Good morning from Big Major

This was last nights sunset here in Big Major in the Exumas. We got here a couple of days ago for a nice stretch of easterly winds that should last into mid week. Yesterday's winds were a bit brisk still out of the NE so it was on the coolish side but nice sunny weather. The anchorage is just around the corner from Staniel Cay where we have already done a bit of reprovishing. The boat did not come in last week so we are hanging around till at least tomorrow...Tuesday....to repro for our next week or so southbound.

Today will be a snorkel over in Thunderball Groto. It's a spot that has some partial caves that require slack water in the tide cycle. This means no movement in or out of the tidal currents after the outbound tide but before the inbound starts. The same at the other end of the cycle. Also hoping to get some fresh fish over at the docks. So it will be a busy day......but not too busy.....

Internet is good here as we are very close to the BTC tower on Staniel. So our hotspot is working which allows us to bring in more weather info and of course check email so we can stay at least remotely connected...I guess.

It is looking like with the exception of a couple of mild cold front passages this week with not much associated wind , that things are going to settle out next week into a more regular trade wind direction. Things are also looking good for the Bahama bound travelers that are waiting over in the states. Looks like some good opportunities for this week....safe travels to them.

Warderick Wells

What to say about Warderick Wells Exuma Park - just go there! It's lovely: sand bores, snorkeling, islands, nurse sharks, rays, turtles, coral, great people. All good.

Driving to Nassau was Fun???

Well, you wouldn't ordinarily say driving to Nassau was fun, however, it really was.

It included a First for Ernie -- driving with the steering wheel on the right, staying in left lanes.  We grabbed the courtesy car at the Palm Cay Marina. Nice place.

Ah, but the truth is out, there's another new toy too. We wanted a kayak for an easy way off the boat. We can check the anchor with a lookie bucket, and it's just fun to kayak to beaches, or checking out rays, or turtles, or whatever you desire.

Ernie driving: No, those aren't white knuckles.

And the kayak riding shotgun:

Works great - things to have on a boat

We occasionally include what we think works really well on the boat. Here's my vote for a functional add on; actually looks kinda cool too! Ernie designed a SS plate for the bow and had Metal Works in Burlington make it. They shaped it with the tiniest bit of port to starboard crown to match the deck too. It's held on with 4200, no screws.

The anchor chain doesn't abrade the deck at all because of the stainless steel plate you see in front of the windlass. Also note the 3 cleats. We have a spectra line and hook for the anchor chain (not an anchor brake) and we can use two snubbers (one shown here) which is our preferred method. 

Good stuff.

How important is a cockpit enclosure?

Very important....and I don't say that just because I might be slightly biased....😀😀. 

The cockpit is a place that adds living space to your boat in a big way. When the weather is less than perfect either rainy or cool or just plain cold....one is confined to below decks....what fun is that?

I can't tell you how many boats that I've seen down here this winter where there is no one to be seen sitting out to enjoy either a sunrise or sunset because the weather has been the limiting factor. Even here in the Bahamas it is cool when the sun is not out or when the cold fronts come through.

So here is what I believe is the minimum one should have to make this happen..a dodger is the main building block and the number one item. Bimini top for very obvious reasons would be second on the list. A spray shield or connector that goes between the dodger and Bimini. Side curtains made of clear vinyl with sunbrella trim at the bottom that zip on either in one large section or my preference, two smaller sections that are easier to store and give you more options for using. The next piece that I think is a must is a single side curtain that can zip on for sun protection from the side. This can be made to be used on either side....morning sun on the starboard side...afternoon sun on the port side. A good canvas person can make this happen for you. The final sections that would make a perfect enclosure are sections that zip to the aft end of the bimini and go to the top of the pushpit...once again for sun or a light rain.  Once down to the trade winds, the wind usually blows from the east...at least it's supposed to. That puts the stern of the boat pointing west in the late afternoon...just when you'd like to get out of the sun. The short stern drops keep this sun out and makes reading and enjoying your drink much more pleasant.

You can have all kinds of different combinations of these pieces to suit the weather. Keep them small and manageable. Screens? I would say not necessary. Just extra stuff to store, and really not needed points south. If you live in a buggy place try it out first without. You may find that for the small amount of time you actually sit out at night, it's just not worth the trouble to set everything up. Plus is virtually impossible to keep all the critters out and if you swat one mosquito, then you'll be bummed that you wasted the money. Try first then buy....

Exuma Park

We arrived yesterday afternoon at Exuma Park on Warderick Wells. A wonderful spot on a mooring for a couple of days of hiking and snorkeling. Got in for the Saturday night happy hour....met a few really cool folks with lots of information to share. Will post more later..oh yes..we have hoisted our Bahamas BTC phone up to the top of the mast and and now have a good connection for hotspot to get internet, grib files and other stuff.

Wind wind wind

So this post is about wind. As a sailor, we think...well....the wind is wonderful! Keep it coming all the time. It helps us get where we are going without using valuable diesel fuel...this is good. Sometimes when it blows from the wrong direction, it can keep us from getting to a destination. 

So ok...we can cope with these things. We simply wait a day or so and usually the winds will shift so as to allow us to move. This winter has been tricky. Once the wind machine starts up, it seems to blow hard for 2 or 3 days constantly day and night. Now this can get very tiring to listen to. If there are any waves or surge at all, then this 3 way combination can make the simplest tasks on board challenging. The constant wind in the rigging does kind of a number on your brain.

So yes, is sailors do like the wind but enough is enough. I can't imagine what power boaters go thru. At least we have a love hate relationship.....they have a hate hate relationship.

All this being said, the winds are forecast to abate in about 18 or so hours from now, at which time we shall welcome with open arms the silence that follows....but not too long....for we do love the wind...

We are currently in the large bay on the bottom left side of Hawksbill Cay..

On our way from Highboune down to Hawksbill Cay....nice

Arrival in the Exumas

We have arrived in the Exumas at last. Went from Nassau to Highbourne Cay a couple of days ago and then on down to Hawksbill Cay for a bit better protection from the NE winds. Their morning the wind is veering ...shifting clockwise...towards the east which is giving us nicer protection as the day goes on.

Certainly is a weather watchers winter here as everywhere else. We have winds in the 18-25 knot range 3 out of 4 days with the fourth day giving a brief respite.  Temps are nice and warm and we can definitely tell that we are now getting south to where we want to get.

Pics will follow as we get to a stronger connection......

Flowers for Dick in the Gulf Stream

A very good friend of ours Dick Walters of Shelburne VT passed away this past fall.....on his own terms..

Dick (and his wife Ginny) was and still are...responsible for spearheading the Patient Rights Advocacy legislation that is now law in Vermont.

Thanks Dick for being such a great leader and role model and here is our tribute to you as we crossed the Gulf Stream last week.......

With all of our love.....Ernie and Bette.....

ps.....this was supposed to be one video but there was not sd card in the camera so it ended up being 5 short videos. If you want to watch all 5 you can see it here on the blog.....if your seeing this on Facebook, I'm only putting on the first. You'll have to watch the other 4 on our blog..

DSCN0171

DSCN0172

DSCN0174

DSCN0175

Sailing to West Bay, New Providence Island

What a great sail. We left Bimini around noon, got out of the channel there and struck up some sails. Boy, did that ever feel good! All day was perfect. Into the darkness the wind angle got a little rough for Ozzie the autopilot to handle so we were hand driving basically the whole time.

Ernie off watch. Look closely by his left elbow; that's Minnie tucked into the lee cloth as well.

Maybe 4 hours of that time were pretty trying, in order to keep the boat from swaying. We managed that with very short watches (1 hour). Great for the driver, not so great for the off-watch crew (too short for good sleep). As it got better, we lengthened out the watches and we were back into a normal routine and having a relaxed run over to West Bay the rest of the night and morning. Sails taken down just outside of the inlet here. How cool.

And this is a beautiful bay. Just lovely and peaceful.

New digs....

So after spending a nice stretch of time getting ourselves acclimated to island life once again in Bimini, we set off on Wednesday afternoon bound for New Providence Island. It was to be a wonderful overnight run that was spectacular. Nice following wind, seas not to big and a long enough sail to get us in to NPI around 1300 on Thursday. Our idea was to tuck in at West Bay which would offer nice protection from the north and the northeast winds that would sift through in the hours to come. Anchor  down and some uninterrupted sleep for a couple of hours. We were one of three boats here....much different than tonight's 15 or so that have joined us. Always gives you a good feeling to have others in the same place for upcoming winds so that reinforces your decision to be there. Alone and......maybe you missed something in the forecast .

Our anchorage this morning....

8' of water and nice to see the anchor rode clearly as it disappears off to our anchor...

With the weather turning a bit dicey once again on Tuesday, we've made plans to spend Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at Palm Cay Marina on the southeast corner of NPI. This will give us a chance to do a solid charge with AC power to the batteries, some provisions and a new place to visit. Oh yes....an overnight tomorrow night in Nassau harbor should also be quite the adventure. Much different than tonight for sure. If the weather gurus allow, we'll head on south and east to the top of the Exumas chain mid next week.

We really feel like we are now where we are wanting to be.....

Filleting fish

First's are always fun or are at least cool. I filleted my first grouper yesterday. Ernie provided the third hand. A grouper is bigger than anything I've ever done before and was a good learning experience.

It's funny that our book on Fishes of the Atlantic Coast indicates that grouper has only good edibility whereas red snapper is considered excellent. We beg to differ and would put grouper under excellent as well.

We didn't catch this one. The fellows on the docks here caught, gutted, and scaled it. The crew of Iemanja only had to fillet and extract the cheeks. We do not eat fish eyes. The locals do that, but not us Reuter wimps.

(Our apologies to those who might be offended by this post).

Staying put,part 3

So this is the GRIB that we woke up to this morning...

We are the blue dot down by the southern tip of FL. While on the outskirts of this monster low, we are still feeling strong westerlies this morning which kicked in overnight. This wasn't unexpected as we've been tracking this thing for 3-4 days now and based our current position on its path. 

Unfortunately, there are 2 more like this.....not quite as severe....coming along this week. That means westerlies all week. We will continue to stay here till things settle out maybe next weekend now....

I feel for the folks in Little River SC this morning as they are in the mids of the really messy stuff....stay safe up there.

Our anchorage on the east side of Bimini....protected from the west winds.....

Staying put, part 2

Boy did we ever make a good decision to stay put. This is Bimini but at least we're comfortable and the people couldn't be more friendly. Wonderful people.

The big big Northeastie rolled in Friday morning. Earlier than expected. We would have been out on the Bahama Bank with no where to hide and no where to run.

Instead, we're here on a hook. Tonight is the big Westie coming in. We have what we think is a good anchor set but tonight and tomorrow will tell all.

We have a wonderful looking Grouper for dinner tonight, unless the Lobster Man comes around at 5pm. And the fresh yellow-tail snapper we had the other night with lime and hot chili pepper flakes was delightful. So, we aren't exactly hurting.

Walking around town today, a Bahamian woman yells out "HI Ernie" and he yells out to her "Hi Sophia".  Where have I been?

Go  Broncos!

Staying put

We were hoping for a night on the Bank tonight and a stay in West Bay on New Providence Island on our way down to the Exumas. However, it's all about the weather not just where you are, but where you're going as well.

We have a big Westie rolling in on Sunday morning, so the west end of NPI is not the place to be. Our alternative which is to hide behind Frazier's Hog will be intolerable in a big Northeastie which is due just before the Westie. So we stay put.

We could go into Nassau, but that is not the place we wish to get stuck waiting for frontal passages.

Yesterday's decision - we stay put.

Dave P, on-board

One can always tell when there's a visitor staying on-board because the Qtr Berth has to be emptied and the stuff normally stored there has to find new homes. There was now a log jam inside my hanging locker door;  the view became a solid wall of stuff!

But we were very happy to have Dave join us with the hope of crossing the Gulf Stream earlier in December. Here's Dave with Minnie on his arrival day:

The food was good, even healthy snacks, and showers every day. Not a bad way to help transport a boat. If only the wind and weather would have been more cooperative.

Bicycling on the Dahon in Brunswick GA:

And this is how I'll always remember Dave and his time on-board with us. Who else do you know that would tie a line to the wheel to move further outboard to steer by sail trim? That's Dave.

Serendipity

What a great word: serendipity. It was serendipitous to arrive in the Bahamas on Ernie's birthday. We didn't even plan that.

Maybe you wondered why we weren't leaving FL in December or even in January. There was some odd weather with 2 fronts per week, instead of the more usual 1/wk, and we had the wind generator to install in Dec. And we really did enjoy our stays in Brunswick GA with Dave P from LCYC, and St.Augustine FL(beautiful little city), and NASA Titusville FL(watching the SpaceX rocket launch with a front row seat was spectacular), and Vero Beach FL for Christmas, and West Palm Beach (cool place) and North Lake Worth FL including a visit with Helmut B from MBBC, and Fort Lauderdale incl visit from Walt and Doug from LCYC. And visits with Earl and Helen from Chicago, and Jim and Janette from Montreal, and many others we've met along the way.

North Lake Worth anchorage was particularly special for me. I take a lot of pride in my boat independence and opportunities to strengthen it when Ernie is off-boat. Ernie headed over to Tampa in January for a few plus days for his cousin's Bar Mitzvah. Some of you at LCYC might have met Dean when he was enrolled in the Junior Sailing program summer of 2014. He's the one who taught the young men how to cheat at cards when there was no wind.  Oh, TMI. What a fun, bright, athletic, cool kid he is!

We could have gone to the Bahamas and come back for Dean's celebration, but what if the weather window to come back wouldn't have transpired. Nope, that wouldn't do.  So we enjoyed our various anchorages in FL. After Ern's return, it was just lack of weather window that would be enjoyable for us. Until yesterday!! Woo hoo! We've left the U.S.

Minnie on-board

What a great cat we have. No need to continually buy or grow catnip. Just give her the container to play with and she's happy. And then she OD's.

The ride across the Gulf Stream was a little lumpy for Minnie. I could tell she was having trouble finding a comfortable place but she handled it like the trooper that she is. Everyone's happy to be in the Bahamas.

Sailing down the FL coastline

I say some not very nice things about Miami but I have to tell you that at night, she is lovely. The lights last night were spectacular, okay-not as nice as the stars, but the Miami skyline was still pretty special to see.

The sail from Fort Lauderdale to approx the Miami Gov't Cut was just great. It was a close reach the
whole way down. We love sailing at night!

AIS from the cockpit

I love the wireless VHF radio that we now have available in the cockpit. We had real ship and boat traffic while sailing from Fort Lauderdale down to Miami then the left turn we made to cross the Gulf Stream. Unlike last year's experience with shipping traffic where we'd go below and look at the AIS output in the nav station, we now look at it wirelessly. How novel.

Seeing a nearby ships SOG, COG, and Bearing is very reassuring. Match up what you see visually with the data on VHF and it all makes much more sense.

Bimini at last

After a wonderful overnight sail across the gulf stream, this is the sunrise that greeted us in the morning over Bimini. If you look close enough you can see the trees of the shoreline to the left of the sun.

This is always a very special time for me as coming to a new place in the morning after sailing all night is magical.

We left Ft Lauderdale in a very leisurely fashion on Saturday afternoon around 1415. It was leisurely that is until we picked up anchor and negotiated the final 3 bridges. Lots of Saturday afternoon boat traffic and Florida crazies did make for some stressful moments but all in good stride as we let the thoughts of what lay ahead take good control of our minds. We topped fuel and made our way to the inlet and had sails up and heading south by 1730.

An east wind carried us nicely along the now lit up Florida coast. This is the best way to see this part of the coast......at night, outside and reaching along with full sails up. We stayed within 5 or so miles of the coast to keep the gulf stream influence to a minimum. Even this far out our southbound progress is slow but steady. By 2030 we were at the point where we needed to turn east.......far enough down to allow for the set northbound as we proceeded east.

On eastward thru the night. Now this east wind became a bit of challenge as it was on the nose.....right where we want to go. So with a bit of help from our reliable Yanmar engine, we made good progress towards the waypoints that we set up. A bit rolly as the east swells came in but not uncomfortable. We exchanged watches every 90 minutes or so. A bit short on the watch schedule but on a short passage its nice to have fresh eyes on the scene.

We did have to negotiate numerous eastbound and westbound cruise ships that had departed earlier in the evening. With the help of radar and AIS this was a rather easy task. Just had to confirm which way they were going stay out of their way. Size does matter on the high seas too! One stays out of the way even if you're a sailboat verses power boat.....a very big powerboat. Fine by me .......

Ahead of schedule by a couple of hours, we slowed down to allow us to enter the inlet with sunlight and the tide in our favor. On into the anchorage we went, commissioned MJ our dingy off the deck and into the water. Passports , boat papers, Minnie papers in hand, I went on over the customs office at Big Game Club to check in.

Sleep......perfect.....

This morning, mother nature is once again smiling on us and providing a long steady rain to wash the boat. Likely we won't be quite so welcoming of the rain if it keeps up too long but hey.....fresh water from the heavens can never be complained about. The sun will shine again......