Having a picnic with friends on a beautiful white sands beach on the back side of Black Point

 

When in the Bahamas . . . love their beer!

 

 

 

April, hunting lizards on the white sand coral beach along the back side of Black Point.



 

Little Jeff preparing conch salad at the Little Farmer's Cay Festival - this is fresh!

 

One of the island boats preparing for the regatta.  The boats, rigging and sails are made only with hand tools.  The natives love the regattas!

 

Skipper taught April to hunt lizards.  April taught Skipper to really like playing in the water.

 

The supply ship brought the regatta boats into Little Farmer's Cay from the outlying islands

 



 

Welcome to a beautiful cay!

 

Regatta race

 

February 19th

 

Too bad, but even in these beautiful islands you do need to do laundry once in awhile.  Today is the day.  Black Point has the only Laundromat around, so we came here today.  Bill is visiting the clinic getting his medications to get him through the rest of our cruise time.  Greg sent us a picture yesterday that made us very glad to in this beautiful place. Love to all!

 

 



Thursday, February 13^th

We are anchored in Pipe Cay Alley, so-called, weathering out a blow.  This is an anchorage protected on all sides by hills, coral cliffs and beautiful beaches.  We had a picnic with other cruisers on one of the beaches yesterday and then walked up the hill to the ocean side of the cay.  The views were spectacular!  April and Skipper hunted lizards all day – there were many to be found.

We left Little Farmer’s Cay this past Sunday after enjoying the festival and regatta and motored to a beautiful secured beach just north of White Point and on the other side of Black Point settlement.  The dogs ran the beach and hunted whatever they could find for fish or prey.  The following day we again enjoyed the beach in the morning and then Bill and Ken did some diving to replace zincs and check out props on both the Release and WishBone. 

Tuesday morning’s weather suggested we should be looking for a hidey hole from the weather.  So we headed to Black Point for laundry in the morning and then on to Staniel for diesel and gas and to fill the water tanks.  Then we headed for Pipe Cay Alley while the tide was high.  Release must have a high tide to get into this anchorage.  Needless to say, the day was very busy but worth it for this protection from the wind. 

Our food provisions are very low.  The boats are swapping food to make ends meet.  We are digging deep into the cupboards to find that last container of coffee, boxed milk, etc.  We haven’t been able to catch the supply boats the day they come in and the stores haven’t had anything in them by the time we get there.  So after this front, we will head back to Staniel Cay where we have a better chance of getting supplies and cash.  We haven’t seen a bank since Nassau.  Unfortunately, now there is a 15% charge against our credit card for cash turnover.  We can hang in Staniel until the supply boat comes in if necessary.  They do have a restaurant at the yacht club.

Before this front, the weather has been wonderful since the end of January.  The sun is strong now and we spend lots of time in the water.  Once we are provisioned again, we will cross over to the other side of the islands and start heading toward the northern Bahama islands.

February 17th

We are anchored in our favorite spot off Thunderbolt Club in Staniel Cay.  April has been lizard hunting in the coral cliffs and we all have been swimming in the beautiful water.  We will be here or around here for the next week while Release's daughter visits.  All is wonderful!

 

February 6, 2014

We are in Little Farmer's Cay for the festival and regatta - Class C sailboard race
This is just a beautiful little settlement with maybe 100 citizens.  But they love the cruisers and treat us as if we belong here. 
I am sitting in the yacht club using the WiFi that is free since we are on a mooring ball.  The mooring ball is another story - not free and not as secure as one might hope we have found out.
We motored here against the wind and I am glad to say our shaft repair held.
The festival begins tomorrow and I hope to get some pictures.
Love to all.

 

April's sand box

 

 

 

 

We never get tired of the beautiful sunsets and listening to the conchs being blown back and forth

 

 

There were more boats than the natives ever remember anchored here in Black Point seeking shelter from the high winds the past few days

 

 

 

Sailor April has become quite the dog about deck - we keep the toenails short and she does very well aboard WishBone and aboard Release t

 

 

Weaving the palms to be shipped to Nassau to be made into baskets

 

 

 

Recess time outside the Black Point school.  I love these kids!  They are so great.

 

 

 

View of the cay and the sea beyond at Black Point

 

Today was another day in Black Point and it was beautiful.  The wind died down a bit.  Bill and Ken worked on our shaft and collar, then took WishBone out for sea trial to see if it was going to work out.   So far, so good.