tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61610056717545116322024-02-07T06:22:06.290-05:00Coyote Adventure"I spent a long time trying to find my center until I looked closely one night & found it had wheels & moved easily in the slightest breeze, so now I spend less time sitting & more time sailing."...Brian AndreasBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-51637526855876151662014-03-31T20:50:00.001-04:002014-03-31T21:02:42.952-04:00Time to Say Good Bye<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zJLt1lCh53M/UzoKI3BCDjI/AAAAAAAAGvY/Q6mIQxzVnKI/s1600/DSC_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zJLt1lCh53M/UzoKI3BCDjI/AAAAAAAAGvY/Q6mIQxzVnKI/s1600/DSC_0290.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a>Tomorrow at 0800 hours we are departing Hope Town to start
our long journey to Baltimore. If the window holds out we could be in the U.S.
by Thursday. If not, we will be waiting in the northern Abacos for better
crossing conditions in a week or so. </div>
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It has been another wonderful winter here in the Bahamas and
I still feel so lucky to spend this long time decompressing in such a beautiful
place. This year we are especially lucky because of the brutally horrible
winter up north. Hopefully that will just be a painful memory (for those who
experienced it) when we actually arrive home. Strangely, it has been an unusually
nice winter here…not nearly as many cold fronts and lots of sunny, breezy,
pleasant days. Sorry, don’t mean to rub salt water into the wound.</div>
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This year was a little different from our past adventures...perhaps a little less adventurous. We didn’t move around much and opted to just spend most of our time chilling in Hope Town. Because of that, and maybe because this is our fourth year, I have not felt I had as much to blog about. The highlights were most definitely the visits with Lynn’s kids and Paul and Lee. The rest of our days were spent doing the usual Bahamas activities. So, I thought I would just post a selection of my favorite photos from this year that bring back great memories and I think capture the essence of...de Bahamas mon...</div>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-49529136514655813992014-03-08T21:09:00.000-05:002014-03-08T21:18:51.819-05:00What Happens in Hope Town Stays in Hope Town<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgHvmTSSFHo/UxvHcoEiScI/AAAAAAAAGuM/2x2NT__Xx-I/s1600/P2220177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgHvmTSSFHo/UxvHcoEiScI/AAAAAAAAGuM/2x2NT__Xx-I/s1600/P2220177.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>At least that’s what I promised the Hershfeld siblings when
they left last week. We just barely
survived the five-day visit with Traci, Kari, Jeff and Jami (in that birth
order), which was as wild and crazy as expected. We are so happy they made the effort to work
out a time when they could all come together considering their conflicting work
and family obligations…It really was a blast after which Lynn and I have been
resting our bodies (and my liver) for the last week! Truly, it was a laugh a
minute. </div>
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I think I should give you a bit of background on the
Hershfeld kids. They are all within 5 years of each other and therefore went to
school together with all the same friends. They were athletic and played sports
like football, field hockey, lacrosse and baseball. The Hershfeld house was always
open to kids dropping in and apparently where all the guys went to play basketball
in the driveway late in the night. It was on a river and sounds like the kids
basically lived at a camp during the summers. I love to listen to the stories
of their earlier exploits, although I think Lynn tries to turn a deaf ear when
they reminisce about their youth. Like
the time Traci took the houseboat for a joy ride…or, when Jeff snuck the
rebuilt corvette out for a spin…or the day they all spread flour on the hallway
floor and took turns sliding through it. They remain very close as adults and
still love to laugh, tease each other and generally have a great time. They may
have reverted a bit to their childhood for the week…and there was nothing held
back. Nothing.<br />
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We started out in Marsh Harbour where we picked up the gang
on Saturday afternoon and, after a lunch at Mangos, headed to Great Guana Cay.
Everyone was really tired so we actually hit the sack at about 8 PM. Jeff
commandeered the V-berth, Jami slept on the settee in the salon and Traci and
Kari opted to sleep under the stars in the cockpit. I didn’t think that would
be very comfortable, but they assured me it was and chose to sleep there for
the remainder of the trip. </div>
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The next day was the true start to the “Shenanigans”. We
headed to shore and started out at Grabbers for morning bloody mary’s. Then we
headed to Nippers…the somewhat famous spot in the Abacos for causing afternoon
debauchery followed by morning hangovers. You can always pick out the post-Nippers crowd
by the way they stagger down the dirt road. Well, I hate to admit that we were
among those foolhardy sailors who had more than one “Nipper”. </div>
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Just before we made it back to the boat Traci accidentally
fell out of the dingy. That is to say that Jami pushed her out. That was the
start of an hour of hysterical swimming with swan dives and cannon balls off
the bow. Then we all dried off and dried out while we headed to Hope Town in the
late afternoon. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4bo5YZc8io/UxvHO0wUNRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/P5L75-Fmjk8/s1600/DSC_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d4bo5YZc8io/UxvHO0wUNRI/AAAAAAAAGrw/P5L75-Fmjk8/s1600/DSC_0483.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a>The next day we went out to hunt for conch, an activity that
seems to be a favorite with our various visitors. It entails dragging people by
a rope behind the dingy as they troll for conch. If one is spotted the
“troller” drops the line and dives down to retrieve it. After about an hour,
Kari and I had found 5 legal-sized conch and Traci and Jami had found none.
That may be because they really just preferred being pulled around to actually
looking for dinner. They did finally find a few and cheered happily when they
were declared keepers. We went home with eight conch but in the end we were too
lazy (or grossed out) to kill and clean them so we donated the catch to another
boat more willing to do the chore. That night we headed to Jacks Bar to play
bingo, which they call Jacks. Unfortunately none of us won the pot, although
Traci came closest and was disappointed to hear someone call out “JACKS!” when
she was within one number. </div>
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Another day we rented golf carts and toured the island. We
started out at Kari’s favorite spot, Tahiti Beach, after which we headed to
Seabreeze…the first stop on our island pub crawl (with DGCDs of course…
designated golf cart drivers). Along the way we saw a couple walking and asked
them if they wanted a ride. They hopped on and we quickly discovered that she
was the daughter of another cruising couple we know, so they joined in and
called their Dad to meet us! We also bumped into our friend Chuck and he tagged
along as well. After a stop at the Abaco Inn we decided it was time for lunch
so we went to On Da Beach for really yummy grilled food. We then backtracked to
Firefly, which was thankfully closed. So it was off to the Hope Town Harbour
Lodge and a visit with Gary who makes the most excellent mango daiquiris. Another hilarious Hershfeld day. </div>
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I don’t mean to make it sound like all we did was drink…it’s
just that these were sort of standout events. Most of our time was perfectly
sober and was filled with a variety of activities. There was definitely never a
dull moment. We chartered a run-about and headed to snorkel and Little Harbour,
we walked on the beach, lay in the sun, shopped, toured the Hopetown settlement,
enjoyed morning coffee and cinnamon rolls, played cards, read books, hunted for
sea glass (Jeff and Kari were hooked), rode in the dingy, climbed the light
house, took pictures, watched a movie, chatted, teased, ate a few good dinners,
went to munchies and the coffee house, went to bed early and woke up early,
watched sunsets and sunrises, and basically laughed our way through the week.</div>
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Lynn and I have been in withdrawal since they left last Friday and back to keeping each other company. But, we have the memories of a fabulous week to keep us amused. I do hope they had as much fun as we did! </div>
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Well, that’s as much as I can tell you. We have been sworn
to secrecy on the remainder of the antics…I will just have to let the pictures tell a thousand words...</div>
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<br />Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-80736831535831477372014-02-15T20:57:00.000-05:002014-02-15T20:57:21.701-05:00We Made It...Now for an Update<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vBZvwWTpZs/UwAXChT_SpI/AAAAAAAAGks/5mC7AYK5ncY/s1600/PICT8360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vBZvwWTpZs/UwAXChT_SpI/AAAAAAAAGks/5mC7AYK5ncY/s1600/PICT8360.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a>Makin’ Water…that’s what I am doing right now. Lynn is topside stripping the teak
rails. These are both mundane tasks that
can occupy most of a cruiser’s day. Like doing the laundry or picking up
groceries. But, hey, I am definitely not complaining. A day of chores in the
Bahamas is just fine with me! </div>
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It is a gorgeous, calm, sunny day. In fact that is what we
have had for more than two weeks now…very uncommon for winter in the Abacos.
Usually there is a cold front at least once a week and often more frequently.
Again…no complaints here. I so feel for all our friends toughing it out through
a record-breaking winter further north, both on boats and in dirt homes. I
gotta hand it to the live-aboards though, Lynn and I agree that we would most
certainly have bailed and moved ashore by now. <br />
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If anyone actually follows this blog anymore, I apologize to
you for being so delinquent in my updates.
I seem to have lost some of my blog-writing initiative, plus we have
more intermittent Internet access as we are just using it when we go to happy
hours where they have wifi hot spots. </div>
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So…where did I leave off?
I’ll just gloss over the boring stuff. We left Beaufort SC and had an
easy off shore hop around Georgia. Got to Vero Beach FL and waited less than a
week to cross over to the Bahamas…all timing was perfect actually. Just enough to do what we needed to do and no
long waits. <br />
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Now, on to the fun stuff…Paul and Lee, our friends from
Baltimore Marine Center, joined for two brilliant weeks. They arrived in Vero
and helped us cross the Gulf Stream, which was fantastic as it makes a huge
difference to have extra crew on board for overnight cruises. They were awesome
crew too. Paul is a pilot so was a great help with weather decisions and
navigating. And Lee, who came along despite feeling some trepidation about
being out of site of land, turned out to have no worries and was ready and
willing to help however she was needed. She and I handled the
“waking-over-circadian-low” (WOCL) shift…a flying term Paul taught me that
refers to the hours between 3 and 6 AM during which it is most difficult to
stay awake.<br />
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We had quite a good crossing; just a little bumpy. As usual we
motored the whole way since we were headed into wind, but, we weren’t going to
pass up a good window as they come so infrequently during the winter. </div>
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Approximately 26 hours after leaving Fort Pierce we arrived
at Green Turtle Cay. After checking in with immigration we celebrated hoisting
the Bahamas courtesy flag with a bottle of champagne. We then headed into the Bluff House Marina
for what we planned to be a one night stay to relax and then move on. <br />
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Now, a bit of not-so-fun stuff…the next morning we heard a
clunk when we tried to turn over the engine. “That didn’t sound good” I said to
Lee. Well, it wasn’t. Engine wouldn’t start. The first mechanics thought it was
a starter problem, but after a week waiting while they sent it to Florida to be
rebuilt; we finally got our starter back and were told there was nothing wrong
with it in the first place. At that point we determined that we should move on
to a new mechanic. Every islander we told about our problem said, “have you
called George?”…so, we called George.<br />
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Enter George Cross, The Engine Whisperer. He climbed into
the engine room and literally touched, smelled, tasted and listened to the
engine. Within 20 minutes he had
determined that we had water in the cylinders. Over the next week he solved the
problem and we were underway. It turned out to be a perfect storm of small
problems that led to water coming in through the exhaust (I won’t bore you with
the details). This was much better than the other possible entry route through
the head gasket. George would arrive,
determine the next action to take, and leave Lynn to do the work. He joked that
we was sending Lynn back to college. The only problem with George was that he
was definitely on island time and we never quite knew when he would appear
again. But, he is an awesome mechanic and we are very grateful to him for
helping us get going again. <br />
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The main frustration with our boat problem was that we were
stuck in Green Turtle Cay. Albeit, this is not a bad place to be stuck; but we
were disappointed to not be able to show Paul and Lee more of the Abacos. They
of course were very happy and we did have a great time kicking around the
island. We chartered a 26-foot center cockpit boat and cruised to Hopetown and
Guana Cay, which was an awesome day. <br />
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Paul and Lee finally decided to leave on a Thursday morning
when we still thought we were dealing with a head gasket problem and probably
stuck for another few weeks. They left at 8 AM and by 11:30 AM George had fired
up the engine. Within a few hours the
boat was better, the weather was better and my mood was definitely better. A few days later we were headed for Hopetown.
Lynn was going to kill me because I must have said “I wish Lee and Paul were
here” about every 30 minutes, every time we would see something I wanted to
show them. <br />
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But, they came back!! About a week after we got to Hopetown
(feeling like we had finally arrived home) they hopped back on a plane and
joined us for another few days. And it was as perfect as I had hoped. Paul is a
blast. He is very much like a little boy who sees everything through joyful
eyes and keeps us amused all day. And Lee is an absolute pleasure to be around.
She is a calming influence who I think keeps us all grounded. Together they are
wonderful cruising companions and we really miss having them here. <br />
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On our own now we have met up with some old and new friends,
including John and Kathi on Makani. They prefer the more remote islands, but
stopped off in Hopetown for a few days to visit with us. It was nice to be back with our buddies again
and eat good food and play a few rounds of euchre. We are anxiously awaiting
the arrival of Lynn’s four kids, Traci, Kari, Jeff and Jami in one weeks. That
is sure to be a crazy week that will definitely warrant a full blog!<br />
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In the meantime, we are in the Bahamas groove. Our days are spent beach walking, reading (Beth)
and crosswords (Lynn) on the boat, snorkeling, hunting conch and lobster,
playing cards, cooking, eating, happy hours with friends and sometimes doing
the aforementioned chores. Yes…I do know how lucky I am to be living this way
for a few months. <br />
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Two hours and 80 gallons of water made… </div>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-21224126028415048242014-01-12T22:02:00.000-05:002014-01-12T22:02:21.798-05:00On Our Way with Paul and Lee! Hopefully!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn13tUHDRmQJ4amRI2GtRE7PuWIJ65YjJUkg_8VQlDR48bZMGNJn_FOfyDMpHp_NypEhb6yZf3JrN-mV2q5t59UJSJ_ZBmYLvEhBiiSsmh5FYz6PYyxH2Fn7XeENvF7IvIWdXUKO9oQCg/s1600/20140105_100124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn13tUHDRmQJ4amRI2GtRE7PuWIJ65YjJUkg_8VQlDR48bZMGNJn_FOfyDMpHp_NypEhb6yZf3JrN-mV2q5t59UJSJ_ZBmYLvEhBiiSsmh5FYz6PYyxH2Fn7XeENvF7IvIWdXUKO9oQCg/s320/20140105_100124.jpg" width="179" /></a>After Christmas we were able to do an off shore hop around Georgia and then had an uneventful trip to our current location, Vero Beach, where we have been waiting for good weather to cross to the Bahamas. The most exciting part was one afternoon when two dolphin joined us for about 20 minutes I was able to capture a bunch of awesome pictures as they leapt alongside the boat. I even felt like they were waving at us a few times!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJfRRTxFLSY/UtNVagTF5xI/AAAAAAAAGkM/bD5-gyZ3kgM/s1600/20131210_172013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJfRRTxFLSY/UtNVagTF5xI/AAAAAAAAGkM/bD5-gyZ3kgM/s320/20131210_172013.jpg" width="180" /></a>Vero beach is a really cruiser-friendly city so not a bad place at all to be hanging out. Especially since we were joined by Paul and Lee, our friends from the Baltimore Marine Center, who will be coming along for the ride. We have had fun exploring the area, especially the beach walks and the awesome pizza we enjoyed tonight at Noni's. We are very hopeful that the window we have been waiting for will happen tomorrow. If the weather cooperates we will leave here around 9 AM and will be at our first stop in the Bahamas about 24 hours later. So keep your fingers crossed!! We are :) <br />
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-18934341405452915302013-12-13T17:48:00.000-05:002013-12-16T10:08:56.160-05:00Beautiful Beaufort<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ow8yijRbrK0/UquIBhxf9eI/AAAAAAAAGjQ/UJs056xOVMw/s1600/20131125_082557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ow8yijRbrK0/UquIBhxf9eI/AAAAAAAAGjQ/UJs056xOVMw/s1600/20131125_082557.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still a little too cold for my liking!</td></tr>
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Finally our part arrived.
About 3 hours later the engine was fixed and we were ready to resume our
trek south…but, as sailing luck would have it, bad weather came in and we had
to wait out two days of high wind before venturing into the Albemarle Sound. </div>
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Once we were started again we made excellent
progress. We anchored in most of our usual favorite spots and a few new ones. The engine works great now,
except that we need to keep taking oil out of the fresh water reservoir. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKQcBDwWC7w/UquH899aFDI/AAAAAAAAGig/ZVOxyRzHrkQ/s1600/20131125_170956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKQcBDwWC7w/UquH899aFDI/AAAAAAAAGig/ZVOxyRzHrkQ/s1600/20131125_170956.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anchoring on the Pungo River</td></tr>
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We docked at a marina in Oriental NC to wait out the
huge storm that hit the eastern seaboard on the day before Thanksgiving. Oriental is a bit of a throwback town that is
reminiscent of Mayberry. The people are very friendly and offered us the use of
their bikes or rides in their cars as we made our way around town. We decided
to stay there and chillax for Thanksgiving Day. Although very cold, it was a
beautiful, clear, crisp day. In the morning we wandered about and took some
pictures, and then we watched <i>The Sound of Music</i> and enjoyed our own little turkey dinner. I took the time to reflect on the trip so far and decided I had a lot of reasons to be thankful…not the least of which is the chance to be on another Coyote Adventure…But, most of all I am thankful for our family and friends.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFovkOkIcjAtlpHJN-mU_Z5QEP2KGypzjW_4lYAj38Ne_MYeB423Rt4E2iYdCd4KDkzgGEiTjcynWsm0ShUVWK-4JkRn50KPCEH8ZquRobx7aZm_JmIH3AJXjyskNiQVKsz0o-6uCC5_4/s1600/20131128_174145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFovkOkIcjAtlpHJN-mU_Z5QEP2KGypzjW_4lYAj38Ne_MYeB423Rt4E2iYdCd4KDkzgGEiTjcynWsm0ShUVWK-4JkRn50KPCEH8ZquRobx7aZm_JmIH3AJXjyskNiQVKsz0o-6uCC5_4/s1600/20131128_174145.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Thanksgiving table</td></tr>
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The rest of our travels down the ICW were relatively
uneventful, with the exception of a few groundings. But, as one of our sailing friends pointed
out…a sailor who says they have never run aground has never left the dock. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CcIrjXXSAaM/UquH81GlrMI/AAAAAAAAGic/vqqthBMsXvk/s1600/20131128_120059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CcIrjXXSAaM/UquH81GlrMI/AAAAAAAAGic/vqqthBMsXvk/s1600/20131128_120059.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oriental - a quaint little town</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXZEND7cSt8/UquH_HHCrOI/AAAAAAAAGi8/qfXlcvH0Cbo/s1600/20131203_070454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXZEND7cSt8/UquH_HHCrOI/AAAAAAAAGi8/qfXlcvH0Cbo/s1600/20131203_070454.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening on the ICW</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
The first one occurred just north of Charleston SC as we
approached the Ben Sawyer swing bridge. There is a notoriously shallow area and
we were travelling at low tide (sometimes that is just out of your
control). Anyway, there was a sailboat
already hard aground and actually leaning at about 30 degrees. We approached
very cautiously hoping we could feel our way through. Didn’t work! We gently touched bottom and
were stuck there for about three hours till the tide came in. We very effectively blocked the rest of the channel
and three more boats opted to wait out the tide rather than navigate around us.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ___O5x0dw/UquH_hK16zI/AAAAAAAAGjE/8aBsdnOnOng/s1600/20131203_140709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ___O5x0dw/UquH_hK16zI/AAAAAAAAGjE/8aBsdnOnOng/s1600/20131203_140709.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No way through this channel!</td></tr>
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When we finally floated off we missed the last opening of
the bridge by six minutes! Aargh! After
hovering for two hours we went through the bridge and had to find our way
through Charleston harbor in the dark…a little nerve wracking. But we made it safely to the anchorage and
dropped anchor, which thankfully held immediately; we hit the sack soon after.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDLvapNbslRSFE7reX0KjKbfCoYJfHcU1vgt_qfmuo2nLAok5geOJh5GOYuWtL-ZVKR7m2eoSN1K7X3Yj_MSF5prkuBsw9OK5b4BrW1v7V-4hHB3WLF1GvzhEDSEZXI_DDzSPC4HQ6yk/s1600/20131205_072809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDLvapNbslRSFE7reX0KjKbfCoYJfHcU1vgt_qfmuo2nLAok5geOJh5GOYuWtL-ZVKR7m2eoSN1K7X3Yj_MSF5prkuBsw9OK5b4BrW1v7V-4hHB3WLF1GvzhEDSEZXI_DDzSPC4HQ6yk/s1600/20131205_072809.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise in Beaufort</td></tr>
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The next day was the last stretch for the first part of the
journey. We were heading for Beaufort SC where we planned to stay for a visit
with Lynn’s brother and his wife (David and Gini). We decided to take a detour
from the ICW to avoid another shallow area called the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff.
Once again we were going to hit it at low tide and didn’t want a repeat of the
previous day. So, instead of turning left in the Ashepoo River, we turned right
and headed for the St. Helena Sound. The
charts showed deep water the whole way and it was just a few extra miles. The plan went perfectly till we reached the
mouth of the river where, without any warning, we hit bottom in water that was
charted at 22 feet!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4eHMv-TNEY/UquIGqnAzjI/AAAAAAAAGj4/NyPSv6wI9tg/s1600/20131212_171837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_4eHMv-TNEY/UquIGqnAzjI/AAAAAAAAGj4/NyPSv6wI9tg/s1600/20131212_171837.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Docked in Callawassie</td></tr>
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Lynn is always called to the helm to get us out of sticky situations…which he deftly did in this case once
again. He backed us off and then carefully negotiated the rest of the area that
was at least 10 feet more shallow than it was supposed to be. Once out into the sound we were able to relax
in about 40 feet of water. We were very
happy to pull into the Beaufort marina for the night and enjoyed a nice meal
with some fellow cruisers we had met on the radio that day!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGcHVF4CxFM/UquIBoz-TVI/AAAAAAAAGjc/dGfpA0GNmSo/s1600/20131210_172023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGcHVF4CxFM/UquIBoz-TVI/AAAAAAAAGjc/dGfpA0GNmSo/s1600/20131210_172023.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another spectacular sunset</td></tr>
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After a short, four-hour ride the following day, we arrived at Callawassie Island where we have been staying for the past week.
David arranged for us to dock Coyote at their pier and we have been enjoying
comfortable, restful nights on shore in their lovely home. We have filled the days with some chores and
some fun. Our friend Chuck arrived yesterday on his boat, Driven, and is now
docked next to us. It is not often that
the community has a big sailboat docked here, let alone two, so I am sure we are
getting a lot of attention. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssS247E-6ck/UquIFqHTbtI/AAAAAAAAGjk/1SRbzMoeOtk/s1600/20131206_185018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ssS247E-6ck/UquIFqHTbtI/AAAAAAAAGjk/1SRbzMoeOtk/s1600/20131206_185018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaufort Carolers</td></tr>
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After we go home for Christmas we will start as soon as
possible to go south to Florida and then to the Bahamas. We are at the point in the journey where we
need to hope for good off-shore cruising weather…so I am keeping my fingers
crossed that we don’t have to wait too long…I’ll keep you posted. Till then, I hope everyone has a wonderful
Christmas and New Year!! </div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-40620082051429864302013-11-23T18:47:00.000-05:002013-11-24T12:10:47.703-05:00Coyote Adventure IV: A New Journey Begins<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w7WHQHrfbxk/UpFBAbKoKmI/AAAAAAAAGbU/fwp_TxhlakA/s1600/20131114_085032-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w7WHQHrfbxk/UpFBAbKoKmI/AAAAAAAAGbU/fwp_TxhlakA/s320/20131114_085032-1.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
The Captain and First Mate </h4>
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It has been quite a while since I last wrote a blog. About a year and a half to be exact! During that time I was back at work and visited my family in Canada regularly. Lynn was busy with many activities, including completely overhauling and flipping a 44 ft Endeavor, building a deck, working at West Marine, and lots of boat projects on Coyote. I can’t believe how quickly time flew and how much we had to accomplish in the last few weeks to get ready for departure.<br />
<br />
We hauled the boat and cleaned off the most barnacles I have ever seen before waxing the hull and painting the bottom, we worked on the engine, did the usual provisioning, and decided a little too late in the season to paint the entire deck. Although it delayed our departure a bit, it was well worth it. Thanks Pete! Our boat is beautiful. And thanks Biscuit for the many hours of entertainment. We also left a little late so we could travel to Canada in October for my Mom’s 90th birthday. That was an awesome party celebrating an incredible women!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2wGEz2U9--Q/UpFnmuQAEWI/AAAAAAAAGgg/N4YagPAeNfw/s1600/IMAG0250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2wGEz2U9--Q/UpFnmuQAEWI/AAAAAAAAGgg/N4YagPAeNfw/s200/IMAG0250.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
Workin' on the Boat</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtUv0MijU9c/UpFnmNjJyYI/AAAAAAAAGgU/kf--r60T_Zs/s1600/IMAG0232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtUv0MijU9c/UpFnmNjJyYI/AAAAAAAAGgU/kf--r60T_Zs/s200/IMAG0232.jpg" width="119" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
Just a few Barnacles!</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_L_znDICKeoHXyrHjhyphenhyphenheZQK-mi-8uMTdyxp6QWIhuhqeXEHQKmmObyWuPhx7lFwuuVIe6-upFIcRFbxfJTAiM8ZeolX5q8lnIUuSuiP_lCashuVDep0h7Q5hR48YsoDAwPoRmcUJx4/s1600/IMAG0254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3_L_znDICKeoHXyrHjhyphenhyphenheZQK-mi-8uMTdyxp6QWIhuhqeXEHQKmmObyWuPhx7lFwuuVIe6-upFIcRFbxfJTAiM8ZeolX5q8lnIUuSuiP_lCashuVDep0h7Q5hR48YsoDAwPoRmcUJx4/s320/IMAG0254.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
In the Boatyard</h4>
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<span style="text-align: center;"></span><br /><span style="text-align: center;"></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">We finally departed on November 14th on a beautiful morning with a bunch of people around to see us off, including Lee and Paul, Brenda, Pete, Kathy and Jim, and Lynn’s three daughters, Traci, Kari and Jami. It was the usual choked-up farewell. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">As we headed down the Bay it felt wonderful to finally be out on the water. We tend to get so preoccupied with other activities that we never really enjoy the boat when not on one of our Bahamas treks. We chilled, ate and just gazed off to the horizon…that is until after midnight, when a little bit of hell started. Unexpectedly the wind picked up to about 30 knots and the water got really rough in the bottom half of the Bay, south of Solomon’s Island. With the wind out of the South we were crashing into the waves, like a bucking bronco, for a good 4 hours. Of course it was during the most grueling time of an overnighter from about 2-6 AM. I started to feel like I was counting down every minute…I guess I was. Thankfully it was an almost full moon so we had lots of light, which definitely makes a big difference. Then with the sunrise the water calmed down as we reached Norfolk. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hcl8wclCRJk/UpFmuawKBHI/AAAAAAAAGe8/aE5yJLAI2hU/s1600/20131114_084935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hcl8wclCRJk/UpFmuawKBHI/AAAAAAAAGe8/aE5yJLAI2hU/s200/20131114_084935.jpg" width="112" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2HozWPZzkI/UpFmuTtDn5I/AAAAAAAAGe4/btPEj2_-1lI/s1600/20131114_084910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w2HozWPZzkI/UpFmuTtDn5I/AAAAAAAAGe4/btPEj2_-1lI/s200/20131114_084910.jpg" width="112" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7IIEUzZ45In4RYiL0OuoEvIAnRcK4_5qvLL9o_Z0cJtma_EHZj46bZUGPTymwRd2IZDhlL3D76NvxPHiygokMuPWWB0F0l4-SWudFur6N-EViTp7zlHUJyWaeAX_e8swQuzsh23wNko/s1600/20131114_084954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7IIEUzZ45In4RYiL0OuoEvIAnRcK4_5qvLL9o_Z0cJtma_EHZj46bZUGPTymwRd2IZDhlL3D76NvxPHiygokMuPWWB0F0l4-SWudFur6N-EViTp7zlHUJyWaeAX_e8swQuzsh23wNko/s200/20131114_084954.jpg" width="112" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IycISWVr--Y/UpFnns8tggI/AAAAAAAAGhI/08AnF3it9PI/s1600/PICT8018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IycISWVr--Y/UpFnns8tggI/AAAAAAAAGhI/08AnF3it9PI/s320/PICT8018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
The Beach at Nags Head</h4>
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<br />
We found out that the Great Bridge lock was going to open that day at 11:30 AM so we decided to keep pushing on. Due to a valve problem they were only opening when the conditions were<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaefop0XHyrAVE_QVfvAYFgKV9S2rmsS1BMtpMefjfj4mILtD7RId6FUT-RSc15iJghSnZLs9UiihohHEQHjl6nO-2YAlHxhtregkb-CKtwxtR1Bg8_bK0x0xf67JX6orIQ7T5WtTjl7o/s1600/20131119_142111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaefop0XHyrAVE_QVfvAYFgKV9S2rmsS1BMtpMefjfj4mILtD7RId6FUT-RSc15iJghSnZLs9UiihohHEQHjl6nO-2YAlHxhtregkb-CKtwxtR1Bg8_bK0x0xf67JX6orIQ7T5WtTjl7o/s320/20131119_142111.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
An Unexpected Vinyard</h4>
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just right, so we thought we should grab the opportunity and were lucky to be the last boat they let into the lock. After 32 hours (with little to no sleep) we made our first stop at Coinjock NC, which turned out to last much longer than planned or wanted! We did some laundry, had a long, hot shower, ate in the restaurant and then finally hit the sack. I was so tired at that point that I think I was starting to hallucinate…I know I have no recollection of actually going to bed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LVzhO9g3gEk/UpFnj3hevDI/AAAAAAAAGf8/BYtrpbYTt74/s1600/20131118_140039%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LVzhO9g3gEk/UpFnj3hevDI/AAAAAAAAGf8/BYtrpbYTt74/s320/20131118_140039%25280%2529.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
Coinjock Marina</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHnsii19YlGuR_WktGvSMik8xRp17kIzNnGLVVXzeSiemoLug_4cByPQ94A61HdHeSwUU9xs26P3qSHzw0vN5Dga0nJsuF9kam6tWo8T9YEXpWphjFB6FRxHGg3KGdFJ7bgwEFBBSVMo/s1600/test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHnsii19YlGuR_WktGvSMik8xRp17kIzNnGLVVXzeSiemoLug_4cByPQ94A61HdHeSwUU9xs26P3qSHzw0vN5Dga0nJsuF9kam6tWo8T9YEXpWphjFB6FRxHGg3KGdFJ7bgwEFBBSVMo/s320/test.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4>
Finally on our Way...Before the Waves</h4>
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We awoke the next morning feeling very excited to get on our way again…but, sadly Lynn discovered oil in our fresh water coolant when he did his usual engine check before starting up. This is a bad thing.<br />
<br />
We called a local mechanic who diagnosed a bad oil cooler. Not a big deal, unless you own a Perkins and the part has to come all the way from England. Long story short, it took almost a week to get the part and the engine back in working order, which is actually faster than we expected. A shout out here to Ken Moore, the Yacht Doc, who definitely came to our rescue. If you ever find yourself stuck on a boat in Coinjock, he is the one to call! <br />
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Of course, as sailing luck would have it, bad weather came in as soon as the engine was fixed and we have opted to wait another 2 days for it to pass. If this all sounds a bit déjà vu-ish…that’s because it is. We were held up on our last trip for 30 days in Norfolk with generator and transmission problems. We were so happy to get past Norfolk this time…but, only made it 50 miles south!!<br />
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Love this Pic of my Man :)</h4>
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The Wright Brothers Memorial on a Blustery Day -<br /> Probably like the First Flight!</h4>
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Oh well, we decided to make the best of it and toured the area…we were not far from the Outer Banks so made some visits to Manteo, Nags Head, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills. We stopped at a local winery, the Wright Brothers monument (which we particularly enjoyed), and of course had our first glimpse of the ocean.<br />
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Anyway, I have been trying to take this delay in stride. Lynn will tell you I have not been without a few frustrated moments…but it has definitely not been so bad. Unfortunately, this means that we will not reach our Thanksgiving destination of Beaufort SC where we planned to spend the holiday with Lynn’s brother’s family…which is the biggest down side of the whole thing. That and the fact that we watched a week of perfect traveling weather pass us by and now the wind has increased and the temperature decreased. From the glass-half-full perspective: (1) our engine didn't give out when we were in the rough Bay in the middle of the night, (2) Lynn found the problem early enough that there was no really serious damage, and (3) we are still happy, healthy and heading south. </div>
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I just need to keep reminding myself that all this effort is to get to this…</div>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-48972415282706966992012-04-24T01:38:00.000-04:002012-04-24T06:45:43.371-04:00Sheila and Paul Visit the Abacos<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JyVp-1wpl58/T5Y3Nyymc-I/AAAAAAAAF2c/Acsu8ru_OrI/s1600/PICT6071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" oda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JyVp-1wpl58/T5Y3Nyymc-I/AAAAAAAAF2c/Acsu8ru_OrI/s320/PICT6071.JPG" width="320" /></a>Once I knew my sister, Sheila, and her husband, Paul, were coming to visit I could think of little else until they arrived. I was once again seeing the sites through fresh eyes as I imagined how much they would love it here. I was not wrong…they did love it here. </div>
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Sheila and Paul arrived in Marsh Harbour on a beautiful afternoon where we met them and had lunch at Mangos before boarding Coyote and heading out into the Sea of Abaco. We anchored for the night off Man-o-War Cay and went for a lovely evening stroll along the beach. The next day we toured the town and then moved to Hope Town as it was getting rather bumpy in the anchorage due to a west wind that had picked up throughout the day. On the way Sheila and Paul had fun riding on the bow of the boat. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaULLsfteRU/T5aCFzmINaI/AAAAAAAAF4I/ZrkrmPZl4k8/s1600/P1020338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaULLsfteRU/T5aCFzmINaI/AAAAAAAAF4I/ZrkrmPZl4k8/s320/P1020338.JPG" width="320" /></a>Hope Town did not disappoint either. They fit right into the relaxed lifestyle and thoroughly enjoyed </div>
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wandering throughout the quaint town, having lattés in the coffee house, ice cream at the Sugar Shack and swimming or strolling along the beautiful beaches. </div>
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On one of our perfect days, Sheila and I went to yoga in the morning and then met the boys for coffee before heading to the beach for a swim. On another perfect day we rented a golf cart to tour Elbow Cay, stopping at Tahiti Beach for a picnic lunch. Later that night we went to Firefly for dinner, Sheila and Paul’s birthday treat to me. Yet another perfect day included a trip to Lynyard Cay on Harold’s run-about with a stop at Sandy Cay for snorkeling and then Pete’s Pub for lunch. Needless to say they were all perfect days, even including the big thunder storm in Hope Town!</div>
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Their trip was a last minute decision so we couldn’t really believe they were actually here. Sheila and I kept pinching each other because it didn’t seem real. It was all so wonderful that we decided we could not describe it to anyone without seeming to be completely obnoxious. So, I will just say that I am so happy they came to visit. It was a most brilliant birthday present and I will always remember our perfect week. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k8zb9ij0XRk/T5Y4DxaHl1I/AAAAAAAAF28/z3ip0JWxW60/s1600/P1020341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k8zb9ij0XRk/T5Y4DxaHl1I/AAAAAAAAF28/z3ip0JWxW60/s320/P1020341.JPG" width="320" /></a>We were sad to see them go, but it marked the point at which we felt it was time to start for home. We spent a few more days in Hope Town </div>
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that included my actual birthday for which we had dinner with friends and then cake (baked by Lynn) on the boat. Since this was a milestone birthday year I have been milking it for several months…I guess I need to accept that it is finally over. </div>
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We have now crossed through the Whale and are in Green Turtle Cay where we have waited out a front. Tomorrow we are heading further north to either Manjack or Powell Cay and soon we will cross the Gulf Stream headed for home. I always find this time somewhat stressful as we look for the best opportunity to make the crossing. In the meanwhile we are planning to explore some new northern cays, which is always exciting. And then we will be close to home and our family and friends, which is always wonderful.</div>
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<br /></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-8644586797417405782012-04-24T01:02:00.005-04:002012-04-24T07:22:12.253-04:00We Love the Abacos<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6ELZED5vmaw4FO52vObMM_l30_tlCvSBCF9RjM6dyFwLtEc7L9_ukVThEn4xKTrYNRX2fwFW6VBDRLnFPRQMIoun5hbXPhgxBrliMCiJ8PczzCyMiZJOKnc-QeI0VZk-HBuT0_GVdM8/s1600/P1020401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6ELZED5vmaw4FO52vObMM_l30_tlCvSBCF9RjM6dyFwLtEc7L9_ukVThEn4xKTrYNRX2fwFW6VBDRLnFPRQMIoun5hbXPhgxBrliMCiJ8PczzCyMiZJOKnc-QeI0VZk-HBuT0_GVdM8/s320/P1020401.JPG" width="320" /></a>Lynn and I have spent much of our time in Hope Town since arriving back to the Abacos. Staying in one place instead of cruising around the islands is quite different and creates a tranquil, laid back feeling. Although finding nice anchorages can be wonderful, you are also concerned with anchoring, moving the boat about, weather influences and so on. When on a mooring you can just kick back, chill and relax (my sister refers to this activity as “chillaxing”.) </div>
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Chillaxing for us means some lazy mornings on the boat, walking the beautiful Hope Town beaches, swimming, yoga on the beach (me that is…can you picture Lynn doing yoga?!), hanging out with friends, and watching movies in the evening. <br />
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One day we did a sewing project for Harold, a local Hope Town friend who owns Cat’s Paw Boat Rentals, to mend the Bimini top of his run-about boat that had torn on the corners. It was actual<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oInxk6endAs/T5YylCvtNmI/AAAAAAAAF2A/O0DP5C1errg/s1600/Bahamas+March+2012+522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oInxk6endAs/T5YylCvtNmI/AAAAAAAAF2A/O0DP5C1errg/s320/Bahamas+March+2012+522.jpg" width="320" /></a>ly a lot of fun…Lynn, Chuck and I worked on the project outside under a shady tree. When finished a few hours later I felt gratified to have finally paid forward the favor done for us by George when he fixed our freezer and main sail. But, later Harold gave us one of his rental boats for the day in return for our help, so now I am back to looking for opportunities to assist…but, I guess that is exactly how the pay-it-forward concept is supposed to work.</div>
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We also had some time to hang out with Chuck and Dale. They were house sitting for several weeks so had access to a golf <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mbLEh0exU0YC7A17Qo9qskpSt2z6fOUu50IiTxfrSgexn3iPt9JlITIZKmtF7CPYxNHW_-cT5LqXYYldegbTiqy8qgncULMeUwVG1nI1qrG87GuqiPjoWw8LU-K5POhOWyKoRJbcpEo/s1600/DSC01044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mbLEh0exU0YC7A17Qo9qskpSt2z6fOUu50IiTxfrSgexn3iPt9JlITIZKmtF7CPYxNHW_-cT5LqXYYldegbTiqy8qgncULMeUwVG1nI1qrG87GuqiPjoWw8LU-K5POhOWyKoRJbcpEo/s320/DSC01044.JPG" width="320" /></a>cart for buzzing around the island. <br />
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We went to On Da Beach for lunch one afternoon. This is my new official favorite spot to eat on Elbow Cay because of the spectacular view and their delicious grilled chicken kabobs. They have only open-air seating which is fine on nice days, but unfortunately, the day we went was threatening rain. We sat down anyway and watched the clouds approach, reassuring each other that it would either pass us by or would be over quickly. We were WRONG! As soon as our meals arrived, the deluge started. We tried to seek shelter under the eaves but eventually our food was getting soaked. I finally asked if we could hide out inside their bar/food prep area, the only place with a roof. They said no problem, so we ended up eating our lunch alongside the cook and bartender. </div>
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Another afternoon Dale and I decided we needed our hair dyed. So we enlisted Lynn’s help who was happy to act as our hairdresser for the day. We went to the backyard of the house they were watching, donned garbage bags and let Lynn do his work. After waiting the prescribed 10 minutes, Lynn washed us off with the garden hose! We were both actually quite pleased with the results. Maybe Lynn should think about a new career in the beauty industry!</div>
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During a few calm weather stretches we ventured out to anchor in more isolated areas where we met up with Makani for some snorkeling, diving, sea glass hunting, good eating and cards. We first anchored at Armstrong Cay and then at Lynyard Cay, both secluded spots that offer excellent island and water exploring. <br />
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Our favorite dive was at Lynyard just outside the cut where there were tall coral heads from the bottom, about 30 feet down, all the way to the surface. Lynn said he felt like we were meandering through a big coral garden.</div>
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Since returning from the Exumas we have decided that, while the Exumas are incredibly beautiful, we really are more Abacos people. We love the combination of onshore activities, like touring Hope Town and other areas, and quiet anchorages, like Lynyard and Armstrong Cay, where the beaches are very often clothing optional. </div>
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</div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-67731766526931498002012-03-13T15:21:00.012-04:002012-03-13T16:56:52.516-04:00Treking Back to the Abacos<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx09LeJULRcwXVvRPjC72BhCiTRjMLE3PXLwDZvWiyPcFgcE8IXIixR4zC7k8psSKYPIEsxXNMuWsNg07SyWg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />After two lovely weeks in the Staniel/Compass Cays area we decided to start our trek back to the Abacos. On our northern passage through the Exumas we stopped once again in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, anchored off Bell Island. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CwPVUjMeNjs/T1-epo4-U9I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/PPziYZGMvrs/s1600/PICT5704.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719464489972028370" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CwPVUjMeNjs/T1-epo4-U9I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/PPziYZGMvrs/s320/PICT5704.JPG" /></a>We spent a nice day exploring the area…including snorkeling in the Rocky Dundas, another hollow island with a cave that rivals the Thunderball Grotto. We took a short hike to Rachel’s Bubble Bath, which is a natural “spa” created by the surf crashing through a little rocky opening and filling a sandy pool with frothy salt water. It was fun trying to stand up against the water surge and being tossed head over heels more than once.<br /><br /><br />Then it was back to Highborne Cay to await a good day to cross back through the Tongue of the Ocean to the island of Eleuthera. We crossed on a very calm day, motoring directly to Rock Sound. On the way we passed some of the time perched on the bow as the boat rose and fell through the swells…it feels a little like flying since you are hanging out over th<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Mq-O-oxWag/T1-z099xfuI/AAAAAAAAF1M/cw4ytGKEozg/s1600/PICT5739.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719487774352047842" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Mq-O-oxWag/T1-z099xfuI/AAAAAAAAF1M/cw4ytGKEozg/s320/PICT5739.JPG" /></a>e water and dropping about 6 feet (imagine the feeling of a gentle roller coaster). We love when the conditions make that a relaxing place to sit.<br /><br /><br />We had a nice time in Rock Sound sprinkled with a few highlights, like exploring the caverns just outside of town. On the path into the cavern you pass a big blue hole before coming upon a ladder that leads down to the caves. Once underground you can wander through several large caverns with stalactites and long tree roots reaching down from above<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9y9Bu6anxGw/T1-fIQlK94I/AAAAAAAAFyo/C20xR61k81w/s1600/PICT5731.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465016022464386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9y9Bu6anxGw/T1-fIQlK94I/AAAAAAAAFyo/C20xR61k81w/s320/PICT5731.JPG" /></a>. It was quite cool and just a little creepy. The cave ceilings were covered with rather large spider webs and you definitely had the feeling something might crawl out of a dark corner at any moment. Friends later told us they found a dead tarantula in there…which I am glad I didn’t know until after we had been there.<br /><br /><br />Another day we dingied ashore to get a few groceries and, as we were tying up, met a couple from the UK named Helen and Peter. They had just started their global circumnavigation on a sailboat named Common Crossing. In the way of cruisers, we quickly became friends and planned to go for lunch the following day at a place called Da Nort’ Side. T<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vJgMBqSWWzU/T1-fI3b-a6I/AAAAAAAAFzU/zbxEnTqhRmc/s1600/PICT5820.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465026452876194" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vJgMBqSWWzU/T1-fI3b-a6I/AAAAAAAAFzU/zbxEnTqhRmc/s320/PICT5820.JPG" /></a>his little excursion turned out to be a unique experience. The proprietor is a woman named Rose who picked us up in her beat up old van to drive us to her restaurant on the windward side of the island. She was about a half hour late because she was coming from church and she said the preacher was a little long winded that day. By the way, the Bahamians are very devout people, with seven churches in the Rock Sound area for a relatively small population. We piled into the back of the van by climbing over the seats since the only door that would open was the front passenger side door. On the drive she played loud gospel music from the radio and recreated the sermon for us.<br /><br /><br />When we arrived at our destina<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pI7D8U015dgMmeEfEyhfdIR8Gm0phsMvo4_rr1Qtu_KjHONstm-xf2vTmQPiwos12i25FZtkBAQb8PhnaNTfXptht1U59cW6BBYB3Q9RoHQ64orXOOzhcxS0ejV5uBDuQL7UusvYpoo/s1600/PICT5734.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719464632700210498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pI7D8U015dgMmeEfEyhfdIR8Gm0phsMvo4_rr1Qtu_KjHONstm-xf2vTmQPiwos12i25FZtkBAQb8PhnaNTfXptht1U59cW6BBYB3Q9RoHQ64orXOOzhcxS0ejV5uBDuQL7UusvYpoo/s320/PICT5734.JPG" /></a>tion we entered a quaint little restaurant with a sand-floor bar and a separate eating area festooned with brightly colored floral tablecloths and an endless array of beach finds on the walls and ceiling. It couldn’t have been better! We were also joined by the preacher (from South Africa) and a third couple named Kerri and George traveling on a boat named Marquesa (which turned out to be a very serendipitous meeting for us…but more on the later). Rose told us our dining options and proudly declared that we would all love anything we ordered (including a skeptical Lynn to whom she said “just taste it, you will be begging for more”.) Lunch was served about an hour later and was a mix of Bahamian specialties, like grilled whole snapper and their peas n’ rice. We didn’t mind waiting though, since we were seated on her lovely deck overlooking a spectacular and very secluded beach. While eating, Rose regaled us with stories of her children, all very successful people living in other parts of the world. She even gave us all some precious sea beans she found and, when we tried to refuse, sang a little song that went something like this…<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1W4ASdvZtsE/T1-fIS7k3sI/AAAAAAAAFy0/2nY7YNwy_UE/s1600/PICT5743.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465016653307586" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1W4ASdvZtsE/T1-fIS7k3sI/AAAAAAAAFy0/2nY7YNwy_UE/s320/PICT5743.JPG" /></a><br /><br />“If you love something set it free, set it free, set it free…If you love something set it free, and more will come back to you…”<br /><br /><br />All in all it was a lovely day that led to more excellent days…which brings me back to George and Kerri. While chatting before lunch, Lynn and I happened to mention some of our boat woes, such as our broken freezer. George asked a few questions about the nature of the problem clearly showing he was somewhat knowledgeable on the subject. He offered to drop by the next day to diagnose the problem and we happily accepted. Well, within about 15 min<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POIYLNTJoLA/T1-fIrhHYWI/AAAAAAAAFy8/xxHF5H5hPcU/s1600/PICT5776.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465023253209442" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POIYLNTJoLA/T1-fIrhHYWI/AAAAAAAAFy8/xxHF5H5hPcU/s320/PICT5776.JPG" /></a>utes he had identified the cause, which had an easy solution that Lynn could do on his own (we now have a working freezer.) As George was packing up I just happened to mention our inoperative furling main. George felt confident he could fix that too with a few hours of work. He came over again the next day and this time brought his wife, Kerri, along. While the boys worked, the girls chatted in the cockpit. We laughed so much that Lynn said he could hardly hear George talking! Well, he also figured out the issue with the furler and we now have a working mainsail too!!<br /><br />Although we gave them lunch, we in no way felt we had repaid George for his help. Not surprisingly, he refused our offer to pay for his services saying he was happy just helping fellow cruisers. He explained that his definition of a successful day is one in which he had fun, felt passionate about something and helped someone out…a philosophy on life I definitely admire. So, now we are looking for an opportunity to “Pay it Forward.”<br /><br /><br />We continued northbound from Rock Sound the following day and headed back to Royal Island and Spanish Wells. We hopped between these two places for about 5 days waiting for a window to cross back to the Abacos. While waiting, we finally managed to snorkel on the huge reef north of the island on a rare calm day and were treated to a beautiful assortment of vibrant coral and fish (even spotting another sea turtle.) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rAycRWjdwnRwuLUE3WoV2mxNVW1ma6E_VHCKzl7McHTDOl8Q_TzBfd2EPbxAx80R0esgtSS96ctRCckq-0HtNcoXPnWKE55UMdqMKLBhmNehSHLRpl9o3Oah5iIgmPbV1wY1bxlwmXY/s1600/PICT5782.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465737322957906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rAycRWjdwnRwuLUE3WoV2mxNVW1ma6E_VHCKzl7McHTDOl8Q_TzBfd2EPbxAx80R0esgtSS96ctRCckq-0HtNcoXPnWKE55UMdqMKLBhmNehSHLRpl9o3Oah5iIgmPbV1wY1bxlwmXY/s320/PICT5782.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />Another afternoon we were with John from Makani snorkeling in a sandy bay on the north shore of Royal Island. John was hunting and had managed to spear two lobster, a red snapper and a grunt. He asked me to fetch his bag so I was swimming at full speed to the shore. Also swimming directly towards me was an octopus! We simultaneously spotted each other and both stopped in our tracks about 2 feet apart. I’m not sure which of us was more shocked, but the octopus immediately plopped to the sea bottom (which was only about 2 feet deep where we were) and poured himself into a little hollow in the sand, gathering his eight leg<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8R7Xe3U5Lkg/T1-fehHdiWI/AAAAAAAAF0I/IXPNBLiPxw4/s1600/PICT5806.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465398418377058" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8R7Xe3U5Lkg/T1-fehHdiWI/AAAAAAAAF0I/IXPNBLiPxw4/s320/PICT5806.JPG" /></a>s underneath his body until he was almost perfectly camouflaged in the sand. I doubt anyone would have spied him if they didn’t know he was there. I was not able to camouflage myself nearly so well, but I suppose I had size on my side. I floated there for about 10 minutes keeping a sharp eye on his hiding place lest I lose him in his disguise. He finally built up the courage to creep out, one leg at a time. He was obviously not completely comfortable with his precarious position and started slowly looking for another hideout. I followed him until he found a rocky crevice into which he completely melded his body until only his little eyes were visible. Nobody would have ever seen him there…it was so cool!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTqeCC2x8rw/T1-fIx2YjdI/AAAAAAAAFzI/0dy4WztURwA/s1600/PICT5788.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465024953028050" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTqeCC2x8rw/T1-fIx2YjdI/AAAAAAAAFzI/0dy4WztURwA/s320/PICT5788.JPG" /></a><br /><br />On what was promised to be a “terrific sailing day” we ventured back into the ocean on our final leg back to the Abacos. It did start out terrifically and we were sailing at about 7.5 knots on a beam reach in about 20 knots of wind, with BOTH sails out thanks to George. The wind was supposed to die down throughout the day, but in typical weather prediction fashion, it built up instead. As the wind approached 25 knots sustained we felt we had too much sail out, so we shortened the genoa and started the motor to maintain a reasonable speed. OK, some people like our companions on Makani would have continued to sail, but the seas had also picked up to probably 8-foot swells with a 5-foot wind driven chop, and we just wanted to get there as quickly as possible. So, once again we rocked and rolled uncomfortably for a few hours. And, once again our fridge door popped open and spewed its’ contents on the floor. Thankfully, no broken jar of garli<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t7E1l-L4pRo/T1-onR0DtiI/AAAAAAAAF08/hsS1QZmpP68/s1600/Crossing_from_Eleuthera_to_Abacos_014.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719475444533933602" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t7E1l-L4pRo/T1-onR0DtiI/AAAAAAAAF08/hsS1QZmpP68/s320/Crossing_from_Eleuthera_to_Abacos_014.jpg" /></a>c this time.<br /><br /><br />Meanwhile on Makani, as Lynn and I were hanging on and complaining about the conditions, John was single handing and fishing (Kathi had to fly home on some business.) In the same 8-foot seas he managed to hook, land and filet a 51-inch Mahi Mahi! The three of us ate two meals and he still has frozen Mahi Mahi for at least two more meals!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnY9wOr1-aBSxOxH16LDVd1eNQ0EicFhpXvDSduvOo39G_OU7B_pV7hbbkiMSSatxz2BbVw1stF8wuVcNF6zjJJ_9N0c6EyO_UT5l67wheg1v-3uQffQvjs9NoQ1NioD31JoKDM0lTbo/s1600/PICT5846.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465731909207826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnY9wOr1-aBSxOxH16LDVd1eNQ0EicFhpXvDSduvOo39G_OU7B_pV7hbbkiMSSatxz2BbVw1stF8wuVcNF6zjJJ_9N0c6EyO_UT5l67wheg1v-3uQffQvjs9NoQ1NioD31JoKDM0lTbo/s320/PICT5846.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Reaching the Abacos felt a little like coming home. We stopped at Lynyard Cay for a few days of sea glass hunting and the usual snorkeling. Then we sought out the protection of Marsh Harbour for what turned out to be the biggest weather event of the season. The wind blew over 25 knots for 5 days, with one day of clocking wind in excess of 35 knots sustained and gusting over 40 knots. That is REALLY a lot of wind! It was certainly not all bad though because we met up with Harriet and Mike on Duel Dreams and Cindy and Jeff on Salty Dog, friends from our first cruise who we have not seen for <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mNnMQ6tdT60/T1-fd0i0TnI/AAAAAAAAFzw/omfBtiIg0A0/s1600/PICT5796.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465386453519986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mNnMQ6tdT60/T1-fd0i0TnI/AAAAAAAAFzw/omfBtiIg0A0/s320/PICT5796.JPG" /></a>more than four years. It was fantastic to hang out with them again. We also did some boat chores to pass the time. Once again I attempted to re-stow boat contents so nothing will fly about while underway in rough seas…an endless and never completely successful endeavor. Most importantly, Lynn cleverly fixed the fridge-door-popping-open problem.<br /><br /><br />Now we are back on a mooring in Hope Town, still probably my personal favorite place. It just has the right mix of quaint village and beautiful beaches. We will stay here fo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOZzRiJTa3E0b29TdUgJTsiawRGskDRKdtlN7rK7k82FD_s4YoISeW2rK_-m8fan3WjRaWe2SyXIcVPKIc_F3n8IXUTnu1M1WniuJ6Oo5Qg1Ni23q7UUvmMTz3bDcouAKOOLtusQjfNo/s1600/PICT5827.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719465382577882274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOZzRiJTa3E0b29TdUgJTsiawRGskDRKdtlN7rK7k82FD_s4YoISeW2rK_-m8fan3WjRaWe2SyXIcVPKIc_F3n8IXUTnu1M1WniuJ6Oo5Qg1Ni23q7UUvmMTz3bDcouAKOOLtusQjfNo/s320/PICT5827.JPG" /></a>r about a month with short excursions to other favorite anchorages. In the good news department, Kathi is back from her stateside travels and so we are reunited as our foursome again. And, my sister, Sheila, just sent me a note that she and her husband, Paul, will be visiting at the beginning of April…I am so excited about that. We definitely find that homesickness starts to set in about now so visits from family are very welcome. We are still hopeful that Lynn’s daughters will be coming too.<br /><br />That’s all for now!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-3741893419704963512012-02-13T12:26:00.007-05:002012-02-13T14:07:04.843-05:00Oh, What Wonderful Water!People <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2qycG9O7bs/TzlYX24vJfI/AAAAAAAAFw8/cU0pgIbaOdI/s1600/PICT5630.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708691169562535410" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z2qycG9O7bs/TzlYX24vJfI/AAAAAAAAFw8/cU0pgIbaOdI/s320/PICT5630.JPG" /></a>kept telling us how beautiful the water is in the Exumas, and I thought…How can it be any nicer than the blue water in the Abacos? Well, it can, and it is! The water here is almost indescribable. The color ranges from the palest blue to a deep jade with exquisite shade variations depending on the depth of the water. It is so clear you can see to the bottom in 30 feet. On a moonlit night you can still see the sand and grass below the boat. Anchoring is a breeze because you can check that the anchor is dug <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_mpYHgoh7NM/Tzlb1yU6L1I/AAAAAAAAFyE/dN1oMVMKxL8/s1600/PICT5599.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708694982269480786" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_mpYHgoh7NM/Tzlb1yU6L1I/AAAAAAAAFyE/dN1oMVMKxL8/s320/PICT5599.JPG" /></a>in from the surface. Snorkeling feels like you are hardly looking through water at all, making all the coral and sea creatures appear clear and bright. Plus, it is probably 5 degrees warmer than in the Abacos, so you don’t squeal every time you dive in. You really can’t get enough of gazing into this deep b<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFTY7tPKfA4/TzlXoG5CIMI/AAAAAAAAFvM/sFeeWRk25xc/s1600/DSC01215.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708690349225025730" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFTY7tPKfA4/TzlXoG5CIMI/AAAAAAAAFvM/sFeeWRk25xc/s320/DSC01215.JPG" /></a>lue sea.<br /><br />The islands are more scenic too…literally hundreds ranging in size from a rock to a proper land mass. They are hillier and lined with many secluded beaches or rugged rocky shores. We have really enjoyed arriving at new anchorages and checking out the nearby sights.<br /><br />When I last left off we were just leaving Eleuthera. We motor sailed across Exuma Sound arriving at the north end of the Exumas to anchor off Highborne Cay. We could see why people rave so much about the water as soon as we came through the cut to the leeward side. We were a little apprehensive about entering our first cut in the Exumas as we had been told to be cautious of the often fast moving current through narrow openings…But, all that left my mind when I saw the stunning, meandering entrance to the Cay. We anchored just off a sandy beach and smiled at each other, feeling very happy to have arrived at our first Exumas anchorage.<br /><br />Over the next few days we explored the area and did our first snorkeling in the crystal clear water. One excursion brought us to Allens Cay, famous for being the residence of hundreds of ig<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saIsltiNL0g/TzlYWgq6xII/AAAAAAAAFww/QDS_-MJR69g/s1600/PICT5641.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708691146419127426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saIsltiNL0g/TzlYWgq6xII/AAAAAAAAFww/QDS_-MJR69g/s320/PICT5641.JPG" /></a>uanas. They range in length from about 6 inches to about 3 feet and live only on this particular island in the Bahamas. Kathi jokingly remarked that it would be a nice place for a picnic as the prehistoric creatures crawled around the beach, with many more rustling about in the bushes.<br /><br />One afternoon Kathi and I launched her paddle board for a little fun and exercise. It is a great workout (for my much needed core) and we had a blast trying to stay balanced. It rea<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LmyJSkG-Qpw/Tzlb1MhK5MI/AAAAAAAAFxg/Ej7WSKjmCFg/s1600/PICT5627.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708694972120360130" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LmyJSkG-Qpw/Tzlb1MhK5MI/AAAAAAAAFxg/Ej7WSKjmCFg/s320/PICT5627.JPG" /></a>lly isn’t so hard except that it was a windy day and the water was quite rough, which made balancing trickier. We even attempted to stand together on the board at the same time. After about 20 tries we finally gave up, but laughed and screamed for a good hour!<br /><br />When we first arrived at Highborne I said to Lynn, “Look, a cruise ship!” He said, “That’s not a cruise ship, it’s a private yach<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU_AY6B67pPXtNZL7hMvpxTWU_ivZuZYIu9nc-ZOm0YWJ2K8onVxZ3Fts-QOKdhoF8WCR1W0_wgVg7dvHStnXtSfl5n6OGKfVOt7oEeroq_ESZPnFiCVr9A73jsTEtrtIZ-0AJHcOjZk/s1600/DSC01229.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708690363440219986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU_AY6B67pPXtNZL7hMvpxTWU_ivZuZYIu9nc-ZOm0YWJ2K8onVxZ3Fts-QOKdhoF8WCR1W0_wgVg7dvHStnXtSfl5n6OGKfVOt7oEeroq_ESZPnFiCVr9A73jsTEtrtIZ-0AJHcOjZk/s320/DSC01229.JPG" /></a>t!” And indeed it was a 200-foot mega yacht anchored off the same beach we had chosen. It’s not often you get to be voyeurs into the life of the very rich, but we did, for three days. We watched in amazement as they shuttled back and forth from the ship to the beach in their half-million dollar Hinkley “runabout”. They would send their staff to set up for an evening bonfire or an afternoon picnic, complete with tents, linen tablecloths and beach games. They behaved like they owned the place with very little thought for their neighbors as they blasted around the anchored boats in their various watercrafts. All weekend they flew people in and out in their private sea plane, sometimes landing right between the sailboats. I really was glad to say goodbye to them when we left. But, I did remark that we didn’t need all that money to enjoy the same sights from our comparatively little boat. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yQOHblcVvYM/TzlXoIVwpBI/AAAAAAAAFvc/4kn_zwLtO6k/s1600/DSC01223.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708690349613949970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yQOHblcVvYM/TzlXoIVwpBI/AAAAAAAAFvc/4kn_zwLtO6k/s320/DSC01223.JPG" /></a><br /><br />After Highborne we headed to Warderick Wells, the central cay in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, which is a national land and marine protected area. We chose a rather blustery day and had to motor into wind crashing through about 5-foot waves.<br /><br />We picked up a mooring for two nights and explored the island. There are lots of trails and we chose the most popular one that crossed through a desert-like area to the top of Boo Boo Hill where we were treated to a spectacular view of the surrounding area. The name of the hill comes from a legend that a ship sunk off the nearby reef. All aboard perished and their bodies were never found. Their ghosts now haunt the island whose calls can be heard at night from the top of the hill. On the way back we stopped at a Blow Hole where the underground wave action causes wind to puff in and out…you can’t help saying<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAdtn2Y6zuA/TzlXphEZBMI/AAAAAAAAFv8/ft8V_PZXg8I/s1600/DSC01280.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708690373431854274" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AAdtn2Y6zuA/TzlXphEZBMI/AAAAAAAAFv8/ft8V_PZXg8I/s320/DSC01280.JPG" /></a> “whooo!” when a big gust blasts out at you.<br /><br />Later that night Makani came over for our usual dinner and games and spotted a Nurse Shark under our boat. He circled there for about an hour. I was wondering why he chose to hang around our vessel when I remembered that I had actually chummed the water. Earlier I had prepared beef stew and washed the drippings from the meat down the drain. I estimate it was no more than a quarter cup of blood that he smelled from who knows how far away…amazing.<br /><br />Next stop was Sampson Cay just north of Staniel Cay, where we are still anchored. We love it here…definitely our favorite place in the Exumas…so far! But I think it will be hard to beat. We are located amongst many large and small islands with no end of spots to explore in and out of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkOIe3mhPr8HcHCfC9VNzHMwglwwIoY8i9iKIRTG4VfmoqL4q3feJ2ky4xzt8ukMcgIFpPByOkr0gwWS1xQIsrgfg-O9rh68nx5THCttsqtuEgOQMUCXhUlA8vE1VkMHUCvxGHWyvLgQ/s1600/PICT5556.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708691138538767074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkOIe3mhPr8HcHCfC9VNzHMwglwwIoY8i9iKIRTG4VfmoqL4q3feJ2ky4xzt8ukMcgIFpPByOkr0gwWS1xQIsrgfg-O9rh68nx5THCttsqtuEgOQMUCXhUlA8vE1VkMHUCvxGHWyvLgQ/s320/PICT5556.JPG" /></a>the water. We have dingied up to Pipe Creek to snorkel in lots of lovely reefy areas, or down to Staniel Cay to tour the town and get provisions.<br /><br />We have been snorkeling almost every day, either hunting or just enjoying the underwater panoramas. Our friends f<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y86eyTtphJU/Tzlb1rN_3KI/AAAAAAAAFxw/LBcL3KWCkAA/s1600/PICT5576.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708694980361444514" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y86eyTtphJU/Tzlb1rN_3KI/AAAAAAAAFxw/LBcL3KWCkAA/s320/PICT5576.JPG" /></a>rom Havre de Grace, Joe and Carol on Just Ducky, spend the entire season anchored in Pipe Creek just north of where we are. They know all the good spots to snorkel and kindly shared their secrets (about which we have been sworn to secrecy.)<br /><br />Joe came diving with us three times when the conditions were calm enough to get to the outside. There we found at least 10 lobster and caught 5 so far. Well, to be honest, John and Joe have done the lobster catching. This involves diving 10 to 15 feet and holding your b<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfwz5uypri8QD1KUaFNCFP9p9yQ1yCfm12YtKlKYA20rvZLUeiyYb8EyTcC3jUDpvg2xH1UJH4OG6GxrHgTRhSjkOqNP_-sl49FBE9awIJS_ng4l-pVNo2zDB6fAVjTcIwnm72m0tyMs/s1600/DSC01257.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708690368185795378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfwz5uypri8QD1KUaFNCFP9p9yQ1yCfm12YtKlKYA20rvZLUeiyYb8EyTcC3jUDpvg2xH1UJH4OG6GxrHgTRhSjkOqNP_-sl49FBE9awIJS_ng4l-pVNo2zDB6fAVjTcIwnm72m0tyMs/s320/DSC01257.JPG" /></a>reath for at least 30 seconds while you search under any little cave where the lobsters hang out. If you find one, you then have to dive back down, grab a rock and manage to fire a spear one-handed from your Hawaiian sling before he retreats too far into his hidey hole. Then you wrestle him back up to the boat. I don’t really like this part, but I do like the results! After catching four 2-pounders and up (Joe speared a 6-pounder!), we have been feasting on lobster many nights, finding lots of new ways to prepare the crustacean. Like Bubba on Forest Gu<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rb3I6--TSPs/Tzlb1V_pY_I/AAAAAAAAFxo/DnN4P1dNaYo/s1600/PICT5648.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708694974664106994" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rb3I6--TSPs/Tzlb1V_pY_I/AAAAAAAAFxo/DnN4P1dNaYo/s320/PICT5648.JPG" /></a>mp, we have had steamed lobster, lobster with drawn butter, grilled lobster, seasoned lobster, lobster newburg, lobster stew…..<br /><br />I love to snorkel! Sometimes I feel like I am wandering through an underwater sea garden with pretty little crops of coral and a wide variety of fish swimming about. Just one small coral head will offer a little vignette with a huge diversity of sea life. When I find one I just float on top and gaze at it, like looking into an aquarium. Exciting sightings so far include a Sea Turtle, several large Manta Rays (they have huge heads and Lynn says they look like a 747 as they glide past), Southern Rays, Puffer Fish, Queen Trigger Fish, lots of gorgeous Angel Fish and other little vibrantly colored fish, and a Shark!<br /><br />Sharks are plentiful around here and gather where there is food (near a dock <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohluDFY7afMbWg7iPHIawjBqiDq2DaDe2A1zIXF5gOpMCbtYR93N5ZXFeJfFrRLE630vR3mmsrohXEdqqykPlp9uZ-RlNfUxZ4RyHaLFAdljIV_1GjtPWcXbKlSgU5AzLqMtBVW2Qd2E/s1600/DSC01312.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708691128635070178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohluDFY7afMbWg7iPHIawjBqiDq2DaDe2A1zIXF5gOpMCbtYR93N5ZXFeJfFrRLE630vR3mmsrohXEdqqykPlp9uZ-RlNfUxZ4RyHaLFAdljIV_1GjtPWcXbKlSgU5AzLqMtBVW2Qd2E/s320/DSC01312.JPG" /></a>where fishermen toss the carcasses of cleaned fish or under our boat where I have inadvertently chummed the water). We have fun watching from above the water. But, the other day we were snorkeling and a shark passed me about 20 feet away, probably looking for dinner. It was either a Caribbean Reef Shark or a Nurse Shark, both are non-aggressive. Nevertheless, I would have been alarmed if he was coming towards me, but since he was swimming away Lynn and I took a good look before prudently heading in the other direction.<br /><br />Another snorkeling adventure was exploring the “Thunderball Grotto” on nearby Staniel Cay. Used in a scene from Thunderball, a 1960’s James Bond movie starring Sean Connery, it is a rock with underwater tunnels leading to a big cave in the center open to the sky. We<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPIjskVWBhg/TzlYVh1NcXI/AAAAAAAAFwY/7OJyU43JxsM/s1600/DSC01329.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708691129550860658" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wPIjskVWBhg/TzlYVh1NcXI/AAAAAAAAFwY/7OJyU43JxsM/s320/DSC01329.JPG" /></a> watched the movie before going and discovered that it is now quite outdated and pretty hokey. But the real thing is very cool inside where tons of fish are used to being fed and will nibble at your fingers looking for a treat. We had about 20 minutes to look around before a boat dropped off about 30 tourists who quickly filled up the area. It made me realize how fortunate we are to experience all we do without being bothered with any crowds, any other people at all for that matter!<br /><br />The rest of our time has been spent playing cards, reading on the boat, swimming, napping, doing boat chores, meeting and chatting with cruisers and locals, and simply enjoying life. The weather has been fantastic. This has been an unusual winter with very few cold fronts. There has been hardly any rain and the temps are in the high 70s to low 80s. We h<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOxmmiFHC1HVUPI-_agKhFZg-zCxf7QVDe92nctlt0bBCQJug_VW8rchrlqkIchWolhDQHOFBrIdnBoJomgF56hF0DJtlAPXwMO1iLA4PjY1fKjwGkaxoLyxkRCp_0aEiJfFhRhpB0ys/s1600/PICT5640.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708694964940223234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOxmmiFHC1HVUPI-_agKhFZg-zCxf7QVDe92nctlt0bBCQJug_VW8rchrlqkIchWolhDQHOFBrIdnBoJomgF56hF0DJtlAPXwMO1iLA4PjY1fKjwGkaxoLyxkRCp_0aEiJfFhRhpB0ys/s320/PICT5640.JPG" /></a>ave had mostly wind out of the east, which is perfect for anchoring in the Exumas. We just had a front over the last few days that brought higher wind (20-25 knots) and for a while it was out of the west, which meant we rocked and rolled in the harbour for about a day. No problem, we just went ashore and played some cribbage for the afternoon! It is calm again and we are not expecting another front for at least a week.<br /><br />I continue to feel so very lucky to be doing this. And not only that, but I have a wonderful husband to enjoy it with.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-31780696714315716392012-01-27T14:08:00.004-05:002012-02-13T09:05:30.286-05:00Another Memorable Ocean Crossing to Paradise<p></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxTlpWOPdFX_5MePrtXVwvOR2Jab-co_MoJs72XVTIPLQKsIptTetNEXM2wKd3kfc1ICXR3wN-MobgC4NOInUy9hQmcNJ9LHFUkXYYvQq_MpgGDHcdVbA_-WagtVNrlpIWozsZnjvZHU/s1600/PICT5471.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708604076937404850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxTlpWOPdFX_5MePrtXVwvOR2Jab-co_MoJs72XVTIPLQKsIptTetNEXM2wKd3kfc1ICXR3wN-MobgC4NOInUy9hQmcNJ9LHFUkXYYvQq_MpgGDHcdVbA_-WagtVNrlpIWozsZnjvZHU/s320/PICT5471.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">As planned, we left Lynyard Cay in the Abacos at 6:30 AM, along with Makani and Smiles, and passed through the Little Harbour cut headed to Royal Island, a small piece of land just north of Eleuthera. This is a 50-mile jump in the Atlantic Ocean from the northern Bahamas to the central Bahamas. Once again the water is very deep (10,000 feet) and it is important to choose the window carefully to avoid nasty conditions that make the trip uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the sea state was not calm (as was predicted), at least for the second half of the day. </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Until about noon, we flew our reefed genoa (big headsail) in about 20-knot wind. We were plowing through the water with a very comfortable wave height and direction. About an hour off shore we spotted a group of about 10 dolphins. Is that called a pod? If I had Internet access I would google it for accuracy. Anyway, they were joyously (at least it looked joyous) leaping clear out of the water in unison. They did that about 10 times headed straight for our boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Definitely the most spectacular sighting to date…I loved it! If I happen to be a sea creature in my next life I definitely want to be a dolphin. I sat back in the cockpit feeling exhilarated and thought, this is perfect…fantastic…then the wind c<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ggh5kQgHKnw/TzkJK7OlOvI/AAAAAAAAFs8/fSOw5yUQ20Y/s1600/DSC01101.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708604085971008242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ggh5kQgHKnw/TzkJK7OlOvI/AAAAAAAAFs8/fSOw5yUQ20Y/s320/DSC01101.JPG" /></a>hanged direction.</p>As the wind shifted to the north (NW or NE, I don’t remember) the water began to build, until we had short, choppy 5-foot waves hitting us almost broadside. Yuck. This causes the boat to pitch and sway very uncomfortably. Every so often, when the wave direction was just right, the boat would rock violently sideways (OK, violent is a little harsh, but I can’t think of a better word.) I happened to be below decks for one such surge at the moment when our upright fridge door flung open and all the contents flew out onto the floor. On top of the chaotic heap of food was a broken bottle of garlic that scattered finely minced bits of the malodorous bud over everything. I admit that witnessing this caused a few four-letter words st<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GkeijWRfAnQ/TzkTvoFypuI/AAAAAAAAFuU/aT9ACyK9FF4/s1600/DSC01093.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708615711605303010" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GkeijWRfAnQ/TzkTvoFypuI/AAAAAAAAFuU/aT9ACyK9FF4/s320/DSC01093.JPG" /></a>arting with “F” to involuntarily leave my mouth. I set about cleaning up the mess, which under the conditions was wiping off the garlic as best I could and throwing the fridge contents into any available container. Garlic may smell good when cooking, but it definitely smells very bad on the floor of a boat that is pitching and rocking in the sea. A half hour later I emerged from the galley to get some fresh air and decided that if that didn’t make me sea sick, nothing will.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTFmTPa7GQo/TzkJK1Q99EI/AAAAAAAAFsw/OvFlig2EHWM/s1600/DSC01087.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 203px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708604084370404418" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cTFmTPa7GQo/TzkJK1Q99EI/AAAAAAAAFsw/OvFlig2EHWM/s320/DSC01087.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, Lynn had resorted to hand steering because the autopilot was struggling too much with the wave conditions. This made the going smoother since Lynn is better able to anticipate the wave movement and correct accordingly. We spent the next three hours in this way till we reached the cut through the Egg Reef that would lead us to shallow, calmer water close to the Eleuthera coast. This is a very narrow cut so we were a little tense as we traversed it for the first time. About 30 minutes later we were comfortably anchored in Royal Island Harbour. We were beat but very happy to have arrived. After an hour of scouring the floor and wiping all traces of garlic from the fridge contents, I was finally able to relax in the first of many little private paradises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX316k2iE-adtsqVpz5Twzryrkh2gZMRZQh0MR7_qX5oE0ld-kii4gNeiTaVJnKdCQi_54huI7w9JATlUAScdJBnE2NScIP6is5UWAEhyeMJEACAXOMfLAUwKfVqqDvrRKJWPc7ShKrMY/s1600/DSC01078.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708604079276999986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX316k2iE-adtsqVpz5Twzryrkh2gZMRZQh0MR7_qX5oE0ld-kii4gNeiTaVJnKdCQi_54huI7w9JATlUAScdJBnE2NScIP6is5UWAEhyeMJEACAXOMfLAUwKfVqqDvrRKJWPc7ShKrMY/s320/DSC01078.JPG" /></a> <br /><p class="MsoNormal">We spent a day just chilling out in Royal Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was once an attempt to grow pineapples on the island and the remains of the plantation still stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We wandered around the stone ruins and then across the island to the windward side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There is an incredible, pristine reef there that is apparently fantastic snorkeling, but unfortunately the wind conditions were not conducive to that activity. </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">The next day we set out on a short 10-mile hop to the next small islands to the east, Russel Island and St. Georges Cay. We moored inside the small channel just off the picturesque little town of Spanish Wells (actually a large town by Bahamian standards), which turned out to<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf8qevwoaAY/TzkKoWcQSYI/AAAAAAAAFtM/DEIJGwBv0k0/s1600/DSC01096.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708605691003947394" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf8qevwoaAY/TzkKoWcQSYI/AAAAAAAAFtM/DEIJGwBv0k0/s320/DSC01096.JPG" /></a> be a new favorite. The waterfront is lined with pastel-colored houses and all sorts of boats docked along the bulkhead. This is the fishing center of the Bahamas so it is quite a bustling place. We rented a golf cart with Kathi and John and toured from one end of the island to the other. As with most places in the Bahamas, the locals are incredibly friendly and everyone waves when you pass by. We stopped at beautiful Russel Beach that lines the entire windward side with soft, pink coral sand. We also had lunch at The Generation Gap, feasting on the delicious homemade potato salad.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">One of our primary concerns was to find a spot to watch the football games on Sunday. Since Spanish Wells is a so-called dry town, there are no bars where you can normally tune in to sporting events. The boys were especially anxious since both the Ravens and 49ers were playing in their respective semi-final games. We w<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFr208bfx58/TzkIh8tn27I/AAAAAAAAFsA/Cg8QxyNLN6c/s1600/DSC01162.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708603381995002802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFr208bfx58/TzkIh8tn27I/AAAAAAAAFsA/Cg8QxyNLN6c/s320/DSC01162.JPG" /></a>ere finally told that the local kids would be setting up a TV at “Members Only” down by the park. At first I thought that meant you had to be a member to attend, but it is really just a tongue-in-cheek name for what turned out to be a makeshift camp in the woods. </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">On game day we loaded our football-watching paraphernalia (beer, snacks, chairs, blankets) in the dingies and went in search of Members Only for some tail-gating, which I guess is more aptly called transom-gating in this case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We found the spot and were quite impressed and somewhat amused! The island kids had set up several wooden buildings fully equipped with stove, sink, ratty old chairs, a stage with drums, and a variety of decorations strewn about (not to mention old bottles of booze and such.) It would have been a great place to watch the game, but alas, nobody actually showed up with a TV. So, we w<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC2cJQj99WPdG7NWZvuiuHQPGG4kuavLMai7OQgByz-ghl0SbIRzxs2htWsJbdgCVDSBSCSbafsz4Z_Xpcc_k7czmWjrt00P5O-fgNk6OUQfj0Jq2VYuLfG_ELxzZf6QaEO2Xa3xKU3E/s1600/DSC01174.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708604073902276002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC2cJQj99WPdG7NWZvuiuHQPGG4kuavLMai7OQgByz-ghl0SbIRzxs2htWsJbdgCVDSBSCSbafsz4Z_Xpcc_k7czmWjrt00P5O-fgNk6OUQfj0Jq2VYuLfG_ELxzZf6QaEO2Xa3xKU3E/s320/DSC01174.JPG" /></a>ent to Norma’s Takeaway instead, the only other place showing the game. It was actually quite comfortable there with a picnic table and now old-fashioned tube TV set up behind the little restaurant. Unfortunately, one of the other patrons was getting progressively more inebriated and louder as the night wore on. We finally left part way through the second game when we couldn’t take it anymore (now you know why I say “so-called” dry town.) As it turned out, neither team won so that takes the pressure off trying to find a place for Superbowl!</p><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wrZpZw6Wn90/TzkTwF50hKI/AAAAAAAAFu8/V6-loHuVY6U/s1600/PICT5465.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708615719608157346" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wrZpZw6Wn90/TzkTwF50hKI/AAAAAAAAFu8/V6-loHuVY6U/s320/PICT5465.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">We left the next day and made a short hop to anchor on the western-most tip of Eleuthera. The 15-20 knot wind was perfect for sailing with a nice beam reach all the way. This took about twice as long as motoring, but we would sail at 5 knots instead of motoring at 7 knots any day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We were accompanied by another group of 5 dolphins on the way who swam alongside the boat for a bit before heading off…I even heard one calling “eee…eee…eee” when he crested the surface.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Current Cut is another very narrow cut that has quite an extreme current running though it…hence the name. We chose to anchor on the east side and wait for the next day to pass through this area with a more favorable current direction. For the remainder of the day we<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9ay4FyNMD7YJico12WF5f9vZdiWuem11yU8TaBdTMLf7jcW09SbaihkxJQS4spKDyazB6C7h78iEFNcoM8oGWjs1gpW-AYo5S3aW6_y5K364G1i7kENsb_Jy2dWSE5ajatY1ms1LTA0/s1600/DSC01134.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708615712753928658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9ay4FyNMD7YJico12WF5f9vZdiWuem11yU8TaBdTMLf7jcW09SbaihkxJQS4spKDyazB6C7h78iEFNcoM8oGWjs1gpW-AYo5S3aW6_y5K364G1i7kENsb_Jy2dWSE5ajatY1ms1LTA0/s320/DSC01134.JPG" /></a> walked across the island to check out Current Settlement, consisting of a few houses, a general store, a library, a post office and a playground. On the way we were stopped by some local residents who offered us directions and invited us for cocktails! Lynn also chatted with the women in the general store (well, he was flirting really…does that surprise anyone?) Back at the boat we topped the day off with a little skinny dipping and an al fresco shower…another private paradise. I so often feel very privileged that we have access to these stunning places all on our own, like long gorgeous beaches with nobody on them but us and spectacular sunsets with only a boat or two to add to the beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OZMojLBda4/TzkKoz-IS0I/AAAAAAAAFtg/lGyLRlJ2_aQ/s1600/DSC01144.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708605698930658114" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OZMojLBda4/TzkKoz-IS0I/AAAAAAAAFtg/lGyLRlJ2_aQ/s320/DSC01144.JPG" /></a> <br /><p class="MsoNormal">Passing through Current Cut the next morning we registered a maximum of 11.3 knots travelling with the current.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is only a little more than 13 mph, but feels really fast in a sailboat. Just after you get through the cut you need to make a 90 degree turn while still in the current and pass within about 100 feet of the rocks to stay in the channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Needless to say, this was an exciting way to start the day! We then motored 40 miles to Rock Sound with the wind right on the nose. After we dropped the anchor we reconnected with Smiles who welcomed us with a happy hour on their boat.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Rock Sound is the Eleuthera equivalent of Marsh Harbour, much more industrial<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27q5abY-eKs/TzkKpCAYVtI/AAAAAAAAFt8/fJimdMES548/s1600/DSC01118.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708605702698194642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27q5abY-eKs/TzkKpCAYVtI/AAAAAAAAFt8/fJimdMES548/s320/DSC01118.JPG" /></a> than other places on the island. We have been spending most of the past few days dealing with what seems like endless boat repairs. I would like to report that our boat woes have ceased since fixing the battery bank in Beaufort, but sadly that is not the case. I don’t mean to start whining again, but I think it appropriate to impart a true picture of all aspects of the cruising experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As I have said before, it is definitely not all pina coladas on the beach.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Our latest issues are a furling headsail that will not unfurl due to an as-yet undiagnosed problem with the controller, and a stopped up head. Lynn has successfully cleared up the latter…I know that most of you landlubbers would consider the head problem to be a bigger crisis, but we would actually be happier if we could<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jwSXvc84gd0tcuu3UmGtRYKxr5nfEQOylcL36SPDIduXeMVYTIq3rui2OZH4wiIaVF8oIU2hyIxhdsghpKt7DQDjS_5xNoJdgopPEAUtnbfYla08PSqpQyqufbdVonMI24nZSGYr1-E/s1600/DSC01128.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 266px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708605695978461394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jwSXvc84gd0tcuu3UmGtRYKxr5nfEQOylcL36SPDIduXeMVYTIq3rui2OZH4wiIaVF8oIU2hyIxhdsghpKt7DQDjS_5xNoJdgopPEAUtnbfYla08PSqpQyqufbdVonMI24nZSGYr1-E/s320/DSC01128.JPG" /></a> fix the furler since without it we have no mainsail. And no sooner had Lynn fixed the head than our freezer, holding about 500 dollars’ worth of meat provisions decided to conk out. We had lined up a local refrigerator repair guy to look at it “first thing” this morning, but in true island fashion, he has not shown up and it is going on 12 PM. We are starting to lose hope that we will get the freezer fixed, so our back up plan is to divvy up the frozen goods into our other small freezer and Makani’s freezer and to eat a lot over the next week or so! </p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">At the moment we are trying to track down a pesky leak under our galley sink. Oh well, these are just small glitches in the daily activities aboard Coyote. But they are frustrating and I feel badly for Lynn because he works so hard to keep our boat ship shape. On the upside we worked on installing the water maker throughout some of our more lengthy delays and it is now chugging along producing 30 gallons of fresh drinking water each hour it runs. I complained about the hefty price tag when Lynn wanted to buy it, but I am now forced to admit that it is truly a very nice luxu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCk4UGOj5ZFCwISXZrq8aBtitA08OdYE-GEdedM4kxyc76wqK6xYUsMYweodOFzbOXNgv1L0U7zrWOfhe78T-77NncwemU5D0sqvuwh_BuRJ_3VDs1V_7tdL9P-vYYH-0IZKesHHXSpjw/s1600/DSC01148.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708605698814137362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCk4UGOj5ZFCwISXZrq8aBtitA08OdYE-GEdedM4kxyc76wqK6xYUsMYweodOFzbOXNgv1L0U7zrWOfhe78T-77NncwemU5D0sqvuwh_BuRJ_3VDs1V_7tdL9P-vYYH-0IZKesHHXSpjw/s320/DSC01148.JPG" /></a>ry that I am quickly realizing I would not want to do without (k<a name="_GoBack"></a>ind of like a freezer on board that I am soon going to have to do without)!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We have even been supplying Makani with fresh water 10 gallons at a time, which is a fair trade for the air they will be supplying us for diving.</p><br /><p class="MsoNormal">So, that brings you all pretty much up to date. So far the weather has been fairly good for travelling, usually in the mid-70s but somewhat windy. At least we have had no significant cold fronts, which is unusual for Bahamas in the winter. We are now waiting for a good weather window to cross Exuma Sound to Highborne Cay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then we will island hop for about a month checking out the E<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJ08-aRbxALkekG3UX6prl_OClCOMJ0sHy8Jvk7dDCOUeKLWhJnVyau7AljOVawd5-f-y2RXmb6hN0MZlVoAUQ0ZXBQtnvQb8eCuUeAP5iTCY9NmQZw_RcP-jpXsBaiqeat9cincSZCo/s1600/PICT5466.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708615708966704962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJ08-aRbxALkekG3UX6prl_OClCOMJ0sHy8Jvk7dDCOUeKLWhJnVyau7AljOVawd5-f-y2RXmb6hN0MZlVoAUQ0ZXBQtnvQb8eCuUeAP5iTCY9NmQZw_RcP-jpXsBaiqeat9cincSZCo/s320/PICT5466.JPG" /></a>xumas. It is much more secluded there and we plan to spend our time snorkeling, diving, exploring the islands and just enjoying the experience. We are still traveling with Makani, which means our evenings usually start with a delicious dinner followed by a grueling euchre match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>More on the Exumas in the next blog!</p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-9101802345587388882012-01-18T22:22:00.005-05:002012-01-18T23:36:17.430-05:00The BeginningI am going to flash back for a while in this blog to give you an idea of the trials and tribulations we encountered to get where we are now...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27otPIYBY3UwrJEUqB9MKHTOzcb4unUkvJdCG2qVcgNl4c77BVD42y4BaJGUDcmgEtPcjkfG3mnZ15fXe69xaRdvV6BQvqsYgQUe0gYYqRmsPST7fau7kwaqNns2Zra0QzfcGEDxyoG0/s1600/2011-11-05_09-33-34_549.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 181px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699187354883097618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27otPIYBY3UwrJEUqB9MKHTOzcb4unUkvJdCG2qVcgNl4c77BVD42y4BaJGUDcmgEtPcjkfG3mnZ15fXe69xaRdvV6BQvqsYgQUe0gYYqRmsPST7fau7kwaqNns2Zra0QzfcGEDxyoG0/s320/2011-11-05_09-33-34_549.jpg" /></a><br />We finally set off on our Bahamian cruise on November 5th after being at home in Maryland for a year and a half. This being our third trip there was a little less fanfare than in the past. I guess people are getting tired of saying goodbye! That said, Lynn’s family was again totally enthusiastic about the journey and had a special pre-Christmas gathering before we left (including really nice gifts). Then most of them showed up on the morning of our departure to see us off, with only a few tears shed. Our friends Chuck, Dave and Darlene were also there to wave goodbye.<br /><br />It felt great to finally be underway again. It was a beautiful, sunny day as we travelled down the Chesapeake Bay…no wind for sailing, but that meant calm seas. We arrived at our first stop on the West River (just south of Annapolis) where we joined Kathi and John on Makani. We were invited to dinner with their friends Bryan and Hannah, and Mike and Roycelin. It was a lovely evening. The only mar in an otherwise perfect day was that the generator refused to start, de<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcEx5irkxAQ/TxeaoqBA8gI/AAAAAAAAFrI/QMamfVrnnHA/s1600/PICT5358.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699193876724642306" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcEx5irkxAQ/TxeaoqBA8gI/AAAAAAAAFrI/QMamfVrnnHA/s320/PICT5358.JPG" /></a>spite the best efforts of Mike who kindly came over to Coyote to lend a hand. We thought it was probably a battery problem, but opted to stick around Galesville for an extra day to check it out…but more on that later…<br /><br />While on shore the next day, Lynn’s nephew KC called. He was on his boat and happened to pass Coyote at anchor. What a coincidence! I had been feeling bummed that we had already been delayed just one day into the trip…but, decided that we were meant to be there to see KC. Later that day we worked on the generator some more and managed to get it started, so we concluded there must be a battery issue and that it was OK to set off again the next day.<br /><br />We had an early, pre-dawn start followed by another beautiful day on the bay. That night we stopped at a peaceful anchorage on Mill Creek, just south of Reedville. We retired early after dinner on Makani. It was on the third day that we first noticed the engine acting strangely. It was fine at low RPMs, but seemed to be struggling at higher RPMs. We limped into Norfolk late in the day and anchored at Hospital Point.<br /><br />The next morning we had a mobile mechanic come on board to check the engine (yes, there are mobile mechanics!) I probably should have recognized the omen when we woke to fog as thick as pea soup and the outboard rip cord broke in Lynn’s hand. Anyway, just like going to the doctor about a pain that disappears in his office, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAOZ99vHPlDDB5Bdtfj9YbJvgFZ4T1VmBEbNY7eimdTaPuNcFa2hqhl257iFdoD2HfuT8YVLiaMCkVsVHy-QI5OeYqJ1-OvOosdYE_VBV46a8MHk_lfwmnzqSqAmG0xRPQYNVtpLcL6o/s1600/PICT5350.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699195734455411890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAOZ99vHPlDDB5Bdtfj9YbJvgFZ4T1VmBEbNY7eimdTaPuNcFa2hqhl257iFdoD2HfuT8YVLiaMCkVsVHy-QI5OeYqJ1-OvOosdYE_VBV46a8MHk_lfwmnzqSqAmG0xRPQYNVtpLcL6o/s320/PICT5350.JPG" /></a>the engine seemed to work perfectly well when Bryan was on board. We chalked the problem up to crud in the fuel that must have worked itself out. As an afterthought, we mentioned our generator issue. He took a look and discovered that we had water in the engine that appeared to have backed up from the exhaust. I now understand that this is a VERY BAD THING. Apparently diesel engines do not like water. Bryan gave it a valiant effort, but was not able to fix it. In the end we had to replace the generator.<br /><br />Then, on our way back from getting the generator installed, our engine started acting up again. After a second sea trial we determined that the transmission was not behaving. This required a very laborious removal of the transmission (definitely not an easy task in the confines of a boat), a rebuild, and a re-installation. Happily, our engine was purring when the task was done.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUw5OFauew4BsMsPtAuwBqDjKTThvHk2kMuBmYbb5oEo7FVNrRQha89SGdYYIlgWv_sFxLf3hck6ta1QQanuAaz4DHP9lH6cmCKgTlrioRA635Kdu9seZ3hDikPkAE04k1YhQegUNyNA/s1600/DSC00991.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699192931203994978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUw5OFauew4BsMsPtAuwBqDjKTThvHk2kMuBmYbb5oEo7FVNrRQha89SGdYYIlgWv_sFxLf3hck6ta1QQanuAaz4DHP9lH6cmCKgTlrioRA635Kdu9seZ3hDikPkAE04k1YhQegUNyNA/s320/DSC00991.JPG" /></a><br />As you can imagine, all of this took some time to resolve and we were stuck in Norfolk for four long weeks (a place where 4 hours is probably too long). There were a few silver linings to the delay, like meeting some very nice people at the marina we were using as our temporary home, particularly Mark and Nadine from Belgium. They were on a custom catamaran and had crossed the Atlantic Ocean five times! They were worried about getting their 63-foot mast under one of the ICW bridges. When I asked what they would do if the mast was too tall, they responded in their French accent, “well, den we will just go to Bermuda!” Now that’s being flexible. We also really enjoyed meeting Bill and Amy and their 3 year old son, Finn, who stole my heart. I think he liked me too because he wanted me to take him to the head, which his parents said is an honor he usually bestows only on his grandparents.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rDlF11NJA5c/TxecVbkMzPI/AAAAAAAAFrw/cz-4hWaxCLs/s1600/DSC00993.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699195745451429106" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rDlF11NJA5c/TxecVbkMzPI/AAAAAAAAFrw/cz-4hWaxCLs/s320/DSC00993.JPG" /></a><br />Other nice memories included wandering around the historic part of Portsmouth (the rest of the city is not very nice), designing a mermaid ring that Lynn bought for me (to cheer me up I think), a day trip to Williamsburg, a nice Thanksgiving Day dinner hosted by the marina, and a quick visit back home to take care of a few things. But, I have to say we were very glad to say goodbye to Norfolk when we were finally on our way again…we were starting to wonder if we should just call it quits.<br /><br />The remainder of the trip down the ICW was much like the previous five trips...this part of the coyote adventures is definitely getting old. There are some things I still like though. I can never get enough of the dolphins swimming alongside the boat and love to watch the pelicans skim just a few inches above the water. One highlight was accidentally bumping into KC (again!) as we wer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X2xJv_HVirGKfJPoSGPinUN4n-TYKv9nGQWpkNF5MKLHxXIEL8QW2JLko2fehXqCS0GQKJ_Me6OMSGRSBqvwhjsGgVZYBkwMrog5FpoBjxTkQS3XDVYyW7AMXY49z16Eg_9KN8QeRYQ/s1600/DSC01011.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699192935385104754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X2xJv_HVirGKfJPoSGPinUN4n-TYKv9nGQWpkNF5MKLHxXIEL8QW2JLko2fehXqCS0GQKJ_Me6OMSGRSBqvwhjsGgVZYBkwMrog5FpoBjxTkQS3XDVYyW7AMXY49z16Eg_9KN8QeRYQ/s320/DSC01011.JPG" /></a>e anchoring in Adams Creek. He just happened to be at his property in NC and looked across the water to see us coming around the bend from the Neuse River. This second coincidence was pretty unbelievable…I am still wondering when we will see him next!<br /><br />There are a few ICW stops I always enjoy. We stayed over in Wrightsville Beach to visit with Lynn’s grandson, Ryan, who showed us around town and his college campus. We also stayed at David (Lynn’s brother) and Gini’s beautiful home in Beaufort SC, where we had a very nice Christmas. We spent some of that time working on the boat…specifically replacing our entire battery bank…problem #3, I hope that means we are done!!<br /><br />On December 29th we were underway again, leaving the ICW from the Port Royal Inlet just south of Beaufort for a 48-hour off-shore cruise to the Fort Pierce inlet. The conditions were great and we made excellent time, arriving at our destination in Stuart Florida on New Year’s Eve, just in time to celebrate with Kathi and John a<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ1_AyVM8c8/TxeapO0N_xI/AAAAAAAAFrU/0JzIl_FhHfs/s1600/Profile%2BPic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 306px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699193886603083538" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WQ1_AyVM8c8/TxeapO0N_xI/AAAAAAAAFrU/0JzIl_FhHfs/s320/Profile%2BPic.jpg" /></a>nd their friends Dean and Nancy. Of course we were so beat from the ocean hop we barely made it to 8:00 PM and snored through the ball dropping at midnight. We stayed in Stuart for a few more days waiting for the window to cross to the Bahamas. During that time Dean and Nancy very kindly drove us around town to get re-provisioned.<br /><br />So, that brings us back to the last blog and finally reaching the Bahamas…and it is the end of my whining. Tomorrow we pull anchor at first light to head out of the cut from Little Harbor destined for the island of Eleuthra…this will be all new territory for us, so exciting and a little scary. Time for bed now to be ready for tomorrow’s adventures!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-49462179686292211892012-01-13T19:22:00.010-05:002012-01-13T20:15:52.200-05:00Here at LastEvery cruise is different and you never know just what is in store for you when setting out. Although Lynn and I have encountered unexpected obstacles, we are here at last, moored in the lovely Hope Town Harbour. Like downhill skiing or SCUBA diving, it sometimes seems like the effort of getting there to enjoy the activity is not really<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hx_rfAJjbLc/TxDTnSlVJrI/AAAAAAAAFn0/Es9ckpGeL1Y/s1600/PICT5442.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697286200580449970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hx_rfAJjbLc/TxDTnSlVJrI/AAAAAAAAFn0/Es9ckpGeL1Y/s320/PICT5442.JPG" /></a> worth it. But, when we finally arrived on the Little Bahama Bank and once again glimpsed the calm, clear, blue water, I thought…oh yes, it was all worth it.<br /><br />Believe me; subsequent blogs will describe the problems we overcame to reach our destination. But I wanted to start off with a blog of how good it feels to be back in this beautiful place. We set out from Lake Worth inlet along with Makani at 4 AM on January 7th. The crossing was a little bit rocky, with about 2 ft waves, but overall quite perfect…actually, probably the best yet. We didn’t see much on the way over. The most interesting thing was passing through a…hmmm…”flock” of Portuguese Man-o-War. They look like little blue balloons and there were thousands floating on the surface of the water all around the boat. We have never seen that before.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i3I8V39mcrU/TxDRtGqQgGI/AAAAAAAAFnk/fVdAc1INLkY/s1600/PICT5423.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697284101435850850" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i3I8V39mcrU/TxDRtGqQgGI/AAAAAAAAFnk/fVdAc1INLkY/s320/PICT5423.JPG" /></a><br />At about noon we crossed onto the bank. It’s still a strange feeling to go from 6000 feet of water in the ocean to less than ten feet in about a 1 mile span. Then on the bank the water calms down completely and you can see down to the bottom of the incredibly clear water. As the sun moves lower in the sky, the water begins to look like a big pool of mercury. It is a beautiful site. We wa<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TBNonoiXI3E/TxDP9oO7-5I/AAAAAAAAFmg/pBqv58ghxKc/s1600/PICT5392.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697282186302716818" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TBNonoiXI3E/TxDP9oO7-5I/AAAAAAAAFmg/pBqv58ghxKc/s320/PICT5392.JPG" /></a>tched for the green flash in a perfect sunset, but it didn’t happen. We anchored in Great Sale Cay a short time later. This is the stopping over point for many boats crossing over from the US. There were a whole 4 boats in the anchorage.<br /><br />We pulled anchor early the next morning and headed for Spanish Cay where we checked in to customs. It was a lovely day on the water and later we enjoyed a hot tub and al fresco dinner at sunset. What a perfect way to enter the Bahamas!<br /><br />Next up was Manjack Cay (strangely pronounced Nunjack). There we anchored alongside Makani and headed out to the reef to hunt for lobster. It was low tide so we had to walk the dingy across a few sandbars, but we were determined. When we finally arrived on the ocean side, we realized we had forgotten to bring our dingy anchor in our haste. So, Lynn stayed in the dingy drifting around while I snorkeled about looki<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI4KkvzWzuk/TxDU0cUpEwI/AAAAAAAAFoE/aYKMG6V9CCA/s1600/PICT5374.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697287526044734210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hI4KkvzWzuk/TxDU0cUpEwI/AAAAAAAAFoE/aYKMG6V9CCA/s320/PICT5374.JPG" /></a>ng for dinner.<br /><br />Lobsters are actually quite easy to find hiding under rocky ledges. I managed to spot four different hideouts, with one sheltering at least five of the spiny creatures. Although I proved to be good at finding them, I was not as good at catching them. I tried to tickle them out, I tried to spear them, but they all managed to retreat further into the cave out of reach or to find an escape hatch. Lynn said it was quite hysterical watching my bottom on the topside as it bobbed around while I tried to snare a bug. In the end John caught two and Kathi caught two, so we all had grilled lobster for dinner.<br /><br />The next day we pulled anchor and transited the Whale Cay Channel. This is a sometimes treacherous inlet if the conditions are not good, but this time it was perfectly calm. We anchored at Guana Cay later that day. Kathi and John once again headed out to the reef to ca<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0INfZfTsOsg/TxDP-sRWOXI/AAAAAAAAFm4/T5aKVeb6FKc/s1600/PICT5439.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697282204566436210" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0INfZfTsOsg/TxDP-sRWOXI/AAAAAAAAFm4/T5aKVeb6FKc/s320/PICT5439.JPG" /></a>tch some fish for dinner while Lynn and I stayed on our boat to work on the installation of our new water maker. That night we dined on Yellow Snapper and Chub…both delicious. I can see now that we will be eating well with such good hunters travelling with us!<br /><br />After a quick stop at Marsh Harbour, Lynn and I came to Hope Town. It was great to pull into the harbour and spot many of our friends from previous trips…it felt a little like coming home. Once settled on our mooring, we hopped in the dingy to tour around and chat with friends we haven’t seen in two years.<br /><br />Yesterday we wandered a bit around town and made most of the obligatory stops, like a munchies burger for lunch, Vernon’s grocery and of course the beach. Later we had Chuck and Dale over for dinner. Tonight we hosted a happy hour with our old friends Betsy and Jim from Smiles and our new friends Dan and Marcia from Cutting Class. This is still my favorite part of cruising, meeting wonderful people and developing lasting friendships. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg0s8_o_vp0/TxDP8dsMb0I/AAAAAAAAFmI/JBr70Ggg3tA/s1600/PICT5381.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697282166292770626" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rg0s8_o_vp0/TxDP8dsMb0I/AAAAAAAAFmI/JBr70Ggg3tA/s320/PICT5381.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow we plan to head back to Marsh Harbour and meet up with Makani again. There we will do some chores and watch some football. Then we hope to start the trek south with a stop at Lynyard Cay to stage for our 50 mile transit from the Abacos to the island of Eleuthra. Of course, all is dependent on the weather as always.<br /><br /><br />Oh yes, it is all worth it :)))Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-65703484488172312942011-12-04T15:14:00.005-05:002011-12-04T15:24:10.477-05:00Coyote Adventure III...Dedicated to Gilbert Haldane, 1923 - 2011<div>My dad, Gilbert Haldane, was a big supporter of our Coyote Adventures. He was a WW II bomber pilot and a flight instructor in his later years. Because of that background, I think he related to our sailing quest as a similar, albeit much smaller, test of strength and character. I remember his excitement when he dropped us off at the airport destined for our first sailing experience in the Caribbean, when we chartered<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3WHFJXtNfydz2-kbG-VfvaaOxYv2mKvx009yo7BX5K5B_CHw8mm3s4YjS4QrFgGNnETt2s9mJcmofTNCj3bA_fp6qvf4dP2SCD2ST6fTTyQHuamiAxhnJANhmE8_fAE134HTVmSOO8g/s1600/Dad+2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 262px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682370459904738866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3WHFJXtNfydz2-kbG-VfvaaOxYv2mKvx009yo7BX5K5B_CHw8mm3s4YjS4QrFgGNnETt2s9mJcmofTNCj3bA_fp6qvf4dP2SCD2ST6fTTyQHuamiAxhnJANhmE8_fAE134HTVmSOO8g/s320/Dad+2.jpg" /></a> a boat in St. Martin and toured the Leeward Islands. Over the following years, he continued to enjoy our descriptions of the planning and execution of our Bahamas cruises. </div><br /><br /><div>After our first big trip, Dad wrote a letter to Lynn expressing how proud he was of his accomplishment as the captain and gave him a token to commemorate the journey. It was a small wooden box containing a clock and compass. On it he had engraved “To Lynn Master Mariner”. That box will always have a special place on our boat and in our hearts. </div><br /><br /><div>Dad passed away last May. Like all of my family, I miss him every day and especially when I think of how much he enjoyed hearing about our travels. He was such a great supporter of all his children’s undertakings. When you talked to Dad there was never anything more important to him. He always listened intently and offered sage advice. When he died we all wondered who we would go to with our questions…we have no answer for that yet. </div><br /><br /><div>So, as we begin this third voyage, I feel like a part of me is missing, but, I am also sure he is somewhere watching and still delighting in his daughter’s travels, on my boat and through my life. Lynn and I agreed that we should dedicate this Coyote Adventure to Gilbert…I love you Dad. </div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-86653461912771570202010-05-25T21:17:00.003-04:002010-05-25T21:37:41.265-04:00Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S_x5s2LjsgI/AAAAAAAAFeI/oedysnuv31c/s1600/DSC00804.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475385058340876802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S_x5s2LjsgI/AAAAAAAAFeI/oedysnuv31c/s320/DSC00804.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div>For those of you who are particularly interested, or maybe a little bored, I have finally posted all our pictures from the Bahamas 2009/2010 trip on Picasa...just follow the link on the right hand side of the page...enjoy! <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S_x5tcQw04I/AAAAAAAAFeQ/DYUm74F2IxI/s1600/DSC00832.JPG"></a></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXs4nXe-_mi71-1-EQauqZV_9_ZnLWfxYt3GNj5nQDBmRwf7T1sz8VkgzJy0-8OHWM1jkrOYqSDXSK_TNoQnX9xCqRYB4x3KIFWZanyyTMiwTkeqWyJFOTSXpBFRKqyPdhmqDb2XMGjM/s1600/DSC00460.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475385039411286674" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXs4nXe-_mi71-1-EQauqZV_9_ZnLWfxYt3GNj5nQDBmRwf7T1sz8VkgzJy0-8OHWM1jkrOYqSDXSK_TNoQnX9xCqRYB4x3KIFWZanyyTMiwTkeqWyJFOTSXpBFRKqyPdhmqDb2XMGjM/s320/DSC00460.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXs4nXe-_mi71-1-EQauqZV_9_ZnLWfxYt3GNj5nQDBmRwf7T1sz8VkgzJy0-8OHWM1jkrOYqSDXSK_TNoQnX9xCqRYB4x3KIFWZanyyTMiwTkeqWyJFOTSXpBFRKqyPdhmqDb2XMGjM/s1600/DSC00460.JPG"></a> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubxXyztglBGHu-eLNaa68mzUFw7V8K0USPXR4EYfd1xmAnjfQkXZhVDaphR8ZSbyPDzf7GoGkBDd_BVPbgl1R9C7iLaLjgaOenRz1Jo2pG5vZjQIVbPkPSGj_IsS0Zt3OwJHlZfgbRHI/s1600/PICT5161.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475385049872557202" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubxXyztglBGHu-eLNaa68mzUFw7V8K0USPXR4EYfd1xmAnjfQkXZhVDaphR8ZSbyPDzf7GoGkBDd_BVPbgl1R9C7iLaLjgaOenRz1Jo2pG5vZjQIVbPkPSGj_IsS0Zt3OwJHlZfgbRHI/s320/PICT5161.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubxXyztglBGHu-eLNaa68mzUFw7V8K0USPXR4EYfd1xmAnjfQkXZhVDaphR8ZSbyPDzf7GoGkBDd_BVPbgl1R9C7iLaLjgaOenRz1Jo2pG5vZjQIVbPkPSGj_IsS0Zt3OwJHlZfgbRHI/s1600/PICT5161.JPG"></a> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubxXyztglBGHu-eLNaa68mzUFw7V8K0USPXR4EYfd1xmAnjfQkXZhVDaphR8ZSbyPDzf7GoGkBDd_BVPbgl1R9C7iLaLjgaOenRz1Jo2pG5vZjQIVbPkPSGj_IsS0Zt3OwJHlZfgbRHI/s1600/PICT5161.JPG"></a> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S_x5sD6eaAI/AAAAAAAAFd4/Z9qX2gqf3xs/s1600/DSC00139.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475385044847454210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S_x5sD6eaAI/AAAAAAAAFd4/Z9qX2gqf3xs/s320/DSC00139.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-87400911765271445562010-04-26T09:28:00.009-04:002010-05-05T10:10:51.268-04:00Home AgainWhen I read this blog to Lynn he commented that it sounds like it was a tough crossing and everything went wrong, but it really was a good trip with only a few outstanding events. It's just that the calm times are not particularly good fodder for storytelling and make for boring reading. Keep in mind as you read this that most of the trip was quite easy and if I seem focused on the more challenging aspects, it is simply for the dramatic effect...so, here we go...<br /><br />Yes, we arrived safely after about 53 hours crossing the Gulf Stream. Most of the trip was, quite literally, a breeze with less than 10 knots of wind and relatively calm seas. This may not be desirable conditions for die hard sailors I suppose, but we prefer calm water and it was perfect for us. Around midnight on the second night the wind picked up to about 25 knots and so did the waves. The wave height wasn't too bad (4-6 feet), but the direction was hitting us from the side, which causes some pretty drastic pitching and rolling. We angled a bit further north and hoisted the Genoa to increase our speed and to steady the boat a little. We stayed in the Gulf Stream a little too long (because we were greedily enjoying the good speed resulting from the help of the 3 knot current) which meant we had to cut across about 80 miles with the waves on the beam in order to get to the inlet. In our defense we had been hedging our bets hoping to make landfall further north at Beaufort SC, but decided that between the waves beating us up, and the fact that we would probably get there after dark, it would be more prudent to stop a little short at St Mary's inlet on the border of Florida and Georgia.<br /><br />Our slow, 5-6 knot progress westward on the tailend of the journey felt like the longest 12 hours of our lives (how soon I forget the last longest 12 hours.) The trip was never dangerous, but somewhat uncomfortable, and resulted in only one fairly minor injury (other than a few bruises here and there). When the wind picked up to over 25 knots, Lynn decided we had too much sail out, so we started to reef it in. As Lynn was pulling in the line we were knocked sideways by a rather large wave, which caused him to topple over. He put out his hand to catch his fall and jammed his middle finger back against the winch. He said he thought it was broken for a moment but, thank goodness, it was not. He just had a larger, swollen and bruised finger for a few days afterward. It's a good thing he has strong hands.<br /><br />This time I had done a better job of stowing our stuff. The only mishap was forgetting to tie the pantry doors shut and discovering food all over the cabin floor, luckily all dry stuff. Lynn and I have not quite mastered the shifts watching the helm and both opt to sleep in the cockpit. We tried a 2-hour shift rotation, but that just means you get a few catnaps through the night. It is OK on the first night but becomes sleep deprived hell by the second night. We have decided that longer than one overnight passages are not for us unless we have more crew.<br /><br />As I said earlier, it was an uneventful crossing (just the way I like it) with some long hours to get through, although it is quite cool to be out there during the day when you can see nothing but indigo water all around you. We were also lucky to have a half moon illuminating the sky which makes a huge difference in the dark night. One brief break in the tedium was when a bird hopped on board as a hitchhiker. He was a little black and yellow guy and roamed about the cockpit in search of food or maybe to just rest a bit and say hello. He did gobble up a fly. It seemed amazing that such a tiny bird would be so far off shore. Stangely Kathi and John had a bird join them for a while too...maybe the same freeloader?<br /><br />While we finally approached and entered the inlet we were both finding it very hard to keep our eyes open. I thought it would be ironic to run aground after so many hours off shore. But we managed to navigate our way in without incident, that is until we anchored. I was DONE and all I wanted was to fall into bed, but the windlass (the automated motor that lowers and raises the anchor) jammed and we were not able to use it. As we hovered around the anchorage Lynn was unable to make it work. He resorted to manual deployment. Keep in mind that we have a 90-pound anchor and all-chain rhode. He dropped it OK, but as luck would have it, the anchor did not hold. He then tried to pull it up but was being overpowered. At that point, our friend John from our buddy boat Makani lowered his dingy and came over to help...this being no small favor as he was equally exhausted. Probably due to mental fatigue, it had not occurred to us to use the winch and so, at John's suggetion, Lynn rigged a rope to the winch and they were able to get the anchor up again. They then redeployed and it stuck...thank God! We have often debated the pros and cons of a buddy boat, but this time we are definitely glad we had a buddy to help.<br /><br />After that we settled down a bit, I got the boat organized and some dinner together while Lynn investigated the windlass problem. After about half an hour I went to call him to eat when I discovered he had crawled into the chain locker where the windlass is mounted and was lying there gazing at the motor with a lit flashlight in his hand. I jokingly said "Have you fallen asleep in there?" when I heard the unmistakable snores of his deep slumber...he had indeed fallen asleep in the chain locker on top of 300 feet of chain! Well, after that we finally climbed into bed around 8 PM and didn't get up until 13 hours later. We did discover in our clean up that SPOT had stopped transmitting somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic...we don't know why, maybe it was a result of all the tossing and turning. But, I know a few who were following were concerned for a while because it looked like we had been swalloed up in the Bermuda Triangle, but all is well!<br /><br />We then had to make our way to Beaufort and once again waited for the wind to die down so we could jump off shore for another 24-hour passage. It's a toss up whether another overnight at sea is better or worse than the shallow, winding stretch of the ICW in Georgia. While waiting we prepared the boat and Lynn did some troubleshooting on the windlass. I am pleased to report that he found the blown fuse and, once replaced, all is functioning properly. We left on Wednesday night and arrived in Beaufort on Thursday afternoon. This time the ocean hop was PERFECT in my books (even though there was not much wind to sail.) We had a full moon to light our way and only gently rolling waves. I even watched a few movies on our portable DVD player to pass the time during my watch.<br /><br />Although we are no longer in the Bahamas and that is a bummer, we are home and that is wonderful. We have continued to enjoy our surroundings, including exploring the nature trails and beaches on Cumberland Island. The Live Oaks are spectacular and the wild horses are beautiful. The water is no longer turquoise but a dull brown, but that's OK...we are still on it! As Kathi commented, it is tough to be home when we have to spend the day picnicing and roaming the beach! We had a fabulous time in Beaufort with Gini and David and once again enjoyed their warm hospitality. We are now touring Charleston for a few days. We have continued to have fun with Makani eating great meals and playing killer euchre matches. But, I'll save the full descriptions of our exploits along the ICW for my next blog. Right now Lynn is cooking eggs and biscuits for breakfast and my stomach is calling me!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-83246731260028970192010-04-22T07:06:00.006-04:002010-04-22T07:33:31.529-04:00Lookin' for the Window<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgGDY4jfPRWfTU_ilYtsseaPvrSak7GQYMAv1bn9CdaQFMvG09_n4LTmcrpwYn3Pscgen_2O4WwOiMAbAYd3y96_Cs0Y32_7_CLEM1CxEveXLntOylQYU_tHNcExdje-d5TVjMVRbXHk/s1600/DSC08909.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462921184080371762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 206px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgGDY4jfPRWfTU_ilYtsseaPvrSak7GQYMAv1bn9CdaQFMvG09_n4LTmcrpwYn3Pscgen_2O4WwOiMAbAYd3y96_Cs0Y32_7_CLEM1CxEveXLntOylQYU_tHNcExdje-d5TVjMVRbXHk/s320/DSC08909.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well, as it has been all winter, the weather is making it tricky to choose a good window to get back home. We have transitted the Whale (uneventfully) and are hopping around in the Northern Abacos. These islands are much less developed and so far we have really enjoyed Munjack Cay where we explored the forest pathways and some excellent snorkelling. More on that in our next blog. For now I just wanted to update you on our plans for our homeward trek. I get up each morning at 6:30 AM to listen to Chris Parker on the SSB and make a daily decision on where to go and how to stage for the passage across the Golf Stream. As of this morning, we are hoping for favorable weather around Wednesday next week and, if that appears to be long enough, we will cross all the way to Beaufort, South Carolina. If not we will hop inside somewhere south of there, like northern Florida. Of course, all that can change by tomorrow morning. We are travelling with Makani so have the comfort of a buddy boat (not to mention excellent shared meals and brutal euchre matches most evenings!). </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>So, after today and until our arrival in the US we will not likely have Internet access. You can still track our progress on the SPOT link on the right...if we don't appear to move for a bit it just means we found an island we like and have stopped for a little fun. Today we are headed for Powell Cay, a new place for us...we miss all our friends and family and are very much looking forward to getting home now...till then, we are stuck in a very lovely place.</div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-31619828913790926242010-04-16T09:24:00.001-04:002010-04-16T09:27:46.415-04:00My Bahamian Birthday and Other Perfect DaysWhat a great way to spend my birthday! It started early when I arose at 6:30 AM to listen to the weather forecast by Chris Parker on the single sideband (SSB) radio. He is considered somewhat of a weather God by the cruisers and we have started to pay attention as we determine how and when we will start to move north. Lynn and I then spent a few hours organizing the boat for the pending Gulf Stream crossing and then he took me out for lunch at the Harbour’s Edge, where we dined on coconut grouper fingers and their house specialty drink called an Over the Edge. After lunch came a romantic stroll along the beach and sea glass hunting. Then it was back to the boat to prepare for a little birthday party that night. At my party were Chuck and his friend Steve, who is here to help him crew his boat home. They brought along cheese and sausage balls, which was very sweet because it took them several hours to find a recipe, buy the ingredients and prepare the tasty nuggets. Luisa and Jay from Airborne also joined us and brought my birthday cake, a delicious chocolaty confection. The evening was perfect…lots of fun chatting, little umbrellas in our drinks and conch blowing at sunset. We wrapped the festivities up with a euchre match between Driven and Coyote and Lynn and I won all three games…maybe they let the birthday girl have her day. Before I hit the sack I logged on to call Mom and Dad so they could wish me a happy birthday. I found lots of birthday wishes from friends at home on facebook and e-mail, which was a lovely surprise. All in all it was a fabulous day!<br /><br />The only mar in the perfection of my birthday was a little radio mishap. As I mentioned earlier, I was listening to Chris Parker on the SSB radio in the morning. After he finishes his weather synopsis he opens the channel to boaters who call in for advice on how to make various transits. To get his attention you say the call sign of your vessel (Coyote in our case) and he responds when he hears you. I had been trying to get his attention for about 45 minutes and feeling very frustrated and disappointed that he didn’t seem to be hearing me when I realized I was using the mike for the VHF radio and not the SSB radio. In my defense, the two radios are located side by side at the nav station. I laughed out loud when I noticed my folly…Lynn just shook his head with that I-can’t-believe-my-wife-can-be-so-ditzy look on his face. I didn’t think much more about it until later in the day when I was informed by friends that I actually had the VHF radio tuned in to the cruisers net and was interrupting their morning broadcast by announcing “COYOTE” every ten minutes! As I reread this paragraph I realize that it may be kind of like the plumber’s convention joke and only funny to cruisers, but, trust me, it was a rather embarrassing blunder that definitely didn’t go unnoticed by the thousands (OK, about 50) listeners! <br /><br />Now, back to my reflection of perfect days in the Bahamas, we have had many and a few maybe a little less than perfect. Actually, how we spend our days is a common question we get from people at home. Some days are filled with boat work and others are spent pleasantly wandering the beach or some such activity, but all of them seem to pass by quickly and we are never bored. But, living on a boat is not necessarily easy and is definitely not all pina coladas under an umbrella on the beach. Normal chores, like doing the laundry, taking out the garbage or getting groceries, can occupy most of a day. Climbing in a dingy to run an errand is not nearly as easy as hopping in a car, not to mention the challenge of parking a dingy (I still have nightmares of the runaway dingy at the dock.) Little things like water cannot be taken for granted since there is obviously a limited supply from the tanks on board and it is very expensive here…about 25 cents per gallon. No more letting the water run while brushing teeth or rinsing dishes. Definitely no daily showering, and when you do take a shower it must be done military fashion with the water running only to get wet and rinse off. I have calculated that we use about 12 gallons a day…not bad. Even so, we did run out once on a Saturday and had to wait until Monday to fill up since everything is closed on Sunday in the Abacos. A minor inconvenience but open stores on Sunday are something we have all taken for granted for some time. Not to mention the banking hours, which are 10 AM to 2 PM on Tuesdays in Hope Town and NO ATMS! But, I digress; getting a short-term water supply required Lynn laboriously lugging water jugs back and forth in the dingy. After the better part of a few hours he had managed to add about 40 gallons to the tanks. My role in this task was to tie the dingy alongside the boat and help lift the very heavy jugs using the motor hoist. When we were finally done Lynn climbed aboard Coyote and I tossed the line into the dingy…oops, the dingy was not secured to the boat. It was a particularly windy day and the dingy had already floated a good 30 feet away when Lynn said…”Where is the dingy line?!”, plus a few other expletives. Luckily, a passing boat kindly retrieved our runaway craft and calm was restored. <br /><br />At the top of my outstanding day list are four fabulous days of diving expeditions with Kathi and John. We met up with them a few weeks ago at their favorite anchorage on the south end of Guana. It was the first time we have anchored Coyote there and it was a great spot. No other boats and easy access to the ocean side. Kathi and John are avid divers and have a compressor on board. They kindly offered to let me use their equipment so I could experience diving in the Bahamas. I was feeling a little trepidation as it would be only the eighth dive of my life (including my three certification dives) and I had not donned diving gear in over seven years. But, it was a perfect opportunity to get more experience and I couldn’t pass it up. So, off we went and it was fantastic! I do have trouble clearing my ears and it took me some time to reach the bottom on the first day, even though it was only 30 feet down. Although it was exciting, my thoughts were mostly on maintaining buoyancy, breathing and how much air was left in my tanks. However, by day four I felt much more relaxed and was able to appreciate the beauty around me and even ventured into tunnels in the coral. Some lead to coves surrounded by coral, which felt like being in a cave but open to the surface. I did see lots of cool sea life, including an octopus (apparently a rare daytime sighting), squid, huge parrot fish, southern rays and tons of beautiful colored fishes. The coral was spectacular in some spots with huge elkhorn coral and pretty sea fans waving with the current. Kathi was proud of me and said I went from being barely able to get submerged to a cave diver in four days! I am so appreciative of both Kathi and John for loaning me their stuff and taking the time to help me discover that I definitely love to dive!<br /><br />So, that is all for now…we are departing Hope Town for good in about half an hour and I must go help Lynn get the boat ready. Our destination for today is Guana Cay where we will join Makani again and then around the Whale tomorrow as we move north and head for home. I am looking forward to another perfect day!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-67509658417411101992010-03-26T14:09:00.018-04:002010-03-26T15:42:46.246-04:00I blame it on the Cracked Conch, Key Lime Pie and Rum PunchThere can definitely be to<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z71mlPghI/AAAAAAAAD5Q/-dRZkvifN8I/s1600/DSC00112.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453010147147219474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z71mlPghI/AAAAAAAAD5Q/-dRZkvifN8I/s320/DSC00112.JPG" border="0" /></a>o much of a good thing…I don’t know about you, but I go through periods where I think I can eat anything I want and I won’t gain a pound, and then I suddenly wake up one day to discover that I seem to have put on 10 pounds overnight and my clothes don’t fit…well, thanks to Vernon’s homemade bread and Key Lime Pie, not to mention a rum punch here and there, I have once again come to that realization. So, it is back to good eating and exercise…and, speaking of good eating and exercise, that is what we have been doing for the last few days.<br /><br />The day after Lynn returned safely from his boat delivery mission, we decided to take advantage of a predicted string o<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSYeB2kwuCuMa7CbpVHB6gByqJrj7JaZ1jazKJj_01CbX1mkWrDnHaHcKI-uB1XkYGTn6QIQvfrNTp3quFp-0oLTKip3iDQUiBUd05pPswh4SEz3eEOFxVP7yOkoq36q6FtSRWAnWAhI/s1600/PICT0058.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453021581408411778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSYeB2kwuCuMa7CbpVHB6gByqJrj7JaZ1jazKJj_01CbX1mkWrDnHaHcKI-uB1XkYGTn6QIQvfrNTp3quFp-0oLTKip3iDQUiBUd05pPswh4SEz3eEOFxVP7yOkoq36q6FtSRWAnWAhI/s320/PICT0058.JPG" border="0" /></a>f good weather days (three in a row, which is long for this winter) and head south to Lynyard Cay, one of our favorite anchorages. It is relatively secluded and offers a lovely place to hang out without lots of other boats around. Chuck came along in his own boat. We had to wait till high tide to get out of Hope Town and arrived at our destination late in the day where we finally met up with Kathi and John on Makani.<br /><br />I’ll start out with the eating…we dropped the hook, got organized and then had everyone over for dinner on Coyote…and what a meal! It was all conch, starting with delicious conch chowder that I made using a recipe from my latest addition of Coastal Living that just happened to be featuring conch and lobster recipes. John made fabulous conch Polynesian with a twist and I liked it better than my own…MMMMM…so yummy. The following ni<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z-xtSFvII/AAAAAAAAD58/r2NWCDZpAfg/s1600/DSC00467.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453013378761342082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z-xtSFvII/AAAAAAAAD58/r2NWCDZpAfg/s320/DSC00467.JPG" border="0" /></a>ght we gathered again and made a meal of lobster tails with basil butter sauce as appetizers (using lobster caught by Makani and another recipe from Coastal Living) followed by pork tenderloin, fried rice and a salad of hearts of palm. In between dinners we breakfasted on pancakes and had lunches picnicking on shore and at Pete’s Pub in Little Harbour (including the requisite rum blasters). As an aside from eating, in keeping with tradition we all signed a t-shirt (generously donated by Lynn) and left it on the wall of the bar so we will live on in Pete’s Pub posterity. I guess with all of this eating I shouldn’t be surprised by the expansion of my waistline!<br /><br />Now for the exercise…early o<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eEEnbaSW2FB263N8Y7VHub_j1V2l-fovT6Coyrmf_-T5uTrKE6XaUlvpqYE_5A9FemRoh3gtXOy9grSqBQcvayLsIuQBEe_c7RKja5CZ3-5j3ZledvJb4GzGFtD_Mk7U7Rksy39OFz4/s1600/PICT0036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453023691187699570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_eEEnbaSW2FB263N8Y7VHub_j1V2l-fovT6Coyrmf_-T5uTrKE6XaUlvpqYE_5A9FemRoh3gtXOy9grSqBQcvayLsIuQBEe_c7RKja5CZ3-5j3ZledvJb4GzGFtD_Mk7U7Rksy39OFz4/s320/PICT0036.JPG" border="0" /></a>n our first day at Lynyard, John and Kathi guided us out the Little Harbour inlet to snorkel on a reef they discovered on the Atlantic Ocean side…it was spectacular. We were treated to incredible coral formations and lots of fish. John spotted a shark and Kathi saw two turtles. I was my usual wildlife-loser self and did not see either species, but was delighted just the same. After getting our fill of the reef, we hopped back in our dingys and headed to conch and lobster territory. By the way, hopping in a dingy is not as easy as it sounds, at least not for me due to my lack of upper body strength…which brings me back to not enough exercising, remember? Boarding a dingy from the water involves me attempting to pull myself up while frantically kicking my flippers and with Lynn pulling on my arms or any part of me that he can <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7Y8DE77wpM5u9JZ01XsH-H6V1-BshOx0axxIFo4_BkN_3qrLZGE2bbytoJmoPf8VuEaWBI52i3fcrsruQbVHQVdiAPNjuiw5IOU5NcnPvZ4DEIG32fimXMXPUAw_a2yy7o_7Z1KcxMo/s1600/DSC00474.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453015621753171986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7Y8DE77wpM5u9JZ01XsH-H6V1-BshOx0axxIFo4_BkN_3qrLZGE2bbytoJmoPf8VuEaWBI52i3fcrsruQbVHQVdiAPNjuiw5IOU5NcnPvZ4DEIG32fimXMXPUAw_a2yy7o_7Z1KcxMo/s320/DSC00474.JPG" border="0" /></a>grab. There is definitely nothing graceful about it as I grunt and groan and try to get a leg up.<br /><br />Anyway, back to hunting. We all got back in the water and spent about an hour looking for conch and lobster but were unfortunately skunked. It was then on to another conch hot spot where we did find about six (more c<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60G69gQhdI/AAAAAAAAD60/NmfRvvadEPM/s1600/PICT0023.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453022333827581394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60G69gQhdI/AAAAAAAAD60/NmfRvvadEPM/s320/PICT0023.JPG" border="0" /></a>onch chowder for us!). Later that afternoon Kathi took me back to look for lobster because it was high tide and she thought we might have more luck, which we did, in a way. First I have to tell you that lobster hunting is not so easy…actually, it’s the lobster finding that is particularly hard, at least for a novice like me. They hide under rocky crevices. Well, they think they are hiding. It is pretty funny because they back themselves in and leave there antennae hanging out rather conspicuously. So, those practiced in spotting these long black things can usually find them fairly easily. As I have mentioned before, my powers of observation are not v<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z_zTj6TNI/AAAAAAAAD6E/sE7sMD8K7XM/s1600/DSC00468.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453014505728134354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z_zTj6TNI/AAAAAAAAD6E/sE7sMD8K7XM/s320/DSC00468.JPG" border="0" /></a>ery strong so I don’t find them so easily. A few times I thought I had a bead on one but it turned out to be just leaves. Anyway, I did finally find and spe<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60B9Zk0kuI/AAAAAAAAD6U/gdAWW5aXXhA/s1600/DSC00483.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453016878164513506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60B9Zk0kuI/AAAAAAAAD6U/gdAWW5aXXhA/s320/DSC00483.JPG" border="0" /></a>ar my first lobster, but it turned out to be a juvenile and under the size limit. We left him there still alive, but maybe injured, which made me feel bad. I don’t think lobster hunting is for me…I think I’ll just stick to lobster eating.<br /><br />Before heading back to Hope Town we made an expedition to the beach on the Atlantic side of the island in search of the elusive<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60DUonLngI/AAAAAAAAD6c/tseUpILxnTc/s1600/DSC00488.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453018376849563138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60DUonLngI/AAAAAAAAD6c/tseUpILxnTc/s320/DSC00488.JPG" border="0" /></a> sea glass. It is becoming more and more difficult to find since lots of people are collecting it and glass bottles are not used as much. It is easier to find beach plastic now, but it is not nearly as pretty. Since Lynn and I have poor memories, we went to the wrong spot to begin with…after hiking along a path all we found was a jagge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVzxQT43NpsoeN9s9jjJo8dMPNInBSDCVW-GpVhQIvuZt3S-G7BB-rgoB8qNPu4uSqaTbM94Jy1Ps3_vi0qmCKKAub0X3LIieeiaQyJG6VMvq7IHXk-V2g7a-_ysqPpweAwupUiu_Mqo/s1600/DSC00492.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453019882167279666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVzxQT43NpsoeN9s9jjJo8dMPNInBSDCVW-GpVhQIvuZt3S-G7BB-rgoB8qNPu4uSqaTbM94Jy1Ps3_vi0qmCKKAub0X3LIieeiaQyJG6VMvq7IHXk-V2g7a-_ysqPpweAwupUiu_Mqo/s320/DSC00492.JPG" border="0" /></a>d shore of volcanic rock. It looks cool but is quite hazardous to walk on as it is all sharp shards of rock jutting up…one tumble would cause serious damage. It was then that I remembered the path was actually on the south end of the island. We finally found the beach and spent a while looking for sea glass trophies. We weren’t completely skunked, but our booty was disappointing. Oh well, we’ll keep looking.<br /><br />All in all it is the most ex<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60K2FRt91I/AAAAAAAAD7E/WJGKVIRJUlA/s1600/PICT0008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453026648061245266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S60K2FRt91I/AAAAAAAAD7E/WJGKVIRJUlA/s320/PICT0008.JPG" border="0" /></a>ercise I have had since arriving here. Later that day, in a little floatilla of our three boats, we made the two-hour journey back to Hope Town, our home away from home. I have found that I enjoy the adventure of moving about to discover nice anchorages but I also find comfort in being in a familiar place that I love. Most of all I like experiencing new things and having fun with great people, both of which I got plenty of on our <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUCID7tDjmlAembP-bsa2JJzAir1M0-ukI5PynbujvTEYUgiLQbEFdXn9bAHFEmxrwnQN2sx_aO26w4CeY4jgokmudKDMgvC6_QwhDpNvMRAr47-_s7zhROTKkEBVTp2SQYqdzcpqpsM/s1600/PICT0040.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453026655769744450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUCID7tDjmlAembP-bsa2JJzAir1M0-ukI5PynbujvTEYUgiLQbEFdXn9bAHFEmxrwnQN2sx_aO26w4CeY4jgokmudKDMgvC6_QwhDpNvMRAr47-_s7zhROTKkEBVTp2SQYqdzcpqpsM/s320/PICT0040.JPG" border="0" /></a>latest little expedition.Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-30311198548297929482010-03-22T13:12:00.004-04:002010-03-26T11:02:17.975-04:00The Hershfeld Clan Comes to Visit and Dingy Driving for Dummies!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4p1DLlXOrslHDTloteKD8uZDmm-tJU2Dma0aAaxXGGv4dWnyd857Cymq-tqt55_OZSwJrCEeiP4zkCZdzLS7nxx8viui6Px3CZpmNkyzc-tYmufX1Ic3qAMCVX4YIGVdQLyO9SONhx9U/s1600/DSC00361.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452941074882955202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4p1DLlXOrslHDTloteKD8uZDmm-tJU2Dma0aAaxXGGv4dWnyd857Cymq-tqt55_OZSwJrCEeiP4zkCZdzLS7nxx8viui6Px3CZpmNkyzc-tYmufX1Ic3qAMCVX4YIGVdQLyO9SONhx9U/s320/DSC00361.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>After Jami and Steve left we returned to our routine, which has ended up being an early start of coffee and listening to the cruisers net, spending the day doing something like working on the boat or roaming the beach, then usually having Chuck, our friend from Havre de Grace who is single-handing on Driven, over for dominoes, dinner and Battlestar Galactica (to which we have all become addicted.) A few evenings we have had friends over for cocktails or been invited to visit other boats. We have mostly hung around Hope Town for 2 reasons…we like it here and the weather hasn’t been very good for anchoring elsewhere.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zFjDT2B2I/AAAAAAAAD3Y/Hxz350-TIuI/s1600/DSC00418.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452950454813460322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zFjDT2B2I/AAAAAAAAD3Y/Hxz350-TIuI/s320/DSC00418.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We did make a hop over to Marsh Harbor for a few nights to get re-provisioned in anticipation of the arrival of Lynn’s son’s family, Jeff and Kim and their daughters Kaylee and Caroline. While there, we met up with several of our cruising buddies, including Mark and Willie on Liahona, and Jerry and Laurie on Free Spirit. We also finally reconnected with Kathi and John on Makani; we traveled here as buddy boats but have seen little of them since arriving in the Bahamas. We had a few euchre grudge matches and enjoyed an excellent homemade pizza dinner, Makani’s specialty! Although Kathi may kill me, I have to tell you about her unexpected swim. After playing cards until quite late one night (past midnight, which is definitely a record), Kathi and John left to head out to their boat that was anchored out in the harbour. We were docked at a marina and Coyote was tied to one pier and their dingy was tied to the next pier over. It was very dark and Kathi was apparently gauging the length of the pier she was on by the length of the pier we were on, which was u<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6y_RrOZE-I/AAAAAAAAD2s/RE3q51l1_lc/s1600/DSC00387.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452943559220597730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6y_RrOZE-I/AAAAAAAAD2s/RE3q51l1_lc/s320/DSC00387.JPG" border="0" /></a>nfortunately longer. Consequently, she walked right off the end and plunged six feet down into the water. She quickly scrambled back into the dingy; unhurt except for the shock…it was a chilly, windy night! Being an avid diver and snorkeler, Kathi had declared earlier in the evening that she would go crazy if she didn’t get wet soon…well, that happened much sooner than expected!<br /><br />So, after a few quiet weeks, Jeff and his clan arrived and we had a great time! Lynn had worried for 2 months about the weather and it turned out just fine. Once again we rented a skiff and were able to easily travel to all the best spots. I was the daytime activities coordinator and I must say that I planned the week perfectly, taking the weather and guest d<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zAiQ3HOhI/AAAAAAAAD20/wNQl89iUqkc/s1600/DSC00369.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452944943713040914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zAiQ3HOhI/AAAAAAAAD20/wNQl89iUqkc/s320/DSC00369.JPG" border="0" /></a>esires into consideration. The first day we made the obligatory stop at Nippers on Great Guana Cay then on the Treasure Cay to hang out at the beautiful beach. The following day included a trip to Sandy Cay for some snorkeling and then on to Little Harbour for lunch at Pete’s Pub. We then had two excellent days touring Hope Town and Elbow Cay and enjoying more beaching. One morning we recruited Chuck to help us take the gang out conch hun<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zDWPsIOwI/AAAAAAAAD3I/rshC5TJXqtk/s1600/DSC00411.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452948035774987010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zDWPsIOwI/AAAAAAAAD3I/rshC5TJXqtk/s320/DSC00411.JPG" border="0" /></a>ting. We used our foolproof technique of pulling Kaylee, Caroline and me behind the two dingys and quickly found 12 legal-size conchs. When Kaylee and Caroline finally came up for air they both declared it was the best thing they had done yet! It was then back to the boat to clean the conch for dinner. Chuck and I grossed out the group by eating the pistil and all helped to peel and pound the meat. After three days of touring, Jeff decided his<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zCBrAvIrI/AAAAAAAAD3A/-hp2ytf0PCU/s1600/DSC00394.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946582820299442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zCBrAvIrI/AAAAAAAAD3A/-hp2ytf0PCU/s320/DSC00394.JPG" border="0" /></a> favorite town was Hope Town, his favorite marina was the Treasure Cay Marina and his favorite drinking establishment was Pete’s pub (where all but Lynn and Caroline may have had one too many of the house rum punches!). Caroline was the evening activities coordinator and expertly determined the after dinner entertainment, such as games (Apples to Apples and trivia) and movies (Captain Ron…what else!) We even danced for a while on the boat one night…feed the chickens, girls!! We continued to eat yummy meals of lunches out (treated again by our guests) and dinners of conch, crab and lobster on the boat…the lobsters were the biggest I have ever eaten. Jeff felt confident he could polish off two tails, but conceded defeat after just one! Oh well, the remains became Lobster Newburg for Lynn, Chuck and me. Sadly their visit ended much too soon and we are again feeling lonely on the boat.<br /><br />We have now fallen back into our routine, except for Lynn and Chuck’<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zELfaYaRI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/EjUlwkUlc9Y/s1600/DSC00436.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452948950528583954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zELfaYaRI/AAAAAAAAD3Q/EjUlwkUlc9Y/s320/DSC00436.JPG" border="0" /></a>s big adventure. Chuck is a Captain and was asked by a local friend of his to deliver a boat for his boss from Florida to Scotland Cay here in the Abacos. He invited Lynn to go along. This involved being picked up in the boat-owner’s private plane and flown back to Miami. There they picked up the 36-foot Hinkley picnic boat…for those of you who are not involved in the boating scene, a Hinkley is a very expensive make and this one, designed for day trips on the water (like picnics), is worth several hundred thousand dollars. They departed the next morning at 3 AM to bring the boat back across the Gulf Stream and arrived home around 6 PM. It was an unusual experience and definitely a glimpse at how the other half lives!<br /><br />I stayed behind to watch over the boats and quite enjoyed spending two quiet days on my own with just a few mini advent<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zG0JpVqcI/AAAAAAAAD3g/tznfTcTwdbs/s1600/PICT0044.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452951848083630530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zG0JpVqcI/AAAAAAAAD3g/tznfTcTwdbs/s320/PICT0044.JPG" border="0" /></a>ures, which brings me to dingy driving for dummies. Although I have been practicing this year so I would not be dependent on Lynn to get off the boat, I still have to master the finer art of dingy driving. I have been known to take no less than three tries to pull up to the back of the boat on a windy day. I have always had trouble starting the motor, so not surprisingly my first attempt after they had left was unsuccessful. I sat there in the dingy fruitlessly trying to pull the starter cord until my arm felt like rubber and only sputtering coming from the motor. I tried the choke out…I tried the choke in…until after fifteen minutes I no longer had any idea where it should be and whether I had flooded the engine or not. Feeling very frustrated, and cursing just a little, I was determined not to resort to as<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJgIHDB2ufDbDmd7t0aHveivG5-6b6NyQ9vXq0JJMHUgzBaQiRF7tx4SAOBM9oLlbquUXTsAtfGuISkTrDVHCUBFIX3dQWtIMFiI12csQxUGtuz_nb4w5ACBWgsWo8FXGq8h0qumXk_s/s1600/PICT0037.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452953467763495426" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJgIHDB2ufDbDmd7t0aHveivG5-6b6NyQ9vXq0JJMHUgzBaQiRF7tx4SAOBM9oLlbquUXTsAtfGuISkTrDVHCUBFIX3dQWtIMFiI12csQxUGtuz_nb4w5ACBWgsWo8FXGq8h0qumXk_s/s320/PICT0037.JPG" border="0" /></a>king any male for help, not yet anyway. Finally, I tried once again with the choke out and realized that I had not actually been pulling it ALL THE WAY OUT…once I did the motor immediately purred into action. So, after all these months of telling Lynn that we have a crappy motor and having him tell me I just wasn’t pulling the cord hard enough, I discovered my problem. I happily headed over to town where I spent the afternoon combing the beach for sea glass and made a few good finds, including one chunky piece of black glass that is apparently most likely the remains of a whiskey bottle from the 1800’s.<br /><br />On my way back to the boat, I had a second dingy challenge as I tried to negotiate my way off the dingy dock through a maze of other dingys. I became flustered as I tried to avoid their stern anchors lest they become wrapped around my prop. This caused me to inadvertently gun the engine in reverse, then forward, then reverse again. After playing bumper dingy I was propelled back into the pilings across from the dock. At this point I decided the prudent thing was to shut off the motor until I calmed myself <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zKq4yShrI/AAAAAAAAD3w/YFONmTg3m-o/s1600/DSC00366.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452956086985459378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zKq4yShrI/AAAAAAAAD3w/YFONmTg3m-o/s320/DSC00366.JPG" border="0" /></a>down and manually navigate myself away from hazards. Of course, all of this was under the watchful eye of my friends from JilliQ and a large group of strangers on the shore. Well, as Jill (from JilliQ) says, “sometimes you watch the show and sometimes you are the show!” Happily, Lynn and Chuck arrived home safe and sound the second night and I was definitely glad to have them back.<br /><br />Today is a very rainy day, which is good for the locals as they are filling their cisterns with much-needed water. It is also good for us to catch up on relaxation, blogging and other inside activities. I did venture out for some yoga this morning…I have noticed that the past months of acting like I am on permanent vacation is catching up with my waist line…so it is time to stop eating and start exercising…hmmm, wonder what I will make for dinner tonight!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-16894871113888474222010-03-03T15:38:00.004-05:002010-03-26T14:06:14.839-04:00A Most Wonderful Visit and More Excellent Adventures<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z1DGivJkI/AAAAAAAAD4s/rwJAZ1jYnJY/s1600/PICT0019.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453002682483549762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z1DGivJkI/AAAAAAAAD4s/rwJAZ1jYnJY/s320/PICT0019.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>We continued to have a great time with Jami and Steve and packed lots into their one-week visit. The second half of their trip was spent in Hope Town with daily jaunts to the town or beach. We rented a golf cart and toured the island with stops at the Abaco Inn for lunch and then Tahiti Beach. I think Jami had fun driving on the wrong side of the road and doing a whole 14 MPH! We had a few excellent beach days and spent one beautiful day at the Hope Town Harbour Lodge where we opened a tab in the morning and acted like we were at an all-inclusive resort (Jami and Steve treated…again!). In typical Bahamas hospitality, they let the public use their amenities, like beach chairs and the pool, whether guests there or not. It is a new discovery for us this year and we have been thoroughly enjoying it (on the few good beach days we’ve had)…including bartender Gary’s Goombay Smashes!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw4AkexLNXx6TvPhpTUI5VrseeZ8MMy4WIDIVRBHsc3FsCceg720rtQhG_fW5HAPSkl2_r5I_xiebvKKxDmgWvroXN4GRHSKFCbsbkbR02gYwALnX_QtSYULZETTADhJeVQhkuzIIWms/s1600/DSC00225.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452960292156045938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPw4AkexLNXx6TvPhpTUI5VrseeZ8MMy4WIDIVRBHsc3FsCceg720rtQhG_fW5HAPSkl2_r5I_xiebvKKxDmgWvroXN4GRHSKFCbsbkbR02gYwALnX_QtSYULZETTADhJeVQhkuzIIWms/s320/DSC00225.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I could go on about the many fun memories from their week, but I think Jami summed it up best in her thank-you e-mail…<br /><br />“So, when you think of our trip and time spent together remember these things:<br /><br />steak night, 8 knots of sailing and hanging on, the lost snubber, conch fritters, nippers rum punch, smoking cigars (w/ my dad ), fresh lobster tail twice (yum), Florence's sticky buns, balls and balls and balls of cookie dough, movie nights, port wine, great home cooking, golf cart drag racing, the sketching artist, the mad cross word puzzler, ahhh the smell of pipe tobacco (I can still smell it), watching the stars at night through my porthole, spicy Bloody Mary’s, Vernon’s bread and key lime pie, bargaining for the bread heals, and more balls of cookie dough, turtles! and dolphins! and more turtles! oh the stinky overflow (couldn't leave that out), front and back street walks, the Hope Town Lodge, cold dips in the pool, Gary the bartender and his kick butt Goombay Smash!!, Stev<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zXa3XGKDI/AAAAAAAAD4g/eLRQWUs2KAE/s1600/DSC00290.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452970105376221234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zXa3XGKDI/AAAAAAAAD4g/eLRQWUs2KAE/s320/DSC00290.JPG" border="0" /></a>e’s zodiac 360, and especially......for the first time in almost 41 years I was able to "treat" my dad on vacation...what a great feeling!! (Thank you for teaching me to be stubborn...hehe!) and most importantly....spending time with you!”<br /><br />I couldn’t say it better…but, I should explain one thing….Steve’s Zodiac 360. Our friend, Chuck, had just arrived from Florida (after having to wait for the ice to thaw on the upper Chesapeake to get his boat out!) and he called us to help him pick up his mooring in Hope Town Harbour. Lynn and Steve headed out in the dingy to answer the call. Steve was driving and after apparently becoming airborne a few times he dropped Lynn off at Chuck’s boat. As he attempted to pull away from the boat, he was sucked into the vortex at the bow, which caused him to do a complete 360 and pop out the other side. Unfortunately, none of us actually witnessed the spectacle, but it must have looked pretty funny. I think Steve was just glad to survive!<br /><br />Their last day sadly arrived and Steve and Jami headed home via the ferry to Marsh Harbour, after just a couple of tears. Lynn and I followed in the dingy taking pictures and then hopped aboard Driven (Chuck’s boat) for a quick overnight trip to Green Turtle Cay<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zWQq0kNPI/AAAAAAAAD4Y/iB2qVuMhliQ/s1600/DSC00306.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452968830699844850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zWQq0kNPI/AAAAAAAAD4Y/iB2qVuMhliQ/s320/DSC00306.JPG" border="0" /></a>. Since then we have been mostly seeking shelter in Hope Town as no less than three cold fronts whipping through the harbour and bringing 35+ knot winds. But, we have had a few days of respite between fronts with lovely weather that allowed us to do some snorkeling.<br /><br />One such calm morning we headed to Tahiti Beach with a group of six other cruisers to look for lobster and conch. As usual, Lynn and I searched for about an hour but did not sight a thing. Just as I was about to head for the dingy, a lobster swam by. This took me by surprise for two reasons…(1) he was huge, and (2) he was swimming…fast. I thought lobsters just crawled along the bottom, but they do in fact swim, upside down with their legs and antennae hanging down and flapping their tails for propulsion. Astonished, I watched him to see where he went foolishly thinking that maybe I could catch him for dinner. As I did so, I felt something grabbing my bottom, which obviously startled me even more. When I quickly turned around (or as quickly as possible in a wet suit with flippers on my feet), I saw a second, smaller lobster swim away from the vicinity of my backside. I don’t think it was actually attacking me intentionally, I had most likely just managed to swim into it as it was making a getaway. But, I have decided that while lots of people can claim to have speared a lobster, how many can say a lobster has bitten their bum? <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zVCxCX50I/AAAAAAAAD4M/D4NkQyYKjQU/s1600/DSC00274.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452967492338575170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6zVCxCX50I/AAAAAAAAD4M/D4NkQyYKjQU/s320/DSC00274.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One night we went out with Luisa and Jay for happy hour. They took us to Wine Down Sip Sip, which, unbeknownst to us, is the Friday night place to be. As soon as we walked in the door we were invited to join the Sip Sip Sots. For the low price of $4.00 we are now official card-carrying members. I will paraphrase their greeting newsletter, which states that the intent of the four founders was to start a group that has as its purpose nothing but chatting with friends over a flagon (or wine glass or tumbl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRe6GBRyrHc3SBooJhEhrbeDbgkU2yAgnt_SBxAIU2lL-xS1aOxfvT4vAqFBodCY32c2jV8HSLiw1ZGZ0QLUShKDfDy8xEzqmPM1USNJ2v2KagpC9PEZnGmWmRoHimr_Hh2N7pts0sCE/s1600/DSC00268.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452964793811290866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRe6GBRyrHc3SBooJhEhrbeDbgkU2yAgnt_SBxAIU2lL-xS1aOxfvT4vAqFBodCY32c2jV8HSLiw1ZGZ0QLUShKDfDy8xEzqmPM1USNJ2v2KagpC9PEZnGmWmRoHimr_Hh2N7pts0sCE/s320/DSC00268.JPG" border="0" /></a>er). It is a group without rules, directories, by-laws, meetings, committees, or fundraisers. Their only goal is to gather like-minded souls for the camaraderie. I think we will fit right in.<br /><br />Two days ago I had what I consider to be a perfect day in the Bahamas. To start with, the weather was a balmy lo 70’s with lovely clear blue skies and just a slight breeze. I first went to yoga on the beach and then to the local coffee house for a tea with my friends Jill and Phyllis. I then headed to the Chopping Block where I had the best hour-long pedicure of my life. With my new brightly painted toenails I called Lynn on the VHF who picked me up in the dingy. We then met up with Chuck and went out to Johnny’s Cay to snorkel for conch. We<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z3UvQvvqI/AAAAAAAAD48/KvZN5yiEIYo/s1600/DSC00232.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453005184494976674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z3UvQvvqI/AAAAAAAAD48/KvZN5yiEIYo/s320/DSC00232.JPG" border="0" /></a> spent a few hours and found 11 legal size fellers (they must have a large, fully-developed flare on the shell). We discovered the best method was to hang from a rope behind Chuck’s dingy as he trolled through the shallow water. We just had to reach down and grab the conch as they passed underneath. We also found about 30 very pretty sea biscuit shells. We headed back when we were starting to get too chilly and approaching shark feeding hour. Back at Coyote where we had an afternoon cocktail, blew the conch horn at sunset and then proceeded to clean the conch.<br /><br />Conch cleaning is a labor-intensive effort. It requires first punching a hole in the pointy end of the conch and then sticking a knife in to cut the muscle that attaches the animal to the shell. You then grab the claw foot and pull it out. Then you have to use a knife to peel away to outer stuff that is not edible. In the process you find the “pistil” (I think that’s what it is called), which is a semi-hard, sort of rubbery, worm-like thing that you are supposed to eat…which I did after building up the nerve. It is apparently an aphrodesiac…but they say that a<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z16WDR4GI/AAAAAAAAD40/92OXLkj49TQ/s1600/DSC00270.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453003631539380322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S6z16WDR4GI/AAAAAAAAD40/92OXLkj49TQ/s320/DSC00270.JPG" border="0" /></a>bout lots of things you would not otherwise be inclined to consume. Then, you take the remaining edible portion, which looks like a deboned chicken breast and hammer it to smithereens with a meat tenderizer until it looks like lace. Only then is it actually fit to cook and eat. We have had enough for three dinners for the three of us…including Polynesian conch, cracked conch and conch boats (which we are having tonight). I realized after the first meal that it was actually the first time I have ever cooked anything I caught myself! It was pretty exciting.<br /><br />Other than that we have spent our time roaming the beach, playing games, watching the Canada/US gold medal hockey game (YEAH CANADA) and just having a lovely time. I have polished off a bunch of books and Lynn has filled three crossword puzzle books. Off I go now to beat Lynn and Chuck in dominoes. Next we await a visit form Lynn’s son Jeff and his family…we can’t wait!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-5864502783038299512010-02-16T15:10:00.002-05:002010-02-16T15:16:20.113-05:00Three, Three, Three Blogs in One!Yes, folks, we are finally in the Bahamas. Sorry, but we actually got here over three weeks ago. I was disinclined to write the last blog because there was so little to report…this time I have been disinclined because there has been so much going on! I am going to try to get you up to date but there is a lot to catch up on…so, I split this into three sections…read as much or as little as you like. Pictures to follow as soon as I find the time and the Internet bandwidth for that.<br /><br /><strong>PART 1: WE ARE HERE!!</strong><br /><br />After I last left off we were indeed successful in crossing just as we had planned. We left for West Palm Beach Florida on Monday morning (18 January) and arrived there mid afternoon. We found a place to drop our anchor and got a little fitful sleep before our very early departure. Luckily we were able to get underway quickly because West Palm did not strike me as somewhere you would want to stay for very long. <br /><br />Anyway, we awoke at 3:30 AM and pulled anchor at 3:45 AM. We headed out the inlet along with Makani and Chris Deke, two boats traveling with us. We crossed the Gulf Stream for home along with Chris Deke on the last trip and they just happened to be going over at the same time as us this year. At first it seemed reasonably calm, but it quickly became pretty rough when we got into more open seas. The worst part was that the waves, probably a good 4 to 6 feet, were hitting us on the beam (the side), which is what causes rocking back and forth and (for some) a queasy tummy. We contemplated turning around, but decided to stick it out when we changed to a more southerly heading to settle things down. That worked and I am so glad we persevered because by about noon the seas calmed down significantly and the remainder of the trip was very comfortable. MUCH better than the last time we crossed here. We maintained radio contact with our traveling companions and others who radioed us once we were underway and they realized there was someone ahead who could report on the conditions. It is definitely comforting to know there is someone out there as you cross over the depths of the Gulf Stream, which I think will always feel strange to know there are thousands of feet underneath the boat.<br /><br />The absolute best part of crossing is when you finally reach the Little Bahama Bank and get your first glimpse of the clear turquoise water…it really is spectacular and definitely something that needs to be experienced to truly appreciate how beautiful it is. Once we arrived the water was unbelievably calm…absolutely flat. As the sun set there was a lovely pink cast to the sky and water, which caused a reflection on the water that looked like mercury flowing as we glided through…stunning. We reached our destination of Great Sale Cay at 7:00 PM and dropped the anchor. We hit the sack not long after and slept like logs in the perfectly calm night. <br /><br />The next morning we set off for Manjack. We had not stopped there before and discovered it is a great, very secluded place. There were several other boats there and a single dwelling on the island. We did a little beach combing and exploring and then settled down for another lovely Bahamian evening. We will definitely make another stop there on our return trip. The next day brought a brief stop at Green Turtle Cay to check in and then around the Whale. This time both the gulf stream crossing and the whale crossing were uneventful…I guess we are getting good at this! <br /><br />Actually, I probably shouldn’t say it was entirely uneventful. Just before we left Green Turtle, I suggested that Lynn check the engine coolant as we had a clogged filter the day before. When Lynn tightened the bolt on the top of the filter…it broke! AAAHHHH…this resulted in water rushing in through the open through hull. I looked into the engine compartment to see my boat start to sink before my eyes. OK, I exaggerate, because the trusty bilge pump did kick on and my really trusty Captain remained calm, cool and collected as always. While trying to keep his finger in the proverbial dyke, he quickly closed the through hull. He then proceeded to fix the broken bolt by sawing off the end and drilling a new hole. Lynn never ceases to amaze me as he manages to fix just about everything that goes wrong on Coyote. It’s like traveling with MacGyver! I made up my mind to never complain when I do the navigating, planning and cooking (my primary tasks) because he does the more important job of making sure our boat stays afloat. So, after this heart stopping incident (another exaggeration), we were underway for a very easy Whale Cay crossing and arrival at our ultimate destination at Treasure Cay. Here we met up with our friends Rick and Linda on Sojourner who treated us to happy hour on their boat in honor of our arrival. It is so great how you can just pick up where you leave off two years ago.<br /><br />So, now that we are here we have easily settled in to the lifestyle. This entails long walks on the beach, searching for sea glass, sitting in the Tipsy Turtle or some other establishment to use the Internet and Skype home, joining the other cruisers for the cruisers pot luck at Grabbers, relaxing on the boat, swimming (just a bit cause the water is really cold), and just generally having a lovely time. Best of all, we have reconnected with lots of our friends from last time and we have already made some new ones. <br /><br /><strong>PART 2: JOAN, STEVE, CHRISTINE AND MARK ARE HERE!</strong><br /><br />And speaking of reconnecting, an amazing thing happened at Treasure Cay. With the help of Facebook, I bumped into Joan Williams, one of my best buddies in high school, who I hadn’t seen in 30 years! Unbelievable! I mean, what are the chances that she would be there on vacation at the same time as we happened to be anchored there. But she was, with her husband, Steve, and their friends, Mark and Christine. We ended up hanging out with them for about a week and had a wonderful time…lots of laughs and some mini adventures. <br /><br />One of the more notable misadventures was an inland trip to see a Blue Hole. Since Joan and gang were staying in a dirt dwelling, they had the unusual (for cruisers) luxury of having a vehicle. So, off we went in search of a Blue Hole. This is an unusual formation that occurred during the ice age when openings formed in the coral heads that reach down to the ocean floor. They are several hundred feet deep and connect to the ocean at the bottom, some with tunnels extending out laterally. They are filled with sea water from the bottom and rain water from the top. On the surface they are round holes with a very dark blue color to the water, hence the name. There are numerous Blue Holes in the Bahamas, but they can be very hard to find, I think partly because the Bahamians like to maintain their exact location a bit of a secret. Anyway, we went in search of a Blue Hole one afternoon equipped with cryptic directions from one of the dive shops. First we turned on the road part way between Treasure Cay and the airport. Of course it has no name because few do in the Abacos. We then bumped along the rutted dirt road looking for the faded arrow where we were supposed to turn again. After several teeth-jarring miles we were starting to despair, having seen no more roads and only numerous derelict cars, which are scattered all over the place by the way, some actually left in the middle of the road. We finally spotted three people walking in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. We stopped to inquire about the location of the Blue Hole and they all pointed ahead in unison. One girl mentioned that we should look for the green car and turn there. Off we went again keeping a keen eye for the green car…when we saw the first one it was a false alarm because there was still no road in sight. Yes, there were two abandoned green cars. Just as we were starting to think we needed to abort the mission (well, I was thinking of that, the guys were definitely determined), we finally spotted the said green car and there was indeed a road off to the left. There was also a faded arrow painted many years ago onto the telephone pole, but we would never have noticed it since there was really just a ghost of an arrow remaining. We soon came upon the blue hole shortly after turning.<br /><br />How cool…definitely worth the drive. It was literally a perfectly round hole in the ground about 80-100 feet in diameter. The water was crystal clear and the sides perfectly vertical and covered with stalagtites and stalagmites. Steve and Mark are extreme divers and couldn’t get their gear on fast enough. Equipped with their tanks, knives and a single light they bravely dove into the deep blue with only the guidance of a rope left there for those daring (or crazy) enough to explore the depths. It is actually quite dangerous as divers can easily get disoriented and not know which way to swim. Christine and I opted to take a dip, which was not so adventurous but cool nonetheless. The boys eventually surfaced and declared it to be one of their stranger diving experiences. According to their description, it was completely dark and cold until they reached a thermo cline at about 60 feet, where the temperature increased to 90 degrees Celcius! They then passed through a cloudy, orange-colored zone that smelled of sulfur and finally reached the salt water at 90 feet. At this point they opted to stop the dive because it was too dark and they felt it unsafe to continue with only one light. There is absolutely NO WAY I would have attempted this dive…but they were pretty psyched. Lynn and I have since watched a an incredibly interesting Nova special on TV about the Bahamian Blue Holes. Of most interest to us was the fact that the sulfur-smelling zone they passed through is actually hydrogen sulfide, which is very hazardous as it permeates the skin and can cause brain damage if exposed too long. I hope the boys didn’t linger there…I wonder if they have been acting strangely lately?<br /><br />The remainder of the week was filled with fun, including a sleep over on Coyote. It was such a wonderfully serendipitous (a word I love but rarely get to use) meeting. After they left we felt lonely, but look forward to seeing them all again some day.<br /><br /><strong>PART 3: JAMI AND STEVE ARE HERE!!</strong><br /><br />When we left Treasure Cay we headed over to Hope Town, one of our favorite spots. There we spent much of our time walking the beach, going to morning yoga and eating conch burgers (well, one of us did all three of these activities, I’ll let you guess who). On the beach we met Luisa and Jay on Airborne. While having drinks with them at Captain Jacks later I happened to mention that I wanted to start a sketching journal. It happens that Luisa is a wonderful artist who loves to sketch her travels. She kindly offered to teach me what she knows, which turned out to be a lot since she is a very accomplished artist. We went to their boat for coffee the next morning and Luisa showed me her sketch books and paintings. She gave me lots of valuable pointers and I have been enjoying capturing our adventures ever since. I am not much of an artist, but I don’t really think that matters. <br /><br />We also anxiously awaited the arrival of Lynn’s daughter, Jami, and her husband, Steve. They were due to arrive on 11 February but were delayed several days because of the extreme snow in Baltimore (where they have had 83 inches this year and fifty from two blizzards within two weeks). They made it on Saturday and although it is chilly here they seem very happy to be in their bathing suits and flip flops. We are only in our third day but have already had a ton of fun, including a fabulous sail from Marsh Harbour to Guana Cay in 25 knot wind and hitting 8 knots. It’s hard to do on our boat, but we came very close to burying the rail! Unfortunately we lost our anchor snubber overboard…the first of a few mishaps but I won’t get into all of that. At Guana we attended the traditional Sunday afternoon pig roast at Nippers where we hung out with a bunch of our cruising friends and imbibed in the famous Nipper rum punch. The next day we went to Treasure Cay and walked the beach in what turned out to be fabulous beach weather.<br /><br />Jami and Steve are excellent boat guests as they are very easy to please. I have never seen two people travel so light with only a small backpack each. We have enjoyed some excellent meals on shore and on the boat. I made lobster one night that was delicious, if I do say so myself. They have even eaten my homemade bread, which I thought might be better used as a mooring ball! We have taken to calling it mooring bread. We definitely agree that the bread and cinnamon roles from Florence’s bakery at Treasure Cay are much tastier than my baking concoctions…I better stick to lobster.<br /><br />There will be lots more to tell about their visit, but I will save that for next blog as it hasn’t happened yet…tomorrow, Hope Town!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-16902963180399669702010-01-17T09:40:00.002-05:002010-03-03T14:44:38.996-05:00VELCRO<div><div><div><div><div><div><div>…the nick name given to Vero Beach by the cruisers because you can so easily get stuck here. And that is exactly what we have been since December 28th! Actually<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46zt0NcQCI/AAAAAAAAD1o/YJaM51pIx8E/s1600-h/DSC00043.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444486599228014626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46zt0NcQCI/AAAAAAAAD1o/YJaM51pIx8E/s320/DSC00043.JPG" border="0" /></a>, we arrived here on December 14th, which is only one day sooner than we arrived here last trip, even though we departed almost a full month earlier. This year has simply been challenging for boat travels. We left the boat here over Christmas while we both went to visit our respective families (Lynn to Maryland and me to Ontario). After having a very nice time celebrating the holidays we returned hoping to leave soon after for our ultimate destination…that was three weeks ago and we are still waiting!<br /><br />But, I am getting ahead of myself. I need to pick up where I last left off, which was some time ago. I guess I have not been in the mood to blog much, feeling a little frustrated by our lack of progress. We did have a nice trip down the ICW from St. Augustine to here. We first stayed 2 nights in St. Augustine, a great<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46x8e0cjvI/AAAAAAAAD1c/_1TjvgEBgso/s1600-h/DSC00037.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444484652160814834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46x8e0cjvI/AAAAAAAAD1c/_1TjvgEBgso/s320/DSC00037.JPG" border="0" /></a> town that was particularly beautiful with all the Christmas lights. We mostly wandered around the old part of town stopping to do a little Christmas shopping. We had lunch one day in the Bubble Room which is covered in 40’s memorabilia…it was fun just looking at all the old pictures of famous people.<br /><br />Next stop was New Smyrna, one of our favorite places on the ICW. Remember our pics of St. Patties Day last time…that was there. We went back to Maloney’s pub for the incredible oyster stew I had been dreaming about having for weeks. It was as good as I remembered and we even bought a second helping to go. The bartender (whose name happened to be Beth) was kind enough to tell me the recipe so now I can make it almost as well on the boat. It was again a perfect night to be in New Smyrna because they were having a vintage car show with a long stretch of the main drag blocked off…it felt like we had stepped back in time…which is kind of what New Smyrna is like all the time. The next morning, Cindy from Salty Dog, our friend we met on our last cruise, treated us to an excellent breakfast. We were joined by her sister Mindy and Mindy’s husband Carl. We had so much fun chatting and laughing and rema<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46zudfZ27I/AAAAAAAAD1w/Dd8aO3Sar-I/s1600-h/DSC00050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444486610309209010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S46zudfZ27I/AAAAAAAAD1w/Dd8aO3Sar-I/s320/DSC00050.JPG" border="0" /></a>rked how easily we picked up where we had left off two years ago. Unfortunately Cindy and Jeff are not going to the Bahamas this year as they are enduring the inevitable boat repair year.<br /><br />The next night we anchored out and then we finally arrived in Vero Beach. The skies had been grey and the weather windy and bleak for much of the journey, but we did have a lovely day when we arrived here. Life in Vero is really quite nice, so it is not so bad being stuck here. The marina is very sheltered and staying on a mooring is relatively inexpensive. The city offers free bus service so it is very easy to get around for provisioning from West Marine, Publix and Wall Mart. Something that is often quite challenging due to lack of transportation. It makes me laugh though because the cruisers stick out like a sore thumb on the bus as we are usually in pairs, carrying huge armloads of bags and often wearing bright yellow foul weather gear (due to the crappy weather we have been experiencing). We are also only about a mile from a very nice beach and shopping/dining area. If the weather were better we would be spending more time at the beach…but then, if the weather were better we would be in the Bahamas by now! We have also killed some time going to the movies and have spent an afternoon in the bar watching the Ravens win. I have done a few more sewing projects, like a sack to hold my wine…we remove the bladder from the box and place it in the sack with the spigot sticking through a hole in the bottom and then hang it from the galley ceiling…I wish it was my idea because it is ingenious! I have one for red and one for white. I may go into business making them as they are also very convenient for the home.<br /><br />While at Vero we have been experiencing the crazy deep freeze along with the rest of the east coast. Apparently Florida has not seen temps this low in the last several decades. We woke up to ice in the dingy the other day! I know, I know, I can't complain as it is not anywhere near as cold as most of you reading this have endured. But, it was unexpected <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S466VaV7DLI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/zeJHpCWW-_Y/s1600-h/meryl.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444493876548799666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S466VaV7DLI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/zeJHpCWW-_Y/s320/meryl.JPG" border="0" /></a>and it sure is bone numbing when we have to crawl out of our warm bed in the mroning to start the generator and get the heat going. You can iagine how often we both said "it's your turn" when faced with that. But, sadly, it is the poor fish and sea turtles who have been really suffering and indeed dying in large numbers. Finally, the temperature has started getting gradually warmer over the last several days.<br /><br />The best part of cruising in my opinion is the wonderful people you meet, and Vero has been no exception. First we met Sandy and Meryl on the Amber Marie, with whom we hit it off immediately. Sandy thinks that we must have met in a previous life…hmmm, who knows. They are a brave pair who have travelled all the way from New Brunswick on a 25-foot Oday sailboat. The first night they arrived at our boat for a visit they brought along Meryl’s guitar. After chatting a w<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKazlrup_wD55TJrOGhvz9LohV5Qh6ldALvYcVR2_lDOaAr23YsWjqIpXm5C6qGDe7P8pHOkDEXeOmALDVOM3mRRTGNqDdD7OzyRyRMXxO7CJ7jCjsEDiGIhJHebAse_N-fDWpXY5MWQ/s1600-h/DSC00071.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444491303747257378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKazlrup_wD55TJrOGhvz9LohV5Qh6ldALvYcVR2_lDOaAr23YsWjqIpXm5C6qGDe7P8pHOkDEXeOmALDVOM3mRRTGNqDdD7OzyRyRMXxO7CJ7jCjsEDiGIhJHebAse_N-fDWpXY5MWQ/s320/DSC00071.JPG" border="0" /></a>hile I asked him if he was going to play for us, not knowing what to expect and wondering if we were going to have a sing along. Well, he started to strum and sing beautiful songs that he wrote himself. Lynn and I looked at each other in amazement. We begged for more and he kindly treated us to an evening of his lovely music that is a mix of country ballads and bluesy tunes. I am in awe of someone like Meryl who says he usually composes the music and lyrics to a song in about 20 minutes and doesn’t really know how the inspiration comes to him. We happily enjoyed several more evenings with them. Sandy is a ton of fun and I suggested they could tour with Sandy as the comedic talent and Meryl the musical act! We definitely miss them now.<br /><br />We have had the pleasure of hanging out with other new friends, like Kathy and John on Makani and Cindy and Steve on Slip Away. It was with this crowd that we spent a very fun New Year’s Eve. Kathy discovered that it was a blue moon that night (the second full moon of the month in case anyone didn’t <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S463-76xr8I/AAAAAAAAD18/_QzUp_0ba5I/s1600-h/DSC00069.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444491291401498562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S463-76xr8I/AAAAAAAAD18/_QzUp_0ba5I/s320/DSC00069.JPG" border="0" /></a>know there actually is a thing called a blue moon), so she suggested that we spend the day doing things you only do in…you guessed it…a blue moon. We finally had wonderful balmy weather so we all walked to the beach for a picnic. Kathy, who definitely knows how to enjoy every moment, went for a swim and a little body surfing. The rest of us were too wimpy as it was pretty chilly for that, but I am sure we all secretly wished we had her gumption…I know I did. Anyway, after that some of us (right Cindy!) found the ice cream store. That evening we joined together on Slip Away for noshes and to ring in the New Year. We talked about the best and worst things that happened in 2010 and took silly pictures with 2010 glasses on our faces. It was great fun.<br /><br />Since then Cindy and Steve have headed south to the Keys and we are still here waiting to cross to the Bahamas along with Kathy and John. We have spent numerous evenings with them playing euchre, which has been really fun. We have also continued riding the bus to town and enjoyed happy hours on other boats with other new friends (like Jill and Dave on JilliQ, Gail and Bruce on Orient Express, and Marge and David on Winfield Lash). We have had a few very teensy windows to cross the<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S463_LFJfeI/AAAAAAAAD2E/UBK5rwj-GhA/s1600-h/DSC00089.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444491295471533538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/S463_LFJfeI/AAAAAAAAD2E/UBK5rwj-GhA/s320/DSC00089.JPG" border="0" /></a> gulf stream but have opted to wait for better conditions, which we think are finally here starting tomorrow. So, we are off this afternoon with a plan to head across the gulf stream sometime in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. We should arrive on the Little Bahama Bank Tuesday afternoon and anchor out overnight. The next day we will go on to Green Turtle Cay where we check in at customs. Then who knows…<br /><br />This has been a long blog but I needed to do some catching up. Although the trip has not turned out as we expected so far, and has been at least a month longer actually getting there, I do think things happen as they are meant to be…we would not have had the pleasure of meeting such wonderful new friends had we not been here…I’ll post again soon when we are finally over there!!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-74808907136957637772009-12-19T13:29:00.003-05:002010-01-02T08:29:37.968-05:00What do These Two Creatures Have in Common?Surprisingly there have not been many comments on this blog...so, I will just tell you that it's their rugged good looks and sexy crooked smile. OK, so maybe only one of them has those qualities and they probably don't actually have much in common...<br /><div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/Sy0caWSQgeI/AAAAAAAAD08/tNE2ZY_Mge8/s1600-h/PICT4820.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417017165780910562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/Sy0caWSQgeI/AAAAAAAAD08/tNE2ZY_Mge8/s320/PICT4820.JPG" border="0" /></a>A prize for the winning entry<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/Sy0cajmTF2I/AAAAAAAAD1E/S-SRcqN3-Wo/s1600-h/PICT4851.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417017169354626914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/Sy0cajmTF2I/AAAAAAAAD1E/S-SRcqN3-Wo/s320/PICT4851.JPG" border="0" /></a>!</div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6161005671754511632.post-7184000059533086982009-12-09T15:36:00.004-05:002009-12-12T21:41:15.670-05:00A Rocky Voyage Followed by a Blustery Day<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyRPgfrUf1I/AAAAAAAAD0o/5tspWfM9qZ8/s1600-h/PICT4842.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414540071683784530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyRPgfrUf1I/AAAAAAAAD0o/5tspWfM9qZ8/s320/PICT4842.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>Well, we are off…again. It feels like we have had a few false starts, but, as one of my favorite sayings goes…”We cannot adjust the wind, but we can adjust our sails.” I suppose that’s what this lifestyle means; you just have to take what is presented to you. After much anguished evaluation of all the weather forecasts offered by NOAA, Weather Underground, Wind Finder, Passage Maker etc, we decided to take the ocean route to skip over the shallows of Georgia and head directly down to Florida. It can be very frustrating to track the weather with a plan in mind since the information changes on an hourly basis. What looks great for an ocean hop can easily change to a different picture a few hours later. But, the forecast held out for our departure on Monday afternoon, albeit borderline OK in my opinion. That allowed us one last lovely day with David and Gini. We relaxed, had ano<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQqve0o854EiBduUOuAcoFeyN3D40gXO3UhEwGCZV2YtavPaPSeTJTFZSNnfY0qV_YGC-KlDKL-x7TgeJq-9PKpQgeYQm6gCN3DK1lHfUxhsUnOT9etig6nlPpbgV0NniFvXP4_65me0/s1600-h/PICT4904.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413370536233205938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQqve0o854EiBduUOuAcoFeyN3D40gXO3UhEwGCZV2YtavPaPSeTJTFZSNnfY0qV_YGC-KlDKL-x7TgeJq-9PKpQgeYQm6gCN3DK1lHfUxhsUnOT9etig6nlPpbgV0NniFvXP4_65me0/s320/PICT4904.JPG" border="0" /></a>ther great dinner, watched the Dallas Cowboys get beaten (poor Gini) and topped off the evening with a movie. I also made yet another batch of peanut butter candy. We have developed a serious addiction to the stuff, thanks to Angie and KC, which I am not sure we can beat. <br /><br />We left Callawassie at 1:30 PM on Monday December 8th using the high tide to safely navigate away from the pier and out the Colloton River. David was there and waved as we pulled away with all of us feeling just a little choked up. As we headed down the river, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApF3bk_mI/AAAAAAAADwY/0dJfmDkpeKQ/s1600-h/PICT4864.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413371932855041634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApF3bk_mI/AAAAAAAADwY/0dJfmDkpeKQ/s320/PICT4864.JPG" border="0" /></a>doing almost 10 knots with the receding tide, we were escorted by the Callawassie dolphins! Yes, I had been waiting for them to race the boat ever since first sighting them in North Carolina. Although we had seen many from afar, they never approached the boat. I supposed they were just too busy working to catch their dinner; that maybe the bad economy had left them no time to play. At long last, in Callawassie they came out in throngs. We would s<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAnzg0JFVI/AAAAAAAADvo/verS-rlkvA0/s1600-h/PICT4937.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413370518034781522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAnzg0JFVI/AAAAAAAADvo/verS-rlkvA0/s320/PICT4937.JPG" border="0" /></a>ee them in the distance and as if they were curious, they would come over and then start swimming along the bow of the boat. This happened at least six times. Usually 2 or three would arrive and once there were five! It is so thrilling to watch them swerve back and forth under the boat and sometimes jump out of the water. I just can’t get enough of it. Then as quickly as they arrive, they abruptly veer off and disappear under the water.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdai0rlNI0aGxkGxW3o9beoF1vjWhPYmZCRhyphenhyphenYuDnjbO67TA6jG-cOSlEkixHofodfycoOzHuDd7HAlhaanguxKlBk4neUCirWBtLBdo61p3cTUQytP-TqQx3JSmbxaClarOwVaIvBsnE/s1600-h/PICT4803.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413370547004025042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdai0rlNI0aGxkGxW3o9beoF1vjWhPYmZCRhyphenhyphenYuDnjbO67TA6jG-cOSlEkixHofodfycoOzHuDd7HAlhaanguxKlBk4neUCirWBtLBdo61p3cTUQytP-TqQx3JSmbxaClarOwVaIvBsnE/s320/PICT4803.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Knowing that the wind was forecast to be 15-20 knots and the waves 3-5 feet, we left from Port Royal Sound into the ocean. The conditions were as predicted (or<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyRPf149jlI/AAAAAAAAD0g/UYhlPD8RqUw/s1600-h/PICT4894.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414540060466712146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyRPf149jlI/AAAAAAAAD0g/UYhlPD8RqUw/s320/PICT4894.JPG" border="0" /></a> a little worse in my opinion) and we were in for a rough ride through the night with the waves meeting is on the stern quarter. This means that the boat rocks…a lot. Even letting out the mainsail didn’t really help much. If you are checking on our SPOT you may have noticed we zigzagged <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAn0O9jE0I/AAAAAAAADvw/8TbeyfXpTMM/s1600-h/PICT4916.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413370530422264642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAn0O9jE0I/AAAAAAAADvw/8TbeyfXpTMM/s320/PICT4916.JPG" border="0" /></a>a few times through the night trying to get a better angle on the waves. Finally we just hunkered down and road it out for 14 hours. I have definitely decided that I do not like overnight crossings, unless there is a full moon and waves of 2 feet or less, which does not seem to be what we get. But, we arrived at Cumberland Sound safely and feeling very weary. Unfortunately, we were about an hour early and had to circle in the rough water waiting for the sun to come up as we will not transit an inlet in the dark (KC picked up on this when he checked out SPOT and thought we might have had a navigational mishap). It seemed like the sun would never rise, but once it did we safely navigated through St. Mary’s Inlet and anchored at Fernandina Beach FL.<br /><br />We then set to work cleaning up the boat. Try as I might, I just can’t seem to successfully batten down all the hatches. I wa<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApFs-IBoI/AAAAAAAADwQ/F_WzI8FRogA/s1600-h/DSC00007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413371930047153794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApFs-IBoI/AAAAAAAADwQ/F_WzI8FRogA/s320/DSC00007.JPG" border="0" /></a>s sure I had it this time, but while underway our nav station chair mysteriously managed to break away from its’ bungee and both computers flew off the desk along with papers and other paraphernalia. Luckily everything survived undamaged. Once we cleared the clutter we had a hot shower and hit the sack where we both slept soundly for the next 3 hours. We then ventured ashore and were greeted by a lovely historic little town all lit up for Christmas. Today we again went to the town and I had a bit of time to shop between having lunch and ice cream. I actually purchased 5 presents! We also checked out the Palace Saloon, in a building built<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAnzbEHqKI/AAAAAAAADvg/aqGhw_-QPHc/s1600-h/DSC00024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413370516491184290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyAnzbEHqKI/AAAAAAAADvg/aqGhw_-QPHc/s320/DSC00024.JPG" border="0" /></a> 1878. The saloon has been in continuous operation since 1903, the longest in Florida, and the bar and woodwork are original. The story goes that during prohibition the owner secretly stashed $60,000 of booze in a boat in the harbor and served in the house of ill repute above the ice cream store!<br /><br />It has been a very blustery day but fun to be in a new place again…it feels like the adventure finally continues! Tomorrow we head south in the shelter of the ICW with St. Augustine the planned destination. Right now a thunderstorm is approaching…better go batten down the hatches!</div><div><br /><br />Note: I included a picture of our ceiling so you can appreciate Lynn's beautiful workmanship!</div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApFImZSLI/AAAAAAAADwI/GEb1FyTQ3fM/s1600-h/PICT4832.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413371920283945138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PoeQgbHLoXw/SyApFImZSLI/AAAAAAAADwI/GEb1FyTQ3fM/s320/PICT4832.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /> </div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03504325358738765363noreply@blogger.com0