2/4/19

After leaving Dave and Lesie off at Staniel Cay to fly back to Seattle we headed south to Georgetown.  We made it before another front came through the area.  Here’s a shot Jerry took of the leading edge of the front as it came through.  See – it’s not all sunshine and blue skies.  After the front came through it went all the way down to 72.

The wind picked up and the mail boats did not make their regular stop here in Georgetown.  When we went to the Exuma Market the produce shelves were bare.  Luckily there’s another grocery store where we were able to buy some fresh vegetables for ourselves and also for Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket.  We were headed south to the Jumentos for the annual February festivities at Hog Cay where Donna and Jerry have been since December.  There are no grocery stores in the Jumentos.  The only settlement in the Jumentos, Duncantown, was ravaged by hurricanes last year (see 1/24/18 post for pictures of Duncantown). 

Our two day sail down to the Jumentos included a nice sunset and 3 tuna.

The first night we anchored on the banks south of Great Exuma.  

The forecast should have made a peaceful night in the protection of Great Exuma but the wind never clocked to the north and we had a bouncy night at anchor.

The next morning we were off early across the banks to the deep water along the east side of the Jumento Cays where we caught 1 skipjack and 2 blackfin tuna.

The usual remote area of the Jumentos had a number of boats show up for the potluck party on the beach.  14 cruising boats total!  The locals from Duncantown arrived at Hog Cay for the party bringing tons of food, speakers, music and a generator.  The population of Duncantown is down to about 20 from the pre-hurricane count of about 60.  Duncantown on Ragged Island is their home and they continue to put their lives back together in their isolated location.  Maxine, who still operates a “store” at Duncantown had huge pots of peas n’ rice, curried goat, goat stew, mac n’ cheese, and more.  With the contributions of every boat it was quite a feast.  A nice get together for the boaters and the Duncantown residents.

 

The potluck was held at “Hog Cay Yacht Club” a thatched roof pavilion the government funded and the Ragged Island locals and sailors built a number of years ago.  It survived the hurricanes!  With a little palm frond gathering a couple of the cruisers here put the roof back together.

Another view of the Hog Cay Yacht Club.  The music and speakers are to the left where you can see Donna dancing with the locals.

The dinghies and the local fishing boats are lined up on the beach for the party.

We plan on being here in the Jumentos for February exploring, snorkeling, walking the beaches, visiting…..and watching the weather.  There are no cays in the Jumentos where we can have all around protection.  The anchorages are exposed to the west – great for watching the green flash at sunset but not so good when a cold front comes through with westerly wind. 

And Duncantown being the only settlement with the only cell phone tower provides the signal for us to be online to write to you from Hog Cay.

Jerry's beach find from one of our walks on the east side of Hog Cay.

Billy Bob Voodoo has a spot onboard with Builder Bob and Mickey.

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.

12/20/18

We had to work hard to sail south for the warmer weather and in the wink of an eye I'm back in frigid temperatures and snow!  Persephone is anchored in Georgetown with Jerry aboard while I flew back to NY to spend the holidays with family.  He has no interest in leaving the 80 degree temperatures and palm lined beaches.  In fact, today he went snorkeling and came back with fish and lobster for the freezer.
Before I left we enjoyed walking the beaches, snorkeling, visiting with locals and other boaters, backgammon, watching meteor showers on the foredeck.  There were many boat projects to attend to but that messes up my story of a life of leisure.  I will be flying back to Georgetown in January.  Then we will head north a bit to Staniel Cay in the Exumas where our friends, Dave and Lesie flying in from Seattle, will join us aboard!  Dave and Jerry sailed together on Lake Ontario for years.  Looking forward to their visit.
Until then, wishing you happy holidays and a peaceful new year!

Can you imagine the surprise and concern I caused paddling around with this doll I found on the beach?  It does look like a real baby with no life jacket precariously perched on the bow.

The “terminal” at Georgetown International Airport that can seat 100 people decorated for Christmas.

My good friend Debbie came to pick me up at midnight at the airport.  The next day her husband Brian let me help out at Lock 1 Distillery while I waited for my big brother (also Brian) to come pick me up.  Here we are at the tasting room of the distillery in Phoenix, NY.  Come check it out!

12/7/18

A photo from 11/26 on the ocean after leaving the St. John’s River.  The birds are waiting for the scraps as the trawler goes through the net.

Sailing with Dale and Roni on Dale’s Sage 17 on the St. Lucie River in Stuart, FL.

This picture is taken in Manatee Pocket (after we left Stuart) where our good friend Arnaud lives.  We stopped to visit with Arnaud before heading to Peck Lake for the night.

12/7/18

We made it to Georgetown!  South winds going east across the gulf stream into Bahamian waters, across the banks to the Northwest Passage Light, down the Tongue of the Ocean, across the banks to the Exuma Sound down to Georgetown.  It was a smooth passage which means no stories to tell; about 54 hours total!  Story telling happens when something goes wrong.  Nothing went wrong!

Ah, passagemaking, where the most exciting thing to happen, sometimes, is studying the sun or moon going down or coming up while on watch. Our last night out Venus was already up lighting the sky around 4 am when the moonglow started to appear under Venus. First just a luminescence in the eastern horizon that brightened with the moon’s rise.   I watched the sliver of moon come up over Farmer’s Cay and through a hole in the cloud I could see the moon’s unlit surface pocked with craters as well as the sliver of moon at the base forming a cup.  No wind.  Flat water.  Star’s reflections dancing on the water surface.  And it was warm!

Oh, one story to tell.  When leaving Stuart our wind meter display only worked to show wind direction.  Not speed.  This had happened once before when we started the engine with the meter already on.  I realized that it had suffered a stroke.  At first – no reading for speed at all.  Then random numbers started to appear in the display screen the next day.  Slowly, the wind meter learned what it once knew – how to understand the electrical impulses it receives from the cuppy-spinny thing (the technical name for the anemometer) at the top of the mast to tell us something useful.  The next day we had readings on the port tack only.  Arriving in Georgetown it is back on the job and we can tell you the wind has been honking since arrival with gusts up to 35 knots the other night.

Once in Elizabeth Harbor, Georgetown, Exumas we were surprised at how few boats were anchored throughout the harbor.  Maybe 30 boats total.  We’re used to seeing at least 100 and during regatta time up to 400.  We’re early!  Clearing in at customs and then immigration involved launching the dingy, tying to the dinghy dock behind Exuma Market, and walking to each location to fill out all the forms, pay the $300, and chat with the officials.   If you checked our SPOT you’ll see that we anchored first near town and then after clearing in we anchored at Monument Beach across the harbor.  We were the only boat anchored here!  Dinner and then to bed early after being on our watch schedule for the last couple days.

The next afternoon we decided to take the dinghy back across the harbor to town.  My sister and her family gave us an old iphone they weren’t using anymore.  We visited the nice lady, Keva, at Batelco, the telephone company here in the Bahamas, and signed up for a data only plan for now and have spent the rest of the day trying to figure out the ins and outs of using a smartphone, using it as a personal hotspot, and typing out some news to send friends and family.  The sun is shining brightly.  It has been in the 80s since our arrival.  Finally warm!

Jerry takes a sunset picture as we motor sail across the banks toward the Exuma Sound with little to no wind.

Here we are anchored off Monument Beach by ourselves.  In front of us is Stocking Island. 

Here’s last year’s  view of the same anchorage where we are now.  Look at all the boats!

Another view of our anchorage at Monument Beach now.  (There is a monument on the top of the hill at left.)