Bahama Time

Excuses, excuses, excuses….. the last two months have slipped by and we are well and truly on Bahama Time, Mon.

Just a few notes to catch up and some pics for those who want to see more than read about our adventures. 

Bitter Guana Cay - Iguana habitat

Friends old and new have sprinkled our travels this season and we are very grateful for their kindnesses.  After leaving Highborne Cay, we spent a few nights with Tim and Diane among several other boats off the Normans where we explored several exposed and protected anchorages before heading further south to the Land and Sea Park at Warderick Wells. 

After weathering another blow we scooted down to Cambridge for another week hiding from weather in this protected part of the park.  Steve used the time to refinish the pilot house floor between snorkeling and diving excursions or walks on the beach.  After a brief stop at Staniel Cay for a grocery run and propane refill, we headed to Black Point Settlement so we could visit the laundry with a view.  This all-purpose operation includes laundry, haircuts, and sweet treats with a smile from Ida the cheerful owner. Again we were beset by high winds fortunately from the northeast – a direction from which we had a little protection – but then not much is protected when winds exceed 40 knots.  On the first of 4 or 5 nights of winds we had a major disaster – at least a major inconvenience.  Our NEW AB RIB ate its painter (that’s the rope which should tie her to the mother ship.)  The next morning was not a happy one when we discovered no dink behind the boat.  Now this is our car and only vessel to get to shore which is essential in the Bahamas since docks for the big boat are few and far between.  Without the dink we would have been marooned on our floating home if it were not for the kindness of fellow boaters. These find folks came out of the waves to help us even getting us on shore during the blow and for days after, ferrying us to docktails and delivering brownies to keep our spirits up.  Recovering the wandering dink was  pretty a much hopeless proposition since a quick glance at the charts shows nothing much South East of Black Point until Cuba – we are hoping some lucky soul will recover her and enjoy the bounty since she was well stocked with radio, depth sounder, dive gear and other miscellaneous essentials.  Steve immediately got busy trying to replace on the local market all the stuff we would need to continue.  Luckily we knew motors were available in Georgetown and with a quick call he reserved the only one in the store.  We had to show up in Goergetown by the end of the next week to get it, however.  Then he found only two dinghy boats in the stores in Nassau – one was only 8 feet (we lost a 10.5 footer) and a 13 footer.  Magically – read many multiple phone calls -  the dink made it onto the mail boat to meet the motor in Georgetown about the time we would get there.  Mind – there was at least 5 days of very windy weather which impeded our travel schedule as well as those mail boats. We arrived in Georgetown a mere hour and half before they closed on the last day we had to close the sale on the motor.  The motor dealer had also retrieved our new giant dink from the delivery boat and we were once again able to get on and off Erben Renewal at will.  

Water Taxi taking Steve to shore to meet his new dink and motor:

Steve had to spend 10 hours running the  new motor around the harbor in Georgetown which he used to break it in and visit every marine shop along the harbor to replenish his missing gear and those essential toys (tools).

One trip into town rewarded us with a local festival - good eats and music:

Also, after hours and hours online – and tons of our Bahama data (which thankfully is much cheaper this year than ever before) – Steve has managed to not only replace the essentials but also start the complex insurance claim process. Just to complicate things further our old Iphone case leaked and drowned; the phone = hotspot. Fortunately, Batel Co. has a convenient office in Georgetown and a spiffy replacement was had for a mere 50$ which kept us connected until the new phone arrived.   All of this has kept Steve more than busy while we waited for our first guests.

Paul and Amanda arrived – first off their flight and nearly first through customs for a week in the sun.  Sadly, the winds limited the traveling we could do, but they were delightful and easy to entertain even though we were unable to show them everything. Catching a BIG Mahi Mahi, a lobster, spearing various other fishand a few conchs may have helped.  

They got in a diving day and lots of walks, runs, and snorkels.  It was great fun to just sit around and watch the sunset.  Just about any place with sun and warm water must be welcome after a Seattle winter.

Our next batch of guests arrived a few days after we said goodbye to Paul and Amanda. 

Jim and Greg are longtime friends from our time in Saudi whose wives agreed to let them spend some time with us in the Exumas – just about the best wives going!  The boys lucked into nearly perfect weather so we ran back up to Cambridge and showed them the highlights there, then stopped to visit the famous pigs at Staniel Cay and dove the Thunderball Grotto, fished off White Point, hiked to the cave behind Oven Rock and walked the shores of Lee Stocking Cay where Amanda and Paul anchored with us during their stay. Fun and frolics in between!

We ended up in Emerald Bay Marina – just for a water stop but decided to stay for the Monday Nite “Happier Hour” and access to a TV for the NCAA final game. (We ARE UNC fans!)

Jim and Greg are also excellent crew and we appreciated all their expert help:

Lots of good talks were enjoyed, but not much success was had with the fishing in spite of our long runs up and down the sound.   Lobster season also closed before the guys found any accommodating bugs, so we managed to feast on Paul’s Mahi and our ship’s stores – no complaints were heard. Check with the guys for the whole story.

Erben Renewal style conch fritters:

From here we are heading to Long Island to meet up with sailing buddies Cathy and Kim for a trip down to the Jumentos and Ragged islands before turning north for home waters.  Cell coverage may be slim down that way and the stress of this Bahamian relaxed life will undoubtedly make our updates even more sporadic…. Eventually all the beautiful photos will show up so stay tuned.

Hopefully our new dink will survive – she is also showing a wandering tendency.  ....another dink rescue:

Fish Tails

Fish Tails

Before the fish tails we have to mention the wonderful folk at Bimini Sands Marina – especially our neighboring boaters Maya and Dieter with the wonder dog Kalypso. These two long time visitors to Bimini welcomed us by catching our lines, advising on the best places to eat or shop and escorting us on the local nature trail.  Boaters are the most gracious people, and these two are among the best.

Bimini Nature Trail with Dieter

Leaving Bimini we were again lucky to have a quiet night on the bank on our way into West Bay anchorage off New Providence.  Then another longish day into Highborne anchorage.  This stretch finally produced more than a nibble on Steve’s lines.  Last trip we caught fish coming off the bank but this time it was leaving the tongue of the ocean back onto the shallows behind the Exuma chain.  Of course, there were three strikes at once – even the teaser caught a fish, but only one managed to find its way on board. Still good eating.  Then there was the whale – Steve says the biggest thing he has ever had on – that one took most of his line and rig – snapping like thread.  Our next u-turn looked promising until we hauled it in – something with sharp teeth got most of that tuna! Then there was that sail fish that along with the cuda we set free......

Shark waiting for the fishermen to clean fish in Highborne

The fish tails end here but not so for Julia’s tail which she bruised hauling the anchor with her unique grace. We were headed into Highborne marina to wait out a cold front – when the said tail made abrupt contact with the deck – never dropping that anchor fortunately.  Since we did not explore this cay last trip, we thought the splurge would be worth it to see this island we had read about. The once rustic resort is now a first-class destination with a protected marina, pristine beaches and friendly Bahamian staff.   The storms did limit our enjoyment of the beaches but never fear – fun was had with other boaters also weather bound.  Not surprisingly there were also two fellow Krogen’s in the harbor – one that we weather Hermine with back last fall.  Sailboats, fast fishing boats, slow trawlers (like us) and a handful of mega yachts – just enjoying the winter, oh and waiting for the tailbone to recover….

Walking in the rain

Breakfast on the BANK

Microwave Gremlins

Microwave Gremlins

Sunrise on our way to Fort Pierce

The weather gods were kind giving us a calm stretch to jump outside from St Augustine into the Fort Pierce inlet for a nice rest in the Fort Pierce City Marina.  At the Krogen Rendezvous we won three free nights here which we extended a few more to enjoy Super Bowl weekend.  The town is a mixed bag in many ways with sparkling vintage and vintage-retro buildings next to open spaces hinting of failed redevelopment. Nevertheless, the place is hopping – there was a lively Friday Fest with food booths, music and great people watching, followed by the best Farmer’s Market in Florida on Saturday as well as a Pirate Fest also along the river. All this with a great Publix and other shopping a short bike ride down US1. Our stop was made even better with good friends on Hobo including us in their boater group happy hours…And then the historic Super Bowl Game!  Hopefully no one ever fears our cruiser life is tough.

                                  

                                  

From Fort Pierce, we stayed inside on the AICW to a handy spot just inside the Lake Worth Inlet. As we were getting ready to leave the next morning for an off shore run of 10+ hours into Miami, our Microwave Oven provided a few spectacular fireworks and gave its last gasp. So, on our offshore run we dialed up Amazon on the smart phone and ordered a replacement.  Of course, they no longer make the same white one as we had – which careful readers might remember we replace once already back on the loop in the fall of 2013 under mysterious circumstances. Now we just had to buy a stainless model.  We also ordered the install kit since no one could tell us if the newer model could use the kit we already had. A premium was paid so that the order would be OVERNITED to a very kind marina in Miami Beach.  (We were planning to anchor just inside the channel at Government Cut behind the exclusive Fisher Island where no mail delivery was possible.) With the usual Amazon efficiency, we got the order in before the deadline thinking at most we’d get a later start toward Bimini.  Well – in less than an hour we received a nice confirmation – the bracket would be there overnite as ordered but the microwave not until Wednesday before 8PM.  After long hours with various Amazon call center folks, Steve was told in rather rude terms that they would redirect the shipment but could not stop it. Not our typical Amazon experience. We also continued to receive the usual delivery text messages making us sure that the items were indeed going to be delivered not redirected.  After imposing on the marina to help us by accepting our delivery even though we were not guests in their facility, we opted to stick around and wait for the late delivery.

off shore North Miami Beach

View from our Miami Ancorage 

Night visitor

Reluctant to leave even with our cats

One more thing on the weather. We are often talking about weather since it dictates what and when we can travel. Our best crossing of the Gulf Stream would, naturally, have been on Wednesday while we were sitting in the scenic spot off Government Cut. The run to Bimini from there is only 7 to 8 hours for us and Thursday, although not ideal, looked possible.  The bad news is the next four days would not be ideal for anything but sitting tight.  On the bright side, we are now sitting comfortably in the Bimini Sands Marina legally checked in with our new microwave waiting for the next weather window to head across the Bahamas Bank and south. The next three months or so will find us wandering the islands with their clear clean waters.  Postings will depend on the random luck of finding WIFI although we will mostly have e-mail when near a cell tower.                               

                           

                           

                          

Princess and her nip underway

                         

Daddio keeping busy underway