Good Day from Green Turtle Cay!
As reported last, we departed West End to head for Great Sale Cay. We had no difficulty going through Indian Rocks Pass - the lowest water was 8.5' (although we were on the high side of low, so we might have encountered problems at another tide). Once we cleared Barracuda Shoals, we set sail toward Great Sale and made good time. We arrived there in the mid-afternoon and saw a sailboat at anchor - it turned out to be Natasha. We anchored N of them and settled in for dinner and the night.
Although Great Sale is a favorite way point for cruisers heading to and from the Abacos, we decided that, rather than put the dinghy in the water (we put her on the foredeck for long passages so there is one less thing to worry about) and explore there, we would press on to Allans-Pensacola, a Cay at the NE corner of the approach to the Sea of Abaco. We were glad we did - A-P is a lovely spot, well protected from about all winds other than the W and NW, with pretty beaches. On arrival, we were the third boat there; a couple more arrived, one of which was Teamwork from SC. It turned out that Bill and Betty-Sue (no one uses last names; you are known by first and boat names) have cruised here for 12 years or more. They used to run a surf shop and, after "earning enough", they decided to retire and cruise. Their boat is a 33' outboard cruiser, which enables them to get into places we cannot even imagine. They live on fish and lobster the entire year (they fish in SC too) and were full of information re beaches to comb, reefs to explore, and where to "snorkel" - a helpful euphemism for where one may find lobsters. While with them, we explored A-P and went beach combing on both the Sea of Abaco and the Atlantic Ocean sides, where we could observe the waves breaking on the reefs off shore. The limestone coast would make mincemeat out of any vessel that happened to run aground and it is easy to see why the old ships and their crews were so concerned about foundering on a lee shore (meaning the wind would press the boat on the rocks and grind it to pieces). A good lesson for modern boaters too.
While at A-P, we decided to try our luck at lobstering and headed to an area others had told us about. The tide was incoming and the current strong. That (and her concerns about trying to kick with fins on a leg that still is not normal) plus cold air made Lauren decide to stay in the dinghy, which we anchored in the cut and Van went exploring. The lobsters hide in holes and under overhangs in rock ledges with their antennae wiggling out the front. Van quickly saw one, but it was too small to take. Another proved to have been consumed - leaving only the shell as a mirage -- by some other critter. While the trip was not successful in terms of providing dinner, it was worthwhile in showing where the "bugs" can be located.
The winds were forecast to strengthen from the S/SW on Saturday/Sunday, so we decided to take our leave of A-P early Saturday morning to get to Green Turtle Cay well before dark and to catch the tide above low. We selected Black Sound (as opposed to White Sound) because it is nearer to the town of New Plymouth (founded by Tories escaping during the American Revolution) and because it appeared to provide better protection from the forecast winds. The channel is tiny - and too shallow to accommodate us at low tide. As it was, we could see the reef extending ¾ of the way across the opening. En route in, we hailed The Other Shore Club for a mooring (because the holding is not great in the harbor), but got no response despite several tries. We then called Black Sound Marina (next on the list), but their moorings were taken. They suggested we try Donny's Boat Rentals. What a find! At first, we were told to stand by while they determined whether a mooring existed - stand by in Bahamian time is different than what we might expect at home. Finally, we were told to proceed to the head of the harbor and a mooring would be found between two named vessels. We got there, but the mooring was marked "private" so we let it pass and called again. Donny answered and told us to proceed to his dock, which we did. The dock was full of a WWII landing craft and tug, a power catamaran, another catamaran that looks sort of like Kon-Tiki, a sailboat, and several outboard runabouts. We managed to get about ½ of Gratitude on the dock. Donny, whose voice travels and can cut through steel, said we should just hang tight and he would switch us with another boat on a mooring because they wanted to come to the dock to unload. Seems they were at lunch so we should just go wander, which we did.
First stop was Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar for Lauren's official introduction to a Goombay Smash, which she promptly pronounced "very good!" Van had been there about 8 years ago and found his business card still stuck to the wall - along with thousands of others. We added a Gratitude cruising card, so we can come back and search again. After a quick stroll through the village, we headed back. Donny told us we should just stay on the dock, we were not going to make the swap, and "everything will be fine, Papa." He calls Lauren Mamma and Van Papa; as he does everyone else. His side-kick and right-hand man is Mathew (Matt), who is coal black, with chiseled features and incredibly fit, and with a delightful sense of humor. That evening, we returned to Miss Emily's for dinner - Grouper fingers, fried Conch with delicious cole slaw and fried plantains - and then (at Matt's suggestion) to Plymouth Rock "where everyone hangs out and you can shake a leg, shake your booty, and let your hair down". There, we met many other cruising couples, all either on Donny's dock or moorings, or scattered elsewhere in the harbor.
Matt was born in Nassau, but raised (from 13 on) on More's Island (on the other side of Abaco Island) in the town of Hard Bargain. It seems Matt came to Green Turtle for many years to fish and trade and finally moved here a few years ago (he is 43) because there was nothing happening on Moore's. In doing so, Matt gave up his inheritance (as first born male). According to Donny, Matt can free-dive 50' and come up with 5-9 lobsters at a time. Matt still supplies fish and lobster to area restaurants. Donny is a third generation Abacoan, incredibly emotional, loud, and very generous, but he could be tough to live with on a long term basis! He told of his grandfather building Donny's house, the hurricanes in 1999 and 2004 (two in each year, two weeks apart, that tore through the islands leaving his children stranded in the woods waiting to be found), and all kinds of other - and risqué - adventures. Donny, who is Caucasian, with turquoise eyes, small in stature but refers to himself as "Bond, James Bond" and, when asked, insists his drink is "a Martini, shaken not stirred" no matter what is in his glass, has a dog named "Inspector Gadget" and always carries his hand-held radio so he can respond to customers or go out to assist a boater in need. Indeed, he and Matt took Momma and Papa on a pick-up truck trip around the island during which Donny's radio crackled with a call for assistance. We headed back to his docks (this is after imbibing some Tipsy Turtles at the Green Turtle Club) where Papa was invited to don his life jacket and join Donny and Matt on the "helicopter" - Donny's high speed run-about - to assist in the rescue. However, Papa's rescue certificate was withheld after another call cancelled the first.
Donny and Matt also were going to take Papa in the helicopter out to the reefs for lobsters, but the wind was high and the waters stirred up - poor visibility prevented another adventure. So, last night, we settled for some fresh caught and homemade Conch salad. Matt and Papa went to the grocery store for onions, green peppers and tomatoes, shook an orange tree to get some "sour oranges", and then Matt proceeded to fetch some Conch from the harbor and prepare a delicious seviche, which we shared on board Gratitude with Bruce from Zingara. Bruce has been sailing single handed for about two decades and had some tales to tell. In short, Momma and Papa feel as if they have been adopted into the family.
Sunday also saw us continue our ecumenical sampling. Matt had told us of, and took us to, the Community Fellowship Church, but it was not holding session because of an event scheduled that night. So, Matt, who also is an official evangelist from the Nassau Pentecostal Church - he showed us his certificate - suggested St. Peter's Anglican Episcopal Church right at the water's edge in New Plymouth. Matt, who attends "all the churches in town" and who seemingly knows everyone, had warned Van during their first encounter that the service was long. He was right - we were there almost 2½ hours! Had the music been played at a faster tempo, we could have shaved some time; and Matt said that "it could be made much shorter", but the message was good and watching the children was a delight. Matt said next time, we will go to the Baptist Church because "it is a jumpin' church".
Today has been spent running errands, acquiring some things we need for fishing and supplies - my heavens, things are expensive here; all must be imported by boat and the government's source of income is a duty on all imports, up to 45%. We toured an ecological center (mostly about preserving the reefs) and enjoyed wandering the tiny streets (golf-cart size) and shops. We head back to the library for the book swap this afternoon and plan to head out of here tomorrow to go to Great Guana Cay. To get there, we have to traverse Whale Pass into the Atlantic and then back into the lower Sea of Abaco, so we need to pick our days with the right winds and tide. Tomorrow is forecast to be good to go, and so we intend to.
All the best from the Crew of Gratitude!