Pictures - Atlantis Resort and Aquarium, Paradise Island, Nassau

Conch shells on fishing boat, Nassau

Nassau Harbour from the bridge to Paradise Island

Megayachts at Atlantis Marina

These fenders are almost bigger than our boat ...

Atlantis Resort from the marina

"Art", in the Atlantis Casino

Pictures - the Utopians

Our buddy boaters - Frank & Diane of sv-Utopia. In Nassau.

Pictures - Black Point anchorage, Exumas

people on the dock

Anchorage - at happy hour

Anchorage - at night. Those white spots are anchor lights.
Trying to find our boat while in our dinghy.  Whoa!

Anchorage - daytime.  Part of the 50 to 70 boats anchored here.

Home

pictures by Evan Barshack - our home in Minnesota, February 2014.

Nassau

    We got back to Nassau the day before yesterday.  Second day of fairly smooth seas, except for the last 1-1/2 hours as the water got rough where the shallowish Exuma Bank meets the open, deep ocean.  90+ miles in two days, from Black Point back to Nassau.

   Of course, the Rayfrigginmarine Wheel Pilot decided to pack it in, so I had to hand-steer the boat when the seas got rough. Almost forgot how. Fortunately, I found the loose wires the next day and got it working again. Good thing, too - since I really didn't want to have to run on manual all the way back to Florida (about 160 miles, including crossing the Gulf Stream). Nearest Raymarine repair place: Fort Lauderdale.

   One of our buddy boats, sv-Utopia, i.e. Frank and Diane from last year, is here at the same marina in Nassau. They will be here for possibly a couple of weeks - their Yamaha 10hp outboard is having problems and they need to get it fixed before they head down the Exuma chain. Repairs here in the Bahamas are pretty typical of everything here, where people are on island-time, repair parts and supplies are in the USA,  and sometimes things get done.  Laid back is nice, unless you need something - like service, parts, provisions, fuel. Oh, well - that's the beauty of camping out.

   Yesterday we took some buses (with F&D) to see the famous Caves here on the island.  It was HOT and I was getting heat-stroked.  [Note: Commenting but not complaining about the heat; I save my serious pissing and moaning for winter when it really needs it.]  Took a big rum drink and two Kalik beers to put me back together.  We stopped on the way back for a Fish Fry, and had cracked conch (deep fried) with fries (ditto), and of course a couple of beers.  It was pouring rain, so we took a bus back.  Got some water in thru an open portlight; Ilona did laundry this AM so all is well and dry.

Today's breakage and repair report - 1. Wheel Pilot. See above. 2. about a dozen other fairly small and unimportant projects, all of which are not critical and can wait until we get back to the USA.

Today I'm enjoying not having to dinghy ashore for anything - marina is nice, if old (read: needs work). It has a fresh-water swimming pool - no coral to snorkel, but refreshing.  Across the street is a shopping center with a Byerly's Class Fresh Market.  I really appreciate civilization for a change.

The Pelicans stopped by - flew into Nassau for a checkup and uncasting.  They are back on their boat in Black Point by now, then bound for Eleuthera today.  The Rag Dollars were last seen at Little Farmers Cay; they may head north or south next - maybe Georgetown.  The Tranquillitys said they have been tossed around enough in Georgetown Harbor, and may be headed back north sometime.  We really miss them already, but are hooked up with the Utopians for a few days.

Sometime we will head back to Florida.  About 110 miles to Bimini (marinas! provisions! fuel! restaurants!), so we will probably anchor overnight on the Banks which means we will wait until we have Force 1 or less for 2 days (Chris Parker: we are placing an order - can you get this for us?).  Then we hang out again in Bimini until we get a really nice smooth enjoyable weather window to cross the Gulf Stream.  We have plenty of time; remember:  Safety, Comfort, Pleasure.

Even if we get back to Florida, there is lots to do there - we have our camper, and friends and relatives to crash with all over the state while waiting for winter to end so it will be safe to go home to Minnesnowta.

Finally got good Internet - free and in the Fresh Market.  Beats paying for service here which only works sometimes.

Pictures from the Exumas

photos by Chris & Eden, sv-Rag Doll.  Winter 2014.

Chris & Eden on sv-Rag Doll

Update – finally got better Internet

Update – finally got better Internet.  Here are several days reports, all at once:

Compass Cay Marina - A partly-rough day. Winds around 18+, but since we were on the Bahama Bank we had only 2' waves. First rolly on the beam, then poundy on the nose. No sailing. It was only for a few hours, 17 miles.  Really tight, windy, poorly marked channel into the marina. Then (as is becoming usual), the marina dockhands could not communicate which slip we were going into – so we rigged all fenders and all docklines on all sides (we always do this now; never can tell when the landing spot will change at the last minute – don't dockhands understand what it is like to enter an unfamiliar marina?).

Beautiful island, as usual.  The marina was expensive, filled with megayachts which did block the wind for us. We stayed 2 nights, sitting out some really strong westerly winds.  This marina seemed to want to collect as much money as possible while providing as little services as possible.  No electricity (or $50 per day!!!), did have metered water (ok), tied up in a short space on a face dock.  No groceries, but they did grill hamburgers ($15) which were delicious.  This is a place for (big) boats to hang out; totally protected marina.  Great maybe if you have unlimited money and have everything you will ever need on your big boat.  Won't be back.

Staniel Cay – Only 12 miles this time.  Really smooth today. Staniel is a big tourist place; many boats, many fly-in tourists.  One yacht club – i.e. a restaurant with fairly good food. We enjoyed a Valentine's Day dinner, with Chris & Eden of sv-Rag Doll.

When we arrived, we were planning to head up into the crowded anchorage between Big and Little Majors Cays – to be protected from the big westerly blow the next day. The yacht club didn't want any boats on their open-to-the-west docks (although they didn't seem to worry about megayachts – we were too little money?).  But we passed some open mooring balls, right besides Thunderball Grotto. $20 per night! We hooked one.  Sat out strong winds there, but the holding was excellent!

This grotto is where part of the James Bond movie Thunderball was filmed.  The hideout of the bad guy, I think. Too rough for us to swim in at low tide with slack current, because of the big waves coming at us.  We can rent the movie for $2 anyway.

Provisioning – We have been running out of almost everything.  Out of fresh food; living off canned goods and the occasional hamburger ashore.  Low on diesel, dinghy gasoline, groceries. Batteries running low all the time.

At Staniel, we finally got diesel and gasoline and some groceries – first real resupply in 100 miles and many days.  Two nights here. Dinghying to shore, several times. But here comes Black Point next:

Black Point Settlement on Great Guana Cay – Only 11 miles this time, force 1 = really smooth 2 hour trip.  Caught up with sv-Pelican here.  Wonderful anchorage – protected from all but west winds, and we were supposed to have strong but easterlys for the next several days.  Anchored in 11 feet of water over good-holding sand.  Really set the anchor well this time.  Caught a ride ashore with Joanie and Keith (Pelican), for beers and walks. They will buy dinner for us tonight at Lorraine's Café – with the Rag Dolls who are supposed to come here today from Staniel.

Last night the easterly’s came in – in the dark, as usual. Around 10 pm, in the dark (but full moon).  Set the anchor alarm, watched our track on the chartplotter for awhile.  We actually did not drag overnight! Winds up to 18 knots in the gusts. We swung (swinged?) around a lot – our short-keel boat loves to dance when at anchor. Some bouncing overnight. But since we were off a weather shore, in shallow water, the waves were tolerable.

I slept very well. We checked our position every couple of hours. No dragging, no problem.

Today we plan to dinghy ashore, do some Internetting, and finally do laundry for the first time since Nassau, 100 miles and 3 weeks ago. First real laundromat since Nassau.  Lots of boaters here. There are about 4-5 loads of people ahead of us.  Expect we will spend the whole day here, waiting our turn for washing clothes, showers (finally!).  Have WiFi though.  Beautiful place, and no rolling when we are on shore.

Expecting winds up to 22 knots today (Monday) and tomorrow, then dropping to around 14-ish or 18? for the rest of the week. Maybe. Fortunately they are from the east.  We will probably start heading back north later this week, if the winds cooperate.  Don't want to go on the outside (east side) of the Exumas in the deep Exuma Sound; would have to make a long 30-40 mile run out there to get to Georgetown, and we are tired of anchoring.

Really like this town – it's the real Bahamas.  Not a much of a tourist destination; people actually live here. Lots of boats anchor here.  Us too.  Could stay a long time, but will be awful when the next westerly winds come in.  As usual, we have a few good calm days, and many days with clocking strong winds.

I'm sitting at a picnic table now, in the cooling wind and shade – overlooking the anchorage.  I can see about 35 boats, mostly sailboats, but there is lots of room here. Beautiful day.