1/27/19

More videos at youtube from Persephone:
Sailing to Staniel Cay to pick up Dave and Lesie -  https://youtu.be/RmeaIZCwPAYhttps://youtu.be/RmeaIZCwPAY
This one taken on the Exuma Sound between Black Pt. and Rudder Cut Cay with Dave and Lesie aboard - https://youtu.be/yesx-rJ1sYU 

1/22/19

I just realized yesterday that I have been so excited to have guests onboard I forgot to use the SPOT since they arrived!  Dave and Lesie flew in to Staniel Cay from Seattle.  They were the only passengers aboard on the last leg of their flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Staniel Cay.

Dave and Lesie arriving at Staniel Cay on their “private” plane.  When this plane made a stop at Andros in the Bahamas to clear customs and unload supplies Dave and Lesie offered to help unload!

After a short dinghy ride from the airport to Persephone it took Lesie 5 minutes to unpack and start snorkeling.  We’ve never had someone aboard who so appreciates the magnificent snorkel opportunities here in the Bahamas and “Snorkelesie” is on a first name basis with many of the underwater creatures she’s discovered.  “Fat Tony” the barracuda, acting as an ambassador of the harbor, was a favorite who would follow Lesie and Dave as they snorkeled.  She and Dave have spent hours in the water and then paging through our sea life field guides to read about what they found.  The joy and excitement permeates our lives onboard.  It’s been a happy place!  The weather cooperated with light winds.

Can you see Dave and Lesie snorkeling here off the Exuma Sound side of Staniel Cay?  This is where Shark Bite Dave earned his name – not because he actually got bit by a shark but he did see a shark or two and he scratched his back on some coral.  Makes a good story.

Here is a zoomed in picture of the Seattle Snorkelers.

Dave at the wheel and Lesie reading and watching the fishing lines as we sail on the Exuma Sound from Black Point to Rudder Cut Cay.

2 Mahi on board on our sail from Black Point to Rudder Cut Cay.

Of course a sail south from the Staniel Cay area included a stop in Black Point for Lorraine’s Mom’s home made coconut bread.  She saw us approaching and invited us into her home full of sweet, fresh baked aromas.  A dozen loaves of a variety of bread were displayed on the kitchen counter.  Lorraine’s Mom makes bread every day!  We left the kitchen with 2 loaves of coconut bread and made it to Lorraine’s deck at the café in front of the house.  We sat down and Jerry pulled out his leatherman and proceeded to cut slices.  Yum!  Lorraine’s Mom (her name is Peermon but everyone calls her Lorraine’s Mom of Lorraine’s Café) came out to the deck to join us for conversation.  Nice!  And walking down the road toward the beach an approaching car stopped in the road.  Lorraine heard we were visiting with her Mom and she saw us coming down the road so stopped to say hello as well.  THIS is why we love the Bahamas and Black Point.  The people are wonderful!

The Exuma Islands in the Bahamas are a chain of islands abounding with coral reefs and sandy beaches.  No matter where you go you can find a place to snorkel. 

Off to snorkel!

What it does not offer are many places to anchor with protection from all directions.  After visiting Staniel Cay, Sampson Cay, Black Point, and Rudder Cut Cay we decided to sail to Georgetown with all around protection for the approaching cold front.   So up early and off from Rudder Cut Cay for a brisk sail to Georgetown.

Dave and Lesie on the bow on our brisk sail from Rudder Cut Cay to Georgetown.

2 more mahi onboard from Rudder Cut Cay to Georgetown.

After a dinghy trip to town in Georgetown for fresh produce, gin, and 8 five gallon jugs of water to put in the tank onboard we anchored at Monument Beach.  Guess what Lesie and Dave did as soon as we anchored?  Back in the water!  More snorkeling and hiking.   The beaches on Elizabeth Stocking Island here in Georgetown go on forever!

Here’s our full moon rising from our anchorage at Red Shanks in Georgetown where we stayed when the cold front came through.  (Snorkeling here too!)  The clouds thinned out in time so I could lay in bed and watch the eclipse that night as well.

We will stay in Georgetown for a couple more days before heading back to Staniel Cay.   

Sadly, Dave and Lesie fly out on Friday.  Headed back to Seattle.

Off for another hike/snorkel adventure!

“Snorkelesie” didn’t realize how well she would fit the surroundings here in the Bahamas!  Check out the toes!

What color polish did Lesie apply before leaving Seattle?  Must be Bahama water blue!  

1/12/19

Because we now can have wifi onboard if we're in range of a cell tower.....
Our sail from Georgetown to Black Point today.  This video is taken on the calm waters of the banks after a rough passage on Exuma Sound.
https://youtu.be/wVfm9OTkmyM
And here's the GPS data to go along with the sailing video:
https://youtu.be/vf_dn1k3ikk

Jerry gives Marianne the autopilot a break as he hand steers toward Staniel Cay.

1/11/19

After 3 weeks in NY and Maine for the holidays I returned to the boat where Jerry said he had kicked the dancing girls off the boat for my return.  I had a wonderful time visiting with family and our friends Brian & Debbie and Bill & Laurie while in Pennellville.  I almost stayed long enough to celebrate Debbie’s retirement today.  While I spent time with family and friends Jerry stayed aboard in Georgetown.

He had an interesting snorkeling story to tell.  We often see sharks while snorkeling but they turn tail as soon as they see a human.  This time – not so.  Jerry had just speared his second yellowtail snapper when a 4’ lemon shark suddenly appeared and grabbed the shish-ka-bobbed snapper off the end of Jerry’s spear ripping off its head.  Jerry didn’t know what was happening until it had already happened.  He decided to swim back to the dinghy.  The shark appeared again.  After all, the other half of the snapper was still on the end of the spear!  In an effort to dissuade the shark he punched it in the head on its return but decided a better choice was to drop the spear with the half fish on it.  So back in the dinghy Jerry watched the shark eat the other half of the fish and swim off before getting back in the water to pick up his spear and continue with the hunting and spearing a lobster.

Life is back to “normal” on board.  We made a number of trips to town to buy fresh produce and whatever else we would need for our next adventure: sailing to Staniel Cay to pick up our friends Dave and Leesie flying in from Seattle!  They will be with us for 12 days.

Our friends Jerry and Donna on Bluejacket arrived in Georgetown about the same time I returned from NY.  After a couple of food/game filled evenings with them they continued south.  We will meet up with them in the Jumentos in February.

You will be able to actually see our position change if you look at SPOT starting tomorrow.

Jerry’s first yellowtail snapper and lobster.

Christmas dinner at the Shepard’s in Maine.  Clockwise: Karen, Sydney, Kira, Susan, Tom, Owen, Dad, Mom.

Here’s the kind of excitement Jerry enjoys: fixing Donna’s electric bug zapper racket.