Cloud Messenger

Vessel Name: Cloud Messenger
Vessel Make/Model: Pacific Seacraft / Crealock 37
Hailing Port: San Francisco
Crew: David and Cheryl Schachter, Ali Baba
About: Happily married couple. He's a sailor, she and the dog are not.
03 May 2010 | Big Major's
18 April 2010
12 April 2010 | Sampson Cay
05 April 2010 | Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island
04 April 2010 | Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island
29 March 2010 | Cat Island
25 March 2010 | Conception Island
23 March 2010 | San Salvador Island
14 March 2010 | Rum Cay
12 March 2010 | Rum Cay
08 March 2010 | Rum Cay
04 March 2010 | Sand Dollar Beach, Georgetown
02 March 2010 | Sand Dollar Beach, Georgetown, Great Exuma Island
28 February 2010 | Thompson Bay, Long Island
22 February 2010 | Calabash Bay, Long Island
18 February 2010 | Emerald Bay
14 February 2010 | Little Farmer's Cay
11 February 2010 | Staniel Cay
09 February 2010 | Little Farmer's Cay
08 February 2010 | Little Farmer's Cay
Recent Blog Posts
03 May 2010 | Big Major's

Men's Adventures

David has been remiss. Apparently he is having too much fun to keep you all informed and update the blog. So if you don't mind your news second hand, here goes. After I left the boat David sailed single-handed down to Little Farmer's Cay. "Blue Blaze" and "Joyous" sailed there as well. Jason would [...]

18 April 2010

Stateside for the Crew

The last few days on the boat were bittersweet. I had fun hanging out with everyone in Sampson Cay. The snorkeling was enthusiastic if not real spectacular. I did see some new creatures including a Peacock Flounder. We spent one day just hanging on the beach in a thatch covered gazebo, playing volleyball, [...]

12 April 2010 | Sampson Cay

Armada Reunited

We left Cat Island and sailed to Warderick Wells, the main area for the Exuma Land and Sea Park. The park is like an underwater zoo. No one is allowed to fish there, even in the surrounding waters, so the sealife is abundant. The day we arrived Laura and I snorkeled within sight of the headquarters. [...]

05 April 2010 | Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island

Bonefish Zoo

Each day starts with David tuning into the Chris Parker weather forecast on the SSB but immediately after he begins his collecting and adjusting of the numerous needs for the day of bonefishing. Rods and lines and flies and infinity other paraphernalia gets gently packed up. A piece of fruit and a cheese sandwich get tucked into his pocket and he's off. Not to be seen until dinnertime. It is so great to see him return, relaxed, happy and fished out---for the day anyway. Over dinner Jason and David excitedly tell fish stories from that day's adventure. Yesterday as they walked the flats a Lemon shark started up the stream straight for David. Usually harmless, this one kept coming closer and closer to David's bare feet in the water. Just as the shark got too close David pointed his rod down into the water and shook the tip to distract the shark and hopefully lure him in another direction. The shark instantly jerked his head toward the splashing water and snapped off the tip of the rod with a slash of its razor teeth! Good thing it wasn't David's toe! But not so good that it was one of David's fly rods! Luckily he has other tips on the boat and the repair was simple. They even had extra rods in the dinghy so it barely even cut into the day's fishing time. Yesterday morning, Laura and I snorkeled the reefs North of the anchorage and although the fish population was not very big it was good because it got me looking closer at the smaller sea life and I saw amazing little things. Laura found some incredible shells. I saw a Cow Fish and a Bristle Worm. Two things to check off my list of first time fish sightings. Then in the afternoon we went ashore and walked on the road for a bit admiring the flowers and the many stonework house ruins. We stopped in at the local roadside "bar" where we chatted with the locals. They convinced us to try the "bush medicine" they have bottled. They swear they drink a little everyday for good health but one tiny, tiny sip was enough for me to know I'd rather be unhealthy! Yuck! They have a variety for woman and a variety for men. Amidst much giggling and blushing they related that the men's variety is suppose to make them extra virile. We asked if it is suppose to work like the conch pizel and they laughed and agreed. You could see them chortling and shaking their heads wondering how us silly cruisers knew about the conch's Viagra like potential. Anyway, they invited us to their Easter celebration to be held the next day in the afternoon on the beach right in front of our boats. We told them we wouldn't miss it and headed back to the boat for our own private Easter dinner. We had the last of the lobster since the season ended on April 1st. We saved the last two HUGE tails for the dinner. We ate until we could barely move. This morning, Monday, the men headed off again to tame the elusive bonefish population and Laura and I snorkeled the South side of the anchorage including the wreck inside the government dock area. Just as we were returning to the dinghy I dove down to pick up a conch. As I slowly rose toward the surface I suddenly realized there were two ENORMOUS Eagle Rays swimming right behind me! It was like being snuck up on by a baby elephant. I actually squeaked with mild terror just at the sheer size of the creature lurking directly in my wake. I caught my breath and moved calmly towards the dinghy, swimming along with my new large friends. As I reached the dinghy I was amazed to peer through the crystal water and see an entire congregation of Eagle Rays moving out of the channel and right by me. Fifteen, probably closer to twenty, Eagle Rays of varying sizes silently glided past; beautiful ghostly birds of the sea. Just then Laura arrived back at the boat, just in time to witness the quiet underwater parade of spotted giants. Well satisfied with our adventure for the day we headed back to the boat for lunch and to get ready for the beach party this afternoon. Even the guys will be returning early to join us on the sand for some local festivities.

04 April 2010 | Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island

Cat Island

We survived the wind driven chop that caused a rolling, bouncing anchorage at New Bight, Cat Island. So we were glad to move on to Fernandez Bay where we were more protected and the boat lay calmly in the water. This bay curves gently up to the powdery sand beach of an old established resort, Fernandez [...]

29 March 2010 | Cat Island

Conception to Cat Island

The weather has been completely cooperative here on Conception Island. Each morning starts with a beautiful sky, azure seas stretching as far as you can see in three directions and a silky, white sand beach sparkles in

Georgetown Regatta Time

02 March 2010 | Sand Dollar Beach, Georgetown, Great Exuma Island
Cheryl/Bahama Sunshine!
We rented a car on Long Island and spent the day exploring. "Freedom" and "Blue Blaze" rented a car as well. I drove most of the day and thankfully never forgot to stay on the LEFT hand side of the road. Believe me, it took some hard remembering! Every person we encountered was friendly, helpful, cheerful...just absolutely splendid folks. The women who ran the liquor store adored Ali and treated us like family. Not bad a welcome for a liquor store! The highlight was by far Dean's Blue Hole. We had visited a blue hole before on Eleuthera but this was the king of all blue holes. It is the deepest blue hole yet discovered on the entire Earth! It is the sight of world championship free diving competitions. We actually met the free dive record holder...he was there practicing with his "team" just as we arrived. He dives with nothing but goggles, no fins or any other equipment. 325 ft. straight down. They left and we had the hole to ourselves. We spread out on the white, silky sand beach. We lolled around the shallow, green flats, walked the empty sun-filled beach, climbed the limestone, hilly paths and generally thoroughly enjoyed some lazy hours there. The ultimate by far though was the blue hole itself. Absolutely perfectly clear. Completely white clear on the edges over the white sand, fading into lime green graduating darker and darker in increasingly smaller circles until the deep, breath-taking navy blue of the water over the cavernous hole. Snorkeling over the waters the fish were interesting and plentiful but the rock formations were seriously otherworldly. You could paddle in lazy fat circles around the edges of the hole and just drink in the beauty. We all took our shot, diving down as deep as possible but we barely broke the topmost layers. A couple of the guys got as far as the first craggy ledge. We reluctantly moved on when our hunger won out and stopped by a restaurant named Rowdy's in Clarence Town for some of the best conch fritters and "fish bites". Yum. Glenda and David both had Fish Burgers made with huge, fresh Wahoo steaks. Incredible. We finished the drive by heading to the other end of the island and a look at the exclusive Stella Maris Resort. It looked lovely but our boat looks just as good to us. We made a short stop at the Stella Maris Marina but we rushed out of there as fast as possible pursued by noseeums -tiny biting bugs- thankful we were anchored out in the breezy, bug free Bay. We dinghied back to the boat in the fast approaching dark, tired and fulfilled from our day of adventure. The next morning we weighed anchor and sailed in near perfect conditions back towards Georgetown. We made excellent time and arrived in the early afternoon. We were greeted at our chosen anchorage by two playful dolphins. They surfed the bow of the boat as we sailed in while Glenda and David leaned far over the lifelines to chatter to them and admire there sleek beauty. I am so glad they had a chance to have a dolphin encounter while on the boat. It is a peak experience. As soon as we dropped the hook we encouraged them to jump in the water and see if the dolphin would swim with them. Unfortunately the dolphins had moved on but fortunately the snorkeling there off Issac Cay was spectacular. They saw turtle, lobsters and a hermit crab the size of an adult conch. David speared his first Lionfish! He got two in total and when he returned to the boat my David made his now famous Lionfish Ceviche. The wind picked up over the course of the evening and by morning we were ready to move to a calmer spot. We hurried up the channel a few miles and reanchored at Sand Dollar Beach just south of our last anchorage in Georgetown. By evening the wind had laid down and we were able to all dinghy in to The Chat and Chill where we were graciously treated to the famous Sunday pig roast by G and D. We started the feast with conch salad made right on the beach. David (Glenda's) even dared to try the Conch "Viagra". Some unmentionable part of the conch that looked wholly slimy and gelatinous to me. Ick. At dinner we sat with the owner of this lively, happening establishment and had a lively political discussion. What a intelligent and interesting man. Again we ended the night by dinghying back through the dark to the boat. The dozens and dozens of anchor lights from all the many boats gathered for this week's regatta looked like a second set of stars. Beautiful.
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