Long Island -- The Beauty And The Beast

January 15 - 19, 2014

After a busy morning of preparation, we left Great Exuma Island, George Town and the Emerald Bay Marina.  Brian had a little maintenance to do on the main engine and we decided to top off the fuel tanks to give us more ballast.  By the time we left the fuel dock it was 1:30 and we were 37 miles from our anchorage on Long Island.  The water only had two to four foot waves, but they hit us on the starboard side of our bow giving us a rough ride for four and a half hours.   We arrived at Cape Santa Maria (named by Columbus in 1492) as the sun set and a huge full moon guided us to our quiet anchorage.    

Did I say a quiet anchorage?  Oh, my!!!!  Well, it was comfortable until 2:00 AM.  That's when I moved to the salon.  Our stateroom is in the bow and when the boat starts bouncing that area gets the most action.  At 4:45 AM Brian came up to tell me it was pouring rain and the wind had picked up.  We quickly closed all of the windows and hatches.  A cold front was passing through.  Winds went instantly from 5-35.  Waves from calm to 5+ in our anchorage.  Not hitting us on our bow, but our port side so we rocked.  Our anchor did its job holding us in place, but we were like a rag doll being tossed in every direction as we twisted at the end of 125 feet of chain.  Since we weren't expecting this event, we didn't have things stowed.  Everything hit the floor:  pictures, books, blender, soda stream, lamps…..  We were definitely experiencing the worst water and wind in our 30+ years of  boating!  At 7:15 AM we couldn't take it anymore.  Brian put on his life jacket and went to the bow pulpit to pull up the anchor. This was the only time I was frightened.  He was hanging over the front of the boat with huge waves crashing over and around him.  He managed to get the anchor up without falling overboard and got back inside. Now we were able to get underway with the stabilizers helping to diminish the side to side motion.  For the first hour we were in 10-12 foot waves every four seconds.  Anything that hadn't come loose earlier did now including the television swinging freely.  Falling off one wave was enough of a bump for the pressure struts on our bed to push the mattress up to the ceiling (it usually takes a hardy pull to lift it, so we can get to the storage under the bed).  It was a rough seven hour trip to our new "quiet" anchorage at Clarence Town, Long Island, Bahamas.  I was no help at all as I laid on the coach in the salon alternately sleeping and throwing up.  

We are very cautious boaters that try to stay out of uncomfortable situations, but when we are surprised we are so thankful to be on our Kady-Krogen.  Gotta Smile never blinked and we never worried about her ability to deliver us safely to our next anchorage.  Now, if I could only say as much for my ability! 

When Joan was visiting earlier this week she told me about another remedy for sea sickness.  This is the weirdest one yet!  Put Vicks Vaporub in your belly button and cover it with a band aid.  Weird as it sounds, I did buy the Vicks and will soon try it along with the wrist bands, ginger pills, Motion eaze and Dramamine.  Sooner or later I've got to find the combination that keeps me upright on bumpy rides.  And, in case you are wondering -- NO, I didn't use any of them on our trip to Clarence Town.  Things happened too quickly as I came out of a deep sleep and I was throwing up before I knew what we were in.  

This little island and a reef offered us protection
from the waves as we took a day to rest at anchor.

On Friday we took the day off to recuperate.  The anchorage was quiet and we had a great wifi connection.  It was fun to talk with both of our kids on FaceTime and catch up on emails.  Earlier I mentioned a cold front came through -- that means the temperature dropped to 78 and I put on a long sleeve t shirt.  After 26 years of cold fronts in Minnesota, this is a welcome change.  

Saturday morning we checked into the Flying Fish Marina in Clarence Town for two days and rented a car to do some serious land exploration.  The island is only 80 miles long and four miles wide at it's widest point.  It is considered one of the most beautiful of the Bahamian Islands and is famous for it's caves and Deans Blue Hole -- the deepest underwater sinkhole known.  At 663 feet deep it is more than double the others.    

A group free diving from a platform.

We think this is one of those rare places on earth
where there are more churches than bars!

It wasn't uncommon to see open graves that had
been cut into solid rock some time ago.  I tried
to talk Brian into getting in it for a photo, but that
was not even up for discussion.

A mat of tires had to be laid across the road
for this tractor to cross.  

Stacked stone walls and slave houses from the 18th 
century cotton plantations.

This could make your skin crawl --
the black is a huge ant nest.
It was about 18 inches tall.  I took the
picture from inside the car! 

Goats, sheep, pigs and chickens roam freely.

 Anglican Church designed by Father Jerome who
later became Monsignor Jerome Hawes and designed
the Catholic church.

A different shade of blue.

This beach was covered with natural sponges.

In the 1970's Diamond Crystal had a salt plant on 25,000 acres of land in Long Island.  They were the primary employer.  When they left a shrimp farming company moved in only to close a few years later.  Much of the equipment is still there.  We set out to find it and it wasn't easy!

The roads got narrower and rougher and then we
were on an abandoned airplane runway.  

   

This rotted bridge didn't stop us.

Finally, we found the evaporation ponds, but that
wasn't good enough.  Where was the plant?

The road gets narrower…..

Thank God, we found it!  I'm sure you can see why
this was worth the search……  But, we still couldn't
leave until we found the tug.

Bingo!!!  Now can we go eat dinner?

Looking forward to getting on our way.  What will our next adventure be and what islands will we visit?            

    Gotta Smile -- we're lovin the ride!

Maybe George Town Chamber Of Commerce Should Hire Us

January 6 - 15, 2014

Spending time with family and friends on board is one of the best parts of the life we live.  We hope that once they visit they understand why we are so happy.  It may not be the life for them, but (hopefully) they see why it appeals to us.  Since we left Miami on November 17th we have had guests for 34 days.  We also spent 13 days in Afton and St Louis over Christmas.  So, of the 53 days since we left US waters we have been with others for 47 days.  Today we begin our next adventure traveling to islands that we haven't seen or even heard of  and we are on our own!  As much as we enjoy the company, it feels good to get everything cleaned up and tucked away.  Plus, life is much simpler when it is the two of us:  meals, schedules, routines.    

Last day on board, Christopher made
a palm frond fish and was able to get
it home in good condition.  Love 
those AA baggage handlers!

"No, Grandpa-----"

We found a new way to meet the locals.  When we had a rental car, we picked up hitchhikers.  The first time two guys were standing along the road with a four month old baby.  As we passed, I yelled "Brian they have a baby".  We pulled over and met Quentin.  He was on his way to drop his baby at daycare so he could go to his first day of work as a chef.  His truck ran out of gas and the local gas station was closed.  We were glad we stopped to help him out.  Later that day, we found another person needing a ride.  I asked if it was hard to get picked up.  He said no, because everyone knows everyone on the island.  That could be a blessing or a curse!  

Joan and Larry came from Arizona for a visit

While showing Joan and Larry George Town, we ran
into Joanne.  We originally met her and John in 
Jacksonville. Running across friends from other 
boating stops is always a treat.  

I'm sure this rock is a petrified alligator head.
Do you see it?

I celebrated my 68th birthday in the  best way: friends of 35 years were with us, a perfectly gorgeous day, dingy rides, walk on the beach and a delicious lunch at St Francis's Resort overlooking the bay.  Now, only two more years and I'm 70!  Can't wait!!!!

Linda told me I must have been a very good girl
to see a starfish on my birthday!  Can I get a
second on that motion?     

Birthday lunch
I asked if we were dressed OK to eat with them, when
we arrived in our bathing suits.  Oh, sure -- You
may be overdressed. The best conch on the island!

The gas station at the end of the island -- one pump
with an oversized umbrella at some one's home.

Fuel is the same price for the car or the boat -- $5.53/gallon.  That seemed like a good price down here so we topped our tanks with diesel…307 gallons.      

We never tire of this beautiful turquoise water.

A rain storm on the other side of the bay almost
made us miss the sunset.

I've seen a lot of palm trees in the last
couple years, but none sprouting from
a coconut.

Driving back to the boat after dropping Joan and Larry at the airport, we noticed a photo shoot on one of the beaches.  We didn't think too much about it until we got back to the marina and one of the guys told Brian that they were shooting the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue!  Now, I guess he will have to buy a copy to see how beautiful the beaches are…..                  

     

Good-bye Emerald Bay Marina  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

Yikes, It's 2014

December 17, 2013 - January 5, 2014

We flew to Minnesota on December 17th to have Christmas in Afton with the family and take care of our yearly medicals at Mayo.  After receiving good reports from our doctors, we are ready for another year of exploration on the high seas.   

Brian and I got all day passes for the 4 kids at the
Mall of America amusement park.
 It was a big hit!  

Christmas was wonderful!  (Does anyone ever say that they had a crumby one?)  Having the whole family in Afton was the best.  Well, to be honest, the weather did a lot to make it the best.  Christmas fell between two very cold segments.            

The presents have been opened, the dinner is cooking….time for our annual family photo!

On the 26th Brian and I drove back to St Louis with Jennifer and the kids.  Ian had to fly back to Dallas to complete his American Airlines 767 training.  And, on the 29th the five us flew to George Town.  I guess I should say, most of the way to George Town.   Flying on passes on a busy week-end day with five people is not the smartest move.  Jennifer and the kids made it all of the way to the Exumas.  Brian and I had an overnight in Miami.  The next morning we were on the first flight and in George Town before noon!    

Christopher feeding the sting ray.

Notice a pattern?

Searching for fish.

We met Meg while we were having lunch in town.
She invited all of us to her house for dinner.  Her
son, TaVaughn, is going to get his captain's license
when he graduates from high school in June.
Another example of how friendly everyone is.  

We met Tim McGlynn when we joined the Porsche
Club in Minnesota about 20 years ago.
After not seeing him for 15 years, we ran into him
on the docks in Stuart.  As we came back to the
boat in the dingy, we saw a speed boat hanging
around our swim platform.  Pirates?  No, it's
Tim and his two sons!  Small world?  I guess!    

Lunch at Eddies

We've been trying many of the local fruits.
The yellow one is papaya and the lumpy one is soursap.
      

No longer using his "Cars" fishing pole.

The rugged rock that makes up the island looks like
lava, but there are no volcanoes.  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

Easy Living In Emerald Bay

December 12 - 16,  2013

A late lunch at the Grand Isle Resort

We have had a relaxing week at the marina.  My principle task has been creating meals that will use up the last of the perishables that are on board.  I'm amazed that I planned as well as I did, when we were provisioning at Costco.  The refrigerator was maxed out with barely enough room for air to circulate.    By tomorrow we will have finished off everything with an expiration date that puts it in jeopardy.  The main grocery in George Town has a good variety of food, but the prices are at least double their U.S. equivalents.  The frozen items that we have purchased have been a big disappointment.  I think they defrosted some where in route to the store.  And, the meat……..let's just say I'm glad that we brought as much as we did!  Produce is readily available from the grocery store and the Reverend's produce truck.  We also found the guy, that sits in front of the hair braiding salon, makes excellent whole wheat bread.  There is a Costco in Puerto Rico that is calling my name!!!  

For exercise we continue to trek the two and a half mile route across Sandals Beach and back.  Our fear is that after Christmas we won't have it to ourselves.  Dairy, a sweet woman with a shack at the far end of the beach, sells conch shells and shell jewelry.  When she sees us coming she yells, "hello Brian and Jack".  Well, of course, we have to go visit and buy a couple of bracelets for the granddaughters!  

Enjoying lunch and another beautiful beach 
at Big D's.

Earlier this week the dingy motor wasn't putting out cooling water.  Brian took it apart and gave it a good cleaning.  Sunday we dropped the dingy in the water and took a ride to Big D's.  As usual, the water looked very calm until we got out of the marina's protective wall.  The swells were three to four feet.  We just floated over them like a smooth ride at an amusement park….until we got to the reef!  I looked back as we crossed the coral beds and saw we were being pushed by a very large foaming wave.  No problem just a little unnerving to watch.  Big D sat down with us as we finished our lunch and we   talked about places overseas and in the U.S. we had all visited. 

I'm still trying to decide if he's a keeper or should I throw him back!

I just completed a new palm frond fish.  It has been a good conversation starter with almost everyone that walks the dock.  They probably go back to their boat and talk about the crazy woman on the trawler….   
     

Our next dingy…. Opps, one problem, it is almost
as long as our boat!
 Yes, that's four 300 horsepower motors on the transom!

When we take a break from our rigorous schedule, we have been reading.  Brian likes the John Sanford books that take place in and around our former Minnesota home.  I have been going with a more southern location (but just as familiar) -- Randy Wayne White's west coast Florida.  

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!



               

George Town And Emerald Bay Marina

 December 5 - 11, 2013

The wind that was predicted and convinced us to return to George Town; came in on schedule Wednesday night.  Soooo, glad that we made the decision to return!  

Off the boat and enjoying my favorite exercise!

Mother nature has kept us captive on the boat for five days.  With the wind blowing, which also means rougher water, we have stayed on board.  Brian is actually relaxing.  He has read two books.  I'm becoming a domestic goddess:  cleaning, laundry, reorganizing cabinets and drawers and even cooking!  On the 10th we did drop the dingy to get some groceries and fresh produce in town.  We decided that this is probably as calm as it is going to be for the next week.  Time to pull the anchor and head to Emerald Bay Marina.  We had four foot swells pushing us most of the way.  Waves on the stern make for a fairly comfortable ride.   It is nice to be in a marina for a change.  The docks are beautiful here, but there are no amenities.  Luckily there are lots of friendly boaters that love to share experiences and compare notes.

The first morning at the marina we crossed the island and walked from one end of this
 beach to the other.  It is off season for another few weeks so we
practically had it to ourselves.

For 21 of the last 23 nights we have anchored out.  When we want to go to town or the beach we launch the dingy.  For you non-boaters, think of it as getting the car out of the garage.  It is great to see how independent we can be on our Krogen:  making our own water and electricity.  When the generator is started to charge the batteries, we turn on the water maker.  Our tanks are both full -- that is 400 gallons.  Marinas down here charge about $.40/gallon for water.         

              

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!

In Spite Of Us --We're Where We Belong!

December 2, 2013

Our beautiful anchorage!

As with most experiences in our lives -- things always seem to work out for the best…in spite of us!  I was disappointed when we had to return to George Town, but that quickly changed. We love this community  and the longer we are here the more we love about it.  I think it is going to be a perfect spot to entertain the two sets of guests that we have coming after Christmas.  Excellent beaches, restaurants, provisioning, scenery, a protected harbor and some of the most genuinely nice people we have ever met.  

AJ working his magic…..

When we went to Chat and Chill yesterday we met AJ.  He makes fresh conch salad on demand.  Today we went back to sample his work.  It was delicious!  He begins by finely chopping tomatoes, green pepper and onions.  Then he pulls the conch out of the shell, trims  and finely chops it.  Limes and oranges are juiced over the mixture and it is ready to serve.  The trick is to eat it from the bottom of the bowl so none of the juice is lost.

Back on the boat for dinner, Gail and I scored a home run with an improvised concoction that was a cross between fajitas and fish tacos.  Thaw a package of guacamole and cook up some beans and rice…….Yummy!    

December 3, 2013  

A stop at Big D's Conch Spot.  Walking up to
the  restaurant I saw a man making conch
salad.  I asked if he was related to AJ.
 Sure enough -- AJ's cousin.

John rented a car for the day so we could see the island from the other side of the beach.  We checked out Emerald Bay Marina which is north of us.  We will stay there for a month beginning the middle of December.  The marina is the opposite of the Exuma Yacht Club.  It has perfect floating docks and excellent security.  The down side--  it is in the middle of no where.  Like Exuma Yacht the personnel are wonderful.  While we have guests we will explore the neighboring beaches with the dingy for a day or two and then head back here to anchor at the Chat & Chill beach.

We were sitting in the cockpit, when we saw what we thought was a jet's contrail.  The more we watched; we realized it was a rocket launch from Cape Kennedy.  We could see two of the stages drop off.  What a great birthday gift for Brian!  Saved me buying him a gift.   

December 4, 2013

Brian's Birthday

John and Gail left today headed back to some seriously cold weather in Minnesota.  We have spent so much time traveling together over the years; it's like having family on board.  There is no requirement for planned entertainment.  We all work together without a discussion about who should do what.  Easy guests that are always welcome.  

After dropping them at their rental car, Brian and I strolled around town.   First, we're greeted by No No who works at the Yacht Club Bar.  She is the local 'Lucy' of Peanuts fame offering life lessons to all.  Sheldon is at the gas station.  He offered a prayer as we took off in the car yesterday.  Lots of concentration is needed to stay on the left side of the road.  Coming out of the bank, we met Ken, who is related to the families on Little Farmer's Cay (that we met last week) and is a pilot.  Time for a snack at the deli.  In walks Cleavon.  He sits down for a visit while he waits for his carry-out lunch.     Time to continue our walk around Victoria Pond with a stop at Eddies for Brian's birthday lunch.   This is what we love about George Town.  Say 'Hi' and smile at someone and they respond with an equally friendly response.  I know I keep repeating myself, but it is amazing how cheerful and friendly EVERYONE is.  

Gotta smile -- we're loving the ride!

George Town To Cape Santa Maria And Back Again

George Town to Cape Santa Maria  

November 30 2013  

8 - George Town, 9 - Cape Santa Maria, 10 - George Town

First thing we noticed about Long Island - a little
more elevation and some tall trees.

We got a break!  Instead of another day in George Town, we were able to do a short passage to Cape Santa Maria on the northern end of Long Island.  The overcast day with intermittent downpours made it good for travel.  

The pot of gold at the end of this rainbow was free
WiFi for us and a strong signal!

While Gail and I fixed dinner, Brian poured over the weather and wave information that he retrieved thanks to the WiFi signal at an island resort.  
During dinner we discussed our options for the remainder of the pre-Christmas trip.  It looks like we have four days of good travel weather followed by sixteen days of winds in the 28 mph range.  His reports only went out that far.  Who knows how long those winds will stay around?  We could make it to Turks and Caicos, but then we'd be stuck in an area surrounded by open water.  The other option is to turn around and head back to George Town.  We have two groups of guests scheduled to arrive between December 27th and January 8th.  George Town seems to be the safer and more predictable option. So, as sad as it is -- tomorrow morning we turn around and retrace our route.  

Brian's improvised flopper stoppers

Just one more example of how unpredictable life is on the water.  We make plans and try to come up with reasonable options, but Mother Nature holds the trump cards and we have vowed that we won't try to bluff her with decisions that aren't safe.  So, what looked like a lucky break this morning turned out to be a 60 mile round trip back to where we started!  

It does feel good to have a plan that should be more reliable.  Now we know we can get home for Christmas and we can keep the doctor's appointments that were scheduled months ago.  We are a little disappointed………  Hey, I doubt that too many people are feeling sorry for us as we change our plans from one place in paradise to another.  The weather and water are still beautiful and we have lots to explore while we are in George Town.  Puerto Rico and the Virgins are still on the itinerary.  "I'm so happy -- Some buddy slap me!," from a favorite country western song.                   

Cape Santa Maria Back to George Town

December 1, 2013

Could you ask for a more beautiful beach?

By 11:30 we were back in George Town, ready to hit the beach and sample lunch at Chat and Chill.  It was one of my favorite days.  Plenty of time to walk the beach, wade in the water and explore in the dingy.  

Welcome to Chat and Chill

This ray waits for handouts and lets children pet him.

We have WiFi again so John and Gail made their flight reservations to return to Minnesota.  They will fly out on Wednesday.  We have a lot of restaurants to eat in and places to visit before they go.

   
Gotta smile -- we're loving the ride!