s/v-Ihana

Saturday, February 8, 2014

More pictures from the Exumas

Highborne Cay

Chris on Rag Doll

Rainbow after the squall, Shroud Cay

Joanie & Keith, up a lazy river - Shroud Cay

Low tide on Shroud Cay

Beach, up the river on Shroud Cay

Shroud Cay

Tidal river on Shroud Cay

Friday, February 7, 2014

Life, down the Exuma chain of cays

We left HIghborne Cay Marina after 4 nights. Expensive but wonderful. Since then:

Traveled with our two buddy boats to Shroud Cay. Easy trip, only about 20 miles (finally, short distances!). – Two nights there on a mooring ball.

We are now in the Exuma Cays Sea and Land Park. They have mooring balls in many locations; some reservable a day ahead, others first-come-first-served. No phone or Internet access there, of course. We spent a day taking our dinghy up tidal creeks (only deep enough at high tide) for several miles into the interior of Shroud Cay – it is sort of a bunch of cays with these rivers between them. Absolutely beautiful. And what pretty beaches!

Then yesterday we moved about 17 miles to Warderick Wells, the HQ of the ECS&L Park. Got to sail for over an hour without the engine! Then it was tack all day, or run the engine and go straight upwind (as usual) – guess which. On another mooring ball here. Some Internet, no phones, water, outhouses, supplies, fuel – just a ranger station and many mooring balls.

Yesterday (Thursday), while picking up their mooring ball, Joanie on our buddy boat (sv-Pelican) injured her thumb severely – got it caught between the line on the mooring ball and a dockline. They got a ranger to take them by fast motorboat, 20 miles to Staniel Cay where they flew to Nassau. She had 8-9 fractures in her thumb; got through the surgery okay yesterday at the hospital in Nassau and is doing well (considering …). They will stay in Nassau – for observation – until Monday morning. Hopefully they will be back here (Warderick Wells) sometime late Monday.

We (Ihana) and our other buddy boat (Rag Doll) will be taking care of their boat – charging batteries, etc. So we are here at least for the next 3 days. But what a beautiful place to be in!

Today we (Ihana & Rag Doll) hiked up Boo Boo Hill, the highest point of land on the cay. All you could see in any direction was more cays, ocean, the Exuma Banks, lots of masts, and the ranger station.

Dinner last night on our boat with the Rag Dolls; sundowners together again tonight. It is sure nice to be traveling with other boats – we get to share supplies, boat-sit when necessary, and especially have Keith and Joanie (who have been here to the Exumas before) to plan the tours and decide the best places to visit, anchor or moor at, get supplies, etc.

It's interesting traveling like this – supplies (like food, water, diesel) are few and far between. We wonder when we will run out; rationing some of it; sharing when necessary. Should be okay when we get to Staniel Cay – it's only 20 miles away, and has everything we really need, and restaurants! Looks like the weather is holding – February so far turned out to be a lot nicer than January.

Meanwhile, more buddy boats: Laurence and Joan (Tranquillity) are past Eleuthera and probably on Cat Cay, and plan to be in George Town by Monday (or thereabouts). Frank & Diane (Utopia) made the crossing from Miami to Bimini yesterday; they are planning to make the next jump to Nassau tomorrow and the next day.

So, here's the fleet: Ihana & Rag Doll – here at Warderick Wells. Pelican – boat here, crew in Nassau. Tranquillity – nearing George Town. Utopia – in Bimini, bound for Nassau. Spread out all over.

Pictures – we have lots of good ones. Will upload as Internet permits.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Update - where we are going next

We are at Highborne Cay in the Exumas. Leaving this morning (Tuesday). Plan to
spend the next 2 nights at Stroud Cay, in the Exuma Cay Land and Sea
Park, probably on a moooring on the west side. Traveling with Eden &
Chris (sv-Rag Time). 2 other boats - Joanie & Keith (sv-Pelican) and
Marjie & David (sv-PartnerShip) will probably leave here and stop one
night at Normans Cay, then rejoin us the next night. We had 4 boats =
4 couples for sundowners tonight on PartnerShip, here in Highborne Cay
Marina. -
Well, that's what I think we all decided, with 8 people talking at once.
Laurence & Joan: if you cross over before Cat, come join us
working our way down the Exumas.
Also, Diane & Frank (sv-Utopia) plan to make the crossing from
Miami to Bimini on Wednesday; they are playing catch-up.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Meanwhile, back in Minnesota

Joe and Alice de la Cova put this picture up on Facebook on January 30.

That's our driveway and other boat in the background.

Cays, Beaches, Buddies, Lobsters, Plans

We're still here at Highborne Cay. Too beautiful to leave. Borrowed a couple of bicycles and toured the ride-able roads on the island (i.e. a mile or so). Then just sitting at the beach, enjoying the shade.

sv-Rag Doll (Chris & Eden) rejoined us here yesterday. Hung out all afternoon, bought 3 big lobsters from a guy on the dock, had a wonderful lobster grilled dinner on Ihana. Good friends, good company, good conversations.

sv-Pelican (Keith & Joanie) have been anchored at Allens Cay (about 4-5 miles away), the whole time we have been here in the marina, as were the Rag Dolls. K&J will dinghy over today, and the six of us will enjoy the $18 hamburgers and fries for lunch, at the upscale Xuma Restaurant here at the marina.

We will probably head out tomorrow, bound for Stroud Cay (mooring balls!) in the [Bahamas] Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park about 15 miles south of here. Might even be able to sail there!

Expect that we will again be out of Internet range for a few days after today.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Pictures - Highborne Cay in the Exumas

Our first stop in the Exumas after leaving Nassau. Extremely beautful and extremely expensive. Marina, a small store, great places to hang out and swim (except for where the sharks are). We will stay here for couple of days.