We stayed in Norman's Cay after a long hard day sail. It was a tad lumpy and we were so paranoid as we kept checking the leak to make sure we were not going to sink!!! Then off to Nassau we go to check into Nassau Yacht Haven marina.
We arrived in Nassau still with no definite plans on the boat being taken out of the water to get the leaky thruhull replaced. We could not get a commitment from the boatyard initially.
It would all depend on the tide and water depth. Browns Boatyard were apprehensive to do it as they will only take you out if you draw 5'6" and we draw 6'. Between Byron and Robert they came up with a plan to take her out on Tuesday high tide. That meant we had 5 nights to play around until we could safely go again.
We decided to stay at Nassau Yacht Haven Marina instead of anchoring out just because if the leak increased and we begin to sink we could get to on land faster. Duke was really happy as it meant many more walks for him🤣🤣.
We were lucky enough to meet up with Susan and Eric on SV Heaven Won't Wait and Alice and Milan on SV Margaritaville again. We had many great times together in Atlantis Paradise Island, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Domino's, exploring the cruise port and going to each other's boats (although we were all at different marinas). We all had a blast!!!
Nassau harbor (including their marinas) is infamous for both ripping currents and being rolley with the numerous boats speeding by everyday from sunrise to sunset. Needless to say it is not the most comfortable marina but we were glad to be there and we met so many nice people.
Finally the day came for us to be taken out of the water!! The tide was high at 1.2 meters. We got released from the dock at 8:15 and there was wind and current and wakes from boats zooming by. This all affected how we could safely get out of the slip. Byron had to back out into the harbor, and with the current and wind, this was challenging as it was difficult to turn around in tight corners. Thank god he finally managed to get in the right orientation as there was a shallow section just in front of us !!!!Another catastrophe averted!!! So off we go to the boatyard where the guys are waiting to take our port lines and the lift is waiting. There were 6 people there helping us. Once in the lift they found that the cable for the lift was hitting our furler. So Byron removed the bolts and Jerry rigged that. ... it took awhile and each minute still in the water meant the tide was changing and water level decreasing... Finally they got everything right. We made it safely out of the water❤️❤️... It was great service. We had 3" of water to spare as we advanced to the lift!! Robert (the owner) timed our haul-out just right!!
Byron (indirectly through Robert) had arranged for Albert's Marine Service to change the thruhull once out of the water. Within 10 minutes the guys were there to get at the thruhull. They had major problems trying to get the darn thing out. It leaked yet it was stuck!!! Just our luck!!!!!!!. Finally with brute strength and perseverance it came out. Within minutes it was then replaced and the boys were gone ($200 labor). The boys were great and the company is definitely one we would recommend. But since we are now past high tide there is not enough water for us to get back in so we stay in the boatyard until high tide the next morning!!!
There was security all night at the boatyard (and everywhere in Nassau) but I was feeling a little unsafe as throughout the day I had witnessed many men with tattered clothes in derelict boats with branches for paddles come by the boatyard. I was so excited when morning came and the men were coming toward us to put us back in the water and then for us to go back to the marina.
Unfortunately, getting in was a lot more challenging; not only did we only have 6' of water (when we touch bottom) but they could not get the furler back on. Byron released all of the stays (rigging) and one of the guys literally stood on the furler to get it in position. It took about 30 minutes or so. With each passing minute I feared that we would be definitely aground until the next morning and even then the tide was supposed to be lower than that day!!! Finally they got the furler on and we had 6'1" water with 1" under our keel!!! Yeah!!! Then it went to 6'... no water under the keel... we were in mud...The boys helped pull us out to deeper water and we were able to move well!!! Back to the marina we go🤪🤪🤪. Thank god as I was not relishing the idea of staying "on the hard again" or sitting in the water aground....
Now that we no longer had a leak we were planning on heading back to the US. We had talked to Alice and Milan (SV Margaritaville) and knew they were headed that way too. So we were obsessed with finding a weather window and a route. It looked like we might have a day (although with a bad swell and winds in the exact direction we were headed to get to the Berries) followed by a day that we needed to stay anchored somewhere to hide from more winds and then a day to get to Bimini and then hide out again until the next weather window opened. The weather window was too short!!! The four of us agonized over what to do as we needed to make tracks toward home. Finally what transpired was that since our Visas were expiring March 3, Byron and I went to a sketchy neighborhood where the Bahamas Immigration is to get our Visa extended. Then we decided that since the weather window was really nonexistent, and we did not want to make a mistake by following our heart (my desire to go home .... not Byron's) and not our heads, we decided to go to Eleuthera until another weather window opened. Alice and Milan were too nervous to come so they stayed in Nassau 😩😩. Hopefully we will see those beautiful people again❤️❤️.
While in Nassau we did a lot of exploring. We even went on the "other side of the hill" where we come to discover is really off limits to tourists because of the crime there. Thankfully we had no issues and we enjoyed Kentucky Fried Chicken there!!! We found that on the water side of the hill, where the tourists go, there is security everywhere!!! On the streets by the cruise ships there is security about every 100 feet. In that area the store doors are open. In the other areas away from the cruise port there is security around but not the same numbers and the stores are all locked and there are bars on most windows. To enter many of those stores someone unlocks the doors to let you in. The marinas are secure from the road side however it would be very difficult to make them secure from the water side. We did have our outboard engines padlocked on and we also had a chain around them securing them to the boat. The dinghy was on deck and locked on. Security patrolled the marina during the nights and there were lots of people around on their boats. I certainly felt safe at the marina. This was compared to when we anchored in the harbour in December. Each night, anchored out, I slept with one eye open!!!
Off to Eleuthra in the morning until our weather window opens!!!!!!!!!!
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