ABACO !

For those of you sailors who thought June was not a good month to come over to the Abaco, due to the start of hurricane season, we say it is wonderful so far.  Although it may be the height of tourist season for the Abaco it is not the height of the cruising season so the mooring balls are wide open and the anchorages have been empty and beautiful.  The weather now seems to have settled into a wonderful steady pace of east to southeasterly summer breezes with daytime temperatures in the 90’s and cooling down to the pleasant 70’s in the evenings.  The evenings are especially comfortable now with our new customized wind scoop trapping the soft summer breeze and throwing it down the hatch into our “near” naked bodies. (Thanks Michelle Poerstel for fixing that up for us.)

Once we left West End and it’s tantalizing paradise beach pool we made our way to Great Sale Cay where we were the only boat in the east anchorage for the evening. Umm we ask ourselves “are we really alone or did we pick a bad anchorage?”  I think when you are out in the middle of the ocean with no one else in site you question your decisions. Well later into the lonely night we got a random call on the VHF radio looking for anyone anchored in Great Sale Cay. It turned out that there were several boats anchored on the west side of the island, the opposite side as us. Are we on the wrong side? Our weather guru predicted winds clocking to the west so we picked the east side to anchor on. Turned out that those boats were heading back to the states and leaving at 10pm for the long night sail west across the Gulf Stream.   Once again weather guru Parker called it correctly and we had a quite night protected from the brisk westerly winds that kicked up that evening. The next morning we only had a short 30nm sail to our next anchorage in Allen’s Cay so we slept in and enjoyed the summer morning breezes and the quiet solitude before continuing eastward.

Allen’s Cay is usually the first stop for eastbound sailors going to the Abaco. It is also an introduction to the keen navigation skills we will need for our journey through these islands. The pathway into Allen’s Cay is shallow and narrow. If you miss time the tide or cut the entrance short you will find yourself hard aground.  After winding our way into the cove we dropped anchor and began our “Anchor Down” tradition of celebrating with a bit of Rum. Those pirates certainly knew the medicinal quality of a good stiff rumrunner. 

Now we have finally reached the Sea of Abaco. If you remember our very first blog entry last February this was our destination when we departed Cocoa. But Mother Nature had other plans for us back then and we ended up down in the Exumas instead. So here we are and the question is “where to next”? There are so many places we want to visit here. Places we have been reading about for the last year preparing for our journey. So we studied the charts and pick Green Turtle Cay as our next destination. Once again our navigation skills are tested by moving sand bars and shallow reefs in our path and of course a shallow narrow opening to the anchorage. 

Green Turtle Cay

This one was particularly shallow and if we missed timed the tides we would not be getting in without considerable embarrassment.  We happen to be in a spring tide and it’s a “super” moon on top of it so the tides are at the most extreme of the year. We slowly approach the small intimidating opening and at the last minute we chicken out and do a 180. A power boat approaches the opening looking like he has done this all his life so we hail him on the radio and ask him to read the soundings for us as he goes through. 7 feet he calls out, then 6’ 6” as he moves slowly through, then 6’ and he is through. Well we draw 5’ 6” and change so we slowly go through sweating all the way with a mere 6” between failure and success. And we make it through. Once in we picked up a mooring ball and found out it belongs to a local by the name of Rick Sawyer.  He happens to be the great-great-great-grandson of Robert Sawyer one of the founders of Green Turtle Cay.  Nice guy and he was a little surprised we knew all about his great-great-great-granddaddy. As I said we have been reading a lot about this part of the Bahamas. And once again we celebrate our arrival with a bit of Rum.

We moved on after a couple of days exploring Green Turtle Cay to Great Guana Cay anchoring in Fishers Bay.  We picked up a mooring ball from Troy Albury at Dive Guana and we asked him where the good snorkeling was on the island.  He indicated,  “in the water” was in fact the best place. Best come back line we have heard since leaving our good friends Jeff and Terry on Ariel.  In fact we found one of the top snorkeling reefs in the Abaco on the east side of Great Guana Cay which was just out side of the famous Nipper’s Beach Bar and Grill.  Good spot for lunch and more Rum after an afternoon of snorkeling.

Great Guana Cay (east side beach)

We are now sitting in Hope Town. If you are looking for a storybook settlement setting this is the place. Attached to another mooring ball we stared at the candy-striped lighthouse built in the 1800’s and still lit up by kerosene every night giving sailors a light for safe passage. 

Hope Town Harbon from Lighthouse

Hope Town is an adorable village with pastel cottages and a short walk over to the beach.  We did have an exciting time getting in the shallow channel here and thanks to our new friend Ron on Inherit the Wind who gave us a sounding at 5’ 8” when we draw 5’6” we made it in just fine. Now we are happy with a mere 2” between us and the ocean bottom. Any less and we would be tossing out stuff from the boat to lighten it up. I really must say it is Captain King who makes all our navigating the best.  He checks the tides and knows his navigational stuff better than anyone especially the captain on the boat Last Call a Harden that got stuck in the channel at low tide that very day.  A barge that needed into the channel with supplies for the island came and towed him clear so he could get in.

Hope Town anchorage

  Never a dull moment cruising as Ron says, “you are either entertained by the boating show or you are the boating show.”  Thank God we have mostly been entertained by the boating show. More Rum.

Abaco or Bust

First we want to thank all our family and friends for making Michelle's graduation from the University of Kansas a very special and memorable occasion. The entire weekend was full of celebration and glowing parental pride. We are lucky for having two very independent and bright daughters. We are confident that Michelle will be a hugely successful teacher and that she will make a difference in the lives of many of her young students. 

Exiting the Bell Tower

We are back for the second half of the sailing season and it isn’t starting out so good, with Tropical Storm Andrea putting us in a holding pattern anchored down in Lake Worth, Florida.  On the positive side we had ample time to explore Peanut Island and discover new things we hadn’t found in the Palm Beach area before.  

Peanut Island

Like the public docks we found right in downtown West Palm Beach (free all day until midnight) south of the Lake Worth Inlet and south of the Flagger Bridge.  If you ever get a change check out this area, it is really a lot fun and we enjoyed our time there especially since it was free all day.  On top of that they have a free public tram that runs all day long. And as a bonus it stopped right in front of our favorite grocery store chain. We also discovered a development very much like Zona Rosa but much larger.  And of course anytime we find a Starbucks it makes Captain King happy. So lets recap our stay at West Palm; Free dock, free transportation, grocery store, Starbucks and lots of bars with Happy Hours.  Question is “why did we ever leave”?

West Palm Dock

Because the weather finally cleared so we made the 50 km jump to West End, Bahamas.  It was a light wind day but we went for it because this had been the least rainy and/or squally day we have had in weeks.

After a 9hr crossing we arrived at West End and decided we’d anchor out after researching a good spot on the north side of the island giving us good protection from the south winds.  The water here still amazes us on how crystal clear it is.  But we didn’t stay anchored long because after we barbequed a nice arrival dinner we saw a squall on the horizon with an unbelievable lightning show in it coming our way.  So we decided a dock at the marina that night would be the prudent thing to do.  These summer squalls here are nasty and any sailor worth his salt seeks shelter as soon as possible when they appear.

Old Bahama Bay Resort & Marina

 The Old Bahama Bay Marina at the West End is a beautiful tropical resort development and a perfect spot to tie down through the squalls. They have a beautiful full service marina, a magnificent pool, a beach bar and the staff is as friendly as they come. And a nice nightly tab that comes with it also. So like our last trip over here where we discovered that paradise is expensive continues to be true. But we are sailors and after one night and a day enjoying the spoils at the resort we moved back out to the anchorage leaving the resort to the millionaire crowd with their mega motor yachts.  But it is fun to pretend sometimes!  

Speaking of mega motor yachts. Steve Job's floating creation is proof that you can create something different. 

So off we go into the unknown and hopefully the weather will settle down a bit and we can enjoy our last month before the Hurricane season set in.

HALF TIME

In our last blog we indicated that we were departing for Highborne Cay and that is exactly what we did.   The water in the Exuma chain is crystal clear so we did a lot of snorkeling and dinghy excursions.  We loved the coral field "Octopus Garden" with every different color of coral as well as seeing an 8-foot turtle swimming along.  

When we finally got back to our boat that evening we were worn out and went to bed shortly after enjoying another spectacular Bahama sunset.  The next day was a short but exciting sail over to Shroud Cay which Michael agreed to even though he said he was denied shore leave at Highbourne Cay the day before.   There really isn’t much to see on Highbourne Cay anyway and most areas are private so on to Shroud Cay.  Shroud Cay is the northern border of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park where there is no fishing or shelling because it is an underwater preserve. 

Shroud Cay is uninhabited with tons of mangroves and divided by Sanctuary Creek that starts on the west side of the island and ends on the east side at Driftwood Beach.  In the 1980’s drug agents camped there spying on the dealers flying onto Norman’s Cay.  The creek’s title current moved along is some places about at 3 knots.  You didn’t really have to motor back, just steer.  The angelfish on this island were beautiful.

Driftwood Beach Shroud Cay

From Shroud Cay we sailed south to our bucket list destination, Warderick Wells Cay the headquarters for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.  There isn’t any gas, water or really anything but wild life on this island and other boaters of course. 

The island is beautiful beyond words. The coral  is as colorful and as diverse as we have ever seen anywhere in our travels and the lobsters we saw were as big as we have ever seen. They are protected so they live to a ripe old age. And they know they are protected because they literally strut along the sea bottom right in front of you  with no fear of being speared.

Warderick Wells Cay

Along with the good always comes some bad. It’s the way the world works in God’s mysterious plan. We encountered a few electrical problems, main sail problems and auto pilot hiccups in Warderick Cay and after evaluating it with all our fellow boater friends over many many cocktails we decided that we needed to return to Nassua to do some repairs. After getting some “Bahama” estimates we decided to return to Florida where we have trusted professionals to fix our issues. That’s where we currently are.

For those of you who played sports you can relate to half time. That is when you revisit your game plan, repaired your equipment and prepare for the second half.

Well Cherie and I are at the first quarter break in the cruising game. We arrived back in the USA via Fort Lauderdale with our new French Canadian friends following along the way.   So far we have stuck to the game plan with a few adjustments along the way. We reached our goal destination of Warderick Wells Cay in the Exumas, we didn’t starve, we didn’t run out of water or fuel and we survived what Mother Nature decided to throw at us even a 60 mile an hour squall. We did learn a lot about our boat and ourselves.   

We learned that everyday was going to bring something new and you have no idea what that will be. Maybe a close encounter with a 12-foot Hammer Head shark, being teased by a 4 foot lobster because he knows he is in a protected reserve and can’t be touched, or discovering a remote beach that few people have landed on. Plus there is the expected: Everyday a beautiful sunrise, crystal blue water, an underwater wonderland, a spectacular sunset and a cool breeze and something always breaking on your boat.  Your time is balanced between exploring the beauty of the Bahamas and repairing and replacing the broken systems on the boat.  

Like your land home, something always needs your attention. But many days we just said “not today” and went out to the sand bar to enjoy the company of many other cruisers we have met along the way.

We also discovered that they became our neighbors no matter what island we visited or harbor we landed in.  If you need something they were all there to help.  One day we had 3 fellow sailors on our boat going thru the electric system with Michael.  Sometimes we had other cruisers giving us live bait to catch fish or just pouring us a cocktail. The cruising community is something special.

We are looking forward to the next quarter.

Bahama time mon

The sail from Bimini was exhilarating! We set out to cross the Great Banks on our own on Thursday morning. We weren't a mile out of Bimini Harbor before we were under full sail headed for a spit of a shoal in the middle of the Banks to anchor out for the night. The sails were full and Pura Vida was flying across the Banks. The depth instrument never toped past 12ft but no worries because the bottom is only sand and grass absent of coral heads and rocks.  Chris Parker our weather guru suggested we anchor there to avoid the freighters and to be somewhat protected from the blow that was coming through that night. And did it BLOW! Around midnight it was bucking like on of those horses in the front of your local grocery store. That is what it was like on the Banks. Anyway we were off at the crack of dawn and headed N/E >50 KM's to Great Harbor for Easter. Or so we thought. The wind had not clocked around to the southeast as predicted so onto plan B (we always have a plan B) and off to Chub Cay we sailed. Chub Cay is a bankrupt high end fishing harbor and resort that was once a dream of some big shot developer. The bank now manages it but that doesn't stop the top 1% from flying in on their Gulf Stream jets, landing on the 5K ft runway they built, jump on their 10 mil $ fishing yacht for a weekend of fishing. Not a nickel of their millions goes to the local community or the church. We attended a local Baptist Easter service that was lead by the local self appointed minister and his sister. A few hymns and improvised prayers and we were done. We did have a medical emergency during the service when one of the qazillionairs passed out in the middle of the service from low blood sugar levels. A few Baptist chants and a candy bar later and he was back on his feet.


Anyway, the wind finally clocked around and our anchorage at Chub Cay had become a washing machine in full washing mode so up went the anchor. That was the easy part. The next protected anchorage was 5KM upwind. Now on a normal day that would be no problem but that wasn't the case. The wind had picked up to 25/30 knts with 9 foot seas the New Providence Channel was angry. So our choice was to face it head on or..... well there was no "or" so we went steady and slow into the monster and snaked our way into Frazer Hog Cay and the Berry Island Club where we encountered Howard.

Chub Cay

He appeared he was in his late 60's and had the look of a man who had given up on the entrepreneurial spirit many years ago. But who could blame him since not one of his seven children had stayed behind to pick up where he had left off. We were guest at the Berry Island Club Bar & Grill on Frazer Hog Cay in central Bahama. Pura Vida was comfortably moored out in the picturesque harbor along with one other boat after getting us safely through a blow getting here. Cherie and I had gone ashore looking for the elusive "Hot Spot" and a cold refreshment. Howard didn't have much need of small talk or a credit card. Cash was all he wanted and after giving him his fee for the mooring, Wifi and laundry he jumped into his Ford duel cab and disappeared. He shut off his extra generator and drove his Ford P/U down the dirt road never to be seen again. There we were left alone to hold down the the Berry Island Club Bar & Grill with our wifi and a full bar. Had we been duped or did Howard not really give a damn what went one there. I guess we will never know. Welcome to the Bahamas mon.

Michael & Peter (owner of the Nassau Harbor Club Marina

We are now docked at the Nassau Harbor Club Marina in Nassau, Bahama spending a few extra days here than planned due to unsettled weather. So we'll be tourist for a few days. There we waited out the weather before heading South to Nassau where we are now waiting again for the unsettled weather to pass but as you can see we are waiting with all the other cruisers and enjoying cocktails at sunset.

Cruisers dock party around the swimming pool at sunset!

Paradise Island

Our next stop should be Highbourn Cay in the Exumas and plan "A" is to depart on Sunday, April 7th
in a light East wind. Chris say's the Bermuda high should finally establish itself next week allowing the normal east trade winds to settle in. This will allow us to make better sailing plans before we return to KC for Michelle's college graduation. This will be an emotional event for Cherie and I since Michelle is our baby. We are soooo proud of her we can't put any words to it.

Land of Hemingway

Bimini was just one of many fishing destinations for Hemingway but here is where he caught the BIG ones. Right on the eastern edge of the gulf stream Bimini is reported to be the best big game fishing in the world. Also infamous for Rum running, drug running and Pirates. Many famous celebrities and dignitaries have left their mark here. But for now it is just where the King's are and we will do our best to leave our own mark:). We are comfortably docked here in Alice Town at the Blue Water Resort & Marina which just happens to be where Hemingway docked his boat "Portal" when he came over. I am a huge Hemingway fan so this is pretty cool. After a challenging  crossing on Saturday we spent Sunday recovering and cleaning and staring in Awe of the beauty of the water. Also staring in awe of the 9 foot Bull Sharks that inhabit this harbor. They swim all around our boat so the resort's swimming pool is always crowded with guest and boaters because no one swims in the ocean here in the harbor. Tomorrow we are visiting the shark research lab on the South island to learn more about these very large predators swimming under us all day long. Good to know your enemy I always said. Wednesday or Thursday looks like a good weather window to start moving deeper into the Bahamas. We will sail east across the Banks to the Berry Islands then south to Nassau for provisions then down further south to the Exumas.