And- "We done reach"

 With the trip across Florida complete we were staged at Sunset Bay Marina which is a favorite stop of ours. They have a great restaurant in Sailors Return, they are conveniently located in Stuart Florida where anyone can obtain anything they need for a boat, and most importantly we can hook up with friends we have met in the Bahamas, along the ICW, or just about anywhere. It seems that many folks involved in boating pass through this marina. So in spite of the notion we were missing a window to cross the Gulf Stream, we were surrounded by great people many of which we had acquainted with previously. Also notably we were inside the perimeter dock with "Grumpy" on the outside. Grumpy did a fantastic job of knocking down the wind and water, but more importantly the crew on this boat is composed of real people, not snobish yachties full of themselves. I received a couple of great maintenance tips from them, and I was really fortunate to be lent a small floating pad so I could complete the bottom cleaning of the dink. Andy the captain even helped me drag it across the dock so I could use it. Great gang on that boat.
 I have to admit the wait for a window of good weather allowing passage of the Gulf Stream was wearing on us even though we were in a good place with good company. So we rented a car for a few days and took a road trip. To be sure we took advantage of having the car to facilitate shopping but having passed the Jupiter Lighthouse with Freedom several times a visit to this landmark was over due. I have to admit stopping in here is well worth it.
 As anyone can see the view from the top is nothing less than spectacular and it rivals many I have seen in life. Yes, there are many that stand out, like Rushmore, from the WTC, the Empire State Building, the Grand Canyon etc. but the color of the water and the expanse of the view is most impressive. So if you get a chance, check it out. The view of Jupiter Inlet is but one example of the panorama available from the look out of the light.
 And before we knew it Thanksgiving was upon us. Being out in the boat,just the two of us, it was a bit of a depressing outlook but the staff at the marina turned that around famously. They provided ham, turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy and various fixings, while the boaters all brought sides and deserts. There had to be one hundred people present at the feast that went off without a hitch. The food was terrific and the company even better. All in all a very good holiday shared with the boating community!
 It's no surprise we all stayed around into the sunset enjoying the company, weather and good food! A beautiful sunset capped a great experience. The next morning the weather forecast offered hope of a crossing to the Bahamas in the not so distant future so last minute provisioning became sincere which meant I spent quite a bit of time on the bicycles provided by the marina searching out commodities.
 Fortunately Publix is close by and they had a sale on prime rib so a three rib roast found its way into the shopping list. Otherwise last minute boating requirements were filled by a ride down to West Marine where we ran into more folks we spent time with in the Bahamas. Yes, Stu was working and we reminisced about the Grand Bahama Road Trip where Stu thought we were taking him out into the back country to rob him. Many good laughs were revisited.
 And eventually, the window opened. As was related by Doris, it wasn't really a window, it was a peep hole. We normally hope for a three day window of good weather because that is how long it takes to reach Elbow Cay from West Palm Beach Florida. This window starting on Wednesday the 4th of December was really only a two day window but if you left Tuesday before it laid down you could stretch it.
 So we decided to leave Tuesday for West End. I was apprehensive of the forecast because it was on the far side of what works for us. Many other boaters were going to wait for Wednesday where the stream was projected to lay down farther. It was estimated to be a foot or less all the way across the passage to West End. However, if we left on Wednesday the winds were going to increase and that meant we would be exposed to waiting at Green Turtle for the Atlantic to lay down again. So getting out and crossing the stream was the best approach we had to getting the whole trip done.
 It was about half way across that Deb took on this glazed kind of stare that an axe murderer has when they are about to commit a crime. Not that I know any, but I am sure there are people that can relate to "the look". It is a look of impending doom that is best left to someone else. But being in the middle of the Gulf Stream I knew it was all on me. So I did my best to down play the rolling. We were making good progress. Of course this was not flying well. And then it happened.
 We were surrounded by a pod of Spinner Dolphins that came at us from all angles. They jumped in our wake, came right at the bow and dove under us. They looked as though they were having a great time in what we thought was uncomfortable water. Certainly they were loving it. One person's cure is another's poison? Anyway the visit was extremely well receive and Deb completely forgot she was sea sick.

We were very fortunate to get reacquainted with another boating couple we new from Sea Spray and make the crossing together. But the unexpected pleasure came from their invitation to dinner aboard their boat. It seems Laura had a turkey stashed and put it in their oven half way across the stream. We had a fabulous dinner with them and in the morning we all parted company since they were headed to the Exumas and we were going to the Abacos. Hopefully we get to cross paths soon. We owe them a dinner!
 Our next day took us across the Little Bahama Bank all the way to Spanish Cay which is a familiar stop for many. Sadly the restaurant was not open due to a lack of traffic so we had a light meal aboard Freedom and headed out in the morning for Whale Cay and Hope Town. Whale Cay channel is not to be taken lightly and it was obviously a good day to make passage here as several other boats were traveling the same route. With relatively mild but building wind out of the East and South East we went out the channel and around Whale Cay into Loggerhead Channel at slack high tide. Since there was only one or two feet of swell with a foot of wind chop on top coming at us the ride was quite good and the transit was easy.
 It wasn't long after we arrived at our Winter home Sea Spray where the staff welcomed us and we had several folks on the dock helping us in. This is where the first issue with the tow showed up because I snagged the dink on a pole and we had to shut things down while I untangled it all. No damage was done, the trip is over for the time being, and all is well.
 All in all we left at the right time and got it done with a reasonable amount of safety and comfortable conditions.     

  

Summer has come and gone and took us with it.

 With the turning of the Seasons, the arrival of Fall we loaded up Freedom, prepared the tow and left for the East Coast of Florida. Things really did not work out well with regard to weather opportunities to cross the Gulf Stream until November so we stayed put in North Fort Myers until our monthly contract expired.
 Fortunately we had some great company to while away some time with and some of that time was spent at the Zombie Fest in Fort Myers. I have to admit all of the Zombies were well behaved. It's not like Halloween where all sorts pranks and other mischief are carried out. However it is a family affair for many. I was surprised to see whole families including toddlers in costumes that were composed of torn clothing and bloody make up. They say it takes all kinds and that night clearly brought home the point.
 Once the Zombie night passed the movement of clothing, food and other consumables onto Freedom began in earnest and I'd say it took a good three days of work spread out over several days to make that happen. Then the condo was shut down and we moved aboard for our last night in the Fort Myers area. With the rising of the last sun from the condo we got on Freedom and spun her around so we could set up the new dink for the ride across the state to Stuart.

 The first day across Florida to Clewiston went really well. All of the locks and bridges opened up quickly on call so our delays were minimal. Normally we had Freedom loping along at about 8-9 miles per hour which translated to an average speed of around 7 mph across the state in spite of the stops for bridges and locks. We were initially a little apprehensive about this trip due to the dink but it was easily managed but certainly a reflection on what it would have been like to haul a 17 foot center console along with us. I'm happy we decided to keep the tender size where we did at 13 feet and 800 pounds.
 Clewiston has a marina by the name Roland Martin and the place works well for us as a stop across the state. They have a long dock just beyond the Clewiston lock and room for large yachts. The wifi was good, and we enjoyed dinner on the deck right next to and above Freedom. I will say that this is the only place we have dined that provided insect repellent along with the condiments in the basket on the table. They have fans just about every 10 feet around the perimeter of the dining area which is not enclosed. The mosquitoes are killer and fly right up into a stout breeze so they can feast right along with you. So we ate quickly and retreated to the cabin on Freedom and in the morning we pulled out onto Lake Okeechobee to find that the wind forecast was different and we faced a good 2 feet of chop for quite a while. Freedom has no issue with that but the dink was on a short tow and it chaffed up the lines going in the haws holes out of Freedom. The chafe was bad enough I ordered new and larger line and more of it. Additional chafe gear completes that project so it was a good thing it happened on the Lake instead out on the Gulf Stream.

The bad side is that this delayed us from taking advantage of a very good crossing opportunity and the weather forecasters are not optimistic for another window until some time in December. Been there done that, and it'll happen again. Fortunately we have no schedule and live by the principle that the most dangerous item on a cruising boat is a calendar. So we'll sit on the lee side of Grumpy and continue to let him knock down the wind and water that would otherwise be coming into the marina where he is.
    

Summer moves along

 After several months here in Florida, I ask myself why am I here? Really. Well, there are many good reasons I suppose like reconnecting with family and friends, getting Freedom cleaned up implementing repairs and upgrades, as well as pursuing another dink. While the Bahamas have grown on us getting back in the U.S. where we have good, no, great shopping and access to whatever we need is a necessity. Living life here for so long has left its mark making it difficult to live without all of those things we have grown accustomed to.
 Part of being here for the Summer ensures we will experience some weather and that begs the question, "you want to be here for hurricane season?". I will admit Andrea had us concerned for a while. Initially the forecasts were for quite a bit of rain  and winds were predicted to be quite high. But as it turned out the worst affect we noticed was surge coming into the marina raising Freedom up so far I had difficulty getting onto the boat to double check settings and lines. So Andrea came and left without much ado.
 In fact she didn't get in between us and celebrating our anniversary. That went without a hitch at the The Veranda in Fort Myers. The service was outstanding as well as the food. We were going to take Freedom across to the City marina but with all of the commotion caused by the weather, a taxi seemed like a less challenging approach. Docking Freedom in 40 MPH winds is an experience left to the uninitiated and less aware. Since we used a taxi to get there and back we had no apprehensions about splitting a bottle of wine over dinner so the environment was all good. It was a great night out and we had plenty left over for lunch the next day!
 And that takes me to the OP where I wonder why we are here. All throughout the Winter we sort of wander aimlessly around the Abacos during its off season. Beaches are empty, shelling is good and peaceful since no one else is around and the establishments are all pleased to have some business. We get over here, and even though the West coast of Florida is more laid back than other areas, it's still culture shock returning to the area. Leaving the tranquility of the Bahamas has a price. But life goes on.
 With quite a bit of maintenance done on Freedom we still had more to perform so opening up the salon floor again came sooner than I was ready for. It was time to boil out the heat exchangers and oil coolers because Freedom would start to run warm under a heavy load. Calcification and crud accretion from the salt water inside the exchangers reduces their effectiveness. Along the way through this chore several old zincs that snapped off inside the exchangers along with other debris in the form of weeds were removed from the input side of the transmission oil coolers. These particular coolers are first in line from the sea strainer so cleaning them up along with the boil out had a pronounced and positive affect.
 But in a surprise the new dink showed up pretty much unexpectedly so we took a break to get that transfer accomplished and then check it out on the water. For our first ride we took the dink down stream to Pine Island and after a little confusion we made it to Woody's where we had a great lunch with a really cold beer. The confusion was born out of all the canals in Florida and my lack of ability to pick the correct one on Google Earth to transfer to the Garmin hand held plotter we have. I was off by one canal so we shot 20 minutes going up a dead end which turned out to be about 20 yards from Woody's. Oh well.. However I was rescued by the new Galaxy S4 droid I upgraded to. A few days before we received the dink I received it and installed Plan2Nav on it along with the charts for the East Coast of the U.S. and Bahamas. Since it includes Active Captain I was able to locate Woody's and correct the mistaken turns. That made the investment in the charts well worth while given how reasonable they are for a smart phone. All in all an awesome application backed up by some very good chartography. The only issue is the lack of visability the S4 display has in sunlight.
 Back on Freedom the upgrades and maintenance continued in between visits from friends and family. With all of the work in tight quarters I'll take all excuses to break away from Freedom. At this point at least the bilge work is winding down. So far the list goes something like this; turbos removed and replaced with factory remans, wifi booster replaced, cell phone booster installed, props removed and tuned, splice up a bridle for dink towing, engine battery charger replaced, battery monitor for the house bank installed, all oil and filters along with fuel filters changed out, buzz out some rust on the genny and replace the OEM muffler that didn't for the genny, various zincs replaced, and order a custom pizza stone for the oven. Yes, a pizza stone. It was "one of those things".  

 

Back in the States

 Now that we have been back in the States quite a while we're already thinking about getting back to the Bahamas. We've never been over in the late Spring or Summer so there is some interested in that time of year. But now is the time to give Freedom her due and make sure she is ready for another season. Oil samples were pulled anylised and returned, maintenance lists were made, and the shopping began.

 Over the years we have always monitored Freedom's engine oil using Blackstone Labs and their input has been appreciated. I will say that this is not an exact science and the best approach is to look at the trends not the isolated reports. Basing the decision to tear down an engine on one report would not be a wise approach and Freedom has proved that point with the last sample. This one turned out to be good. Wear materials were down significantly from the prior report. I was always a little concerned about the way I collected the sample last Spring and perhaps that concern is now justified. We'll see what happens next year. But we did have some oil showing up on the compressor side of the starboard turbocharger fittings and that indicated a leak in the turbo. Sure enough removal of the turbo proved that point well. So both turbos were removed and replaced. As a part of removing the turbos we opened them up and sure enough the starboard turbo was "slobbering" oil the intake system could do without.

 Along with the turbos we lost the engine battery bank charger, the site survey wifi router, sold the dink Madonna then ordered her replacement, installed a house battery bank monitor, and cell phone booster amp. A few boat units to be sure. It's all water under the hull.
 In between the shopping sprees and rain which we have had 10+ inches of so far, we made a stop at the Tampa Aquarium where we met this fellow. I was surprised he had his eyes open given it was day time. But he merely looked people over and as the cameras came up to capture his image, he would squint his eyes knowing a flash was coming. I didn't have ours on but if I held the camera up there long enough he reacted in anticipation. The aquarium was a good stop up in Tampa that broke up a long day of driving to RIB dealers and scrounging parts for Freedom.

We also [sarcasm] enjoyed [/sarcasm] shelling out on Sanibel Island. I have to admit that if one gets there early enough one can find some very nice specimens that would show well in any collection. However, if you get to this spot late, you will find the competition almost threatening. I wasn't there a minute before I was ready to leave for a walk down the beach and hope to catch something that was recently washed in. I mean, shelling on the beach is not supposed to be like riding the subway in NYC.

And it's a wrap

 So here we are back in Florida at the condo and it's time to reflect on recent travels and events. I have to admit the last month of our stay in the Bahamas was full of change, fun, and travel. When last I posted we were at Little Harbour Abaco hanging from a mooring at Pete's Pub. It was a terrific time filled with new friends and mild adventure. As time marched on, and we know we cannot escape that, we found ourselves moving back to the United States surrounded by people that were likewise motivated. The folks we met at Little Harbour were all on a similar schedule dictating a return to the United States with the next benign weather window. And those windows are scarce. The gaps between the smooth passages across the Gulf Stream tend to drag out the time spent waiting for them once the commitment to cross the stream has been made. So making lemonade out of lemons becomes a means to living life in a positive sense that well, if you let slip by, is your own fault. I say this because all to often the opportunity to cross back to the States looks good a week out, and the forecast evaporates into the 50/50 projections high paid forecasters make.
 So we enjoyed.
 Having left Little Harbour Deb and I returned to Sea Spray where we enjoyed the remaining time we had in the Abacos. Plenty of great BBQ there! We also attended a full moon party at Cracker P's that was full of dancing, and ate lunch at Lubber's Landing consisting of their fabulous island burger. There were various other embellishments that helped distract us from the notion that we were headed home soon. It wasn't long before a calm passage from Guana Cay to Green Turtle Cay via the Ocean presented us with the opportunity to move on. We didn't enjoy it in that it meant saying goodbye, but it was the lesser of two evils. We missed the opportunity to give hugs to many folks because it was a situation where the weather said go now or wait for an indeterminate amount of time. It was a snap decision we made at 9 AM after hearing the available forecasts. Going around Whale Cay in Freedom can be a daunting experience and we know that based on our first encounter with this passage. Many in other boats will pan the experience but they do so without contemplating a narrow beam boat with a fly bridge locating their butts 12 feet off the water. Regardless many know the wisdom of patience with regard to this particular portion of travel through the Abacos. It gets well deserved respect and attention from those that traverse it.
 With a sigh we skipped over Guana Cay and Nipper's on the way home. If it was Sunday while they were hosting the Pig Roast we would have been hard pressed to pass by but Wednesday didn't offer us much of a reason to spend the night. Motoring on by and going out Loggerhead Channel towards the Atlantic Ocean we came across the wreck that found its way onto the reef on the North Side of Guana Cay. It's an old rusting hulk that looks as though it might have been a ferry at one point. It seems innocent enough but several folks are wondering if it dropped debris that led to the sinking of a cruiser. Rumor has it a large diameter line drifted away from the wreck and found its way to the boat. Once there the line found a way to rip out the running gear from both engines thus causing the boat to sink in a very short time. Fortunately all survived without injury and went on to acquire another boat to continue their adventure.
 Moving on and around the Whale the passage was calm except for some 3 to 4 foot rollers about 7 seconds apart. These seas are somewhat intimidating but given their direction Freedom took it all in stride and we arrived at Leeward Yacht Club where we found ourselves docked next to the folks we spent time with at Little Harbour. This meant we had folks to enjoy the Island Roots Heritage Festival with.

This festival seems similar in nature to events like the Feast of San Genarro in Lower Manhattan. There were plenty of food vendors selling everything from conch salad to tasty entrees and of course, rum spiked beverages were available. Saturday night the evening was capped by two rushes performed by Junior Junkanoo teams. It was most enjoyable to see all the kids out there in colorful costumes keeping the tradition alive.
 But once the festivities ended we were left wondering how we could occupy ourselves since the prediction for a calm Gulf Stream crossing was still several days away. It was then that the gang from Little Harbour decided. It was time for a road trip. Our last outing had us passing all around The Bight of Old Robinson passing over Blue Holes waiting for Sea Crites to explode out of the depths and consume us. This trip was intended to search out some snorkeling so we set out in the late morning even though we ran smack into some good chop out of the North.
 Regardless we all continued on 5/6/13 with the intention of stopping at Fiddle Cay to do some shelling and beach combing. And so it went. We arrived on Fiddle Cay and did some shelling but none of us came up with anything special so the prospect of finding some beach treasure proved to be more of a wish than a reality.

 Regardless I suggested we go around Crab Cay to look over the wrecks and check out the anchorages. Once more we found ourselves in some chop but it seemed like the sea state was improving and that encouraged us. After poking around a bit reviewing turtles and nurse sharks up close Deb suggested that we go up to Manjack Cay and everyone was ok with this so we set out once again. It was a bit of a ride for everyone but once we arrived we found ourselves on one of the best beaches the Sea of Abaco has to offer. Not only that, but the beach on the Atlantic side is very special.
 As long as your flip flops hold out the walk is quite enjoyable. If like Joe, you step on a flip top and blow out a flip flop, you will find yourself locating all of the spiny burr laden seed pods waiting for your sensitive feet. I picked up one of these down in Little Harbour and I don't want to imagine what it's like to step on a dozen or so. Each one is like stepping on a dozen needles all at once and they refuse to let go.You pick your foot up and balance on one leg while trying to pull it out and hope you don't fall on a pile of them. But I am thinking it was all worth it anyway since we were greeted by the local ray.
 It seems that Brendal stops here with his dive customers. When they are done eating their catch the left overs from their beach bbq are given to the ray. I guess Ray has learned that hand outs are frequently associated with outboards so it has become quite friendly. Many of us got to enjoy its company. If I was to choose who was the star of the day I'd have to select Ray. It certainly brought many smiles to all of us with its shallow water encounters. It had no fear and as long as everyone remained calm it glided by gently sliding over your feet. Unless you stood on the beach saying no way, I am not going there. I'd rather deal with a Brooklyn cabbie than one of those.
 Once we had amused ourselves with Ray we looked out and saw that the Sea of Abaco was laying down a bit so we all relaunched the dinks and went back to the Bluff House where Erin was a wonderful host and opened up the kitchen so we could have some snacks. Bless her. After all the time we spent on the water one drink would have been enough to put us under without some food to go with it. Especially because their specialty rum drink has about 7 different kinds of rum in it.
 And so that night we all parted company with plans of moving on towards West End in anticipation of aligning our arrival there with a crossing to Florida the next day. Since Deb has an aversion to anchoring out at Great Sale, and I had no excuse to pursue that, we tied up at Spanish Cay for a night. With clocking winds Great Sale was in our minds as a overnight anchorage to be avoided. As it turned out neither was Spanish Cay but we did enjoy a good dinner there prior to an early departure for West End. But I am ahead of myself. Many boats decided to leave Green Turtle the same day we did. Some also decided to arrive. I had loaded up the dink and set Freedom up for departure when one in our group had an issue in the channel leading out of Black Sound. So I dropped the dink and went out to help as much as I could. Fortunately the situation resolved itself easily and I was able to return back and reload Madonna onto Freedom. Given all was well we let all the umbilicals and left for the fuel dock. That's when we saw the Ferretti stuck on the rocks potentially blocking the exit from Black Sound. The last thing we needed was a very late start or a delayed start since that would push our schedule out beyond the anticipated weather window. I have to admit I was not sounding very happy on the VHF radio when I was discussing the channel opening. I think the worst of this was that the boat was headed into the wrong Sound as well. Enough on this. We were fortunate to pass astern of the yacht as there was just enough space to pass it after we fueled up.

 And with that and two days of travel we found ourselves at West End with a good window the next day. The memory of the grounding and water spout that almost ruined our stay at Leeward and faded quickly. It was time to stow all the gear, and get a good night rest at Old Bahama Bay before departing the next day. With the dawn many boats left Old Bahama Bay and our flotilla was a part of it. We all made our way safely to St Lucie inlet, up the river and into Sunset Bay Marina where Sam greeted us and was able to gather us up close so we could link up for dinner at the restaurant there.
 Fortunately the wait at the bridge wasn't that long. So we are two for two at the bridge by Sunset Bay now. For two years running, we spend the whole day crossing the Gulf Stream and arrive at Sunset Bay to find the bridge going down. We have missed it by minutes twice now. But that doesn't matter since the trip went without a hitch and we had arrived safely. Dinner at Sailor's Return was terrific, and in two more days we made our way across the State of Florida and docked at our Summer Base.

When it all works at the same time

 It's good. Real good. The items we were hoping would be included in the list of working well together recently were Wind, Water, Tide, and Sunshine. It's rare that they come together for a trip to Little Harbour but they all aligned perfectly last weekend.

 Looking towards the end of last week the weather forecast started improving. So we left the Sea Spray Resort and Marina Saturday 4/13 with the goal of reaching Little Harbour. While there was a chance for squalls, the Atlantic was laying down, and the wind was predicted to be out of a Southern compass point. This means that the existing swell in the Atlantic was going to be reduced if the wind prediction panned out. Thus getting across North Bar Channel was not looking like it was going to be an unsavory, rolling and bucking experience. It's one thing to get chucked off a mechanical bull and totally different to experience weightlessness on the bridge of Freedom. Even if it was going to be a little rough, with the forecast we had in front of us, a bit of a rough ride for an hour or so was going to be worth while because the return trip would not be rough. And this forecast was much better than what we had back in 2009 the first time we crossed North Bar Channel. First pass through North Bar
 Ok, it's only about 15 nautical miles from Sea Spray to Little Harbour but crossing North Bar Channel is not to be taken lightly. Let's face it when the weather is good North Bar channel can still be in a rage caused by conditions in the North Atlantic. Those conditions are capable of tossing the boat around. They can move the boat suddenly and with enough force to cause injury and worse. It has happened. We have been turned away by the channel while we were in the dink, and as illustrated in the earlier post there was a time we wondered why were crossing it. This time we had some 3 footers closely spaced that we quartered easily so all in all North Bar Channel was no problem.
 Having made it past North Bar and into the lee of Lynyard Cay all of that concern faded as we approached the entrance to Little Harbour. Well, most of the concern faded. The entrance to Little Harbour is well marked and safe as long as you don't have a deep draft boat. Freedom only pulls 3.5 or 4 feet so we don't need much assistance from the tide to glide over the shallow spots that exist at low tide. At low tide there is only 3.5 feet of water and with about 2 feet of tide boats pulling 6 feet of water have a good chance of getting stuck in the channel right about where it drops off inside the harbour. Once inside the harbour there is at least 8 to 10 feet and more throughout. With clear water moving about the harbour is no big deal in fact it's quite scenic. A pleasant relief.  It's so clear the bottom is easily seen along with the turtles swimming about the boat.
 With that we moved in and picked up a convenient mooring pennant by securing two lines to it. Then we dropped the dink into the water so we could move about or get off the boat if we wanted. With a very short run to shore we were at Pete's Pub  and lunch was being served. They make some great fish sandwiches and burgers here so we dove in and filled up on both with some of their signature drinks called the Blaster. Having made it in and tied up it was a welcome experience at a reasonable price. It wasn't long before we ran into friends and took a ride around the area in their car. We got to get a look at Winding Bay and part of it's golf course. Upscale to say the least and beyond our means. But having the ability to move to a different location with Freedom isn't such a bad thing after all. In fact it works really well for us. Later on the notion of not being able to afford life there was summarily discharged with an evening of conversation around the table which offered snacks, and home made Blasters. Too many Blasters. Eventually passing time with conversation we noticed an ominous line of clouds approaching which influenced an end to the evening.  Fortunately for us our hosts left their boat open so we hitched a ride back to town. Once at the dock we hopped into our dink Madonna and made it back on Freedom in time to close her up before the squall showed up.

 So the chance of squalls turned into a reality and with the clocking winds Freedom spun around the mooring. While aboard waiting for the storm, I was on the Internet discussing how well our satellite TV system worked. I should have waited until after the squall. The screen pixilated and the voices started to sound like R2D2. But once the storm passed all was well and any salt that had accumulated during the trip was washed away in the downpour.

We planned a long walk in the morning to clear the fog from the Blasters. The notion was we would be able to sweat out the prior evening and perhaps gain a little ground on the waistline. And walk we did. While two and a half miles doesn't seem like much, when you are walking in loose sand it takes a bit more effort. Combining that with high sun, light winds, and warm temperatures meant it wasn't long before we felt the burn. Fortunately someone had set up a lean too of sorts on the beach. It was assembled from various bits of flotsam that came ashore locally.
Ramshackle yes, but it provided some much needed shade for a break allowing us to catch our wind and cool off. From there we moved South along the beach until we could see the next rocky outcropping marking the absolute limit of our walk so we turned around to head back. Of course the return path took us right by Pete's pub and well, the cycle started up once again. So much for the progress made on the waist. It wasn't as bad as Ground Hog day by any means. This time while having lunch at Pete's we ran into some folks that we met on Lake Okeechobee last Spring. They were traveling with another couple on a separate boat and since we all had connections with Brian and Jan we all crashed their place for a second night of Blasters and pot luck specials. Everyone brought something to eat and we all had a great time. We also planned to meet the next day and go exploring for blue holes.
 High tide lined up really well with our stay here at Little Harbour. It occurred at Noon Monday and 1 PM Tuesday so with good weather we had plenty of time to visit all the blue holes we could find on the Bight of Old Robinson. I dug up some blue hole GPS way points and planned a couple of days worth of activity. It's a shame the water leading into the blue holes is so shallow. If we dawdled or wasted our time we would not be able to get into the shallow spots where they were located AND get out before we found ourselves high and almost dry unable to power the dinks out to the Bight. So timing the tide was essential which had me reviewing the time of day as we moved about in our dinks. I don't think I've been such a clock watcher since my last month at work before retirement.
 Our first stop took us to the blue hole which took the lives of several young men back on April 2, 1994. The poor souls were scuba diving this blue hole and sadly they never came back out. It's a spooky surreal experience to peer down into the clear water that is lined with rocky ledges and fish wondering how they passed. Suffice it to say cave diving, as is most penetration diving, is dangerous. Regardless of how you plan and prepare the sport has risk. While we drifted over the blue hole everyone was reviewing the colorful depths through look buckets when I said loud enough for everyone to hear "suddenly, while they all reviewed the abyss, a worm like creature shot up and swallowed them whole".
 I'm thinking Julie didn't think that was too funny because she was heard remarking how it was time to move on with our adventure because the dog was getting nervous. I'm not sure what kind of connection she has with Salty but evidently they share quite a bit.
After the second day of gliding over the blue holes we took a ride across the Southern Sea of Abaco and landed on Lynyard Cay. This is the last Cay on the Sea of Abaco located right by the Little Harbour cut to the Atlantic. As a result many boats traveling South to or North from the Exumas stop here and anchor out after a day on the big water. Some might even venture into Little Harbour for a mooring if the tide is aligned with their arrival. Lynyard is a quiet cay with little going on except clear calm water on the inside and the Atlantic on the outside. A very cool place to stop for a dip before heading back into Little Harbour. Which of course meant another stop at Pete's Pub for lunch. We hate it when that happens. This place will definitely grow on you. Especially around the waist.
So it was all good, and we had a very pleasant ride back up to Sea Spray with no worries through North Bar and calm water on the Sea of Abaco. In fact the only issue we did have was an arrogant captain in a Sunseeker that blew by us in a narrow passage North of Channel Cay. Oh well. It's part of the reason we retired early. We knew more of this was going to be happening as time moves on and well, we wanted to experience the Bahamas before they get over run like the Jersey Shore. Every time a huge go fast or sporty blows by, we are thankful we have the experiences before they showed up in force. 
       

They say it's Spring

 At this point we are happy that we have no plans for return. We have an approximation for departure, but nothing is concrete. Punxsutawney Phil has apparently made many enemies this year with his bogus prediction of an early or on time Spring. Seriously. What do you expect from an over grown rat? In light of the way Spring is coming into our lives this year, we really have no incentive to move the boat yet. There have been opportunities to get across the Gulf Stream but they are infrequently available at best. So we will probably temper our enthusiasm to get back with the notion that March has been cool and windy. Hopefully April brings us more moderation and May even more calm.
 Beyond that whole debacle, the arrival of March usually means an influx of boats into the Abacos from points South and this year was certainly no exception. Hope Town Harbour is mobbed and we're glad we moved South to Sea Spray back in December. In addition to the boats coming North from the Exumas we have additional boats coming across from the United States as Spring Breakers arriving to rent houses. Hopefully all of the businesses are sharing in this increased tourism because it seems like there is plenty of it!
 All of the additional traffic certainly influenced the attendance of the Barefoot Man Concert on Guana Cay. As usual, and pretty much expected, the band put on three shows. The first show was on Friday afternoon which was a perfect day for a crowded venue. It was breezy and cooler than lately which made for a comfortable experience.
 At night the show was equally comfortable except folks wore long sleeves, pants and a jacket. That may sound out of place in the Bahamas but over the course of Winter there are several days, let alone evenings when it is appropriate. But given the alternative of shoveling a driveway clear of snow, we'll take it. The crowd at Nippers was more subdued this year than in years past. We recall one lady that was up on a table dancing the whole time the band played. Eventually she was carried out when she ran out of enthusiasm supplied by Frozen Nippers. She was there at least three years running. But not this year and testimony to the subdued crowd's activity, no one took her place. In fact we didn't see George (the Barefoot Man) signing any of the ladies' behinds or breasts. People must be getting worn out or they are tired of bouncing off the rocks along the path home.


This year coincident with the concert the harbour at the settlement was crowded but our assessment says there were a few cancelation of slip reservations at Orchid Bay. While the marina did well and was fun to be at, it seemed like there were always a few open slips this year at concert time. We will say that it was great to have the restaurant at Orchid Bay open for business and we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner there one night. Speaking of night, the water at Orchid Bay marina is very clear which had us leaving the transom lights on over night. Various aquatic life showed up in the lights and entertained us with their presence. Turtles, squid, and sharks all made an appearance. However, the small Green Heron that used to hang out on the swim platform was not to be seen this year. So that marks the first time in 5 years we did not see our Heron buddy and we missed him.
 But we did get to hook up with many folks we had not seen in quite a while. Folks at Grabbers, Nippers, the Yacht Club and the Pirate's Cove. Fortunately we were able to spend some time with Jerry Fording the proprietor and share a few laughs. While we sat there with Sally mixing for us, Oz, a box office smash was playing on his projection TV. I asked Jerry, "Ok, how did you get that over here to play on your TV when it is still in the theaters raking in huge bucks?". He replied "And the name of this place is?" Yup. The Pirate had swiped a copy some how. Too cool. Sadly not long after our stop at Guana Jerry passed away while closing up the Pirate's Cove at the end of the evening.
 We're all sorry to see you go Jerry, you and the Pirate's Cove were an icon of the Abacos. RIP Man.
 Anyway, Winter down here will be Winter and we had a few good storms out of the North East. One of them pushed on shore well and made a mess of places like the Abaco Inn. If you click on the photo it will become apparent that stones with other debris was washed up from the bluff and into the pool at the Abaco Inn. Looking off into the distance one can see how high the tide came in that day. Not to worry, local Bahamian ethic had it cleaned up in short order and every day life moved on as though nothing had happened. No whining about getting FEMA cash here.

Since we are down here a while I have to check for recordings on the phone once in a while. One day I get a message, "Dan? Your sister says we should get in touch with you. Are you in the Abacos?". Returning the call led to a meet up with a couple of gentlemen from Pa. that attend church with my sister. So in her honor we all went fishing with Justin the owner of Local Boy Charters out of Hope Town http://www.hopetownfishing.com/ It wasn't long before all three of us had a wahoo on at the same time! There are a number of Charters out of Hope Town and Lubbers that can turn an otherwise dull day into a bit of an adventure while providing fish for the table. If you get over here and don't have the boat to go outside (like us) give them a call, they will take care of you and you will have a good time at a reasonable price.
 And that brings us to April our last month in the Abacos. We've had a great time so far and hope to cap it off with more good times. We could not have asked for better service from our hosts at Sea Spray http://www.seasprayresort.com/ and the Hope Town Inn and Marina http://www.hopetownmarina.com/. Both of these places have great staff and a good restaurant to dine at when you want to break up the stay with a night out. In fact on many occasions we were pleasantly surprised to have Asian food prepared expertly by Carlton at Sea Spray followed by the New Entry Band providing dance music.
 But the season has to end eventually even though we are not looking forward to it. So it's time to squeeze in everything we have not removed from the bucket list before we head West. 

So "What it is?"

 What it is, is that we are well entrenched into life on Elbow Cay now having spent a month up at the Hope Town Inn and Marina, and another couple of months down at Sea Spray. Given we will be here at Sea Spray until Spring says something about our preference, but the decision to stay at Sea Spray walked a very fine line. Quite a bit happened since the beginning of December when I last posted. Deb's mom passed away on New Year's Eve, maintenance on the boat has been performed, and new friends have been made. All in all, things are well and well, things are things.  The kicking off of the holiday season usually means a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and we were very fortunate to be invited. Think of it, great food and no dishes. What a deal!
 Many folks descended on Chapter X for a Thanksgiving feast. We all brought something along but Phyllis as usual outdid herself by providing two turkeys and all of the sides one could hope for. Loraine provided some awesome pumpkin ice cream, Deb made four appetizers, others brought wine, and wow, did we all eat a terrific meal. It's a fair bet to assume everyone left well fed and ready to call it a night. And that takes us into December.  
 Early in December we packed up and left the Hope Town Inn and Marina for Sea Spray. This was always in the plan. Exactly when it would happen was not, but with a Junkanoo occurring at Sea Spray coincident with Christmas the move was desirable early enough to experience that without logistical issues. Arriving in time to get a good slip was important to us but moving on was difficult.
 We like to split our time between various places since variety is a good thing, and our time in Hope Town Harbour was most enjoyable. The marina has come along tremendously and we cannot say enough about it and the people that work there. Anyone who ties up there will enjoy their stay! The harbour is a busy spot and there is quite a bit available there to facilitate daily life. Stores are convenient. The restaurant at the HTM is very good and even when Bahamas Electric Corp. cannot supply power, HTM has a back up generator that supplies power to the docks! Amazing. This is a first as far as our experience with marinas goes, bar none. We were very happy to discover the marina generator came online Thanksgiving when the power went out after I put a Turkey in the electric oven for Phyllis.
 Arriving at Sea Spray got us a little more conveniently located nearby establishments like Firefly, Cracker P's, Lubbers Landing, etc.. We stopped in at Firefly for lunch and as we gazed out over the Sea of Abaco, a 1946 Kolby fishing boat moved South towards the White Sound Marker. No. I did not know what kind of boat that was upon sighting it. However, Deb decided that since it was just past low tide, that they were headed for the bar blocking the White Sound channel and that they would run aground. I said no way anyone owning a boat like that would allow that to happen. Seriously. This discussion occurred as we watched it move by. Finishing our lunch we pulled our heavy selves up from our chairs overlooking the Sea of Abaco and piled into Madonna.
 We shot out onto the flat water and rounded the White Sound marker to find the Laura D piled up on the bottom, but well within the correct passage into White Sound. So both Deb and I were correct. She said it would be aground, and I said it would not happen on the bar. This was when we met Laura, Stan and Mom. We asked if they needed anything and the answer was a polite no. I was going to take photos but declined for their sake. I should have taken the photos and given them copies because, after a while they pulled into Sea Spray when the rising tide granted them access.  EZ-pass is not accepted at the White Sound marker unless you have a draft less than 5 feet.

 And then it was Christmas, which brought the Spring City Rockers to Sea Spray. What a show. If you have not been to a Bahamian Junkanoo, you have not seen what has to be one of our favorite experiences. Don't get me wrong, the Thanksgiving parade in NYC is great, but having a great parade in warm weather is better. I was lucky enough to meet one of the elders that keeps the tradition going, and it's a good activity that keeps the kids and older folks with young thoughts busy.
 Of course, after Christmas we have New Years Eve and we decided it was time to have dinner out on the town. Sea Spray's menu looked the most appealing prior to moving from Hope Town thus adding to the incentive to get here before the holidays. We were not disappointed with dinner, in fact it was delicious. Several courses came our way and everyone of them was well received and consumed. Junior's band The Islanders came together for a long over due appearance and as usual it wasn't long before they had everyone up and dancing to a mixture of hits that are local to the Bahamas and the USA. Getting back to the boat after a great night out I thought I would check email and that is when we found out that Joan had passed earlier that evening.
 So the arrangements to get North started immediately and before we knew it we were in NYS where we encountered the stuff they call snow. Being used to sand and flip flops we found ourselves totally outside our comfort zone and it wasn't long before I had my second cold of the Winter season. This one had me wondering if it was TB the cough was so bad. Now, as I write this, we read the Kingston newspaper and find out, guess what? There's TB in Kingston! Fortunately we were not impacted by this it was merely a sinus infection that migrated down to my lungs in the usual fashion. In spite of the onslaught of the illness arriving we managed to get out to some of our favorite places with some great people and have a good time regardless of the reason for our travel. As well, we are very grateful for all the people that showed up to send Joan off and a special person named Kim who helped us set up a lunch for everyone at the last possible minute. It wasn't long after lunch before we found ourselves at Ship to Shore for "the drowning of sorrows". Good appetizers were piled onto the not so distant lunch along with a number of beverages making for a taxi ride back to Rich's place where sleep came quickly. It came so fast I woke up at 3 AM fully clothed with a blanket over me wondering what hit me. At this point I think it's safe to say the last cognac Shaun bought did me in. Moving on we went over to Ted's place and proceeded to help him sort things out and get on with his new life. Time went by quickly with all the work we were doing, and then we were back at Sea Spray with calm water and winds. So we got out into the dink and re-acclimated ourselves to the environment. We hooked up with a gang of folks here at Sea Spray and took off for Sandy Cay. The notion was to get into the water and do some snorkeling. At least we made it as far as Channel Cay before Debbie hit the reset button on this idea. The Atlantic swells were getting deep into North Bar and near breaking at Channel Cay.
 So after the ensuing marital moment caused by the fact we were the only ones turning back, we moved on to the West Side of Sandy Cay via the shallow water in the lee of the Cays where the swells were not. We looked around for everyone else, but were not able to locate them on the other side of the Cay and given this we gave up and made for the water behind Iron Cay since the tide was coming in. That was where we met Ray again. No dink trip would be complete with annoying Ray but this time we managed to glide over without stirring him up.
 Since this was a rather long dink ride a stop at Cracker P's for a beer with some smoked fish dip was appropriate and it did not disappoint. I have to admit they repaired the dock damage caused by hurricane Sandy in what seemed like less than a week. Not bad for the outer islands where high end tooling is scarce and elbow grease it plentiful. The dock has been restored back to its former self leading up to the ice cold beer and terrific views. It is indeed challenging to get up and move on once the view sets in. It makes it tough to cram things like maintenance into this busy schedule. But it has to happen so the teak rails, swim ladder steps, bow pulpit and name boards all have a fresh finish with Cetol on them. Freedom looks and feels a bit better for this.
  Along with the teak work new membranes went into the reverse osmosis water maker and finally, after 4 years, it looks as though Village Marine has turned the corner and gotten their membrane's quality in order. We finally, after all this time are getting water at a good TDS level and productivity rate. At this point, I'll say the water we make aboard Freedom is better by a factor of at least two, when compared to the reverse osmosis water available around the Bahamas. While that water is certainly potable and wholesome, we have found that once the water maker is online, it is convenient when we are remotely located.
 So here we are in February, and Phil has declared Spring will be early this year! Whether or not we move back to the States to celebrate that depends on his accuracy, and how well Freedom holds up.
 I've started a new folder with photos, I'll get around to descriptions when we have time. A new link for GPS data for 2013 is available as well.

 Bahamas 2012-2013