Little Harbor -last stop in the Abacos December 19-29, 2008

Royal Island Harbor, Eluthera- December 31, 2008
Hello Again,

I caught up with the places we visited over two weeks ago in my last entry, but not the dates, so now I’ll try to be more current. I think we may have internet tomorrow, so I will attempt to post.

After exploring the island of Hope Town we headed back the 8 miles or so to Marsh Harbor for the Christmas boat parade, and to again stock up the boat for our next passage, taking us out of the sheltered Sea of Abaco and into the open Atlantic the 60 miles to Eluthera. After loading up groceries both at Hope Town and Marsh and visiting with some boat friends back in Marsh we decided to go to the farthest south harbor and anchor until the time and weather were right to move on south out of the Abaco Islands and to Eluthera and the Exuma Islands. We were again traveling with Jamie on Windsong and he was having a friend fly into Nassau on the Wednesday before Christmas. We arrived in Little Harbor in the Abaco by motor and motor sail in rocky seas on Saturday, Dec. 20, took a mooring and made our calls home on satellite phone as the gang was gathered in Longmeadow MA on Sunday.

 After the phone call home we were feeling isolated and out of touch. I realized my Christmas wishes to my family would be meager or even missing. Our spirits rose again as we took our first snorkel outside Little Harbor entrance. We saw and followed a turtle, and saw some small corals. It wasn’t the warmest water, and we didn’t stay in too long.

Sunday, Dan downloaded Grib wind and wave files from a Ham radio program, as that is our main way of checking the weather forecasts and found that Monday would be a reasonable wind and wave day for Jamie to travel to go to Nassau since he needed to be there Wednesday, but not for us to go south.

I was actually happy about that because I do like to stay at the new places a bit and explore, and Little Harbor was very special. We met Dave, a resident of Little Harbor and he told us that the residents of Little Harbor get together for a pot luck dinner at Christmas at the local (only) bar and restaurant, Pete’s Pub, and always invited the boats and cruisers in the harbor. Yeah! Christmas was looking up even if the weather was looking mighty scary again with cold front after cold front expected. Kind of the tail end of the wonderful weather you up North were experiencing.

We arrived in Little Harbor in surf swell with considerable roll. Working our way into the harbor through the swell, knowing that the depth was barely enough for our 5 foot draft caused some anxious moments. Upon entering the harbor we picked up a mooring and immediately noticed the welcoming dock and open air thached roof restaurant in front of us. Down went the dighy from its spot on the arch of the stern, and on went the outboard kept on a mount on the life-lines and in we motor to sample the fare we had heard would be delicious. Pete's Pub did not disappoint-not once in the eight days we were in the harbor. The fish dinners were excellent. Fresh and spicy or spiced just right!

We had been told that Pete, a restauranteer and a world renowned artist, would close the restaurant and open it for a resident/ cruiser pot luck dinner for Christmas. We met a resident who encouraged us to plan to attend. There were a few boats in the harbor, not many, but we thought it could be something special to do at Christmas. What a wonderful day it turned out to be. The residents and the boaters all prepared something; turkey, ham, salads, vegetables and scrumptious desserts. We all ate and celebrated on a beautiful Abaco Beach on a hot Abaco afternoon. We toured the art gallery displaying the exquisite bronze sculpture of Randolph and gold work of Pete Johnson. The art works, available for sale on the island and the internet, are one of a kind and breathtakingly beautiful, showing the beauty of the Abaco through creative technique and artistic eye.

The day before New Years the weather window opened again and Sea Star, after a restful and welcoming stop at Little Harbor, was bound for the Island of Eluthera.