Winter In The Bahamas

Jan. 1 to April 10

Our mooring in Hopetown	Dinghy races in Hopetown	Nancy catches a barracuda
Conch Horn Class	Hermit Crab Races	Patterning the top
Nancy cutting the top	Sewing the top	The finished product-at last!

After being constantly on the go for the past year and 6500 miles, Steve and I were content to stay in one spot for a few months.  Hopetown in the Abacos has been a second home to us since the 1980’s and we “parked” Salty Turtle on the same mooring we have rented for years from Truman Major.  Different boat, same spot.  Contrary to what you might think, winters can be a bit cool and blustery with back to back cold fronts rolling in from the U.S.  This year, however, was exceptionally warm and pleasant…until March, which was windy as usual.

Our original plan was to complete a rather lengthy list of chores on the boat.  As it turned out, sewing a new flybridge enclosure ended up consuming almost the entire winter.  What we naively estimated to be a two to three week project, turned into a 2 month project.  Twenty-seven zippers and multiple compound curves.  Yikes!!  Truman and Lyn Major graciously allowed us to use the downstairs of their house as a sewing room.  I can’t imagine how we would have completed the project if we’d tried to cut and sew it all on the boat!  We are happy with the end product (clear windows and no leaky bimini tops!), but it was quite an ordeal to complete it.

Danny with a conch	Steph and Danny	Cleaning the conch
Stephanie with a starfish	Danny & Stephanie	Out for a dinghy ride

In February, we were treated to a visit from our daughter Stephanie and her husband, Danny.  The “kids” dove for conch, which we served up for dinner - a first for Danny. Stephanie baked a yummy chocolate bunt cake on the boat for Steve’s birthday. We attended Junkanoo in Marsh Harbour and a Fireman’s’ benefit in Hopetown.  It was a fun time. 

Some other fun events this winter included:

1)    A “Build Your Own Conch Horn” class at Harbor View in Marsh Harbour.

2)    Photographing the sailing dinghy races in Hopetown.

3)    Attending Heritage Days in Hopetown.

4)    Fishing with Truman. 

Green Turtle beach	Curly tail with a fry	Cleaning the bottom
Hermit crab on a trip	Nancy & Deb looking for the perfect shell	Deb, Frank & Max the weather dog!

Easter morning, we moved the boat to Green Turtle Cay and spent two weeks at the Green Turtle Club (another one of our favorite spots).  We had a delightful reunion with our Bermudian friends Susan, Jonathan, and Emily on “Graycious”, plus our Chicago friends Dave and Marla on “Adesso”.  We first met both couples at the Looper Rendezvous in Charleston last April and enjoyed several segments of the Loop together this past year.  After a 4 day visit at Green Turtle (where our travels overlapped) they headed further South and we headed to West End on Grand Bahamas Island, looking for a weather window to go back to the U.S. 

Steve carefully monitors the weather from multiple resources, but in the end, you never know what the weather will be until you look out the window.  We were convinced from the forecasts that Sunday (4/6) would be the day to cross to the U.S. (a 10 hour trip across the Gulfstream).  Saturday night the wind died down and we had everything on the boat secure to leave at dawn.  At 5 AM we woke up to 30 MPH winds, thunder, lightning, and pouring rain.  Hummmm….I went back to bed.  

We weren’t wild about staying in West End for an extended period, but we’ve learned from experience that it pays off to wait for a safe and comfortable day to travel.  The good news is that we met more new friends who were also waiting for good crossing weather; Canadians Frank and Debra on “Another Compromise” (whose German Shepherd, Max, accurately predicted the Sunday storm by pacing, hours before the weatherman knew!) and George and Mary on “Comanche Moon” whose hailing port is in the Chesapeake.  We had a fun week together picking through the conch piles on the beach, walking, biking and telling boat stories. 

Five days later, we had a one day chance to cross before the next cold front.  It was a perfect day, complete with porpoises and even a huge sea turtle sighting. We entered the U.S.A. at Ft. Pierce, FL and are now slowly make our way back to Oriental, NC for the summer.  The list of boat chores has expanded, so we are determined to get a lot done this summer before we continue our adventure.  We are very happy with our life aboard the boat and still have our sights on Guatemala by next spring (2009). We’ll keep you posted! 

Wiley in Hopetown

What is that thing?

Brother & sister

PS-  Our cat, Wiley, is doing great.  He still likes to ride on the flybridge in the captain’s lap when we are traveling, and rarely ventures off the boat.  He was entertained by the cat fights on shore, while we sat on our mooring in Hopetown, and later by the Abyssinian kitten howling on the sailboat docked next door in Old Bahama Bay at West End.  At age 13, Wiley is still easily amused if you let him chase a piece of string. Still a kitten at heart.

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