Docked in Nassau

All kinds of information go into making a decision about a longer passage. In this case we had to leave our mooring in Hope Town around noon, high tide was at 1PM (necessary to make our way out the long, shallow, narrow channel), the reef cut out of the Abaco Sound needed to be passable and weather conditions for the passage, do-able. A cold front was arriving the next morning bringing some higher winds and possible thunderstorms so we wanted to be at our destination around dawn. Eleuthra was difficult as we needed full daylight to enter the channel there and by that time the weather would have deteriorated so we decided to go to Nassau. The entrance to the harbor there is very wide and deep. We exited the Abacos bank through the north Man-O-War cut and had a clear, sunny day with light winds as we motorsailed south along the reefs. At nightfall we passed Cherokee Landing and Scott heard a call for help over the VHF radio. A fisherman had lost power and was stranded near the reef. His radio was too weak to reach further. Scott arranged for calls to his family and they sent out another boat with help.
It was a clear starry night and the wind started to build, unfortunately mostly right on the nose. This is one of the many times we're glad we have our big heavy boat and engine. For a number of hours we were bucking wildly as we pounded into the wind and waves. As predicted though it veered west later and our sails filled, stabilizing the boat. When we entered the New Providence Channel we encountered many huge ships. Tracking their lights and positions on the radar is a full time job for whichever of us is on duty. I always try to get the sunrise on my watch - it's a dramatic, beautiful and longed for event. In this case the lights of Nassau were welcoming us ahead as well. We rounded the lighthouse and shot up the channel at 7:20AM.
At this point the winds were 20 plus knots and gusty. The first anchorage was full and many of the boats were dragging and trying to reset their anchors. We tried three times to set ours on the opposite side but when we finally appeared set, a barge operator ordered us to move. We gave up there and tried another anchorage to the south. There the currents and difficult entrance made it equally hard.
 We did manage to settle ourselves but we were not comfortable. In addition our outboard wasn't working and it was clear we could not row to shore with the difficult currents. We threw the budget considerations out the window and called the Nassau Boat Haven.
Maneuvering into a slip there with the wind and the currents was very exciting. I had so much adrenalin in me after we tied up, I had to lie down. It was fantastic to step out onto that solid dock! Scott and I had a wonderful lunch at their restaurant and then went fast to sleep.

So we're waiting here for Sean's arrival on Wednesday, the 15th. Our "to do" list is enormous but we're slowly checking off each item. After a morning of work, we take long walks and explore Nassau and Paradise Island. We visited the Atlantis Resort and took a time share sales pitch in return for dinner at one of their restaurants. It's quite a complex!
We've met a number of couples here and several old friends of ours are on their way from Florida. We spend an hour plus each day keeping track of the weather and it looks good for heading across the banks to the Exuma chain on Thursday or Friday after Sean arrives. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Underway again!

We have been enjoying ourselves for this last week as we get the boat back in shape after its winter lay-up. Yesterday we went to a Barefoot Man concert at Nippers, our favorite Abacos beach bar. The pictures here show the front deck and the beach on another quieter day. We didn't want to have our camera with us at this party! We were there with about three thousand of our closest Abacos friends, quite a nice day. Scott was particularily enjoying himself as "Show me your tits!" is
one of the entertainer's key phrases. Marti Gras strings of beads were flying everywhere when as you may know, items of clothing were lifted to reveal several usually covered body parts.

 We took a ferry over from Hope Town as the anchorage there was packed. Several women in their seventies joined us on the ferry and were a lot of fun. Everyone danced, drank and ate the generous pig roast dinner. And happily we had the ferry captain to drive us all home.

Our outboard is one of our most important items needing repair - we've been doing a lot of rowing meanwhile. We were planning on staying here for a few more days to work on our outboard. The repair parts arrived, but it seems that the trade winds, which have been weak so far, will be filling in later in the week. This would make the trip to Nassau unpleasant then.
So, off we go on an 18 hour overnight to Nassau while the getting is good.
It will be our first passage since mid-November. Hopefully, we remember how to do it!

Back on "Scott Free" again

It's been three months since we left our boat during which we visited our families and friends up north and in California. Scott did some consulting work and I taught skiing at Okemo. It had generally been a milder than usual winter but on the day we left it was 8 degrees. We left our coats in the car and ran for the terminal. Our three flight segments from Boston to Marsh Harbour on February 27 went smoothly for us but not our luggage. We had tried to carefully weigh our three black duffel bags to make the 50 lb limit each but they went over the limits at checkin. Luckily we were able to stuff our carry on bags with the smallest heaviest elements until they were acceptable. Our fourth piece was the lovely folding carriage that Zoe and George gave us for Christmas. All four didn't make our last flight to the Bahamas and arrived at various times the next day.
Our boat survived it's winter rather well. A tribe of lizards had made their home under our dinghy and it took two days of cleaning inside and out to make it shine again, but now we're just spending time fixing all the normal breakage. The stuffing box leaked and needed to be tightened (very difficult access), our outboard motor gear shift wouldn't budge and our electric windless (this pulls up the anchor) was dead. These are just the big items. Still, "it's a boat", as everyone is fond of reminding us.

We stayed at the boat yard two days and then anchored for two days in Marsh Harbour. Provisioning was a lot easier with our new cart! At one point it held four cases of juice and soda, a bag of laundry and three bags of groceries. There is WIFI available in the harbor and we made voice over internet calls to many people right from our boat. This is an amazing change from last year when we had trouble calling home even from the local pay phone. .
Our new kyack was rescued from the customs office at a cost of $380 (the boat only cost $790) and six hours of running about filling out forms. A front loader carried it to the edge of the freight dock and we paddled it back to the dinghy dock. We've already used this extensively as the outboard isn't working and our dinghy doesn't row very well
On Friday we sailed over to Hope Town on Elbow Cay and tied up to a mooring under the candy red and white striped light house. This charming small enclosed harbor is packed with boats, many here for most of the winter. Pastel hued small cottages line the harbor and we arrived just in time for "Heritage Day".
The whole community turned out for parades (on land and through the harbor), and fete type activities. Scott and I had our first swim of the season over at the miles long white beach. The water was 75 degrees - about the same as the air. It's been dropping down in the 60's at night and we're using at least one blanket
Most of the time though Scott is trying to fix our broken items. Parts for the outboard are arriving on Tuesday (hopefully) and he's got every tool and manual out trying to diagnose the problem with the windless. Pulling the anchor up by hand yesterday was a laborious and time consuming process . The stuffing box has been fixed and our bilge pumps are no longer laboring, so that's one down.
We met a terrific couple from Columbia and enjoyed their company before we left. Luis and Natalia are cruising on their small but well equiped "Vagamundo". The four of us walked around one end of the island on the beaches and enjoyed drinks and appetisers on their boat the next evening.

We hope to leave Tuesday for Little Harbour at the end of the Abacos and then sail the 55 miles down to Spanish Wells near Eleuthera on Wednesday, but we'll see. From there it's a day sail over to Nassau to pick up Sean on March 15. He'll be with us until the 24th as we cruise down through the Exuma chain to Georgetown. Diane and Mitch are joining us there on April 1 and we plan to go through the Turks and Caicos to the Dominican Republic with them.

Getting ready to go back aboard

In just one week we will be jetting back to the Abacos! We have had a great three months ashore but now I am feeling a little desperate about all the last minute items we need to do before leaving. I got my ham license a few weeks ago - KB1-NBD! I thought about getting a 2-meter hand held to talk to the local hams on our way but decided to wait on that. I just bought a high-power WiFi card and a new laptop to help us keep in touch. That, along with a Voice Over IP telephone service, a new four-band GSM cell phone and Skype should do the trick. Heather is busy provisioning food and supplies. It is with equal parts anticipation and dread that I look forward to being back underway.

Holidays and work ashore

Heather and Scott returned from the Bahamas to New England early December and will be here till February 27. Having the time here for family, friends, holidays and some work is important. The boat is safe on the hard in Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, awaiting our return.

Spinaker Aloft!

Just before we sailed into the Marsh Harbor Boatyard, we had the perfect opportunity to raise the spinaker we'd been storing below (and protecting our rowing machine out on the porch in Vermont for a year). We had a light steady breeze from behind and no other boat around. We lowered the dinghy while underway: Scott got in it with the camera. I sailed the boat and he took pictures. We used one on our boat cards. Not long after, we returned from the Bahamas to New England and will be there till February 27. Having time for family, friends, holidays and some work is important. The boat is safe on the hard in Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, awaiting our return.

Two Snow Birds Head South Again

Scott using the hose to wash the mud off the anchor as
the windless pulls it up

Well we tried to head south...but ran into a major snag. During our visit to Glouchester we took a sail over to Salem Harbor on 8/20 with Gail, her friend Marge, Harvey, Carol and Jonathan. We were maneuvering in a packed harbor to pick up a mooring when suddenly the boat stopped responding to the wheel and throttle.
"Turn right!", Scott shouted from the bow.
I explained and a quick swim (after shutting off the motor) confirmed that the shaft had pulled out of the engine. We were lucky we didn't lose the propeller. We anchored quickly but it wasn't a good spot. Luckily the Mid Harbor launch crew towed us to a mooring for the night and Bill drove down and picked us up.

Some of our neighbors at the Glouchester anchorage

Scott, Marge and Gail at anchor in Glouchester

Harvey and I 

Sunset at anchor Solomon's Island

Our cabin is a cozy place after a long day at sea.

The moonrise while at anchor off
Deltaville Marina

These shots here and below were taken on the Alligator
River Canal , north of Beaufort, NC

We couldn't have picked a better spot to have this happen. The Dion Boatyard was in Salem and we were hauled there. H & H Propeller was located right next door. It took a month to grind a new shaft and install it but on 9/22 we had the boat back in the water. We didn't know it then, but problems with the propeller were to haunt us for the next several years until we finally replaced it. It was too small for the boat/motor - although the recommended size by the manufacturer.
We had to be in Annapolis by 10/4 for a 3 day Weather Seminar run by the SSCA so that put us on a tight schedule. After a few days at Brown's provisioning and making small repairs, we were off on an two night sail down to Newport, R.I. The first night I had some nervous moments entering the Cape Cod canal in the dark. A few minutes later I was in the center of the canal approaching the first bridge, confused by the bright lights everywhere when a huge barge came straight at me from under the bridge. Wow - did I turn that boat fast for the edge. The rest of the clear moon lit night was lovely and so was the next one.

In our rush to get south we often had long days motoring
sometimes till the sun had already set.

We anchored off the Ida Lewis Yacht Club on 9/28. The next day a gale was expected and at the harbor master's suggestion we motored over to mooring #3 further in the harbor - top winds of 29 knots, not so bad and it cleared up that night. So the next morning we were off again and anchored at "The Gulf" behind Charles Island, CT, a lovely spot. An early start got us all the way through the East River, going 11 knots at time with the current, through the harbor and all the way to Sandy Hook, NJ. The next morning we did an overnight down the NJ coast rounding Cape May at 6am and up the Deleware River. It was a beautiful clear night and we had a positive current most of the way up the river - very different from our horror story fly infested first time doing this. Scott Free was in a slip at the Summit North Marina in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal by 2pm 10/3. They had a courtesy shuttle for shopping and I did 4 loads of laundry. Scott cleaned the boat and we left again the next morning and by 6:45pm we were following racing cadets from Annapolis Naval Academy into the harbor. We anchored off the academy but a few days later moved the boat up to Weems Creeks when the weather turned bad.  Our meeting with Jimmy Cornell one morning was a challenge as we tried to dinghy to it in terrible conditions and were so late, he took another client. Happily he accepted our apologies and we had 1 and 1.5 hours of his time discussing our plans for cruising. He gave us a lot of good advice and was such an interesting person to talk to. Of course we attended the boat show, the SSCA Gam as volunteers this time and the Weather Seminar. Luckily the weather improved and we were able to return to our closer anchorage. It was a full week.

Autumn colors reflected in the still waters

This "Pink House" always caught our eye south of
Morehead City. Lots of lovely homes along the ICW

Scott in wet suit before diving to untangle our dock line
from the propeller in Wilmington

On 10/13 we pulled anchor and headed south again to Solomon's Island where we found a tight but quiet spot to anchor for two nights to do some shopping and laundry. The next leg was to Deltaville, sailing all the way but finding some rough water off the Potomoc River before entering through the narrow twisting channel to the anchorage off the Marina where we'd been before. We enjoyed guest privileges there the next day using their courtesy car and bicycles to explore and shop. We were also able to fill up our water tanks at the dock.
The next few days we moved fast, anchoring off Hospital point, Coinjock Marina and our favorite, Tuckahoe Point, all with sunny warm days and a nice breeze.
The Alligator River was so beautiful, many photos here, and we saw 2 bears in a tree! Our next anchorage at Broad Creek at mile 74 was nice until the mosquitoes arrived - first time for awhile that happened. Still sunny and warm the next day to Morehead Yacht Basin where we used another courtesy car to the supermarket and Boater's World. We stayed there two nights and I did loads of laundry and cleaned. Walked over to Beaufort and had dinner one night - scary walk over the bridge in the dark.
On 10/23 we made it back to Beach House Marina in Surf City but left the next morning as the weather was deteriorating and we had to make some decisions. A hurricane was heading up the coast and after much deliberations we decided to go out of our way up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington, NC. We got a spot on the town dock and tied up carefully. This is a beautiful town and our two days there were all too short. We were very impressed with the architecture, restaurants, shops and nice people.

Our Second Trip to Maine

A parade of boats in Burnt Coat Harbor

We didn't have a lot of time to spend in Maine as it's a long trip south to the Chesapeake for the Annapolis Boat Show and it gets cold up north early. Our two big dates were the Swan's Island Music Festival and the SSCA Gam in Islesboro. We  have gone to the first several times, last year in our own boat and this would be our second time at the GAM.
At our last posting we were in Kent Cove, Fox Island Thoroughfare. We waited in the morning for the fog to clear and then on our way to Stonington we picked up a lobster buoy on the rudder. Scott needed to dive (in his full wet suit) to cut it away.

Our beautiful Scott Free at anchor watching the parade.

Views from the trail at Fort Point Cove

We stayed for lunch and managed to get rid of our trash, but no market or laundromat. There were severe thunderstorm warnings on the weather VHF. We dodged some big ones and anchored at 5:15 in Burnt Coat Harbor, Swan's Island. We had only 2 nights to spend as various problems had delayed us sailing north. We lucked out and got tickets for one of the nights - they were sold out the other. There are surprise music happenings during the day as well as sea chanteys being sung on boats sailing through the harbor. Bob DeFeyter and "Bobcat" were anchored nearby and we had him and his guests Frank and Tasha Jost over for dinner the second night.
On 8/4 we left at 11am and sailed over on a beautiful clear day to Camden. We stayed only a couple of hours to shop and get our email at their beautiful library. We left late in the afternoon and motor sailed over to Broad Cove in Islesboro. It took us 2 tries but we managed to anchor there by 6pm and pick up lobsters from "Destiny". It was a wonderful meal.
The next night was the dinghy roundup (one dinghy anchors and the others all tie up to each other - we must have had 20 dinghies) cocktail hour, a hilarious time really trying to pass hors d'oeuves from rocking dinghy to dinghy while balancing drinks. Unfortunately it was cut short by an approaching thunderstorm. Everyone got back safely to their boats.
Sunday is the great pot luck with various presentations on boat stuff and round the world sailors. Richard and Kathy DeGrasse host this every year at their home. They spend their winters in Marathon, FL and were to see them there many times in the future.

A quintissential Maine scene, schooner and light house.

On Monday we motored over to Belfast, pulled up to the town dock, took on water and got rid of our trash. After picking up a mooring we toured the town and at 3pm continued on to Searsport. We intended to anchor there but the wind had picked up and it was uncomfortable so we kept on around the point to Fort Point Cove, peaceful and calm. The next morning we explored the fort remains and the unusual lighthouse. Trails led us along the coast with beautiful views of the water and Scott Free.
It was calm now in Searsport so we were able to pick up a free mooring from the museum and see that charming town for a few hours before sailing on to anchor for two nights in a beautiful cove SW of Castine between Nautilus and Holbrook islands. We spent a free day there at anchor cleaning and sewing. Our dinghy ride into the town for sightseeing and lunch was quite a ways and very rough returning in 15-20 knots of wind. It tested the stability of our little dinghy for sure.
The following day we went to Tenant's Harbor, had lunch at the Cod End Fish Market, took a walk, got our email from the library and bought 2 2.5 lb lobsters for dinner. Unbelievably good! After 2 nights there we were off again to Friendship Harbor where we had a long walk and visited the museum. The next morning off again to Round Pond Harbor where we were able to pick up the "Bud Memorial" mooring for free. Our old friends John Padgett and Wendy Griswold lived nearby and met us for dinner at the restaurant there with their children Ray and Olivia.
After two nights we circled the peninsula and took a mooring at Christmas Cove right off the Coveside Restaurant - the scene of many wonderful dinners visiting John and Wendy. They came over with Wendy's sister Gail and husband Bob to have dinner aboard at our next stop, Boothbay Harbor where we got a mooring from the Tugboat Inn after filling up with water at their docks.
It was getting time to head south again - much too short a time in Maine for sure. The next morning we left early and went straight to the Isle of Shoals off Portsmouth, N.H. and luckily were able to pick up a free mooring as it was 7:45pm. We were just in time to see the sunset and eat a happily already prepared dinner.
At dawn we witnessed a bathing ceremony on Star Island. With lots of cheering and coaxing everyone managed to jump off the dock and get out of the water FAST. Then we were off again and had a quick passage back to Glouchester. Passing by Harvey and Gail's house we got them on the cell phone and they watched us sail by with all of us waving. For the first time we anchored in the inner harbor - fun watching all the boats - for a few days.

The SSCA GAM in Islesboro, some of the cruiser crowd

Searsport - a lovely green surrounded by charming cottages and the old fashioned hotel line the waterfront

The lighthouse at Fort Point from the sea

And from the land

Scott admiring the bell

Scott Free at anchor through the trees

Sunsets are beautiful while on the water

Scott hard at work at his sewing machine.

Belhaven to Maine

Sean, James, Brent, Scott, Joshua and Daniel - The Garren Men

We returned to Bel Haven, N.C. after James' graduation and some time at Tall Timbers in Vermont. I was alone at the house when a serious thunderstorm struck. Scott had called me to warn me and a minute later I heard a roaring sound. I ran to the front of the house and saw the wind come across the lake, creating a wave, and then the tall pines at the waterfront started to crack and fall. I ran to the other end of the house fearing the ones closest to the house would fall on it. They didn't.

James' Graduation from Marlboro College, VT

It took quite a while for Scott and the boys to get back as the roads were closed and the telephones and electricity were out. They were a bit worried. I was alright and so was our house, but trees fell on the boathouse and canoe.
It took a while to clean up the mess. But we had fun visiting Montreal and the Barns in Essex, NY with Sean for a week.
Then we headed back to the boat to get it north before hurricane season. A few days in Bel Haven to prepare the boat and we tried to leave early in the morning but couldn't get out of the slip - stuck in the mud. Finally after an hour of rocking back and forth we pulled out. After two nights at our favorite stops we entered Norfork, VA where we had an exciting Fourth of July celebration anchored just off the hospital. The fireworks went off right over our head.
The next day we sailed over the tunnel section of the Chesapeake Bridge and started a three day journey to Newport, R.I.

with good weather. It didn't hold however and we battled wind and rain as we tried to round Long Island. The wind was coming straight at us and so were a group of fishing boats we could see on our radar (no visability outside and it was the middle of the night). They wouldn't answer us on the VHF and we had a hard time getting around them. Meanwhile the boat is bashing up and down.
"Do we need to get to Newport tomorrow", I said.
"What do you mean?"
"How about heading west to NYC and getting in the shelter on Long Island"

"You don't have to say it twice" He was out at the wheel and I trimmed the sails for a much easier reach and we said good-bye to those nasty fishermen. It meant 2 additional nights before reaching Newport but they were in comfort. And we got to sail into NYC at dawn - a beautiful sight.
It was an easy trip up the East River with the correct timing and a nice sail up Long Island Sound. We had friends waiting there - Roger and Francoise on "Starship Annie" and we took turns having dinner aboard both boats. My ski instructor buddy DeeDee  and her husband Eli Watson-Simon came aboard for dinner one night and she treated us to a great lunch out.

From there we sailed to Quisset Harbor where we took a mooring for a few days to visit Karen and Ted in Falmouth. Then off to Nantucket in the heavy fog. It was eerie and a little scary to hear the high speed ferry pass close to us in the channel and not even see them a bit. We made our way into the harbor slowly and carefully and picked up an empty mooring. Nantucket was a beautiful sight the next morning in the sunshine. We rented bikes and toured all over the island for a few days.
We returned to Quisset for a few nights. Russ and Ted joined Scott for a day trip over to Cuddyhunk and then through the Canal. We planned to stop in Scitate

Bel Haven has many lovely homes along the waterfront

The sun hits a skyscraper in Portsmouth
just across from Norfork.

once more but we "stopped" right outside the harbor when the engine cut off. No luck getting it restarted, it was getting dark and we aren't comfortable with sailing through a narrow channel and into a packed harbor. So Boat US to the rescue and thank goodness. They put us right on a mooring.

Sunset at anchor Duck Island Roads, N. Clinton, CT

Next day Scott replaced the impeller and we were off, back to Boston Harbor Marina. It was 7/22. We left Bel Haven on 7/2. Six days later after making some repairs we left and headed overnight to Portland, Maine. We left Scott Free at the Portland Yacht Services while we attended Sean's Family Weekend at Dartmouth (Sophomores spend the summer at Dartmouth). Once back we set sail again north at 6:45am 8/1 and by 6pm that night were anchored in Kent Cove, Fox Island Thoroughfare after a day often in thick fog.
More on our month in Maine in the next posting.

Russ and Marty Wolf on Ted and Karen's beautiful
front porch in Falmouth