We'd just spent the whole month of January in one place, as ECLSP Hosts in Cambridge Cay and now, the month of February was upon us. We were eager, anxious and excited to be thinking about being on the move again,

{{ and we had a few grand ideas, as we all tend to have when we're thinking and hatching plans }}

We knew we would start with Black Point, because? Best Laundromat, Ever. A total of 30 days in Cambridge Cay had us washing and wringing our unmentionables by hand, and now it was high time for strong machines to meet bedsheets and towels. Afterwards we imagined we might sail our way Southwards, perhaps to some of the Outer Islands.

{{ The boat, however, had other ideas.}}

We'd been battling with some electrical gremlins for a wee while now. Finding them, however, proved to be quite an elusive maze of a headache {{ sigh }}. Were the issues with the Alternator? Isolator? Regulator? Cables? Wiring? Thank Goodness we had a trusty portable generator is all I can say.

{{ It was at this time that I developed an intense hatred for any parts that ended in *ator. }}

While in Cambridge Cay, we did what we could with what we had, sorted ourselves and the cables and the wiring and all parts *ator out, worked with some spares, and when the cell signal was strong enough? Ordered ourselves replacements. Confirmations arrived and specified it would take 8-10 days. We requested that the parts be flown via Makers Air, straight into Staniel Cay.

{{ Which is simply the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to have parts flown into the Bahamas, in case you were wondering.}}

In our perfect view of life as Banyan knows it, the parts would arrive just as we were to finish our Cambridge Cay Park Hosts gig, we would sail down to Staniel Cay, get a few provisions, pick up our parts, move to Black Point, do our laundry while the Capt'N installs said parts, and? WOW,

SV Banyan,

{{ ergo us }}

would all be one happy family, right ?

{{ In a perfect world }}

So fast forward to February First. It's now been a week since we placed our order. Lisa and Greig on MV Privateer have now arrived, relieved us of our duties.

It was time for us to say GoodBye to this beautiful place,



{{ photo credit goes to Michelle, SV Mahina, for this awesome shot }}

We chose a perfectly windy day to leave just in case our malfunctioning alternator died while En Route. Because, you know, you need wind to sail, right?

I honestly don't know what's worse... going through the Bahamas cuts with a known issue, expecting it to fail any second, or going through Bahamas cuts totally oblivious to anything going wrong, when, bam, something goes unexpectedly wrong. Either way it's wise to have discussed a Plan B, and Plan C all the way to Plan Z, right?

We made it through the cut

{{ phew }},

turned the engine off

{{ while thanking the Heavens Above that it lasted the whole way through }}

and used the perfect winds to sail South towards Staniel Cay.



As we neared the anchorage, we started the engine to warm her up, and prep for anchoring? Not even ten seconds in, when Holy F&$K, Smoke and Smell ?!? Engine off. No damage done, but as we suspected and feared, the bearings on the old alternator had seized and the belt had started to smoke.

We now found ourselves with no choice but to execute *just a few* tacks in order to sail to *our* anchor spot {{ thank goodness for perfect weather conditions and an unusually empty anchorage }} You can bet your bottom dollar there was a well earned Arrival Beer that day!

Then the waiting began. We knew we should be getting our new parts within a couple of days, no problemo, right? So we sorted ourselves a new routine. Spending mornings doing the various boat chores we never got to do in January, and listen, there's nothing like being immobile to force you to tackle that list of boat chores.

You know those pesky line items on page 5 that we'd been putting off for a very long time?

{{ Everyone has at least 5 pages, right? }}

We worked and waited in the busyness that is Staniel Cay. Home of Thunderball Grotto and the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and their constant VHF hails to "Chubby, Chubby...Come in Chubby". Provisioning that is the Pink/Blue and Isles General Stores, all dependant on the mailboat, which hopefully isn't on a two week hiatus like it was when we were there.

This is a beautiful paradise to birds. And swimming pigs that are now being fed out of bowls on the beach,



and nurse sharks, with the occasional turtle poking its head out of the crystal clear waters for it's three to four breaths of fresh air.

The constant waiting for that phone call or email had us getting a little testy, and we were starting to grumble about things. Like both locals and tourists alike, who zoom by carelessly, loud music blaring, creating tsunami size wakes, unaware of snorkellers or SUPpers. We'd shake our heads at the antics of the feeding of the pigs, the scraps being thrown from the boat into the waters in an attempt to get that perfect social media shot. And just how many boats are now feeding the sharks in an attempt to get them closer for that perfect video op? One of these days, the sharks are going to bite back.

Life on a boat is all about generating your own comfort. We'd let the solar panels replenish our power for the sunniest part of the day, and then went kayaking while the generator topped the rest off and powered us some water. The Kayaks were great fun,



until they blew up!

Years ago, we had the bright idea to get (at the time, the newest and greatest) Airis Inflatables. Unfortunately as great as the idea of them was: being that they were small, easy to store, easy to inflate, comfortable to use. But the reality of life was that, all that time that they were stored in Banyan's lazarette and/or MoHo RV? The heat probably killed the glue, and within a week of each other, they both blew their seams.

{{ Which is when I blew a seam }}

And speaking of our MoHo RV, my Joie de BoonDocking blog got published with Leisure Travel Vans. BoonDocking in the RV world is much like anchoring in the Sailing World. Enjoy the Read if you click on the link.

One day melted into the next, as we swept the sand off our butts and waded into the warm waters of Pirates Beach, enjoying get togethers on the beach



watching the sun set, reuniting with old friends and making new ones,



making sure we fled the beach before the noseeums/sand flies ate us alive!

We enjoyed the Super Bowl at Staniel Cay Yacht Club with Friends,



and created our very own personal month long Five Crowns tournament where we would laughingly beat each other's butts on a daily basis. Nothing like a bit of competition to spice up your romance, right?



A couple of days turned into a week, add some more days and we were counting two weeks. Then it started going on three. We'd often find ourselves going ashore to Staniel Cay to walk off anxiety and angst, before placing a call to the the company where we ordered our parts from and not receiving the answer we wanted to hear.



{{ It might not look it in the photo but we were getting cranky and crankier }}

And then, as with all days that have incoming squalls where we not only collected water and filled our tanks,



but basked in extra cleaning duties and showers with double shampoo rations, because there was more water than we knew what to do with going into our tanks. Which is a good thing as our watermaker wasn't working up to expected standards. Again.

And then one morning we woke up and the skies were bright blue and the sun was shining.

Our friends from the Caribbean days, SV True Colors, arrived, and along with them, some parts and accessories we had requested from them. We reunited over dinner, what fun.

With the bits they brought, we once again took the water-maker apart. I honestly believe the Capt'N is now the Best Expert, EVER! On anything Spectra related (sorry J.T.!)



Voila, just like that, we went from 8.6 gph to 12.5 gph Spectra standards . Wow. Then the mailboat with fresh foods arrived. Yum. And we got the call that all our *ator parts had arrived and were being shipped out, scheduled to arrive in our greasy hands by the next day's afternoon flight.

As we were sipping our morning coffee, we watched some fantastique kiteboarding skills from SV Porquerelles



and heard the Makers Air plane fly in overhead. Although our parts were scheduled for the afternoon delivery, I jokingly suggested that we should call in, 'cause you know, I had one of my funny feelings. Took a while for The Chief to believe me but when he did, and called in? Sure enough, the parts had arrived and were in the Office waiting for us.

{{ Nothing as satisfying as an I told you so Moment, right? }}

And didn't the weather cooperate too? With tides and currents coming together to make our dinghy drive into/and out of Staniel Cay very dry and comfortable,

{{ except for that opened box of styrofoam stuffing }}

Which gave us the rest of the afternoon,



using the light of day to install all parts that end in *ator.

We started the engine and...?? No power. Zero Amps. Nada.

WTF? I think by that point even Banyan swore her last electrical bits to Kingdom Come. A time-out for us, {{ I may have shed a tear of frustration }} which caught my Capt'N unaware, although he may have done the same. A deep breath, a re-visit of all wiring from end to end, and phew, some crossed wires were found.

We started the engine and...??



See that needle jumps to 50? We have Power. We have Amps. Do you hear us cheering and dancing and high-fiving?

We motored to Black Point, because we could. And enjoyed a delicious dinner @ Lorraine's to celebrate.



Weather appeared to show some promising winds, so we left Dotham Cut just 30 minutes too late for a comfortable exit, however this time we had a reliable engine with all its *ator parts to plow us through the nasties that can build when there's tide vs current

{{ we know better!! }}

In more comfortable waters the sails went up, and we simply let the wind fill our sails in the direction of somewhere.

Which is how we ended up in Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island. And is how we spent the few days exploring, snorkeling, swimming, walking, dinghying, and just chilling



{{ and yes, still tackling and dwindling down that never ending list of boat chores }}

And when the south winds showed signs of turning our idyllic hood into rolly swells, we went southwards to New Bight and Old Bight.

We enjoyed a hike to the Hermitage (the highest point in the Bahamas), a well stocked and well priced grocery store and later, some idyylic beach walks and swims at RolleZZ resort.

Not to mention some seriously calm waters,



where you could watch the horizon and not know where the sea ends and the skies begin.

And then one day promising winds were forecasted so we made plans to sail away, once again allowing the winds to fill our sails. Which is how we ended up in Georgetown.

And that my dear readers, followers, family and friends, is how we spent the month of February. It was fearsomely and frighteningly frustrating. It was also full of folly, frolic and fun. But best of all? It was also full of Friends.

If you can weather all types weather, and still stay together? You know you're Living the Dream with The One.



{{ photo credit for this awesome shot goes to Lisa, SV True Colors }}



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