Jumentos

We have had a great couple of days. Finally made it south to the Jumentos, and we are anchored in a deep little bay with a pretty white beach within swimming distance. Had a fishing boat keeping us company until this morning, and a couple of guys came over to say hello (and hablar espanol as they came from the Dominican Republic). Later they returned with the most enormous crayfish and a large grouper for which they received a bottle of rum. Actually they asked for beer but we're running a bit short! So we have been making pigs of ourselves. Although sheltered in here it is blowing hard outside, and the best snorkelling is too exposed. Still, we've found a few nice spots and the water is lovely and clear.

CIRCULAR TOUR

Having waited for four days for squall-free weather with reasonable winds, we eventually set off at dawn on Friday heading southwards to a chain of small islands, the Jumentos. They are considered 'off the beaten track' in our cruise guide - solitude, beauty, lots of fish, and only the local fishermen for company. Sounded good after an overdose of Georgetown and the Cruiser's Regatta. When chatting to other cruisers about our plans we found out that the much shorter 'inner' banks route wasn't as shallow as the charts showed and would be fine for our 7ft draft except at low tide. That proved to be the case though we made sure we were on a rising tide as we crossed the shallowest part. We were following a channel across miles of very shallow sand flats which were the most gorgeous shade of pale turquoise, the colour reflecting on the white clouds and turning the edges of them pale green. The only thing apart from rippling sand visible through the clear water were scattered fan corals swaying in the direction of the tidal current.

Just before dusk we were anchored off Flamingo Cay with about 8 other boats - part of the mass exodus from Georgetown (there were 400 sailboats there during the regatta). Then .... we noticed an oily liquid sprayed all over the engine, and when we started it up again more spray. So after 12 hours of sailing Geoff was down in the engine room trying to diagnose the problem - a defunct fresh water pump, it was the coolant spraying out. No spare on board, so the only option was to sail (no motoring) back to Georgetown where we had internet access, phones, and plenty of people to ask for advice.

Next morning, Saturday, found us on our way again, but this time via the 'outside' route, 160 nautical miles compared to 65. The only safe option with no motor. At times we had 2km of water under us instead of 3m! All was well until night fell, then we had the wind on our nose and were beating into an increasingly choppy sea on a very dark cloudy night. Wind changes plus the push of the waves made us tack unintentionally several times; very hard work for Geoff who had to winch in the genoa twice each time to get us back on course. Not much sleep for either of us and we were very glad when morning came, and we reached a waypoint where we could change course and get on a fast beam reach. Things got better still when we caught a large (6.2kg) schoolmaster snapper, one of our favourite fish for eating.

And so, on Sunday afternoon, we gently and quietly anchored under sail in almost the same spot that we had been in three days before. By Monday afternoon a new pump had been located in the US and it should be at Georgetown airport on Thursday. Let's hope the installation is that straightforward too. Then, weather permitting, we'll set off by the banks route for the Jumentos.

Bahamian Visitors

The Bahamas is indeed a picture postcard scene of shades of turquoise and aquamarine. However when our friends Jocelyn and Colin arrived from the airport after dark we had to dinghy over a good supply of waterproofs and black bin liners and still had a row of damp clothing hanging to dry overnight. Wind driven waves slopped and sprayed for the ten minutes of the journey. “This is not what my work colleagues imagine boating in the Bahamas is like” said Colin.

At this time of year ‘fronts’ come through bringing winds and rougher seas, and in-between there are gorgeous calm days when you can see the bottom of the sea 20 meters below the boat.

With Clare and two friends on board last week, we visited Warderick Wells in the Exuma Land and Sea Park. This beautiful spot has mooring buoys placed down a narrow channel of deeper water with shallows on both sides and islands and rocky outcrops all around. Traditionally boats make a sign from drift wood or other flotsam and put it with many others on top of ‘Booby Hill’, the highest point around. Pegasus made a necklace of sand dollars, one letter per shell, and strung it up. One storm will break it up, but it’s very biodegradable! Being a protected area the snorkeling is good, more and larger fish, conch, a turtle and a couple of rays. The highlight for our geologist daughter was the stromatolite reef. These very ancient algal ‘mats’ are now only found here and in one location in Australia. If unprepared, most people would pass the unprepossessing ‘rocks’ without a second glance. Snorkelling in the area proved a little difficult as a large over-friendly barracuda was patrolling the dinghy, so it was heads with mask and snorkel in the water and bottoms up in the dinghy.

We also took our young crew to Big Major’s Spot (there is also a Little Major’s Spot) which has two claims to fame. There are some pigs living wild on the beach which paddle and even swim out to dinghies hoping for some food scraps. They are very clean pigs as they have a life of sand and sea, but were a bit too friendly for our liking. The island was also the setting for a scene of ‘Thunderball’. A watery cave which is lit by a hole in the rock above and is full of fish, which get fed breadcrumbs by visiting tourist launches.

Little San Salvador

(posted by Clare from email)
The weather hasn't been good this week, high winds and/or very grey skies. Not cold, but sweater required when sailing. More to come on Wed and Thur next week. We're in Little San Salvador at the moment, a small island between Eleuthera and Cat Island. It is owned by the Holland America cruise line, and their ships anchor off this bay about 3 times a week and disgorge thousands of people to explore the specially built shopping centre at one end of the beach, or have fun doing various water sports. Having said that the island is otherwise completely 'au natural', and at our end of the bay we only see a few strollers and a group of horses and their riders. After the ship left at about 4pm today the horses were allowed to gallop, riderless, on the beach, looked as though they were really enjoying themselves!
So far we haven't had very good snorkelling though I enjoyed watching a whole family of squid this afternoon. We caught a yellow tail and three rock cod from the dinghy this morning and will be putting them on the barbie in due course. A large baracuda got hold of one poor fish after it was hooked, and managed to bite a brand new lure in half.
We will probably be in Georgetown on Thurs. so can let you know where we're anchored in more detail.

Royal Island, Eleuthera

(posted by Clare)
We are anchored in a little bay in Royal Island, part of Eleuthera. Had an overnight trip from West End, Grand Bahama, and arrived here at lunch time (Sun) where we jumped straight into the sea as soon as the anchor was down. It's a bit chilly when you first get in, but gorgeous. Evidently the island used to be owned by a wealthy American who built himself a fantastic estate here, and it is still possible to wander around the ruins. Now the island has been sold and development is just beginning - looks like little thatched cottages around a beach, so fairly low key. We will be exploring later.
The night time route was the very busy Nassau route, several times there were nine ships on the radar screen, mostly cruise ships which can be seen from about 15 miles away as the lights send a glow into the sky. Luckily they were all keeping a good lookout, and kept a good distance from us so no scary moments.
So we will be here for a couple of days and are looking forward to snorkelling etc. rather than working on the boat. On our way to George Town!

Florida-Grand Bahama

(posted by Clare from email)
We left before 5am yesterday (Fri) and arrived in West End, Grand Bahama about 3pm. So a good fast trip, fairly choppy and yours truly wasn't feeling so good for much of the journey but it was soon over.

So we spent the night in a classy marina - you have to be at a dock to check in. It's a marina/resort and being Friday evening there was a welcome cocktail party (gratis) from 4 - 5, so we were soon sitting at the beach bar with palm trees and turquoise sea (and 20 degrees) sipping rather potent punch and tucking in to delicious and plentiful hot 'snacks'. Not bad, though as you can imagine it knocked us out - the unacustomed heat and humidity as much as anything- and we were in bed by 8.30!

We have a window to get further today before a nasty front moves in (and anyway staying here any longer would break the budget), so will leave at midday for an overnighter to Nassau.

Fort Worth

(Posted by Clare)
We have made the last hop south in the US, and are now anchored with quite a lot of other boats in Lake Worth, Palm Beach. It's a nice spot, some very large and beautiful mansions along one side. Easy to walk to supermarket and lots of other shops from the dinghy landing. We left Jacksonville on Friday and stopped in Fort Pierce as we weren't going fast enough to make the whole journey before dark. Caught a huge kingfish en route, probably about 20 kgs. It's delicious, back to the fish diet! Set off again on Saturday, but after several hours motoring against the wind returned to Fort Pierce! Yesterday we sailed all the way here - some gusts of 40 knots so we made good speed even well reefed.