Getting back to “normal” here in George Town

It’s Monday afternoon and Brenda and I enjoyed a quiet day aboard Pandora.   Now that the boys have been gone for a few days, it seems that things are getting back into a pleasant rhythm.   We do miss them terribly but it’s nice to be rested again.
It’s been very windy so we have basically been boat bound for the last two days.  Happily, the heavy winds held off until after we delivered the boys ashore but it’s been screaming pretty good since then.   As you can imagine, sleeping hasn’t been that easy as we have been constantly listening to the wind in the rigging as she sails back and forth on her anchor.  Because of the twin head stays and mast set fairly far forward, Pandora isn’t docile at anchor and tends to be more restless as the wind picks up.
Happily, the sandy bottom and shallow depth makes it easier as there is only about a foot under her keel at low tide and that means that even if she moves around a bit, it’s not much given the very short scope on the anchor chain.  After years of dealing with double digit tides in Maine the 2-3′ tides here are a treat.  Also, we are getting pretty good at reading the water depth based on the color of the water.
Today, February 18th, marks the one month anniversary of our arrival in the Bahamas and I am happy to report that we are getting used to the warm weather.  (Yes, I know that you have been concerned that we’d never adjust to warm in February)  I can’t say that we are crazy about the often very strong winds but on balance, it’s a very pleasant place to spend time.   The good news is that after some three days of strong winds we will be treated to a good stretch, perhaps five or more days, of reasonable winds.   I guess that it’s better than snow and ice.   Let me think about that for a momentů  Yes, better.
It is our hope that we will be able to make a run out to Long Island or Conception, a 25-30 mile day sail, later in the week and have our fingers crossed that the weather and winds will cooperate.  Chris Parker suggested this morning that we might get a good sailing wind by the weekend.    I am hopeful that we will catch a mahi-mahi as they are great eating and common on the ocean passages.
This afternoon I was suffering from a bit of cabin fever (it doesn’t take long for me to develop an acute case, actually) so I took the dink out and went to the beach for a walk.  After a morning spent changing the oil on the main engine transmission and the oil in the generator, I needed a break.  I also have spent hours trying to hunt down a persistent fresh water leak on the pressure water system.  I can’t find it but know that there is a leak as the pump runs periodically, even if we aren’t using water.  It’s making me crazy that I can’t find it and frankly, I have exhausted about every option in trying to find the source.    I have torn up much of the floor, aft cabin and under the cockpit to no avail.
Oh well, I’ll just make more.  Did I say that I LOVED our water maker?   Yes, indeed.
When  I visited the beach today,  I brought the dink ashore in a nice little mangrove stand.


Perhaps I’ll close with a nice scene that greeted me as I walked across to the beach.


Yes, I like this “new normal” of winter in the Bahamas.  Pretty niceů

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