Category: 2017-18 Voyage to The Bahamas

Tarja left at 11:30 to catch her flight home. Tristan arrived about 12:15 and we (mainly Tristan) did some boat work with items Tristan had brought with him. We finally left ar 13:35. As it was going to be be several hours of motoring (winds directly on the nose) Tristan caught up on his sleep as he had taken a 6am flight from Charleston. Given the benign weather conditionss we decided not to take the infamous Whale Cay Cut into the northern Abacos but rather go out into the Atlantic so we could keep going all night.

Wih little wind we had to motor and while the boat was moving at 6.5 knots through the water a current was reducing our actual progress to 3 to 4 knots for 10 to 12 hours.

We were able to sail during the day on Wednesday with the asymmetrical spinnaker. We made it to the Gulf Stream about 21:00 and turned north making often in excess of 10 knots. We became over powered with the spin up so alftrer much effort it was fueled and put below through the forward hatch where it remained on my bunk until I couldn’t taken its oil smell it had picked up from a spill in the cockpit locker. Moved it out to the floor of the main salon …. something big and tangly to trip over!

We had no cell and data communication but we had had SIRIUS weather maps and marine reports so we knew a cold front was coming through. We I was on the 23:00-02:00 with Thursday night our progress reduced to about 5 knots so I started the motor to increase our speed. On Tristan’s watch the cold front hit.

The winds went from less than 10 to sustained 30+.  The wind clocked north so we were no longer able head north. The outer edges of the jib started to unravel so Tristan furled it and reduced the main sail. With no head sail and 9’ waves now hitting the boat from the NE Tristan had no choice but to turn west … if one turned east the next stop is Africa!

We had been hoping to make it to make it to Southport NC (yellow circle on map) early Saturday morning but now we needed to look for a safe inlet somewhere south to southwest of us. The marine forecast called for continuing high winds and big seas and we even considered staying out until we found that it was leading to a possible gale on Monday. From our course the best inlet was St Mary’s inlet to the Amelia River near Brunswick. This was signicantly further south than we had hoped and meant a great many miles to be covered to make it Norfolk VA where I was to meet Peter Cohrs on May 7th.

After Friday’s dawn the waves and rollers remained high but the wind dropped into the 20s. During one of my watches I noticed jib unfurling so I pulled in the furling line only to find the furler line was no longer attached. I called for Tristan and between the two of us we were able get the jib on the deck and into the forward hatch. Luckily no waves broke over the deck to flood my berth! Tristan had to cut the jib sheets off as the bowline knots were difficult to get to. For the remainder of the adventure I shared my bunk with the jib.

We spent the day be bounced by the waves in average 25 knot winds. One wave pooped us …. wave came in over the stern and hit Tristan at the wheel shoulder high. He was wearing his foulies but looked surprised/shocked nonetheless. Another wave passed in front of our bow that was at least as high as our boom. A foot below the crest off the wave 2 dolphins do e out one side and in the other. Just spectacular. Some waves really rocked the boat and twice I ended up flat on my back. Once was in the galley when I was making coffee. Although I went over the pot, thanks to gimbals and fiddles, boiled merely along.

We arrived at a marina on St Simon’s Island at 20:00 Friday and pe4fhed on their fuel dock as we would get bothered diesel and a slip assignment the next day. A quick dinner aboard and then off to bed.

3 1/4 days and 450 nautical miles

David and Joy told us about a new coffee shop which we tried out this morning – very good and it’s really close to the marina.  We stopped by the office before we went to the coffee shop to ask if Bob could stay at the slip until around 1, until Tristan can get here. They said yes but also that they wanted to move us to the same slip we had the last time we were here. There was a boat at the fuel dock that was going into our current slip for a month.

A dock hand came over at 1:50pm, ten minutes before low tide, to say they wanted us to move now. Dave and Joy and one dock hand manned to lines to get us off the dock.  On the way to coffee, which had been well before low tide, a monohull was stuck in the channel we’d have to take into the new dock. There is enough water if you stick really close to the pylons at the end of the slips. They either hadn’t been told this or ignored the advice. The slip we were moving to was the same one we stayed at the last time we were here so Bob knew about hugging the pylons.

The depth was okay as we neared the slip but when Bob made the turn we were in the mud. There were three dock hands pulling the boat in as Bob rev’d the engine to plough through the mud. One of the dock hands quipped that we’d now have a really clean propeller.

The same cat that was in the slip beside us is still there. This picture shows how close we are, all the fenders are ours.

When we left the slip the last time  a dock hand guided the boat out with the bow line to keep us close to the dock and away from the cat. I suspect the same thing will happen when Bob & Tristan leave.

We got the first load of laundry done today, sheets tomorrow.

Had a last visit to the coffee shop this morning, Catherine and Glen were there. We found out from them that the coffee shop had opened just two months ago, planned and executed by the non-full time residents. The coffee shop is a new addition to an older house which now houses the little museum. They expected that the full time residents probably wouldn’t use it much but that turned out not to be the case, it’s very popular with all the islanders. The baked goods are made and donated by the customers who then often turn around and buy the goodies.

Our plan was to leave around 10am but a little after nine when we looked out we saw the whole dock and beyond filled by an small island freighter. It had two trucks on it, one was a fuel truck, delivering fuel to the dock. The front of the ship had a ramp which was in the down position spanning half of the opening we’d have to use to leave. The ship was going to be there for about two hours. Not good for us as we wanted to leave at mid-tide at the latest, which would be around 10am. Luckily for us, they lifted up the ramp so we could get out, we left around 9:30.

There wasn’t much wind but enough that we could sail for a little while. Last sail for me on this trip. We were anchored at the western end of the harbour by shortly after 11am. The two boats closest to us were Canadians, they’re everywhere. There was lots of boat traffic all day, we were close to the channel, but it all died down once it got dark.

April 14

We moved to the marina around 12pm, topped up the fuel tank and moved to our slip which this time is near the fuel dock. It was close to low tide by the time we were tied up and the east wind was pushing us off the dock big time. Getting on and off the boat became a major chore. You have to pull on a line to get close enough to the ladder to climb off but you better do it fast cause that east wind is going to push the boat away from the dock. It was a little easier after Bob rigged up a line to the ladder that we could pull on a bit more easily than the stern line attached to the pylon. I’m sorry I didn’t take a picture.

Our walk to Bliss coffee shop was a disappointment, they did have art by locals but nothing even remotely what we’d want to buy, so we’ll pock up at least one print from the gallery we visited the last time we were here. We had dinner at Mangoes with Joy and Dave.

A very interesting day today, after coffee on the boat we went to coffee shop for some brekkie. We sat with Catherine & Glen, and Catherine’s brother John. When we told them today’s walk was to the narrows they invited us to stop by and visit their property which is close to the narrows. Catherine’s parents bought the land in the 1960s, 3.5 acres.

The Queens Highway changed from pavement, to small stones, to sand as we walked north. It was very different from the area we walked on our return from the beach south of the settlement. There is very little bush and the houses appear to be closer together although many are on big lots. The properties are well kept.

We did stop in to have a visit with Catherine &  Co., what a fabulous property. The main house, which is on the Atlantic side, is very open and airy with a large covered verandah. Also on the Atlantic side is a much smaller house they call the snore box, we’d call it a very nice bunkie. Across the road on the Abaco Sea side is a one bedroom house built over the boat house. I asked Catherine if they ever rent out the that house, the answer was no.

We sat on the verandah for about 20 minutes and had good chat about the usual stuff.  They live near Dallas, close to their grand children and are avid back road motor cyclists. We were curious about practicalities about the island property. The property has a 30,000 gallon tank which collects rainwater. That is the only way islanders get fresh water. Catherine said having enough fresh water collected that way is not a problem. She said all the rain yesterday caused their tank to overflow. There are no septic tanks or beds. There are pits for toilet waste, Cathrine said in the 50 years the her family has been there, there has never been a problem with the toilet waste, I guess it’s very porous ground!

We continued as far as the narrows, a strip of land that separates the Atlantic and Abaco Sea. It was calm on the Abaco side, white caps on the Atlantic side. The island continues and widens again past the narrows but we decided to turn back at that point. Laundry was waiting for me, all the towels we used to mop up the floor yesterday had to  be washed.