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We had another quiet night at anchor. The current kept the boat from aligning with the wind and the wind scoop did not work too well but there was a good breeze and it did not get too hot. While running the engine at 9 another sailboat came in and anchored next to us, now there are 4 sailboats lined up here. Jill found the kite we were given at the going away party and I put it together. It has lots of parts for a kite but it went together well and flies just fine. It is an attacking bird of prey and should scare away the gulls which try to land on the dingy or even on the GPS antenna on the stern rail. At 11:30 we dingied in with our water jugs and a final load of garbage. We had lunch and then filled the water jugs and bought 2 bags of ice. They have several plastic versions of the Captains Mistress game and we played a few games while waiting for the food. Back at the boat we pulled up the anchors and had a quick sail around the corner to Sampson's. Another British mega yacht zoomed into Staniel while we were sailing out. There were already 2 at the dock and a large one anchored off Big Majors Spot. There was one other sailboat anchored out and lots of power boats at the dock. Two sport fishing boats came in and went to the dock after we anchored. After relaxing for a while it got hot and we put on snorkel gear and went for a swim. We swam to the small rocky cay just S of us. Near the E corner we found a bunch of rocks with coral and bunches of fish. There was a slight current flowing towards the corner of the island and as I swam that way the current got stronger. I went over a bar stretching out from the corner and I could see sandy beaches on the E side of the island, the side we could see from the boat was all steep rock. I turned around to swim back against the current. Just on the far side of the bar were 2 large barracuda, they looked about 4’ long and hungry. I had not seen them when I first went over the bar and now they were between me and the boat. We stared at each other for a while and they did not seem overly concerned about me so I swam back as close to the shore as I could go. They did not follow and I got back to the rocks with the fish and then we swam back to the boat without being eaten. There is a lot of small boat traffic here, dingies and small outboards headed to the fishing grounds behind some of the small cays I think. We had happy hour. The sky looks clearer than it has been for a week and the wind is 10-15 Kt from the NE.
Arrived at Sampson Cay. It is secluded behind rocky cays with some bonefish flats behind. The view from here is of about 20 small cays. We swam over to the nearest island during the HOT time of day :). About 200 yards. There was coral and colorful fish on the end nearest to us. Rich swam around the end and saw 2 barracudas! I didn't like the current so I stayed on this side nearest the boat. We read and played RummyCub - I lost 2 games to the champion / captain! :)
Oh yes - we paid $.50 a gallon for water at Majors. It's the same here. :)
We listened to the weather at 8 and a little later Club Thunderball wished a
happy Independence Day to all the Americans. Around 10:30 we dingied in to see
the marina. Several nurse sharks were sitting in the shallows by the dock. We
walked around and it seemed to have changed little since my last visit. We sat
in the dining room and read magazines for a while and when I looked out again
there was a big rain cloud to the N so we quickly went back to the boat which we
had left open. About half an hour later it started blowing from the N and the
rain started. It did not get very heavy but continued on and off for a couple of
hours. We returned to the cockpit and read and then had happy hour. A catamaran
and a powerboat had anchored just W of us a ways but left when the clouds blew
over. Another sailboat came from the S and anchored N of us. The rain really
cooled things off and the clouds to the W kept the sun from being too hot in the
afternoon. The wind is from the NE at 10-15 Kt and there are a few flashes of
lightning and an occasional rumble from the E and S.
I've tried to call Amber a few times but had no luck. There are no public phones here a Sampson Cay. We took the dingy in to explore the marina. Rich says it looks the same as when he was here in '92. We looked in the store / restaurant and around the grounds. We were surprised to find 4 small sharks basking in the shallow waters by the dock! We explored the small boating area and then read magazines for a while. Rich thought it looked dark outside and went to check - sure enough black clouds were everywhere! We hurried back to the boat - now its cloudy and breezy - no rain yet. It did rain! The clouds and rain cooled it off nicely. We sat out and read till late. I'm doing Clockwork Orange now. Rich is reading Iris. I saw Texas by Mitchner at the marina. I'll trade some of these Tom Clancy books for it. I just finished The Cardinal. Yesterday I completed the CROSS STITCH ! I just need another skeen of yellow to finish the border and to verify a few birthdates. (I'm not putting the 'years'. :) I heard on the VHF radio that at night a lady caught a 30 lb grouper with a piece of conch. I'll have to try that. :)
We were all ready to dingy in for ice and trade books when I thought maybe we should take the boat in and get water today. Then we heard on the radio that the marina was closed on Sunday and the manager was getting ready to leave so we decided to go sailing and visit the marina another day. We pulled up the anchor at 11 and sailed past Pipe Cay to Fowl Cay. The passage was all deep water but we could see sand banks on both sides. At one point a fish charged the hook Jill was trailing behind. When we pulled it in the hook had broken, it probably was fractured for a while. We could see boats anchored near Compass Cay and some anchored at Bell Island. We anchored in the small cove on the N side and had the place to ourselves. As soon as we anchored Jill looked behind and there was a large barracuda and at least one smaller one. She played with it with the fishing pole for a while. A line of clouds and showers formed just to the W of us and we could see a lot of rain falling but we only got an occasional sprinkle. We had happy hour and ate in the cockpit. A brief shower at 9 sent us below.
Some surge came in from the E which is open to the sound and caused us to roll a bit during the night but we both slept well anyway. In the morning the sky looked fairly clear but shortly after thunder clouds built up in a line just to the E of us and we watched several heavy rain showers move from S to N. The anchorage was small and rolly and I was worried about a storm in this place so we decided to leave. A clear space came along at 11 and we pulled up the anchor and motored back to Sampson. The same 2 sailboats were still there although the one that came in the day before we left pulled up its anchor a few hours later and headed N. A large motor yacht was at one of the moorings and several sport fishing boats went to the dock in the afternoon. The weather remained cloudy but no rain came near us. We could hear thunder to the N. At 4 we went swimming and had happy hour at 5. The sun went down behind a layer of clouds to the NW and another bank is to the SE but it is relatively clear overhead. After dark a fuel tanker came in and made its way to the dock.
At 4 AM a squall came thru and it blew strong from the W, probably 35-40 Kt for half an hour. There was a little rain but not much. The anchorage is open to the W and the waves built up and then it blew over and everything calmed down. We listened to the weather report in the morning and they were reporting another day of unstable air so we decided to take the day off. The tanker had already discharged its fuel and was on the way out when we got up. Staniel was still reporting that they had no fuel. After relaxing and reading Jill did some laundry in a bucket and I changed the engine oil since it was 100 hours since the last change in Marsh Harbor. The hour meter read 1524. I got out the rest of the water jugs and filled them. We looked at the water tank in the morning and it looked almost full but it ran dry half way thru filling the last jug. We will have to get water tomorrow. After lunch we relaxed and listened to Rush and then took a swim. I started for the anchors but as I got to the front of the boat I froze with shock. There was a big barracuda just under the front part of the boat. He looked at me and I looked at him. He did not seem disturbed or aggressive so we watched him for a while and then I swam to the anchor giving him a wide berth. The CQR had turned 90 deg and dragged about 2’ before resetting. We felt a lot cooler after swimming and had happy hour.
We left here and went to Foul Cay. On the way into the anchorage I caught
a big fish - almost. I was trolling by hand and we were passing some shallows. I
saw the fish roll. I had him as close as the dingy. He was blue/green - Dolphin?
Barracuda ? Anyway, he broke the big hook on the spinnaker! Fowl Cay was a small
anchorage. A large barracuda was immediately under the boat, about 3'.
The weather also got cloudy - lightning on the horizon. The next morning
Rich decided to go back to Sampson Cay - so we did :). It was into the wind so
we motored all the way. We were back here by 1:30 PM - had lunch - swam -
relaxed. :) During the night a BIG wind storm came up. Probably 40 mph gusts -
some rain. The fuel barge was at Sampson's and so we had pretty good light. It
blew good and strong for an hour. (about 3 - 4 AM) We took inventory today -
Rich rearranged supplies. We plan to get fuel and water tomorrow and head for
the Park! Mid-afternoon we went for a swim. A very large barracuda was under the
bow of the boat! Rich told me and I went to see and this vicious looking fish
face was peering at him from the front of the keel. Needless to say, we gave him
his space! We mostly stayed near the back of the boat. Rich swam out to check
the anchors and gave him plenty of birth. Later I threw in my small line and he
came to give it a once over - then went back under the Phoenix!
My Grandma Sima and Mom would be proud t see the laundry I hung out this morning. Every life line was a rainbow of colors. :) When we go into Sampson Marina tomorrow I'm going to trade for a few books - Texas by Mitchner is on their trade shelf.
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