Stars, Sails - the Parallax View

A family of astronomers at sea... coming soon to a galaxy near you...

28 May 2020 | Fort Myers, FL
13 February 2019 | SW Florida
25 May 2018 | Fort Myers, SW FL
02 September 2016 | Fort Myers, FL
11 July 2014 | Fort Myers, FL
04 July 2014 | Fort Myers, FL
01 July 2014 | South Jersey Shore
23 April 2014
11 November 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
05 July 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 March 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
11 March 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 February 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
24 January 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 December 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
15 December 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
28 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
25 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
07 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL

Staniel What?

09 April 2012 | Staniel Cay Exumas Bahamas
Heather / 78 F / E 12 kts
We got a decent wind for sailing part of the time, AWESOME!!!!
sailing!

The quietness of sailing resulted in another strange phenomenon: our cat emerged into the cockpit while we were underway! That's a first. She looked pretty much at ease there, too:
cat in cockpit

We arrived and anchored beside Charisma and aft of S/V Free Spirit in 9 feet over deep white sand, just W of Pig Beach on Big Majors Spot (good holding close to Staniel Cay). as per his usual safety-mindedness, Derek dove the anchor:
Derek dives the anchor

He swims pretty fast, so it doesn't take long!
ahh perfect

The water was 79F, gorgeous as you see, and he said the anchor buried itself with utter perfection, upright and sunk into the sand so deeply that only the end of the shaft where the chain attaches was out of the sand... Big Majors Spot, west side, off Pig Beach (where the pigs come running to see what you brought them and swim out to your dinghy if they are really feeling peckish!) is a gorgeous anchorage with lots of room and great holding. Wouldn't be so good in a westerly.

We were so happy to see Chris and Marisa again! We had a chili dinner in the cockpit to celebrate. Stayed up late by cruiser standards (though not by astronomer standards) :-)
Chris and Marisa!

The next day we went into town to the markets, to check out Staniel Cay (rhymes with Brie), a place with more megayachts than we've seen in one spot before. A place that was a lot less developed last time we were here, 17 years ago. We also took Grant to snorkel the cave, although we'd heard that it gets crowded now. Again, last time we had it to ourselves most of the time.

Chris and Marisa tell us that if we show up at slack tide and wait until the current starts to get strong, we will have the place more to ourselves as fewer people want to swim against the currents. So we did that, but I will have to post the pictures later... different camera.

The walk to the Isles store crossed the Bonefish Creek Bridge:
bonefish creek bridge

It was full of bonefish:
bonefish

But look only....
no fishing

Down at the Government Dock, a fisherman had brought in his catch and was cleaning it, and the rays and sharks knew about it immediately:
rays and sharks

And in the evening, the cruisers all got together at the instigation of Charisma (of course!). There were good stories:
Chris

And some serious stories (Marisa and Meryl got to know each other, too!):
Marisa and Meryl

And some new friends, Marcia and Alan and Julie and Hunter. Here are Marcia and Julie:
Marcia and Julie

Comments
Vessel Name: Parallax
Vessel Make/Model: 37' Prout Snowgoose (1982)
Hailing Port: Pensacola
Crew: Derek, Heather and Grant
About:
Two astronomers, looking for variable stars and adventure. After cruising the Caribbean aboard S/V Paradox for 18 months in the early 90s, the crew swallowed the anchor and had a child, always planning their next Great Adventure: cruising under sail with Grant, showing him the world. [...]
Extra:
We knew that if we ever got a catamaran, we'd want a name to celebrate her twin-hulledness. Parallax is seeing the same thing from two slightly different points of view, which with our two eyes is what gives humans our depth perception. It's also a good metaphor for one of the benefits of marriage. [...]

S/V Parallax

Who: Derek, Heather and Grant
Port: Pensacola