We left Fort Pierce marina at 1330 on Wednesday fully intending to mosey out into the Gulf Stream and across to arrive at the northernmost edge of the Bahama Banks at daybreak, however within 45 minutes of sailing clear of the mainland we encountered our first squall (not too much wind but loads of rain) then closely followed by another with 30 knots of wind and the sound of thunder. We decided to turn through 120 degrees and run away south back towards the mainland with the view of cutting back in to Palm Beach (Lake Worth) Inlet for what would remain of the night.
As we sailed downwind a very bedraggled young brown booby tried to land on our windward spreader and after many attempts managed it. He struggled to stay on but as the wind abated and we had already put in 2 reefs and reefed the jib he settled down. We carried on until just at dusk we saw him flutter away leaving just a few of his calling cards on our decks.
Then we made the decision with the help of the weather forecast to turn back towards the Bahamas and within an hour we were motoring in flat calm seas. The night was dark without a moon but so calm that we both managed some good sleep and were a tad too early to go into the shallow water before daybreak. We switched off the engines and just drifted until we could see enough light to make onto the banks shallow waters.
Then we had a long calm motor for 40 or so miles to our first Bahamian anchorage at Great Sale Cay. It is an uninhabited island with a convenient large sheltered bay where we slept well and were up at first light to start another flat calm motor another 40 miles or so to the island Spanish Cay where we cleared in customs and anchored up over night.
The following day the wind had picked up and we had a cracking sail for nearly 20 miles to arrive at this delightful island Green Turtle Cay and we are anchored for our fourth night in White Sound.
Yesterday we took the morning ferry over to the main island and to the Bahamas Telephone Company shop at Treasure Cay to buy our new data and phone card.
This morning we took the dinghy over to the delightful town on this island New Plymouth founded by the Loyalists fleeing in the late 18th century from the United States. It is very clean, the shops are well stocked, the Christmas decorations are up in the streets but there are very few boats here. Both marinas in the sound where we are anchored have three quarters of their slips empty and we have been able to phone and book three nights over Christmas in the delightful Hope Town Inn Marina on Elbow Cay. We have seen very few cruisers too, in fact there are just two of us left this morning in this anchorage as after the blow on Sunday any sheltering here have left.
We have blown up our new toy, the stand up paddle board and Gerry has been on his maiden voyage not falling off once.
The weather is very warm with southerly winds blowing and not what we were expecting as our thermometer on the back deck is reading 35 degrees. However all should change this weekend as a cold front is forecast to go though and sending the winds back to the north east again.