A BEACON OF HOPE AND LIGHT

After MAN-O-WAR island came ELBOW CAY and HOPE TOWN with its red and white lighthouse. The loyalists (the tea drinking English bunch) settled here in 1785 and while deeply loyal, saw nothing wrong with making a living off the wrecked vessels that ran aground on the fringing reefs. The building of the lighthouse became a very sore point and a major conflict of interest. Today's plundering is much more subtle. A can of Coke $2.00, a roll of paper towels $3.39, cheeseburger $ 12.00, you get the drift..... The view from the lighthouse is spectacular and worth every bit of extortion. The original kerosene lamp with its normal "tilley" lamp mantle, still operates as it always has. The lighthouse keeper pumps up enough kerosene into a holding tank for the nights flashes. Some things at least never change. There are two wooden water barrels at the top, built in to the structure, that still holds water from the roof run-off for the lighthouse keeper to have a drink. The barrels are original and at least 200 years old. One would hope the water in there is a little younger .............. The beaches are equally spectacular and these blue water shots are for Tommy White of Winddancer Sails in Jacksonville and Gerry Cooper in the hills of West Virginia, who just cannot get enough of them. We had been having difficulty getting good internet connection and the signal was somewhere between 1Mbps and 11Mbps. Went to check out the telephone cable that runs fairly low (golfcart height)along the "Queen's Highway". I heard a whole bunch of people talking over the top of each other, so perhaps that's the reason why the internet is a little slower here in Hope Town.






If you double-click on the harbour scene you should be able to locate ARITA, SVEA and TREEHOUSE somewhere at the back. This a great all-weather harbour and the moorings seem strong. Yachts come and go all the time and are all shapes and sizes. The Inter-Island ferry boats weave in and out of the yachts and their captains are so skilled that they load passengers and goods without touching the docks or even tying up. Guess you could do that if that's all you do for fifty years. Then there's the Queen trying to imitate a beacon of light and hope and succeeding....



After a great sail, TREEHOUSE and SVEA arrived at the cut to enter HOPETOUN Harbour. Glenn Miller, the very dedicated skipper of TREEHOUSE, a beacon of light himself, dedicated himself even further by drinking Ricardo's Coconut Rum only in a coconut. Now there truly is dedication. We all want to know how you drink Ricardo's Mango Rum in a mango, after all how do you get the seed out first before you pour the rum in, and we won't even think about Ricardo's Banana Rum?



Everywhere we have gone so far there seems to be a "QUEEN'S HIGHWAY" which has pleased the Queen no end. Here in HOPE TOWN we found another one. The arrow here may lead to some confusion since the highway runs both ways and is in no way intended to point to any significant location. The Queen specifically asked me to mention this in despatches.



ARITA is somewhere in the 'melee' and the bronze dolphin sculptures are in a little park tucked up in the dunes. The sculpture is one of many found in the islands all produced at a foundry in LITTLE HARBOUR, our destination for tomorrow. It is some sixteen miles to the south of HOPE TOWN, through a maze of shallows and reefs. It will be like playing "tag" with the tide. We have to make a run for it at just the right time and not get stuck. ......... Could be fun...........

MAN-O-WAR CAY

Despite the unruly weather we motored to MAN-O-WAR Cay and came through the narrow cut to the inner harbour for fuel and water. The first re-fueling since West Palm Beach. The photo shows SVEA and TREEHOUSE at the fuel dock. Double click and you'll see the details. They look none the worse for wear. (Kind of works out at a gallon a day, pretty economical you would think, right.... because we haven't moved very far, mostly due to the weather) Man-o-war is even more quaint than the earlier islands, with narrow golf-cart streets and small painted cottages. It is also the centre for traditional boat-building, allbeit nowadays it isall in fibreglass and resin. Our first stop was a little craft factory making hand bags, hats and things. Three senior ladies with sewing machines outracing each other. Endless hand bags, so much so, that there is real meaning to the phrase "up to the roof". We wanted a canvas bucket. "Aieee... we don't do dat.. Aiee...you'r about the sixth person to ask us dat dis week"...... More buckets, less bags would be a move forward,... methinks.



Despite the fact that these islands have almost no soil to speak of and rainfall is spartan, the plants though stunted seem to do amazingly well. Take this briliant bouganvillea as an example. Just double click on it to see the incredible flowers. Its a scarlet explosion. A real crimson tide. Same as Corina's smile at the fuel dock in Man-o-War. I'm guessing its the blue water and not the six-month's pregnancy. She is turning into a champion sailor as we see her coming into an anchorage with her foot on the tiller and arms waving, while Joel is on the foredeck ready with the anchor.

Now below you see the fruits of the "BETELNUT PALM". This is the much-prized betelnut chewed in much of Melanesia, which definitely has some 'mind-altering' properties. When chewed with lime it slowly reduces your teeth to no teeth and your red-stained mouth..... well..... Wait until we get to Papua New Guinea and we'll show you some of the real toothless McCoys.



A cactus with both red and yellow flowers on it at the same time. Way to go. Why not go for Blue and yellow to match the flag, .... " Now dat would really be somethin". Then again we went to visit Hugh Wecell who invited us to see his house. Saw the gate, saw the house, never did see Hugh. That gate certainly is a work of art, his wife's I believe. Quite an artist.



The blue water really is captivating and while everywhere it is exceptionally shallow at least you can see the bottom. In crossing into the harbour with the dinghy we noticed this rather thick cable lying on the bottom with a patch on it. Then saw the signs on the embankment that said " DO NOT ANCHOR ". Turns out to be the power supply cable to one side of the island. Makes you wonder what happened to the guy in a speedboat at low tide that cut the cable. He was "aglow" and the island in darkness................."I'd be a-guessin.."



You definitely have to double click on the pink and white bouganvillea. You'd swear it was all plastic but it's not. Mother Nature's perfection, which is not quite the same for this poor PAWPAW (papaya) tree. All of three feet tall and looking like a midget with fruit on. Somewhere on the island is at least one male tree, for it takes both trees before the female will bear fruit. The pollen sure does get around when the wind keeps blowing at 20 knots. We were anchored in the lee of the island and well protected for the night. This is golf-cart Heaven. When a major storm takes out the power, no-one can recharge their golf-carts. Imagine, no power, no wheels, no TV, nowhere to go, although there are a bunch of churches on the island to prevent that sort of thing from happening.

CONCH HARBOUR.......

Would someone please find the person who took the "Global Warming" and get them to give it back. Its been cold, windy and miserable. Its been "uugglly". There have been times when the sun has come out and we've made the most of it, but one front after another has come through and we continue to sit in anchorages while it does the 360 degree circle.

We did however find George, or I should really introduce him as George "SHOWBO" Wilmore. He is the Conch-salad specialist. He has this wonderful and colorful little stand in Marsh Harbour where he dispenses the most delicious Conch-salad you ever-ever tasted. The conch shells (which grow in great profusion by the way) are gathered on the grassy banks near the outer reef by divers. The organism is removed from the shell by puncturing a hole in the top in order to cut the muscle and loosen it. It is cleaned, and then marinated in lime juice and George's secret ingredients. If you watch him make it there are no longer any secrets. By the time he has mixed it all up and given you a bowl, you are both poorer and richer, at the same time.
George is going to be in ST. Augustine on May 16th weekend for a JUNKANOO festival and bringing his Conchs and ingredients with him. For the moment let's just say it is "Compliments of the the Queen of Florida and the Bahamas".



Marsh Harbour gave us a chance to re-stock and to take care of the usual repairs we needed to do. We ate "burgers" twice in the same place, which just goes to show that conch-salad only goes so far. We were entertained by a delightful Frenchman who showed us slides of his trip across the Pacific to Australia back in the '80s when life was simpler. He did the journey in an open-decked " WHARRAN" catamaran. Certainly makes us appreciate the comforts we have on board, although clearly he had no lack of fun on board. Storm lanterns and a tent make for a very romantic setting.



Here the "Queen" is making a pretend call to her subjects. At the rates posted on the box of the phone it had better be a pretend call. Turns out the phone doesn't work anyway but it sure is a great setting.

Oh..... and we finally cleared in with Customs and Immigration. First we walked about a mile and a half to the main commercial dock to the "Head Office", where they asked us to please go back and bring the yacht to the Commercial dock, or we could bring the yacht and dock it at any of the marinas. Well, we walked to one of the marinas where they informed us that bringing the yacht to the dock is not necessary, just bring your papers. Well since we had all the papers right with us, they telephoned Customs & Immigration and shortly thereafter the very same two people we had spoken to earlier, arrived from the "Head Office", without a mention of "where is your yacht" and duly stamped our papers and took our money. Days later we are still trying to work out the logic and the system.

EASTER IN THE BAHAMAS

Not your average run-of-the-mill EASTER celebration, although most businesses were closed from Friday to Monday. The ten-foot wide streets of Green Turtle Cay were deserted. Managed to sneak in a 'FISH-FRY' at a local church fund-raiser. Deep-fried fish with the heads on and a hot-cross bun, now there's a combination for you. Walked the island to get some real exercise. The town itself is picture-book quaint.



On Saturday we sailed on to the next stop in the island chain to Baker's Beach at Guana Cay. Beautiful pink-white sand and blue water.
( Now that's what we're talkin' about).

Shades of Marilyn Monroe ventured out and everyone swam and dived and even the BBQ grill got a cleaning in the sand, which was long overdue having been punished with steak, pork chops, fish and various in-betweens for some time. And then onto "NIPPERS" the famous beach bar for some spiritual essence and a Sunday pork roast. We ate as though we had never ever eaten before. It's the salt in the air we think.



Why would you put up a standard International globally aprroved red and white reflective "STOP" sign when you don't have to. Why not go for the Bahamian flag colors instead. Now that is island-style. Most of the islands have golf carts and it is not exactly the Daytona 500.



Corina's camera is jamb-packed with photos of this beach and all of us in the water. Photo after photo trying to capture the beauty of it all forever. The sand is a pinkish hue from all the crushed shell grit and coral.
The pink sand beach goes for miles.



Sunday, 12.30 pm at NIPPERS and the much publisized egg-hunt is on, beach style. This is not the White House lawn, this is Nipper's lawn. Chocolate eggs in the sand and in the water. I still have difficulty reconciling this rabbits, chocolate eggs, Jesus thing, but I'll get over it. Now as for the next picture......... No trouble reconciling that at all.........



This sailing life is a hard way to spend a living............. but someone has to do it................right....

(Double-click on any of the photos to enlarge them)



Had to have our photo taken with the tractor. This is the most photographed monument in the islands particularly if you've had a few of those wonderful pink rum drinks at NIPPERS. (Spencer, the tractor driver of Yacht "TREEHOUSE" has one in his hand as a souvenir). Everywhere there are abandoned earth-moving machines. Once there's a mechanical breakdown, it is far cheaper to bring another machine to the islands than to fix the broken one, and the "was" spends the rest of its days where it last stood. Island-style. The beat of the music and dancing continued at "Grabbers" where we passed a few more hours trying to get back to the dinghies. Monday morning and anchors are up for the next leg to Marsh Harbor on the island of Grand Bahama.
So....... How was your Easter?......

Oh.... and today, Tuesday, we should clear in with Customs and Immigration, since officially, we are not yet in the Bahamas.............

BLUE, BLUE, ...... FINALLY BLUE

(Double-click on the photo if you want to get wet)
Finally there was a weather window to escape the clutches of Florida and at 10pm, Saturday night up came the anchor and out we shot into the Gulf Stream at West Palm Beach. This Gulf Stream runs solid all the way past Ireland to France and Portugal so we needed to steer some 50 degrees to the south in order to inch our way across. 5.6 knots sideways for 2.5 knots forward or face the Irish. By 10am Sunday morning, we crossed the Bahama bank into shallow waters. From 700 feet deep to 12 feet. Motored for the rest of Sunday and most of Monday to arrive at Great Sale Cay and then the worst of the cold front crossing South-eastern United States hit us. For two and a half days we rode out the weather with winds never less than twenty knots and reaching to 33 knots during the nights, in an anchorage with no protection. We knew it was coming, but to have waited in West Palm Beach would have meant another week. Throughout the near gale only one yacht "ISLAND TIME" dragged its anchor and "TREEHOUSE" the yacht in the foreground lost its dinghy which we subsequently retrieved from the rocks, not too much the worse for wear. When the winds finally died down, all of us did some serious beach exploration.



Great sale Cay is a totally uninhabited island made of old raised coral beds and no more than 3 feet (1m) above high tide. Vegetation eeks out a living in the cracks where moisture accumulates and on the edges there are mangroves. Some casuarina trees have grown on the beachfront presumably from seeds blown ashore. We looked for "WILSON" but never found him though we did find his "seahorse". The shallows abounded with bonefish.



We motor-sailed on Thursday morning, "ARITA", "SVEA", "TREEHOUSE" and "ISLAND TIME" in convoy to Green Turtle Island, one of the well-established family islands in the ABACO group of the BAHAMAS. These islands have been settled since 1492 ( Meaning by others who didn't live there) Farmers, plunderers, pirates, politicians, they have had them all. The history is a little too colourful for comfort. Oh.... and an 8 lb Red Snapper decided to jump on board. What a wonderful dinner for all eight of us in the convoy. Much, much more important was that during the long motoring we were able to make 110 gallons of beautiful fresh water..... For those not familiar with this process it works like this. Take a large tube with multiple layers of fabric, tightly wound. Push salt water from the inside out with a pressure of 700 psi. That's about one whole elephant with all legs in the air balancing on a 20c piece like a ballerina. The result is the water minus the salt gets squeezed out. On ARITA we have this contraption, which runs off the engine (no Elephants) and it produces a beautiful 15 gallons of fresh water per hour. Ask any sailor and they will tell you.... that's AWESOME.



So here's a new twist on going to the movies and getting your dose of popcorn. You need a golfcart, you need to bring your own chair, you will be sitting on some pretty rough ground in the open air, but you will be dancing to "MAMMA MIA". I wonder if Meryl Streep knows about this.



Green Turtle Island has had an incredible history as the first place of settlement by the loyalists after the American Independence Revolution. In a little remembrance park there are many bronze busts of famous contributing citizens bearing the same surname. These sculptures have all been produced in Little Harbor, further down the ABACOS, which is a story in itself. Found a "potcake" puppy, a beautiful frangipani and some seagulls came by to say hello and drop off a little something for us. Then there's the crew of "TREEHOUSE" and "SVEA" going ashore.