We spent a nice calm night at anchor in Alabaster Bay, Eleuthera Island awaiting our long day of travel out through Current Cut and the next day across the ocean to Little Harbor, Abacos. We saw Current Cut from our travels in the car, and despite all the build-up by Ken and Connie about perfect timing to go through and how not to hit the sand bar at the opening (aim at the dock and turn when it goes deep) we weren't worried. We saw a large blue-hulled boat easily navigate through as we stood on shore. If the timing had been different, we might have witnessed a rage of waves and currents and been scared sh__less.

We left Alabaster Bay and in brilliant sunshine and a nice breeze where we could use our jib again. We dodged around crab/lobster pot buoys and double toggles and got to Current Cut about 4:45 or so. We wanted a nice high tide, slack before it starts rushing back through the cut against us. We followed Ken through the shallow shoals, and then turned through the cut.......perfection. Connie and Ken have shown us what experience can bring to cruising. We were going to Royal Island for an overnight anchorage to head to the Abacos in the morning, but the sun was getting close to the horizon and several boats were anchored to the right of the cut, so we joined them, vowing to get up extra early in the darkness of morning to make up the extra hour of travel. We slept the sleep of buoy dodging sailors, waking often to think about tomorrow's adventures.

We awoke at 0530, made coffee and got the boat ready to go. We started pulling the anchors at 0630 and were off, heading for Big Egg and Little Egg Islands where we would cut through to the sound and where it would be daylight. We had just the mainsail up as it was lumpy, waves from the beam (side) and the sail stabilized us and gave us some push through the waves. The winds were more than expected, 12-15-17 knots so as we set our final course for Little Harbor waypoint in the Abacos, we had the wind and waves to our stern and spent most of a very long day either holding the mainsail to the port or the starboard side of the boat with a preventer so we wouldn't accidently jibe the boom. It was surfing all day, with speeds from 6.9-7.6 knots at times. There was no time for recreational reading or cooking or anything else but watching the wind speed and direction and compensating for it. It was also too rolling as the 5-6 foot waves came under our stern and lifted us nose up while we surfed to get much else done except to sail the boat.

In front of us were two to three sailing vessels, Oz near us, and behind us 5-6 others closing in fast. I was like a rally, except we just wanted to get to our goal (off the ocean and back into the protection of the islands) and not win the race. Everyone had their own style of dealing with the large waves and winds, mostly main sails, some staysails, and even when the winds were down some, spinnakers. We finally turned into the Little Harbor Cut at around 4 PM. Another two hours of waypoint to waypoint (it is very shallow in the Abacos) took us to Boat Harbor. We were experiencing some strong wind gusts of >20 knots at times, part of a system of thunderstorms and high winds hitting Florida at about the level of Vero Beach and the tail of it out near us. No rain, just big gusts. When we got to Boat Harbor, we went around Sugar Loaf Cay to anchor in about 11 feet of clear blue water, sand on the bottom. Whew, what a relief to turn off the engines and not be rocking and rolling. We'd been sailing for almost 12 hours, and covered a little more than 75 nautical miles. A big day for sure!

I turned off our trusty watermaker, running since we pulled anchor this morning. Whatever water went into the front tank while we were underway sure got well mixed, shaken, not stirred! It was about all we could do to get things picked up, lines coiled and some dinner made before we collapsed into a heap. Peaches turned on her little notebook and got internet again, for free with our Bullet. We ate, checked some email and Peaches, looking at me witha totally blank, used-up eye face, said she was going to bed and was gone to the front cabin before I could wish her a good night. I turned off almost all the electrical switches, made sure the anchor light was lit, checked that our anchor was keeping us in one place, and I too was gone. I don't remember sleeping the sleep of any type of sailor except an exhausted one.

This morning, after having some small rain showers pass through here during the night, it is cloudy, with patches of sun, about 76 degrees, and we enjoyed the cruiser's net, Abacos style. It was an hour long! It is much more civilized here (Connie's word) and lots going on. Many more businesses advertised, and the events happening ranged from specials at some of the restaurants to a sponsored walk for dog owners, benefiting a local charity to the pouring of brass at the local artisan foundry on Wednesday (I want to see that, so does Peaches). We couldn't decided whether to go to Marsh Harbor where the groceries (new one, just like in Miami) and fuel could be bought or stay here until high tide later in the afternoon and go into Hope Town and take a mooring ball. Again, like everywhere when you are on a boat, the weather dictates what you do.

There are predictions of higher winds for the rest of the week, with scattered showers and some squalls with high winds predicted. We don't want to be anchored behind the low rocky inlet of Sugar Loaf Cay for all of this and Marsh Harbor and Hope Town are both within a few miles of us. We opted for staying here until the tide was high to get into Hope Town. Ken and Connie contacted their friends on Orient Express (moored inside Hope Town) and they facilitated getting us reserved mooring balls for later. SO, our day just got more relaxing. Listening to Orient Express talking with Connie, it turns out that we can even take a ferry boat over from Hope Town to Marsh Harbor to shop without moving the big boats..............very down town!

SO, Peaches is putting in more waypoints for Hope Town and for our northward march to the top of the Abaco chain where we will take off back to Florida, probably to Fort Pierce in a week from now or a little more (don't mess with the weather Gods). I am making water, charging our battery banks and may, if my energy level holds up, try to fix the shower drain in my head (bathroom, not my sinuses). Hope you are all well, and looking forward to being back in Florida. I can see already that the Abacos will be a good training ground for getting used to lots of people and hustle.

Connie and Ken's friend Kirby is going to meet us in Titusville later in April to be crew for us to go out on the ocean for a couple-day voyage directly from Cape Canaveral to Charleston, SC. This will be our longest passage, but think of all the very shallow water and opportunities to run aground we will miss! Think of the extra time it gives us to have Star of the Sea really clean and empty for her summer rest. Think of how much fun it will be to share the trip witth Kirby's help! Star of the Sea Out for now.