Sunday, April 22, 2007

Left Spanish Wells at 10:30 am headed to Current Cut (10 nm) with the wind behind us we jib sailed.

The entrance to Current Cut was like a swirling boiling caldron. The current grabbed Escape and with Tom throttling back we cruised through at 8.4 knots. This narrow cut is to be carefully navigated due to the strong tidal currents, hard rock bars and shallow grassy areas that flank the cut. Once past the hard rock bar on the right you must make a sharp 90 degree right turn and hug the knobby rock line, staying approximately 100 ft off the shoreline (or you WILL be aground). Snake your way through the shallow grass areas until clear of the cut passage. Clear skies and abundant sunshine is a MUST!! So far this is the most interesting and nerve wrecking cut we experienced.

Now headed to Hatchet Bay with winds of 20 knots and higher gusts on the nose it became a slug of a day. The waves were 3 ft. sloppy, choppy and confused which led to Escape’s bow slapping and slamming. What a horrible sound!! The 16 mile trip was not fun however there were some positives. It was sunny, the air and water temps were 75 degrees and the water was a gorgeous teal color.

Entrance to Hatchet Bay is a 75 ft. wide cut between 2 cliff walls. A well protected bay with free government moorings. Not much to offer but deep dark green water and a government dock but the calm bay was warmly welcomed.
(trip - 29.1 nm)

Hatchet Bay entrance

Monday, April 24, 2007

Leaving Hatchet Bay at 9:05 am, it was another beautiful day, still windy but warm and sunny. With a reefed main we cruised along at 6.5 knots hugging the shoreline. A magnificent sail and Escape was in her element.

Arrived at Pineapple Cays/Palmetto Point at 1:05 pm and hooked up to a free government mooring just off a beautiful beach. The view was like a travel agent’s photo. Ashore we go.
(trip - 22.6 nm)

Beaching the dinghy on a beach of crushed shells, we take to town.
Our discoveries were:
** several small groceries shops where you could get most basics
** groves of banana trees
** huge aloe plants
** the most polite children we have ever met. We met them as they were
walking home from school.
** rough roads with fast cars
** Lorena - the cook at Mate & Jenny’s who made the best pizza.



This stop is where we finally felt like we’re visiting the out islands. This is what we’ve been waiting for.


Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Today’s trip was from Pineapple Cays/Palmetto Point to Rock Sound. We get an early start at 7:45 am. Another windy day, so with the mainsail reefed again we took to the seas. We sailed along at 6 knots enjoying the western shoreline of Eleuthera. The views were rocks, cliffs, caves, hills and beaches. The highest point, near North Palmetto, is approximately 150 feet above sea level. The settlements are few and far. We cruised by Governor’s Harbour, Tarpum Bay and into Rock Sound.

A cave on Eleuthera's shoreline.

As we sailed into Rock Sound, weaving through scattered rock and coral heads, we were welcomed by 2 dolphins. They enjoyed a brief bow ride with us.

Rock Sound is a large bay full of baby blue water. Anchored off the town, we settled in. Ready to kick back and relax for a few days after the 3 day push (76.4 nm) in strong winds to get to our last stop in Eleuthera. Escape enjoyed her sailing but is enveloped in salt and desperately needs rain to wash her off.


Wednesday, April 25 - 28, 2007

Dingle Motors is the happening place in Rock Sound. They welcome cruisers with open arms and provide most all the services needed. Janet (owner) keeps a bulletin board of boat cards and promptly asks new boaters for one upon arrival.

Dingle Motors

Touring the streets of Rock sound by ten-toe express (walking) one must beware of the zooming cars. The streets are narrow and there is quite a bit of traffic. The settlement is very old as well as the largest on Eleuthera.

Liquor Store

A street in Rock Sound

An old church and cementery

We visited the Ocean Hole Park where you’ll find a large round ocean hole. It’s a 360 ft. diameter semi-fresh water hole much like a blue hole. Depths are unknown (it’s just really deep) and is believed to be linked to the sea through a series of caves. There is abundant sea life and the groupers and snappers love to be fed bread.

The ocean hole

Sunset over Rock Sound, Eleuthera

Eleuthera - described as a piece of ribbon laid 100 miles in length and barely 2 miles wide.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Happy Easter! Left Marsh Harbour at 9:30 am, stopped outside Boat Harbour/Abaco Beach Resort to top off our diesel and sailed to the South Lynard Cay anchorage, arriving at 2:50pm. (trip - 22 nm)

The evening was filled with preparations for the morning’s departure. After all chores were done, we relaxed with sundowners followed by dinner with a fairwell toast to the Abacos.

Fairwell Abacos
Abacos, Abacos
Oh my dear
You’ve been home
For almost a year.
We must go south
Into the ocean’s mouth
To explore new isles
And covering many miles.
But no matter where we go
We’ll always remember our time in Abaco.

Monday, April 9, 2007 - Crossing from Abaco to Royal Island

Up at 6 am. Pulled anchor at sunrise and departed South Lynard Cay at 6:45 am along with 3 other boats. Little Harbour Cut was very calm and as the saying in the Abacos goes, “You could do it on a shingle”.

The Northeast Providence Channel (with depths of 14,000 ft.) was pretty calm. Bob from Toucan Dream said it was the calmest and best crossing he’s ever had and he has made many!

The day was perfect: sunny - 78 degrees
water temp - 76.8 degrees
wind - ESE 12-15 knots
seas - variable with occasional 2-4 ft. swells
trip time - 10 hrs. 6 min
total trip - 56.6 nm

Arrived at Egg Island Cut at 3:45 pm - large and east cut. Anchored in Royal Island Harbour at 4:45 pm with the boats we traveled with (Aye Doc - trawler, Kea & Toucan Dream - both sailboats). Royal Island Harbour is well protected and quite large. Only drawback is you are prohibited from going ashore due to the large resort construction.

The small entrance between the rocks into Royal Island Harbour.

We await the availability of a mooring in Spanish Wells. Daily check-ins with Cinnabar was the order of call. We are enjoying the Royal Island anchorage. It’s a great place!!


Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - Spanish Wells, St. George’s Island, Bahamas

A mooring is finally available in Spanish Wells. Left Royal Island for the 6 mile jump to Spanish Wells. Once outside the harbor - SMACK. What a surprise. We knew the wind was blowing between 18-20 knots but didn’t expect the 3 foot chop. We had an exhilarating ride to Spanish Wells to say the least. The entrance to the channel is very narrow and marked by 2 poles. The channel goes east to west. The moorings are at the far east end. A lot of brown water around (the saying says “brown brown run aground”) but the channel and the mooring area carries 12 feet of water. We get hooked to the mooring and head out in search of ice. (trip - 6.4 nm one wild ride)

Channel entrance to Spanish Wells

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Exploration Day. We explored by dinghy first. Entering Spanish Wells, the channel branches to the west and off to the east. The moorings are at the end of the east branch so we headed west. Spanish Wells is a commercial fishing village where lobster is the main catch and tourism is not a part of their economy. At the far western end of the channel, under the small bridge that connects Spanish Wells to Russell Island there is a beautiful sand bar and park.
We hear a lot of song birds and saw 1 pelican - something we haven’t seen or heard in a long time. Not many birds and no pelicans in the Abacos.

Commercial fishing boats.

Docking the dinghy at Spanish Wells Yacht Haven we take to shore. Locating all our needs - water, gas, diesel, food, internet, phone, etc… was pretty easy. The settlement is well kept, clean and landscaped. People are very friendly.

We met Tom & Jean (Amadon Light) when we were tying the dinghy to what we thought was the dinghy dock, but Jean informed us it was a ferry stop. We were glad our paths crossed Jean. Ferries don’t take to kindly to boats in their stops. Jean answered a lot of question and shared that they run a book exchange out of their house. She then invited us to stop by for sundowners. We did and ended up staying for dinner. They live ashore in Spanish Wells for 3 months with East Greenwich, RI their permanent residence. They travel back and forth in their 32 ft trawler that is home for them when they are in Rhode Island.

Bob (Tom’s brother), Tom and Jean

Friday, April 13, 2007

We took the fast cat ferry, Bo Hengy, to Harbour Island. Harbour Island is just off the eastern shore of N. Eleuthera. Spanish Wells if off the western shore. The ride was about 25 minutes through the “Devil’s Backbone”. The “Devil’s Backbone”is a large reef area off N. Eleuthera that is shallow, laced with rocks and coral heads and is known as treacherous. It is strongly advised that to navigate through this area you hire a local boat pilot to take your boat through the backbone to Harbour Island.

Bo Hengy.
The fast ferry travels from Nassau to Spanish Wells to Harbour Island back to Spanish Wells and returns to Nassau daily. She can carry up to 170 passengers.

Harbour Island, Bahamas

Harbour Island, or Briland to the natives, is known for it’s famous pink beaches. The island is only 3 miles long and Dunmore Town (the only settlement) is one of the oldest settlements in the Bahamas.

The pink sand of Harbour Island.

Harbour Island beach.

Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Bahamas