April 2014

It’s Sunday morning and the sun is up and there’s NO WIND.   Amazing!!!   With all of the strong winds we’ve had over the last few months, a day of no wind is a special treat.  The view of the soft clouds and absolutely still water are remarkably peaceful.   I guess spring is here in the Bahamas.  Chris Parker, the weather router, did say that we would be in for a nearly perfect week of light to moderate winds from the east, a good angle for heading north as we make our way up the Exuma chain toward Nassau.

We are anchored at Big Majors Spot, an island right near Staniel Cay where we met Rob and Kandice yesterday afternoon.  On our way as we walked the short distance to the “airport”, we spied a family of chickens, moma and chicks.  “run away, run away”  All I could get was a shot of their behinds.  “Here, chicki, chicki…”Brenda and I were at the airport, such as it is, when their plane arrived.   The plane landed and taxied over to where we were standing. As the plane approached a hand came out of the window waving furiously.   It was Rob, imagine that, sitting in the right seat next to the pilot.   I guess that they didn’t have assigned seating so he must have bolted to the best seat in the house. No surprise there.  I guess they didn’t need a co-pilot.  Doesn’t he look happy to see us?  And we to see him.After a visit to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club bar for a beer, off we headed to Pandora.  We visited the pigs at Big Majors Spot and went for a swim. 

“So, what’s the plan for your week with Rob and Kandice Bob?”   Thanks for asking…

We’ll hit some of our favorite spots on our way north.   In particular, there’s one stop that we’ll make that I wanted to mention and that’s Over Yonder Cay.  This is a not so small privately owned island, a short distance from Staniel.  It’s one that you can’t visit without permission from the owner.  And that’s where this interesting story begins.

Last summer I wrote about this island and its owner in a post while we were home in CT.   We had sailed past the island last winter and I was fascinated by the huge wind generators on the island, the only ones we have seen in the Bahamas.  When one of the yachting magazines that I get ran a profile about the owner, and his island, I had to do a post.   Well, it seems that the owner, Dr. Borsharge, saw the post and I guess he liked what I wrote about him and his island as he has invited us to visit (actually a representive contacted me) through a comment on my blog.  How neat is that?

Imagine that, a visit to a private island in the Exumas, Over Yonder Cay…   So, on Monday we will pull Pandora into the island’s private marina for a tour of Over Yonder.  More to come on that…

For the rest of the week, well, you could say that we’ll be sailing “over yonder” but as to where exactly that is…  I guess you’ll have to come back here and see for yourself.  Of coure, if you click on “where’s Pandora” on this blog, you can see exactly where we are.

Yes, a great week coming up and then, back to CT with crew from Nassau.

Lots to do.  Perhaps I’d better get the coffee on.

It’s Friday and we are back in Staniel Cay, again.   Saturday, tomorrow, we will be joined here by our son Rob and his girlfriend Kandice who will be aboard for a week on our run up the Exuma chain and back to Nassau.  And that will be my last stop in the Bahamas where Brenda will fly home and I’ll meet up with crew for my run back home to CT.   While I hate to see this season in the Bahamas end, I am really looking forward to being in New England for the summer, even if I do have to cut my lawn.  I guess it’s like the rest of life, you take the good with the bad.

Yesterday we had a wonderful 40 mile sail from Eleuthera on calm seas with a nice moderate wind.  Along the way we did a bit of fishing and caught a mahi-mahi.  Actually, it wasn’t just a mahi-mahi, it was a big mahi-mahi, almost too big to get aboard.   Here’s how it looked in the water.  Yes, the water is really that blue.  Mahi-mahi are very colorful when they are “pissed” and he was plenty upset, as you can imagine. And as we got it closer.  I feared that this would be as close as we’d get prior to loosing him.Happily, we landed him.  Brenda holding the pole and me with the gaff.   Now, that’s a big fish.  Then I cleaned him in the cockpit.  (Brenda went below to avoid the gore and, let me tell you, there was plenty.)  Good thing we have a watermaker as I used lots cleaning up the mess with red blood flowing off of the back of the boat.  I wonder if we were being followed by sharks?  Bottom line, nearly 10 lbs of filets.   No more fishing for a while, that’s for sure.Speaking of the “one that got away”.   We also passed a pod of pilot whales, the first we have seen.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite ready with my camera so this shot isn’t so great.   Actually, it’s pretty pathetic.  You will have to trust me that they were whales.  For the “camera isn’t ready part” they were very close.  I think that they were napping, actually.  As Pandora passed, they woke up pronto and dove.  While we were in Eleuthera we did some exploring by car.  (forgive the jarring segue) Car rentals in the Bahamas are a very different experience than in the States where you have to sign your life away before they let you behind the wheel.  In the Bahamas,  well, “it’s the Bahamas mon, don’t worry”.  Indeed. Actually, it’s as simple as handing them the cash for the rental and driving away.  No walk around to check with dents before or after, (there’s too many to count anyway) or any discussion about a security deposit.   Security deposit?  What’s that?  I guess that there’s not much of a risk of someone taking off with one of their cars.   Wait, there’s nowhere to run with the stolen car on an island with only one major road, right?   Alas, I digress. 

Eleuthera is a long, very narrow, island, 100 miles by only 3 miles at it’s widest.  At the narrowest; well it’s very narrow, only as wide as a single lane road, barely.   The island is a bit more lush than other islands that we have visited but it’s still pretty arid.  Interestingly, Dole fruit used to grow pineapples on the island but some time ago they moved their farming to Hawaii.  It’s hard to believe that they were ever able to grow pineapples on the island given the modest rainfall.

The northern part of the island is pretty hilly by Bahamas standards, but that distinction is still relative as the highest point on the island is still less than 200’.   That’s in great contrast to the Caribbean where islands rise several thousand feet above sea level. (I thought I’d throw that reference in as we are thinking of taking Pandora there for the winter of 2014/2015.  However, that’s a story for another post so I’ll let it go at that for now.)

As I mentioned, the narrowest point of the island is only a single car lane wide bridge.  That particular spot is called “the glass window” as it’s where you can see from the eastern side of the island to the western side.  And there is a HUGE difference depending on which way you look.  The view of the western side is shallow flats, typical of the Bahamas.   I understand that during a storm a few years ago this bridge was hit by a giant wave that pushed the entire bridge over some eleven feet.  I shudder to think of what that wave must have looked like. I am glad that I wasn’t there.  Even on a “calm” day, the waves are plenty big for me.The eastern side is very rugged with huge ocean waves crashing.  When I see a coastline like this I can’t help but think about what it would be like to be shipwrecked here.  No, I won’t think about that today…I walked up to the top of one of the cliffs and saw about a dozen sea turtles swimming below, way below, actually.  I had a tough time looking over the cliff with the waves crashing hard way below.  I’m not a fan of heights at all.  The turtles were each between two and three feet across.  Very beautiful.   Yes, this picture is pretty fuzzy but I figured that a bad photo of a turtle is better than no photo.  We also visited a nearby cove called “The Queen’s bath”.  Somehow, I’m not picturing good old Queen Elizabeth splashing around here in her knickers.    The waves (on a calm day) looked to be pretty spirited for the old gal.  “Come on in Liz, the water’s great”.    Can you get struck by lightning for taking the Queen’s name in vane?  No wait, the Bahamas declared their independence from England a while back so I’m safe, I guess.  A beautiful spot, Queen or not.  And yes, that’s Brenda and Maureen on the side of the cliff.  “Don’t jump…Someone call the crisis hotline!”  We stopped at a lovely spot for lunch. And believe me, there aren’t that many places like this to choose from in the Bahamas so this was quite a find.The view from the patio was beautiful.  Love those thatched umbrellas. And, after lunch, a walk on the beach.   They said that it was a pink beach but it looked more sand colored to me.  Beautiful, pink or not.All and all, a wonderful day and one of our best this winter.

While I was working on this post and cleaning up the aft cabin for Rob and Kandice’s visit tomorrow, we were hit by a humdinger of a thunderstorm.   Here’s a shot of some menasing clouds approaching from the south.  And, then the heavens opened up.  What a show.  Thankfully, no lightening nearby.  And, you may recall how much I love sunsets so I’ll close with a shot of an Eleutheran one at that.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Rob and Kandice are visiting tomorrow?  Thought so…  I can’t wait.

Actually, it’s Tuesday afternoon and we have been out for the day, however, that’s another story.  We have been without Internet for a few days but I when I wrote this pot I would say  “It’s Sunday afternoon and Easter here on Eluthra.”   Then It would have been safe to say “Well, I guess that means that it’s Easter everywhere but this is where we are too.”

Ok, now that I have cleared all that up and you are clear on when I wrote this…

Actually, we are in a harbor, such as it is, called Rock Sound.  While Rock Sound is large, several miles across, it’s fairly well protected from every direction except from the south and the distance across at that point is about 5 miles.  Yes, the chop can build up with a strong wind but it’s not nearly as bad as if there was no protection.

I can say this with confidence as we are nearing the end of a of a frontal passage as I write this.  The wind clocked from the southeast beginning yesterday, through the south and all the way around to the northwest, where it is now, a wind shift of 180 degrees in less than 24 hours.  We knew that this front was coming and had decided to visit here knowing that the protection would be fairly good.

We left Fernandez Bay for the 70+ mile run to Rock Sound on the island of Eleuthra, before daybreak, very early on Friday morning, at 04:30 actually.  Under the light of a nearly full moon, we pulled anchor and left the harbor.  We had decided to make such a long run as the winds were favorable for sailing nearly the whole way.  To motor for 10-12 hours in unfavorable conditions would have been a drag and would have used a good amount of fuel.  Actually, to do it under power would have taken a lot longer, certainly longer than it took under sail.  Happily, the run was uneventful, with a good breeze behind us, and we made good time, arriving here in Rock Sound about twelve hours later.

Much of the run was in the ocean and with wind running in the teens to twenty knots,  the swells got pretty large and for part of the time, the wind driven waves that were following us from behind combined with some large ocean swells coming down from the North Atlantic.  This made for some confused seas and Brenda wasn’t too comfortable.  However, compared to past runs, Brenda did quite well.  It’s interesting that she seems to be much less sensitive to motion than she was even a few years ago.

Shortly after we left Fernandez Bay we were treated to a beautiful sunrise off to the east.As we are getting into spring here in the Bahamas, many flowers are coming into bloom.  There are very few flowers to pick here in the islands during the winter but as spring approaches, there are many wild flowers.   This bush had a particularly dramatic display. Forgive the clash of colors with my shirt.  I clearly wasn’t thinking of this photo op when I chose this shirt to wear yesterday.We didn’t see many seabirds last winter but there seem to be more this year.   Perhaps it’s the particular islands that we are visiting.  I tossed some moldy bread overboard and it attracted quite a lot of attention from the local avians.The sunset, with the weather associated with the front passing, made for a dramatic sunset in the western sky.   “Bob, this one looks just the same as the last ten you posted”.   Yes, yes, I know, lots of sunset photos in my blog but I like sunset photos.  Besides, as you know, it’s my blog.  So there!We also saw the most amazing clouds off to the east that were reflecting the sunset. I have not seen clouds like this before.  The soft “pillows” in the sky were very dramatic.Early this morning we were treated to a fantastic thunderstorm.  Fortunately, there were wasn’t much lightening as that can be a threat to electronics on a boat.   We know of several boats that have been hit by lightning.  The crew was fine but every piece of electronic equipment was toast.  One couple we met this winter lost every electronic component on their boat and it took him two months of work to replace everything, and it’s still not quite right.  That would not be the way I’d want to spend time aboard in the Bahamas.

Today we decided to visit a Methodist church here on the island.  The wind was piping up pretty well so getting ashore in our Sunday best, a relative term compared with the finery worn by the rest of the congregation, was a bit challenging.    We were rewarded by a wonderful experience at the Rock Sound Methodist Church.  Rev. Gilbert Witcher and Brother Elton Symonette went out of their way, as did many in the congregation, to make us feel at home. We were introduced to the congregation and they even gave us a “prize” for being the very first visitors to arrive for worship, (we were actually afraid to be late) of a bottle of sparkling cider.  We were thrilled. 

Unlike Methodist churches in the states, where services are kept to one hour give or take, here in the Bahamas the starting time is a bit looser and they cram an amazing amount into a two hour service.  It wasn’t over till it was over.

And there was plenty going on.  There was a trumpeter.  A wonderful dance number, lots of music and a lot of AMENs.  Let’s say that the Bahamamian Methodists are a lot noisier than the more conservative suburban types we are used to.  I liked it a lot.  And, there was a booming sound system and even a projector that showed the words of the hymns on the wall above the cross for all to follow.  Sorry, but no bouncing ball to show you when to sing.

Here we are with Brother Elton after the service.   What an enthusiastic preacher he was. AMEN!!!  No, not a great big smile from him here.   I guess he used it all up a moment before.  So much for “ok, one picture is fine”.  And other parishioners mugging for the camera in their Easter finest.A very pretty if simple church.  And perfectly well kept as are all churches here in the Bahamas.

After church we headed back aboard Pandora to prepare a picnic lunch and off to a local park, near a blue hole, a 600’ deep ocean hole right in the middle of town.  What a beautiful spot,  complete with tropical fish, for a picnic with Maureen and Bill of Kalunamoo.  We had a great Easter feast complete with some mahi-mahi that Bill caught off of his boat. We were visited buy a very pretty bird that was hunting for lizards in the tree above us.  He was really quite close, only a few feet away. Some of the locals were swimming in the ocean hole.  It was a very popular spot for families to have an Easter outing.   This spot is much like other swimming holes around the world except that it’s 600’ deep with near vertical walls from the edge to the bottom.   Don’t fall in as it’s hard to get out if you aren’t near one of the ladders.All and all, a very relaxing Easter for me and Brenda.  We miss family but it was nice to be here too.  And, to look out of the church window and see palm trees… Quite a treat.

Since it’s Easter perhaps I’ll close with yet another church, one that we can see from Pandora’s cockpit as it’s located right on the beach, not 50′ from the water at high tide.   Quite a beautiful building.  Quite a beautiful day as well.  Happy Easter and a fine “Eleuthrian” one at that.  

 

It’s Thursday afternoon and, hard to imagine, (not really) the sun is out and it’s a beautiful day.  We have been “buddy boating” with our friends Bill and Maureen on Kalunamoo for a while now and here we are anchored off of a beautiful beach and, as an added bonus, the Fernandez Bay Village resort.   This place is beautiful and they even have a palm frond thatched roof on the main dining room.  How tropical.

Last night we had hoped to have dinner ashore as the resort puts on a terrific buffet spread each evening.  Unfortunately, I seem to have picked up some sort of stomach deal that put me down for about 24 hours.  After a particularly tough night, Brenda decided that I needed to visit the island clinic this morning.  So, she called to make an appointment.  The resort ordered a cab and we took the dink ashore.  I have to say that it was the first time I went for a doctor apt via a dink.  I guess there’s a first time for everything.

The clinic was a very small yellow building and the staff was quite efficient.  They were actually closed today but took me anyway.  That was very nice.  They checked me out and declared that I needed to eat more healthy stuff.  No surprise there.  And after and exam and a prescription, filled by them they sent me on my way.  The cost?  $0.  Such is socialized medicine, it would seem.   Welcome to the Bahamas.  Welcome indeed.  Oh yeah, the cab picked us up, took us to the clinic, then to the market and back to the resort, all for $25.  Yep, another good deal.   He even waited at the clinic while I was at the appointment.

Anyway, all seems to be well and I am on the mend.  I mentioned this as we were very disappointed that we had to cancel dinner last night but I think I am feeling well enough now that we can head ashore tonight.

This is such a beautiful spot. We can see the resort from Pandora.  Nice beach, right?  (Forgive me but this is a view from the resort to Pandora, but you can imagine, right?)The view down the beach from the patio looks like it’s a thousand miles from anywhere. In a way, it is.   We sailed 50 miles to get here and along the way the water was over 6,000′ deep.    Just love those umbrellas. The main dining room is thatched with palm fronds.   How “island”. The “tiki” bar is pretty amazing and they run it on the “honor system”.  Just make a note of what you have.  “On my honor, I’ll have another.”  I suppose it saves on staffing.  Works for me.
There are a few beautiful little islands just out in front of the lodge.  Love the clouds.And Pandora framed by the sky and impossibly blue water.We took a dink ride through a nearby mangrove swamp.  Very beautiful.  Brenda saw a sea turtle yesterday.  Lots of fish, rays and small sharks there.  We got a few shells too. The mangroves are small shrubby plants that grow in shallow water.  Their roots are very strong and can hold even in storms.  They are a great protector of fragile shorelines and a wonderful nursery for fish of all types.   The water is just so clear, like gin and very warm. 
So, now that I have “recovered” we made a reservation for dinner tonight again. I hope that I am up to it.  However, we have to leave in the morning as there is a front coming through and we have to get to a more sheltered spot when the clocking winds arrive.  Here, there’s 50 miles of ocean to the west.  Not a great spot when the wind starts piping up from the west.

So, dinner tonight or never…

Tomorrow we will likely get up early and head to Eluthera, an island about 70 miles north of here.  That’s a long way to go in one day so an early start will be important.   Getting out of Fernandez Bay in the dark should be easy but we want to arrive in Rock Sound Eluthera in daylight.

 

It’s Wednesday morning and a lovely day at anchor off of Cat Island in the central Bahamas.  Last year, when we visited Cat, we had to leave abruptly when there was a wind shift coming that would make staying anchored uncomfortable, or perhaps dangerous.  Happily, this year we have already been here for three nights and the weather is still good.  Imagine that…

Yesterday, accompanied by our friends Maureen and Bill of Kalunamoo, (I finally figured out how to spell the name of their boat, I think.) we visited Father Gerome’s Hermitage.  The Hermitage, Father Gerome’s retirement home, is perched on the highest peak in the Bahamas, a whopping 202 feet above sea level. Not particularly high but the view from there is still pretty impressive.   Pandora’s out in the distance with a handful of other boats.As I stood up on the peak I found myself wondering what the winter winds would feel like to live in such an exposed stone structure.  But wait, it’s the Bahamas and winter winds are in the 80s.  Oh yeah, nice. 

Anyway, Father Gerome was not a guy who needed a lot of creature comforts.  His bed, if you can call it that, was just a small depression in the floor of one of the main rooms.  Not sure Brenda would go for that.  No wait, she WOULDN’T like it at all.  I’d say that it was quite “hermit like”, actually.

Not only were his living conditions pretty spartan, he wanted to be sure that it was pretty uncomfortable to get to his place.  The path, if you could call it that, was quite steep at the end. The Hermitage looks quite grand from a distance with lovely proportions and architectural details.  Gerome was a gifted amateur architect.  

At first glance you really think it’s a grand structure.  However, here’s Bill standing alongside.  It’s actually more like a large scale model, that you could live in, assuming, of course, that you are an old hermit that loves to be uncomfortable.  Can you say “hair shirt”?The windows, carved into the stone sides, have modest shutters. I couldn’t resist peeking out for a “Kodak moment”.    No wait, Kodak?  Perhaps it was a “digital moment”.   Whatever…Down toward shore there is an area where some farming is going on.  In spite of the dry conditions, bananas are grown in some depressions on the ground.   It’s amazing how much fruit grows on a single stalk. We also took a walk down the road running along shore for a bit of lunch.   These “dining establishments”, no make that bars, are very modest wooden structures right on the beach.  Pretty basic. However, they do quite a solid lunch business.Yet another view of Pandora framed nicely. As a reminder that all wasn’t always so peaceful here in the Bahamas, we saw some cotton plants from the days when the Loyalists, following the American Revolution, brought their slaves here and tried to set up plantations.  Alas, it didn’t work as there just wasn’t enough water here to make a go of it.There are ruins everywhere.  Building abandoned.  And, they are often right next to a more modern structure.  Many churches on the island.  Often many out buildings and more like “compounds” as modest as they are.Some cute little shops but they always seem to be closed.  Brenda liked this building, in particular.  And painted brightly, as is their custom.The wind was kicking up for the afternoon so we got pretty well splashed on our way back to Pandora.  Nothing new there.   However, as sunset approached, things settled down and we were treated to a spectacular sunset.   There’s Kalunamoo framed against a beautiful setting sun.  Pretty dramatic.   If you’re thinking “Bob, if you’ve seen one sunset, you’ve seen them all” than you had to be there. Oh yeah, two nights ago we set an alarm for 03:00 and got up to see the lunar eclipse.  It was amazing.  Brenda stayed up longer and was treated to a number of beautiful meteors streaking across the moon and even a satellite.   Me, I craved sleep and missed much of the fun. It’s not often that you can view such an amazing event from aboard with such a panoramic view.  Pretty special. 

Our plans for the next few days are a bit up in the air but we’ll be speaking with Bill and Maureen later to decide.  Happily, the next few days are looking great with moderate winds and fair skies so we have a number of good options on where to go, or not go.   After a winter spent constantly dodging cold fronts, we are ready for some benign conditions and that’s what we have.  That’s good, very good.

And, if that’s not enough, Rob and Kandice join us in Staniel Cay in about a week and a half.  Perfect.