FourSaltySeaDogs

Just arrived in the Bahamas and all four salty sea dogs are present and correct - just! We had quite a night last night. As I was about to cook supper and we were congratulating ourselves on just missing a squall, the heavens opened and all hell broke loose (slight exaggeration); unbelievably heavy rain (the heaviest and longest lasting we have experienced at sea), wind constantly changing strength (gale force to almost nothing) and direction and, just to cap it all, unbelievable thunder and lightening everywhere - I think we were caught in a tropical pressure "trough". We were all socked through (Nichola's "smalls" are now drying on the lifeline!) and we decided it would be better to motor-sail and keep watch below decks out of the rain! The storm lasted for about 12 hours before stopping as sunddely as it started. We now bathed in sunshine and safely anchored (with the boat looking like a Chinese laundry!) off the west coast of Mayaguana; our first Bahamanian island. We will probably stay here for a few days to lick our wounds and make some minor repairs. We may try to check-in to the Bahamas here; but the place appears virtually deserted as far as the eye can see. Although we have phone coverage, the Bahamas are, unfortunately, not within our Vodafone global roaming area, so phone calls are very expensive. We will ty to get a local SIM card on the first island where we find civilisation (Cat Island maybe); until then, you will all have to make do with these one way communication position reports! However, text messages are not expensive. Best wishes to everyone, Simon