04/24/2010, Marsh Harbour, Abaco

April 19th, 2010 Lynyard Cay, Abacos

Rain woke us up well before dawn and when the wind picked up to around 30 knots I got out of bed to check things out. We are anchored quite deep here and the bottom is weedy. It's the type of anchorage that it a little iffy. We ended up being fine. The rain and squalls continued until mid morning. While we were having coffee, a boat dragged by us. He had already re-anchored once and was dragging a second time.

It was cloudy and gloomy all day. We read most of the time. The high part of the day was a fish dinner.

We have been on board for 4 days and drastically need to get ashore for a walk.

April 20th , 2010 Lynyard, Cay to Marsh Harbor

We weighed anchor at about 7:30 and motored the three hours up to Marsh Harbor. After looking around for good spot to anchor for a few minutes we ended up right behind "Veranda" and next to "Savage Son."

Bob was moving "Savage Son" to the marina so I jumped aboard to assist with lines. Bill from "Veranda" and Greg from "My Destiny" also rode along. We stopped at the fuel dock and then proceeded to the slip where Bob had no difficulty docking stern in.

By the time I got back to the boat, Kathy was showered and ready to head to the store. We were both hungry so we dinghied over to Snappers and had lunch with Bob and Bev before hiking to the store.

We searched for the "New" grocery but after a couple of miles walking gave up and returned to Price Right for some groceries. We've been out of fresh vegetables for about a week.

After returning to the boat and putting things away, we dinghied over for a visit with "Solitaire" who we haven't seen for about 6 weeks. Bob called while we were there to call a get-together at the marina at 5:30, so we ran back to the boat to whip up some quick salsa and grab a bag of chips before heading that way.

We had a great time catching up with everyone and ate so much that when we returned to the boat around dark, we were too full to eat dinner.

April 21st, 2010 Marsh Harbor

It started raining before dawn and continued most of the day. Our goal was to get some laundry done but that didn't happen. Instead, we read and cooked all day. I got some bread going with the yeast Leta gave me and was shocked at the difference. Then I cut up the picnic ham that I'd picked up yesterday and got it in the freezer. The bone looked so good that after trimming as much as I could, I got out a bag of navy beans and made soup which simmered all day.

"Veranda" and "My Destiny" took off in the morning heading north and eventually back to the States. The both have obligations in May and will hang out in Manjack Cay until they get a weather window for travel.

Bob called in the afternoon to see if we wanted to join them, and their gests who had flown in from Texas, for the Jib Room's rib night. We said of course and planned on meeting at 6. A little later, Jim and Nancy called and asked us to come over before leaving for dinner for cocktails.

The ribs were excellent, expensive but great and the limbo guy put on a good show as usual. He's no spring chicken anymore but he can still get below the flaming bar at about 14 inches.


April 22nd, 2010 Marsh Harbor

At some point after coffee, we loaded up our laundry and dinghied over to the Marina where there are a few washers and dryers that we can use. I dropped Kathy off there and returned to the boat to pick things up and wash a few dishes.

Then I loaded up an empty propane tank and headed to shore to hike to the hardware store where we drop off tanks for filling. From there I walked to the Post Office to mail in my Jury Duty forms...I'll either be exempted or in contempt of court. Back at the boat I loaded up our water jugs and drove back to the marina where "Savage Son" has a slip and loaded up some water. We can't make water in the harbor so when we know someone that has a slip, we take advantage rather than paying for water.

I made two trips while Kathy finished our laundry and then it was back to "Sapphire" for lunch. A little later Kathy went shopping with Jim and Nancy and left me on board. We are going to grill out at the Marina tonight so I made some Boursin (sp???) for a snack to bring along. It is Leta's recipe and we really like it.

By the time the shoppers returned, it was almost time to head back over to the marina. Before we left, I sautéed some onions and peppers for the brats that Bob was going to grill.

We had a very nice dinner with Bob and Bev along with their visiting friends Steve and Judy. Just after sunset, I went out the dock to their slip to load up some more water. Bob, Steve and I were standing by the boat when we saw something bright in the sky to the north east. In a second it was obvious that it was some type of launch. It lit up the whole sky and we could easily see the various sections of the rocket fall off and drop into the ocean. It went right over us, picking up speed and altitude.

We bade our farewells and headed back to the boat where Kathy checked our email and I transferred our water. She also Googled the launch and found it was an unmanned prototype of the new "space plane" that may eventually replace the shuttles. (We have access on the boat but only at off hours) After some evening video we turned in for the day.

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04/22/2010, Lynyard Cay, Abacos

April 18th, 2010 Royal Island, Exumas to Little Harbor, Abacos

The run from the Exumas to the Abacos is about 50 miles to the first cut at Little Harbor. We were up at 5 am.. and greeted by cloudy skies and very little wind. We made some coffee and waited for daylight. At 6:30 we hauled in the anchor and were off. Once out of the lea of the islands there was a dying swell of about 4 feet and 10 knots of wind from the NE our course was due north so we got the jib and main up and lowered the RPMs down to about 1000. (idle speed plus a little)

We were alone on the ocean. As the morning progressed we did see a couple of freighters and by noon met 4 sail boats that had left Little Harbor heading south. For the most part though, we had the place to ourselves in very comfortable conditions.

Kathy made a great breakfast of poached eggs, grits, and a bagel for breakfast and then fried some tortilla chips for lunch that we had with the end of leftover white chili.

We had three lines out all day but no bites. There was lots of floating seaweed which is usually a good sign even if you have to clean the baits every 20 minutes. I was waiting until we were 1 mile from the Little Harbor waypoint to haul the lines but started a little earlier than that hauling in one of the hand lines. As I grabbed the other hand line something hit...With the line in one hand I yelled at Kathy, who was below, and pushed the throttle to idle. Then the reel on our boat rod started screaming. Kathy let the jib sheet go but we were still making to much way. I tied off the hand line with the reel still screaming and we rolled up the jib dragging two fish. With only the main up Kathy steered into the wind and got our speed down to about a knot. The reel finally stopped making noise so I started reeling as fast as I could. There was no resistance for a while but eventually I felt the fish. The boat rod was set on the port side but the fish was swimming parallel to us about three boat lengths to our starboard. So far the two lines hadn't crossed but that was about to change if we didn't do something. I couldn't move the fish on the rod so Kathy got the gloves on and hauled the fish on the hand line in about half way our about 50 feet beyond our stern. She tied off the line on a stern cleat, got the gaff ready and cleared the cockpit.

By the time she was finished I had made some progress and could see both fish from my vantage point. The fish on the rod was a large bull and the other was a nice female. As I worked the larger fish toward the boat Kathy snuck behind me and took the rod walking backward towards the bow with the rod tip high. After a few seconds I had the fish gaffed and in the cockpit.

We set the rod down, uncleated the hand line, and before too long had the second fish gaffed and on the floor as well.

The fish were 44 and 48 inches long respectively, but the male was at least twice as heavy. The weight difference was 40 pounds to 20.

We got the lines organized as we worked our way through the cut and washed down the cockpit with buckets of saltwater. We found a suitable place to anchor behind Lynyard Cay, got the sail covers on and began butchering fish on the foredeck.

We'll keep as much as we can but will have to give half of it away due to lack of space in the freezer. Kathy spoke with Nancy of "Solitaire" and they will take some as will "Savage Son" when we see them.

By this time we were both tired and so dinner was leftover beef and noodles and cooked carrots. We watched some video and went to bed earlier than normal.

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04/22/2010, Moving North

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.

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