Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sunrise 6:34 Sunset 7:34 Moon rise 6:34 moonset 8:31pm

We had very strong, near gale force winds throughout the morning settling into fresh to strong winds ENE-E 20-25knots with sunny and mostly clear skies; 80*F. The chop was a bit to much to dinghy into either of the Sounds so after coffee and cinnamon bread, we decided to stay on board and read. Our mighty little 5 horsepower engine doesn't give us the umph needed to get ashore and back in a timely manner and in any sort of dry fashion. Last night we felt like we were on a hobbie horse one minute and in a washing machine the next. The wind generator is in high gear and periodically as the winds gust, the blades start to slow and shut down until the wind speed gets to a speed that they will function at.

We couldn't hear any of the Cruiser's Net this morning, but I do have a very weak Internet signal up top, so I was able to download today's weather. There's a strong high pressure just north of us, with the front drifting and strengthening through Sunday. We heard several fishermen say that the fish were plentiful in the Sea of Abaco and the Cuts into it, but they weren't staying out - the waters were just to rough. With 8-11 foot Atlantic seas rushing through the cuts - I don't wonder. I wouldn't be out fishing either.

We dinghied over to Black Sound around 3:30pm to see if they had diesel - none since January... Next stop - dinghy over to White Sound. The first marina said no - try Green Turtle Club. They had some so we filled our two jerry cans and went to the store and got some icecream cones and sat on a bench eating them and watching the world go by for a while.

It was a wet dinchy ride back and the washing machine/hobby horse ride continues but dang we have a good anchor set...

This last weeks postings don't have pictures because the bandwidth won't allow it so I'll post those later.