3/30/20

My view from the Hog Cay "yacht club" as I start making a basket from silver palm fronds.

How the world has changed since I last posted.  My first thoughts and prayers are for friends and family back home.  Hope all is well.  We have the luxury of internet onboard here in the Bahamas.  Please keep in touch. 

We originally planned to head back to FL and then make our way up the east coast as we usually do in April/May.  Those plans have changed.  The Bahamas seem like a safer place right now.  The Bahamian government is allowing foreigners to stay; we just have to follow their rules.  They are in lock down – only essential trips to the grocery, pharmacy or such.  All other businesses are closed.  Only 10 people allowed in the grocery store at one time.  The Bahamas has the advantage that the country is made up of many islands so self-isolating and social distancing is easy.  As of today there are only 9 cases of COVID in the Bahamas, 8 in Nassau and 1 in Freeport.  The locals here are taking the Prime Minister’s words seriously.  The restrictions were put in place promptly.  The Prime Minister is a medical doctor who was the Minister of Health previously so he is taking this matter to heart.

Since I last posted, before the COVID pandemic ramped up, we shared more dinners and played more games aboard Bluejacket with Jerry and Donna and met with others on shore.

Jerry and Susan tend the fire for the grill party at Hog Cay.

Grill party at Hog Cay!

Sierra enjoys chewing on a drumstick with her new teeth.

Donna, Karin, Sierra, Jerry at Hog Cay making smores

 

 

Karin samples a smore.

Jerry makes sure not to waste a drop of the marshmallows!

And more hiking along and on the beach. 

Hog Cay - ocean side beach walk taken from the tops of the dunes.

When I can’t find sea glass I go further up the beach, often into the tops of the dunes, to find glass bottles to break that will eventually turn into sea glass.  Look what I found! 

A glass float!

This is a glass fishing float that was used to hold up fishing nets.  According to the internet and the experts down here, they were often used in Europe and are still used by the Japanese fishermen.  I cannot find any distinguishing marks on it but it is obviously hand blown and the glass is thick.  It’s incredible to think that floats like these have bobbed along the ocean for who knows how long only to end up here in the Bahamas.  It probably was deposited at the top of the dune during the hurricanes and was safely embedded within the other bottles and sticks that ended up in a pile.   Walking around the tops of the dunes is a tricky job trying to walk around or on top of small bushes with poky features.  Jerry says my scratched up legs looked like I was attacked by a pteradactyl .  But it’s fun!  I even had something like poison ivy (poison wood tree) from one outing.  It lasted about 10 days; just like poison ivy.  My friend Susan and I have bushwhacked all over Hog Cay north to south.  Here are some pictures of the remains of a small building on the south end of Hog Cay.  The hurricanes tore the roof off years ago.

Susan, in the distance behind me, marks the trail as we bushwhack to the ruins on Hog Cay.

Stone walls from a house on Hog Cay.

A view looking north from the ruins on Hog Cay.  We can see the boats anchored at Hog in the distance.

A wash pan, fire pit, door knob and shingles found at the ruins.

When the corona virus news started expanding and rumor that there were cases in the Bahamas we decided to move to a more remote place for one boat.  Hog Cay had a record number of boats arrive from other islands and the 4 o’clock happy hour turned into a small crowd.  30 people!  Up to Nurse Cay for snorkeling/fishing and then to Buena Vista to anchor next to Blue Jacket.  

Persephone at Nurse Cay

Persephone at Nurse Cay.

Ruins from Nurse Cay. 

 

An agave or century plant.  The tall stalk comes up every 30 years or so; not once a century.

Jerry and Jerry had one more opportunity to go hunting together.

2 snapper and 1 grouper that was in the wrong place at the wrong time while spearing the big snapper.

Hog Fish

One snapper.  One porgy.

We anchored in front of the once-home of Edward Lockhart.  His family used to live on Buena Vista years ago and he decided he wanted to return there to live and he did so for a number of years.  But the years and hurricanes took their toll.  The roof blew off his house during the last hurricane.  He survived – he tied himself to a tree.  Locals and cruisers helped Edward prop the roof against his house so he’d have some shelter.  But with failing eyesight and other health concerns the family said no.  You’re coming to live with us in Nassau.  So, Edward is well taken care of though I imagine longing for his simple, self-sufficient, hard but peaceful way of life back at Buena Vista.  There are still 2 roosters and a hen (and eggs), a peahen (the peacock is gone), and goats that are surviving somehow.  I’m sure any cruisers, such as ourselves, stop by to feed and water the birds when we’re there.

Edward's place on Buena Vista after the hurricane.

his is the tree Edward tied himself to during the hurricane.

Lots of conch were processed and consumed here.

Looking out from Edward's causarina tree towards the water. 

Edward's bible, saw and a stuffed animal someone found along the beach.

We found an egg.

Edward's goat pens - the goats are now roaming the island.

One of the two roosters and one hen on Buena Vista.

Edward's water collection method for the animals.  We fixed things up and made sure that it would still work.

A very lonely peahen

Jerry and Jerry stand next to Edward's boat on the beach.

From Buena Vista we had to make a trip back to Georgetown.  We were low on propane, water, fresh fruits and veggies, and we had to go to immigration to extend our stay.  We happened to arrive the night the Prime Minister gave his speech and set restrictions.  We were still able to do laundry, stock up with fresh food for ourselves and others we left in the Raggeds, buy gasoline for the dinghy.  Those are considered essential.  We filled up our water tanks (120 gallons) by taking our 5 gallon jugs to the dinghy dock, filling them from the hose, hoisting them on deck, and putting them in the tank through the deck fill.  Lots of work but that will last us a long time at 2 gallons per day.  We dinghied to shore north of town, carried the empty 20 lb propane tank up and over the hill to Sun Oil where they filled it for us.  Yes!  We have propane!  We will be able to cook!  There have been many times that propane was not available on island.  Glad they still had some!  The only thing we didn’t accomplish was immigration.  The sign on the door said “Closed – Until Further Notice”.    So off we sailed to Thompson Bay, Long Island.  Jerry rented a car and drove to the airport to extend our immigration.  Officer Smith met Jerry outside in the breezeway wearing mask and gloves, put the rubber stamps in our passports and sent him on his way.  Now – ready to head back to the Ragged Islands!

2 stalks of bananas from the farmer's market.  Grown on Exuma!

Bananas from the grocery store.

 

We had a nice sail from Long Island – 13 hours in total to end up at Buena Vista where we had left from 6 days before.  We anchored next to Jerry and Donna on Bluejacket, put on our masks and rubber gloves and delivered some fresh produce.  Later in the afternoon Brian from Delos arrived with someone to video his grocery pick up.  (We were helping out, as other boats did, so Delos, with a 7 month old baby on board, didn't have to go to Georgetown for provisions.)  When you have a YouTube channel your life is consumed by recording footage to edit and publish including a pick-up of groceries!  Brian arrived with a scuba respirator, mask, gloves and a scan gun to check our temperatures.  We loaded their dinghy with their grocery wish list we had picked up in Georgetown of fruits, veggies, cans of beans and tomatoes, rice, flour, and more. 

Brian, of Delos, brings a scan gun and checks our temperature when he boards.

Brian, from Delos, with a thumbs up and a dinghy load of food.

Hey Brian!  You forgot the potatoes!

Then onto Hog Cay to deliver more bananas!  For the next 14 days we are considering ourselves somewhat quarantined – no boarding any other boats or joining the gatherings.  As a matter of fact, there’s a cold front approaching Wednesday (no joke!) and we will have to scurry out of wifi range for a few days where we will be isolated anyways. 

Please send news when you can….and it seems that many of you are “stuck” at home for the time being.   We’d love to hear from you!

3/4/20

As I sit down, reluctantly, to work on this blog grumbling about the time involved, I'm thinking of the family aboard the sailboat Delos anchored here at Hog Cay with us.  They are one of a select few who produce videos of their life and adventures at sea on YouTube (see SV Delos).  The time required to capture video and content and then edit on a weekly basis is mind boggling!  And that's in addition to sailing all over the world and now raising a baby onboard!  I'll stop complaining and get to work hoping my efforts are worthwhile and informative for friends and family.  (And if you're on Youtube you should also look at La Vagabonde.  Another well-crafted glimpse, on a weekly basis, of life sailing the world.)
Last post we were heading back to Hog Cay for Maxine's annual Valentine's Day Party.  (Maxine is a true local from Duncan Town on Ragged Island - she has lived here all her life.)  First order of business: clear out shrubbery around the "yacht club" to keep the termite population down.

Clearing out and burning bushes.

Cruisers help Maxine and her crew put up additional shade.

Making progress.

Hog Cay anchorage fills with boats for Maxine's party!

Boat loads of families from Ragged Island joined the cruisers on the beach for the party.  About 80 people in all.  Maxine prepared and brought by boat a feast of curried goat, steamed goat, mac n cheese, fish, peas n rice, ham, turkey and more.  I would have taken pictures during the party but I helped Jerry and another Karen with conch fritters.  Maxine had a 5 gallon bucket of conch fritter batter which we cooked in a big pot of oil over the wood on our make-shift grill and then walked around serving them while they were hot.  After stuffing our bellies the annual auction began.  Cruisers scrounged their lockers to find items to donate to an auction.  Some cruisers came prepared bringing fins, fishing spears, and other useful items to donate.  The cruisers and locals bid on each item - all proceeds going to a fund for the school in Duncan Town.  A new school is being built to replace the old school the hurricanes destroyed a few years ago - they hope to have it open by fall.  I'm sure the funds will be put to good use.

Hog Cay Valentines Day Auction

It was a good cause and a good show!

Captain C, the weekly mailboat for Duncan Town, is anchored amongst the cruisers.  Waiting for their crew to come back to work after the Valentines Day party!

Another view of the Valentines Day Party.

With the winds blowing strong from the northeast after the party and no one leaving to sail away Donna suggested we have another party!  This time we all brought something to put on the grill and a dish to pass. 

What was unusual about this grill party?  A grill party here often involves a grill full of fish and lobster!

I don't see any!  I guess we were all ready for something other than fish or lobster for dinner.

Alexa and her sister put the fire to good use after dinner.  She made me the biggest and best s'more I've ever had!  And wore.

The partying ended the next day when boats hauled anchors and headed out.  Another cold front bringing westerly winds sent us all scurrying to find a protected spot.  We headed north this time to Buena Vista.  And of course approaching cold front means light winds just before the front giving Jerry and Jerry an opportunity to load their gear in the dinghy and go hunting.  Fish, lobster, fish, lobster....  While they were hunting I picked up Donna and Laurie and we went beach combing and snorkeling ourselves. 

This is Jerry and Jerry in one dinghy.  Paul in the other.  Taken from Low Water Cay while we were beach walking.

Donna and Laurie looking for treasures on the beach.

Big Tiger Grouper!

My beach treasures I collect to mark walking trails on Hog Cay.

Back to Hog Cay after the front passes.   Some of the other boats return as well - Donna suggests a pizza party on the beach!  Everyone made a pizza and brought it in to share.

What a variety!  All yummy!

Jaxson stalks a hermit crab dragging a piece of pizza crust away.  It takes him quite a while to actually do it but Jaxson snags the crust from and crab and runs for cover!  Survival of the fittest!

Pizza party sunset.

You probably think all we do is go from one party to another and dodge the cold fronts!  After the pizza party we sailed south to the bottom of Ragged Island for protection from the nw wind coming with the next cold front!  And, another chance for Jerry and Jerry to go hunting.  And another chance for a party - this time Donna and Jerry hosted on Bluejacket with a chance to meet some new people who had just sailed in.

More fish

I tagged along with Jerry and Donna one day on a hiking adventure.  4 1/2 miles of walking around slimy salt ponds, bushwacking through bushes to get to an ocean beach where we found some sea glass but no sea beans.  When we arrived back home we were covered in mud, scratches, big smiles and salt water from the rough dinghy ride. 

Little Ragged Island - Donna and Jerry on our beach walk.

Thanks for letting me tag along!

Then....back to Hog Cay and more 25 knot winds from the northeast!  Each time we move the boat we have to take the outboard off the dinghy, load the dinghy on the bracket on the back of the boat, haul the dinghy onto the cabin top and tie it securely.  We leave every anchorage by hauling the mainsail, hauling the anchor, and sailing off to the next spot.  We haven't used the motor to drive to any anchorage - I open the engine room doors every once in a while to make sure it's still there.  Yup.

When I started writing today's post I mentioned the boat Delos with the family aboard.  They happened to sail into the Hog Cay anchorage and we got to meet Brian, Karin and their baby Sierra.  Jerry decided to make conch chowder and invited them to join us and Jerry and Donna. 

Jerry's prep cook has all ingredients ready for him to make his Goombay Conch Chowder.

From left: Jerry, Karen, Donna, Jerry, Karin, Sierra, Brian

A baby on Persephone!  Donna and I had a grand time!

It was kinda funny, watching Delos on Youtube on their sailing adventures around the globe on the computer during the day, and then having the opportunity to meet them in person in this remote part of the Bahamas.  I'll finish up here, Jerry just started a batch of bread, the Delos family just stopped by on their way to Duncan Town to meet the locals and see the settlement.  Maybe they'll add Duncan Town footage on one of their Youtube productions.   I'm lucky to be able to share our lives with you on this blog.  Hope you'll send us news from your part of the world!