We sold our beloved Krogen this summer (2024). Painful to see her go. The decision to sell her was wrapped up in a bigger decision to ease out of the live aboard lifestyle, albeit in baby steps. More on that later.
As our faithful readers know, we have been full time cruising on the Krogen for the last eight years, following the seasons North to South. and back. Our time in the Bahamas has been wonderful and even if the trips up and down have been at times tedious, and at other times overly exciting, we have enjoyed every minute.
So why get out, you may ask? As I look out the picture window in our apartment in Newport, RI and see the cold wind kicking up the water in the now empty harbor, I ask myself the same question. Two issues drove the decision, first off, I am not getting any younger and at 76, I can tell I am not as sharp as I used to be. A little slower to respond during complex maneuvers, getting behind the power curve, as they say. In my military flying years ago and then later in my boat driving days, I looked forward to challenging maneuvers. When in the past a tricky parking procedure, wind and current and tight quarters for example, would excite me, of late it just built the anxiety. Better to go out on a high note.
The second reason we decided to ease out of this lifestyle was, frankly, it was expensive. For us the boat represented a major portion of our life savings. Every year it was worth a little less and so every year our net worth dropped along with it. That worked OK for the last eight years but wasn’t sustainable forever. And keeping her in perfect condition, which it seemed I owed her, wasn’t cheap either. An understatement.
But we weren’t ready to give up the life style completely. We have now entered our next cruising phase, which will be as part time cruisers aboard a different boat and part time land lubbers (hence the cold and wintry scene as I write this).
Our current plan is to cruise New England waters in the summer then park the boat and live on land somewhere warm in the winter. That all sounds a little loose because it is. Just now I am waiting on a slot for cataract surgery in Boston in January, which is why we are here in Newport for the winter. We had originally thought we might just make Newport our permanent home, but it was 27 degrees the other morning. Enough said about that experiment.
With all that preamble, lets get to the fun part, the new Privateer. She is a Back Cove 372. This boat would best be described as “Down East style” and is sort of a poor man’s Sabre. Back Cove Yachts is the sister company to Sabre and the Back Coves are the simpler and more basic of the two. A goal in choosing the next boat, and the Back Cove in particular, was to simplify my life as captain and chief mechanic. While Sabres are twins with IPS drives, Back Coves are singles with direct shaft drive. A picture:
Privateer at Bristol Marine for haul out. Fall 2024
We bought her in September, 2024, and managed to get a few local cruises in before the cold weather forced us to get her hauled. First impressions are encouraging and its fun to go 15 knots and get there in half the time. That said, the ride is not nearly as relaxing as in the Krogen.
So after going through all that trouble and expense, why sell the new Privateer? That’s a longer story, but the quick answer is, it was time to move to Florida full time. More on that soon.
Cat Island is one of the Bahamas Out Islands, meaning it is other than Grand Bahama or New Providence. But that doesn’t tell you much about Cat. New Providence and Grand Bahama make up 83% of the country’s population, while Cat has only 1,6oo residents scattered over 150 square miles. While there is a significant expat population, as well as some long and short term renters in season, there aren’t many resorts or hotels, so a visitor gets a sense that this is a Bahamian island for Bahamians, but all are welcome. Quite welcome. Because of the lack of tourism, the folks you meet are genuinely happy to meet you. Please greet each person you encounter and you will surely get a warm response. One encounter we had with a gentleman proves this point: we were approaching a commercial wharf looking for a place to tie up the dinghy. A man who had been relaxing in the shade approached us to help us find a spot. When we came back from shopping, we had a tip ready for him. His hand was never out, he was just trying to be helpful. No tip needed.
This was our third visit to Cat Island and, thanks to some decent weather, our longest. Cat has many beautiful anchorages, as long as the wind has some east in it. Any significant west wind will send a cruiser to either Hawks Nest Marina on the southern tip of the island or to another island with better protection. This year we were able to anchor out for ten days before ducking into Hawks Nest Marina for four days to weather a front with a lot of NW wind.
There are no dingy docks anywhere on the island. Most of the beaches are steep to, with a ledge at low water so its easy to beach the dinghy and tie off to a shoreline tree. There are some areas with rocky edges so you will need to be careful.
Even after combining our first two visits with this last trip we still failed to checkout everything on our wish list. Therefore, while this post contains mostly first hand experiences from our visits, we have included a few suggested sights that we tried to visit but weren’t able to. The post will cover navigation and anchorages first(north to south), then cover things to do, places to eat and where to shop. I have included phone numbers where possible. Many of these businesses are also on WhatsApp and/or Facebook Messenger. I suggest contacting any business/restaurant before visiting.
Navigation and Anchoring
Navigating the banks (west side) of the island is straightforward but there are areas of coral that are less than 5′ below the surface at low tide. The Explorer charts do a good job of identifying these areas so, armed with good light you should be fine.
We found nothing but deep sand wherever we anchored. While there are significant grassy areas, there are always plenty of white sand areas. Most of the shoreline is relatively steep to, so you can come in much closer to shore than the Explorer charts suggest.
Cat’s windward shore is the open Atlantic so any significant ocean swell is likely to bend around into the anchorages. This can be quite noticeable when anchored in the northern areas when a NE swell is running outside. It is easy to get fooled by a local SE breeze and anchor to avoid the wind chop and then get rolled by the ocean swell from 90 degrees out. We used our flopper stoppers much of the time. Specific strategies to avoid the ocean swell will be covered in each anchorage.
Shannas Cove
Shannas Cove provides good protection from east winds and decent protection from minor swell from either NE or SE. With mild conditions we anchored in the middle of the bay. The north end, in front of Shanna’s Cove Resort, is a bit shallow. We anchored in 10′ and the area carried 7′ to near the beach. The SE corner can provide decent protection from a SE swell. The beaches to the north are deserted and spectacular. There is even a cave on one beach that is accessible at low tide. There are some excellent coral fields as well but it was too rough the day we did our dinghy explore. Dinner at Shannas Cove Resort (242-359-9668) was excellent. Maria and Gregor are your friendly hosts, originally from Germany and they serve a fixed price($60), fixed menu three-course gourmet dinner. They had a new chef from Switzerland who did an excellent job. Call ahead for reservations.
As you approach the bay you will drive over a series of sand and grass ridges and you will loose a few feet of depth each time. We never saw less than 8′ MLW on our approach from the SE, maybe 7′ MLW on the way out southbound.
While we did not anchor there, the area south of Orange Creek Point would provide good protection from NE wind or swell. Additionally, Gregor from Shannas Cove Resort mentioned that Orange Creek Food Store (242-354-4110) was a good, small store (closed on Saturday). We did not have a chance to visit it.
Pigeon Cay and Pigeon Creek aka Alligator Creek
Pigeon Cay provides another spectacular beach, excellent holding and protection from east through north. We even handled some moderate NNW with just a bit of wrap around chop getting to us.
Pigeon Cay
We first anchored to the east to avoid a SE swell, then moved to the NW spot to escape a bit of NNW. The area around the NW anchor spot is excellent white sand with occasional large coral heads that provide decent snorkeling off the back of the boat. The beach drops off quickly to 6’+ and smooth sand extends to about 100 yards off the beach. Beyond that, there is a mix of rock and sand so you will need to pick and choose a place to drop. We anchored about 200′ off the beach in 10′.
Besides the coral, we came here to take a trip up Pigeon Creek. It is famous for its turtle population but we didn’t see many. While the main creek is wide and deep there are many branch creeks that would be perfect for kayaking. Had we had more time, we would have towed the kayaks with the dingy to access these side creeks that extend deep into the mangroves.
Alligator Creek
Benett’s Harbour
We anchored at Benett’s Harbour specifically to eat at Da Island Kitchen (242-354-6003) and buy some of Chef Andrew’s bread. Unfortunately, he was closed. That’s the second time we visited to find him closed. Suggestion: call ahead. That said, the anchorage was protected and pleasant. Mix of locals and expats live in the modest homes on the beach. The area carries 7′ to near shore. The two small coral heads are visible and are deep enough to ignore. Speaking of coral, near the beach we snorkeled a little patch coral. It was nothing exciting, just an easy little spot to check out the fish. Walking the beach is very nice and we were welcomed to the neighborhood by at least three different folks. We did not make it to Yardie’s (242-354-6076) for drinks or food, but hear it is quite an institution on the island and withing walking distance. We did see it on a previous visit and I recall they serve in a carport, very low key.
Smith’s Bay
This is the commercial dock for the area. We went in by dinghy from where we anchored about a mile south at Fernandez Bay, and tied to a bollard on the concrete wharf. Alvernia Foods Store (242-342-2042) is just across the street and is thought to have the best produce.
Fernandez Bay
Fernandez is an inviting bay with good protection. Choose the NE or SE corner of the main bay or slide in south of the small island. Call ahead to Fernandez Bay Village Resort (242- 824-3043) for lunch or dinner. We failed to do so and they were closed for a post-Christmas break. We had a nice lunch there last year. I was so happy to finally anchor here, as we had heard that snorkeling the coral near the small island was nice. Ultimately we decided not to stay and the snorkeling was not to be, darn!
Update (March 2023) We went back to Fernandez and this time enjoyed a nice happy hour at the resort. We also snorkeled the coral around the islands in the bay. While the coral was decent, there weren’t that many fish. The water was also a bit cloudy, likely due to some remnants of a westerly breeze.
New Bight
New Bight is a popular cruiser hang out with Fish Fry restaurants, bakery, etc. Holding is excellent throughout the bay. You can tuck up into the NE corner to escape a northerly swell and even weather a little NNW wind event. Not good if winds approach south. The east side of the bay is steep too, but the north end is shallow and hard with a rocky bottom. If you are going to the Fish Fry area you can safely run the dingy up onto shore, but not if you are trying to get to restaurants or groceries on the north of town. Better to park at Fish Fry and walk.
First priority when visiting here is to climb to The Hermitage on Mt. Alvernia, the highest hill in the Bahamas (206 ft). You can easily see the white structures from the anchorage. It is a miniature monastery, just big enough for one person. Beloved Father Jerome , who built churches all over the Bahamas, had it built for his retirement.
Don’t miss Olive’s Bakery (242-342-31340) in the kelly green house. Buy her amazing cinnamon swirl bread and try her “flour cakes”. They are a Cat Island specialty that is like a small biscuit flavored with cardamom (I think). The Fish Fry stalls are great. We tried CD’s and another with no sign. Duke’s looked popular for conch salad. Also at CD’s you can inquire about any upcoming Rake N Scrape music events. If you gather an audience from the anchorage, they will likely play a little for you. Bring money for tips. Cat Island is the home of Rake N Scrape! There is a new beachfront restaurant called Tingum Dem. You can see their gazebos from the anchorage. Everyone loves their wings. There is a small white building, just south of the police station and BTC tower called Bluebird Restaurant. It is run by a group of elderly sisters that know home-cooking! They mostly serve weekday lunches and you can call ahead to let them know you are coming on VHFch16. Don’t miss their spicy potato salad.
New Bight Food Store (242-342-3011), also known as Gilbert’s is about a mile or so north of Fish Fry. We walked to the store and asked if they could give us a ride back to the beach with our groceries. They obliged, but this was several years ago. Best to ask before assuming this is possible.
Old Bight
Anchoring at Old Bight puts you in front of Rollezz Resort and Restaurant (242-557-0005). Again, you can get pretty close to shore with the big boat, maybe 100 ft. off, and beach the dinghy. This is where you want to be for strong SE winds and swell. The owners of Rollez, Yvonne and Carl Rolle, are friendly and welcoming to cruisers, but you need to call ahead for dinner reservations. They serve a lovely fixed price ($48), fixed menu, three-course dinner. It is a wonderful experience and very high quality. If you want to stretch your legs, it is a mile walk to a good bakery, Alnor’s (242-342-4131). Follow the driveway out of Rollez Resort to the main road and go south for about a half mile. They are famous for their coconut bread. Be sure to try their little flour cakes, a Cat Island specialty. Call before you go, to make sure they are open.
Joe Sound Creek (Update March 2023) We took the kayaks into Joe Sound creek and a few of the mangrove tributaries. Plenty of turtles, juvenile sharks and the like.
Hawks Nest Marina
Hawks Nest s a totally protected marina at the south end of Cat Island. We have ducked in here twice for weather. The channel is dredged so you need to be in it. Best you cross reference the Google Earth image so you can see the channel. 8′ minimum at low tide in the channel. There are a few marks in place. The reds are red and the greens are faded to white. They sit on the edges of the channel. Note that the chart registration (Explorer, CMAP, etc) is way off, so if you plot a course down the middle of the channel, it will put you on the rocks if you try and drive your route. I transferred coordinates from Google earth to my chart plotter. Anyway, if you follow the channel markers, you will be fine. I thought it was a bit tricky, but the 105′ yacht behind us had no issues.
The current is impressive on the ebb, so plan on slack or near slack rising, if this is your first time. Slack high is about two hours after high tide using the Cat Island tide station and 1:45 hours after low tide, more forgiving towards the end of the rising tide. There is no current inside the basin, but it can be tricky on entry if your bow is out of the current while the stern is still being pushed or pulled by the current.
The marina is run by great folks. Jerry, the dockmaster is happy to help you. The small resort portion of the facility is a quarter mile from the marina. They have a clubhouse/restaurant with serve-yourself honor bar. They typically serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Be sure to place your dinner order in the afternoon. Their pool is a lovely place to relax and look out at the beautiful waters. We have rented a car from the office on both of our two visits. Anton, the manager, is happy to assist with this.
Port Howe
This bay is on the south end of the island. We have never used it but we talked with locals who have kept there boat in here for years. And the dive boat from the Greenwood Resort parks here. Often swelly but excellent protection from north wind cold fronts. The barrier reef effectively breaks much of the swell.
Atlantic Beaches
During our time with our rental car, we were interested in exploring Atlantic beaches. We took the rough, but drivable road across from Smith Bay to the area near a closed resort, pictured above. It was a beautiful pink sand beach, great for walking and hunting for treasures.
Greenwood Resort
Another stop on our rental car explore was Greenwood Resort (242-342-3053), in the southeast Cat. We called ahead and asked to join them for lunch. We had a great meal and then explored their lovely pink-sand beach. They have some chairs to relax in after you dine. We also walked around the resort. They also have a nice pool and grounds. They specialize in SCUBA diving and kite-surfing.
Our final stop with the rental car was Da Pink Chicken (242-474-1133). This is the definitive dive bar. Only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 2pm-sunset. We happened to be there on a Sunday, and it seemed that everyone we had met on the island was also there. Sunday is the day to be there! Maybe everything else is closed?
Two more places worth mentioning, if you have a car: Da Smoke Pot (242-354-2094) is run by Julien. We stopped by on a previous visit and chatted with him, but he had not reopened yet after Covid. Also consider Hidden Treasures Restaurant. We had lunch there when they used to be located at Fish Fry in New Bight. But they had a fire and have since moved a mile or two north, on the main road. Both of these places get rave reviews.
A helpful hint to visiting Cat Island is to join the Facebook group, The Cat Island Chronicles. It is full of helpful folks who can answer any questions you have.
We have been anchored in various spots in Mobjack Bay for the last ten days or so. Quiet, peaceful and serene. That is, until the other day. We had a line of thunderstorms ride over us, bringing gusty winds touching 50 knots a couple of times. We were oriented fairly well as the winds were mostly out of the southwest.
North River, Mobjack Bay. North is up.
The winds were strong enough to kick up some waterspouts as the gusts were funneled down Back Creek just west of us. With the winds came some pretty heavy rain, so between the rain and the waterspouts, visibility was poor.
Prior to the arrival of the storms I had been watching their advance on my radar app. While there was a NOAA warning for high winds and hail, I didn’t pay a lot of attention. (NOAA is always saying that..). I was looking at the intensity of the cells and it kinda looked like the strongest cells would pass both north and south of us so I wasn’t too worried as we made our way to the pilot house to watch the show.
As the skies darkened I took one last look at the radar update and saw the gap between the two cells disappear and nothing but red filled the screen in front of our location symbol on my iPad. At that point the wind arrived and I was beginning to think I had underestimated the intensity of this one. Probably should have started the engines as well. Nothing behind us to drag into, however.
When the wind arrived the gusts went from 20 knots to 50+ knots quickly and the direction changed 20-30 degrees with each gust. AT 85,000 lbs, we don’t usually get pushed around or heel much. But a couple of the gusts caught us broadside, pushing us over about 20 degrees and sending us off in a new direction.
The sensation when we reached the end of our chain was more a subtle deceleration than an abrupt snatch and I would ascribe this to the fact that we were anchored in deep mud and I would guess the last ten feet of chain was in the mud. I go into all this description because as trawler cruisers we prepare our boats to handle this sort of weather event but rarely see it. What follows is anecdotal, one person’s experience in one specific event, but possibly some general rules of thumb can be drawn from the lessons learned.
First off then, a bit about our anchorage. We chose the spot to provide some protection from the south. There were some tall trees on land but most of the terrain around here is low and the river beds slope gradually to the shore so one can’t anchor too close to land. In the photo below you can see how far out the docks run in order to find navigable water.
North river anchorage. Privateer looking south towards land.
After the storm abated I went out in the dinghy and checked depths. Turns out we could have moved about 200′ closer to shore. When we arrived here a few days prior, the wind was out of the north so limited what we could do with what was then the lee shore. Once I knew a storm was coming we could have moved a lot closer to land and the protection of the trees.
Our tackle consists of a 55kg Rocna Vulcan anchor with 7/16″ HT chain. We use a 1.25″ nylon snubber that feeds from a deck hawse down to a bow eye at the waterline and then to the chain, connecting with a soft shackle. The effective length of the snubber is about 13′.
At this location we saw 10′ at high tide and had 70′ of chain out, measured from the bow eye, so 7:1. When we pulled anchor the next day I estimated that the anchor was sitting 3′-5′ below the depth read by the transducer. Based on our track before and after the event, I would estimate we dragged about 10′.
All that description reads like a pretty typical set up and anchoring routine. One question some might have is about the size of the snubber line, at 1.25″ way oversize for the job and unlikely to stretch at all. In the past I used lesser diameter line in order to provide stretch and reduce the violence of the snubbing event. I tried to estimate the loads, then subtract the strength degradation due to knots, wear and tear, the change in direction at the bow eye, etc. Then I tried to estimate what the “just right” amount of stretch should be, 10% would be helpful, 20% might weaken the line..? And what wind strength should I use in the equation?
In the end, I gave up on the goldilocks snubber, installed the mother of all snubbers and forgave stretchiness as a feature. In this one specific weather event, with this bottom material and this scope, it turned out I didn’t need any stretch. The boat rounded up at the end of each swing relatively smoothly. I can attribute that observation to either the weight of the chain or the mud it had to pull through, or both.
We anchor a lot in the Bahamas, usually in good sand. A typical set often looks like the photo below.
anchored in the Exumas
We see 30 knots in the Bahamas often. A couple of times I have gone down to observe the action of the anchor and chain in these conditions. What I find is that with 70′ of chain out, in 10′ of water, the last 20′ will stay on the seabed through most of the swings of the boat. At the end of the swing the direction of pull changes about 20 degrees and there will be a modest tug at the chain to anchor shackle. So at 30 knots, the chain maintains at least some catenary even at the end of a swing and the “snub” is gentle. The feeling of motion while on the boat is minor at 30 knots, more noticeable at 35-40 knots and at 50 knots the sensation is strong enough to suggest I need to hold onto something.
A note about all this for any sailors out there reading this. When at anchor in high winds on our sailboat we would actually sail from one swing to the next, accelerating right up until we came to the end of the chain. The arrival was abrupt, along with the change in direction. We also covered a lot more territory than we do with this trawler. On Privateer we decelerate as we approach the end of the chain and then fall off in the other direction. This action is easier on the chain and snubber than it was on the sailboat, so sailors might take all this with a grain of salt and stick to their stretchy snubbers.
Just kidding. These two inquisitive reef sharks followed us into our anchorage in the Exumas.
Reef sharks visit Privateer
This picture was taken with a GoPro with underwater filter attached. I have it mounted on a 4′ stick and for this I had it in the water off the swim platform. I put it on time lapse, one pic per second and just shot away while these guys were swimming about. Got lucky with this shot.
Shark looking for a hand out, or a hand!
These are both Caribbean reef sharks. According to records of shark attacks, a low threat to swimmers. From what I could find on the internet, less than 30 recorded bites by reef sharks, none fatal. Still, when they swim up to you they do get your attention.
We are on a ball at Cambridge Cay mooring field in Exuma Park. Unfortunately, years of visiting boats throwing food scraps overboard have trained the sharks to follow boats coming into the area from Exuma Sound ( as we had done that day) to get fed. We spend a month here each season as park volunteers, harbor hosts for the mooring field, so we see all sorts of bad behavior (by humans, not sharks). We often see mega yacht crews entertaining their guests with shark feeding shows but occasionally see cruisers doing the same. Mostly folks just don’t know any better so part of our “job” is to inform visitors not to feed the sharks. Against park rules. Would seem like a no brainer, but we watch folks feeding sharks off one boat while kids are swimming off another. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen too often. We ask folks to hold their food scraps until they depart the mooring field. A good practice for any anchorage in the Bahamas. We are not, by any stretch, shark experts so we have researched the subject of sharks interacting with humans. Best we know, most of the types of sharks usually seen while swimming in the Bahamas will ignore people in the water, unless the sharks are feeding.
Reef shark with remains of fish hook
In Exuma Park we mostly see Reef sharks, which have a reputation for being shy around divers and will swim away. But there have been occasional bull sharks here, although we haven’t seen any this season. Even a few sightings of a hammerhead. Shark bites in the Bahamas are quite rare. One a few years ago near Rose island but that was a swimmer getting to close to a commercial shark feeding show. A few recorded attacks of divers while spear fishing. So all in all, not a significant risk. That said, I was in the water a while back, cleaning the hull. Water was about 10′ deep and a shark swam directly under my feet. I was out of the water in a flash, only realizing a minute later that it was just a harmless nurse shark. 10′ is 10′ when it comes to sharks!
Lisa and her new BFF nurse sharks
We were at the Hawks Nest marina at Cat Island last month and here, like at some other marinas, the sport fishermen conduct shark feeding shows when they clean fish in the evenings. We were watching one evening and there were 10-15 sharks in the scrum; reef, maybe one bull and many lemon sharks. The lemon sharks were definitely the most aggressive.
Feeding frenzy at fish cleaning station
Easy to see how shark behavior in the presence of food could be dangerous to swimmers nearby. During this feeding event someone through a small stick in the water and the sharks devoured it along with the fish scraps.
Our first mistake was trying to meet a schedule. Having plenty of respect for the conditions possible off the Jersey coast, we normally err on the side of caution. This year, because we had commitments that kept us in Newport till Thursday evening, and plans that required we be in Annapolis by the following Tuesday, we bet on the weather. And by that I mean, we bet that the forecast would be accurate because as it stood, the forecast was on the cusp of a no-go. Not to bad… but not too good either.
The route is displayed below. To go non-stop, about 30-35 hours, requires some lucky breaks on the weather. Northerly component till you turn up the bay, then a shift to southerly. But not too strong, as wind against current in the bay can be nasty.
As of Thursday afternoon, with a departure planned for Thursday evening, this was what the GRIBS forecast (and NOAA agreed),
WINDYTV as of Thursday Afternoon
As you can see, winds were predicted to be rather strong Thursday evening. We planned to pass Block Island around 11pm, duck under the lee of Long Island until 2AM or so, the continue south as the winds eased. We planned to be turning up the Delaware Bay by 8PM on Friday.
With a forecast of 3-4′ seas south of Block Island, we expected a few 5 and 6′ seas, But with the wind and seas from behind us, we weren’t too concerned. As long as the forecast held. And with a little luck, actually a lot of luck, the winds would turn favorable for the trip up the bay.
Had there not been events driving our schedule, we never would have left with this forecast. Not that it wasn’t doable, it just had no margin. And that is what did us in.
By the time we rounded Block Island the winds were steady in the low 30’s, with regular gusts in the 40’s. The max we saw was 47 knots. Abaft the beam, mostly, but still rather impressive at night, since the sea state matched the wind speed. I won’t guess at the wave heights, since it was really, really dark, but we were regularly burying the anchor in the next wave. Boat was fine, crew, not so.
We gave up on ducking under the lee of Long Island, since we would be too close to the wind while trying to get there, and decided to just run downwind till it blew itself out. The forecast showed that by the time we got 50 miles or so south of LI, about 5 am, we would be in moderate downwind conditions. We just needed to keep our speed up until we turned up into Delaware bay, as the next front was not far off.
Two things happened to thwart that plan…. The norther was late to leave, and the southerly blow came early. We got about two hours of L/V before we were getting 20-25 knots on the nose. Funny how seas take forever to settle down once a front passes, but how quickly they build when a front arrives.
So now we are 3-5 hours late to our turn up the Delaware bay, and the southerly blow is 3-5 hours early. We are off Barnegat at 5 pm or so, and could make it in before dark, but I have never been in there before, the current would be opposing the wind, and if we did go in, we were likely to be stuck there for days. No thanks, on to Atlantic City!
Atlantic City has a few things going for it. A really good all weather inlet (we have used it before) and there are lots of lights. Bad thing is, we are going to the marina area and have never been in there before, day or night. And I don’t like to enter harbors at night for the first time.
So now it is 6 pm or so and Lisa calls Kammerman’s Marina, asking about space. They say they will hold a space for us on the fuel dock, and we give them a 9 pm ETA. Meanwhile, the weather deteriorates a bit. Now its 25G30 knots and 5′ seas with about a 4 second period. That will slow you down. Our ETA grows to 10 pm.
We make preparations for entering the inlet and finding the marina. The outer buoys are lit, but I know some of the inner marks are not. We have a flood light on the mast that will at least highlight a reflective buoy, and a really powerful searchlight. But the entrance to the marina area, a left turn out of the inlet, is a bit confusing.
Bouys 2 and 4 mark the route into the marina basin
The bifurcation buoy marks the choice between continuing further down the inlet or entering the marina basin. It is lit, but the RED 2 is not. And the RED 2 is about 2′ high and up against the bulkhead. I know now that the route is between the RED 2 and 4 and the bulkhead, but at 10 pm, after 28 hours of bashing into waves, the route is not so obvious.
As we approach, we can see a green lighted marker, but its hard to tell if the light is the bifurcated mark or the green mark just beyond. Meanwhile the current is helping us move faster than we would like. Thanks to some good searchlight work by Lisa, we spot the RED 2, and after that sighting, following the buoys the rest of the way in is not too difficult.
Once in the basin we try calling Kammerman’s, and would you believe it, Chris Kammerman, the owner, is there at 1015 PM to guide us in to the dock and tie us up. Just doesn’t get any better than that. Thankyou, Chris.
We take a lay day in AC, winds are still howling out on the coast. The next day things look much better, so being experts on night arrivals, we do a night departure. And the currents in the bay are timed perfectly.
I have mentioned this in previous posts, but northbound in the Delaware Bay, slack tide walks up the bay, so heading north, even with our slow speed, we can travel with great current the entire way. There is a great NOAA planning tool called Delaware Bay Operational Forecast System (DBOFS). No new data here, but the animation and visualization is very helpful.
DBOFS
The rest of our trip to Annapolis was uneventful. Spent a quiet night at Schaefers. Left mid-morning in rain and wind to make some progress south towards Annapolis. (remember, we have a schedule to keep)
Just one more comment. As we headed down the upper Chesapeake, winds were in the mid 20’s, gusting low 30’s. Looking for somewhere to anchor for the night. Too far to make it all the way to Annapolis. Chose Handys Point/ Worton Creek entrance because it was rather high sided to the north. Amazing the way the low cliffs and tall trees blocked the wind. Winds were below 10 knots. A gust now and then, but not enough to move the boat. Meanwhile, just around the corner the bay was a mess. We slept well and moved into Annapolis the next morning. On schedule. Bad captain.
We came over from the Bahamas in Late November. The plan was to spend Christmas at Blue Haven Marina, hosting our sons and their significant others. Thought I would provide a few notes on our initial impressions.
We did the trip as an overnight from Georgetown and got here mid day. Our first port of call was Turtle Cove Marina on the north coast of Providenciales. Two marina options here, Turtle Cove and Blue Haven. Both are accessed through a cut in the reef. Sellers Cut, leading to Turtle cove is winding and at times narrow and shallow. My best estimate is maybe 6.6′ at low in one spot. We used the free escort in and out. We arrived with about 18 knots wind and maybe 6′ rollers at the entrance. looked a lot more challenging than it turned out to be.
Turtle Cove is a decent marina. I wont comment further, as the Active Captain comments are, in the aggregate, accurate. I would go there again. Our objective going here was to save money till we needed to be at Blue Haven as it is half the price.
We left Turtle Cove and went out the cut and up to Blue Haven. The cut into Blue Haven is straight and deep. Maybe 7’+ at low. No need for an escort. Blue Haven Marina is associated with the resort next door and all the amenities are provided to marina patrons, which is why we came here. Actuall three resorts, connected with shuttle services. The other two resorts are on Grace Bay, which is beautiful.
The resort itself is, at best, in transition. Never rebuilt after a hurricane two years ago. Some of the wrecked power sub stations are still lying around on the dock, just where they ended up after the storm, I presume. One dock is connected to land and has power and water. The other dock is free floating out in the channel. No power or water and a dinghy ride in. Still, a few mega yachts out there, as it is the only place they fit.
The dock we are on is mostly sport fish and chartered mini mega yachts. Also a few day boats for the tourist crowd. Lots of activity and not too much hassle. Maybe a bit more techno-Reggae than I would choose.
Decent kayaking in the mangroves and spectacular snorkeling out on the reef when it is calm, which is rare this time of year
DCIM\101GOPRO\G0382709.JPG
Took about 200 shots before I got this one of a Green Turtle. Mangroves are full of these guys but they only come out to feed at near high tide.
There are two other marinas on the island, both on the banks side. South Side is small but well maintained and has a nice bar and restaurant. Otherwise a bit secluded. Shallow entry. Maybe 6′ at high? We wee there by car.
Caicos shipyard carries a bit more water coming in. Also rather secluded. Docks being upgraded. New buildings. Promising. Also the only plae with any maintenance capability.
Provo has many fancy high rise resorts and lots of villas along the beach. good restaurants. Great grocery store, etc. Good roads, plenty of traffic, etc. Lots of expats mixed in with the locals. Somewhat different than the Bahamas. rental cars relatively cheap, taxis quite expensive. We use our bikes for shopping.
Cruising the TCI is somewhat challenging in mid winter. The typical northern swell will make many of the anchorages somewhat uncomfortable. We have tried to head over to Grand Turk, but the only anchorage is a roadstead and dinghys go to the beach. A challenge when there is any surf.
We are in Stuart, FL and will move down to Lake Worth tomorrow to stage for crossing the Gulf Stream on Friday, headed to the Bahamas. This will be crossing number ten or so, but I really do not feel I have a tactic to make the best of the Stream’s current.
(edit: I first released this on 9 Nov. just after the crossing. Then realized maybe doing math after no sleep is not a good idea. So if you read this yesterday and had some issues with the math, I apologize. Hopefully my edits have corrected the math errors)
On the sailboat we were usually between New England and the Caribbean and the Stream was just a small distraction on a 1500 mile trip. Our tactic was to cross at right angles to the current and just maintain our general heading. The current would set us twenty miles or so, one way or the other. By the time we exited, we would just adjust our heading by a degree or two and keep on sailing. The word was, do not crab into the stream.
But sitting here in Florida, and wanting to go to Bimini, for example, the problem is a little different. I don’t really want to get set twenty miles north on a sixty mile trip. And I don’t want to run all the way down to the Keys, just to get a better angle. So I have been wondering just what is the most efficient method of crossing the Stream.
In central and southern Florida the Stream is about forty miles wide and has current from 2-4 knots, averaging 2.5 knots for the forty miles. A little internet searching will bring up as many tactics as there are sailors, but one can winnow those tactics down to just a few.
The first approach is to go south on the Florida coast in order to improve the angle, say Angelfish Creek to Bimini. This approach does provide a relatively quick, day hop, and if your goal is shortest possible time on the passage, this works. But proponents of this approach tend to forget about the days spent moving down the Florida coast, not to mention the pain of all the bridges if you do the trip inside on the ICW.
For the other approaches, lets use a trip from Lake Worth inlet to West End, Bahamas. About fifty-five miles on a bearing of 95 degrees. The Explorer Charts recommend the classic navigation technique of calculating the required offset for the current and then setting a heading to accommodate that offset. See below.
Assuming one holds a constant heading, this tactic will generate a ground track roughly “S” shaped as the current first increases then decreases during the trip. Not sure why they say, “Dont angle into the current” because that is just what you are doing here.
This approach has lead to some folks suggesting sailing a purposefull “S” track. Proponents of this tactic suggest leaving Lake Worth and turning SE even further than necessary to hold the rhumb line. Getting ahead of the current, so to speak.
Waterway Guide provides headings for various boat speeds and destinations, essentially the same as the Explorer chart Again, holding a constant heading to counteract the average current will produce an “s” curve track.
Then there is what the old salts told me way back in my sailing days. And that was to take up a heading perpendicular to the stream and let the stream set you. Then angle back to your destination once clear. This does have the advantage of getting you out of the stream the fastest, even if it does drop you off fifteen miles north of your desired track.
Finally, there is the approach of letting the autopilot carry you across the stream exactly on the rhumb line. This approach will get you across the stream in the shortest distance, as compared to the previous, shortest time approach.
As an aside, think about what would happen if boat speed were four knots and if the Stream were four knots. If you let the autopilot drive, you will stand still, with speed through the water of four knots and speed made good of ZERO! On the other hand, if you took the perpendicular heading approach, you would still get across the stream, albeit far from your intended destination.
So what is the modern mariner to do! Time for a little math. Using a speed through the water of 8 knots and a current of 2.5 knots for a distance of 40 miles, I would estimate about 12 miles of drift north. That would require an 11 degree offset and reduce my velocity made good (VMG) by one knot. That would increase my time by 45 minutes or so.
Alternatively, I could cross at 8 knots by not crabbing, then come back south 12 miles, which would increase my time by 1.5 hrs.
In the final analysis, all of the options fall in between those two options; the “S” curve approach is a compromise between the shortest time and shortest distance approach.
I plotted a course across the Gulf Stream and estimated the speed of the current every 5 miles. Here is my slice across the Stream, crossing from Lake Worth to West End
And then I built a table of headings and speeds for each 5 mile segment of the trip.
NM
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Leg
0
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Knots
1
2
2.5
3
2
2
2
1.5
1
Course
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
STW
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
HDG
102
109
113
117
109
109
109
106
102
Corr.
7
14
18
22
14
14
14
11
7
SOG
7.7
7.5
7
7
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.7
Hrs1
0
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Hrs2
0
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.7
0.6
Set (NM)
0
1.3
1.6
1.9
1.3
1.3
1.3
0.9
0.6
If this is accurate, it should take me 5 hours, 45 minutes to cross, versus the 5 hrs with no current. Frankly, I doubt we will do this well.
My plan is to capture our actual headings and ground speeds every 5 miles and compare them to the calculated values.
My hypothesis is that the fastest way to get from point A to point B, in the presence of current is the shortest distance route, not the shortest time route. And that means running the rhumb line. The easiest way to run the rhumb line is to let the autopilot drive the boat, so that is what I will do.
Note that our ultimate destination is Palm Cay on New Providence. So the full question gets a bit more complex. The route we will take, crossing the stream at right angles, results in a total distance to our destination of 201 nm. If we were to go by the most direct route, the course would cross the stream on a course of about 125 degrees, angling into the stream. So the bigger question becomes: is it better to cross at right angles to the stream, even if that takes you out of your way. In this case, 10 miles out of your way.
I will update the blog after our crossing. We will do the 40 mile test run, then turn south and run overnight to Palm Cay marina, so give me a few days to do the data analysis.
Part 2 Trip complete:
Good news is, the trip was great. Stream was smooth and for the rest of the trip the water was like glass. And a 3/4 moon to boot. So how did all the calculations work out? Below is a table that shows the calculated GS current and the actual current derived mathematically from my actual headings and SOG. (speed over ground). (Best I can do to get all the numbers on the chart)
Miles
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
Leg
0.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
Estimated current
1.0
2.0
2.5
3.0
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.0
Course
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
95.0
Speed Through Water
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
Estimated Heading
102.0
109.0
113.0
117.0
109.0
109.0
109.0
106.0
102.0
Estimated Speed Over Ground
7.7
7.5
7.0
7.0
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.7
Set
0.0
1.3
1.6
1.9
1.3
1.3
1.3
0.9
0.6
Actual Heading
110.0
116.0
115.0
116.0
109.0
103.0
102.0
101.0
100.0
Actual Speed Over Ground
7.7
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.7
7.8
7.8
7.9
7.9
Actual Current
2.0
2.7
2.6
2.7
2.0
1.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
As you can see, the actual current in the Stream was a bit less than calculated, so our speeds were better than planned. With a no-current crossing time of 5 hours, and an estimated crossing time of 5hours, 45 minutes with the calculated current, our crossing time was 5 hours, 25 minutes. Our total time for the 201 mile trip was 25.5 hours, exactly as predicted, which means we were slower than 8 knots for the portion of the trip once we exited the stream.
Now lets compare this to the direct route. The no-current total time for the 191 miles at 8 knots would be 23.9 hours. At a 125 degree heading across the stream we would be in the Stream for 50 miles at an average speed of 6 knots. At that speed and distance it would take us 8.33 hours to cross the stream. We would complete the remaining 141 miles at 8 knots in 17.6 hrs for a total time of 26 hrs, all that using the original calculated estimate of Gulf Stream current.
However!! The stream was not as strong as estimated. If we use the actual stream data calculated from our actual trip, then the direct route crossing would not have taken 8.33 hours but just 7.8 hours. And that would result in a total trip time of 25.5 hours. Exactly the same!
A brief note on geometry here. As angle A, in this case the angle between a route perpendicular to the current and one angling into the current, increases, the hypotenuse, in this case, the time/distance in the Stream, increases rapidly (geometrically, actually). So in our case, with a direct route angle of 122 degrees and the estimated current of 2.5 knots, it is better to take the perpendicular/shortest distance route. At the actual current of about 2.2 knots, the two trips are identical in time. At this angle, slower current favors the direct route and stronger current favors the perpendicular route. With lesser currents a larger angle of attack can be taken. With stronger current, say the more typical 3 knots, then the perpendicular route will be favored.
And a last note about boat speed. The slower the boat, the more favored the perpendicular route will be – up to a point. If your boat only goes 4 knots, and the current is 4 knots, take a plane. Just kidding, but in this whole experiment we used a constant 8 knots and variable angles of attack and current level. Varying boat speed leads to the same conclusion, the more time you spend in the stream, the larger the penalty.
With all this, my conclusion is: the fastest way to cross the Gulf Stream at typical current levels is to cross at right angles and crab into the current sufficiently to maintain a course perpendicular to the current. And the best way to accomplish that is to use a capable autopilot.
I understand the “S” curve idea, but I believe it is a hold over from when autopilots just held a course. Using old fashioned navigation skills to calculate a heading to counteract set and drift, a constant heading would result in an “S” curve track with the Gulf Stream current. But that does not make an “S” course efficient.
Of course this over-simplifies the problem. If you are trying to make a day hop of it, and want to check in at Bimini or West End, then you might need to pick and choose your departure point. Lake Worth works well for West End, Fort Lauderdale or Miami for Bimini. And the slower your boat the more you might need a lift from the stream to improve your ground speed. And finally, if the weather stinks in the stream, moving south in the meantime might improve things. But I wouldn’t waste time going to Miami for the angle if the weather was decent when I was still in Lake Worth.
Finally, a note on calculating speeds, angles and distances. The easiest and quickest way is with an old fashioned E6B flight computer, nowadays available on a computer or as a phone app. Using the tool you can quickly and easily test various alternatives and choose the best combination of launch point, course, etc. So, try this experiment yourself and see what you find.
We took Privateer out today just to check all the systems after a 2000 hour service and a change of all her oils and fluids. All that went fine.
The area just north of Newport can be pretty crowded so occasionally someone shows up near us that I didnt see coming. In the picture below you can see Big Blue on AIS coming by. She is a 45′ cabin cruiser doing 25 knots.
Big Blue comes by on our port
So I look out the side and see nothing. I get up and go to the door, nothing. Then a minute later she disappears from the screen as well. I search the screen and she reappears about a mile north, where she really is.
My assumption is, there was a malfunction in either her transmission or my reception. More likely her transmission. I have seen AIS return for boats showing them going backwards or sideways, a transmission error that I could sort of comprehend, but this is the first time I have ever seen a boat displaced by more than a mile. The ramifications are quite disturbing.
We spent the month of February as volunteer mooring field hosts for the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Our primary duties were to collect mooring fees, explain the park rules and provide information on snorkelling and hiking in the park. We also cleared trails and picked up trash. And despite all the work we managed to do a fair amount of hiking and snorkelling ourselves. All in all, a very nice way to spend a month in the park.
Collecting mooring fees
Every day we travel throughout the mooring field to collect fees. Usually a mid-day trip and then one more before happy hour. takes about an hour a day. The field has nine balls for cruisers and three for mega yachts.
A couple of big boys
The mega yachts in the park are sort of a mixed blessing. They bring much needed revenue, paying $100-150 per night, but sometimes bring more noise and activity than some folks would like. For the most part, they behaved themselves, but we probably don’t need the jet skis.
Trail maintenance in paradise
The land is rather arid but the vegetation still manages to overgrow the trails so we spent a few days hacking back the sides of the trails and adding markers to make them easier to find.
Happy hour on the sand bar at Cambridge Cay
We are also often the social directors for the anchorage. All that means is that we announce a happy hour on the beach. Easy to get a crowd.
Pleiades
We maintain a 24 hour radio watch, just in case some emergency arises in the field. Mostly pretty quiet for the month but these folks had a problem with their batteries and could not start their engine. No TowBoat US down here. Or anything remotely resembling a boatyard. Luckily we carry a set of battery cables and we were able to jump start his engine with a spare battery he was carrying.
We also rescued a “dinghy in distress” trying to row back from Rocky Dundas. Took us 20 minutes just to tow them back so no telling how long it would have taken them to row against the current.
Fish Finder
We are part of a study of fish migration sponsored by the Smithsonian. Whenever we anchor we put a sensor overboard that responds to RFIDs on tagged fish. We wont find out what fish we have tracked until the finder is returned next spring.
Green Turtle
We spent lots of time in the water “harassing” the green turtles. After a while they just ignored us and if I was in the water I could get pretty close for a photo.
Blue Hole Beach
This is one of our favorite beaches on the island. Not really a blue hole as it is only 30 ft deep or so, but the colors are special. Kayaks were a perfect means of transportation because the area dries at low.
kayaks at Blue Hole Beach, Cambridge CayBell Rock at Cambridge Cay
One stunning view after another. Just when you think you have seen everything in the area you get a view like this.
Spotted eagle ray
Spotted eagle rays came by most every day. Occasionally they would leap entirely out of the water. Pretty impressive for a beast with an 8′ wingspan.
Sting RaySting ray up close and personal
Sting rays are everywhere and rely on their coloration to hide in the shallows. We were careful to shuffle our feet when wading. In the kayaks it was possible to go right on top of them before they would spook. This one reminds me of the F117 stealth fighter.
Sea Aquarium
One of our favorite snorkelling sites is called the sea aquarium. Just a small indentation in the rocks but after years of folks feeding them, the fish are quite friendly. If you don’t feed them they finally get bored with you.
Sea Aquarium dinghy tie up
Lisa with her friends
The fish will get close enough that you can even touch them.
Porcupine Fish
This guy was a little less friendly.
Conch
Queen conch is endangered throughout the Bahamas due to over-harvesting, some of it legal and some not. The park is a no-take zone and has become a critical part of protection and regeneration of all sorts of marine life. These conch would be easy picking outside the park and the fact that they are even here at all suggests that the park’s efforts to protect the wildlife is working.
In our snorkeling we have seen spiny lobster, Nassau grouper, and many other species of over-harvested wildlife that are rarely seen outside the park but are doing well inside the boundaries of the park. There are a number of marine protection zones in the Bahamas besides Exuma park but Exuma park is the only one with the resources to combat poaching. Hopefully more will be done in the future.
Park patrol boat
While we are at Cambridge there is little opportunity to replenish stores. Once a week or so someone from the park staff comes by and takes Lisa in to Staniel Cay for a little grocery shopping.
Nurse Shark
Nurse sharks are constant visitors to the anchorage. They are pretty harmless. Caribbean Reef sharks come by as well and are less docile. They pretty much ignore swimmers, as long as they aren’t being fed. Unfortunately some visitors to the park dont understand this and we have had to admonish a few folk.
Most visitors cant distinguish from one shark species to another and feeding nurse sharks is a popular tourist draw at some of the local marinas. So visitors come to Cambridge and feed the sharks that come under their boat. But they are feeding Reef sharks while other boats have kids swimming near by. We have also seen Hammerhead sharks in the park and others have seen tiger sharks. Lets hope nothing happens.
Obrien’s Cay
The colors of sand and sea and sky in the park are just incredible. Every time we think we have found the ultimate beach, we find one more. This is on the northern tip of Obrien’s Cay, just around the corner from the sea aquarium
Hog Cay
This is not from Cambridge, but from Hog Cay, another park mooring field. We spent a week there, hiding from a significant cold front. We were the only boat there for the entire week. Lots of current, but excellent mooring ball.
Mooring gear
When we visited the park last year the moorings were in a state of disrepair. Joe and Nicola Ierna had just taken over as park administrators and were focusing on replacing all the gear. None too soon as we saw at least two boats break their moorings in the month we were there. For our month of volunteer work that year I dove and installed my own line to the anchor post on the bottom.
The new mooring gear is beefy, to say the least. Mega yachts lay on the same size gear as the cruiser boats so we can feel pretty safe. The down line is now all chain and the pendant is 1.5″ nylon. Also, the ball itself is not part of the system, a significant improvement over the old design.
Cambridge sunset
Speaks for itself. Another day well spent at Cambridge. We were sad to leave but will likely return next year.
This was our second year to volunteer at Cambridge and it was equally rewarding. We met hundreds of cruisers passing through, collected neary $10,000 in mooring and anchoring fees, and did a bit to clean up our little part of the park. And managed to have some fun doing it.
Having visited the park a number of times over the last few years, we are excited about the revitalized efforts to improve the park now that Joe and Nicola, along with Brent the warden, are on board. The new moorings, the increased policing, the upgrade of the facilities, all are much needed and much appreciated. We are blessed to have them running the park and equally blessed to call them friends.
Nothing like a cold beer after a Gulf Stream crossing. As crossings go, this one was just fine, if a bit bumpy at first. A different sort of crossing in that we were coming NE from Key West so crossing the stream at about a 30 degree angle. We left Key West at about 8am, figuring on covering the 225 NM at a fast average speed over the ground of 8.6 knots, 1.1 knots above our actual speed through the water, thanks to the boost from the current in the stream.
We originally planned to enter the banks at South Rock with an option to choose a more northerly course to enter the banks above Bimini if we didn’t like the conditions. This would add about 12 miles to the trip but would also give us a bigger boost from the stream.
In my planning I estimated the GS current at 3.5 knots and with our angle of attack figured about a 15 degree offset angle to hold course and a 2 knot resultant boost in speed. As it turned out it was taking closer to a 25 degree offset to hold course and we were not getting quite 2 knots of boost. At a boat speed of 7.5 knots and a steam speed of 3.5 knots it doesn’t require much of a miscalculation to throw off prior estimates. In this case, I figure the angle of attack was closer to 45 degrees so the required crab was much greater. Had I seen that coming I might have entered the stream a bit further south. Maybe next time. Hard to calculate the best approach between taking the shortest route and getting the best speed boost.
With lots of unknowns regarding what was going to happen later that night with winds and sea state we decided to turn north to improve the ride, reduce the crab angle and maybe pick up enough extra speed to absorb the extra 12 miles of total distance. Also, the wind was forecast to clock further to the west in the early morning hours which would put it more astern after our turn east at North Bimini. As it turned out, the wind never clocked and stayed at about 225 degrees throughout the night and morning, but still behind the beem, so just fine.
We can see out 64 miles with our radar so I began tracking and timing the advance of the front i knew was coming some time Saturday morning. At 3am it was moving at about 12 knots so would arrive right on time at noon. With that estimate we planned on standing off until the front passed, possibly testing our new lightning protection system. By 10 am, when we were 2 hours out, the front had slowed to 8 knots and would not arrive until 1pm. Plenty of time for us to get in and tied up before it it. As it turned out, the first slip designated for us didn’t agree with our boarding doors so, with the lightning and thunder near, we moved to a more agreeable slip. We had the last line secured when the front passed over. Lucky timing on our part.
We will stay here a week, with plans for kayaking, bicycle touring, and maybe some fishing and conch hunting. And maybe a few more Kaliks on the beach. Then we will begin moving towards the Exumas. The Exuma Land and Sea Park is expecting us on 1 February for our one month stint as mooring field hosts at Cambridge Cay. After that, no real plans.
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