February 20th, 2019
Powell Cay
Can you believe this picture - Tracey in the water and getting to know stingray. She even gave them a back-scratch to find they are lovely and soft, a bit like velvet. I didn't get a good enough picture but there were also Lemon and Bull shark coming within feet of us. Never thought I would see the day.
February 20th, 2019
Paddle-boarding
I have started to paddle-board and am really enjoying it for its a good workout and as you are standing up you see so much more underwater which is normally missed due to reflection when sitting in the dinghy. It is also comparatively stealthy so yesterdays paddle had me up close and personal with turtle, stingray, shark, triggerfish and birdlife.
February 20th, 2019
Brian Tobin
This is Tracey with our dear friend Brian Tobin off the good ship Big Bear. He is an amazing character and does all his sailing single handed. He is a live aboard and spent last summer cruising Newfoundland and is a mine of useful information. His mantra for life, which I just love is; I refuse to tiptoe through life just to arrive safely at death
February 20th, 2019
Shopping
Just thought you might like to see the kind of car park we now use when shopping. Its a very social place where we meet many interesting people and learn all sorts of local knowledge from those that have just explored where we are heading. We have discovered some lovely remote anchorages like this. Its also a much softer environment where dinghies joggle and bump their way into a spot. No road rage here.
February 20th, 2019
Lovely sail plan
We were sailing the other day and came across Remedios which is the yacht that we helped get off the sand bank at Little Harbour Cay. It was nice to have a chat over the VHF away from the madness of their grounding. They kindly followed up with an email and a picture of us sailing. Its always nice to see your boat from the outside. This picture shows what a lovely balanced and safe sail plan we have when under two reefs and the staysail - just love this boat.
February 13th, 2019
Aground
Our trip north to the Abacos was a very long and tiring day thanks a huge swell with an odd cross sea making for a trying passage. As such it was a treat to cross the sandbank into Little Harbour and pick up a mooring in this perfect safe haven. Its a beautiful spot and as it transpired entertaining, thanks to the unfortunate grounding of a 59ft yacht. A falling tide gave things a sense of emergency as everyone jumped into their dinghies full of advice and support. Through the chaos a plan coalessed and thanks to a fishing boat on the spinnaker halyard dragging her over we got here away. It was on an anchorage glowing with a sense of combined achievement that the sun set that night.
February 13th, 2019
A lot has happened since the last blog and I didn't realize I was quite so far behind. So, to catch up, we are in the Abacos which are the northern most part of the Bahamas and you can feel it in the cooler air. The weather is also a lot more volatile for it is on the edge of the winter fronts that rattle their way across the US. When I say cold I ought to qualify things for those back in good old Blighty, there is no comparison. I know this for I had to go back to Germany for a talk in Frankfurt last week and the cold was really quite biting. Whilst it all went well I have to say it was a tough trip for I picked up a vile bug on the plane and had to drag myself from moment to miserable moment.
Back on board I went to bed for three days and ended up having to prescribe myself Antibiotics from the ships medical store. Fortunately, things seem to be turning for the better and I am able to get my head back up above the parapet. This is great news for we are excited to have two free months to ourselves and we have resolved to make the most of it. I want to learn how to windsurf, spearfish and Tracey wants to do a lot of walking and get her Singer Sewing Machine up and at the quilt she wants to make.
We are very fortunate to have bumped into Brian from Big Bear who we met in Annapolis. Big Bear is a 39.9 Allures and so comes from the same stable as Pearl of Penzance. Brian is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm making him one of those people who lifts your spirits whenever within his radius. He has cruised these waters many times and is full of hints and tips as to where to go and what to do.
My last trip to Europe was a momentous moment for Tracey for she spent four days at anchor on her own. Marsh Harbor is safe and has amazing holding, the forecast was good and so she decided to take the leap. A crash course in driving the dinghy ensued and so I was dropped off for my taxi to watch her pirouette her way back to Pearl. Without me in the boat it handled quite differently but she managed to compensate and picked me up on my return in the dark.
At the moment we are in Green Turtle Cay and thanks to our lifting centerboard we are able to get into a lovely lagoon that is denied others. In fact there is only Big Bear and ourselves which is really nice. Particularly as there is a front on the way and we want the room to lay out lots of chain. It's a lovely spot and we were thrilled to have the company of a large turtle as the anchor rattled its way to the bottom.
We will spend a few days here as I recover, the front passes through and we catch up on a ton of admin. After that the fun begins.
January 28th, 2019
Capt Crunch
Finally we got a ride with Breydon on the amazing 900hp Donzi that he looks after. 50Knts and as smooth a ride as I have ever experienced. We did wonder when he put the goggles on but it was so much fun.
