After our wonderful visit with Tom and Anina, Dan and I decided it was time to get serious about moving on South. After a great deal of thought we have decided on Port Antonio, Jamaca, as our next major stop.
Our plan was to leave Black Point, Exuma, revisit Farmer's Cay on the way and return to George Town, (remember the cruiser Mecca?) to re-provision and begin to look for the weather window needed to move south, planning daylight travel, when possible. We had read the guidebooks and despite some inconvenience we wanted to visit a few really out of the way places- as we had in the Jumento chain. We loved the solitude and scenery and especially the underwater world available there. This time we hoped that we could visit more places where the expectation was for great snorkeling, (or diving if you prefer that.)
Conception Island, located about 35 miles east of George Town is a nature preserve area and an island with a reputation for excellent snorkeling. Dan had been watching the weather to see when we could sail there for some time, and also Rum Cay, another 18 miles southeast from Conception, and on our way south.
When we arrived in George Town after a sloppy motor sail we had lots to accomplish before we could go out again to where ever we were to go. First our 120 day immigration permits were about to expire, meaning we had to leave the Bahamas before a certain date or extend the Visas. We needed fuel for Sea Star and the dinghy, we needed internet access for bill payment and taxes, food, I had just about hit bottom on the items stocked from the huge Florida shopping trip in November. We needed laundry done and various odds and ends on the boat required attention.
Some things are "Better in the Bahamas" but businesses have a hard time with supplies. We heard by radio that the one place to purchase fuel in George Town by the standard method of pumping fuel directly into the boat tank- was out of diesel and would be for "awile." We have learned not to wait for vague promises. Each day as we began our two mile round trip into Victoria Harbor from the Monument anchorage, we joined plenty of other cruisers bundled up in foul weather gear and carrying four or more five gallon jerry jugs for water and diesel. We feel lucky to have a watermaker on board, especially when we see the other couples hauling it to their boats- and it is not free.
The jobs could have been made a bit easier by less wind! The first day we bounced in with spray covering the dinghy and us in 20 knot winds and choppy seas. We decided that was enough and we wouldn't put ourselves through that again. The next day to fill up our diesel jugs for the second time, we decided to drive the big boat into the harbor and anchor closer, temporarily. With our two jugs and two borrowed ones, we made three trips to the one gas station where there was diesel, lugging the empties out- the full back to the closer harbor, to the bouncing Sea Star -still by bouncing dinghy, and it was blowing like stink- then pouring the fuel into the fuel tank while it sloshed from the containers. That chore finished, we dinghied back to town and visited Immigration and they courteously extended our Visas.
It was too rough to stay overnight near the town, so we returned to the anchorage. We couldn't help feeling sorry for the boats tied up at the marina near town. Sailboat or power yacht they could not purchase fuel, and they were pounding on the dock and bouncing worse than we were- and paying for the privilege! We had a well deserved Happy Hour that night with the Island Packet 440 who loaned us their jugs on the boat, Wind Whisperer. It was an exhausting day moving the boat, filling the fuel tank and then returning to a safer anchorage, BUT we had our fuel and met some new people, so all was well.
The following day was still very windy and choppy. Our friend, Jamie, on Windsong, a C & C 30' sailboat, was heading to town to do some of his chores and we tied our dinghy on the back and moved closer to town with him. We still had and adventurous dinghy ride ahead of us but this time it was to do our laundry, purchase propane for cooking, and go to the internet building. Well, one out of three is not too bad. A business called J and K Enterprises provides a wooden building and a plug-in for your own computer, but the internet was not working that day. The man who sells propane was sick and in the hospital so nobody knew when the tanks could be filled again. The laundry was washed and almost dried by the time I wanted to go back to the boat. The dryer wouldn't stop spinning while I caught the flying clothing. It may be spinning still! It took a black construction bag, brought from MA, to get the laundry back semi-dry.
No- I'm not done yet!
The next day we needed to "provision" and do some other errands. That means to buy food at one of two markets in George Town; the Exuma Market and the Shop Rite. On the out islands there may be small markets, but rarely with the items needed by full time cruisers. Many prices are more than those paid in the states by about a half, and of lesser quality. The produce has to be brought in by mailboat from Nassau. I don't know how the typical Bahamians afford to eat. We filled the dinghy with cat litter, cases of tonic water, soda, a case of oil, some liquor and lots of filled canvas boat bags while searching for things on my grocery hope list. We did quite well at the Market and then we drove back out to the anchorage with the supplies protected somewhat by the big plastic bag. We hauled them aboard and as I put things away I noticed we did not have this, that etc. Recheck the list and back to town we bounced, taking air like at a rodeo- to the other market and filled the dinghy again, then back to the first market because they had some things that I passed by before.
Yes!! Another chore completed!
Days ran together at anchor. We met with a group of boaters who were like-minded about moving on south and decided to go together to Conception and Rum Cay, then if possible Samana- an island in contention for where Columbus might have first landed in "Hispaniola", and on to Great Inagua. Another day we listened to a fellow cruiser give tips on fishing and show gear he uses for Wahoo, Mahi mahi, and Tuna. That reminded us to install our fishing rod holder and large reel, and think about how in the world we could fish from a moving sailboat without falling off. We really haven't solved the issue.
We changed the engine oil, hiked a bit, ate lunch at St. Francis Resort and shopped for a new bathing suit for Dan with no success. Seems it flew off the life lines while in the process of drying. Luckily he had an old one on board. We went to town one more time for a barbecue to support the town police department-yummy! Steak, peas and rice, mac and cheese, and a small ear of corn. It was well worth the $10.00 and the trip.
On March 29th the weather improved and we left George Town and sailed to Conception Island.
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