Great Guana Cay fom Green Turtle Cay

This was the part of the trip that had us most concerned excepting the Gulf crossing. We could either go out into the Atlantic around Whale Cay from White Sound or we could attempt a shallow water passage to Marsh Harbour via Don't Rock. With the current weather forecasts being laced with gloom (gale warnings to the north affecting wave action locally), we were resolved to sitting at GTC for at least another week since Don't Rock is very risky due to the possibility of bottom bouncing from wave action. In other words, if a big wave trough pulls enough water out from under you, 'badabing' you bounce on the bottom. Not good in a 20 ton boat.

So this morning I decided to request local information via VHF 16. I received a reply from a sailboat that Whale Channel was only 2-3 foot rollers. Nothing serious. We were all surprised and another boat decided to run it also. A respected Caribean forcaster was all wet. He was suggesting it would be 6-8.

We checked out and stowed everything and left for the channel. As it turned out it was a bit rougher than reported but all's fair since the wind was building. When we were about 2 miles west of Whale Cay we found ourselves in 3-5 square on the bow. Freedom was plodding along at 9.5 knots and running the waves comfortably. We however were getting bounced around. A couple of 'holes in the water' produced deep breaths but otherwise going out around Whale Cay into the ocean was fine. We both thought we were going to be ok since we could see the Atlantic well enough to know there were no whitecaps.

Later as we swung around into Loggerhead channel we were in 3-5 quartering and again Freedom performed well.

And here we are at the Orchid Bay Marina/Resort. We are sitting in a washing machine because the wind is out of the South East. At least the bow is into it. It's sort of like Lincoln Harbor without all of the clanging (and burning boats as of late news). We're behind the break wall but it's kinda sloppy in here.

We walked over to Nippers and had some conch fritters and a round knowing that now the rest of the boat movement is in relatively easy waters with no large obstacles or weather dependencies. This photo is of us sitting at the rail looking out at the Atlantic wondering why it looks so calm here... The wind is at that time is now SW so the Atlantic near shore is in the lee.

I'll have GPS data shortly. The formatting tool is whining.