Sailing to the Abacos- Days 1-5 (as told by Virginia Moore)

Our Crew:

(Rob, Nadine, Virginia and Curtis)

T-minus One Day: January 10, 2013

Arrival in Eleuthera

Curtis and I arrived at Rock Sound, Eleuthera at 4:30 on Weds the 10^th.  Nadine picked us up from the airport, along with several other people headed to the Island School.   The first lesson I learned is that in the Bahamas you can’t ride shotgun on the right side of the vehicle, because that’s where the steering wheel is.  

The drive to The Island School took us about 30 minutes, and with Curtis and me riding up front, Nadine gave us a tour of Eleuthera from the vantage of the only road on the mile-wide island.  The Queens Highway appears on all the islands, equating to Main Street.   Eleuthera has two intersections, and we were headed for the southernmost fork in the road, where we headed east to Cape Eleuthera, former home of a resort, and now the biggest sustainability project in the Bahamas.  Operating under a Net Zero philosophy, the school recycles or reuses all waste produced, including bodily waste.  The school is virtually off the grid, with all energy consumed coming from the multitude of solar panels that line the rooftops and form parking bays.   Water is also heated by solar.

The Island School (notice the solar panels)

Curtis and had our first glimpse of our new home that first night under a new moon curtain of gleaming stars.  The Fishers Hornpipe is a 40-ft ferro cement, full-hulled cutter sloop, 55 ft if you count the front and back.   The interior hosts three cabins sleeping 6, a workshop area for maintenance and repairs, and a beautiful main galley with a horse-shoe bench built into the stern, overlooking an open kitchen.   The interior is worked over with beautiful wood accents, shelving and inlays.   Windows and skylights provide light and breezes.   The engine runs on diesel and charges the two 12 vt batteries, as does a small solar panel on deck.   The heavy hull stabilizes the boat as it cuts through the waves.

DAY 1: January 11, 2013

The Island School on Cape Eleuthera to Governor’s Harbor in west-central Eleuthera:

We set sail from the Island School on Cape Eleuthera around 10am, only an hour behind schedule.  We had aimed to leave at 9 during the high tide when we could get over some shallow areas, and leaving when we did meant the prevailing winds and the current were not in our favor.  With the addition of a years worth of algae, barnacles, oysters, and goodness knows what else growing on the hull, we made only 1.2 knots for much of the time.   There was a significant amount of navigation to get through some shallow areas, so we opted to motor for the first few hours before hoisting the sails when we turned north into the deep water and bee-lined it for Governors Harbor.  

Sailing for Governors Harbor, Eleuthera

The sailing was easy and quiet, with a steady easterly breeze of 15 knots.   The sun was out, and we listened to reggae and chit chatted.  Curtis and I explored the boat and enjoyed dipping our feet in the surf on the leeward port side.   We all took turns at the helm, and Curtis and I practiced steering toward points on the horizon while using the GPS to keep on target.   Later in the afternoon, Nadine and I got out our paints.   I made a painting of clouds in the west as the sun set from the stern.

We dropped sail as we angled in to Governors Harbor, with Nadine steering, and Rob showing Curtis and I how to bundle the sails.   We found a mooring, and Rob and Curtis dove into the water to wrap the anchor there.  Nadine and I also took a quick dip, reminding ourselves that the somewhat chilly water was much, much warmer than any water in Lander, WY, or Canada.   Music was emanating from shore, where a BBQ was commencing.   It was Friday night, and the sounds of Bahamian “rake and scrape” were spun by a local DJ.   Our deflated canvas dingy known as “Dingy Bob” hung lifeless off the stern, where a fresh layer of caulking dried along his seams.   With no way to get to shore dry, we opted to remain on the FHP and make our own dinner and play dominos as the DJ spun island sounds. As we fell asleep in our bunks, the DJ opted for the timeless sound of Michael Jackson to lull us to sleep, and played on well into the night.

DAY 2: January 12, 2012

Governor’s Harbor in central Eleuthera to the Current Cut on Northern Eleuthera:

We set sail from Governors Harbor around 7am, well before the party-goers woke from their slumber on shore.   We headed west out of the harbor, then north-west towards “the current cut”, a gap of around 300 ft dividing Eleuthera Island on the East, and Current Island to the West.   Along the way Rob noticed a dolphin swimming along the starboard side.  The curious creature inspected the boats hull, then swam around the bow to the port side, surveying our progress, but soon swam away.   Didn’t have a chance to snap a photo, but we were all thrilled.

FHP approaches the "cut" with Rob at the helm

GPS of the FHP sailing through the cut!

We made it to the cut at 2pm with Rob at the helm.   This little novelty came highly recommended by his father “R Mac”, who had swum the current cut many years before.   We literally sailed through the cut at a whopping 7 knots, the current speeding us along through the narrow, deep channel.   The sides were high rock walls promising plentiful aquatic life and excellent snorkeling.   We anchored to the North-east of the cut, and quickly lunched, eager to get in the water.

We snorkeled through the cut 3 times.  By the third time the current had switched directions, and it was more like a swimming treadmill than a ride.  Nadine found an octopus curled up on the sea floor about 3ft down.   It was so camouflaged against the white sand and speckled rocks that I couldn’t even see it until she reached out and poked it gently.  Rob is a great spear-fisherman, and is able to hold his breath for several minutes while diving after fish.   He saw some snapper, but ended up spearing 2 lionfish, an invasive species that happens to be pretty good eating.  We saw lots of fish, including a black grouper, a damsel fish juvenile, a sting ray, butterfly fish, needle fish, scrawled file fish, blue-heads and some moon jellys, among countless other species we are not advanced enough to identify.  The current along the edge of the channel seemed so gentle and fun that Curtis and I wondered why the guide book recommended the current cut to “expert swimmers only”.

We swam back to the boat as the sun approached the horizon, and Nadine and I were able make a quick painting of sunset and approaching clouds before it got too dark to see.   Rob fixed up a delicious dinner of deep fried lionfish, with black bean burritos and salsa.  Yum!!   We played a couple rounds of hearts until our eyes were too heavy to read the numbers.   It was 9pm.  Time for bed after a great day!

DAY 3: January 13, 2013

The Current Cut on Northern Eleuthera to Royal Island harbor.

We had a slow, easy morning on the Fishers Hornpipe.   Rob fixed up a delicious breakfast of banana pancakes and spicy fried potatoes.   (Seems like he’s been doing quite a bit of cooking!)

Then we headed out for some exercise involving swimming the cut and jogging back around to swim it again. Rob saw a turtle. The current was picking up.  Nadine, Curtis and I got swept into the main current in the middle of the 300 ft channel.   The current was very powerful, and it dawned on me we could get swept out to sea!   I started to get pretty tired (and a bit scared!) as we were swimming without flippers.  We were swept past the main pull-out area, but were able to make it to shore, with lots of encouragement from the team.  It was definitely for advanced swimmers!   We jogged back to the put in, and jumped in again, this time swimming close to the bank where the current wasn’t so strong. 

Rob, Nadine and Curtis led me through an intensive “boot camp” workout.  I guess this is an added benefit that I was not expecting!   We swam the current, went for a jog back to the beginning, swam again, jogged again, added calisthenics, then swam back to the boat.  When they said, “do 40 reps”, I did about 25… These friends are very healthy and strong, and it is an inspiration!!   Good way to start of the new years resolutions.

In the afternoon, we sailed to Royal Island, which took about 4 hrs.   Royal Island has a beautiful protected harbor, and there were about 4 other sailboats there, several were Canadian.   Nadine and I swam to shore and explored some old ruins from a long gone resort.   We walked down a dirt road about a quarter mile and saw the Atlantic Ocean and a green heron on the other side.

The Ruins on Royal Island

Nadine and I got out our painting supplies and made a painting of the ruins.   It was beautiful, with colorful flowers (bougainvilleas?)   The buildings were made of old limestone with painted tile floors.   Trees grew up the walls, and plants sprouted from the rooftop.   Curtis joined us after spending some time scrubbing sea-life off the keel with Rob.   At sunset we returned to the boat and settled in for the night.  

VA enjoys a cold beer on Royal Island with FHP in background

DAY 4:  January 14, 2013

Royal Island Harbor to Leonard “Skinnard” Cay on South-Eastern Abacos.

We decided on a midnight departure for Abacos.  We would be working in 3 hr shifts, beginning with Rob and me, then switching to Nadine and Curtis.   The trek was expected to take 14 hrs, but we made it in 11 by “motor sailing”, and kept a speed of about 5 kts.   Going at that speed helped even out the waves and made steering easier. We saw 5 huge cruise ships lit up like Christmas lights, traveling in row like ducks, and seven shooting stars.   I made a rookie mistake, and left my windows open, so my bed in the boats bow got soaked.   Curtis and I enjoyed using the stars as points of reference to help us navigate.   Looking at sky, we felt that we and stars were the only things standing still, while the waves and water and boat pitched wildly around like a magic carpet.

The sea was choppy, with rolling waves.   The boat pitched forward and backwards, up and down, then rocked side to side as it slid down waves.   Unfortunately Nadine gets seasick, and this bouncy ride gave her quite a case.   After three hours on the rolling water, she was heaving into a bucket…   But bravely she took the helm, and tried to work through it.   She has several techniques for coping with seasickness.   My favorite is that she will walk around the boat with her eyes closed to avoid seeing everything moving.  This means she gets bounced back and forth blindly as she gropes for handholds through the cabin.   She is a brave woman, and although she might have wished to throw herself overboard that night, she toughs it out for the love of adventure and exploration.

The sun came up at 6:56am.   Later in the morning we saw 7 or 8 sailboats in a row, they all passed us on the right, and must have left from the Abacos that morning, but not as early as us.   We pulled in at 11:30am to the very first anchor spot available at Leonard Cay.   Dingy Bob was patched and seemed to be holding air, so we rode him to shore and walked around on the “Death Rock” picking up sponges.   

The crew surveys the Atlantic Ocean and "Death Rock"

Nadine collects sea sponges

The FHP harbored at Leonard Cay

The FHP and neighbor at Leonard Cay

We got to back to the boat in a drizzle, and around 5:15, Nadine wondered, “Is it too early to start dinner?”   “No!” we all cried.   We were starving and exhausted.   Rob made a great meal of egg fried rice with veges, and we devoured it, and soon hit the sack. 

DAY 5:  January 15, 2013

 Leonard Cay to Marsh Harbor, Abacos:

This morning Nadine and I got up early painted the morning light.   Then we sailed north between the eastern Cays and Great Abaco Island to the west.   Lots of hidden sandbars and shallow areas made navigation tricky.   Nadine did a great job steering through the switchbacks.  We tacked left and right, and were able to hoist the Genoa jib.  

The FHP with Main sail, Staysail, and Geonoa Jibs

The FHP heads downwind at full sail

Virginia rides the waves on the bow sprit

Curtis on the bow sprit about the hoist the Genoa sail

We are here in Marsh Harbor!   We are here to restock our food supply, get on the internet, and pick up two new crewmembers.   We are excited to welcome Ted and Shana from Bozeman, MT!!   We will have dinner in town tonight, and I hope to try my first “cracked conk”, a local specialty.   We don’t have a plan for tomorrow yet, but I imagine it involves sailing…  We are operating on island time, and are blowing with the wind…

Boats harbored in Marsh Harbor, Great Abacos, Bahamas