Uncategorized

It’s Friday morning and we have been in the Bahamas for a week now.  We are now in the Exumas and visiting one of the largest islands in the chain, Warderick Wells, part of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park managed by the Bahamas National Trust www.bnt.bs, a  25 mile stretch of islands running south from Warderick that are protected .  Interestingly, studies have shown that protecting patches of habit benefit other areas nearby as protected species do better in the parks and migrate into other non-protected areas.

A few days ago I tried out my underwater case for my i-phone and took a number of photos and videos.  It was great fun, I have to say.  With the clear water, which these photos don’t really do justice to just how clear it is.Our friend Bill looking graceful.Some pretty little tube worms.To see your shadow on the bottom is a remarkable sight.  Even at night the shadows of the moon are distinct. One major issue that we have faced, and were warned about prior to coming here, is that the weather is something that you have to really pay attention to.   Today’s forecast is a good example of how quickly things change.   Today’s wind is from the ENE at 20kts dropping to 15kts.  Saturday will be more mild with winds in the 10-15kt range.   This quickly will change with freshening winds from the E-NE in the 20s and higher for the next 4-5 days.  What this means is that one day’s great sail can quickly turn into a need to seek shelter for a number of days while waiting for the next weather system to come through.

This also means that you have to choose your anchoring spot very well.  While it’s windy today the seas are quite calm as we are in an area that’s protected from any seas.  However, for several days we were in a very different position when we anchored in areas with fiends where there was quite a long fetch from a windward shore, allowing for a nasty chop to build.  This meant that any excursions in the dink were a bit harrowing with lots of water splashing over the side.

Perhaps the best example, or worst depending on how you look at it, was when we returned to Pandora the other night after dinner and a game of dominos with friends on another boat.   The winds were blowing  about 25kts which meant that we had to step into a dink that was bucking around in the chop running alongside their boat.   After scrambling into the dink we motored off into the dark.  In the short distance to Pandora we caught a good deal of spray including a bucket load of water into our faces.  Imagine how much fun that was for Brenda when her next planned stop was to be bed.    Well, we both stripped off our wet clothes in the cockpit and headed down for showers.     The lesson for us is that anchoring in the right spot depending on what’s coming weather-wise is the key.  Had we been tucked up against a shore with an island buffering the seas and wind we would have been in a very different position.  Well, perhaps that’s more than you really want to know about wind and chop but it’s what life in the Bahamas is all about.   All of this has also reinforced the value of our water maker which is doing well in keeping us in plenty of fresh water.   Remember, a salt free boat, and crew, is a happy boat.   As the saying goes, sort of, “when Momma is unhappy (or salty), ain’t nobody happy”.

By contrast, we are moored in similarly windy conditions right now and yet are very comfortable, thanks to having picked a good location, with good protection, to spend a few days.

Yesterday we had a great sail, around 25 miles in brisk winds.   It was fun to romp along for a few hours doing 7-8 kts all the way in clear blue waters.  It’s so different from anything we have ever experienced in our past lives.

The view from the ranger station here is spectacular.  Look at the contrast from the deep blue channel and the sand flats.How about this whale skeleton they have reconstructed on the beach?  It’s really big.Lastly, with the really really clear waters here we often see wildlife that we missed in the past.  Yesterday a rather large, perhaps in the 5’ long range, sand shark swam past our anchored boat a few times.   What an impressive creature.  I wish I had gotten a photo.

Well, off to explore the island.  Oh yeah, did I mention that today is in the low 80s and sunny?

Imagine being able to see 100′ in the water…  Me, I thought that I understood what that would be like.  I WAS WRONG…

On Monday we left the Nassau area to head over to the northern Exumas to begin our run down to George Town over the next few weeks.  Our first stop was Allen’s Key, home of it’s very own native iguana population.  This place is just amazing with water that is so clear that you can’t believe it.  I went snorkeling both Monday and Tuesday and enjoyed great visibility on the small reefs that ring the harbor. I tried my first hand with underwater photography and it was lots of fun.  However, I am still not sure that I have my SSB set up properly to send larger files.

My first try with underwater photgraphy. There were plenty of fish to look at.  I like the butterfly fish a lot. 

Brenda went swimming with a friend and spent an hour in the water, it was such a perfect temperature for her.  Toward the end of her swim a really large, perhaps 4′ across, ray passed her by.  I have to say that she was a very big girl about this and continued to tread water.  She didn’t even scream at all.  She was only a little anxious but I expect that her heart rate went up a bit as she had heard that they were gentle creatures, even if they are HUGE! The ray passed on and all was ok again.

To say the water is clear doesn’t begin to make the point.  “So Bob, how clear is it?”  Well, it’s so clear that when it’s calm you can’t see where the anchor chain enters the water, it just goes down from the air into the water and to the bottom where you see the anchor in the snow white sand.  A friend described the sensation as though the boat was floating in air.  I’d say that about sums it up.  It’s a completely new experience for us.

Today we are in Norman’s Key and will be waiting out the strong winds which kicked up into the 20-25kt range overnight and are expected to stay in that range for the rest of the day.

The signature attraction of Allen’s Cay, the Iguanas, are just so much fun.  These creatures, and they look like miniature, but not small, dinosaurs, are just amazing. There is a beach where they hang out waiting for the cruisers to come in and feed them.

I know that we are not supposed to feed them but watching them compete for a piece of cabbage is just too much fun.  One will grab it and others try to snatch if from them.  Sometimes a single scrap will pass hands, no make that mouths, three of four times. It sort of reminds me of work back in my last life.  You just bring your dink up to the beach that has dozens of 3-4′ long lizards milling around and toss them vegetables.  They are so aggressive I wouldn’t recommend trying to have them snatch the food from your hand.

Hopefully I will soon be somewhere with WIFI so I can post some photos to go along with these posts.

It’s Monday morning, warm and sunny with light winds forecasted for the next few days.  We are anchored on the north side of Rose Island, a short distance from Nassau.  Yesterday morning we decided to leave Nassau for the short run with some friends to get a feel for transiting the shallow banks and coral reefs.  Unlike the States, the Bahamas don’t have very many navigation aids or buoys, actually, they have almost none, which makes it a very different sort of cruising.  In the states markers tell you what to avoid but here you only move when the visibility is good so you can see the obsructions.  The good news is that the water is impossibly clear, even in downtown Nassau, the largest city in the Bahamas.  To be moving along in 20′ of water and see the bottom as if the water is only a few feet deep, which it sometimes is, with reefs everywhere, can be very disconcerting.  Where we are anchored now it’s about 15′ and yet you can see the bottom as if it was only 3 feet deep.  In fact, last evening, after dark with the half moon,you could see the shadow of the dink clearly on the bottom.  It was very different than anything we have ever experienced.  In spite of having heard so much about the clear water, it’s amazing to see it first hand.

The water is so clear that you always take a visual check on your anchor after it’s down to be sure it’s well set. For example, yesterday when we anchored, a French Canadian from another boat anchored nearby took his dink out over our anchor and looked down to see if it was well set.  He put his head into his glass bottom bucket and gave me a high sign that all was well.  It was a very nice gesture and I appreciated his help.  When the water is calm boats almost seem to be floating on air.  That’s a lot different than our experiences up north.  Taking advantage of the clear water I dove on Pandora yet again to check if there was any evidence of damage from last summer’s grounding.  Happily, with the exception of the big bite in the front of the keel, all appears to be well.  Whew!!!

The weather for the next few days is forecasted to be very settled which is good as it will give us some more time to get used to moving through the shallow banks while having particularly good visibility.  The winds are expected to pick up into the 15-20 range by Wednesday night and then a bit higher into the 20-25 range from the E/NE by Thursday so we will want to be somewhere that’s well protected from the wind or at least the chop.

After our arrival yesterday to Rose Island we decided to head to the beach with our friends. The landing was our first on a beach with a surf and it was a unique experience to be sure.  We did our best to time our run for the final few yards to coincide with the the wave breaking on the beach so that the next wave would sweep us up onto dry sand.  Actually, that went pretty well but we did have to scramble out of the dink onto the beach at just the right time to avoid the next wave.  It was comical to see one of the other boats time things less well and have a wave come right over the transom of their dink and fill it half full of water and sand.  Oops.

On the way back out through the surf it was a different kettle of fish for us.  While we did our best to time our departure between waves, we were caught unawares and were swept back up the beach before we had made it even twenty feet.  We tried again and made it although in our haste to jump back aboard Brenda landed on her behind in a jumble of wet clothes and sand in the bow having missed the seat as she scrambled aboard. As you can imagine, there was plenty of laughter along with the indignity of it all. Brenda was a good sport and rinsed off when we got back to the boat and hung out her clothes to dry.  We weren’t alone having difficulty and friends had a similar experience getting off too and got plenty of sand and water in their dink.  Note to self, be sure to put the camera in the dry bag next time.

Speaking of surf, after our run from the beach yesterday, I went for my first snorkeling run with some friends.  While I have been snorkeling plenty of times over the years, it’s a much different feeling to do it off of your own boat.  The reefs at Rose were nice but not in particularly great shape.  There were plenty of fish but not a lot of healthy coral.  Perhaps that’s because it’s so close to Nassau.  I expect that conditions will improve as we head south.

Today we are heading to Allens Cay which is at the top of the Exumas chain and an easy 30 mile run from Nassau.  Our arrival in Allens will mark our entry into the more remote areas after the more populated islands of the northern Bahamas.  Allens will also put us within a reasonable distance of George Town, where we will be meeting up with the boys in a few weeks.  Allens Cay is about 100 miles from George Town and with nearly three weeks to make that distance we have plenty of time to enjoy spots along the way.  Heck, with nearly 1,800 miles under our keel on this trip, 100 miles seems like a day sail.

I can’t begin to describe the color of the water here, perhaps aquamarine is the closest color that I can think of.  An aquamarine stone that you sail over.  Clear and blue sparkling water.  Hard to imagine, actually.

Well, I have to say that it’s good to finally be here and I am very excited about making our way south.

On Thursday morning we picked up or anchor in Ft Lauderdale and headed out into the Gulf Stream.  The all important weather forecast calling for winds that would be convenient to sailing were forecast to be there so out we went. The forecast from Chris Parker called for SE/S winds at about 15kts that would be clocking around to the SW and ultimately to the North that evening and freshening to 20kts, ideal conditions for crossing the banks and running down to Nassau.  So, we left with fingers crossed.

The crossing went fine except that it was a bit rough with a wind driven chop from the South in the stream and as we were sailing on a close reach, we were romping up an over each wave as it came into our starboard quarter forward of the beam. We made good time and entered the banks in the early afternoon.  For a while we motor-sailed into a light wind on the banks but finally, after dark, the wind shifted abruptly to the north, so we could sail again, following a semi-dramatic squall as the forecasted cold front passed.

Around 02:00 on Friday we went through a particularly tricky cut, Northwest Passage, that wasn’t marked by any navigation aids (It is the Bahamas of course) and again into deep water again to Nassau. I have to say that going through a narrow spot that’s only about 1000′ wide, surrounded by “dangerous rocks” on both sides of the cut all the while in the pitch dark with no visibility beyond what I can see on the plotter.  There aren’t even any bouys to see when it’s light.  The charts call for marks but we were told that one was hit by a freighter a few years ago and has never been replaced.  It’s just so different in the Bahamas after coming from the US, where every buoy change is announced by the Coast Guard and you’d never find a major mark ignored for years at a time.

While the trip was a bit rougher than Brenda would have liked and she certainly wasn’t too enthusiastic about her first overnight passage, it all worked out just fine.  To be on the boat overnight the first time is disconcerting to be sure and I can still recall how it felt the first time I was out overnight many years ago.  Overall, we made the nearly 170 mile trip in good time and were able to sail about two thirds of the way. Best of all, after year of planning and dreaming, we are here and it is great.

Today the sun rose and streamed through puffy thunderheads to our east.  It was just magnificent.  You will just have to trust me on that given the whole no picture thing and all. Brenda is now sitting up in the cockpit in her jammies and enjoying a cup of latte that I made for her.  The picture is completed as she is knitting away on her current project.  Not bad to be outside looking at clear water on a sunny day on January 19th.  Yes?

Today we plan on making a short run with friends over to a nearby island where we are told the snorkeling is terrific and the sandy beaches made of powder soft sand.

No more Bahamas, here we come, now it’s Bahamas, WE’RE HERE!!!

Here in Ft Lauderdale for the last few days we have been very busy running around celebrating birthdays, Brenda’s that is, provisioning and doing last minute laundry.  It’s been a bit overwhelming but great fun.

It’s nearly 9pm on Wednesday evening and we are just finishing up getting Pandora ready to head out to cross to the Bahamas tomorrow.  The forecast seems to be about right although getting a fair bearing to cross the gulf stream and make it onto the banks may be a bit tough as the wind will be from the south.  In order to make what is in essence due east from Ft. Lauderdale, we have to head on a south east course which is south of our destination in order to compensate for the strong set to the north that we will experience as we cross the gulf stream current for the 50 miles to the banks.

The weather forecast suggests that the wind will be out of the SE/S in the morning, just barely south enough to provide a good direction for us to sail so we will be hard on the wind.    It seems that we will have to hold a course of something like 100 to 11o till we reach the banks. It is possible that the wind will begin to shift to the south west before we get to the banks which will help.  However, if we can’t make the needed course we plan on taking a more northerly route and go north of the banks entirely into the Northwest Providence Channel and then head south around the Berry Islands as the wind clocks to the north, which is supposed to do on Friday.   This is a bit further but will allow us to follow the clocking winds more easily and sail an more comfortable course.

Well, all of this weather stuff is a bit daunting as it is uncertain at best and will take us out over night, something that Brenda hasn’t done before.  However, I love sailing at night and am hopeful that it will go well for Brenda too.

Well, enough about the crossing for now.

Ft Lauderdale is unique in part as it’s the only city we have visited by boat where there is a dock for our dink that’s right near a major shopping mall.   In fact, when you pull up to the dock the mall, and it’s a big one, is just across the street.  Pretty funny to enter a mall pulling a wheel cart with groceries.  I felt like a bag lady.   Got any soda cans I can return for you?

If that’s not unique enough, there is plenty of wildlife there too.  How many malls can boast that they have their own native manatee population living right near by?  These are beautiful creatures.   Really big, beautiful creatures at that. How about iguanas?   This guy was about four feet long.  No, he wasn’t in a cage,  just keeping an eye on us from the other side of a fence closing off a vacant lot.   And, he’s not the only one there.   Speaking of wildlife?   How’s this for a sport?  He came right by us where we are anchored and blasted around us a few times.  This looks like just so much fun. The jet pack is attached to a motor that looks like a surf board.  He came right by and hammed for the camera. I should note that our friends Linda and Richard that had dinner with us the other night in Boca sent us photos of a banana tree that they have in their yard.  It’s a very special banana that Linda calls “Bob”.   So, why “Bob”, you ask?This is because it has grown from a small tree that I gave her when she worked in the same company that I was at.  It’s been nearly ten years since I gave it to her and when she moved to Florida she took it with her and planted it in her yard.   But wait, there’s more.  This banana, or should I say the banana from which “Bob” descended, was bought by me and Brenda when we were dating in high-school back in the early 70s.   Do the math, that’s a long time ago and Bob’s no spring chicken any more.  Hmm…

We kept the plant at home, then college and for over 20 years in our greenhouse.  We had to give up all of our plants when we  got rid of the greenhouse a few years ago. If you can become attached to a plant, this banana is one that meant a great deal to me and Brenda.   I can’t tell you how exciting it was to hear about “Bob” and to see these photos.  On top of all that, “Bob” produces hundreds of bananas each year, something that he never did for us.  It seems that he’s happy with Linda and Richard.   Perhaps some day I will be able to taste one.When Brenda and I purchased this plant way back when we never imagined that we would be aboard Pandora about to head out for this amazing journey.   Who knew what life would bring?

However, perhaps the greatest highlight for us here in Ft Lauderdale was a perfect celebration for Brenda’s birthday on Wednesday.  We enjoyed a great dinner out looking over the the water.  On top of that we visited friends for “sundowners” earlier in the evening and our hostess surprised Brenda with a cake.   Doesn’t Brenda look happy?  I have never met anyone who enjoys being a birthday girl more than her.  Happy Birthday Brenda!!!Wish us luck.   We hope to be able to continue to post regularly using WIFI from the Bahamas, which I hear is widely available.  

Stay tuned for more and please keep those cards and letters coming and wish us a fair crossing.

Yes, there’s more to come, way more.