Tuesday, Feb 20
Man O War Cay (MOW)
Arrive back at the boat in the afternoon at 1600 after a thankfully uneventful journey via Fort Lauderdale. Back in Chicago it was raining cats and dogs when the Uber took me to O'Hare. The driver, Ousmane from Senegal, was a fun guy to talk with.
I went to to the airport a bit earlier than usual because I worried that TSA would find my hookah (snorkel compressor) objectionable, so after giving it to the X-Ray guys I waited by the machine. They told me I was good to go! Next at carry-on they checked my bag because they saw the regulator and didn't know what to make of it, but again let me go after they looked at it. Changed planes at Ft Lauderdale, where a terminal change requires another go through security, again having the bag checked. But no issue and I had enough time. A slighly bumpy flight since the Silver Airways prop plane stays lower than jets, but arrived on time and unscathed. Customs asked if I have boat parts - I say 'snorkeling equipment' and they let me go. I got my hookah!
Taxi to the ferry dock where I have to wait a long time for the next Man-o-war ferry, but when I arrive I see the Caprice high and fine. Below is very good, no stink and no mold. After switching on the fridge I take the dinghy off the hatch and put the little outboard on, it starts after a few pulls, and run into town to buy fresh groceries. All is very quiet - I had really expected a bit more action now. The ferry dock was full for people going to Hopetown, but MOW is pretty dead. Suits me fine.
Back at the boat I open some drawers where I keep extra cans of beer and ginger beer, and a swarm of fruit flies ascends. The drawer got quite a bit of rainwater during some of the recent heavy rains, and some cans have corroded and spilled their content. Happy flies!
On deck I realize that one Halyard is loose, in fact, I now realize it's ripped. A mystery.
Early night to make up for lack of sleep.
Wednesday, Feb 21
MOW
A gorgeous day, sunny and breezy. The steady breeze here is what makes this place so nice. Without it would be too hot. After breakfast I hook up the compressor with the hoses, connect it to the battery and don the wetsuit. The hookah works beautifully. But I have a hard time staying under water. The wet suit adds floatation and my belly fat is probably not helping either. I get to work cleaning the hull with a brush. The growth on the 'anti'-fouling paint is something hard to believe. It's like the beasts actually like the paint and its poison...
I spend about a half hour underwater scrubbing and scraping, but I'm only partially done when I call it a day. I just have to find a weight belt to keep me underwater.
I haven't started the engine yet, dreading some possible problem. But now I do and it starts right away after 10 seconds cranking. Super! All looks good, I cast off my lines and motor over to the main harbor.
The same mooring that I used two months ago is available and I'm just 20 meters from it when I come to a stop - run agound. Reversing doesn't help. Ron from the boat next door dinghies over, and Donna from Christan. They try to push me around but no dice. Donna tries pulling me with some old dockline I hand her which promptly snaps. By now the tide has fallen a bit more and I'm fully stuck. No problem, really, just inconvenient. Ron ties my second anchor rode to the mooring to make sure I'm secure and can pull myself to the mooring once the tide rises. I take the dinghy to shore and pay my dues to Lisa at Edwins. Coming back the Caprice is visibly leaning, and Ron and Jamie, the owner of the mooring, are poking at the line Ron put to the mooring earlier. It turns out he didn't actually attach it to the right line - there's some old line with a baby anchor that somebody must have lost entangled with it. I'm glad they noticed that because else I would have drifted off when the tide would have come later.
I decide to use the time to scrub the waterline. By now I can actually stand by the boat and scrub and scrape the hard growth off the sides. An hour of this and I find I can hardly climb the ladder onto the boat since it's so much higher.
I will just have to wait. I ran aground at 1600, low tide is at 1900, so probably by 2200 I can get clear. I sit below reading while the heeling angle increases to 15 degrees. It doesn't sound like much, but at that angle walking about the cabin is not so easy anymore. No way to cook or even use the bathroom. I just pass the time reading, peeking out occasionally. I peek out at 2200 again and find that I'm actually free and already floating. I haul myself to the mooring and bring the lines on board and I'm finally here...
Thursday, Feb 22
MOW
Buddy comes by this morning to drop off a weight-belt for me to try. He might even sell it to me if I like it and if the price is right.
I walk the town a bit, get some new fresh water in the gallon jugs, and work some on the computer for my job. The weather is nice but it's too windy to go anywhere with the boat. But I like being here a lot, only I miss my admiral. At lunchtime I go hookah diving to clean the bottom and spend at least an hour this time, but it's so easy to do with this thing. I'm very happy with it.
Friday, Feb 23
MOW
Like yesterday the wind keeps up but the weather is sunny and really pleasant temperatures. Again work on the computer, but in the afternoon I decide to go for a snorkel (without the hookah) at the low place. I anchor the dinghy where the admiral and I snorkeled last Thanksgiving, and it's great to swim here again. Because of the rough seas outside it's a bit murky and I don't see a lot of fish or coral, and no star fish.
Saturday, Feb 24
MOW - Marsh Harbor - MOW
Today I want to sail over to Marsh Harbor to buy groceries, pay Rey for my two days in December, and find a battery for the hookah that I can take on the dinghy. I get everything shipshape and let go of the mooring lines, carefully timing it so I don't risk hitting Ron. With the wind blowing still it's a bit of a problem to cast off from this mooring because in the time I take to get back to the cockpit the boat usually takes a turn, and I must make sure it turns the right way. All seems to go well, but after a few meters I run aground again! Ron has seen me and he comes over with the dinghy to help. We tie my main anchor line back to my mooring so when the tide rises further I have a secure point. While we do this I hear the engine alarm going on and when I get back on board I notice that the engine has died. The gear lever is stuck in slight reverse - I realize that the prop must have been turning and caught the line we just put. OK, one more snorkel, and I find indeed the line wrapped around the propeller shaft. But because it was running very slowly (I had actually thought I was in idle) the wrap isn't very hard and I'm able to free it by hand. The line isn't even damaged. Back on the boat, and the gear lever is free again. Two hours later and I'm finally free again and one more time attempt, this time successfully, to exit and get to Marsh Harbor. Cleaning the boat has restored its speed, I'm happy to find it moves at 5-5.5 knots when motoring at 2500RPM. Once I manage to clean the propellor I might get even a little more out of it. I get to Marsh Harbor at a little past noon, anchor and first go to the liquor store for beer in case they close early. Back to the boat and drop the beer, back to the dinghy dock where some local kids ask for $2 for helping me dock and to watch my dinghy. I give Lois one dollar and walk to the ACC store that has batteries. I find a faily small U1L battery (light enough to carry) for $90 and they offer to come to the dock to get my old battery (you need to return an old one or pay $35 extra), nice service! Next to Maxwell's for groceries and back to the dinghy. It's still there, and Lois comes with a buddy who asks if I want to 'sponsor' him for a athletics competition in Nassau. I decline but wish him luck. Back to the boat with groceries, and then again to Mangoes Marina to say hi to Rey. He refuses to take my money, so instead I go to the liquor store and get him a bottle of rum.
The battery guys don't show up and I can't reach them on the phone, so I dinghy one more time back to the Caprice for my own phone, and finally I reach them and they come by with the battery.
At the dock I meet Steve from a 27 foot Pacific Seacraft Dana, who tells me about the Junkanoo competition tonight. I'm tempted to stay, but after returning to the Caprice and having some late lunch I decide to sail back to MOW. I get there just after sunset and on approaching the mooring run aground, this is my third time now! This time I manage to free myself and finally get to relax. Later at night some heavy rain showers force me to close the hatches, the first time since I'm here.
Sunday, Feb 25
MOW
The morning is grey with frequent sprinkles, so I just stay on the boat and watch some Star Trek. While trying to arrange the surprisingly full poopy tank (I must have forgotten to switch it to 'air' again), I pull on one of the hoses too hard and it comes off. This means a mess and stink and about an hour work to clean it all up.
By lunchtime it clears up and the wind seems to diminish a little. I find that I can just barely finish cooking my pasta before the alcohol stove runs out of fuel. I really must buy some new before I leave here tomorrow. I'm planning to leave and make my way toward the Whale channel. If it's calm enough I'll go through and on past Green Turtle Cay to Manjack Cay.
Monday, Feb 26
MOW to Manjack Cay
Finally the wind is dimishing a bit and clocking to the south, so that mean likely good conditions to
traverse the infamous whale passage. A German trawler captain I met at the MOW dock dismissed the whole talk about the whale as rather overblown,he says he's gone through it many times and it's never as bad as people act. We'll see.
I get some final supplies in town (fuel for the alcohol stove at the hardware store, where I meet Buddy and pay him $50 for the weight belt and $50 for the 5 days mooring), and some fresh meat at the supermarket. I want to get off my mooring before the tide goes any lower, so I don't get stuck again. This time I get off the spot clearly and dock at the fuel dock for water, gasoline and diesel. As my luck would have it they run out of diesel right at this point. There's a slow trickle and the attendant tells me that the barge that delivers diesel didn't come for some reason. I slowly get my tanks filled, but I don't much like getting the last bit of their fuel, it might have sludge and water in it. Let's hope not...
I clear up and finally at 10AM I'm on my way and out the harbor.
The wind is almost exactly from behind now, and also some gentle swell. I unfurl the jib which gives a bit more speed, but this jib is too small to sail on it alone. When I raise the main I find the auto-pilot, as usual, can't cope with the conditions. The main sail gives me a big weather helm, and with the rolling of the boat it's the usual problem. Also, the slider in the auto pilot is still not working right - this has been a troublemaker forever. I just don't know what to do with the thing to make it work reliably. I douse the mainsail again and get the autopilot back to work with occasional adjustments.
It's a gorgeous day though, just the right amount of wind and sun. Many other boats are taking today as an opportunity to get through here, most of them going south. I pass about a dozen of them. And then Ted from Little Wing, the Valiant 40, who we met in Hopetown last year. He takes a photo of the Caprice and I as we pass:
Conditions are excellent, even calmer than last year on my way down. I see some boats way off the channel line on the map, something I'd rather not do since there might be remnants of old markers. The weather turns rainy now, and once I'm through the passage in calmer waters some serious rain starts falling for an hour or so. None of it predicted at all...
Once past Green Turtle Cay and the sun is back. By the time I approach Manjack Cay the weather is beautiful again, and the water calm as a mirror. There are about two dozen boats here, but this bay is huge and could have a hundred boats. As I'm looking to anchor a guy on another boat (who's so far away I can barely hear him) asks me to move further away since 'his anchor chain is in loops and he'll swing around a lot'. I think he just wants his privacy, so I move off 100 meters and drop anchor.
Still good phone reception here, so I use this to call my parents and hear that Germany and Europe in
general has record cold temperatures. They tell me it snowed several inches in Rome! And I'm sitting in my swimming trunks here.
Next I go turtle and ray hunting with the dinghy. The mangroves here have navigable channels and I right away see a huge ray, but he swims off in a hurry. Initially not many turtles, but eventually I start seeing them poking their heads up many times, but always at least 50 meters away, and by the time I get there I can't find them anymore. But it's very pretty here.
Eventually back to the boat, and dinner.
Tuesday, Feb 27th
Manjack Cay
A nice night and morning here, but then the Sun disappears and big storm clouds appear. None of this predicted, of course. Some heavy rain starts falling, which wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to be on a call or two for work. The connection to BTC/Internet here is not very strong, and during the rain even worse, so I lose connection again and again. Good thing I can do much of my work without a constant connection.
After lunchtime it starts clearing up and Cliff from a neighbor boat comes by on a paddle board to chat. He's the guy who asked me to move yesterday, and he tells me about snorkeling at the two wrecks on shore here, and the turtle feeding spot on the northern tip of Green Turtle Cay. This sounds great, I'm sure to check that out in a few days. For now I'm happy here. The sun comes and goes, and I decide to snorkel the wrecks anyways even if visibility won't be perfect. They are both pretty much disintegrated, not easy to see what they actually were before. Many fish, they love those wrecks because it gives them many nooks and holes to hide in.
On shore is the wreck of some kind of vehicle with tracks like a tank, with some winch platforms on it. I can't quite make sense what it was. Back to the boat, and seeing the wind being predicted to become rather strong overnight I decide to move to a more protected spot in the northern part of the bay. All goes well, the anchor catches well and I'm too lazy to dive again to check it. Lots of space to drag if it happens here.
Wednesday, Feb 28th
Manjack Cay
A breezy night as predicted, I think it might well have blown 20 and more, but the anchor didn't budge. I actually had to use the blanket for the first time here because it got a bit coolish. But it's a gorgeous sunny morning.
Breakfast, and a work call, and then off to look for turtles. The first I see right from the dinghy scurrying away from me. I anchor the dinghy and search, but the critters have fled. They are much more skittish than the ones I see in MOW, who don't seem to be scared of people. I snorkel around and find a nice ray, but no turtles.
Back to the dinghy, and to the next spot. I can't actually get to the mangroves now, the tide is too low. Close to the mangroves the current is so strong that I can barely hold my position snorkeling, so I return to yesterday's wrecks. Tons of fish again. Next to Rat's Cay, where I find a lobster hiding in a hole but still no turtles at all. But on my way back to the dinghy my first shark here in the Bahamas. I'm sure he's harmless but I don't follow him, and he ignores me too.
I make a huge pot of Chili Con Carne for lunch, of which I will probably eat another 3-4 times. I usually cook big portions and put much in the fridge to have pre-made lunch and dinner. When I have enough power I can use the microwave to reheat.
After some more work I head out to the mangrove channels once again. First I head for the ocean entrance and snorkel some there, but find nothing much. Somebody else is snorkeling there with a spear, maybe trying to catch some lobster for dinner.
Next through the channels, and like last time I just get to see some occasional turtle peeking its head out. I decide to anchor the dinghy and snorkel. The current is still strong from the incoming tide, so I just drift along and finally get to see some turtles underwater. They are very shy and never come close enough to take decent photos, but they are great to watch. The look clumsy on land, but they swim very gracefully. I come across an apparently abandoned trimaran in the channels, too.
On the way back I see a few more turtles from the dinghy but they swim off as fast as their flippers allow them to. And finally I see another spotted eagle ray, a gorgeous sight as always.
Thursday, March 1st
Manjack Cay
I wake up to a beautiful calm day and a pretty sunrise. The predicted bad weather is coming on Saturday only, so I'm glad to stay here another day and move to Green Turtle Cay tomorrow. Since it's just after high tide it's a good time to run the mangroves to the ocean entrance and maybe find that snorkeling buoy Jeff mentioned. There's already a strong current out of the mangroves, and this makes for a rough and choppy sea. I snorkel close to the entrance where 4 other dinghies with 3 women are anchored. Their husbands are snorkeling trying to find lobster. Visibility is bad because of the rough sea and all the sediment the mangrove channels release into the ocean. I soon decide to move elsewhere, back into the mangroves. There's surprisingly strong current coming out of here, I didn't expect from the tides, but currents and tides are a science I can't quite master.
In the channels I anchor the dinghy and today, finally, I get to see the critters a little better. They are really everywhere, but shy and swim off unless you are very calm.
By afternoon the wind starts picking up from the west, as predicted, and produces a choppy sea. I wonder if I should have left to Green Turtle Cay today, after all.
The anchor roller works itself loose from all the pitching and jerking, one of my re-occurring problems on the Caprice. A proper way to fasten it would be with some through-bolts, but I can't reach a place inside to counter any bolts.
So I rig my old bridle again to take the load off the anchor roller and decide to epoxy it again to the rubrails. Let's see how long it takes this time to become loose again.
Through the night the wind increases, and the choppy waves with it. It's not really a big deal, but it would be nicer to have a calmer bed.
Friday, March 2st
Manjack Cay to Green Turtle Cay
By early morning I get up and have breakfast in the dark so that when the sun rises I'm ready to leave. I need to get to Green Turtle Cay a little before high tide, at 8. My first task is to get the outboard motor off the dinghy and onto the Caprice rail. When the sea is rough I want to reduce the chances of a mishap with the dinghy. To lift the outboard on the Caprice I have to climb into the dinghy as usual, unscrew the motor clamps, and then carefully lift the motor up and on deck. When we have large waves, this is sometimes a bit of an unsteady task because the Caprice might lift while the dinghy falls, or vice versa. So timing the lift and drop on the poop of the Caprice is critical. All goes well, so now my next task. Before raising anchor I always start the engine to be sure, and today especially because I need it in slow forward to help with the anchor. I start the engine as usual by releasing one of the valves, but something unexpected happens - the engine slows down and dies. It has never ever done this. I suspect it doesn't have enough fuel and check the tank, and try again with the throttle pushed forward. It starts again, but immediately slows down and dies after 5 seconds.
This is a bad time for the engine to fail. I must get away from here and into Green Turtle Cay before the tide turns, and certainly before the weather gets bad.
Next I check the Racor fuel filter, and I think I see the problem. It looks as if there's a lot of water in the bottom of the glass cylinder. Since diesel fuel is lighter than water, any water in the fuel tends to accumulate at the bottom of the tank or filter. That was also a reason why I wasn't too happy to get the last bit of fuel at Man O War - the fuel might have crud and water, and will clog my filters.
The Racor filter has a little valve on its bottom to drain water, which is what I do now. Once the water seems to have gone I close the valve and try again - the engine starts fine and runs good. To be safe I let it run for a few minutes and then raise the anchor without trouble.
Off to Green Turtle Cay. I want to be there early because I think there will be a lot of boaters looking for space. White Sound, the larger anchorage, is notorious for anchors dragging. It has a lot of weed and bare rock. Even though last time I was here I didn't have any trouble, there wasn't much wind here then. This time I want to rent a mooring ball (buoy) to sleep better. I read about some nice mooring in Black Sound, the smaller anchorage where the guides very much discourage anchoring. However, I can't reach their operator on the radio, and I don't want to enter Black Sound unnecessarily, its entrance it very shallow, so I go to White Sound like last year and look for an open mooring there. Here I meet Cliff again, and he gives me the phone number of a mooring rental here, but they don't pick up. Eventually I reach Donny from the Black Sound moorings, and he says he has one free. Off once again, out of White Sound and into Black. All goes well finally and I get a sturdy looking mooring.
Put the motor back on the dinghy, and meet Donny, and agree to keep this mooring for a week. Even if there's some nice weather in the meantime, I will use this as a base. Back to the boat to get papers, money and a change of clothes, and again back to shore to shower and go to customs. One wants to be clean and nicely dressed for official business here.
The town New Plymouth is a bit of a walk and the sun is still shining strong. I'll need a beer soon.
This time at customs I only pay $150 because I stress that the Caprice is not 35 feet, but 34.5 long. This keeps me under the threshold where the fee doubles (and it's actually correct, the Caprice is 34 feet and 10 inches long). And I'm good for another year here!
Next some shopping, and the shop keeper Martha remembers me from a year ago! Imagine that.
Lastly I add $40 to my phone to start another data plan soon, and now back to the boat.
I have my first conch salad this trip.
The blue dot is where I am now, and I like it here.
Saturday, March 3st
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
I have caught a slight cold on my last evening at Manjack Cay, when I showered on the foredeck in the wind. I thought it builds character, but in fact I think that's a myth started by the microbes.
I spent the evening and morning using up all tissues and half the kitchen paper towels. The wind is pretty strong, occasionally gusting to what I take to be 20 knots, nothing bad really especially since I'm on that nice mooring ball. It's very sunny though, I expect my solar panels will have a good day (see below).
In the afternoon I decide to go on shore and walk the island as much as I can, it might be my last chance before the predicted rain tomorrow.
I end up walking for almost 2.5 hours and over 6 miles, reaching as far as Coco Bay in the north.
On the way up there I take the road, but back mostly the beaches facing the Atlantic.
It's beautiful here, and very quiet. Maybe the season starts later? The island is dotted with vacation cottages, I guess mostly 2nd homes for the wealthy, but some for rent as well. A bit like MOW, but maybe a slight bit more fun. Last night I heard some live band playing in a bar somewhere north, never happened in MOW...
My dinghy is missing an oar, but I see it floating nearby and am able to fish it out. Judging by the paint stains on it it must have been hitting an old catamaran that's next to it and this probably worked the oar loose. Also one of the two air chambers is rather soft. It seems to be losing air faster than the other one, since I have that dinghy. I must keep an eye on that.
The solar charge controller shows 109 Amp Hours today, a nice yield, especially considering that the days are still pretty short. This is actually a nice quantifiable measure of the amount of sunshine, let's see what it will be tomorrow.
Sunday, March 4th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
Today I wanted to check Gillam Bay Beach. It's not a long walk from the dinghy landing past some fancy homes on high stilts. When I get close I realize why they need the stilts - there's plenty of water everywhere which means that high tide and with a wind from the sea there can be some flooding here. The beach is very narrow and strewn with debris, trees, branches, weed. Not nice to sit, or even walk along. I turn around and head into town. Being Sunday I don't expect anything to be open today, but in fact I find a Bakery/Cake that sells fresh bread. True to the Caribbean custom the bread is very sweet, my admiral would certainly not like it.
Monday, March 5th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC") and No Name Cay
I hadn't expected it to be so calm already, but after breakfast I decided to drive over to No Name Cay and their residents, the wild pig (and rooster) horde. I plan to be back soon before the tide falls too far for safe reentry.
It's pretty good outside the harbor, no large waves really. I get to No Name Cay in less than an hour and anchor without trouble, then get to shore by dinghy. The pigs are expecting me already (or rather the food they assume I bring for them). I brought a bag of nuts that have gone a bit rancid, and as expected they don't care.
I strew nuts around but they absorb them in no time and soon come after me for me. Before long I'm out of food, and walk around a bit.
Somebody cares for these pigs, they brought a big water tank and rigged it so they can drink from it as needed.
Some other tourists that arrived on a motorboat feed them too and even grab some of the piglets to take selfies. The squealing of the beasts is something I even hear minutes later when I arrive back on the Caprice.
Tuesday, March 6th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
Ted from 'Little Wing' had told me about the little farm selling fresh lettuce and tomatoes close to where I'm anchored, so this morning I go there and meet Chris, the owner. He has a number of different leafy lettuce and a few nice tomatoes - I got a bag big enough for a big salad and next go into town by dinghy to buy some other foodstuff. Today is very calm and sunny day, and in the afternoon I decide to dinghy into White Sound and see if I can find Cliff again. Indeed right when I enter the harbor I find him on his paddleboard. We chat and he invites me to fish with him, maybe on Thursday weather permitting. I walk on shore to the bar where the Acadia crew got drunk about a year ago, and then back. It's a lovely place, good walking. On the way back I stop at Jeff for a moment and admire his Hallberg Rassy Monsoon. This boat is even smaller than mine, but much newer and has probably more space inside than the Caprice.
Wednesday, March 7th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
Wednesday, March 7th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
As predicted the wind started picking up from the South overnight and this morning it's blowing strongly. I'm very well protected here though, no worries. By lunch time I take a ride to the marina for a shower where I meet a Canadian couple Chris and Brenda, on a Jeannau 40. We chat a bit about the difference between the Exumas and the Abacos. A mild rainstorm comes through, but in the end the terrible weather I feared never happens. The afternoon is even sunny, but windy from the South for a change.
Thursday, March 8th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
The wind has turned to NW again, and is blowing pretty fierce, much more than predicted. Ted texts me it's 24 knts in Marsh Harbor. I had planned to meet Cliff today and try fishing, but can't reach him on the VHF. I think my handheld VHF hasn't the greatest range. I get in the dinghy and drive towards White Sound, but outside the entrance bar the waves are choppy and the wind grows. After getting fairly drenched I give up and return to the Caprice. I got lots of work to do anyways. Maybe we fish tomorrow?
Friday, March 9th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC") to MOW
The wind finally abates somewhat overnight and in the morning I first go to Donny to make sure he got his money via Paypal. I remembered that 10 years ago or more I had created an account for something but had never used it since, so I finally get to use it. No ATMs here and no bank of course, and many businesses don't like or take credit card either. But the groceries do, so I get by with little cash. Since I can't leave here before noon because of the tide I dinghy over to White Sound to say bye to Cliff and Jennifer. They invite me into their Hallberg Rassy Monsun, a boat that. at 13 feet, is even smaller than the Caprice. But she's in fact more spacious, and in wonderful conditions. These boats have a deserved reputation for quality. After some fun conversations I return to the Caprice and leave without problems.
The autopilot won't help me much during the whale passage because it really can't handle waves well. And waves there are, higher than I expected. But to be honest I've actually seen worse on Lake Michigan, and outside St Mary's River, and all goes well. A few serious rolls, and some wave tops that I can estimate to be at 6 feet since they are higher than the horizon from where I sit. Once in Baker's bay the ride is very smooth and I can actually go below and make a salad. The only time when it's bouncy again is just north of MOW at the channel there where I can still see sizable breakers of which some remnants make it in here. I reach 'the low place' and anchor quickly, and head into town for some groceries. Back in time for sunset, on the way in the really shallow north entrance (where I even can run aground with the dinghy) I come across a huge 52 foot charter cat that's well stuck. I later hear that the renter has caused quite a few sensations in Hope town already. They appear to rent these boats to everybody regardless of skill. Insurance will pay for it, I suppose.
Saturday, March 10th
MOW
Sunday, March 11th
MOW
It's blowing strong as predicted, but just a few rain sprinkles instead of the deluge I feared. Not much to do really since without sun the snorkeling won't be good and the strong wind will make me drift off if I do the dinghy dive again. I just work, watch movies and read Aubrey/Maturin. By the evening the wind diminishes for a nice sunset. However, tomorrow it's predicted to be even windier.
Monday, March 12th
MOW
Staying put, of course. Winds are predicted to be up to 30, and thunderstorms with chance of hail! Hail in the Bahamas? You must be joking.
Tuesday, March 13th
MOW-Guana Cay (Bakers Bay)
What a difference a day makes. Today is beautiful compared with yesterday. Winds have diminished a lot, still from the north, but just 10 knots. I get some final supplies and leave, first to anchor at the Low Place and then to decide what to do next. I anchor far from the beach this time, I want to put the hookah to a more serious test today from the dinghy today. I first motor far upwind of the Caprice, and then drift underwater toward and past her. The hookah works beautifully. I didn't wear a watch and didn't take the camera this time since I got more gear than I feel comfortable with already, but I estimate that I was underwater for at least 45 mins. And by the end the battery still doesn't really seem to be low! Much better than expected considering how small that thing is.
The Low Place never has particularly good snorkeling because of all the turbulence, and today it's no different. Nevertheless I see my first moray eel, unfortunately no camera...
Afterwards I decide to not stay overnight here but motor to Guana Cay, where I arrive at Baker's Bay an hour before sunset.
It's a bit rougher than I hoped here, and the boat initially rolls a lot, until the wind shifts and the boat starts pitching instead. Not great but bearable.
Wednesday, March 14th
Guana Cay (Bakers Bay and Fisher Bay)
The wind has picked up more than expected and it's actually a little cool. I'm well anchored and got used to the pitching. The Whale passage is in view from here, but looks rather ugly today. Lots of breaking waves. I later hear that one cruiser went in and decided to turn back. Most of the waves that hit me here are the remnants of the big swell I can see from here. I'm glad I don't have to go through there. Lots of other boats seem to agree, they anchor all around here waiting for things to calm down.
By the afternoon I'm getting tired of this, and all the other boats have left, so I up anchor and motor sail to Fisher's Bay 1 hour away. Unfortunately it's no calmer here, but the wind is predicted to swing N overnight and this will improved things. And it does.
Thursday, March 15th
Guana Cay (Fisher Bay)
A beautiful morning, I dinghy into town for some supplies and find a snorkel at the dive shop for $12. They tell me they haven't taken anybody to the reefs for 3 weeks now because of the weather. I take the hookah for a dive at the rock that's half mile offshore and find very clear and water but not a lot of fish or coral. But something else:
The fish like those 'artificial reefs'. The hookah works beautiful though, and after 45 mins the battery still isn't empty.
Ted and Patti on their Valiant 40 arrive and anchor a few hundred meters away. The bay is filling with boats, many of them Canadian cruisers.
I dinghy over to Ted and Patti and Suki, their Portuguese waterdog. We have a fun time chatting in their cockpit, and decide to later go to Grabbers for a bite and drinks.
We meet at 6:30 and enjoy their signature cocktail 'Grabbers', excellent food (my conch fritters were plenty and really good), and the great sunset, for which this place is famous. Ted wouldn't let me pay, many thanks for the treat and the fun times.
Friday, March 16th
Guana Cay Fisher Bay - Bakers Bay
Soon after breakfast Ted texted me that they changed plans and wanted to get through the whale passage today. Since I had promised to show them the hookah I quickly packed it up and went over to them. When Ted tried it he immediately found that one of his zincs was missing, the one on the propeller hub. Strange that it entirely disappeared so quickly, all that was left was a screw. Even though he had a spare zinc, he didn't have the right screws, and I couldn't find any either. So he'll have to wait until he gets back home.
We said goodbye, and Suki gave me a goodbye kiss too.
Back at the Caprice I decided to scrub the underwater and the starboard waterline that's seriously fouled. I found that new stuff had already grown plentiful in the two weeks since I last scrubbed. I need a better scraper to make this job easier. In the end I though to just peek at my own propeller zinc, and was surprised to find it completely gone too. Weird. I'll get a new one in MOW in a few days.
The bay has filled with lots of boats, Ted counted 42! I've never seen it like this before, but there's lots of space of everybody. I guess people come here for the concert of the fabled 'Barefoot Man' at Nippers. A Canadian 40ft Beneteau comes in on the falling tide and hits the shallow rocks in the middle of the bay. He can't get off and has to wait until 4 hours later when the tide floats him.
By the late afternoon I decide to move back up to Bakers Bay so tomorrow I'm ready to go beach combing and snorkeling there. On the way I get to see a float plane taking off and doing some nice stunts, possibly without passengers, or mad ones.
Saturday, March 17th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay
The morning starts still a little windy, but I have to wait for 11AM or so for best light, and I had forgotten to unhook the hookah battery from the main system, which meant it got drained a bit as the overall charge level of the boat decreases. My old big laptop is a big drain on the electricity, I think I need to get a low power laptop soon. By 11AM I'm happy with the charge level and take off. This time for a change I actually close and lock the companionway. something I've never ever done here before. but Ted mentioned hearing of thefts on Guana Cay. At the reefs I find that even the last buoy from last fall has now disappeared, but I don't really need it since I will drag the dinghy with me. Finally I get to use the thing at some depth and it's a lot of fun. It's not really deep here, maybe 15 - 20 feet, but it's quite different to be able to get around a few meters down instead of at the surface.
I don't find all that many fish though, and the coral looks a bit damaged, I guess the winter storms took their toll. You can see the dinghy floating up there and the hose I'm sucking on.
I find that dragging the dinghy around isn't easy against the wind. It's best to make this into a drift-dive, starting upwind of the place you want to see and then drift over it.
I find that if I exert myself breathing is getting a little harder, and finally surface to find the pump sounding rather tired. The battery is low now, but it lasted pretty long.
After returning to the Caprice for lunch and a bit of rest I head out one more time, this time just with the new snorkel. I anchor the dinghy in the middle of the reef and just swim around, occasionally diving for some closer look.
Quite unexpectedly I come across a small turtle, I guess he's just as startled as me.
He doesn't much care for selfies and swims off in a hurry
Each time when I dive here I soon attract some curious barracuda. I don't much like the look of them, and even though in most places I found them to be kind of solitary, here they are often in small groups. Well, today, in fact, a rather large swarm:
They don't bother me, and I return to the Caprice for some dinner and a movie.
Sunday, March 18th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay
I had hoped to repeat the hookah/snorkel tours today, but the wind is blowing much harder than predicted today. I decide to wait and see. Meanwhile on shore a bunch of dudes show up with kiteboards and start their show - it's clearly windy enough for them.
I decide to wait some more and reread the 'A voyage for madmen' by Peter Nichols about the 1968/69 sail single handed nonstop around the world Golden Globe race. An unbelievable story, those men were seriously nuts.
The wind doesn't diminish all day so I just stay on board, sunning myself and reading.
Monday, March 19th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay - Fowl Cay - MOW
In the morning I see a large sail ship coming through the whale and when it gets close I can see it's actually huge, I estimate 100 ft or more. It anchors in the road stead and some crew dinghy into the marina, possibly to check out the docking for their monster. When I leave for south they are back and maneuver their gorgeous ship into the marina. One can see the masts for miles.
I get to Fowl Cay and find that the wind is already blowing from inland, which makes for the curious situation that anchoring on the ocean side would be significantly calmer. But I don't want to try to find my way though the various coral heads and later through the cut again so I anchor at my usual spot. I dive on the anchor to make sure it's fully dug in.
This time the battery of the hookah is fully charged and I have a great time with it. At first I struggle with pulling the dinghy around, which is not easy with any wind against me. I learn quickly to motor well upwind of the spot I want to see and then go below and drift by it. Eventually I reach the max depth of the hookah - about 35 feet. I had worried that it would not be able to supply me with enough air at that pressure, but it works beautifully. I'm more or less floating without effort, and it's almost magical. There are some yellow fish that are possibly curious about the hose since it's exactly their color, they keep swarming around me and ogle at my face.
A big grouper tries to stare me down and stand his ground. It's a lot of fun and works even better than hoped. And that tiny battery really lasts an hour.
On the way back it's rather bouncy. I hear a crack and suddenly the dinghy seat (a simple plywood plank) snaps in two. I guess the bouncing on the waves is too much for that seat. I'll have to sit on the sides of the dinghy (like most people do anyways) until I can replace this.
The Caprice is whipping in the waves that have built up during the day, and I have a fun time getting everything on board and then I get out of there and aim for MOW. I get there at 4PM, low tide of course, which makes my shallow mooring inaccessible, so I grab one of the others. Next some shopping and late lunch. It's nice and calm in here compared with outside.
Tuesday, March 20th
MOW
It's blowing outside, but it's nicely protected in the harbor. My mooring is very good but I need to move to one of the marina moorings since I'm short of cash and would prefer to pay with credit card - but that's only possible at the marina. Two of their moorings are becoming free and I dinghy over to Jean to ask if I can have one. He tells me one of them is reserved, but the other one is free. He fails to mention that its mooring lines are broken. After I cast off from my good mooring I arrive at the one he told me I could have, to find that I can't use it without my own shackle and line. Instead I tie up to the other, good one, and return to Jean by dinghy. He tells me 'that's how it is, people have to use their own mooring on that one'. Well, I won't. For $20 I would expect at least some lines on a mooring. Since it's high tide I move to my old mooring (the one I ran aground 3 times). Soon after a rental catamaran arrives and tries to pick up the 'bad' mooring. I dinghy over and help them to attach a line to it. Kind of silly to not fix the moorings, but that's Tommy's business...
In the early evening I dinghy down to the Eastern Harbor to see if I can find John and Sally of Liliana, but instead I find a 45 foot Beneteau aground at the Eastern Harbor marker. For some reason he didn't stay inside the marker but tried to pass it on the other side. He's well and hard aground, but not heeling for some reason. I later hear that he ran aground hours earlier close to high tide and will have to wait until midnight to get free. He's not heeling because the boat is apparently resting on its twin rudders. Not a good thing to put 10 tons or whatever he weights on.
John and Sally aren't on their boat so I return to the Caprice.
Wednesday, March 21st
MOW
Overnight the wind picked up even more, like the predicted 20-25 maybe, but I'm snug and comfy.
A short rain squall brings even more freshness, but after that the sun shines even stronger.
The breeze is refreshing, especially when it turns North. I read some, work some and visit the dock.
In the early afternoon I text John and Sally that I'll come over for another attempt to meet them and then get in the dinghy to drive over. I see Buddy working on some fantastic runabout boat and chat with him - he says the mooring is all good, and I'd stay on the one I'm on and that they will move me over at some point to the Eastern harbor when the mooring there becomes free. Suits me fine. I continue and this time find John on Liliana. Sally is off to visit some other boat, so I don't meet her this time. But we have a nice time chatting about boats and our histories and how we got to MOW. Their boat is very nice inside and out, I always get boat envy when I see how spacious and glamorous others live while I 'camp' on the Caprice in squalor. Well, not exactly squalor, I find my live rather good here. After a few drinks I slowly make my way back to the Caprice against the wind without getting wet even. Having no seat makes little difference really, unless I'd have to row.
Thursday, March 22nd
MOW
The wind won't stop blowing cold from the North. I don't really feel like swimming, in fact sitting outside I have to wear my thin wind breaker to stay warm. In the afternoon I go to shore and take a nice walk to the Low Place, one of the prettiest places and an Admiral favorite.
Friday, March 23nd
MOW
As predicted the wind keeps blowing and I spend the day mostly on the boat working and reading
Saturday, March 24nd
MOW
Today it's finally letting up a little, and I take a ride to the Low Place and snorkel there. Not too many fish, and it's not super clear after all the waves the last few days, but this time I get to see a different kind of star fish, unlike the fat big ones I usually find by the dozen. This one is slender and rather agile, he was moving on the sea bed with astonishing speed - I think he could probably move a meter or two per minute.
Sunday, March 25nd
MOW - Marsh Harbor - MOW
It's a perfect day today, and I take full advantage of it. First I take a super long dinghy ride to Fowl Cay to snorkel. Normally this is not a good idea because it's a long distance and my little dinghy isn't really suitable for the open sea. But today it's finally so calm that I can risk it - but to be safe I don't take the hookah this time to not have all that gear in the dinghy. All goes well and it's super clear.
The pompanos are swarming around me. I guess they consider me a bringer of food - or maybe food itself. Some start nibbling on my toes and that's when I decide to move on.
After that I dinghy back to the harbor where the tide is now high enough for me to leave and run over to Marsh Harbor to get some cash. There's no cash machine on MOW. On the way I stop at Marmaid Reef, and this time use the hookah. The difference in water clarity is clear. But it's very nice too of course.
Next into Marsh Harbor, anchor, to shore, walk to the ATM, get money without problems, back to the boat, up anchor and back to MOW. I had thought of anchoring out at the Low Place but it's by now very choppy and uncomfortable outside, and since it's mid tide I decide to risk going back to my mooring, which I reach without trouble.
Monday, March 26nd
MOW
The morning is predicted to be as calm as yesterday, but the afternoon would bring thunderstorms and very high winds. When I check the stuffing box I find quite a bit of water leaking not from the stuffing itself, but from the big double clamped hose that attaches the stuffing box to the fixed propeller tube. The clamps are loose and when I turn the stuffing box they actually slide around until the hull stops them. I think those shouldn't slide at all. They probably loosened when the propeller wrapped the line (at the start of this trip). After I tighten them the water stops dripping, but they aren't as tight as I'd like - unfortunately access is difficult and I can't apply enough torque. This will have to wait until next time.
This time I dinghy to Fowl with the hookah and have a great time far underwater. The shorty neoprene suit makes all this easy and comfortable. Without it I'd feel a little nippy.
A fat grouper comes up and tries to scare me off.
I feel the dinghy tugging me along more than expected and when I surface I realize that clouds have gathered rather sooner than hoped, and also that the wind has picked up considerably. I don't want to risk being caught out here on my little dinghy and decide to return to the harbor. Next I get a new propeller shaft zinc and use the hookah to attach it at leisure. I guess the old one must have loosened and fallen off, it can't possibly have rusted away that quickly. Last not least I retrieve the snorkel that I lost a few weeks ago here - unexpectedly it's lying right next to my mooring. In the afternoon the wind picks up like mad and I'm glad to be in the harbor.
Tuesday, March 27nd
MOW - Chicago
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC")
The wind has turned to NW again, and is blowing pretty fierce, much more than predicted. Ted texts me it's 24 knts in Marsh Harbor. I had planned to meet Cliff today and try fishing, but can't reach him on the VHF. I think my handheld VHF hasn't the greatest range. I get in the dinghy and drive towards White Sound, but outside the entrance bar the waves are choppy and the wind grows. After getting fairly drenched I give up and return to the Caprice. I got lots of work to do anyways. Maybe we fish tomorrow?
Friday, March 9th
Green Turtle Cay ("GTC") to MOW
The wind finally abates somewhat overnight and in the morning I first go to Donny to make sure he got his money via Paypal. I remembered that 10 years ago or more I had created an account for something but had never used it since, so I finally get to use it. No ATMs here and no bank of course, and many businesses don't like or take credit card either. But the groceries do, so I get by with little cash. Since I can't leave here before noon because of the tide I dinghy over to White Sound to say bye to Cliff and Jennifer. They invite me into their Hallberg Rassy Monsun, a boat that. at 13 feet, is even smaller than the Caprice. But she's in fact more spacious, and in wonderful conditions. These boats have a deserved reputation for quality. After some fun conversations I return to the Caprice and leave without problems.
The autopilot won't help me much during the whale passage because it really can't handle waves well. And waves there are, higher than I expected. But to be honest I've actually seen worse on Lake Michigan, and outside St Mary's River, and all goes well. A few serious rolls, and some wave tops that I can estimate to be at 6 feet since they are higher than the horizon from where I sit. Once in Baker's bay the ride is very smooth and I can actually go below and make a salad. The only time when it's bouncy again is just north of MOW at the channel there where I can still see sizable breakers of which some remnants make it in here. I reach 'the low place' and anchor quickly, and head into town for some groceries. Back in time for sunset, on the way in the really shallow north entrance (where I even can run aground with the dinghy) I come across a huge 52 foot charter cat that's well stuck. I later hear that the renter has caused quite a few sensations in Hope town already. They appear to rent these boats to everybody regardless of skill. Insurance will pay for it, I suppose.
Saturday, March 10th
MOW
The anchor alarm woke me up once when the boat swung into a new direction when the wind, as expected, turned south overnight. It's predicted to become quite breezy with a chance of thunderstorms. I raise anchor and move toward the MOW entrance but when reaching it I decide to wait a couple hours for higher tide - it's just an hour after low tide and I don't care to get stuck in the MOW entrance channel. It's actually not bad anchoring outside here, but since I expect it to become worse, I eventually raise anchor again and get to Jean on the fuel dock without trouble. Water refill and I rent a can from the marina for two nights. I chat with John from a very pretty, small boat (name to follow) on the dock, and when I later approach the mooring they swing by with the dinghy and hand me the mooring line.
Ron has spotted me and comes by for a chat. He went through the Whale on Wednesday and had a pretty rough time apparently.
It's windy in the harbor but nice, and I decide to finally put the hookah to the test with the small battery. It seems to work well, I dive around for 10-15 mins and then decide to try it from the dinghy. Put the compressor and the battery in the dinghy, and then cast loose from the Caprice and start drifting downwind fast. The wind it pushing the dinghy stronger than expected and I can only pull against it with a lot of effort. It works well however and the battery is still pretty full after I stop at 30 mins. I think it might well work for 45 mins, which would be great fun.
Back on the boat I realize I have lost the snorkel sometime along the way. I shouldn't have put it on really, but from diving I'm used to having the snorkel with me. Maybe I can find it on the bottom, but I'm not sure it actually sinks, might have floated off. Well, I guess I need a new one...
Sunday, March 11th
MOW
It's blowing strong as predicted, but just a few rain sprinkles instead of the deluge I feared. Not much to do really since without sun the snorkeling won't be good and the strong wind will make me drift off if I do the dinghy dive again. I just work, watch movies and read Aubrey/Maturin. By the evening the wind diminishes for a nice sunset. However, tomorrow it's predicted to be even windier.
Monday, March 12th
MOW
Tuesday, March 13th
MOW-Guana Cay (Bakers Bay)
What a difference a day makes. Today is beautiful compared with yesterday. Winds have diminished a lot, still from the north, but just 10 knots. I get some final supplies and leave, first to anchor at the Low Place and then to decide what to do next. I anchor far from the beach this time, I want to put the hookah to a more serious test today from the dinghy today. I first motor far upwind of the Caprice, and then drift underwater toward and past her. The hookah works beautifully. I didn't wear a watch and didn't take the camera this time since I got more gear than I feel comfortable with already, but I estimate that I was underwater for at least 45 mins. And by the end the battery still doesn't really seem to be low! Much better than expected considering how small that thing is.
The Low Place never has particularly good snorkeling because of all the turbulence, and today it's no different. Nevertheless I see my first moray eel, unfortunately no camera...
Afterwards I decide to not stay overnight here but motor to Guana Cay, where I arrive at Baker's Bay an hour before sunset.
It's a bit rougher than I hoped here, and the boat initially rolls a lot, until the wind shifts and the boat starts pitching instead. Not great but bearable.
Wednesday, March 14th
Guana Cay (Bakers Bay and Fisher Bay)
The wind has picked up more than expected and it's actually a little cool. I'm well anchored and got used to the pitching. The Whale passage is in view from here, but looks rather ugly today. Lots of breaking waves. I later hear that one cruiser went in and decided to turn back. Most of the waves that hit me here are the remnants of the big swell I can see from here. I'm glad I don't have to go through there. Lots of other boats seem to agree, they anchor all around here waiting for things to calm down.
By the afternoon I'm getting tired of this, and all the other boats have left, so I up anchor and motor sail to Fisher's Bay 1 hour away. Unfortunately it's no calmer here, but the wind is predicted to swing N overnight and this will improved things. And it does.
Thursday, March 15th
Guana Cay (Fisher Bay)
A beautiful morning, I dinghy into town for some supplies and find a snorkel at the dive shop for $12. They tell me they haven't taken anybody to the reefs for 3 weeks now because of the weather. I take the hookah for a dive at the rock that's half mile offshore and find very clear and water but not a lot of fish or coral. But something else:
The fish like those 'artificial reefs'. The hookah works beautiful though, and after 45 mins the battery still isn't empty.
Ted and Patti on their Valiant 40 arrive and anchor a few hundred meters away. The bay is filling with boats, many of them Canadian cruisers.
I dinghy over to Ted and Patti and Suki, their Portuguese waterdog. We have a fun time chatting in their cockpit, and decide to later go to Grabbers for a bite and drinks.
We meet at 6:30 and enjoy their signature cocktail 'Grabbers', excellent food (my conch fritters were plenty and really good), and the great sunset, for which this place is famous. Ted wouldn't let me pay, many thanks for the treat and the fun times.
Friday, March 16th
Guana Cay Fisher Bay - Bakers Bay
Soon after breakfast Ted texted me that they changed plans and wanted to get through the whale passage today. Since I had promised to show them the hookah I quickly packed it up and went over to them. When Ted tried it he immediately found that one of his zincs was missing, the one on the propeller hub. Strange that it entirely disappeared so quickly, all that was left was a screw. Even though he had a spare zinc, he didn't have the right screws, and I couldn't find any either. So he'll have to wait until he gets back home.
We said goodbye, and Suki gave me a goodbye kiss too.
Back at the Caprice I decided to scrub the underwater and the starboard waterline that's seriously fouled. I found that new stuff had already grown plentiful in the two weeks since I last scrubbed. I need a better scraper to make this job easier. In the end I though to just peek at my own propeller zinc, and was surprised to find it completely gone too. Weird. I'll get a new one in MOW in a few days.
The bay has filled with lots of boats, Ted counted 42! I've never seen it like this before, but there's lots of space of everybody. I guess people come here for the concert of the fabled 'Barefoot Man' at Nippers. A Canadian 40ft Beneteau comes in on the falling tide and hits the shallow rocks in the middle of the bay. He can't get off and has to wait until 4 hours later when the tide floats him.
By the late afternoon I decide to move back up to Bakers Bay so tomorrow I'm ready to go beach combing and snorkeling there. On the way I get to see a float plane taking off and doing some nice stunts, possibly without passengers, or mad ones.
Saturday, March 17th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay
The morning starts still a little windy, but I have to wait for 11AM or so for best light, and I had forgotten to unhook the hookah battery from the main system, which meant it got drained a bit as the overall charge level of the boat decreases. My old big laptop is a big drain on the electricity, I think I need to get a low power laptop soon. By 11AM I'm happy with the charge level and take off. This time for a change I actually close and lock the companionway. something I've never ever done here before. but Ted mentioned hearing of thefts on Guana Cay. At the reefs I find that even the last buoy from last fall has now disappeared, but I don't really need it since I will drag the dinghy with me. Finally I get to use the thing at some depth and it's a lot of fun. It's not really deep here, maybe 15 - 20 feet, but it's quite different to be able to get around a few meters down instead of at the surface.
I don't find all that many fish though, and the coral looks a bit damaged, I guess the winter storms took their toll. You can see the dinghy floating up there and the hose I'm sucking on.
I find that dragging the dinghy around isn't easy against the wind. It's best to make this into a drift-dive, starting upwind of the place you want to see and then drift over it.
I find that if I exert myself breathing is getting a little harder, and finally surface to find the pump sounding rather tired. The battery is low now, but it lasted pretty long.
After returning to the Caprice for lunch and a bit of rest I head out one more time, this time just with the new snorkel. I anchor the dinghy in the middle of the reef and just swim around, occasionally diving for some closer look.
Quite unexpectedly I come across a small turtle, I guess he's just as startled as me.
He doesn't much care for selfies and swims off in a hurry
Each time when I dive here I soon attract some curious barracuda. I don't much like the look of them, and even though in most places I found them to be kind of solitary, here they are often in small groups. Well, today, in fact, a rather large swarm:
They don't bother me, and I return to the Caprice for some dinner and a movie.
Sunday, March 18th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay
I had hoped to repeat the hookah/snorkel tours today, but the wind is blowing much harder than predicted today. I decide to wait and see. Meanwhile on shore a bunch of dudes show up with kiteboards and start their show - it's clearly windy enough for them.
I decide to wait some more and reread the 'A voyage for madmen' by Peter Nichols about the 1968/69 sail single handed nonstop around the world Golden Globe race. An unbelievable story, those men were seriously nuts.
The wind doesn't diminish all day so I just stay on board, sunning myself and reading.
Monday, March 19th
Guana Cay Bakers Bay - Fowl Cay - MOW
In the morning I see a large sail ship coming through the whale and when it gets close I can see it's actually huge, I estimate 100 ft or more. It anchors in the road stead and some crew dinghy into the marina, possibly to check out the docking for their monster. When I leave for south they are back and maneuver their gorgeous ship into the marina. One can see the masts for miles.
I get to Fowl Cay and find that the wind is already blowing from inland, which makes for the curious situation that anchoring on the ocean side would be significantly calmer. But I don't want to try to find my way though the various coral heads and later through the cut again so I anchor at my usual spot. I dive on the anchor to make sure it's fully dug in.
This time the battery of the hookah is fully charged and I have a great time with it. At first I struggle with pulling the dinghy around, which is not easy with any wind against me. I learn quickly to motor well upwind of the spot I want to see and then go below and drift by it. Eventually I reach the max depth of the hookah - about 35 feet. I had worried that it would not be able to supply me with enough air at that pressure, but it works beautifully. I'm more or less floating without effort, and it's almost magical. There are some yellow fish that are possibly curious about the hose since it's exactly their color, they keep swarming around me and ogle at my face.
A big grouper tries to stare me down and stand his ground. It's a lot of fun and works even better than hoped. And that tiny battery really lasts an hour.
On the way back it's rather bouncy. I hear a crack and suddenly the dinghy seat (a simple plywood plank) snaps in two. I guess the bouncing on the waves is too much for that seat. I'll have to sit on the sides of the dinghy (like most people do anyways) until I can replace this.
The Caprice is whipping in the waves that have built up during the day, and I have a fun time getting everything on board and then I get out of there and aim for MOW. I get there at 4PM, low tide of course, which makes my shallow mooring inaccessible, so I grab one of the others. Next some shopping and late lunch. It's nice and calm in here compared with outside.
Tuesday, March 20th
MOW
It's blowing outside, but it's nicely protected in the harbor. My mooring is very good but I need to move to one of the marina moorings since I'm short of cash and would prefer to pay with credit card - but that's only possible at the marina. Two of their moorings are becoming free and I dinghy over to Jean to ask if I can have one. He tells me one of them is reserved, but the other one is free. He fails to mention that its mooring lines are broken. After I cast off from my good mooring I arrive at the one he told me I could have, to find that I can't use it without my own shackle and line. Instead I tie up to the other, good one, and return to Jean by dinghy. He tells me 'that's how it is, people have to use their own mooring on that one'. Well, I won't. For $20 I would expect at least some lines on a mooring. Since it's high tide I move to my old mooring (the one I ran aground 3 times). Soon after a rental catamaran arrives and tries to pick up the 'bad' mooring. I dinghy over and help them to attach a line to it. Kind of silly to not fix the moorings, but that's Tommy's business...
In the early evening I dinghy down to the Eastern Harbor to see if I can find John and Sally of Liliana, but instead I find a 45 foot Beneteau aground at the Eastern Harbor marker. For some reason he didn't stay inside the marker but tried to pass it on the other side. He's well and hard aground, but not heeling for some reason. I later hear that he ran aground hours earlier close to high tide and will have to wait until midnight to get free. He's not heeling because the boat is apparently resting on its twin rudders. Not a good thing to put 10 tons or whatever he weights on.
John and Sally aren't on their boat so I return to the Caprice.
Wednesday, March 21st
MOW
Overnight the wind picked up even more, like the predicted 20-25 maybe, but I'm snug and comfy.
A short rain squall brings even more freshness, but after that the sun shines even stronger.
The breeze is refreshing, especially when it turns North. I read some, work some and visit the dock.
In the early afternoon I text John and Sally that I'll come over for another attempt to meet them and then get in the dinghy to drive over. I see Buddy working on some fantastic runabout boat and chat with him - he says the mooring is all good, and I'd stay on the one I'm on and that they will move me over at some point to the Eastern harbor when the mooring there becomes free. Suits me fine. I continue and this time find John on Liliana. Sally is off to visit some other boat, so I don't meet her this time. But we have a nice time chatting about boats and our histories and how we got to MOW. Their boat is very nice inside and out, I always get boat envy when I see how spacious and glamorous others live while I 'camp' on the Caprice in squalor. Well, not exactly squalor, I find my live rather good here. After a few drinks I slowly make my way back to the Caprice against the wind without getting wet even. Having no seat makes little difference really, unless I'd have to row.
Thursday, March 22nd
MOW
The wind won't stop blowing cold from the North. I don't really feel like swimming, in fact sitting outside I have to wear my thin wind breaker to stay warm. In the afternoon I go to shore and take a nice walk to the Low Place, one of the prettiest places and an Admiral favorite.
Friday, March 23nd
MOW
As predicted the wind keeps blowing and I spend the day mostly on the boat working and reading
Saturday, March 24nd
MOW
Today it's finally letting up a little, and I take a ride to the Low Place and snorkel there. Not too many fish, and it's not super clear after all the waves the last few days, but this time I get to see a different kind of star fish, unlike the fat big ones I usually find by the dozen. This one is slender and rather agile, he was moving on the sea bed with astonishing speed - I think he could probably move a meter or two per minute.
Sunday, March 25nd
MOW - Marsh Harbor - MOW
It's a perfect day today, and I take full advantage of it. First I take a super long dinghy ride to Fowl Cay to snorkel. Normally this is not a good idea because it's a long distance and my little dinghy isn't really suitable for the open sea. But today it's finally so calm that I can risk it - but to be safe I don't take the hookah this time to not have all that gear in the dinghy. All goes well and it's super clear.
The pompanos are swarming around me. I guess they consider me a bringer of food - or maybe food itself. Some start nibbling on my toes and that's when I decide to move on.
After that I dinghy back to the harbor where the tide is now high enough for me to leave and run over to Marsh Harbor to get some cash. There's no cash machine on MOW. On the way I stop at Marmaid Reef, and this time use the hookah. The difference in water clarity is clear. But it's very nice too of course.
Next into Marsh Harbor, anchor, to shore, walk to the ATM, get money without problems, back to the boat, up anchor and back to MOW. I had thought of anchoring out at the Low Place but it's by now very choppy and uncomfortable outside, and since it's mid tide I decide to risk going back to my mooring, which I reach without trouble.
Monday, March 26nd
MOW
The morning is predicted to be as calm as yesterday, but the afternoon would bring thunderstorms and very high winds. When I check the stuffing box I find quite a bit of water leaking not from the stuffing itself, but from the big double clamped hose that attaches the stuffing box to the fixed propeller tube. The clamps are loose and when I turn the stuffing box they actually slide around until the hull stops them. I think those shouldn't slide at all. They probably loosened when the propeller wrapped the line (at the start of this trip). After I tighten them the water stops dripping, but they aren't as tight as I'd like - unfortunately access is difficult and I can't apply enough torque. This will have to wait until next time.
This time I dinghy to Fowl with the hookah and have a great time far underwater. The shorty neoprene suit makes all this easy and comfortable. Without it I'd feel a little nippy.
A fat grouper comes up and tries to scare me off.
I feel the dinghy tugging me along more than expected and when I surface I realize that clouds have gathered rather sooner than hoped, and also that the wind has picked up considerably. I don't want to risk being caught out here on my little dinghy and decide to return to the harbor. Next I get a new propeller shaft zinc and use the hookah to attach it at leisure. I guess the old one must have loosened and fallen off, it can't possibly have rusted away that quickly. Last not least I retrieve the snorkel that I lost a few weeks ago here - unexpectedly it's lying right next to my mooring. In the afternoon the wind picks up like mad and I'm glad to be in the harbor.
Tuesday, March 27nd
MOW - Chicago
Finishing up preps for the leaving the Caprice here for possibly 7 months until November - unless I change my mind and come here sometime in summer. The admiral prefers to do stuff in Chicago in summer, so it's not likely. At 9:55 on the dot Ron comes by with Randy's boat and we go to shore, then to the Albury's ferry, across the rather choppy sea (the wind still blows at 15-20) and on by Taxi to the airport. Uneventful flights to Miami and on to Chicago, somewhat bumpy, where my admiral gets me from the airport. It's grey and cool here, but not too cold, so the shock isn't too severe.
