Cape Eleuthera to the Abacos

Sunset at Lynyard Cay

We spent three days tucked in Cape Eleuthera Marina alongside Touch of Grey, riding out the next weather system. Similar to last year it seems we have been chased by weather systems a lot lately, moving from one anchorage to another then waiting out the big winds. We were nicely protected in the marina, and they had great laundry and shower facilities. On the Thursday, Alan and Linda rented a car to try to find an Immigration office to lengthen their visitor’s visa, which expired the next week, and asked us if we would like to join them for the ride. Of course! We had explored the top half of Eleuthera last year, so this was a great chance to see the rest of the island. Our first stop was the Rock Sound Airport where there was an Immigration office. Not a big airport, but we were told they were expecting two charter flights that day from Nassau. While we walked around the grounds and terminal, Alan and Linda found the office only to discover that the Immigration Officer was not there that day, and probably wouldn’t be for a few days. They did take all their information and copies of documents and said if they couldn’t get to another office in time because of weather they could vouch for them coming there to extend it. They had been told you could get fined up to $5000 if you don’t extend your visa in time!

Rock Sound Airport

So with that done, we drove up the island to explore. Our first stop was a small town called Tarpum Bay, and we were quite excited to see a coffee shop with a Starbucks sign! How exciting! So after walking around the small town of 2000 people, we stopped into the coffee shop and all ordered coffees. Unfortunately the “barista” had not been trained very well, and the coffees were more like very weak lattes.

Tarpum Bay Starbucks

Heading further north we crossed the island to the Atlantic side and drove through the nice community of Palmetto Bay, ending up at a restaurant called Tippys, which is where we had lunch last year on our tour of the northern part of the island! We had closed the loop!

On the drive back we stopped in Rock Sound at their great grocery store where we were able to find some lovely fresh produce, always a treat!

With a calm weather window, we and Touch of Grey decided to jump from the bottom to the top of Eleuthera Friday and then hop up to the Abacos Saturday. Two long days, but with the end result being that we were in the Abacos. Our goal this year has been to spend the last part of our trip exploring and enjoying the Abacos. Both days were fairly long, about 10 hours each, with Friday starting out with a nice breeze so we could sail, then slowly dropping until we could put out the spinnaker, and then dying until we had to motor. Saturday was dead calm (no similarities to the movie), so we motored the whole way. A couple of boats that were doing the same saw some whales jump, but despite my lookout, we saw none.

One of the benefits of putting in two long days was that we finally caught up to a couple of boats we had been “chasing” most of the season. Janice and Harley on Folly, are friends from Midland Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) who have been down here since November and always seem to have been a few days ahead of us. The same with Phil and Michelle on Mariposa, a couple we crossed paths with a few times last year spending some fun days. So as we all anchored at Lynyard Cay, drinks on the beach were planned so everyone could finally see each other. It was a great reunion!

L-R Allan, Linda, Hugh, Janice, Phil, Harley, Michelle and Chica

Once again, we are being chased by another front where big winds are predicted to come in today, Tuesday, so everyone headed for safe harbours for this blow. We booked into Mangoes, a marina we stayed at a few times last year in Marsh Harbour, and were told we were on “the reservation list” and to call the day before to confirm a slip. Not thinking this sounded very promising, we booked Treasure Cay Marina as back up. Treasure Cay is quite far from Marsh Harbour, but has been recommended by a few people as a great resort. So Monday morning we called Mangoes and were told that no, they did not have a slip for us. Meanwhile, Folly had gone to Man’O’War (MOW) Cay, a great hurricane hole and had found a mooring ball. Another boat from MBSC, Lynn and Pat on Adamant I, spends the winter at MOW. Harley and Janice gave us a phone number of a man who manages quite a few mooring balls and we were told that we could have one of his.  Hurray! So we quickly motored over to MOW (after cancelling Treasure Cay) and picked up a mooring ball right beside Folly and close to Adamant I. A MBSC reunion! Lynn invited us all for over for a ham dinner last night and we all had a great time catching up and meeting another MOW resident, Dan.

So here we sit, waiting out the front, with winds howling and rain pouring, having a quiet day on Trekker. 

After this passes, we hope to get a mooring ball in Hopetown, one of our favorite places from last year, and spend a few days (weeks?) there. We have to be in Marsh Harbour by April 5^th as Hugh is flying up to Kelowna for a meeting for a few days. Alyssa is flying down to keep me company while he is away, and then we will take her sailing for a few days.

Once she leaves, we will be heading for Florida to put Trekker away for another summer!

But we still have a few weeks to enjoy the Bahamas … one day at a time!

Goodbye Exumas and Hello Eleuthera

I’ll admit that sailing from George Town to Black Point last Saturday wasn’t the best choice I've made lately.  The forecast wasn’t bad. Easterly winds 15 gusting to 20 knots, but we were going northwest, so the apparent wind we would feel on the boat would be less because it would be slightly behind us.  Waves were supposed to be 3 feet or less and again, on our stern quarter. As we prepared to raise the anchor Karen asked if this was a day we should say “maybe not" because it was gusting over 20 knots in the anchorage. “No" I said,” we'll put a reef in and we'll be fine", and off we went. Heading out the cut was fine, slightly bigger waves than expected but we were going to change course so they would be farther toward our stern. Plus there were a few boats ahead, and I saw more AIS  markers out on the sound. How bad could it be?  Suffice to say it was a very uncomfortable, long day.  The wind kept building, I saw 27 knots at one point and with the wind the waves grew so that they were a good 6’, and with a very short period between them. Helmut our autopilot really did a great job steering but every once in a while he would steer a little into the wind and a wave would push us a little farther resulting in our being beam on to the waves, and our getting laid over, the rail nearly in the water. Nearly everything stayed where it was stowed except when the locker under the stove opened and our Yeti thermos flew across the cabin snacking into the head door with quite a crash. Karen was none too pleased with me, spending most of the trip on the cabin sole wedged between the table and the settee feeling sick. However, we made it, nothing broke and we were very happy once the anchor was down in Black Point and we had Dark and Stormy's in hand to sooth our nerves! But I digress.

After saying goodbye to Sue and Randy on Wednesday, we motored into a short chop from Staniel Cay 1 ½ hours south to Black Point. As soon as we arrived we grabbed the laundry bag and headed for Rock Sound Laundry. While the machines were running we walked down to Adderly's grocery to see what they had, but true to form this year the boat was expected soon, so no fresh produce was available.

Thursday my brother Kevin and Sheryl on Quantum Leap II and Mike and Julie on Blue Train arrived at Black Point.  It was great to catch up with Kevin and Sheryl over swizzles on Trekker.

Hugh & Kevin

Friday Ida from the laundry cut Karen’s hair and after a walk around town we had swizzles with Mike, Julie, Kevin and Sheryl aboard Quantum Leap II (QL2). Saturday we all decided to move around to Little Bay, snorkelled with Mike and Julie and had sundowners on the beach until the no-seeums drove us back to our boats.

Mike, Julie, Sheryl, Kevin & Hugh

Early Sunday the wind shifted to the south east and when we woke we were bouncing and rolling in the anchorage so we made a hasty retreat back to Black Point for more protection.

Monday looked like a reasonable day to move south to Lee Stocking, a cay that we have heard is beautiful, so QL2 and Trekker raised anchors and headed out Dotham Cut from the bank into the sound.  We knew we would be about 1 hour after high tide when we exited the cut but thought that the current opposing the wind and waves wouldn’t be too bad.  We were wrong!  In fact there was a little rage going on that we watched QL2 pound through, and then it was our turn.  Thankfully after about 4 waves where we felt like the boat was standing on its stern going up the waves we were able to veer south out of the worst of the waves and current and head south. After about an hour we noticed that we were quickly gaining on QL2 following which they called to say their engine had stopped.  We stood by while Kevin got it going again and at their insistence carried on south.  Nearing Lee Stocking we made another change of plans, to go straight to George Town so that we could have a calm day Tuesday to cross Elizabeth Harbour in the dinghy to provision.  So on we pushed, arriving George Town after a 9 hour day of motor sailing. As usual George Town was really busy with about 250 boats anchored and after cruising up and down the harbour dropped the hook nearly where we had last year.

Elizabeth Harbour (George Town) anchorage

Tuesday we made a couple of runs across the harbour, first for groceries and a coffee at a new café, and then to fill my water bladder with free fresh water provided on the dinghy dock by Exuma Markets. After pumping the water into our tanks we dinghied to St. Francis resort where we shared a pizza for lunch.

Wednesday the wind blew as predicted so we stayed on the boat just in case we or someone else nearby dragged anchor. Thankfully once we settled to the new wind direction we didn't move.

Thursday the wind continued to blow but I was pretty confident in our holding by then so we dinghied to Stocking island and walked across to the beach. A couple of kite boarders playing in the waves provided great entertainment!

Friday we bought some more groceries, had lunch at Lumina resort on Stocking Island and prepared for our Saturday run north as previously described!

Sunday we spent a lazy day in Black Point enjoying a walk and a 4 hour lunch with Allan and Linda on Touch of Grey, another Hanse 415 that we met in Jersey City in 2017.

Touch of Grey

Monday we had a lovely sail up the bank to Highbourne Cay at the top of the Exuma chain. Touch of Grey took a bunch of fantastic photos of Trekker under full sail, including some with our spinnaker flying.

Trekker from Touch of Grey

Trekker under spinnaker

Today we motored across to Eleuthera and tucked into Cape Eleuthera marina for a couple of nights while another blow comes through.

Next it's up Eleuthera and then across to the Abacos, one day at a time!