Bahamas, here we come again!

Thu Dec 15th 2022 thru Mon Jan 9th 2023 - A great family vacation was had by all in SA! Thanks to Albert & Nina for hosting, it was fantastic. The Garden Route is still one of the most beautiful parts of the world in our experience (limited view sure, biased absolutely). Enjoying family and friends, bodysurfing at Vic Bay, great food, the abundance of quaint coffee shops with obligatory Cortado coffees, superb weather, contrast between ocean and mountains, the Kinetic catamarans in Knysna (only Rob) made for a special memory. Gerda was also able to catch up with some old school friends (we have known each other since we were 6 years old!). Emotional departure but looking forward to our Bahamas adventure. 

All smiles in the Wilderness

Cortado at the map of Africa

Tue Jan 10th 2023 - Returned from SA. Boat still in the same spot in Brunswick GA. Dirty, but intact. 

Fri Jan 13th 2023 - Did a quick road trip to Austin to check on house and pick up our Starlink for the boat. Thanks Elon!

Wed Jan 18th 2023 - Back to boat.

Fri Jan 20th 2023 (83 NM, 23 hrs) - Uneventful overnight passage to St Augustine, FL on a mooring ball for a couple of days to pick up our serviced life raft (we are safe now!) and wait for favorable North component wind. 

Gerda on watch - weather sucks

Following seas

Thu Jan 26th 2023 (280 NM, 46 hrs) - Left  St Augustine for Biscayne Bay to stage for Berry Islands, Bahamas. Hitting the influence of the Gulf Stream from Jupiter to Fort Lauderdale plus following seas made an uncomfortable ride. The ocean is 300 meters deep a couple of km offshore causing the Gulf Stream to get close to land. Anchored up at Noname island to wait for favorable weather.

Glad to see Miami skyline

Fort Lauderdale with a punishing Gulf Stream 

Staging at NoName harbor

Gerda doing stuff

Mon Jan 30th 2023 (127 NM, 24hrs) - Left Biscayne Bay to cross the Gulf Stream headed for the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. Mike and Doralyn joined us in their boat Two Tickets, always nice to do a passage with a buddy boat! Starlink is the best addition to our boat this year, we were able to chat with friends and felt connected during the passage when we were far from land. We passed Bimini in the early hours of the morning and arrived at Great Harbour Cay after daylight and checked in with customs before anchoring just outside the marina for a few nights. We got the water maker going and did a load of laundry onboard for the first time this season (Gerda thinks this is worth being noted in the blog 😁).

Goodbye Miami 

Buddy boat Two Tickets

Thu Feb 2nd 2023 (38 NM, 7 hrs) - Left to go to Chub Cay, but only got as far as Bonds Cay and decided to anchor for the night as Gerda had a rough day sailing through the choppy waters. The anchorage was really shallow and due to expected inclement weather we decided we needed to seek alternate shelter. The only option was to return to Great Harbour Cay for a few days until calmer weather prevailed and then try again. Did I mention it was Groundhog Day today? 

Bonds Cay excursion-shallow water 

Bonds Cay again

Bonds Cay again

Bonds Cay evening

Fri Feb 3rd 2023 (38 NM, 7 hrs) - We returned to Great Harbour Cay and hunkered down for a few windy days. Rob did some engine maintenance. Quite a few cruise liners in the northern part of the bay where we are anchored. Seems like they are there for folks to enjoy an amusement park on the island. WTF!

Ugggg!

Sun Feb 5th 2023 - We attempted to dinghy into Great Harbour marina where our friends Mike and Doralyn are tied up on their catamaran for maybe a late lunch. However, things went a little south when our dinghy spun out of control while Gerda was trying to board. The engine got stuck and the dinghy spun around in circles with the engine running. We were both thrown in the water. Gerda managed to get to the boat and Rob eventually came onboard after he realized that he could not control the dinghy enough to get back on it without getting hurt. We lifted the anchor and managed to get Muti close to the spinning dinghy so that Rob could board it from Muti. Engine shutdown after getting the painter wrapped in the propeller. A few fellow boaters came to our rescue and helped Rob bring the dinghy back to the boat, as well as guided Gerda to keep Muti off the rocks. Fortunately the dinghy engine was not damaged (as opposed to our egos). Scary experience but noted that it could have been a lot worse if we had gotten too close to the dinghy’s running engine while in the water. Many lessons learnt on this day, will need to be more careful going forward. Yes ma’am, big lesson as a consequence of becoming too complacent.

Mon Feb 6th 2023 (102 NM, 18 hrs) - Finally moving south again today. Last long passage passing Nassau and down to the Exumas. Sailing over the Yellow Bank at night caused some anxiety as it’s shallow and has submerged coral heads. However we followed the route from explorer charts and never saw less then 14 feet, more than enough for our 4 foot 3 inch draft. Yes, we made it! Anchored just before midnight at Highborne Cay.

Tue Feb 7th 2023 (47 NM, 9 hrs) - Headed south again to Great Guana Cay, need a good secluded anchorage for protection from some inclement weather coming our way.

Wed Feb 8th 2023 - Finally relaxing in the Bahamas! Will probably be here in Great Guana Cay for a few days to escape high winds, but there is plenty to keep us busy: walking, paddle boarding, cycling, fresh provisioning, restaurants. Once the winds die down, we will set sail to Georgetown to pickup the first of our visitors. 

Yes!

Peace out.