Clear Water

Wednesday the water was so calm at Wardwick Wells that I was able to take photos from the boat.  Here are a couple of examples of how crystal clear the water is in the Exumas.  The first photo was taken as we were going out a cut into the ocean in 30 feet of water.  The second photo was taken from the dinghy in about 10 feet of water.  All day it felt like the boat was sitting on a piece of glass. 

Snorkeling Photos - Wardwick Wells

Wardwick Wells

We are having a great time, as usual, here at the park.  Our friends Scott and Kitty are back on their boat.  Scott has his arm in a cast but is his usual cheerful optimistic self. 

Monday night we had dinner aboard CHINA DOLL.  Tuesday Jay and Bill went snorkeling while Nichole and I went for a hike.  Bill and Jay then spent the afternoon working on CHINA DOLL's engine.

Today (Wednesday) there is no wind which was perfect for us.  We needed calm weather to calibrate our new autopilot.  We headed out the cut and it was flat calm and the water was so clear we could see the bottom in 30 feet of water. The harbor looks like a swimming pool.  The grasses and corals on the are incredibly clear - it looks like we are floating on a piece of glass. We went snorkeling just as the tide was starting to go out and were able to swim with two large Spotted Eagle Rays. They were amazing to see underwater. They are beautiful and look like they are flying. 

Black Point to Wardwick Wells

We met up with our friends Wilson and Gail at Staniel Cay.  They kindly invited us not only to a delicous dinner, but also offered us showers and lent us bikes to sightsee the island.  We had not had an indoor shower since December 16th.  (Maybe it was self defense on their part?)  Anyway, what a treat to take a real shower!  We have a fresh water outdoor shower on the boat but the very limited amount of water we have onboard limits us to a stingy amount of water.  One thing cruising teaches you is to truly enjoy the things we usually take for granted.  At dinner we were talking about the local school.  Wilson and Gail's friends Tony and Joan were at dinner and Tony offered to introduce me to the teacher and principal to see if they could use a volunteer.  I met Tony at the school on Thursday and arranged to be at the school on Friday at 9:15.  That afternoon it was such a nice day Bill and I decided to go for a sail. We sailed north for about 6 miles and heard an announcement over the radio that there was a potluck at Black Point.  We thought about going but I was committed to going to the school the next day and we would have to get up really early to get there in time so we decided not to go.  A few minutes later we realized there was a full moon so we could do a night sail so we turned the boat around and headed back south to Black Point.  There was a big turn out for the pot luck and SEE Y'ALL LATER had a projector onboard.  After the sunset and the full moon came up he ran his mainsail up at the dock and used it as a screen to show the movie Capt Ron.  The local kids were beside themselves with excitement.  We didn't stay for the movie as we needed to sail north.  We had a gorgeous moonlight sail back to Staniel Cay.

Friday I volunteered at the Staniel Cay All Age School and taught two sessions of computer classes.  This was a lot of fun.  I enjoyed being back in the classroom. After I got out of school Bill took me out to lunch then we sailed up to Wardwick Wells.  It was a fast sail, especially since there were rain squalls coming through.  It was one of those days where we spent the afternoon putting in reefs, shaking them out, then putting them in again.

We picked up a mooring by Emerald Rock and dinghied over to the north mooring field to meet Scott and Kitty. It was great seeing them again.  Unfortunately Scott had fallen while hiking on the island and has probably broken his wrist.  The fall happened on Friday, he was taken to Staniel Cay Monday morning to catch a Flamingo Air flight to Nassau.  Hopefully they will be able to do the X-Ray and put a cast on his arm in short order.  He has been very brave about spending three and half days on the boat in a lot of pain waiting to get to the doctor.

Happy Valentine's Day

We left Georgetown on Friday.  The weather was calm so we motored to Little Farmer's Cay, a distance of 41 miles.  We had a line in the water and one large Mahi Mahi was hooked for a minute, made a spectacular leap, and swam away.  After we anchored we went for a swim next to the boat, then spent the evening with a French couple, Isabelle and Eric on CATLEYA.

Saturday morning was again very calm.  We headed up to White Point for some snorkeling and another walk on a gorgeous beach that we had all to ourselves.  In the afternoon the wind picked up to 20 - 25 knots.  We motored up to Little Bay where it was very windy and decided to head back to White Point.  We had a fast downwind sail but by the time we got back there it was extremely rolly and uncomfortable even though it was quite sheltered from the wind.  We called a boat we know that was at Little Bay to see how the conditions were there.  They did not have their radio on but SEE Y'ALL LATER, a member of the "Texas Navy" called back to say there was zero roll.  We bashed our way through 3 - 4 foot very short steep waves back to Little Bay where it was windy but as promised there was no roll and anchored amongst a group of boats from Teas.  We had a nice visit with Kathleen and Will on WINGS along with their guest Lou and their very cute little black Poodle Lacey.

Sunday the wind was 20 - 25 knots all day so we stayed on the boat.  We thought about going to shore but figured we would get soaked on the way in.  The salt water showers in the dinghy get old after awhile.

Monday morning we headed to Black Point to do laundry.  Ida who owns the laundry had to go home for a "few minutes".   I was the only one there so she left me in charge. In the hour she was gone I sold $56 worth of laundry, a bracelet, and 6 postcards.  How many places in the world do they ask complete strangers to take care of their business? When she came back she brought one of her fabulous smelling (and tasting) cakes back fresh from the oven.  I guess that is what she had to do at home.   In the afternoon we had a fast sail over to Staniel Cay.   Bill went over to WINGS to give them a part that they needed.  I spent the time baking Bill a pie for Valentine's Day and talking to my mother on Skype.

Finally leaving Georgetown

We have been in Georgetown since Saturday.  We have had fun catching up with friends, going for walks to the beach, watching volleyball games, and trying to stay cool in the 80 - 90 degree heat.  Yesterday we needed to charge the batteries so decided to go for a sail and just let the engine run.  We had 15 - 20 knots of ESE wind and were having such a great time sailing north with a fishing line in the water we would have kept going except we did not have any water, money, gas for the dinghy, or much food.  We reluctantly came back to Georgetown to reprovision.  We have said so long to our friends and will be heading north tomorrow.  We would like to get to Wardwick Wells by next week to meet up with Scott and Kitty on TAMURE.

In between the beaches the rock formations are intricate and interesting, although anyone who fell on them would look like they went through a cheese grater.

Camaouflaged trees. In this case I guess you can't see the trees for the forest?

There are a lot of boats in Georgetown now.  People are saying there are too many, so instead of being part of the problem we will be part of the solution and go somewhere else.

Trash

The beaches in the Bahamas are among the most beautiful in the world.  Walking along a pink sand beach enjoying the soft sand and every shade of blue imaginable makes the trash that washes up on the beach especially upsetting.  The variety and quantity of plastic on the beaches is incredible.  The floating debris comes from hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles away.  Frighteningly the amount that washes ashore is a small amount compared to that which is floating in the ocean, often being mistaken for food by unsuspecting sea life. 

Back in Georgetown

We are back in Georgetown after a fantastic week in Long Island.  So far it has been our favorite place this trip.  It may sound odd, but if felt the most like being on vacation.  We had dinners with friends and walked to the beach every day.  It was nice not to be on the move all the time.  The people are friendly and the island is beautiful.  We also lucked out with the weather and had calm nights without rolling around or worrying about the anchor dragging in the night. We had great sunsets every night but didn't see a green flash.

When we left Salt Pond we had a fast sail through crystal clear water to Calabash Bay.  Bill and Kevin from HONU spent hours snorkeling looking for the ever elusive lobster.  The sail back to Georgetown was relaxing in light air.  Instead of keeping to a course we tried following the banks hoping for a fish. Although we didn't have any luck it was a fun sail.

Even the construction workers get to go to the beach

The government dock at Salt Pond, Long Island is being rebuilt.  They are digging the sand out of the harbor to use for the cement, and to make the channel deeper.  The excavator operator's job seems precarious as he is parked on a ledge of sand in the water that he is digging out from under himself but he certainly has a great view!

Beach photos to cheer up everyone buried in snow