TGIF in the Bahamas. We left Jeff & Diedra in Black Sound and headed around the Whale Passage to get to the lower Abacos. It was dead calm in the morning and here was a man in his 60's rowing his dinghy and towing a 24 ft old wooden sailboat. He said he'd take a tow to save his energy for later. We towed him 6 miles until there was a little wind and cast him off at his request. The Whale Passage goes out in the Atlantic and can be rough but today it was flat--yeah! We then motored to Spoil Cay and shell hunted which was a flop. We anchored in Fisher's Bay off Great Guana Cay for the night.

Thursday we up anchored in White Sound, Green Turtle Cay and anchored off New Plymouth. What a cute little town. It dates back to 1783 when the loyalists from the revolution founded it. Many of the houses date back to the early 1800s. We ran into Jeff and Diedra, whom I had met in Ft Lauderdale. They have a 1975 Catalina 30 and are spending a year on it. They are in their late 20's so it is a real adventure for them. They had found the Leeward Yacht Club which has real good rates. so we docked next to them, swam in the pool, did laundry, charged batteries, and got water. All for less than $40.

Wednesday the 5th we motored past Nunjack, Crab, and a few minor keys to get to Green Turtle Cay. Anchored off the Bluff House Resort and are using their WiFi. We will stay here tonight and go to New Plymouth on the other end of the island tomorrow to look around and shop.

Tuesday the 4th finds us motoring to Nunjack, about 24 miles, another uninhabited island that I remember for the beautiful beach. Arriving at Nunjack we found a few houses built or under construction but still a beautiful location. We dinghied around to the ocean side and walked the white sand beach for an hour. No shells or other treasures. Got back to the dinghy to find the anchor had pulled and the dinghy in the surf full of water and sand. So a half-hour drill to get every thing off and out of the dinghy. To get the sand out, we deflated it, took the bottom boards out, and then rolled it over in the water to rinse it out. Put it back together and putted back "home."

Monday we dinghied in to Foxtown to mail Mother Day cards. A town of multicolored little houses with two gas stations, a grocery, clinic, post office and two bars. The post office was a ¼ mile walk so we got to be the only light folks in town. Very friendly folks who looked at us like "why are they here?" Left and motor-sailed 7 miles to Allens-Pensacola an uninhabited barrier island. Allens is best known for the "sign tree(s)" where people hang a sign with their name or their boats name on driftwood or other scraps. We hung a Serenity sign right below Puff's sign from 2007. That evening we had guests on the dinghy as two gulls came abeggin'.

Sunday May 2nd was a moving on day. We moved from Great Sale Cay and off to the east to Carters Cay. With the continuing strong SE winds, it was a rough ride but we got there and found the charted depth information was correct. In the channel to the only protected anchorage, we turned around when the depth got down to 5 feet. With the wind from behind and an outgoing tide, I didn't dare touch bottom for fear of not being able to back off before we got turned by the wind and tide. I had hoped to dinghy in to the island but there was no semi-calm water to anchor in so we moved on. We motored to anchor off Foxtown on Little Abaco Island. Not much of a town but we will stop in tomorrow before we depart.

May 1st found us moving out at 8:30 bound for Great Sale Cay. The wind was too close to the course to sail without tacking. In deference to Karen, we motor sailed to the Cay. In the 1950's it had a missile tracking station on it for the multitude of launches out of Cape Canaveral. Today it is a deserted island with miles of limestone coastline and some nice beaches. We arrived at 1:30 and after lunch went hunting for a nice beach. This side of the island doesn't have any and the other side was too far for the dinghy considering the wind. We did find some treasures. I worked on a leaky fuel bleed valve and manufactured a replacement gasket. We'll see if that worked. Also tightened the propeller shaft log to which was throwing water when under power. Now to see if I have to readjust it after it runs a while.
April 30th: Got moving at Old Bahama Bay Resort and Warren did laundry and cleaned the exterior of the boat. Karen cleaned the interior and remade clean bedding. So domestic we are on the water. The after the $180 bill for docking one night, we left for Mangrove Cay (pronounced "key") which is 22 miles from West End. After motoring through a shallow channel (Indian Rock) we hoisted sail and sailed all the way to Mangrove Cay. The wind was strong, 15 knots and we were healed over at 20 degrees most of the day. Needless to say Karen was happy when we anchored and were upright. She is being quite a sport about this boating "stuff".

April 30th: Got moving at Old Bahama Bay Resort and Warren did laundry and cleaned the exterior of the boat. Karen cleaned the interior and remade clean bedding. So domestic we are on the water. The after the $180 bill for docking one night, we left for Mangrove Cay (pronounced "key") which is 22 miles from West End. After motoring through a shallow channel (Indian Rock) we hoisted sail and sailed all the way to Mangrove Cay. The wind was strong, 15 knots and we were healed over at 20 degrees most of the day. Needless to say Karen was happy when we anchored and were upright. She is being quite a sport about this boating "stuff".