April 16th, 2010 Pipe Creek to Highborne Cay

We left Pipe Creek on a half tide rising and headed north in light air with all our sails flying for about 3 hours. Form then on we did nothing but lower sail. By about 2:00 we found ourselves in 35 knots gusting to 40 sailing on the mizzen and staysail. We were on the back side of the Cays with about 2 miles of fetch so the waves were not an issue but the wind was crazy.

Our goal was an anchorage a Ship Channel Cay but we bailed out about an hour early at Highborne Cay and took shelter in the lea of the island where we spent a pleasant evening.


April 17th, 2010 Highborne Cay to Royal Island

We left 7:00 after the weather on a course due north. Between 9 and 10 we were in the "Middle Grounds" and had to keep a sharp eye out for coral heads. It was a bit of a slalom course for an hour or so but we were soon past and in clear water. We were on a beam reach all day with almost enough wind to get us to the anchorage before nightfall. We did motor sail at times to keep the pace.

There were a few boats in the harbor at Royal Island, but there was plenty of room. We lowered the dinghy to put the outboard on the rail and then raised in back up in the davits in preparation for our crossing to the Abacos tomorrow. Then spent the remainder of the afternoon reading.

I made beef and noodles (we have one more can of the beef we canned last summer with mom and Annie) for dinner and later watched a movie.