Socked in by approaching Weather

 So that means, ROAD TRIP. Fortunately we made it down to Great Exuma before the weather turned. I have to admit it wasn't with a happy heart that we left Compass Cay but it is what it is, and we wanted to move on to areas we had not visited yet.
 We probably could have run from Compass Cay down to Emerald Bay Marina in a day but we did not want to push it so we stopped in at the Cave Cay Marina. If we had run all the way to Long Island from Cay there was a good chance we would have arrived at dark and that would be a recipe for issues given the waters were unfamiliar to us.
 So here we are at Emerald Bay and the forecast for Exuma Sound is for very choppy rough water for the foreseeable future, like at least a week. Like I said when I started out that means we have plenty of time to explore the island and we set out by renting a car. Having been to a number of other countries and driven I was thinking I was ready for this. Abaco, Bermuda and various other islands all require driving on the left side of the road. But this was the first time that I was delivered a car that had the controls on the right side. What the heck was I supposed to do? Drive in reverse looking backwards so I was ok with this? It was bad enough I originally sat down in the passenger's seat and wondered what was going on. With a certain amount of trepidation I got out and hopped in the correct side of the car (in this land) and started up the engine. For one reason or another I found myself hammering the gas pedal when starting. I have no idea why it just happened several times.

So we set out on the wrong side of the road with me driving on the wrong side of the car. Deb often wondered if she was going off the road as a result of my abilities. After some time we found ourselves at the end of Little Exuma where we turned around and went back to Santana's which was close by at this point. We were greeted by big warm smiles and after a review of the menu board Deb chose shrimp and I went for the grouper. Both were batter dipped and fried to perfection. With an ice cold Kalik to wash it down life was good. The view was amazing and as usual capturing the colors with a photo was challenging. I was surprised to see license plates from U.S. cars and various states hanging from the ceiling.
 Many were obviously still valid and looked authentic. Just about all of the far flung states were represented so it looks like the notion you are from a remote frost ridden place like Alaska won't mean you would be welcomed any differently than someone from Florida. The license plate contributions, like the hand made and painted name boards on Boo Boo Hill and Compass Cay work much better than the arrogantly placed stickers the some folks slap up all over the place. It seems some people have no respect for anyone's property and they feel a need to express their presence with these oval shaped stickers about 5 inches long. They get slapped up everywhere. Canal lock walls, bathrooms, bars, fences, poles, seats, walls, you name it. People that slap these things up could care less as long as they make their visit known. Fortunately places like Compass Cay and Santana's peel them down from time to time. Works for us.
 At this point we were done with the South end of Great Exuma and we drove to the other extreme where we located some other establishments. We wound up locating Paradise Bay so we decided to check this place out once the "drive" was done.
 Fortunately the car was returned in the same condition it was delivered, and we were once again on foot. Since Paradise Bay is a short one mile walk away from Freedom we decided to hike on over for lunch. It's a pretty cool place to hang out for lunch but we were both left with the impression that they squeezed too much into the property. The views from the infinity pool and dining area were both blocked by a pair of cabins leaving a subset of the beach and water to look at. In spite of this the pool is inviting and lunch was quite good and reasonably priced, especially for the Bahamas.
 Perhaps being socked in by weather we do not want to experience "on the bank" is not so bad after all.

Warderick Wells to Compass Cay

 After a stop at Spanish Wells and making our way to Highborne Cay for an overnite at each we pressed on to Warderick Wells which is part of the Bahamas National Trust, or the Exumas Land and Sea Park. The welcoming committee is always on hand looking to make sure you arrived safely and are well situated. If you cruise the Exumas please join and contribute to the Trust. They do a wonderful job of providing moorings as well as other land based facilities people of all ages can enjoy. Many of them are spectacular. Especially if you are willing to put on a mask and fins so you can swim around or you have a good dink for exploration. The membership fees are incidental and any help will provide support for an organization that is doing quite a bit with not so much. This organization goes much farther than those "raising awareness" type shops that in my humble opinion are nothing but sponges.
 Anyway, before moving on I will say the marina at Highbourne Cay offers very good protection and the convenience store usually has fresh produce. The break water here is excellent and when the water is rough the place offers a restful stop and wow did we appreciate it after the run from Spanish Wells. Make sure they have space for your boat before traveling there since this is a popular stop on the way to and from the Exumas from Spanish Wells and Nassau.  We were lucky to get the last available slip after a long day. Anchoring out was certainly an option but with all of the wind and water we put up with it was time for a break.
Having had a restful one night layover at Highbourne we moved on to Warderick Wells which has to be one of the most favorite stops for everyone boating the Exumas because the moorings offer protection from just about every direction and the Cay has many trails for hiking. One can walk up to the top of Boo Boo Hill and check out a 360 view that will challenge just about any other natural setting you could locate. I will warn you that photography has a difficult time capturing the color but you can try. Note the banner page for this blog is a shot of Freedom on mooring ball #9 at Warderick Wells and we both still think that photo while very appealing does not do the place justice. Anyway, we did the hike again, and found our name board contribution on Boo Boo Hill. Name boards placed on the mound are a supplication to the Gods asking for benign weather. While we have had our issues with weather on this trip all in all we cannot complain so perhaps our presence on the mound of boards since 2011 is paying off.
 Saturday nights at Warderick Wells are reserved for a beach front pot luck gathering so we pulled together some bits and went ashore where we made many new friends and enjoyed some tasty treats which were more than enough for a meal. It never ceases to amaze me to see what kind of treats Deb can crank out for one of these gatherings.    
  And now we find ourselves at the Compass Cay Marina in the Exumas. The ride down was less than pleasant with some chop coming right at us all the way. I suppose if I could have throttled up to about 13 knots the ride would have been better but with the dink in tow I took it easy.
 Regardless it was worth the irritation to get here. I have to admit this is one of our favorite stops in the Exumas and it's for a number of reasons. You will not find a more friendly staff, and the location is beyond comparison. When the weather is bad on the bank stopping in here is without question a rare pleasure on this Earth. The water is clear, and remains that way in spite of the mega yachts that come and go. For one reason or another they never stir up the bottom. Some really sweet rides pull in here on charter. If you have the cash, you can have a really good time on one of these boats. But you had better be ready to PAY.
 Perhaps the strong tidal flow through the area has swept the bottom clean enough to prevent the large propellors from stirring it up. With a stout dink, one can make several trips to nearby anchorages and Cays all of which offer scenery that defies description.
  There are two appealing stops one of which is  Staniel Cay Yacht Club. But make sure you call to see if they have gas before you leave nearby facilities or, make sure you have enough fuel to complete the trip in both directions. We made that mistake but fortunately had enough for the return trip. With an out going tide the Exuma Sound is not far away and a tidal ride when out of fuel could get you into a genuine mess. Staniel Cay has a pool and a restaurant in addition to many cottages. It's also a good stop because they will include a skiff to run around in as part of an all inclusive deal.
 The ride over to Staniel included a pass by Big Majors which is a very popular anchorage. Boats of all sizes and type frequent this anchorage and on this day with East to South East wind many boats pulled in and threw the hook up close to shore. I guess the proximity to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is an attraction to this anchorage but there is one other attraction that draws plenty of people.
 The pigs. And there are a gang of them. All sizes as well but the polka dots seem to dominate the gene pool here. It's quite a bit of fun to pull in here for a few minutes because the more mature pigs will make an effort to swim out to your boat in an effort to garner a treat. Just about anything will do but we try to keep it reasonable with veggies and lightly skinned fruits. We were surprised to see how many people were on the beach with the pigs given they can be aggressive but everything seemed to be working well. It is worthy to note that these are not wild animals to the extent one might expect. They have been planted here and I have to believe people go out there every now and then to thin the herd. There is a fresh batch of piglets on the beach now and I am thinking some ribs are in the offing for someone.
 So after a burger and a beer at the Yacht Club we piled into the dink and headed back to the Compass Cay Marina because the day was wearing on and we had plans to travel the next day. We passed by the failed Samson Cay Marina and development, and Over Yonder Cay. If you have some spare cash, and it might take a fair amount check this place out if you want a special place to hang out. We passed by on the West Shore and noticed the place had all the toys. A yacht, a float plane, several "smaller" boats, and a private golf course.
 In spite of all the opulence around us, and wishing some would rub off on us, we arrived back at Freedom and settled into a great evening meal and sunset from the aft deck facing the West.
 The GPS data is up to date and you might find "flying" a track from Compass Cay to Staniel and back interesting.

 
 

Sometimes you're the bug

And sometimes you're the windshield. In this case, we were the bug flying into a fast moving windshield that had the wipers on. When we left Spanish Wells we did so with a good forecast in hand. We both looked it over, and took advantage of some special subscriptions. It was supposed to be calm, no chance for a squall and light winds out of the South and South East. Yah. We got this.
 In reality it was 15-20 gusting 25 out of the South West. It's a shame we didn't run into this until we were well across the bank from Fleeming Channel towards Highbourne Cay. It turned into about 4 hours of snot on the nose. It was certainly better than having it on the beam so I shouldn't complain. But after having a great ride South to Spanish Wells we thought we were going to be back on the shallow water with calm seas and sunshine. I mean, how could a day on the Atlantic in calms seas that are 3 miles deep be an omen for genuine snot on the bank while you are dodging coral heads? Oh well.

  We were both apprehensive about the route across the bank I chose to take since it was a direct line from Fleeming Channel to Highbourne. It was loaded with coral heads and there are all sorts of rumors about how you cannot make it across this bank without crashing. While I suppose that is true for some folks, we only saw two coral heads we had to alter course for. Part of the reason for the confidence I had was based on what we learned from folks at the Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club seminar on the Exumas. At this seminar it was said, and abundantly, that you can pick the coral heads out well in advance and take action in a relaxed manner to avoid them. Yet another reason to become a member and we are always glad we have. Good camaraderie and at a very cheap price. But I should have taken a movie of the trawler that came at us on the South side of the bank. It was like he was choosing a parking spot in an empty parking lot. To each his own and when we are on your boat we'll do it your way. 
 When we left Little Harbour after a couple of great nites we set out on the Atlantic and relaxed. It was so calm Deb sat there playing Yahtzee on a small electronic game while I kept the helm. We watched Dolphins hunt for a while and saw hundreds of flying fish take off from the area in front of Freedom and carry on for what must have been 100 yards some times. On occasion a dozen or so would take flight all at once. I wish I could have kept a camera online and focused but they are always a surprise and difficult to photograph. Dolphins are much easier to capture because they tend to travel in a consistent direction for a while and you can almost predict where they will come up for air again as evidenced by my luck with the second photo.

Spanish Wells is waking up. The Spanish Wells Yacht Club is finally getting a healthy dose of cash that will rebuild docks, add more amenities thus encouraging tourism. There is actually a restaurant on the island now! It's amazing how long this is taken given this is a busy community as well as a very good spot to pull into when traveling by boat. Hopefully this island has learned to be cautious with over developing or allowing big money to come in and create huge eyesores that fail.

 But Little Harbour is still a great hang. Especially with all of the great people down there. It seems someone is always willing to host a pot luck dinner or snack session and everyone is willing to stop at Pete's Pub for a fish sandwich and commiserate over a beer.

You never know who is going to drop in for a nosh and if Pete's doesn't work for you Carlton is cooking up some good food on the Asian and BBQ nites at Sea Spray. They bring in the Limbo Man Desmond at Sea Spray. The food is good, the times are great no matter how old you are. It's always fun to watch the kids push their limits and the older folks refuse to give up. Me? I don't go there I leave it to the pros. This man can carry people under the bar his strength is so great. 


 

Time Marches On

 Or how we spent the month of March. Many of the good folks we shared dock space with this Winter have moved on. Some to the South and the Exumas, and others back to the United States. We, having some company were kind enough to stay put instead of Shanghaiing him to the Exumas. In retrospect that would have been a very good choice weather wise because the water was flat calm all the way across the North East Providence Channel to Spanish Wells.

It would have been a serious mistake due to mechanical issues that developed in the forward bathroom. Fortunately they held off until company left.
 Since we were not headed South yet another trip to Little Harbour and Pete's Pub was made and yet again, the food there was terrific. We have yet to find a better fish sandwich anywhere else in the Bahamas. We also made some new friends with home owners there that throw a pot luck dinner on the beach every Monday. That's where the first photo was taken from. Deb made her Grouper Nantua and other folks brought dishes that made for some very good eats at a terrific spot. Not only that we were given directions to a Blue Hole we never would have seen without the help.
 Blue Holes are pools of water that have an underground link to the ocean. In spite of being inland, the water is salt and the fish are indiginous to the ocean and harbours of the area. This blue hole is located along side a road in the Little Harbour area and it is teeming with all sorts of colorful fish. While there was nothing very large, the diversity made it an interesting and worth while hike. Besides on the way back we had a stop at Pete's for an ice cold brew and a sandwich. If you click on the photo you may be able to pick out some of the fish. Without a high end camera with a good lens it's difficult to capture the details. A digital SLR is on my bucket list but with parts for the boat taking priority it will have to wait yet again.
 But back on the calm water as pointed out by the second photo, we were able to take the dink out and around the Bight of Old Robinson, over to Lynyard Cay, up to North Bar Channel and back to Little Harbour. Yes, it was that calm on the Southern Sea of Abaco. Even though the water was 30 feet deep in some spots we could clearly see the bottom as though it was within arm's length.
 Returning to Sea Spray at White Sound Elbow Cay we settled into the "monotony" of lunches at places like Sea Spray which by the way has a terrific BBQ buffet night as well as an Asian Night. Both are reasonably priced and the food is very good. The list of additional establishments we frequented ran a list that included Firefly, Lubber's Landing, On Da Beach and Cracker P's and finally Nippers. I have to admit the beach view from Nippers is one of the best the Bahamas has to offer.

And with that, company had to leave and we were free to pursue our travels South. And the weather turned, the mechanicals started acting up and the delays set in. So we'll put things back together and wait for a decent window South. The Google Earth tracks for the month have been loaded up and are under the blog heading Ships Log GPS data The 2014 Voyage and when clicked will load up Google Earth and display the paths.    
   

Winter spent the Hard Way

 Of course I'm lying. Winter has been good to us this year. Rumor has it the North East received the bitch slap of Winters, but down here, it's been quite good. In fact of all of the Winter's we have spent here in the Abacos, this one has been one of the most benign. The temperatures have been warm, the sea states calm, and the company has been great. We've had a great time with new and old friends and that time has flown by. Some very loud and amusing evenings have been shared creating very good memories. All of that and the new dink has had a very positive impact on our experience as well.
 I guess it was the first year we were here. Back in the Winter of '08 and '09 we had winds that blew into the 40-50 knot range on a regular basis. New Year's Eve on Guana Cay that year had Troy from Dive Guana knocking down the New Year's Even bonfires at Nippers because the cinders were blowing on shore threatening the nearby property. Because he is also the local fire department and rescue type person on Guana Cay he had to make the call and he took care of the issue. To illustrate how strong the winds were that year, Tony at Nippers had to shoot the beach fireworks out flat over the ocean or they blew over everyone's property. But this year, it seems we have rarely had winds that almost made it to gale force or 30 knots let alone 50 knots. The cold fronts have been mild because they have not made it this far South and East. Instead of wearing long pants with long sleeve shirts, we have been quite comfortable in shorts, a T shirt and flip flops all of the time.
 Even if the wind blew a bit and stirred up the water, the new dink facilitated outings to neighboring establishments we would have otherwise foregone with the prior dink. This and we could bring another couple along with us if they were up for it. Even if they had their noses stuck up in the air when the tide went out. But hey we have to be forgiving in life because it makes us better people.
 Seriously Adrian and Beth were a fun couple to hang with. Just because their boat wound up resting on the bottom at low tide which stuck their bow into the sky is no reason to harbor ill will. Besides, their pal Sparkle was pleasant to be around. Hopefully we can catch up with them again in the Exumas but I am thinking they are a bit too far out in front of us on their way to the Virgin Islands and points South.

 It wasn't long before we had excitement on a regular basis. It seemed like folks that rented or bought boats without any experience what so ever started to show up on a regular basis and dock next to or across from us. It was always an adventure when they showed up after an all day outing. So far this year I think the White Sound Bank has captured two charter boats. Anyway we met
Jayme and Stu and they have a really cool sailboat. So is yours Adrian. They have sailed to Hawaii and all sorts of places so they are quite the exception to the normal Moorings charter folks I was talking about. You know it's going to be exciting when he yells out "permission to buzz the tower" while entering the marina and brings his sailboat into a slip next to a 75 foot yacht at high speed. While sailboats also have reverse gear they tend to react poorly in reverse. Even with full throttle applied. Sailboats are not exactly over powered and you have to plan ahead for braking. Fortunately we had lines on the pilings or I'm thinking there would have been a good notch in the dock off their bow. But big water? I'd trust him with my life. Just take hold of the controls when he's docking.
 Several excursions to Lubbers' Landing were made including one for the Song Writers' Festival which stopped in at Lubbers Landing for an afternoon. The place packed since the music, food and weather were all good. I have to admit that Austin and Amy are pulling together a very good stop in the Abacos. It's probably a good thing they don't have a very deep water dock capable of holding several large boats because the traffic would over run the place it's getting that popular.
 With the new and old friends it's been great. There were times like when we all went to FireFly for lunch with Doug, Jayne, Jon, Mimi, Jayme, Stu, Buck, Linda, Beth and Adrian all at once or sat around Garbonzo at Sea Spray watching a pathetic Super Bowl. It didn't matter, the times were great and hopefully we hook up again at Sea Spray next year. 
 Meanwhile, we'll get ready for the company that arrives this week. Spring is around the corner and we need to clean up in preparation. That, and I finally get to open up the stash of Tequila when the company shows up. This could be a bad time to start messing around with APP development for the Galaxy. 
 
   

Road Trip!

 Well, not really. Actually it was a short trip South to Little Harbour where Pete's Pub was celebrating Pete's 20th 50th birthday with all sorts of slow roasted fare. If it was me I'd rather celebrate my 50th 20th birthday but I guess his version works as well considering the alternative. As usual we had to traverse North Bar Channel and Little Harbour Cut as a part of the trip to Little Harbour. However the weather leading up to our departure was mild which meant the seas were calm making for a very pleasant ride. The first photo is an image of how Little Harbour Cut was behaving for the ride down, and North Bar Channel was no less calm. There was perhaps one foot of slow rolling, well separated seas coming in from the Atlantic, and by the way, this is the East side of Abaco. That means there is nothing out there until you get to Africa. To offer this kind of sea state quite a bit of the Atlantic has to be sedate. We were wishing that we could have been headed South to the Exumas with this window of excellent weather!

But hanging in Little Harbour on one of Pete's Pub moorings is a very good thing and we took advantage of it for 3 nights. With a forecast of calm weather for out almost a week it was worth it to stay a night on either side of the Pig Roast. I didn't notice any swell coming in past Tom Curry point into the Harbour so it was totally flat for the length of our stay. But besides the good weather we were lucky enough to meet up with some friends and share a couple of dinners together even if I had to help hang the flags up around Pete's new cottage on the dock.

 The bash was scheduled for Saturday and we started around 11:30 AM. Yes, kind of early but when more friends showed up in their boats it all flowed very easily. With great seats we proceeded to have a couple of beverages and wait for the food to start coming out. I should have taken a photo of the plate they laid down in front of us. It was completely full and all of it was terrific. BBQ wild boar, smokey baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad, rice and beans, and a cold beer. While this shot is mostly chicken, there was hog as well and was it ever good! But then Pete's Pub does have a reputation for bringing out a good plate of food regardless of the occasion.

No trip to Little Harbour without a walk up to the remains of the light house is complete. I have to admit the light that was there is worse now than I have ever seen it. Looking it over quickly defines why the light is listed as not operational on charts. It's gone! The tower it was mounted on is laid over and the foundation is all rusted and crumbling like the rest of the house. It's a shame it fell to this point because it certainly would make a great tourist attraction like many of the other lights we have visited over the years.  

  When we visited the remaining structure in the past, there was a spiral of conch shells that people kept adding to on the floor. Even this has been laid to waste. But most of the walls are still up, the water tank and small out building are still there and the scene really lends itself to some sort of renewal.

 Heck with a view like this it has to be worth something to the crown. Maybe someone with cash to spare will pick up on it and perform a restoration and turn the light back on. It would be a welcome addition to the parks system here in the Bahamas and become a popular visit for everyone. Maybe even a little educational for the local kids.

  Back on the Harbour side we stopped in at the Gallery and had a look around. If there was a place I'd like to drop some spare change this would be it. They have plenty of their foundry handy work on display and some of it is actually affordable. 
 I will admit I managed to get a good shot of this piece of work without the price because I did not want to spoil the impression but wow, was it worth it if I had the cash. Maybe some negotiation is possible but I knew up front it was out of my realm of affordability. Thankfully, the trip down here and the times with friends here is and that is certainly worth it.

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.