After having spent the summer enjoying our home and camp in NY's Adirondacks and a great winter in Florida we are finally back in the Bahamas for a few months.
Fri-Sat, March 16th- finally looks like we have a weather window to cross the gulf stream. Chris has been busy provisioning the boat while I have been finishing up a remodel/addition job for our friends Tom and Patty Amell. We have completed a few projects on Apres Ski over the winter and been out for some great daysails. Before launching this Oct we stripped the bottom and keel and applied new bottom paint. The addition of a new battery bank consisting of 4- 6 volt golf cart batteries, a link battery monitor and a 3rd solar panel will hopefully improve our electric situation but since I bought a small portable freezer we will most likely be still running the engine regularly . The canvas enclosure I made last year had to be completely redone, the material I used didn't hold up in the tropical sun and the seller replaced it but the labor involved in resewing everything was a big job.
Spent our first day on the water motoring south to Lake Worth where we will head out when the seas and wind cooperate. Had engine problems on the trip down and had to change both fuel filters. Spent much of the day Sat pumping out the bottom of the fuel tank and was able to separate a quart of water and a quart of gunk(algae) from the fuel. Added biobar to fuel and hope this is the last of the fuel problems. Moved late afternoon to anchor close to the inlet for an early morning departure.
Sun- Anchor up at 4am and motoring east in an easy ocean swell. Wind is lite but right on the nose. Able to maintain over 6 knots all day and even got to sail a few hours when the wind veered a little to the south. Crossed onto the shallow water of the Bahama bank at 1pm finally catching a small yellowtail, the only fish in over 7 hours of trolling 2 lines. Anchored for the night at Mangrove Cay at 5 PM in time for cocktails and a beautiful sunset. We have been in radio contact all day with sailing friends aboard Stardust and Incommunicado. It's comforting to know that even though we aren't traveling as "buddy boats" that in an emergency we have friends we can contact. Both boats left after us but they decided to continued on another 3 hours to Great Sale Cay. We felt that since we never sleep well the night before a crossing that an early night is called for after 13 hours on the water.
Mon- A lazy morning led to a late start heading for Great Sale, Winds piped up to 18kts and we flew along a 6-7 kts for hours. Upon arrival at the anchorage decided the protection would be poor if the predicted cold front arrived earlier than expected . headed north to one of our favorite stops- Grand Cay where we were at anchor by 5PM . A trip in to the docks provided us with 6 lobster tails and 6 conk from a local diver for $20. We managed to gorge ourselves on the lobster for dinner but saved the conk for another night. The predicted wind shift came at 3 AM and we were glad to be in a protected harbor.
Tues- A quiet day working on projects and cleaning up. Customs came to us on the boat at 5 PM and we cleared in easily. One surprise was that the cruising permit fee increased from $150 to $300 and they charged a $30 overtime fee. Cracked conk for dinner along with fresh baked brownies for later. Since lobster season ends this month stopped at a local boat and bought $20 worth of tails. What a deal for 18 tails. Trying to make room in freezer is the problem. Wish we could always have such dilemas.
Lobster tails for the freezer
Ocean side beach- Grand Cay
Wed-After Spent a great afternoon exploring the oceanside beach. Cold front expected overnite with big winds so we decided to move into the dock. We have been in here during big blows and the holding is poor in grassy bottom. Glad we were at the dock as the storm was fierce and a boat upwind from our spot dragged across the harbor. Always seems to happen in the dark of night.
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