To all our family and friends,
Bill, Simon and I would like to bring you up to date on our Journey.
We left the Bahamas last March in an uneventful trip up the coast. The weather was not as cooperative as we would have liked but with warm clothing and our new propane heater in the cabin we made it to the Sailrite Marina in Oriental, North Carolina. Lucky for us we met up with a few new and old friends for this last part of the trip and we had a lovely end of the trip gathering.
Our wonderful friend, Patrick, volunteered to drive down to Oriental and bring us home. We were a little crowded in the car but made it safely home. After a few days of debriefing and getting used to our apartment (I experienced significant difficulty locating things) we flew to Paris to spend a week with Bill’s brothers and their wives. It was brother Mark’s birthday and we had a wonderful time—great food, wonderful sights and fabulous weather. The trip ended all to soon and we were back home once again.
We decided not to haul ’Interim’ but we did need to take off all the
extras that were on board. Many, many cans of food, bags of snacks, and the leftover Snickers. We traveled to Mystic for the Sea Shanty weekend with friends and once again the weather mostly cooperated and we had an easy time coming home.
After a 3 day visit to Disney World for my niece’s wedding we took off for the summer traveling through Long Island Sound. We had gentle days and some major thunderstorms but with our new chart plotter and interface with XM radio we were able to choose where and when to leave the moorings. Since we also decided to spend time in the various harbors we met wonderful new friends, connected with friends from the Bahamas as well as with members of our yacht club. It turned out to be a lovely summer.
As Fall approached our thoughts were clearly diverted to the Bahamas. As each anniversary date of leaving NY, leaving Cape May, Annapolis, etc. passed by we began to discuss plans to return to Hopetown next year. We have kept in touch with our fellow travelers as well as several friends who are thinking of making the trip south next Fall.
We hope to spend the next several months organizing our "stuff", going to the theater, and spending time with family and friends. Bill and I love NY during the holidays (we try to go when it is not too crowded) and have already been in town several times. I have been trying to find work and have several possibilities but as we all know the economic crisis is affecting everyone. When we left for the Bahamas last year we sold our second car and having only one vehicle now has resulted in some creative scheduling. But we are managing.
The first real snow is now falling outside our window and it looks beautiful - just in time for the holidays.
Bill and I wish all of you a holiday season that brings you peace, joy, fair winds and good health.
'Interim'
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Journey's End
I just called 'Interim' and she is now safe and sound in Mamaroneck Harbor. Bill left Oriental, North Carolina on May 12th after our fabulous trip to Paris and had a relatively uneventful journey home. I drove down to Cape May with Anne on Friday, May 23 and she joined Bill on the last let of the trip. The weather was gorgeous but windy. There were 5 other boats ready to make the trip from Cape May north and they all decided that Sunday morning would be favorable. And so it was. Light SW breezes and calm seas brought Anne and Bill home.
We are still planning to take 'Interim' to Maine this summer and return home around Labor Day Weekend. After that? We are thinking of one more trip - possibilities: Egypt or the Pacific Northwest. Any suggestions would be gratefully welcome.
A few final thoughts:
Thankful that Anne decided to go with Bill -
Thankful for the beautiful weather to end the journey -
Thankful for all the wonderful experiences Bill, Simon and I shared during our Southern Journey-
Thankful for all the wonderful people we have met and hope to keep in our lives-
Thankful for the good wishes and support from friends and family back home -
Thankful for our good health and limber limbs that took us to all the magical places -
Thankful for the love and respect that Bill and I share -
Our Southern Journey has ended. We will keep you posted as to our future adventures.
We are still planning to take 'Interim' to Maine this summer and return home around Labor Day Weekend. After that? We are thinking of one more trip - possibilities: Egypt or the Pacific Northwest. Any suggestions would be gratefully welcome.
A few final thoughts:
Thankful that Anne decided to go with Bill -
Thankful for the beautiful weather to end the journey -
Thankful for all the wonderful experiences Bill, Simon and I shared during our Southern Journey-
Thankful for all the wonderful people we have met and hope to keep in our lives-
Thankful for the good wishes and support from friends and family back home -
Thankful for our good health and limber limbs that took us to all the magical places -
Thankful for the love and respect that Bill and I share -
Our Southern Journey has ended. We will keep you posted as to our future adventures.
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Trip Home
The last blog I wrote was when we arrived at Cumberland Island National Seashore. There were two ferry docks within an easy trip by dinghy. However, since we arrived there late in the afternoon we decided to wait til the next day to explore the island. Cumberland Island has a very long documented history and has 87 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are wilderness areas, undeveloped beaches, historic sites, cultural ruins, critical habitat and nesting areas, as well as numerous plant and animal communities. Some of the most productive plantations in the Southern United States were located on Cumberland. In 1880 Thomas Carnegie bought most of Cumberland and built the largest mansion ever to be located on the island. The 59 room Scottish castle completed with turrets, a pool house, 40 outbuildings, golf course, acres of manicured gardens and a squash court must have look incredibly out of place on the Georgia Coast. The mansion was used as a retreat through 1959 In recent history John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, were married at the First African Baptist Church in 1996. The tiny church, with only eleven handmade pews, sits near the original emancipated slave settlement.
We spent the entire day on the island finding the forest areas beautiful with the sun casting wonderful shadows and the moss coming down off the ancient trees - it was similar to the set designs found in movies like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”. Then there was the beach. Hard packed sand where cars had no difficulty finding a good purchase and littered with a marvelous variety of shells. And then there were the horses. We first spotted 2 horses amongst the dunes near the beach. Then later in the day we found them again (not sure if they were the same ones we saw earlier) on the beach near the surf. They were unafraid of the tourists as well as the cars that went by. Unfortunately I have censored some of the photos of the horses intimacy but we were close enough to witness…..
From Cumberland Island we crossed St. Andrew’s sound and docked at Jekyll Island Marina. While we were docking a woman stopped by and invited us to a pot luck picnic on shore. I innocently asked her if it was because we just got there - she had a funny look on her face and then said “No, it’s to celebrate Easter Sunday”. OOPS! We quickly made up a rice dish and went on shore. The variety of food was amazing - smoked and regular ham and all kinds of side dishes and desserts. This marina is relatively small but there about 50 people participated. Our friend Joe was spending the winter there and we had a wonderful visit. He took us on a tour of the most interesting part of Jekyll Island called “Millionaire’s Row”. In 1885 The Jekyll Island Club was built as a private resort retreat for many of our wealthiest families. The Rockefellers, Morgans, Macy’s, Vanderbilts and Goodyears spent time on the island and built beautiful houses surrounded by gorgeous flowers and trees. The island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947 and is managed by a governing board to preserve the integrity of the grounds and buildings. Once an exclusive retreat for America's wealthy elite the entire district is now a National Historic Landmark and “affordable” vacation resort. We stayed here for 2 days and then it was time to move on. One noticeable difference on this trip north was the absence of boats traveling along with us. There were days when we didn’t see any vessels except locals who were in small power boats. The weather was chilly and I assume that people in the Bahamas weren’t leaving just yet either because there wasn’t a fair weather window to cross the Gulf stream or it was just toooo early to leave paradise.
We stopped at Georgetown, SC for two days to wait for the weather to clear and loved the town. The azaleas were in bloom and although the sun didn’t shine the homes and gardens did. We also met Wilbur, an egret, who has lived near the fish market for the past 17 years. He hangs around waiting to be fed with fish from the market. We ate out at two wonderful restaurants. We had lunch at the River House and dinner at The Rice Paddy (as per a recommendation from Beth on ‘Coyote’).
Leaving Georgetown we had a lovely surprise as we approached the first of several opening bridges. Waiting with us were several boats and 2 of them were known to us from Hopetown. ‘Carolina’ , ‘Pamonetti’ and ‘Katie’ then traveled with us all the way to North Carolina. We were chosen to be the lead boat since our boat could travel in water a little over 3 ½ ft. and they needed more water. Without going into much detail all of us, yes even including ’Interim’, went aground at least once. However, we all got back to deep water and no harm was done.
It was so comfortable traveling together especially since the weather turned and there was lots of rain and wind along the last part of the trip. Although the ICW was fairly calm even when there when the wind was 20 - 25 kts we were quite surprised when we came to the Neuse River. The crossing wasn’t long in statute miles but the wind and waves significantly increased as we began the crossing. Bill was particularly worried about the effect the wind and waves would have on our Boston Whaler, now picked up and connected to ‘Interim’ by chains and ropes. It was a very quiet (I did have some white knuckles) ride until we were in the lee of Whittaker Creek. Then the water was flat and the trees blocked the wind. We docked the boat and began to pack up for the car trip home. We took a long walk and the area around the marina was lovely. That evening we had a farewell dinner with the folks from ‘Carolina’ and ‘Pamonetti’ - lots of laughs and stories. On Friday we met a realtor who showed us around Oriental and when we came back on board Bill and I unanimously agreed that we couldn’t live here. Much to rural. We found out that ‘Carolina’ had left to go to their marina in New Bern but ’Pamonetti’ was still in town so we borrowed a car (check out Album 25) and brought them food from our freezer. It was a sad parting - the reality had set in that we had finally left the Bahamas and all the people we had met behind.
On Saturday it poured all day with only a few breaks in the rain.
Patrick and his friend Mike arrived.
And on Sunday we piled in the car and drove home to Mamaroneck.
The end to the Southern Journey, the beginning of our next series of adventures.
We spent the entire day on the island finding the forest areas beautiful with the sun casting wonderful shadows and the moss coming down off the ancient trees - it was similar to the set designs found in movies like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”. Then there was the beach. Hard packed sand where cars had no difficulty finding a good purchase and littered with a marvelous variety of shells. And then there were the horses. We first spotted 2 horses amongst the dunes near the beach. Then later in the day we found them again (not sure if they were the same ones we saw earlier) on the beach near the surf. They were unafraid of the tourists as well as the cars that went by. Unfortunately I have censored some of the photos of the horses intimacy but we were close enough to witness…..
From Cumberland Island we crossed St. Andrew’s sound and docked at Jekyll Island Marina. While we were docking a woman stopped by and invited us to a pot luck picnic on shore. I innocently asked her if it was because we just got there - she had a funny look on her face and then said “No, it’s to celebrate Easter Sunday”. OOPS! We quickly made up a rice dish and went on shore. The variety of food was amazing - smoked and regular ham and all kinds of side dishes and desserts. This marina is relatively small but there about 50 people participated. Our friend Joe was spending the winter there and we had a wonderful visit. He took us on a tour of the most interesting part of Jekyll Island called “Millionaire’s Row”. In 1885 The Jekyll Island Club was built as a private resort retreat for many of our wealthiest families. The Rockefellers, Morgans, Macy’s, Vanderbilts and Goodyears spent time on the island and built beautiful houses surrounded by gorgeous flowers and trees. The island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947 and is managed by a governing board to preserve the integrity of the grounds and buildings. Once an exclusive retreat for America's wealthy elite the entire district is now a National Historic Landmark and “affordable” vacation resort. We stayed here for 2 days and then it was time to move on. One noticeable difference on this trip north was the absence of boats traveling along with us. There were days when we didn’t see any vessels except locals who were in small power boats. The weather was chilly and I assume that people in the Bahamas weren’t leaving just yet either because there wasn’t a fair weather window to cross the Gulf stream or it was just toooo early to leave paradise.
We stopped at Georgetown, SC for two days to wait for the weather to clear and loved the town. The azaleas were in bloom and although the sun didn’t shine the homes and gardens did. We also met Wilbur, an egret, who has lived near the fish market for the past 17 years. He hangs around waiting to be fed with fish from the market. We ate out at two wonderful restaurants. We had lunch at the River House and dinner at The Rice Paddy (as per a recommendation from Beth on ‘Coyote’).
Leaving Georgetown we had a lovely surprise as we approached the first of several opening bridges. Waiting with us were several boats and 2 of them were known to us from Hopetown. ‘Carolina’ , ‘Pamonetti’ and ‘Katie’ then traveled with us all the way to North Carolina. We were chosen to be the lead boat since our boat could travel in water a little over 3 ½ ft. and they needed more water. Without going into much detail all of us, yes even including ’Interim’, went aground at least once. However, we all got back to deep water and no harm was done.
It was so comfortable traveling together especially since the weather turned and there was lots of rain and wind along the last part of the trip. Although the ICW was fairly calm even when there when the wind was 20 - 25 kts we were quite surprised when we came to the Neuse River. The crossing wasn’t long in statute miles but the wind and waves significantly increased as we began the crossing. Bill was particularly worried about the effect the wind and waves would have on our Boston Whaler, now picked up and connected to ‘Interim’ by chains and ropes. It was a very quiet (I did have some white knuckles) ride until we were in the lee of Whittaker Creek. Then the water was flat and the trees blocked the wind. We docked the boat and began to pack up for the car trip home. We took a long walk and the area around the marina was lovely. That evening we had a farewell dinner with the folks from ‘Carolina’ and ‘Pamonetti’ - lots of laughs and stories. On Friday we met a realtor who showed us around Oriental and when we came back on board Bill and I unanimously agreed that we couldn’t live here. Much to rural. We found out that ‘Carolina’ had left to go to their marina in New Bern but ’Pamonetti’ was still in town so we borrowed a car (check out Album 25) and brought them food from our freezer. It was a sad parting - the reality had set in that we had finally left the Bahamas and all the people we had met behind.
On Saturday it poured all day with only a few breaks in the rain.
Patrick and his friend Mike arrived.
And on Sunday we piled in the car and drove home to Mamaroneck.
The end to the Southern Journey, the beginning of our next series of adventures.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
THE CROSSING
We are now engaged in the preparing for and discussing “When to Cross” the Gulfstream but have a few more days to enjoy the Bahamian Life. The Hopetown Heritage Fair occurred on a gorgeous day. The fair celebrated the past, present and future of the Abacos as being taught to the children. There were speeches (one special one given by a past student who spoke about her wonderful experiences at the school and who is now teaching at the school), presentations by the students, a wonderful maypole demonstration, island crafts, food and a sculling race. Bill and I also took the whaler out on Sunday to watch the dingy races. A nice breeze was blowing, the sun was shining for most of the time and the races were very exciting. From the opti’s (sailed by the children in the Hopetown sailing program)_ to sunfish to a Bahamian built dingy the races were exciting to watch and photograph.
Then the wait was over, on March 2nd we attended the “Barefoot Man” concert on Man o War Cay and highly anticipated event. A few of us decided to take the ferry over instead of our boats due to the number of boats anchoring and possible weather difficulties and I’m truly glad we did. The weather over was just fine but coming home it was pretty bumpy and the wind picked up. As for the concert…it was colorful, lots of people but not the thousands we had heard might be there, and lots of booze. Barefoot man, himself, is a legend in the area similar to Jimmy Buffet but definitely not as good or famous. The lyrics of his songs tend to contain references to the Abacos. There was dancing on tables, lots of drinking, lots of skin showing and a fair amount of enthusiasm. It was a breezy but sunny day and we spent time on the beach watching the crowd. There were a few really tanked young people on the boat back but we made it home safe and sound. Would we go back to the concert next year = I don’t think so but it was an interesting day.
After all this time in Hopetown walking the beach we finally let Simon go free and it was a lovely sight. He stayed close to us and when he would run ahead he would turn around and waited for us. The beach wasn’t crowded because of the wind and cool temperatures but we loved the experience.
Reta, on the boat “Just Us” treated us to her fabulous conch fritters made in our galley with the conch we had collected. We tried to get one more day of hunting for conch and one more day to collect shells from the spoils bank and ea glass but it was not meant to be. I shouldn’t be greedy but I would have loved some more time but the weather didn’t cooperate.
THE CROSSING
For several days we listened on the cruisers net for other boats that were getting ready to leave the Bahamas and we tentatively made plans with a few other boats. However, as we listened to the weather reports Bill quickly decided it was time to go. So we put fuel and water on the boat and at 7:30 am on March 13, after dumping a load of trash, we headed out of Hopetown. I was so very sad, teary and apprehensive. As we were leaving and listening to the cruisers net I decided on the spur of the moment to transmit that “Interim” was leaving the Bahamas (there is always a spot on the program for boats departing and arriving). Much to my surprise we then received many calls from folks we had met during our stay to say goodbye and wishing us a good journey home. We were quite touched by the radio calls.
So now the first hurdle to overcome was going through the Whale, a route that takes you out to the ocean for a little while. Although the weather sounded OK once we were under way it was not a very calm day and isolated rain showers and gusty winds were being forecast. We listened carefully to the radio and heard that 2 power boats went through and so we ploughed ahead. The grey skies and waves were not dangerous but it was an uncomfortable crossing. Once we were on the other side the sky darkened and I asked Bill is we could go to Green Turtle Cay and wait for more favorable weather. He agreed and the skies opened 2 minutes after we picked up a mooring. The rain, fortunately, didn’t last long but we were able to go into town. After all, it was fitting since we cleared customs on Green Turtle Cay on our second day in the Bahamas.
We left Green Turtle Cay at 6:30 the next morning with plans to meet up with our buddy boats at Hawksbill. However, Bill decided to push to Great Sale, a popular staging point to wait for favorable conditions. Great Sale was also the first stop when we crossed from Vero Beach in November.
The trip was long, certainly not flat but doable and when we arrived at Great Sale at about 3 , much to our surprise, we found the sailboats “ChrisDeke” and “Coyote” there waiting to cross the Gulfstream along with a trawler“Ment Tu Be”. There plan was to leave at 7:00 pm, travel slowly all night on the banks (where it is shallow and calmer) and then cross the Gulfstream during daylight. Although Bill and I were pretty exhausted we decided to go along with them. We tried to get some sleep but just didn’t have the time to actually fall asleep (I’m sure a little anxiety didn’t help any). So at 7 we pulled up our anchors and set off. We saw the gorgeous sunset and then at 7:30 am we saw the sunrise. The moon was almost full and the sky was covered with stars and constellations (I even saw two shooting stars sometime during the night). I do not like moving the boat at night, I am fearful because I don’t see well at night. However, traveling with the other boats certainly helped and we were in sight at all times as well as having radio contact. “Interim” was the lead boat since we were the only one to have auto pilot which made it easier for the others to follow. I was certainly glad to see the sunrise but once we got into the Gulfstream the seas picked up and although there were n o whitecaps and not dangerous it was not terribly comfortable on our boat. But once again having our friends around us was a great comfort. We arrived at Ft. Pierce inlet and picked up a mooring around 5 pm on March 14. Needless to say, Bill and I were exhausted.
But then we had to immediately call customs to tell them that we had arrived in the U.S. I was on the phone for almost 2 hours, listening to a recording and then gave up and went to sleep. The next morning I called again and without thinking I told the “government official” that I had tried calling last night but couldn’t get through. He then proceeded to berate me and told me that what I did was illegal and I should have continued holding until someone answered. I was really angry but held my tongue and tried to placate him by being sweet and apologetic, but he really gave me a hard time and I was really nervous. Finally he gave me the number I needed and told me we had to report to the immigration and customs office at Ft. Pierce airport. We rented a van and the 6 of us went to the airport. It took all of 5 minutes to clear customs. However, the official there knew we goofed with the phone call since it was on the computer. There was a moment of fear but he was a gentleman and was quite helpful and considerate and no arrests were made!!!!
After our visit to the airport we stopped at Publix for some provisions and were pleasantly surprised to find that the store was celebrating St. Patrick’s day a little early and there was wine tasting , nibbles, and a band in full costume and of a certain age playing appropriate music. Cindy and Beth from “Coyote” and I had a great time. We all went out to dinner that night and the next morning after a chocolate pancake breakfast on “Interim” they left to start the trip north. We left the next day stopping at an anchorage in Daytona Beach the first night and then we went to the Comachee Marina in St. Augustine for 2 nights. Our next stop was Cumberland Island where we saw “Coyote” briefly before they left to take on the Atlantic Ocean for their trip north.
We stayed at Cumberland Island and went ashore to a most magical place. But will save this for my next blog.
Then the wait was over, on March 2nd we attended the “Barefoot Man” concert on Man o War Cay and highly anticipated event. A few of us decided to take the ferry over instead of our boats due to the number of boats anchoring and possible weather difficulties and I’m truly glad we did. The weather over was just fine but coming home it was pretty bumpy and the wind picked up. As for the concert…it was colorful, lots of people but not the thousands we had heard might be there, and lots of booze. Barefoot man, himself, is a legend in the area similar to Jimmy Buffet but definitely not as good or famous. The lyrics of his songs tend to contain references to the Abacos. There was dancing on tables, lots of drinking, lots of skin showing and a fair amount of enthusiasm. It was a breezy but sunny day and we spent time on the beach watching the crowd. There were a few really tanked young people on the boat back but we made it home safe and sound. Would we go back to the concert next year = I don’t think so but it was an interesting day.
After all this time in Hopetown walking the beach we finally let Simon go free and it was a lovely sight. He stayed close to us and when he would run ahead he would turn around and waited for us. The beach wasn’t crowded because of the wind and cool temperatures but we loved the experience.
Reta, on the boat “Just Us” treated us to her fabulous conch fritters made in our galley with the conch we had collected. We tried to get one more day of hunting for conch and one more day to collect shells from the spoils bank and ea glass but it was not meant to be. I shouldn’t be greedy but I would have loved some more time but the weather didn’t cooperate.
THE CROSSING
For several days we listened on the cruisers net for other boats that were getting ready to leave the Bahamas and we tentatively made plans with a few other boats. However, as we listened to the weather reports Bill quickly decided it was time to go. So we put fuel and water on the boat and at 7:30 am on March 13, after dumping a load of trash, we headed out of Hopetown. I was so very sad, teary and apprehensive. As we were leaving and listening to the cruisers net I decided on the spur of the moment to transmit that “Interim” was leaving the Bahamas (there is always a spot on the program for boats departing and arriving). Much to my surprise we then received many calls from folks we had met during our stay to say goodbye and wishing us a good journey home. We were quite touched by the radio calls.
So now the first hurdle to overcome was going through the Whale, a route that takes you out to the ocean for a little while. Although the weather sounded OK once we were under way it was not a very calm day and isolated rain showers and gusty winds were being forecast. We listened carefully to the radio and heard that 2 power boats went through and so we ploughed ahead. The grey skies and waves were not dangerous but it was an uncomfortable crossing. Once we were on the other side the sky darkened and I asked Bill is we could go to Green Turtle Cay and wait for more favorable weather. He agreed and the skies opened 2 minutes after we picked up a mooring. The rain, fortunately, didn’t last long but we were able to go into town. After all, it was fitting since we cleared customs on Green Turtle Cay on our second day in the Bahamas.
We left Green Turtle Cay at 6:30 the next morning with plans to meet up with our buddy boats at Hawksbill. However, Bill decided to push to Great Sale, a popular staging point to wait for favorable conditions. Great Sale was also the first stop when we crossed from Vero Beach in November.
The trip was long, certainly not flat but doable and when we arrived at Great Sale at about 3 , much to our surprise, we found the sailboats “ChrisDeke” and “Coyote” there waiting to cross the Gulfstream along with a trawler“Ment Tu Be”. There plan was to leave at 7:00 pm, travel slowly all night on the banks (where it is shallow and calmer) and then cross the Gulfstream during daylight. Although Bill and I were pretty exhausted we decided to go along with them. We tried to get some sleep but just didn’t have the time to actually fall asleep (I’m sure a little anxiety didn’t help any). So at 7 we pulled up our anchors and set off. We saw the gorgeous sunset and then at 7:30 am we saw the sunrise. The moon was almost full and the sky was covered with stars and constellations (I even saw two shooting stars sometime during the night). I do not like moving the boat at night, I am fearful because I don’t see well at night. However, traveling with the other boats certainly helped and we were in sight at all times as well as having radio contact. “Interim” was the lead boat since we were the only one to have auto pilot which made it easier for the others to follow. I was certainly glad to see the sunrise but once we got into the Gulfstream the seas picked up and although there were n o whitecaps and not dangerous it was not terribly comfortable on our boat. But once again having our friends around us was a great comfort. We arrived at Ft. Pierce inlet and picked up a mooring around 5 pm on March 14. Needless to say, Bill and I were exhausted.
But then we had to immediately call customs to tell them that we had arrived in the U.S. I was on the phone for almost 2 hours, listening to a recording and then gave up and went to sleep. The next morning I called again and without thinking I told the “government official” that I had tried calling last night but couldn’t get through. He then proceeded to berate me and told me that what I did was illegal and I should have continued holding until someone answered. I was really angry but held my tongue and tried to placate him by being sweet and apologetic, but he really gave me a hard time and I was really nervous. Finally he gave me the number I needed and told me we had to report to the immigration and customs office at Ft. Pierce airport. We rented a van and the 6 of us went to the airport. It took all of 5 minutes to clear customs. However, the official there knew we goofed with the phone call since it was on the computer. There was a moment of fear but he was a gentleman and was quite helpful and considerate and no arrests were made!!!!
After our visit to the airport we stopped at Publix for some provisions and were pleasantly surprised to find that the store was celebrating St. Patrick’s day a little early and there was wine tasting , nibbles, and a band in full costume and of a certain age playing appropriate music. Cindy and Beth from “Coyote” and I had a great time. We all went out to dinner that night and the next morning after a chocolate pancake breakfast on “Interim” they left to start the trip north. We left the next day stopping at an anchorage in Daytona Beach the first night and then we went to the Comachee Marina in St. Augustine for 2 nights. Our next stop was Cumberland Island where we saw “Coyote” briefly before they left to take on the Atlantic Ocean for their trip north.
We stayed at Cumberland Island and went ashore to a most magical place. But will save this for my next blog.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
And the days dwindle down…..
I woke up yesterday morning and the first thing I said was “I don’t want to go home”. Simon looked at me with a longing in his eyes confirming his need to stay here as well. Bill was surprised! Yes, this lifestyle has crept into my soul and the thought of the sights, sounds and weather in New York is already giving me a headache. I do miss talking and hanging out with friends and family but the bottom line is I want more of this paradise. Even though March hasn’t been the best weather month - we’ve had more cold fronts with wind and rain since March 1st then we have had since September the nasty weather isn’t really nasty and it is interspersed with lovely days. But the reality is that we are planning to leave Hopetown in about 2 weeks and head to Ft. Pierce, Fl to check in to customs. From there we will go north til we find a place to store ‘Interim’ while we make the side trip to Paris the first of May.
But let me update what’s been going on here. Anne arrived on Feb. 21 in the middle of a monsoon. Fortunately we had a slip at the Conch Inn so the weather wouldn’t be a concern for her arrival. However, that night was the Junior and Senior Junkanoo. Junkanoo is a Bahamian festival that usually occurs in the middle of the night on Dec. 26 Boxing Day (Historically Boxing Day was created on the day after Xmas when the servants were given boxes of leftover food) or in the first hours of light of the first day of the new year. However, due to a significant delay in in funding Marsh Harbor’s Junkanoo was on Feb. 21. Groups create colorful costumes and choreography as they parade down the main street while goat skin drums rhythmically reverberate along with cow bells and brass horns. The feeling is so vital that everyone moves to the rhythms (well maybe not everyone, Bill left early). Our Junkanoo was delayed due to rain and we were told that the last group performed close to 2:30 am. The groups were also judged on best music, best costumes and best overall presentations.. My photos didn’t come out that great but it was a really magical evening.
While Anne was here: She went up to the lighthouse with Bill to light the mantle, she found a rare “Helmet Conch” and 17 sand dollars. She TAUGHT Uncle Bill how to easily make decorative turks head knots (what fun it was for us to see him on the learning side of the table). We went out to eat at Cracker P’s - a beautiful view of the water and ‘Interim’. And we motor SAILED from Shell Beach back to Hopetown and SAILED from Tilloo Bank (where the sand dollars were) all the way back to Hopetown. She found lots of sea glass and of course had all the chocolate chip pancakes she could eat.
We were sorry to see her leave and it seemed she had the same weather as when I came back to the Bahamas from NY so we booked a room for her at the Conch Inn. Just an aside - we were hungry about 3:30 and were told that all the restaurants were closed from about 3 to when they opened for dinner at about 5. Luckily there was a snack place open and after serving us they, too, closed.
Last Friday Bill went deep sea fishing with four of our friends. I was supposed to go by my back has been bothering me and I didn't think trolling and lolling around in a bumpy sea was good for me. When they got back it was fabulous. Everyone caught a fish...they brought in 3 mahi mahi and 2 wahoo. It also seems that out of 6 boats that went fishing on that day ours was the only fish caught. What luck..and so far we cooked some wahoo and some mahi mahi = so very delicious.
And then there's the conch blowing contest. I didn't get a horn done and Thursday evening there was going to be a contest. Fortunately, our friend Steve came by and he and Bill took one of the Conch and made it into a horn and yes, I actually made a nice sound for a few seconds. I didn't win anything but it was great fun. I'll give a concert to you all when I get home.
One of the major, big events during the winter is “The Barefoot Man” concert. We were told to attend even though there would be “thousands” there. We decided to take a ferry to Nippers on Guana Cay (Nippers is a restaurant with a fresh water swimming pool on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.) because we didn’t want to anchor with so many boats just in case the weather turned. The day was gorgeous, but windy, and the concert was a disappointment. Barefoot Man sang but you really couldn’t see him (Abaco‘s answer to Jimmy Buffet- he is a legend here but certainly not even close to Buffet’s performances). The place was packed with people, young and old, who primarily were enjoying the booze. I thought everyone would be dancing but there were only a few on the table performers. We hung out on the beach with people we knew and then took the ferry home. I’m glad we went but it is something we won’t do again.
So what’s next? There is the heritage fair here in Hopetown tomorrow with the theme of past, present a future of Elbow Cay (Hopetown being the name of the town) with lots of involvement by the children. Then I will try to get in as much sea glass ,shell and conch collecting as the weather permits since Bill will start the motor to head north way before I am ready to do so.
Hoping for better weather during the next 2 weeks and fair winds to help us cross the Gulfstream…..
But let me update what’s been going on here. Anne arrived on Feb. 21 in the middle of a monsoon. Fortunately we had a slip at the Conch Inn so the weather wouldn’t be a concern for her arrival. However, that night was the Junior and Senior Junkanoo. Junkanoo is a Bahamian festival that usually occurs in the middle of the night on Dec. 26 Boxing Day (Historically Boxing Day was created on the day after Xmas when the servants were given boxes of leftover food) or in the first hours of light of the first day of the new year. However, due to a significant delay in in funding Marsh Harbor’s Junkanoo was on Feb. 21. Groups create colorful costumes and choreography as they parade down the main street while goat skin drums rhythmically reverberate along with cow bells and brass horns. The feeling is so vital that everyone moves to the rhythms (well maybe not everyone, Bill left early). Our Junkanoo was delayed due to rain and we were told that the last group performed close to 2:30 am. The groups were also judged on best music, best costumes and best overall presentations.. My photos didn’t come out that great but it was a really magical evening.
While Anne was here: She went up to the lighthouse with Bill to light the mantle, she found a rare “Helmet Conch” and 17 sand dollars. She TAUGHT Uncle Bill how to easily make decorative turks head knots (what fun it was for us to see him on the learning side of the table). We went out to eat at Cracker P’s - a beautiful view of the water and ‘Interim’. And we motor SAILED from Shell Beach back to Hopetown and SAILED from Tilloo Bank (where the sand dollars were) all the way back to Hopetown. She found lots of sea glass and of course had all the chocolate chip pancakes she could eat.
We were sorry to see her leave and it seemed she had the same weather as when I came back to the Bahamas from NY so we booked a room for her at the Conch Inn. Just an aside - we were hungry about 3:30 and were told that all the restaurants were closed from about 3 to when they opened for dinner at about 5. Luckily there was a snack place open and after serving us they, too, closed.
Last Friday Bill went deep sea fishing with four of our friends. I was supposed to go by my back has been bothering me and I didn't think trolling and lolling around in a bumpy sea was good for me. When they got back it was fabulous. Everyone caught a fish...they brought in 3 mahi mahi and 2 wahoo. It also seems that out of 6 boats that went fishing on that day ours was the only fish caught. What luck..and so far we cooked some wahoo and some mahi mahi = so very delicious.
And then there's the conch blowing contest. I didn't get a horn done and Thursday evening there was going to be a contest. Fortunately, our friend Steve came by and he and Bill took one of the Conch and made it into a horn and yes, I actually made a nice sound for a few seconds. I didn't win anything but it was great fun. I'll give a concert to you all when I get home.
One of the major, big events during the winter is “The Barefoot Man” concert. We were told to attend even though there would be “thousands” there. We decided to take a ferry to Nippers on Guana Cay (Nippers is a restaurant with a fresh water swimming pool on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.) because we didn’t want to anchor with so many boats just in case the weather turned. The day was gorgeous, but windy, and the concert was a disappointment. Barefoot Man sang but you really couldn’t see him (Abaco‘s answer to Jimmy Buffet- he is a legend here but certainly not even close to Buffet’s performances). The place was packed with people, young and old, who primarily were enjoying the booze. I thought everyone would be dancing but there were only a few on the table performers. We hung out on the beach with people we knew and then took the ferry home. I’m glad we went but it is something we won’t do again.
So what’s next? There is the heritage fair here in Hopetown tomorrow with the theme of past, present a future of Elbow Cay (Hopetown being the name of the town) with lots of involvement by the children. Then I will try to get in as much sea glass ,shell and conch collecting as the weather permits since Bill will start the motor to head north way before I am ready to do so.
Hoping for better weather during the next 2 weeks and fair winds to help us cross the Gulfstream…..
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The story continues.....
I am writing on the evening of our anniversary after a very busy day. Bill went racing on ‘Sea Echo’ leaving very early to make the tide out of the harbor (‘Sea Echo’ needs lots more water under her keel then ‘Interim’). This was the 3rd time he raced. I stayed on board ‘Interim’ with Reta, whose husband was racing. I made her a bookmark and we had a lovely time. At noon she, another racers’ wife and I went to lunch. There is a wonderful coffee shop that also has pastries, quiche and ‘Antioxidant smoothies’. I never noticed the smoothie section on the board until today and although quite pricey I ordered it and it was absolutely delicious. I might have to make this a daily ritual.
One very important feature of this island and others in the Bahamas is the effect of Hurricanes Floyd, Francis and Jeanne. It seems there was incredible damage and devastation throughout the Bahamas. The government, in order to stimulate rebuilding, has for the time being stopped the 30% import tax on all building materials needed to rebuild damaged or lost structures. Unfortunately, people are taking advantage and new structures are being built everywhere without thought of how they affect the very thing that makes the Bahamas so different and special. As the song goes “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot”. Some of these buildings are beautiful but others are just out of place. We saw a home built on a high spot of a fairly small deserted Cay. It was built to take advantage of the view of the ocean. To prevent it being swept out to sea when the next hurricane hits the owners attached 4 heavy chains, one on each corner, to try to keep the home in place. There are still many building sites as well roads and commercial buildings that have not been repaired or replaced.
There are many volunteers who are trying to aid in the rebuilding as well. Bill and several other men are working at the Wyannie Malone Museum continuing the tradition that the cruisers in the harbor use their skills for a variety of construction and maintenance projects. The museum is wonderful and filled with history and artifacts.
We continue to make friends and it seems that most of the Canadian boats have left to go further south and there are more American boats in the harbor. Simon has even made friends with ‘Penny’ a miniature poodle on a boat called “Chris Deke”. Chris and Deke also helped us in the search for Conch. We have gone to several different areas, looking and looking without success. But when we went with Chris and Deke we found a great spot. We went snorkeling to look at the coral and fish and Deke found the first Conch. Then Bill started looking and I saw him dive twice and then he started swimming to the dinghy. As he got closer I saw that he had a Conch in each hand. You can only collect 6 Conch per boat per day and between the two dinghy’s we collected 7. Bill and I then went out again on Monday. He wasn’t too happy looking for the illusive conch, I was looking through the bucket at some lovely coral, fans and fish and he was making noises about going back to eat lunch. All of a sudden I though I spotted a shell in the water. We dropped the anchor and Bill, reluctantly put on his snorkel and went in the water. Needless to say we were incredibly lucky and within a very short time we had 5 more shells. We were also fortunate that the sea was the calmest ever (during the other trips to the reef the rollers were 2 -3 feet).
Now, why do you suppose we are doing this…well, one of the Conch Shells is going to be turned into a horn and I have been successful in blowing a fairly good tone from a borrowed Conch. There is going to be a competition on Feb. 28. Also, horns from all around the harbor are blown at sunset. And then there is the meat of the conch that turns into conch fritters, conch soup, and conch salad. I don’t like the texture of conch but Bill does and he just made the first batch of fritters from our recent catch. There are various opinions about how to clean the shells and extract the meat, we have tried several, and Bill has finally found the ‘perfect’ way to do this pretty disgusting job.
We are also continuing to look for sea glass and saw many different designs for jewelry at the Man o War Cay fair on Saturday. We were going to dinghy over there but the weather wasn’t great so we invited the other 2 couples to go with us on ‘Interim’.
Bill and I also went up to the top of the Lighthouse. The view was wonderful and we thought we were on time to see the keeper light the light. Well the sun set and no keeper so we walked down. As soon as we got to the bottom the keeper came and Bill then walked up the 101 steps again. I took pictures from the ground. Bill was in heaven taking part in lighting one of the last 3 kerosene lanterns lighthouses in the world. He climbed all the way up to the Fresnel lenses, got inside of them and helped preheat the kerosene chamber which took about 10 minutes. Then the light was lit with a match. The lenses rotate in a bath of mercury and the weights that rotate it must be cranked up to the top every 2 hours. Bill did not volunteer his services. The keeper lives at the base in a separate house and goes up the 101 steps every 2 hours.
To help keep Elbow Cay a little neater one of the members of one of the oldest families on the Cay worked up a promotion asking for donations to purchase a new garbage can which would be personalized and gaily painted. We bought one and hope that before we leave we can find a can with ‘Interim’ painted on the top. Buddy (one of the members of the family) asked me what the word ‘interim’ means and I think the person doing the painting is going to paint a small, medium and big ketch on the top of the can.
Two of the special moments in the day occurs at noon and 6 pm when the church bell chimes. However, all of a sudden we realized that for several weeks the bells weren’t working and we didn’t notice their absence until a few days ago when they were working again. We were with several people and we all stopped talking and just listened. Tonight there is supposed to be a lunar eclipse that begins at 10:01 that will last 51 minutes. However, I just looked out and there are clouds covering the moon. Hopefully by 10 there will be some breaks in the clouds.
Bill and I have begun discussing and planning our departure from the Sea of Abaco. Mixed feelings are surfacing.
One very important feature of this island and others in the Bahamas is the effect of Hurricanes Floyd, Francis and Jeanne. It seems there was incredible damage and devastation throughout the Bahamas. The government, in order to stimulate rebuilding, has for the time being stopped the 30% import tax on all building materials needed to rebuild damaged or lost structures. Unfortunately, people are taking advantage and new structures are being built everywhere without thought of how they affect the very thing that makes the Bahamas so different and special. As the song goes “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot”. Some of these buildings are beautiful but others are just out of place. We saw a home built on a high spot of a fairly small deserted Cay. It was built to take advantage of the view of the ocean. To prevent it being swept out to sea when the next hurricane hits the owners attached 4 heavy chains, one on each corner, to try to keep the home in place. There are still many building sites as well roads and commercial buildings that have not been repaired or replaced.
There are many volunteers who are trying to aid in the rebuilding as well. Bill and several other men are working at the Wyannie Malone Museum continuing the tradition that the cruisers in the harbor use their skills for a variety of construction and maintenance projects. The museum is wonderful and filled with history and artifacts.
We continue to make friends and it seems that most of the Canadian boats have left to go further south and there are more American boats in the harbor. Simon has even made friends with ‘Penny’ a miniature poodle on a boat called “Chris Deke”. Chris and Deke also helped us in the search for Conch. We have gone to several different areas, looking and looking without success. But when we went with Chris and Deke we found a great spot. We went snorkeling to look at the coral and fish and Deke found the first Conch. Then Bill started looking and I saw him dive twice and then he started swimming to the dinghy. As he got closer I saw that he had a Conch in each hand. You can only collect 6 Conch per boat per day and between the two dinghy’s we collected 7. Bill and I then went out again on Monday. He wasn’t too happy looking for the illusive conch, I was looking through the bucket at some lovely coral, fans and fish and he was making noises about going back to eat lunch. All of a sudden I though I spotted a shell in the water. We dropped the anchor and Bill, reluctantly put on his snorkel and went in the water. Needless to say we were incredibly lucky and within a very short time we had 5 more shells. We were also fortunate that the sea was the calmest ever (during the other trips to the reef the rollers were 2 -3 feet).
Now, why do you suppose we are doing this…well, one of the Conch Shells is going to be turned into a horn and I have been successful in blowing a fairly good tone from a borrowed Conch. There is going to be a competition on Feb. 28. Also, horns from all around the harbor are blown at sunset. And then there is the meat of the conch that turns into conch fritters, conch soup, and conch salad. I don’t like the texture of conch but Bill does and he just made the first batch of fritters from our recent catch. There are various opinions about how to clean the shells and extract the meat, we have tried several, and Bill has finally found the ‘perfect’ way to do this pretty disgusting job.
We are also continuing to look for sea glass and saw many different designs for jewelry at the Man o War Cay fair on Saturday. We were going to dinghy over there but the weather wasn’t great so we invited the other 2 couples to go with us on ‘Interim’.
Bill and I also went up to the top of the Lighthouse. The view was wonderful and we thought we were on time to see the keeper light the light. Well the sun set and no keeper so we walked down. As soon as we got to the bottom the keeper came and Bill then walked up the 101 steps again. I took pictures from the ground. Bill was in heaven taking part in lighting one of the last 3 kerosene lanterns lighthouses in the world. He climbed all the way up to the Fresnel lenses, got inside of them and helped preheat the kerosene chamber which took about 10 minutes. Then the light was lit with a match. The lenses rotate in a bath of mercury and the weights that rotate it must be cranked up to the top every 2 hours. Bill did not volunteer his services. The keeper lives at the base in a separate house and goes up the 101 steps every 2 hours.
To help keep Elbow Cay a little neater one of the members of one of the oldest families on the Cay worked up a promotion asking for donations to purchase a new garbage can which would be personalized and gaily painted. We bought one and hope that before we leave we can find a can with ‘Interim’ painted on the top. Buddy (one of the members of the family) asked me what the word ‘interim’ means and I think the person doing the painting is going to paint a small, medium and big ketch on the top of the can.
Two of the special moments in the day occurs at noon and 6 pm when the church bell chimes. However, all of a sudden we realized that for several weeks the bells weren’t working and we didn’t notice their absence until a few days ago when they were working again. We were with several people and we all stopped talking and just listened. Tonight there is supposed to be a lunar eclipse that begins at 10:01 that will last 51 minutes. However, I just looked out and there are clouds covering the moon. Hopefully by 10 there will be some breaks in the clouds.
Bill and I have begun discussing and planning our departure from the Sea of Abaco. Mixed feelings are surfacing.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
New Adventures
I found the one negative about living aboard 'Interim' in Hopetown. There are two restaurants that are at the edge of town facing the harbor and tonight there is Bahamian music blasting towards us from one of them. I think they stop at midnight but for all of the boaters 9 PM is usually past our bedtimes.I just found out that last night was Mardi Gras so I hope this was a one time event.
We have just returned from a 7 day cruise to several different Cays where we were in blissful environments.
The first one we traveled to was Great Guana Cay. We anchored in Settlement Harbor, Fisher's Bay and Baker's Bay - all peaceful, calm and lovely. We walked up to Nipper's - spectacular view of the ocean - a colorful spot where you can eat, walk the beach, snorkel and even swim in their pool all for the price of a drink (I accidentally erased these photos but I'm sure we will go there again). At our first anchorage we were visited by a nurse shark! On our second day there we anchored in Fisher's Bay with many other boats since that night was a pot luck dinner at Grabbers. There were about 150 of us and the variety of food was wonderful and tasty. The evening of glorious and to top it off a large group of Canadians brought instruments and we had a song fest. We were also visited by spotted eagle ray and dolphins. We then went to Bakers' Bay where we took the dinghy to Shell Beach. What an incredible place. It seems that shells and beach glass are very particular about where they land up. Some beaches on the ocean have glorious sea glass and shells at particular spots and the rest of the beach never sees any glass or shells. So when we went to shell beach it was fabulous and Bill, Simon and I went to town. I will go back for more since like sea glass it is addictive.
We spent a night in Hopetown to catch a performance of Shere Kahn, a group of acapella singers from Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. They were delightful and were brought here to perform for about 1 hour as part of a fundraiser for the local elementary school. The group is self sponsored, no faculty advisor, and is one of 15 groups on the campus. The quality, poise, and talent was exceptional.
After Guana Cay we went to Tilloo Bank. Anchored just off the bank and went searching for Conch and Sand Dollars. We were lucky and got a few sand dollars but Conch has been very illusive. We have met so many people who have found live Conch and gorgeous shells - alas we haven't been lucky at all. We look with our lookit bucket but no luck so far. I did spot one and it even moved but it was too small and illegal to catch.
We then traveled to Lynyard Cay and Little Harbor. Here we experienced the Bahamas that I imagined. Lynyard Cay is a strip of land with calm waters on one side and the ocean on the other. No stores, a few homes, quiet and at night all the stars you ever wanted to see. Of course we went to the best beach for sea glass and at times I thought Bill was going to be swept out to sea with the crashing waves. In Little Harbor (yes it was very, very little with not much room for boats) we went to Pete's Pub and Gallery. Pete's parents, while living in a cave, founded an art colony here and was an internationally known artist renowned for his lost wax casting in bronze. His son, Pete has followed in his footsteps but also runs an open air bar/grill on the beach. The place was amazing and at times Pete will be working in the shop so visitors can see the process.
While anchored at Lanyard Cay we, along with another boat, went snorkeling in Sandy Cay - a national sea park. The water was quite rough but we moored out dinghy's and jumped in ( it did take me a little time to make the leap). We saw all kinds of fish, schools of the most beautifully colored fish, corals and fans. Fortunately we didn't see sharks, barracudas, and rays but they do spend time at the reef and we may get lucky the next time we go there. We had a little gathering on the beach last night and returned to Hopetown today. Tomorrow Bill will be racing again if the winds are not to strong (they won't race above 20 kts.) and we will stay here for a little while to catch our breath and wait for friends we met at Vero Beach (a very, very, long time ago) to arrive here in the next day or so.
It seems that this year there has been a dramatic increase in Canadian boats. Many Canadians are leaving their boats either in one of the southern states or in the Bahamas - anything to get away from the cold. They do tend to band together and are not always inclusive but we have made a few Canadian friends. The social scene is quite unique. The ships radio is used just like a telephone and all day you hear boat names calling other boat names on channel 68. Then you switch to another channel which can be heard by anyone using the radio. So, in fact, you can hear social engagements being made all day. This had been a little difficult for us since many relationship began in years past and many boats came to the Bahamas with companion boats. However, we have been fortunate and made a few new friends and traveled with a Canadian couple these last 7 days.
I won't feel rejected if you haven't gotten this far but so much has happened these past few weeks primarily because the weather has been glorious, warm and very conducive to anchoring in calm winds and flat seas. No cold front to keep us hunkered down and it seems like it will continue, at least, til the end of the week. No complaints here.
We have just returned from a 7 day cruise to several different Cays where we were in blissful environments.
The first one we traveled to was Great Guana Cay. We anchored in Settlement Harbor, Fisher's Bay and Baker's Bay - all peaceful, calm and lovely. We walked up to Nipper's - spectacular view of the ocean - a colorful spot where you can eat, walk the beach, snorkel and even swim in their pool all for the price of a drink (I accidentally erased these photos but I'm sure we will go there again). At our first anchorage we were visited by a nurse shark! On our second day there we anchored in Fisher's Bay with many other boats since that night was a pot luck dinner at Grabbers. There were about 150 of us and the variety of food was wonderful and tasty. The evening of glorious and to top it off a large group of Canadians brought instruments and we had a song fest. We were also visited by spotted eagle ray and dolphins. We then went to Bakers' Bay where we took the dinghy to Shell Beach. What an incredible place. It seems that shells and beach glass are very particular about where they land up. Some beaches on the ocean have glorious sea glass and shells at particular spots and the rest of the beach never sees any glass or shells. So when we went to shell beach it was fabulous and Bill, Simon and I went to town. I will go back for more since like sea glass it is addictive.
We spent a night in Hopetown to catch a performance of Shere Kahn, a group of acapella singers from Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. They were delightful and were brought here to perform for about 1 hour as part of a fundraiser for the local elementary school. The group is self sponsored, no faculty advisor, and is one of 15 groups on the campus. The quality, poise, and talent was exceptional.
After Guana Cay we went to Tilloo Bank. Anchored just off the bank and went searching for Conch and Sand Dollars. We were lucky and got a few sand dollars but Conch has been very illusive. We have met so many people who have found live Conch and gorgeous shells - alas we haven't been lucky at all. We look with our lookit bucket but no luck so far. I did spot one and it even moved but it was too small and illegal to catch.
We then traveled to Lynyard Cay and Little Harbor. Here we experienced the Bahamas that I imagined. Lynyard Cay is a strip of land with calm waters on one side and the ocean on the other. No stores, a few homes, quiet and at night all the stars you ever wanted to see. Of course we went to the best beach for sea glass and at times I thought Bill was going to be swept out to sea with the crashing waves. In Little Harbor (yes it was very, very little with not much room for boats) we went to Pete's Pub and Gallery. Pete's parents, while living in a cave, founded an art colony here and was an internationally known artist renowned for his lost wax casting in bronze. His son, Pete has followed in his footsteps but also runs an open air bar/grill on the beach. The place was amazing and at times Pete will be working in the shop so visitors can see the process.
While anchored at Lanyard Cay we, along with another boat, went snorkeling in Sandy Cay - a national sea park. The water was quite rough but we moored out dinghy's and jumped in ( it did take me a little time to make the leap). We saw all kinds of fish, schools of the most beautifully colored fish, corals and fans. Fortunately we didn't see sharks, barracudas, and rays but they do spend time at the reef and we may get lucky the next time we go there. We had a little gathering on the beach last night and returned to Hopetown today. Tomorrow Bill will be racing again if the winds are not to strong (they won't race above 20 kts.) and we will stay here for a little while to catch our breath and wait for friends we met at Vero Beach (a very, very, long time ago) to arrive here in the next day or so.
It seems that this year there has been a dramatic increase in Canadian boats. Many Canadians are leaving their boats either in one of the southern states or in the Bahamas - anything to get away from the cold. They do tend to band together and are not always inclusive but we have made a few Canadian friends. The social scene is quite unique. The ships radio is used just like a telephone and all day you hear boat names calling other boat names on channel 68. Then you switch to another channel which can be heard by anyone using the radio. So, in fact, you can hear social engagements being made all day. This had been a little difficult for us since many relationship began in years past and many boats came to the Bahamas with companion boats. However, we have been fortunate and made a few new friends and traveled with a Canadian couple these last 7 days.
I won't feel rejected if you haven't gotten this far but so much has happened these past few weeks primarily because the weather has been glorious, warm and very conducive to anchoring in calm winds and flat seas. No cold front to keep us hunkered down and it seems like it will continue, at least, til the end of the week. No complaints here.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
A rainy day....
Hi everyone, it's amazing that I haven't written for a very long time but the days go by and before we turn around the day is over and we are heading towards sleep. So much of the time we are in sunshine and planning small excursions - lunch, walks on the beach, swimming, lunch, grocery shopping, walks, and so it goes.
Doesn't sound exciting and it really isn't except for how this all gets translated into fabulous images and heightened senses. Today is one of the rare days when the sky is gray and there is intermittent rain with forcasts for gale force winds later on. We are hunkered down to wait for this front to pass and it looks like the rest of the week will be back to the high 70's with plenty of sunshine. Bill is on a search for the penultimate conch and I am searching for shells and sea glass. We have friends here who are also doing geocache adventures which we haven't really gotten into. Bill said that one find was in a subterranean cave!!
So January goes on. I had a birthday (yuck) and I made a trip back home to attend the funeral of an aunt (age 95). The trip was difficult but I'm glad I made it. When I got home I had forgotten that we had moved all the furniture away from the windows because the coop was installing new windows. It wasn't the most relaxing place to be especially without the use of a telephone or television. However, I spent time with my sister and friends which helped a great deal.
As for the flights, the first thing I noticed when we landed in Washington was the noise, the crowds, the number of people talking on cell phones (ours is on vacation mode and cannot be used) and using computers. Everyone seemed to be in their own world. I remember the time when we would be waiting at the airport and striking up conversations with fellow travelers. That doesn't happen anymore. Even on the plane people were using computers and ipods - not very social at all. However, I did have my MP3 player and a book to pass the time.
Bill was unable to pick me up when I returned because there was a storm here so with help from lots of Bahamians and friends at home I made a hotel reservation and caught a ferry back to Hopetown on Monday. By Tuesday the weather was gorgeous again and Bill and I made an excursion to Tahiti Beach and Cracker P's for lunch. The view from Cracker P's was exquisite with 'Interim' anchored nearby. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so we will have to return there again. Oh well, what one must do for posterity. However, I did pick up a few shells.
Our next outing is going to be either a pig roast or pot luck dinner at Guana Cay and then hopefully a trip to Little Harbor. I am also waiting for a perfect day to go snorkeling at Sandy Cay - an underwater park. So we still have lots to accomplish before we start homeward bound.
Oh, I almost forgot. To add to our adventures Bill and I are headed to Paris, France the first of May to help brother Mark celebrate his birthday. We will be there for about 6 days and hopefully Bill will agree to eat French food - the only other time he was in Paris he ate at a Chinese restaurant every day. We will try to expand his gustatory sensations.
Til later....
Doesn't sound exciting and it really isn't except for how this all gets translated into fabulous images and heightened senses. Today is one of the rare days when the sky is gray and there is intermittent rain with forcasts for gale force winds later on. We are hunkered down to wait for this front to pass and it looks like the rest of the week will be back to the high 70's with plenty of sunshine. Bill is on a search for the penultimate conch and I am searching for shells and sea glass. We have friends here who are also doing geocache adventures which we haven't really gotten into. Bill said that one find was in a subterranean cave!!
So January goes on. I had a birthday (yuck) and I made a trip back home to attend the funeral of an aunt (age 95). The trip was difficult but I'm glad I made it. When I got home I had forgotten that we had moved all the furniture away from the windows because the coop was installing new windows. It wasn't the most relaxing place to be especially without the use of a telephone or television. However, I spent time with my sister and friends which helped a great deal.
As for the flights, the first thing I noticed when we landed in Washington was the noise, the crowds, the number of people talking on cell phones (ours is on vacation mode and cannot be used) and using computers. Everyone seemed to be in their own world. I remember the time when we would be waiting at the airport and striking up conversations with fellow travelers. That doesn't happen anymore. Even on the plane people were using computers and ipods - not very social at all. However, I did have my MP3 player and a book to pass the time.
Bill was unable to pick me up when I returned because there was a storm here so with help from lots of Bahamians and friends at home I made a hotel reservation and caught a ferry back to Hopetown on Monday. By Tuesday the weather was gorgeous again and Bill and I made an excursion to Tahiti Beach and Cracker P's for lunch. The view from Cracker P's was exquisite with 'Interim' anchored nearby. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so we will have to return there again. Oh well, what one must do for posterity. However, I did pick up a few shells.
Our next outing is going to be either a pig roast or pot luck dinner at Guana Cay and then hopefully a trip to Little Harbor. I am also waiting for a perfect day to go snorkeling at Sandy Cay - an underwater park. So we still have lots to accomplish before we start homeward bound.
Oh, I almost forgot. To add to our adventures Bill and I are headed to Paris, France the first of May to help brother Mark celebrate his birthday. We will be there for about 6 days and hopefully Bill will agree to eat French food - the only other time he was in Paris he ate at a Chinese restaurant every day. We will try to expand his gustatory sensations.
Til later....
Friday, January 4, 2008
After the Holidays
We certainly had an unusual holiday this year with warm weather and plenty of sunshine. New Year's Eve was very special. We actually had dinner out with hats and champagne with our friends Jim and Nancy. Then back to the boat for a rest and at 11:30 we went to shore for the rest of the activities. People started gathering along the main street, revelers, teenagers, families and it was the best time to people watch. We didn't quite know when midnight was until the fireworks started. They were fabulous, gorgeous displays right in front of us and they they lasted quite a while. Who would have thought that such a little place would have such a wonderful display. After that we started to hear the drums. Faint but growing louder and more insistent as they came our way. This was a Junkanoo. Some costumes but mainly drums and everyone moving to the beat of the drums following the parade through town. Although the consensus was that the Junkanoo wasn't up to past years but it was fine for us. We didn't get back to the boat til about 2 am.
And then the next day the weather started to change - a cold front started coming through bringing gray skies and plenty of wind (25-30 most of the night and day). We didn't get off the boat all day on Thursday but I met Roger a few days ago while doing laundry and ran into him, Nancy and Will again while walking and they came on 'Interim' and then invited us for dinner. Roger is a professional photographer and Nancy is an artist who works primarily in silver. Her son Will is at the Maine Merchant Marine Academy and they live in Southport, ME. We hope we will meet up with them if and/or when we take 'Interim' to Maine next summer.
While stuck on the boat I attempted to bake bread (another cruiser gave me her recipe) and for the first try I did OK. There is a local baker on the island who makes loaves every day and I certainly am no competition but it was fun.
Bill and I are still trying to work out how to live 24/7 on this clorox bottle but we seem to get over the bumps on a regular basis.
So right now life here is fairly routine and will only change when the weather changes so we can continue exploring the different Cays.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and wish all a Very Happy, Healthy and Joyous New Year.
And then the next day the weather started to change - a cold front started coming through bringing gray skies and plenty of wind (25-30 most of the night and day). We didn't get off the boat all day on Thursday but I met Roger a few days ago while doing laundry and ran into him, Nancy and Will again while walking and they came on 'Interim' and then invited us for dinner. Roger is a professional photographer and Nancy is an artist who works primarily in silver. Her son Will is at the Maine Merchant Marine Academy and they live in Southport, ME. We hope we will meet up with them if and/or when we take 'Interim' to Maine next summer.
While stuck on the boat I attempted to bake bread (another cruiser gave me her recipe) and for the first try I did OK. There is a local baker on the island who makes loaves every day and I certainly am no competition but it was fun.
Bill and I are still trying to work out how to live 24/7 on this clorox bottle but we seem to get over the bumps on a regular basis.
So right now life here is fairly routine and will only change when the weather changes so we can continue exploring the different Cays.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and wish all a Very Happy, Healthy and Joyous New Year.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Holiday in Hopetown
We have been blessed with gorgeous weather since before Christmas and last night there was no wind at all (a rare occurrence here). However, the moored boats around us tended to come close enough to walk on and I was a little nervous. Bill just pushed them aside and then went to sleep! He was right, we woke up in the morning with no problems with the other boats.
There seems to be lots of activities that occur here in Hopetown. We spent Christmas Eve having cocktails on another boat and we were invited to Jim and Nancy's boat for Christmas Day Dinner. She is Italian and put together a wonderful dinner. Jim's daughter was here and we ate and laughed and had a great time. Bill and I took the dinghy out for my first snorkel practice. It was successful so we all went on Jim's boat to "Mermaid Reef". This is a safe, easy reef to practice and I loved it. We saw many different kinds of fish and I felt like I was in an aquarium. I won't show any photos of me in the wet suit, but I did take a few photos with my camera. I will email the site of the photo album.
Many more families with children have arrived here and the atmosphere has certainly changed. The beach is a little more crowded and you can see people walking around. I think this will again change after the New Year. However, there will be a pulse of boats coming over (if the weather permits) and we hope to see some boaters we got to know in Vero Beach.
Last night was a golf cart parade - 10 golf carts decorated for the holidays and today was a Chili Cookout competition to raise money for the police and fire department. Tomorrow there will be a "Rage" fundraiser for? I'm not sure what it's for. There will be fireworks on New Years Eve and a Junkanoo Parade (more on that for another time). I am also going to volunteer at the local museum one day a week. We are beginning to settle in nicely, continue meeting new people, and even having happy hour on 'Interim' with two other couples. The excitement, anxiety and challenges seem to be disappearing and replaced by daily routines. For example, I have yet to get to the laundry and must schedule it in (although I'm waiting for a day when the weather isn't great). Look for an email linking to the photo albums.
WISHING ALL A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR.
There seems to be lots of activities that occur here in Hopetown. We spent Christmas Eve having cocktails on another boat and we were invited to Jim and Nancy's boat for Christmas Day Dinner. She is Italian and put together a wonderful dinner. Jim's daughter was here and we ate and laughed and had a great time. Bill and I took the dinghy out for my first snorkel practice. It was successful so we all went on Jim's boat to "Mermaid Reef". This is a safe, easy reef to practice and I loved it. We saw many different kinds of fish and I felt like I was in an aquarium. I won't show any photos of me in the wet suit, but I did take a few photos with my camera. I will email the site of the photo album.
Many more families with children have arrived here and the atmosphere has certainly changed. The beach is a little more crowded and you can see people walking around. I think this will again change after the New Year. However, there will be a pulse of boats coming over (if the weather permits) and we hope to see some boaters we got to know in Vero Beach.
Last night was a golf cart parade - 10 golf carts decorated for the holidays and today was a Chili Cookout competition to raise money for the police and fire department. Tomorrow there will be a "Rage" fundraiser for? I'm not sure what it's for. There will be fireworks on New Years Eve and a Junkanoo Parade (more on that for another time). I am also going to volunteer at the local museum one day a week. We are beginning to settle in nicely, continue meeting new people, and even having happy hour on 'Interim' with two other couples. The excitement, anxiety and challenges seem to be disappearing and replaced by daily routines. For example, I have yet to get to the laundry and must schedule it in (although I'm waiting for a day when the weather isn't great). Look for an email linking to the photo albums.
WISHING ALL A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Hopetown, our winter home
You can see slideshow of photos at: just copy and paste in the above URL address
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum702?authkey=L_hFcaWPhHQ
We left Green Turtle Cay on Wednesday morning at dawn with our new friends Jim and Nancy leading the way through "The Whale". This was another passage that must be done with fair winds, tide and current since we go through a narrow cut into the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to give it a try knowing that if the water was too angry we could always turn back. Well, the passage was OK, lots of rolling and seas from 1 -3 feet with a few 4 footers that rocked us some. Simon did get seasick again but then did just fine. The weather turned out lovely and our trip was, thankfully, uneventful. We picked up a mooring in Hopetown a little after noon. Then we went into town to check it out. Well, it's a small place with lots of charm, a lovely beach and Vernon the baker who was just taking out sourdough bread from the oven when we got there. While walking around we heard that there was going to be "caroling" that evening. We stayed ashore, met a family that we knew from Vero Beach on the beach, and then about 70 people including Bill and I, with handouts of the words, walked around the area singing to various folks at their homes. Unfortunately, before the caroling ended we felt a few raindrops and since we left the boat with all portholes and hatches open we decided to head back. Once onboard we realized how exhausted we were from the trip and missed out on a free dinner of souse and sweets.
Our friends Nancy and Jim came on Thursday and we have been having a wonderful time with them. Jim and Bill are wonderful together and Nancy and I get along just fine. They will be here til the second week in Jan. and I know I will really miss them.
Today, Bill and I went to Marsh Harbor (about 1 1/2 hours away) to check it out. It is a "city like" place with hardware stores (Bill is in love), restaurants and groceries. The day was beautiful with light winds so we motor sailed all the way there. On the way home we were surrounded by rain clouds, we got some wind but no rain and at all times we were in about 12 ft. of water.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum702?authkey=L_hFcaWPhHQ
We left Green Turtle Cay on Wednesday morning at dawn with our new friends Jim and Nancy leading the way through "The Whale". This was another passage that must be done with fair winds, tide and current since we go through a narrow cut into the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to give it a try knowing that if the water was too angry we could always turn back. Well, the passage was OK, lots of rolling and seas from 1 -3 feet with a few 4 footers that rocked us some. Simon did get seasick again but then did just fine. The weather turned out lovely and our trip was, thankfully, uneventful. We picked up a mooring in Hopetown a little after noon. Then we went into town to check it out. Well, it's a small place with lots of charm, a lovely beach and Vernon the baker who was just taking out sourdough bread from the oven when we got there. While walking around we heard that there was going to be "caroling" that evening. We stayed ashore, met a family that we knew from Vero Beach on the beach, and then about 70 people including Bill and I, with handouts of the words, walked around the area singing to various folks at their homes. Unfortunately, before the caroling ended we felt a few raindrops and since we left the boat with all portholes and hatches open we decided to head back. Once onboard we realized how exhausted we were from the trip and missed out on a free dinner of souse and sweets.
Our friends Nancy and Jim came on Thursday and we have been having a wonderful time with them. Jim and Bill are wonderful together and Nancy and I get along just fine. They will be here til the second week in Jan. and I know I will really miss them.
Today, Bill and I went to Marsh Harbor (about 1 1/2 hours away) to check it out. It is a "city like" place with hardware stores (Bill is in love), restaurants and groceries. The day was beautiful with light winds so we motor sailed all the way there. On the way home we were surrounded by rain clouds, we got some wind but no rain and at all times we were in about 12 ft. of water.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
I am trying to make photo additions a little easier. Select this address and paste in the URL bar.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg
OK, as of 1:00 today Bill seems to have fixed the motor and it is running without smoke or steam pouring out. As much as I have watched him solve mechanical problems this one was one of the most difficult. After receiving all the parts he had to modify, modify, modify in order that the 2007 models fit in the 1973 housings. This took all day yesterday and most of today. Now we just have to wait for a weather window to head towards Hopetown. The winds are piping up, fronts are coming through and the window may come towards the end of the week. We have to go through "The Whale", a particulary nasty, but brief, ocean crossing.
I am trying to make photo additions a little easier. Select this address and paste in the URL bar.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg
So a little bit about Green Turtle Cay. It is made up of White Sound (fancy resorts) , Black Sound (where we are -boatyards and considered a hurricane harbor), and New Plymouth settlement. There are a little over 450 people living on the island and most can trace their ancestry to loyalists who fled New York during the American Revolution. Then lots more came from states along the eastern corridor , primarily farmers. However, poor soil - many left. It was then the wrecking capital of the Abacos. With the fading of sponges, pinapple growing, and sharking what the islanders now have are tourists and crawfish (rock lobster). However, the town of New Plymouth has had 80 structures landmarked for historical significance and according to one resident the look completely changed when an enterprising businessman started bringing in a variety of paint colors to enhance their houses.
New Plymouth has shops, groceries (mostly very expensive), a liquor store, bread baked daily, and restaurants. There is also a museum that was restored by Alton Lowe, a well known Abaco artist whose father also made ships models. There is a sculpture garden where there is a life size sculpture of two women, one black and one white with busts of Bahamian citizens around them.
We have met many people who come here to rent houses and stay for a week or more. The beaches are gorgeous, both on the sound and on the ocean. Golf carts are the main form of transportation (we might rent one to explore the entire island).
We have also participated is a few island events. First, everywhere we go a 'hello' is said to anyone passing you by. Then on Friday evening we went to the "Tree lighting" festivities. I thought all 400 people would be there for such a joyous occasion but not so. I think it was either to political or to religious but there were less than 100. When Bill and I were walking the site we passed a house that had la nice display of Xmas lights. I took one photo and after the second one everything went black. The entire island was without electricity. We kept walking and waited a bit until the emergency generator kicked in (this happens alot here). Before the lighting there were speeches by administrators (one opened his remarks by talking about the increase in crime and murder!!!!), and a sermon by a man of God who had us all seeing the light. A couple of church groups sang (I heard there was going to be a choir but only 5-6 were in the groups that sang) one was especially wonderful - gospel/Xmas. And then after Santa arrived we were all invited for a free boxed dinner. Bill and I took ours back to the boat and the food was fabulous. We haven't eaten in any of the restaurants yet but I'm sure this fare was far outstanding (and a lot cheaper). I have to learn how to make dirty rice.
Last night we went to a fundraiser for the 6th grade class. The money was to be used for a 3 day trip to the resort Atlantis in Nassau. It was on the basketball court and again, dinner (this time for a minimal cost) was provided, the children played, the boom box rang out all kinds of Xmas music (some I even recognized) Bahamian style. We went with new friends and had a wonderful time. Bill even joined in the "Cake Walk" where for $1.00 you got a number on a piece of cardboard and walked around a circle until the music stopped. Then a number was drawn and if you were on it you won a cake. Thankfully, Bill only did this once and we didn't win. He wasn't the only adult but he was adorable with the other kids.
Oh, there are only 12 children in the 6th grade and I'm sure they raised a fair amount of money for the trip. The kids,from 2 years old to teens played musical chairs, limbo, and I've never seen so many variations of play with hula hoops. I also had my first Goombay Smash - it's delicious and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
The weather right now is deteriorating so we are going ashore for a little while.
Til later.....
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg
OK, as of 1:00 today Bill seems to have fixed the motor and it is running without smoke or steam pouring out. As much as I have watched him solve mechanical problems this one was one of the most difficult. After receiving all the parts he had to modify, modify, modify in order that the 2007 models fit in the 1973 housings. This took all day yesterday and most of today. Now we just have to wait for a weather window to head towards Hopetown. The winds are piping up, fronts are coming through and the window may come towards the end of the week. We have to go through "The Whale", a particulary nasty, but brief, ocean crossing.
I am trying to make photo additions a little easier. Select this address and paste in the URL bar.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg
So a little bit about Green Turtle Cay. It is made up of White Sound (fancy resorts) , Black Sound (where we are -boatyards and considered a hurricane harbor), and New Plymouth settlement. There are a little over 450 people living on the island and most can trace their ancestry to loyalists who fled New York during the American Revolution. Then lots more came from states along the eastern corridor , primarily farmers. However, poor soil - many left. It was then the wrecking capital of the Abacos. With the fading of sponges, pinapple growing, and sharking what the islanders now have are tourists and crawfish (rock lobster). However, the town of New Plymouth has had 80 structures landmarked for historical significance and according to one resident the look completely changed when an enterprising businessman started bringing in a variety of paint colors to enhance their houses.
New Plymouth has shops, groceries (mostly very expensive), a liquor store, bread baked daily, and restaurants. There is also a museum that was restored by Alton Lowe, a well known Abaco artist whose father also made ships models. There is a sculpture garden where there is a life size sculpture of two women, one black and one white with busts of Bahamian citizens around them.
We have met many people who come here to rent houses and stay for a week or more. The beaches are gorgeous, both on the sound and on the ocean. Golf carts are the main form of transportation (we might rent one to explore the entire island).
We have also participated is a few island events. First, everywhere we go a 'hello' is said to anyone passing you by. Then on Friday evening we went to the "Tree lighting" festivities. I thought all 400 people would be there for such a joyous occasion but not so. I think it was either to political or to religious but there were less than 100. When Bill and I were walking the site we passed a house that had la nice display of Xmas lights. I took one photo and after the second one everything went black. The entire island was without electricity. We kept walking and waited a bit until the emergency generator kicked in (this happens alot here). Before the lighting there were speeches by administrators (one opened his remarks by talking about the increase in crime and murder!!!!), and a sermon by a man of God who had us all seeing the light. A couple of church groups sang (I heard there was going to be a choir but only 5-6 were in the groups that sang) one was especially wonderful - gospel/Xmas. And then after Santa arrived we were all invited for a free boxed dinner. Bill and I took ours back to the boat and the food was fabulous. We haven't eaten in any of the restaurants yet but I'm sure this fare was far outstanding (and a lot cheaper). I have to learn how to make dirty rice.
Last night we went to a fundraiser for the 6th grade class. The money was to be used for a 3 day trip to the resort Atlantis in Nassau. It was on the basketball court and again, dinner (this time for a minimal cost) was provided, the children played, the boom box rang out all kinds of Xmas music (some I even recognized) Bahamian style. We went with new friends and had a wonderful time. Bill even joined in the "Cake Walk" where for $1.00 you got a number on a piece of cardboard and walked around a circle until the music stopped. Then a number was drawn and if you were on it you won a cake. Thankfully, Bill only did this once and we didn't win. He wasn't the only adult but he was adorable with the other kids.
Oh, there are only 12 children in the 6th grade and I'm sure they raised a fair amount of money for the trip. The kids,from 2 years old to teens played musical chairs, limbo, and I've never seen so many variations of play with hula hoops. I also had my first Goombay Smash - it's delicious and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
The weather right now is deteriorating so we are going ashore for a little while.
Til later.....
Sunday, December 9, 2007
I know it's been a long time since I last wrote but the stay in Vero Beach became just an ordinary routine. I woke up and counted how many boats arrived and/or left, tooled around on Interim for awhile, took Simon for a walk, went to town either on the free bus or car, maybe enjoyed a happy hour on one boat or another, nothing really exciting. Lots of talk time with people I may or may not run into while in the Bahamas. The only excitement I had was being bitten by every little see ums or no see ums. The itching became so bad I went to a walk in clinic and got a pill and ointment to help. I wasn't the only one affected but it was pretty awful. Every day the major talk was "when do we leave" and "where is that perfect weather window"?
We were going to cross the GulfStream with a boat called "Salty Dog", a couple with two Shelties on board. We met them way back in Annapolis when Bill was cruising around in the whaler and saw their boat, it was a Gulfstar Sailmaster and Bill's father almost bought the very same style. We hung out with them again in Wrightsville, Virginia and saw them in Georgetown and Charlestown. All these meetings were by chance. It was also their first time heading to the Bahamas. So when they showed up in Vero Beach it was a good sign. We watched, listened to the radio weather report and lo and behold there was a good weather window coming.
We then left Vero Beach, traveling through a frustrating 7 bridges that needed to open to a staging point in Lake Worth (near Palm Beach). Then at 4:00 Friday morning we went out the inlet to the Atlantic Ocean and the famous Gulfstream. The water wasn't flat but the motion was OK for us but not for Salty Dog, so we turned back. Traveling the Gulfstream with a buddy was highly recommended by most everyone so we were in a quandary as to what to do. We worked it out, Salty Dog would wait a while longer and Bill and I would go it alone. But since we then left at around 10 am which meant we would get to a safe place to anchor at 2 am in the morning. Not fun for me. I don't like the dark, especially on the water but Bill promised it would be the last time we would have to do this. I pretty much stayed below, helped out when Bill needed to rest (which was not much at all) and when we got to Great Sale Cay there were several anchor lights showing. Anchor down and sleep.
The next morning was amazing. Waking up in the Bahamas and traveling on the gorgeous water, shallow enough to see the bottom. We even put the sail up and motor sailed most of the way.
Lovely way to start or voyage in the Bahamas until as we were almost at our anchoring place the motor overheated. What looked like smoke but was actually steam poured out from the cabin. There was no fire but the motor was not to be used so Bill towed us with the Whaler and we anchored in a safe spot. Needless to say we were both emotionally spent but Bill then worked in the engine room to puzzle out what was wrong. The good news was that after the engine cooled down it still worked which meant something else was the cause. After several hours Bill thinks the thermostat broke and needs to be replaced.
OK next morning, gorgeous Bahama day and we motor sailed to Green Turtle Cay, were able to get a mooring in an incredibly snug harbor (Black Sound) and crashed for most of the day.
Tomorrow Bill needs to go to customs so we can legally sail in the Bahamas and then try to find the part to be shipped here. Here is not a bad place to be. Although in the book it says there are only about 450 people who live here there is a town, restaurants, bakery, post office, and marinas where Bill might be able to get some assistance (i.e. mail drop).
I have signed up for wi fi that will allow me to use my computer throughout the Abaco's. Our cell phone doesn't work but I have SKYPE. A computer phone that allows me to call anywhere in the world. By accident as I was installing it and trying it out I mistakenly dialed a number in Switzerland. The cost, however, for these calls is quite low. So I can still be in touch. If you need to speak to me just email me and I'll call back.
Also, I have a web site for photos that I am trying to insert, but not today.
We were going to cross the GulfStream with a boat called "Salty Dog", a couple with two Shelties on board. We met them way back in Annapolis when Bill was cruising around in the whaler and saw their boat, it was a Gulfstar Sailmaster and Bill's father almost bought the very same style. We hung out with them again in Wrightsville, Virginia and saw them in Georgetown and Charlestown. All these meetings were by chance. It was also their first time heading to the Bahamas. So when they showed up in Vero Beach it was a good sign. We watched, listened to the radio weather report and lo and behold there was a good weather window coming.
We then left Vero Beach, traveling through a frustrating 7 bridges that needed to open to a staging point in Lake Worth (near Palm Beach). Then at 4:00 Friday morning we went out the inlet to the Atlantic Ocean and the famous Gulfstream. The water wasn't flat but the motion was OK for us but not for Salty Dog, so we turned back. Traveling the Gulfstream with a buddy was highly recommended by most everyone so we were in a quandary as to what to do. We worked it out, Salty Dog would wait a while longer and Bill and I would go it alone. But since we then left at around 10 am which meant we would get to a safe place to anchor at 2 am in the morning. Not fun for me. I don't like the dark, especially on the water but Bill promised it would be the last time we would have to do this. I pretty much stayed below, helped out when Bill needed to rest (which was not much at all) and when we got to Great Sale Cay there were several anchor lights showing. Anchor down and sleep.
The next morning was amazing. Waking up in the Bahamas and traveling on the gorgeous water, shallow enough to see the bottom. We even put the sail up and motor sailed most of the way.
Lovely way to start or voyage in the Bahamas until as we were almost at our anchoring place the motor overheated. What looked like smoke but was actually steam poured out from the cabin. There was no fire but the motor was not to be used so Bill towed us with the Whaler and we anchored in a safe spot. Needless to say we were both emotionally spent but Bill then worked in the engine room to puzzle out what was wrong. The good news was that after the engine cooled down it still worked which meant something else was the cause. After several hours Bill thinks the thermostat broke and needs to be replaced.
OK next morning, gorgeous Bahama day and we motor sailed to Green Turtle Cay, were able to get a mooring in an incredibly snug harbor (Black Sound) and crashed for most of the day.
Tomorrow Bill needs to go to customs so we can legally sail in the Bahamas and then try to find the part to be shipped here. Here is not a bad place to be. Although in the book it says there are only about 450 people who live here there is a town, restaurants, bakery, post office, and marinas where Bill might be able to get some assistance (i.e. mail drop).
I have signed up for wi fi that will allow me to use my computer throughout the Abaco's. Our cell phone doesn't work but I have SKYPE. A computer phone that allows me to call anywhere in the world. By accident as I was installing it and trying it out I mistakenly dialed a number in Switzerland. The cost, however, for these calls is quite low. So I can still be in touch. If you need to speak to me just email me and I'll call back.
Also, I have a web site for photos that I am trying to insert, but not today.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and now engaging in the Xmas/Chanukah festivities. I have had several bouts of homesickness but talking to family and friends did help a little. However, we did get to celebrate with about 150+ people from over 95 boats. We signed up to bring food and the table was overflowing with turkey, ham, potatoes, and fabulous desserts. We sat at a table with 6 strangers who very quickly became new acquaintances sharing stories about their and our lives. There is a good chance that we will cross paths with many of these people when we go to the Abaco's. Yes, we have a destination and hope to get there by the end of the first week in Dec. We are entering in the last stages of preparation - buying food and paper goods to last 16 weeks. That's 112 days of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. But the good news is that we have arranged to get a mooring in a place called 'Hopetown' and there are a full range of services (including an airport) there as well as in other harbors in the Abaco's. If we decide to travel further south (the Abaco's are in the northern Bahamas) there are less places to shop and the islands are less inhabited (there is even a "Long Island" without malls). We have been learning about the unique weather patterns that occur in the winter with calm, beautiful warm days with wind that blows 10-15 kts most of the time. And then there are the fronts that come through with regularity bringing strong winds and squalls that could last hours or a few days. We have heard that the Abaco's may be cooler than the southern Bahamas but that's ok with us. We are planning to stay until the end of March when we turn West and start coming home.
Anyway, we have spent time chatting with people, going ashore for showerstaking the bus to West Marine and Publix and walking to the beach. We do have TV reception for a few local stations and Channel 7 but don't watch much.
We took Simon to a local vet to get a micro chip implanted in his back but before we went Bill and I decided to give him a haircut and pedicure since he was having difficulty seeing anything and his nails where painful when he jumped up or climbed on our lap. Well, we used Bill's hair clippers which were certainly not like the ones used by his groomer at home and Simon was a trouper. The end result???? There was white hair everywhere and he could see again but the style is a far cry from a professional haircut. Hopefully, we will get better the next time.
Anyway, we have spent time chatting with people, going ashore for showerstaking the bus to West Marine and Publix and walking to the beach. We do have TV reception for a few local stations and Channel 7 but don't watch much.
We took Simon to a local vet to get a micro chip implanted in his back but before we went Bill and I decided to give him a haircut and pedicure since he was having difficulty seeing anything and his nails where painful when he jumped up or climbed on our lap. Well, we used Bill's hair clippers which were certainly not like the ones used by his groomer at home and Simon was a trouper. The end result???? There was white hair everywhere and he could see again but the style is a far cry from a professional haircut. Hopefully, we will get better the next time.
Monday, November 19, 2007
We are just finishing another day in Vero Beach with not much happening. On two different evenings a few organizer's organized happy hour get togethers, pot luck appetizers and everyone brings their own libation (I have become hooked on Lipton Diet Green Tea-there goes my reputation.). Most of the talk is about, you guessed it, boats, boating stories, boating disasters, boating breakdowns and on and on. In addition, Bill and I have been actively asking about Bahama destinations and there are two very strong opinions - either go to the Abaco's or the Exuma's. It seems there are pros and cons for each of the two places and I was completely overwhelmed, confused and nervous about making the "right" decision. So for the time being we are choosing to go to the Abaco's (the northern most islands) and if we choose to go further south we would have plenty of time to do so. We are sure we won't be happy staying in Vero Beach for the entire winter and we are not really interested in going to the Florida Keys. We have met two couples who will also be making that trip (I'm sure there are many others but we haven't connected with them yet) and it is comforting to know that we might see them during the winter. One couple actually let us borrow their car today and tomorrow for shopping. Speaking of shopping it seems the forward cabin is going to house enough food to last all winter - how many cans of baked beans? We will have access to markets but things like paper towels cost $4.00 a roll so we will be bringing tons of what we think are essential. Snack food (chips, crackers ) , wine and beer is also very expensive. We will have to so some creative stowing. In addition, I have been talking to several of the women and have gotten lots of tips such as putting bay leaves everywhere to keep the bugs away and using specific products to keep clothes, shoes and other stuff mold and mildew free. That will really be an adventure. But we have also heard of glorious harbors, water that is unbelievably gorgeous, swimming with schools of parrot fish, and other wonders that just might knock our socks off (yes it is chilly again and I'm wearing socks).
I do wish my family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving. I'll be thinking of you.
I do wish my family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving. I'll be thinking of you.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Well, we made it. We are safe and sound in Vero Beach at the Municipal Marina. It is located behind an island and all the boats are at moorings. We are in a wonderful spot, safe from nasty, stormy weather (I hope), and today is the first day since sometime in Sept. when I put on a pair of shorts and a T shirt. We had some rain on the way but when we arrived the sun was out and the sky was clear blue. I took the best shower since leaving home and can do that every day!!!!! Oh the little pleasures. Also great laundry facilities, picnic areas, and the best is a free bus service to the malls, groceries, restaurants, and of course West Marine (Bill's favorite store). We will start exploring tomorrow. In addition, right in front of us, on land, is a dog park and Simon has made many friends even though most are without leash and he has a leash there didn't seem to be any discrimination.
But the best part of this trip was on Monday when a pair of porpoises passed by the bow and decided to play in our bow waves. I was hanging over the rail (Bill later told me he was very worried that I was going over the side) and they stayed with the boat for about 5 minutes. The pictures didn't come out great but I was thoroughly entranced by the sight of them cavorting around the boat.
There is a sign up sheet for those of us who wish to share a Thanksgiving Dinner and I've been told that most people do come and bring a pot luck something.
It seems that my cousin Sandi and my friend Tara are both going to be out of town so I am very happy that they are organizing this dinner. We have already had many initial contacts with other travelers and are gaining much information about the Bahamas, Keys, etc. We still don't know how the rest of the winter will be spent but there are several wonderful options.
But the best part of this trip was on Monday when a pair of porpoises passed by the bow and decided to play in our bow waves. I was hanging over the rail (Bill later told me he was very worried that I was going over the side) and they stayed with the boat for about 5 minutes. The pictures didn't come out great but I was thoroughly entranced by the sight of them cavorting around the boat.
There is a sign up sheet for those of us who wish to share a Thanksgiving Dinner and I've been told that most people do come and bring a pot luck something.
It seems that my cousin Sandi and my friend Tara are both going to be out of town so I am very happy that they are organizing this dinner. We have already had many initial contacts with other travelers and are gaining much information about the Bahamas, Keys, etc. We still don't know how the rest of the winter will be spent but there are several wonderful options.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
It's been awhile since I have been able to spend time on the computer, sometimes no signal available and sometimes just tooo tired. We have had a variety of different kinds of travel days but we are now in St. Augustine,Florida. Getting here was OK with some calm beautiful days as well as our first sea adventure where poor Simon got seasick and needed the brown bucket (Anne and Victoria knows the reference). I think the photos will tell the story better than I can. Just to say, I was not a happy camper with the way the water was acting even though it was still a lovely sunny day. One major factor in our trip on the ICW is the current. On a normal day we travel about 7 miles/hour, however when the current is with us and rolling our speed has increased to 11.5 mph over the ground. This current also affects how we anchor so there is another burden on Bill to make sure we are safe and sound when the tide goes in as well as when it goes out. I just sit around and worry!
Another slight concern is the shallow water throughout the ICW and we have been very careful not to go aground. However, one morning Bill decided to take a "short cut" and all of a sudden I saw another sailboat very far from where we were and I realized something was amiss. The short cut was short on water and Bill, amazing sailor that he be, did get us out of there in time and we never touched bottom. He promised never to do that again (can we believe him?)l.
We stopped at a marina in Jekyll Island and the people there were very friendly. We were able to get a car and do grocery shopping, Simon had a long walk and we were included in a pot luck picnic dinner. We also met up with boats that we had passed or they had passed us , but at a marina we could actually talk to the people on board, and there is a good chance we will see them again. Lots of advice on how to do this trip and how, where and when to go to the Bahamas.
After passing by mega million dollar houses in the Jacksonville area we arrived at St. Augustine yesterday and pulled into a marina. As we left the harbor for St. Augustine Bill noticed that a part of the salt water pump that cooled the engine had fallen off after being in use for 35 years (and to my surprise there was no spare one aboard)_. Fortunately, we only had to go about12 miles (about 2 hours) and he was able to do his magic so we didn't have to call for help. It meant, though, shutting down the motor every 15 minutes to put some grease in the thingy (Anne and Victoria again knows this reference), We made it through the St. Augustine bridge and to our slip without difficulty. But then, where to get the part. After several phone calls it turned out that the part was in Jacksonville. I persuaded Bill to stay 2 nights in St. Augustine since we had to rent a car, drive to get the part and then he had to install it and I wanted to see something of this fabulous city! Happy ending all around. He got the part, installed it and we toured the city today.
In addition, as I was walking Simon yesterday I saw a boat coming in that looked just like ours without sails or masts. It pulled in to a slip right near us and it turns out it was the same hull as ours, built the same year and the owners were delightful. We also met a young man (21) who was traveling by himself on a boat called "Incommunicado". We have seen him several times (including the dock at Jekyll Island) but have not spoke to him. He came on board and told us that he is headed to Ft. Meyers and travels about 11 hours a day on a 30' boat that has very little protection from the weather. I actually took a photo of him when we were traveling through the rough weather.
So many stories, so many different ages and lifestyle decisions with the one constant of being on the water.
But tomorrow is another day, up at dawn and on our way. If all goes well we should be in Vero Beach, our first destination, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. The weather is looking just fine all week and it has finally warmed up a little. I am really looking forward to getting settled for, at least, a little while.
Another slight concern is the shallow water throughout the ICW and we have been very careful not to go aground. However, one morning Bill decided to take a "short cut" and all of a sudden I saw another sailboat very far from where we were and I realized something was amiss. The short cut was short on water and Bill, amazing sailor that he be, did get us out of there in time and we never touched bottom. He promised never to do that again (can we believe him?)l.
We stopped at a marina in Jekyll Island and the people there were very friendly. We were able to get a car and do grocery shopping, Simon had a long walk and we were included in a pot luck picnic dinner. We also met up with boats that we had passed or they had passed us , but at a marina we could actually talk to the people on board, and there is a good chance we will see them again. Lots of advice on how to do this trip and how, where and when to go to the Bahamas.
After passing by mega million dollar houses in the Jacksonville area we arrived at St. Augustine yesterday and pulled into a marina. As we left the harbor for St. Augustine Bill noticed that a part of the salt water pump that cooled the engine had fallen off after being in use for 35 years (and to my surprise there was no spare one aboard)_. Fortunately, we only had to go about12 miles (about 2 hours) and he was able to do his magic so we didn't have to call for help. It meant, though, shutting down the motor every 15 minutes to put some grease in the thingy (Anne and Victoria again knows this reference), We made it through the St. Augustine bridge and to our slip without difficulty. But then, where to get the part. After several phone calls it turned out that the part was in Jacksonville. I persuaded Bill to stay 2 nights in St. Augustine since we had to rent a car, drive to get the part and then he had to install it and I wanted to see something of this fabulous city! Happy ending all around. He got the part, installed it and we toured the city today.
In addition, as I was walking Simon yesterday I saw a boat coming in that looked just like ours without sails or masts. It pulled in to a slip right near us and it turns out it was the same hull as ours, built the same year and the owners were delightful. We also met a young man (21) who was traveling by himself on a boat called "Incommunicado". We have seen him several times (including the dock at Jekyll Island) but have not spoke to him. He came on board and told us that he is headed to Ft. Meyers and travels about 11 hours a day on a 30' boat that has very little protection from the weather. I actually took a photo of him when we were traveling through the rough weather.
So many stories, so many different ages and lifestyle decisions with the one constant of being on the water.
But tomorrow is another day, up at dawn and on our way. If all goes well we should be in Vero Beach, our first destination, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. The weather is looking just fine all week and it has finally warmed up a little. I am really looking forward to getting settled for, at least, a little while.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Here we are once again in a quiet, flat, calm river for the night after a gorgeous day traveling from South Carolina to Georgia. Last night we were in the Wright River and I truly thought it was the wrong river to be in because it was exposed and not very protected. However, Bill assured me it would be just fine and it was right after all. When we woke up this morning it was parka, gloves and hat time, even Simon was shivering. We traveled past Savannah and the homes on the ICW were large and lovely. However, we didn't see any boats traveling along and were a little surprised and curious as to where they were. In the past we had at least the power boats, who probably left about 3 hours after us, pass us by but today nothing until we anchored here in Walburg Creek. There are 8 boats, some sail/some power, staying the night. It was a good day for photos - deer and an American bald eagle, a flock of ibis flying overhead, two separate spans on a small drawbridge
and several dolphin ( I still can't get a good photo of them), and of course houses.
and several dolphin ( I still can't get a good photo of them), and of course houses.
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