February 2006

02-01-06 (Wed.), Anchorage, Allens Cay, Exumas, The Bahamas (N24.44.890, W76.50.320): 0600 - Up, usual breakfast (Pat managed to find more bagels before we left Nassau!). BP 30.01, Temp 78, partly cloudy. It was very windy last night in the anchorage. I got up twice to check the ketch anchored behind us. He was 30 ft off my stern. I decided to take in 10 ft of anchor line about 0100 hr giving us 80 ft and a scope of 6 to 1; a bit less than I normally like but I'd rather not "kiss" his bow during the night. Found out later that both Tranquility and Scandia were up most of the night because of the closeness of the boats. Arne (Scandia) said he was "rafted up" with the boat beside him that came in late. I wonder if they "had words" during the night? 0930 - add 6 gal diesel to tank.

0945 - weigh anchor. Destination: Warderick Wells Cay (Exuma Land & Sea Park). This is suppose to be one of the most beautiful cays in the Exuma chain. Bev (Scandia) had radioed ahead yesterday to see if they had room in the mooring field for us. You must have reservations for a mooring ball; no "anchoring" is allowed so as to prevent damage to the coral. Each boat is assigned a ball based on its length and draft. We were very luckly. They radioed back and they could handle us. We heard many boats on the radio this morning trying unsuccessfully to get reservations. Once you are given a mooring, its yours as long as you want to stay. Because a cold front is suppose to be moving through the area this weekend, most boats will stay through Sunday. Waypoints we will follow from Allens Cay to Warderick Wells are as follows: Allens Cay (N24.44.80, W76.51.00) => Allens Bank (N24.44.00, W76.52.00) => Normans Strake (N24.35..70, W76..52.00) => Elbow Cay (N24.30.90, W76.49.30) => Cistern Bore (N24.25.40, W76.47.00) => Lightning Bore (N24.22.50, W76.44.00) => Long Rock Bore (N24.21.30, W76.42.10) => Alligator Cay (N24.23.30, W76.38.80) => Warderick Wells / Exuma Park turn point (N24.24.10, W76.38.30).

Great sailing with wind out of the SW. We have both our main and 150 % genoa out but keep our engine running as well. 1145 - Tranquility radios group that they have serious engine over-heating and their engine has seized! The group all turn off their engines and will sail only. Tranquility's engine is so hot Lee can't investigate possible problems. Jim, s/v Chapulin, suggest they put up their cruising spinnaker. They do and make 6.5-7 knots! 1300 - Lee radios that his engine has cooled down and found he is out of fresh water coolant. Not sure what happened. Tried engine again. Its start! Ran for 20 minutes and it guage read 190 F; its running hot. He has infrared sensor on board and checks various part of engine. Highest reading is 180 F. Decides to turn off engine and continue under sail. Will save engine to get into harbour at Warderick Wells.

 1545 - Arrive at Long Rock Bore waypoint. We've been sailing S up to this point. This is the waypoint where we turn NE about 3.6 nm going to the Alligator Cay waypoint just off Warderick Wells Cay. Its decide that Scandia and Non-Linear will motor ahead and get their moorings, then launch their dinghies and be prepared to come out and help Tranquility into the harbour if her engine shuts down again. The channel from Long Rock Bore waypoint to Alligator Cay Waypoint is narrow and has at least one shallow area (its also low tide). Weal Sea and Chapulin will hang back with Tranquility. Chapulin draws ~6.5 ft and will go first. Weal Sea follows about 0.25 nm behind with Tranquility directly behind her about 50 yards. If Chapulin has problems, Weal Sea will take the lead and find another channel. All goes well. Lowest spot is 10 ft. Approach harbour entrance waypoint where Scandia's dinghy is waiting to guide us to our mooring balls. The channel is narrow and curved like a "C" with all the boats lined up bow- to-stern about 50 yards from one another. Chapulin takes lead with Tranquility directly behind with Weal Sea following her.

Chapulin is moving very slowly and has trouble with steerage. She goes off to port side of the channel because of very swift currant and runs aground! Tranquility, who is right on her stern, veers sharply to starboard and stay in deep water followed by Weal Sea. We all know our mooring ball assignments and make for our moorings. Scandia's dinghy acts like a tug and pushes bow of Chapulin back toward center of channel and she manages to motor off the sand. Scandia then come to us and helps Weal Sea pick up her mooring ball, #6. (Note - Pat's right hand is extremely painful so we try to have her minimize using it; thus Scandia gave us some assistance.) 1715 - We are on our mooring ball (N24.23.89, W76.38.99). There are about 21 mooring balls here in the North Anchorage with an additional 10 or so in the South Anchorage about 2 nm away. 1800 - eat dinner.

1845 - put air in dinghy and row to Park HQ (about 0.5 nm away) to attend the boaters BYO Happy Hour. Current is so strong we must be making 3 knts rowing. Meet many of the other boaters in the anchorage at the Happy Hour including the veterinarian, Keith (s/v "After You") who we met in Nassau. We had heard the Park HQ talking to him on the VHF earlier in the day. It appears a boater had fallen off his boat's swim ladder and severely cut his leg exposing the muscle. There was no physician in the area and they asked Keih to come in and help. He had his surgical equipment and medicine on board. He took care of the fellow N/C. 2030 - Scandia's dinghy gives us a tow back to Weal Sea after the Happy Hour. 2130 - Hit the sack. This is truely a beautiful spot! Can't wait to explore it tomorrow.

02-02-06 (Thur), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0600 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.05, Temp 72 F, partly cloudy, wind 5-15 out of N-NW. 0915 - add air to dinghy and motor ashore to see if I can find leak. Pats stays onboard to clean boat. On shore, take off motor and turn dinghy over. Find leak on bottom near bow. Its a "worn spot" corresponding to where the swim ladder hinge is on the swim platform. I now know the cause of the leak. It resulted from constant rubbing during the night in Nassau Harbour when I tied the dinghy on the swim platform to prevent it being stolen during the night. Since we need the dinghy while we are here, I'll wait until we are ready to sail again and patch it the night before we leave on the bow of the boat. The patches require at least 24 hr to cure. One of the other sailors at Allens Cay told me he and others use 3M 5200 to patch their dinghies. John on Non-Linear said the same thing. I have 2 tubes on board. Walk up to Park HQ and sign in.

There are Mocking birds as well as numerous small yellow and black birds about the size of a canary around the porch called "Bananaquits" (AKA - Bahama Honey Creeper). Banaquits love sugar and the park keeps a bag on the porch so visiting sailors and place some in the palm of their hand. The birds will land on your hand and eat the sugar. I feed several. 1200 - return to boat. 1330 - Our group has decided to hike some of the trails on the Cay and visit Boo Boo Hill, the highest point on the cay above the anchorage, 120 ft above sea level. Its a tradition for visiting boaters to leave a small piece of drift wood, stone, etc on the hill with their boat's name on it and the date they visited. The view is spectacular. We all have a great time and take lots of pictures. 1500 - return to boat and eat. 1700 - Happy Hour for the boaters again. I return to boat early. I need to check the zincs on the propeller shaft. Pat stays and will come back with Scandia or Tranquility. 1800 - go for a swim. Zincs (3) are still there but starting to pit. I'll need to recheck them in George Town. 1730 - Pat returns. 2030 - Hit the sack.

02-03-06 (Fri.), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0600 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.00, Temp 75 F, partly cloudy, wind 5-15 out of S-SW. 0845 - Pat and I dinghy into Park HQ to volunteer to work in the park. Boaters traditionally spend several mornings (0900-1200 hr) working around the park & its HQ. They give you a free days mooring for each morning you work. (Note - cost for mooring is normally $15/day). You save $ but actually its fun to work here. Also you get to know and strike up friendships with the other boaters. At least 90% participate. Everyone does whatever they feel they can do best - painting, carpentry, running electrical wire, doing plumbing, planting flowers, working on trails, painting signs, repairing park boats, etc. Its really great fun.

Pat worked with a group of ladies planting palm trees, cacti and ground cover that grows in sand. I worked with some other fellows on one of the Parks boats, help on a trail and then did some work on a sign on the Park HQ's porch listing the names of some of the Park's "Special Friends", e.g. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Jimmy Buffet, etc. 1230 - hung around Park HQ porch with other sailors and talked. 1330 - Return to boat. 1530 - ate late lunch. 1700 - another Happy Hour at Park HQ! 1830 - return to boat for late dinner. 2245 - hit the sack.

02-04-06 (Sat.), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0615 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.00, Temp 72, Clear & calm. 0730 - Tried to listen to Chris Parker (Bahamas WX guru) on short wave (SW) freq. 4045 @0730 using the Yacht Boy 400PE Worldband radio that Lee (Tranquility) loaned us. However, having trouble using his radio. I've ordered one for ourselves to be delivered by a friend of John (s/v Non-Linear) who is to arrive in George Town in a week or 2. I really need a reliable SW receiver for WX (weather) reports. 0845 - dinghy to park HQ to work. Larry, a park volunteer, asked me to paint some signs including a "lizard" on one of the buildings. Also help with various other projects. 1700 - group had Happy Hr. on Tranquility then returned to our individual boats. 2100 - hit the sack.

02-05-06 (Sun), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0630 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.05, Temp 70, Clear & calm. Sent most of day relaxing on the boat. 1700 - Had discussed patching dinghy with other boaters at Allans Cay and here. It still has a slow leak and we need to re-inflate it each day before we can use it. I tried patching the original leak with poor success and had to pay $150 to have it patched at a Zodiac dealer (Airflow) in Annapolis; pretty stiff. Several boaters showed me their dinghies which they patched using 3M 5200! Cheap and it really works. I decided to give it a try so spent about an hour patching it. Got some acetone from the Park HQ to clean the PVC. Put on the 5200 and patch, then placed a piece of wood over it with Saran Wrap between the wood and patch. (Don't want to glue the wood to the dinghy!)

Then put a 5 Gal water Jerry can on top for pressure. Should be tacky by tomorrow AM or PM and step-up in 48 hr. "Full" cure requires 5-7 days. While working on the foredeck we saw a huge barracuda about 4 ft long and 6-8 inches wide under the bow of the boat just hanging around. This is "Bubba", a well know barracuda in the harbour at Warderick Wells who hangs around the moorings looking for morsels of food tossed overboard by the boaters. There were also a couple of other barracuda with Bubba, including Boo Boo and his brother The Habourmaster. They stayed under our boat for at least 45 minutes then moved off. Got a few pictures of Bubba before he left. 2130 - Hit the sack.

02-06-06 (Mon.), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0600 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.00, Temp 70 F, partly cloudy. 0730 - Checked patch on dinghy. Still soft. 0830 - Radioed Scandia and asked if Pat & I could hitch a dinghy ride to Park HQ to work. 0930 - Park warden assigned jobs. Another boater and I spent morning assembling a engine hoist which the park intends to use to move heavy equipment, e.g. the water-maker pump. 1245 - Hitch ride to return to boat. Eat dinner then spend rest of day reorganizing the boats food storage containers. Group has decided to head south to Big Major Spot Cay tomorrow. 1800 - Dinner then relax reading the "Wind from the Carolinas", by Robert Wilder. Its a book about a "loyalist" ("Tory") plantation family from South Carolina which moves to the Bahamas (Exuma) after the American Revolution to escape the "rebels" displeasure.

Actually gives you a real insight into the mind-set of the people of the Bahamas and the Southern slave origins of many of its people. Pat is reading "Out-Island-Doctor", a biographically account of Evans W. Cottman, a school teacher from Madison, Indiana who settles in the Bahamas in the after WW II where he becomes a "Unqualified" Medical Practitioner (obviously a "British" title!). Because of the shortage of trained medical doctors, the Bahamian government developed a policy of granting a limited licenses to persons having certain scientific educational qualification. These were known as "Unqualified Medical Practitioners" who were allowed to engage in general practice except for major surgery. Its very interesting, especially since he talks about many of the placed we have visited or plan to visit. In addition, it gives you another insight into the Bahamas and its people. (NOTE: The cays / island outside of New Providence where Nassau is located are referred to as the "Out-Islands", thus the name of the book.) 1945 - hit the sack.

02-07-06 (Tues.), Anchorage, Warderick Wells Cay, Exuma Land & Sea Park, The Bahamas (N24.23.89, W76.38.99): 0630 - Up & breakfast. BP 30.15, Temp 70 F, partly cloudy, wind 10-15 out of north. 0700 - Check dighy. Patch is now tacky, but decide to not inflate the dinghy until tonight when we get to Big Major Spot. 0730 - Try to listen to Chris Parker's WX report on SW but no luck again. 0900 - hitch a ride to Park HQ to check-out. We had worked 3 days and also joined the Exuma Land & Sea Park Association ($50 donation) which includes 2 days free anchoring. Paid only $15 for one additional day. 1000 - Group weighs anchor and departs. Its all down wind and great sailing (wing-on-wing). We use the motor for an hour only just to leave and enter the harbour at Big Major Spot cay which is immediately adjacent to Staniel Cay. 1300 - arrive at Big Major Spot Cay and drop anchor in white sand in 10 ft of absolutely clear water! (N 24.11.35, W 76.27.45). I've never seen water like this.

The colors and shades of blue and green are unbelievable. You soon become accustom to reading the water depths based on their color. 1500 - inflate dinghy. NO LEAK! The 3M 5200 really works. Dinghy to Staniel Cay about 1.5 miles away around the point on Big Major Spot where we tie up to the dock. There is a nurse shark in the shallow water next to our dinghy and there are swimmers only 15 ft away. The swimmers & shark ignore each other... unbelievable. Meet Casey & Edyth Kerkstra (s/v Bookworm) from Muskegon, MI. They know Paul & Mary Slotegraaf (s/v Cool Change), our sailing friends who had to return to Michigan because of illness. Casey had wondered what had happened to them. We visited Staniel Cay Yacht Club. This is NOT a "real" yacht club in the traditional sense. Its actually a bar, restaurant and very small marina where boaters gather. No membership fee but you can buy a burgee with an SC on it for $35. We pass on joining! Walk around the village.

There are several very small brightly painted 1 and 2 bedroom cottages (some on stilts) next to the beach for rent. This is really a tiny place and it is "island time" here; pretty laid back. Return to boat but cruised by "Thunder Ball Cave" cay about 1/4 mile from the dock in the harbour. This is where the James Bond movie "Thunderball" was made. Its slack tide and there are a number of dinghies on the 3 free mooring balls next to the cave entrance just below the water line. Several people with snorkels are going in and out of the cave which has numerous fish inside. We did not bring our snorkel gear and didn't go in. I didn't bring my gear and will try to come back tomorrow if we get a chance to check it out. 1830 - return to boat. Dinner. 2000 - Decide to take a swim off the swim platform, then a freshwater shower in the cockpit. Do a bit of reading. 2145 - Hit the sack.

02-08-06 (Wed.), Anchorage, Big Major Spot / Staniel Cay (N 24.11.35, W 76.27.45); 0600 - Up & Breakfast. BP 30.05, temp 70, partly cloudy (PC), windy 5-10 N. 1000 - Pat & I dinghy to Staniel Cay to shop. Visit both the "Blue" & the "Pink" (so-called "super market") grocery stores. The Blue store had a nice selection of fresh vegetable which had just arrived on the Mail Boat, which was still at the dock (the "mail boats" run supplies between the islands). However, no fresh red meats, just frozen. Pat was able to buy some great POTATOES!
1300 - Walked around the village and along the "beach front". This is NOT Miami Beach folks! (This is really a second world country; we are NOT being disrespectful - The people here are wonderful and friendly.) Pat had brought some candy along and we decided to visit the local one-room school. The school had a total of 15 children ranging in age from kindergarten through high school. They had 2 young teachers, a husband & wife team from Guana. He was the "principal" and taught the older children. His wife taught the younger ones. The teachers invited us in to meet the children were so excited to see us. They were all dressed neatly in very clean uniforms: white shirts or blouses and black pants or skirts. I spoke to the class briefly and told them where we were from and what our backgrounds were. The principal told us in confidence that he some trouble getting the parents excited about the need for educating their children. Therefore when we spoke to them we emphasized the importance of their education.

Pat gave the candy to the teacher who planned to use it as a reward for good behavior and special accomplishments. Its the "islands" here and people have a different mind-set. We saw the same thing among the locals in Grenada. In many cases, its the women who run the household. 1430 - Returned to dock to dinghy back to anchorage. A fisherman was cleaning fish at the dock and tossing the viscera into the water (2 ft deep) next to the dock and our dinghy. There were numerous 4-5 ft long nurse sharks and small 2-4 ft rays (stingrays / devil fish) swarming around eating the viscera. At the 1600 - The boaters in the Big Major Spot Cay anchorage organized a Happy Hour on the beach which we attended. 1830 - Head back to Weal Sea. Chris Parker (Bahamas WX expert) has predicted a cold front with heavy winds moving in next weekend. Therefore group has decided to start south toward George Town tomorrow and get to Galliot Cay where we will leave the shallow Exuma Bank and enter the deeper Exuma Sound the next day. 1900 -
Hit the sack.

02-09-06 (Thur), Ancorage, Big Major Spot / Staniel Cay (N 24.11.35, W 76.27.45). 0700 - Up. BP 30.10, temp 70, clear, winds N @ 10-15 kts. Group will be leaving about 1100. I want to check out Thunderball Cave before we leave. Pat and I dinghy over to the cave. Its much to windy and the tide is in. I don't want to dive by myself and we decide to return to Weal Sea. 1100 - Group pulls anchor and heads out - Waypoints: Harvey Cay (N 24.09.15, W 76.29.40) => Big Farmers Cay (N 23.55.30, W 76.19.60) => Galliot Cay (N 23.55.55, W76.17.80). We have a great "Wing & Wing" sail with winds from N-NE 10-15 knts in clear skies and bright warm. The water is so clear you watch the bottom move by. 1530 - Arrive at Big Galliot Cay and drop anchor in 9 ft of water just off the beach on the west side of the cay (N 23.55.45, W 76.17.35). This is a great little anchorage. 1645 - Group has Happy Hour on Scandia. Since its about 40 miles to George Town, the group decides to weigh anchor at 0600!
tomorrow. 2000 - Hit the sack.

02-10-06 (Fri.), Anchorage, Big Galliot Cay (N 23.55.45, W 76.17.35): 0545 - Up & Breakfast. BP 30.20, Temp 70, clear. Add 5 gal diesel to tank from Jerry Can (EHR 1921.12). 0630 - Weigh anchor and head for Galliot Cut ("Cuts" in the Bahamas are channels between the cays. This cut allows passage between the shallow Exuma Bank on the west side of the Exuma chain of cays and very deep Exuma Sound on the east side of the chain. Our wayspoints to Elizabeth Harbour entrance are: west side Galliot Cut (N 25.55.10, W 76.17.10) => east side Galliot Cut (N 23.55.60, W 76.16.60) => Conch Cay Cut (N 23.34.30, W75.48.50) (entrance to Elizabeth Harbour) at the north end of Stocking Island (forms the east side of Elizabeth Harbour) across from George Town on Great Exuma Island (west side of Elizabeth Harbour). The tide is coming in from Great Exuma sound as we go through the Galliot Cut single file under power. We elect to bring up the tail end.

The winds are out of the N-Ne at 12 knots with white caps. It gets pretty rough going throught the cut with 3-5 ft waves. Anything not secured below is on the deck in the cabin! We clear the west side Galliot Cay waypoint about 0845 and turn south toward Conch Cay Cut waypoint nearly 40 miles SSE. Once clearing the cut, and with the wind off our stern port quarter, it smooths out a bit. Everyone puts out their head sail and most keep their engine going at low RPM. Tranquility, however, puts up her main as well and turns off her engine (still has a problem with over heating). We are all doing 5-6 knots with occasional burst to 7 knots. Tranquility, a 50 footer, has no trouble keeping up. Scandia has decide to go ahead and goes for deeper water about 5 miles out. Weal Sea and Non-Linear, both shallow drafted vessels (~4.5 ft), stay closer to shore in 70 to 120 ft of water. Non-Linear has two lines out trolling for fish (didn't catch any). 1015 - Scandia is out of sight and Tranquility and Chapuline fall behind. They are out in deep water following the same route as Scandia.

We past Non-Linear about 1145 and arrive at Conch Cay Cut waypoint at 1225 ready to enter Elizabeth Harbour. Scandia radios the group that she is already anchored off Hamburger Beach north of Monument Beach on the west side of Stocking Island (east side of Elizabeth Harbour). The entrance to Elizabeth Harbour and the approach to the anchorage along the west side of Stocking Island can be tricky and you must follow the waypoints carefully because of shallow bores (shifting sand bars) and coral reefs. The waypoints we followed were: Conch Cay Cut (N 23.34.30, W 75.48.50) => Smith Cays (N 23.33.65, W 75.48.65) => Conch Cay (N 23.33.27, N 75.48.17) => Simons Point (N 23.32.75, N 75.48.10) => Goat Cay (N 23.32.20, W 75.47.50) => Monument (N 23.31.96, W 75.46.54) waypoint adjacent to the beach on the east side of Stocking Island. From here you simply parallel the beach dodging the 200 or so boats (!) anchored along the several beachs on the island's west side: Hamburger, Monument, Volley Ball/ Black Rock, Rocky Point and Sand Dollar Beach. 1330 - We drop anchor in about 13 ft absolutely clear water over white sand about 100 yds off Hamburger Beach at the edge of the Mail Boat channel (N 23.55.45, W 75.46.05). Scandia is anchored about 1/4 miles SE of us. About 2.5 miles SW of us across Elizabeth Harbour we can see George Town. We'll dinghy there tomorrow. Today we just decide to relax and straighten up the boat after our rough initial start through Galliot Cut. The rest of our group arrive over the next 2 hours. 2000 - Hit the sack.
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