We stayed in GeorgeTown until the end of the Family Island Cruising Regatta. We couldn't get enough of the races and the shoreside activities.
The start line was as exciting as being at the finish. The boats put anchors out about 500' and when the gun goes off, the crew quickly hauls in the anchor line in hopes of getting a head start on the competition, and at the same time they are pulling up sail. Here's a sequence of pictures showing the start. Although their huge sails make them rather inefficient boats, it is also one of the things that makes them so beautiful.
It was a great time, and Bob chose the right shirt for the day! Look in the picture above at the crew hiking out on boards to counterbalance the sails. Sometimes there will be as many as six or seven on each board.
We walked through the shacks both day and night - watching people, eating food, and drinking. Bob had a few beers and Maggie had a few traditional Bahamian drinks, gin and coconut water. A special treat was watching the Police Marching Band perform in Regatta Park.
With all the festivities of this national event, school was out and children hung at the dinghy dock, asking for a ride. Bob took them around Lake Victoria and witnessed once again that Bahamians only know one speed - full throttle - even the kids. Bob was deeply shaken after his ride; fortunately he held on to the kill switch which he had to use several times.
Since the pig roast at Pig Beach, Big Majors Spot in January, we've traveled on the same path with Gene and Wilma of GeWill . We said farewell to them, as they head south and we turn north. They're live aboards and will be cruising the Caribbean. We hope to see them again next year.
We were grateful to Toby and George on houseboat Puff, who brought us to watch the races in their Boston Whaler, much more comfortable than our dinghy in the windy, choppy conditions. Toby and George are from Groton and members of Shennecossett Yacht Club, and good friends with many of ours ... they are the nicest and fun loving people you'd ever want to meet. Bob envies their life style, living on a houseboat in the Bahamas in the winter and on a barge, traveling through France in the summer.
At the start of the races on Tuesday, the wind was blowing 25 knots; each day it decreased a little bit making perfect sailing conditions. Saturday, April 28 was our last full day in GeorgeTown, so we took a final swim in the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas on the Exuma Sound side of Stocking Island. Then back to race and the shacks for a final drink with the Bahamians.
Rosie finds the oddest places to sleep. Here she is laying across the locks and sheets, with one eye on me and the races, while our native bananas ripen.
On Sunday, we woke to rain and no wind. As we hauled the dinghy and motor, we watched the parade of boats begin to exit ... then we joined them. About 30 boats left that morning. The boat count which had been as high as 400 in early March was now down to 120, as boats took off for other islands and points north.
We went up Exuma Sound, with Bob trailing a fishing line. Just before we entered Dotham Cut near Black Point, the reel started going. Bob reeled in an 18-lb mahi mahi. This one didn't get away!
The wind had increased all day (now about 15 knots) so we shut the engine and enjoyed a beautiful two hour sail. It was so nice, we kept going further than we had planned and ended up at Pipe Creek, one of our favorite spots in the Exumas. Maggie cooked a wonderful Mahi dinner. The next morning, Bob realized that his tackle box went overboard while heeled and his attention was on fileting the fish. It turned out to be an expensive, but wonderful, dinner!
The next morning we had a great sail to
Hawksbill Cay in 15-20 knot winds. This is Maggie's favorite island
in the Exumas. When we arrived at the south anchorage we were disappointed
to find Exuma Land and Sea Park had installed about 13 mooring balls,
which took away some of the unspoiled beauty of the island. The park
has decided to put mooring balls around all their islands to raise
money. We decided, as did the other six boaters, not to take
the mooring but anchor instead.
We swam at
our favorite beach, Bob took celestial fixes with his sextant to find out where
we were, and we enjoyed a nice evening in the cockpit under a full
moon. With the wind about 20 kts, and swells wrapping around the island
we rocked and rolled all night, so moved to the northern anchorage on Tuesday where it
was much calmer. We swam and snorkeled on coral right next to the
anchorage. As always the beaches are beautiful so we took a long
stroll picking up dozens of tiny starfish which had been washed along the
shore.
On Wednesday, we finally did what we've promised ourselves for the last two years of cruising. We brought chairs to the beach to just sit. It was quite lovely. We believe the south beach at Hawksbill is the most beautiful sand and water anywhere. We could have stayed forever!
We walked across the barren interior of Hawksbill Cay to the Sound side, where we met up with three other boats which had also left GeorgeTown on Sunday - SeaDancer, WindBorne and Southern Estates . We started our season with Pat and Mac on WindBorne , at St Mary's Thanksgiving dinner and rafted with them for two weeks in Vero.
For those of you who know Maggie well, you know that she has a fear of water and won't go in unless her feet can touch the ground. Well, she finally expanded her comfort zone and let go to float, tread and do the breast stroke in about 9' of water off the back of the boat. What a thrill!
That was until she began giggling with joy, gulped in water, and went down. We're glad Bob got the pictures when he did, before jumping in to save her. The good news is she got back in and floated again.
Although we really did not want to leave our paradise, we knew that it was time to head north. The forecast was for a bad front coming through in the next few days, and we decided that we should leave to take advantage of the weather window to cross back to the States. And... once we decided to leave, it was time to leave.
Up early on Thursday with a light following wind, we motored to Nassau, fueled up, and then decided to keep going on to Bird Cay; it was a 11-hour day. It was a still night. Our old friends, the noseeums, decided to visit, so we had to quickly put up screens. We woke at 6:00a to a full moon and dead calm, and immediately got underway - not before Maggie could snap a shot of the starfish we could see clearly from the boat (about 8 feet down and 15 to 20 feet away).
Motoring through Northwest Passage and the Great Bahama Bank, we ended up at Great Isaac, some 60+ miles. It was a day of seeing no land from the time we left until we arrived at this small island .. and with the sun shining brightly, Maggie took cover under her native Bahamian hat made by Irene on Cat Island. (What was she thinking when she bought this one, that shopping gene...)
We anchored in 30' of water at Great Isaac, a remote unmanned light house in the NW Bahamas. It was calm when we first arrived and we watched schools of fish and a couple of remora hanging by the boat. Bob made sure our running lights were working, just in case we decided to get underway during the night. Unfortunately it was a tough night, in the washing machine, as the current and wind picked up rocking and rolling SeaTryst .
At 2:30 in the morning, we were getting slammed with waves. We thought of leaving but decided to give it more time ... Bob began counting ... only 25 seconds between each huge crash. The counting put us back to sleep until about 6:00a when we'd had enough. In no time, we were underway, heading Northwest across the Straits of Florida and the Gulf Stream - heading home ... time to take down the Bahamian courtesy flag.
Most of the way the wind was only about 10 kts and on the nose, so we motor sailed. We saw the wind increase and shift a bit, so we sailed the last 15 miles. With the advantage of the Gulf Stream, we were going 8.7-10.2 knots - we were screaming!
Arriving at the Lake Worth inlet mid afternoon, we were greeted by thousands of boaters and people swimming off the ICW during the big Sunfest weekend in Palm Beach. It was crazy, we were aghast ... what a contrast to our quiet paradise of Hawksbill. We felt like turning around! But, we went ahead and anchored in North Lake Worth and stayed on the boat to recuperate from our three long days of moving 236 miles.
Our friends Sandi and Mike from Palm Beach met up with us on Sunday, for a drink at the Rum Bar and dinner on SeaTryst . Watching the clouds build, we closed ourselves in the cockpit while the thunder, lightning and rain started ... the beginning of Florida's effects from Tropical Storm Andrea. We were grateful we had made our crossing when we did, as we heard forecasts of 40+ kt winds and 18' seas in the Gulf Stream.
Sandi loaned us her car to drive the 6 miles to Homeland Security to check in; we are required to check in within 24 hours of arrival. Next year this requirement is waived for those of us who pre-register. While this is great for us, you have to question how tight our boarders are if any pleasure boat can just cruise in to the US (with or without check in) and if pre registered just call and say we are here.
On Tuesday, we got underway in the ICW headed to Stuart, to see Maggie's niece Carlene and husband Brian. Brian was recently surprised with a job offer he couldn't refuse and they moved to Florida. Rosie was happy to have the calm motoring trip sheltered by land on both sides, and came out to check the sights. We saw the surge from the rough seas as we rounded the corner at Jensen Inlet.
Brian and Carlene met us at the dinghy dock, and after big hugs and a brief visit to SeaTryst , we walked to historic downtown Stuart for drinks, homemade potato chips and dinner at Duffy's, and then a nightcap at the outside bar on the riverwalk.
It was an exciting few days as they searched for, and found, a new home, and it was great for us to share in their joy when they found a beautiful dream house, with luscious landscaping, a pool with jacuzzi, and a spare room for visiting guests (hint hint).
On Friday morning, the wind lessened a bit and we found thousands - or hundreds of thousands - lovebugs all over the boat and dinghy. They appear for just a couple of weeks in the spring, but what a nuisance when they're here.
After laundry and showers, we left the mooring Friday morning for our motoring trip to Vero, where we'll spend a few days and visit brother-in-law Charlie. It's our objective not to be on the waterway on a Saturday or Sunday when all the motorboaters are out running at full throttle.
We have a few weeks in Florida before we have the boat hauled for the season. Can you believe we're close to being landlubbers again?