12-29-00 Hello Again! Last evening was another wild night. The cold front came through about 0100 preceded by squalls with significant wind. It was clocked over 50 knots about 0030. We're still at anchor in the harbor, and although a bit bumpy, (kind of reminiscent of a "hobby horse" ride) everything held OK. Getting up several times during the night to check things doesn't necessarily lead to a great night's sleep, but we weren't alone. "Yellow Brick Road", the trawler to our stern shone his spotlight on his anchor rode a couple different times when I was up looking at ours. This morning on the net there were no reports of catastrophes. There was, however, a unique greeting to one of our crew. Since today is first mate Lori's birthday, the whole net took turns singing her "Happy Birthday". Following the announcement of the news, first one boat started the song, and then another picked up, alternating around the net until finished. Never before has she experienced such a serenade. It must be said, most cruisers couldn't make a living at song, but it was great fun! Speaking of fun, there are many places to eat around town. One of the most unique has to be Mrs. Burroughs, or Miss Edna, as some say. She cooks food at her home, loads it into the trunk of her car and sets up near the AID (Automotive and Industrial Distributors) store on Don Mackay Blvd. Once there, out comes her white umbrella and she sells lunch from the trunk of her Oldsmobile. This lasts a couple hours, or until the food runs out. The servings are huge. You literally must hold the foam tray with both hands. One serving can easily feed more than one person. The menu varies. Today was Baked Chicken with peas and rice, potato salad, and macaroni and cheese (definitely not Kraft's, from a box). For $6.00 we had enough food to feed four of us (Matt wasn't hungry). Wow. It tasted great. She has to offer the best value in town. Yesterday she served BBQ'd Wild Boar! Speaking of Boar, the folks at Long's Landing (the blue house with floating dinghy dock) had a new Christmas arrival. Their feral pig had eight piglets. According to Lori and Kira, "They're so cute"!!! In fact, Kira wanted to bring one back to the boat. (Just what we need, our own wild boar aboard). Don Long said they'll release them back to the wild once they're old enough. In addition to making the trip to town to see Miss Edna, we sent some more e-mail cruise reports. We again saw the crew of Narooma. Originally from Australia, they're extremely nice folks. Both daughters said they're having a wonderful time. It's really nice to meet, and see , different folks again along the way. One of Lori's complaints over the years has been the fact that she frequently only gets a birthday cake if she makes the arrangements herself. I guess that's really not fair, so yesterday I went on a B-Day cake "mission". My first stop was at the Island Bakery where we've bought the excellent bread while here. Unfortunately, they stopped making cakes to order about a year ago. The lady behind the counter said she thought another bakery, (C & G) behind Memorial Plaza still baked cakes to order. So I went to speak with them. Yes, they bake to order, but the only two varieties were available; "Yellow" for $35, or Rum Cake for $25. I opted for the Rum Cake, and was told it would be ready by 1500 today. Today's trip to the dinghy dock was definitely an adventure. Although the wind dropped to 20-25 knots, it was blowing from the Northwest. Unfortunately, the orientation of the dock allows a long fetch (uninterrupted line of wind, without a break) aimed directly at the floats. This makes for a very healthy chop. The floats were bouncing like "bucking broncos". It took great effort just to stand on them, let alone move. Part two of the adventure was "spray". Any water thrown by our rigid inflatable dinghy as we traveled perpendicular to the waves would be "blown" inside by the cross wind. Matt and I went to pick up the cake. Luckily, the folks at the bakery wrapped it in two layers of plastic, so it wouldn't taste "salty". We made it back to the boat without dropping the cake even once! That was actually my third dinghy trip of the day. Earlier this morning, right after the net, I went to drop off mail for stateside delivery by someone who was heading back. Around noon Lori, Brandon, and I visited Mrs. Burroughs. Finally, Matt and I picked up the cake. Three wet rides in one day is quite sufficient. 12-30-00 John from Jubilee called after the morning net to see what we were planning. The intention was to go back to Hope Town for the New Year's Junkanoo celebration (more on that later). They were also going to Hope Town. Additionally, he mentioned another trawler "Lady Laura" was planning a trip south to Eleuthera and the Exumas. Perhaps we could all "buddy boat" down. It's nice to find other boats going a similar direction that travel a similar speed. A friend of John's from Northside Marina in Stuart, is coming to visit once the weather settles down. He hopefully be here shortly. One other spot we want to visit is Little Harbor, a bit farther south. There's no provisioning nor trash service there, so you need to make sure you have what you need, and remove what you bring. In that spirit Lori and I went to Sawyer's Soft Drinks and bought more soda. We were running perilously low, and from what we hear, provisioning becomes more difficult the further south you head. We "over-filled" our little dock cart and "coerced" it back to the dinghy dock. At least we'll have drinks for a while. (Four cases of Diet Pepsi, two Hawaiian Punch, one Mt. Dew, and two of Apple Juice cost $112.00. A fellow cruiser I talked to actually filled the sole <floor> of his sailboat with stacked cans of sodas. He said it was uncomfortable to walk upon, but saved them lots of money for the duration of their cruise. (I don't know if I'd go that far, but to each his own). Once the drinks were stowed we hauled anchor and headed back to Hope Town. It was a blustery day on the Sea of Abaco. A 20-25 knot wind was blowing from the Northwest. One sailor on the radio pronounced it either a series of 3' swells separated by 4', or 4' swells separated by 3'. Either way it was a little bumpy, and the wind driven spray made for an interesting trip. John and Sandy left just before we did, and saved us a mooring in the harbor. The harbor was again quite full. Several folks, it seems, are starting their New Year's Eve celebrating a day early from the sound of things on shore. The ferry boats seem to be running mostly full, moving folks from one island to the next. It appears also, that Marcel Albury's fleet of ferries (Patty, on Blue Dolphin calls them "Donnie boats" because a large portion of the fleet is named "Donnie"; I,II,III...etc.) are perfectly suited for their task. There's inside seating for those who prefer, or when the weather dictates. There's an outdoor area aft for nicer days. The thrusters, and experienced Captains are well versed at threading their way through the sometimes crowded harbors to numerous ferry docks. (We've also seen them drop folks off at private boats, anchored or moored). They're a lifeline between disparate parts of Abaco, and seem, for the most part unaffected by weather. In fact, rough, blustery days are called "ferry days". Lori wanted dinner "out" for her birthday, so we went to Cap'n Jacks and had Grilled Grouper Reuben Sandwiches. Grouper seems a perfect match to the "Reuben" format. Yummm... When we left the restaurant it was a little chilly. The temperature was down to about 60 degrees and the wind was still blowing. We felt obliged to complain about how "cold" it was knowing full well what was going on back home. (I know it's not fair, but it's a tough job, and somebody has to do it!) 12-31-00 Speaking of back home. I did talk to By-Golly and Grandma Jackie this morning and "cold" seems an understatement. It was 4 degrees when they woke up! They offered to fly over and chaperone. We went back up the Hope Town lighthouse today. Our goal was to take some video. Last time the camera battery was dead, so we didn't get any pictures. The wind has died down some, it's bright, sunny, and the temperature is 70 degrees. We also had a chance to talk to the keeper (one, of two). He'd just finished making a new mantle for the light, which he proudly showed off. They're hand made out of a silk material, and he said they last for about three weeks. Kerosene in a 5 gallon can is hauled by rope and pulley to a platform near the top, and poured into storage tanks. These tanks are pressurized by hand pump, so they flow up to the light. This time of year they burn between two and three gallons of kerosene per night, and the upper storage tanks allow about a two week supply He said after winding the weight system the light will rotate for about two hours. Then it's time to wind it again. The light assembly itself actually "floats" in a bath of mercury, requiring very little force to move it The two keepers alternate six hour shifts. Both Hope Town, and the keepers, are very proud of their light. They've kept it burning for 136 years. Most lights in the US are automated, and it's kind of neat to meet people who are still successfully doing things the way they used to be done. Kira had a chance to spend the afternoon playing with Jackie and Caroline from the sailboat "Autumn Rain". They had a ball. They're going to play again tomorrow, but then the girls have to go back to North Carolina early afternoon.. Maybe we can meet them again when we go up the IntraCoastal Waterway. Junkanoo is a celebration with African roots. It traditionally takes place either on Boxing Day, (12-26) or New Years Day. In Nassau the present day version has evolved into a competition with elaborate costumes and floats. Music is provided by the kalik, (a cow bell) goatskin drums, horns, whistles, and other rhythm instruments. In different areas it starts at different times. Here the parade, or "rush", starts at midnight, and winds its' way through town. We plan to usher in 2001 with our own noisemakers, while participating in the festivities. The traditional noisemaker is a "Coke" can filled with small rocks, and taped closed with duct tape. One must shake it vigorously to obtain the proper effect. It should be fun. We just have to stay up until midnight! We took the dinghy up to the dock about 2330. It was a little chilly in the wind, but once in the shelter of the trees it was quite pleasant. According to plan, the band was to assembly at the school, and "rush" (march) through the streets of town ending up at the Post Office. After assembly, the band literally ran back to the post office from where we'd just come. Once we caught up, the pace was much more relaxed. Kira felt it was too noisy, "B" thought there were too many people partaking of too much rum, and Matt said they needed to have more than one tune. Still in all, it was fun. Kira made some confetti, and we threw it in the cabin while wishing one and all "Happy New Year". 01-01-01 Note: It is tradition, and a harbinger of good luck to write a poem in the Ship's Log every New Year's Day. We're 10 months into a planned 18-month cruise. Bob, Lori, Matt (age 13), Brandon (age 11), Kira (age 8), and Clover our English Springer Spaniel aboard Nostrum Again, our 37' Double Cabin trawler. Currently in Hope Town, Abaco, Bahamas, bound for Eleuthera, the Exumas, Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas, and up the Intra-Coastal Waterway this coming spring. Here is our poem: Our Voyage of Discovery A vision forms, by and by, We have to do it, have to try, Working planning, all in knowing, The time approaches to be going, What should we bring, what shall we wear, So many choices to compare, Snap shots, glimpses, a lifestyle forming, Heading south, the weather warming, Squally winds become alarming, Cooling breezes do no harming, Upon awakening, each day a new one, Knowing that there'll be some new fun, Taking MOE to go exploring, Clover sleeping, eating, snoring, New adventures every day, Time for schooling, chores and play, Challenges come unexpectedly, Colorful houses by the sea, Boats a moving to and fro, Marching orders, winds do blow, Different culture, laced with smiles, Inquisitive children through the miles, Sails fill on far horizon, Making sure to keep your eyes on, New day bringing new delights, Kira, please turn of the lights, Showers taken on one condition, Water "hot" is Lori's mission, Winter's snow left in Missouri, Cold weather here, has not the fury, Lessons learned, sometimes costly, Still in all it's not frosty, Weather or not, wind and sea, Are we dragging, or is it me, Getting along in confining spaces, Matt is needing new shoe-laces, Sunny skies with clouds so puffy, See those sails, kind of luffy, Kira and B playing loud, Lori's teak deck looking proud, Snobby boaters can be "stuffy", Not so many, though, we're lucky, Walking down a Settlement road, Pulling dock cart with full load, Hiking to the light house top, Slogging through the Gulf Stream chop, Clover on her mission whining, When we return, she'll be fining, Tail a wagging, ears a flopping, She's in the dinghy, there's no stopping, Lapping water against the hull, One thing's for sure, this trip's not dull, Kind concern frequently shown, >From those just met, and those unknown, Memories flood like rising tide, So many places, what a ride, Our little "ship" keeps us sound, So much joy to spread around, Christmas Eve with Hope renewing, Junkanoo parade for viewing, Carol's lift the human spirit, God's creation, to be right near it, Like distant beacons on horizon far, Twinkling lights from a billion stars, Sail's furled, engines quiet, Now 'tis not the time for diet, Turtle head pops for a look, Lori reading latest book, Starfish, Conch, and flying fishes, Help to bring adventure wishes, Cruisers come and cruisers go, Making friendship, don't you know, Distant sea, the reef a breaking, All this wonder, for the taking, Wind and spray, Ocean's power amazing, Thoughts of mariners old, their trail blazing, Matt with eyes on weather forecast, Helping to decide our task, The Dolphin swims, as if to tell, All is right, all is well, Through storms and calm, recovery, We voyage to, discovery. By Bob Foss January 2001 The net wasn't very lively this morning. It sounded as though maybe lots of people did a little too much partying last night. John and Sandy of Jubilee II, invited us over for some traditional "Louisiana" New Year's Day food. Black eyed peas, and cabbage. It was delicious. We brought food to share, and had a lovely afternoon on their sun deck. About 1600 we decided to head back to Marsh Harbor, which we did. The Sea of Abaco was much calmer than the trip to Hope Town. All in all it was a memorable couple days celebration. 01-02-00 The plan was to head to Little Harbor tomorrow, if the weather cooperates. BaTelCo (Bahamas telephone company) phone cards cost $1.00 per minute for international (to the US) calls. Definitely prohibitive. We heard the Texaco station in town was selling phone cards working through AT&T for 20 cents per minute. Great, but they were sold out. "When will you have some more"?, we asked. "This afternoon, or tomorrow morning" they replied. On to our next project. A second edition "Bahamas Cruising Guide" written by Matthew Wilson, is very well done. Our attempt to find one in Marsh Harbor also proved futile. No one knew anything about it, although one store said we weren't the first ones to ask for it. Time for our last project. An attempt to find milk in Marsh Harbor wasn't successful. In fact, there was no milk anywhere on the island. "Three for three", (at least we're consistent) means it's time to go back to the boat. 01-03-01 Up early to empty the trash, and check the Texaco station again (still no phone cards). "Check back tomorrow, Mon". Oh well. We topped off the fuel tanks, and were ready to head to Little Harbor. The distance "as the Pelican flies" is just over 12 miles. The route we had to follow was about 24 miles. The difference being our "zig-zaging" around reefs, sand bores, and islands. It's definitely better to go where there's sufficient water to float the boat, though. Upon arrival, we anchored, and went ashore to "look about". Many of the dock pilings are made out of real rough sawn trees, complete with nubs where the branches used to be. Little Harbor was originally the home of Randolph and Margot Johnston and their family. Their story is quite unique. In the 1940's Randolph was a teacher in Massachusetts, and an artist. He desired to teach his family a more "self-sufficient" way of life, so they came to the Bahamas. In Man-O-War they found an old lobster boat called "Langosta" which they converted to a liveaboard sailboat. Initially, they sailed to Eleuthera where Randolph made souvenirs out of coconuts and sold them to tourists. That was not an entirely satisfactory existence, so they set sail once more. In 1951 they sailed into Little Harbor on Great Abaco Island, and Randolph knew where he wanted to settle. Upon arrival, they lived in a cave, while building a house. Immediately, they were confronted with great difficulty. Margot and the kids got "the fever". Later confirmed as polio, the kids bounced back, but Margot's recovery was prolonged. Luckily, it did not affect her muscles of respiration, but she had to re-learn the use of other voluntary muscles. For a time, Randolph tended the small light house on the Atlantic side, for which he was paid $2 per week. In summer they harvested "bat guano" from the cave and sold it as fertilizer. Randolph's urge to resume his art career had long lasting implications. He set about building a foundry where he made "lost wax mold" bronze castings. Well known for the accuracy and detail of his work, his fame grew. Three sons were raised here. Randolph died in 1992, but son Pete has carried on in many ways. The pilot house of their old schooner became Pete's Pub, an eclectic collection of "odds and ends" which makes for a wonderful visual experience, whether you're celebrating "happy hour", or not. Outside there's a very rusty old anchor salvaged from some ancient wreck. In addition, a "stop-light" is hung above. One sign says "Beware of Pick Pockets and Loose Women", while another states bluntly "Wildlife Sanctuary, Landing Prohibited". In the corner are two pairs of legs which presumably used to belong to complete mannequins. An old laptop computer (definitely seen better days) is nailed to a piling. Here and there are odd bits and pieces; old t-shirts inscribed with their former owner's name and date; a well used lady's undergarment hangs above; while close by is a bridal veil. Stuffed animals peer at guests while the "conversation" flows. Baseball caps and an old ship's cannon make their mark. A lot of what's here appears to be "direct offerings" from the sea. Kira found an old blue flip-flop washed up on the beach, so she added it to a mannequin leg. It just seemed to fit the "decor". This is a crossroads, of sorts. Two sailboats, one from France, and another from Spain, sailed in while we were there. (That's one long trip across the Atlantic). 01-04-01 This morning another cold from moved through about 0600. The weather forecast called for weak winds (20 knots) in its' wake, which turned out to be optimistic. In fact the day before, this front was classified as "wimpy". Wrong. The breeze shifted to the northwest and piped up. As it built, the gusts arrived. About one dozen boats lied at anchor in the harbor, and all began their "wind dance" in unison. As the breeze increased (probably some gusts in the 35-40 knot range) we thought it best to bring the towels in from the "dryer" (where they were clothes pinned to the boom line. Better to bring them in a little moist, than lose them overboard). As school progressed, a sudden warning call was made. "I think the anchor's dragging"! Guess so. The small black sailboat to our starboard was not moving forward into the wind, so by definition, we must be moving backwards with it. The entire crew mobilized as there were several boats astern, and to both sides. I flew into the bilge and set the fuel valves so we could run the engines. Brandon went to pull in MOE's painter, so we didn't run over the dinghy line. Matt and Lori went to begin hauling in the anchor line so we didn't run it over. Kira turned on the C-net depth sounder just as I started the engines. One of the problems when caught by the wind is that you're almost instantly turned "sideways" to it. The profile of the typical trawler presents a lot of windage", much moreso than a typical sailboat. Trying to maneuver while being "blown down" on other anchored boats presents some challenges, but with effort we were able to correct our direction, and move away. One unused mooring presented a timely alternative, so we picked it up. Whew... The great news is everyone worked splendidly as a team, and we escaped harm's way. Greg Johnston later said the holding ground was not too good, and our experience, unfortunately, was not infrequent. After a while, we piled into MOE and headed for shore. The Johnston's foundry is till there, as is a Gallery of artwork available for viewing. The foundry was open, but deserted. Initially, the Gallery was padlocked, but when we next walked by it was open. Inside was Greg, Pete's son and Randolph's grandson. Pete still makes bronze castings, mainly of sealife, and many are "for sale". Several of Randolph's works are also present, and fascinating to observe. Incidentally, (but not insignificantly) Hurricane Floyd did lots of damage to Little Harbor. One resident we spoke to said his house (located near water's edge)was picked up and moved 7 feet off it's foundation . He said there was a 10-12' storm surge which flooded many of buildings. Pete's house was severely damaged. (His television set was found sitting upright, on the bottom, in the water off Lynard Cay, a couple miles north). At least, no one was hurt. We bought a small cast bronze turtle, which Pete made, as a souvenir of our visit. Inside, on display, are a lot of the sculptures which Randolph did. In particular, is one piece called the "Circle of Man". It depicts birth, through death as bronze figures march across a sort of "life's rainbow". He was a very talented man. Greg told us the best way to get to the light house, so off we went on our next adventure. This light house is much different than the one at Hope Town. It consists of a small house, with a cistern between it and the separate cooking area. Unfortunately, the storm did a lot of damage to the buildings (although I don't believe they'd been used as the "light" for some time). The roof was essentially blown off, leaving one large, unobstructed skylight. The wooden floorboards felt pretty spongy, so we didn't venture in. You could see however, where pictures had been drawn on interior walls. The view from the promontory on which it sits was breathtaking, especially with the big rollers coming in off the Atlantic. As the waves began to break, the wind blown spray off the top was impressive. The separate kitchen had a "built-in" wood burning stove made out of native stone. The kitchen was removed, I would venture, to keep heat away from living quarters during the usually warm weather. Upon return to the boat, lots of activity was taking place next to a sailboat near the entrance channel. Three dinghies were there, trying to free her from grounding. B, Kira, and I took MOE over to see if we could help but she was firmly stuck, and the tide was ebbing. Not good. They placed an anchor to prevent her from being blown further aground, and the skipper decided to wait until the next high tide (0400 tomorrow) to resume the "battle" before venturing forth to Pete's Pub. 01-05-01 When I arose to turn off the anchor light about 0615 the stuck boat appeared to be more "in the channel". By the time we listened to the Cruiser's Net, at 0815 it was gone. Hopefully, there was no damage. The parting advice given by the dock master at Old Port Cove Marina in West Palm Beach before we left was "don't run aground in the Bahamas". Good advice, to be sure, but sometimes circumstances are just "out of control". We picked up John and Sandy from Jubilee II to go do some "spelunking". The caves the Johnston's lived in for a while are obviously still here, and just begged to be explored. Evidence of Floyd's storm surge was apparent. I'm sure you could build a really substantial dock just by salvaging materials washed into the back of the cave. Like Lori said "you wouldn't even have to drive new nails", as most of the wood already had nails still set. In one part of the cave there's unmistakable evidence that something has been closed off. You can see where concrete has been shaped to try and simulate the natural texture, but the difference in color is apparent. We theorize that perhaps Randolph's final resting place lies behind. (???) Lori found a lone bat hanging upside down mid-day. He didn't seem to mind all the attention of us looking at his "home". John, Brandon and Kira made their way along the shoreline toward the entrance channel and found another cave. Interestingly enough, there was a home built on the top of the ridge, above the cave. Inside, a spiral staircase (complete with lighting) wound down to the "floor", where the entrance to the cave is partially hidden by brush. Wow. Year around "air conditioning" from your very own climate controlled environment. Pretty neat. We wanted to go to Pete's Pub for their new Saturday Pig Roast. Unfortunately, since the weather forecast tomorrow was less than ideal, plans were cancelled . Therefore, we headed out. Destination once again, Hope Town. Arrival was close to sunset, and we picked up a mooring. Cap'n Jacks's siren song "called", and we had to answer. The Conch Chowder appetizer was scrumptious. Grilled Grouper Rueben was again superb. Live entertainment was provided, and the singer was really talented. It was a little chilly for the return to the boat, but our "tummies" were full. 01-06-01 A sparkling morning greeted us. We tried to buy some no-fat milk, but there was none available. We did, however, find Blackstone phone cards at Vernon's Grocery. While there, we were, of course obligated to buy more bread, too. Another amazing factoid: Vernon leaves lots of "back stock" outside stacked in boxes, even when the store is closed. In fact, likewise "Iggy Biggy". (Numerous boxes of t-shirts, souvenirs, etc. just sitting there). I can only imagine how long merchandize would stay in the US if just left about in a similar fashion. B and Lori took Clover to shore a little later, and she loved romping on the beach. Another cold front passed by about noon, this one more of a "non-event". The temperature dropped a couple degrees, and the wind changed direction slightly, but otherwise it stayed clear and bright and warm. The S/V "Skookum" was moored nearby. I remembered their new boat arrival message on the net where they mentioned "kids aboard". B and I took the dinghy to investigate, and sure enough, we met Scott, Ann, Alex and Justin. Alex is 13, and Justin 11; just perfect. B was invited aboard, and I brought Alex back for Play Station with Matt. A little while later Ann called to invite Lori and I over for "Sundowners" and munchies. As we sat in the cockpit of their beautiful boat, watched the stars, and talked, it was another great evening. They've owned Skookum for many years, and have done extensive cruising. She's a well fit boat, and very well maintained. Last year they spent months exploring the Exumas, and it was fun talking about that area, which we intend to visit. Brandon was invited to spend the night, and he was thrilled. We retired to Lasagna, and "new" borrowed movies ("Dear God" was delightful) belonging to John and Sandy. Sleep came easily. 01-07-01 We awoke to see Brandon and Justin climbing on "Skookum's" boom like little monkeys. It's scary how much they are alike ...true kindred spirits. They later took their scooters to shore to work out some energy, while Scott showed me some of his "favorite places" on the charts. Our plan for the day was to venture up to Great Guana Cay, and do the pig roast at Nipper's. Moon tides are approaching, with higher highs, and lower lows than "usual". The approach to Hope Town has some "skinny water", normally so we wanted to leave before low tide. It's a little alarming going over bottom with water so clear you could count individual blades of sea grass, if desired. We kept afloat, though, and made our way to Fisher's Bay, north of the Settlement to anchor. A short dinghy ride, with all our snorkeling gear in tow, brought us to the town dock. A further short walk to the Atlantic side of the island brought us to Nipper's restaurant. On the way we stopped to investigate an obviously unused back-hoe painted in numerous pastel colors and decorated with island art. "B" just had to sit in the driver's seat. The ocean beach there has to be one of the nicest around. There was a gentle swell, and as long as you picked your spot it was relatively easy to enter the water from a "physical" stand-point. The temperature was about 65 degrees, and just a might chilly at first, but tolerable once accustomed. We snorkeled for a while. Lori and Kira saw two good size rays (proving a bit startling for both them and the rays, as they were only a couple feet above them on the bottom). We all saw some reef fish. B found a flounder. It was fun, but hunger began to take precedence. Up to the restaurant to order. Every one had pork, except Matt who opted for the cheeseburger. Nipper's is colorful, the music loud, the view outstanding, and all concerned seemed to be having fun. We returned to MOE in time to reach Marsh Harbor just about sunset. We were rewarded with a gorgeous crimson sky. A new event, too, is the blowing of Conch Shell horns as the sun recedes. It's fun to hear them being blown in "stereo", especially at anchor, because you hear them all around the harbor. All in all, a memorable finish to a great weekend. 01-08-01 Lori, Kira and I went into town to try and find some milk (still not available). So, we bought some bread, instead. (Compromises!) Matt and B went to visit Skookum and watch movies. It looked as though some big thunder boomers were forming on the northeastern horizon, so we made our trip to town a quick one. As the clouds looked more ominous, we prepared for a blow...but nothing happened. They just sort of dissipated. (Fine by me). Evening was very still. In fact, you could see the water's reflection of the catamaran anchored near us as a mirror image from the moon light. It doesn't happen like this often, so we enjoyed the solitude. 01-09-01 A nice morning, but you can definitely see the coming cloud bank on the northern horizon. Reports from Green Turtle indicated rain during the net this morning. Barometer Bob hit the front's arrival right on target. Last night Don, on Deja Vu began to deliver a very complete evening weather synopsis and forecast for the area on VHF channel 9 at 1730. Barometer Bob came on following the presentation and asked Don's help with the morning report, too. Don replied he likes to sleep until 0745, and then go walking and fishing. Bob relayed that he awakes at 0600 to assemble the weather "info" from the internet and other sources, so he rarely has the luxury of sleeping in. One really must give Bob a lot of credit, for the service he provides to the cruising community. Such dedication, and perseverance, on a voluntary basis, is really quite extraordinary. He's frequently thanked for his efforts "on the air", and these certainly should be forthcoming. Someone asked how many aids to navigation there are in the Islands. To be sure, there are some, but not in great numbers. I think a two part explanation suffices. First, the Government has many priorities for funds available, and aids to navigation aren't real high on the list. Second, and I think more importantly, Bahamians know these waters well, indeed. From almost the time they're born, they're on the water. The fisherman who gave us lobster in Grand Cay had his daughter aboard his open center console outboard. She was very young, perhaps about one year old. Just able to stand up and hold on to the console above the steering wheel as her Dad navigated the boat. You have to believe that as that young lady grows, she'll know the waters around her just like the back yard of her house. Estimating water depth by color, and knowing safe routes to follow will be second nature to her, even if it must be acquired by us "visitors". Schedules. Some duties require regular vigilance. One of those tasks is checking battery electrolyte levels. It's easy to ignore, but then replacing batteries prematurely is no fun, either. Wednesday is my day to perform this task. Distilled water is best to add, although I've heard of some using water other than distilled (purified, filtered, etc.) When we left the US there were 3 and one-half gallons of distilled water aboard. In the over two months we've been here most of that has been consumed, so it was time to seek out more. Golden Harvest food store had three gallons, for the tidy sum of $2.97 each. Sold. At least battery maintenance can continue. We went to use our new phone cards today, and guess what? They worked. It requires some extra dialing of numbers and codes, but the end result is worth the effort. Since we left November 9, 2000 and two months have elapsed in the Bahamas, now is a good time to update trip statistics. (Actually, these figures originate 10 months ago at the beginning of our journey in March 2000 from Demopolis, AL). Fuel purchased: 1,110 Gallons Distance traveled: 1,946 Miles Total GenSet Run Time: 2,157 Hours Engine Run Time: Port 360 Hours Starboard 346 Hours It's also been two months since we've stayed at a marina (B says moorings don't count). Definitely a record for us. Tomorrow morning there's a meeting at the Jib Room for interested skippers planning to head south soon. Hopefully, there will be more good information available. John and I are going to attend. Speaking of other boat we took tours of two very different, but great boats today. Steve and Carolyn aboard S.L.A.C.K. Outfit 2, have a gorgeous, and very well maintained boat. We actually met Carolyn and Steve at Harbortown Marina in Ft. Pearce last October. Carolyn showed me several web sites which offered weather analysis for the Gulf Stream crossing, some of it in near "real time" from ocean buoys. They, as we, were awaiting a good crossing window. But now to the imprtant stufff. Their trawler is a Vista, built, as ours was, in Taiwan. She is 36 feet long, but carries a 14 1/2 foot beam. The difference in usabale space is amazing. They've added some extra custom cabinetry which, in addition to blending in well to match the original work, adds significantly to the function and livability of their boat. In particular, Carolyn's forward berth office is wonderfully executed. Probably the best part, though, is the obvious care which has been shown to her. Everything was in its' place. The boat was immacualate! It's always fun to meet folks who take such obvious pride in their boat/home. Carolyn was quick to point out the relative amount of space allocated to resources; ie. those designed to generate income (the office) vs. those designed to spend the income generated (everything else! Seems about right to me!) They're delighful people, and I hope our wakes cross again. The other boat tour was a new Moorings 3800 Catamaran which is just being commissioned for service. Personally, I'd never before seen the interior of a cat. The amount of space available is astounding. Kira liked all the play room. Matt like how stable a platform she was. Lori said it looked like a space age design with curves and spiral staircases. I noted how well she seemed set up for the charter "mission". Three staterooms, a large galley, trampolines up front, a radar arch and dinghy davits astern, all seemingly very stout. What a great charter boat. The 4500 has even more space. Methinks that's enough for this time. It may be a while before we have the ability to send more e-mail as I've been told available facilities may not exist in Georgetown. You can rest assured, though, that I'll continue to write, and catch up with all when we can. Take Care, Bob