FIRST LIGHT

Vessel Name: FIRST LIGHT
Vessel Make/Model: Hallberg-Rassy 352
Hailing Port: Port Ludlow, Washington
Crew: Harv, Jen & various friends
16 February 2015 | Riviera Beach Municipal Marina
10 February 2015 | Chub Cay Marina
07 February 2015 | 23 52.7N: 76 14.5W
03 February 2015 | Emerald Bay Marina
30 January 2015 | Back at Emerald Bay Marina
27 January 2015 | Emerald Bay Marina
22 January 2015 | San Salvador, Bahamas
21 January 2015 | San Salvador, Bahamas
16 January 2015 | Marsh Harbor Marina
14 January 2015 | Marsh Harbor Marina
10 January 2015 | Marsh Harbor Marina
06 January 2015 | Treasure Cay
02 January 2015 | Marsh Harbor Marina
30 December 2014 | Marsh Harbor Marina
27 December 2014 | Manjack Cay
24 December 2014 | Green Turtle Cay
22 December 2014 | Marsh Harbor Marina
19 December 2014 | Treasure Cay
17 December 2014 | 26 58.2N77 59.1W
14 December 2014 | Hinckley Boat Yard, Stuart Florida
Recent Blog Posts
16 February 2015 | Riviera Beach Municipal Marina

Close

We departed Chub Cay as the winds began to moderate and headed to the cut between Cat and Gun Cays in the Biminis. This necessitated transiting the Great Bahama Bank, which is a misnomer as it is mostly barely 2 meters deep, but the aqua color is truly amazing and the seas there so slight it gives one [...]

10 February 2015 | Chub Cay Marina

Finally

Though our little hurricane hole was lovely, and the winds still in the 20's we opted to slip out and cross the bank at high water to make for parts north. After zig-zagging across some shallows we popped the jib and were finally able to SAIL ... and with Hydie steering!! It was a gorgeous beam reach [...]

07 February 2015 | 23 52.7N: 76 14.5W

Companionship

(sent via ssb) With 275 miles to go we are slowly making our way north along the ruggedly disjointed Exuma chain of cays. First stop, Lee Stocking whose anchorage held an odd assortment of boats. We picked a spot and dropped our hook thinking everyone would swing together, but the currents are as wacky [...]

03 February 2015 | Emerald Bay Marina

Northward

Lee Stocking Cay, the once-upon-a-time research island, has slipped further into oblivion – it doesn’t take nature long to reclaim her own. The houses are empty or boarded up… save the one Rob and Lauren set up with couches, empty beer bottle and book “Lone Survivor”. The lab is bare of cabinetry; [...]

30 January 2015 | Back at Emerald Bay Marina

Rough Bits

The Trade Winds, those consistent northeasterly winds that have over the centuries shaped the mariner's existence in The Bahamas have failed. Settlements, harbors and marinas here are all geared for those consistent winds. This, when the winds get weird, makes finding a 'safe harbor' problematic. What [...]

27 January 2015 | Emerald Bay Marina

One in Every Bar

The past few days have seen bouncy seas, fluky winds and a lot of re-thinking of routes. The trip from San Salvador to Conception, one of the Bahamian National Parks, started with calm seas and light winds, but we put up the main anyway - for good measure - and motored along westerly. By mid-day the [...]

Balancing Life

24 December 2014 | Green Turtle Cay
jen / gentle breezes, high cirrus
I forgot to mention in The Usual Suspects, many of the new people we'd met in Marsh Harbor. First there was Scott, an internet-porn-cop contractor from Afghanistan, he'd left Bermuda in mid-November heading for the British Virgin Islands - to which JohnPaul said, "You're a brave man!" ... he's so eloquent. As someone less "brave" might guess, he hit nasty weather and lost his forestay - one of the stainless cables that holds the mast up. This is a bad thing anywhere, much less surrounded by 400 miles of nothing. Steve had been in Marsh fixing his boat and I suppose his relationship with his girlfriend had suffered from the adventures. We never met her.

Then there was the sweet young Londoner, Abby, next door who awaited her "yacht-skipper" boyfriend Chad to return. He was a curiouser sort! Eschewing boat VHF radios feeling hand held versions were just as good because "when you ditch, you can take it with you" ... ok. Another of his gems, was thinking SSB was just a fancy VHF. Yacht-skipper par excellence I'm sure!

The night before we left Marsh we were entertained by Abby and Chad hosting a lengthy party on their boat with two old Aussies and their two old pups ... and when that finally broke up about 2200 Scott and his significant other had a significant spat which made for a lovely double-feature. I'm not certain they'll make it to the BVIs as planned because, as Scott yelled, "You just don't care!! Why are you here anyway?!"

But life is ever a balance. Prior to departing, friendly, helpful owner Tom had given us an interesting bit of advice: If you take The Whale (the cut into the Atlantic that brings you to the northern Abacos - it can be VERY rough) in a rising tide, or better yet, at high tide slack it's a piece of cake - one of those 'petting the cat backwards' boating moments. So Harv and I were up early despite the exciting evening and were quietly away before 0700.

Hallie joined us a while later and after breakfast we ensconced ourselves in the warming sunshine on the foredeck. Seeing the aqua-tinged desert below us through fresh eyes was lovely. We chatted about books she was reading, history, life lessons we're learning. She said, "You know, no matter how old I get I'm just a water-baby at heart. I want to stop and jump over." This is the stuff that balances out all the work.

We did not stop but powered along on near glassy seas thru The Whale and up to Green Turtle. Took a dock in anticipation of the big 50 kt blow (predicted by Chris Parker, weather guru down here, which hasn't materialized. Hallie says her non-super super-power is stealing wind from sailboats... working good so far), tidied up, took a golf cart to town, munched conch at a local liquor store/bar/café, trolled the three grocery stores for a (very) few comestibles (Doritos, medium bag, $8.50 =^\ local homemade loaf of whole wheat bread $5 =^) ... we bought both), and checked out The Bluff House, Green Turtle's rival resort, then came home happy in the realization we'd made the correct choice.

Our day ended with a gorgeous sunset and scrumptious dinner (Thanks Hallie!!) which we shared all around: Lobster Potato Skins, Coconut-Crusted Grouper with Peas and Rice, Grouper in Spicy Thai Noodles and a Seafood Hot-Pot (sort of Bahamian Bouillabaisse in a sweet coconut curry sauce with homemade bread ... OMG!!); a shared Key Lime Pie sent us all to bed happy. Our divine waitress, Claudia, told us of a fascinating Bahamian Christmas tradition: Caroling thru town with drum solos ... at 0430! And though we're a mile and a half from town we heard it still going strong at 0600 when we woke up.

Back to that damned balance of life, there were/are mosquitoes, which Ms. B, in an ugly mood since her swim, refuses to stalk and eat... but she's staying aboard! (for now)
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