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.

2026-01-04 Happy New Year - time with friends in Georgetown and Junkanoo

Sunday we left Warderick Wells and motored to Bitter Guana Cay, no wind.   We were there by lunch, so after eating we headed ashore to see the Northern Bahamas Rock Iguanas and go for a hike.

There was a tourist boat there feeding the iguanas when we got in, so we went for a hike first.  Quite a steep climb from the beach up the hill, and then wandered a bit.

The trail is just a scramble up the rocks behind Kris to the top

Nice view of the anchorage from the top of the hill

We figured we should be able to make it from where we were, to another trail to the north of us, but alas, no trail to be found.  That didn’t stop us, we forged ahead through the brush and made it.  Sometimes we are idiots. Did get to see a lovely pool on the ocean side when we got there.

Making our own trail through the brush.  

Nice protected pool on ocean side

Back on the beach saw a few iguanas relaxing in the sun.  

Back on the boat, it was getting lumpy with current and wind interaction, so we upped anchor and moved the 3 miles to Black Point for a calmer anchorage for the night.

Monday we motored again, in no wind to Lee Stocking, as west to northwest wind projected, and we figured good protection in that spot.  Happy to see our friends on Indie II were anchored there, so made arrangements to go snorkeling that afternoon with them.   Later the same day, another Manta came in, Tanget.  So 3 Mantas in the anchorage.  Had a good snorkeling trip on the east side – only possible due to very light winds.  The reef was mostly dead, but some live soft corals.  The structures were very impressive on the old dead coral.  Quite a few large parrotfish in the area.

 

Skye off Tanget snorkeling on the reef

Not much color, but some live corals

Old impressive structure on now dead Elkhorn coral

Shane and Andrea form Indie II back on the dink after the snorkel

Tuesday was a boat day, with NW winds, but Tuesday night we went over to Indie II for a nice evening of visiting and a game of cards.

Wednesday we left Lee Stocking, and sailed to Georgetown.   Our friends Jerry and Donna on BlueJacket who were also in Lee Stocking area sailed south as well.

After anchoring, we went to town with BlueJacket to the local grocery store and got supplies and water.

Water spigot at Georgetown dingy dock

Georgetown dinghy dock

That evening we went over to BlueJacket for New Year's Eve, and enjoyed snacks, good visit and games.   We did not last until midnight.  Home by 11:00, but then the music in town got quite loud, so mostly laid in bed, until fireworks, got up and watched them.  Asleep by 12:30 a.m. New Year's Day.  

Thursday was boat project day.  Kris did some miscellaneous sewing projects, and a bit of boat cleaning.  Relaxed and very slothlike for the rest of the day.

Friday, Kris went for a kayak around the area in the morning.   Not much to see, but she did find a dinghy paddle floating near shore, and went into an old cut of a failed development which was interesting to see, especially how the rain had created interesting limestone formations. 

Lots of money and time making this cut, and never used

Interesting limestone formations due to rain and wind.

 

Friday afternoon we headed into town for lunch with BlueJacket, followed by a short walk to get homemade ice cream at a new place in Georgetown.  Ice cream was great, and as usual enjoyed spending time with Jerry and Donna.   

After lunch and ice cream.  Good day

Over to BlueJacket again after dinner for a few more games and social time.

Saturday, Kris worked on an engine issue with a relay not working correctly.  After lunch, we did a bit of a run about, checking out Chat and Chill beach, and then stopped to visit with our friends Bruce and Sandra on Namid.

Saturday night was Junkanoo in Georgetown.  So we packed a picnic dinner and with BlueJacket, we went in and found a place to watch Junkanoo, and had our picnic dinner and watched the festivities.

The floats were impressive, and the costumes even more so.  Had a great time.  Enjoy the photos below.

 

Dancers were good

Incredible costume, attention to detail

Wonder how much it all weighs

Incredible

Liked the floats with the theme "Wonder of the Seas"

The seahorses were spectacular

The bands featured a lot of percussion.  The drummers hands bled from hitting the drums so hard.  

How many people must have to help get them into the costumes

 We head out today for Long Island.  

 

2025-12-28 Haul out, Christmas and moving south

 Sunday was windy, so it was a boat day, doing nothing much.  Monday, we went to town, and got some groceries, and then back to the boat, still quite windy. 

Tuesday was the big day – time to haul out.  Robert from R&B called us around 10:30, and told us to come on in.  It was quite windy with gusts up to 20, so a bit tricky to get to the dock, but all went well, and we got tied up.  By the time we were tied up, and they measured us, and adjusted the platform they use to raise boats, it was close to noon.  They shut down for an hour at noon, so we walked over to the “Snack Vault” and got lunch.  Never been there before, but it was a pretty good lunch of burgers and fries.   We took the food back to the boat to eat, as we wanted to be on the boat for when the yard came back.  

Setting the blocks on the lifting platform before we are hauled

 

The "Snack Vault" - was a decent place for lunch

We finally hauled around 1:00, and the guys got right to work draining the oil on the starboard sail drive, which was milky again already.    Once the shaft and seals were out, they cleaned everything up well, and then waited on Robert to come and do the seal replacement.   They were happy to let us watch, which we did, and they all did a very good job.

Charm up and out of the water. 

The guys taking off the prop and working to remove the shaft 

Kris taking a look at the shaft while it is being cleaned up

R & B boatyard office has nice mural on the front

Once the seals were replaced, Kris added new oil, they lowered us back down, and we headed out.   We were lucky, the tide was going out, and ½ an hour later we would have been stuck overnight waiting on a higher tide to leave.

Wednesday, we sailed the 42 miles over to the Exuma’s.  We had northeast winds, which made for a nice downwind sail, although a bit lumpy.   We anchored somewhere new, at Lobster Cay, and would not do it again, and there is a fair current, and makes it a bit choppy at times, but it was fine for a couple of days. 

Christmas was quiet, as we were anchored by ourselves, which was fine.  Dean made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and chips and dip for lunch.  And Santa gave us each some candy in our stockings for Christmas.

Yummy

Our Christmas stockings and presents

Friday we headed south, motoring down to Warderick Wells where we got a mooring ball.   Went for a nice walk along the trails, up to BooBoo hill and back.

 

Kris in front of the old whale skeleton at the beach in Warderick Wells Cay

Charm on the mooring at Warderick Wells Cay

At the top of BooBoo Hill, looking at all the boaters memento planks

Beautiful view from the top of the hill, ocean side

Dean crossing the causeway on our walk

Rugged causeway trail on Warderick Wells Cay

Saturday, Kris took the kayak for a nice paddle, and then midday we went for a snorkel.  Saw a few nice Eagle Rays, barracuda and other assorted fishes.

 

Large barracuda showing us his sharp teeth

This little fish was not afraid of us at all

Eagle rays swimming around - very large, around a 5 or 6 foot wingspan

Today we will head south again, motoring as there is no wind, down to Great Guana Cay, planning on making to Georgetown by the 3^rd for Junkanoo.