Made it threw the Whale

February 15,2018

First Happy Valentine’s Day to all.  The past to weeks have had there ups and down.

After being anchored in Manjack Cay for 9 days and not having contact with anyone, I got the flu.  We have no idea where it blew in from, doing much better now.  Kevin finished doing all the hurricane repairs to the outside bull works so that’s is a huge plus. Then we started to play, once I was up to it.

Our first adventure was to snorkel around the barge wreck by Crab Cay. I would have attached photos, but can only load them on the computer and it will not play nicely with my iPad or New Samsung phone.  The snorkeling was awesome and this was my first time since me knee replacement.  Needless to say, I have some very sore muscles now. The next day we hiked the trail to the ocean (already posted photos on Facebook). Yesterday we ventured through the Whale Cay Passage with NE swells, 4-5’ rollers and about 10 knots of wind. It was a Little Rock and rolling, but doable. We are currently anchored at Guana Cay and moving to Lynyard Cay tomorrow then hopefully cross down to the Eluthras on Saturday. Wind should be mild till Monday. All plans subject to change due to weather and Captains mood. This is my last post for a few days as internet will be very spotty if any.  For winds and happy sailing my friends.

The waiting game

February 4th, 2018,

We had a wonderful time in Green Turtle, Abacos and made a lot of new friends now is the time to move on.  It may seem like we are not moving on, but yes people we are.  On Thursday the first, we left the marina and made our way to Man Jack for about a week.  Our dear friend Tom on board Happy Healer is coming to buddy boat with us for awhile.  He has done a lot of shopping for food and supplies, which are much cheaper stateside.  At this moment he is waiting in West Palm to cross the Gulf Stream.  We are hoping for a good window this morning and if that doesn’t work for him, then the next window is around Tuesday.  Once he has arrived, refueled and got some well needed sleep. We will all be waiting for another weather window to make the crossing of “Whale Cay Pass”. It is a very small section in the Atlantic but a very dangerous one.  The seas need to be calm and not out of the NE.  So the next destination is just on the south side of the pass at Guana Cay, Hope Town, Lynyard Cay and on to the Eluthras after that.  

Most of our projects are done and we will be able to play soon.  Our last little projects was a costly one.  We went in the back stateroom to touch up any varnish runs from two weeks before.  Once Kevin had finished sanding the spots, I went for a shower.  Just prior to my shower I took off my glasses and set them on the bed.  The counter area was covered with sandpaper, varnish, paint brush, hammer, acetone, etc.  So I thought the glasses would be safer on the bed.  This required telling Kevin the glasses were on the bed and to be careful.  I proceeded with my shower, stepped out and there set my glasses on the counter, with one of the arm pieces broke off.  Now mind you, this all happen in about a five minute span.  So he spend the next three days trying to fix them with, tape, super glue, epoxy, West system filler, solder and the final try was drilling a hole in the side of the glasses and the arm piece.  So now my glasses have a screw sticking out the side with solder around the hing, and part of the lense melted.  The best part is I have to be very careful putting them on and can not fold the arm pieces in or it will all fall apart.  Now if you have transition lenses like I do, they have to be in just the right spot on your nose, well mine are at a slant and keep sliding down my nose.  Life is good.  I am trying to contact my optometrist to have a new pair shipped.  

So this is enough excitement for me.  I was told that my blogs were not coming fast enough, Rich, this blogs for you.

Fair winds and happy sailing my friends

The Dreaded List

January 17th, 2018

We have been very busy since taking a slip here at Donny’s Marina in Black Sound at Green Turtle, Abacos.  There have been a few big items we were able to knock off the list.  Ah yes The Dreaded LIST, every boater has one or two, maybe even three.  Now on those list are things; to do, repair, replace, move, rebuild, strip, varnish, sand, fill. It just goes on and on.  When you take one item off the list, at least two more items are added, because while fixing, the one item, you find two things with in that item or next to it that also need repair or replacement.  

Well this past two week we have managed to take 3 items off the list, add one and then take it off.  We spend this past rainy, windy, cold week working on the Stateroom, Davitt Bases, washing machine and oil pump.

The stateroom was the biggest job, of sanding for 3 days, masking off ,varnishing for 2 days and polishing every piece of brass, for another 2 days.  In between this the washing machine stopped working so that was added to the list.  The interim between coats of varnish and a few days with some sunshine or atleast no rain.  Kevin would also work on repairing the bullworks behind the davitt bases. Item number 1 and 2 taken off.

Next project was to see what happen to the washing machine.  It decided to spaz out one day and all the lights kept flashing with errors.  This is not an easy fixed.  To get to the machine and work on it, you first have to take everything out of the cabinet behind it and then tear apart the whole cabinet.  That job alone takes about 2 hours.  Thankfully the machine only had a lose connection that was on top and only took about 30 minutes to fixed, then yes 2 hours of putting it back together .  Number 3 off the list.  

The last item we are working on is a greasy, nasty, just down right gross job.  I do not have to do this one, just occasionally hand the captain a tool or whatever.  He replaced the impeller to the external oil pump that is used to change the oil in the main engine and the generator.  This job only took about 2 hours, and another 45 minutes to clean up all the greasy, Yuckkkkkkkk. Number 4 off the list.  

We are hoping that the weather will start to warm up some so we can have a little fun and possible go snorkeling for lobster.

Fair winds and safe sailing my friends. Until the next blog.

Happy New Years 2018

January 8th, 2018
Happy New Year to all
We have had a great December.  During our stay here in Green Turtle and Man Jack.  We have met a lot of the seasonal cruiser that are here every year between November and January.  The nice thing is they know most of the locals, the schedules of what to do and where to shop, snorkel and so on.  We seem to have melded with a small group of about 10 boats, where they are mostly from Nova Scotia.  I have to say that in all my years of sailing (which is a lot), I have never met a nicer group of people.  I’m sorry we missed the Christmas potluck dinner at Sundowners bar, but we did not know about it in time to put something together to bring.  We did however met many cruisers at the Friday night crews gathering at Dave's Liquor store.  This gathering start at the liquor store/bar and then migrates down to “2 Shorties” (it's a takeout restaurant and you sit on picnic benches outside).  Their food is great and very reasonable prices.  The gang then works its way to Pineapples and finishes the night there.  Needless to say, we didn’t make it past 2 Shorties and headed home.
New Year’s Eve we stayed home, anchored outside of New Plymouth.  This was a great spot to watch the fireworks and we could still hear all the music, without dealing with the crowds.  Kevin was in bed early, but I stayed up till after midnight.  January 1st was Junkanoo, most of you have seen all the photos posted on facebook.  The parade was all locals and they make their costumes here.  Each year is a different theme and they have already started working on next year.  This year was candy land.  The kids were so cute in their outfits and dancing and singing.  New Years evening there was another firework display off the park and we were able to watch it sitting on the back deck at our marina.  I have to say, it was better than anything I have seen stateside.
Since we have been having such high winds and fronts coming through, we have taken a slip in black sound at Donny’s Marina.  Donny is a very nice man, who is concerned about all the boats docked and moored.  He is out there checking them every time we have high winds.  This is one place we will definitely come to next year. Well I have you up to date so very winds and happy sailing my friends.

December 20th, 2017

December 20th, 2017 Wednesday

Hello from sunny Bahamas all.  The weather this week has been delightful with light variable winds, plenty of sunshine and now rain.  We are still anchored in Man Jack Cay with boats coming and going.  There is about 24 boats in the cove at this time.  We have been working on the boat for the past week.  Our latest projects have been sand and varnish the Toe rails and the eyebrow (trim on the outside), repaint the 50’ and 100’ foot markers on the anchor chain, if a track guide on the mainsail and the main project is repairing a section of wood around one of the Port lights (window) in the aft stateroom.  The window is an on going project at this moment.  We had to remove the window, remove all the old damaged wood, fill and put in new pieces of Teak.  That’s where it is at this moment, we still need to sand, varnish on the inside and paint on the outside and replace the window.  Hopefully the window will go in this evening.   

With such great weather the water temp has been raising and I went for the first swim in clean, crystal clear water.  It was heavenly and very refreshing.  We will be going into Green Turtle and anchoring for a few days during Christmas and then head back over here next Tuesday.   So until then Happy Holidays, fair winds and happy sailing to all and to all a good night.

December 12th, 2017
Our Crossing was lovely with 3-4’ roller and Winds only 10-15kts out of the SE.  Unfortunately we had to motor the whole way, but all in all it was a pleasant ride.  We made the outer banks of white sand around 3am Thursday morning and then made our anchorage at Great Sail Cay near lunch time.  On Friday we headed straight for Green Turtle to clear customs.  What a mess that was.  We arrive at the customs office around 330pm and they were closed.  Some of the locals told us we would have to take the ferry in the morning and go to Treasure cay then take a taxi to the airport and clear customs there.  So 730am Saturday morning Kevin headed in to catch the ferry to go clear customs.  Around 9am he had text me to say he was coming back, with the customs officer and would then have to clear in Green Turtle.  Well after all that craziness, we then had to deal with a frontal system coming in later that day.  We would have no more protection where we were anchored at Green Turtle then if we moved up to Man Jack Cay.  So we decided to stay put in Green Turtle.  Well that only lasted until 330 in the afternoon when the winds where blowing 30kts out of the NW and the seas where very rough, then we drug our anchor when the wind spun us around.  Now we are in the middle of the storm, with pouring down rain and sheeting winds, making our way north to Man Jack Cay for better coverage (since the winds where now NNW and not WNW).  We got anchored around 6pm and settled in for a bumping night.  Sunday, Monday and Tuesday was wonderful weather and then we had a front come through Tuesday night.  Well it is now Thursday and we have dinghied back to Green Turtle for the day so we can use the internet, send this blog and pick up a few supplies in town.  Oh yes and have some lunch.  Sorry I was so late posting this, but I have had no internet since arriving.  Will be trying to get that straight today also.  Fair winds and happy sailing my friends.

Departure update

December 4th 2017
It’s update time and stowing time.  We have left the Melbourne area and making our way down the ICW toward Ft. Pierce.  Today the destination is, the Grant Islands.  The plan is to anchor in Grant until Wednesday morning and leave at daybreak.  At this time there is a good weather window, of 5-10 Kts SE winds with 1-2’ seas.  If this hold true we will make Ft. Pierce in the late afternoon, fuel up and then head to sea. Our destination is the northern Abacos for the next month.  It will be several days before we are close enough to a cell tower for internet coverage.  We purchased a T-Mobile plan that should cover most of the Bahamas.  This will be a good test.  Tuesday we will spend the day preparing for an offshore run.  The task at hand consist of finding a home for everything that is not screwed, nailed or strapped down, mount the dinghy motor on board, strap down the dinghy, clear everything off the decks, run jack safety lines, pull out offshore life/harness vest and last put most important, prepare the ditch bag (all emergency items and paperwork for an emergency escape).  Luckily the ditch bag has never been used, but it is a must in an emergency situation.
Well fair winds and happy sailing my friends