04/14/2007, Cape Canaveral, Florida
After Island hopping our way at the end of March through the North end of the Exumas, we sailed to Eleuthera and spent a couple of days at Spanish Wells.
Then we sailed to the Abacos and had a brief but interesting stay at Little Harbour, before moving the Great Guana Cay for Easter, where we spent a delightful day at Nippers. The pig roast, the reggae band, the underwater egg hunt, and cruising friends were all part of the fun.
We continued to cruise our way through the Abacos, resupplying at Marsh Harbour and ducking into Black Sound at Green Turtle Cay to seek shelter from a storm that was on our heels.
Then we spent a couple of nights at anchorages and departed Friday morning on the 26 hour sail to Cape Canaveral. After cruising for about 10 hours in dead calm waters in the Little Bahama Banks, we spent the next 16 hours pitching and rolling and fighting the rough seas of the Gulf Stream.
David put out two fishing rods, and both were busy at the same time several times, bringing in beautiful mahi mahi, tuna (one of which a shark got most of before we could get him into the boat), and barracuda.
We are now in a marina in Florida waiting to have our boat hauled out and expect to be home in Virginia in about a week!
See your soon!
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03/25/2007, Staniels Cay
After about two weeks at Emerald Bay, waiting out wind, we moved up to Black Point, then waited out a west wind for a couple nights (including a big squall), and then headed up here, to Staniels Cay.
We have now been here a week, waiting out 25 knot winds, and squalls gusting 45-50 knots.
Presently we are enjoying the swimming pool, pool table, bar, internet, and easy access to cheeseburgers. We moved onto the dock after our anchor dragged one night, and we then spent three sleepless nights on anchor watch.
The good thing about being stuck here is that lots of other boats are stuck here, too, and we have become pretty good friends with a few, and there have been plenty of kids around.
The winds are predicted to moderate by Tuesday afternoon, and our latest plans waiting to be foiled by weather involve leaving tomorrow or Tuesday, traveling up the Exumas and then though the Abacos before arriving in Florida in mid-April.
We'll see if Mother Nature agrees with our plan soon.
We're looking forward to seeing all our friends and family back home soon!
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03/04/2007, Volleyball Beach, Stocking Island
AFter a week in the marina at Georgetown, we spent the last two weeks on the hook in Elizabeth Harbour off of Volleyball Beach on Stocking Island. There were about 350 boats in the harbour for Regatta, and we met lots of them!
We fell into an easy pattern of walking Loki on the beach, trips to town for supplies (empty trash, get water, do laundry), and spending the afternoons relaxing on the beach.
Madison and Sara (from Manana) found a group of kids their age and spent long days and late evenings on the beach. The kids stayed mostly on the Atlantic side of Stocking Island, giving rise to the response, when looking for them, that they hade "gone to the other side".
Jen played lots of volleyball, with a very enthusiastic group of players of all ages most afternoons. David usually found a hammock nearby. Cheap burgers at the Chat and Chill pretty much made for a perfect end to most days!
Activities for regatta are still in full swing. Loki competed in the dog show, Madison attended the Pirates Ball (which we missed, staying aboard for big winds to keep anchor watch), and she helped with childrens day activities--cruiser and local kids.
We moved to Emerald Bay Marina yesterday, marking the first step on our return home.
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