2026-02-15 Long Island to Turks and Caicos

We did not do much on Long Island.  Windy and cold.   We walked up to the Grocery Store, and had a short visit with Bob and Michelle from Our Time.   

Hillside Grocery in Long Island, looks small from outside, but pretty large inside

The dinghy dock is still not in good shape.  Really got to watch where you walk

Monday we took the boat over to Long Island Petroleum and filled up with fuel.

Wednesday we upped anchor and had a pleasant sail up to Calabash Bay at the north end of Long Island.  Still Chilly

Nice sail, but chilly

About 11:00 p.m. that evening we upped anchor and headed out for the passage to the Turks and Caicos.

Winds were light, so we mostly motor sailed, but did have some just sailing.  Apparent wind was mostly at around 60 degrees the entire trip.  Had about 12 hours of lumpy seas, but nothing too bad.  Got into Cockburn Town in the Turks and Caicos at 9 p.m. on Friday Night.  It was quite dark, but the entrance was easy, and only saw two other boats at anchor.

Saturday morning we woke to find that our friends on Shally and Harmonium were the other two boats.  We took the dink in to the "marina".  Really just a basin, and walked to the marina office/grocery store combination, where they called customs for us.  Talked to the customs lady, and arranged to meet at her office at 10:30.  A kind local offered us a ride, but we said we wanted to walk to see the town, as we had an hour to kill, so he kindly gave us directions.  Then during our walk, he drove by and made sure we were heading the right way.  Nice fellow.

Horses grazing where they wanted, on our walk though town

Donkeys were also seen

Charm at anchor

Large pier near customs

There are many of these historical markers around town, which are interesting to read

We waited outside the customs office until 10:55, when the lady showed up.   She was in a bit of a hurry, as she had a United Airlines flight coming in she had to get to.   She forgot her receipt book, so we could not pay, which was fine, and we agreed to pay up when we check out.  Kris also forgot to bring her check in papers from the Bahamas, which was fine as well, she said to just bring them when we check out.   Nice and laid back.

After checking in, she gave us a ride back to the dinghy dock - which was only 1/2 mile -  but still-nice lady.

Waiting in the shade on the wall near customs

Dean caught a cold from Derek when he visited, so not really up to doing much on land.   Back on the boat Kris quickly modified a flag for the Turks and Caicos and hoisted our courtesy flag.   

Had the red and white done 12 years ago, but added the yellow symbol.  Still missing elements, but close enough for the 3 days here.

Dean went to the top of the mast as our wind instrument was winking off and on.  It was a bit loose in the socket, so got that tightened and hopefully that solves that issue.

Today the winds are strong, so a boat day, and Kris is not feeling that great now.   The anchorage is lumpy, so we moved a bit to find a calmer spot.    We will head out tomorrow for hopefully Puerto Rico.

2026-02-08 A cold week - but great company

Our son Derek and his girlfriend Emma flew in on Sunday the 1st of February.   It was very windy, but the anchorage we were in at February Point was still pretty flat, so we were happy. 

We saw gusts up to 32, but others in less protected areas saw 45 knots.

Derek and Emma were both pretty tired after the overnight flight, so it was a quick shower, dinner, and they were both in bed by 6:00 p.m.    It was a cold night, and we woke up Monday to very cold temperatures.

59 degrees in February is fine for the states, but not here in the Bahamas

Monday we went to town, walked around town a bit, so Derek could see what had changed since 2014, when he was last in Georgetown.  Not much really different.   Had a nice lunch out, and then back to the boat to relax.

Looking towards Stocking Island from Georgetown docks.

Lunch out at Island Boy, you can tell by the jackets that it is still chilly out.

Tuesday morning the winds were back to the NE, and lighter, so we moved over to Monument anchorage.  Hiked to the top of the hill to see the view from the monument, and then over to the ocean beach side to walk in the sand, and look for shells.   

Hiking up to the Monument

Derek and Emma on ocean side beach on Stocking Island

Dean chillin while we did some shelling.

Wednesday the weather was chilly, but we went down to Chat and Chill beach for Derek to see if he still remembered it, and then lunch out at the Snappy Turtle.

Derek and Emma at signpost at Chat N Chill beach

Emma trying to tempt the ray to come closer

Chat N Chill

Thursday we moved the boat down to Redshanks, as another front was coming through.  Passed by a large motor yacht.  Weird looking, like the entire back was an afterthought.

Large yacht 

Funky looking from the side - kind of like backward mullet, all the fun in the front, and all work in the back

We had a mooring ball reserved at Redshanks, and it was nice and calm there.  We took the dinghy out for a quick sight see, and saw some large starfish, a couple of rays and a couple of turtles.  Still not very warm, so snorkeling not something we wanted to do.

Some very large starfish in the Redshanks area

Saw a couple rays

Friday was sunnier, but windy and cold, so ended up as another boat day.

Saturday we moved the boat near to town and the dinghy dock, and took Derek and Emma in around noon for the flight out.   We had a great visit with them.  Bummed the weather for the week was very windy and cold, so playing in the water was out.

After Derek and Emma left, we looked at the weather, as it is still our plan to head to the eastern Caribbean this year.   It looked like our best window to head to Long Island, which would be our staging point for further east, was now, so we upped anchor and headed out.   We motor sailed to charge the batteries and make water on the trip.  Got in late around 8:00, but we can now relax for a few days with east winds, but still not that warm.

2026-01-31 Another week in Georgetown

Another week in Georgetown.  Dean played competitive volleyball most days.  Kris worked on refinishing the wood.  

The wood is taking some time.  The wipe on high gloss polyurethane we put on in 2020 is coming off in strips.  Sanding doesn't get it all, and actually using a razor blade to scrape it off gets most of it, then following with a high grit sanding is getting it to the point new finish can be applied.   Just takes time and is slow-going.    

You can see the scrapings of the old finish on the floor

Shelves empty and sanded and ready to put on poly.  Lots of wood

Monday we went over to our friends boat Shally.  Melanie and John hosted a nice evening inviting us, and Krista and Phil off of Harmonium.   Shally and Harmonium are planning on heading to the eastern Caribbean like us, so it was great to spend time with them.  In addition, Melanie and John made one of the best vegetarian meals Kris has ever had.  They have a hobby of foraging for native plants when they travel, and had some sea purslane in the salad, which was a first for us, but it was quite tasty.  Also, tried sprouted coconut for the first time.  Forgot to take photos.  

Wednesday afternoon we had a Manta gathering at the picnic tables at Chat N Chill.  We had a great time visiting with everyone.

Tyler and Tya from Dream Sheet, Michelle and Bob from Our Time, Toby from Jandals, Michael and Anita from Three Score, Carey and Dave from Jandals, Dean and Kris from Charm

We had a bit of drama to watch later in the day, as the mail boat was trying to get into the harbor, and ran aground.  There is a narrow spot in the channel near where we anchored, and unfortunately some boats had anchored in the channel.  The mail boat was trying to avoid them and ran aground.  They got off, but several boats had to move to give them room.   Some boats were braver (if that is the term some would use) than we would be, and did not move.

A front is heading in, so on Friday we moved over to February Point to get protection from the upcoming winds.   Jandals is here, and a Manta power cat as well.  It is a well protected area, only accessible at high tide. 

Jandals in the anchorage with a beautiful rainbow behind

Derek and his girlfriend Emma arrive today for a week with us, so really looking forward to that.

2026-01-25 Week in Georgetown

We spent the week doing nothing much.  Anchored down at Sand dollar anchorage.  Water is a bit rough in the southeast winds, and we have a person that plays music too loud next to us.

Sunday was afternoon volleyball for Dean, and Kris worked on the wood refinishing.

Monday was more work on refinishing the wood.  Dean tried morning volleyball, but no one showed up, so he went back in the afternoon, and Kris went for a nice long walk along the beach and trails.

Charm out in Sand dollar anchorage.  Photo taken from "Basil's Classroom" in the Moriah Cay National Park

The ocean looks a bit rough with some of the high winds we have had lately

Beautiful scenery on the walk

Love the color contrasts

Tuesday was a windy rainy day, so stayed on the boat.  Dean relaxed and read books, while Kris did some morning work on the wood, and then started working on making new bean bag chairs for the sling seat.  The old ones are stained moldy and not cleaning up anymore, so time for some new one. 

The old beanbag, spotted with small black dirt/mold spots that won't clean up

Kris just thrilled to be sewing again

Wednesday we went into Chat and Chill in the afternoon, Dean played volleyball, and we both visited with our friends on Namid and Tangent, as well as other cruisers around.  Nice social time.  

Bruce and Sandra off Namid and Alan and Skye off Tangent

Thursday Kris finished up the bean bag project, and Dean went in to play volleyball in the morning. 

At least they look clean.  We will have to get more fill for them at some point

After Dean played volleyball, we upped anchor and motored up to North Goat Cay anchorage, which is only 3.5 miles, but it was too rough to dinghy there and back.   We dropped anchor, and then headed into town to the hardware store, as Kris wanted more polyurethane, and Dean was hoping for a spare diesel jug.  We did buy the overpriced polyurethane, but the diesel jug at $150, was just too much for us.  

Charm at anchor off Goat Cay, such a pretty anchorage

Back from the store, we upped anchor again, and moved to the Monument anchorage, which is much calmer than where we were at Sand Dollar further south, and no more loud music. 

Friday morning Kris went for a walk, and Dean played volleyball. 

View of Charm at anchor from the top of the monument.

When we were last here, this area had a large salty pond, and lots of rocks.  Now all sand and a restaurant and bar.

Pretty shoreline on the ocean side.

In the afternoon we went into the Snappy Turtle for a get-together of all cruisers thinking of heading south to the Caribbean this year.   We were hoping to find someone who had done the north coast of the Dominican Republic, but it was not to be.  Only one other boat besides us had done the trip before, and about 30 people showed up, so Dean and I were busy all afternoon answering questions about the trip.  It was fun, and we got to meet a lot of nice folks.

Saturday, Dean went in to play volleyball, but no one else showed up.  Dean went back in the afternoon for volleyball, and Kris worked on prepping the port hull for refinishing.

One more week and then Derek and his girlfriend Emma will be here for a visit.

2026-01-17 Back to Georgetown. Volleyball and boat work.

Sunday we sailed to the north end of Long Island and anchored for the night, so we would have a better angle to sail to Georgetown on Monday.  Nice short sail, and even got a short visit from a solitary dolphin.

Not a great photo, sorry

The anchorage was calm, which is very unusual for Calabash Bay, but the evening was not great. We were relaxing when a couple of huge moths landed on the screen door.   Kris is not a fan of moths.  She could not relax with them there, so made Dean turn off all the lights and sit in the dark until they left.   She was a bit freaked out all night.

Huge moths.  Would like to never see them again

Monday we had a nice downwind sail all the way to back to Georgetown. We anchored off of town, as the winds were expected to clock from South to West to Northwest to East in the next couple of days.  Several other boats had the same idea, and the anchorage was fairly full.

Anchorage outside of Georgetown

Tuesday, Dean went in to play volleyball, and Kris worked on refinishing wood on the boat.     

Our doors sucked up the varathane, overdue for some maintenance

Wednesday more of the same, but in the afternoon we went to town, to get more foam brushes, and a few groceries, but of course had to stop and get some ice cream as well.  Got back to the boat just in time, as it started to dump rain.   Had a nice rainbow afterward though.

Nice rainbow looking south from Georgetown

Thursday and Friday morning volleyball was cancelled, so Dean played in the afternoon. Friday, we moved from Georgetown anchorage over to Sand dollar anchorage.  Kris still working on the wood.   Dean took the screens off of our relatively new outdoor speakers which had already decided to rust, and cleaned them and painted them white again.

Disappointing, our outdoor speakers rusted so quickly, look better now though.

Saturday saw morning volleyball back on.  Kris has the V berth and guest bath done, and has almost finished the master bath and has started on the guest cabin.  Work is going slow, with removing all hardware, cleaning, sanding, cleaning, then applying a coat each day.    Doing the boat in sections, so only one “room” at a time, is a mess.

We will hang here in Georgetown until our son and girlfriend come for a visit on Feb 1.

 

 

2025-01-11 Week in Long Island

Sunday we slept in a bit from our late night at Junakanoo, then headed to Long Island.  Weather forecast said we could expect 12 to 15 knots to sail, but ended up with little wind.  We tried the spinnaker for a bit, but could not even keep that flying, so ended up mostly motoring.

We had our chute up for about an hour, but then the wind died.

Monday was stronger winds.  Dean started buffing and waxing the deck.  Kris had a sloth day of reading, computer games and not much else.

Monday night it dumped rain.  Feels more like the Caribbean than the Bahamas, with so much rain this season. 

Tuesday also windy.  Dean did more buffing and waxing, and Kris started with the sanding and refinishing the wood in the boat.   It’s a project that will take many days.

Wednesday was town day.  Went out for a nice lunch at and then up to the grocery store for fresh stuff.  Took in the trash.   The dinghy dock was pretty torn up from the last storm, so a bit tricky walking along the edges and not falling in.

Nice lunch out at "Vantage Pointe Restaurant"

Dinghy dock, but tricky but still workable.

The wood Kris started refinishing was in the V-berth, specifically a high cabinet.  The cabinet did not sit flush to the ceiling, and she noticed it had been at one time, but was falling off, the screws no longer holding it.  She worked to get it back in place, and unfortunately decided that her shoulder should be the item to push upward while she wedged some supports to hold I in place.  Wednesday night, her shoulder was sore.

Thursday we went back to the store, as we found out on Wednesday that new fresh fruits and veggies would be out.  The difference was surprising.  Thursday the store was busy, and 5 times the amounts of fruits and veggies, and decent looking ones at that.  We also stopped and got some new foam paintbrushes at the marine store.  Kris’s shoulder was quite sore, so she just relaxed the rest of the day, while Dean did more buffing and waxing.

Friday we defrosted the fridge and freezer.   Dean did more waxing in the morning, and then we upped anchor, and went to the fuel dock and filled the tanks, then back to anchor.  Did some laundry, and relaxed.  Kris’s shoulder still hurting.

Working on putting all the food back in after the defrost.

All the food back in, and organized

Saturday more of generally nothing.  Went for a nice walk to the ocean side beach, then back to the boat.  Kris’s shoulder is getting better, so back to work soon.  Afternoon of reading books, and playing on the computer.

Ocean side beach.  A fair amount of sargassum ashore

Strong east winds have produced some large waves offshore

Seems like every beach has a hard hat and flip-flops washed ashore

Dive tank washed ashore.  First time finding one of those.

Today we sail north in prep to sail back to Georgetown this coming week.