mutton as the main ingredient, music both live and recorded and of course adult beverages.  We spent our time there visiting with  many of the visiting cruisers.

It was time to move on again.  We sailed up to the northern point of the island and dropped anchor in Calabash Bay.  This bay has an amazing beach but the reputation of being very rolling and unsettled in a variety of winds resulting in the phrase "getting bashed at Calabash".  From here we wanted to go out to Conception Island which is about twenty miles out into the ocean.  These groups of islands are know for the fact that they were the first islands Columbus arrived at on his first trip to America.  Conception is a small island that is part of the Bahamas Land and Sea Park and is uninhabited except for a variety of birds and sea life.  We spent two days here checking out several of the beaches and taking a dinghy tour of the inner lagoon spotting many turtles.  Checking the weather forecast we were informed that the day we planned to depart would have light winds and we may have to motor instead of sail.  We prepared for an early start planning to move up to Cat Island for the night.  As we got the boat ready it was flat calm with no waves or wind.  As I stepped to the bow to pull the anchor the boat shifted and we were hit with twenty knot winds from the north.  We pulled the anchor and started out.  The waves went quickly from flat to bashing into four foot seas.  After about an hour the winds started to drop and the seas began to settle down.  Several hour later we had a light breeze under ten knots but directly on the nose.  We continued motoring along allowing the batteries to get a good charge and running the water maker.  When the seas calmed down Cori put out a fishing line and after several years of no luck we had a nice mahi-mahi on board.  Fresh fish for dinner and enough for several more meals.  We arrived at Cat Island in the early afternoon and decided to continue on to Eleuthera Island.  We continued into the night and set our sights on arriving at Current Cut in the morning.  During the night we had a problem with the engine and by then we had enough wind to continue under sail.  Current Cut is a narrow cut that has a strong tidal current.  We arrived near low water and as we motor-sailed through the cut we had a push from about two knots of current.  Once through the cut the winds came up.  We had continued through the night in order to be further north when the winds picked up and we were almost there. The forecast was for winds from fifteen to twenty knots and it quickly started blowing twenty.  We sailed up to the protected anchorage at Meeks Patch just outside of Spanish Wells and dropped anchor.  Our next move will be the jump from Eleuthera to the Abaco's but first we need to wait out the front coming through over the weekend.

While waiting out the weather we have been taking care of some boat maintenance, troubleshooting the engine issue and troubleshooting the refrigeration.  It appeared that we no longer had a refrigerator but with some help troubleshooting from the factory tech's it looks like it will continue to run.

It looks like we will be waiting for a couple of days to make the jump to the Abaco's where we plan to spend another month or so before returning to the States.

Our path from the Raggeds to the present but it doesn't show the jump to Conception Island which is that little dot on the far right.

Back in the Ragged's

 We made it down to the Ragged Islands in time for the Valentines Party.  It is one of our favorite places.

Our last two days in Blackpoint included a grand opening party for the new deck at Loorraine's Cafe.  We partied with a group of friends and met many other cruisers including JoDanna who is from Thief River Falls MN, just twenty miles from where I grew up in northwestern MN.  February 1st, Wednesday, we pulled anchor and made a short trip back up to Stanial Cay to top off the water and fuel.  We will be moving into a remote area and will not have access to either of these.  First we needed to be at Little Farmers Cay for the Five F's Festival.  We had a nice sail and dropped anchor off of Ty's Club which will be party central for the festival.  The Five F's (First Friday in February Family Festival) is an annual regatta of the Class C Bahamian Sloops.  It had been canceled the last three years so everyone was ready for a party. The boats and crews come from many islands and are accomplished sailors.  The boats are built in the tradition of the Bahamian fishing sloops and have a big sail requiring the crew to hike out on boards in order to keep the boat upright in the winds.  It is very entertaining.

The party started on Thursday with a Cruisers race that took place just off our stern which gave us an excellent opportunity to cheer on our favorites.  That was followed up by a party at the Yacht Club, yes, this little island has a yacht club.  The next morning the fleet arrived, some sailed in, some were towed and some were on the the supply boat.  The race is unique in that instead of the typical pre-race maneuvering these boats are anchored at the start line and at the whistle they haul in the anchor, once the anchor is on deck the sail can be raised and the race is on, Usually with a lot of confusion and bumping of boats and sails as they try to separate themselves from the confusion.  We take the dinghy to watch the start and then follow the fleet around the course which goes through the anchorage.  The finish line was just in front of Ty's so the crowd is able to watch.  There was another race in the afternoon.  There were about a hundred boat in several anchorages which means there were a lot of people for this small island and town.  It is the major event of the year so the restaurants and vendors are making the most of it.  It was a good time, the beer was cold, the food was good and we visited and met a lot of good people, locals and cruisers alike.  By Monday we were one of only ten boats still here.  We took the day off since the winds would not be favorable for the trip to the remote Jumentos.

Tuesday morning we pulled anchor as the sun was coming up and started off.  First we were motoring with almost no wind, slowly the winds built and we hoisted the sails and sailed while watching the skies as the dark clouds moved in.  Just as the winds switched from six knots to twenty we dropped the mainsail to keep the boat under control.  Once the front had passed we raised the sail and continued on under full sail.  Eventually the winds settled to around fifteen knots we dropped the main again and continued sailing with the headsail and the mizzen.  Our destination was Flamingo Key in the Jumentos and we expected to arrive around 9:00 pm, well after dark.  Since everything was going well we decided to continue on during the night.  About an hour after the sun set a big full moon rose in the east and we had plenty of light to sail on.  We arrived at our destination of Hog Island in the Ragged's about 2:00 am and dropped anchor off from the other boats.  In the morning we moved in closer to shore and have been here since.

It's been windy but the island blocks most of it and the shelter hut we hang out at is well protected so we seldom notice it.  One of the big drawbacks of the area is that there are very few places to go to get protection from west winds.  We had a blow forecast that called for the winds clocking from SW to W to NW then back to NE.  Most of the boats moved off to find protection but we chose to stay and ride it out.  The winds didn't blow from the SW very long before they made a fast switch to NW and blew in the 20's for most of the day causing the seas to get rough.  It wasn't any worse then some anchorages we have been in and the next day it was back to the NE and being blocked by the island.  The cruisers that come to the area and especially Hog Island have built a network of trails on the island and hiking across to the ocean beaches is a popular activity.  Once on the beach we start the search for sea beans and other interesting debris. Unfortunately the beaches have a lot of debris washed up on them with most of it plastic.  Evenings are spent with the cruisers gathering at the tiki hut for sundowners and to watch the sun go down watching for the elusive "green flash".  There are a number of other impromptu activities such as musicians bringing in their instruments and basket weaving classes.  I am on my third basket since arriving.

Saturday, the 18th was the day of the party.  Maxine, who runs the small grocery store on Ragged Island hosts a party for the cruisers and locals.  Sun shades are raised around the hut, people bring chairs, tables are set up and the food is brought over.  The food is precooked but heated over the firepit until time to eat.  I won't go into all of the food available but it is all typical Bahamian cuisine finished off with deserts the cruisers make and bring in.  After the meal there is an auction where we auction off items that the cruisers have donated with the funds going to the school on Ragged Island.  It was damaged extensively in a hurricane several years ago and they are hoping to reopen next year, if they can hire a teacher.  The auction has been going on for a number of years and it is one of the ways the cruisers are repaying the locals for their hospitality as we visit their islands. 

Sunday morning it was interesting to watch the boats head out of the harbor going in the various directions and by Monday half of them were gone. It's Tuesday and we are down to fifteen boats.  The Ragged's and Jumentos are remote islands and the cruising guides warn you of the fact you must be self sufficient.  There is one small settlement on Ragged Island but fuel, water, parts and provisions are not available.  This is one of the reasons we love it down here, it is easy to get away to another close by island and be totally alone with nature.

We have been in the Bahamas for three months and were able to extend our cruising permit for another 100 days.  We plan on visiting several of the island in the area, combing beaches and relaxing before moving back up to the Central Bahamas and the Outer Islands before it is time to work our way back to the States.

Now in the Exumas

We have been on the move and are now in the northern Exuma's.

We spent a week in the harbor at Hope Town on Elbow Cay.  Several of our other cruiser friends are here so we were able to spend some time with them.  Hope Town is the home of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse, more commonly called the Hope Town Light.  It is unique in that it is the last lighthouse in the world that is still lit by a kerosene lamp and the lenses are turned by a drop-weight that is hand cranked back up every two hour thus requiring an operator to be on duty every night.  There have been many proposals to update the light but it is now considered a National Treasure and will continue to operate in the old way.  The lighthouse has been turned over to a foundation that is dedicated to preserving it.  This last year it has been going over a complete renovation including removal of all old paint, sealing any cracks in the concrete walls, repairing hurricane damage and a new paint job.  The windvane at the top was damaged in Hurricane Dorian and has now been repaired and is again showing the wind direction.  While we were up in the light there was a crew painting the exterior metalwork around the windows that protect the lenses.

When our week was up we dropped the mooring and made a stop at the fuel dock to top off both diesel and gasoline before heading out on the high tide.  The winds were light so we ended up motoring down to Lynyard Cay to spend the night before making the jump to Eleuthera.  We pulled anchor at first light and headed out Little Harbor Cut and with light winds on the nose we motored to Spanish Wells on the northern tip of Eleuthera arriving prior to sunset. The next day we made a trip into town to hit the grocery store, have lunch and some adult beverages.  The next day we made a big move of two miles to Meeks Patch since that would give us some protection from the winds and would have a bit less rolling.  The next day we were debating moving down to Current Cut to wait for the next day to go through the cut but instead we found that the conditions were good for going through so we continued on to the Glass Window.  Current Cut is a problem when the tide is rising or dropping with a strong current through the cut.  It is important to time it for slack tide or when the tides are changing and the current drops.  We were a little early but only had about 1-2 knots against us as we went through.  Once at the Glass Window we went ashore and walked up to the bridge to take in the view.  The Glass Window is spot where there is a small barrier between the sound and the ocean.  In storms or rough weather the ocean waves crash though the opening and the view from the bridge is impressive with the deep blue of the ocean and the light turquoise of the sound. While here we spent some time visiting with friends on G and Kenebeck,  We met Steve on Flash and were invited over to Seas the Moment for drinks and snacks. We have been running into G and Kenebeck since we were all together at Donny's at Green Turtle.  We moved next to Hatchet Bay which is a very well protected harbor and spent several days as the winds blew once more.  Again we were able to spend some time with G and Kenebeck since they were also here to get out of the blow.  I was also working on a ;low voltage problem and took the opportunity to recommission the water-maker.  We would now have to make our own water since there will be few opportunities to buy water as we move on.  Wishing to charge the batteries and run the water-maker we motored down to Tarpon Bay at the southern part of Eleuthera and prepared for the jump to the Exuma's.  

The next morning we pulled anchor at sunrise and motored following the charted waypoints until we moved into Exuma Sound and then set the sails and sailed to Warderick Wells Cut and entered the Exuma chain of islands.  Warderick Wells is the center for the Warderick Wells Land and Sea Park.  On our trip across we had winds that increased all day and were forecast to continue for several days.  Once we were anchored we spent the next day on the boat since the seas were rougher than we wanted to be out on in the dinghy.  The next morning we dinghied in, registered, paid our park fee and checked out several of the hiking trails.  The next morning we decided to move a little further along and were hoping to pick up a mooring at Cambridge Cay, another part of the park.  Hearing that the moorings were full we stopped instead at Compass Cay which is just out of the park.  The next day we took the dinghy up to Cambridge Cay to check out the trails there.  The next morning, Saturday, it was windy with winds in the 20's and the boat was rolling a lot in the wind/tide combination so we pulled anchor and moved to Blackpoint Settlement.

In our previous trips to the Bahamas we had tried to go to Blackpoint several times but that was back when we had transmission problems and gave up and returned to the States.  On our trip back through the Bahamas during Covid we stopped at Blackpoint just long enough to do a load of laundry and moved on.  That time we were one of only two boats in the harbor.  This is a very popular spot so the absence of cruisers was very unusual, but everything about the Covid years was unusual.  This time there are about sixty boats in the harbor and a lot of activity.  There are several boats we have met before and some that we only know from the single-side band radio nets and we have met several others while ashore.  Cori is taking advantage of nearby beaches to go beachcombing and there is a party scheduled tonight to celebrate the opening of a new deck at one of the restaurants.  The islands are still recovering from the devastation of hurricane Dorian.

It's the end of January and we have been in the Islands for two months now.  We have several islands we have plans to go to for various events but otherwise we are just "wandering aimlessly through the Exuama's".

I tried including some photos but can't get them to download but here is our recent track.

Now Moving about in the Abacos

We are once again on the move.

We arrived at Green Turtle Cay and tied up at the dock at Donny's Marina.  Donny is a friend we met on our first trip to the Bahamas and we have almost been adopted by him.  We don't normally stay at a dock but Donny insists.  This year was a little different.  Donny was going to take a trip to Florida to among other things, meet his new granddaughter.  We were tasked with helping run the marina while he was gone.  We helped him with a variety of projects including Cori accompanying him on several of his "Turtle Tours" where he takes visitors out for a day to see turtles, rays, snorkeling, etc.  We stayed for a little over a month, the longest we have been at a dock since we started cruising.

The stay on Green Turtle was capped off by their Junkanoo Carnival on New Years Eve and then a fishing trip on New Years Day.

On Monday, the 2nd, we untied the lines and caught the afternoon high tide and left to continue our adventures.  First step was to move around Whale Cay to access the lower Abaco Cays.  Due to a large sandbar and shoaling it is necessary to go out the Whale Cut into the ocean and then back into the protected waters of the Sea of Abaco.  This can either be a non-event or impossible depending on the sea state.  This time it was a non-event as we were able sail from Green Turtle and with a couple of tacks sail out the cut and back into the protected waters.  We continued on to Bakers Bay and set anchor for the night.  Bakers Bay is at the northern end of Great Guana Cay and is very private.  Just about anyone you can think of that has a lot of money has a home there including several movie stars, sports figures and business owners.  It is very private but we can still anchor in the bay.  The next morning we moved on, again enjoying a great sail, to Man O' War Cay.  We anchored out instead of going into the harbor but spent several days ashore checking out their progress recovering from hurricane Dorian and walking the beach looking for "treasures", i.e. sea-glass, sea beans and shells.

Our next move was to Elbow Cay where we anchored off from the lighthouse.  The lighthouse has just undergone a refit with among other things a new paint job.  This lighthouse is famous for being the last manned lighthouse using the original kerosene light and hand cranked clockwork to turn the lenses in the world.  The next morning we moved further down the island and went ashore to check out the beach for more treasures.  It got a little windy so we just spent the next day hanging out on the boat.  Saturday we pulled anchor and moved back up to Hope Town and moved into the harbor and picked up a mooring ball.  We had delayed entering the harbor for a couple of days waiting for high tide.  We are planning to spend a week here before moving on.  Sunday we took the walk to the On Da Beach Bar for adult beverages, music and a fundraiser for the schools music program.  Several of our cruising friends were there so everyone had a good time visiting before we all move on the other destinations.

After this week we plan on to leave the Abacos and jump down to Eleuthera Island and see some of the central Bahamas.