We're back in the US. It was a LONG sail "home" this year,using just about every combination of sail possible over the course of five days.

The phone is on, Free nights (starting 7pm) and weekends. Call us!

Someone pointed out that "Road Chronicles" may not be an appropriate name for this blog since we spend so little time on the road these days. We're accepting suggestions for a new title.

There may be prizes - but unlike Halloween we will NOT be giving away Kismet this time.

It was only recently that we got our spinnaker flying. We were sailing with Bill and Judy (Peaceful Warrior) from Cat Island to Great Guana Cay in the Exumas with out Main and Jib sails while they were flying their spinnaker. It looked beautiful. We never tried our spinnaker because of our bow pulpit which would interfere with a line attached from the tack of the spinnaker to the base of our forestay. When we got to Black Point anchorage, we looked at how they rigged their spinnaker.

Bill uses a "Tacker" which is a plastic "U" shaped sleeve which transfers the horizontal loads from the spinnaker to the furled jib. A line attaching the tack of the sail to the base of the forestay carries the vertical component of the spinnaker load. Only problem is a "Tacker" costs $140 (West Marine) and is 200 miles away.

A local contractor in the Black Point settlement drove me out to his construction site and let me use a piece of 4" PVC drain pipe. This served as the form for the sleeve and then some old rope helped shape a guide for the strap. After 4 layers of fiberglass cloth and epoxy and some spare parts - voila - see photo link at bottom of this posting

It wasn't until we sailed north along the Eleuthra coast heading back to the Abacos that we were able to try the spinnaker. The first time rigging a spinnaker is no easy task when working on the deck of a rolling boat. Trying to make sure the lines and sail would exit the shoot smoothly without any twists took two tries. Finally it was out and we are thrilled with the way the sail handles in light winds. We were so comfortable with it that we raised it and sailed with it thru the night on our passage from Eleuthra to North Bar Channel, Abaco.

Thanks Bill and Judy

Click here to see the "TACKER"

We spent the week at Black Point, the second largest settlement in Exuma. The settlement is 7 hours by mailboat from Nassau. That's significant because that's where most of the locals get their groceries, do their banking, and send their teenagers to school

The mailboat arrives weekly in Black Point from Nassau, sometime Wednesday afternoonish. Before she leaves Nassau, Black Pointers (some who now live in Nassau) pack up bags of groceries and write the destination family name on the bags. The arrival of the Wednesday mailboat Captain C is a major event in Black Point life, especially when she's late - which she always is! In addition to personal groceries, she brings freight and, oh yeah, the mail. She continues south to northern Great Exuma and on to the Ragged Islands before returning to Black Point on Friday. You'll see the government dock lined with propane tanks to ship to Nassau where they are refilled and returned on the Wednesday run. The local women send their eight fathom (about fifty feet) rolls of plaiting (woven strip) to Nassau on Friday and get money or groceries back on Wednesday. Oh, yeah, and the mail goes OUT on Friday. The Friday we arrived, all the town teenagers were boarding to head back to Nassau after Easter break. The local school is primary only, so the kids must LIVE in Nassau while attending high school.

Some folks, such as Lorraine Rolle, proprietor of Lorraine's Caf�, fly to Nassau to save the travel time. Lorraine makes the trip once a month or so to do her banking. And you thought ATM fees were high, try a $200 round trip ticket!

It's a different way to live!

We made several trips to the Exuma Sound beaches. The sea glass finds were amazing. In one day we collected nearly 200 pieces, half of which are very nice quality. At low tide, we walked along the sand flats on Exuma Banks side. Lots of life there including live sand dollars and crabs.

This is probably one of the friendliest settlements in the Bahamas. People are always stopping the cruisers to chat. The community is easy to visit even if you're not living on a sailboat. The mailboat, which is $100 round trip, includes a bunk, a shower, and meals. A cottage with kitchen and laundry rents for $850/week. In addition to enjoying the people and shores of this settlement, it's an easy hop to snorkeling and fishing areas.

Any takers? If you're coming, do like the locals do and pack your own food!

Click here for more pictures