Southern Movement – Marsh Harbor to Eleuthera!

Southern Progress – Marsh Harbor to Eleuthera!

Friday, Jan 10 through Wednesday, Jan 15

Friday, January 10 – Well, actually before we dive into Friday, there is one left-over piece of business from Thursday, January 9. We got our blog for Thursday posted (using the internet at Snappa's, with fruit punch, as usual), just in time to make the 2^nd half of a cruisers' happy hour over at the Jib Room. It was fun seeing cruisers that we had met and seen various places during our time in the Bahamas so far, and even Gary and Janie (Dream Catcher), who we worked with in Annapolis, and George and Alison (Wyvern III), who we met in Tangier!

When we got back to the boat from that, however, we found that the shackle had fallen off one of our dinghy hoist lines – arg!! No shackle, no hoisting the dinghy! A repair session ensued, with that shackle replaced and the shackles on both hoist lines seized, which they had not been. Hopefully no more missing shackles (there at least!).

Here is Fred leaning off the end of the boat, in the dark, fixing the shackle:

Fred replacing missing shackle

On Friday, Jan 10, we got up early, listened to Chris Parker (weather), and were thrilled to hear nothing negating our plans to head south today! We had been planning the next leg south with cruising friends Guy and Peeka (Tina) and Wyvern III, and agreed we would go as far as the Little Harbour area today on the ESE wind, probably anchoring at Lynyard Cay. The next day, Saturday, we would hole up with winds strong out of the south -- not a good day to continue on to Royal Island, Eleuthera; then we would go through Little Harbour cut and down to Royal Island on Sunday. Bye for now, Marsh Harbour! See you mid-February, when we return to pick up Anneke and Eli, who will be flying into the Marsh Harbour airport!

This was a fun sailing day, with much careful navigating around reefy areas and shifting sands. It felt great to be sailing again, the water so beautiful:

Sailing around the other side of Marsh Harbour

As we got near the North Bar Channel, we sailed for a bit parallel to a line of reefs over which Atlantic waves were breaking. Even where we were, the water was pretty lively, and there were clearly reefs in the water.

Between North Bar Channel and Sandy Cay

Are we sure this water is deep enough? The chart says it is … OK, deep breath … forge ahead!!!

Soon we were anchored off Lynyard Cay, where Tina was already anchored, and Wyvern III on their way. Looking east at Lynyard Cay, where Guy and Pika were walking on the beach:

Lynyard Cay

We went ashore to explore a bit. Looking back (west) at Aviva on anchor:

Aviva on anchor off Lynyard Cay

Fred standing in front of the fascinatingly pitted and eroded rocks:

Fred on the Rocks -- Lynyard Cay

The water on the windward shore was much rougher than the leeward side where we were anchored:

Lynyard Cay, waves breaking on the rocky shore

Lynyard Cay, east (Atlantic) side

The plants growing onshore were mostly succulents – apparently the snails thought they were succulent, too!

Looking back at Aviva again, the sky darkening ominously:

Sky darkening over Aviva

A bit of beach combing looking for shells also turned up some chitons in the rocks:

Chiton and snail neighbors

Dorothy's shells:

A few small shells collected ... complemented by the orange croc!

We returned to the boat and just in time … we were soon hit with the strongest squall we have seen yet, with winds that were surely over 40 knots, and buckets of rain. (In fact, speaking of buckets, we should have collected some of that rain water into buckets!) Tina dragged about 600 feet, and Wyvern III, still sailing, got a long tear in their main. We were OK.

Saturday, January 11 – Let's see, what were we fixing today … wait, nothing broke today! So instead, Dorothy “fixed” lasagna, and Fred “fixed” salad!! Wyvern III mended their torn main, and Tina scoped out alternative anchorages for the night, with strong winds expected, shifting from S to SW, clocking around in advance of a cold front due to pass mid-day Sunday. We all moved over to off Great Abaco near Bridges Cay, endured another few rounds of squalls (not as strong as yesterday), had a fun dinner together, and early to bed all, anticipating tomorrow's passage through Little Harbor Cut into the Atlantic Ocean, and down to Royal Island.

Our new anchorage:

Grand Abaco Island anchorage

A rainbow after the squalls:

Rainbow after squalls

We noticed that a few more boats had joined us over here … queueing up for Little Harbor Cut in the morning.

Dinner with our friends George, Guy, Pika and Alison - a wonderful 'Dorothy Lasagna'

Sunday, January 12 – First light was beautiful as we weighed anchor and got moving, the other boats in the area doing the same.

Getting started at first light

Dawn broke as we were heading toward Little Harbor Cut, and the water began to get choppy.

Choppy water near Little Harbor Cut at dawn

Tina and two other boats ahead of us, we were the 4^th boat through the cut, with four more behind us. The water was lively, and we were hobby-horsing some, but it wasn't too bad. There were breaking waves to both sides of us, on reefs to the north and shore to the south, but the cut itself, though “lively,” was very passable.

Little Harbor Cut passage

For about a third of the 49-nm passage from Little Harbor Cut, the swells and chop remained strong, 5-7'. With seas so high and wind nearly on the nose, we motor-sailed to keep our time up, to ensure a daylight arrival. Gradually the seas calmed down, and we were able to go engine-free for a few hours, but at a cost, namely we had to steer slightly downwind of the course we wanted in order to carry the sails. Then as the wind died in anticipation of the front, then shifted to the west and very quickly to the north, we found ourselves on a dead run, and had to turn to the Iron Jenny again to get back on course and keep moving. We'd rather sail, but sometimes you need a little help from your friend, Iron Jenny.

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At least the front was a dry one!

As we approached Egg Island, we had some jitters about going between Egg and Little Egg, so we went around. The boats behind us all went through – sigh – we are sure, in retrospect, that it would have been fine. We reached Royal Island and anchored before dark, as we had hoped, Wyvern III and Tina already there.

Monday, January 13 – Wyvern III and Tina got an early start for Current Cut, going through to Hatchet Bay, then planning to continue down Eleuthera, and over to the Exumas. Our plan was slightly different – to visit Spanish Wells, Harbour Island, then go through Fleming Channel and straight down to the Exumas. We hung around Royal Island Bay for the morning, and were just getting ready to go when Dave of Zingara called to say they had caught a 30+-pound mahi as they were sailing down yesterday, and would we like some? Would we! We stowed it away right next to the freezer plate, and gave Dave a little Vermont maple syrup in thanks. What a treat to look forward to! Then we started the engine in preparation to sail over to Spanish Wells … no blower! Well, it had been a couple of days since anything broke!! We opened the engine compartment for airflow, and sailed on over to Spanish Wells in very light wind, with just the jib, pinching … with another trouble-shooting adventure awaiting us.

The entrance channel to Spanish Wells looks scraggly:

Channel marker at entrance to Spanish Wells at low tide

But as soon as you get inside, it is quite a sight:

Spanish Wells Harbor

Wild on one side:

Spanish Wells, Charles Island

Docks, fishing boats, repair facilities, etc, on the other:

Fishing boats, Spanish Wells

We picked up a mooring for the night:

Mooring in Spanish Wells

Dorothy biking Spanish Wells

And had a nice sunset with dramatic skies:

Sunset drama, Spanish Wells

Sunset Spanish Wells

Sunset, Spanish Wells

Tuesday, January 14 – Up very early, Dorothy listened to Chris Parker while Fred tested the blower, which worked. Dorothy found and tested the 10A fuse, which was good. Fred pulled apart butt connectors en route to the blower, reconnected them, and retested, and that did it – a connection had gone bad. Blower issue resolved by 10 am!! We had planned to take the Fast Ferry to Harbour Island today, but the freight ferry, rather than the fast ferry, runs on Tuesdays, and leaves very little time on the island. So we hired water and land taxi service from Pinder's, to be able to spend the day there.  On the way out, we passed Aviva on her mooring:

Aviva on mooring, Charles Island in background

We saw the pink sand beach of Harbour Island – it really is pink!

And the water, and the sky … just beautiful!

We walked around Harbour Island, looking at shops, galleries, cemeteries, etc. Interesting use of bottles to build a wall:

Bottle wall, Harbour Island

An avian resident of Harbour Island:

Cemetery:

School:

Just about the same time we were leaving Harbour Island, a car ferry was leaving. This was a ONE car ferry! Here it is, just about to unload in Spanish Wells:

Car ferry

It is run by a Mennonite man. Today he had two of his children helping. His son handled the lines, very capbly casting off and tying up. His daughter looked younger, and stuck by her father's side. But as they were heading back to Harbour Island, we were amused to see the little daughter driving, turning that big wheel, chest height for her.

Another quick dash through Spanish Wells to see the Quilt Shop, uncertain of tomorrow's plans:

It is just a small building, one room. It was closed, but I snapped a picture through the window:

An English silk tree, related to the kapok tree, with amazing roots and spiky thorns:

Wednesday, January 15 – A final visit to Spanish Wells, to do laundry, visit the museum, and post the blog!

Fred at Spanish Wells laundromat (one washer, one dryer in a shed behind grocery)

Spanish Wells Museum -- fascinating history of settlement and fishing industry

Beach north side of Spanish Wells, near low tide

Spanish Wells Junkanoo cart

Next stop – back to Royal Island, with protection from the north, as a cold front is coming through tonight/tomorrow. Then we will be heading south to the Exumas … you'll be hearing from us again soon!

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