Thursday, November 9 - Thursday, November 30, 2006

We’ve been traveling between Marsh Harbour and Tahiti Beach on Elbow Cay along with hiding out from the fronts and high winds on our mooring. The winter boaters are starting to arrive but slowly. They are having trouble finding a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream from the states. Here are a few highlights from the past few weeks.

As a result of Babette anchoring the Abaco Cruiser’s Net that broadcasts over the VHF radio daily at 8:15 am, interesting events have occurred.

Meeting Pattie Toler was one. She presented Babette with a limited signed copy of “Sea Path” written by a well known local artist and author, Wm Johnson, Jr.. Pattie, the wife of Barometer Bob, started the Abaco Cruiser’s Net 15 years ago. Her husband, Bob, aka Barometer Bob, is the weather master. Pattie is always looking for volunteers to help out with any part of the Net - news, sports, trivia, anchor positions, etc. She and Bob were headed back to the US for a few days and was desperately looking for a Net anchor. Without one there would be no Net which to date has not yet missed a day since beginning 15 years ago. So Babette volunteered knowing we were going to be holed up in the area due to weather. She really does enjoy doing the Net and has signed on to be the anchor 2 days a week as long as we are in the broadcasting area. It has opened many opportunities and acquaintances that might not have occurred.

Besides meeting the infamous, Pattie Toler, we have met the author of “Sea Paths”, Wm. Johnson, Jr.. Bill, a local artist/author, invited us to meet and visit his home on the eastern shore of Lubbers Quarters Cay (an island between Elbow Cay and Great Abaco in the Sea of Abaco). A truly amazing man, incredible artist and is known by locals to know more about Bahamian history than any native born, raised and that never left the Bahamas. Bill was born in the US of Bahamian parents, educated in the US and returned to his roots and reclaimed his Bahamian citizenship. He is now 75 years old but 10 years ago he built a house that was a labor of love…”Casa Tortuga”. His one room house was built piece by piece with his own hands into a cliff edge on the southeastern end of Lubbers Quarters. The only help he had was building the 8,000 gallon cistern and pouring the concrete floor. “Casa Tortuga” is an incredible structure but the fact that he started it when he was 65 years old is remarkable. It took 3 years to complete and he says it cost him his knees but has been worth it. Bill also shared 2 of his many yet unpublished manuscripts with us. One was about the construction of “Casa Tortuga” and the other of Bahamian notes and trivia. He said it was so Babette would be able to come up with a trivia question for the Net if he was unable to do one. Bill is a extraordinary man and an interesting new friend.


Thursday, 11/16/06

Tom had the opportunity to discover the effects of salt water on plumbing systems. Babette was on shore doing laundry (the reason for no photo) so Tom decided to change the joker valve on the toilet (which is something that is usually changed annually). He was surprised to find that the pipe between the toilet and the holding tank had calcified. This 2 inch pipe was now only 1 inch. A great discovery to save a future disaster!! He chiseled away what he could reach and then set out for the cure. The most simple but often forgotten WHITE VINEGAR was the cure all! A boat should NEVER be without it onboard. Now after dousing the head frequently with white vinegar, things are back to normal.

LESSON LEARNED: ½-1 gallon of white vinegar flushed through the head every other week prevents clogging calcification of waste pipes.

Dinghy outboard motors dying are frustrating, inconvenient and unfortunate. We feel fortunate that one outboard developed some issues and croaked on Sunday, 11/19/06. Not ours but one that belonged to Wayne. We spotted this man having engine trouble and when he began to row, it was obvious there were issues. Tom jumped in our dinghy and towed him and his skiff back to his dock. This is how we met Wayne.

Wayne has been coming to Man-o-War since 1979. He is 85 years old, from Cape Cod, MA and owns a one room cottage he refers to as his Maine hunting cabin located in warmer weather. It has spectacular views of the Sea of Abaco and surrounding islands. His place is named “Lee Side Cottage”.


Wayne has worked on wooden schooners and in boatyards all his life and it shows by the ease he has getting around his dock and boat. The spring in his step as he hikes us through the trails of his property and the stories he shares are remarkable and inspiring. Just another friendship made that reinforces our decision to change to a cruising lifestyle.

While dinging into Man-o-War to get Wayne’s outboard engine repaired, Tom and Wayne stopped by a schooner also in Eastern Harbor hiding from the winds. Onboard was Al. He single-hands Reef Chief, a 50 foot wooden schooner.

Schooner Reef Chief

Al ran sailing charters in Key West with Reef Chief for 19 years before coming to the Bahamas. He now operates her in the Sea Scout Charter fleet which is a sea adventure program for Boy Scouts. He has been with the program for the past 3 years and plans on continuing. Al is also an architect, marine surveyor, and screenplay writer. Yet another very interesting new friend.

Thanksgiving came and so did the major decision on what to do…..eat in?….OR….eat out? Having just met Wayne and Al, both alone, we decided to see if our little galley (small oven and 2 burner stove) could turn out a turkey dinner. Finding a turkey last minute on the island posed a bigger challenge. When digging deep into the chest freezer at the local grocery, a few 3 lb. Turkey breasts were found. Excited as we were to find them, the challenge was now on. Wayne already had plans but Al said he’d never turn down a home-cooked (boat-cooked) meal. Babette found dessert to be the most stressful course of the meal. She was thankful for the gimbaled oven that prevented the boat wakes from causing an uneven cake.

Our Thanksgiving menu was: Roasted Breast of Turkey, Gravy, Herbed Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Cool Whip.

Al from Reef Chief

Dinner was delicious and a success. We even had a little leftover turkey for a sandwich on homemade “Lola” bread. Lola is the infamous Man-o-War bread provider.

Tom and Miss Lola

Although we missed sharing the best holiday of the year with family, you were all in our thoughts. I bet you even missed writing in the dreaded “Thankful Book” !! I know we did because there is so much that we are thankful for.

Our time in the Bahamas expired on Sunday, 11/26/06 so on Friday, 11/24 the necessary trip to March Harbour was made. Once anchored, we dug out our best clothes, a dress for Babette and a collared shirt tucked in (YUK!!) for Tom, dinghied ashore and walked to the Immigration Office at the Port of Marsh Harbour. After filling out the necessary paperwork, giving them our passports and cruising permit, we sat and waited and waited. About ½ hour later, the head of Immigration handed us our passports, permit and papers….YEAH!!!! We were given another 120 days in the Bahamas - yes another 4 months of paradise. (They usually give only 90 days at a time.)

Saturday, 11/25/06

We sailed off to Hope Town. The Box Car Derby was held at the BIG hill on Elbow Cay.

Signs on Elbow Cay between Hope Town and White Sound couldn’t seem to help us find the Big Hill.

The Derby was a fund raiser for the Hope Town school. There was a large turn out and some very sophisticated box cars. It started at noon and ended about 4 pm. They raised $15,000 from the event. Absolutely incredible.

The BIG HILL on Elbow Cay

Some of the box cars.

Monday, 11/27/06, before heading out of Hope Town, we helped Al on Reef Chief wax his schooner’s masts. We hoisted him up each one then lowered him in intervals while he scraped then waxed them with a mixture he made of bees wax and vegetable oil. This was accomplished in between squalls. Back to the mooring in Man-o-War for the predicted 20-25 knot winds again but that’s ok because there are some more boat projects to be done and it’s calm on the mooring.

Tom used to cut scraps for the cat and dogs. Now he cuts them for the fish. We have 2 large mutton snapper (5-6 pounders) along with many small yellow snappers and other kinds under the boat at the mooring.

Wednesday, 11/29/06

With some boat chores done we head over to Marsh Harbour to join friends for Baby Back Rib Night at the Jib Room. Delicious ribs with all the fixings!!

The winds picked up again keeping us in Marsh Harbour for a week.

Sunday, 12/3/06 was a bountiful day for Patrick and Dwayne on Island Dream. They gathered 8 large conchs. Sad for the conchs but great for us.

We were invited to join them for a feast of fresh fried conch. Don’t worry…Babette had homemade Gumbo. Patrick & Darnel are from Louisiana so it was the real deal! Patrick claimed getting fresh conch isn’t such a hassle but the cleaning was certainly a work out. Darnel certainly built up some arm muscle beating out all that conch. A lot of work but a great meal!

The weather we are experiencing, according to locals, is late January weather. These continual fronts and strong winds, near gale force at times (28-33 knots with much higher gusts) are unseasonable for this time of year but when we check the weather up north it certainly seems a whole lot nicer. So we can’t complain. You must get tired of hearing weather, weather, weather….but when living outdoors and on a boat it becomes the #1 concern.

Monday, 12/4/06

The search for more amperage gets serious because Tom got cranky about having to run the engine everyday just to charge the computer. He went on a mission to purchase a small portable Honda 2000 generator with inverter. He began at 10:30 am and mission accomplished about 4:30 pm with only a break for lunch. With the help of Phyllis at Harbour View Marina, the use of their phone and 2 - $20 Batelco phone cards later Tom located a store in West Palm Beach with one in stock and they would also take a credit card over the phone (surprisingly many places wouldn’t). Next was the coordination of delivery to the air freight warehouse for flight to Marsh Harbour Airport. Everything came together and believe it or not we picked up the generator the next day at 4 pm. Babette loves turning on all the plug-in lights and the XM radio not to mention the unlimited computer usage/charging. Merry Christmas to us!!

Thursday, 12/7/06

An artic (YES ARTIC) front is approaching so up at the crack of dawn to have a high tide to slip back into Eastern Harbor, Man-o-War. (trip 7.9 nm)

Friday, 12/8/06

The winds are howling and the high’s are 74 and expected lows of 68. Time to get out the long sleeves and socks. Tucked in snuggly on the mooring, we’re feeling pretty safe as reports from boats anchored in Marsh Harbour were very bumpy and uncomfortably with wind gust of 41 knots.


Saturday, 12/9/06

While at the mooring we enjoy visiting with Wayne. We caught him at work. He was carving a wooden sculpture of 2 Bananaquits for someone. Beautiful carving! Can’t wait to see the finished painted product.