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| Navigator Anchored in the Banana River |
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Heading North (Again)
Here's an update: Cliff left the Space Coast of Florida on Friday, heading up the Intracoastal Waterway toward Daytona Beach and St. Augustine.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
My Adventure Update #10
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| Barefoot Man |
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| The Crowd at Nippers for Barefoot Man |
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| Bruce and Noelle |
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| Debra on the Great Guana Cay Tractor |
The middle of March was spent on boat maintenance and getting the boat ready for visitors. Friends Bruce and Noelle came to visit for a week beginning on the 24th. We went to Great Guana Cay for the bar hopping, and did some snorkeling on the reef off of Nipper’s. The next stop was Hopetown on Elbow Cay. We walked the town, took I the lighthouse (with its kerosene fired light), and had lunch on the ocean at the Hopetown Harbor Lodge. From Elbow Cay we proceeded to Linyard Cay for some quiet time. NAVIGATOR was the only boat in the anchorage. We swam, walked the beaches and part of the cay. The next day we had to return to Marsh Harbor as Bruce and Noelle had to leave the day after our return. It was a very nice visit and hopefully they will be able to do it again next year.
Took another week to clean up the boat and get it ready for my last guest. This included doing laundry and food shopping. On April 11 my friend Debra arrived for several days. The next day we went to Great Guana Cay after stopping at Mermaid Reef to do some snorkeling. She was impressed with all the tropical fish there. After the snorkeling at Mermaid Reef we continued on to Great Guana Cay and did the bar hopping thing with visits to Grabbers, Pirates Cover, and Nipper’s. While at Nipper’s we snorkeled on the ocean reef off Nipper’s. We then headed back to NAVIGATOR for dinner. The next day there was a light rain, but we went ashore anyway. Made the round of the bars, and Debra bought souvenirs at Nipper’s before returning to the boat for dinner. The next day we went to Elbow Cay to visit Hopetown. Toured the town and the lighthouse. Had ice cream on a very warm afternoon. That night we went to dinner at a new restaurant called Firefly’s. The food and service were very good. Before returning to Marsh Harbor we swam off the boat then sunbathed on deck for a couple of hours. The return to Marsh Harbor was uneventful. We had curried lobster for dinner that evening on the boat. She left the next day for the States.
Now I must think about the return to the States for myself. I filled up the boat with diesel and water, and began the to work my way north, first through the passage around Whale Cay, then a couple of days off Manjack Cay. The weather turned bad (windy), so I moved to Green Turtle Cay and holed up for 3 days waiting for better weather. On the 24th I departed Green Turtle Cay for Great Sale Cay and spent the night in the protected cover there. The next day, Wednesday, NAVIGATOR and I went to the western edge of Little Bahamas Bank to anchor for the night at the edge of the Gulf Stream. There was a little roll, but not too bad. At 3:00 AM on April 26, I left the Bahamas for Ft. Pierce, FL. I arrived at 2:00 PM and checked in with customs and immigration to make my return official. It was sad to leave the Bahamas, but I am already looking forward to going back next year, and I want to definitely move farther south in the Bahamas to Eleuthera and the Exumas.
I now I will make my way up the Intracoastal Water (ICW). After Ft. Pierce, my first stop was Vero Beach. I arrived early enough that I was able to go ashore and walk to the ocean beach and have dinner. From Vero Beach I went to Satellite Beach to visit with friends Rick and Clayton for a few days. If you recall from previous Adventure Updates they had visited me in the Bahamas in late February. Today we went into Melbourne to visit their sidewalk art festival. Tomorrow we are going to the beach.
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| Fishers Bay |
S/V NAVIGATOR
Back in the USA
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| Proof that Cliff is here... |
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| Navigator at anchor in the Banana River |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Waiting to head home
Hi, Rick here. Just got an email from Cliff saying he was in Green Turtle Cay (the red arrow), waiting for the weather. The earliest he can cross the Gulf Stream from the Bahamas to the U.S. is probably Thursday or Friday.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Marsh Harbour Update
S/V NAVIGATOR is wintering well in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, Bahamas. The weather has been very nice this year. Temperatures have remained in the mid and upper seventies during the day, with occasional eighties. Wind has been mostly 10-15 miles per hour although occasionally we have gotten 20-25. All and all, February was a good month. A far cry from all the wind and cool temperatures we had the first year I came down (2009-2010). That year the winds were mostly 20-25 with periods with winds as high as 40 gusting to 50. So I have no complaints about the weather this year.
I have had my friends on S/V RIVERDANCE over for dinner several times this month, and they have reciprocated. There has been a rumor that we party too hard when we get together, but it has been fun. John from RIVERDANCE and I went to one of the marinas to watch the Super Bowl. It ended up being a very good game, especially as my team won. Another night I went to dinner with the Royal Marsh Harbor Yacht Club at a local restaurant called Jamie’s. Finding a place to eat dinner for $15.00 is really difficult in the Bahamas, but we had a great meal.
I have spent a lot of time reading this year, along with occasional walks go keep up my heart’s strength. I have also spent time in the various cays that make up the Abacos. NAVIGATOR sailed to Great Guana Cay with RIVERDANCE and showed them the small settlement, with its 3 bars. Had drinks at Nipper’s before returning to RIVERDANCE for dinner. Then back to NAVIGATOR for sleep. The next day we took bicycles ashore and toured the cay, at least as much as we could.
The southern part of the island is a private community and they would not let us in. So we headed north until we ran into another private community called Baker’s Bay. I knew they had a marina with a restaurant, so we told them we wanted to have lunch at the restaurant, and they let us in to tour the place. As we had packed a lunch, we didn’t exactly eat at the restaurant, but in a pavilion near it. Then we headed back to the boats. It was a lot of riding for 3 out of shape people, but we made it back to the boats, and slept real well.
As RIVERDANCE had never been to Man-O-War Cay we headed that way the next morning. On the way we stopped at Fowl Cay, and Bahamas National Park Area that is mostly reefs, to snorkel. There were a good number of small, colorful fish and a fair amount of coral. John from RIVERDANCE went with me and was kind enough to spot for me for safety, as he had when I snorkeled on Sandy Cay in January. As a reward, I fed them a steak dinner that evening. But before eating, we anchored off Man-O-War Cay and took the dinghy in to the settlement on that cay. Walked around town, which was a little larger than the settlement on the larger island of Great Guana. We checked out food stores, gift shops, shell shops, etc. before heading back to the boats. The next day we headed back to Marsh Harbor as the winds were predicted to come up in strength within the next day or two.
We took the ferry back to Man-O-War Cay the next day, Saturday, to attend an island school fund raising event. It was sort of a flea market, island style. Purchased a piece of art, a painted wooden parakeet made by one of the high school students in art class, along with some baked goodies and paperback books. Had lunch, and good time, before taking the afternoon ferry back to Marsh Harbor.
Then it was repair time. Had a problem with the generator not running. It was overheating due to a lack of water. With the help of John from RIVERDANCE we replaced the water pump impeller, and refilled the water reservoir with antifreeze solution (at $35 per gallon, of which I used 1 pint. Some things are rather expensive here). The generator works again. Guess I will have to keep a better eye on the water level.
One day RIVERDANCE rented a car and we all went out touring Great Abaco Island, at least the south end. Stopped at several beaches along the coast facing the Atlantic Ocean. Stopped in Sandy Point and had a fine lobster lunch at Nancy’s Seaside Inn, a really quaint place on the water. Did more sightseeing on the way back north to Marsh Harbor
Spent the next several days cleaning NAVIGATOR in preparation for a visit by my friends Rick and Clayton from Satellite Beach, FL. I had gone to college with Rick. They flew in early Sunday afternoon and I picked them up in the dinghy and brought them out to NAVIGATOR.
We partied with drinks and appetizers, and I prepared them a Caribbean dinner of curried lobster and peas and rice. They liked it enough that we continued to party after dinner. The next day the wind was up again, 20-25 miles per hour, so we stayed in Marsh Harbor and went a shore to tour the town. Had lunch at the local restaurant, Jamie’s, and again it was good. Went back to NAVIGATOR and relaxed and had drinks in the afternoon, then a dinner of Cornish Game Hens. Even played cards in the evening. The next day, the winds dropped so we headed out for Great Guana Cay, and had a good sail to Fisher’s Bay. Took the dinghy ashore, did a tour of the settlement, and went to the ocean shore to walk the beach.
We went swimming for a while, then moved to the reef off of Nipper’s and did some snorkeling. They loved the small fish around the reef. On the way back we stopped at Nipper’s and had a Nipper (their signature rum drink). It was then back to NAVIGATOR for a dinner of Jambalaya and cheese cake. The next day NAVIGATOR headed for Linyard Cay and an afternoon of swimming off NAVIGATOR in crystal clear water. I could check on the anchor in 18 feet of water. We met RIVERDANCE at Linyard Cay, and they invited us over for evening cocktails. Clayton made guacamole to take over, and we all had a good time. The next day we headed back to Marsh Harbor so they could catch a plane home on Friday. On the way, we stopped a Mermaid Reef, near Marsh harbor, and did more snorkeling. Here there are a lot of fish, and they were very impressed with the color and diversity. The coral was a little subdued, but the fish made it like swimming in a fish tank. After getting back to Marsh Harbor that evening, they took me out to a very nice restaurant called Curly Tails for a great dinner.
After dinner we went back to the boat and I baked brownies for desert. I was sad to see them head off for home the next day, as they were great company.
Since then, it has been rather windy, mostly 15-25 and 20-30, with some gusts as high as 40. The protection is good in Marsh Harbor, but it makes it hard to get out to the other cays as they do not have the protection of Marsh Harbor. So I sit reading (and typing!) for a while until the wind calms down, and that could take a week or longer according to the forecast. I have friends coming down from Maryland the last week in March, and hope the winds are calmer than right now. They most likely will be, this long a run of wind is unusual.
Well, we are up to date with what has been going on in the Abacos. I hope all my friends are doing well up north, I understand you have been having a relatively mild winter yourselves. In the not too distant future I must begin thinking about heading backing north. I will probably leave around mid to late April, depending on the weather for the Gulf Stream crossing. Please stay in touch. I will try to keep you updated a little more often.
Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR
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| Marsh Harbour |
I have had my friends on S/V RIVERDANCE over for dinner several times this month, and they have reciprocated. There has been a rumor that we party too hard when we get together, but it has been fun. John from RIVERDANCE and I went to one of the marinas to watch the Super Bowl. It ended up being a very good game, especially as my team won. Another night I went to dinner with the Royal Marsh Harbor Yacht Club at a local restaurant called Jamie’s. Finding a place to eat dinner for $15.00 is really difficult in the Bahamas, but we had a great meal.
I have spent a lot of time reading this year, along with occasional walks go keep up my heart’s strength. I have also spent time in the various cays that make up the Abacos. NAVIGATOR sailed to Great Guana Cay with RIVERDANCE and showed them the small settlement, with its 3 bars. Had drinks at Nipper’s before returning to RIVERDANCE for dinner. Then back to NAVIGATOR for sleep. The next day we took bicycles ashore and toured the cay, at least as much as we could.
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| Fisher's Bay - Great Guana Cay |
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| Nipper's Bar - Great Guana Cay |
As RIVERDANCE had never been to Man-O-War Cay we headed that way the next morning. On the way we stopped at Fowl Cay, and Bahamas National Park Area that is mostly reefs, to snorkel. There were a good number of small, colorful fish and a fair amount of coral. John from RIVERDANCE went with me and was kind enough to spot for me for safety, as he had when I snorkeled on Sandy Cay in January. As a reward, I fed them a steak dinner that evening. But before eating, we anchored off Man-O-War Cay and took the dinghy in to the settlement on that cay. Walked around town, which was a little larger than the settlement on the larger island of Great Guana. We checked out food stores, gift shops, shell shops, etc. before heading back to the boats. The next day we headed back to Marsh Harbor as the winds were predicted to come up in strength within the next day or two.
We took the ferry back to Man-O-War Cay the next day, Saturday, to attend an island school fund raising event. It was sort of a flea market, island style. Purchased a piece of art, a painted wooden parakeet made by one of the high school students in art class, along with some baked goodies and paperback books. Had lunch, and good time, before taking the afternoon ferry back to Marsh Harbor.
Then it was repair time. Had a problem with the generator not running. It was overheating due to a lack of water. With the help of John from RIVERDANCE we replaced the water pump impeller, and refilled the water reservoir with antifreeze solution (at $35 per gallon, of which I used 1 pint. Some things are rather expensive here). The generator works again. Guess I will have to keep a better eye on the water level.
One day RIVERDANCE rented a car and we all went out touring Great Abaco Island, at least the south end. Stopped at several beaches along the coast facing the Atlantic Ocean. Stopped in Sandy Point and had a fine lobster lunch at Nancy’s Seaside Inn, a really quaint place on the water. Did more sightseeing on the way back north to Marsh Harbor
Spent the next several days cleaning NAVIGATOR in preparation for a visit by my friends Rick and Clayton from Satellite Beach, FL. I had gone to college with Rick. They flew in early Sunday afternoon and I picked them up in the dinghy and brought them out to NAVIGATOR.
We partied with drinks and appetizers, and I prepared them a Caribbean dinner of curried lobster and peas and rice. They liked it enough that we continued to party after dinner. The next day the wind was up again, 20-25 miles per hour, so we stayed in Marsh Harbor and went a shore to tour the town. Had lunch at the local restaurant, Jamie’s, and again it was good. Went back to NAVIGATOR and relaxed and had drinks in the afternoon, then a dinner of Cornish Game Hens. Even played cards in the evening. The next day, the winds dropped so we headed out for Great Guana Cay, and had a good sail to Fisher’s Bay. Took the dinghy ashore, did a tour of the settlement, and went to the ocean shore to walk the beach.
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| Rick, Cliff, and Clayton at Nipper's Bar |
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| A Curly Tail Lizard |
Since then, it has been rather windy, mostly 15-25 and 20-30, with some gusts as high as 40. The protection is good in Marsh Harbor, but it makes it hard to get out to the other cays as they do not have the protection of Marsh Harbor. So I sit reading (and typing!) for a while until the wind calms down, and that could take a week or longer according to the forecast. I have friends coming down from Maryland the last week in March, and hope the winds are calmer than right now. They most likely will be, this long a run of wind is unusual.
Well, we are up to date with what has been going on in the Abacos. I hope all my friends are doing well up north, I understand you have been having a relatively mild winter yourselves. In the not too distant future I must begin thinking about heading backing north. I will probably leave around mid to late April, depending on the weather for the Gulf Stream crossing. Please stay in touch. I will try to keep you updated a little more often.
Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Mini-Update
Since Cliff has been less than forthcoming in updates for this blog, I thought I'd post what I know of his whereabouts:
He went to Great Guana Cay and Man-O-War Cay this past week. He also did some snorkeling at Fowl Cay last week as the winds were calm and the ocean waves were down. He saw fish and coral.
We're flying into Abaco next Sunday to spend a few days on the boat with Cliff, so we'll give you an update, and photos in about a week.
Rick.
He went to Great Guana Cay and Man-O-War Cay this past week. He also did some snorkeling at Fowl Cay last week as the winds were calm and the ocean waves were down. He saw fish and coral.
We're flying into Abaco next Sunday to spend a few days on the boat with Cliff, so we'll give you an update, and photos in about a week.
Rick.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wintering in Marsh Harbour
S/V NAVIGATOR is still located in Marsh Harbor, and it looks like I will spend the winter here. There are a lot worse places I could be (like Baltimore); the weather has been great, in the mid 70s everyday, sometimes in the upper 70s. Today it is overcast and rainy, a very unusual occurrence. If it has rained, it has usually been a quick shower and then the sun comes out, but not today, it has rained pretty consistently all morning and is forecast to keep it up this afternoon. It was mostly cloudy yesterday, and I got caught in a downpour walking to an art fair put on as a fundraiser for the Bahamas National Trust, the people that over the parks in and around the Abacos. Seeing as the weather is not conducive to walking around Marsh Harbor today, I thought I would bring you up to date on what I have been doing.
I have visited several of the outlying cays in the Abacos, including Linyard Cay, Sandy Cay, Talloo Cay, and Elbow Cay, most of them more than once. I have done some snorkeling at Sandy Cay and Great Abaco Island. The fish, tough small, are really beautiful, all kinds of colors and shapes. The coral doesn’t appear as bright as I remember from 2 years ago, but that might be because the weather was partly cloudy and not as bright as it could have been. I visited Hopetown, on Elbow Cay, on a trip I made with friends on RIVERDANCE and had a good time there. It is a quaint little town with pastel color houses and businesses. Linyard Cay is essentially uninhabited, so is wonderfully quiet and a great place to relax. Sandy Cay has a nice natural reef, which is nice for snorkeling if the weather is quiet (meaning little wind). If the seas are up in the Atlantic, they roll in to Sandy Cay through a cut between cays and make it too rough to snorkel. The happened the first time I went to Linyard and Sandy Cays, but the second time it was nice and peaceful so I had a good time swimming with the fish. It reminds me of a tropical fish tank, on a really large scale of course.
In Marsh Harbor I am trying to keep up my cardiovascular rehab by continuing to walk, but I don’t do it every day, more like 3 or 4 days a week (on a good week!). I walk around the town of Marsh Harbor doing shopping for fresh groceries, maybe some rum, and just sightseeing. Friday evening and Saturday I went to the Bahamas National Trust Arts for the Parks show held in Marsh Harbor. They had showings by local, Bahamian artists. I picked up a couple of small prints while there. I’ll frame them this summer and hang them in the boat.
I have been doing maintenance on NAVIGATOR as needed. Things like cleaning (which is never ending), finishing the installation of a new alternator on the engine, and other small repairs as needed. It gives me something to do, but is no overwhelming (so far).
I am having two friends from Florida over to the Abacos the last week on February, and a couple from Maryland down sometime in March. If anyone else is interested in coming down for a visit, let me know and I will see if we can arrange a suitable date. Popular airlines are charging about $1000 round trip, but if you don’t mind traveling Air Tran Airways and Bahamas Air, you can do quite a bit better than that. Air Tran flies from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Nassau, and Bahamas Air from Nassau to Marsh Harbor. Connections aren’t great, but it is a lot cheaper.
If anything really exciting comes up, I will let you know in my next update. I hope everyone is having as great a winter as I am. Stay in touch.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
I have visited several of the outlying cays in the Abacos, including Linyard Cay, Sandy Cay, Talloo Cay, and Elbow Cay, most of them more than once. I have done some snorkeling at Sandy Cay and Great Abaco Island. The fish, tough small, are really beautiful, all kinds of colors and shapes. The coral doesn’t appear as bright as I remember from 2 years ago, but that might be because the weather was partly cloudy and not as bright as it could have been. I visited Hopetown, on Elbow Cay, on a trip I made with friends on RIVERDANCE and had a good time there. It is a quaint little town with pastel color houses and businesses. Linyard Cay is essentially uninhabited, so is wonderfully quiet and a great place to relax. Sandy Cay has a nice natural reef, which is nice for snorkeling if the weather is quiet (meaning little wind). If the seas are up in the Atlantic, they roll in to Sandy Cay through a cut between cays and make it too rough to snorkel. The happened the first time I went to Linyard and Sandy Cays, but the second time it was nice and peaceful so I had a good time swimming with the fish. It reminds me of a tropical fish tank, on a really large scale of course.
In Marsh Harbor I am trying to keep up my cardiovascular rehab by continuing to walk, but I don’t do it every day, more like 3 or 4 days a week (on a good week!). I walk around the town of Marsh Harbor doing shopping for fresh groceries, maybe some rum, and just sightseeing. Friday evening and Saturday I went to the Bahamas National Trust Arts for the Parks show held in Marsh Harbor. They had showings by local, Bahamian artists. I picked up a couple of small prints while there. I’ll frame them this summer and hang them in the boat.
I have been doing maintenance on NAVIGATOR as needed. Things like cleaning (which is never ending), finishing the installation of a new alternator on the engine, and other small repairs as needed. It gives me something to do, but is no overwhelming (so far).
I am having two friends from Florida over to the Abacos the last week on February, and a couple from Maryland down sometime in March. If anyone else is interested in coming down for a visit, let me know and I will see if we can arrange a suitable date. Popular airlines are charging about $1000 round trip, but if you don’t mind traveling Air Tran Airways and Bahamas Air, you can do quite a bit better than that. Air Tran flies from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Nassau, and Bahamas Air from Nassau to Marsh Harbor. Connections aren’t great, but it is a lot cheaper.
If anything really exciting comes up, I will let you know in my next update. I hope everyone is having as great a winter as I am. Stay in touch.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
Monday, December 26, 2011
In the Bahamas!
Well, S/V NAVIGATOR has made it to the Bahamas. I left at 5:30 in the morning, on December 16th, from Lake Worth Inlet (West Palm Beach, FL) in 10-15 knot winds from the east. I was fortunate to be traveling with two other boats, RIVERDANCE and RHAPSODIE BLEUE, although RHAPSODIE BLEUE had to turn back with engine problems shortly after we left the inlet (the problem was resolved and RHAPSODIE BLEUE made it into Marsh Harbor on December 25th, Christmas Day). The passage across the Gulf Stream was slow due to very confused seas with swells running 3-4 feet and a 2-3 foot wind chop on top of the swells at times. NAVIGATOR took all this in stride, even her captain did pretty well! It took nearly 12 hours to make the 54 nautical mile trip, arriving at the Little Bahama Bank at 3:15 in the afternoon. We then had a 4 hour trip across the bank, in much better conditions (1-2 foot seas and a dying wind), to Mangrove Cay, where we spent the night.
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
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
Friday, December 16, 2011
Leaving for the Bahamas (probably)
It has been blowing strongly most of the week, but last night it finally died off quite a bit. Let’s hope the ocean waves have had enough of a chance to die down a little.
Wish me luck. I will tell you how it went in about a week, when I can get Internet access again.
Cliff
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Stuck in West Palm
Have a happy holiday season.
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
About to Cross Over
On Thanksgiving day, I went back to Vero Beach and spent 11 days relaxing and enjoying the company of my friends John and Connie aboard RIVERDANCE. NAVIGATOR was tied up next to them on a mooring in Vero Beach. They had a car, so they took me shopping for fresh food, spent the better part of a day looking for a new coffee pot (after looking in nearly every department store in Florida (finally found one in Target), bought books and shorts in thrift shops, and helped them with their errands.
I did some walking to keep my heart strong, and on one trip stopped at the Vero Beach Art Museum. They had an exhibit of Andrew Wyeth up, so that was interesting as I had spent 25 years in Maine where Wyeth had done a lot of his painting.
It took all that time for a weather window to open for a crossing to the Bahamas. Now, it looks like tomorrow will be acceptable, so I am back in West Palm Beach anticipating a departure on December 7. The window is not long, so it is tomorrow or I have to wait at least another 10 days for a new window (that is as far as the weatherman can see in his crystal ball (a cloudy one at that).
When I get to the Bahamas, I will write about the trip across the Gulf Stream. I am just not sure when. I will have to get an internet connection somehow. Hopefully there will be one in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, when I get there so I can send it off.
If all goes well, I should spend tomorrow night next to an uninhabited little cay called Mangrove Cay. The next day I will go to another cay called Allens-Pensicola Cay, followed by a short trip to Green Turtle Cay where I will check in to the Bahamas (customs and immigration), and hopefully be able to find Wifi to send the next installment in my Adventure. Then on to Marsh Harbor for a few weeks.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.
Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR
I did some walking to keep my heart strong, and on one trip stopped at the Vero Beach Art Museum. They had an exhibit of Andrew Wyeth up, so that was interesting as I had spent 25 years in Maine where Wyeth had done a lot of his painting.
It took all that time for a weather window to open for a crossing to the Bahamas. Now, it looks like tomorrow will be acceptable, so I am back in West Palm Beach anticipating a departure on December 7. The window is not long, so it is tomorrow or I have to wait at least another 10 days for a new window (that is as far as the weatherman can see in his crystal ball (a cloudy one at that).
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| Waterway Wildlife |
When I get to the Bahamas, I will write about the trip across the Gulf Stream. I am just not sure when. I will have to get an internet connection somehow. Hopefully there will be one in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, when I get there so I can send it off.
If all goes well, I should spend tomorrow night next to an uninhabited little cay called Mangrove Cay. The next day I will go to another cay called Allens-Pensicola Cay, followed by a short trip to Green Turtle Cay where I will check in to the Bahamas (customs and immigration), and hopefully be able to find Wifi to send the next installment in my Adventure. Then on to Marsh Harbor for a few weeks.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.
Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR
Friday, November 25, 2011
I have made it to Florida, and visited with my good friend Rick Glasby (the kind gentleman who keeps up my blog), and he persisted in reminding me that I have been negligent in writing my updates, so here goes:
The last time I wrote, I was moving from North Carolina to South Carolina. I have spent nights in South Carolina just off Winyah Bay, just south of Charleston, and in Beaufort. The only stop I went ashore at was Beaufort, where I did a wine tasting and had dinner. Then on to Georgia. I anchored in Thunderbolt (just south of Savannah), and in the South River. It was finally starting to warm, and Florida was just around the corner. In fact, I made Florida the next day, after going by the Navy’s Kings Bay submarine base, which never fails to impress me.
The first stop in Florida was to anchor just off the waterway about 10 miles south of Fernandina Beach. The next stop was St. Augustine, where I picked up a mooring in the city mooring field. There, I went ashore, did a wine tasting (it seems I do like my wine), and had dinner with friends that I crossed the Gulf Stream with 2 years ago, Dennis and Georgia. They were traveling in their motor home and happen to be in St. Augustine at the same time. (Dennis and Georgia, it was good seeing you again). The next day I made it to Daytona Beach where I anchored and it was finally a warm 77 degrees.
It rained on Monday, the 14th, but I still got to Melbourne, FL and spent the night at anchor in preparation for visiting my friends, Rick and Clayton, and picking up a crewmember for several days of the trip. On Tuesday, I went up the Banana River to Satellite Beach and docked next door to Rick and Clayton’s house, as the dock was longer next store and NAVIGATOR fit better. I had a great time with Rick and Clayton. In addition to feeding me, they drove me all over town so I could do repairs on NAVIGATOR, the biggest problem being I needed a new engine starting battery. On Thursday, I had a visit from a volunteer crew member to help me get to West Palm Beach. In the afternoon, the 4 of us went swimming in the ocean. It was cool, but not cold once you got used to it. Then went out to dinner, and later had a swim in Rick and Clayton’s pool, which was also cool, probably cooler than the ocean.
Friday we went to a park to walk the trails because it was very windy for the beach. Had lunch in Titusville along the water, then made a stop at the famous surf shop Ron Jons.
Saturday was time to get on the waterway again. My crew and I went to Vero Beach the first day, and tied up to RIVERDANCE, owned by John and Connie, that was on a mooring. We all had drinks and appetizers together, thanks to John and Connie. The next day we continued on to Stuart Florida, where we anchored and took the dinghy ashore to walk around Stuart. Had lunch, did some walking and window shopping, then had a glass of wine. As we were heading back to NAVIGATOR it started to rain, as we were raising the dinghy on the davits, it started to pour, and boy did I get soaked. But it was a fun day, and a little fresh water never hurt anyone, saved on the need for a shower.
Monday we continued down to West Palm Beach. We used the dinghy to go into town and make arrangements to get my crew to the airport the next day, and had a drink at a waterfront tiki bar. Came back to the boat for dinner. The next day, Tuesday, my crew had some time before the flight, so we went ashore again and had lunch, walked the ocean, came back to NAVIGATOR for a quick dip in Lake Worth, and then off to the airport. It was a fun day.
Now I am all alone again, and it feels odd somehow, but I am sure I will get used to it quickly again. It is time to decide about crossing, and I am pretty sure I will wait for my friends John and Connie to get ready, as well as another friend Rejean, who I met in the Abacos two years ago. He keeps his boat in Titusville over the summer and has come down to pick it up. He should be ready to cross in about a week or so. With any luck, we may all cross together.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Stay in touch. Some pictures are being added to the blog so don’t forget to visit.
Cliff
The last time I wrote, I was moving from North Carolina to South Carolina. I have spent nights in South Carolina just off Winyah Bay, just south of Charleston, and in Beaufort. The only stop I went ashore at was Beaufort, where I did a wine tasting and had dinner. Then on to Georgia. I anchored in Thunderbolt (just south of Savannah), and in the South River. It was finally starting to warm, and Florida was just around the corner. In fact, I made Florida the next day, after going by the Navy’s Kings Bay submarine base, which never fails to impress me.
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| Navigator Entering Satellite Beach |
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| The Neighbor's Dock in Satellite Beach |
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| Clayton and Cliff on the Nature Trail |
Saturday was time to get on the waterway again. My crew and I went to Vero Beach the first day, and tied up to RIVERDANCE, owned by John and Connie, that was on a mooring. We all had drinks and appetizers together, thanks to John and Connie. The next day we continued on to Stuart Florida, where we anchored and took the dinghy ashore to walk around Stuart. Had lunch, did some walking and window shopping, then had a glass of wine. As we were heading back to NAVIGATOR it started to rain, as we were raising the dinghy on the davits, it started to pour, and boy did I get soaked. But it was a fun day, and a little fresh water never hurt anyone, saved on the need for a shower.
Monday we continued down to West Palm Beach. We used the dinghy to go into town and make arrangements to get my crew to the airport the next day, and had a drink at a waterfront tiki bar. Came back to the boat for dinner. The next day, Tuesday, my crew had some time before the flight, so we went ashore again and had lunch, walked the ocean, came back to NAVIGATOR for a quick dip in Lake Worth, and then off to the airport. It was a fun day.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Stay in touch. Some pictures are being added to the blog so don’t forget to visit.
Cliff
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Enjoying Florida
He sailed up the Banana River to our canal, where we escorted him past the manatees to our home.
He tied up at the neighbors dock (since we lowered our dock down recently to accommodate kayaks). We've made two trips to the local West Marine store (it seems Cliff always needs to fix something on Navigator). But he's smiling again (at least as of an hour ago).
Navigator sets off south again on Saturday, heading down the Intracoastal Waterway. The crossing from Florida to the Bahamas may come as early as Thanksgiving Day (seas permitting, of course).
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Heading South - But Still Windy and Cool
Well, hurricane season is over, so I am proceeding down the Intracoastal Waterway as quickly as possible as it has been rather chilly this year. I spent 2 days in Elizabeth City due to weather, it blew pretty hard the second day, and rather than try to cross Albermarle Sound in a blow, I elected to wait in Elizabeth City. Went to the Museum of the Albermarle and looked at the history of the region. But after the front went through, it got noticeably cooler. In the morning when I was getting ready to leave, I was slipping all over the deck as it was icy! Now, that is cold.
That morning I traveled down the Alligator River and the Alligator-Pungo Canal and anchored that evening at the end of the canal. The next morning there was no frost like the morning before, but it was still chilly. I then proceeded to the Neuse River and spend two days in a marina called River Dunes. The first day for a place to stay and to do laundry (I hear I smell better now!), and the next to wait out weather again. Fortunately weather did get better, and I headed for an anchorage associated with Camp Lejune called Mile Hammock Bay for a night. Although calm, it was still cool, hence my hurry to get south. From mile Hammock Bay I went to Wrightsville Beach, NC, picked up 50 gallons of diesel fuel, and anchored not too far from the ocean. I could hear it all night breaking on the beach.
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| Waccamaw River |
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| Georgia Waterway |
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Waiting for November
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| Fishing Boat - Reedville, VA |
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| First Maryland State House |
In St. Mary’s City, the first capitol of the province of Maryland, I was fortunate to have a friend visit, and we had a great time touring the historic house, including a reconstruction of the first State House. St. Mary’s City is also the home to St. Mary’s College. In Reedville, VA I visited the Reedville Fisherman’s Museum. The rest of the stops were just overnight anchoring.
I then entered the Waterway and proceeded down the Dismal Swamp Canal, spending a night at the Dismal Swamp Visitors Center before heading to Elizabeth City, NC To enter the Dismal Swamp one must go through a lock to go up to the level of the swamp, and upon leaving, one must lock down to get to E-City. I will spent a couple of days in Elizabeth City to wait for November 1, so I can continue south at the end of hurricane season.
Hope all is well with everyone. Write or call when you get a chance. I really look forward to hearing from you.
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Adventure Continues
Well, I am happy to say once again I am on my way to a new adventure. I left the Corsica River at 0945 this morning (Monday, Oct 17) on the start of another adventure after a winter in Baltimore recovering from a heart attack I incurred about 3 days before I was to leave for the Bahamas last fall. After the doctors and I fought for several days, they won, and I agreed to stay I Baltimore so they could keep an eye on me. Boy, was it cold last winter. No way was I going to go through that again this winter. You have no idea how relieved I was when, at my September doctors appointment, they gave the go ahead to head south for the winter. So here we go!
I left the Corsica, sailed down the Chester River into Chesapeake Bay, under the Bay bridge, and into a nice snug harbor at Galesville, Maryland for my first night of peace and relaxation. It was a relatively warm day, with only light wind, so motored or motor sailed most of the way. The photo above is of Thomas Point Light. While sailing in the Chesapeake Bay waiting for my time to leave the Bay (for insurance purposes) (about October 26) I plan to visit the Solomons, Onancock, Reedville, Deltaville, and Norfolk prior to heading south.
I will try to send updates at least twice a week to keep you informed on my status and health. I also look forward to your comments on my trip and information on how things are going in your lives, so please e-mail me periodically. I will have daily access until I cross to the Bahamas, then I should be able to pick up, and send, e-mail about once a week, as I plan to be moving about the many islands of the Bahamas more than I did two years ago.
Wish me luck!
Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Heading North Again
Well, I have made it back to the US. On April 16, I left Marsh Harbor, my base anchorage for the winter, on my way to the US via Treasure Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Allan’s-Pensacola Cay, Little Bahamas Bank, and Finally Ft. Pierce, FL. The weather for those stops was generally fine, except the last stop on the edge of Little Bahamas Bank just before the Gulf Stream. There is no protection there, and although the wind was only 15-20 knots from the northeast, the seas from the ocean were running 3-5 feet, which made the night at anchor rather tiring. So, left for the US ant 4:00 AM on April 21, under cloudy skies with diminishing winds. However did have to skirt several thunderstorms in the area until the sun came up, and it cleared up, except for a few short squalls.The crossing was good, seas of only 3 feet or less, lessoning as the east coast of Florida got closer. Entered Fort Pierce inlet under a rain squall, naturally, but it cleared up to a beautiful evening quickly. Cleared customs by phone, and went to the airport in Fort Pierce for immigration. All in all, the trip went very well, and I enjoyed it. Did the crossing with two other sailboats, Rhapsody Bleue, and Bonsai 1. That made the crossing a little easier, knowing if there was a problem, there were others close by.
Once in the US, started the trek up the Intracoastal Waterway, the opposite of going down in the fall, except it is a lot warmer. In addition to Ft. Pierce, I stopped in Titusville, FL to assist one of the boats I crossed with get ready to be hauled out for the summer. The boat was from Montreal, and the owner did not want to do the roundtrip again.
Then I stopped in St. Augustine, FL for a day, and then Charleston, SC for 2 days. In St. Augustine I did the sightseeing thing (couple of old houses, recreation of life in the 1700s, a couple of museums), along with a visit to a winery. In Charleston I went to Fort Sumter, and then out for dinner. The second day I was not feel well, so I jus took it easy and read and did a little boat cleaning. In between those stops, I anchored out in some pretty quiet and peaceful rivers.
So far the trip has been very pleasant. Tomorrow, I will stop in Little River, SC, right on the border between South Carolina and North Carolina, to have dinner with a friend from my working days. Then northward again, so I can be back in the Chesapeake Bay by June 1. That should not be a problem, as I am more than half way there already. Except for my stay in Charleston, the weather has been good, and I pray it will stay that way.
I hope to see everyone when I get back, at least those in the Chesapeake Bay area.
On my way,
Cliff
S/V Navigator
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Homeward Bound
Well, all good things must come to an end, and it is time I leave the Abacos and start my journey back to Chesapeake Bay. My insurance agent says I must be back by June 1 to beat the hurricanes. So it is time to leave. I am sitting in Marsh Harbor waiting for decent weather. That is, for the wind to die down. It has been blowing in the neighborhood of 20-30 knots for a few days now, and should die down by Friday to 10-15 knots. Then, giving the seas a day to die down, and I will head north, then west back to the US. It looks like Saturday I will transit into the Atlantic Ocean to go around Whale Cay, and then back onto Little Bahama Bank for the trip west. This is only about a 4 mile passage, but the cuts through the reefs can get rather dangerous if the waves are breaking in the cuts. So one waits for calmer weather to do that short passage into the Atlantic and back. Then it will probably be three days across the relatively shallow Little Bahama Bank (10-20 feet) until the water drops off and I have to cross the Gulf Stream to Florida. Based on current weather projections, I am hoping to do that next Tuesday, but the seven day forecast is notorious for not being accurate, so we shall see, and only do the crossing when it is safe.
It has been a wonderful adventure so far. Lots of new places, some new people, some interesting challenges, and, even if the locals say this has been the coldest and windiest winter in memory, the weather has been a whole lot better than from where I came from on Chesapeake Bay. I look forward to expanding on what I did this year, in the coming year. I plan to cruise further south, and see more of the Bahamas, including Eleuthera and the Exumas. In the meantime, I will get back to the Chesapeake and do some work on NAVIGATOR over the summer before heading back.
I would like to thank all those that communicated with me through e-mail. It was a great joy to see hoe everyone was doing up in the cold north. It meant a lot to me to receive your notes. I also want to thank Kristin and Greg Torok for their visit at the end of March. It sort of got me out of an end of winter funk by having to get the boat cleaned up so it was presentable for them. I had a lot of fund showing them around the Abacos. We went sailing, swimming, drinking, ate too much, and generally just had a great time. All of you who did not visit, you missed a great time. I will expect to see you down here next winter at some point.
I would also like to thank my good friend and old college friend Rick Glasby for keeping a blog going for me. That is not something I am use to, so his help was invaluable in keeping everyone up to date on my doings. If anyone has not seen it yet, it can be found at:
http://adventuresofthenavigator.blogspot.com/
This will be the last update for until I get back to the US, as the cost of internet access is proving to be a burden when ordering it on a week to week basis. Once I begin the trip north on the Intracoastal Waterway, I will update again.
Cliff
S/V Navigator
It has been a wonderful adventure so far. Lots of new places, some new people, some interesting challenges, and, even if the locals say this has been the coldest and windiest winter in memory, the weather has been a whole lot better than from where I came from on Chesapeake Bay. I look forward to expanding on what I did this year, in the coming year. I plan to cruise further south, and see more of the Bahamas, including Eleuthera and the Exumas. In the meantime, I will get back to the Chesapeake and do some work on NAVIGATOR over the summer before heading back.
I would like to thank all those that communicated with me through e-mail. It was a great joy to see hoe everyone was doing up in the cold north. It meant a lot to me to receive your notes. I also want to thank Kristin and Greg Torok for their visit at the end of March. It sort of got me out of an end of winter funk by having to get the boat cleaned up so it was presentable for them. I had a lot of fund showing them around the Abacos. We went sailing, swimming, drinking, ate too much, and generally just had a great time. All of you who did not visit, you missed a great time. I will expect to see you down here next winter at some point.
I would also like to thank my good friend and old college friend Rick Glasby for keeping a blog going for me. That is not something I am use to, so his help was invaluable in keeping everyone up to date on my doings. If anyone has not seen it yet, it can be found at:
http://adventuresofthenavigator.blogspot.com/
This will be the last update for until I get back to the US, as the cost of internet access is proving to be a burden when ordering it on a week to week basis. Once I begin the trip north on the Intracoastal Waterway, I will update again.
Cliff
S/V Navigator
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Silence Is Broken
So, the delinquent son has decided to correspond once again. I am embarrassed that the last update was in late December. I do not have a good excuse for not corresponding, so I will not try to make one up. A lot of people thought I was a juvenile delinquent, so now I must be an adult delinquent.
My winter seems to have been better than most of your, at least weather wise. I had no snow! The lowest temperature I remember was one morning at 53F, that that was very unusual. Usual low temperatures
were in the 60s. Daytime highs were generally in the upper 60s and 70s. It is supposed to get to 79F today, summer has arrived in the Bahamas. The only weather negative was the cold fronts that pass over the Bahamas. Most weeks we got two frontal systems passing over, some weeks we got only one, and a couple of times we got three. What happens with the frontal passage is the wind picks up, usually to around 30 knots but I recorded gusts as high as 52 knots a couple of times, and begins to clock around the compass, east to south-east to west to northwest after the front passes. When it gets to the northwest, it sits for a day or so at 20-25 knots, then calms down in anticipation of the next front. With all that wind, it is difficult to get around. Now that it is late March, and winter is supposed to be over, the fronts are becoming less often and lower in intensity. Weather is beautiful.
But I have been able to explore most of the Abacos in the vicinity of Marsh
Harbor. I have been to Great Guana Cay several times, visiting the famous beach bar, Nippers, located on the dunes facing the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, there are several other bars on the Great Guana as well, and if you visit one, it seems a necessity to visit the others, and that makes for an interesting experience getting back to the boat anchored in Fisher’s Bay with the dinghy. In addition to drinking, there are also great places to snorkel on Guana, and I was lucky enough to be able to do that many times as well, depending on weather. I have also visited Hope Town on Elbow Key several times. There is a working lighthouse in Hope Town that runs on kerosene instead of electricity. It is fun to watch it anchored off Hope Town, knowing the unique source of light. As with all the cays, there are beautiful beaches on Elbow Cay for swi
mming and sunning. Hope Town is a former British Colony town, and it shows, particularly win the accent of the inhabitants, but also in the neatness of all the cottages on the cay. Man of War Cay has a nice marina, and a couple of boat yards to visit, along with requisite beautiful beaches. You can walk to a little causeway area that has a picnic table under a protective cover, and can see the contrasts between the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the light blue of the Sea of Abaco while enjoying lunch. Last week, I visited a cove called Little Harbor, which is not really a separate cay, but part of the island of Great Abaco. It is a was south of Marsh Harbor, and takes about three and a half hours for me to get there. The tricky part is the tides. There is a bar that protects the inlet to the harbor, and I can only get over the bar (sand bar, not drinking bar) at high tide, so I have had to wait for the weather and tides to cooperate, and last week they did, so I went down. Had a good time touring the art gallery down there where a popular artist named Robinson was bronze figures on display. You can also tour the foundry where the statue and figures are cast. Oh, and one cannot forget Pete’s Pub (Pete is the original Robinson’s son) for drink’s and lunch/dinner.
Even when I stayed in Marsh Harbor, I had some pleasant times. As a member of the Royal Marsh Harbor Yacht Club, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend several of the Club events. Usually they have at least one a month, and I try to attend if the weather allows me to get ashore, and back. Then there are the more mundane things that must be done. I changed the oil in the main engine and the generator (and will do the generator again today). Laundry is always a challenge, what with the weather (on nice days you want to go somewhere, not do laundry, and on bad days it can be blowing so hard you get soaked in the dinghy), and the wonderfulness of the task. Food shopping for fresh vegetables, milk, juice, etc, was a weekly event if I was in Marsh Harbor. The best thing was the availability of delicious fresh bread in the local bakeries. Found a nice place to get a haircut, at least once in a while! Getting water was also a major accomplishment, as I had to pull up anchor and go into one of the marinas to buy, at twenty cents a gallon! I filled up about every other week with 150 gallons.
One of the nicer events in Marsh Harbor is something they call Junkanoo. It is sort of like a New Orleans Mardi Gras, but on a mush smaller scale. Still, the locals get dressed up I extravagant costumes trying to depict their way of life, or participate in marching bands. They have a Junkanoo for youngsters on and afternoon, but the adult version is in the evenings, and lasts well into the night. So, it was a colorful, musical time that proved to be a lot of fun.
One of the boat maintenance tasks I was able to complete while in Marsh Harbor, thanks to John and Cathy Connelly on the motor vessel Fantasy, was replace an anchor windlass that went bad. The windlass means I do not have to raise the 55 lb anchor, along with 100 feet of chain, up by hand. John and Cathy brought it across from the states with them when they came in February. I was able to install the windlass in about a week, with the help of some local hardware stores and machine shops. And, it worked on the first try! It made getting around the Abacos a whole lot easier than having to pull the anchor by hand like I had for a couple of months.
Now, people are starting to head back to the US or other homeports. The people I came across the Gulf Stream with, Dennis and Georgia, left last Friday. Others are planning to leave this coming week. Timing for the weather is the key to a successful crossing. I plan on crossing back to the US around April 15th, so I can be back in Chesapeake Bay around June 1st.
I hope you will forgive me for not corresponding more, I am guilty as hell. I miss everyone, and hope to see you in the summer. My internet service runs out March 30th, so you may not hear from me again from then until I get across to the US in mid April. I may be able to latch on the a free WiFi site someplace, but cannot count on it. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you, so send a quick e-mail if you can.
So long from the Bahamas
Cliff
S/V Navigator
My winter seems to have been better than most of your, at least weather wise. I had no snow! The lowest temperature I remember was one morning at 53F, that that was very unusual. Usual low temperatures
were in the 60s. Daytime highs were generally in the upper 60s and 70s. It is supposed to get to 79F today, summer has arrived in the Bahamas. The only weather negative was the cold fronts that pass over the Bahamas. Most weeks we got two frontal systems passing over, some weeks we got only one, and a couple of times we got three. What happens with the frontal passage is the wind picks up, usually to around 30 knots but I recorded gusts as high as 52 knots a couple of times, and begins to clock around the compass, east to south-east to west to northwest after the front passes. When it gets to the northwest, it sits for a day or so at 20-25 knots, then calms down in anticipation of the next front. With all that wind, it is difficult to get around. Now that it is late March, and winter is supposed to be over, the fronts are becoming less often and lower in intensity. Weather is beautiful.But I have been able to explore most of the Abacos in the vicinity of Marsh
Harbor. I have been to Great Guana Cay several times, visiting the famous beach bar, Nippers, located on the dunes facing the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, there are several other bars on the Great Guana as well, and if you visit one, it seems a necessity to visit the others, and that makes for an interesting experience getting back to the boat anchored in Fisher’s Bay with the dinghy. In addition to drinking, there are also great places to snorkel on Guana, and I was lucky enough to be able to do that many times as well, depending on weather. I have also visited Hope Town on Elbow Key several times. There is a working lighthouse in Hope Town that runs on kerosene instead of electricity. It is fun to watch it anchored off Hope Town, knowing the unique source of light. As with all the cays, there are beautiful beaches on Elbow Cay for swi
mming and sunning. Hope Town is a former British Colony town, and it shows, particularly win the accent of the inhabitants, but also in the neatness of all the cottages on the cay. Man of War Cay has a nice marina, and a couple of boat yards to visit, along with requisite beautiful beaches. You can walk to a little causeway area that has a picnic table under a protective cover, and can see the contrasts between the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the light blue of the Sea of Abaco while enjoying lunch. Last week, I visited a cove called Little Harbor, which is not really a separate cay, but part of the island of Great Abaco. It is a was south of Marsh Harbor, and takes about three and a half hours for me to get there. The tricky part is the tides. There is a bar that protects the inlet to the harbor, and I can only get over the bar (sand bar, not drinking bar) at high tide, so I have had to wait for the weather and tides to cooperate, and last week they did, so I went down. Had a good time touring the art gallery down there where a popular artist named Robinson was bronze figures on display. You can also tour the foundry where the statue and figures are cast. Oh, and one cannot forget Pete’s Pub (Pete is the original Robinson’s son) for drink’s and lunch/dinner.Even when I stayed in Marsh Harbor, I had some pleasant times. As a member of the Royal Marsh Harbor Yacht Club, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend several of the Club events. Usually they have at least one a month, and I try to attend if the weather allows me to get ashore, and back. Then there are the more mundane things that must be done. I changed the oil in the main engine and the generator (and will do the generator again today). Laundry is always a challenge, what with the weather (on nice days you want to go somewhere, not do laundry, and on bad days it can be blowing so hard you get soaked in the dinghy), and the wonderfulness of the task. Food shopping for fresh vegetables, milk, juice, etc, was a weekly event if I was in Marsh Harbor. The best thing was the availability of delicious fresh bread in the local bakeries. Found a nice place to get a haircut, at least once in a while! Getting water was also a major accomplishment, as I had to pull up anchor and go into one of the marinas to buy, at twenty cents a gallon! I filled up about every other week with 150 gallons.
One of the nicer events in Marsh Harbor is something they call Junkanoo. It is sort of like a New Orleans Mardi Gras, but on a mush smaller scale. Still, the locals get dressed up I extravagant costumes trying to depict their way of life, or participate in marching bands. They have a Junkanoo for youngsters on and afternoon, but the adult version is in the evenings, and lasts well into the night. So, it was a colorful, musical time that proved to be a lot of fun.
One of the boat maintenance tasks I was able to complete while in Marsh Harbor, thanks to John and Cathy Connelly on the motor vessel Fantasy, was replace an anchor windlass that went bad. The windlass means I do not have to raise the 55 lb anchor, along with 100 feet of chain, up by hand. John and Cathy brought it across from the states with them when they came in February. I was able to install the windlass in about a week, with the help of some local hardware stores and machine shops. And, it worked on the first try! It made getting around the Abacos a whole lot easier than having to pull the anchor by hand like I had for a couple of months.
Now, people are starting to head back to the US or other homeports. The people I came across the Gulf Stream with, Dennis and Georgia, left last Friday. Others are planning to leave this coming week. Timing for the weather is the key to a successful crossing. I plan on crossing back to the US around April 15th, so I can be back in Chesapeake Bay around June 1st.
I hope you will forgive me for not corresponding more, I am guilty as hell. I miss everyone, and hope to see you in the summer. My internet service runs out March 30th, so you may not hear from me again from then until I get across to the US in mid April. I may be able to latch on the a free WiFi site someplace, but cannot count on it. Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you, so send a quick e-mail if you can.
So long from the Bahamas
Cliff
S/V Navigator
Friday, January 8, 2010
Your Questions Answered
Several of you have asked me questions about my life aboard Navigator in the Bahamas. Here are my answers:
Question: How cheap is rum in the islands?
Answer: Very, thank you.
Question: Is beef expensive?
Answer: Beef is about 15-25% higher than in the states, but it is not as good (not that it is bad, just not as good).
Question: Have you played the steel drums yet?
Answer: I haven't played the steel drums since I was a sophomore in high school!
Question: How do you wash your laundry?
Answer: I do underwear and Tshirts in the sink and hang them on a line to dry.
Sheets and towels are too large to do on the boat, so I have to take them to
a Laundromat. Costs $2 for a wash, and $.25 for minutes of drying time.
Drying is expensive.
Question: Can you access the Internet from your laptop on the boat, or do you
have to go someplace and pay for Internet access?
Answer: Depending on where I am, I can do it on the boat sometimes. It is pretty
iffy though. Today, I could not get in this morning, but had a great signal
this afternoon. Go figure. I am getting a booster antenna for my wifi, so
hopefully that will help and I will have better reception most of the time.
Keep your questions coming!
Cliff
S/V Navigator
Question: How cheap is rum in the islands?
Answer: Very, thank you.
Question: Is beef expensive?
Answer: Beef is about 15-25% higher than in the states, but it is not as good (not that it is bad, just not as good).
Question: Have you played the steel drums yet?
Answer: I haven't played the steel drums since I was a sophomore in high school!
Question: How do you wash your laundry?
Answer: I do underwear and Tshirts in the sink and hang them on a line to dry.
Sheets and towels are too large to do on the boat, so I have to take them to
a Laundromat. Costs $2 for a wash, and $.25 for minutes of drying time.
Drying is expensive.
Question: Can you access the Internet from your laptop on the boat, or do you
have to go someplace and pay for Internet access?
Answer: Depending on where I am, I can do it on the boat sometimes. It is pretty
iffy though. Today, I could not get in this morning, but had a great signal
this afternoon. Go figure. I am getting a booster antenna for my wifi, so
hopefully that will help and I will have better reception most of the time.
Keep your questions coming!
Cliff
S/V Navigator
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