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A fairly quiet night at anchor. The wind was light from the NE but a small swell was running from the E. In the morning the wind was more E, about ENE and some waves were developing. The sailboat that was anchored off Point Nirvana for several days was gone this morning. We pulled up the anchor at 10 and beat into the wind to Whale Cay. The wind cycled, mostly 15-20 Kt and from NE to ENE. Once we were out of the shadow of the lower islands, the seas built to 6-8’ with occasional 10’. We passed several sailboats going W towards Chub including a group of 3 traveling together. After several tacks the wind shifted ENE and we could loosen the sails and flew into the anchorage on a beam reach. Inside there is only a light chop although the wind is still whistling. A small fishing boat was also in the harbor. He left around 4:30 and we have the place to ourselves. We anchored around 3 PM after traveling 31.8 NM. We can see somebody walking around Little Whale Cay which has several houses and lots of palms and exotic vegetation. We can hear roosters also. Several fishing boats go by on the banks. When the tide goes out the boat swings across the wind and waves and rolls a bit but most of the time it is very comfortable here.
We left our anchorage after morning coco / coffee (me) and struck out for a brisk days sail toward Whale Cay. We sailed all day - traded steering every 30 minutes. The wind is from the N.E. - the sun kept us decently warm - 70's. Few distant clouds. A couple of times I was going 7.0 knots! Some spray but not bad. We passed one group of 3 sailboats flying past us toward Chub Cay. To anchor here - about 3 PM, we entered a narrows between Little Whale Cay and Whale Cay. It's about 15' and pretty well protected. The wind is probably still 20 and not waves here. There is a beautiful little settlement on L W Cay - one big house high up and a blue smaller house and then several colorful other small houses below. There are lots of palms and a wall around the sea level side. high stairs go from the beach to the highest house. There is a sort of tower about 8 - 10' built on the south end high in the coral. A buy in a small fishing boat is near us here. Just before we got here Rich had a bite on his drag line. No luck! I am really anxious to catch my supper :). We have Bahamian fishing licenses.
The wind is still strong from the NE and we spend the day playing games and reading. In the morning a trimaran sails in over the banks and anchors on the other side of the harbor from us. A quiet lazy day. Jill bated a hook with bacon and put it over the side. In the evening we hear the clicker and the line zinging out. We rush up and there is a fish on! I fight it for a minute but then it pulls hard and gets off. When we retrieve the line, the hook is bent and the plastic cover of the steel leader is shredded. Maybe a barracuda. Tomorrow we will try with a stronger hook.
Ides of March. No luck catching fish. Wind is strong - sun is bright. I've been writing all day - Rich napping. . . We just had a RummyCub championship 2 of 3 - Rich won #3!! Ooooo....
A Trimaran anchored beyond us. I wrote to Jean, Rusty and Liz. (Who knows when I'll mail them? Marsh Harbor I believe :) ).
Each day follows the same pattern. We wake up late, listen to the radio and at 11 I get the offshore weather report. Then lunch, reading, card games, a nap and then supper. The wind is blowing 20-25 Kt from the E and gradually moves SE. The anchorage is pleasant with only a little rocking but the constant wind is depressing. The weather reports are for better weather after the front goes thru but before that the wind is expected to blow from the S and NW which may not be good directions for this anchorage.
If I was not simultaneously writing anchorage notes in the '98 Mariners Book of Days I would have lost all track of time by now :). It is so picturesque here - We are in a living postcard. The sunset last night / eve was another for the record books. Spectacular - A few clouds on the horizon added color to the bright orange disc slipping into the sea. I woke up during the night, about 1 - 2 AM to see that spotlight of a mood again. before we went to sleep the sky was dark and there were a billion start shining! The wind is still strong, from the North. We had really strong winds during the night. This morning we had our coco / coffee, Rich ran the engine. I washed a few things and hung them to dry. Within 30 minutes they were mostly dry. We changed the music in the CD player. I have more of the choices this time so we are hearing Harry Chapin and Tracy Chapman and Hank Williams Dr. Rich is such a generous man! :).It will be a few more days until the wind changes. Our neighbor (a trimaran) came by to say 'hi' and see if we have a dingy. (It's deflated and below). He says this weather is "miserable".
St. Patrick's Day: Last night we got a bite on the fishing pole that I have been using bacon on for bait. Rich and I heard it - not long after dark. He started fighting the pole - it went back and forth. I got the camera. When it was close to the boat it got away - It bent the hook open! We never saw what it was. It was pitch dark. I had the light but we never saw it. Rich thought it was a barracuda. All day today we read, fished, napped and played cards. I'm about to cook supper.
No rain. Just steady 30+ winds. I kept my fish line in but not a bit of luck. Only a few birds are out there. Yesterday was sunny and the wind wasn't quite so hard. We stayed inside all day today. Last night the wind was even stronger.
After listening to the weather report and checking the conditions we decide
to return to Chub and wait for the front to pass there. The wind is 20 Kt SE and
does not seem to be breaking strongly on the entrance. We call Chub and they
have a slip for us so just before noon we pull up the anchors and leave. We get
out the entrance OK but the waves are 8-10’ and we power into them for about an
hour before turning the corner and starting a beam reach down Whale Cay. Things
look better when we are not beating into the waves but ahead we see that the sky
is dark with occasional lightning flashes. We are motor sailing E at 6 Kt with
just a scrap of jib out. The rain starts and the wind slowly dies and then
starts up from the N quite strong. Soon I roll up the jib and it is blowing
30-35 Kt from the N and the rain is coming down in buckets, just plastering us.
Thunder and lightning all around but nothing close or sustained. The swells from
the old wind coming from the SE are beaten down by the new wind and soon only
the waves from the N are left. After about 45 minutes the rain decreases and we
can see the island, Frazer's Hog Cay. As we get closer to the windward shore the
waves decrease but the wind also decreases. Another patch of rain passes over
and I head for the beach on the S side of the island to anchor where we have
anchored twice before but as we get closer the rain stops and there is still
some swell from the SE so I round the point to anchor off the beach on the W
side of the island. There is another sailboat anchored there in fairly good
shelter. After putting down the anchor we collapse and try to dry off.
Everything is wet and we are soaked to the skin even with our new foul weather
gear. The wind continues to decrease and soon it is quite calm except for the
leftover SE swell which comes around the point and causes us to roll. We will
roll violently and then stop and then start rolling slightly and then a few big
rolls and then stop and then the cycle repeats.
One of the local fishermen with
his young son stops at the other boat and then comes over to us. We buy 5
lobster tails and a couple of grouper fillets for $20. Jill has been looking for
lobster but nobody had any when we were here last. I rig a line from the anchor
rode to the back of the boat and swing us into the swells and the rolling stops
almost completely. I decide to stay here for the night and go into the marina
tomorrow. Another sailboat goes past us in the dark and enters the marina. Jill
cooks the lobster and it is just terrific.
About 2 AM I see lightning flashes and just in case I get out the second anchor and drop it over near the back of the boat. I can see the dark line approaching and around 4 AM the squall hits us. Fortunately it is not very strong, nothing like the last storm. Around 6 AM the rain stops and as the sun comes up but there are more rain clouds around.
We woke u to a little less wind. Some nice sunshine. At 11 AM Rich heard the weather report (4 times a day). We decided to head for Chub Cay Marina because there is another cold front coming in a few days and the weather here will continue with high winds. Rich got both anchors up - with me steering toward them. We left about noon. The waves were about 6'. They got a little higher and eventually rain and thunder and lightning came. We kept pretty dry in our rain gear - until rain came at us from the opposite direction and it became colder. I steered about 1/2 the way. The seas were coming from all directions and visibility was low but Rich navigated us right back to Chub. It cleared briefly and we anchored outside in the near bay. Right after anchoring we drank Mocha coffee and warmed up. It started sprinkling and a Bahamian guy with his young son "Emanuel" were calling in to us to buy lobster and grouper. We bought 5 lobster tails and some nice grouper fillets. ($20 for all). We ate lobster grilled for supper with potatoes au gratin - Soo good! :).
Rich is playing solitaire and I'm writing and about to get back to Red Tide Rising, gripping!
5 AM Rich attached a 2nd line to our anchor to keep us from rolling. We just woke up with things falling and he is on deck in a light steady rain with lightning adjusting it. It worked amazingly well last eve... but MN (Mother Nature) is always adjusting to! :).
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