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Easter Sunday began rainy as a front came through GT.  The wind clocked as always from the SE clockwise all the way back to SE. At this writing (4pm).  we got a lot of rain (for the bahamas)  Afterwards winds laid to about 8 knots.

SYL moved again….. We left Goat Cay and slow sailed back up the harbor as the sun popped back out.  We dropped anchor in Kidd Cove, the closest anchorage to town.  tomorrow I’ll go get our laundry and make a store run for milk and eggs.

YardsWhen we got settled I took out the rc sailboat and made a big round.  Winds were perfect and she sailed like a champ.  I ranged out 80 to 100 yards.  We are close to the dingy traffic going into GT, so it was fun having people be surprised by the “little boat” as everyone calls it.  The little boat looks nice in 6′ of Bahama water…. You can see the keel.  Looks like it’s floating in the air.

Linda made steaks, corn and green beans for dinner…. Scrumptuous!  My rc batteries are charged again so I’m off!

Rusty

Today started out much like yesterday.  When I woke up I looked out the bedroom window to see if the wind had changed…  had the boat held it’s position, had we moved and if so my first effort is to see why.  Normally we are exactly where I expect.  This morning was no exception….  we still had the same land and beach out the bedroom window.

Often I get coffee in bed, linda is always up early.  My natural wake up time seems to be about 7:45… she hears me yawn or make some noise and she checks on me to see if I want coffee or even breakfast if its ready.  After being pampered and sometimes a chapter or two of the current book…. I get up.  If I’m interested in the weather it comes on the GT cruiser net at 8AM so I’ll get up right away.

My first trip is always to the galley to check the battery levels and take the boat’s pulse.  I look at the level gauge showing how much fresh water we have, check the freezer to see how much ice we have, then I’ll ask Linda if she needs the generator for breakfast if we haven’t already eaten.  The convection oven needs AC power so if the batteries or Linda need the Honda, I crank it up and often run the ice maker or watermaker at the same time to best utilize the gas burn.  If it’s got to run, I generally activate as many amp users as I need to bring the boat to ship shape.  The only no-no is running the air conditioning and the oven at the same time.

We normally drop the salon dividers to keep the dew off the seats and table at night.  If they are down somebody rolls them up, me or Linda.  Sometimes the boat gets open by 7AM… sometimes its closer to 11AM if we don’t have sailing plans that day.

What goes in between daylight and dark are seldom scheduled as of late.  The big coming attraction is the Family Island Regatta.  Tomorrow is Sunday, boats will begin arriving in GT.  This year is set to be a big race in the “A” class and there is an expected favorite from Long Island in the “C” class…. a fairly new boat.  The races will go on all week. These boats are amazing. The largest class is limited to 21′ in length with a 63′ mast and a 45′ boom.  Pictures will no doubt be posted during the event.  Some of the favorite boats are “Lady Sonia”, Red Stripe” and “Tidal Wave” from Staniel Cay.

Today it was windy, gusts to 35 – 40 knots in the harbor.  I moved the boat a couple times to find a nice motion for the night.  I ran spot so people could see where we moved to.  We are tucked in tight behind Goat Cay inside the harbor.  It is supposed to go very light for the next 3 days.  Hopefully the Regatta won’t suffer without any wind but I expect that may be the case for at least some of the races.

Tomorrow if it does go flat… I may break out some snorkel gear and look around in this cove a bit. I see some big dark areas that may be a reef structure.  The big cove is very shallow.  I came in near low tide and saw 4′-1″, so its not a big boat hang out.  I’ve been in this cove many times.  This is the beach you go to to walk to the hardware store.  Its nice sized, tonight I see 5 other mast lights nestled in here.. out of the waves.  I guess the average depth is 6′ and the bottom is pure white sand.

The past 2 evenings we spent with “Cat’s Meow” playing games in the evening.  Thursday night we met on SYL and played Mexican Train, last night we learned a new game on their boat….. they didn’t know the name of it, but you get dealt 9 cards each.  We placed them face down in 3 rows of 3 cards like a block, turn 2 over and start the game.  The idea is to finish with the lowest points each hand.  We really liked it.  If anybody knows the name of this game share it with us.

We are listening to XM radio.  I wandered off the “Love Channel” temporarily and found channel 56….lol.  “Ranger Doug’s Classic Cowboy Corral”  it’s old time cowboy music.. even yodeling and a couple polkas…. lol.  Mostly it’s true old school cowboy music.  I can’t believe how much I am enjoying it.  Hank Williams Sr. is the most recent artist Iv’e heard.  It’s normally the “Willie Nelson Channel” tonight must be a special event but I’m loving it.  The music business was a much simpler world back then.  My brothers best friend in high school is the president of the CMA  “Country Music Association”.  It’s amazing how the business has changed in the past 15 years.  Back then it only took a voice and some luck… now it’s big business with lawyers and managers…. the “talent” that makes most of the money now are litigators.  Sad isn’t it where slick men is expensive suits took over the USA at almost every level.

The US has something like 5% of the worlds population and 95% of the worlds lawyers.  I don’t want to get on my soapbox… but today what is “right” is determined by what lawyers can most easily prove rather than right and wrong.  Generally a litigator with political aspirations well manages his own sense of reality… the more he can influence the masses to believe his “reality” the more power he garners.  Today we live and manage our lives to fit within what a lawyer says we can get by with in the US.  There are very few “statesmen” that stand on their honor and do what’s right for America…. it’s all about what will make himself more powerful.  Sad isn’t it.. that the simple life we 60 year olds grew up in is gone.  I keep looking for the pendulum to swing back to christian values… and there has been some of that, it makes me hopeful….  but not very.  It’s hard to put water back in the faucet after it’s out.  “Politics” is a word to spit out of your mouth these days.  OK…  I got on it..now I’m getting off my soapbox……

Sea Yawl Tomorrow, Rusty

Winds were a little too high to play with the RC sailboat yesterday.  We did go bobbing with “Cats Meow” yesterday… the water is a little cool but it was nice.  It was not effortless because the tide was going out quickly.. we had to reposition the boat several times, and the Chat-n-Chill beach is not nearly as good as Black Point.  I found several small starfish under the boat, but nothing more to talk about on that.  Actually I do have something else to say about the Chat-n-Chill.  This made the third evening in a row we pulled up to bob on the beach.  Normally we spend money at his establishment but not always.  This day the owner came by and said we could not come to his beach “every day”.   I don’t understand that… why wouldn’t he want people coming to spend money at his establishment.  Collectively in the 3 days we spent about $70 bucks on drinks, a burger, a tee shirt…. and he wants to make sure we don’t make a habit of it?…. OK I won’t.

One of the things that gives me the “reset” I need after living for others and abiding by endless… even ever changing rules on the job is the lack of rules or even a daily direction when I get on my boat.  Low stress, no fuss no muss…. hitting the space bar in my mind for hours on end.  When that changes I don’t accept it well.  Who ever heard of rules in the Bahamas….. come on..  We pay lots of money to every local inhabitant we deal with and that should be enough.. but apparently it’s not even here in the Bahamas… somebody’s got to break the calmness.  It was like shattering a crystal wine glass on the hard floor in the middle of an empty room.  OK, I’m over it now…. pretty much.  Back to that space bar I enjoy so much………………………………………….

SYL   Rusty

 5-18 noonish

I moved the boat, we were just below the monument (the highest precipice on Stocking Island) next to Cat’s Meow.  We were tucked in close to the beach and the boat was moving around way more than it should under the given conditions.  The issue was wind would pour around one side of the mount, then switch a bit so that apparent wind came around the other side of the hill.  In between those two changes it got fairly calm.  This cycle happened about every 5 minutes.  When it got calm the chain would slack.. then we were off in a new direction until we hit the end of the chain again.  It’s much better here (about 1/2 way to the Gripe-N-Overcharge… I mean Chat-N-Chill.

Linda and I are about to go for a dinghy ride here in the harbor….. Sea Yawl Later

We just got back from “town”  I took the big boat across the harbor, anchored out and dropped the dinghy.  I made 3 stops, the first to get rid of trash, second to drop off some dirty laundry, then to Minn’s water sports to buy 10 gallons of gas.  All 3 duties were accomplished pretty quickly but now that I look at the clock it’s 11:30… where does the time go?

The pictures Linda took of the CHAT-N-CHILL this morning are still our exact view.  We anchored back in the very same spot after the morning trip.  Visitors are starting to gather at the beach, looking for the stingrays that come and feed on conch trimmings from the conch bar.  There are always a family or two waiting for the stingrays to show up or petting them if they are already feeding.

We are developing a routine….. about 2:00 the last 2 days we ease over to the beach with SYL.. put her nose in the sand and bob around under the boat talking to passers by.  Today Don and Lavonne will join us from the boat “Cats Meow”.  Linda is making her famous Amish bread, I’ve got my RC sailboat batteries all charged up, life is good.  Iv’e done a couple long range sails with the model boat, the farthest is probably 2 miles all at once.  The funnest thing is sailing off the beach while we are swimming (bobbing) under the boat.

Not much to report, I have a some phone calls to make, then it’s off to the beach.  I found something that reminds me of home.. well of work anyway.  If I ever get to missing my job, I can get downwind of my generator and smell the fumes…… reminds me of my office back at work inside the refineries.  Life seems better somehow on the other side of the generator.  To be fair… I’d never be here if it wasn’t for being there.  You have to paddle hard before you can drift a while.. and be old enough to not owe everything you make to the bank.

Looking out the window… three families are playing with the stingrays, they must be having a regular stingray buffet over there.  The wind is up a bit today, not bad but probably 16 to 18.  There are very few clouds, the water temp is 76 degrees.. about the same as the air.  With the watermaker brought out of mothballs.. all systems are now officially up and running on SYL.  She’s still not as spotless as we like.. but it’s getting there.

A big thing that was added this year is a sun fly.  Mark and Julie designed and made it for us.  I really enjoy the way it’s made and functions.  Thanks Mark and Julie for such a good product.  It makes a big difference, not only the temperature improvement.. but the visual calmness it adds with the shade is equally as nice.  Fill up Second Star’s tank and come on to the Bahamas!

Sea Yawl Later !!  Rusty

I got this recipe from another cruiser our first year of cruising and I have used it ever since.  The recipe was given was for two loafs but this recipe is for one loaf.

Amish Bread

1 c warm water, 110 degrees

1/3 c sugar

1 pkg dry yeast or equivalent

3/4 t salt

1/8 c oil

3 cups bread flour

Dissolve sugar into warm water.  Sprinkle yeast on top ( I usually gentle stir to get yeast wet). Cover, put in warm place ( I put it in sun) and let proof ( it will look foamy).  After yeast is foamy, add salt and oil and gently, gently stir.  Add flour one cup at a time.  Knead and form ball.  Place dough in oiled bowl, cover place in warm place and let rise.  After dough has doubled, punch down knead just enough to form ball without air pockets and put in well oil pan either loaf or I use a round stainless steel pot ( I have the removable handle stacking pots and I use the 2 qt pot.  Cover and let rise (should double in size).  Place in preheat 350 oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown.  YUM!

We have been anchored at Monument Beach since we arrive in Georgetown.  We have also been reclusive since we arrive just regrouping.  Yesterday we decided to join the world again and moved SYL to the local cruiser hangout, Chat n Chill.  We beached SYL and I immediately went to my favorite place, under the boat.  Last time we were here they had just installed mooring balls on one side of the Chat n Chill and created quite a stir.  People had been staying at “their” spot for years and now they were going to charge you to hook to a mooring balls.  The cruising community was up in arms.  I guess because tensions were high when we beached SYL on the Chat n Chill beach we were told by “Elvis” ( the fella that runs the water ferry) that we couldn’t park there.  Rusty asked why we were any different from the other power boats and dinghy’s that were beached there and finally we were reluctantly allowed to stay for a few hours.  

This year it does not seem to be the cruiser hangout.  Most of the people we met had flown in and were staying at local hotels.  Also, we were treated ver differently and welcomed when we beached SYL.  My guess is that the cruisers to some extent may be boycotting Chat n Chill……I really don’t know.  But we decided to anchor close by since it would be easier to dinghy income Lake Victoria from here.  We were very energetic this morning.  I baked some more bread which we had with smoked Oysters and Wasabi and the traditional Feta Cheese,olive oil, seasoning and greek olives.  Yum!!  I cleaned the ice maker and another cabinet.  Rusty got the water maker working and we are now putting water in the tank.   

We haven’t been here since Rusty won the Georgetown Regatta in 2011.  They have a plaque in Chat n Chill with all the winners listed.  It was the first time we got to see it.  It was kind of cool to see Sea Yawl Later listed.  Rusty went to the St Francis today which is a resort in the same cove as the Chat n Chill and interestedly they had the winner of the Regatta as their entry……….I guess when you own the building you can create your own reality…..funny!

Last  night while Rusty and I were reading in our comfortable bed, Rusty turns to me and says, “When are you going to bake me some bread”.  I said, “Tomorrow”!  I frequently bake bread when we are on the boat but I rarely do it any other time………..that is probably a good thing!  We just demolished 3/4 of a loaf!   We continue to be kicked back.  Rusty has already finished his first book.  We listen to the morning net here at Georgetown that comes on the VHF every morning at 8:00pm.  They  give us the 6:30 am weather from Chris Parker for this area, welcome new cruisers, say bye to those leaving, local businesses make announcements, make taxi hook ups to the airport and in community news just express any needs.  Today we needed a tennis ball which was readily given to us and we had an extra dinghy gas can that we gave to some cruiser’s we have known from past years.  Rusty continues to work on his RC sailboat…I think he is having fun!

Linda here:  I LOVE organization, tidiness and above all clean.  I am pretty good at the clean part but I am lousy at the other two.  Ok, you are probably thinking….Let’s see she has finally arrived in paradise reaching the destination we are likely to be at for at least 10 days to two weeks and day 2 she is talking about organization.  Well, today I got up while Rusty was still snoozing. I don’t want to make any noise so I get on the net.  Rusty and I have been following Bumfuzzle.com pretty much since they started 10 years ago with their sailing blog.  They now are RVing with their family but I still keep up with them.  They are touring in a 27 ft Dodge Travco van.  Now this is a family of four and Pat has redone it completely but it is neat as a pin with two kids.  I have at least twice as much space on this cat and it looks like someone turned it upside down and righted it.  I  “organize”, clean, “organize” and even when I feel it is “organized” it still looks messy.  I have been an avid consumer my entire life and have always liked my “stuff”.  When we sold the “big house” I did get rid of a lot of “stuff”  but apparently not enough.  Man, it is hard for me to let go of my “stuff”.   I recognize I will never be a minimalist and really don’t strive to be but I sure would like to live in less clutter.  It is just real hard for me to decided what is “clutter” and what is not.  Erin, my daughter, married a year ago and is now pregnant and she regularly asked me can she have such and such and I say……I don’t have it anymore.  She has said, “Please don’t give anything else away without asking me first”.  So here I am, in paradise and still trying to figure out how to declutter.   But in the big scheme of things………….it is not such a big problem.

I never left from Blackpoint with the intention of making it all the way (51 miles) to Georgetown.  But I had an itch to to get closer since the last 15 miles must be off shore.  If it was to be a challenging finish I didn’t want to have to weave through all the shallows before going off shore all on the same day.  We left Blackpoint about 10:00am and to our amazement there was still a little North left in the wind so sailing down the Exumas was quite easy.  We expected the wind to be on our nose Saturday and Sunday but it wasn’t.

Linda and I decided to sail until it became uncomfortable or late.  It never got uncomfortable and we enter Georgetown Harbor at 6:30pm.

Our shallow water work was fast and easy with the ENE winds at about 12 knots.  We zipped through Little Farmers and comfortably passed Big Galliot.  Favorable winds stayed with us as we passed Cave Cay and found the narrow passage around the sandbars the precedes Musha Cay.  The Explorer Charts are an absolute MUST for sailing the backwaters of the Bahamas.

Interesting information about Musha Cay.  It is owned by the famous magician, David Copperfield.  We have watched it being developed over the years.  We understand that many of the islands are own by celebrities but none have been developed to the level of Musha Cay.  There are several large homes on the island and it comes equipped with various boats, jet ski’s, hobi cats and every water toy imaginable.  It can be yours for a week for a paltry sum of $350,000.  I doubt it is BYOB.  We were told my a sailor in Blackpoint that Copperfield had a full size grand piano made out of stainless stell with a mermaid seated on the piano bench and is submerged in 15 feet of water.  We were given the coordinates (N 23-52.163  W 076-14.157)  We plan on taking a day trip after the Family Regatta and after the water warms up a bit to go snorkeling on what is sure to be an amazing site. Right now the water is cool and takes a bit getting use to.  Plus the wind is still fairly cool so the fun water time is to come.

Leaving Musha Cay we decided to stick our nose outside at Rudder Cut to check the sea state.  It is always rough going through the cut but today the wind and current were traveling in the same direction so it was pretty calm for a cut.  Initially the winds were due east by now so we had enough wind to fill the sail, but just barely.  The swells were only two feet and as the waves and the wind came around to the SE the sails came down and we motored 30 miles with long, slow waves off our port bow.

As we approached Georgetown the swells picked up to 4ft, then 5ft and occasionally 6ft.  These waves were slow, rolling swells with long intervals so they did not present a problem.  The wind continued to clock to the SE but dropped off so we motored all the way in at 6 knots.  Much of our inside work was slow because we didn’t intend to make the full passage so we just meandered along.  A very enjoyable day.  We don’t normally do 30 miles outside in the Atlantic Ocean but conditions were light which made it doable and much more direct.

As soon as we entered the harbor we saw old friends on Cats Meow.  It was fun to see them.  We dropped anchor, got into the dinghy and said a quick hello.

We are here!

Sea Yawl Later!!