1/8/18


A quick update – I arrived at the airport at West Palm Beach on New Year’s Eve day.  Within an hour of my landing we were on Persephone and on our way to the inlet at Lake Worth then out on the ocean by 3:30.  I called this passage from West Palm Beach to Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas my magic moonlit bus trip.  We had light winds, just enough to keep the sails full but not enough to shut off the motor and a bright full moon.  At midnight on New Year’s Eve I celebrated the event by waking up Jerry to take his watch.  He spent the first four hours of 2018 motor sailing with silvery moonlit waters across the gulfstream into Bahamian waters.

A cold front was approaching from the north which is why we skidaddled with full sails and motor to stay in front of it all the way to Georgetown where we cleared in 54 hours later.  Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket were near where we anchored to welcome us to the Bahamas.  Later, Ron and Deb from Scheherezade arrived.  I know it doesn’t sound like cold to you but the temperatures were in the 60s here in Georgetown.  Unusually cold, windy, with rain squalls for a couple of days before the sun came back out.  We listened to reports from the states of the frigid temperatures, snow and ice.  We left just in the nick of time!

It is beautiful here as always.  The water is crystal turquoise blue and the sand on the beach sparkling white.  We are able to check our anchor by just looking over the side.  Good visibility to 20 feet.  There are about 160 other cruising boats here in Elizabeth Harbor/Georgetown area which provides a frenzy of activities and people to meet.  On one side of the harbor we strolled the beach area around the Chat-N-Chill bar and saw boaters playing volleyball, weaving baskets, crocheting, playing games, kids on rope swings, lively conversations.  On the other side of the harbor we walked around town with Donna and Jerry and saw a new straw market building under construction for the locals to sell their wares.  Donna started asking questions to the man who looks like he is in charge and he was happy to talk and put his hand around her shoulders as they stood back and admired the project together. The next local we meet is officer Burroughs who is also happy to stop and chat asking questions about our stay and telling us stories from his time in the US.  The people here are wonderful.

We have no schedule of where we will be or when this winter in the Bahamas.  There is another cold front coming through the end of the week so we’ll probably be here in the Georgetown area until the weekend.  Then on to Long Island and points south, I think.  Even though I won’t be posting updates often I will push the SPOT so you’ll be able to see where we are.  Thanks to Jerry and Donna for sharing their Bahamian phone/internet with us!  Some day we will have one of those fancy phones to do the same!

Here’s a screen shot I took of our weather forecast (sailflow.com) showing the wind direction and strength from southern Florida through the Bahamas.  Our destination is at the bottom right hand corner right around the “Quicklook 062”.

Jerry calls for the fish to take a bite on the lure as the sun goes down on the Exuma Sound headed for Georgetown.

We take a beach walk with Jerry from Bluejacket after the rain passes through.

Jerry Luh finds treasure on the beach – a black stallion!

An update to the update.  It is 1/11 and the squalls are rain are on standby for the minute.  4 inches of rain in one of the storms we've had!  At least it's warm!