Banks and Chub

A front was predicted about midday on the day after we reached Bimini so Tom and I elected to spend a day exploring.  Bimini was quiet .  There is more than enough dock space for twenty times the number of boats we saw there.  The new development, Bimini Bay, toward the end of the island,  has increased the marina space even more.  Bimini Bay is a pretty spot, nice houses fancy pools etc.  but very enclosed and doesn't seem to be a part of the town at all.  Another cold front " reinforcing " was predicted but Tom and I hoped that we could manage a bumpy night on the banks and then get into Chub before the front came through and really whipped things up.So we headed out in the morning.    It was a breezy but pleasant close reach across the banks .  Bumpy as the wind kept picking up and coming around to directly on the nose. We were powering along happily with the clear clear water of the Banks below.  We saw dolphins and many fishing boats.  The fishing boats have one large boat about 60 feet or so towing a string (3or4) of 20 foot whaler types.  These guys go lobstering all day then bring the catch back to the large boat for the night.  They stay out about a month.  As the end of the day came ,  the engine started to cough.  there were  fewer than 20 hours on the filters so it seemed odd but the boat was behaving as if they were clogged .   As Tom went below to change filters, One of the smaller fishing boats came over to us.  They said they'd been out about 3 1/2 weeks and would be happy to trade lobsters for beer.  They were so happy when we passed a six pack over.  They gave us 6 lobsters and 2 huge stone crab claws.  If I ever came in contact with the crab that owned these claws I'd be terrified.   We got a big kick out of the fishermen and the lobsters were GREAT.  However the engine problem was on both our minds as we tried to sleep and the wind came up more and more.  It was a bouncy night.  People tell me of calm nights on the banks but I haven't experienced one yet.  But it is so beautiful to be out there.  Stars fill the sky above,  the moon was big and shone through the clouds reflecting on the water below.  Still it was a bumpy night and I was ready to leave at 5.  We pushed off early.  The engine problems of the day before meant we had a bit more of a trip than planned and the front was definitely moving through.  We knew we couldn't stay put so we went along.  Rounding the mark from the shallow banks into the deep ( about a mile deep) waters of the Northwest Providence Channel was intimidating.  We were powering as wind was on the bow but we were  almost tacking in order to stop pounding into the waves.  The seas were huge and building.  Our hopes that they might lay down at  the tide change weren't realized .  Then the engine died .  Not part of the plan.  Changed course, rolled out jib and sailed into some big seas.  Tom worked on engine with   a pretty severe heel going on but the boat took the seas  pretty well  as long as we didn't try to head right into them.  Got things going again and headed toward anchorage.  Engine quit again.  Clearly not clogged filters now .  Tacked again.  It was so sad to turn away from the anchorage but there are a few rocks that we needed to avoid and the boat wouldn't head up enough under sail alone to make the channel. After a few tacks in 35knot winds and 10 foot seas, we sailed into a little shelter by Chub point threw out the hook. Tom worked on the engine.  Not too many resources at the marina there, it is really a resort, but once we got the engine running we headed in.   That night there were gusts to  in 35 knot range so we were glad to be there.  In the midst of this Tom saw a pod of whales.  I only saw a tail disappear below the surface.   In all that turmoil it was still majestic