Bahamas December 27
We left Beaufort on the 9th of December to winds coming out of the southwest when all the weather reports said it was out of the north. This was discouraging since we were heading southwest from Beaufort. We decided that we should cross the Gulf Stream off of North Carolina instead of off of Florida, and it turned out to be a good decision. About 10 hours into the sail the wind died and we were in the middle of the Gulf Stream. So we started up the engine which we had just spent two weeks fixing and motored most of the way through. For the next two days it was dead calm and the water was like a mirror. Seth, John, and Nate went swimming in 12,000 feet of water and then finally, 2 days later, the wind came back and we started to make some progress. Later in the day we had our fishing rig out and we weren’t catching anything. So we pulled in the hooks and put on the cheap squid lures that Seth bought in NY. The line wasn’t 20 feet off the boat when a 40-50 pound yellow fin tuna jumped out of the water and took the hook. An hour later we were eating pan seared tuna. Probably the best tuna we have ever eaten.
As the wind picked up so did the swell. Ellen got sea sick as did Nate, so unfortunately, Seth and John were to be at the wheel all night. Luckily in the morning Nate was feeling better, but unfortunately for Ellen she was still feeling the effects of the 10-12 foot seas. Three and a half days later we finally arrived in Nassau after a wind shift made the wind come directly from our destination. It took close to 18 hours to go the last 50 miles as we were beating right into the wind. At this point Nate was getting antsy because his girlfriend Jenn was in Nassau already waiting for our arrival. We had an true tropical welcome to the Bahamas: we were able to go to the bar and fill out all the paper work to clear customs and immigration, which meant Nate got to see Jenn that night.
Nassau was a good stop for us as we had some repairs to attend to and there were marine shops all around us and grocery stores. We finally left Nassau for Allan’s Cay and soon discovered how terrifying it is to sail in water in which you can see the bottom. The Bahamian water is so clear that you can be in 30 feet of water and see the bottom. We crossed Yellow Bank and the reef that sits in the middle and proceeded to rip the our #1 jib and also break the cars that we had just replaced on the main sail at the top of the mast. So more boat work. Allan’s Cay is known for the iguanas that live on Leaf Cay and SW Allan’s Cay. They are not afraid of people and they are not small lizards. They were really interesting to see, but a little annoying if you were trying to just relax on the beach since they would come right up to you. The snorkeling was good as Seth and Ellen lots of fish south of SW Allans Cay including a sea turtle and a 6 foot shark.
We continued south after spending two days at Allan’s Cay to Highborn Cay where we met a couple from San Fransisco who were sailing back to Nassau the next day. This was how we got Jenn back to Nassau for her flight on Christmas Eve. It was really great having her here for the week and it is unfortunate that she didn’t get to see more while she was here. Highborn Cay led to Norman Cay where the good snorkeling continued.
Christmas morning arrived and we all had presents that we wanted to put under a tree. Unfortunately the only green thing we had on the boat was a cabbage. The cabbage became our tree and we put the presents around it. After the festivities we set sail for Warderick Wells where the headquarters for the Exuma Land and Sea Park is located. We heard on the radio on our sail there that there was a potluck dinner at the park that afternoon. That meant fresh food and new people. We took all three reefs out of the main sail and arrived as fast as we could. The food was delicious and it was great to meet more people. To top it off we were able to have a bonfire on the beach that night, with newly met friends GR, Jessica, Gia, and Josh aboard San-San.
Yesterday was a day of work for all of us as we volunteered at the park to help with maintenance. Nate, Seth and I were on the job of sanding the floor of one of the rooms so the wood could be varnished. It was an all day affair but it was well worth it. It was amazing the change in the look of the room from the morning till when we finished around 4pm. Ellen was off cleaning the beaches and setting up new signs all over the island with Larry who has been volunteering at the island for the past 4 years.
So far the experience that we have had has been amazing. We have met some of the nicest people that you could ask to meet. Everyone is out there to help one another out. Yesterday I was talking to a woman and mentioned that we were looking for a self-steering windvane and it turns out that they had one from their old boat sitting in storage and looking to sell it. It is an Aries which is what we have been looking for and it is in great shape. Her and her husband used it when they were circumnavigating the world. This is one of those pieces of equipment we have been looking for for the past couple of months and hadn’t been able to find.
We are looking forward to heading further south to Staniel Cay for New Years where we are looking to meet up with Duncan, Elaine, Mary and Gary who we met in Beaufort a couple of weeks ago. Everyone that we have met here seems to be heading that way for New Years so it should be quite the night for us.
