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April 26 th, 2010

We are sitting in Marsh Harbor waiting for a cold front to go through.  We are having 40-50 knot squalls this morning - sitting here with the engine running, just in case we or someone else starts dragging. This is probably the worst storm we've had this year - but we're doing fine.    Marsh Harbor is different from the other settlements we have visited. Think of the Florida Keys.  Same type bars, grocery stores, shops and tourist traps.  Away from the harbor area it starts to look like a regular Bahamian settlement.  We still have to look for any special things that we need and still may not find them - boat parts, grocery items, etc.  Like every other Island, everything comes in by boat or plane and because the residents may have different needs than the cruisers, the stores may never have the things we need but it is better here than most other places.

One of the books we read and really liked was "Out Island Doctor".  A story about a doctor who sailed to different island to care for patients.  He settled here in Marsh Harbor and hand built his home on a hill overlooking the harbor and the Sea of Abaco.  The home is still here and commonly called "The Castle".  One day we walked to his home just to see it and close the historical loop for ourselves.  It is a little run down and at one time was a restaurant - not sure if it is still owned by the Doctor's daughter or if it has been sold.      We do love the history of the islands and visiting historic sites, like Dr. Cottman's castle, is a little like finding the holy grail for me.  Walking back from his former home we spotted a flowering bush that we had seen one time before on another island.  The huge blossoms hang down not looking at the sun like most flowers do.    We also saw a hedge alongside a house that was made up entirely of Poinsettia plants that were as big as small trees.

Marsh Harbor is the center of "The Hub" for going to the other islands in the area.  The other thing that is different here is that nearly all the other islands are within a 1 to 2 hour sail.  We get so accustomed to all-day sails to other islands it seems strange to be so close to the popular tourist activity and still be able to get away to a remote place in just a couple of hours.  Getting to the other islands can be done by private boat, sometimes airplane or sea plane, but the most popular means of transportation for the residents and the tourists is local ferry.  Ferry boats leave Marsh Harbor on regular schedules about 4 - 6 times a day.  A round trip costs $25.00 and takes 20 - 30 minutes.  Workers who commute between islands can buy a weekly ticket for $60.00.  The ferries leave from the Sea of Abaco side of Marsh Harbor or from the harbor itself - to Great Guana Cay, Man-o-war Cay, and Hope Town.    

Our ship has been working real well this year with no major problems.  Our generator had to have an impeller replaced and when that was done it developed a sucking air leak and we could barely get enough water through it to keep it cool..  After many  hours of frustrating work, I finally found that it was the sea strainer gasket that was the problem.  It has been leaking air to some degree ever since we had the generator installed. Now it is working better than new.  Our auto pilot remote quit working but that's just an inconvenience rather than any real problem since the auto pilot itself still works, we just have to go below to the nav station to make adjustments.

We will be visiting some of the other islands in a couple of days and then coming back into Marsh Harbor to celebrate our friend Bev's 60th birthday and visiting with other friends that will be coming here for the festivities.

We already are enjoying other friends who are here getting ready to head back to the states.

Bye for now..                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

April 19th, 2010

Today is a rain day.  The wind and rain started early this morning and so far has been blowing 6 hours.  I wonder why the storms always come when it is dark out.  It may settle down this afternoon or continue until tomorrow morning.  We will just stay put on anchor until the weather gets better and not get our butts kicked making our next 2 hour passage into Marsh Harbor. Behind us in the rain is "My Destiny" .  Look real hard just to the left of center on the water/horizon line.    A little bit better perspective.    Both cats hate the rain and are bugging us for attention. 

The day before our friend Mike from "Silent Flight" stopped by in his dinghy.  We'd met Mike at Little Farmers Cay earlier this year. He has built a man cave on Lubbers Quarter Cay but still lives on his boat with his potcake dog, Isla.  Greg and Judy on "My Destiny" stopped by to meet Mike and after he left we headed back to Cracker P's for lunch.     

As we were leaving Cracker Ps after lunch, we met Mike walking up to join us.  Well, instead of more lunch we got in our dinghies and headed for a tour of Mike's man cave.  Set back from the water  and nestled in the trees and shrub, it really is a nice place. Very peaceful.    Here Greg and Judy enjoy relaxing with Mike on his homemade chairs. For everything other than the building itself, Mike collected wood from the shoreline and built the furniture and decking hinmself.    Mike decorated the inside of the cabin with things that he has collected from the ocean.    He has more collectables on the porch, including a beautiful collection of glass floats.    In his spare time mike weaves bird feeders made from coconut shells and sells them on consignment at one of the local gift shops. 

After the visit with Mike we dinghied across to Tahiti Beach, did some shelling and then went back to the boats for a restful evening - Sunday dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatos and gravy, followed by a movie.

April 17th, 2010   The day after we arrived at Lynyard, we and S/V Veranda tied our dinghies to the back of S/V Savage Son and motored over to an anchorage just off the entrance to Little Harbour.  We had lunch at Pete's Pub, toured the art gallery feature cast metal sculptures done by the Johnston family, and visited the cave where the family lived for awhile with their three sons during the 1950s.  Quite the adventure for that period of time. After lunch, we went exploring in the Bight of Old Robinson, looking for some blue holes that a friend told us about.  We wandered for about a half hour in the mangrove creeks before stumbling across the first (and largest) blue hole. As everyone was donning their masks and fins for some snorkeling, Nancy waded ashore to read a plaque. Turns out that three young men died in the blue hole in 1994 and their parents erected the marker in memoriam and to warn other divers of the dangers of swimming in blue holes.  Everyone was pretty cautious after that.

 The following day, we went beachcombing on both Atlantic and Sea of Abaco Beaches - found some shells and sea glass. We also dinghied over to Sandy Cay for snorkeling in the land and sea park.  The reefs were beautiful. At Lynyard we spotted one of the biggest Curly Tails that I had seen.  The ones we have seen before usually were about 4-5 inches in length.  This one was about 6-7 inches.  Big boy.    We did another beach walk on Lynyard and collected a lot more sea glass.      This is glass from broken bottles that has been rolled around the ocean floor and smoothed by the sand.  Jewelry is made from these pieces and that is the next task for Nancy, learn how to make sea glass jewelry.  Along with the sea glass we found a couple of treasures in the form of shells.  This one is a Sunrise shell that is the most colorful one that I have seen.    Another shell, a Partridge Tun, about 5 inches.  This is large for this type of shell and slightly faded, which indicates the advanced age of its last occupant.  The shell is in mint condition considering everything it has gone through. 

 We left Lynyard Cay and moved a few miles north to Tilloo Cay. An 11 acre national park on Tilloo provides a nesting ground for tropic birds (frigates).  The rest of the Island is made up of private vacation homes - many with spectacular views of both the Atlantic and the Hub of Abaco. We stayed one night and did a little beachcombing before moving our anchorage again.  This time to the north end of Tilloo Cay next to Tavern Cay.  Today we made a dinghy trip to Hope Town and did some grocery shopping.  We were out of milk, eggs and produce. After bringing everything back to the boat we went to Cracker P's on Lubbers Quarter.  Good lunch but we have to remember to bring the bug spray next trip.  Our ankles got attacked by no-see-ums as we had our lunch in the open air beachfront grill. There are no roads on this Island that lead to anywhere so every one shows up by boat.  This is the scene overlooking the dock from our seats in the cafe.  This is Nancy overlooking the dock from the Cafe.    This is a great anchorage as it is within dinghy distance to shopping, eating (Cracker P's, and Yahoes), beaching (Tahiti Beach and sand bars) and almost all around weather coverage.  We will be staying here a few more days as friends are arriving from the south.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 April 9th, 2010

After Rock Sound, we went to Governors Harbour.  This is where the first Governor from England set up office and the first Parliament was held.  It is also where a group of Eleutherian Adventures from England and Bermuda settled in the 1600s.    We set our anchor in the picturesque harbour and did a walking tour of Colebrooke Town.     Our little group, Bob and Bev (S/V Savage Son), and Bill and Christy (S/V Veranda) hiked the hills and visited the stores.    The settlement has more of an English look to it, more modern and well kept homes.    It also has buildings from the past - the former Governor's mansion and the historic library.    Nancy and Bev went to Easter Services in this old Anglican Church.    The organ in the church had hand painted pipes that reminded me of a Danish flair.

We walked up the hills and found a house that our old friend Mike lived in when he was in the Navy back in the 60's.  We wandered by an Inn that had a flower garden that is the grandest that I have seen in the Bahamas.  Orchards blooming.    It is rare to see something like this because of the little rain fall and the lack of well water.

We left Governors Harbour and anchor at the Glass Window.  It is a very narrow piece of land that the huge waves of the Atlantic can come through the Island to the other side.  It used to have a natural arch but that fell many years ago and now has a man made bridge over the gully.  The bridge is about 100 feet over the water and a few years ago a large wave hit it and moved it about 8 feet.  It is now a one lane bridge.

From there we went through Current Cut to Royal Harbor and the next day across the Northeast Providence Channel.  We are now anchored at Lynyard Cay a barrier cay for Great Abaco Island.  We will be spending about a month cruising around the Abacos Islands.

On one of our passages we had a treat as a family of Dolphins rode our bow wave.    During one of our anchorages Snap the cat found a new place to sleep. 

We are going to look around the Lynyard Cay and Little Harbor area for a few days maybe a week.  Just don't really know what our plans are.                

March 25th, 2010

We took a walk around Rock Sound (name of the settlement) and took some pictures to give you the flavor of the people and the place.  This is the city dock off Fish Street.  Off course the name of the dock is "Fish Street Dock".  Some storm destroyed it and only a small portion has been rebuilt (no money).    Each afternoon you'll see the local fishermen cleaning their catch.  You can usually buy fresh snapper, grouper or lobster (until the season ended March 31st). Next to the dock is the Queens Highway that runs the length of the island. 

We walked east across the island to the Atlantic Ocean side and found this wonderful beach.     Notice all the footprints and people.  Not another soul had been there.  We found a few little shells along the beach and when we came to a rocky point we found a lot of sea glass.  We have collected more sea glass this year than the last two years combined.  We'll have to figure out how to make jewelry with it when we get back to the States.

The islands do not get much rain and because of that there are a lot of low scrub bushes and cactus.  We found a beautiful blooming cactus along one of the city streets.    We also sighted a common Bahamian garden filled with tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkins (what they call squash), an occasional corn stalk and who knows what else.  Because the islands are limestone and have very little dirt this type of growing is called pot hole farming.  A small opening in the rocks with a little dirt, becomes a place to plant. 

 In the early days, most cooking was done outside in ovens like this.    Although this one is not currently in use, we have spotted some in the past visits that were still being used.

We had to chuckle at little when we saw this sign. 

Along Fish Street is a primary school for the children around this area.  A group of volunteers did a sidewalk and yard cement project last week and this was added to the start of the sidewalk.    Unlike in U.S. Schools, Christianity is an acceptable topic in the public school system here.  Signs in the classrooms and messages written in cement.

We had a beach party a few days ago and said goodbye to our friends and Vero Beach neighbors Jay, Diane and Tinkerbelle (S/V Far Niente).  They are headed back to the states with perfect weather that will put them back in Vero Beach by this Saturday.

Yesterday we went back to the cave with a bunch of friends and had another great time.  I think I mentioned that we had to climb down about a 12 foot  ladder to get to the cave.  Here is the ladder with the rock that holds it level.     Another picture of the cave. 

After leaving the cave we continued our walk down the Queens Highway to Coco's Restaurant and Conch Shack. Along the way we sighted a Blue Hole along the beach.  Again we don't know how deep this one is but rumor has it that there are BIG fish inside.    

These are left over Conch shells laying next to the Conch shack.    Coco gets the conch meat out and then discards the shell.

Inside the restaurant everyone had a good time.     Left to right, Judy (S/V My Destiny) Nancy and Jim (S/V Solitaire), Bev and Bob (S/V Savage Son), Bill and Christy (S/V Veranda) and finally Greg (S/V My Destiny). We were joined later by Norman and Barbara (S/V Blown Away) and by Rick and Susan (S/V C Language).  After lunch, we walked back into town to Grandma's Goodies for ice-cream cones and then watched some kids swimming in the Ocean Hole.  It was a busy day.  

Tonight we are all going ashore for the first big night of the Homecoming Festival.  There will Rake n' Scrape music, a fashion show, great food,  dancing and a Junkanoo rush-out.  Pictures (and explanations) to follow in our next blog.

We will probably leave here tomorrow (Saturday) and proceed up the coast of Eleuthera and stop at Governors Harbor for some fresh baked jelly donuts.  The first available since leaving the states.  We should have Wi-Fi there but after leaving the harbor we probable won't have it again until we get to the Abacos later this month. .