As the wind was forecast to increase significantly Saturday and Sunday, we headed to the protected harbor of Great Sale Cay for a few days. Great Sale is an uninhabited cay, but a wonderful place to unwind and relax from the bumpy crossing, particularly as the temperatures were in the mid to upper 70s each day, even with the breeze. We finally left for Allens-Pensacola Cay on Tuesday, December 20th under a sunny sky with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s.
After anchoring off Allens-Pensacola Cay a little after 3:15 in the afternoon, I took my first swim in the waters of the Bahamas for this trip to check that the anchor was holding and the bottom of the boat was clean of growth. The bottom of the boat was clean, but the zinc which is supposed to be attached to the propeller shaft, and prevent electrolysis, was missing, so added another item to my to-do list (replace the zinc). I was disappointed I could not go ashore, but one is not allowed to go ashore until the vessel has cleared customs and immigration. So, on December 21st I docked at Green Turtle Cay and cleared customs and immigrations, I was officially in the Bahamas! Also docked at the marina I was docked at was a powerboat STARSHINE, which I had met while at Great Sale Cay. I had dinner with its captain, Richard, that night. The next morning I had to do the unpleasant task of laundry, but at least the laundry facilities were good. Then headed out for Marsh Harbor, which involves going back out into the ocean to round Whale Cay, as the water is all shallow between Whale Cay and Great Abaco Island. However, the weather was good, and the seas relatively quiet, so the 1 hour passage around Whale Cay was pleasant. The rest of the trip to Marsh Harbor was uneventful, with a sunny sky and 10-15 knot wind (unfortunately coming from right in front of the boat so I could not sail). I had the anchor down by 2:00 PM in Marsh Harbor. It certainly is good to be back. The weather is great, with temperatures in the 80s.
On Friday, December 23rd, I went into town to replenish perishable foods at a new and impressive supermarket. Also, I looked into internet access, so I could provide updates. Later in the afternoon, went to a wine tasting at one of the liquor stores. There used to be a dinghy dock for tying up dinghies to for shore access. However, the recent hurricane destroyed it, and shore access to town is not somewhat questionable. The dock is supposed to be replaced, but is awaiting parts from the US. In the meantime, there is a dock about 3 miles from town that I can use, or a closer when that can be used when the tide is not low (there is no water at the dock when the tide is low). On Christmas Eve, I got internet access and did other interested things, like read a book. Christmas Day, I went to a pot luck supper put on by one of the marinas in Marsh Harbor. In the morning I had to make stuffing and cranberry sauce for the supper, and then headed over at 1:00 PM. A good time was had by all. Later in the afternoon, RHAPSODIE BLEUE arrived in the Harbor and requested help in tying up at his marina (different from the pot luck supper marina), as his marina was closed and there was no one there to assist. So I raced over in the dinghy to help, only to find he had run aground at low tide. The tides have been exceptionally low for the last few days due to the phase of the moon, nearly a foot less than normal low tide, and that was enough to keep him about 25 yards from his dock. When the tide finally came in, we got him tied up and settled in. It had been nearly 2 years since we had seen each other, except for one evening in Vero Beach on the way down the Intracoastal Waterway, so it was good to see Rejean again. In the Bahamas, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, and is a national holiday, so most businesses are closed. On NAVIGATOR it is a day for cleaning, so I will close this update to my adventure and get to it.
I hope everyone continues to have a wonderful holiday season, and don’t forget to stay in touch by e-mail.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
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