Home again.

WishBone is on her home mooring.  Geoff and Bill brought her home on Friday morning.  They drove to Fairhaven Thursday, returned the rental car and started out.  The tides were just right to get them to and through the Cape Cod Canal at a break neck speed.  They continued on through the night to arrive home the next morning! 

 

GPS record of the trip - top speed was through the canal

 

Sunday, July 6th

We survived Arthur in good shape.  The boat is VERY clean from all the rain.  We still have only one little leak.  It is in the hatch in the head over the sink.  Good place if you have to have water leaking.  However, the winds are endless.  A cold front has followed the hurricane.  NOAA reports we can expect high winds into Wednesday!  So, our plan is to rent a car tomorrow and drive home.  April and me and my sun blisters which are out of control - thanks to the antibiotic - will stay home and Geoff and Bill will drive back to Fairhaven and bring the boat home once the weather calms down.  It has been very hard to be stuck here when we are so close to home.  It is so good of Geoff to help out.  I hope he enjoys the sail.  I know Bill will enjoy the time with Geoff. 

 

 

 

Hurricane barrier - a mile long with inlet gate that closes in adverse conditions

 

July 4th, Friday

 

Well finally Arthur is here.  We arrived here Tuesday and decided we should sit right here until Arthur had made its pass.  We are huddled behind the hurricane barrier in a marina tied up to a floating dock.  The heavy rains and thunderstorms began about 11:30 a.m. and now the winds are really starting to blow.  But so far, we are okay.  Tomorrow morning will reveal the results.

Wednesday, July 2nd

After hearing the forecast for Arthur this morning and looking ahead into our next few days, we have decided to sit tight right here in Fairhaven.  There is a hurricane barrier here protecting the harbor where we are tied up, and there is no safe haven in our future travels.  Even if we hurried to our mooring in Pepperrell Cove, we know from the past that is not such a great place to be in a tropical storm.  So we will have to eat the $3.25 per foot dockage per day and be bored for a few days until we see what Arthur decides to do - better than risking life and limb and boat.  We got in a couple of good dog walks today and explored the "downtown."  We have also done the usual boat prep for high winds.  Hopefully, Arthur will just blow and stir up the seas a little bit and then be gone by Sunday or Monday so we can head home.

Tuesday, July 1st

After our wonderful visit with Sandy and Jerry Bishop when we were all very spoiled, we left early this morning to outrace the tropical depression developing in Florida.  Through wind (10 - 15 with 25 kn gales) and sea and fog banks (4), we managed a good distance travel day - 66.7 miles (10 hrs 25 min) and are now tied up to a dock in Fairhaven, Mass.  We had planned to do a stop to visit friends in Rhode Island, but the weather has dictated we get home.  Tomorrow we will travel the rest of Buzzards Bay and the Cape Cod Canal.  The winds are predicted to be heavy again so we will see how it goes after the canal.  I sit here soaking my sun blistered toes - yet another result of the antibiotic for the tick borne illness I had.  April is fine today but we spent an extra day in Connecticut because of my toes (clinic visit) and her intestinal illness Sunday night.  Bill has been sucking up the extra time at the helm when I have been unable.  Good he is healthy!  We are looking to be in home port by Friday night and are getting excited to get home.

Saturday, June 28th

After being fogged in at Atlantic Highlands an extra day, we took the advice of the local TowBoat US to get the tide to pass through Hells Gate and left the mooring at 5 a.m. Thursday headed for New York Harbor.  The ride was bumpy from New Jersey into the Narrows.  And then we heard on the VHF that there was a person spotted in the East River near the Williams Bridge - our route.  So we had the 8 a.m. ferries to play with and all the Coast Guard and NY police boats to work around.  There were helicopters overhead buzzing around too.  So the usual very busy New York Harbor was even more so that morning.  Our tide advice was great and we had a nice ride from the Narrows through the East River and through Long Island Sound into Oyster Bay.  We went into the fuel dock, but the tanks weren't pumping.  30 minutes later they figures out one of the workers had pulled the emergency switch.  Anyway, we fueled up and picked up a mooring.  Fees for the moorings have gone from $35 to $50 a day!  April enjoyed the launch ride back for her evening walk and made sure the launch driver knew she liked it. 

We decided to try for the trip from Oyster Bay to the Thames River and a visit with Jerry and Sandy Bishop on Friday.  The day was beautiful but no wind in the morning and too much wind in the afternoon.  We made the 81 miles in about 13 hours.  Jerry met us at their mooring much to April's delight.  She hopped into his dinghy, we loaded our baggage, and Jerry, April and I left Bill to button up WishBone and headed for land.   April was the first to leave the dinghy at the Bishop's dock! 

We had a wonderful dinner and visit with Jerry and Sandy and  celebration of Jerry's great doctor's report of that day.

 

This morning as the ferry came in I was reminded of the first time we were in Atlantic Highlands, NJ it was so cold we took this high speed ferry into New York City and purchased winter weight North Face gear - the clothing we had left at home!  We don't need those garments today.

Wednesday, June 25th

We are in the fog in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey this morning.  We left Atlantic City Monday AM after successfully backing out of an essentially shoebox slip with only one small bump.  We stopped in Manasquam NJ overnight on Monday and then continued on to Atlantic Highlands Tuesday.  The plan now is to go through New York City tomorrow, into Long Island Sound and on to Oyster Bay, NY. 

This was a very good day!

 

 

April's new favorite toy.  I awoke in the night to "Rivit, rivit, rivit"

 

It was a very cruel trick!

 

June 22nd

Sunday

 

We are in Atlantic City.  We arrived yesterday afternoon.  We couldn't get dockage for tonight further north so we have decided to stay here tonight too.  There is a big fishing tournament going on in Manasquam, and it looked very difficult to get April off the boat in the only other anchorage possibility in the Shark River.  There is an offshore racing boat competition going on here in Atlantic City this weekend.  It is like being at the auto race track.  The boats are noisy!  

Thursday, June 19th

Yesterday was a VERY WARM day, even on the Delaware Bay.  The wind blew hard churning up the waters but that all was on our stern so we again made good time today.  However, when we got to the Cape May Canal we had to cruise around waiting for the tide to go down to get bridge clearance.  So despite our good travel timing, we got into the marina later in the afternoon, however, we got in safe and sound. 

About 3 a.m. this morning we were awakened by a violent thunderstorm.  I don't think I have ever heard such loud thunder.  Since the storms are supposed to be around all day, we and the other sailboats traveling North are sitting.  We will do some walking around Cape May later in the day.

 

Beautiful Chesapeake on a calm day

 

We left Solomon's Monday with the sunrise and traveled to Tolchester, MD, almost 60 miles.  Today we had the tide with us and traveled from Tolchester to the Delaware end of the C&D canal.  It was a fast, short day with the tide pushing us and WishBone showing 9.2 kts on the GPS.  Tomorrow will will start down the Delaware Bay.  Our destination is Cape May canal.



Sunday, Father's Day

Happy Father's Day dads! 

We are still in Solomon's Island tonight, but with a ship filled with healthy people and dog, we will be on our way North again tomorrow.  Friday was find a clinic and a car and some antibiotics.  Saturday was let the meds work and hope Bill and April would be okay.  Today was return the car and get ready to depart tomorrow.  Our destination is Rock Hall, MD or beyond.

Friday, June 13th

We pulled into Solomons Island yesterday afternoon.  The trip was foggy, rainy, windy and with typical bay seas.  However, we made it!  Today we spent the morning finding a clinic and a car.  I had not been feeling well for a couple of days and this morning it all peaked.  Those nasty little ticks did it again to me.  However, we rented a car and found a wonderful clinic that I was in and out of in about one-half hour without an appointment!  We picked up the antibiotics, had lunch and was back to the marina by one o'clock.  We plan to keep the car and stay here a couple of days until I feel better. 

Wednesday, June 11th

We had the most wonderful visit and time off the boat with Harrie and Pati and Toby!  It was our first time in a home since we saw them in November.  April checked out all the rooms, rubbed herself on all the rugs and sat in front of the wonderful low dog windows and watch the outside world.  Bill and I just enjoyed being spoiled and loved.  All our love to you Harrie and Pati and Toby too.

We left Hampton pier early this morning, 6 am, and the beginning of the day was okay, but then the wind picked up and the seas built and it was a rough ride up the Chespeake.  We fortunately had the tide most of the day, but the wind was on our nose so we couldn't pull that sail.  Anyway, it was blowing 20 kts once we got outside the Hampton Roads channel. 

We got to the Deltaville Marina channel about 2 pm but immediately went aground.  I called the marina and got entrance instructions and we tried again successfully.  Once we got into the fuel dock I realized we had been there before with Snow Goose.  Anyway, the marina is just okay.  We walked April into Deltaville once we were settled but she didn't need much of a walk because her sail was active enough to keep her on her toes all day.  We are in the middle of thunderstorms right now which are predicted for pretty much the next few days so when we move where is a toss up.  Our thought is to get to Solomons, MD tomorrow, but we'll see.

All our thoughts and prayers have been with Jerry and Sandy Bishop for the past few months.  Jerry had surgery on the cancer in his kidney today and it went well!!!  We love these guys and they deserve to come out of this with flying colors!!!  We are looking forward to seeing them.

So cross your fingers for the weather tomorrow.  This is no place to be stuck for a few days! 

 

I missed this picture in the previous Norfolk sail parade blog posting.

June 6th, Dismal Swamp to Norfolk and Hampton Roads

 

It was the sail parade and then the boats that had to hold up for the parade.  Very busy day in Norfolk Harbor

 

We saw many, many autos that were being transported via container ships on the docks and here on the ship.

 

We will be visiting Harrie and Pati in Williamsburg for a few days.  WishBone will be in Hampton Roads at the dock.  We are excited to be on hard - April will be soooo glad to be in a home and with her loved ones, Harrie, Pati and Toby!!!

 

 

June 5th
The Dismal Swamp which runs from North Carolina to Virginia

 

It was a dismal morning

Approaching the South Mills Lock

 



 

A rare wide place in the waterway

 

The sun came out

 

 

Oopps - repeat

 

 

We are waiting for the lock to open - there are four sailboats and a trawler

All the boats traveling the swamp decided we were not going to make the 3:30 p.m. lock opening (the last one of the day) and have pulled over to the dock at the welcome center - some rafted to each other.

 

There will be a mass exit tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. to make the 8:30 lock

 

 



Wednesday, June 4th

Time is flying by.  We docked at the Allegator River Marina last night and are in Elizabeth City today.  We arrived just before a huge rain/wind storm.  The river is still rough.  We managed to get through some tight spots in the Albemarle today where yesterday there was some boats grounded.  We had Gator Tail and Soft Crab for lunch here in Elizabeth City.  Delicious!  Tomorrow the plan is the Dismal Swamp.  It is supposed to be windy but we are told once we are in the swamp it is like a hurricane hole, very calm. 

Monday, June 2nd

What a beautiful day on the waterway.  We are glad we waited for today to continue on.  The Neuse River was still choppy after the winds of the past two days but nothing unbearable and the rest of the trip to Belhaven was great.  We are actually in an older marina on Dowry Creek just beyond Belhaven.  We met cruisers we were docked beside in West End, Grand Bahama and other cruisers on Calypso, a beautiful "lobster boat" conversion, we have seen along the waterway headed for Southwest Harbor, Maine from Vero Beach, Florida. This marina has no tide so we again are tied up to this finger pier with poles and it is a narrow tieup on top of that.   Tomorrow AM should be fun getting out of here.  Weather permitting, tomorrow Tuesday we head for the Allegator River, Wednesday Elizabeth City, and then the Dismal Swamp. 

Sunday, June 1st

With great relief, we got off the cement dock at the boatyard and headed towards Swansborough NC.  The waterway was good to us.  We had the tide so the skinny water was within our realm and we managed to reach Dudley's Marina about noon.  They had a courtesy car and Bill needed to fill his prescriptions.  We also got some groceries and supplies.  In the afternoon we walked around and found the Swansborough Yacht Club for a late lunch.  This was not what you would picture as a "yacht club."  This was a real country-style bar.  But they had a deck for April and the food was not bad. 

Saturday AM we are up and off again headed for Oriental NC, former home of WishBone.  Again, a good day, tide was with us almost the entire way.  However, once again it was a motor trip.  Too many twists and turns to pull the sail.  The wind picked up in the afternoon and really started blowing by the time we entered the Neuse River.  We took a slip in the Whittaker Point marina and by the time we tied up - about 3 pm - the wind was blowing 20 knots.  The wind blew all night and into the morning with small craft warnings flying.  We decided our slip at the marina was the place for us.  We did some laundry, lots of dog walks and took the dinghy into Oriental downtown.  We found the town dock to tie up, had some lunch at the marina next to the town dock and then scoped out a marine supply store for some new dock lines (on sale), an Oriental Tshirt and a new pair of Tevas - oh, and one very good dog bone. 

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to calm down and warm up (no North wind I hope) so we will head to Belhaven.

Friday, May 30th

We managed to get off the dock in Southport at the crack of dawn as the wind was just thinking about starting to blow.  We had hoped to get dockage in Wrightsville Beach and get Bill's prescriptions filled, etc.  However, there is a fishing derby going on this weekend and there was no dockage to be found.  Then we got held up by the Wrightsville Beach bridge that  has weird opening hours for over an hour.  We were struggling against the tide and were going to be getting in very late when we passed a boatyard with a dock out in front with no boats on it.  I hailed them on the VHF and they invited us in.  It wasn't fancy but they had power on the dock and water and April loves boatyards.  We did some dog walking and found the fish store with yet more fresh shrimp for dinner.  We befriended the gentleman in the boat next to us that was in the haul out and invited him over for cocktails.  Actually, April befriended him. 

This morning was left to make the swing bridge 3 miles down the waterway before 7 am.  We are in Swansborough, NH today in an old but friendly marina that had a courtesy van so we could get to that pharmacy and do some food shopping while we were about it.  We had lunch/dinner on the Swanborough Yacht Club dock and enjoyed once again meeting the local people.  Tomorrow we hope to be in Oriental, NC.

Wednesday, May 28th
Southport, NC

Again today we were up with the sun and off the dock before 6:30 a.m.  We were sandwiched in a very narrow space next to a BIG yacht so we wanted to get off early before the wind and tide affected us.  We managed to have a good motor ride with the tides most of the way and decided to fuel up and head for Indigo Plantation.  We knew this would be a special stop for April.  She could finally get some off leash running in at this marina.  The slip the marina assigned us to was a very poor selection.  The wind was all wrong and blowing strong.  However, we finally got the lines secured.  We just returned from April's first run  - she found deer to chase.  Fortunately, she had her training collar on.  We will head out for a second as soon as it cools off.  We will be heading in the direction of Wrightsville Beach tomorrow and perhaps beyond. 

Crabbing along the ICW

A reminder of the Bahamian beaches and beautiful warm water.  The dinghy and WishBone will never be without sand again.

 

Teaching the kids crabbing

 

Tuesday, May 27th

 

We left the dock before 6:30 a.m. and had a beautiful morning running with the tide along the waterway with depth under our keel.  The wildlife was beautiful.  The nests on the marker buoys and dead trees all had baby birds in them - eagles, osprey, hawks, etc.  The babies' heads were sticking up over the nests and they were so cute and fuzzy.  We met a fellow cruiser along the way who is from Block Island, NY.  We had three swing bridges, but still managed to get to Myrtle Beach Yacht Club by 2 p.m. and in time to give April a good walk.  There are some thunderstorms in the air so it's nice to be in dock early.  Tomorrow we will be traveling in North Carolina.

Monday, May 26th
We decided to stay out of Myrtle Beach, our next stop, over the holiday so extended our stay here at Pawley Island until tomorrow.   Before we left Leland Oil Company's dock on Saturday we not only had fresh shrimp but were also gifted off the boat MahiMahi.   Was that good!  April has had lots of leash walks here with good squirrel hunting.   However there are lots of alligators.  We saw one today that was at least 12 feet long lying on the golf green.   Then we saw another slide into water while we watched the turtles that was maybe 4 feet long.  April was definitely interested so there must be a gamey scent there.  Tomorrow we head out for Myrtle Beach.

 

McClellanville, SC

 

We are on the Jeremy River on a shrimp dock this afternoon.  Bill just left to purchase shrimp for dinner off one of the boats that just came in.  We left the dock at 6 a.m. to get through Elliott Cut without the tide.  We picked up the tide on the other side of the cut and it rode us through Charlestown Harbor.  Then our day changed.  The minus low tides are still with us and from the Ben Sawyer bridge to McClellanville we saw altogether too much mud.  We lucked out and were able to plow out twice when we went aground.  The two sailboats behind us were not so lucky.  Tomorrow we are bound for Georgetown, SC.



 

Sunset on Dataw Island, SC

 

 

Yikes, he takes up the whole waterway!

 

Hilton Head SC

 

Me and my babies have had a big night!

Friday, May 23rd
We pushed off the dock at Dataw Island early Thursday hoping we had figured the tides correctly.  Well, we shouldn't have left so early.   We fought the tide out the river to the ICW and then had nothing but shallows all morning.  A sailboat in front of us hailed us on the VHF to tell us he was aground.  We managed to plow some mud yet again and make it through but it was hold your breathe passage fighting the tide the whole way.  Finally, later in the afternoon the tides turned in our favor and the waters got deeper.  We arrived in Charleston about 4 pm.  We have chosen to stay over at the St. John Yacht Marina today as they had a courtesy car and we needed groceries and a trip to West Marine.  We will leave tomorrow and play with the Memorial weekend water traffic heading north to McClellanville SC. 

Wednesday, May 21st

After leaving Hilton Head we managed to get to Dataw Island, north of Beaufort.  Again, as it has been all week, the tides were against us all day.  Dataw has a two day for one special, and as we are all a little under the weather and a little tired from pushing, we decided to take advantage of it.  It also gives April some dirt under her feet time.  The weather is back to nice and warm today.  We will head out tomorrow AM for Charleston SC and hopefully reprovision again there.  There is nothing here in Dataw Island except golf courses and marina. 

Monday, May 19th

We left the Brunswick GA dock early Friday AM.  We had a long day (over 60 miles) and ended up in Kilkenny Creek Marina.  The marina was Georgia at its best.  Very primitive but a family run doing their best.   We needed to get off early to get the tide through Hell Gate so we did a short run.  We got to Delegal early afternoon, with the high tide, and in time to take a golf cart ride to the village.  April loved it.  Again, we had to play the moon tide to leave Delegal, so it was 10 AM and we were off the dock to Hilton Head, SC.  April had us up all last night we an intestinal problem, but she slept all day for the sail to Hilton Head, and has been great since we arrived.  Tomorrow we will get off the dock early headed for the Port Royal NC area.  It was cool today.  A little rain in the AM and then about 69 degrees all day.  Hopefully, the predicted forecast for warmer tomorrow is true.  It is very hard to come down from 80's and 90's to 60's.  We are looking forward to moving forward to the Port Royal//Beaufort area tomorrow. 

Brunswick, GA May 14th

Here we are again at a very favorite place.  April loves it here.  The dockmaster remembered April and April remembered the dockmaster.  The dockmaster took April on a golf cart ride today.  She is invited into the dockmaster’s hut whenever.  We have had GSP’s for almost 50 years, and I have loved every single one of them, but I have to say April is so very special in a great many ways.   She is so adaptable – to the boat, to people and to other dogs.  She has a new friend, Charlie, that she met while running in her private dog park.  Charlie is Pit Bull, Bull Dog and Hotdog.  He is one tough dog at a year old and April put him through her test.  She decided she liked him and they have had two  wonderful play times, race and chase and just what they both needed. 

We left St.  Augustine on Monday AM early with a slack tide.  We had a beautiful ride to Fernandina Beach, the tide with us all the way.  The next day we were up early and with a line handler headed out from Fernandina.  The tide was slack and the linehandler not so swift, but we finally made it out from the wall and onto the waterway again.  All things were going great but then the Coast Guard hailed us that there was a sub coming our way headed toward the shipyard at St. Mary, and we needed to move out of the channel starboard and NOW!  Okay, so there was shallow water and danger, so be It for our fleet.  Anyway we were held up about an hour, and then onward.  We had three inlets to cross with the current and wind and then we had Jekyell Creek.  We actually plowed our way through the creek with our meter registering 2.5 feet for at least a mile.  Yet another reason why I love Georgia!!

May 15^th

As expected the rains, thunder and lightning began yesterday afternoon and continue today.  Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny again but with high winds out of the North – on our bow.  Another worry is the winds blow the water out of the Georgia waterway so water that is already shallow gets even skinnier.  So we may end up sitting here one more day.  Perhaps we’ll rent a car and do some shopping.  All the stores are too far to walk from here, never mind the groceries get really heavy, especially April's water!

There are three other boats here with us that were also in St. Augustine with us.  One of them is experiencing a shaft problem and trying to make it to Oriental, SC to get it fixed.  Boy am I glad that problem is behind us!

 

 

 

Sunday, Mother's Day in St. Augustine

It's a beautiful day with lighter winds and lots of sunshine.  This morning we walked across the Bridge of Lions to the lighthouse, through the parks and along the waterfront on the other side of the bridge.  After returning to the boat and a cool down period we did lunch at our favorite French café, Café DeNoel followed by our favorite French pastry.  We walked off that pastry in the Old  Town and did a little sandal shopping.  We have walked right out of all our sandals. 
Tomorrow we head North toward Jacksonville Beach and then Fernandina.

How about those Bruins!

 

Oopps - upside down - but raise the flag for April's Birthday!

 

 

This baby Manatee played under the dinghy all day and especially liked the tie up line.

Thursday, May 8th

We made Daytona Tuesday and then on to St. Augustine yesterday.  Both days are long hauls, but we had the tides with us along with a SE wind on our stern so we made terrific time.  Yesterday was April's 4th birthday so we did a celebration walk, play time and dinner out when she got more than her fair of attention.  The dock master here has a GSP and always loves seeing April and she gets all together too many cookies.  We love St. Augustine so we will stay here a couple of days so we can visit all our favorite places.  One of mine is the hair salon from which I just returned.  Bill and April have gone to the Sailors Exchange, one of Bill's favorite places.  The weather is warm and breezy.

Tuesday, May 5th

Monday turned out to be a sunny day so we again hit the waterways.  However the wind was out of the North and it blew 15 to 18 knots on our nose all day.  We did however have the good fortune of following a tugboat all the way to Titusville - a good thing to have in front of you in shallow water and to get the bridges raised right away (bridges raise on request for commercial boats).  We stopped at the fuel dock and then went into the Titusville Municipal Marina.  After tying up WishBone with six lines - we will never get used to these pole docks - we washed the salt of the day off the boat and then took April to the dog park.  What a great time she had!  She ran and stretched those legs with any dog who would chase her and after any other dog's ball.  Today we did a load of laundry and picked up some supplies.  Our walk into town turned out to be quite long and the walk back quite hot.  It is in the high 80's here and we expect it to be warm the rest of the week.  Our destination tomorrow is Daytona.

Saturday, May 3rd

We got our waste system repair done on Thursday afternoon and dropped the mooring ball in Stuart Friday morning to ride the tide out of the harbor.  We had a motoring day to Vero Beach and just made the fuel dock, dog walk and showers when the rains began.  It rained all night but was over this morning.  We again motored today along the ICW until the weather went downhill and the lightning and thunder started.  A check of the charts told us Melbourne, FL was our closest refuge. The channel in was a little shallow but the marina is great. April greeted the dock master as only she can, rain and all.  NOAA tells us this weather will continue all day and all night, but sunshine will return tomorrow.  It has been a long time since we have been rained in for the day.

Thursday, May 1st
We left Lake Worth on Monday for Stuart, Florida.  We are on a mooring ball here.  The temperatures have been flirting with the 90's every day since we hit Florida.  Tuesday we all took the shuttle to the pet store and Walmart.  A big day for April.  Wednesday we discovered we have a plumbing problem in the head which needs to be solved.  So today the plumber comes to the boat.  Yes, it is a boat!  We hope to be able to get to Vero Beach tomorrow.  April has been very busy between the lizards and squirrels.  She gets hot playing, I hose her down, and she is off again. 

Go Faster!!!



Watching the world go by

 



Conch blowing time in Angelfish Point anchorage

 



Charter as the Rock in the Center of the World - ?

 



 

Oops, caught Ken at the wrong moment!

 

The Captain aboard WishBone!

Sunday, April 27, 2014

We left Green Turtle Cay with the tide on Tuesday afternoon headed for Angelfish Point and an overnight anchorage.   The trip was beautiful but we were sad to leave the Abaco cays.  We were now on our journey toward the crossing to the US.  Wednesday morning we were up early and sailing for Great Sale Cay.  What a big pretty anchorage we found.  Haven saw us coming in and radioed us there was lots of room to anchor.  Once we were set, we took the dinghy into a cement dock Active Captain referred to and found the path toward a beautiful beach and shoreline where April could run and we could all swim.  Release joined us there and we had a really nice walk.  Again up with the early light on Thursday and off and running toward West End, Grand Bahama Cay, another long run.  We got to West End about 4 pm and looked around for an anchorage.  The bottom was narly with rocks and some small spots of sand, so we went into the marina.  We washed down the boat, had a swim and caught up with some other cruisers who were planning on crossing the next day.  All systems were go, so Friday morning, again at first light, we left the marina headed toward Lake Worth Inlet, Florida.  We had some East wind just off our nose for awhile so we pulled the sail but then it turned toward the West and really was on our nose most of the way.  So it was a motor trip for the most part.  During our trip we saw two fin back whales, some flying fish, and we had a hitchhiker aboard - a little bird who would land on the boat, ride for awhile and then take off, only to appear again a little later.  He actually spent some time down in the cabin resting.  We came through the Lake Worth Inlet at 5:10 pm, looked at the anchorage around Peanut Island, but decided to head to our usual spot about 1/2 mile north of the inlet to anchor.  We called Customs and gave them all the information and were told to go to the nearest Customs office within 24 hours.  However, they neglected to tell us that the nearest office was closed on Saturday.  After a lot of hassle trying to determine how we check in, we were told to go to the airport Customs office - they were open on Saturday.  Release joined us and all four of us and two dogs took a taxi to the tune of $70.00 each way to the airport to check in.  No wonder people don't bother! 

We plan to stay here in Lake Worth today, Sunday.  The waterway is  very busy on weekends with small boaters out, especially in this 90 degree weather.  Bill wanted to change the oil in the engine and transmission and has done that this morning.  After our very long days last week, it has been nice to relax today.  Tomorrow we will start our journey North on the ICW into Stuart, Florida. We have seven bridges to hail to request an opening, so it will be a slow journey. 

Yes, there are Green Turtles here in Green Turtle Cay.

Wednesday, April 16^th

This is our third day in Black Sound, Green Turtle Cay.  We left Guana Cay with the tide on Monday morning and sailed around the Whale inlet (out into the Atlantic and then back into the Abaco Sea) and into very shallow waters into Black Sound settlement on Green Turtle.  The hop was only about 12 miles so we were in Green Turtle for lunch.  We are on a mooring ball owned by Donny’s Boat Rentals at incredibly low rate of $10 per day.  As with our whole trip, we will be here for awhile waiting for a break in the weather.  Now we are experiencing thunderstorms with squalls of heavy wind, Spring in the Abacos.

Bill is off right now trying to get a part and fix for the outboard that is needed in order to lift the motor when going through shallow water. 

We have been walking the beaches and swimming and touring the island shops, stores and restaurants.  If we stay here longer we will rent a cart and go to the other side of Green Turtle to White Sound.

Saturday, April 19^th

Still in Green Turtle hanging onto that mooring ball and waiting out yet another day of thunderstorms.  Our golf cart ride was lots of fun, checking out all the back roads and remote beaches, Francie and Ken and Skipper and Bill and I and April all hanging on over the rough “roads.”  I tried to get some laundry and shopping done yesterday, but it was Good Friday and everything was closed.  The Bahamas are in the Bible belt as far as businesses being open on holy days, including Sundays. 

We are now watching the weather carefully.  We are three days away from our crossing.  We will go from here to Sale Cay, on to West End in the Grand Bahamas and then cross to West Palm Beach.  Laying over in West End can be expensive, so we don’t want to get stuck there for too many days. 

April is now as bleached out as we are tanned.  I rinse the salt out of her coat whenever I find free water.  However, it only lasts a few hours, if that, and she is back in the water again.  Swimming and lizard hunting – what a life!  She now spends a lot of her time on the deck of the boat, basking in the sun and checking out activity on shore.  

 

Hope Town Reef Light, one of four kerosene lit lighthouses in the Bahamas

 

WishBone in Hope Town mooring field

 

Just one of the many beautiful homes in Hope Town, Elbow Cay

Wednesday, April 9^th

We are on a mooring in beautiful Hope Town, Elbow Cay.  I thought we had seen the best of the islands, but Hope Town is outstanding.  We came over from the boat yard on Saturday morning with the incoming tide.  We had to snake around the shallow waters to get to the entrance to Hope Town harbor and we will have to have the incoming tide on our way out.  But it is worth the stop.  There are miles and miles of beautiful tranquil beaches on the Atlantic side and Easter egg colored houses and shops in the settlement.  April is totally enjoying her freedom to hunt lizards and swim in the surf on the beach.  There are no big resorts here and the atmosphere is very laid back.  The harbor is like a hurricane hole, totally protected on all sides, which is good because last night the winds started to blow and haven’t let up today.  We are happy with the shaft work done at the boat yard.  All seems to be better than ever. 

Saturday, April 12^th

We left Hope Town on Thursday with the early morning tide headed for Man O Way Cay.  The scoped out possible anchorages along the cay and decided to head into the harbor.  The entrance to the harbor was VERY narrow and we lost any depth as soon as we got through the entrance.  We checked out the East harbor, picked up a mooring and dropped it again.  It didn’t look like it was well maintained.  We decided to head for the North harbor.  We grounded out on our way across – misread the markers.  We eventually got clear and made it into the North harbor and picked up a marina mooring.  Unlike Hope Town, Man O War is mostly long term residential.  We walked the streets, checked out the local museum and talked with the people there.  Then we headed for Dock and Dine for fresh Mahi Mahi.

Friday morning – again with the tide – we made our way out of Man o War and sailed to Guana Cay.  Guana is supposed to have some of the best beautiful beaches in the Abacos.  We picked up Dive Guana’s mooring, checked in with them and then headed out to tour the island.  We found again a more residential cay.  However, we did find Nippers Bar & Grill located right on a beautiful beach on the Atlantic side.  However, to April’s dismay, there are no curly tail lizards in Guana Cay.  Today we had hoped to rent a cart and tour the cay.  It is too long to walk and we want to see the northern most end.

We are going to run out of islands soon.  Treasure Cay and Green Turtle are next up to the north.  Then we will head towards an area to wait for crossing weather.

Sunday morning
We had a very wet but fun golf cart ride around Guana Gay.  Ken, Francie, Skipper, Bill, April and I all in one cart was nothing but fun!

Friday, April 4th

As of 2 o'clock this afternoon the boat is all fixed and back in the water.  Yeah!  We have been happy with the work done here.  We still need to clean up the boatyard grime and then tomorrow we are back on the waters.  We plan to wait for the tide so we can get into Hopetown on Elbow Cay. 

 

Marsh Harbour, Abaco

Conky Joe's Bar and Grill. 

 

Conky Joe's daughter #2 cracking the conch for conch fritters - the best in the Bahamas

 



 

Conky Joe's daughter #1 waitress and bartender

 

The owner of Conky Joe's is the US ambassador in the Bahamas.  If you need anything, he is the go to guy.  Conky Joe's is a family run business and the oldest of the five children work in the restaurant.



 

Saturday craft fair in Marsh Harbour.  Fun jewelry made from local shells and coconuts.