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.

Now in the Bahamas

We have arrived in the Bahamas on 11/24/2022, Thanksgiving Day.

We rode out Tropical Storm Nicole in Beaufort SC and fortunately it followed a path that was inland from our location.  We had several days of wind and rain but no winds over 35 knots.  Other locations were not as fortunate.  Our main concern was the warnings of possible tornados as the rain bands moved through.  Where does one go when on a boat?

On Sunday 11/12/2022 we pulled anchor and moved down river again to stage for an early start for our overnight trip to St. Augustine.  The next morning we pulled anchor just after sunrise, 7:00 am, and followed the route down the river and out into the ocean.  We had favorable winds and set sail for St Augustine but staying about ten miles offshore.  We sailed overnight and the next morning when about three hours out the winds died and we motored the rest of the way arriving at noon.  We anchored just off the Bridge of Lions and relaxed.  There is a strong current in the river and when the tide changed we had a catamaran anchored near us moving too close for comfort along with being too close to some docks so we pulled anchor and moved to another location.  In the morning we moved to a mooring for the next two days.  This gave us access to the marinas services such as the dinghy dock, showers, and laundry.  We were on a mooring next to Jim and Laurie in Kismet and after lunch with them we did a bit of shopping for boat stuff.  The next day my ankle was really bothering me and hard to walk on so we made a trip to an Urgent Care clinic.  There I got a shot and a prescription.  I had also arranged for a prescription to be sent to a pharmacy here and Cori got to do the four mile round trip to pick them up while I stayed on the boat and charged the batteries.  That evening we went to dinner with our friend Jim who has a boat in NC but lives nearby in Florida.  Allie and Ryan on Wabi Sabi drove down from where they were working on their boat to pick up some parts we brought for them  Later Jim and Laurie off Kismet and Fred and Ruth from Shooting Star joined us.

After checking the weather we decided to just motor down the ICW to prepare for the crossing rather then going offshore to Fort Pierce.  The first day we motored and arrived at New Smyrna Beach just a couple of minutes late for the scheduled bridge opening.  We maneuvered around for half an hour until the bridge opened and we could pass through.  It was 5:30 and near sunset so we anchored just down from the bridge for the night.  The next morning at 7:00 am we pulled anchor and continued on stopping for the night at Melbourne.  The next day we continued on arriving at Vero Beach at noon.  After checking in and topping off the fuel and water we moved out to share a mooring with Mike and Jean on Desderata II.  Several of our cruising friends were already here or on their way.  With rain forecast for the next day we caught the bus to the grocery store for last minute supplies.  Sunday it was raining and we spent the day on the boat.  The rain let up the next morning and we made another run for groceries and lunch on shore.  The next day was raining again but Desterada II left and Wabi Sabi came in to raft up with us.  

The next day we planned to leave early but it was too foggy to go anywhere.  About an hour later the fog cleared enough that we could see the channel markers and we headed off.  By mid-day we arrived at Fort Pierce and headed out the inlet bound for the Bahamas.

We first motored south along the coast until St Luci Inlet then turned east for the Bahamas.  We went south first to compensate for how far north the Gulf Stream would push us as we crossed it.  The next morning we were across and into the shallow water of the Bahamas.  We decided to continue on to Green Turtle Cay arriving about 4:00 pm on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day.  We anchored off the town and the next morning at high tide we moved into Black Sound and tied up at Donny's Marina.  After a short trip to check in we were officially in the Bahamas and celebrated with a couple of Kalik's, a Bahamian beer.  That evening we had a late Thanksgiving dinner with Donny and Mary Earl.

We are hanging out at the marina helping Donny with projects and plan to take some day trips to neighboring islands.  Green Turtle Cay is a fun place to be over Christmas and New Years so our plan is to stay here and move down the island chain after the new year.

North Carolina to South Carolina

We have started our next cruise.

We left our friends dock to move down the river to Clubfoot Creek.  This is where we lived at Matthews Point Marina.  The marina has new owners and is now Bishop's Marina.  We anchored off from the docks to spend more time preparing.  We had left Cori's kayak with our friends Bill and Helen and we brought that back to the boat.  We have other friends here that helped us out, Wayne repaired the wiring on a water pump for the water-maker, Louise took Cori to town for more provisioning and Vic loaned us his car to run errands.  Finally after a hectic two days we felt we were ready and with a promising weather forecast we pulled anchor and started the new adventure.

On Tuesday, November 1st, we pulled anchor and motored down the ICW from the Neuse River to Beaufort Inlet and at 3:00 pm we headed out the inlet and started off, hopefully to Florida.  Initially the winds were on the nose but the forecast was for them to clock around from the northwest.  We motored along and about 9:00 pm the winds had shifted enough that we could shut down the engine and begin sailing.  Later during the night the winds dropped and we had to start motoring again.  By sunrise the next morning we had made our way past Frying Pan Shoals.  The winds had started to come up and by changing our course a little we were once again sailing.  We sailed all day running from 4-6 knots with the winds from behind.  We continued on this course into the night.  Eventually the winds shifted more to the northeast and we adjusted our sails and altered our course putting us once more on a direct line to Florida.  The winds had been building and we were seeing 15-20 knots of apparent winds.  When you add our boat speed, which at that time was 7-9 knots, we were in 20-25 knot winds with gust up to 30.  We were seeing boat speeds we had only had while being pushed in the gulf stream.  Along with the winds increasing, the seas were building and we were getting pushed around by the following seas.  This unexpected speed was causing a problem.

Traveling at our usual 5-6 knots we were expecting to arrive at St Augustine sometime Friday morning.  By increasing our speed we would by arriving in the middle of the night.  St Augustine Inlet is not somewhere I want to arrive at night.  Due to the shifting shoals the buoys that mark the channel are periodically relocated and are not accurate on our charts and chartplotter.  It can be done at night but daylight and binoculars make it safer.  With the combination of poor arrival time, the increasing wind and rougher sea conditions we made the decision to alter course and make for Beaufort SC.  We continued on to Port Royal Sound going up the Beaufort River and anchoring in Cowen Creek around 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 3rd, a trip of 320 miles.  We spent the night in this quiet anchorage catching up on our sleep.  After checking the weather forecast we decided that we would wait until conditions improved before continuing.  We pulled anchor and continued up the river and anchored across from Downtown Beaufort.  In the evening we went ashore to check out the town and their "First Friday" event.  This is when the shops are open late, music is broadcast in the streets and the merchants are offering complimentary drinks (my favorite) while we perusing their stores.  The next morning we went ashore to be tourists.  I love a good museum and found that the Beaufort History Museum was outstanding.  The volunteers provide an outstanding tour and history lesson.  From there we walked over to the St Helena church and cemetery checking out graves dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Sunday morning we pulled anchor to move to another more protected anchorage.  The forecasts were predicting that the low pressure system off of the Bahamas would form into a Tropical Storm and was heading to the east coast.  Monday we went ashore to check out the new area and hit the grocery store again.  

Now it is Tuesday and we are monitoring the weather forecasts since Tropical Storm Nicole is causing hurricane warning in Florida and is expected to track up the east coast after making landfall in Florida.  We are thankful we did not make it to St Augustine.  For now we are safely tucked away in Factory Creek with the anchor well set and what I think is the proper amount of chain played out.  We just have to wait and see what happens. 

Preparing For the Season

We are back on the boat and preparing for our winter cruise.

On October 2nd we picked up a rental car, loaded it and started our way back to Hi Flite.  First stop was at Cori's sister's near Sioux Falls SD.  The next morning we continued driving nonstop until arriving at her brothers in Virginia.  The next day we made a run to Annapolis to pick up the paint we needed and then down to Deltaville to check on Hi Flite.  We were happy to see that she survived the summer without any problems such as mold, which was our main concern.  For the next couple of days we commuted to the boatyard to prepare for life aboard again.  After dropping off the rental car we moved aboard working on various projects.  The hull got two coats of wax, the bottom got sanded and a fresh coat of bottom paint, the sails were bent on and the canvas and solar panels were installed.  We felt we were ready and scheduled a launch date.  The fates were against us when the boatlift had a flat tire and it took two days to get it repaired.  We were not in any hurry so it wasn't a big inconvenience.  Once in the water we moved to a slip and finished our preparations.

The next morning we motored out into the Bay and started south.  Of course the winds were on the nose so it was a motorboat ride to Hampton VA where we anchored for the night.  The next morning we moved through Norfolk and the Navy Base down to Chesapeake VA where tied up at the free dock at The Great Bridge.  It is called The Great Bridge after a battle that occurred there which eventually forced the British out of Norfolk and eventually the battle at Yorktown which ended the Revolutionary War.  Early the next morning we and several others started down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway).  We reached the Albemarle Sound and since the winds were blowing 15-20 knots we pulled over to anchor for the night.  Albemarle Sound and River are well known for getting rough when the winds pick up and since the forecast was for lighter winds the next day we didn't see any reason to get beat up.  The next morning with light winds we sailed across the Sound and continued motoring down the Alligator River and through the Alligator/Pungo canal anchoring for the night in Slade Creek. somewhere we hadn't been before.  The next morning after the fog burned off we continued to Broad Creek.  We moved up the creek and tied up at Donna and Jerry's (Bluejacket) dock to continue preparing.

Cori has her sewing machine out and is doing some repair to the canvas and headsail and I have been working through a list of small projects.  We have made several trips to town for provisions and supplies getting things organized for the upcoming trip.  We will be stopping off at Clubfoot Creek to pick up a number of things we have had shipped there and pick up Cori's kayak that she left there.

We don't know how soon we will be leaving for the Bahamas, it will depend on the weather.  Our plan is to move to Florida then make the jump across to the Abacos and spend Christmas and New Years there.  From there we will move down the Islands with plans to spend time in the island group called The Raggeds.  We plan to return to the States around April or May.

We Closed the Circle

We closed the circle.  We are back in Clubfoot Creek where we started the season.

With a forecast of fair weather and winds that would last four to five days and our check-out papers stamped we left the dock on Sunday afternoon at high tide and started our way back to the states.  We had a nice sail to Powell Cay where we started the motor and went out the cut into the ocean.  We were greeted by a pod of dolphins.  We had a number of waypoints to follow provided by our weather forecaster and we started off to our first waypoint just as the sun was setting.  With light winds almost on the nose we adjusted our course but soon found we would be traveling too slow and far off of our planned line.  We again started the motor and adjusted course to the waypoint.  We continued through the night and the next day.  The winds shifted to be off our stern and was not strong enough to keep the sails full so we continued motoring.  We continued on our course experiencing some eddies off the gulf stream slowing us down into the 4 knot range instead of the 5-6 we were traveling. Wednesday we got into the gulf stream and our speed jumped up to 6-7 knots and we were able to sail giving the motor a rest.  We also took advantage of the conditions to transfer the diesel we were carrying in jerry jugs to the main tank.  We were not sure if we would have enough fuel to motor all the way.  Around 11:00 pm the winds died off, we were out of the gulf stream and we had to motor again.  Thursday morning at 10:00 am we arrived in Beaufort NC and dropped anchor in the harbor.  We went for lunch with Donna and Jerry from Bluejacket who had arrived from the Bahamas the day before.  Friday we spent on the boat recovering from the trip and checking on some problems.  Saturday morning we pulled anchor and motored up the ICW catching a rising tide.  Once into the Neuse River we continued on to Clubfoot Creek and anchored off the marina.  The circle was closed.

We left November 8th and  traveled a total of 2244 nautical miles or 2582 statute or land miles which is about the distance from New York to London.  We visited several islands that we had not been to before and plan to go back.  We met up with many of our friends from previous years, made a lot of new friends and met many of the locals.  Once again the Bahamians demonstrated that they are the most friendly and welcoming people on earth and we are looking forward to returning next winter.

So what is the plan?  We are going to spend a little time in North Carolina sorting out what we need to keep on the boat and what goes to storage.  From here we will move up to the Chesapeake and get hauled out for the summer.  We plan on spending the summer in South Dakota working on the property and cabin we bought.  

I have never mentioned it but if you click on the pictures they will enlarge to full size.

Back at Green Turtle Cay

We are back in the Abaco's at Green Turtle Cay where we were for Christmas.

We left Hog Cay in the Jumentos Islands, stopping at Nurse Cay.  We went ashore and hiked to the ocean side and when we got back to the anchorage we started looking for conch.  We added five more to our freezer after Cori cleaned them.  In the morning we pulled anchor and sailed to Water Cay but only stayed the night since it was rolling more than we like.  In the morning we pulled anchor and sailed through  the shallow banks to Calabash Bay on Long Island.  Once again we were someplace we had not been.  The bay at Calabash has a reputation for the swell to cause rolling but it wasn't too bad that day.  As pretty as the bay was we decided to move on to find a protected anchorage from a weather front that was forecast to be moving in.  We left in the morning to sail to Cat Island.  Again the winds started light and by the time we arrived at Old Bight it was blowing 20 knots.  In the morning we went ashore and walked up to the community, stopping at the bakery for treats and a loaf of coconut bread, at the small grocery store Cori checked if they had any lettuce which they didn't, and checked out the straw market next door.  After learning how to make simple baskets we now appreciate how much work these ladies put into their crafts.  On the way back it started to rain so we stopped at a take-away shop for lunch and to get out of the rain.  While we were waiting a van pulled up and asked if we needed any produce, and he had the lettuce Cori was looking for.  In the evening we went ashore to join the other cruisers in an impromptu beach party.  The resort we were in front of, Rollezzz Beach Resort, hosted us with a bonfire, several snacks and a local musician.  In the morning we moved up the bay to New Bight.  There is a new laundromat and Cori took advantage of it getting a months worth of laundry done.  I was running low on gasoline for the outboards and generator so I took several jerry jugs to shore to fill at the gas station.  I got thirteen gallons, after adding the Value Added Tax (sales tax) the total was $138.00, the most I have ever paid for fuel.  Everything is expensive since it has to be shipped in.  The major attraction at New Bight is the Hermitage.  This a small chapel and living quarters that Father Jerome built on the highest point in the Bahamas.  It is all hand-built with local stone and includes a path with the Stations of the Cross built from rock and cement.

After the climb we stopped for lunch and beers at the beach.  In the late afternoon our friends on Wabi Sabi arrived.  The next morning we joined with them for another hike to the Hermitage this time stopping to check out the cave Father Jerome lived in while building the facility.  Again we stopped for lunch and beers at the small beach bar/restaurants.  

The next morning we planed an early start to continue on our way.  After starting the engine I noticed the alternator was not working.  I found that the cable leading to the batteries was corroded.  After cutting it back and replacing the connector we were off.  It is often said that cruising is "repairing boats in exotic places."  We started off to Little San Salvador in light winds that continued to rise until it was blowing around 20 knots. Little San Salvador is a stop for Carnival Cruise ships to let people off to play on the beach.  There was a cruise ship there when we arrived and anchored.  The location we were at was unprotected from the swell and we were being bounced around a lot.  After the ship left we moved closer to the shore and got a bit more protection for the night.  The next morning we pulled anchor early and got underway to Rock Sound on Eleuthera Island as another cruise ship moved in.  We had another day of sailing with winds 15-20 from behind with the seas building to four foot.  We have been able to sail for several days.  The weather forecast was for a front to come through with strong north winds and this is the ideal place to ride it out.  About twenty other boats had the same idea but there is room for many more.  Again, Wabi Sabi joined the crowd and we spent several days ashore with them and Steve from Jade whom we met at Cat Island.  We spent five days here and then moved up the island to the Glass Window to stage for the next leg.  It was dead calm as we motored all day running the water-maker to fill the tanks.  

The next morning we pulled the anchor at sunrise to be at Current Cut timing it for slack tide and going through the cut with minimum current.  From there we raised the mizzen, a reefed main and the headsail and started of to Little Harbor in the Abaco's, a trip of 73 miles.  The winds started at 10 knots and topped off at 20 knots when we arrived at Lynyard Cay for the night, arriving just as the sun set.  The next day we hung out on the boat resting, cooking and doing some light maintenance.  After our day off we motored a winding path through the shoals to Elbow Cay and taking a mooring in Hopetown.  We were soon visited by friends that had seen us coming in.  Saturday was Farmers Market day and while there we ran into our friends from Sammy Don't, another Pearson 424, that we had met three years ago in Granada.  Sunday we dropped the mooring and started out sailing to Green Turtle Cay.  About half-way there the skies darkened and we got hit with a squall with rain and winds in the high 30's.  Once we got the sails down and everything under control we continued on motoring to Green Turtle.  We planned to go into Black Sound but it was at low tide so we anchored.  The next morning we moved into the sound and tied up at Donny's Marina where we had started in December.

We have been here on the dock for several days checking out the changes in town, helping at the marina, enjoying going out for a few meals and visiting with the other cruisers.

Today is Friday April 8th and we have just come back from meeting with the Customs official to check out o the country.  The forecast is for several days of good weather and we are hoping to take advantage of it and make a run to North Carolina.  If it works out it will be a four day run.

Our sign in the Tiki Hut on Hog Island

The Tiki Hut on Hog Island in the Raggeds