Still in a holding pattern waiting to leave so today I'm going to talk about the safety aspect of sailing. Getting in trouble at sea is a bit more serious than getting into trouble on land as the availability of help is more limited and there is always the accelerated hypothermia /drowning aspect of an at sea disaster.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6o57D7OkyOI?si=s9AMMVRpO5r28Wc5


There are lots of cases of people getting into trouble at sea which sometimes end up in tragedy ranging anywhere from disabled vessel to injury to sinking. We're trying to stay out of the headlines of 1 of these events by careful preparation of the vessel and safety equipment. I will try and keep it in generic terms for you non-boaters out there.

Amaruq is required to carry safety gear to be Transport Canada compliant and being in US waters we need to also comply with their requirements. their border patrol units do board boats from time to time to do inspections so we really don want to mess with this stuff.

Safety signal devices include parachute flares and gun, handheld flares, smoke canisters and dye canisters, each of which we have multiples. The boat has an electric horn as well as handheld air horn, bull moose like calling horn and whistles on all of our life jackets. We also have this equipment for our dinghy in case we have problems when we are out in it. Additionally we have 4 handheld rechargeable LED search lights. Amaruq has red/green/ white navigation lights, a mast head anchor light, a steaming light for under power travels and a bright deck light.

Environmental safety gear on the boat includes 2 smoke detectors, 1 smoke/carbon monoxide detector, 5 different fire extinguishers, bilge high water alarm, engine compartment high temp alarm and a propane alarm-shut off system. There is an automatic built in bilge pump, a hand operated bilge pump and a backup electric bilge pump. It is also fairly easy to convert our shower sump pump and deck wash down pumps to supplement the bilge pump array if we really start taking on a lot of water!

Communications equipment consists of a primary VHF radio with extension mic at helm position, a spare VHF base station, 2 handheld VHFs (1 of which apparently floats but I haven't tested it) an AIS transmitter/receiver (Automated Identification System), and an MMSI identity (Marine Mobile Service Identity). We also have Starlink which provides internet service and cell phone when there is service coverage. Both of our heavy duty inflatable life jackets have personal AIS beacons on them as well. our chartplotter is networked to the wind speed, water depth, hull speed instruments and auto pilot so everything talks to each other. Power is provided by the 300 amp hour capacity lithium house batteries and 900 watts of solar panels.

Personal safety gear includes various life jackets depending on the weather ( we wear them whenever we are underway) our dinghy and outboard motor and a 6 person life raft in case things go really south on us in a hurry. We carry a pretty well stocked first aid kit and we have a ditch bag to throw into the life raft or dinghy if things are heading below the surface.

Hopefully all of this combined will ensure we don't end up in trouble with little hope aside from launching an SOS message in a bottle!

https://youtu.be/Tn-h_jgAVqQ?si=Cc17868fxbZ7H7SI

The weather here over the past few days has been pretty windy and wet. I know, compared to back home it's paradise but considering the effort we made to get here, we were hoping for more of the stereotypical Bahamas experience.

On Christmas Eve evening the boaters here organized a pot luck on the pool patio which was a nice gathering. On Christmas Day, they also had a dinner . The guy next to us cooked a turkey on 1 of the charcoal BBQ's on the grounds. I don't know how he did it but hopefully he managed to prep it on his boat via another method than this.

https://youtu.be/WChnJht1hzk?si=x3BUnIEcf0NM8KIl

We had already been invited to Lynn and Larry's for a turkey dinner which Lynn cooked on her boat!. They even had a small Chrtimas tree on their boat which was a nice touch. It was an excellent meal and we had a good time as always with them. Sam did the veggies and we try as we might, we couldn't find turnips at the local grocery store as they are a favourite of Larry's. Maybe it's for the best as turnips are very gassy apparently!

https://youtu.be/aSlaPp-kB5Q?si=EqGNZ0C7ahiKgh1a

With the winds blowing here , sometimes gusting into the 30 plus knot range we haven't had much opportunity to go out snorkelling as the sea is churned up with 4-5' waves near shore. That makes for a very bouncy and wet ride in a 9' dinghy where your butt is a foot above the waves. Awe did manage to get out the day before Christmas and we saw a large spotted eagle ray in the cut going out to the ocean and Sam spotted a stingray dug into the sand by the reef where we swam. Only his eyes and gills gave his location away.

So we're watching the forecast to see when we can head south on our next leg down to the Exumas, which are a couple of hundred mile south of here. Actually most of the boats here are also waiting to head elsewhere as this a is great stop-over spot but once you've seen everything it's time to move on. Speaking to some seasoned boaters it appears that this year has had way worse weather for open ocean crossing opportunities than previous years so everyone is itching to go. Stay tuned as we watch the forecasts looking for our escape opportunity!

The weather further south is much better than here. We have 2 hops of 50 plus nautical miles of open ocean to get to Nassau and then 1 more day to get to the top of the top of the Exuma island chain. From there it's island hopping from 1 beach and reef to another (picture the postcard images of palm trees and hammocks with turquoise water, like today's photo) Lots of water and some rare earth islands here and there in the Exumas but we're born to wander so it's time for movin' on.

https://youtu.be/KCDuaT68qXg?si=EtHyX0zj3zAP_mEW

Happy New Year!

After a few days of rain and high winds things have settled back into more seasonable weather. It appears weather reports in the southern states are differ than back home.

https://youtube.com/shorts/cX4X_xIMP_g?si=eb9f39-mbUg7NpVr

There was a couple of days when a few boats made the crossing from Florida so the marina is filling up. We get temperatures in the mid 20's during the day and it cools down to the low teens at night so it great for sleeping. I check our outdoor security cameras at home and see what it's like there so no complaints on our end!

Went snorkelling at the outer reef and had tons of fish coming up to us. The fish were coming right up to us on the surface this day so we're guessing they had missed being fed by the resort dive boat due to the weather preventing trips out there over the past few days. We didn't have any food for them but they sure did like coming up to see if we did. The boarding ladder I made for the dinghy worked pretty well for getting back into the boat as well.

On Saturday we walked to the $2 bar, a shack along the beach road just west of us about a 20 minute walk away. Not sure by the name for the place as nothing we could see there was $2 but the food and drinks were reasonably priced and the view was great. We had a couple of dogs accompany us back to our place and we weren't sure if they were strays or not. It appeared that it was a mother and her half grown pup, both appearing to be in good health, happy, playful and well fed. They seemed to be road smart as well and the pup had the same markings and colour combination as Finn did and it was all we could do not to pat him or pay him any attention. We needed the security guard to keep both of them away from the gate so we could go into the resort and keep them out.

If you have been following along with our adventures you may have picked up on the fact that boats require a fair amount of work and maintenance to function properly. Preventative maintenance is a great way to stack the deck in your favour so you don't have a breakdown in some remote place/bad weather conditions/tight confines or any combination of those 3.

With that in mind I decided to service our starboard cabin top winch which is used to raise and lower the gib and mainsail as well a couple of other sail control lines. This is a 2 speed winch which is operated by inserting a handle in the top. The line to retracted is wound around the drum 2-3 times and when the handle is rotated clockwise it winds the sail halyard around the drum and raises the sail. When it gets too tough to crank it can be rotated counter clockwise and rotates at half the speed making it easier to crank under heavier loads. It is also a self talking winch which means it has a spring loaded slot on the top of it which keeps tension on the line so it doesn't slide backwards as the load increases. It's a pretty neat feat of engineering for operation is a fairly harsh environment. But in its current condition it was getting even harder, and noisier to crank under load.

That being said, that winch, 1 out of 5 we have on the boat, was binding a bit when we first got the boat and wasn't getting any easier to turn as time went on. I downloaded the manual which shows the exploded parts view as a guide to take it apart and reassemble. The are 4 little, and I mean little, springs in the winch which operate the ratchet system (the clicking noise like a socket wrench handle or the gears on your bicycle) so the tension on the drum doesn't pull the line back as it is cranked. So let's just say you have to be verrrry careful when disassembling the winch so as not have 1 or more of these fly out. It's an unwritten law of boating that anything dropped will naturally fall overboard (think of tools, hardware, sunglasses, cell phones etc) and these springs have the added bonus of being able to jump in any direction when released from being under load. I experienced this a few years back with our boat Haida when a spring tried to jump ship when I pulled the drum off the winch. Fortunately I eventually found it several feet away at the back of the cockpit but lesson learned.

Got the unit dissembled and found that I actually had to remove the entire unit from the deck to get part of the gearing mechanism out to clean. It appeared that 1 gear cluster was binding but I wasn't sure why. After reading the manual though I found that Tartan has installed the winch in the wrong position in relation to the direction the loaded line contacted the drum. After a solvent bath and lithium ( it's not just in our batteries) grease application I reassembled and remounted the winch in the proper orientation to the line and it is winding almost effortlessly with all springs present and accounted for I might add. Check 1 more thing off the list!

https://youtu.be/EXq_EkNHggg?si=u1d9jY3PpwWaFgrQ

Thanks for following along on our adventures over the past 3 months ( seems like a lot longer to me for some reason). We're planning our departure from here to explore the Exuma Island chain possibly sometime in January. This is a more remote chain of islands a couple of hundred miles south of here with a lot of beautiful beaches and fantastic snorkelling reefs so stay tuned for that.

Merry Christmas from Sam and Bill.

https://youtu.be/D1xmXn7gLVg?si=zZqLdzsgP3biCNFY

This week we've done a few things aside from reading and socializing in the hot tub. Among the tasks we made the weekly strip to the grocery store for provisions on the complementary mini bus the resort operates. We've been to the store 4 times now and it is always well stocked and clean with a good section of products. One of the things we did need is Quaker Oats oatmeal, which comes in a large round container (think of a fat Pringles chips can). But, buyer beware as they also sell Quaker Oats grits in the same sized container with the same company logo in some stores down here. Not sure what grits are like as We have never tried them so we need to be careful not to load up on them by accident as they could be gag-worthy!

https://youtu.be/pWC0sKCS5oA?si=eSmZ8INC8y4itEYr

Sam also did a couple of loads of laundry while I did boat projects. There are 3 laundry rooms each with 2 sets of washers and dryers in varying states of repair. The unwritten etiquette of laundry facilities is, at least the ones we've visited over the years, is you don't leave stuff in the machines after they are done as other people may be waiting. Well, there were 2 loads left in 2 machines that had apparently been there for quite some time so Sam unloaded them onto the table, Turns out these were loads for 2 separate guests staying in the apartments here that were being done by the staff here. When the tardy staff found the loads on the table the great Dirty Laundry Conspiracy Inquiry of 2024 was launched. Investigations continue to track down the perpetrators!

Meanwhile, back on Amaruq, I installed a selector switch on the shore power battery charger so I can switch between the starter battery and house battery when we are plugged into 110 volt ac. This allows me to direct the charge current to either battery by rotating the switch vs. reiring the charger as it can't charge both battery banks at the same time. The solar panels do a decent job of recharging the house battery bank each day as long as we have a few good hours of sunlight. With our Starlink running for 16 hours a day and 2-3 hours of TV time, both running off the house bank, the system is just keeping up with the daily power demands. When he system was originally designed and installed it was sized for the power requirements without these 2 add ons so when we get cloudy weather our solar regeneration sometimes doesn't keep up with the demand.

We also took down our genoa sail and did a few minor repairs on the sunbrella UV protective strip that runs down the leach of the sail. With the sail rolled up around the furler and forestay the sunbrella is the only thing that is exposed and protects the sailcloth from UV damage. Ours had a few wear points on it so we applied some repair tape and ran it through Lynn's Sailrite sewing machine.

The 3rd boat project was making a boom brake , which is a device that slows the movement of the boom from 1 side of the boat to the other in accidental gybe situations. An accidental gybe occurs when you are sailing downwind with the boom pushed out to the side as far as possible to catch the wind. Sometimes however, a gust of wind can catch the sail on the other side due to change in wind direction, sideways pitching of the boat due to wave action or inattentive helm control resulting in the boom arcing across the boat to the other side with great force and speed. If you're lucky, nothing bad happens but if someone is in its path, severe injuries are possible and it could result in damage to your rig and/or sail.

This situation can be avoided or controlled by use of a preventor line running from the outer end of the boom to a point at the bow and back to the cockpit which won't allow the boom to swing over very far. We use 1 of these when we sail down wind in stronger winds. This other device that will help with this is a boom brake, which is attached to the boom and provides a fair amount of friction that slows the boom down in its journey across the boat in the event of an accidental gibe. Commercial brakes are available with several different designs with very high prices. My solution was based on people who have done DIY solutions utilizing various designs of rock climbing devices called rescue 8's. These are rated for several thousand pounds of force as they are used for rescuers to descend ropes in rescue situations.

This clip shows the violent motion of an uncontrolled, accidental gybe.

https://youtu.be/eQDt1Xk74Mk?si=Q50aX5jAVz-f3tns

This clip shows a preventor in action (it's the device with the yellow rope in this video clip)
https://youtu.be/y8D89wiRxpQ?si=VD4NGf4Ql2qsFUF8

Today's photo is a shot of the type of rescue 8 I used for our boom brake. You can see it is rated for 30,000 lbs of tensile strength so it should help to control the energy of a rapidly moving boom.

The weather here has been an extended wind storm for days on end with the speeds hitting 20+ knots at the dock with guts a lot higher, so there are been limited crossing opportunities from Florida across the Gulf Stream to the Islands. There was a 2 day window last week and 4 boats arrived on the same day at different times and all of them from Canada.

On 1 side of us the couple is from Whitby and the boat the other side of them from Port Credit. The boat that we share a dock with has a mastiff named Sherman aboard. Our son Scott told us about a guy he works with who sails the Bahamas in the winter time with his dog Sherman and sent us a link to his Youtube channel a few months back. So, what are the chances that this is the same boat. Turns out they're pretty good as this is the same guy! It's like meeting somebody that you used to know. Pretty small world!

(today's musical clip is from Burlington On. group Walk Off the Earth, who, aside from doing a pretty decent job of this somg, demonstrate how musical groups perform in tight quarters (like on a sailboat)

https://youtu.be/P9mybTArlsk?si=xUqlP7jef-F2NlKN

BTW Sherman is a great addition to our dock security as he barks at anyone he doesn't know. He's a big loveable guy who apparently loves dinghy rides so we will have to watch out for unexpected boarding if we put the dinghy in the water.


I also got a message via the Noforeignland app from a Quebec couple we helped unstep their mast back at Castleton on the Hudson in September. I have been posting reviews of anchorages we had used on our trip down here as the app posts these to help boaters. Kind of a pay it forward type of thing which we found very useful on our trip down. This couple is still in Florida waiting for a crossing window but were asking about the anchorage we used on the island after we checked in at West End. I gave them the run down on staying in the channel as we know of a boat that didn't and ended up damaging their propellor, and also the info for this marina in case they were looking for a place to stop over for a hike.

Aside from that, we defrosted the fridge, which seems to be a bi-weekly occurrence due to the humidity. Sam has it down to a pretty good routine now and it takes about 30 minutes. It's pretty amazing how much food it holds and it does a good job of keeping frozen stuff frozen. The food is keeping well and the only casualty we send to have was a rotten orange. Found that 1 out the hard way!

https://youtu.be/3qdWWdhl5jI?si=vs-K-uZm8nGD5U3T


Today's shot, although pretty poor quality due to the low light, is of our nightly visitor atop the piling at the end of our slip. It's a yellow crowned night heron according to the Merlin bird app. This thing squawks at times throughout the night and even growls at times like a dog. So between Sherman and this guy we have 24 hour security protection!

https://youtu.be/0MluxWirpKc?si=a9CiLOHim6UTaL-T

The hard thing about writing a blog is finding things to cover when not a lot is happening. Compared to the first 2 months of our trip, where every day was packed with scenery and/or events along the way, sitting in a marina is pretty laid back. Grand Bahama Island is fairly large in comparison to other islands in the nation, but there really isn't a lot to see or do here aside from the natural beauty of the beaches and reefs.

https://youtu.be/EQnaRtNMGMI?si=7Au7rURze1mzeOHn


Having a car for the past few days allowed us the opportunity travel a good part of the island and hit some of the stores and bakeries. One of the things I am looking for is a whisker pole fitting for my mast. A whisker pole is used to hold the clew (rear corner) of the jib out perpendicular to the keel of the boat when you are heading down wind so it catches as much wind as possible and doesn't flap. I had made a pole from fittings I got off kijiji and all I need is the mast attachment.

New units are very expensive so I was hoping to find something suitable at a marine wreckers here on the island. But after trips to 4 marine stores I have come up empty. No one here carries sailboat parts either new or used, and the 1 wrecker located in an adjacent channel to the marina, where there are many wrecked and even sunken boats, appears not to be open for business. I dinghies over but was treated by 3 very large and agitated security dogs. Fortunately they didn't jump into the water to greet me. So, in the meantime I will have to jury rig something while I keep an eye out for a wrecked or abandoned boat with the fittings I need.

Had another MyGyver episode as we needed a way to get back into the dinghy while snorkelling. We tried a loop of rope from the front cleat to the back which helped a bit but it was still a bit awkward for Sam to get in. So I found a piece of 1" pex plastic pipe and cut 4 rungs which are hung from rope side rails (not sure what the rope equivalent of rails is) and snap it onto an attachment on the boat. We need to field trial it now but the wind is predicted to be very strong for the next week so that will have to wait.

Today's photo is a DIY idea I found online for a whisker pole attachment. This could be a good Nike ad with the caption "Just Don't It!"