Catching up

Sent from my satphone...
I'm currently on a mooring ball at Shroud Cay.
The trip down from Nassau to Allen's Cay was uneventful with some good
sailing. I arrived at Allen's Cay on the 27th.
Allen's Cay is one of the first places most people that are new to
cruising the Exumas go. It has some prehistoric Iguanas that are pretty
cool. There are 1 or 2 tour boats that come in daily to feed the
iguanas so the are pretty tame. From what I can tell they don't care
too much for old spinach but they really like Ritz and Triscut crackers.
The anchorage itself is pretty close quarters, I think I counted close
to 15 boats. When I arrived Matt & Christie from Kaleo had already
anchored, Matt got a lift over to help me anchor, found a good spot,
drug a bit and then hooked up. We dropped my dinghy in the water,
checked the holding on it, checked Kaleo's anchor and then checked
Storyville's, all of them were buried in the sand. There is a really
strong current that runs through the anchorage. Around 9:30 that night
I found myself aground, the other boats around me were pivoting with the
current but I was stuck. I sat in the cockpit waiting for something to
happen, expecting the worst. Around 1:30 the tide came back in enough
to allow me to swing back in line with everybody else. I fell back
asleep but woke up around 4:30 freezing, yes it is cold at night.
Yesterday the 28th we decided to dinghy over to Highbourne Cay(Kaleo,
Storyville & myself). We packed a picnic lunch. It was a pretty rough
trip over, longer than I expected. We picked up some fuel for our
Dinghys, I think it was $5.13 a gallon, I hope I got super unleaded!!
The trip back was extremely wet, we were now going against the wind and
current. After we got back and settled in Kaleo had some crazy french
Canadian screaming at him and gesturing at their boat and mine. She was
hysterical, the gist of it was that she wanted us to move, stating that
our anchors were dragging. In reality our anchors were fine the current
was pushing us towards their boat. Neither Kaleo or I had a problem
moving but she was such a bitch about it. We both moved our boats to
less than ideal locations. There were now 20 boat in the anchorage.
Between the wind and the current my boat was swinging 270 degrees... No
Sleep.
I was more than ready to get out of Allen's Cay this morning. Had a
quick easy motorsail down here. Heard that Pipe Muy Bligh is nearby,
relayed through another boat where we are headed. Hopefully they will
show up here today.
Shroud Cay is gorgeous, ten feet of water, sandy bottom, the water is
beautiful, it is a postcard. I think it is time for a beer.
Until Later...
Steve

Motoring on the Tongue of the Ocean

Getting close to Nassau.

View from Storyville's mizzen mast.

I'm gonna try to upload a short video.

This is from Marathon, I went up Storyville's Mizzen Mast to try to adjust the voltage regulator on their wind generator.  This is from 1-17-11.

Leaving for the Bahamas

Boot Key/Marathon City Marina is a great place to stay.  I only wish the weather had been nicer, its been very windy and "cold", a relative term.  I've been cold.


I've done lots and lots of provisioning, I have found it is hard to know what to get when you don't know what you need.  I have heard that beer is between $40-60 a case in the Bahamas, I've stocked up, doing my best to keep my sister employed at Miller for at least a bit longer, I think I have almost 10 cases on board(plus wine and rum).  I thought my boat was full when I left Key West, now I'm packed.  I can't even add a "wafer thin mint", the boat will burst.  The only thing I could not track down are 2 water jerry cans, West Marine is out and nobody else seems to carry them.  If I have time tomorrow I might just get 2 more gas cans and label them water.


I haven't cancelled my phone service but have reduced it to its minimum, I don't think it will work in the Bahamas so why pay for it. I also tried to give myself a haircut yesterday and then a touch up today and I still have some "issues".  According to Troy and Deana I have missed a few spots.  I meant to get a hand held mirror today but forgot, oh well.


I have a Fedex package coming tomorrow but the office is closed, I called Fedex and they said I could wait for the driver and he might give it to me.  The office said Fedex usually comes between 10 and noon so I plan on hanging out there and see if they show up.  If I miss it the office signs for all of the packages when they come in and then they sit in a closet until somebody picks them up.  So I can either contact the office after it has arrived and pay them to ship it on or contact the person that sent the package and have them go back to the place they shipped it from and have it rerouted, this however has to be done before the package is signed for.
I haven't even left the country and am having mail/shipping problems.


The weather window I have been watching for a week looks like it is going to hold through Friday afternoon or evening.  It should give me plenty of time to get to Nassau.
Here is the plan to get there.

Leave here either Monday or Tuesday afternoon, I will know which day after the wether report tomorrow morning.  Either departure day will take me on the same route.

For planning purposes lets assume I leave on Monday,

Leave in the afternoon, head for South riding Rock(24 43.02N  79 10.47W).  Should arrive a bit after daybreak on Tuesday.

Throw out an anchor and sleep during the day.

That afternoon or early evening depart and head for the "Northwest Passage"

25 28.03N 78 26.64W then

25 29.48N 78 13.19W then towards the Northwest passage

25 27.55N 78 09.24W

I should arrive at the NW Passage a bit after daybreak on Wednesday.

From here I have options...

either to 

a marina in Chub Cay and check in(about 2-3 hours after the NW Passage)

or 

Anchor at Frazers Hog Cay(3-4 hours after NW Passage, no check in here).

From either of these places on Thursday morning I am planning on heading down to Nassau.  I believe another boat from Kemah is there that myself and Storyville would like to meet up with, "Pipe muh Bligh".  We would check in at Nassau. 

All of this is written in sand, depending on my sleep or lack of I might change things up a bit. Two constants will be to enter the Bahama banks during daylight(South Riding Rock) and to get to the NW Passage at or shortly after daybreak.

Watch the Spot.

Right now I am going to read for a bit and get some sleep while I can.

Almost forgot the picture of the tattoo

Locked and Loaded

Looks like I will be heading to Marathon(Boot Key) tomorrow.  This will be my first trip as a single handed sailor.  Based on the trip so far I will probably motor the whole way.

Key West has been fun, stayed here longer than planned but my plans are pretty loose right now.  Key West is the kind of place that I can only take in small batches.  It is a tourist destination, plain and simple.  Everything is over priced and I feel like everybody is trying to get in my pocket.  There are tourist and locals and I fit somewhere between the two.

I am hoping that Boot Key offers more of a "cruiser" atmosphere.  They have shower and laundry facilities here but it is a 10 minute dinghy ride in and most people are not really social, all business.  Pretty strange coming from the social butterfly that I am.  Maybe I am the unsocial one?

Also of note...  my holding tank was supposed to be pumped on Wednesday, they told me I didn't need to be on the boat.  When I returned later in the day I stopped at Storyville, they said the pump out boat came but they had trouble getting at my cap for the holding tank.  Troy said my boards were in the way.  When I got back to the boat I realized they tried to pump out my fuel tank, thankfully they weren't successful and they don't back flush but come on.  The cap says fuel???  And it was under the extra diesel jugs I am carrying.  I finally got pumped out yesterday.

Anyway, time to run some errands and get the boat ready for tomorrow.  Look for some spot updates, I should be on the move.  If I don't leave... then plans changed a bit again, no worries.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year from Key West!!!

Made it to Key West a few days ago.  It was a pretty uneventful Gulf crossing, we motorsailed almost the whole way.  We did catch two fish, I think they were Little Tunny.  Rick did a great job of cooking them up that night.  I forgot how many stars there are.  It really takes getting away from all of the city lights to see how amazing it is.

New Years Eve was spent on Duval Street here in Key West.  The place was packed, there was all kinds of wierdness going on.  The last time I remember looking at my watch is was 3:30 am, a very late night.  We slept in the next day but did manage to drag ourselves over to Storyville for black eyed peas and cabbage.

Rick had to take off on Monday, he was a great asset to have on this trip, Thanks again Rick!!!  If anybody out there is looking for crew give him a shout, I can't recommend him enough, he even cooks!!!  Also, if you are looking to buy or sell a boat he can help you out.  His cell number is 832-738-6251.

The other day while getting on and off the boat I noticed something wrapped around the prop and shaft, I dove on it yesterday afternoon.  A trash bag, a big one like you would put your leaves in.  I have no idea when or where we picked that up, just glad it didn't cause a problem on the way here.

I spent today, Tuesday, jerry canning water, diesel, and gas to my boat.  5 gallons of gas, 10 gallons of diesel and 30 gallons of water.  In the process I almost had a seaplane land on me.  I couldn't believe it, the guy brought his plane down right at the entrance to the Key West Marina.  I was half paying attention as I left the marina while loaded down with diesel and water, I saw this plane flying low and thought to myself, there is no way that guy is going to land his plane here... he did.  I am glad the plane slowed down as fast as it did when it hit the water.

Took a tour around the island with Troy and Deana on our rented bikes & got some necessities, Rum.

Oh yea, I got a tattoo, it's been a long time coming just needed to get in the right latitude.   I will post pictures soon.

It sure is a lot of hard work having fun in paradise!!

I added a new link at the top of the blog whre you can buy Anchor Management merchandise.