Sunday, April 5, 2020

Coronavirus is affecting everybody, including us in the Bahamas.  Before I update on that however, here’s some good stuff…

Sea Glass

After our guests left, we re-provisioned in Marsh Harbor with both fuel and supplies.  At that time, the Bahamas were encouraging social distancing but no other significant actions.  The weather was projected to be relatively calm so we headed south to one of our favorite spots, Lynyard Cay.  We took advantage of the beautiful weather and did some seaglass hunting and replenished our supply of lobster.  The first day of seaglass hunting we went to the backside of Little Harbor, behind Pete’s Pub and enjoyed gathering glass in a little cove with the waves splashing us up to our waists.  The next day we went to the ocean side of Lynyard Cay, and snorkeled a cave where we’ve found a lot of seaglass.  We weren’t disappointed.  I thought it was a little too rough in the surf so didn’t stay in very long.  Kathi, being both tougher and braver than I kept gathering glass.  She even found 2 small red pieces, extremely rare for here.

The next day, the winds shifted to the south and then to the west so we went to Armstrong Cay and replenished our supply of lobster.  Kathi found a Spanish, or slipper tail, lobster which are not uncommon but are very rarely seen since they stay in very dark areas.  In the photo, it is the lobster perpendicular to the other lobsters.  Our friends on Second Sojourn had been in the southern Bahamas, with 2 more sets of guests scheduled to arrive so they weren’t planning to be back to the Abacos until mid-April at the earliest.  Due to coronavirus, their guests cancelled their trips (Thankfully it turns out) so we were happily surprised to see them show up at Armstrong Cay the next day.  We enjoyed a couple of days of lobster hunting, helping to replenish their supply, socializing with dinners together and cards.

On March 17, the Bahamaian Government put in place a social distancing order and closing non-essential business.  Grocery stores and fuel docks remained open but to our dismay, liquor stores were considered non-essential.  Worse, when we had resupplied the day before, we did not restock our liquor supply so we had only emergency rations to last until near the end of March.  We didn’t worry however, the orders closing the liquor stores was only in place through March 30.  We moved up to Marsh Harbor on the 30th in anticipation of resupplying.  Unfortunately, the orders were extended for another week, through April 6.  Our emergency supplies had run out on March 28, even with some resupply from Second Sojourn.  We decided we would start our movement back to the northern Abacos in preparation for the trip back to the states.  

On April 3 we made the trip through Whale Cay passage and anchored outside of Green Turtle Cay, the last outpost for supplies in the area.  Second Sojourn had arrived at Green Turtle Cay 2 days before us, notified us that the liquor store had been open until yesterday.  Dang, we missed it.  They also let us know that they were approached by a police officer on their way to the grocery store and asked for ID.  

We wanted to top-up with fuel so I emptied our four 5-gallon jerry cans into the tank and went to the Green Turtle Club fuel dock to fill them up.  While paying in the store (They have a small convenience store with an attached liquor store) I told the clerk I needed to get some liquor.  She said, fine, I’ll just ring it all up together.  Hallelujah!  I restocked the liquor supplies, just short of hoarding.  When I got back to the boat, Kathi was surprised and very pleased.  We had gone 5 days without alcohol, didn’t have a problem during those days, but were happy that we could once again enjoy a relaxing beverage in the evening.  Kathi went back to the store to get a couple more bottles of spirits to repay our friends on Second Sojourn.  When she got there, a police officer arrived.  Kathi thought, darn, he’s here to shut them down, but no, he was there to fill up a box with liquor and was in line behind her.  After stocking up, we moved to the next island north, Manjack Cay, about 3 miles away and enjoyed a visit with Second Sojourn.  That evening, the Bahamian government put a lockdown order in-place closing all businesses including grocery stores until Monday morning.  No one is allowed outside their homes or off of their boats.  Boats are prohibited from moving.  The council on Green Turtle Cay has made a ruling that no boaters are allowed on the island and no supplies are to be provided to them; they feel they need to save their supplies for the locals.  I guess they are worried about having their supply chain jeopardized and running short of items the locals need.  Boaters have become “Persona non gratis.”  Fortunately we are fine with fuel and supplies.  I can’t say the same for everyone else.  

Who knows what will happen tomorrow morning.  Will the orders stay in place or will they allow us to move.  Thank God for our health, common sense and resupply.  Sasi takes it all in-stride, refusing to give in to stress; and we still have beautiful sunsets to enjoy.

March 24, 2020

Hard to believe that it’s been over 2 months since I’ve updated the blog.  My apologies to the hoard of fans out there (All 2 of you, lol).  We spent about a month in Eleuthera hoping that the winds would calm down and the winter cold fronts coming through would get back to some semblance of normal; fronts coming through every 5-6 days instead of every 3 days and with less intensity.  Except for 1 instance it was not to be.  However, we took advantage of the one instance of 4 days of calm weather to get to the south end of Eleuthera, stayed in the Cape Eleuthera marina and used our dinghy to explore the southern end of the island.  We did a great dive where I speared the largest lion fish we’ve seen in the Bahamas.  It provided a fine meal.

Roots from Above

Openings to the sky

While in Eleuthera we anchored in Rock Sound and explored one of the caves in the area.  Sasi got to take a nice long walk and see her first cave. One of the neat things about the caves is how the tree roots grow down from the surface and anchor themselves in the floor of the caves.

Sasi on her walk

Old Dozer parked by the Motor Pool

Kathi behind bars at the Navel Brig

We also visited an old Navy base near Alabaster Bay.  The base was built in 1950 to test a Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) to help detect submarines.  The base played an important role during the Cuban Missile Crisis by helping identify Russian subs trying to sneak to Cuba. Another interesting item was a football field sized concrete pad on a slope of about 15 degrees.  We wondered what it was for and turns out that it was used to collect water for the base.  The location of the base was just above one of the prettiest beaches we've seen, now called "Pink Sand Beach."

Pink Sand Beach at Navel Station

Tree Decorations

In mid-February our friend Ron from Nampa, Idaho and his girlfriend Julie arrived in Eleuthera to join us.  After only 2 days in Eleuthera a weather window opened up to head north to the Abacos where they were scheduled to fly out.  We had a wonderful 10 hour sail in 28 knots of wind and 5-6 foot seas.  I say a wonderful sail although I’m not sure our guests were ready for it though they handled the sail like fine crew.  We enjoyed their company for 2 weeks, snorkeling, getting lobster and moving from anchorage to anchorage to escape the winds which would not let up.  One of the places we love going to in Abaco is Pete's Pub in Little Harbor.  Unfortunately the pub was closed due to Hurricane Dorian; it is closed not because of damage but because of lack of visitors.  Even though Pete's was closed, we enjoyed a walk around Little Harbor and some of the decorations.

Drinking Pirate

Sunset at Lynyard Cay

Jolee and Larry's first snorkle

Our second set of guest, Kathi’s aunt Jolee and uncle Larry, arrived on March 3 for a two week stay.  Once again we had a great time with evening card playing and great dinners.  We had been hoping for calmer weather but that was not to be until the last 3 days of their stay.  Neither of them had spent any time snorkeling and both put aside any fears they had and enjoyed a new perspective of seeing the underwater beauty.  They saw us get lobster, fish and conch.  Of course, one of the required activities is cleaning conch.  Larry turned out to be a natural at the task.  Irregardless of the winds, we had a great time and were able to take them for walks on a few of the islands in the Abacos.  They especially enjoyed the beautiful sunsets and took many photos each day they were here. 

The devastation in the Abacos is still heart breaking but we’ve been impressed with how much progress has been made on the outlying Cays with getting life closer to normal.  Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco has a long way to go but they are clearing away debris and preparing areas for rebuilding.  

We’ve been following the impacts of the corona virus as I’m sure all the rest of you are.  Fortunately the Bahamas have been spared so far.  We are well provisioned on the boat and hope that all of you have adequate supplies for the foreseeable future.  We originally planned to head back to the States shortly after our last guests left but have reconsidered and decided to remain here for who knows how long.  We’d like the madness concerning the corona virus to diminish before we come back and hope that the impacts will be short lived-for this we pray.

Wednesday, January 8

Rather than move back to Royal Harbor from Spanish Wells,  we started our move further south going through Current Cut and anchoring near a place called the Glass Window.  At this location, Eleuthera is only about 100 feet wide and their use to be an arch which looked out into the Atlantic Ocean from the shallow waters of Eleuthera Bank.  The arch collapsed in a hurricane many years ago but a road spans the chasm and recreates the “Window.”  

Glass Window

The wind will be blowing up to 40 knots for the next 4-5 days so we will hunker down here until the winds relax.  The Glass Window is a phenomenal spot to watch the power of the ocean especially with these strong winds.  Another spot that we  saw for the first time is a place called “Queen’s Baths” located about 1/2 mile south of the Glass Window and right across the road from our anchorage.  We were walking Sasi and she headed up a trail to the road.  On the other side was a small parking area and a sign saying “Queen’s Baths.  We crossed the road and Sasi headed down the other trail to an overlook of the Baths.  We think that these are more spectacular than the Glass Window.  In calm weather I’m sure you can climb down and enjoy some peaceful relaxation in one of the pools.  In this weather the waves are crashing over the pools and I’m sure anyone foolish enough to get into the pools would soon be swept out to the Ocean.

Sausage-Pepperoni Pizza

This section of Eleuthera is pretty far from the nourishing current of the Ocean and Exuma Sound so we find very little marine life which for us means no hunting.  We’re making use of our time doing a few boat chores and walking with Sasi.  We’ve also had a neighbor at this anchorage, Pelican Express, with whom we’ve enjoyed cocktails.  They’ve been living aboard for 24 years and have circumnavigated the globe.  We hope to hear more stories of their adventures in the South Pacific.

Kathi and I both enjoy pizza so normally once a week I make some crusts and Kathi devises the ingredients to go on top.  We love to take this opportunity to also have guests for dinner and will bake 4-6 pizzas.  This week, it’s only us so limited the pizzas to 2, an old standby, Sausage-Pepperoni, and a new pizza, Jalapeño Popper pizza; both were delicious.

Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Tonight we are listening to the 49er-Viking game.  To my wondrous surprise they win!!!  Go niners in the NFC championship game next week.

Timing is everything when it comes to moving from one anchorage to another.  We first thought of moving about 18 miles south to Governor’s Harbor on Saturday.  We decided we wanted to stay where we were at, take one more trip to Queens Bath to enjoy the scenery.  We left the anchorage on Sunday morning.  The sail would be to the SE and the wind was projected to be from the East;  Good conditions.  Unfortunately the wind turned to the SE, increased its briskness and caused the swells to build to 3-5 feet directly on the nose.  We motored into the waves making about 3.5 knots.  After about a half hour of beating into the waves, one of the attachments holding the dinghy onto the davits broke leaving the dinghy swinging precariously as we bounced through each wave.  We bailed out into the nearest cove, dropped anchor and intended to spend the night.  Unfortunately the swells were rounding the point of the cove, hitting Makani on its side causing us to roll sickeningly from side to side.  We decided that this was not a good anchorage to spend the night.  We got the dinghy secured once again to the davits, left our tenuous anchorage and headed to the next cove, about a mile away.  Again, as we motored into the cove, we saw that once again the swells were rounding the point and creating a less than desirable anchorage.  We continued south for the 5 miles to Hatchet Bay which does not seem like a long ways but at 3.5 knots, into the wind and swells, it can seem endless to someone on a boat.  The entrance to Hatchet Bay is about 50 feet wide with sheer rock walls on either side.  Inside the bay, the water was calm as could be.  We found our anchoring spot and enjoyed the peacefulness of a calm boat with no rolling.  If we had left yesterday, as we originally intended, our trip would have been a pleasant sail.  Timing is everything.

Saturday, December 28

We said adios to our friends in Hopetown and sailed around the Tilloo Bank to anchor at the north end of Tilloo Cay; a good anchorage for the northeast winds.  We ran the water maker for about 2 hours to fill the one tank that was empty.  After that we just relaxed and enjoyed the sun.

On Sunday we moved a little further south to Armstrong Cay, one of our favorite anchorages in the Abacos.  Armstrong Cay only provides protection from south and west winds which generally only occur as a cold front moves through so we enjoy any opportunity to come here.  The area has some of the largest lobster we’ve ever found, several blue holes to explore, an area we call turtle city since we often see dozens of turtles there and a couple of swim throughs where you just let the current carry you past coral heads and an abundance of underwater life.  We’ll only be able to stay here 2 nights before we need to move to Lynyard Cay and prepare for the crossing to Eleuthera.  Sunday night we were able to listen to the 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks to win the Western Conference of the NFC.  I’ll be looking forward to at least being able to listen to the playoff games even though we’re not able to see them.  Go 49ers.

After anchoring, we snorkeled the nearby rocky outcroppings and got a couple lobster for dinner.  We mainly wanted to get into the water since we had been in Hopetown for longer than expected.  After the snorkel we took Sasi ashore to see what remained of an abandoned, partially destroyed home that sits on a beautiful hilltop overlooking the Sea of Abaco.  We expected that Hurricane Dorian would have completed the destruction but were surprised to see it looking essentially the same as the last time we visited, two years ago.  At one time it must have been a lovely home.  Sasi, as usual, walked with us and enjoyed exploring.  We keep her on a leash so she doesn’t run into the brush after the curly tails she likes to chase.  

Monday and Tuesday morning the winds calmed down a little and the areas we like to explore were well protected.  We got eight lobster on Monday and another 6 on Tuesday.  Our Tuesday hunting was for the benefit of Second Sojourn who have guests aboard and haven’t had the opportunity to do much hunting.

Another Successful Day Hunting

Tuesday afternoon, New Years Eve, we moved to Lynyard Cay.  Second Sojourn invited us to go with them to Pete’s Pub for dinner and entertainment.  We also had an invitation to attend a bonfire on the beach with the other cruisers planning to head south to Eleuthera in the morning.  We chose the bonfire.  Six boats were represented; as is usually the case at a get-together like this, one of the boats brought a piece of flotsam for everyone to sign their names and hang on a tree to commemorate the event.  Even though it was New Years Eve, the party broke up early since everyone was getting up between 4am and 6am to leave for Eleuthera.

The trip to Eleuthera is only about 55 miles, 8 to 10 hours for most sailboats, and crosses a portion of the ocean called the NorthEast Providence Channel.  This channel separating the Abacos from Either is over 10,000 feet deep in portions.  When the wind is blowing hard, as it had been for the last week or so, waves can easily get over 12 feet high.  Most cruisers, including us, will wait for the winds to calm down, allowing the seas to calm down, and cross when the waves are 3-4 feet high.  We left at 6:30am, had a smooth crossing, and reached our anchorage at Royal Island around 4pm.  Second Sojourn, had arrived around 2pm and were already snorkeling looking for lobster.  After their snorkel, they stopped by the boat and introduced their guests.  We gave them 5 lobster that we had caught for them at Armstrong Cay.  Thursday, they left for Spanish Wells and other visiting points around Eleuthera.

On Friday we were taking a scenic ride in the dinghy when a seaplane landed in the harbor.  Seeing a seaplane is always an interesting experience .  This one taxied to a location 2 boats away from us, dropped an anchor and waited to pick up guests from the Royal Island resort.  Construction on Royal Island for a huge resort complex was started in early 2008.  The principal developers were Roger Stauback and Jack Nicholas.  Construction was put on hold soon after it started however due to the economic downturn in 2008.  One resort did get put into place; a one week stay for 10+ guests in 5 beachfront bungalows costs about $93,000.  The seaplane picked up 4 gentlemen and took off, spraying us with mist as it started its run into the air.  We assume that the remainder of the families on the island, the kids and wives, were journeying back home via commercial flights from Eleuthera airport.

Friday is normally “Pizza Friday” where we make and bake several pizzas and try to have guests to enjoy the cuisine.  Second Sojourn had left but Janice B, with Gregg and Vickie aboard, came into the anchorage that afternoon and joined us.  Kathi does a great job putting together the ingredients for the pizzas after I’ve made the crusts.  This night she prepared Lobster Thai, Mexican, Sausage-Pepperoni, and Chicken-Garlic pizzas.  As usual, they were delicious.

Monster Fish

Saturday and Sunday the winds picked up again so we limited our snorkeling, but went fishing one morning using fishing poles and conch for bait.  On my first cast I caught a nice pan-sized fish and we thought we would be catching the heck out of them.  We caught a few fish but they were all small; Kathi’s took top prize.  After a couple of hours we decided to head back to the boat and released the one keeper that we had.  We, along with Dale on  svMokocat were invited over to Janice B on Sunday for a movie/documentary called “Red Dot on the Ocean,” a film about Matt Rutherford who at 30 years old became the first person to sail alone, nonstop around North and South America.  The journey took him through the Arctic’s northwest passage and around Cape Horn, one of the stormiest places on earth.  After 309 days he completed the journey and it seems his 27 foot sailboat was being held together by duct-tape and prayers.  A very good movie which we’d highly recommend.

Pirate Anne Boney

Monday the winds grew calm again allowing Janice B and Mokocat to head further south and us to go to Spanish Wells for some re-provisioning and to find someone to rebuild our alternator.  The alternator story goes back 4 years when we replaced the voltage regulator in the boat and started having alternators go bad about every 6 months.  No one has seemed to be able to properly diagnose the problem.  We thought we had it solved this year but another alternator decided to quit.  With the history we’ve had with the alternator, I like to keep a spare aboard in case we need it.  Fortunately we found an alternator repair shop and Jason was able to complete the repair that same day.  The problem with this alternator was different from the problems with the previous alternators so maybe we’re making progress.

While in Spanish Wells, we ran into the famous lady pirate Anne Boney and I got a picture with her.  The winds will be picking up again to about 40 knots over the next couple of days so after we finish picking up a few additional items in town we will head back to the anchorage at Royal Island to await calmer weather and continue our voyage south.  

Monday, December 23

The week of Christmas is supposed to be a time to slow down and enjoy family, friends, and reflect on our blessings.  Seeing the damage caused by Dorian certainly makes it easy to count our blessings.  This week was also dominated by windy, squally weather that made life on the boat interesting.

We finished our work at Che’s house although we were unable to complete the plumbing to get water to the cistern.  The only hardware store on the island, which had the couplings we needed to join the pipes together is closed until January 3.  Such are logistics in the Bahamas.

Tuesday was dominated by rain and wind.  A squall came through around 6am, right at dawn,  with torrential rain and several gusts of wind that had to be 70 knots or more.  Makani healed over to where I thought, for only the second time in our sailing, that she might capsize.  The pots and pans in the cabinets flew out, clanging on the floor.  Two of the boats in the harbor had their dinghies flip over, another dinghy tied to a mooring ball flipped, and one boat snapped their bridle that attached them to their mooring and had to motor out of the harbor to anchor away from the other boats.  Several other boats had various pieces of gear blown off; a kayak, oars, cushions and life jackets.  All the boaters scrambled to get into their dinghies to help retrieve gear and right the upended dinghies.  Fortunately this all happened when the morning allowed us to see.  All of the excitement was over in 2 hours.

Prepping Windows

On Christmas Eve we enjoyed a wonderful get-together with 5 other couples on Second Sojourn for cocktails and snacks.  Christmas morning, Gary and we went out lobster hunting even though the weather was still windy and squally.  Another couple was going with us as well but as soon as we got out of the harbor and they saw the conditions they turned back.  We got 4 lobster to use for Christmas dinner but only stayed out a short time due to the weather and currents.  Christmas dinner was surf and turf.

Thursday we did our last task in Hopetown, at least for a while.  Eight of the windows in the lighthouse were broken so Gary and I went and installed new glass.  Gary was a glazier for a few years after college.  My job was to prep the windows which proved harder than it should have been.  The new glazing compound was old and would not stick.  We had to clean all of the old glazing/paint off of the frames to allow the new glazing to have a chance at sticking.  Even then, Gary, always the perfectionist, was not happy with the finished product.  After 5 hours we had the job done.  At least the windows were whole again.  The lighthouse is a treasured symbol in Hopetown.  It is purported to be the last Kerosene burning lighthouse in the world and is hand-lit each evening.  Clinbing to the top of the lighthouse is one of the must-do activities for anyone visiting Hometown.  Since Dorian however, the lighthouse has been closed to visitors so our getting to work in the lighthouse, and see the views, was a treat.

Normally, Hopetown Harbor is filled with boats this time of year.  Many boats take a mooring ball and spend the entire winter season in the harbor enjoying the numerous social activities.  As you can see from the picture of the harbor, it is not 1/4 full.  Repairs to the infrastructure on the Cay are progressing faster than we would have thought, despite the logistical challenges of getting materials.  We have been amazed at the industriousness of the people and the strides they have made to put Elbow Cay back together.

Hopetown Harbor from the Lighthouse.
Makani is in the center of the photo

The weather will start calming down around New Year and give us an opportunity to leave the Abacos and travel south about 55 miles to Eluthera.  We wanted to spend a couple of days visiting our favorite spots at some of the Cays south of Hopetown and Marsh Harbor.  We hope that the next couple of days will allow us to get back into our normal routine of snorkeling 3-4 hours each day; something that we missed while being in Hopetown Harbor.  Our next stop will be Armstrong Cay, one of our favorite stops, before we have to stage for the crossing to Eluthera.

Monday, December 9

Hopetown Lighthouse

We arrived at Hopetown in the late afternoon, anchoring in our usual spot below the lighthouse.    The houses that we were use to seeing were badly damaged; roofs gone, walls blown in, rooms missing.  The next morning we dinghied into the harbor to walk around, get a feel for what was going on and see how to find ways to help.  The devastation is very widespread with virtually every building damaged in some way.  Many houses are gone and many more just need to be torn down.  We stopped by the “Command Center” and visited with Peter, the person in charge.  He tries to keep track of projects where volunteers can be used.  Tomorrow, he said, he wants some people to go to the “Straw Market” across from Vernon’s Grocery to get it cleaned out so they can further assess what will be needed to get that business up and running.

Hopetown Lodge

Wednesday morning we arrived at the store and shortly after were joined by our friends on Second Sojourn and also 3 people from the States who had come over for a week with the sole intention of helping with the clean-up/recovery effort.  They are staying on a boat in the harbor that is owned by a relief agency.  We spent about 4 hours pulling ruined furniture, fallen ceiling panels, and roof shingles out of the building and piling the debris at the side.  Eventually, a work crew will come by to pick up the debris and move it to someplace for permanent removal from the island.  Sheila, the owner of the business, worked along side us, letting us know what she might want to try and salvage and what could just be tossed out.  When we left, the building was cleaned out enough for repair workers to come in, reinforce/rebuild some of the rafters that had been damaged and get a new roof put on.  We don’t think it will happen very quickly.  We stopped back by the Command Center for an afternoon job but nobody was around so we went back to the boat for an afternoon snorkel.

Hopetown Lodge Pool

Successful Lobster Hunt

Gary and Mel from Second Sojourn joined us.  We went to our favorite spots and got lobster for tonights meal and a few extras for the freezer.

Our next job was to help at Vernon’s Grocery.  He is back up and running although with very little product to sell.  He is baking fresh bread everyday and it seems like everyone on the island stops by sometime during the day to buy a loaf or two.  We mainly helped spruce-up the place with painting and general clean-up.  Vernon had his 86th birthday yesterday.  He lost his house and almost everything in it to the storm.  He and his wife rode out the storm in the grocery store which survived intact although his bakery, in a small attached shed, was damaged.  

On the bright side, people seem to be in good spirit, a couple of businesses seem to reopen every week and the town is decorating for the holidays.

Bahamas Strong

On Friday, a group of 8 of us took Second Sojourn over to Marsh Harbor.  I’ve mentioned how poor the internet is here so I wanted to get a new phone or hotspot with a company called Aliv. We had heard that their system is working very well in the Bahamas.  We got a hotspot and it is working superbly, so we hope to be able to communicate now more easily.  Most of the group went to Maxwell’s supermarket to pick up some fresh items.  Maxwell’s is almost fully stocked with a great selection of food items.  Another couple on our trip to Marsh Harbor, Mike and Jan on Gorek Shep,  needed to clear through customs and immigration; more about them later.

Marsh Harbor, at least near the harbor, has very few building standing.  Maxwell’s grocery, about a half-mile from the harbor, is one of the few.  We didn’t get to walk around a lot, just within a 10 block radius or so; Kathi says they could film “The Zombie Apocalypse” movie here without a need for a movie set.  We saw lots of activity though.  Cars were going up and down the roads moving goods from the government dock to places they would be used; new refrigerators, microwaves, generators, other furniture.  At least some people are getting their lives put back together.

Mike and Jan on Gorek Shep sailed from Savannah, GA with the Virgin Islands as their destination.  After about a week of sailing their forestay broke.  The forestay is a key part of the standing rigging that keeps the mast upright.  They managed to get the sail cut away and keep the mast from toppling down.  The only direction they could safely sail was with the wind behind them; all of the wind pressure would be on the back stay and shrouds.  The wind was from the east so they set their course for the Bahamas, 700 miles away.  They arrived safely and we met them because they needed depth information for getting into Hopetown; their boat draws 7 feet which is a lot of draft for the Bahamas.  We have a handheld depth finder and helped guide them in.

The weather is projected to be bad for the next week or so, at least until Christmas.  Winds are projected to be around 30 knots with gusts up to 40 knots. We decided to stay in Hopetown since we can help out here and have protection from the winds as they clock around.  I stopped by the command center on Wednesday to see if they had any jobs.  Peter had a job of helping reinforce a porch and some stairs.  Gary, from Second Sojourn, and I went out to the house to evaluate what we might need.  The homeowner, Cha, welcomed us and also mentioned the need to reconnect the plumbing from the gutters to the cistern so they could have a source of water.  We evaluated what we could do and what we needed.  We recruited additional help from “Gorek Shep,” Mike and Jan.

Merry Christmas from Hopetown

On Thursday, Gary, Kathi, Mike, Jan and I went to Cha’s house and started working.  We repaired the stairs to the front door, jacked-up and reinforced 2 different sections of decking, and got a start at replacing the plumbing needed to get water to the cistern. The next day we tackled the back deck; badly twisted and detached from the house.  The owner was still using it to get from the back door to the back steps even though it was a 2 foot drop from the back door to the deck.  We jacked the deck up as best we could but because it was twisted it was catching on the plywood sheathing of the house.  We blocked it up to keep it stable.  At least now the step down is only about 8 inches.  The whole deck needs to be torn down and replaced but because of the logistics of getting materials and labor here the deck needs to be safe and semi-functional for the next 6 months to a year. We plan to finish the plumbing to the cistern on Monday.

Kathi and Santa (Will on sv Antares)

On Sunday we attended a church event and then went to a potluck hosted by ‘On da Beach’ a local restaurant and bar.  Everyone is in good spirits and looking forward to Christmas.  Kathi even got to visit with Santa! 

Monday, December 2

We have not had internet coverage since we arrived at West End, the day of our crossing.  We don’t really miss it much but have gotten dependent on current weather information in order to make informed decisions on where to anchor.  The cold front that was supposed to pass through Sunday night did not arrive.  We had a peaceful night in Crab Cay but no internet.  We decided to head to Green Turtle Cay, see how they fared with Dorian, and hopefully reconnect with the rest of the world.

The sail to Green Turtle Cay, 20 miles away, was perfect.  The wind was just behind our beam, blowing 15 to 25 knots.  We put out our headsail and sailed at 6 to 7.5 knots for 3 hours.  The peacefulness of sailing, no noise from an engine, is amazing.  We relaxed and enjoyed the sound of  the bow of the boat cutting through the water.  We could tell that the front was closing in on us; clouds built up and we had occasional sprinkles.  We reached Green Turtle Cay around 2pm, anchored in White Sound, and had access to internet.  The front arrived around 4pm with a little increased wind but not much else.

GTC, House with little damage

Green Turtle Cay is a tourist destination.  If you come by boat, two well protected sounds provide excellent anchorages for winds from any direction.  Several marinas are also available with fuel, dockage, and restaurants.  If you come by plane to Great Abaco Island, a ferry will quickly get a person to this beautiful destination.  The main settlement, New Plymouth, has restaurants, grocery stores, a bank, post office, hardware store and marine services.  Many rental houses are available and the Green Turtle Club offers deluxe accommodations in a resort setting.  If you wanted a great get-away vacation, or a unique wedding location, Green Turtle Cay, along with Elbow Cay further south, would be the go-to destinations in the Abacos.  Dorian changed the situation for at least the present.

Green Turtle Cay, Roof Damage

GTC, House totally destroyed

Tuesday and Wednesday we did boat chores, walked around the island, and discussed our next move.  Green Turtle Cay did not get hit as hard as Elbow Cay or Marsh Harbor, which we have yet to visit.  Some of the houses here look like they had very little damage, others however looked like a bomb exploded on them.  We were amazed at one house totally destroyed next to a house with only some minor roof damage.  The people were rebuilding and seemed in great spirits.  We visited the “Tool Exchange” where people could come to borrow tools for use in rebuilding.  We saw stacks of building materials, plywood, 2x4’s 8’s and 10’s.  Pallets of roofing shingles.  The lady running the tool exchange said everyone is working hard to rebuild and the supplies were arriving.  One of the grocery stores was open.  They are getting their regular shipment by boat every Thursday.  We purchased a few items to help support the economy, the most important of which was TP.  Kathi asked them what they needed most on the Island.  Their concern was the lack of beds and blankets.  With winter coming, and colder weather (Not cold by northern standards) they thought more bedding material would be useful in the near future.

Sunset at Manjack Cay

Winds calmed down on Thursday so we stopped at the Green Turtle Cay fuel dock to fill with diesel then headed for Powell Cay, about 18 miles north.  The winds were not blowing in the direction we expected so we diverted to Manjack Cay, only a few miles from Green Turtle Cay, due to the better anchorage.  When we arrived, friends from M/V Teamwork, Bill and Betty Sue, greeted us.  They normally hang out in Allens-Pensacola Cay, 25 miles north, but were here helping the landowners, Bill and Leslie, to do some clean-up after Dorian.  The island did not get hit too hard; some trees down and debris on the beaches.  Little or no damage to the houses.  Manjack has always been a wonderful place to visit.  Our first trip here, 10 years ago, we went ashore and were greeted by a sign that read, “Please Trespass.”  The owners of the property welcome visitors and keep paths cleared for travel to various beaches on the island.  Our visit this time we were greeted by a sign “Beach trails closed due to Dorian and Poisonwood.”  Apparently the trails are blocked by fallen poison wood trees which you DO NOT want to touch.  We snorkeled for lobster; saw dozens and took 3 for dinner. One for Sasi.

Construction at "Piggyville"

We’ve decided to cut short our visit in the northern Abacos and get south “Through the Whale” to the Central Abacos.  We made a short trip to No Name Cay and their ‘famous’ Piggyville for our Friday night anchorage. The Island is home to a growing population of Pigs that were abandoned there about 8 years ago.  To our astonishment a large building is being constructed at what use to be Piggyville.  After looking it up on the internet we learned that it is going to be a restaurant and bar. The pigs are still there, the property judging by the trees and lack of leaves got hit by Dorian but construction of the facility is continuing on.

Chandler's House

Saturday was a bright, sunny, and calm day.  We motored out the Whale Cay passage and into Loggerhead Channel bringing us to the central portion of the Abacos.  As we passed the north end of Great Guana Cay we saw the large community of Bakers Bay had continued to grow.  Bakers Bay is home to a first class marina and extensive development of primarily wealthy Americans.  Most of the homes showed minor damage to roofs.  We anchored at the south end of Great Guana Cay near our friend Chandler’s home.  Most of you have heard us tell stories about Chandler.  We were shocked to see that his home was totally destroyed and the peninsula where his home stood was now an island.  Late that afternoon, a boat sped into what had been the private harbor for the home.  When the person came back out, Kathi signaled to him and he came to our boat.  We wanted to find out what we could about Chandler.  As it turns out, the person is Chandler’s son.  He let us know that Chandler is safe, currently in Miami.  He had intended to ride out the storm in the house but Brad, his son, got him off of the island and to the Bakers Bay community when they saw the storm strength and direction.  Unfortunately, they still felt the house would survive the storm so left their bird, a Toucan, and 2 cats in the house.  They obviously did not survive.  Brad is unsure if they will rebuild.

We enjoyed a beautiful snorkel at the reef outside of the cut by Chandler’s home.  We saw a turtle, all types of parrotfish and angelfish, and 3 huge spotted eagle rays.  The reef didn’t seem to be hurt by the storm although we did find a few pieces of wreckage around the area.

The only major change we made to Makani this past year was the addition of a water maker.  We used Sunday to fill our water tanks, do laundry and do an overall clean-up of the boat.  Tomorrow, we will head to Hometown on Elbow Cay and ground zero for Hurricane Dorian.  Our friends on Second Sojourne have been there about a week helping out and we will join them to see what help we might provide.