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Better Late Than Never
June 6, 2023
After a marathon two-day run, on Tuesday May 23, 2023 at 8:19 PM we tied Changes in Attitudes to our dock behind our house. The voyage was over.
We left Harborage Marina as planned at 5:30 AM on May 22 for the scheduled opening at 6. Between leaving the dock and going under the bridge I managed to run aground for the second time of the trip. If you remember the first time was leaving Pelican Bay on the second day. This being the planned next-to-last-day it was only fitting. But this time it was my own disorientation in the dark that led me to drift out of the channel. Fortunately, by going side to side and using full power I was able to dredge our way back into the channel. No harm, no foul.
There were probably 20 boats and a commercial tug in line for the scheduled 6;00 AM bridge opening. The Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners had stated the bridge would be in the open position from 6-7 that morning then resume normal operation after that.
Someone forgot to tell the train operator. The bridge remained closed while a freight train slowly made its way across. Finally, 50 minutes late, at 6:50 the bridge opened.
Due to the number of boats heading the same way we were west bound traffic was cleared to pass first. We were number 4 behind a mega yacht, a commercial tug and another trawler. The next bottleneck would be the St Lucie lock which would have room for 6 boats.
The race was on.
We pushed the throttles forward to the breathtaking speed of 7.5 knots. This enabled us to do something we never do, pass another boat. But not just any boat, it was the commercial tug we got around. This was fortunate as we found out later. This put us in third position with just 4 miles to go.
Not much further we got passed by a plaining boat with a huge wake. As we got rocked we were thankful the good China was stowed and the stabilizers on. Now we were in 5th place. With just over a mile to go we were passed again. Fortunately, we were upon a no wake zone now and were able to block anyone else from passing (think NASCAR).
The first west bound locking of the day was at 7:45 and we made it in the first group! Yeah! We later found out that the commercial tug was the next through and needed the entire lock, so the rest of the fleet had to wait for our group then the tug before they could come through 6 at a time.
The bridge operators were aware of the mass of boats transiting the Okeechobee Waterway and timed their openings so there was little delay. The only incident with a bridge came the next day when the trawler in front of us called the Fort Denaud swing bridge a railroad bridge. That didn’t go over well with the bridge operator. The dressing down of the trawler skipper was epic as the bridge operator explained the difference between a highway bridge and a railroad bridge. A delay of about 5 minutes was incurred but to hear the dissertation was worth it.
The Port Mayaca Lock was in drive through mode and the crossing of Lake O was mostly uneventful. The only break in the monotony came when a trawler going the opposite direction, on a course to pass starboard to starboard, when a mile away turned to intercept us. I watch him as he closed and about 100 yards away he turned abruptly to starboard again right in front of us. Huh?? WTF?? As he crossed our bow he then turned to port and resumed his course passing us on the “ones” about 20 yards away. In summary he took a ordinary passing situation and maneuvered his boat to create havoc. He then decided to use 16 to question my knowledge of the Rules. I bit my tongue as he demonstrated his ignorance to all that were listening.
We made it through the Moore Haven Lock about 3:30, an hour before they closed, and tied up to the cheap town dock there.
The next morning called for a 6:00 AM departure again as the last leg would be around 100 miles. This leg was completely uneventful except for the bridge incident mentioned earlier. It was also the hardest as it seemed to go on forever; Charlotte Harbor can be the longest three hours of a life when heading home.
A bit of a summary. Our trip took 65 days. Of the 65 days we were at anchor or on a mooring 53 nights. We were in the Bahamas 52 days. We traveled almost 1300 nautical miles and used around 650 gallons of diesel.
It was an excellent trip. We enjoyed each other and the people we met and traveled with. The scenery in the Bahamas is spectacular, the people friendly.
But we are glad to be back.
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Back in the gool old USA
May 20, 2023
We did an abbreviated tour of the Abacos. We’ve been here, done that, and honestly we were starting to get the get home itch.
We ended up spending another night in Little Harbor as the rain continued. With the generator running we were air conditioned and making water. With the Starlink we were entertained. The rain stopped in the afternoon and we went ashore to Pete’s again for a couple of Sands and dinner.
The next morning it was off at daybreak to be as close to high tide as we could. Without the 1.5 foot boost from the tide we couldn’t make it out the channel. The entrance to Little Harbour is about 4’. CIA draws 4.8’ so there are places we need to go with the tide and Little Harbor is one.
Our next stop was Hope Town on Elbow Cay, one of our favorite destinations in the Abacos. Hope Town’s rebuilding has made significant progress especially when compared to the rest of the area. We spent two nights here visiting our old favorites, Fire Fly Resort and Tahiti Beach. We got the bicycles out again and pedaled from one end of the island to the other. And back, of course. Linda shopped a bit while tended the pups outside the stores. It was fun. We did notice that not everything had been rebuilt, and remember Dorian came through in 2019. The places that owners from foreign countries seemed to fair much better than locally funded properties. I don’t think that is coincidental.
Green Turtle Cay was our next stop and we spent two nights at a dock with no electricity. But the marina we stayed at, Donny’s never had electricity before. Donny is a 3rd generation Bahamian who was wiped out by Dorian and has totally rebuilt to the same standard as before. We were here 5 years ago and his place seems stuck in time. And oh, by the way, Donny is quite eccentric and a hoot to be around. His voice has only one level, loud, and he has a definite Bronx accent though he has never been there. He also has an opinion on everything and absolutely no filter.
We left Green Turtle on Tuesday with a favorable forecast for seas and wind for crossing the Gulf Stream on Wednesday. So Tuesday night we anchored off Mangrove Cay which is an anchorage known for……absolutely nothing except being a waypoint on the way to or from the USA.
Wednesday we started our motors at 5:30, pointed the bow west toward memory rock (aptly named, a rock in the middle of nowhere that you would remember if you hit it) and 3 hours later saw the depth finder show ---, too deep to register.
The seas were as forecast, low swells with a small chop, and for the next 8 hours we were bored to tears. Don’t get me wrong, being bored at sea is a very good thing compared to the alternative.
Around 5 we entered St Lucie Channel and made our way up the St Lucie River to a nice anchorage and threw out the hook. Shortly steaks were on the grill and we were enjoying our last bottle of Cooper’s Hawk Meritage in celebration of another successful gulf stream crossing.
Since then, we have been in a marina on the St Lucie River enjoying life in Stuart, Florida. Not by choice, we are waiting for the Stuart railroad bridge to reopen so we can finish our trip by crossing Florida via the Okeechobee waterway. But the marina we are in has a pool and ho tub and Stuart is a neat tow with many restaurants, shops, and attractions. And all are within bicycling distance (or a very cheap Uber ride).
So we wait patiently for Monday and cross our fingers the damn bridge opens at 6.
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Starting the final leg
May 12, 2023
We did the Devil’s Backbone! All by ourselves! Well maybe with a little help from the boat in front of us that had a guide. But he was a much faster than we were and left us in his wake after the first couple of turns. The conditions were good though and the magenta line on the Explorer Charts were dead on. From the bridge we could see the coral heads close to the surface and the sand bars we needed to avoid. The experience was exhilarating.
Our next stop was Valentine’s Resort and Marina in Dunmore Town on Harbour Island in the northern most point of Eleuthera. Valentine’s is a destination for mega yachts, their guests and crew and an active sport fishing fleet. And it is priced as one of the premier destinations in the Bahamas.
We were the runt of the marina.
Dunmore Town is pretty much like any tourist destination with restaurants and gift shops on most corners. We did the tourist thing of the island by bicycle. It was 8 miles of riding and 90% was uphill. The short portion that wasn’t uphill was into a 20-knot wind. Our legs felt it the rest of the day.
While the marina had a gift shop, a dive shop, a bar, a restaurant and a pool the real treasure of the marina and the island is the pink sand beach on the eastern side. It is literally the prettiest, nicest beach we have ever swam from. The sand is soft, fine, and very pink from the pulverized coral it was formed from. The slope is gentle, the surf rolling and perfectly formed just like glass sculpture we have on our table in Florida.
We hated to leave but leave we must. So yesterday at dawn we started the motors and cast off for the 60 mile trip across open water to the Abacos. Last night we were on a mooring ball in Little Harbor, the home of Pete’s pub and Gallery. As I write this it is raining hard so we may spend another night here. Our next stop will probably be Hope Town on Elbow Cay where we will do a mooring ball again for a few nights.
The Abacos is still showing the effects of Dorian and many facilities are still being rebuilt or just permanently closed. It makes making plans difficult, especially now since we are starting to have a schedule.
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The perfect beach, Harbour Island on Eleuthera!!
Pink sand, super clear water, no rocks or shells, perfect water temp. Glorious
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Back in civilization in Spanish Wells
May 8, 2023
We pulled into the Spanish Well Yacht Haven on Friday after spending the last 5 weeks at anchorages. The first night here we cranked the air conditioner down and snuggled under the blanket. It was luxurious!
Spanish Well is different from the other settlement; it accounts for 80% of the commercial fishing industry in the Bahamas, there are several well stocked food and hardware stores, a thriving marine repair facility and many people who come here from the states to fish and sight see. Fishing guides and charter captains are abundant and cater to the demand. The houses are neat and well-kept and the people friendly.
It’s going to be difficult to leave here tomorrow.
We left our refuge from the weather behind Pelican Cay Thursday, our next stop was the Looking Glass Bridge anchorage located in the “elbow” of Eleuthera. The notes that previous cruisers have left in various guides about this place indicated it was an anchorage not to be missed. The holding was said to be good and the scenery spectacular.
I’m glad we paid attention.
There are two big natural attractions here, the Looking Glass Bridge over the Looking Glass and the Queens Baths. The bridge was a half mile walk from the beach at the anchorage and the baths were just across the street.
The Looking Glass is the narrowest section of Eleuthera with only about 20 yards separating the Atlantic from the sound. Except at very high tides or extreme surf conditions. Then the small divide is completely submerged and the waters from the two bodies mix. The Looking Glass Bridge spans the divide and provides a vantage point to see this unique formation. It was beautiful and mesmerizing.
We stopped at the Queens Bath on the way back. This is not the typical Americanized scenic attraction. The trail to the baths is not well defined. It’s rocky and very uneven. There are no handrails or steps. There aren’t even warning signs cautioning you to proceed at your own peril! How do people survive without the required lawyer speak?
Moving across the rocks slowly we descended toward the ocean. The reward was walking among the tidal pools created by the ocean. Cervices and depressions in the rock leave pools that are filled by the ocean and its swells at high tide leaving them filled with water for the sun to warm as the ocean recedes with the tide going out. We saw fish, urchins and crabs making these pools their homes.
We had not timed our visit to coincide with low tide so the pools were still awash with the waves the Atlantic ocean produced. The turbulence made the pools a bit too dangerous for us. We were also concerned by the large number of Urchins lining the pools that were out of the surf. So we admired the beauty without getting in.
Sunday was a good day to be in a marina, we had wind gusts to about 30 mph and it was relaxing to not have to worry about the anchor dragging. Today we are chilling, waiting for the seas to die down a bit. We have one more restaurant to try before we depart and Linda is hoping to score some very fresh off the boat fish.
But mostly we are waiting for calmer seas for tomorrow we transit The Devils Backbone.
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These little crabs were trying to get into the water to pinch the toes of any bathers!
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Queens Bath tidal pools. The water will get quite warm from the sun!
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The Queens Bath, close to the Looking Glass Bridge. This is the Atlantic swell filling the tidal pools. When the tide goes out the sun will warm the water and make the pools like hot tubs.
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The water here is so beautiful. This was from the bridge looking toward our anchorage.
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