3/31/23

 One last chore to do before leaving Hog Cay - find the Sapodilla Tree the local Maxine kept telling us about on Hog Cay!  We found ruins of the animal pens and buildings that were on Hog Cay but not the elusive "Dilly" Tree.  A sapodilla is fruit that looks a little like a kiwi but is very sweet, almost like a sweet potato.

Just past the palm trees and up the beach hidden in the trees is the remains of 

a stone building.

And a piece of granite!!  There's no granite here in the Bahamas!

This is Maxine's Daddy's initials he left when putting down some concrete for a foundation.  The building is long gone but the concrete slab remains.

This was a water trough for cattle, pigs, sheep, goats at one time.  The pipe leads to a cistern.

This is inside the cistern that would collect and hold water years ago.

Finally, Kennedy, who lives in Duncantown on Ragged Island took us to find the dilly tree.  It had been a number of years since he had walked to it.  He almost gave up but we kept bushwhacking until we found the 2 elusive dilly trees.  Complete with dillys.

Kennedy is dressed for bushwhacking and for finding dinner.  He had his gun and was looking for a billy goat.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria had broken some branches off the trees which were overgrown.

Nevertheless, the tree had many dilly fruits up on the branches.  They were not ripe yet and fairly small - we haven't had rain here most of the winter.

Jerry blazed a trail to the dilly trees and the next day Jerry Luh and I helped finish the Dilly Tree Boulevard for easy access.  We even brought a rake from the Hog Cay Yacht Hut and raked the path.

Jerry thought of the slaves that built these walls here in The Bahamas in the blazing sun when he dismantled a section of the wall for form the path to the dilly trees.

The 2 larger trees along this path are the dilly trees.

After saying our goodbyes, we sadly started sailing north.  First to Long Island and then to Georgetown.

Here's a video of our light wind day using the spinnaker as we sailed from Long Island to Georgetown.  Another sailboat crossed our path, took our picture, called us on the vhf and took our info. to send us the picture.

Thanks to Ted from "Full Circle" for this picture!

In Georgetown we restocked and filled up our water tanks.  We also had a chance to visit with friends Lee and Sherry on Alesto from Ithaca who hosted a dinner for us and Kris and Gosia from "Solaris".  We also went to a dinghy concert and visited with Nicholas and Dee from Meshugga.  Our last visit with them as they'll be headed west through the Panama Canal after Georgetown.

This is a dinghy concert!  Everyone arrived in their dinghies behind the trimaran "The Sailing Piano" where we enjoyed listening to the professional musician playing his electric keyboard for us.

Next stop - Lee Stocking Cay in the Exuma chain where we snorkeled and hiked.

On Lee Stocking looking south.

On Lee Stocking looking north.

It was mesmerizing watching the sea swell roll in and collide with the ricochet from the swell before it!

And here it is in slow motion......

Our anchorage on the west side of Lee Stocking Cay.

We stopped in Black Point to visit our friends Doug and Jean who spend their winters in their Sandcastle they built.

The Sandcastle!  PS - After enjoying Bahama winters for 20 years they are sadly selling their Sandcastle.  Maybe you'd like to be the next owners of a Sandcastle in paradise?

Here I am with Doug and Jean

Then...more sailing north....

Norman's Cay to Meeks Patch/Spanish Wells

At Spanish Wells we met up with Brandon and Dustyn on "Ada".

Here's my shot as we both sailed over the Royal Island.

And here's their video of us sailing by them and Jerry asking for some Grey Poupon.

Persephone and Ada sailed together from Royal Island near Spanish Wells to Little Harbor in the Abacos where we met up with more friends, Sam and Cindy on Booke End, we'd spent time with at Hog Cay.  Then on to Marsh Harbor to pick up my sister!!! 

Wine, crackers and cheese time with my sister aboard Persephone in Marsh Harbor.

From Marsh Harbor to Man-O-War Cay.....

25 knot winds for a sporty sail to Man-O-War

We were at a bit of a heel on the way.

Volunteers who helped rebuild Man-O-War in the aftermath of hurricane placed signs from their hometowns.

Amazing palm trees that were knocked over during Hurricane Dorian! 

Susan, who has been doing ocean immersion in Maine, is enjoying the warm waters in The Bahamas!

The local sail shop, Albury Sails, sells bags.  Susan proudly shows off her new bag.  It's nice to support the local economy who are working hard to survive.

The Queens Highway heading north on Man-O-War.

Later in the day, we moved a little farther north to where our friends Brandon and Dustyn were anchored.  It so happened that Ted and his crew Jack, from "Full Circle" who took our spinnaker picture had walked to the beach.  Brandon organized a happy hour.

Brandon - the perfect happy hour host

Susan takes a picture of our happy hour.  We're on sound side.   The gazebo has views of the sound side and the ocean side.

Another view of the beach looking at the happy hour gazebo.