Sailors from Haiti

While in Bimini we met a journalist and filmmaker who were sailing with 4 Haitians to Florida.  Sailing is a literal term here since their open boat has no engine.  They have oars and poles and sails. The trip, is being done in a traditional open boat to draw attention to the hardships of present day Haitian refugees.  In the Bahamas, there seems to be some animosity toward Haitians.  Bahamians do complain about the way Haitian fishermen raid Bahamian lobster traps, fish in Bahamian waters and use bleach to capture lobsters and thus ruin the reef.  Many people say that there is great prejudice against Haitians, but we did not witness that first hand.  The journalist told us stories of fights and intimidation but we did not see that.   The sailors  completed so much of their journey over open ocean crossing  passages with strong currents renowned for nasty conditions.  I cannot imagine 6 people in this boat in those waters.  There is no cabin only a tarp which they pull over the boat when sleeping or trying to escape the rain.  Bimini must have seemed like a great safe haven.   At dinner, they went conching  and wow you should have seen them get the conch out of the shell and onto the grill. They have conch acumen.  We wished them well as we headed out.  They were waiting for calmer seas and more favorable winds.  I hope they get them.    

One Particular Harbor so near and yet so far

We made it to the states the other day.  Crossing from Bimini to Fort Lauderdale was wild and wonderful and scary all at once.  We arrived in Bimini after some meandering.  From the Jumentos we sailed up the South side also referred to as  the" Sout"side by Bahamians. This shallow bank is a paradise.  Isolated, but not too far from  large harbors.  The water is opaque , milky turquoise and incredibly beautiful.  We had to anchor almost one and 1/2 miles off the shore because the water was so shallow .  However , we were surrounded by lovely islands and so wonderfully protected from howling winds.  There is a lot of exploration to be done here and we have only begun.  Tom of course was thrilled .  The depth sounder never said more than 5 and 1/2 feet  as we worked out way through rocks and islands and cuts with fast currents.  His instincts are so great, we were in shelter all the time and winds were almost 30 knots.    But, we are ready to get home and started to make our way up the Exuma chain.  We stopped at one harbor and another,  full of memories from past stops and  the joy of new experiences.  I kept thinking of Buffet and "one particular harbor".  But in the Exumas we have a few,  in fact a lot , of harbors which call us for their beauty and for the really good times we have there. If you asked us our favorite, it would change from day to day and memory to memory. From Exumas we ran to Nassau - alway s a weird combination of Bahamas and city and beach and fun and chaos. Then, the run from Nassau to Chub was a fabulous down wind sail . We left Chub at  4am to avoid a night on the banks .  Early rising has its difficulties but sailing under the dark sky with dancing stars and a half moon: that was great.  The sun rose amid clouds and rain but it was still spectacular.  It is about 80 miles from Chub to Bimini and despite the early start we were negotiating the harbor entrance at sunset.   It is an interesting harbor entrance.  You parallel the beach about 15 yards out with breakers on the other side . It would be a really scary thing at night but we made it just at sunset.  The weather had not been cooperative.  Sunset was through gloom, squalls and rain but we got into the dock in time to hoist a glass to the glowing red skies. Bimini is just under 50 miles from FLA but it is worlds away.  The gulf stream is a natural barrier between Florida and the Bahamas.  We were looking a a narrowing weather window to get across and decided,   after careful listening to weather, and assurances that squalls were compressed East of us, to make the trip.  Many people at the dock were waiting for a window about 4 or 5 days in the future.  I find weather is not too accurate that far out and it looked pretty good so we set out for Ft Lauderdale at around 9:30 am.  Wild slog out of the harbor .  The predictions were for SW at about 10 knots and 3 foot seas.  We were seeing NW winds (course is NW) and seas about 5 feet.  Yuck! We seriously entertained heading back.  After all 9 hours of this nonsense would be too much. Additionally the winds from the north tend to increase the seas in the Gulf Stream.  But  the waves settled and we altered course a bit hoping for a little help north from the Gulf Stream later on.  The seas were big but well spaced and things looked pretty good.  Hours passed  while we were motorsailing and enjoying flattening seas. Then, the Coast Guard radioed a warning for severe thunder storms with water spouts and hail and 50 knot winds headed directly on our path.  NOT what we hoped for.  We altered course but outrunning weather is an iffy thing.    Before our eyes, the clouds gathered, stacked and grew.  The grey just obliterated sunny skies.  For a little while, the margins of the bad weather were clear and ominous.  Tails of clouds reached for the ocean trying to form waterspouts.  We battened down all hatches.  As we watched,  the clouds became more spread out and indefinite.  Then, they brightened and spread out  Finally , the Coast Guard  announced that the severe  thunder storm warning was over .  Relief! I  had actually readied our lifejackets! We made Fort Lauderdale with a low dark sky full of distant but bright lightening.  It was wonderful to throw the hook out.  We'll take advantage of the shelter of the Intracostal Waterway for the next few days as the forecast is awful.  Good to be in the states!

Conch Acumen

   Conch is plentiful in the Jumentos but I came up empty during my first few hunting expeditions.  I found shells inhabited by sea urchins and small fish.  I found empty shells.  I couldn’t find an edible conch at all.  Finally , we went snorkeling with Steve and Kim from Fine Lion.  Steve pointed out about a dozen conch about 10 or twelve  feet down.  I surfaced triumphantly holding the one I thought he indicated only to have him take it from my hand and toss it back.  "The big one" he said " not that one".  I found the big one and four more that were acceptable.  I was now a successful hunter.  I had conch acumen . Almost.   The bigger deal is once you have these guys what do you do with them? Making these  tropical escargot relinquish their homes is a bit of a project.    The first step is to make a hole in the shell  with the claw of a hammer.  The best place is on the back and up fairly high.    Then a sharp knife searches through the hole for the  parts that hold the conch in its rather lovely home.  Then cut and cut and cut.  It was a bit gory but cracked conch and conch fritters were a good incentive.  After the cutting, I tried to grab the conch  from the front of the shell and yank.  Easier said than done.  The Bahamians make this look really simple.  It is not.  But maybe some day it will be.  I used    pliers.  Eventually I yanked the conch from it’s home and handed it to Tom pliers and all.  He cleaned it.  The guts  and head etc. are truly disgusting and so slimy.  The rest though,  is as good as a bay scallop, if prepared correctly.  After trimming and peeling and trimming,  the conch still needs to be pounded into a tenderized  treat.  We beat it with a wooden mallet until it sounded like we were building a  house.  Finally, we had a conch feast.  Cracked conch is just breaded with cracker crumbs and pan fried.  Fritters are made with lots of conch,  onions and peppers in a batter and fried  in a fair amt of oil.  A bit of hot pepper seems to be in order for almost all these dishes.  Next Conch chowder ........

Jumentos

Jumentos Cays

A trip to the Jumentos takes a couple of days from Georgetown.  As a first stop  we headed to Long Island.  We were quite relaxed  about this sail and didn’t weigh anchor until about 10:00 AM. That may have been a mistake.  It takes about 3 miles to exit Georgetown  and there is often  a big swell at the south end channel .  The swell was a bit more than expected but ok.   Once out of the harbor we noted that there was a bit more wind than expected but still ok.  Soon we got on our heading for Long Island, SE at about 122-126 degrees.  The wind was from about  ESE at about 100 degrees blowing about 15 – 20 knots.  We just can’t sail 22 degrees off the wind so we tacked and we slogged and we motor sailed and we made about 3  knots into a stinky 4 foot chop.  How we managed to sail against the tide for 9 hours is a mystery to me but as we watched the sunset behind us we were still fighting to make more than 3 knots and the harbor was about 5 miles away.  We watched the stars dance a bit before arrived in stealth mode and set the anchor.   The weather forecast  the next morning gave us about two days before another stretch of windy, windy days. We set out , earlier this time ,for the northern Jumentos cays about 45 miles away.   The Jumentos are unpopulated.  There is one settlement to the south in Ragged Island with about 100 people.  We visited only the northern cays, Water and Flamingo, before the wind began to howl.   Our anchorage was well protected and one beautiful and happy week sped past.  There are no stores ,no marinas, no beach bars .  It is wonderful.   Our friends in Fine Lion were the  only other sailboat in the anchorage.  A few fishing boats came and went  in coves to the north and south. One morning, at about 730 we heard a knock on the hull and a small fishing boat pulled along side.  They were interested to know if we had heard a weather forecast; as in strong wind it is difficult to pull traps.  After discussing the weather a bit one fisherman asked if we had anything on board to make his mouth taste like a man.  I didn’t get it so he said , with the best of Bahamian lilts, “My mouth is just like a Bahamian dog’s I need something to make it like a man and get me going.  “  I offered coffee and he looked horrified.  Laughing he said that  when a Bahamian father gives his son a glass of rum he will say” here’s something to make your mouth taste like a man”.   We were way too low on rum for sharing but we found a bottle of wine that was acceptable and were promised fish in return.  The Bahamian defense force maintains an occasional presence in the area too.    After a couple of days stuck in weather they invited the fishermen and us  to a “grill out” on the beach.  We had fabulous steaks and chicken , great peas and rice, a Bahamian specialty similar to fried rice but better,  and stories of barracuda  stealing  fish from spears .  As the fishermen go t involved in the conversation, there were tales of hammerhead sharks and a showing of scars that was reminiscent of “Jaws” . It was almost enough to keep me out of the water but the snorkeling was amazing.  While searching for conch and fish we saw a moray eel, cow fish with their funny horns , puffy porcupine fish and rays.  I saw no sharks.  Thankfully! After a week the wind moderated and we turned our bow north, gently.  We had  water on board from our friends on Fine Lion which is equipped with a watermaker – handy item- but we were out of rum and beer.       

 

Georgetown Exuma

Georgetown is located at the end of the Exuma Chain.  There is a huge harbor and about 400 boats anchor here.   There are a lot of things to do; some say it is like camp for retirees.  As always there are some people who just need to organize, order and make rules.  But I like it here for a while.  Lots is available and we can get involved or not as we choose.  Life moves easily .  The things that need everyday organization, water, groceries and trash disposal are easily available.  Only internet gave us a challenge. Sounds so mundane but trash disposal becomes a big deal in the heat!  We carry water to the boat in 6 gallon jugs.  Here water is free  but a pain to lug.  In many places it is 50 cents a gallon.  The lugging as much as the price teaches us to conserve.   As in so many places there are busy beaches and beach bars as well as places that few boats or people seem to find. I am surprised at how many hidden places exist is this very busy harbor.   The Exuma music festival, held here,  is quite a celebration.   Local music like rake and scrape figures prominently but there were a few acts that make the resort circuit. All were Bahamian .  There was a distinctly carnival flavor some great music; some not so great but all fun.  The Bahamians love to party late with music until very early in the morning  and fireworks around 2:30am .  Junkanoo was featured in the middle and at the end of the celebration.  Junkanoo is a Bahamian festivity  that reminds me of the MardiGras parade  with a Bahamian beat and  island flavor. It is small compared to MardiGras and Carnival but it is celebrated with big enthusiasm and pride.  It is celebrated at New Years, at Christmas time , during Independence Day festivities and a few other times of the year .  It was a loud but very wonderful part of the festival.  Dancers lead with fabulously costumed marchers and horn players following Then come rows and rows of big drums,some home made from 55 gallon drums,  more horns and whistles and finally anyone who wants to join just to celebrate. The beat booms big and strong and a bit wild.  This is the third or fourth time we've had a chance to participate It  does not loose it's impact.  As I look at these pictures I am thinking another day another beautiful beach, sunset, full moon.  It is astonishing.     We're turning our thoughts toward home but not too soon.   

Rake and Scrape

Wind continues to be wild but we've had a few great days. The scenery remains spectacular and we are snorkeling and swimming every time the weather allows.  The sunsets are so spectacular  - nothing but water and a big orange ball.  I have seen  a green halo around the sun at the instant it finally disappears.  I am not sure that this is the fabled green flash and it certainly is not dramatic but it is pretty cool.  We've been to a few dances on the islands our favorite is rake and scrape .  I think it is a uniquely Bahamian music but probably has other incarnations too.  The saw is played with a screwdriver or knife blunted  and with the handle wrapped.  It gives great rhythm .  Drums guitars and a cool bass of a washtub  and string round out the band.  The Bahamians  are really good dancers and we are learning a few moves and having a ball.   Locals party into the wee hours of the morning , we can't keep up.  Tom arm wrestled the bar tender for the bill.  The bartender won: I could scarcely believe it .  I told him to go back and do double or nothing but no go.  The bar tender hasn't lost in several years.  Last night we left the party about ten and just as we got to the boat a big squall came on through .  The wind switched and  came on up to 25knots or more.  Gave us a rocky night with a lot of whitecaps  in the anchorage.   But it had been a great  party!

Ridges,Troughs and Fronts

 Weather is the biggest factor when you're doing anything outside.  We have been in one howling wind pattern .  Apparently, this is due to ridges above us and troughs below us and fronts in Louisiana or North Carolina or something  There have been hours when the wind is less than 25knots but not too many of them.  The upshot is that we are still in Long Island . It is a great place and it is only in the last few days that we have really felt boat bound.  The anchorage is a bit far from groceries and laundry so dinghy rides for chores in high winds and choppy harbors have been a hoot.  By the time we got our laundry back to the boat yesterday; we had knee deep water in the dinghy.  Waves were breaking over the  bow of the dinghy; can you stand it? Happily, I had packed the laundry in sailors' lux luggage: trash bags inside canvas.  It was dry.   There are many ruins and old plantations here from revolutionary war days.  Some of them are very impressive and the old farm walls remind us of  New England  except the rocks are made of coral.  There are several limestone caves as well.  We ventured into one and spent almost 5 minutes there until the bats ,multiple bats, got too close to us .  I'd have run out but there were spiders the size of saucers near the entrance, so I had to pick my way. I gave up on the cave explorations no matter how extraordinary others say they are.  Rowdy Boys boatyard is here on Long Island too.  They make boats in the same class as the one pictured here, but this photo is from the Exumas.    Right now almost sixty cruisers are in the harbor.  Most came in about 10 days ago  and had planned for about 4 or 5 days here. The radio traffic after the weather report is impressive. Some people are really eloquent in their frustration.  Everyone is anxious to sail somewhere.  It should be a beautiful sight to see so many boats haul up sails tomorrow ( we hope). 

Blue Holes

We were thrilled to arrive in Long Island.  The winds have been fierce.  I postponed our sail several days , just couldn't stand the idea of 25-30 knots even in a reach.  Tom humored me.  Most  of those who braved the winds said the sail was fast with only a small bit of their jibs out. They saw high 20's and 30 knots on arrival in the harbor.  I had been secondguessing myself for waiting  till the winds died down but you know what they say  " If you think you need 3 reefs. stay home!" When we did sail away, we were part of an armada that had to contain 50 vessels.

There are many places in the Bahamas where Blue Holes, deep underground communications with the ocean, set in a shallower bank or on land, exist .  The biggest and most beautiful I've seen is on Long Island.  Tom and I visited there last year and it was so spectacular that we couldn't wait to spend a day there again.   This blue hole is 663 feet deep! It is so spectacular, you can walk in the sand about ankle deep,  then step over steep edges into the deep blue water   over an abyss.  Amazing.  The limestone cliffs have an ancient feel to them although they are not old by geology standards.  Incredibly picturesque, it is also used for the world free diving championships.  The raft in the picture is used when measuring  the depths the divers achieve.  At first view, even the idea of swimming over the dark blue water seemed challenging.  As things go,  swimming was easy , no wild currents, no whirlpools, no deep sea monsters that I could see.  This year,  for reasons I can not explain, I wanted to jump off the cliffs.  Many local people do this;  it was not an original idea.    Jump was good the landing a bit painful .  I felt the impact all the way up my back .  Breathtaking  - literally!  Also exhilerating but I won't be trying it again.  Can't really imagine what I was thinking .  I had a chance to talk with a local woman who told me that her son and 2 of his friends jumped .  As they landed, a shark rose up from the depths into the blue hole!  Glad I didn't know.

Lee Stocking Island and Williams Cay

Heading down the Exumas we stopped at Lee Stocking Island.  This is the home of  a marine research center I think named Caribbean Marine Research Center .  They have lost most of their funding and will no longer allow visitors.  They once maintained moorings near the center but since we weren't sure about the maintain part we passed them.  There is another another anchorage a bit further south.  This anchorage has good water but getting there requires passing over a shallow spot with about 5 feet of water at low tide.  Tom was pleased (of course) and it was half tide so no sweat.  He loves the shallow stuff .  What a  beautifulspot Worth the visual piloting for sure.  We were able to hike a bit  over a part of the island which is narrow and allows for great views of both the shallow Exuma banks and the deep Exuma Sound.  The next day we wiggled our way to one of the cuts a bit further south and made Georgetown for reprovisioning.  Weather was closing in.  On our way into Georgetown more engine problems.  We are wondering if there maybe some kind of algae problem in fuel but who knows.  Entered harbor under sail sailed into anchorage with about 100 - 150 boats.   Big anchorage.  Never the less it felt to me a bit crowded for anchoring under sail.   But Tom  was totally unimpressed by close quarters, found his spot headed into the wind.  Down sails,  down anchor in short order.  Changed filters, which did not have too many hours on them  and backed down on hook  a couple of hours later.  It held well and for the next two days  we sat while it blew a solid twenty to twenty five with a few higher gusts.    Finally got to stores when things calmed down a bit.  Thank goodness since we were out of rum! 

Pipe Creek

We spent a good deal of time with the kids in the Land and Sea Park at Wardrick Wells and at Cambridge Cay.  We had a ball there although it poured and howled.  Varied places to hike and snorkel  and great protected anchorages.  We all had a ball there.  After our children returned home, we anchored in Pipe Creek for a few days.  Pipe Creek is a hidden place.  It is an area of sandbars, coral and narrow deep channels where swift currents  rule.  It is a bit of a challenge to find enough swinging room as the rocks and sand bars do close in on the deper water.  But, what a spot!    Amazing water as always, but the varied depths provide so many different colors the deep blues of 20 feet  right next to a sandbar . Coral and hidden, tiny beaches make swimming a pleasure.  Windy and cool (well for here) but the water still called. One night there were only 3 boats sitting under the full moon and over absolutely transparent water.  The boat heads into the current not the wind and it took a bit of doing to tie down the halyards.  On one tide they would be silent but as the current changed,  a cross breeze brought a familiar and unwelcome clanging After a midnight raid on the mast and a spiderweb of tiedowns finally quiet ruled.   It is a gift to be here.  

Bubble Baths

At the north end of Compass Cay there is a shallow tidal pool. High coral cliffs surround and separate the pool from Exuma Sound which is miles deep and frequently wild. Waves surf in from the sound and crash against the coral cliffs. In the middle of these cliffs there is a jagged depression which is low enough that at high tide, especially if it is windy, waves crest over the wall and are stirred up by all the coral edges. Waves , slightly diminished in size, but all stirred up and bubbly hit the tidal pool sending concentric circles of foaming bubbles into the tidal pool. It is a blast to swim there. People say that sometimes there is a foot or more of foam on the water but we have only seen a few inches. When the tide goes out it is scenic and placid. Not a bubble to be seen at low tide. A small tidal river runs to the Exuma Banks, shallow water where we generally cruise, or can anchor the dinghy. Makes you wish high tide lasted all day.

More Sharks

The nurse sharks seen all around this area are theoretically non aggressive.  Tucker Rolle, who owns Compass  Cay  and its marina calls  the ones around his docks "pets".  We fed them our left over Christmas turkey carcass as I declined to make soup (again).  They inhaled it in big, big bites.  The bones presented no problem at all. It is a kick to feed them as they circle about and swim over one another to get at the food.  jacks and bone fish swim all around them and sometimes beat them to a morsel.  One shark always swims up to the surface and opens his mouth like a baby bird.  It is all sort of endearing so maybe they are a bit like pets.   However, we watched a young man dangle a fish skeleton over the water dipping it and then trying to pull it away.  One of these "pets" got  the carcass in its mouth and tore it in half in less than a second.  He came a few feet out of the water to accomplish this.   I can buy the  non aggressive status but I still am not interested in swimming with these guys.  Tucker  landed this small lemon shark right in the marina during the early evening.   I am not sure why nurse sharks are welcome and lemon sharks not but so it is.   Plenty of excitement during that happy hour!

Happy Holidays

All of us are having a ball in the Exumas.  Our Christmas decorating was very casual this year.  Searching for the perfect pine was just impossible so we found the perfect palm.  Dragged it home behind the dinghy and decorated over rum drinks---- no eggnog.  We toasted all our friends and family and miss all.  Wild and windy but we are still finding sheltered shores.  Besides after hearing about the weather at home we wouldn't dare complain.  Happy New Year!