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May  10th, 2010 

 Boo Hoo.  We are back in Florida after over 5 months in the Bahamas.  We come back here to escape hurricane season on the ocean.  Our marina is a very well protected area if any storms should hit here.

We did our usual touring of Manjack Cay and discovered new things.  We dinghied to a private house on the beach which has a sign that says "Trespassers Welcome".  Right after that sign is another that points the way to the ocean beach.    The owners of the property have carved out trails through the jungle-like growth and keep you posted on your progress through the island.      They also have added little decorations along the path that make you smile and think that someone really likes this place.      The path leads to one of the prettiest beaches in the Bahamas.    The residents of Manjack Cay constantly maintain the beach and remove any ocean junk from it.  Wonderful secluded place.  It was just us on the beach.  Three people did come by later.  Two of them live on the island and the third was a guest.  We mentioned what a wonderful clean beach it was and they said that they like to keep it that way and don't tell anyone else about the island.  OK, I blew that..  I love the color of the water.    Like the color in a Listerine bottle.

We said goodbye to our friends on Mad Cap, Savage Son and Sapphire, as all three ships left Manjack Cay.  We were waiting to leave the next day.  They wanted to get further north in Florida and needed a longer weather window. We were just going to the Fort Pierce inlet and only needed one day and one night.  So we headed out just before dawn in what were supposed to be 5 to 10 knot winds.  Well, it was dead calm.  No wind.  We pulled anchor in the dark and we had our last sunrise in the Bahamas.    Our first day was motor sailing on a flat ocean.    I could have shaved using the ocean as a mirror.  We did get some small gusts of wind occasionally from a passing cloud but it didn't last long.  Our average speed was 5.4 knots.  About walking speed.  We did meet some friends along the way.    They like to stop by and say "Hi". 

Snap was already missing the islands and put his head on a conch shell and fell asleep.    That evening the wind did pick up to a un-forecast 15 to 20 knots.  By the time the ocean crossing was done our average speed was 6 knots.  Which means that we were doing over 7 knots under our main sail during the night.

We arrived back in Vero Beach about 11:00 am  and were pleasantly surprised to find S/V Madcap on a mooring ball.  The winds were so light that Jim and Beth decided to pull into Ft. Pierce inlet rather than continue North to Fernandina.  Friends Jay and Di met us at the dinghy dock to give us a ride to the condo so we could pick up our car.  We then started off loading cats, refrigerator/freezer items and just enough to get by for the night on land. 

Jim and Beth (S/V Madcap) stopped by that night and we ordered a couple of Pizzas.  The next night, we hosted Happy Hour at our condo (which we have decided to name " Hard Aground").  It was another great evening.                                                                                                                      

  

May 4th, 2010 

Tomorrow is Nancy's birthday and we will move from Green Turtle Cay to Manjack Cay.  We will spend a couple of evenings there and then head back to the states.  There will not be any internet available after this post, so this is the last until be get back to Florida.

New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay considers itself the sister city of Key West, Florida.  This is because many of the early settlers of New Plymouth moved their homes by boat to Key West when the sponge died out in the Bahamas.     The island is one of the nicest and cleanest in the Bahamas.  I love the little harbor (Settlement Creek) in New Plymouth.    The town's cemetery is a mix of the old and new tombs.    Ye olde jail from the 1800's is still standing, along with dozens of other colorful, historic buildings.  Banking here is done on Bahamas time - who wouldn't like a job that is two days a week for just a couple hours each day.    We will meet friends ashore this afternoon and pull anchor in the morning. 

This afternoon we went ashore and had a reunion at "Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar".  We were here 3 years ago with S/V Madcap and S/V Sapphire, so we just had to celebrate with a Goombay Smash.    After that we went to "Pineapples" for happy hour. It's a nice little place across the Creek from New Plymouth that features two rum drinks for the price of one from 4 until 6 p.m.  This is Bev with her son Brian and husband Bob. 

Bye for now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 May 3rd, 2010

We left Marsh Harbor for a few days and went back to Lubbers Quarters.  Of course since we were there we had to go back to Cracker P's.   Left to right, Nancy, Tessa, Jeff, Beth and Jim.  We had a great time.  After lunch we went to Tahiti Beach and were later met by Mike and Kathy.  Great place to relax and get away from the crowds.  While we were there a couple of young solo sailors decided to leave the anchorage.  Unfortunately they didn't look at their charts and couldn't read the water.  Both of them went aground.  One boat got off and the other didn't.  As the tide went out the boat got lower in the water.  Can't get much lower than this.      

We headed back to Marsh Harbor after a couple of days and said goodbye to Jeff and Tessa (S/V Inamorata). The reason we went back was to  celebrate our friend Bev's (S/V Savage Son) 60th birthday.  Here is the birthday girl.    Doesn't look 60 years old.  We had arranged for a cake to be made by one of the Bakery's in town and it turned out quite well.    Our friends Mike and Kathy (S/V Sapphire) made a fruit bouquet that I just loved.    Bev's husband Bob had arranged for fresh Conch Salad and some other goodies then he grilled hamburgers and bratwurst.  Friend from Texas and Colorado arrived for the shindig plus cruising friends and Bev's son Brian.  A good time was had by all.

The next day we headed to Great Guana Cay to participate at the Wild Pig Roast at Nippers.  On the path to Nippers is a old tractor.     When something breaks on one of the islands it usually is left where it brakes.  They just don't have the ability to fix things because of the lack of skilled workers and parts.   Nippers was a little more crowded than the last time we were here.  It does have a wonderful location overlooking the ocean.    After Nippers we went to "Grabbers"  a nice place to have a relaxing drink.

When we go ashore we leave the cats aboard.   If there is a problem "Snap" gives us a call on the radio.  Meow, Meow, Meow, MEOW , MEOW, MEOW,  Meow Meow, Meow, is a kitty "SOS" so if anything is going on, we will know it.

More to come...