|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 to11 June 2006
Click on picture to
enlarge image. Click Back to return to text |
|
 |
|
"Remember cruisers, this is the
squally season." So speaks our weather guru Chris Parker over his morning
radio net. And boy, has he been right. Continuous cloud cover and watching
out for the next big one which could bring heavy wind from any direction.
The really big one in our calendar caught us in a very tidal anchorage at
Big Farmer's Cay one our way to meet Simon in Nassau. With the current
pushing us one way, and the wind the other, we ended up beam on to 43 knots.
The boat was heeling at 20°, rain in absolute torrents.
Once we could see our way out we headed into the pounding seas of Exuma
Sound, (the Atlantic), dressed in full foul weather gear and headed for
Nassau. Luckily we avoided any major squalls after the big one and made it
to Nassau with a day in hand.
As we are still avoiding using reverse due to the lack of a propeller
lock nut, we decided to anchor in Nassau Harbour rather than try to enter
the fairly tricky marinas there. (Too much current). Anchoring is also good
for the adrenalin. There is the current, switching direction every 12 hours,
a continuous wind through the harbour trying to do the opposite to the
current for 12 hours in every day and boats. Boats of every description
plying the waters and churning up a continuous wake.
Simon arrived in Nassau on 11 June, but without bag, which had been left
behind in Miami by Bahamasair. At least they managed to deliver the bag
later the same day so our trip to the Exumas was not delayed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Norman's
Cay, Exumas |
|
12 June 2006
Click on picture to
enlarge image. Click Back to return to text |
|
|
|
Simon saw the end of one batch of
squalls in the sense that our trip southeast to across the Bahamas Banks
back to the Exumas was overcast, quite rough and the wind was all wrong for
a good sail. We tacked south for a until well south of the coral heads of
the Yellow Banks, then decided to cut the day short and tack east to anchor
overnight in the lee of Highbourne Cay, a private island with an exclusive
marina in the north Exumas. The following day we headed to Norman's Cay.
As readers of our last season's missives may remember, Norman's Cay was once
the base of Carlos Leder, a notorious drug runner. Remains of his activities
still exist, including a partly submerged aircraft that didn't quite make
the runway. We snorkelled on the aircraft. (There's always the hope that we
might find that bag of drug money that the DEA and the thousands of cruisers
who have snorkelled it before have missed!). Quite interesting, but it would
be so much better if it were in 50 feet and diveable.
We visited Norman's Cay briefly last season and did not do it justice. We
spent two days exploring it with Simon and discovered what a stunning island
this is. The beaches of the outlying cays on the eastern shore are fabulous,
with fine white sand and all the colours of blue in the waters. Iza and
Simon kayaked the area while Geoff followed by dinghy.
Inside Norman's Cay is the ultimate hurricane hidey-hole, "The Pond."
Norman's Cay is horse-shoe shaped and has relatively high ground for the
Bahamas. Inside is this perfectly protected pond. However, the only way in
is through a very narrow, shallow rocky gap. If we were caught by an
impending storm in that area, we could barely navigate Dream On through
there at high tide, but it would still be safer than the alternatives. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shroud
Cay, Exumas |
|
June 13 2006
Click on
picture to
enlarge image. Click Back to return to text |
|
|
|
Shroud Cay is just south
of Norman's Cay and part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. This is another
that we missed out on last year. Having discovered it on our way south this
season it has become one of our favourites. Mangrove creeks navigable by
dinghy and kayak lead right through the island from the shallow banks on the
western shore, where Dream On was anchored, to the Atlantic. Only
superlatives can adequately describe the beaches on the Atlantic side.
Before we went exploring at Shroud, there was the matter of nuts. Propeller
nuts to be precise. Our prop shaft is metric and marine suppliers and
hardware stores in the US and Bahamas have never heard of metric. Also we
have been unable to accurately establish the thread size as we cannot send
off the only nut we have as a sample. We prevailed upon Iza's sister Anna
and husband Mark for assistance. They went to enormous efforts to find every
possible permutation of metric nut that might fit our prop shaft. Simon
carried these out for us, and our arrival at Shroud Cay heralded a calm,
beautiful Bahamas day. A perfect day to play with nuts. The anchorage we had
chosen on the northwest corner of the cay was very shallow, but all sand so
no problem if the boat sat on the bottom at low tide. When we dived, we
could actually stand on the sand to work on the prop. But, unfortunately,
none of the new nuts fitted. So we are back to one nut and a hose clip yet
again. We explored the northern mangrove creeks and beaches, then moved
Dream On to the southwestern corner of Shroud and explored the southern
creeks and beaches. We believe that Simon was duly impressed with our choice
of itinerary. Simon, not previously known as a great fish eater, was was
also impressed with meals of gourmet marinated trevally with couscous and
gujons of freshly caught blue fish in tartare sauce. Within minutes of
enjoying these tasty culinary delights, he decided that fishing was for him.
We had to keep reminding him that we didn't eat big barracudas, but he just
kept on catching them. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back to
Nassau |
|
17 to 18 June
Click on
picture to
enlarge image. Click Back to return to text |
|
 |
|
Sadly, Simon only had a week with
us, (that extra crew member to wind up the sails and haul up the anchor is
so useful), so all too soon, we had to weigh anchor at Shroud and head back
across the banks to Nassau. We sailed to start with and even managed to
launch Iza in the dinghy to attempt our first photos of Dream On under sail.
Then the wind started to drop. We tried to keep moving with a poled out
genoa, but this would have taken us 24 hours to reach Nassau, 40 miles away.
So, as on so many occasions, we ended up motoring the most of the way. As
the water was calm, we took the direct line over the Yellow Banks, an area
of coral heads that stand out very clearly on a calm bright day. Geoff
navigated around these by standing on the bow and running a slalom course
with the new wireless autopilot remote. Arriving in Nassau on 16 June,
still with an unreliable prop fix, we again decided to anchor in the
harbour. Many people are wary of this due to the strong currents and heavy
boat traffic. We are much more confident in anchoring there now and actually
enjoy the view across to the exclusive houses on Paradise Island and the
variety of passing boat traffic. Everything from inter-island ferries,
fishing boats, mega-yachts, jet-skis and noisy tour party boats.
Saturday 17th, we took Simon on a tour of Nassau, including a visit to
DHL to send our damaged Maxprop to Seattle for repair. Enjoyed lunch in
town, then crossed the harbour by ferry to Paradise Island and the Atlantis
Resort. Unfortunately the free access to the superb sea aquarium was
curtailed that day, maybe due to the vast hoards of cruise ship passengers
around. Our previous visits to Atlantis have been in the evenings when the
cruise ship passengers are all back on board enjoying their bingo! We have
been allowed free access to all the aquarium and beach side area on those
visits.
The Atlantis Marina is always a sight. This is where the big boats come.
This is the place to be seen if you have mega-bucks. If we did bring Dream
On into this marina, we get the impression they would try to hide us
somewhere for lowering the tone of the place!
!8 June, we deliver Simon back to Nassau airport for his return to UK and
return to a quiet empty boat.
"Come back Simon," says Geoff. "There was more food being served on board
when you were around."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
back to top |
|
|
|
Link to Simon's visit Photos |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
