We Have Moved On To The Boat

Our Christmas Tree the Wine glass is for perspective

Diana and Abe Christmas Morning

Wood Duck

Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron

Anhinga bringing dinner ashore

Geo Nova decorated for Christmas

We Have Moved On To The Boat

The engine is put back together and we have been staying on the boat. It’s nice to be in our own bed at night. Now we get to slow down and smell the roses a bit, however with a boat the project list never ends.  Two weeks ago we finely made it up to Savannah to see Mike and Carol. This gave us our first opportunity to play golf since last October. David got to go with Mike to his new gun club and shoot trap. This brings back memories of Boy Scout Camp many years ago. Mike and Carol were nice enough to have stored our Singelton order of bacon and ham. This will allow us to enjoy great bacon and ham while cruising the Bahamas. Just prior to driving up to Savannah we did all the bright work (applied Seatol, a varnish like product, to all the exterior teak wood).  This allowed it to dry for 6 days without any human traffic.

The latest project has been taking apart each of our 8 winches and cleaning all the old grease out from the gears. The trick is to let it soak in mineral spirits for at least ½ hour before cleaning with a toothbrush. It is also important not to lose any of the tinny springs and pawls. Once that is done then we will have to waxing the cabin tops.

Christmas was spent in Boynton Beach with Abe. It still seems strange to have it so warm for the Holidays. That being said it was nice to have gone for a walk to the beach in sandals, shorts and a t-shirt on Christmas day. Today while Abe is at work we got an early start to do some bird watching where we saw 32 different species including a new one for us, a Green Parakeet.

We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays with family or friends.  The important thing is to spend time with ones you care about.

We wish everyone a Happy New Year!

SEASON 2 TRIP FROM MAINE TO FLORIDA

Hi Everyone,

We finally have a down day from working on the boat so I am working on getting the blog up and running again. I guess I should start from the beginning.

On Oct. 17^th David finished up with work. We spent the next few days getting the house and us ready to leave. With the car all packed and the fridge empty we headed south. Our first stop was in Sterling MA to see Diana’s dad. After a visit and lunch with Charlie we traveled on to Weathersfield CT. Here we were able to visit with Kurt and Jane, sailing buddies from last season. From CT. we moved on to NJ stopping to see David’s aunt and uncle Irma and Lou. After leaving Roosevelt we left to head to Greenville, SC. We ended up breaking up the 12 hour drive by stopping in the Shenandoah valley for the night. The next day we took back roads and visited several Civil War sites. In Greenville we spent 2 days with Ann and Art, more sailing buddies from 2012, walking and biking the area. Ann and Art live on the west side of a mountain so we had wonderful sunsets of the city with the Carolina and Tennessee mountains off in the sunset.  Leaving here we went to Atlanta to see sailing buddies from 15 years ago, Skip and Nancy. It was wonderful getting caught up with them again. We are now on to Titusville FL where the boat is.

We arrived in FL on Oct. 28th. Thankfully we have friends in Titusville. Dick and Andrea let us move in with them until the boat is ready for the water. We thought it would only be a week. We spent a week getting the boat uncovered & washed, put up the dodger and biminy, waxed the sides, replaced a through hole that wouldn’t close and then painted the bottom. Next we had to take apart the interior so we could run the new wires for the new autopilot. Remember the old one died last year in the Bahamas. Well nothing goes as planned on a boat. We got everything installed but it wouldn’t work. We had to hire a technician who worked on it for 4 hours and couldn’t find out what was wrong. He thought that our new autopilot couldn’t talk to our 3-year-old chart plotter/GPS without an update so he left to get a chip with up dates but couldn’t come back for 4 days. Once back with new chip and new updated equipment it still wouldn’t talk to each other. AH! So he changed a wire. It talked! Long story short bad wire was sent with new autopilot. Now another day to get everything put back together.

We also needed a new switch for the refrigeration so once that arrived it was replaced and we put new insulation lining in the refrigerator and freezer.

Cleaned again the inside and outside because the boat yard is dusty and dirty with people sanding the bottoms of their boats our boat gets covered inside and out with grime.

Once most of the repairs were finished we set a launch date for Nov 19^th. We found out Abe was off the weekend of the 16^th so we took a break to drive down to Boynton Beach to visit with Abe on his weekend off. On the drive down David and I couldn’t believe we had been in FL for a almost a month, working on the boat everyday and it still wasn’t in the water. It was great to spend the weekend with Abe. David and Abe went for a sunset swim in the ocean one evening, out to a movie and dinner another. Great break before the launching on Tuesday.

We also had a nice surprise when we got back from Abe’s, Naomi and Hans were in FL and stopped by on their way through. We took a break and went out to lunch.

With the boat finally in the water we had a few days with winds up to 35 knots. I couldn’t stay on the boat without feeling sick. I am so grateful to Dick and Andrea for letting us stay with them.

The next big repair is to replace 2 y valves. One is easy under the galley floor the other is in the forward head. With all of the issues the aft head had last year we decide to replace some of the waste disposal pipes while replacing the y valve. This involves removing the toilet from the forward head. It’s a small space with no room to move and your body is ½ in the hall while you are working. Once the toilet is in the salon area we are ready to tackle the pipes. Try getting 2 people working in a space that can’t fit one was fun. David was on his hands and knees with me standing in the hall straddling him trying to reach around him to help. Too bad we didn’t have a third person taking a picture it was like stuffing 10 people into a VW beetle body parts twisted every which way.

Dick and Andrea did get a break from us during Thanksgiving. We flew to Islip NY on Long Island on the 26^th to visit family until Dec. second. It was a great time with family. We got out walking even thought it was cold! Even got some birding in and saw a new bird for us!

We are now glad to be back in FL in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. David is at the doctors today with Dick because Andrea had to work. He has some liver issues and builds up with fluid so it had to be drained. We are so glad we can be here to help around the house and with doctor appointments. Tonight I am going to Andrea’s line dancing class. Tomorrow we tackle a leak under the kitchen sink for them.

Tomorrow after the sink gets fixed we have to put the pedestal back together. 2 days ago we took it apart to put new break pads on the wheel break. The first glue didn’t take so had to glue again and wait another 24 hours. The engine is also apart and an engine repairman is coming to the boat to put an elbow we had sandblasted and repainted back on. Once the engine work is done we should be ready to move back on the boat.

Wind Swept Boynton Beach

Diana, Naomi and Hans LI NY

Fall Colors in the NC mountains

Sunset looking over Greenville SC

Tricolor Heron looking for dinner

Large Banana Spider!!!

Belted Kingfisher

American Kestrel

Purple Marsh Hen

Merlin

Hope Town to Home

We are now back in the USA. Its hard to believe that our winter odyssey is about over. The last several weeks Internet connection was problematic and we were on the move most of the time. Hope Town was a nice town with a New England feel. Loyalist originally settled the town during and after the Revolutionary War. The streets are narrow and lined with homes painted in pastel colors with a historic iconic lighthouse overlooking the harbor. To enter the harbor it must be high tide because the approach is shallow. Once inside the harbor it filled with moorings and affords 360-degree protection. One day we rented a golf cart with Don and Gretchen and toured the island. Again the beautiful beaches astounded us. The island, Elbow Cay has a much different feel than the islands further south. The majority of the homes are second homes owned by well to do people from the States.

After 5 days in Hope Town it's time to move to Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco Island where Gretchen will leave us and fly back home to Colorado. The weather gods provided us with 3 1/2 days of weather suitable to make our way back to Florida. The only down side there was very little wind, mostly from the SE. This provided us with flat seas to motor in, not all bad. We staged ourselves at Great Sail Island, a deserted island in the middle of the Little Bahamas Banks. Don finally got some Bone Fishing in but didn't catch anything. Diana and I got to walk the beach. At 7:40 AM the next morning we started our passage back to Florida. It was 53 miles to clear the banks, then across the open ocean and Gulf Stream. A Gulf Stream crossing always must be taken seriously. The current is often up to 4 knots and the area often is covered with squalls. With navigational planning we were able to use the current to speed up our crossing. There was a great deal lighting activity all around us but not in our immediate area. The trip was made much more pleasant having Don's help. A week or so prior to the crossing the Auto Pilot died making it necessary to hand steer, not an easy task in the open ocean with no reference point to steer to.

We entered Canaveral inlet at first light about 22 hours later. The trip to Titusville, our chosen place for Geo Nova to spend the summer months is about 23 miles through the ICW. We had to pass through a lock to enter the ICW. When I went forward to attach lines for the locking I found a flying fish that landed on the deck sometime during the prior night.

This past week has been work, work and more work to get the boat ready for the summer. She will spend the summer at Westland Marina on the hard. Today we get hauled and this weekend we will finish up by making a sun screen cover. Tuesday Diana flies to California to help her sister who still dealing with a painful orthopedic condition and I will drive home in a rental car. The last several days we are here will be much more comfortable for us because we be able to stay off the boat at our friends Dick and Andrea, once the boat is on the hard.

Beach on Elbow Cay overlooking Lubbers Cay

Beach on Elbow Cay Ocean Side

Hope Town Light

West Indies Woodpecker

Red Legged Thrush

Sun Setting Great Sail Cay

Flying Fish on deck

View from cockpit in Titusville Municipal Marina

Sun Set Great Sail Cay with silhouette of distant island

Haul out

Georgetown to Hope Town

Georgetown to Hope Town

We have covered a lot of territory the last week. We also have a new crew. Don and Gretchen our sailing friends from Colorado flew in on the 23^rd of April and Zach had to go back to California on the 24^th of April. The plan is for Don and Gretchen to help us on the return to the North where Gretchen will fly out of Marsh Harbor and Don will help us go back to Florida.

The first leg of the voyage brought us back to Black Point Settlement for a night. I can’t say enough nice things about this place. It typifies the small Bahamian village. The anchorage is large and the water is crystal clear aqua blue. Part of the process is trying to get the most favorable weather to sail in.

We sailed north Big Majors Spot a deserted island near Staniel Cay the home of Thunderball Cave where a scene from the movie Thunderball was filmed. Big Majors is home to a group of wild pigs that will swim out to any close by dinghy and beg for food. Don and I dinghyed over to Thunderball for a great snorkeling adventure, as promised the fish were numerous.

Our next move brought us from the Exuma Banks 70 miles across the open ocean to Governors Harbor Eleuthra. Unfortunately the wind was not quite in the right direction so we had to motor sail the whole way. During this leg we discovered the Auto Pilot would not hold a course so we have to hand steer.  Next stop Royal Island. This requires us to sail through a narrow cut between Eleuthra and Current Island. The navigational challenge is to time the passage with tide and current in mind. If done incorrectly the passage could be very difficult or perhaps dangerous. Fortunately we hit it just right and were at anchor in Royal Island an hour later.

Royal Island has changed some since we were last here 14 years ago. It is still uninhabited but it has a failed subdivision. The island is also home to ruins from years ago. One story is a rumrunner owned the home in the days of prohibition.  On our walk we found a bird new to us, a Great Fly Catcher. The up coming weather report is not ideal but not dangerous so we motor to Abaco Island the next day.

The entrance from the Ocean on to the Banks was through a cut between to reefs.

This time we did not hit it at the best time. The Ocean was supporting 6-8 foot swells and the tide was opposing the swells.  It looked like a washing machine but Diana piloted us in skillfully. Yesterday we visited Little Harbor by Dinghy as the entrance was too shallow at low tide. Inside the harbor is a very nice and charming anchorage. We visited Pete’s Foundry a world famous bronze sculpture foundry. They specialize in creatures from the sea. After a nice lunch we are off to the north where we hope to join our friends Curt and Jane on Escapade in Hope Town tomorrow.

swimming pigs

sail boats on ferry

off loading sail boat

boat race

sun set Royal Island

Ruins Royal Island

At anchor Royal Island

Giant King Bird

Pete's Foundry

Don, Gretchen and Diana

Black Point Again

Back in Black Point


Our friends from Colorado, Don and Gretchen joined us on April 23. Zach flew out the next day. It was Family Island Regatta time. We were able to see one day of racing and got to enjoy some local food and drink at the festival.

Our move north is now underway. A 55 mile sail to Black Point was the first leg. The weather has not cooperated and has been blowing out of the north, the direction we have to sail. Yesterday we took a short trip to Staniel Cay to snorkel in Thunderball cave. There was a great variety of fish and healthy coral. Today we are back in Black Point ready for an early morning departure for the island of Eleuthera. With some luck we will be in the Abacos several days later before the next round of squalls comes in.

Hope to include pictures next time. Didn't bring the computer to shore.

Enjoying Georgetown With Abe and Zach

Enjoying Georgetown with Abe and Zach

The past two weeks we’ve spent hiking, snorkeling, sailing, and enjoying the area around Georgetown with Abe and Zach. Zach arrived on April 10^th to spend 2 weeks. The next day Abe flew in for a week vacation. We spent their first morning here fixing the generator. Thankfully the parts they brought us, along with Dave’s help, got things working again.

Time flew by. We took them to Sand dollar beach and found 4 sand dollars on our walk. We hiked all of the trails and beaches. David, Zach and Abe took the dingy out to the coral reef to go snorkeling. Zach saw a 2-foot nurse shark along with lots of other fish and corals.

We took them to Chat and Chills for the Sunday pig roast and 1pm talk with a local Bahamian about the history of the Bahamas. We met Dave there several afternoons at 4 for volley ball games. After the games it was in the ocean to get all of the sand off and cool down.

There was snorkeling in the hurricane anchorage where there is a cave. The fish are used to being fed so bringing food for them gets them to come out and surround you. There was also a small reef to dive on too.

We had wonderful sunsets and dinners together on the boat. What a great week that ended all to soon when Abe had to fly home on Thursday.

We have been enjoying Zach’s company. Saturday night we went into town to the community center to hear Fabian Cousteau talk about the new national park here in Georgetown. He is here to help repair a reef that was hit by a boat. The organization is reseeding with corals that they are growing special beds. They hope to have the reef repaired with in a year and back to flourishing in 3-5 years. After the talk everyone went to a special barbeque at Peace and Plenty, a restaurant and inn right on the harbor front. Thankfully the moon was bright. It made the 1 ½ mile dingy ride across the harbor back to the boat less intimidating than a pitch black night.  The wind had picked up so it was a wet ride.

The past few days we anchored off of the Monument on Stocking Island. We have explored more of the beaches and trails on the northern end of the island. Saturday we walked down a beach that was a ½ mile long. When we got to the end we expected to find Gilligan and Mary Ann. There was a fire pit all sent up with benches, a grass hut with a bar under it with more benches. Gilligan and Mary Ann must have been out for a walk. Since there was no alcohol behind the bar Mr. Thurston wasn’t there either.

Sunday we went back to Chat and Chills for the lecture. There is always a different crowd on the beach. Some musicians were there and before the lecture there was great music. David and Zach went back to the cave to snorkel, had conch salad, then took another path to the beach for another great walk.

As we were finishing this blog edition over the VHF came an announcement “is there a Veterinarian out there”. I answered and asked what the problem was. A local person said his wife’s dog was hit by a car and wanted me to look at the dog. This meant another long wet dinghy ride back into town. The owner ‘s dog was a small dog-named Cinnamon. Fortunately her injuries were not life threatening. She had a fractured pelvis with no apparent complications. She should do just fine with some time.

Off to check out the boats that have arrived for the regatta.  

Another Nice Beach

Family Walk on the Beach

Sponge and Fish

Large Sea Star

Conch

Volley Ball Squad Dave,Dave,Abe and Zach

Zach and Abe going for stole in shallows

Angel Fish

Georgetown Bahamas

We have been in the Georgetown for the last 10 days or so. We departed Long Island with a 15-17 knot breeze on the beam. It was a nice fast sail. The Georgetown area offers several different anchorages each with it’s own character. Our first and favorite is Sand dollar beach, a gorges expansive white sand beach. It is named aptly on our first walk we must have seen 100 sand dollars. It was just after a full moon so the tide was lower than mean. The shelling is good. Stocking Island has many well-maintained trails leading over to the ocean side of the island.

The next anchorage goes by several names, Volleyball beach or Chat n Chill. Both are descriptive. There is sand volleyball court and a beach restaurant called Chat n Chill a real Bahamian beach bar restaurant. This past Sunday a local historian came and talked about local customs and the history of the islands. A great place to relax and learn. The fact that we were drinking Kalik beers and eating conch salad didn’t hurt.

Monument is the next anchorage. It to is on the west side of Stocking Island. At the top of the hill sits a large concrete obelisk structure. The beach is nice and there are trails to the other side of the island. We have yet to explore more here.

Red Shanks is a very protected anchorage that requires some sight navigation to weave through some coral heads to enter the anchorage. When there you have the feeling you are out in the middle of nowhere, however you are only 2.5 miles from Georgetown. There are a lot of small island to dinghy around

Georgetown proper is on Great Exuma Island and offers services such as food store, restaurants, trash disposal and laundry.

We just finished up a week with Naomi and Hans. The visit was great. It’s so nice to spend quality time with the people who are important to us. This week Zach and Abe will be joining us.

This past week has also been memorable but in a negative sense. The first problem was a leaky generator. Hans and I spent several hours trying to fix it to no avail. The good news we found a fellow cruiser named Dave on a boat called Mist. He is from Tasmania and seems to be a most resourcefully mechanic. The boys are bringing us some supplies that should help us restore the generator to health. The next problem was less technical but not much fun to deal with. The out flow pipe from the aft heat was blocked. Hans and I tried for hours to unblock it but were unable to solve the problem. This meant that the hose had to be replaced. Sound simple but it is not. First hurdle is to procure the hose. No simple task in the rural Bahamas. After a 2.5 mile dinghy ride into town and visiting several business I found someone who had the hose. The problem was to find this place. I dinghy to where I was told to go but it wasn’t there. After having to drag the dinghy through the mud and hitch hiking to the store I had the hose. Next job installation. Working in very tight places we finally got it into place. It turns out that the pipe was full of mineral deposits narrowing the opening to nothing.

Today we said goodbye to Naomi and Hans. Tomorrow we welcome Zach and the next day Abe when we will be off to explore the area with them.

Geo Nova Under Sail from LI to G Town

Geo Nona At Anchor Stocking Island

The rocky Coast

A pristine beach

Long Island #2

This past week has flown by so quickly. Along with our friends from Escapade we rented a car on two separate days to explore the island. The first day we went to the north end of the island and yesterday we did the south end of the island. One of the highlights was the small Long Island museum. It did a good job of explaining both the history and culture of the island.  We visited Deans Blue Hole. It is a hole over 600 feet deep used for free diving. People come here to set world records. In fact Deans blue hole was featured on 60 minutes several months ago. Next attraction was Hamiltons cave. We got a personal tour from Mr Hamilton.

The day before yesterday we were dinghying to the beach for a walk and some exploring and we heard someone shout hay Geo Nova. It turned out to be Frank and Gail from Double Time a fellow member of Portland Yacht Club. We last saw them in Hampton Virginia. We explored a new beach with them this morning. This afternoon it’s laundry and tomorrow it’s a sail back to Georgetown. The weather looks good for a nice sail to cover the 40 or so miles. Monday Naomi and Hans David’s sister and brother-in-law will meet up with us for a week in the sun.    

Columbus Monument

View from Monument

View from Monument

Cliff 100 feet down to the water

We decided not to take this road

another fabulous beach

Squall coming down on us yesterday morning

Deans Blue Hole

Mail Boat

Sponge on beach

Church in Clarence Town

Ladder going up to spire of chirch

Hamilton Cave

people waiting for their goodies to arrive on the "mail boat'

Today's Beautiful beach

Sun Set last night

Frank and Gail