Warderick Wells Cay

Warderick Wells Cay  - January 10 to 18, 2012

The distance to Exuma Land and Sea Park from Rock Sound is about 40 nautical miles. By 7 AM the anchors were up and we were on our way. As we passed through the Davis Channel the fishing lines were strung out and the second 2012 fishing derby was officially started. Sunday’s Child led the way and soon had three fish on board; a mutton snapper and two yellow tail jacks. Not long after, Amokura reported in with a mackerel. Once again Polar Pacer was destined to come up empty handed. We would not be fishless though. Sunday’s Child agreed to trade fish for water and we ran our water maker all day.

Exuma Sound was settled with waves less than one foot and winds from the ENE between 8 and 9 knots. We motor sailed with full main and jib for several hours reaching speeds over 6 knots.

Once we were within hailing distance of the park headquarters on Warderick Wells Cay Tom made contact and confirmed that space was available in the Hog Cay mooring field for all three boats. As we approached the park boundary we received an excited call on the VHF radio from Sunday’s Child. They had caught another fish – this time it was a large mahi mahi.

Ted shows off the big fish. Look at that smile.

We swam off the beach where there was less current and we would not be swept back out to sea and were treated to snapper ceviche and grilled fresh mahi courtesy of Sunday’s Child for dinner. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

 Hog Cay is a good place to be in bad weather but is a fair distance from the park office. On a calm day it is an easy dinghy ride and there are walking trails that cross the island to the beach near the office.

 Sunday’s Child still had more fish than they could keep without refrigeration on board. Dinghy loads of equipment and supplies were ferried ashore for another fish barbeque. The table was already there.

Once the sun dipped down behind the island, the nocturnal hutia were out in full force rustling in the palm fronds at our feet hunting for crumbs. They seemed to be much larger than the ones we saw here two years ago. They have no predators on the island and are not afraid of the humans that they recognize as a food source.

We sadly said goodbye to Amokura and Sunday’s Child as they left the Hog Cay mooring field for the Southern Exumas and points south.

 Amokura had people to meet in the Eastern Caribbean before being joined by their son for the trip back across the Atlantic and home. We can only hope to cross paths with them again someday.

The Exuma Land and Sea Park continues to accept cruisers with suitable skill sets to do volunteer work for the park in exchange for mooring fees on an ‘as required’ basis. One work day equates to one day’s mooring per boat regardless of how many hands are put to work. Tom’s ability to repair boats got him an assignment to replace and reinforce the front of the big work barge.

A joint effort with Rick from Me Gusta.

My sewing machine, a bag of grommets, plus my sewing skills netted me a patchwork project.

Miriam (Me Gusta) and I found enough pieces of Sunbrella in their stash to maketwo new T-top covers to replace the ones that Hurricane Irene had destroyed. 

 Test fitting the finished product.

When the work was done we enjoyed Henry’s hospitality and some Bahamian domino lessons.

Movin’ On - January 6 to 9,2012

A month in the Abacos was longer than we had anticipated. But hey, we were having fun.

Nevertheless it was time to move on. Amokura and Sunday’s Child were on a similar schedule and we started movin’ on together.

Having a nice sail down the Sea of Abaco.

We did an overnight anchorage at Buckaroon bay on the west side of the Sea of Abaco before our last stop in the Abacos at Little Harbour, one of my favorite place in the Bahamas. The water was so clear we could see the individual blades of grass on the bottom in fourteen feet of water. The entrance to Little Harbour is only three feet deep at low tide and a maximum of six feet at high tide. With their seven foot draft, Amokura was not able to enter the harbour but they came in by dinghy to join us for lunch. Sunday’s Child also came in by dinghy and waited for high tide to come in and anchor for the night.

Chessie (in the red harness), number one dog on Sunday’s Child, found a pal to play tag-team fetch with at Pete’s Pub.

 Little Harbour speed bump.

This Prout Snowgoose has been at Little Harbour for at least two years.

The alarm was set for 5:30 AM in preparation for crossing the Northeast Providence Channel to Eleuthra. We would need to start out at first light. The sound of waves crossing on the shore just outside of the harbour did little to convince us that the cut that would take us out into open water would be calm enough for safe travel. The pitch black sky made it seem that much more menacing. By 6:30 we had finished our coffee and the eastern sky over Pete’s Pub was starting to show some light. There was absolutely no wind and our common sense as opposed to our ears told us that it was time to go.

Once outside the cut we experienced comfortable three foot ocean rollers with about an eight second period and six inches of chop on top. The sky was clear except for some scattered clouds on the eastern horizon. There was no wind. We motored all day.

Calm seas for the crossing.

The main shipping lane through the channel was busy with as many as five large ships crossing in front of us at once, the largest of which was 900 feet long. Tom made contact with one of the ships that showed on our AIS as having a CPA of .75 nautical miles, meaning that if we both maintained our speed and direction of travel that would be the closest that we would come to each other. That is not a large distance when you are on the water with something that has the potential to squish you like a bug. The captain advised us that he would change his course a little and put the CPA gap at a more comfortable distance.

All three boats had fishing lines out. As we approached the shallower water at the northern end of Eleuthra flying fish scattered in front of us indicating the presence of sea life and potential dinner. Sunday’s Child was rewarded for their youth and patience with a good size barracuda that was promptly returned to its watery home.

The sun was setting as we rounded Egg Island looking for a spot to drop anchor. The wind was expected to remain light from the east. Meeks Patch was home for the night and would give us a good starting point to pass through Current Cut in the morning en route to Governor’s Harbour. We did not expect much to be open in Spanish Wells on a Sunday and passed on a visit to the settlement.

We later learned that a dark hulled Canadian sailboat in the area had been hit by a local fishing boat the previous morning in the dark just before sunrise. Fortunately no lives were lost although we heard that two passengers on the fishing boat were air lifted to hospital in Nassau. It was a poignant reminder to all of us that there are no designated anchorages in the Bahamas and the use of adequate anchor lights is a must.

 Sunday’s Child launches the dinghy.

Suspecting that the days fishing venture would not be successful, lobster tails had been taken out to thaw for a group dinner of lobster curry.

Easy Lobster Curry

Saute onions, garlic, green peppers and celery in oil/margarine or butter.

Add curry powder or paste to taste.

Stir in enough flour to make a roux. Add enough liquid to make a sauce.

The liquid can be a combination of milk, coconut water or coconut milk .

Some coconut component will give better flavor.

Cook lobster in a pressure cooker for 2 minutes on high pressure.

Let the lobster cool enough to handle then peel and cut into bite size chunks.

Add lobster chunks to the sauce and reheat.

Serve over plain or jasmine rice.

More by luck than planning we transited Current Cut at near slack tide with less than a one knot current against us.

Commuter parking at the Current Cut Ferry terminal. Hurricane Irene has done a number on the roof.

We set a course for Governor’s Harbour but the wind soon shifted to our forward port quarter, so much forward that that we were crashing and banging into the two foot waves and having a very uncomfortable ride. We took a lot of water over the deck and few things had a salt water shower. I had forgotten to check the small hatch over the starboard berth to make sure it was closed tightly and the slow leak over my pillow had not yet cured itself. The conditions called for a change of destination. The route to Rock Sound was a little smoother and once we got closer to the island the waves flattened out and we were able to cut the engine and have a nice sail to the entrance of the harbour.

Just in front of the government dock we were able to find deep enough water to accommodate all three boats.

We had front row seats to watch the beehive of activity when the mail boat arrived with supplies in the wee hours of the morning.

After taking care of boat keeping chores we went ashore to stretch our legs and do some provisioning. Reminder to self: The last green peppers I bought only lasted two days before they were completely rotten and had to be tossed overboard. Fresh fruit and vegetables do not have a long shelf life in the Bahamas. Eat them if you’ve got ‘em.

A few things have changed in Rock Sound since our last visit. Dingle Motors, supplier of all things one might need according to the Explorer chart book, now sports a sign identifying it as The Lumber Shed. The bakery, Grandma’s Goodies, is no longer in operation and the species of fish in the blue hole have changed.

 An abundance of something that looked like a member of the snapper family has been replaced by this single queen angelfish.

There is also this bit of evidence that some attempt being made to control the amount of garbage on the island.

The first grocery store we stopped in did not have much selection. The only fresh produce was a pair of wooden bins containing onions and potatoes. The cans and boxes on the shelf were the standard emergency fare – canned peas and peaches and Cheerios. We decided to walk to the “supermarket” north of town where we found a nice selection of fresh fruits and vegetables that were better quality and lower prices than the giant new Maxwell’s in Marsh Harbour.

The long walk back to the dinghy dock with full bags and backpacks required a refreshment stop at Pascal’s, the waterfront bar whose music had woken me up during the night.

 We arrived just as a noisy tour group had just finished their lunch and was being treated to a taste of junkanoo before they boarded the bus for their next Eleuthra attraction.

Once they were gone we had the place to ourselves for an enjoyable lunch on the second floor deck with a great view of the sound and our boats bobbing at anchor.

After a beach walk on the far side of the bay where we found dinner plate sized sea sponges and an assortment of debris deposited by Irene, Sunday’s Child hosted happy hour on their Tartan 30. Drinks and appetizers were enjoyed in their roomy cockpit (no wheel!) while plans were made for the next day’s crossing to the Exumas.

Marsh Harbour for the Holidays

Marsh Harbour for the Holidays – December 22, 2011 to January 5, 2012

We had already crossed the Sea of Abaco and were anchored at Matt Lowe’s Cay when we saw our travelling companions on Amokura come to an abrupt stop as they were preparing to leave Man O War. With their 7 foot draft they were aground for the second time in the same location. The tide was on the rise so they did not have to wait long before the water was deep enough for them to follow us across.

As a stress relief treatment when they arrived we had them on board for a steak and lobster dinner, 2 bottles of wine, a large jug of sky juice, some beer and several games of Rummikub. It seemed to work as the next day they were ready to go snorkelling at Mermaid Reef.

With only three days left until Christmas it was time for what has become my annual Canadian butter tart baking. This year I came prepared with several packages of idiot proof pastry mix. Just add water and it rolls out like magic.

I still do not have a rolling pin on board. I have used this silicone baking sheet to roll out several kinds of dough and so far nothing seems to stick. Has anyone invented a silicone rolling pin yet?

We were anxious to visit the new Maxwell’s grocery store that was built in Marsh Harbour to replace the one that burned down a few years ago. We were impressed. What a change. Bright wide aisles, well stocked shelves with lots of choices, freezers literally overflowing with turkeys. Except for fresh fruit and veggies we still had lots of provisions on board but it was impossible to resist a few special treats like smoked salmon and fine cheeses and Pillsbury baguettes.

 Marsh Harbour is a bilingual community.

The smallest police station ever. It does not seem to be currently in use. Maybe it was required during the construction phase to ensure that building materials were not mysteriously reassigned to other projects on the island.

Our shopping extravaganza became Christmas Eve dinner with drinks before, during and after the feast. We passed on steak night at the Jib Room but attended Jason’s rake ‘n scrape party.

Christmas morning at the Marsh Harbour Marina.

Christmas Eve celebrations having gotten a little out of hand there was no appetite the next morning for Bailey’s in the coffee or our traditional smoked kippers for Christmas day breakfast. The pot luck dinner hosted by The Jib Room (It’s worth the ride to the other side.) was scheduled for early afternoon. I made a large batch of my sisters’ favorite cauliflower casserole to contribute along with fresh cranberry sauce and dressing. Our friends from the UK shared their Christmas crackers and introduced us to a new tradition.

 In the UK Christmas crackers come with jokes and little toys inside as well as pretty paper hats that are worn while you eat your Christmas meal. All the Christmas crackers I ever had in Canada were decorative only – no little goodies inside. I feel cheated!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s was a busy one. For cruisers used to a very slow paced lifestyle it was downright hectic!

Starting with Boxing Day a snorkelling trip to Mermaid Reef was on the agenda. Land access to the reef has been closed off by the new land owner of that little piece of shoreline, an action that has ignited controversy in the community as many locals frequented the spot as do cruisers. We picked up our cruising companions and headed out of the harbour. Fortunately we were able to anchor Polar Pacer within swimming distance of the reef and yet far enough away to avoid causing any damage to the coral. There are some moorings near the reef but they are only strong enough for a dinghy. The sea life was abundant with more variety than we had seen on our last visit.

We need a little more practice with the new underwater camera.

 It was not easy to get these grunts to pose for a photo.

 

The little sergeant majors think you have food for them and tried to nibble on the camera strap.

It was a beautiful day to be on and in the water. Drinks were poured as we lounged on the deck and congratulated ourselves for being lucky enough to be enjoying the cruising lifestyle. A local fisherman came by with lobster tails for sale, at a dozen for $60 and plans were soon made for a group dinner. Back in the harbour we rafted to Amokura so we could have both barbeques going at the same time. What started out as dinner for six soon expanded to a banquet for ten plus two more who stopped by for after dinner drinks. Life is like that.

In the morning, still rafted to Amokura, the boats in the anchorage had swung with the tide and we were sitting uncomfortably close to the neighbours. With morning coffee out of the way the raft was dismantled and we dropped our own anchor. Soon afterwards we started to hear repeated calls on the VHF from a boat, stranded in the shipping channel, trying without success to hail the office of their rental company. Tom volunteered to go out and tow them back in to the harbour. A representative from the rental company finally showed up to handle the towing but we were then hailed by a sail boat that must have overheard some of the radio communications and was also in need of assistance. They were arriving without a functioning engine and needed assistance to get into the harbour and anchor under sail. Tom, Kevin and Bill went to the rescue.

The next day the rental boat crew came by with a string of conch as a thank you.

Halfway through the cleaning process Tom and Kevin were wondering if this was a reward or a punishment.

Next on the social calendar was Happy Hour hosted by the owner of Celebration of Life, a forty foot lagoon catamaran in one of the charter fleets based out of Marsh Harbour. Anthony is not a cruiser and was just in Marsh Harbour to spend some time on his new boat and to meet as many people as he could during his short stay. Anyone looking for a charter to accommodate a large group would do well with Celebration of Life. The galley, salon and cockpit are all spacious enough to entertain a crowd and it has four staterooms with private heads.

Another harbour, another pot luck dinner. You should not go to the Abacos without visiting Hopetown, so we did. It was a great day for a short sail and we arrived with plenty of time to walk the town and pay a visit to Vernon’s grocery before dinner. Linda even picked up one of Vernon’s famous pies for dessert.

Just decorate that boarded up window like it was always meant to be that way. No one will ever know.

Evergreen, yes, but who says it should be pine or fir.

The first annual junkanoo competition was scheduled to start at the Sea Spray resort at 10:00PM. The resort is located a few miles from town. We had been unable to contact Sea Spray to get the details for the special shuttle from Hopetown to the resort so we went ashore to take our chances. As we walked towards the government dock where we expected the shuttle would run from, a Norwegian couple stopped and offered us a ride inn their golf cart. Not thinking how we might get back to the dinghy, we accepted their offer. Keep in mind that we have never been there before, have no idea how far away it is, it is pitch black out and the road is not lit.

A large crowd had already gathered at Sea Spray. The people waiting for drinks at the bar were lined up four deep and no one was moving very quickly. The live entertainment was good and helped pass the time until the start of the main event that didn’t happen until almost 11:00 PM.

The first group up was the Treasure Cay Explorers. The small group had good music, good dancers and very elaborate costumes.

As soon as they made their way past the crowd it was obvious that the next group was far from being ready for their turn. We came to our senses and realized that if we were going to make it back to the boat before morning we should probably do something about it sooner rather than later. Not able to find anyone at the resort that could help us with shuttle information we started walking in the hopes that someone with wheels would leave early and give us a ride. At least we had our flashlights. The first vehicle was not going very far but before we had walked far a nice lady on a golf cart picked us up and took us back to town.

Anthony was pleased enough with our company so far that he agreed to host the New Years’ Eve celebration on Celebration of Life. It was another pot luck dinner, of course, with copious amounts of good food and wine. Me Gusta came through in fine form with a bottle of champagne that they have been saving for years for a special occasion such as their first New Years’ Eve in the Abacos. We were treated to a very nice fireworks display and had a glimpse of the junkanoo group that had been performing at a nearby restaurant.

I have had a few requests for my conch chowder recipe. Here it is.

Pressure Cooker Conch Chowder

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil

1 large chopped onion

4-5 cloves minced garlic

1 chopped green pepper

2 or 3 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cans tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

2 liters water

2 tbsp. vinegar

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. sage

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Hot sauce to taste

4 or 5 minced or ground conch

3-4 medium potatoes, diced

1 can corn or mini corn cobs, drained

In pressure cooker, saute onion, garlic, green pepper and celery in oil for a few minutes.

Add all other ingredients and close pressure cooker.

Cook for 5 minutes on high pressure then let depressurize naturally.

Add potatoes and corn and cook on high pressure for 1 minute more.

I used conch that has been frozen but not tenderized. So far it has worked well.

The new year started at a much slower pace. There were boat chores that had been neglected over the holiday period and some repairs to be done to the UV strip on the jib and the boom cover. Even UV resistant thread eventually disintegrates in the sun and many exposed seams needed to be re-sewn. We probably could have done the boom cover on board but the jib is too large and awkward to manage. The Jib Room generously offered us the use of their back patio to set up the sewing machine and do our repairs.

The buffet table was just the right size to lay the jib out for those long seams.

Another repair that we were able to look after while we were in Marsh Harbour was the shattered jib car. A salvage boat that had been a victim of Hurricane Irene was tied up at the dock at the Conch Inn Marina and Tom was able to pick up a couple of spare parts that made it possible for us to put out the jib on the starboard side once again. Thanks to Joe for lending us one of his spares to use until we found a solution.

 With some modification the roller was made to fit on the existing jib car.