Round Trip ...Norman's Cay and Back to Pipe

Round Trip...Norman's Cay and Back to Pipe

I am sittng under a towel on the patio at DeShemons Restaurant in Black Point using Simon's restaurant signal. We had hoped to have our usual conch pizza; however most of the residents couple of hundred citizens are in Nassau for a funeral of a 95 year old sea captain. The town is a little quiet; however Ida down at the laundromat is opening and closing Adderley's Grocery whenever someone wants into the store. We actually found several grapefruit there and some oranges...a wonderful find since Isle's Grocery had neither. We are now well provisioned and ready to head to the Jumentos if only the weather will cooperate? It sounds like it may be closer to the end of the week before we get our weather window. Once we leave you may not get a blog entry for a couple of weeks as we are really in the boonies in the Raggeds.

Before making the decision to go to Nassau Lynn and Peter had taken First Edition into Staniel Cay to try to find a motor mechanic to look at Mr.Mac the Merc. After waiting and not getting much help they decided that a trip to Nassau was a better choice so sailed back north to join us on the ocean side of Norman's Cay in a new anchorage for both of us. We had left in the morning (Monday February 15th) for the 35 mile trip to Norman's before we knew their new plan for Nassau. We have now decided that we will head to the Jumentos later this week rather than wait for First Edition to return from Nassau. We will pick up some diesel, do some provisioning in Staniel Cay and laundry in Black Point and take the next weather window to The Raggeds. We had returned through this area on our way back from the Dominican Republic last year and had really enjoyed getting off the beaten track. There are good charts for the Jumentos now but the navigating is tricky and there are no settlements for 60 miles so you are on your own. Lynn and Peter weren't with us last year because they had to pick up Peter's daughter in the Exumas so are really hoping to get there this year. If all goes well with Lynn's visit home and the outboard repair in Nassau we should meet up with them in the Jumentos or on our way back to the Abacos. At least we can stay in touch on the Single Side Band radio.

After reaching our anchorage yesterday we rowed to shore to do some beach exploring. There are a couple of lovely beaches but the shelling is poor; however it is always great to get to shore and stretch one's legs. This morning it is cloudy but we have decided that we will row to shore and explore the northern end of the cay. Lynn and Peter loaned us a book called Turning the Tide which is about Carlos Lehder's cocaine smuggling days on Norman's Cay in the 1970s so we are interested in exploring the ruins from those days. Rob rowed Lynn and I ashore in Goldberry and then returned for Peter. We explored and walked the north end of Norman's all afternoon. We found Lehder's house called the Volcano in his glory days on a cliff over looking the ocean. The house is being renovated slowly and has seen better days. We also found the remains of gates and other buildings in the compound. Another building built with a large deck over looking the ocean seemed to fit the description in the book of the party place. Ledher has been in jail since the early 1980s serving a 135 year sentence. He was in his late twenties when he was the king of cocaine. It is hard to believe that this small island was the centre of the Columbian cocaine trade. The book also mentions that Lehder was doing a fair amount of experimentation in the development of crack cocaine in a lab on the island. The captain rowed all of us back in one load...Lynn and Peter in the stern, then Rob and me in the bow. Goldberry was the star and the captain worked up an appetite for Lynn's dinner of linguine and clams. Lynn loves to cook and we are always spoiled when we have dinner on First Edition.

We had planned on staying for another day with First Edition but the wind direction was too good to pass up for a sail south. We seldom do our hull speed of 7.5 knots but we were seeing speeds of 8 to 9 knots and this is with a reefed main sail. The old girl was just a flying and the crew was working hard too. We had hoped to get to Staniel Cay for the mail boat but the wind direction and speed has driven us back to Pipe. We plan to leave tomorrow and with any luck there may be some groceries left because other cruisers couldn't get to the store. The mail boat can get to Staniel in most all weather conditions but the sail boats have to be more choosey. speaking of weather we have never worn our fleece as much as we have this year and we have seldom slept without a blanket on our berth. The cold fronts just keep on reaching the Exumas and that is not usually the pattern. Today we are bundled up in our fleece and staying below decks because the wind has a real bite to it. You can see from the picture of Rob at the helm that our fast sail back to Pipe was chilly. The captain keeps reminding everyone that it is winter in The Bahamas.

Fowl Cay and Back to Pipe Creek

A Trip to Fowl Cay and Back to Pipe

Today is Wednesday February 10th and we are back in Pipe Creek after a two day, one night trip north to Fowl Cay. Once again the weather has driven us back to an anchorage that gives us protection from the westerlies. Chris Parker, the morning cruiser's weather guru has said that this weather is very unusual for The Bahamas. In fact, the weather we are expecting this weekend is a frontal low rather than a high pressure front and he has said that he has never seen this happen in The Bahamas and he has been forecasting weather here for almost ten years. What that means for us is that we hunker down for the possibility of winds gusting to 40 knots or more. We don't worry because this is a good anchorage and Big Bruce, our Bruce anchor is well dug into the sandy grass bottom. Most days we snorkel over Bruce to see how he looks and once we know he is dug in we can sleep more soundly. Every once in awhile there is always a chance that another boat will drag so we always have to be on the alert but most boaters that have made it this far have learned how to anchor.

Last Sunday we headed out the Thomas Cut and north to a little cay just south of Exuma Park called Fowl. We snorkelled off of Lynn and Peter's dinghy in a grotto called Rocky Dundas. It was interesting to swim into the cave and see all the rock formations. There were also lots of fish and coral to see because Rocky Dundas is in the park. The exciting thing for me was that with a little help from both Rob and Peter I was able to hoist myself into the dinghy without hurting my arm. It wasn't pretty but I managed just fine. So far we have done all of our snorkelling off of Celebrian so this was a major breakthrough for me. In the afternoon Rob and Peter took the Spirit kayaks and circumnavigated the cay as it was quite calm. When they returned the admirals took a spin in the protected waters of the anchorage and I am delighted to report that my arm did not hurt me while paddling, nor did I suffer any pain as a result of the paddling. I am hoping that I have turned the corner on my injury and with due care will continue to improve. The next morning we left to return to Pipe to be ready for the next front.

Yesterday we ventured to shore for a sea glass hunt on the ocean side. The picture shows the sea glass hunters. Lynn made us a little votive candle with sea glass and now she is collecting it to do a lamp for their new house. I am going to try and put sea glass on one of our small lanterns to make it more attractive. Everyone has to have a hobby.

We had been invited to dinner on First Edition last night but had to cancel because the wind picked up and Rob wasn't sure whether he would be able to row us home? Lynn has also been dealing with losing a crown off a back molar tooth. She hasn't been in any pain but nonetheless it has been a worry. She has to fly home to New Jersey in two weeks to see her rheumatoid arthritis specialist so now she is seeing her dentist as well. Peter will stay on the boat and when she gets back we plan on going to the Jumentos. Lynn and Peter didn't get there with us last year so they would like to go this winter. Lynn has had her fair share of bad luck this past year but as always she stays very positive.

Today I have been catching up on computer work as well as doing some baking. Rob has been modifying a locker in the cockpit. The wind is blowing about 25-30 so we won't be going far; however we hope to snorkel off the boat on a nearby reef at slack tide this afternoon.

Last night the low pressure went through in the wee hours of the night with squalls gusting upwards to 40 knots....gratefully not the predicted 50. We were as ready as you can be with instruments on and clothes laid out if we had to re set the anchor; however Big Bruce was once again the hero of the night. we did not do anchor watches but we both were up and alert when the squalls went through. We had hoped to fill our water tank with rain but most of the squalls were dry. Gratefully everyone had an uneventful, albeit tiring night. Today the wind is blowing about 25 to 30 so everyone is staying put. I am making bread and yoghurt this morning and we hope to swim ashore this afternoon.

We have enjoyed the last couple of days before the wind started to howl yesterday afternoon. We sailed Goldberry for two days and toured the south end of Pipe Creek. Sailing the dinghy is so much fun and a great way to sight see. Peter and Lynn took some pictures of us so we may be on their blog. The evening before was so calm that Peter and Lynn came for a BBQ; however just like at home the weather can change at the drop of a hat.

Yesterday I saw an eagle ray jump twice out of the water and if that wasn't enough both Rob and I got to see the same thing while we were sailing the dinghy. I suspect it is the same ray and I have also seen him while snorkelling. Even from a distance he puts on quite a show so he is a good size. From a distance in the water his tail looks to be close to 4 feet long. The eagle rays are larger than the stingrays. Generally we see more sting rays while snorkelling so these jump sightings are very special.

For Valentine's Day we joined Lynn and Peter for a dinghy excursion to the outer banks at Pipe Creek. Mr. Johnson, our powerful 3 HP engine was the hero of the day as he had to pull Lynn and Peter's dinghy home to our anchorage after Mr.Mac the Merc, their outboard engine died. Rob and Peter had been working on the engine and had hoped that they had successfully fixed it; unfortunately it seems to be a problem that may or may not need new parts. First Edition has decided to sail to Nassau to get the motor fixed and buy a new motor if all else fails. Lynn has changed her flight to leave from Nassau next week. Celebrian will make her way south to the Jumentos and will either meet up with First Edition there or on the way north to the Abacos.

Chores Ashore

Chores Ashore

I had a good long blog entry but thanks to the wonders of computer glitches I have lost all of my work and I am feeling very upset at the moment. I can not possibly remember what was in the past work; however I will do my best to give you a little information about the pictures I am hoping to post.

Peter and Lynn and Rob and I went provision shopping in Staniel Cay...the picture taken at the Pink Store shows us in shopping form. The mail boat comes once a week and the cruisers try to time their shopping to the arrival of the mail boat in order to pounce on the fresh vegetables and fruits. One of the pictures shows the mail boat having a close encounter with First Edition. Isles General is the place to shop and one of our pictures shows the captain and I having icecream in their gazebo. First Edition can keep icecream but Celebrian can not in her fridge so when we get the chance we eat icecream on shore.

After we do laundry in Black Point we always go to DeShamon's Restaurant for conch pizza...the picture tells it all!

The other pictures I hope to post on the blog are pictures of me at the helm and a sunset at Pipe Creek.