To The Turks!

We've broken the spell of the Bahamas and have arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was a journey getting here for sure. Looking at the chart at first you think, no problem it's under 200 miles. Then you realize that the whole trip lies in the same direction from which the winds normally blow. Since you need the wind to help you travel, this is a problem. Luckily, we got the dream weather window. The winds became very light for a period of almost 4 days from the rare and unusual southern direction. We could go! We left Calabash Bay near the top of Long Island for the five hour trip over to Rum Cay. The next day we headed as far east as we could and the turned south for the 28 hour motor sail to Mayaguana island. It was a wonderful journey - the Gods of calm seas smiled on us the whole way. OK, not really calm. You get a kind of selective memory when in comes to real sailing conditions. If you weren't slightly terrified or wildly uncomfortable you remember the water as being "calm". After a five hour pit stop in the anchorage south of Mayaguana we kept heading south. You don't stop too long when the weather is this cooperative! On this leg of the journey we were able to pull out the Jib sail (the one up front) and coast along in what really were calm seas. So calm that we managed to watch a movie on the laptop out in the cockpit. We felt like we were getting away with something. This has not been our usual night watch routine on the trip through the Bahamas. Lots more hanging on and paying attention is generally called for. Arriving in Sapodilla Bay on the island of Providenciales feels like an accomplishment. Maybe we've finally learned how to read the weather charts, or maybe we were just damn lucky. Either way, onward we go..South.

Sailing and Fishing

It's a bit hard to see in the picture, but here we are under full sail. This means the main sail, the jib and the small cutter sail all out and flowing. We got the rare chance to sail downwind yesterday and was it ever fun. Bonanza is a fine boat - looking good under sail. We made it first to Long Island and then onto Run Cay. This is truly the island time forgot. Apparently they just got electricity here a few years ago. If you are ready for a remote island experience this is the place.
More luck the next day. Roy had just set out the good old "red and white" plug and almost immediately Fish On! Of course this happened when we were the least prepared. Getting them hooked is one thing, but bringing them into the cockpit quite another. Our system is to gaff them while they are still over the side and them bring them into the plastic bin on the cockpit floor. Then we grab the spray bottle with the really cheap vodka and squirt this into their gills and mouth. It works wonders. I like to believe they are sent pleasantly off to sleep...

Georgetown Shuffle

We've been in Georgetown Harbour for a week now. Every morning begins with a Cruiser's Net. This is broadcast over the VHF radio and is basically a live morning show. First you get a weather report and then all the happenings in the harbour are announced by the individuals in charge of each particular event. Activities range from sailing events having to do with the upcoming regatta to volleyball, softball, boccie ball, basketweaving, chess, trivial pursuit, etc. And as with all good talk shows, this one is not without drama. Apparently, this season some of the community has been making a big push to get the French Canadian contingent involved in the activities. Over 20 per cent of the boat population are from Quebec and the various teams and events need participants. So, it was decided that announcements would be make in French too. This is not sitting well with some listeners. In protest, while the french translation is going on, someone has been causing interference over the radio so the message is interrupted. Sometimes name calling and finger pointing ensues. It's just like being home in Canada!

With over 250 sailboats anchored in the harbour, parking the dingy can be a problem. We've never seen a dingy dock like this. A Nice floating dock with cleats to tie off on is mobbed everyday as the cruisers come into town to do their thing. We were very surprised to see that nobody locks their boat either! So, there the dingys sit. But you can believe that there are rules! No pulling up and leaving the dingy near the water hose! The dock provides free water to the people. So, no loitering around the faucet and if you do name calling and finger pointing may break out.
Wondering why the blog updates have been few and far between? I have a great excuse. Yes, we are close to civilization and within easy access to the town. We can walk over to the other side of town to the computer shop. Have a look at the Internet cafe. No cafe, no latte, no air conditioning, no real place to sit, yet the place is packed most
days. You are supposed to bring in your own laptop and log into this hot spot. While we poked our heads in the door a few times, we decided the heat was a bit much! It's amazing to see the steady stream of people bellying up to the internet bar.

Anchor Windlass

You may ask yourself, why is it taking so long for Roy and Michelle to move along? Well, it's true that we aren't setting any speed records, but we have been delayed by mechanical difficulties. We had just finished getting ready to leave Georgetown for Rum Cay when the machine that pulls up the chain and the anchor began making odd noises that sounded much worse than usual. We had replaced the motor and had a tune up on this thing in Ft. Lauderdale, but it never really sounded all that healthy. Sure enough it came to a grinding halt. This piece of equipment had to be replaced before me moved on, so it was back to the marina. Here's Roy pulling it off the front deck. You can see why we had to come to the marina. This project involved removing the anchor and chain from the front of the boat.
Now I know that it doesn't look like much, but for us it's a sight for sore eyes. And it sounds even better. One detail does niggle at the back of my mind. This model doesn't have a round drum on the top. We never figured out a use for that drum on our old windlass and I hope that we don't suddenly realize what that was for a few weeks from now. Talking to other boaters at the marina, we are finding almost everyone is fixing something.

So, you can see why I'm so happy now that the new, sleek anchor windlass is installed. And works. And no one got electrocuted installing it or stuck in the forward anchor locker while bolting it down. Seems like it was a successful day indeed. Now we are waiting for the latest cold front to blow by and then...we move on

Blowing Like Crazy

We've almost made it to Georgetown, but we pulled into the Marina at Emerald Bay to wait out a cold front and we have been here for four days now.

The problem is the wind that just won't stop blowing. We are all happy in our slip inside the marina. Just try to leave though! That would require motoring out the entrance to this jetty and since there are breaking waves in that area...well going outside is pretty much out of the question.

So we just wait...
And take some walks out onto the jetty to check out the waves....


And wait patiently by the pool trying to get that all over tan. Unfortunately, much aloe vera lotion was required after this particular session.

Wandering the Exhumas

Warderick Wells Cay is probably the most popular anchorage in the Exhumas. It's inside a national park and the waters are absolutely pristine. Here, boats pick up mooring balls long a deep blue ribbon of water. On either side of this liquid highway lie sand bars that almost poke above the water at low tide. It's a bit intimadating coming into the anchorage, but once inside it's a magical place.

While the island is uninhabited except for the rangers and park administrators, it feels far from remote. At the office you can sign up for wireless internet, buy T-Shirts, pick-up island maps, or just hang out on their airy deck and chat with the other sailors. We were invited to a cocktail party on the beach (BYO) by the crew on "Dream Weaver" who are from Vancouver. There are so many Canadian boats here in the Bahamas you'll usually meet someone from BC or Quebec in every anchorage.

Here's the summit of Boo Hoo Hill. People are allowed to leave behind a token of their boat - usually the name - carved into a piece of driftwood or conch shell. Some of the plaques had multiple years carved into them and we saw a few names of boats that we first heard of in our starting marina in New Burn, North Carolina.


About the only other thing to do for entertainment is to walk around the small island. It's mostly a path that winds over to the windward side of the place. This is a rocky and rough terrain and the going got pretty hot by mid afternoon. Jamie's crocs were never the same after the beating they took from walking on the iron shore.

Exhuma Land and Sea Park

I think the pics speak louder than words for this place. Beautiful.