Trip So Far

Hi all,
The thunderstorms have passed and we are left with partly cloudy skies and wind gusting to 30 kts. The high is supposed to be around 75 today. This is what a cold front looks like in the Bahamas. All things considered, not bad.

Not being able to get off the boat has given me some time to enter trip data into a spreadsheet. So here is a recap.

In 194 days since leaving Kemah on July 11, we have gone approximately 1820 miles, made four overnight passages, the longest which was 190 miles and 32 hours. The next longest passage was 125 miles and 20 hours when we crossed the Gulf Steam from Marathon to Bimini.

It has been a blast and we're looking forward to the next piece of the adventure. On to the Exumas in the next day or two!

Take care.
Brian

Rock Sound Harbour

Hi all,
We're now in Rock Sound Harbor towards the south end of Eleuthera. We spent a couple of days anchored by "Glass Window". I'll post some pictures from there once I have a better WiFi connection. It was really nice. There were about 8 boats that made the same trip with us. The wind was favorable so we were able to sail most of the way, at least until we went through Current Cut. Current Cut is a narrow cut between two islands that has a fair bit of, wait for it... Current. We were the fifth boat through and had no trouble.

We did a little exploring by dinghy and then made some new friends by accident. By Phillip's accident, not ours. Before leaving Spanish Wells Phillip waved to another boat (Cookie) and got his hand into his wind generator. Barbara, on Cookie, is a nurse and after looking at Phillip's hand decided it needed stitches. So we meet Phillip and Teresa from Sea Ya as Susan sewed up Phillip's hand, about 20 stitches worth.

Wednesday we sailed almost 50 miles to Rock Sound. Other than being a bit chilly, it was a great day for sailing. Ben on Loon sailed with us. We were some of the first boats in Rock Sound but with the coming bad weather we weren't alone long. Now we're sitting on the boat in the rain. There is a good chance of squalls with wind up to 60 kts this afternoon and evening so everyone is just waiting on the weather now that all the preparations have been made.

Decent weather isn't supposed to return until Monday so we'll be here until then. Our plan for Monday is to head to the Exumas and find a place to wait out the next storm on Thursday or Friday.

That's all for now.
Take care.
Brian

Hope Town, Crossing and Spanish Wells Pictures

The weather Jim and Pam Wilson had for half of their visit to Hope Town.

Good Morning Vietnam on the crossing to Eleuthera.

Passing Loon at 8:59

Z-Raye flying past at 9:05.

 Just as many golf carts as cars in the grocery store parking lot in Spanish Wells.

The small watermelons are only $5.95, the big one under the sign is $23.95.

Beach at Spanish Wells.

 The soft sand on the beach of Spanish Wells.

The beach fixes everything.

Beach "hut".

Nothing more need be said.

We rode our bikes over to Russell Island and had a drink and a snack at Sandbar Bar and Grille.

 The view from our table at Sandbar B&G.

The view from our table at Sandbar B&G, This does not suck.

Hammocks at Sandbar B&G.

Nap time.

NASA has been lying to us all these years!

Spanish Wells

Hi All,
We've been in Spanish Wells several days now and have enjoyed our time at the marina. We've spent more time with Ben on Loon and Andrew and Sharon on Z-Raye as well as met several new people. The weather hasn't been great but not all the much rain so it didn't really slow us down much other than delaying our departure to explore more of Eleuthera.

Yesterday, Saturday, was a gorgeous day and we took a long bike ride as well as a good long walk on the beach. Last night we had a (snack) pot luck on the dock and met and socialized with several of the people here at the marina. A good time was had by all. I guess I can't guarantee everyone had a good time but it sure seemed like it and there was a lot of laughing. Always a good sign.

If the weather forecast holds, tomorrow we'll move south along Eleuthera for a few days before jumping over to the Exumas where we can start exploring the Land and Sea park we've heard so much about.

I'll post a bunch of pictures in a separate post.

Take care.
Brian

The Abacos to Eleuthera

Hi All,

It's been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened. Last week Jim and Pam Wilson came to visit us in Hope Town. We had a great time in spite of the weather. Wednesday was the worst weather day we've had the entire time we've been on the boat, but Thursday the rain left, the sun came out and the wind died. We were finally able to get off the boat and see the town. We had a great time and I'm sure it was quite an experience for our friends to experience what it's like to live on a boat. 

After saying goodbye to Jim and Pam on Friday morning we did some errands and ended up back at Snappas, a bar in Marsh Harbour around sundown. There we met Andrew and Sharon on Z-Raye. We had a couple of drinks and had a really good time getting to know them.

Today we made our way from the Abacos (Little Harbour) to Spanish Wells on Eleuthera. We were part of a ten or twelve boat flotilla that left the Abacos. There were multiple "groups" in the flotilla, We stayed in touch with Ben on Loon, and Andrew and Sharon on Z-Raye as we made the 9 hour trip. We had manageable wind, though not from an advantageous direction, and six to eight foot swells behind us. The good news on the swells were that they were about eleven seconds apart so most of the time it was a gentle roll.

Loon and Good Morning Vietnam raised anchor at 6:30 this morning and were in the Atlantic by 7:00. Z-Raye left about 30 minutes behind us but being in a much faster boat passed us well before we made it to Eleuthera. Of the ten boats that were headed to Eleuthera, Good Morning Vietnam took the lead at 8:59. At 9:05 Z-Raye flew past us.

Tonight we're on an anchor just outside the inlet to Spanish Wells. Tomorrow we'll move to a marina inside the harbour for a day or two.

All is well but wifi has been hard to come by. Hopefully I can post more regularly again now
Take care.
Brian

A stroll around Hope Town

No, Susan is not growing a Fu Man Chu. I didn't notice the Christmas Lights hanging in front of her when I took the picture.

 The Hope Town municipal building. Police Station downstairs, Police Commissioner, Post Office and District Council upstairs.

The entrance to the police station.

The nurse comes over from Marsh Harbour on Thursdays.

 Now THESE are some banker's hours!

 One of several gift shops in town.

Hope Town's grocery store. There is one other, Vernon's.

The beach in Hope Town.

 One of many beach houses for rent.

Waves on the beach.

Susan with the fire truck.

 Notice the dog in the window...

HTVFR

The road to the north end of Elbow Cay out of Hope Town,

That's all the pictures for now.
Brian

Pictures

Hope Town Lighthouse

Hope Town Harbour with Atlantic Ocean in the background

Good Morning Vietnam in Hope Town Harbour. Loon is directly in front of us

Ben explaining

Captain Iris at the helm with icicles still hanging from the bimini

Man-of-War Cay Main Street

Lunch at Dock and Dine on Man-of-War

Susan with one of the many float trees around Man-of-War. Caught Ben and Iris coming out of the store at the same time!

Welcome 2016

Hi All,
Happy New Year from Hope Town! Since Christmas we've done a lot of taking it easy and enjoying the area. Susan walked up to the top of the Hope Town Lighthouse and took some pictures. I started up but my fear of heights took over and I didn't make it. Later I'll post the pictures she took. I hate being so wimpy.

We've met several new people, Ben on Loon and his friend Iris that was visiting for a week and Bill and Eileen on Cerce 2. Ben has done some 40,000 miles of cruising and Iris captains an 90 year old, wooden charter sailboat in Chesapeake Bay during the summer. We took them with us over to grocery shop in Marsh Harbour on Monday. On the way back we sailed and were able to pick their brains and learn a few things. On Wednesday the four of us motored over to Man-of-War Cay for lunch and to look around and then sailed back. More lessons. The time would have been well spent just for the lessons but we really enjoyed their company as well. Loon is moored next to us so Ben ends up stopping by most days as he watches us struggle to do this or that.Yesterday he helped us lower the mainsail, do a little repair and then hoist it back up again. The in-mast roller furling is working much easier now.  Thanks, Ben, for everything!

New Year's Eve fireworks in Hope Town were fantastic, much better than I expected. That was after a few drinks on Loon with Ben, Bill and Eileen from Cerce 2 and Tobin and Sam from Angel. A good time was had by all.

Today we plan to go outside the harbour, anchor and clean the bottom of the boat. Not really something we're (I) am looking forward to but it needs to get done. It will be our first attempt at using the snuba / hookah we bought before leaving Kemah.

That's it for now.
Take care.
Brian