Leaving Spanish Wells to the Abaco’s

Cotton on Russel Island

We spent several days lobstering (and did not get another one), doing school, and shelling in the area.  Spanish Wells is a place that you can easily fall into a routine and not realize how long you have been there.  Falco arrived and we spent time catching up with them.  One day we spent a day walking to Preachers Cave on Eleuthera, it was about three miles.  Church services were held there by a group of shipwrecked mariners who were marooned there. 

The long walk

The crews of Diamond, Falco and Sheet Music

We waited for weather and Bandit advised us that he could take us through the reef one morning when we were ready to go, but the tides were hitting 18 year lows, and by the time we were ready to go we could not get out in the morning. 

   

We left for egg island where we anchored in preparation for the 55 mile trip to the Abacos.  It was a rocky and rolley night on the hook, which did not make for a good nights sleep.  We left at 6 am in dead calm, and about 4 foot swell once we passed the reef.

Sunset off Egg Island

  

Several whale sightings occured in our area during the crossing, so we were keeping our eyes peeled, but did not see one.  About mid way across we got a hit on our fishing line, a rather large Dolphin fish, we got it to the boat, but could not land it.  It was an emotional low for all of us.  There will be more fish.

The fish that got away

We anchored in Spencer’s Bight, and got some sleep, then on to Marsh harbor where we plan to spend a few nights with the luxury of electrical power on demand, unlimited water, and showers. 

A private home in the Abacos



 
 

Bandit, (Joc Morgan)



 

Spanish Wells via Current Cut

 We had a great day sailing from Alabaster Bay to current cut where we were setting up for going through the gap at 4pm.  We had calculated precisely the time of slack tide, because our information was the  current was so strong that we could not make headway if we did it during flood tide.  Well, we were wrong all around.  It was flood tide when we got there, and we were able to make headway.  The current was only 2.5 knots.  It seemed easy until the next morning when we heard about a boat, who’s crew we had dinner with a few nights earlier, had run aground, and their buddy boat flipped their dinghy trying to help.  By the end of the day they had made it off safely. 

We sailed into Spanish Wells which is just off Eleuthera.  It is a bustling community of fishermen and industrious people.  About 60% of the Bahamas lobsters come from the waters near Spanish Wells.  Bandit, Jock Morgan, took our money for the mooring, and offered us some lobstering advise, go north of Pear Island.  His family has been on the island since 1650’, so I figured he ought to know. 

Spanish Wells School

Clear Sea Snake looking Creature

We went out on our lobster hunt.  I spotted one under a large coral head, and bam, I missed.  The thing moved a little, and bam, I missed again.  It went around the end of the coral head and bam, I missed again.  I got some more air to try and get another shot, and it was sitting on top of the coral, apparently feeling very safe due to the spear operators apparent incompetence.  Then it happened, I hit the darn thing, right where I was supposed to.  I was holding the spear which was bending all over the place as the critter tried to escape.  I motioned Mike, who was standing by in the dinghy, and when I lifted it up there was disbelief in his eyes.  I could not tell how big it was under water.  We weighted it at just over 5 pounds, and the tail alone weighted 1.5 pounds.

Thats my foot, size 11

A quarter next to the tail

Lobster Dinner

We rented a golf cart and drove around the island, it is really a beautiful place.  It appears about 30% of the houses are for sale.  Maybe we will retire here.  

Cotton

Sunrise from our back deck

Rock Sound to Current Cut

We had planned to take a leisurely day getting to Rock Sound before the front came through; it was only supposed to blow 15-20.  We got up, did laundry and milled about getting things prepared.  The boat started to bounce a little in the slip but we did not think anything of it, for we were in a marina paying $2.75 a foot.  Next thing I know this guy is saying we needed to move or we would damage the boat.  In the time it took us to get unhooked, we had to really push the engine just to get out of the slip.  We decided to head to Rock Sound rather than retie on the other end of the marina.  We were out in the worst of it, but it was not too bad.  We were anchored in Rock sound by about 1 pm. 

Church In Rock Sound

Rock sound doesn’t really make the guidebooks, but we really liked it.  Relatively unaffected by cruisers like us, it is a friendly community.  All of the services are available, and we were stopped by locals several times just to chat.  We had the best Bahamian meal of the trip, at the North Side restaurant (Rosa’s home).  They piled us in their own cars and drove us across the island, treated us to a fantastic meal, and drove us back.  For the family it was $70, a deal. 

We heard about a blue hole and cave from some other cruisers, and decided to make the trek before we headed out.  Man I am glad we did.

Picture taken looking down into the blue hole

The blue hole is connected with the sea somehow (it rises and falls with the tide).   The cave, with bats and all was truly spectacular.  The root system of the trees was particularly interesting. 

Roots decending to the cave floor

Here you can srr the roots and the tree

A little dark, but you can see the size

The holding for anchoring is not good north of here, so Eleuthera will be a little shorter than expected.  We spent the night in Alabaster Bay, where we drug anchor for the first time in a while, I would not have thought it.  We ended up with the anchor around a piece of brain choral.

The first dolphins since Florida

Sunset off Current Cut Eleuthera

Pipe Cay and the Southern Exuma Land and Sea Park.

We set sail for the brief trip to Pipe Cay.  The area is full of sand bores and huge tidal currents and stunning.  We anchored off some cold war ruins, not sure exactly what it was there for.  We did some diving and looking for the elusive lobster.  If it was not for Pierre and Erin, I would think they were farm raised. 

Sheet Music off Pipe Cay

We went to Cambridge Cay in the southern part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, and we began to explore.  We went to a set of reef, and then to the “bubble baths” an area of Sampson Cay where the waves from the sound crash over the rocks and produce bubbles and waves, a very unique phenomena.  I think its where they got the idea for the lazy river ride at Atlantis. 

The girls then went and climbed Little Bell rock, which was quite a feat. 

Emily had found two conch, one in Pipe Cay and the other off Cambridge, and wanted to clean them up.  She took them on the back of the boat and began scrubbing.  The park ranger, with a machine gun, asked if we were aware that we could not take shells.  After some discussing he allowed us to live, and to keep our shells.  Cleaning of shells is not allowed either.  Actually, we were pretty stupid to have done so, but we just did not think about it.  We plan to go to Eluthera tomorrow, a 35 mile trip with depths over 2 miles. 

Look Close, Crew on the Hill

Eluthera (not really)

We got up in the morning and I saw gusts to 25 knots, not something I would have worried about racing, but we are about comfort to some extent, so we spent another day.  We went to the coral gardens, which had to be some of the nicest snorkeling we have seen.  Then we went to the rocky dundas, which are caves carved in the side of several cays.  Truly spectacular.  Eluthera tomorrow.

The Rocky Dundas

Eluthera (Really)

We left in the morning, and had a great sail most of the way across the Exuma Sound.  The wind was light, but we managed to maintain between 5-6 knots.   We arrived in Powel Point at a marina owned by the same person who owns the Orland Magic.   Nice place, but not on the top of our list. 

Eluthera from the Sound 2 miles deep

We went to the Exuma Island School and Research Center for a tour.  The place is a school for college kids to spend a semester learning about conservation and the marine environment.  They gave us a long tour, and showed us all around.  They have three research projects going on.

1. What concentration of fish in fish food do Cobia need to eat to be tasty and big?
2. How much salt can a Tilapia take?
3. Cam you make lettuce out of fish poop?  (yes you can, I saw it)

Heading to Rock Sound either today or tomorrow, a front is coming through as I write.

To Staniel

Emerald Bay to Staniel Cay

We spent two days in Emerald Bay, got caught up on laundry and rented a car to drive past the Tropic of Cancer.  The girls were very nervous about dad driving a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side, but got pretty excited when they called shotgun, and were able to sit in the drivers seat. 

We saw the former production facilities of Morton Salt and went to a pub where Curt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Orlando Bloom and Jonnie Depp hang out.  Curt and Goldie’s house is pretty nice.  Michelle did not take a picture because she wasn’t certain that it wasn’t a resort. 

We went to Tropic of Cancer beach and danced on the line.  Really beautiful. 

The Furthest South we are going(Craig went Further South)

We left Emerald Bay for the sail to Little Farmers and we had a turn in luck.  We put up the cruising spinnaker and wrapped it around the forstay once, twice, and three times.  I spent about 45 minutes to the point of exhaustion working to get it down.  By the time I did this I was feeling faint and dehydrated with a torn spinnaker and jib (yes the tangled mess cut the jib badly).  We picked up a mooring ball in little farmers and relaxed. I went to bed early. 

Little Farmers was a totally different place than when the festival was occurring.  There were five boats, instead of the 117 when we were there.  I can understand now how overwhelming the festival must be from the local viewpoint.  The population of Bahamians I would guess quadruples the normal population, and cruisers double or triple that number.   We went lobstering again, and again no lobster.

We went to Black Point next, which we had skipped on the way down.  It is a nice little settlement which boasts what I believe is the nicest laundry mat in the world (yes, that matters a lot to us). 

The girls went to Black Point school, and tutored children there.  This is their story:

Hannah

Black Point School

            The other day we were in Black Point and they needed some help around the school. Myself, Emily, Mrs. Tellup, Christine and Erin volunteered. When we arrived at the school the teacher, Ms. McKenzie, grabbed five of the students and sent us into an empty classroom. We all chose a child to work with. I chose a little boy named Brian and we got right to work. First we did reading. I had him read a book so I could get an idea of what level he was at. Brian was in first grade yet he could barely read. He struggled with the th sound and got his d’s and b’s confused. I taught him that the little case d was good because he faced the upper case D and that the little case b was bad because he didn’t face the upper case B. He didn’t struggle so much after that. Then we did math. I had him do addition and subtraction using little blocks and building and tearing down towers. And then at the end I read him the story of Jack and the Bean Stock because he did so good. I had a lot of fun and it was a great experience.

Emily

Tutoring Children At Black Point

            We heard from some other cruisers that Black Point school takes volunteers. In Georgetown we made books for the little kids. That was when we got the idea that we wanted to help out. When we got to Black Point we talked to the lady in charge of the book making and asked here if we could help out in the school. She was thrilled that she had some volunteers for the school. She said to be at the school at nine to help. Erin, Christine (Sheet Music), Hannah and I all went to help. Michael wasn’t to thrilled with the idea so he stayed behind. When we arrived at the school the teacher basically handed over the little ones that needed help with reading and math. We didn’t mind to much. We decided to do it individually with each of us with a little kid. I sat down with a second grade boy named Ashton. He was really sweet and he liked math way more than reading. The teacher gave us blocks to help them with count in math. Ashton kept wanting to build towers with them. I tried to teach him easy ways to do math in his head and he got it pretty fast. When we would read little books he had a lot of trouble with the TH the CH and the SH. I Had to read the really simple books with him. I think he was ADHD because kept tapping his fingers on the table and wondering off if he was an ant or something. He was a sweet kid and his little island accent was adorable. Toward the end I gave him math problems like 6+2 and he would work them out with his wooden Christmas colored blocks. When it was time for them to go back to class he gave he a small hug and walked back to his classroom. When we left the school Erin, Christine, Hannah an I all went to buy a bag of skittles to reward ourselves.

More Trouble

We then realized that the generator had gone out.  I was very proud of myself when I read the wiring diagram, diagnosed the problem and installed one bypass wire passed a bad connection.  We started it up and viola, power, and a whole bunch of water, salt water. The wet exhaust elbow had failed, and caused the electrical problem.  We order the part out of Miami, and had it delivered to Staniel Cay, our next stop, and the only place other than Georgetown you can get a part like this. 

Unfortunately I did not being a 10mm stubby open end wrench with, which would be necessary to complete the job.  I had been talking with Jubilee, a boat cruising in the area who’s owners are friends with my parents.  Their friends, on Greenstone, were anchored two boats away from us and he had the exact tool I needed.  Amazing.  With the correct tool, not adjustable pliers, the part came off with ease.  It is difficult to live with a family of 4 on the same amount of electricity that your car generates in a 3 hour trip but we managed. 

The big front is came through with winds in the 25-30 knot range, and we were held up for several days.  We took a trip to an island with a sand bore on it, they are just beautiful.

I also found a pesky water leak at the very back of the boat, so we have a dry bilge as of this writing.

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