Thursday, April 12, 2018
The Party's Over......until next time!
Our last two weeks in the southern sun went by in a flash, but not without a few 'ups' and 'downs'. The 'ups' relate to the people and the sun which shone most days on the lovely little village of Hope Town. They far outweigh the 'downs' now that we can look back from the distance of a few weeks.
However, the story of our return trip to Florida would not be complete without including them.
So here goes.
Our engine and starter problems...Dr. Diesel to the rescue.
We were watching the weather carefully using so many weather forecasters that confusion often set in! Our main 'oracle' was Chris Parker, followed by Marv's Weather, Buoy Weather, Passage Weather, Weather Underground...I could go on! We needed five good days to get ourselves back across the Gulf Stream to Harbortown Marina in Ft. Pierce. We planned to leave Hope Town on Sunday 1st April....April Fool's Day. On the Thursday, in preparation for our trip, Bill began checking the boat, looking at the electronics, engine and sails. He started with the engine....which refused to start! So began a saga which travelled with us all the way back! Would the engine start or leave us stranded.....a particular nightmare was being stranded at our en route anchorage at Great Sale Cay - miles from anywhere and without cell phone coverage!
Our rescue came in the form of our friend, Ron, who has been christened with the name 'Dr. Diesel' by many a grateful sailor. Ron diagnosed the first problem - dead starter battery. What could we do, bearing in mind this was the beginning of the four day Easter Holiday and everything was closed? Dr. Diesel had the answer! A word in someone's ear at Captain Jack's pub led to an early morning dinghy ride up the creek to pick up a new battery from Ron's friend. We were saved! But not quite. The engine started and we all cheered - we had an anxious audience of Ben & Margaret, 'Diva's' owners, and our travelling companions for the first leg or the trip. Our optimism was short lived as, shortly afterwards, the engine again failed to start. Dr. Diesel to the rescue again! Cleaning the corrosion of the electrical leads seemed to do the trick. Hurray!
It was April Fool's Day - we were due to cast off at 9 a.m., but again the engine failed to start! When we e-mailed Dr.Diesel he thought it was an April Fool's joke! But soon he was alongside in his dinghy, and coming to our rescue once again. To cut a long story short, a loose wire in the starter mechanism was the culprit this time. This was fixed and off we went, with a niggling worry at the back of our minds....would the engine keep starting for us. We told ourselves it just needed to work for five starts! Not much to ask.
We sailed through the 'Whale', the often impassable inlet to the Sea of Abaco from the Atlantic, without a problem, and anchored for our first night at Manjack Cay - a very pretty anchorage just west of Green Turtle Cay. 'Diva' was already anchored there, and kindly took some great photos of 'Southern Vectis' in full sail. The next two legs of the trip went smoothly - both eight hour days on the Little Bahama Banks with an overnight anchorage at Great Sale Cay. The engine started perfectly - phew! We arrived at our jumping-off spot for the Gulf Stream crossing - Old Bahama Bay Marina - early in the afternoon after a pre-dawn start to get us through the rock-strewn Indian Rock channel, which is only passable at half tide and more. We spent a lovely afternoon on the beach.
Our crossing went well apart from a couple of stray squalls which moved away quickly. After a night at anchor in Lake Worth (Palm Beach) we headed up the ICW to Ft. Pierce. It was good to tie up to our dock and enjoy the music and food at the 'Harbor Cove Tiki Bar'.
We have left 'Southern Vectis' at her dock in Ft. Pierce as we have decided to sell her. We bought her in 2008 and she has given us so many good times and good memories, not to mention good friends. We hope her new owners will enjoy her as much as we have. But our winters in the sun have not come to an end because we have decided to become landlubbers in Hope Town next winter. We have rented a cottage for the months of February and March 2019, and are looking forward to enjoying all the fun of Hope Town from a different perspective.
However, the story of our return trip to Florida would not be complete without including them.
So here goes.
Our engine and starter problems...Dr. Diesel to the rescue.
We were watching the weather carefully using so many weather forecasters that confusion often set in! Our main 'oracle' was Chris Parker, followed by Marv's Weather, Buoy Weather, Passage Weather, Weather Underground...I could go on! We needed five good days to get ourselves back across the Gulf Stream to Harbortown Marina in Ft. Pierce. We planned to leave Hope Town on Sunday 1st April....April Fool's Day. On the Thursday, in preparation for our trip, Bill began checking the boat, looking at the electronics, engine and sails. He started with the engine....which refused to start! So began a saga which travelled with us all the way back! Would the engine start or leave us stranded.....a particular nightmare was being stranded at our en route anchorage at Great Sale Cay - miles from anywhere and without cell phone coverage!
Our rescue came in the form of our friend, Ron, who has been christened with the name 'Dr. Diesel' by many a grateful sailor. Ron diagnosed the first problem - dead starter battery. What could we do, bearing in mind this was the beginning of the four day Easter Holiday and everything was closed? Dr. Diesel had the answer! A word in someone's ear at Captain Jack's pub led to an early morning dinghy ride up the creek to pick up a new battery from Ron's friend. We were saved! But not quite. The engine started and we all cheered - we had an anxious audience of Ben & Margaret, 'Diva's' owners, and our travelling companions for the first leg or the trip. Our optimism was short lived as, shortly afterwards, the engine again failed to start. Dr. Diesel to the rescue again! Cleaning the corrosion of the electrical leads seemed to do the trick. Hurray!
It was April Fool's Day - we were due to cast off at 9 a.m., but again the engine failed to start! When we e-mailed Dr.Diesel he thought it was an April Fool's joke! But soon he was alongside in his dinghy, and coming to our rescue once again. To cut a long story short, a loose wire in the starter mechanism was the culprit this time. This was fixed and off we went, with a niggling worry at the back of our minds....would the engine keep starting for us. We told ourselves it just needed to work for five starts! Not much to ask.
We sailed through the 'Whale', the often impassable inlet to the Sea of Abaco from the Atlantic, without a problem, and anchored for our first night at Manjack Cay - a very pretty anchorage just west of Green Turtle Cay. 'Diva' was already anchored there, and kindly took some great photos of 'Southern Vectis' in full sail. The next two legs of the trip went smoothly - both eight hour days on the Little Bahama Banks with an overnight anchorage at Great Sale Cay. The engine started perfectly - phew! We arrived at our jumping-off spot for the Gulf Stream crossing - Old Bahama Bay Marina - early in the afternoon after a pre-dawn start to get us through the rock-strewn Indian Rock channel, which is only passable at half tide and more. We spent a lovely afternoon on the beach.
Our crossing went well apart from a couple of stray squalls which moved away quickly. After a night at anchor in Lake Worth (Palm Beach) we headed up the ICW to Ft. Pierce. It was good to tie up to our dock and enjoy the music and food at the 'Harbor Cove Tiki Bar'.
We have left 'Southern Vectis' at her dock in Ft. Pierce as we have decided to sell her. We bought her in 2008 and she has given us so many good times and good memories, not to mention good friends. We hope her new owners will enjoy her as much as we have. But our winters in the sun have not come to an end because we have decided to become landlubbers in Hope Town next winter. We have rented a cottage for the months of February and March 2019, and are looking forward to enjoying all the fun of Hope Town from a different perspective.
Friday, March 30, 2018
'Wheels on Fire'....our gastronomic cycling tour.
Windy days have kept boats tied to their docks.... or moorings, if they are lucky enough to have them. Hope Town is filling up with the pre-Easter crowd. But even when the Sea of Abaco is off limits, there's still lots to do on shore.
With this in mind, a small, intrepid group decided to test their fitness levels and endurance by embarking on a cycling tour of Elbow Cay. Ron, Jane, Louise, Bill & Mary set off on a testing itinerary which would be mainly guided by refreshments stops!
Our first stop was to be the new patisserie, 'Sweets', on the road south to the Abaco Inn. The promise of fragrant, continental coffee, and mouth-watering pastries kept us pedalling up hill and down until we screeched to halt (it's hard to stop elegantly using back-pedal brakes) beside the sign which read:
" Sweets will be closed today from 10 a.m until 1 p.m." It was 11:15 a.m.! Luckily, as we gathered disconsolately at the roadside we were suddenly aware of a sweet and delicious fragrance floating across the road. We followed our noses and found 'Wally's Diner' and were soon tucking into sticky cinnamon buns and coffee.
Now we really needed some exercise! We cycled on along the rough coastal road stopping to admire the towering Atlantic waves crashing on the shore. No surfers braving it today!
We passed by the Abaco Inn and it's delights, and Sea Spray Marina which holds fond memories of ice cream sundaes. We were heading for Tahiti Beach which was now uncovered by the low tide.
Boats were anchored off the shore, and groups of beach wanderers were searching the uncovered
sand for conch shells and other treasures. We wandered too, paddling in the luke warm pools.
The tide was beginning to turn, so our thoughts began to turn to the gastronomic purpose of our energetic endeavours. We took a vote on where to re-fuel our energies on our route back - Sea Spray,
Abaco Inn or Firefly Restaurant. Firefly won easily, and soon our wheels were flying over the rocks and sand until our reward was in sight. Beautiful Firefly, on the west side of Elbow Cay, was sheltered from the easterly wind that day....in the lee, in sailing language. No wild winds and seas here, just azure sea and sky, and delicious treats to eat and drink.
So our perfect day came to a perfect end. Same time next year we all vowed....but more refreshment stops en route please!
With this in mind, a small, intrepid group decided to test their fitness levels and endurance by embarking on a cycling tour of Elbow Cay. Ron, Jane, Louise, Bill & Mary set off on a testing itinerary which would be mainly guided by refreshments stops!
Our first stop was to be the new patisserie, 'Sweets', on the road south to the Abaco Inn. The promise of fragrant, continental coffee, and mouth-watering pastries kept us pedalling up hill and down until we screeched to halt (it's hard to stop elegantly using back-pedal brakes) beside the sign which read:
" Sweets will be closed today from 10 a.m until 1 p.m." It was 11:15 a.m.! Luckily, as we gathered disconsolately at the roadside we were suddenly aware of a sweet and delicious fragrance floating across the road. We followed our noses and found 'Wally's Diner' and were soon tucking into sticky cinnamon buns and coffee.
Now we really needed some exercise! We cycled on along the rough coastal road stopping to admire the towering Atlantic waves crashing on the shore. No surfers braving it today!
We passed by the Abaco Inn and it's delights, and Sea Spray Marina which holds fond memories of ice cream sundaes. We were heading for Tahiti Beach which was now uncovered by the low tide.
Boats were anchored off the shore, and groups of beach wanderers were searching the uncovered
sand for conch shells and other treasures. We wandered too, paddling in the luke warm pools.
The tide was beginning to turn, so our thoughts began to turn to the gastronomic purpose of our energetic endeavours. We took a vote on where to re-fuel our energies on our route back - Sea Spray,
Abaco Inn or Firefly Restaurant. Firefly won easily, and soon our wheels were flying over the rocks and sand until our reward was in sight. Beautiful Firefly, on the west side of Elbow Cay, was sheltered from the easterly wind that day....in the lee, in sailing language. No wild winds and seas here, just azure sea and sky, and delicious treats to eat and drink.
So our perfect day came to a perfect end. Same time next year we all vowed....but more refreshment stops en route please!
Saturday, March 24, 2018
A great week spent showing off the delights of Hope Town!
Our friends, Joan & Wayne, left our sunny shores yesterday....but they will return! How do we know? Well, they left with sand in their shoes.....a sure sign.....and they have already made their reservations for next year!
In the past week, we have had great fun showing them around Hope Town & Elbow Cay. In fact they haven't had many spare moments since their arrival day, which started almost as soon as they had set foot off the ferry,with a party at a friend's house. The 'Barefoot Man' concert the next day set the tone for the rest of their trip! Here is a short list of the gastronomic and other adventures we had together!
* Saturday - Day out with lunch and Art Show (free wine tasting!) at the Abaco Inn, followed by dessert at Sea Spray Marina.
* Sunday - Cocktails and Prime Rib dinner at the Hope Town Lodge.
* Monday - We rented a 19 foot run-about and toured the west side of Elbow Cay. We had delicious lunch at the beautiful 'Firefly' resort, and then anchored our boat off Tahiti Beach for a swim and beach walk. A perfect day with sizzling weather.
* Tuesday - At the 'Cay Topics' luncheon at the Hope Town Marina we heard about the activities of the 'Harbour Rats' - a group of boaters who came to Hope Town about 20 years ago, and were the founders of the friendly and helpful community which Hope Town and its' inhabitants, both on the water and on shore, has now become.
* Wednesday - dinner at 'On Da Beach' restaurant - renowned for its' fresh fish. Unfortunately the restaurant had run out of fish by the time we arrived! We made do with shrimps!
* Thursday - our farewell dinner at the Hope Twon Marina.
We are looking forward to seeing Wayne & Joan back in Niagara-on-the-Lake....and also back in Hope Town next year.
In the past week, we have had great fun showing them around Hope Town & Elbow Cay. In fact they haven't had many spare moments since their arrival day, which started almost as soon as they had set foot off the ferry,with a party at a friend's house. The 'Barefoot Man' concert the next day set the tone for the rest of their trip! Here is a short list of the gastronomic and other adventures we had together!
* Saturday - Day out with lunch and Art Show (free wine tasting!) at the Abaco Inn, followed by dessert at Sea Spray Marina.
* Sunday - Cocktails and Prime Rib dinner at the Hope Town Lodge.
* Monday - We rented a 19 foot run-about and toured the west side of Elbow Cay. We had delicious lunch at the beautiful 'Firefly' resort, and then anchored our boat off Tahiti Beach for a swim and beach walk. A perfect day with sizzling weather.
* Tuesday - At the 'Cay Topics' luncheon at the Hope Town Marina we heard about the activities of the 'Harbour Rats' - a group of boaters who came to Hope Town about 20 years ago, and were the founders of the friendly and helpful community which Hope Town and its' inhabitants, both on the water and on shore, has now become.
* Wednesday - dinner at 'On Da Beach' restaurant - renowned for its' fresh fish. Unfortunately the restaurant had run out of fish by the time we arrived! We made do with shrimps!
* Thursday - our farewell dinner at the Hope Twon Marina.
We are looking forward to seeing Wayne & Joan back in Niagara-on-the-Lake....and also back in Hope Town next year.
Monday, March 19, 2018
A Barefoot Day to remember
The sun shone from a cloudless sky, and the playful wavelets on the Sea of Abaco shimmered and glistened in the heat of the day. The crowd waiting at 'Froggies' ferry dock in Hope Town was in a festive mood.
Our friends, Joan & Wayne, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, had arrived just the previous day, for their first trip to Hope Town. For them it was to be a baptism, not by fire, but by fun! Nothing fazed them - not even the non-arrival of their luggage!
Our ferry to Guana Cay for the Barefoot Man concert was a little cramped, but what did we care! We were on our way to a red-letter day! As we clambered off the boat at Guana, our young ferry captain made a brave attempt to record his passengers' names. His record keeping seemed a bit haphazard. He would pick us up at 5 p.m., or he would come and find us, he said.
We headed to 'Grabbers Bar' for an early lunch beside Fishers Bay, which was packed with boats of all shapes and sizes. Dinghies were unloading boatloads of Barefoot Man fans, who headed towards the sandy path to 'Nippers Bar', home of the annual concerts.
'Nippers Bar' is a technicolour artist's dream, perched high above a snow-white beach. Each post, fence or wall is painted a different colour!
Barefoot Man, whose real name is George Nowak, was in fine form, and audience participation was in full swing when we arrived. The most popular song of the afternoon was a re-worked version of an old song called 'Alice', using slightly different lyrics! Barefoot Man sung it twice by popular demand. Another old favourite, "It Don't Get Better Than This", was a perfect description of the day.
Our boat-load actually made it back to the ferry dock on time and in fairly good shape! The only glitch upon leaving the dock was a lipstick dropped in the water! It floated, the boat backtracked, circled and then, using perfect 'man overboard' tactics, the lipstick was retrieved!
The perfect day came to an end when we climbed, with Wayne and Joan, up the wooden stairs to their room at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge, and found that their luggage had arrived.
Our friends, Joan & Wayne, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, had arrived just the previous day, for their first trip to Hope Town. For them it was to be a baptism, not by fire, but by fun! Nothing fazed them - not even the non-arrival of their luggage!
Our ferry to Guana Cay for the Barefoot Man concert was a little cramped, but what did we care! We were on our way to a red-letter day! As we clambered off the boat at Guana, our young ferry captain made a brave attempt to record his passengers' names. His record keeping seemed a bit haphazard. He would pick us up at 5 p.m., or he would come and find us, he said.
We headed to 'Grabbers Bar' for an early lunch beside Fishers Bay, which was packed with boats of all shapes and sizes. Dinghies were unloading boatloads of Barefoot Man fans, who headed towards the sandy path to 'Nippers Bar', home of the annual concerts.
'Nippers Bar' is a technicolour artist's dream, perched high above a snow-white beach. Each post, fence or wall is painted a different colour!
Barefoot Man, whose real name is George Nowak, was in fine form, and audience participation was in full swing when we arrived. The most popular song of the afternoon was a re-worked version of an old song called 'Alice', using slightly different lyrics! Barefoot Man sung it twice by popular demand. Another old favourite, "It Don't Get Better Than This", was a perfect description of the day.
Our boat-load actually made it back to the ferry dock on time and in fairly good shape! The only glitch upon leaving the dock was a lipstick dropped in the water! It floated, the boat backtracked, circled and then, using perfect 'man overboard' tactics, the lipstick was retrieved!
The perfect day came to an end when we climbed, with Wayne and Joan, up the wooden stairs to their room at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge, and found that their luggage had arrived.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Taking a pie to lunch - a balancing act!
A few days ago we were invited to lunch on land....a little way south of the harbour. We were going to Glen & Louise's home. We had met Glen & Louise many years ago when we were first in the Abacos. Over the past few years they had sold their boat and built a unique and lovely home in the countryside. Our small contribution to the lunch was to be a key-lime pie from the local grocery store, Vernon's. Vernon, who is advanced in years, but entirely capable of running his store and baking his own bread and pies daily, makes his pies with towering meringue toppings which have been likened to the huge white-capped waves which have been pounding these shores for the past few days!
We chose bicycles for our transportation for the 20 minute trip. The other option would have been to hitch a ride on a golf cart. Our rental bikes were very comfortable with the best gears we've ever come across. We set off with the pie dangling precariously from Mary's handlebars! All started well. It was a beautiful day, and the road was smooth to start with. Unfortunately, as we hadn't visited Glen & Louise's for some time, we were not sure of the correct turn-off, so we tried all of the unmade and extremely rough lanes. After the third try we were forced to admit defeat, and phoned our hosts! By the time we arrived our lovely pie, whose towering crust had been majestic perfection, had shrunk and shrivelled to half its' size!
We ate a delicious lunch on the balcony, with 'bananaquits' (small, yellow and black birds), flying in and out of Glen & Louise's living area, and hummingbirds whirring and darting around the balcony looking for sweet nectar. We were looking over a true Bahamian garden filled with exotic plants and fruits. The turquoise Sea of Abaco was visible over the trees.
David and Jill, from the catamaran, 'Jilly Q', were there too. We had met them first many years ago when we were all (including Glen & Louise in their Beneteau) at moorings in the harbour. We had lots to talk about.
Finally, after a wonderful afternoon, it was time to jump on our bikes and find our way back. We cycled home on the coast road overlooking the Atlantic, and only got lost once!
We chose bicycles for our transportation for the 20 minute trip. The other option would have been to hitch a ride on a golf cart. Our rental bikes were very comfortable with the best gears we've ever come across. We set off with the pie dangling precariously from Mary's handlebars! All started well. It was a beautiful day, and the road was smooth to start with. Unfortunately, as we hadn't visited Glen & Louise's for some time, we were not sure of the correct turn-off, so we tried all of the unmade and extremely rough lanes. After the third try we were forced to admit defeat, and phoned our hosts! By the time we arrived our lovely pie, whose towering crust had been majestic perfection, had shrunk and shrivelled to half its' size!
We ate a delicious lunch on the balcony, with 'bananaquits' (small, yellow and black birds), flying in and out of Glen & Louise's living area, and hummingbirds whirring and darting around the balcony looking for sweet nectar. We were looking over a true Bahamian garden filled with exotic plants and fruits. The turquoise Sea of Abaco was visible over the trees.
David and Jill, from the catamaran, 'Jilly Q', were there too. We had met them first many years ago when we were all (including Glen & Louise in their Beneteau) at moorings in the harbour. We had lots to talk about.
Finally, after a wonderful afternoon, it was time to jump on our bikes and find our way back. We cycled home on the coast road overlooking the Atlantic, and only got lost once!
Thursday, March 8, 2018
Hope Town - life in the fast lane.j
Life is busy in this little town! We've been here just over a week now, and there haven't been many spare minutes. That's great, but I've been itching to write a few words in the blog! This morning is 'it', while Bill uses his 'free' time to wash the boat.
Our week has been filled with old friends and new, meandering walks through shady lanes and strolls along sparkling beaches. Our 'old' friends, Ben & Margaret, here in the marina on 'Diva', have been their usual hospitable selves. We've met up with them and their guests, Bob & Linda, for drinks and for a delicious lunch at the 'Abaco Inn', high above the thundering and spectacular, Atlantic surf.
We've lunched beachside at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge, and we've even had a home-cooked meal - such a luxury. - on dry land, thanks to Jane & Ron. Last Friday we joined the throng at 'Wine Down Sip Sips' locals' gathering, and got to use our 'Sots' card - a most unusual form of identification!
A perfect day out on Glen & Jane's new 'runabout' took us along the west side of Elbow Cay past Tahiti Beach, and then back to tie up at the lovely 'Firefly Resort' for lunch. A great day, followed by an evening at the opening of a local art show at the 'Hummingbird Gallery'.
We've also had some 'weather'! Some annoying cold fronts with their accompnying strong winds have disturbed the normally placid 'Sea of Abaco'. Gulf Stream crossings have been off limits for the past week due to towering 16 foot waves and fiercesome northerly blows. Though the warm sun shines through most of the time, boats of all shapes and sizes have been running for cover, which is pretty much impossible to find in Hope Town Harbour as the marina and the mooring balls are full.
We feel very lucky to be tucked away here at our slip at the marina.
Our week has been filled with old friends and new, meandering walks through shady lanes and strolls along sparkling beaches. Our 'old' friends, Ben & Margaret, here in the marina on 'Diva', have been their usual hospitable selves. We've met up with them and their guests, Bob & Linda, for drinks and for a delicious lunch at the 'Abaco Inn', high above the thundering and spectacular, Atlantic surf.
We've lunched beachside at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge, and we've even had a home-cooked meal - such a luxury. - on dry land, thanks to Jane & Ron. Last Friday we joined the throng at 'Wine Down Sip Sips' locals' gathering, and got to use our 'Sots' card - a most unusual form of identification!
A perfect day out on Glen & Jane's new 'runabout' took us along the west side of Elbow Cay past Tahiti Beach, and then back to tie up at the lovely 'Firefly Resort' for lunch. A great day, followed by an evening at the opening of a local art show at the 'Hummingbird Gallery'.
We've also had some 'weather'! Some annoying cold fronts with their accompnying strong winds have disturbed the normally placid 'Sea of Abaco'. Gulf Stream crossings have been off limits for the past week due to towering 16 foot waves and fiercesome northerly blows. Though the warm sun shines through most of the time, boats of all shapes and sizes have been running for cover, which is pretty much impossible to find in Hope Town Harbour as the marina and the mooring balls are full.
We feel very lucky to be tucked away here at our slip at the marina.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Southern Vectis and the midnight prowler.
It was our first night at the dock at Hope Town Harbour Marina. We had falled asleep to the gentle lapping of waves against the hull, and the rustlings of night creatures....and fellow boaters. At midnight we suddenly awoke. There was a very different sound - the pattering of small feet running across our decks! We lay there, half asleep. Could it be a large rat, or even a fast-moving iguana! The moonlight streaming through the hatch was suddenly blotted out by a moving shadow. It was time for action!
We crept out of bed, peered around into the cabin, and came face to face with.....a small, black and white cat climbing down the companionway steps into the cabin. The cat was happy to see us! She enjoyed ten minutes of stroking and tummy tickling, and seemed set to stay the night. But we needed our beauty sleep, and the cat (we have since found out her name is Chloe) had to go ashore. She would need help to do this, as the tide was low, and the boat was floating at least a metre below the dock level. Chloe did not want to leave! We soon found that holding a wriggling, complaining ball of fur, armed with very sharp claws, is no easy task. She let out ear-piercing yowls which must have woken up the whole marina. Eventually, when we had managed to lift her and deposit her on dry land, she sauntered away without a backward glance. We collapsed back into bed to a night filled with dreams of big game hunting. The game had black and white stripes and very large claws, and a roar which could waken the dead, or sleepy sailors trying for a good night's rest!
We crept out of bed, peered around into the cabin, and came face to face with.....a small, black and white cat climbing down the companionway steps into the cabin. The cat was happy to see us! She enjoyed ten minutes of stroking and tummy tickling, and seemed set to stay the night. But we needed our beauty sleep, and the cat (we have since found out her name is Chloe) had to go ashore. She would need help to do this, as the tide was low, and the boat was floating at least a metre below the dock level. Chloe did not want to leave! We soon found that holding a wriggling, complaining ball of fur, armed with very sharp claws, is no easy task. She let out ear-piercing yowls which must have woken up the whole marina. Eventually, when we had managed to lift her and deposit her on dry land, she sauntered away without a backward glance. We collapsed back into bed to a night filled with dreams of big game hunting. The game had black and white stripes and very large claws, and a roar which could waken the dead, or sleepy sailors trying for a good night's rest!
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Arrival in Hope Town
February 27, 2018
We left our peaceful dock at the Green Turtle Club at 9:15 a.m. confident of calm seas through the Whale Passage and on to Hope Town. Just 25 miles to go, and we planned to break it up with a lunch anchorage at Guana Cay. Unfortunately it didn't quite work out that way!
Our weather man, Chris P., had been rather vague and indecisive about a cold front that was approaching from the north later that evening. When we left our dock, a few stray clouds were gathering to the north, but the sky was mostly an intense and beautiful blue. Our crossing through the Whale passage was the smoothest we'd ever experienced. But by the time we'd travelled through the passage the sky behind us, which we'd been trying to ignore, was a dark mass of clouds. The front was obviously moving faster than forecast. When we reached our lunch time anchorage, the black blanket of cloud had caught us up! Boats at anchor were leaving to head for shelter! We carried on past.
Now we had three hours to kill before we could enter Hope Town harbour. High tide at 6 p.m. meant that 3:30 p.m. was the earliest time we could safely enter the shallow harbour without running aground. The clear and turquoise sea was now a murky brown, full of white-capped waves. The wind blew up to 18 knots with gusts over 20 knots. The weather forecast had predicted light and variable breezes! For two hours we circled off Marsh Harbour. We needed sweaters now instead of shorts and flimsy T-shirts! The temperature dropped like a bomb from 26C to what felt like 16C within an hour.
Time passed. We reminisced about sailing in England which, in our memory, was always a cold, windy and wet experience!
3:30 p.m. arrived at last. We made our way slowly, navigating through the many shallows, to the harbour entrance and made it safely through. Turning into the marina's entrance, we spotted Ben, who had kindly arranged our dock for us. Bill made a perfect landing at the dock, and we breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The first day at our dock has been hot and sunny, and filled with visiting friends. Did we dream yesterday?
We left our peaceful dock at the Green Turtle Club at 9:15 a.m. confident of calm seas through the Whale Passage and on to Hope Town. Just 25 miles to go, and we planned to break it up with a lunch anchorage at Guana Cay. Unfortunately it didn't quite work out that way!
Our weather man, Chris P., had been rather vague and indecisive about a cold front that was approaching from the north later that evening. When we left our dock, a few stray clouds were gathering to the north, but the sky was mostly an intense and beautiful blue. Our crossing through the Whale passage was the smoothest we'd ever experienced. But by the time we'd travelled through the passage the sky behind us, which we'd been trying to ignore, was a dark mass of clouds. The front was obviously moving faster than forecast. When we reached our lunch time anchorage, the black blanket of cloud had caught us up! Boats at anchor were leaving to head for shelter! We carried on past.
Now we had three hours to kill before we could enter Hope Town harbour. High tide at 6 p.m. meant that 3:30 p.m. was the earliest time we could safely enter the shallow harbour without running aground. The clear and turquoise sea was now a murky brown, full of white-capped waves. The wind blew up to 18 knots with gusts over 20 knots. The weather forecast had predicted light and variable breezes! For two hours we circled off Marsh Harbour. We needed sweaters now instead of shorts and flimsy T-shirts! The temperature dropped like a bomb from 26C to what felt like 16C within an hour.
Time passed. We reminisced about sailing in England which, in our memory, was always a cold, windy and wet experience!
3:30 p.m. arrived at last. We made our way slowly, navigating through the many shallows, to the harbour entrance and made it safely through. Turning into the marina's entrance, we spotted Ben, who had kindly arranged our dock for us. Bill made a perfect landing at the dock, and we breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The first day at our dock has been hot and sunny, and filled with visiting friends. Did we dream yesterday?
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Island life - lazy days at Green Turtle.
Coconut bread, rum punches, curly-tail lizards, parrots flying across the setting sun - these are some of the sights, sounds and tastes of Green Turtle Cay.
The marina is full up now with sail and power boats sheltering from the strong easterlies that have been blowing for some days. We are very sheltered here at the Green Turtle Club, but across White Sound at the Bluff House Marina, boats are really feeling the draft! The mix of boats at our marina is interesting, two boats from us is a 150 foot two-masted sail boat, and next to that a giant motor cruiser.
The days pass gently here. We've walked lovely Coco Beach, and we've spent a day re-exploring the island with a golf cart. We had a lovely day out yesterday with Geoff and Katya of 'Blue Planet'. They are moored close by in Black Sound. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the recently renovated
'Leeward Yacht Club', followed by drinks on board 'Zela', Bill & Carmen's boat docked at Bluff House. We've also had 'boat drinks' with Linda & Steve, whose 44 foot Island Packet has brought them all the way from Lake Michigan to these balmy shores.
Word is going around that Monday or Tuesday could be the day we cross through 'The Whale'. We are in no particular hurry.
The marina is full up now with sail and power boats sheltering from the strong easterlies that have been blowing for some days. We are very sheltered here at the Green Turtle Club, but across White Sound at the Bluff House Marina, boats are really feeling the draft! The mix of boats at our marina is interesting, two boats from us is a 150 foot two-masted sail boat, and next to that a giant motor cruiser.
The days pass gently here. We've walked lovely Coco Beach, and we've spent a day re-exploring the island with a golf cart. We had a lovely day out yesterday with Geoff and Katya of 'Blue Planet'. They are moored close by in Black Sound. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the recently renovated
'Leeward Yacht Club', followed by drinks on board 'Zela', Bill & Carmen's boat docked at Bluff House. We've also had 'boat drinks' with Linda & Steve, whose 44 foot Island Packet has brought them all the way from Lake Michigan to these balmy shores.
Word is going around that Monday or Tuesday could be the day we cross through 'The Whale'. We are in no particular hurry.
Monday, February 19, 2018
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