Focus, focus Abacos
05 May 2018
The last two weeks seem to have been less about idly cruising around and more about preparation for our passages to Bermuda and on to the Azores, so our focus has been on the weather.
We had looked at the chart and thought that after Nassau it would be a good idea to head for the Abacos as our departure point as we could clear out at one of the three ports of entry. Hm. The clue is in the name – entry.
Having arrived in the Abacos we discover that no-one clears out. It is the same system as in the USA – no clearance zarpe, no passport stamps. Ha, so we did not need to come to the Abacos, but having charted a boat here in 2003 and had a few days of diving with Julia, it seemed like we should pay a visit anyway.
Although all is well and we have not been impeded significantly it could have been a bit of a mistake as we failed to take into account that in easterly winds the channels and cuts through the fringing reef and cays can be a bit of nightmare.
Our first stop after Nassau was Royal Island in northern Eleuthera – the 39nm on 19th April was a motor the whole way in flat calm and no wind. A forecast of stronger easterly winds kept us in the very sheltered inlet until 22nd April when we sailed the 63nm to Lynyard Cay, Abacos. We were on a close reach the whole way with winds 18-24kts ESE and a very lumpy sea. Two reefs in the main and two in the genoa kept Minnie B comfortable and we averaged 7.3kts but with an overcast sky and a cool wind it was not overly pleasant.
The pass through the reef at North Bar Channel was reminiscent of the seas at the bar at the entrance to Strangford Lough with wind over tide. Irish and Scottish waters are great training and experience for sailing pretty much anywhere in the world [Apologies for the writer as he seems to have ignored the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic and Arctic where he has never been. Ed].
We moved on to Marsh Harbour the main town in the Abacos and after a couple of days without a favourable weather forecast, we moved on again.