Georgetown Regatta – Alec, Ken, Garrett, Wendell, Jon & Kristine

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After getting the boat settled, the boys took the dingy to the dingy dock, Alec and Garett took Elvis’s water taxi across to Chat n Chill, and Ken went to Peace and Plenty to discuss details of the upcoming party. I stayed on the boat to clean, etc.   Wendell arrived at the boat via the Conch guys boat from the ferry dock. 

Chat n chill

“Road sign” at Chat n Chill

Conch

Conch shell remains at the Conch Shack

On Friday, our one major project was to get across to Chat n Chill to attend the skippers meeting.  Ken and Wendell would go for the 2pm meeting at St. Francis Resort.  Prior to the skippers meeting, Regatta Registration started at 10AM there.  I bought a tee-shirt, ate and by 4:30, hopped on one of the water taxi’s back to the boat.  The boys would be on their own to get back to Georgetown side.  After about 30 minutes of my being back on the boat, I was hailed on channel 16  by a taxi driver that had picked up John Gray at the airport.   After giving them directions to Elvis’s dock, and where the boat was, John arrived boat side with suitcase and a thirst for a beer.   Soon after dark, the remaining boys arrived by water taxi and started their “boy talk” complete with scotch,  rum and cigars!   I made dinner!

Opening Regatta

Regatta Registration and skippers meeting

Cruisers Regatta Crew - Georgetown

Georgetown Cruisers Regatta Crew – Jon Gray, Ken, Kristine (land crew), Alec Johnson, Garrett Peterson and Wendell Meise

Pavilion

My view from Kevalli House pavilion where I got some great pic’s of the “round the Island race”

 

 

Saturday, we had time before the first race to move the boat over to Kevalli House to one of Bob’s moorings.  I would be land crew and had packed the refrigerator things and clothes we would need at the cottage.   The dingy was left behind with me when the boys took off for the start of the race and after watching most of the race from Kevalli House pavilion on top of the hill, I took the dingy out to get pictures of them finishing up their last leg.  This first day of racing was upwind/downwind legs.  Tomorrow would be their long “around the island” race.

Upwind leg

Finish of around island

 

New Spinnaker

Our new Spinnaker!!!

crew on downwind

First days results – Grateful Red “Retired” after realizing flying the spin would disqualify them….silly boys!

Sunday, the boat left about noon for the round the island (Stocking) race.    I had to get some things at the market which closed at 11AM and Bob was going and offered a ride.  When we arrived at the dingy dock, I went to step out and a small surge rocked the boat.  I missed the dock entirely with my feet and my right hand took all the brunt of the fall on the dock.  Seriously thought it was broken all day and when I returned to the Kevalli house via Elvis water taxi,   was in serious pain.   It was swollen and bruised and I was anxious to have the boat return so I could get my “pain” medicine I had on board.   When Ken and the boys were back, He brought my kit that included an ace bandage and I was relieved to have left-over dental work medicine!   Writing this days later, I know I did not break anything, but it was the worse sprain or strain I have ever experienced.  And I have bad hands to begin with so this was insult to injury for me.

The boys took over dinner this night and we had a lovely Flank steak with potatoes and broccoli!  They even cleaned up!!!!

Saturday even was filled with friendly (!) pingpong challenges…and a few stinky cigars.  Where did they come from?

Winner

Ping Pong

 

Wendell - Cuban

 

Sunday, Day two – Round the Island Race

View of Hurricane holes

Ocean side East

Major zoom on this pic

view from pavilion

Same shot without zoom!!!

Around the island race - north

Inside the harbor heading North

Cruisers Regatta trophys

Awards Ceremony – hats and booze

Monday, the race was cancelled for reasons we do not know, but that was fine.  Everyone had a great time and the sailing seemed successful and fun.   Saturdays race, they flew the new spinnaker (which disqualified them) and  after Sundays race, ended up 7th out of 8th in their class.

Alec arranged his ride back to Georgetown for his afternoon flight on Monday and the rest of us relaxed for the day.

Tuesday we motored across from Stocking Island to Exuma Yacht Club, dropped off Wendell and Jon for their flights, got diesel, water and provisions,  dropped off laundry at the Corner Laundry (Garrett was happy to think he would get some clean clothes) , case of beer, box-o-wine, etc, and then motored back to Kevalli house where we stayed for another 3 days.   

Ken left to go home to USA on Saturday leaving us with a list of work projects that would keep us busy most mornings.   In the afternoons, Garrett and I took turns using the dingy or just hung out.   Sunday we went to Chat n Chill for their famous Ribs.  My morning entertainment was the cruisers net which started promptly at 8AM on VHF channel 72.  They do the weather almost immediately and most mornings I would miss it!  To me that was more important than the other things they “chat” about.

Being off-shore on a mooring meant that we would have to run the motor every other day to charge the batteries and run the refrigerator.  Good system, but it is nice to be at a dock, hooked up to electric and unlimited water!!!

Hole Three mooring

Clarencetown to Georgetown with Alec Johnson, Feb 14th-20th

Flying Fish Marina in Clarencetown , Long Island 

Flying Fish marina - Clarencetown

Monday again no wind, so it was a motor day to Clarence Town (Flying Fish Marina) on Long Island from Crooked Island  One of the first of several places on the island we would stay.   It was so hot and still once there, and the bugs were nasty!  At the marina, we were surrounded by several fishing charters and the first day one boat came in loaded with Maui Maui.  I bargained for about 2 lbs after they finished cleaning them.  $10! 

Maui Maui

The second night another charter came in loaded with Wahoo!!!  They just gave me a bag of steaks which would later find their way to our grill.  Provisioning there was near impossible, but we did discover the Rowdy Boys Bar on the ocean side complete with Wi-Fi, TV and pool overlooking the water.     Garrett and Ken spent time in the pool to cool off.

 

Pool at 2 Rogue brothers

Wednesday, Feb 12th, rain fell just as we were ready to leave the dock.  This delayed us for about one hour for our sail to the other side of Long island.  We are heading to Stella Maris to meet up with Alex Johnson who will sail with us for a week.   We sailed north to the Cape and around to a shallow anchorage in Calabash Bay.  Right off-shore to the Santa Maria Resort.   Ken and Garrett dinghy‘d in for happy hour and I stayed on the boat and cleaned up.   Sailing is dirty!  They returned with some lemon for our fish and a Styrofoam coffee mug filled with Lobster Bisque.   (Ken was thinking of me…!)

We grilled our Maui Maui for dinner with coleslaw and rice.  Downright awesome!!!

Thursday we followed a light storm to Stella Maris (about a 3 hour sail).   Luckily, it calmed down as we approached the very small marina.  Hailed them and the Stella Maris resort answered.  They gave me a phone number for the marina, just recently under new ownership.   They were waiting for us after my call and our approach into the marina. 

Stella Maris Marina

First view was a partially sunk boat!  Oh Boy!!!   (on our second visit to Stella Maris, the boat was gone!)   Had fish taco’s for lunch on the boat and went in search of information.  Stella Maris has a very nice little restaurant and I arranged to rent a car for 24 hours to drive to Salt Pond 25 minutes south of Stella Maris To a larger (island style) grocery store called Hillside Market.  We would keep the car to pick up Alec when he arrived Friday after 2pm.   Worked perfect!  I got all the wonderful fresh veggies and provisions I could.    The liquor store was next to the grocery store so we also got a case of beer and some more rum and coke. 

dead sand fleas

The sand fleas are the worse I have ever seen here at Stella Maris.   We were under full attack and did our best with netting, sprays, candles, but little helped.     After picking Alec up at the airport, we stopped at the Stella Maris Resort for refreshments.   Very beautiful resort for the Island.  I could stay there with little problem!   Back at the boat Alec provided Ken with all the carried-parts he had requested.   Hoping to resolve the refrig with new temperature probe, replace one life-line latch, new bales for anchor roller, etc…

Ken and Alec

KJ and Alec

Left Saturday AM heading north on the West side of long Island.   We will head to Rum Cay where there is a small marina.   (Sumner Point Marina).  Once approaching, I hailed and after a second attempt was answered by one of the boaters already in the marina.   Apparently, the marina was shut down, but he said there seemed to be enough space for us to tie-up on one of the docks.   Much of the dockage and buildings experienced damage with Hurricane Sandy.   We ended up heading in, but turned around to wait for a quickly approaching rainstorm to pass which took about 30 minutes.    The entrance was very sandy and had drifting shoals which we hit, redirected and found our way in. 

S P Marina

Nurse shark

Very sad condition from the hurricane but friendly boaters that were there for the night/week…whatever.     Tied up and got acquainted with a few local boys fishing off the dock and attracting many nurse sharks.   Ken, Alec and Garrett took off to look for Kay’s Bar and Restaurant, the one local beach bar mentioned in the cruisers guide.   The sand fleas here were as bad if not worse than Stella Maris and I had all the mosquito netting up available.   Nasty things.   Sunday morning we could hardly wait to get away from the fleas and head out to San Salvador, a “simple 12×6 nautical mile island”, famous for having the only archeological evidence of Columbus.  We are heading to Riding Rock Marina and Resort (17 slips, mostly for large motor yachts) on the North East side of the Island, north of Cockburn Town.

Dixon Hill Lighthouse

Dixon Hill Lighthouse, “one of the last Kerosene lighthouses still in operation”

Lighthouse sign

Ken

Glass inside lighthouse

Above are pictures of the lighthouse on San Salvador Island. 

Scooter selfie

Ken and I rented scooters to check out the lighthouse. (I was the driver!)  This, the Olympic torch and the Monument of Columbus are about the only things on the island to see.

Olympic torch

Columbus Monument

Club Med

Club Med is located north of the marina and small resort and Alec declared that he wanted to treat us to dinner there.  Club Med is an exclusive Resort, with a large number of French visitors.  The islands landing strip is long enough to receive  a direct flight from Paris several times each week.    Our all-inclusive pass allowed us unlimited dinner (buffet by the pool), drinks and partying.  There was even a evening “show” for the guests entertainment.   We missed the memo to where white, but we were still presentable and behaved! 

Around mid-night, Ken and I decided to try to get a taxi back to the boat (walk was about a mile plus), at at the time did not know where Garrett and Alec were.   At the guards gate, the attendant let us know there were no taxi’s  but he could give us a ride in a few minutes, and after sitting a few minutes, he announced, “ok, we can go now”.   Not sure if his shift was up or what.   Arriving at the boat, we found Garrett had just arrived from walking the distance, but Alec was still partying.  We would see him in the morning no doubt.  Sure enough, as I came up to the cockpit in the morning, I found Alec on the finger dock apparently just arriving.  He had in truth, got home late after “borrowing” a bike from the Club Med compound and in the early morning had rode the bike back to return it.   When he stopped on the way to return the bike, he stopped at the airport ATM.  After a questioning officer approached him, he explained the situation and this prompted a full- theft investigation.  Apparently, Club Med had recent thefts and so now we ALL were new suspects.   After returning the bike, Alec was given a ride to the boat from the officer, who scolded all of us saying that stealing is stealing and he could go to jail.   After submitting to his lecture, he agreed to let Alec go without charging him.    Seems like it is time to leave again!  But, it was fun, and Alec had good intentions borrowing the bike and returning it.  

 Garrett and Alec

On Tuesday, we left to sail to Conception Island, listed as a National Park.  No real great anchorages, but short-term anchoring so you can dingy into the inner lake to explore.  Ken, Garrett and Alec went (2 and 2) and I remained on the boat for anchorage security.  (Gives me an opportunity to clean and be quiet!).  The inner lakes are shallow, maybe 2-4 ft and filled with turtles and stingrays.  We ended up staying one night there and after the lake exploration, decided to head out to Long Island to shorten our intended sail to George Town. 

Our Long Island stop was back to Cape Santa Maria Resort.  We motored in and had a nice dinner there, then headed back to the boat.   It proved to be a very nice anchorage and would go there again.

Thursday, we sailed to Georgetown with huge following seas.  Used the Main with the downwind preventer and off we went!   When we arrived and carefully motored into Georgetown Harbor and headed to the Georgetown side near Kids Cove.   Found a reasonable anchor just between Exuma Yacht club and Regatta Point where Elvis has his Water Taxi service.

 

Provenciales to Crooked Island, Jan 29th-Feb 9th

January 29, 2014, 

After Kens return to USA for work, I flew to boat to get some domestic cleaning and organizing done.  I have been gone from the boat since May 2013.  Felt strange, but very comforting to be back on my floating home.   Ken and Garrett arrived on Saturday, Feb 2nd.  I had rented a car to do some provisioning and all they had was a RED convertible and they enjoyed riding to the boat in style.

Welcome car

Monday we arranged a boat guide to help us maneuver out of the well-marked, but coral strewn channel.  Once out we had a 3 hour sail (Jib only) to West Caicos a small 6000 acre island.   This helped shorten the length of our Tuesday sail to Mayaguana Island.   

Sailing on Tuesday with beautiful ENE 15-20 knot winds – double reefed and ½ Jib.  Arrived around 2pm and prepared to lower the main.  After the main was secured with sail ties, I turned the wheel to recover our course to our anchorage.  No steering!  Scrambled to get the manual tiller out and get the boat in control…Ken had maneuvered the throttle forward and reverse to keep the boat from drifting closer to shore until we were ready to drop the anchor.   It so happened that we were very close to where our anchorage for the night would be so after setting the anchor, Ken and Garrett prepared to investigate the steering issue.     3-hours later, Ken, greasy and sweaty hand managed to re-attach our steering arm using the same Dutch-fabricated washer that was used when this happened in Cres Croatia!   He had saved it as a memento.  

Wednesday we crossed our fingers that the steering would work and left anchor at around 8:30am.  Sailing to Betsy Bay and NorthWest Point of Mayaguana.   Steering seemed to work, but now the Auto pilot was the new issue.   We already knew there was issues and had ordered a new control, but auto still worked.  Now Ken tried the remote control and with a tap on the dead screen, auto leaped into life again.   Conclusion for the day, loose connection.    For the evening, we found a quiet anchorage, I caught a barracuda, and we had pasta for dinner!

Guide out of Provo

Our “guide” out of the winding channel from Provenciales

A bit of Rain

Just a bit of rain…

Pilot Whale

Thursday, we sailed wing-on-wing to Acklins Island.  Garrett and I saw 3 whales.  goggled them and believe they were short-fin Pilot whales!   Awesome.   Arrived at Atwood Harbor around 4:30 to discover our first sighting of other cruisers.   There were 2 Cat’s and 3 sailboats all anchored in the harbor.  Nothing there but sandy beach and blue water.   Had a small rainfall around sunset and seas were a bit rolly but we did fine.

Bird Rock Lighthouse - Pitts landing

Bird Rock Lighthouse

Friday, Ken got up around 5AM to catch up on some work.  We left anchorage around 8:30 and motored for about 6 hours downwind to Crooked Island.  Made pancakes for traveling breakfast.  Trolling as we went, did not catch anything today.   Past Bird Rock lighthouse (non-working) and just off-shore of Pitts town, anchored in about 10 ft. of water.   Ken and Garrett got the dinghy ready and motored to shore for ice and coke.

Crooked island Lodge - Pittstown

Ken had decided we should stay 2 nights and he and I would get a room for Saturday night at their 12-room resort.   Garrett would stay on the boat.    We all dinghy’d in Friday night and had dinner with their 8 other guests.   Very remote resort that your main way of arrival was flying in. 

Garrett snorkeled Saturday with one of the new guests that had flown in and the larger group went in search of kite-sailing opportunities around the island.   That was their main mission while there.  Ken worked most of Saturday in the Resorts restaurant (again, maybe seating for 25).  Great internet and staff extremely friendly.   Berkley was our night time bartender and he and Garrett played several rounds of dominoes.    He took great care of us at the bar!

Berkleys Bar - Crooked Island

Berkley’s Bar at Pittstown Point Resort

Terminal A - Pittstown

Yes,  Terminal A!

Plane coming in

Plane coming in for a landing, said we were in their path….

Sunday night (Feb 9th), we dinghy back to the boat, loaded with coke, rum,  2 gals of water, 6 sandwiches and ice for the next few days.   Refrigerator was also not working so keeping food and beer cold was critical for boat morale.