Then on to :
The islands of the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos
Overnight to Turks and Caicos
Prepping for our crossing and our next guests boarding in Provo, Gale cooks like crazy for therapy (cookies, curried chicken, saffron rice, cole slaw with currents, mango muffins. We leave at 3pm for the 135 mile trip in perfect weather. It turns out to be the most beautiful night ever. No moon, so the stars are bright and the milky way is just that – white against the black – like being in a planetarium. No sea traffic and a comfortable reach in moderate breeze completes the magical night.
5/ 5 Turks and Caicos
We tip –toe over the shallow Caicos banks anchoring in 9’ at Sappodilla Bay realizing how much the landscape has changed. High, green mountains of the Caribbean have given way to sandpits, dunes, and shallow waters of this region. Islandwide we find faux, colonial development at full tilt. The island will be beautiful when trees grow; for now it is a series of attractive developments and a ltoo perfect to feel authentic Caribbean!
Nancy and Hap Young arrive on schedule to an enchanted evening at Bay Bistro on the ocean. It’s like Christmas with the goodies they deliver: 2 kindles, books, fishing tackly, pillow cases, coffee, boat parts , a toilet seat, and chocolate!
5/7 The Youngs get their feet wet
We depart Provo illegally as the government offices are closed due to some holiday. We presume if they don’t care, we don’t either.
After an early morning swim, the Youngs get their sea legs by making a short hop to West Caicos island. After getting the hook set on a shelf in 40’ of water we snorkel next to a deep sea canyon seeing a few schools of fish and a large sand shark about 5’ stem to stern.
Dinner is racks of lamb, roasted spuds, sautéed red/green peppers and huge salad of gorgeous greens from the DR. We celebrate with our best wines, champs and dessert on cake & ice cream (a rarity) with hot chocolate sauce.
Prepping for our crossing and our next guests boarding in Provo, Gale cooks like crazy for therapy (cookies, curried chicken, saffron rice, cole slaw with currents, mango muffins. We leave at 3pm for the 135 mile trip in perfect weather. It turns out to be the most beautiful night ever. No moon, so the stars are bright and the milky way is just that – white against the black – like being in a planetarium. No sea traffic and a comfortable reach in moderate breeze completes the magical night.
5/ 5 Turks and Caicos
We tip –toe over the shallow Caicos banks anchoring in 9’ at Sappodilla Bay realizing how much the landscape has changed. High, green mountains of the Caribbean have given way to sandpits, dunes, and shallow waters of this region. Islandwide we find faux, colonial development at full tilt. The island will be beautiful when trees grow; for now it is a series of attractive developments and a ltoo perfect to feel authentic Caribbean!
Nancy and Hap Young arrive on schedule to an enchanted evening at Bay Bistro on the ocean. It’s like Christmas with the goodies they deliver: 2 kindles, books, fishing tackly, pillow cases, coffee, boat parts , a toilet seat, and chocolate!
5/7 The Youngs get their feet wet
We depart Provo illegally as the government offices are closed due to some holiday. We presume if they don’t care, we don’t either.
After an early morning swim, the Youngs get their sea legs by making a short hop to West Caicos island. After getting the hook set on a shelf in 40’ of water we snorkel next to a deep sea canyon seeing a few schools of fish and a large sand shark about 5’ stem to stern.
Dinner is racks of lamb, roasted spuds, sautéed red/green peppers and huge salad of gorgeous greens from the DR. We celebrate with our best wines, champs and dessert on cake & ice cream (a rarity) with hot chocolate sauce.
 Turks & Caicos
Dry land luxuriant Resorts |
 |
5/8 Mother’s Day - Mayaguana
Captain/mate weigh anchor at 4am for an early start on 60mile voyage to Mayaguana. The Youngs sleep through the commotion of raising anchor, setting sails, stowing lines, spilling coffee! Our gala Mothers Day brunch at sea of smoked salmon and champs hits the spot.
Arrive Mayaguana midafternoon anchoring in the shallows of a 6 mile long bay behind the barrier reef. For deep water Caribbean sailors like us, it’s bizarre to dinghy 3 miles in 4 ft of water to reach a bleak town and customs office. A local chap at the dock happily accepts the 12’’ Jack that Hap caught for bait and now offers as a gift. The guy gives us his recipe for the perfect “Running Jack Dinner - - dry em, salt em, fry em, eat em”. Later, as we walk to town immigration the guy lurches by in his rusted out jalopy with the fish hanging out the door – to “dry him” we guess?!
Customs/immigration is closed for Mother’s Day in the dustbowl village; we wearily take the three mile dinghy ride back to swim and fish, enjoying steak au poivre, batata, caprese salad with berry pie with real cream for dessert.
5/9
Captain repeats the 3 miles at 7am to clear into the Bahamas in the forlorn village of 100 souls; the gov clerk very official in suit and tie for an hour of paperwork.
We killed time during the 7 hours sail to the Plana Cays with Scrabble and a Hearts tournament arriving to an uninhabited, postcard perfect beach – all shades of blue and white. It’s Eden so we drop our suits swimming and shelling on the fabulous beach with a lunch of chicken in coconut lime sauce w saffron rice, etc. Nancy invents a new tropical sundowner every night create that we name Mango sunset, Sunrise Jack, Nancy’s Surprise!
5/10 West Plana Cay
Hap spends his day hip deep offshore fly fishing while the rest of us go beachcombing. Lunch is fresh shrimp salad and champagne ( thank you Jim and Nuala) . Hap returns with 4 bar jacks, perfect for a sauté with peppers and salad. We are replete with nature’s wonders and our tanned naked bodies by day’s end!
5/11 To Crooked Island
Another 4am departure to cover 50 miles to Pittstown Landing before the end of day. Little wind, we game and fish; Hap spots 3 giant Porpoises dancing and breaching 100 yards off our stern -- a spectacular show. We arrive early enough to gunkhole by dinghy along the 7 Mile Beach before splurging at the allegedly “exclusive” Pittstown Point Fishing Club. Dressed in our finest, we dinghy to shore, wade in and walk about ½ mile in pitch dark across the airfield to arrive at an itsy-bitsy restaurant with a menu of one item – Grouper Fingers, 2 per person. The fish is fresh but small, the sides include 3 tiny potatoes, a sprig of broccoli, squirt of cooked carrots . The tab? $196US! Returning across the landing strip, the night sky is magical as we laugh our way stumbling and tripping through the dunes to the dinghy and home to the boat to eat!
5/12 To Long Island
Weigh anchor after swimming at 8am for another day of games, books, fishing in light air motoring to Clarencetown. Coming in to the bay was challenging with surge and poorly marked charts indicating a tiny anchorage surrounded by reefs and cables; “tight jaws” heading in but this stop is a must as we need to execute and fax an offer to buy PR condo and Hap and Nancy have a flight out of unfortunately named “Deadman’s Cay” Airport.
After a Farewell Cocktail Party on board, we dinghy in for our best meal at Cartwright “Rowdy’s” of lobster, mahi-mahi, tuna, conch, Caesar salad – just $140 with wine for 4 with a gift of coveted lettuce from Chef – manna from heaven. Huge waves crossing the channel soak us all on the dinghy ride home so it’s hot showers, tea and coffee before crashing.
Arrive early for business on shore “Bahamas style” taking longer than expected but finally the offer is executed. The charming Long Island Community Museum is worthwhile for historical and craft exhibits; a yummy lunch at renowned Max’s Conch Shack follows with a visit to Dean’s Blue Hole, a geological phenomenon. This 633 foot hole is reported the world’s deepest. A mecca for deep free diving competitions globally, it looks like a perfectly round, black garbage disposal surrounded by a turquoise blue bay protected by a barrier reef. Amazing!
5/14 – 5/17 To Georgetown, Great Exuma
An early departure in light winds brings us to Cape Santa Maria, and after another tricky entrance to Calabash Bay, there is enough time to swim the exquisite beach and explore the upscale Cape Santa Maria Resort.
The next day’s gentle breezes carried us to Georgetown, Great Exuma in 6 hours It’s another “heart-in-your-throat” entrance to the Stocking Island mooring field , but this one is a whole 2 miles of unmarked channels , coral heads, sandbars, bad currents and severe tides. We rent a mooring to secure Encore while we are in the states for 2 weeks, placed just off the very popular Chat and Chill Bear Bar at Volleyball beach.
This popular destination for sailors offers good services and provisions. Emptying the fridge by eating our way through it before flying to MIA (a one way $740 gottcha!) ends by giving the best remains along with precious down-island charts to Spike Hampson, a solo voyager we admire for his determined grit complete his solo voyage on his 19’ homemade boat to Buenos Aires.*
*link http://www.spikehampson.com/voyage_log_far_islands.html
We say “hasta pronto” to Encore as the water taxi carries us closer to the real world.
Our Plana Cay anchorage
A beautiful overnight sail from the D.R. took us to Provo in the Turks and Caicos.
These are the true "Out Islands".
Mayaguana
Plana Cays
Crooked Island
Long Island
Gin clear water. Beaches without footprints. Conch shacks, not restaurants.
In Provo we were joined by Gale's childhood friend Nancy Morgan and husband Hap Young. Dinner is fresh bar jack caught with a fly rod by Hap on West plana Cay
The clear waters allowed us to film this 6' shark
though he was at a depth of 30'
.
The beach and waters at West Plana Cay were typical of what we found in the Bahamas.
A genuine tropical Eden.
Crooked Island
The lighthouse at Bird Rock, Crooked Island is being renovated to be transformed into an up-scale hotel
This is Max's Conch Shack.
Long Island's best resturant. Typical of these islands, a place to eat with the freshest ingredients and no decoration.
That's Max himself slicing and dicing ingredients for his famous conch salad
Finally, after almost 700 miles of sailing we arrived at Georgetown, Exumas.
We moored Encore in front of the famous "Chat & Chill" beach bar on Stocking Island and went home for a two week break
Then June 4, we returned with friends Debbie & Mike Segrest who sailed with us for 10 days.
We moored Encore in front of the famous "Chat & Chill" beach bar on Stocking Island and went home for a two week break
Then June 4, we returned with friends Debbie & Mike Segrest who sailed with us for 10 days.
Chapter II- Back to the Exumas
June 2nd
A disastrous start as cannot board AA flight as we arrived 2 minutes after luggage cutoff time, and we are not willing to leave 2 weeks of frozen provisions behind. We return earlier the next day, to meet up with our next guests, Debby and Mike Segrest, just off the redeye from Catalina Island, Ca.
Landing in Great Exuma with our lists, ready to buy fuel, ice, fresh food, beer and booze we discover it is Labor Day and the town is shut tight! Furthermore most of the populace has gone to Long Island the weekend at the Annual Family Regatta. Thus, no food, no ice, no restaurants and it is gray and rainy. There’s also no refrigeration mechanic to help us when we discover that the fridge won’t start! We store luggage and supplies sending Mike on an ice mission. Magically he returns with 6 bags of ice cadged somehow from a bar up the hill, so, food iced for the moment, we dine on Costco roast chicken/ salad/ bread and lovely cheeses and plenty of well deserved wine.
June 3- Stocking Island
Still gray and rainy, no frig, no fun. With the locals away at the regatta Glenn sends out a radio call for refrigeration knowledge on channel 16. About ½ hour later, a guy named Fritz arrives in the drizzle and volunteers to have a look. He and his wife are on the Roberts ketch anchored nearby. After much tinkering, hmmms and awwwws, he fetches gauges from his boat and in an hour the frig starts! – even” Saint” Fritz remarks “it’s a miracle”!
The clouds then part and sun rises along with our spirits. We dinghy to market in heavy sea and laden with provisions nearly swamp on the return trip, so we turn back to off-load our stuff on to Elvis’s Water Taxi . Sodden sailors with our disintegrating boxes of wet food arrive safely at the boat. We fill the afternoon at the beach at Chat N Chill prior to our primo meal of lamb chops bordelaise with eggplant and tomatoes.
6/4 Waiting for good weather
A long hike across Stocking Island, wading, wallowing, trudging through the brush and finally skinny-dipping is delightful, followed by Roast Pig lunch at Chat N Chill. Late afternoon we swim back to boat for a repast of canapés, cheeses, antipasti under a gorgeous night sky filled with stars each of us engrossed in a good book.
6/5 Staniel Cay
The nine hour trip to Staniel Cay begins with the bob and weave dance back through the unmarked channel out of Georgetown. Once outside, seas are 4-7 as we reach handily in winds 15 -20, but winds die by late morning and engine goes on. We almost hit Crown of Thorns reef approaching Staniel,( just the same as 14 years ago) but we arrive safely at a handy mooring off Thunderball. Dinner is steak au poivre, caramelized onions and baked potatoes with a fresh green salad.
6/6 Exploring
Tide and wind are out of synch and the constant bumping into the big mooring ball doesn’t allow Debbie and Mike much sleep, but they have enough energy in the morning to visit town which offers quaint houses, a few shops, 3 onions and the shark fest off the Yacht Club.
Home for lunch and then to Thunderball Cay for amazing diving and exploration of the Grotto continuing on to uninhabited Big Major’s Cay to see and feed the piglets that were left a few years ago to forage on their own. They are now 500 pound liabilities who swam out to the dinghy and tried to climb aboard the dinghy for more food, biting Debbie on the arm. Our dinner of conch and grouper at the funky Purple Restaurant in town was delicious and great value. We dinghy home to very unsettled weather.
June 8 Cambridge Cay
Rising at 6am we move Encore just 8 miles through O’Brians Cut. With Mike on the bow as reef lookout, we pick our way into the Park sponsored mooring field at Cambridge Cay.
Ready to enjoy as many Park highlights as possible we go to a reef called the “Seaquarium” , that might be the most beautiful we have ever seen. Part of a protected reserve, the reef is bursting with schools of every imaginable fish, lobster, incredible coral heads, sea fans and sponges waving – a splendid, flourishing Octopus’s Garden. Along the way we check out the sunken crashed plane (a remnant of the drug running 70’s), returning to boat in deteriorating weather Rain starts with a vengeance, so we go below for three cheese tortellini with ham and salad.
June 9 & 10
The stationary weather system carries two days of torrential rains, squalls and thunderstorms, so we sit tight and play “hard Luck Joe’ all day with a great curried chicken dinner. The boat is sodden, water is leaking into closets and the dinghy is full of water. We sadly have to forego some of the sites but it’s fun with the cards, books and camaraderie, interspersed with baking cookies, and prayers for a weather change.
June 11 Bell Cay
Finally, intermittent showers allow us to move and we anchor off the beach club at Bell Cay which belongs to the Aga Khan and makes Necker Island look shabby. On neighboring islands are the homes of David Copperfield and Johnny Depp, not a bad neighborhood in the midst of the National Park System teeming with small atolls, cays and amazing sea life. No flora or fauna may be taken so the wildlife is abundant. We witness a conch migration where they scuttle along together by age groups --- amazing. Dinner is steak and rice – no fishing allowed here!
June 12 Park Headquarters- Wardrick Wells
10 kts. of wind allow us to sail “inside”, over the bank and calm waters to a mooring at Wardrick Wells Cay. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the bays and the beaches of this natural Disneyworld, pristine and preserved for everyone interested in the sea and a myriad of natural attractions. The fun starts with a cruiser’s party on the beach. Then a roast beef dinner on board complete with roasted spuds, petit pois, salad. Life is good.
June 13- Exploring the park
We spend the day in the dinghy exploring – sunburned and exhausted by delightful snorkeling, swimming, walking. We break for a picnic of roast beef sandwiches in the remote “Pirates Lair”. Brad’s reef is worth the going the distance, teeming with life where we meet a huge jew fish and a grandfather barracuda . We settle back on the boat for a dinner of roasted chicken, couscous and sautéed peppers.
June 14 Allen’s Cay
We continue on the inside of the chain, heading north along the Exumas Cays to Allan’s Cay, where giant iguanas attract throngs of tourists in “Go Fast” boats from Nassau. The iguanas were small compared to those in P.R.& D.R. Snorkeling was mediocre but beach walks were interesting. Our stores are almost depleted by now, but thanks to Mark Bittman we enjoy unusual Bread Salad for lunch. At dusk party boats depart and we are left alone in a picturesque anchorage to dine on ham and cheese omelets.
June 2nd
A disastrous start as cannot board AA flight as we arrived 2 minutes after luggage cutoff time, and we are not willing to leave 2 weeks of frozen provisions behind. We return earlier the next day, to meet up with our next guests, Debby and Mike Segrest, just off the redeye from Catalina Island, Ca.
Landing in Great Exuma with our lists, ready to buy fuel, ice, fresh food, beer and booze we discover it is Labor Day and the town is shut tight! Furthermore most of the populace has gone to Long Island the weekend at the Annual Family Regatta. Thus, no food, no ice, no restaurants and it is gray and rainy. There’s also no refrigeration mechanic to help us when we discover that the fridge won’t start! We store luggage and supplies sending Mike on an ice mission. Magically he returns with 6 bags of ice cadged somehow from a bar up the hill, so, food iced for the moment, we dine on Costco roast chicken/ salad/ bread and lovely cheeses and plenty of well deserved wine.
June 3- Stocking Island
Still gray and rainy, no frig, no fun. With the locals away at the regatta Glenn sends out a radio call for refrigeration knowledge on channel 16. About ½ hour later, a guy named Fritz arrives in the drizzle and volunteers to have a look. He and his wife are on the Roberts ketch anchored nearby. After much tinkering, hmmms and awwwws, he fetches gauges from his boat and in an hour the frig starts! – even” Saint” Fritz remarks “it’s a miracle”!
The clouds then part and sun rises along with our spirits. We dinghy to market in heavy sea and laden with provisions nearly swamp on the return trip, so we turn back to off-load our stuff on to Elvis’s Water Taxi . Sodden sailors with our disintegrating boxes of wet food arrive safely at the boat. We fill the afternoon at the beach at Chat N Chill prior to our primo meal of lamb chops bordelaise with eggplant and tomatoes.
6/4 Waiting for good weather
A long hike across Stocking Island, wading, wallowing, trudging through the brush and finally skinny-dipping is delightful, followed by Roast Pig lunch at Chat N Chill. Late afternoon we swim back to boat for a repast of canapés, cheeses, antipasti under a gorgeous night sky filled with stars each of us engrossed in a good book.
6/5 Staniel Cay
The nine hour trip to Staniel Cay begins with the bob and weave dance back through the unmarked channel out of Georgetown. Once outside, seas are 4-7 as we reach handily in winds 15 -20, but winds die by late morning and engine goes on. We almost hit Crown of Thorns reef approaching Staniel,( just the same as 14 years ago) but we arrive safely at a handy mooring off Thunderball. Dinner is steak au poivre, caramelized onions and baked potatoes with a fresh green salad.
6/6 Exploring
Tide and wind are out of synch and the constant bumping into the big mooring ball doesn’t allow Debbie and Mike much sleep, but they have enough energy in the morning to visit town which offers quaint houses, a few shops, 3 onions and the shark fest off the Yacht Club.
Home for lunch and then to Thunderball Cay for amazing diving and exploration of the Grotto continuing on to uninhabited Big Major’s Cay to see and feed the piglets that were left a few years ago to forage on their own. They are now 500 pound liabilities who swam out to the dinghy and tried to climb aboard the dinghy for more food, biting Debbie on the arm. Our dinner of conch and grouper at the funky Purple Restaurant in town was delicious and great value. We dinghy home to very unsettled weather.
June 8 Cambridge Cay
Rising at 6am we move Encore just 8 miles through O’Brians Cut. With Mike on the bow as reef lookout, we pick our way into the Park sponsored mooring field at Cambridge Cay.
Ready to enjoy as many Park highlights as possible we go to a reef called the “Seaquarium” , that might be the most beautiful we have ever seen. Part of a protected reserve, the reef is bursting with schools of every imaginable fish, lobster, incredible coral heads, sea fans and sponges waving – a splendid, flourishing Octopus’s Garden. Along the way we check out the sunken crashed plane (a remnant of the drug running 70’s), returning to boat in deteriorating weather Rain starts with a vengeance, so we go below for three cheese tortellini with ham and salad.
June 9 & 10
The stationary weather system carries two days of torrential rains, squalls and thunderstorms, so we sit tight and play “hard Luck Joe’ all day with a great curried chicken dinner. The boat is sodden, water is leaking into closets and the dinghy is full of water. We sadly have to forego some of the sites but it’s fun with the cards, books and camaraderie, interspersed with baking cookies, and prayers for a weather change.
June 11 Bell Cay
Finally, intermittent showers allow us to move and we anchor off the beach club at Bell Cay which belongs to the Aga Khan and makes Necker Island look shabby. On neighboring islands are the homes of David Copperfield and Johnny Depp, not a bad neighborhood in the midst of the National Park System teeming with small atolls, cays and amazing sea life. No flora or fauna may be taken so the wildlife is abundant. We witness a conch migration where they scuttle along together by age groups --- amazing. Dinner is steak and rice – no fishing allowed here!
June 12 Park Headquarters- Wardrick Wells
10 kts. of wind allow us to sail “inside”, over the bank and calm waters to a mooring at Wardrick Wells Cay. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the bays and the beaches of this natural Disneyworld, pristine and preserved for everyone interested in the sea and a myriad of natural attractions. The fun starts with a cruiser’s party on the beach. Then a roast beef dinner on board complete with roasted spuds, petit pois, salad. Life is good.
June 13- Exploring the park
We spend the day in the dinghy exploring – sunburned and exhausted by delightful snorkeling, swimming, walking. We break for a picnic of roast beef sandwiches in the remote “Pirates Lair”. Brad’s reef is worth the going the distance, teeming with life where we meet a huge jew fish and a grandfather barracuda . We settle back on the boat for a dinner of roasted chicken, couscous and sautéed peppers.
June 14 Allen’s Cay
We continue on the inside of the chain, heading north along the Exumas Cays to Allan’s Cay, where giant iguanas attract throngs of tourists in “Go Fast” boats from Nassau. The iguanas were small compared to those in P.R.& D.R. Snorkeling was mediocre but beach walks were interesting. Our stores are almost depleted by now, but thanks to Mark Bittman we enjoy unusual Bread Salad for lunch. At dusk party boats depart and we are left alone in a picturesque anchorage to dine on ham and cheese omelets.
Our hike
High winds forced us to stay in port a couple of days and gave us a chance to explore Stocking Island. When the trail gave out we had to wade along the coast to get back to our anchorage.
Debbie & Mike Segrest from California
Big Major's Spot
Feral pigs await beach visitors and swim out to be fed. We thought the were cute until the tried climbing into the dinghy when we ran out of food and even bit Debbie on the arm!
Near Staniel Cay is a small island that contains Thunderball Grotto as seen in the James Bond film. Entry to the grotto is under water through a hole in the rock wall.
The Grotto
Once inside one surfaces and takes a deep breath because the cavern inside this amazing hollow island is truly breath-taking.
Fish and coral abounded as one went from chamber to chamber.
(see video below)
Fish and coral abounded as one went from chamber to chamber.
(see video below)
On to the Bahamas Land and Sea Park
The Bahamas Government has kept this area almost pristine.
We were thrilled by the snorkeling.
We were thrilled by the snorkeling.
We agreed that the "Sea Aquarium" reef in the Park was the most beautiful reef we'd ever seen
 Wardrick Wells Anchorage |
 Sea creature
Part mermaid , part grandmother |
 Brads reef was full os sea life |
 Wardrick Wells Cruisers party
Whale skeleton in background |
Allen's Cay
Allen's Cay is a preserve for Bahmaian Iguanas. The island had hundreds who came out of the brush to see us.
We learned our lesson with the pigs and kept our distance when feeding them!
We learned our lesson with the pigs and kept our distance when feeding them!
We found the Bahamas quite different from
the islands of the Caribbean
Unlike the high green islands of the Caribbean we found the Bahamas low and dry and lacking the history and sophistication of islands like St. Lucia, Martinique, St. Martin and the B.V.I'S.
However, the magniificent waters and ample opportunities to be completely alone made up for this.
Also. Instead of the dealing with gruff officials and surly employees we find in the Caribbean we were universally treated with kindess and respect in the Bahamas.
However, the magniificent waters and ample opportunities to be completely alone made up for this.
Also. Instead of the dealing with gruff officials and surly employees we find in the Caribbean we were universally treated with kindess and respect in the Bahamas.
On to Nassau - the last leg
June 15 Nassau
On to Nassau across shallow banks with water so clear you get vertigo looking down. We arrive at the “big City” about 4pm maneuvering through the tricky harbor to the Harbour Club Marina. A little rundown and 80% empty, but they have fuel. After checking in, we dump 10 days of trash and swim in the fresh water pool. Paradise Island looms across the bay, looking like a mini-Las Vegas. We celebrate our last Segrest evening touring downtown British Colonial Nassau and splurging with dinner at Café Matisse. However, the hordes of passengers from the five cruise ships in port contaminate the charm with lines of kiosks selling junk all along the waterfront. The Winslow Homer aspect is gone!
June 16, 17
Deb and Mike packed and ready by 7am and we bid adieu fondly as they leave for the airport. We buy a few provisions for our final days crossing to USA! —We are getting excited about our imminent arrival at our new HOME.
We traverse the harbor and head out for Bird and Whale Cay (an amazing story! –look it up http://www.richmondreview.co.uk/features/summer01.html)
Weighing anchor at first light, we start a 14 hour partial cross on the Great Bahama Bank It is long, hot, still, the only breeze comes from the 5kys our engine gives. It’s weird crossing this desert covered by 10 ft of water – like gliding across a submerged beach! We cool by swimming off the stern. Set lines for fish but can clearly see the bottom, and there is nothing there! At 9:30 pm we anchor in the moonlight in the middle of the ocean! It is amazing and a little creepy!
June 17
To Cat Cay and the US!
A pink and lavender sunrise greets us as we set out for Miami. We both share a sense of homecoming, peering west, although there is nothing to be seen except this sea dessert until Cat Cay appears on the empty horizon. We pick our way through the Gun Cay Passage and ease off the bank into the Gulf Stream at 9am.
There’s no wind, 6’-8’ majestic rolling seas and because of the Gulf Stream, we have to steer 240o to maintain the 280o course to Miami 45 miles away. Capt. is frustrated, hoping to get to Miami before dark. Finally, the wind god took pity on us and sent enough wind to get our speed up over 6kts which allowed us to make up enough time to arrive outside Biscayne Bay by pm.
The approach to Miami is so exciting for us. Sailing by the lighthouse at Key Biscayne is amazing (reminds us of our sailing through the Straits of Gibraltar). But the sun is setting and we must make haste to Dinner Key, or else anchor out somewhere for the night. We plod our way in, contact the Marina, who assigns us a slip. Through trial and error with a few bumps and a litttle terror we tie up just before dark! We have travelled 1100 miles to this berth/home.
We are almost too tired to celebrate, but Capt. insists and we share a bottle of champagne (thanks Nuala), and THEN we find a taxi to take us home, 5 mins down the road!
June 15 Nassau
On to Nassau across shallow banks with water so clear you get vertigo looking down. We arrive at the “big City” about 4pm maneuvering through the tricky harbor to the Harbour Club Marina. A little rundown and 80% empty, but they have fuel. After checking in, we dump 10 days of trash and swim in the fresh water pool. Paradise Island looms across the bay, looking like a mini-Las Vegas. We celebrate our last Segrest evening touring downtown British Colonial Nassau and splurging with dinner at Café Matisse. However, the hordes of passengers from the five cruise ships in port contaminate the charm with lines of kiosks selling junk all along the waterfront. The Winslow Homer aspect is gone!
June 16, 17
Deb and Mike packed and ready by 7am and we bid adieu fondly as they leave for the airport. We buy a few provisions for our final days crossing to USA! —We are getting excited about our imminent arrival at our new HOME.
We traverse the harbor and head out for Bird and Whale Cay (an amazing story! –look it up http://www.richmondreview.co.uk/features/summer01.html)
Weighing anchor at first light, we start a 14 hour partial cross on the Great Bahama Bank It is long, hot, still, the only breeze comes from the 5kys our engine gives. It’s weird crossing this desert covered by 10 ft of water – like gliding across a submerged beach! We cool by swimming off the stern. Set lines for fish but can clearly see the bottom, and there is nothing there! At 9:30 pm we anchor in the moonlight in the middle of the ocean! It is amazing and a little creepy!
June 17
To Cat Cay and the US!
A pink and lavender sunrise greets us as we set out for Miami. We both share a sense of homecoming, peering west, although there is nothing to be seen except this sea dessert until Cat Cay appears on the empty horizon. We pick our way through the Gun Cay Passage and ease off the bank into the Gulf Stream at 9am.
There’s no wind, 6’-8’ majestic rolling seas and because of the Gulf Stream, we have to steer 240o to maintain the 280o course to Miami 45 miles away. Capt. is frustrated, hoping to get to Miami before dark. Finally, the wind god took pity on us and sent enough wind to get our speed up over 6kts which allowed us to make up enough time to arrive outside Biscayne Bay by pm.
The approach to Miami is so exciting for us. Sailing by the lighthouse at Key Biscayne is amazing (reminds us of our sailing through the Straits of Gibraltar). But the sun is setting and we must make haste to Dinner Key, or else anchor out somewhere for the night. We plod our way in, contact the Marina, who assigns us a slip. Through trial and error with a few bumps and a litttle terror we tie up just before dark! We have travelled 1100 miles to this berth/home.
We are almost too tired to celebrate, but Capt. insists and we share a bottle of champagne (thanks Nuala), and THEN we find a taxi to take us home, 5 mins down the road!
On to Nassau
We made a quick stop here so the Segrests could fly home and to buy a few days supplies. After the solitude of the Exumas Nassau was a shock!
To leave we had to go under the Paradise Island bridge and hoped the we had guessed right about our mast height
 Sunset on the Bank. The last night of our trip was spent anchored on the Great Bahama Bank in 10' of water but surounded by nothing but empty horizen. |
Is that Miami?
Finally, after more than 1,000 miles, Encore arrives at her new home at Dinner Key Marina.Five minutes from our house in Coconut Grove
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