Hello, All: 11-2-00 Time to update our trip statistics since we left Demopolis, Alabama, on March 1, 2000, in Nostrum Again, a 1988 37' Newburyport: Miles traveled - 1537 Fuel burned - 827.2 gallons Generator run time - 1,540.5 hours Main Engine Run Time - Port 288.7 hours - Starboard 274.9 hours We left Harbortown Marina at 0900 and headed south down the Intra Coastal Waterway. It was a beautiful day, sunny and clear. Our destination was Lake Worth. The waterway passes through Hobe and Jupiter Sound. There are some really spectacular homes along the way. It's fun to see them from the water. An incident took place later in the afternoon which was unlike any we've experienced to date. Our route went from Jupiter Sound to the Loxahatchee River as we followed the waterway. Upon approaching the Jupiter Federal Highway Bascule Bridge (US 1) it appeared as though we may have to ask it raised for passage. The 2001 Waterway Guide listed its' closed clearance (median high water) at 26', but there didn't appear to be that much. The Loxahatchee River is fairly narrow at this point, and there's lots of current heading to, and from, the Jupiter Inlet. In addition, there's boat traffic of all kinds (big and little). The height to the top of the anchor light on our mast is 22' 8". Most bridges have "tide boards" with markings that allow you to judge how much room is available. In this case, the tide board read between 20, and 21 feet. The bridge has a small arch to it, so I called the bridge tender on the radio to ask how much extra room there was at the center (of the "arch"). He answered that this was a "federal highway bridge in the State of Florida", and he couldn't tell me how much higher it was. (To be sure, almost all the other bridges we've encountered in the last eight months have a sign stating how much extra clearance is available at the center of the span, if any). I called the bridge tender again to make sure we were talking to the right bridge. He started out a little hostile, but was becoming moreso. He said "What's the tide board say? You have more than that, but I can't tell you how much more". Since it's our responsibility to secure the safety of the crew, and vessel, I politely asked the tender to raise the bridge. He shot back that he wouldn't raise it until I gave him the Coast Guard documentation number, owner's name, Vessel name, and hailing port. This was in the form of a "threat", because although boat traffic has the "right of way", it is illegal to have a bridge open if you can pass under it safely without it opening. (His implied threat is that he would "turn us in"). I complied with his request, and then he asked if another boat approaching at a distance would require the bridge to open. When the answer was affirmative, we waited for the following boat to get close, and the bridge was opened. I still don't, for the life of me, understand why a bridge tender would not be able to provide critical information necessary to judge the safety of a proposed course of action. Or, if that's not possible, why he would be so hostile when asked to perform the job for which he is paid. It was a very, very strange situation. We continued our journey and anchored at the north end of Lake Worth (26 48.66 N, 80 03.22 W) . This is an absolutely beautiful spot. The lights on the buildings at night are very pretty. We went to sleep in Palm Beach. 11-3-00 There's an interesting, albeit disturbing, story about what happened at the North end of Lake Worth back in 1998. The Palm Beach Lake Worth inlet is one of the better passages to the Atlantic on the eastern coast of Florida. It is also located fairly "close" to Grand Bahama Island. Consequently a lot of boats preparing to make the crossing to the Bahamas await a good weather window in the Palm Beach area. According to "Skipper Bob's" (no relation!) "Anchorages along the Intracoastal Waterway" in 1998 about 150 boats stayed in Lake Worth because they were unable to obtain a good weather window to the Bahamas due to the "El Nino" phenomenon. Some of these boaters caused a great deal of mischief. They overloaded private trash cans. One of the boaters checked into a local marina, obtained a key to the rest room, and made copies which were passed around to friends. Late at night these folks would sneak into the marina and use facilities without paying. Additionally, some boats anchored close to the marina channel making it difficult for boats renting slips to enter and exit. Apparently they were also "inhospitable" when asked to move. The city of North Palm Beach responded to resident complaints by passing an ordinance requiring an anchoring permit at a cost of $30, and limiting stays to no more than 4 days in a 30 day period. Another case of a few people making it difficult for everyone else in their wake. 11-5-00 After arising I attempted to start the generator, and found although it would "turn over", it wouldn't run. It sounded like perhaps the fuel filter needed changing, so that was done. No luck. I looked a at a small reference book on board called "Keep Your Marine Diesel Running" by Richard Thiel. In it he states "troubleshooting is nothing more than a logical process of elimination". He also mentioned in passing that the usual way a diesel is stopped is by turning off electricity to the solenoid valve. This valve allows fuel to flow when energized by the ignition key, and stops the flow when the key is turned off. The key connections seemed fine, so I looked at the connection to the solenoid. Initially it looked OK, but upon closer inspection the positive connection was pulled out a small fraction of an inch. I pushed it back together, and taped it so it wouldn't separate again. As soon as the starter engaged it "fired up" just fine. Problem solved. Apparently vibration allowed it to work loose just enough to cause the problem. Nice to have that one solved. It's amazing how much there is to constantly learn. 11-6-00 We called to make arrangements for a transient slip at Old Port Cove Marina. It's located very close to the anchorage, sells fuel, and has a Laundromat on site. One other thing we wanted done was to have the "through hulls" cleaned and the "paddle-wheel" cleaned on the speed/distance transducer. All along we'd been closely monitoring the weather waiting for a change in wind direction to the southeast, allowing passage through the Gulf Stream. It looked like our weather window was about to arrive. Matt and Lori took the dinghy to go grocery shopping at the northeast end of the lake, while the laundry was being done. The divers came and cleaned the hull. I had a chance to talk to a couple folks who had been out in the Gulf Stream that day. It looks like tomorrow is a go... 11-7-00 Up at 0200 to listen to the latest forecast, and everything seems good. Our destination was West End, Grand Bahama Island. We slowly picked our way down the ICW to the inlet. Kira and B helped pick out channel markers with the spot light, and watch the depth sounder. In about 45 minutes we were at the last inlet marker. The Atlantic Ocean lay ahead. A course had been plotted about 10 nautical miles south of West End in order to allow for the northward "set" of the Gulf Stream. With a fast boat it doesn't really matter, but in a six knot trawler five hours traversing the up to three knot Gulf Stream can make a difference. We were really on our way. As the lights of Pam Beach slowly disappeared we were heading to a "foreign country". About 0600 the eastern horizon slowly began to lighten. Kira and Lori made a "bet" as to which star would be the last to vanish. We were treated to a spectacular sunrise, and afterward the deep indigo blue color of the ocean became quite apparent. Several flying fish were observed, but only one other boat (a small sport fisher) about half way across. Even though the GPS kept directing us to the "southern" waypoint West End was "dead ahead". Sixty five miles, and ten and one-half hours later we had arrived. A call to Old Bahama Bay Marina on the VHF directed us to a slip, and the forms for entry into the country were dropped off. After the requisite paperwork was completed we had our cruising permit, and were welcomed to the Bahamas. Since today was Election Day in the US we watched CNN's coverage of the results. Little did we know the area we'd just left would be "ground zero" in the ensuing storm of controversy. Matt, in particular, has been extremely interested in the results and is hanging on every new development. 11-8-00 Since we've had little sleep the last two nights we decided to stay another day at Old Bahama Bay. The water clarity, and color here is simply amazing. Yesterday, we met a couple from Ft. Lauderdale who spent the day fishing. They caught a big Wahoo, and were cleaning it at the marina.Dozens of Puffer fish showed up for the free meal, and pretty soon a nurse shark appeared, too. In fact, the nurse sharks live under the rock ledges which form part of the bulkhead for the marina docks. You can easily see the bottom here which is about 8-10 feet. The tides are running about three feet, which explains why each slip has a built in ladder. It can come in handy. There's lots of construction going on here including new private dwellings, and facility buildings. This morning we took a walk along the beach before school began. Lots of Manta Rays, and small fish inhabit the shoreline. B and Kira found a place where dozens of Conch shells had been buried. Kira was afraid to leave them "unattended" while school was in session, so she took a stick and wrote "don't touch" with an arrow pointing to the shells in the sand. Apparently it "worked", because they were still all there after school! She wanted to bring them all back to the boat, but we suggested she just pick out her favorite one, and leave the rest. One "down-side" to this spot is the ferocity of the "no-see-ums". For those of you unfamiliar, these tiny flying insects aptly described as "wings with teeth" have a nasty bite. The bites turn into a small red welt which itches like the devil. Insect repellent doesn't always deter them in their mission, either. 11-9-00 Once at West End you have the choice of going either northeast to the northern Abacos, or east to the central Abacos. The Little Bahama Bank is relatively shallow, and wide open to strong winds/chop. Mangrove Cay (pronounced "key") is about 21 nm away, and Great Sale Cay is about 45 nm. The problem with Mangrove is an essential "lack" of protection from wind and sea condition. Great Sale has a bight, or bay, which provides some protection from both. Accordingly, our next destination was Great Sale. However, as is often the case in life, there are two ways to begin the journey. Shoal (shallow) water (2-5 feet) surrounds the northern and eastern sides of Grand Bahama Island. You can journey to the Atlantic side of the reef to Memory Rocks, and gain water of sufficient depth, but that adds another 13-14 nm, which in a 6 knot boat is about two more hours travel time. Alternatively, you can travel the Indian Cay channel which is just north of West End, but it twists and winds around with very shallow water just outside. Also, one of the pilings marking a turn in the channel (Ind #3) is missing. Anthony, the dock master at Old Bahama Bay lives aboard his vessel there. He offered to guide us through the channel, and save the extra travel time to Memory Rocks. We did pay him for his services, but made it through without difficulty. One of the considerations about cruising this time of year is the shortened number of daylight hours available. It is possible to estimate the water depth from observing its' color, but two things are important. One, you must have sunshine (cloudy days don't work). In addition, the sun must be higher in the sky so the light goes down into the water, and not just in your eyes. Practically, this means you can't leave too early, and must arrive before dark. The final factor in this mix is the state of the tide. It's best, although not always possible, to travel on a rising tide (half tide, or better). That way if you have a "close encounter" with the bottom, the depth will be increasing as the tide rises, hopefully assisting in your dilemma. We left West End at 0900, and arrived at Great Sale Cay anchorage (26 58.58 N, 78 13.14 W) at 1710. Another treat. We were able to see the anchor make contact with the bottom, and watch as it "dug in". I had never previously been able to actually see what was happening when we anchored. That night it was dark, really dark. There were a few stars, but it was mostly cloudy, and since Great Sale is uninhabited there were no lights from shore. About 1930 hours another trawler came steaming in, and anchored not far from us. Unless you were absolutely certain of your location (basically not possible) I don't think I'd want to be navigating these waters at night. 11-10-00 We hauled anchor and left at 0820 with our destination Grand Cays. Grand Cays are just to the southeast of Walker's Cay. Walker's is a big sportfishing spot. There is a marina, and resort, but we were looking for an anchorage. It's easy to find because there is a new BaTelCo (Bahamas Telephone company) tower, and a big blue water tank to help distinguish from surrounding Islands/Cays. The entrance to Grand Cays requires some care, but everything went smoothly and we anchored about 1330. Again, we could see where the anchor was to be placed, and we looked for a "sandy" (actually white marl) spot. Anchors in general hold better if in sand, than in sea grass, or weeds. A couple hours after arrival a fisherman approached in his small outboard center console boat. His very young daughter (probably about two years old) stood on the console, and held onto the wind screen as he drove. We waved hello, and asked how he was doing. He said fine, and asked if we ate lobster (what a question!). Then he bent down and picked up three fresh lobster and handed them to us. We asked what he wanted in return, and he said "nothing... it's cool"). We asked about a cold drink, and he again politely refused any payment. Wow! In the blink of an eye those crustaceans were cookin', and shortly thereafter we were having lobster cocktail. Very thoughtful, and generous. Most of the folks on Little Grand Cay the major inhabited island (pop. about 200) either earn a living fishing, or work at the facility on Walker's Cay. With our appetizer safely "put away", we dropped the dinghy and went to look around. The farther you proceed, the shallower becomes the harbor. But, there are lots of things to look at on the bottom. There are huge sea stars, the size of which we've never before seen. They are red in color, and much thicker than those previously encountered. We saw a manta ray with a wing span of about five feet, just cruising gently by. Lots of conch were moving about the bottom, too. Alas it was getting dark, and time to head "home". 11-11-00 Another bright and sunny day. Everyone except Matt (who declined to go) piled into the dinghy to go exploring. We took it to a cut on the ocean side, and looked at the Atlantic waves breaking on the reef a short distance offshore. After beaching MOE we went to look around. There were so many shells (mainly Conch) that it was unbelievable. Kira and Brandon found some really nice ones. Clover, who also found her own shell, had quite a time barking at it. Lots of little tide pools were everywhere, and full of life. The tide was ebbing (going out) and it was somewhat exciting getting back through the cut, and around the shallows, against the current. We finally made it, and took our shell treasures back to the boat. A little later we went ashore to town. Our intention was to eat out at Rosie's, but the restaurant wasn't open. Hours were 1100 to 1300, and 1900 to 2100. Since we arrived at 1500 we were out of luck. No problem. We went in search of a bakery. One thing John Derby mentioned about the islands was to always find the bakery. One of the ways some folks supplement their income is to bake and sell fresh bread. Yummm! As it turned out we happened by just as a fresh batch was removed from the oven. It smelled wonderful, and tasted even better! The town was, by appearance, not too prosperous. Kira and Brandon's eyes were "wide" as they saw how many of the inhabitants lived. To be sure, everyone we met was friendly, and courteous. There was a lot of trash around, and much of the damage from September 1999 Hurricane Floyd was apparently yet to be repaired. It's good for the kids to realize vast differences in economic status do exist in our world, and not everyone is as fortunate to have many of the things they simply take for granted. Steve Dodge writes an annually updated Cruising Guide to the Abacos, Bahamas, which details anchorages, passages, settlements, etc. He mentions an anchorage possibility the next Cay over (going by the odd name of Double Breasted Cay). But, the holding ground is not all that good, and there is a lot of current through the Cays. Finally, there's not much protection from wind, as the islands are low bush, minus trees. Even though we had originally thought we might stay there, we decided it better to seek a more protected spot. 11-12-00 We left on high slack tide, and found it much easier going than when we arrived (at low tide). We decided to head back to Great Sale for the night, and then to head east to the central Abacos. The trip back to Great Sale was uneventful (the best kind!) and when we returned to the bight it was deserted. Kira, Lori, and I took MOE ashore to explore. There were the ruins of a building near the beach on the west side, but we had no idea what it might have been. Kira was disappointed as there weren't any "good" shells. Clover enjoyed racing up and down the beach, though. When we returned to the anchorage another boat had arrived. Surprise! By the time darkness drew near, there were 8 boats of varying size, anchored. Definitely the most cruising boats in one spot since our arrival in the Bahamas. 11-13-00 At 0800 we hauled anchor and were on our way to the Abacos. As it was an overcast morning, our ability to read the color (and henceforth, the depth) of the water was more difficult. The destination of the day was an anchorage off Powel Cay, across from Cooperstown on the Sea of Abaco. Fifty -seven miles later we arrived. The route passes several "rocks", the vast majority of which are easily sighted, and just as easily avoided. There's one, though, called Veteran Rock (not too far from Fox Town, on Little Abaco Island) which is charted, and has a waypoint 1/2 mile south which, try as we might, we could not see. It's a little "spooky" knowing there's something out there which could potentially cause great grief, that's so low lying it can't be easily seen. We even had "eagle-eye" Kira with the 14X binocs on the job. No luck. The anchorage off Powell Cay (26 54.01 N, 77 29.00 W) is beautiful, and we had it all to ourselves. The holding ground turned out to be good, too. There is a "wreck" on the beach just north of the bluff, and a nice little "cove" offering good protection from North and East winds. The problem was a cold front, and attendant wind shift is forecast soon, and we wanted a more protected spot. 11-14-00 Reluctantly, we left the next morning for Green Turtle Cay. The plan calls to return to Powell Cay again when the stay can be longer. Matt has been absolutely enthralled with the events of, and following the US presidential election. He has been "glued" to the action as it unfolds on CNN. Actually, it fits in very well with his US history studies of the Constitution, Separation of Powers, and previous presidential elections. Civics studies in the making. He has been very perceptive, and wise beyond his years, in evaluating the moves and counter moves as they develop. Green Turtle Cay has three harbors. On the south is Settlement Harbor, and the town of New Plymouth. Adjacent is Black Sound, where many cruising boats anchor, or dock. A potential problem with Black Sound is a lot of Sea Grass on the bottom making it more difficult to set am anchor properly. Up north is White Sound (26 46.78 N, 77 20.19 W), where we chose to anchor. The number of visiting boats change, as folks come and go. Settlement Harbor is too shallow for most cruising boats (especially at low tide), but is where the mail boat, and ferry activity occurs. New Plymouth traces its' roots to Loyalist Separatist's following the US Revolutionary War. To walk around town and observe things one can easily imagine going back in time 200 years. The houses in town have "New England", "Cape Cod" style architecture. No public water system exists, so every home has its' own cistern to collect drinking/washing/cooking water. The gutters and downspouts from building roofs are piped directly into the cistern collection tank, and therefore available for domestic use. Our first trip to town was in search of groceries, especially milk. There are three grocery stores for the population of about 450. Residents were friendly, and the town was neat and tidy. There's a significant difference in prices from stateside. The Bahamas do not have any personal income, or sales taxes. Instead, the government generates money with the imposition of duty. Any goods (with the exception of printed material) is assessed a fee of 42%. We did find some milk, and a few other items before returning to the boat. In order to return to White Sound you have to briefly venture back into the Sea of Abaco. When the wind blows from the north, there is a long "fetch" or distance, for wind driven waves to develop. Consequently, a significant "chop" can be encountered under certain conditions. It was a little bumpy on the return trip, but certainly easily done. 11-15-00 Following school, we all went to New Plymouth to look around, and try to find fresh bread. The kids liked the town, and were fascinated by the narrow streets and multi-hued homes. As the wind piped up, we headed back. The chop was more prominent, and wind spray was more of a factor. Everyone was a little soggy, but we made it home fine. That evening the cold front passed, and the wind blew hard. The anchor held, but we "danced" around all night long. 11-16-00 Radio Abaco gives the weather report every morning about 0715. This morning the report called for "frigid" weather. The high temperature was 80 degrees, but with the wind chill factor it would make it feel like 75 degrees! Folks were warned to take along their jackets. Even so it was overcast and windy enough that we decided to stay "home" today. 11-17-00 Up bright and early today, and the weather is much better. Clear skies, and less wind call out for exploration. We left for New Plymouth once again and had lunch at Laura's Kitchen. This restaurant has five tables, and is an extension of someone's home. The food and service was good, even if the menu was somewhat limited. Following lunch we toured the Albert Lowe Museum. This fascinating building shows the history of the town with lots of artifacts and photos over the years. The best part though, was the living history of the town as shown through the eyes of those who live there. Noel (who just celebrated his 83rd birthday) and Ivy Roberts both have family roots that go back to the beginning. It was a real treat to hear him talk about growing up with the boatbuilding of great sailing ships, recalling the disastrous hurricane of 1936, or relaying family tales illustrating the hard life faced by these hearty pioneers. Some tidbits of interest. Neville Chamberlain, the prime minister of England just before Winston Churchill, prior to world war two grew up in Green Turtle Cay. He, as a young man, managed the family pineapple business which thrived at the time. Many of the early pioneers survived as "wreckers". They would keep watch for ship which foundered on the reefs, then go rescue the survivors and salvage the cargo. Foe many years, until lighthouses were erected to warn mariners, this was the major "industry" of the area. Subsequent to the lighthouse construction, many of these families moved to Key West, Florida to continue the trade. Some of them moved all their belongings, houses included. A few of those homes exist today. Key West, and New Plymouth are, in fact, sister cities. After the museum, we went and looked at the town Cemetery. There's lots of history there, too. Some of the markers have deteriorated over time, and are difficult, or impossible to read. Many, though, dating back to the 1800's can be discerned, and make fascinating reading. The original town jail, which sustained some hurricane damage after Floyd's visit showed where you would not want to stay while in town. Another interesting stop is a Sculpture Garden displaying the busts of original settlers cast in bronze. Plaques detail the historical accomplishments of these folks. Finally, we walked up to look at the Island School before returning. All school kids wear neat looking, colorful uniforms. 11-18-00 Lori and Brandon took the dinghy and explored the harbor looking for marine life. There are lots of Sea stars, and Conch. There is a wrecked fishing boat worth exploring near the west side, too. It was a warm sunny day, and lovely to enjoy. 11-19-00 Another cold front is approaching, and the skies are getting cloudy as the wind builds. Our next destination is the Hub of Abaco, the area between Great Guana , Man-O-War, and Great Abaco Cays. In order to make this passage, you must go around Whale Cay, if your draft is over about 3 feet. Since we draw 4.5 ft., we had to go around Whale Cay into the Atlantic for a couple miles. There are two channels (Whale, and Loggerhead) one of which carries 12 feet of water. The problem is seas rolling in from the open Atlantic, which, if high enough, will "break" across the channel making it all but impassible. Therefore, you must be careful in choosing a day for your passage, when it is not only safe, but easy on the vessel and crew. Today was not the day to go. Neither was the 20th, or the 21st. So, we stayed. 11-22-00 The wind is dying down, and seeing as tomorrow is Thanksgiving we are making holiday plans. Lori needs a few things to complete the dinner, so Kira and I went back to New Plymouth to pick them up. We needed some pumpkin spice, a pie crust, milk and dinner rolls. We had to go to all three stores, but all the items were found. In fact, we bought out all the no fat milk on the island (all three half gallons!) Milk is pretty expensive, though, it costs $4.95 per half gallon (almost ten dollars per gallon). The message is clear. If you intend to visit, and eat, bring money! 11-23-00 Happy Thanksgiving! There is something very fitting about celebrating Thanksgiving here, surrounded by the history of this island. We certainly have a lot to be thankful for. 11-26-00 Today looks like a "go" around "the Whale". As we made our way around, I mentioned to everyone that if you went directly east the next land mass you would encounter is Africa! Wow. The ocean side of Whale Cay was indeed beautiful. Waves crashed against the craggy shoreline, as spray flew skyward. The island south of Whale is Great Guana Cay. In 1989, and 1990 the northern part of Guana was developed as a cruise ship destination and was used by Premier Cruise Lines "Big Red Boat". For about two years, until early 1993 it was in use. At that time, they stopped visiting because too many trips had been cancelled as a result of inopportune weather at the channel entrance. The peculiar thing was, when they left, everything was left behind. We anchored in Baker Bay, and took the dinghy ashore. It was like going to "Lost World" in Jurassic Park. The partially ruined dock stands guard at the approach to the compound. Signs advertising amenities (dive trips, "swim with dolphin" encounters, shelling trips to a nearby island,etc.) available to guests still announce activities long since gone. A walk down one path leads to an amphitheatre with pine trees growing up through the seating. The stage, and spotlights still stand, dark, while pointing toward center stage. Another storage area held numerous costumes (grass skirts, shoes, shirts, etc.) scattered around, presumably used in long since gone stage productions. A little further along is a large tile topped free standing tiki bar, with unused large double stainless steel sinks. Next up is the activities center. Around back are seven Yamaha Jet skis, sitting forlornly, never again to "zoom" across the waves. Continuing on past the basketball, and volley ball courts you encounter the restaurant and gift shop. Large color promotional materials lie around failing to lure customers to the long gone gift shop. Although the restaurant tables, chairs and silverware have been removed, much remains. The buffet line, and serving counters stand empty. The kitchen still has a large stainless steel rotisserie oven, and pizza oven. A large Echo Lab reverse osmosis watermaker stands at the wall, not producing a drop of potable water. Huge fuel storage tanks, and a fuel pump sit out back near a set of "walk-in" freezer/coolers. A little further back is a small trailer where presumably a caretaker, or watchman may have stayed. Back out front in the office area off the restaurant is a huge floor safe, door open, never again to hold the receipts of the day. A little further on is a stage, and dance floor where no one trips the "light fantastic". Construction equipment (ladders, nails for use in nail guns, lumber, etc.) is scattered around various parts of the compound. Possibly several millions of dollars were invested in making this "Treasure Island", as it was called. It hasn't been in operation for almost eight years, and has weathered the ravage of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, but some of the former grandeur still shines through. Why was it all just abandoned? I don't know, but it sure was interesting to visit! After looking around, we walked the beach. We saw absolutely huge Sea Stars very close to the beach. One was almost as big as Brandon's chest. Amazing. Kira is very interested in shells, so off we went to Spoil Island Cay (created when the channel was dredged to 30 ft. for cruise ship access). We found lots of small shells which we'd not before encountered. Most of them were small, but beautiful, nonetheless. Stars!!! Since Treasure Island closed there are no inhabitants, nor lights on this end of the cay. About 2000 we went out to look at the stars. Absolutely amazing. I don't think I've ever seen such "intensity" in the sky. Not only the usual stars, but the imposition of the milky way and other "far off galaxies" was truly a sight to behold. We went to bed feeling dwarfed by the majesty of the universe in which we live. During the night a storm awoke me about 0100. Off to the north was a line of thunderstorms, and Mother Nature was putting on a display of enormous magnitude. Lightning bolts lit up the entire northern sky, followed by the rumbling of thunder. It was a sight to behold. The wind was freshening, but as I periodically kept watch throughout the night, the storm didn't seem to come much closer. It was moving more east than south. 11-27-00 Up and away at 0830. Destination Marsh Harbor, a trip of about ten miles. We have a few pressing needs. First, laundry hasn't been done for over three weeks! (That is certainly a record for this family). Secondly, even though we stocked up on foodstuffs before leaving Lake Worth, some of those have been consumed, and we need to re-stock. Lastly, it has been an almost equal amount of time since we've been able to dispose of trash. Marsh Harbor here we come! After prioritizing the needs, we decided to first go grocery shopping. Although Marsh Harbor has several grocery stores, they are all owned by the same company, so there's not a lot of competition in town. There is, however, a good selection of stock available. One of the stores is called Solomon Brothers, which is similar to a "wholesale warehouse" operation like Costco, or Sam's (but on a much smaller scale). The only thing which isn't small, is the price, but I digress... We bought two Cornish Game Hens for $14.95. An 8 lb. spiral cut ham cost almost $40. A package of Snackwell cookies cost $5.00. A 4 lb. Kool Aid mix container cost $10.95. We "passed" on the ten lb. bag of potatoes for $21.00. A case of Diet Dr. Pepper goes for a cool $14.00. Lots of items, for presumably obvious reasons, were not priced. And, some of the pricing present was very difficult to discern. You might think this is just a result of a "tourist based" economy, but this too, is where "locals" must shop. Needless to say, you must be very careful in making purchases, so you don't "blow" the entire cruising kitty at once. (Please don't misunderstand, this is not an indictment of the Bahamas, just an attempt to accurately describe the situation as it exists). With some food once again in the pantry, we can move on to other concerns. Marsh Harbor is, in fact, the third largest city in the Bahamas (behind Nassau, and Freeport). The harbor has some areas which are a bit shallow for cruising craft, but is generally large enough to accommodate lots of visiting boats. Another positive is the relatively good holding ground. The human "herding instinct" sometimes leads to potential problems in anchoring. There are some places where boat congestion is high, and anchoring room is at a premium (Mariner's Cove, for instance, when we lived near San Diego was always crowded, especially on weekends). Even though there's lots of room, some new arrivals insist on anchoring real close to those boats already moored. Usually, though, the situation is easily handled by just asking a little more room be allowed. Not all boats swing the same at anchor. Sail craft are more influenced by the current due to a large keel, and less windage. Power boats tend to present a larger profile to the wind, and without a large keel tend to be more influenced by it. Practically what this means is that there's a potential for boats anchored too close together to go "bump" in the night. With the passage of cold fronts, and their attendant gusty winds this problem can be more substantial. Also, a boat that drags anchor has the potential to foul the anchor lines of others, creating a real mess. 11-28-00 Today is laundry day. We loaded all the laundry into the dinghy, and our collapsible dock cart for a trip to town. The cruising guide mentions a coin laundry not far from the center of town, so off we went. Surprise! The building was re-done and all the machines replaced following Hurricane Floyd. Floyd did a lot of damage to the Abacos, although according to some we've spoken to, it could have been much worse. He hit during the daylight hours, and at low tide, so the storm surge wasn't as intense. Also, even though the "eye" came close to the area, it moved through relatively fast (unlike some storms which linger causing a lot more damage from rains and heavy flooding). All in all, most of the folks we've talked to said they never want to experience another hurricane, given the choice. Thankfully, there was no loss of life, either. A lot, but not all, of the damage has been repaired. For one year following the storm the government wasn't charging duty on building materials to repair damage. That grace has since expired. New construction, and repair, is evident in lots of places. The Laundromat was wonderful. There were probably a total of 40 washers and dryers. Many marinas that have laundry facilities have two or three machines. That's wonderful, but if you have multiple loads, or more than one person trying to use them, it can turn into an "all day" proposition. We had eight loads, but could do them simultaneously. Each wash and dry was $2.00, but the laundry is now officially "caught up". Some behavior modification has been required with respect to clothes. Kira used to change outfits 3, or 4 times per day. Matt would always change clothes every day. Brandon didn't contribute to the problem since he hardly ever changed clothes! Because we must search out, and carry laundry, every one has had to be more judicious in their use of this "limited resource". Speaking of resources, in the "what works" column, we've been most pleased with the water maker. It produces sweet tasting water, and frees us from the constant search for this potable liquid. Different cruisers handle this problem in different ways. Most prevalent is the "jerry can" method. You see dinghies zooming back and forth with as many jugs as possible jammed inside heading for this hose, or that. Some islands, like Great Abaco, have municipal wells and supply government water. These wells have to be closely monitored for salinity, as they are relatively shallow, and the fresh water table isn't very deep. Some cruisers have a modified system of the previously mentioned "cistern". These boaters use the "decks" as a collection medium, and then pipe rainwater into their tanks. They have to be very careful to make sure the decks are kept clean. Also in some wind driven storms, salt spray can be mixed in with the rain. Most marinas charge for water, some of which is reverse osmosis, or a mixture of several sources. On an island, water can indeed be a most precious resource. We run the watermaker when the cold plate refrigeration, and battery charger is also operating. The 110 system requires little extra energy to operate, and everything else is in place. We test samples before switching the valve to the tank fill position. The system has settled into about 125-135 PPM. The flow meter indicates production of about 4.5 gallons per hour with the high pressure pump set about 750 PSI. All in all, this has more than provided for our needs, and we have to watch the tank overflow vent to alert us to full tankage. Speaking of dinghies, a curious phenomenon takes place here in the Bahamas. I had always been taught not to stand in a small boat, especially while underway. Many, many folks have fashioned tiller extensions from PVC pipe for the outboard allowing them to position further forward in the boat. Then they grab ahold of a bow line as they charge here and there. It reminds me of Roman Gladiators riding their Chariots, or Dog Sledders "mushing" their way across the frozen tundra. To each his own, but it is entertaining! Wheat Thins. Our family had become addicted to reduced fat Wheat Thins. While in the states, we could easily go through 5 or 6 of the large boxes per week. Guess what? They aren't available here. Oh my, whatsoever to do? Easy, just transfer the addiction to something else. Which leads into fresh bread. One of our cruiser friends called it "thigh bread" because that's where it ends up after "consumption" (think about it). Every town, or settlement has a bakery. Many of these are just private folks who make extra income by providing this most worthwhile service. One of the first tasks when arriving in a new area is to find the bakery. Matt loves the white bread. B, Kira, and I tend to fancy the raisin bread. (mmm mmm good!) The other thing we did in town was to buy some Christmas decorations. After the holidays last year Lori packed a box containing a small artificial tree, decorations, lights, and Christmas videos. We didn't want to carry it around for months on end with our limited storage, so we thought it could just be sent to us when needed. Unfortunately, the "window" for safe passage across the Gulf Stream didn't allow sufficient time for the box to be delivered. No problem, we thought, we'll just have it delivered to the Bahamas. Wrong. Both FedEx, and UPS deliver to Marsh Harbor. The fee to send the Christmas box was $235.00, and on top of that we'd have to pay 42% duty. Since all the decorations, etc. were old and used, it would be left to the discretion of Bahamas Customs as to how much duty would be due. Clearly, this box would cost well over $300.00 to ship, and wasn't worth it. Another lesson learned. We, therefore, bought enough outdoor lighting to decorate the boat (up the mast down to the end of the boom and back in a Christmas Tree "shape", then around the flybridge twice). The small colored twinkle lights make a very pretty sight at night. (The first night there was only one other boat, berthed at a marina, decorated. As time advances, more vessels are "showing their holiday colors"). 11-29-00 A most welcome part of cruising life in the "Hub of Abaco" is the morning "Cruisers Net". Every morning beginning at 0815 on VHF channel 68 the net comes to order. First business is the weather forecast. One of the participants refers to this as info from the "National Weather Circus". Honestly, some of the predictions from the NWS in Miami don't seem to bear much witness to reality. I know it's difficult to actually know what is happening "weatherwise", which is why the comments from long time cruisers/Abaco residents is very helpful in interpreting what may happen. Following the weather are commercial announcements from local establishments (restaurants, etc.). Next are any e-mail messages for cruisers. (There is an e-mail address for people to contact cruisers, which will then be relayed by net operators). "Snail-mail" can be carried by those heading to the States, or to Europe, to help "speed up" the delivery process. Then there's time for new arrivals to the area to introduce themselves to others already here. Afterwards, time is given to those departing and wishing to say farewell to those left behind. Finally, a session called "open mike" allows anyone with a question, or comment to speak their mind. When we introduced ourselves, the net moderator said there was another boat in the harbor with an 11 year old girl, who was anxious for some company. Everyone's ears perked up, and we made note of this information. Since the weather was blustery, and rainy, today seemed a good day to do some boat "projects". The oil and filter was changed in the gen set, and battery electrolyte topped off. In addition, the oil was changed in the watermaker high pressure pump. Since it was kind of noisy with that work in progress, we turned off the VHF radio. 11-30-00 Today the weather is much better, clear skies and the winds have substantially subsided . During the "open mike" portion of the net, there was a message asking the trawler with the kids aboard who spoke yesterday to respond. That request from Ba-Ban-Di, a 35 ft. sailboat with Thorton, Sharon, and Kelly on board. Kelly was the one interested in some contact with others her age. We made arrangements to meet them later that afternoon. Kelly came back to our boat to play, and Brandon and Kira spent the rest of the afternoon with her. Thorton and Sharon came over to our boat, and the adults shared some Conch salad. (What a tasty treat!) Later, they all went back to Kelly's boat and spent the night. The Space Shuttle Endeavor was launched at 2200, and we briefly saw it to the northwest sky. The launch observed in Stuart a couple months back was more impressive because we were much closer to the Space Center. 12-1-00 The kids had a great night with Kelly. About 1100 Lori and I went over to Ba-Ban-Di. They've owned her for a number of years and have her all fit out for cruising. Thornton just recently added a solar panel to supplement electrical production from their wind generator. Many of the cruising boats have wind generators. They are large propellers driven by the breeze hooked to a generator. (Some of them are so quiet that I'd think you'd need extreme care when in close proximity. The result of a "close encounter" could be severe personal injury). It's fun to watch his amp meter, and see the amount of energy entering the batteries which is essentially "free". Kelly came back with us and is spent the night. The kids all get along well. Lori and I did some shopping, and exploring in town. We picked up a few Christmas gifts for the kids. 12-2-00 Matt has been very interested in the legal proceedings, and is following the election result wrangling very closely. The number of twists/turns/surprises in this whole thing is astounding. Our Thanksgiving turkey was so good that we picked up another. It just barely fit in our oven, but smelled wonderfully as it cooked. This time there'll even be a "wishbone". 12-3-00 Lori,B, Kira and I took MOE out to a reef to look around (well, actually "under"). Mermaid Reef has three small mooring balls (for boats less than 25' in length). It is on the Sea of Abaco side, about three miles from the anchorage where we are presently. The wind is still blowing about 15-18 knots, so the "Sea" is fairly choppy. >From the surface it didn't look like there was much life below. Ahh, but sometimes first impressions deceive... Considering the wind, swimming was a bit "chilly" at first. Once in the water, though, it was tolerable. Mermaid is home to a wide variety of life. Sea fans, and brain coral. Lots of fish, some very colorful, and some well camouflaged. What a treat to see! Another cold front is supposed to move into the area tonight. Time to "batten down the hatches". I find it amazing that with the exception of one night I haven't worn anything but shorts and t-shirts for the last 8 months. We're going to see if we can send this message. There's a store in town that offers "internet access" at the rate of a $2.00 connection fee and $2.00 per minute use (not exactly like $19.95 per month). So, it's off to town. Best wishes to everyone. Bob Bob Foss Nostrum Again 1988 37' Newburyport