We officially departed the Dominican Republic at 0800 on Friday, December 17, 2010. We actually departed the Dominican Republic at 0430 on Sunday, December 19, 2010. The difference is that in the DR the officials are very, very, very strict. They wish to know where you are going, when you intend to depart for there and when you intend to arrive. We knew we were ready to leave but we just didn't know when. So, as we departed the Marina Puerto Bahia with our official Despachio in hand we hung a right and sailed across Bahia de Samana to the National Park on the Bahia de San Lorenzo. While we enjoyed the time we spent in Samana, as well as our tour of the Dominican via auto, the two nights we spent in the park were absolutely wonderful. More on that and the dolphins shortly.
We HIGHLY recommend Samana for anyone coming via water. The town is safe, welcoming and friendly. Although we did not visit Luperon we have conversed with many who have and by comparison we are very pleased that we went directly to Samana, even if it took an extra day at sea.
From Samana Bay we moved to the Marina Puerto Bahia, highly recommended for anyone that wants to leave their boat to tour the island for a few days. We decided that after two months at sea the boat needed a ‘bath’ and the dogs needed air conditioning while we toured the island via car.
We hired a rental car for three days to tour the island so on Monday the 13th, Fabian delivered our car to the marina and we were off. Well, just a few words about that. Fabian needed a ride back to town, so Ed offered to take him; Ed forgot to inform Vicky of his gracious offer. So, Vicky was unaware of Ed's location when two military helicopters began to hover and landed at the marina (more on the helicopters later). As the DR military swarmed over the property Vicky went looking for Ed to no avail and seriously began to wonder if Ed's past had caught up to him and if she should simply slip the dock lines to sail away with the puppies. Fortunately, before she had to act Ed returned and the helicopters departed, sans Ed.
With the entire crew of Boto safe and sound once again, we were off to the north coast (Los Terrenas) to give the girls some quality beach time and to see the sights. With the strong north winds and swell the beaches were not exactly calm, however we had a great day on land and the girls were tired out.
Tuesday the 14th rolled around and Vicky and Ed were up with the sun and off early for the drive to Santo Domingo, the DR's capitol. While a good portion of the DR's roadways are paved, there are still good percentages that rival any pot-holed strewn section of Houston, TX or NYC for that matter. We made it without issue and strolled around the old town taking in the architecture and spirit of the oldest settlement in the Americas. Heading back to Samana late in the day offered us a chance to drive in the dark. REALLY, REALLY, DARK, no street lights. We failed to mention that a majority of the population gets about via small motorbikes. They are the highway/roadway equivalent of gnats; buzzing all about without a care. Finding one inches away from your front bumper as you try to avoid a Mack truck is exciting.
Our last day of automobiling we headed back along the north coast, today with the dogs, to Rio San Juan. A great drive through the country and a wonderful late day meal of Langostino and Paella. Stuffed and tired we headed back to the marina for a nice long sleep. On a side note, in addition to the aforementioned motos buzzing all about, the road is the only passageway so everyone and everything uses it to get around. This means you must also keep an eye out for pedestrians (goes without saying I guess), horses and donkeys (with riders and or cargo), dogs (everywhere), pigs, turkeys, buzzards, chickens (we did see one take a car head on, bounce off, get up and shake it off and keep on walking… tough birds) and lizards. Basically, if you can imagine it you will find it alongside or in the middle of a road in the DR.
Back to the military helicopters. We awoke on Thursday the 16th to a lot of activity around the marina and the soon to open resort. Army, Navy and Secret Service patrolling the property all heavily armed. We were soon told that there was to be a ribbon cutting ceremony that day and that El Presidente Fernandez would be attending to cut the ribbon. We still had to leave the property to return the rental care. So off we went, stopping at the main gate to let them know (them being: The resorts security, the local Polizia, the local military captain, as well as some guys in suits wearing sunglasses with wires in their ears) that we were staying at the marina and had to run a few errands and then return the car and that we would be back. Try communicating all that using the handy dandy tourist Spanish dictionary. We smiled a lot. Off we went soon to return with 20 gallons of diesel in the back of the car for the boat, the marina was out. We smiled and waved, all of the heavily armed folks smiled and waved back as we drove down to the marina. Then it's back out the main gate to return the car. Then back to the main gate with our ride from town. When our new friend Fabian drove us back, no one was smiling and waving, they questioned him as to why he was there and what he wanted. Then they saw us and smiled and waved. Must be the dimples. Back at the boat we cleaned up and put on our Sunday Best and walked amongst the party goers. Initially we were waved into lobby for the ceremony (our snazzy dress must have made us look like guests!) until a rather severe looking woman, with wires sprouting from her ears, pointed at us and told us we had to return to the boat until El Presidente departed. Apparently we are less of a threat in our cruiser attire than when we clean ourselves up. Oh well! Lots of activity and we did assert ourselves by leaving the boat to walk the dogs. We were stopped and told to return to the boat at which time Chula promptly squatted and deposited her daily constitutional in front of the Agent wearing the earphone. We did pick it up, but I think Chula made her point. By the way, if you'll recall from earlier in the missive, we officially left the country the next day, not that Chula had anything to do with our timing.
The park on Bahia de San Lorenzo is quiet and peaceful; we had the entire bay to ourselves, well except for a pod of dolphins. We were able to relax after our touring and visit to some of the caves that had served as homes for the earliest inhabitants of the island. Other than the fishing camps along some of the beaches we were the only people here. We also took our dinghy for a long distance up a river that feeds into the bay. The mangroves and multitude of birds to watch were a delight! The twice daily feeding frenzy of the dolphins provided a lot of entertainment and a reminder that unlike the dolphins one sees at the Sea World shows, these wild dolphins are predators and very accomplished hunters. They are still really cute, even when devouring schools of fish.
Bright and early (not so bright really at 4am) on Sunday the 19th we are off for Puerto Rico, 160nm and 32 hours in front of us. On our way out of Bahia de Samana we encountered what at first glance we took for a cruise ship, however as we approached closer we realized this was simply someone’s private (200 footish) motor yacht. Well, with all the crew they had on board I bet they can't get as comfy cozy as we can on BOTO. While our crossing top PR was uneventful, no flying fish attacks, no murderous fish catches, we once again realized that any weather forecast that foretells of calm seas and fair winds is essentially a lie. We beat our way into 15-20k winds gusting to 25k with 6-8 foot rollers coming from every direction. Of course this only got better as the rain began and kept up right until we made landfall. What the hell, the moon was full and bright and we had no one else on the water (maybe they had a better forecast) to contend with for space. Making landfall in Boquerón, PR we were able to drop the hook in a wonderful, if rocky bay and catch up on our sleep. Then it’s off to check in with the good ole' USofA Customs and Immigration. Well, the laundry is almost done and it’s time to clean up for dinner so more on the PR next time. Until then, Feliz Navidad y Prospero Anoy Feliadad.

99 Hours Under Sail to the Dominican Republic

Weather windows…sometimes you win, sometimes you lose!

We woke up in Fernandez Bay at Cat Island and were planning to make a short leg to Conception Island, spend the night and then on to Rum Cay. Well, the weather man just told us the wind will now shift to the north in the middle of the night instead of the next day. With the wind projected to continue out of the north we needed to scrap the plans to see Conception Island on our way south as there is no protection from a north blow. It did look spectacular through the binoculars though! We made it to Rum Cay with some daylight to spare…which is good because the meandering channel markers, through the coral reefs, don’t light up and are hard enough to see in the daylight!

We turned in early that evening…felt good! The next day we were asked to move our boat to another ‘slip’ as a pretty large motor boat was coming in. They offered to comp us a free night and being ‘cruisers on a budget’ we said, “Sure thing!”. Rum Cay marina could quite possibly be the most dilapidated marina we have seen in the Bahamas but it is a great stop. You get good protection from almost any weather (some surge) and you can fuel up if you have a long trek ahead of you.

The day was spent in preparation. Ed added fuel to the boat and resupplied at the marina. He also changed the engine oil, oil filter and fuel filter. Boats are too small for multiple projects so when Ed was done, I headed to the kitchen to make some clam chowder, corn muffins, chili and cookies for our next few days to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

We are up early and underway. There is a little bit of a swell but the breeze is good and we are actually able to sail most of the day. Around 5pm the winds became light and variable as the cold front started heading toward our direction. The beautiful thing is a diminishing or stalling cold front makes for little wind. Not necessarily a good thing if you want to sail. However, we are first cruisers, then sailors so we decided that rather than be in the Turks and Caicos indefinitely waiting for good weather to cross…let’s motor-sail to the Dominican Republic while it is calm! So, we kept going, and going and going. In all we sailed (and motored!) 99 hours to get to our final destination…all of them pretty darn comfortable.

So, what do you do when you are out there four days in a row? FISH! We needed to make a steady 4.3 knots to make our landfall in the Dominican Republic (Samana) by early morning. This is a nice trolling speed! We never expect to catch fish so when we hear the fishing rod go whee, whee, whee as the line is going out it is BIG TIME excitement. Ed grabbed the fishing rod while I took the helm and slowed us down. At first Ed just knew it weighed a lot. Then, the fish leapt out of the water in a frenzy. OK, this is going to be fun! After about 45 minutes the fish was finally up next to the boat. I tried to gaff the fish in the gills and missed! The next try got the underbelly and the gaff actually bent while I was trying to hold on….which I couldn’t do for long so Ed had to haul the fish in! It was a Mahi (dolphin) which is a beautiful yellow and blue color. It is almost sad to see it turn grey as it dies. Probably not as sad as watching Ed knock the fish in the head 3 times to subdue the fish before it could do more damage to the boat (yes, we have dings in the fiberglass and gouges in the teak floor!) So, we learned a valuable lesson! Remove EVERYTHING from the cockpit next time and close hatches. Suffice it to say, there was quite a bit of cleaning up to be done! (Beth and Wayne...this is why we inquired if there was a more gentile way of doing away with the fish!) ***Thank you Raymond....your homemade lure has landed us two beautiful fish so far!

Land Ho! It’s the Dominican Republic! We are not in Kansas anymore! After the Bahamas there is a striking difference in the landscape. Mountains and palm trees everywhere. We made our way into Bahia Santa Barbara, Samana, DR. Lovely….and I will like it even more after a nap!

A side note to other cruisers: We chose to into the Columbus Passage on the east side of the Turks and Caicos. We had mild west winds and the passage is very wide and easy. I am not sure if an east wind would build too much in the passage but if not…we think it beat the heck out of crossing the banks and constantly watching your depth. We put in at South Caicos for fuel. You do need to check in and check out with customs and immigration though which costs around $30. It seemed like a fairly well protected anchorage if you wanted to rest up or wait on weather before going to Big Sand Cay. Leaving the Turks and Caicos we also decided to not land in Luperon or any other northern ports due to the north swell. The swell wasn’t too large but will keeps coming from this direction during the winter months which makes timing a departure eastbound difficult. Plus, for anyone who has read Van Sant, remember he is a solo sailor that likes to stop every night! If you can press on for another day to the east side of the DR passage making gets easier.

When we anchored in Samana we were greeted by 4 hombres that came out in a boat. One was from the navy, another from immigration, one was an interpreter and the other was the water taxi driver. They filled out paperwork and whisked the Captain (Ed) to shore to complete the check in process. All in all, very easy.

We are in awe of Samana Bay. There is a lot to do here in this protected water. There is an island where you can anchor and then dingy ashore for a fantastic beach and reef snorkeling. The cruise ships use it when in port so you might want to skip those days! The locals catch Langouste (lobster) there and let you select the one you want for lunch!

Across the bay, to the south, is a National Park. We haven’t been there yet but you again anchor just outside and take your dinghy in for beautiful scenery and great snorkeling.
Right now we are at the Puerto Bahia marina. Yep, the first one in two months. We wanted to rent a car to tour the island and will need to leave the dogs on the boat. It is warm so we will turn on the air conditioning for them! Ah, spoiled rotten! The other reason is we simply needed to clean the boat. Salt water takes its toll….and then there was the Mahi blood everywhere! The marina/resort may not be in guides and charts as the marina just opened and the resort is scheduled to open December 18th. So, it is brand new and very beautiful. The nicest marina for $.90 per foot we have seen since the USA.

More later on our island tour!

I MAY NOT KNOW WHERE I'M GOING, BUT I SURE KNOW WHERE I BEEN (Hayes Carl "Highway 87")

Covering the same ground again and again is something that most folks do not look forward to. Whether explaining something for the hundredth time to a child, the boss or Six Sigma (fortunately kids are usually pretty quick on the uptake) it's something that needs to be done. For us we are revisiting some of the islands we visited earlier this year. After the better part of a month in the Abaco islands it's time to head south to warmer weather.

Making our way down Great Abaco to Little Harbor and anchoring off of Lynyard Cay we found as has been the case for the past year an idyllic beach for the girls to chase the ball where we could take a swim and sit quietly. Unfortunately, Lynyard Cay is also the sight of the grounding of the sailboat "Rule 62" where the life of one crew member was lost during a rage in the cut at Little Harbor. Here we made the acquaintance of the folks aboard "Bentana", a couple of Upstaters enjoying their first sailing visit to the Bahamas. As is the custom of "Waterworld", when two travelers meet they exchange gifts. We gladly shared half of the Red Snapper we had caught earlier that day; I only wish they had shown up earlier to help clean it. We're talking a record catch here, no fish tail either a ten pounder. There was also some red wine in there somewhere. They in turn shared some canned chicken and white wine. The trials of life at sea.
"Bentana" joined is crossing from Abaco to Eleuthera across the Northeast Providence Channel (the Atlantic) and through the Egg Island Cut. Who comes up with these names?
They soon headed off for Spanish Wells while we made ourselves snug at Royal Island for our Thanksgiving feast.
BOTO Thanksgiving Menu:
Roast Turkey Breast w/ stuffing
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans with Molasses and Bacon
Pumpkin Pie w/ Whipped Cream (homemade)
While we enjoy a certain amount of deprivation, when it comes to food we prefer to enjoy the finer things. We even had a candle lit table. Hope everyone else out there had a wonderful dinner.

Next day and a breakfast of Pumpkin Pie, we're off to Governors Harbor (our first true repeat). Governors Harbor is one of those places that you find in the tourist brochure. Historic buildings dating back two hindered years, smiling happy people and beautiful sunsets. As we arrived after sunset we spotted the fish fry on shore kicking into full swing with bonfire and DJ roaring. We polished off the leftovers (much to the chagrin of the folks on "Flying Pig") and then headed to the beach to twist and shout. We shared the harbor that evening with the aforementioned "Flying Pig" and "Troubadour" both of whom will be heading further south at some later date so we expect to see them again.
For those visiting Governors Harbor by water you will find community water readily available at the park (bring a filter if you have one), laundry, grocery and three liquor stores (we prefer Bristol for the price on Strongback and Rum). For those that wonder what one does all day on a sailboat, here is how we burned off our dinner.

Saturday 11/27:
Take the dogs to the beach and chase the ball, then walk the village checking on beer prices (several miles, the girls were beat)
Haul 22 gallons of water from the local park to the dinghy, then up onto the boat then pour into holding tank. By the way that's over 180 lbs. carried one hundred plus yards, then balanced in the dink back to boat then deadlifted on board then dumped.
Haul 10 gallons of diesel from the Shell (I know, I don't like Shell anymore than the next person but it was our only choice) to the dinghy. That' 70+lbs carried just under a mile then back to the boat. Prior to that added ten gallons to the main fuel tank.
Another mile-ish walk to and from the grocery store with a week's supply.
Last but hardly least, haul two cases of Strongback Stout and two bottles of Rum (the rum is actually very light) a mile to the dinghy. All in all we had a great workout over the course of a few hours. Then haul anchor and away we go to Palmetto Point (a whopping 6nm). However, before we left we did have a chance to rest and watch the Homecoming Regatta in the Harbor.

After a grueling motor of 6nm to Palmetto Point we dropped the hook in ten feet of water and took the dink ashore so the girls could run the beach and we could enjoy a coldie. We were greeted by Skip and Sharon who live on the beach (whom we mentioned from our visit on 5/21). After reacquainting ourselves it was time for a sundowner and then dinner plans. Skip and Sharon drove us off to a dinner of Grouper, Conch and French Fries (there was also a nice fresh salad). Skip and Sharon live here most of the year although they are residents of Florida. In addition to their main house which they built they also have three rentals on their property, visit their web site, www. thebarefootbeachhouse.com . For the location and relaxation you can't beat their place.
Up and at 'em again, a nice stroll along the beach the girls had their last romp in the sand and surf before bath day. We left Skip and Sharon with warm memories and we were in possession of what has to be close to the world's largest Avocado compliments of Sharon. A great day of sailing and motor sailing to Rock Sound the scene of Ed's birthday celebration all those months ago. With two clean and fresh as a daisy dogs we will be using the dock to go ashore rather than the beach. The girls will stay downy fresh for a while to come. A day behind us into Rock Sound here comes "Flying Pig" they plan to spend several days before heading on whereas we are off on Wednesday December 1. Where to?
Well it's a long haul today on our way to Cat Island, 70nm. So we're up before the sun and on our way with the first hint of light. Made Fernandez Bay just as the sun was setting and dropped the hook in 10', with plenty of time for a Goombay Smash with the twilight and the emerging stars. We've worked out our Plan A, for today anyway. From Rock Sound, Eleuthera we'll head ESE (120*-130*) for approximately 50nm to arrive ay Rum Cay, where we'll do the civilized thing and take a slip at the marina for a few days while the weather/wind shift to our favor. Then it's off on a 120* heading for the Southeast side of the Turks & Caicos Island some 250nm. With wind and luck we should make T&C by Monday 12/6. From there we'll make our decision as to heading onto the Dominican Republic (an additional 70nm-ish) or onto Puerto Rico (an additional 350-ish nm). As Thursday 12/2 we'll begin covering new ground, so we'll also get a little anxious as we wonder if we are on the correct course, is that dark spot a huge coral head about to rip out the bottom (hey hey), what to have for lunch, oops just ate, so what's for dinner. For those that don't read the articles and honestly look at the pictures, stay tuned for the next time we have an internet connection.

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Ah…the Abacos! It is great to be back in the Bahamas again. We had a nice crossing, anchored on The Little Bahama Bank just north of Memory Rock and then headed up the next day to Double-Breasted Cays. There aren’t any settlements up here so it is all nature. We decided that this was a good place to spend a few days while Ed’s cold improved. Barbara…thanks for the parting gift! And, it wouldn’t be quite right if you couldn’t share so Ed re-gifted the cold to me! The cold was mainly a nagging cough and a desire to sleep quite a bit. During the two weeks it took to recuperate we read, and read, and read! ***Our new favorite author is Stieg Larsson!
Double Breasted is exactly as it sounds. It is two Cays that are intertwined with a couple narrow anchorages in between. This is the first time that we actually had to Med-Moor (put two anchors out, bow and stern). We got settled in with around 7’ under our keel. We were quite proud of our anchoring job, keeping us in a narrow cut of deep water while to either side were the shallows. That is until we woke around midnight with everyone lying to starboard. When the tide went out we ended up on the bottom, nothing to do but wait for the tide to come back in and float the boat again. Needless to say, we moved our position the next morning!
After Double Breasted we popped down to Allens-Pensacola. They used to be two separate Cays until a hurricane pushed sand between them until they joined. We went to the beach (don’t tell immigration because we haven’t checked in yet!) and a short dingy ride but mainly read and slept! It is a good thing that we don’t have any other boats anchored near us because we were quite the barking duo when we went to bed at night. Why do coughs seem to really tickle just when you want to sleep?!
After a few nights we made the quick trip down to Green Turtle Cay where they have a Customs and Immigration office so we can check in and officially ‘get off the boat’! We anchored in White Sound and other than a couple of chartered boats we don’t see many cruisers yet. The charter boat that spent one night in the anchorage had crew from Kemah, Texas on board. We again compared notes to see what we had in common! They have a boat at Waterford Marina so we sent a note along with them for our friends Susan and Bruce (did you get it?). Green Turtle is lovely with a nice historic settlement. They have even kept the gallows in place from a time when it seems that sentences were a bit stiffer!
After a couple days we decided to make our way to Hope Town. It is nearing Halloween and we hear it is a big celebration here. We also brought along treat-sized bags of Skittles for the kids so want to get to a more populated area to hand out treats! Hope Town is lovely. It is very historic with most of the homes, in the main settlement being original or constructed similarly. There is also a light house (that you can tour) and a church that plays hymns (chimes only) at noon and 6pm every day.
There are two small bars and we soon discovered that Halloween appears to be more of an adult event. Everyone really knocks themselves out to outdo each other with nice prizes for the winners. We didn’t have any costumes so we donned our ‘Boto’ sunglasses. Our first stop was Sip Sip and all of the locals really made us feel welcome. Afterwards it was on to Cap’n Jack’s before calling it a night at midnight. That is really late considering we are usually in bed by 8:30-9:00pm since it gets dark at 5:30pm!
The weather is nice so we decided to go to White Sound and anchor out for a few nights. There is a beautiful beach area just south of our anchorage (where it is to shallow to anchor). We took out our putt-putt (our 3.3 hp Mariner) engine which we are happy to have along as backup since the big one is currently kaput! Our dogs are in heaven chasing the ball on this amazing beach!
Next it is off to Marsh Harbor. We entered the harbor, took a look around and decided to leave. We were looking for a good place to spend a few days as the wind was forecast to really pick up. This was not a place to spend a great deal of time so we continued up to Treasure Cay. There is a nice protected harbor and you are right across from a spectacular beach. You can also get internet, showers and water all for only $10/day which is a bargain in the Bahamas!
Our friends aboard “Eclipse” told us to look up Natalie and Eric on “Dream Ketcher” when we got there. They live on their boat, in the anchorage, year round. Eric actually works from the boat and ON the boat when he has spare time. They are preparing the boat for their charter business that will teach you how to sail (Eric has his Captains License) and to scuba dive (Natalie is Dive Master). They plan on marketing the fact that they offer gourmet cuisine so had us over for dinner to try out a recipe. Indeed…very gourmet. Natalie is from France and Eric is from Quebec and proudly announced that they carry about 600 bottles of wine on board so the wine was also first class!
Pizza Night at the Tipsy Seagull, we met a nice couple from London. We told them that we wanted to take the ferry over to Green Turtle Cay for their Guy Fawkes celebration. They had a car and also wanted to go so we had a date. It was a typical Bahamian get-together where there is usually a fund-raiser for the school. There was food and then raffles for the cake walk. You buy a number and then walk in circles around the numbers. When the music stops a number is drawn and the winner gets ‘takes the cake’! It was a very breezy night so the burning of the effigies had to be moved to the end of the pier to prevent the settlement from burning down! ***Hairy...kinda reminded us of the annual Christmas Tree Burning party! Guy Fawkes was one of numerous conspirators’ who sometime in the 17th century attempted to blowup Parliament with black powder. The attempt was foiled and Guy Fawkes was hung, drawn and quartered (the Brit’s do not mess about, see the gallows). Ever since there is an annual remembrance/celebration lest anyone forget the attempted treason.
Next, on to Guana Cay. NOTE: Most of these jaunts are only 5-10 miles away from each other! Neat, neat, neat! We always try to decide where we would want to buy a home (not that we will but it is fun!) We both agree that Guana made the list! We got there in time to make it to Nipper’s Sunday Pig Roast. Lots of people and good food! Nippers rates high as the view is great and the girls were welcome too, they really enjoyed the pig! This is a big deal because we rarely give them people food. Nippers has a nice view of the Atlantic so we could watch the swells roll in. The last few days had unprecedented swells (12-15 foot) so the passages to the Atlantic weren’t even passable. Unfortunately a boat tried to come into Little Harbor (south end of Great Abaco Island) at 8pm in the swell. They ended up on a reef, got into their life boat and then it capsized with one of the four crew members still missing. (11-14, #1343)
Guana Cay also offered us an opportunity to hunt lobster, so we donned our wetsuits (yes, the water is getting chilly) and tried our luck at getting lobster. No such luck so looks like Mac n’ Cheese for dinner!
We are having difficulties with our dinghy outboard motor so we decided to bring it into the Mercury dealer in Marsh Harbor. OK, so we may have been a little hard on Marsh Harbor from our first assessment. It is a fine place to go if you want to provision, find parts and/or have repairs done. Yes, things continue to need repair! We replaced our bilge pump (1 year old only!) and fixed a hinge that broke on the toilet seat. We also celebrated Vicky’s birthday while in Marsh Harbor. Even in Marsh Harbor you can still see a beautiful rainbow! (11-16, #1348)
Next up, Man-of-War. This is a ‘family oriented’ island meaning that almost everyone on the island is related. Of the 300 or so permanent residents 200+ are related! There is nice protection so we had a few comfortable nights as the winds were quite strong. The island is also very historic, settled in 1778 and quaint (no alcohol is sold on the island). M-O-W is renowned for their boat building, the boatyards are still active and it is fun to watch the boats in progress. There is a hair salon in town too so Vicky got her haircut for a birthday present. Not that I don’t appreciate Ed’s haircuts!
We are back in Hope Town where we are getting fuel, doing laundry and loading up on water for our journey south. We will be heading to Eleuthra, Cat Island, Conception, Rum, Samoa and Mayaguana. Then, it is on through Turks and Caicos to the Dominican Republic. We even found a small turkey in the grocery store here so we will have our turkey, stuffing, yams and green beans PLUS pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!
It will be hard to say goodbye to the Bahamas but it is time to move on to new adventures!

“I hate reality”, so said the beautiful Vicky Lynn (this in response to a sewing project that is not cooperating). The world is what we make of it, friend; so said Linda Hunt. It’s been three months since our arrival in Stuart, Fl and although we have set about fixin’ stuff and stuffin’ ourselves it is high time we took to the seas once again. Of course Mother Nature has a different reality in store for us. So, while we were stowed and ready to roll come Thursday, October 14, 2010 the weather window was not so reassuring. Although there was a forecast for an early morning NW wind swinging to the S in the afternoon and then back to WNW in the evening, the forecast for Wednesday the 13th and Friday the 15th (missed it by two days) are for NORTH to NORTHEAST winds.

For those uninitiated to the Gulf Stream let me digress. The Gulf Stream is for lack of a better term a current which runs from South to North, through the Straits of Florida up the East Coast of the U.S. then somewhere up around Nova Scotia it hangs a right and heads out into the Atlantic, bringing warm waters to the chilly North Atlantic (more or less, how’s that for nautical). Anyway, this current which can be anywhere’s from right off the coast of Florida to 10 to 20 nm off and right up to the Bahamian Bank moves at approximately 2-4kts (+/-), sometimes less sometimes more. So if you were to head due east out of Miami, that is 90* on a compass heading, you would not necessarily arrive due east as the Gulf Stream would push you to the north. OK?!

Now, let us introduce wind and waves. If the wind is coming from the south to west then it is more or less in sync with the Gulf Stream. If it is coming from the east then it is still more or less in sync with the Gulf Stream, however, if one is trying to head east (as we are) then it makes for a difficult passage. If, however, the wind is coming from the NORTH, then the wind is not in sync with the Stream (we’re close so I can call her “Stream”). With a current heading south to north and winds heading north to south something has got to give and it is usually a tiny little boat that has decided it’s a nice sunny day lets go to the Bahamas!

Just to keep things interesting there are also waves. Generally pushed by the wind, hence coming from more or less the same direction, not so with the Stream (close, remember). The forecast for the next several days has the Stream ( :} ) at roughly 2kts, the winds N-NE and the set of the waves ENE. Essentially this means that for the cork in the water (Vicky, Ed, Mija & Chula aboard Boto) which wishes to move east, the stream will push us to the north at 2kts, while the winds will beat us to the south at 5-15kts and the waves will pummel us to the west at whatever speed they pummel at when they are tiny waves (4-5ft at 5 sec.). Hey, I forgot, did anyone wish to join us?

Well, it’s truly not that big a deal but it can be. The weather window for Thursday the 14th was a very narrow one and while we could make it over to the Abacos without issue why piss off Mother Nature and Poseidon by dissin’ their warnings. Sidebar, while TV normally rots the human brain, every now and again something useful comes from it, i.e. the commercials for ????? It’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature (I’m sure that if the sensors’ would have allowed it the Ad would have read, “Don’t’ PISS off Mother Nature, she takes no Prisoners, or something to that effect). Wow, so much for a brief homely. While we wait for weather and torture the dogs let us tell you about Stuart, Fl.

Located several miles up the St. Lucie River from the inlet of the same name a picture of the town should accompany the word “quaint” in Websters. All along the coastal boundaries of the U.S. there exist towns which retain that “feel”, the warmth and hospitality that we all remember from days gone by, or at the very least from the ending of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Anyway, after passing two fixed bridges, one railroad drawbridge and finally a highway drawbridge one arrives (at least via water, some may wish to take the land route) in the town of Stuart. For us, we landed at the Sunset Bay Marina along the east side of the river. For those travelling through this area via the water looking for a place to rest up, there is no finer. Ask for Sam, but don’t mention me, mention Chula. They have a special relationship, as Chula repeatedly punches Sam in the groin and he simply smiles (weird, huh). I digress.

We arrived in Stuart the beginning of August, in time for the heat and for the afternoon thunderstorms (which accompany the afternoon happy hours). The decision to take a slip versus a mooring was a no-brainer as the slip allowed for AC! Slips are priced on a per foot basis so prices vary but they are reasonable. The moorings go for about $10/day. We are told that come November the moorings fill up with the migration south, so if you wish to take a mooring make a reservation, you will not be disappointed.

Boaters breakfast- Sunset Bay Marina.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by our friends John & Peggy of S/V LVD. They live in Stuart year round and regularly sail the Bahamas. That first evening was great. HOT showers on shore, lots of HOT water! We then had dinner at Sailors Return, which is on the grounds of the marina. The food is wonderful and the staff is great, we have since dined there on several occasions. Oh, did I mention our arrival included unlimited HOT SHOWERS! Just wanted to check.

That's John and Peggy to the right (the tall good looking one and the mug with the beard) We managed to join them for a Dominican feast on Labor Day at her sister-in-laws house. Good home cooked meals. YUM.

Well that was over three months ago, since then we have as mentioned earlier made numerous repairs and fixis’ (that’s southern sailor talk).

We’ve takin’ in the Treasure Coast Pirate Festival as well as the Stuart “Dancing in the Streets”

concerts. The location just can’t be beat. For anyone heading in this direction here is a list of businesses within walking, biking or short car ride of Stuart (Sunset Bay Marina provides a free, yup, shuttle Wed and Sat for many of these):
Publix (grocery), Winn-Dixie (ditto), West Marine (duh), Copelands Chandlery, ACE Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes, Mack Sails, MarineMax, Whiticar Boatworks (there are a number of boat yards in the area, duh) WalMart, Harbor Freight (I have never before been there, but am now a worshiper), the list goes on and on. In short if you are heading south and need a rest or north or east or west (although the east part would be difficult in a boat and the west part kinda dictates that you are already here, anyway) Stuart is a great place to stop over and spend some time.

In short Stuart offers much of what the itinerant sailor needs and or wants. For those taking a road trip the same applies. So swing on through and say hi. You're bound to make some new friends and perhaps catch up with some old ones.

That's us on board "Eclipse" with the Huffords, they are on their way around the world, we should cathc up with them down south somewhere.

Peggy and John on the left, look closely at his beer holder (aka, Cheap Date).

We are currently, 11/8/10 anchored off Treasure Cay, Abaco. Hurricane Tomas has disappated and moved out into the Atlantic. The winter cold fronts are moving in giving us chilly nights (65) and blustery days. Stay tuned.

CLYDE

Yes…it has been a VERY long time since we updated our blog! And while this update won’t be as glamorous as the rest of the postings it will talk about the DARK SIDE of boating…maintenance!

We spent January through July in the Bahamas. You are allowed 8 months before they ask you to leave, but you can come back 24 hours later. After much debate we decided in lieu of flying over to Florida for a few days and returning that we would bring Boto back instead. We were only 60 miles away so it wasn’t a big deal. However, we did feel a bit like we were back-tracking! So, off to Stuart, FL!

We decided to go 20 miles to the West End of the Grand Bahama Island, anchor out and then head to FL on July 29th. We had a calm night and got up at the crack of dawn to make our way. It was a fairly calm day so we motor-sailed, by design, since we couldn’t use our main sail. We blew out the clew on a day sail in the Bahamas.

The only excitement was when we were boarded by the Coast Guard for a routine inspection. The Cutter stayed behind us while a run-about brought the two officials to our boat. They climbed aboard while we were underway and we continued our course through the whole inspection. The male officer was possibly in training as they had their manual and checklist. Boto passed with flying colors! The female officer even said she couldn’t remember boarding a boat and not at least finding one item to address. They were impressed that we all had on our PFDs (Mija and Chula too!).

We made the St. Lucie inlet by 5pm and made the long trek up the river to our new ‘home’ at Sunset Bay Marina. Our friends Peggy and John live here and have their 32’ Island Packet in the marina as well. They were even at the dock to greet us and immediately whisked us away to the Sailor’s Return restaurant, at the marina, for a fantastic meal. Ah…and it was our 6th anniversary so a nice way to celebrate…on the water with good friends!

We settled in and immediately started our ‘chores’. Boats need periodic attention and we can vouch that it is much easier to take care of while in a slip!
Project #1: Get a new evaporator for the refrigerator. We had some periodic issues which appeared to come from a small particle that would block the flow of coolant partially. While cold…it was cold enough! By the way, we could have had it repaired but the labor cost for the repair cost more than a new part! Plus, we upgraded to a slightly larger evaporator and WOW are the beers cold now!
Project #2: Get the clew on the main sail repaired. We called Mack Sails (what luck that such an outstanding group was right in our ‘backyard’!) They picked up the sail, repaired the clew, put a new UV cover over it and delivered it back to us all for under $200! We can’t say enough good things about this company.
Project #3: Order and install 2 additional 85 watt Kyocera solar panels. We already had 2 but we weren’t quite keeping our batteries topped off without running the engine or generator. We did the math and the fuel for one year to keep the batteries full would cost more than the panels!
Project #4: Of course, when you start one project you somehow end up with another! We decided to get a 5th 105 Amp hour AGM battery. We also wanted to take the batteries in to check their health. West Marine said they had degraded below normal so replaced all 4 for FREE! We are now really cookin’. Love that solar power!
Project #5: Repair the inflatable dingy floor…for the umpteenth time! Next time…a hard bottom! Also, we added a D-ring at the back of the dingy so we can secure it a bit better while underway.
Project #6: Replace the small gasoline can that we carry in the dingy (the sun had taken its’ toll). We also made some white vinyl covers for the can and the main tank to keep the sun off of them. Oh, we also finally attached the anchor bag at the front that we had sewn.
Project #7: Clean the boat! Yep, lots of salt buildup along the rails and stainless to polish! In the heat and humidity of south Florida the wash, wax and polish took three days. The Jerrycans and covers needed a good cleaning as well. All the shade screens came down and were scrubbed.
Project #8: Repair the generator. This is still ongoing so keep your fingers crossed. Basically, we don’t have the budget for a new one and we refuse to put another dime into the thing so $100/hour technicians are out of the question. To date we (mainly Ed with some help from Bob!)have pulled apart the whole thing (in the cockpit!) and Ed found the teeny problem. The flywheel key (think sheer pin) had broken so the drive shaft couldn’t turn. Awaiting the part and we will see if we can manage to get it back together the same way it came apart! NOTE: There were several trips to the store for the right tools for the job of course!
Project #9: Repair the dog clippers and give the girls a haircut. And, Clyde (another cruiser’s cocker) got a birthday haircut as well.
Project #10: Make a screen for the companion way door. We haven’t had bugs yet but if we do….we are ready for them now!
Project #11: Provision, provision, provision. This seems to be an ongoing process as only so much fits in the handy-dandy dog carrier PLUS we seem to be eating and drinking our provisioning. Go figure! The dogs now have their 150 pounds of dog food in the v-berth so they are good to go! Yes, that is normally our bed but you wouldn't believe what will fit under there!
Project #12: Some may not classify this as a project but Ed needed new boat shoes. The others simply needed to go! He had repaired them several times and there was something about the aroma?! Well, finding a size 15 boat shoe…it is a project!
Project #13: Get our teeth cleaned and inspected.
Project #14: Get the dogs their annual shots and their Health Certificate.
Project #15: Take apart the aft head to unclog hoses (now that's FUN!)
Project #16: routine maintenance on the outboard motors for the dinghy
Project #17: Ditto for the Yanmar 57Hp diesel
Project #18: with John's assistance locate a suitable piece of stainless plate to be installed on the deck in front of the anchor locker to protect the deck from the anchors and chain. There are several divots already in the fiberglass. Sounds like a simple task, unless of course your knee starts to swell while you're squatting in the chain locker and you keep dropping washers and nuts into the locker.
Project #19: this one takes precedent, let Ed's knee heal, tis now swollen and tender. Getting old!
Project #20: We also had the VHF overhauled by the folks at Standard Horizon. After some running around to have it tested locally we shipped the radio to California where they replaced its guts, all for $65, beats the price of a new VHF.
Project #21: Repair two minor window leaks and repaint the paint around the windows that protect the gasket from UV rays.
Project #22: Make bug screens for the hatches. We did this project with Eclipse who also needed them. They bent the metal edges and cut the screen to fit. Vicky did the sewing. Ah, cruisers will like love the cost savings. We did 20 hatches and 2 companionway doors all for the cost of two bug screens if you were to purchase them!
Someone still needs to go up the mast to replace the deck light; then there are the new tracks for the whisker pole. Oh, then there is #8A, replace a head bolt on generator that was sheared off while reattaching the head. Honest, the torque wrench was at the appropriate setting. Then there was the cleaning of the bikes as well as the gutters......

If you work hard you need to play hard! Along with all of these projects we have a lot of fun as well! We have a standing date for dinner and drinks with Peggy and John on Friday nights. There is coffee every morning up on the deck where stories and advice are shared with fellow boaters.

Stuart had its third annual Pirates Fest…and ‘Boto’ dug into the v-berth for the pirate attire for the event!

Clyde (the dog) just celebrated his 9th birthday by throwing a pot-luck dog party. Yes, there was even a cake for the dogs!

Vicky was able to go back to Minnesota for a visit with her family and friends. Yes, she even got to go water-skiing!

Chores done, fun had…now it is time to start watching the weather for our next window to head back to the Bahamas. We will be doing the Abacos and then south through the parts already seen on our way to the Dominican Republic. Boto is as ready as she will ever be but there will be something to be repaired along the way…she is a BOAT after all.