Cloud Messenger

Our plans to leave Calabash bay and head for Conception Island changed as dawn broke on Tuesday. It was hard to tell the morning had even arrived the visibility was so bad. There was a lashing rain and a furious wind. The sky was purple and angry. The direction of the wind had swung to the West and we found our anchorage now on the "lee shore" (to non-sailors, read that as a bad thing) and the winds were steadily increasing. The weather had not checked in with the forecasters. It had a mind of its own and was going to let us know. All three boats quickly decided that to head out as planned would be more prudent than staying anchored with the beach directly behind us in heavy winds. Donning foul weather gear, we pulled anchor and proceeded to offer up some wild conditions to our guests. The boat raged over swells with a maniacal rocking horse motion. The water was frothy with whitecaps. What the day before was a beautiful, calm, inlet with white sand beaches and colorful coral reefs had turned into a soaking, grey, blur of chaotic water. We definitely did well at showing our guests the diversity of the cruising experience. After a few hours of doggedly motoring into the forceful winds our armada of boats came to a consensus, via the radio, to turn back and head away from the ever darkening sky and run back to Long Island but farther south. Other boats already in Thompson Bay related by radio the conditions as being settled there and it was only a few hours away. We all executed a "Perfect Storm" turn (designated as such by "Blue Blaze") and headed downwind to our new destination. Immediately the ride was noticeably better although still knuckle-whiteningly rough. At least now we were surfing down the waves rather than catapulting over them. Thank goodness, once again, for "Cloud Messenger" being such a sturdy, sea-going boat. Other boats would have had an even rougher, more bone-jarring ride. The closer we got to our new destination the calmer the seas became and the the clearer the skies. Soon we were chugging along through neon green water with the sun warmly overhead. They say you can't taste the sweet without the sour. The ride actually became so mellow that Glenda and I were able to go below deck and mix up some blonde brownies. We sailed into Thompson Bay greeted by a flotilla of beautiful sailboats quietly anchored in a bay of crystalline water. Friends we had last seen at Little Farmer's were there, who immediately invited all three boats to dinner on board their boat "Scaramouch". We quickly offered up dessert so our portion of the potluck was already done! David and David hauled jugs of fuel and water while Glenda and I checked out the local restaurant/bar/laundry scene. Back on the boat we all jumped off the boat into the stunningly aquamarine waters for saltwater showers. A quick freshwater rinse and we were all set to socialize and relive our adventure with the other boats at dinner. That night everyone slept deeply, exhausted from our adventures. The next day we set off in the morning, with Jason and Laura off "Blue Blaze" to explore the local waters. We snorkeled on three different wrecks. The first two were a Haitian boat and a mailboat, both wrecked in shallow, silty water. Not much to see underwater but interesting. The best part was actually the giant Osprey nest on top of the rusting, listing mailboat. Mama Osprey was not to please with our company so we soon moved on to try and find the deeper shipwreck further out in the ocean. I stood in the dinghy scouting the waters as we motored to an approximation of the location for the long ago, sunken ship. We eventually stumbled upon it and what a great find it was! The water visibility was good, the fish plentiful and the eeriness of the once viable ship exciting. Jason speared lion fish and snapper. We arrived back on the boat satisfied that we had had a fulfilling adventure. After a replay of the sea water bathes we headed into town for a late lunch, some internet time and to do laundry. The internet was wildly intermittent so that didn't work well but two outta three was good. We returned as the weather was once again turning windy, this time as correctly forecasted by the weather gurus. We spent a pleasant evening on our own little boat. Glenda and David made a delightful, light dinner for us all and we turned in not long after. Only a few hours of sleep were in the cards though as the wind steadily increased. By midnight the wind blew a steady 20-30 knots straight through until even now 12 hours later. The boat has swayed and shuddered all day against the persistent winds but we all agree it is an improvement over the early morning hours when the direction of the wind had us back to leaping over choppy swells. The wind should relax by tonight but we have decided to just stay around here for awhile and enjoy the area rather than racing off to distance places only to have to race back for Glenda and David to fly out next week. Hopefully we will rent a car tomorrow and experience the island by land like we did in Eleuthera. The island is 80 miles long and has many little settlements to explore