Nassau to Cat Cay

On June 15, we left Shroud Cay and had an easy trip over the Yellow Banks to Nassau, a shallow area of water that extends for miles with a particularly shallow stretch of only eight feet for several of those miles.  It is weird to be zipping along when you can see the bottom and coral heads so clearly mere feet beneath your keel.  This is a much better route than the one we took going south to Allen’s Cay as there are not as many coral heads to dodge. 

Hello Nassau

We took a slip in Nassau at the Nassau Harbour Club, which made it much easier to remove the main sail.  Earlier in the week, I’d emailed Phillips Sailmakers in Nassau to set up the main sail repair which looked like a go.  On Sunday morning, it only took an hour for Rod, Dave and I to remove and pack the sail.  On Monday morning, they picked it up, completed the repair as well as resewing all of the seams and brought it back Tuesday afternoon.  Thank all deities that the breeze was precisely on the nose at the dock which allowed us to get the sail back up without a hitch.  Actually there was one hitch – the stitcher had sewn seams through two of the batten pockets.  At 4:55pm, I made a call to the sail loft and they told me to just clip the offending stitches and that the seam would not unravel.  So clip away I did, and we finished raising the sail and putting up the bimini at 7:00pm.  Evelyne helped with this, too.  As mentioned, the sail is 611 square feet so is a bear to handle.  We were exhausted, but raring to get going the next morning, and very thankful to have our main sail repaired so quickly and ready fly fully in the wind again to take us to our next destination.   

 

Future cruisers in training in Nassau

So long, Nassau

On the morning of June 19, Rod, Evelyne, Dave and Linda hugged each other at the dock because it would be the last time that we could touch.  Then Manatee and Wayward Wind slipped out of our slips, motoring past humongous cruise ships at dock in Nassau Harbour.  Next stop, our last in the Bahamas, Cat Cay, some 40 miles from the Florida coastline.  We switched from motor-sailing to sailing downwind throughout the day in choppy seas.  Finally the wind picked up to 15 knots and we sailed beautifully through the night.  For about six hours during the night, we provided a ride to a hitch-hiker, a Night Heron, who perched upon our dinghy swaying to the ups and downs of the rolling boat.  Manatee mostly motor-sailed but was able to sail part of the night, too.  We both anchored at Cat Cay at 8:30 the next morn.  We’re getting pretty good at doing overnights.  We don’t have a set schedule, but we take two to three hour shifts through the night.  This way we each get two solid hours of sleep a couple of times during the night.  It seems to work out well.

Cat Cay does not offer a lot of protection from winds with a southerly component which is what we had.  The reef behind which we’d anchored calms the seas somewhat, but the winds still blow through.  Right after anchoring, we realized that we were just on the edge of the flight approach zone to the local airport whose landing strip stretched nearly to the edge of the nearby point of land.  We moved the boat farther to the east to a sandy patch and made sure to dig in the anchor.  Soon after, a medium-sized tanker cruised in to the harbor crossing the flight approach zone just as a small plane happened to come in for a landing.  From our vantage point, it looked as if the plane’s wheels barely missed the stacks on the freighter.  We were very glad that we’d moved away from the zone and channel with our 64.5 foot mast.  A while later, we saw Manatee reanchoring.  At first we thought maybe they wanted to be closer to us, but no, their anchor had drug.  Dragging anchors are a drag!  Once we were all resettled we tried to have a good night’s sleep to get ready to make our way to the East Coast the next morn.

Acklins Island and the Exumas

Aquamarine waters of Atwood Harbour, Acklins Island, Bahamas.
 But what lurks below?

06.16.13

Our trip from the Turks and Caicos began rather rolly but the seas calmed a bit through the night.  We were able to sail almost half way.  The wind has had a southerly component quite often which is different from the usual easterly trade winds.  This means that we’ve had a lot of downwind sailing rather than having the wind blow across our beam (side), which would be make for better sailing.  Thus we have had to run the motor more than we expected, but still we’re getting a lot of sailing in.   Even with our disabled main sail with the third reef tied in (less sail surface area), if the winds are over 16 or 17 knots and the seas are not too sloppy, we sail well at five or six knots.  One plus is that it puts us at an even par with our buddy boat, Manatee, which is smaller so is generally slower than Wayward Wind. 

CONQUEST arrives


As far as overnights go, we had a good trip and anchored in Atwood Harbour on Acklins Island.  We were the only two boats in this lovely, isolated harbour where not another soul was to be seen on water or land.  After settling in, Dave rested below, so I donned fins and snorkel to dive on the anchor to make sure it was set.  Only one shank was dug in, so when Dave arose later on, he jumped in to check.  Fortunately he found that the anchor had snugly settled into the sand.  When he popped up, he said, “A shark swam past me.”  Turns out a few lemon sharks and nurse sharks reside here.  The fact that they love to lurk around the hulls of boats anchored in the harbor may have to do with boats such as this sport fishing boat (gotta love the name…“CONQUEST”) feed them.  The fishing dudes on CONQUEST had a virtual shark feeding frenzy off of the stern of their boat as they tossed big fish heads attached to thick lines into the water attempting to gaff the excited sharks who were fighting over the fish heads.  I did not go swimming after that.  Actually lemon sharks and nurse sharks normally do not bother people.  Someone said to think of nurse sharks as big catfish.  Uh...No can do.

Dave scraping the hull and prop between shark visits

The next morning the weather was a bit too windy, and as Atwood Harbour is a beautiful place, we decided to wait a day before heading on.  CONQUEST left early, and guess where the sharks went – they spent the day circling beneath Manatee waiting for a food handout.  Rod and Evelyne decided not to go swimming that day.  The sharks then swam over to Wayward Wind for their evening supper, but we did not appease them.  Dave did, however, stick his hand in the water to snap some cool photos of the hungry critters.  I could not watch fearing that they would rush at the shiny camera and snap his hand off.  Luckily they did not and Dave still has two hands.

Is that a...



...shark!?! 

The crew of Manatee not swimming in Atwood Harbour

The following day, we set out on an overnight trip to George Town.  Except for the beginning and end of the trip and an hour in the middle to run the fridge and charge the batteries, we sailed the entire way!  It was glorious!  We anchored near George Town where Rod and Dave took a taxi out to the airport to officially check in to the Bahamas.  The next day we rested, and the next, we moved our boats over to Chat and Chill Beach.  This is the George Town that during the winter months is known as the “Cruisers’ Mecca.”  I wrote about this place when we were here 15 months before where there were over 250 boats in the anchorages and cruisers organized activities such as volleyball, Scrabble (speaking of which, I played Scrabble with a senior citizen, Nancy, who briefly dated Teddy Kennedy in high school and, man, she beat the socks off me), yoga, concerts and a regatta.  It’s all very busy and organized.  Now that it is late spring, the cruiser masses were gone and only about a dozen boats were anchored.  It was so much more peaceful and beautiful.  Evelyne and I took a long walk on the Exuma Sound side of the beach and, except for one snorkeler, we were the only ones.  We found a perfect little cove that was protected by a reef and soaked in the clear turquoise water for at least an hour.  Evelyne grabbed my camera and snapped photos of some woman hamming it up.  Ah, well, she must be happy.

Who IS that woman?

The four of us enjoyed a lovely fresh grilled tuna lunch at the St. Francis Marina.  More happiness.  Afterwards we dinghied into the hurricane holes where many boats are moored for the hurricane season.  This time I snapped a photo of Evelyne and Rod.

 

Evelyne showing some thigh while Rod looks on approvingly

Rod and Evelyne swim behind Manatee in front of Chat and Chill Beach with few other boats around

Paradise

Manatee motoring past the lone sailboat anchored at the normally crowded Monument Beach anchorage

On June 12, we left George Town and motor-sailed in the Exuma Sound with a smooth entry through Dotham Cut into the Exuma Banks.  We anchored for the night at Black Point but stayed on board.  We were delighted to find our friends, Marie Ann and Frederic on Madukera anchored there.  We were able to catch up when they stopped by for a visit.  The next morning, actually as I was writing the blog, we were interrupted by a loud knock on the hull.  The wind had really picked up and shifted direction and our anchor was dragging us precariously close to the French boat that was previously quite a ways off.  The man in his dinghy shouted that he was worried that our anchor would drag over his anchor chain, in which case, we could have two boats dragging and a real mess.  We jumped into action, while the nice French man used his dinghy as a fender (I believe he groaned) while we started up the motor, pulled up the anchor, and moved the boat.  Fortunately our anchor did not foul their chain and no harm was done.  We reanchored and, once our pulses slowed, we had breakfast.  No need for coffee! 

Heading through Dotham Cut with a slight current, toward Black Point

We left the next morning for Warderick Wells where we took a mooring.  We love this place as it is part of the Bahamian Marine Park and is spectacularly beautiful.  The J-shaped mooring field provided excellent protection from choppy seas during the squalls throughout the night.  We were very glad to be there.  Unfortunately we needed to take advantage of the next day’s weather so off we went to Shroud Cay, also part of the Marine Park, also gorgeous.  We had a swim off of the bow, but the sea was pretty bouncy from the turbulent weather not far away.  The cloud formations made for a dramatic sunset to bid us adieu on our last night in the Exumas.

On the mooring ball at Warderick Wells. 
Two French family boats whom we'd met in Samana are moored in front of Manatee

Neighbors moored before Park Headquarters at Warderick Wells



Good night, Shroud Cay, Exumas

 

Turks and Caicos



Turks and Caicos view

On the morning of May 25, we left Ocean World Marina in Puerto Plata for an overnight sail to South Side Marina in the Turks and Caicos.  We left with Rod and Evelyne on Manatee and were joined a bit later by Marie Ann and Frederic on Madukera.  I realize that I have not introduced Marie Ann and Frederic.  They are French and are residents of the French Department of Guadalupe where they have made their home for nearly 30 years and raised their four children.  Rod and Evelyne met them earlier in their trip and the four spent time traveling together in the Caribbean.  This was especially nice for Evelyne who is also French and for Rod who is American but fluent in French.  Marie Ann is a retired English teacher, so we immediately had a connection.  It would seem that French students and American students are similar in many ways.  Frederic is a math/computer whiz who, many years ago, developed a computerized system for doing inventory for a major chain store in France.  He was asked if he would like to do the same thing in the Caribbean, so off they went, first to Martinique for a year, and then to Guadalupe where they have lived ever since.  Marie Ann is fluent in English and Frederic is a beginner but is fearless when it comes to speaking so he is making huge strides.  (Darn, I just can't get away from making those teacher-ly comments.)  It is a pleasure to know them.

With our disabled main sail, we were able to tie in a third reef, which means that we may only hoist the sail about half way.  We were able to sail a bit but mostly had to motor-sail to keep up with Manatee.  We wanted to arrive at South Side Marina by 1100 to get into the channel on the high tide with our five-foot drafts.  Madukera is a beautiful Beneteau Oceanis 41 with a nice, large main sail, so they were able to sail without motor the entire way.  They needed to anchor outside the channel to wait for the second high tide to accommodate their six-foot draft which wasn't until 10:00 that night.  They had ridden through the channel in the afternoon so were familiar with it, but still it is never fun to come into a channel in the dark.  So many lights on shore can be confusing.  But they came right in without a problem and we were all there to catch their lines at the dock. 

Channel entrance to South Side Marina.  Notice the dark area that is shallow coral. 

Bob Pratt, the marina owner, is a really helpful guy and built this marina about five years ago.  It is small and friendly.  While here, we met a couple, Wayne and Diane, on Long Legged Lady, a trawler.  Bob has built a little outdoor restaurant up on the hill by his house that has a beautiful view of the harbor and sea.  He is searching for the right person to take on the restaurant -- Any takers?  As it was just we four couples, we had two barbeques and a few happy hours there.  The first barbeque was with the big-eye (we think) tuna  that Dave caught on the way.  It was a good three feet long and fat!  He had a tough time getting it in the boat, but he did.  It was a beautiful fish and tasted yummy!  Everyone contributed an appetizer, side dish or dessert, and it was a veritable feast!



Dave with his catch.  Notice that Dave is tethered
to the blue jackline that runs along the deck as it was pretty bouncy



Another view of the fish.  Anyone care to verify that this is a big-eye tuna?

Wayward Wind at the dock with Madukera on the right and Manatee on the left.

The other night we all decided to go out to eat at the Tiki Hut restaurant because Wednesday was barbequed rib night.  We teased Frederic because, like a good Frenchman, he insisted on eating his ribs with a fork and knife.  Eventually he succumbed to peer pressure and picked up his ribs in all their gooey glory and ate them with his fingers.  He did not appear to be embracing the new strategy, though he did manage to finish his ribs.  The next day, he said, "My hands are still sticky."

Between Diane in red shirt and her husband, Wayne, in blue shirt, sit Frederic and Marie Ann. 
Proof the Frederic ate ribs with his fingers.

We have had to wait several extra days here due to overly blustery weather and squalls out there.  We are nice and cozy inside the marina and have been doing, what else, boat maintenance.   Unfortunately last night we awoke to a rustling noise and discovered either a large mouse or small rat is on board.  (Can we please catch a break?)  Set a rat trap that I'd brought along then went to the store to buy more traps.  I hope we catch it tonight. 

Tomorrow morning we head out for Atwood Harbour on Acklins Island in the Bahamas.  It is another overnight trip.  We should arrive early the next day.  We'll rest that day and night, and then on Thursday morning, we plan on continuing to George Town on another overnight trip.  Plans, of course, are subject to change.

Thank you for reading the blog and I hope that everyone is well.




Hey, this reminds me of somone...

Caps for sale...



Puerto Plata, DR



The Beautiful Dominican Republic

We left Puerto Bahia Marina in Samaná on May 19 to do an overnight trip to the north coast of the DR.  Our friends on Manatee had planned to go to Ocean World Marina near Puerto Plata and we would continue to Luperón where we would  anchor and spend a few days.  The plan was to stay in touch and leave at the same time to travel together on the next overnight trip to the Turks and Caicos.  It was drizzly when we left, but that was good because the normally brisk trade winds were deadened and there was little chop as we headed east for two hours out of Samaná Bay.  Curving around the point to the northwest though was a different story.  Lots of confused seas and very bouncy.  My tummy was not happy, though I'm sure the extra Ti Punch the evening before did not help.  Anyway, once we were heading west, the seas were behind us and the wind was pushing us along nicely.  In fact, in order to slow up and stay right with Manatee (shorter and therefore slower) we came about and did criss-cross tacks behind them.  Rather comical, indeed, but it worked. 

Just before midnight, Dave was sleeping below and I was at the helm.  We were sailing along downwind, wing-on-wing (one sail on the port and one sail on the starboard side) and doing well, but I had to watch the wind direction carefully so as not to accidentally jibe (the boom swings rapidly and powerfully to the other side).  I'd intended to put up a preventor (lines that keep the boom from jibing) as soon as Dave came up for his watch.  Unfortunately I got distracted and jibed accidentally.  Bad move!  At first it seemed that no harm was done and we were sailing along quite nicely.  But at closer examination, we noticed that the main sail had ripped right above the second reef.  Oh, no!  We doused the sail and turned on the motor.  What a letdown.  If we'd really damaged the sail, a new sail would cost thousands and a lot of time.  



Rod and Dave removing our 611 square foot main sail...and dat's alotta sail!

We decided to go with Manatee to the marina as it would be a lot easier to remove our humongous sail and get it into a car at the dock rather than dealing with it in our dinghy while at anchor.  We arrived at the marina exhausted and downtrodden.  We raised the sail to show Rod and Evelyne and to examine the damage.  Fortunately we discovered that a seam had ripped out and would just need to be restitched.  I contacted a sail repair guy, Ron, in Luperón who thought he could help us out, and I reserved a rental car.  What a relief!  We slept peacefully that night.  The next morning at 7:00am, Rod and Evelyne helped us take down the sail and by 9:00, we were on the road to Luperón.  Unfortunately the rip is right in the middle of the sail and the sail Ron's sewing machine, though heavy duty, was too small to handle the bulk of the sail.  Sigh.  We loaded the sail back into the car and off we drove.



Ron, the sail repairman, showing us his friend's home where his shop is located.  It was spectacular.

Swim, anyone?

Undaunted, we decided to make a day of it by driving north and west to explore.  In La Isabella, we found a rustic little beachfront restaurant and enjoyed a leisurely lobster lunch.  The restaurant was barebones and without running water.  A little toddler and his big sister ran around while their parents prepared the meal.  I can't imagine a more idyllic place to spend an early childhood.  About halfway through our meal, things livened up as a busload of schoolkids (Gr.2-12) arrived for lunch.  I had to use my teacher attitude to get one kid seated right behind me to stop yelling for his friend, but he got it and actually they were very polite.  AND they ate fish and lobster for lunch.  Hmm...I don't remember eating lobster on school field trips.  Our lobster was accompanied with rice, beans, fried plantains, French fries and salad.  We had coffee and flan for dessert.  Life is good. 

Rod, Evelyne, Linda and Dave enjoying lobster lunch

School girls playing in an old fishing boat

After lunch, we drove a mile to El Castillo where the ruins of the first European settlement of the New World was established by Christopher Columbus in 1493.  Up to 5000 people lived there until 1502 when the new capital was established in Santo Domingo.  It is clear to see why this location was chosen for settlement.  It is situated on a point that provides a defensive advantage and sits on a large sandy bottom bay suitable for the ships of the day.  An interesting story is that in the 1950s, the dictator Trujillo ordered a crew to "clean up" the site before a group of archaeologists from Spain visited.  The crew bulldozed the intact ruins into the sea!  Rumor has it the the bulldozer driver was executed.  Nevertheless, the ruins were restored and it is an interesting site.  A Spanish-speaking guide accompanied us, which made for a fun translation challenge.  The visitor center is also quite nice and informative with beautiful murals painted on the exterior walls. 

La Isabela named after Queen Isabela



Ancient art is...

reflected in beautiful murals



Where Columbus entered the bay



Our guide showing us the site

Where the first mass was performed.  A church once stood here.



The footprint of Columbus' residence

Overlookng the bay

Showing us how the roof tiles were made

On the way home, we took a rural, unpaved route up a Rio Bajabonico valley.  It was nice to see another side of the DR, far from tourists.  People looked healthy and happy.  Many small colmados (little stores) dotted the roads.  Gardens flourished.  Backpack-sporting kids in light blue shirts and khaki trousers and skirts played with each other while they walked home from school.  Men sat on porches and the occasional donkey and horse delivered riders to their destination.  Communities seemed vibrant.


Entrance to Ocean World Marina

We stayed at a marina called Ocean World.  "Tacky" does not begin to describe this place.  It bills itself as a "destination" with casinos, restaurants, water adventures such as swimming with dolphins and sea marine life shows and more!  But it just comes off as tacky.  The staff was friendly and helpful, so that was a plus. 



On our way up the mountain

View of Puerto Plata

These school kids enthusiastically acted out a story told by their teacher about a ship at sea rolling in the wind and waves.

The statue is a replica of the one in Rio de Janeiro

On another day, the four of us hired a driver and visited Puerto Plata, the third largest city in the DR. On the way, we rode a tram up a mountain for some spectacular views.  In Puerto Plata, interestingly, a number of Victorian houses line the central square.  It is unusual to see so many wooden structures here in the DR.  We had an excellent lunch of pulpo (octopus) and mofongo (mashed fried plantains), rice and salad.  We then went to the Amber Museum where we learned that the amber in the DR comes from a particular tree that is now extinct.  We also learned about blue amber that has iron in it and gives off a blue blow when placed under a blacklight.

Plaza de Puerto Plata

Blue amber appears blue when under a black light

We also visited the main fort which houses an excellent museum and is situated on a lovely point overlooking the city, harbor and coastline. 



Fortaleza San Felipe

Also known as El Morro

On the way back, we stopped at a large and modern grocery store to provision before heading to the (expensive) Turks and Caicos.  We all enjoyed visiting the pleasant city of Puerto Plata.