08 Warderick Wells to Georgetown and beyond 2010-04-10

April 10

Warderick Wells, Exuma Park
Jim, Al and I hiked to the top of Boo Boo Hill. During a terrible storm in the mid-nineteenth century, a ship was wrecked off the coast of Warderick Wells Cay and all perished. Today, it is said that the ghosts of these victims can be heard moaning on the grounds of Boo Boo Hill, especially when there is a full moon. However, contemporary scientists suggest that the moaning and sighing is really the wind roaring through the blow holes on the east side of this hill. It could be either.

View from Boo Boo Hill

Later, we went snorkelling from our dinghy. This was definately my best snorkelling to date. There were fish of every imagineable colour and the coral was breathtaking. After climbing back on to the dinghy, we motored to the beach, about 50 feet away. The tide was out, leaving pockets of warm, clear water.  I lay down in one and let the breezes cool my hot skin, the sun washing over me, my lips licking the salt on my face. Later, Jim and I explored the beaches, admiring the many conch, starfish and other shells everywhere. Early evening found us back to the beach for a potluck with other cruisers. We had the best “Goombay Smash” I have ever had, but am profoundly sorry to say, never thought to request the recipe! In the wee hours of the morning, Al Davis left to continue his sailing in the direction of Nassau and back to the U.S.  We were sorry to see him go, as it has been a fun adventure with him, but hopefully, we'll meet up again – somewhere – next year.

April 12

Today was a quiet change; we sailed back to Staniel Cay yesterday, and are spending the morning working on photos and my diary. In the afternoon, Munchkin again delivered us safely to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for a pleasant time of nibbling on grouper fingers and sipping cold white wine; “Island in the Stream” played in the background as we took turns with the internet usage. We're feeling very ready for a nap, and the early evening potluck on the beach will simply have to proceed without us.


Ceiling in Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Not the same as back home :)

April 14

We're still in Staniel Cay (well, actually, we're anchored just around the corner in a quiet, calm bay next to a cay called Big Major's Spot – it's neither of those words right now; the wind is howling like a banchee and the waves are kicking up their heels for a Virginia Reel, but it sure beats being out in the open ocean right now!)

These days at anchor while we wait out the weather, allow us to relish in the pleasure of sleeping in (more than usual), followed by the coffee/chat routine in bed; however, now we can take another hour reading aloud to each other before beginning our daily chores. Later, Jim spends hours reading manuals, charts and maps (yuk), while I read up on the next islands we will visit. This is also an opportunity to air our laundry in public – literally – as the wind is, well windy, and so nice and warm. There isn't a laundermat for many a nautical mile, but it's quite pleasurable to do handwash (now perhaps that's simply because it's still a novelty, but it may also be due to the fact that there just isn't the mountain of laundry we had back home. Because water is such an important commodity on a boat, it becomes quite a daily challenge to see how many ways one can make it go further. One way is to wear the same clothes definitely more than once. It really is a differant world on a boat. Although we have numerous (4) showers on this tiny vessel, I tend to prefer to 'sponge bath' daily. First of all, it's a major water saver, and second, when one has a shower on a boat, the entire bathroom (not just the shower stall) must be rubbed dry – which takes longer than the shower itself. This is because the evil eye of mildew is always lurking. When we're in the ocean, the Bahama Banks, Tongue of the Ocean, or any other remote sailing area, the shower in the cockpit is always the number one choice – no clean up!

Note: Are we easing into retirement? The other day, I asked Jim “what's the date today?” His response, after a head scratching pause.......April.

 
April 20-21
George Town
Our time in George Town beginning about the 20th of April was fast-paced, and full of activities; in addition, internet access (as usual) was sporadic and limited, and my notes fell by the wayside. However, my mind drifts back to some very special memories and include the notes below:

Peace & Plenty Hotel 1st night in George Town,  eating a dinner of Cracked Conch

A lovely dinner on Jim & Jean's boat (met Sherry and Wayne that night, owners of  Wine Down )

An unusual and delightful surprise baby shower for Nina and TJ on Volleyball Beach, attended by couples, who in addition to bringing food, contributed singing of songs to the couple and a lovely poem written by Jean.

The family Regatta – watching the racing of boats virtually around our boat!

The best spareribs in the whole wide world, stall # 18; last day of the regatta, met Rick & Carolyn on Wild Horse from Watch Hill, Road Island, who were also eating this delight. Perfect music, an amazing Bahamian rum punch drink, music floating in the air on the constant breezes, people dancing in the streets.

Each evening at sundown, the sound of conch horns resonating over the waves, echoing through the hills of the cays

The birds above reflecting the emerald green waters on their bellies.

The four of us (Jim, Jean, Sherry, Wayne and I) spend an afternoon on our boat back out in the ocean for a pob (person overboard) drill. We learn it is very, very difficult to complete this drill. My Jim is the only one of the six who is able to single-handedly do all that is necessary. (as a sailing instructor, he executed this maneuver perhaps 800 – 1000 times on a considerably smaller vessel, and, he still found it very difficult. We all agreed we will not fall overboard. After the drill, we each returned briefly to our own boats to fetch wine and nibblies and resumed our time together on Jim and Jean's Windsong.
 

A race in progress

 

Baby Shower on the Beach

April 26

A heavy storm is brewing, but at the moment, it continues to be blue skies, gentle breezes and warm waters. We slip into the calm waters of the bay and swim around our boat, later, lingering on the transom to shower the salt off our skin. The feeling of exhilaration is more than my vocabulary can portray. Shortly afterwards, Rick and Caroline dinghy over and spend time aboard our boat. Later in the afternoon, because of the pending weather, we decide to move our boat from our protected anchorage in order to be closer to George Town and the end result is next to Jim and Jean who have already made this move this morning. We are supposed to be having dinner ashore tonight with them at one of the local restaurants as they are beginning their return trip tomorrow. On Montamarol, Jim has no sooner dropped the anchor when the winds pick up and the waves become steeper. Jim and Jean are on shore finishing up some last minute errands before returning to Windsong. The rain is beginning; Jim calls them on shore on the VHF to ask if they would like us to dinghy over to their boat to close their hatches and they gratefully accept the offer. However, by the time he hauls in Munchkin to board her, the winds have picked up substantially. A number of dinghies have passed our boat in a precarious fashion, and Jim makes the decision that it would be too dangerous to make the hundred foot crossing to Windsong. We radio our regrets. All around us, everyone is watching this storm from their cockpit. I am feeling anxious for Jim and Jean having to make the very rough ride in their dinghy to get back to Windsong. When they did not appear for quite some time, we assumed they must have made the decision to stay ashore for dinner to wait out the weather, perhaps even stay overnight at the hotel. Since we had planned on dinner ashore with them, fixins that night were meager – canned beans, cheese and crackers and wine. After dinner, I again went to the cockpit to see if Jim and Jean might have decided to return, only to be stunned to see Jim standing aboard Windsong, lifeline in hand, pulling Jean out of the water. We later learned that when they first left the safety of the harbour, they encountered larger seas than anticipated. When attempting to board another boat Brydal Ancre for safety, Jim had fallen overboard.

The remainder of this month was spent sailing with Jim and Jean side by side to Concepcion and Cat islands. Together we explored the beaches, walked the dusty roads of villages, dined in restaurants and huts to sample more Bahamian cuisine and entertained each other on our boats. These four days in their company were absolutely wonderful; they are an amazing couple - intelligent, spiritual, warm, friendly and funny. It was very sad to say farewell when we headed back to George Town to prepare for our Canadian visitors. However, I feel confident our paths will cross again and take comfort in this heart-warming thought.

Jim and Jean

Jean, Concepcion Island

Three Muskateers!

George Town was our final southerly destination for this year. The first third of the month of May, we will enjoy the company of Jim's daughter, Olivia and her friend Andrew, sailing them slowly back to Nassau for their onward flight to California for further family visiting. We will then begin our journey north, but this time coastal sailing.

At the moment, our exact route is unknown, but I have no doubt that most things will remain constant. We will enjoy ourselves. I will continue to have meltdowns (and some days, learning to knit will continue to seem more appealing than the terror of huge waves and ocean swells. These adventures are teaching me things about myself – not all good. I thrive on the constant changes of scenary, people and activities, but I am not nearly as brave as I had romanticized I would be. This lack of bravery, coupled with the disappointment of my slowness in learning, the frustrations, the anger and the disappointment in my inability to progress: I am not always coursing through deep waters of mastery, but sometimes running hard aground the shoals of discontent. But for today, we continue on because in spite of my cowardice, in spite of my slowness to process all this new technical data, for today, there's still no life like it!