Back in the USA!

May 24

Happy Victoria Day...uh-oh think I missed it?

Anyway, we are back in the USA. After a wild week with the iguanas and a great team with John Iverson we left Allen's Cays and went straight to West Bay New Providence. 44 miles That was  a fairly decent trip but by the time we got to New Providence the winds were shifting and getting stronger and we had to change course to make the bay entrance from the south so it was little hairy.  The night was calm.
The next day we did a whopping 58.5 miles and managed to anchor in daylight out in the middle of the bank. But when we turned into the winds it was very rough and  we didn't get much sleep. We were up at 4 and decided that was enough so, we headed out. Of course with the wind behind, the ride felt smoother and we each managed to catnap when we were driving. we got to Issac Light and Hen and Chicks by 3;30 pm, looked at each other and said, why are we stopping? Dark is dark, Lets just keep going the next 70 miles.  So we headed out into the Straits of Florida and go to West Palm Beach at 2 am. By 3:30 we had the anchor down and fell asleep. Up at 6...'cause we can't sleep anymore after daylight and went to Customs. Piece of Cake!!!
 Heading north now...should be at the boat yard today and clean 'er up!

May1-7

MAY 1-6

We left George Town on the 1st and sailed up to Little Farmer's Cay. The winds were behind us and we made pretty good tie, but mostly we motor sailed because there were no winds to speak of.  For about an hour we had the engine off and were sailing with the stereo going. It was great. About 8 of us left that day and we were all talking and passing ah other. Blue Heavens got way ahead of us, so we put the motor back on and tried to catch up. In no wind and waves behind we tend to wallow so it was more comfortable to go a little faster.

We got to Farmer's around 3 p.m., dropped the dinghy and went ashore to check it out.  We went back to Ty's for a late lunch. We met another couple on a boat from Texas, and a young coupe on their honeymoon. They flew in on a Cherokee. He is a US Air Force Pilot, flying all the fast jets! We talked for a while. Then, we dinghied all the way around the island.  That night it was very rough n he harbour. The waves were coming straight in from the open bank.

Next morning we headed up to Blackpoint, and stopped in Hetty's Land and Jack's Cove along the way but we didn't stay long because of the rough seas.

In Blackpoint we did the same thing...went ashore after dinner for a happy hour drink and met Frank on "Tilly", from Barrie Ont. An ice-road trucker [retired] and another boat from Canada, Ruth and Wendell on "Lady Jennili".

Again it was rough...same waves same direction and we couldn't tuck in far enough to get way from hem , so Blue Heavens headed up to Staniel Cay and we went to town looking for fruit and veggies. The boats had been in but apparently they didn't leave food!?

So we are in Staniel Cay. Last night we had mahi-mahi, peas n rice and veggies for dinner with Gordon's famous Greek salad. [Jeanne and Gordon came for dinner!] and we played Euchre until 9 p.m. Around 9:30 it started to rain and around midnight the lightning and thunder started. At 4 this morning there was a crack of thunder so loud I thought it was in the boat!  And we started bucking and rolling again!.

This morning the sky is clearing a little. The winds are not high but the wave action is horrible. I would like to move to a spot surrounded by islands, so maybe that's what we will do today, after Rick tries to fix the radio. Our press-to-talk button stopped working so he took the mike apart. There is a microscopic nano-probe contact switch that fell out and it takes a magnifying glass to see how it connects. We tried soft solder and epoxy but neither worked so rick is going to attempt to put another switch into the wiring system. Blue Heavens lent us one of their handheld radios for now. Our radio still receives. We just can't transmit. Grrrrr!!!!

The internet is unbelievably slow here so I can't post pictures yet. Will try later today.

Getting ready to leave

April 30

I have been terrible at keeping this post up since the regatta. Part of the reason is because I have been busy with wrap up things, like closing out the books, contacting our sponsors and delivering thank-you's.  We've also been having meetings with the local sailing officials about imminent changes to next year's schedule.

But mostly because I can't believe anyone really cares about what's going on down here with us, or with the surrounding people.

So here's the short version...

Rick spent a couple of days trying to fix a boat for one of the local kids who runs the conch shack on Chat n Chill Beach.

Family Island Regatta was huge again this year. We watched the races from the dinghy and from shore. The winds for the past month have been wild...more than 20 knots all the time. It has hampered man boats because some can't sail in winds that high. We were planning to leave before the end of Regatta, but Blue Heavens has been having trouble with their fuel and engines and wants a buddy-boat to go with them because they haven't taken the boat out of the harbour in three years, so they are a bit nervous.

Since April 15th, when another boat, DeJarlo left, I have been the Net Controller. That means I get up and check the weather sites and tide tables and then act as moderator for the morning radio show at 8 am every morning. It was kind of intimidating since everyone is depending on the weather and I always felt, while I was reading it, that the crappy weather was my fault!

The last beach party for us

choppy waters and high winds

lined up along the new dock

rainy racing day

sometimes there's more power boats than sailboats

Beautiful carving sitting on a tree stump in the schoolground

Look out! Here they come!

Resting sailboats

Around again

The Royal Bahamian Police Band -fantastic!

We are all planning to leave tomorrow morning...the winds are finally dropping, the seas are settling down and we NEED to get out of here! I am anxious to go home and see my siblings, my kids and my grandkids!