More Excellent Visitors 2012

FEBRUARY 2012

As January came to the end, Dan and I disengaged from Staniel anchorage and our cruiser friends at various anchorages nearby.  We ourselves had enjoyed a small, lagoon type enclosed anchorage named Pipe Creek.    

 Sunspot Baby was having dirty fuel issues and were still moored in Cambridge Cay; their boat unable to move.  Beautiful place to be stuck, though. They were in the process of cleaning the fuel, five gallons at a time through a filter. Later they told us Staniel Cay Marina, where they purchased the fuel, made it up to them.

 Barbara Ann, the boat we had dinghied into the Staniel anchorage was in Staniel solving their engine issues.  Once their boat was working again, I think I remember that they moored Barbara Ann at Sampson Cay Marina turned around and headed back to Naussau by plane and then the USA to do their taxes, leaving their boat temporarily.

 We met Tempest whom we hadn't seen for two years and visited with them at Staniel before they moved on.  Jay and Barb on Jupiter's Smile, a IPY we had traveled to Colombia with in 2009-2010, were in the Bahamas, so we tried to figure out how to hook up with them. We missed being able to re-connect with Cormorant, South Sea voyagers whom we had met when we traveled with our kids in 1998 on the old Sea Star.  We knew Mar Nel from Titusville were coming in soon after having boat issues which delayed their Bahama arrival, so we were watching and listening on the radio for them.

 Dan and I often look around at the boats in an anchorage and decide to go meeting and greeting- especially if the other boat is, like us, an Island Packet. IPY's have a small community and a couple of websites of news.  Sailboaters are usually very interested in what each other's plans are or where they have sailed. We met IPYers in Staniel anchorage and others in Pipe Creek, a beautiful and very protected spot that can seem difficult to enter because of a narrow channel with limited depth. Our first time in we were assisted by radio by the friendly owner of an IPY a little smaller than ours.  We also had met SunDance 5 in the creek where Rosemarie and I walked the beaches and climbed a bit.


The relatives who were soon to arrive were flying into Black Point Settlement, just six miles further south.  They were due mid day on January 30 and we needed to be in the anchorage there to greet them at the small airstrip. We did whatever food shopping we could at Isles General Store in Staniel but it was not the day for the mailboat so new supplies were limited, and then moved on to Black Point anchorage. Sometime in that time frame our repaired genoa arrived back to Staniel from Nassau and we furled it back on the stay.

Second visitors
We were looking forward to more visitors.  Daniel's (visitor in Jan.) dad and his wife, Nadsa were soon arriving. We always look forward to visiting with them and rarely have a chance to. Steven, the dad and my husband's nephew, with Daniel, had helped us sail Sea Star to Halifax, Nova Scotia from Provincetown, MA in 2008 to start our cruising life. (see earlier blog entries) At that time we had prepared a small farewell party and our two sons, some friends and relatives arrived to see us off from Wickford, Rhode Island.  It was wonderful to have our significant people see us off. 

When Steven come to crew with us in July2008, he carried a gallon of frozen beef stew, a chicken dish and other goodies in his small duffel. As well as being an excellent chef, he has sailing experience and knew what was needed to make a passage; a well fed crew.

Nadsa, our soon to be visitor, is an interesting and spiritual person. She's a Master Chef and rarely takes time away from her busy restaurant.  Dan and I were glad they could both accept our invitation.  We thought the trip might provide a bit of a respite from their high pressure occupations, and what better place than in the beautiful Exumas. . I do admit to being a bit on edge about the food access and preparation- for now there were four people on the boat. As it turned out I shouldn't have given it an extra thought.   

Nadsa and Steve arrived at the Black Point Settlement airstrip not in this tiny plane but a twelve seater.

Where my pictures went, I really don't know.  I had them arriving, and on the golf cart.....oh well- imagine and see the scenery 

Loraine, a local restaurant operator whom I have mentioned in previous blogs, loaned us her electric golf cart to pick Nadsa and Steven and their small amount of luggage up and drive the short distance to the pier.

                                                                 We passed by the school...

                                                                  The police station.                              

Adderly's store to look at gifts; BlackPoint is known for handweaving strips of material made from the leaves of palms and creating original pocketbooks, hangings and decorations, for shell jewelry, and for models of their home-made and swift racing boats.

                                                             A couple more scenes...

In Black Point Settlement

                                                              Straw weavers

                                                        Pretty homes

                                                     TV at Lorraine's and internet, too.

A delivery by ship, not the almost  weekly Mailboat, but kind of similar.  Doesn't it look as if the dinghies will be squished?  No- they moved some so that all would be well.

                                         We are sailing along with our guests toward Cambridge Cay

                             The mooring field at Cambridge is a little more crowded than when Daniel was there.

Walking on the beach and up the hill for a view of Bell Island

                                       A few water pictures.  We all snorkeled the beautiful reefs at Cambridge.

        The pictures above and below were taken later in Feb with a new underwater camera.  I inserted them now because we spent two sunny, companionable days snorkeling the Cambridge area.
                                         

It's hard to get fish in the picture.

                                     This little Bananaquit came into the galley.  Another little birdy must have told it that Nadsa, a professional chef, would be in Sea Star's galley.  Thank you for the wonderful dinner Nadsa; fried rice with succulent vegetables and lobster. (purchased and not from the closed area of Exuma Land and Sea Park) .  Thanks to you too, Steven.  Steven made a pasta dinner another night.   With these Excellent guests, our visit was leisurely.                          

A few days later, heading back to Staniel Cay for the plane, we passed Sampson Cay Marina and Dan and I were treated to dinner there.

Some folks were really relaxed-

                                            We had great conversation and family news--

                                                        Fed the Pigs, of course.

Nadsa and Steve heading Northeast- in February   :(

Then about one week later, we geared up for the visit from our son, Steve, and friend Christa.  We were so glad that they could get away from jobs and problems and enjoy the warm Bahamas with us.

"I can't do it Captain" Hmmmm.  Did I say warm?  On the day they arrived the weather was terrible!  Wind, rain and waaves.  Christa had never been sailing with us, and so we worried about her reaction when she would come aboard.  All day Dan and I were anchored in Black Point, but with a south- westerly wind that is not comfortable there.  Christa and Steve were to arrive about 3:00pm and we were concerned we couldn't leave the boat and get the dinghy safely to shore--AND get them and luggage back to Sea Star. We considered putting them up at a hotel until morning. Then we received a call on the ship's radio.  Lo and behold it was Lorraine, offering to pick up our visitors and deliver them to the dock.  We accepted with gratitude, but as fate would have it we were not to stay dry anyway. 

Runaway Sailboat I looked off of Sea Star's bow and was alarmed.  A sailboat was heading what looked like- right for us!  I alerted Dan who quickly called the entire anchorage and then Lorraine's and asked if a cruiser was there, as there was a sailboat loose in the anchorage.  Its captain now alerted to any boater's biggest nightmare,  Dan and I watched with relief as we were gearing up to get in our dinghy and see what we could do, relief... that the boat slipped right on by US but was now heading for two more boats and quickly, the reef along the shore line.  By now another cruiser and we were charging toward the loose boat in our dinghies. Our dinghy that we were unsure of being able to get ashore in- and the same wind of 25kn and waves with 3ft chop! 

Dan went along side looking for another anchor to throw or perhaps the key in the ignition- nope. The second boater who rushed to assist had a more powerful dinghy but he went airborne as he used his dinghy to try to turn the boat in the chop.  Next time we looked up, because we had almost been swamped by waves and were bailing, the two crew of the sailboat had arrived by dinghy and one was now trying to board the bucking boat.

The story ended well after a few more scary moments. The sailboat kept drifting quickly toward the certain crash on the rocks and the west shore but the dragging anchor caught something and the boat stopped. Despite its belching black smoke, the first man did start the engine revved it high up and abashedly began to motor off to the other side of the anchorage, having a difficult time because he was stopped by his anchor.  Dan had been hollering across to "cut the line", but there was a language barrier. The international symbol of hand across the neck frantically got the point across while the other dinghy steadied the boat into the waves. The second man while still in his dinghy, was handed a sharp knife to cut the anchor rode. This allowed the boat to use it's engine.  He then climbed aboard and secured his dinghy.
Soon, re-anchored and pitching wildly in the waves, that boat left the anchorage.

Will they make it?
Well, ok- back to the story of our guests.  The radio came on again and Christa and Steve were eating at Lorraine's and would be to the dock in a few minutes.  No time- or reason for Dan and I to change to dry clothing after the attempted rescue- (remember, this is the Bahamas and even wet is kind of warm.)  We forced the dinghy to travel to the dock, where we waited for a wave to carry us up and jumped onto the ladder to the dock, tying the painter line as the boat surged back and forth.  Of course I could not take pictures of any of this in the rain, spray and surge- but here are a few from the dock.
                                                      

                    The shore where the loose sailboat had dragged to only a few minutes before

                                 The dock we had to reach to pick up Christa and Steve.  It looks like one could go to shore but there are sharp rocks over near the shore.

                              Look for this boat in the next picture.  It's next to our dinghy.

                        There is a half-ladder down there we had to reach high to swing up on, out of the dinghy.

 The new arrivals were troopers; smiling, giggling, all into the excitement of this new adventure. Even Lorraine's son watched with curiosity to see how these Gringos would get in that little boat. It is not just chance that these fishermen choose solid skiffs for their transportation. 

 Dan had the engine running, Steve remembered how to maneuver to balance his bodyweight and jumped quite athletically into the dinghy, smiling and laughing the whole time-  then somehow got the luggage I handed him (in slippery plastic bags) into the boat.  Dan barreled off to Sea Star.  Christa watched the bouncing and smashing of the dinghy while we packaged their other bags and waited her turn.  What could she have been thinking? 

Christa and I were astonished that it was Steve, not Dan returning to pick her up.  Steve told her exactly where to step to balance as she stepped in from the algae-coated vertical ladder, and she was soon in and seated sans mishap.  Lorraine's son, still there, held the line and I passed down the remaining luggage, scrambled down, got in and we were off!  Soon, we all were safe and comparatively dry aboard Sea Star.

Dan and I had decided earlier in the day to leave the Black Point anchorage and go a short distance south to a more sheltered bay because of the unfavorable wind direction.  That plan worked beautifully and soon the "kids" and Dan and I were all in the dinghy,this time heading for shore and a walk on the beautiful coastline.                                               



After our walk and as evening was approaching, the weather settled. The wind direction changed just enough to make the boat comfortable.  The kid's first night was settling in but they still needed to learn how boat systems are more finicky than home systems. Dan and I were introduced to our new toy, a Go Pro video camera, a very small, waterproof camera we hoped would allow us to video some of our snorkels and that could be used without damage when water incursion on the boat destroyed my being able to capture our experience.  I'll just say here, it's a sharp learning curve to effectively use the Go Pro.

                     This is actually sailing to Norman's Cay the next day.

This could have been anytime.  Well, sometimes they had on their wetsuits and snorkeling gear.

Somewhere along the chain.  Maybe the Shaw's private island near Cambridge Cay

An interesting perspective by Go Pro.  The people seem tiny and far away.

 Again, the last activity before getting on the plane is...

Feed the famous Staniel Cay swimming Pigs.

At Sampson's anchorage at sunset.

A sight we will miss.

Steve shows us how to use the Go Pro.  Quite a wide angle lens. At "some point" I will insert some short movies here but that process is befudling me right now, and I want to move on and catch-up.

Heading through the channels at Shroud Cay to the sea on the other side. The cut is in front of us.

                                  Here's the kids in the dinghy, but what is on the side?  No clue.

Dad high, Steve low.  Look Ma, no air! Steve was able to freedive to 30' after not diving for years.

The night of Superbowl pre-game at Black Point- Scorpio's Restaurant, obviously out of sequence.

  Cruisers from Sun Spot Baby.  He took the lovely Bahama Sunset shots at Cambridge Cay. 

We had our own room at a beachfront restaurant on Staniel Cay to watch the Superbowl.  Everybody else was for the Giants.

Check out.  $145.00 worth of food in the Bahamas. Broccoli $6, lettuce $4.95-after that I couldn't even look.  We just bought what they actually had.

This was Not the part of the sail that originally ripped and that we sent to Nassau to be fixed with the instructions to inspect the sail and please fix or re-sew any issues.  Only two modest sails in the Exumas and we were again looking for a sailmaker.

NEXT-  MARCH IN THE EXUMAS.

                                                                      

Staniel Cay 2012 and Daniel's Visit

JANUARY

Here is a map of the Exhuma Chain.  New Providence Island and Naussau, its Capital are to the west,   Florida is northeast.  We crossed from Nassau to Ship Channel, went on to Allen's Harbor, Exuma Land aand Sea Park, Staniel Cay and Black Point Settlement. 



So, you are probably wondering why we chose to get back on Sea Star and head to the Bahamas.  For me one part of the cruising life is spending time in or under the water. The water should be warm, preferably. Well, the Bahamas has the water of anyone's dreams; every shade of blue imaginable from brilliant turquoise, through an entire range to sea green, deep navy and black when  there is grass growing on the bottom, or brown when a coral reef is exposed, glowing blue with pure white sand bottom in graduating rings around each island depending on depth and bottom structure. A camera doesn't usually do it justice, and often photos of the low, sandy islands we see or anchor near don't photograph that well either.

Bottom structure can be of course coral reefs; rock-like mounds containing splashes of color. When one swims in and looks more closely,  floating hair-like appendages, textured swirls ,tubes and fans remind one that all of the reef, attached directly to the bottom or not, are vibrantly alive.  To top off this visual extravaganza a quiet observer is allowed the enjoyment of viewing a variety of flashing sleek silver or unbelievably shaped multi-colored fish.  Water temperature can be cozy warm, allowing a snorkeler to stay in and check it all out until she is tired.

Snorkeling, and for some scuba diving, are good reasons to spend time in the Bahamas; pleasant people is another, and sailing or island exploration in a pretty relaxed atmosphere round out the things we enjoy. In a relaxed atmosphere like the islands, we meet fellow cruisers and exchange information on routes to sail and help each other cope with the daily frustrations that are a part of boating    

Here at Allen's Harbor, Leaf Cay- on this tiny strip of beach off the anchorage this speed boat and others, bring tourists from Nassau to see the endangered Rock Iguana, daily.  They emerge from the noisy boat looking like swarming ants, but in bikinis. Most feed the encroaching  iguanas grapes, lettuce or whatever to entice the long tailed dinosaur-like two foot long creatures to pose for pictures. In one half hour the tourists are back on the boat and heading back to the city.  That day we had hoped to move on the Exuma Park, but wind was 22 to 25kn and we stayed put since our anchor was holding.  Allen's can be a tricky place to be as the strong current changes directions two times each day.  That motion can dislodge anchors and cause a mess in the anchorage.  We were a bit miffed with one sailboat that put out two anchors, taking up a large part of the space.  I think that could have been the reason a later arriving charter sailboat ended up needing a pull off the reef in the center of the anchorage. 

We arrived at Allen's Harbor very near New Years.  The Exuma chain is apparently very popular and there are scads of visitors from Nassau, or Florida for fishing and holidays. The visitors to the Bahamas come by plane or boat. Many boats are private yachts and chartered power boats of impressive size.  This one has its own helicopter.  The people aboard can be seen dining, playing and more through the windows in or out of their new cruise wear or buzzing around just looking fabulous on personal watercraft or other water toys.  Yes, it was the holidays, but all that wealth seems repugnant. I can't imagine what a land-based Bahamian fisherman thinks when he sees the extravagance.  Since the infrastructure is weak in these small islands, the yachts probably carry all their needs for their cruise. They don't rent the local boats because they tow their own dinghies or larger  motored fishing vessels and equipment, some are too large to large to consider a berth at a marina and anchoring is free.  

  We met these nice people at Warderick Wells Park, near Emerald Rock where we also saw and heard many of the big guys enjoying themselves.

This yacht, we were told, belonged to Steven Speilburg and the plane was kept quite busy with guests leaving or arriving.

So what you may ask are these pigs doing here on a sandy  island. beach.  These are two or three of the world famous Staniel Cay swimming pigs.  An important tourist attraction, and we did it too, is to approach the island in a dinghy or small boat with fruit, vegetables, crackers-you name it (they ask it not be meat) and offer it to the pigs who come right into the water off the beach to swim up to your dinghy to eat.  Some folks or tour operators encourage them to swim quite a distance away from shore- you wonder if the pigs will be able to swim back!

How they could deal with mouths and noses full of sand was a mystery to us.

We arrived at Staniel anchorage, anchored and hurried out to see the New Years Day race of the C class Bahamian sloops.  I took a video but we zipped around trying to keep out of the way so the pictures were filmed very poorly.  This one was the winner and is a very famous sloop named Tida Wave.

This one is the Lady Murial, another well known and supported sailor from Staniel Cay

                                                                           
            This sailboat is the Courageous.  In this picture you can see well that these boats are balanced by people-weight hanging over the ships gunnels because their sails are soo impressively large.

                                                                           
             The sailors and "weights" all had a great time.  For cruisers and other tourists who were given the opportunity to sail on these sloops the cost was they bought the beer!                                                        
                                                                               

The Staniel Cay Yacht Club bar and restaurant.  A fun place to people watch; good food, too.

Look what we passed moored at the Club- another larger version of Sea Star having a barbecue on their stern.

                                                                               

                                         A few more pictures of the New Years crowd.

Moored at Thunderball Grotto where 007 James Bond was filmed

                                                                                                                       
                                This motorboat's dinghy is a 40 foot center console fishing boat                                      

               Hooray! A visitor!  A few days after New Years Daniel arrived to spend almost a week with us before he headed back to California and college.  We picked him up at the Staniel Cay airport- an easy way to have guests fly in, by the way. We picked him up in our dinghy, stuffed his bag into a big garbage bag and headed the half mile out to the anchorage on a blustery afternoon.

                                                                   
                                          Getting reacquainted back on Sea Star.  We hadn't seen Daniel since he and his father Steve, my husband's nephew, helped us sail Sea Star out of Provincetown, MA to Halifax, NS in 2008. Daniel was glad to be back aboard and we were excited to have him.

                                                    Scenes of exploring Staniel Cay
                                     

 We had met this couple, relatively new cruisers, in Nassau where they were having BiG engine issues and help was marginal at best. Dan commiserated, helped them set up their SSB radio so they could call us from their long distance radio- and a few days later we left just a few days before Christmas. They had finally sailed out of Nassau after New Years--but on arriving to the Staniel Anchorage, their engine just quit.  Dan and I pulled them into the anchorage with our dinghy until they could safely drop their anchor.  Still with engine issues, they were so glad to be safely anchored and out of Nassau that they beamed us these beautiful smiles.

                                                                           
                        Sometimes it can be rough at anchor but we cope in ingenious ways, I think.

With Daniel aboard, our first short trip was a sail to Black Point Settlement only about six miles south of Staniel Cay but in pace of living, slower and much more to our liking.  Sea Star anchored in Black Point Harbor, a nicely sheltered bay.  We were waiting for the weekly mailboat as we had ordered a new Yamaha 15hp dinghy motor from Nassau.  In Black Point there are many wonderful people.  One of the best is Lorraine from Lorraine's Cafe, our very favorite place to eat.  Her desire to assist cruisers in any way she can is legend. We had to provide an address to receive our ordered motor from Nassau.  Lorraine offered to meet the mailboat for us, cover any shipping charge and store the engine until we got there.  The problem is she explained, is often it is not known when exactly the mailboat will "reach" meaning get there. She did not want us inconvenienced or worried about our shipment.

Amazing!  Just because we had eaten a few meals with Lorraine and chatted, she would provide any help requested.  It turned out the boat was arriving earlier than expected, but Daniel had already arrived and we could make it to Black Point to pick up the order.  All went well and Dan was quite happy to have young, strong Daniel to help lug the motor and tank in its big square cardboard box off the mailboat and onto the dock, then down in our dinghy and out to Sea Star where they raised the old motor onto its storage bracket and installed the new motor on the dinghy. Why I took no pictures of the exciting procedure I just don't recall.  Sorry.

We took Happy Hour at Scorpio's Bar, ate at Lorraine's, the next day explored the settlement and prepared to sail off for Cambridge Cay and Warderick Wells in the Exuma Land and Sea Park so Daniel, a California surfer dude, could enjoy some snorkeling in the Bahamas and relax in the sun. (He had flown to us from New England, brrr!)     

Blue, calm water at the dock in Black Point

The sign and doorway of Lorraine's Cafe.  Lorraine's Mom cooks in the Cafe with Lorraine and bakes the delicious Coconut bread the Islands are known for. She supplies cruisers with bread with one day of notice. It can be very busy in the harbor (and restaurant) when at times there are as many as thirty boats. A hard working and charitable family.

There is a small airport on Black Point also.  The ticket holder can decide to land or leave from either Staniel Cay or Black Point with the same ticket. They hop over on the same plane that stops in Nassau.

Ahh, more lovely, graceful Bahamian sailboats.

These are much smaller than the ones we saw at Staniel, but speedy when they have the wind.  This is a race between a father, the current sailing champion, and the son.  Father and son built the new boat together.

Taking down the incredible sails 

This is the home and life-long project of  a man from Black Point. He has collected interesting driftwood that appealed to him in some way.  In his "museum" he guides and says, "This looks like a........," and sure enough  , a tourist can see the resemblance. All shapes and sizes are shown. 

This Bananaquit slipped in for a look around Sea Star

After a four hour sail and motor we have passed some homes, well, actually islands of the rich and famous; Johhny Depp has an island right next to a Shaw from somewhere who seems to be rebuilding his island from the ground up. He bulldozed a road right through the center of his mountain and down to the sea on the other side which just happens to be the Land and Sea Park- an effort by Bahama's government at a reserve to replenish fish stock and keep the corals and natural areas undeveloped and pristine.  How these islands within Park boundaries have been sold at all is a mystery and unconscionable according to some local Bahamians. Not only have the island been sold but they have been sold to foreign interests.  People say, and we could see that the Shaw intends to have a marina right in the Park,  Others say the marina is for his own yachts and those of friends and he has agreed to help preserve the Park.  Time will tell how this develops. 

From the right of this lovely picture of Dan, Daniel and I taken by a friend in Cambridge Cay, in different light the blight of the road and dredging on the Shaw's private island can be seen, and at times, heard.  Tonight, though, everything is still.

Just a gorgeous sunset

Geeze, what a bright anchor light on that yacht outside the mooring field.

Umm, no I guess not.

Goodnight from Cambridge Cay

                                                                           

After another few days at Cambridge where we three snorkeled the places named Aquarium, (you can guess why I'll bet), Airplane, an underwater plane said to have been carrying drugs that now is growing a reef around it and others and it was time to head back to Staniel Cay.  We took Daniel to feed the pigs, then to a shoreside local restaurant for conch and walked him up the hill to the airport to see him off.
                                                   Have a great second semester Daniel!

 These planes can be pretty small and the weight must be distributed well.  Daniel and a few other lighter-weight people were placed in the tail.  It's about 40 minutes to Nassau.

At the anchorage at Staniel we noticed that our genoa sail was ripping out in a few places.  You saw my pictures of beautiful Bahamian sailboats with massive sails. We figured it would be easy to find a person to repair ours.  Not so.  Our only recourse was to send the sail out for repair. Despite suggestions to send the sail back to Florida on the small airplane from the company Watermakers, we found that too costly and sent it by mailboat to Nassau.

It was a struggle to pull the sail down and flake it (fold) and shove it into a big sailbag. It made a lump about four feet by three feet and weighs quite a bit.  Since we were at anchor we slid the huge sail into the dinghy over the gunnels and lifelines, (whew, plop!) and ferried the lump to Isles General Store where we lugged it up to their store out of the dinghy.  That's where we left it for inclusion in the freight to be sent to Nassau from all the out islands.  See ya someday, sail we thought.

As  February approached we had more guests to look forward to.  Hope we get it back so sailing will be possible!