Berry Island Club to Morgan's Bluff

May 15, 2013

Today the winds were forecast 17-22kts out of the ENE, swinging more to the east tomorrow. I decided to follow my two sailboat friends into Morgan's Bluff, and the quiet anchorage there, which is a nice spot to be, except when the wind has a northerly component.

The following seas aft of my port quarter made for an easy ride, and by 1100 we were safely anchored in the SE corner of the bay, in good holding sand. I saw some grass on the bottom, but just dodged those spots. The wind picked up considerably during the afternoon, before it swung more to the east, putting a slow swell into the bay. The timing of our trip was great.

I defrosted my refrigerator, hoping it will cool a little better, and then set about exploring.

While the wind was blowing, Mercy-dog and I took the Whaler to the beach in the far SE corner. Walking up the bank to the east reveals a gravel road, turn 100 feet to the right, and it meets a paved road. Turn left 100 yards on the paved road, and you see a sign marking Henry Morgan's Cave. The cave is to the right. There are several little sinks, which puts daylight in the top of the cave in a few places. Legend has it that the pirate Henry Morgan hid his treasure here. Nobody confesses to knowing what happened to it.




If you continue on the paved road past the cave, you come to the closed up water plant facility. Until a couple of years ago, Nassau sent water tankers to Andros for fresh water to support its population. When they island of New Providence went to desalination facilities, the waterage facility was retired.







It was a little bit of a sad walk for me, to see the thriving water facility shut down, the buildings boarded up, and a couple of sunken boats alongside the pier.







My uncle had been instrumental in the development and operation of that facility years ago. He had told me stories of the wonderful times he'd had at Morgan's Bluff.  I wish I had asked him more about it before his death..

From the end of the paved road at the water facility, you can loop back along the pier and the bay front along the gravel road, and when you intersect where you joined it from the beach, your loop is completed. It is a nice walk.




I grilled pork chops, potatoes, and onions, and, as I listen to Mercy-dog snoring away, think I'll call it an early night.

Berry Island Club and clearing Customs and Immigration

May 14, 2013

The forecast winds blew out of the NE around 25-ish at about 0100. I got up to look at the radar, and wondered how the bands of rain, that I had hoped to de-salt the boat, had passed all around me, never raining on our little band of brothers at all.

I went into the dock around 0830 to get a ride with Howard to the airport to clear Customs. Two couples, off two sailboats; the Full Deck, and Simpatico, and I, piled into Howard's pick-up truck for the bumpy ride across the island.

 

The interior scrub of the island looks a lot like the undeveloped areas of the lower Keys, except with a little more elevation. The ride was long enough that I was glad that I wasn't walking. Howard claimed he was familiar enough with the potholes in the road that he could find them all.

It was a little disconcerting that the vehicle that we were riding in had no brakes, but, fortunately, we went around the only hill in the way, and the potholes kept us from developing too much momentum on the slopes. I commented that I was glad that I was sitting in the middle, so that those near the doors could leap out to slow the vehicle if necessary.

I wish I had taken my camera. As we approached a low area, as in sea-level low, there was a sign with an arrow pointing to the right that said, "Danger, Blue Hole." Howard told us that several hundred feet of that road are frequently awash, and the sign was to direct vehicles from driving into the blue hole when the road is submerged.

Clearing Customs and Immigration was interesting. (Note, it would be tremendously easy for me to use the term "fiasco" had I not decided that I would do my best to keep this a positive blog.) I had filled out all my paperwork, with the exception of the fishing permit, which I didn't have, while underway on the crossing. One of the sailboats had their paperwork, and one didn't. They were informed that Customs does not have the forms, that they need to come from the marina (a long way on a pot-holed road with a spring-free, brake-free truck. I have never seen a bureaucratic office without forms, but, I have seen Officers arrive on scene without them. I dug in my backpack, and managed to produce all but one of the necessary blank forms for that couple.



The Officer rebuked Howard and sent him to Chub Cay Marina, which is closer, for the additional errant form. She even lent Howard her truck, since he didn't want to go down the hill in his truck. My fellow sailors were grateful to not have to return again.

While I try to have my little duckies in a row, I must admit than anticipation of meeting the dreaded official had me in trepidation. I realized in horror that I had not brought a pen to sign the necessary places on the forms in her presence, and begged one from one of my fellow miscreants. 

My visit to the principals office only got me demerits for not placing my immigration form inside my passport to hand it to her, rather than including it in the swath of papers as I had. When she insisted I hadn't given her a form, I would say that, "Yes ma'am, it is there," and she would eventually find it. She complained that I had an illegible form (faxed that way to me from the Department of Agriculture, Nassau) for the Import of Domestic Animals for my service dog, Mercy. 

I believe in trying to be prepared, respectful, and confident, even though my confidence had waned considerably in the hour long wait for clearing the two couples ahead of me. When she chastised me for not having the import receipt, my confidence was back in place. "No ma'am, service animals are not charged import duties." 
She smiled at me and cleared me in, for my $300 fee, and limited my stay to 90 days. I can extend that by making another trip to an Immigration Office. Oh well. It was noon by the time we got back to the Berry Island Club.

My sailing partners and I bonded as quickly as any kids who have suffered detention together, and we all placed orders with Howard for dinner tonight at the restaurant. Conch, here I come. I even volunteered to drive the water taxi tonight.

As I went below this afternoon, I was viciously attacked by my bunk, and succumbed to a two hour, well-deserved nap. The NE breeze is cool, and it was a perfect afternoon to be on a mooring, napping.

Bahama Bank to Berry Island Club

Monday, May 13, 2013

I woke up around 0630 to a glass calm, slightly hazy, no wind, gorgeous day! The crystal clear water on the Bahamas Bank was spectacular.

Aside from engine room checks, all of my chores waited until we were underway. I listened to the SSB weather, and decided that I would head for Berry Island Club east of Frazer Cay in the Berry Islands to clear Customs, and ride out the high winds forecast for midnight.

I lost my glass calm before 0900, though the gentle SE wind made for an easy ride. I spent an hour or more on the bow, wondering when I was going to take the time to stop and dive some of the miscellaneous coral heads scattered around. It seems like I'm always in a hurry when I'm passing through here. I did mark a couple of likely looking numbers to return to some day during lobster season.

Today those mangoes that smelled so awful yesterday, smelled delightful, and I cut them up into ziplocks, except for the one I ate.

I came through the Northwest Channel passage at 1315, and kept doing the time calculations to get to Morgan's Bluff, clear Customs, and head for West Bay. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day. I remained headed for the Berry Island Club.

The sun had ice crystals around it for much of the day, though my camera wouldn't allow me to capture the whole circle in its lens. The Tongue of the Ocean was its spectacular blue, though the winds and currents had created a driftline of floating debris on the northern edge of the Tongue, where I was running.

I turned into the channel along the east side of Frazer Key @1535 and went up to Berry Island Club to grab a mooring around 1600-ish. I cruised past several, looking at lines, anchors, and chains before grabbing a likely looking one. Then I took the Whaler and spoke to a couple on the only other boat in the vicinity, to see if they had any info on the conditions of the moorings. While alongside, Howard, the manager of the Berry Island Club, returned from a provisioning trip and assured me that the chains and anchors on all the moorings were new this past year, and just to check the conditions of the floating lines. I returned to the mooring I was already on, and ran an extra line to it for my stay.

Howard cruised by and I made arrangements with him for transport to the Chub Cay airport to clear Customs and Immigration in the morning.

I spent the rest of the evening straightening up the boat as I listened to an audio book. The mooring field eventually attracted three other boats, bringing our floating community to five. A sportfisherman anchored well below us.

I made a mango-banana smoothie, enjoying the rapidly melting ice from the ice chest on the Whaler. Life is good.

63nm travelled today

Berry's to the Abacos

Blog May 28

I departed the Berry's on the 25th, and ran up the outside until I could take a straight shot for the Hole in the Wall, on the southern tip of Abacos. There was enough of an ocean swell running to keep me offshore, though this is definitely a spot I want to come back to in calmer weather.

Looking through the huge hole in the rock is fascinating from offshore, and no doubt more spectacular close up!

*See note below

I intended to go into Little Harbour about sunset, but the sun was in my eyes, and there were breakers all the way across the reef. I decided the first time in would be at another time, and ran instead up to North Bar.

I entered North Bar and anchored for Friday night off Lynard Key, for a gorgeous evening in calm water.

In the morning, we took the 19 ashore at the nearby beach, and swam and Mercy raced up and down the beach enjoying the chance to run.

I ran past the anchored Mercy, and then something told me to go close the doors. I steppped onto the boat and as I did, a bird flew in the other door. It was pretty exciting for a minute while the bird was thumping off the windows, and feathers were flying. I heard a thump, and the bird disappeared. I spent the next minute trying to figure out where the bird had gone, and the following minute to figure out how to get him out of the space between the dash and the console. I carefully picked up the dazed bird, and set him on the roof in the shade. He sat there for about five minutes before he flew off. BTW, I closed the doors!

Then we headed, with the Whaler, to the southwest looking for blue holes, unsucessfully. I did talk to a native, however, who gave me better directions to the seven holes, and I'm waiting for Allen to help me go find them.

About noon I returned to the boat, ate lunch, and got underway up the inside of Abaco Sound. I came up the western side of the sound, and saw a minimum of 8'

I went into Harborview Marina about 1530, where Troy Cornea jumped aboard and helped me tie up. Troy's parents pastored in Marsh Harbour, and ran the Assemblies of God youth camp in Abacos for many years. I saw Bob and Phyllis, and enjoyed visiting with them.

Saturday and Sunday I stayed at the dock in Marsh Harbour, and enjoyed running the air conditioner! It is always nice to wash the boat down, too! I met so many great folks on boats at the marina, including one couple from Summerland Key! that it is hard to leave such a nice place.

The reason I came into Marsh Harbor was to meet Pastor Dieon Gibson and his wife Annette at First Assembly. I attended services there on Sunday morning, and had the opportunity to preach there on Sunday night. What a great service we had. I'm looking forward to visiting some more churches here in Abacos.

A couple of sailboats that had been headed into Exumas that didn't get as far south as they'd anticipated gave me bags of coloring books and toys to give to some kids.  I've brought stuff for kids for years, and am glad some other folks are doing that as well.  What great fun it is so share with others!

Monday I cruised north about ten miles and am anchored off Guana Cay, in a nice cove with two sailboats, both catamarans.  I found a free wi-fi access, bt it is slow enough I can't post photos.  Come back to this post later, and there will be photos!

*It has been reported the Hurricane Sandy took the Hole in the Wall down.  The landmark has been there for as long as any living could remember, and was felled by storm surge. 

Thursday:  The wind is finally calming down a little, and I think I see a speck of blue in the sky!

This boat is the sweetest boat to ride out bad weather on!  I’ve been getting some boat projects done, topped the fresh water tanks off with rain water, after using the first day to wash the boat with it!

This morning I woke up to find this shrimp on the swim platform.  I broke out a rod, since I had fresh bait, but something ate it and escaped.  I need a shrimp trap…  That guy was plenty big to eat.  (Note to my shrimping buddies:  Vicki, Jimmy, he was a hopper! 36-40)

I’m going in to the dock in a few minutes (first time its been doable in two days) to pay my bill and get on the internet.

Tomorrow I plan to work my way northward about fifteen miles, and cross over to Abacos on Saturday or Sunday, when we’re supposed to have a great weather window.  I may explore up the bight here a little later today.

Holed up @ Berry Islands Beach Club

I am on a nice mooring in the Berry Islands While this wind blows itself out.  It is better weather in the Berry’s than the Abacos.


After I left the Keys, and made most of the Gulf Stream crossing in the dark.  There was a lot of ship traffic, and a lot of phosphorescence towards the Bahamian side.  The seas picked up a bit, and I was glad when I came up onto the Banks near Riding Rocks.  I waited an hour or so until daylight to see the rocks, and then began crossing the bank.  After a couple of hours, I anchored up for a few hours of sleep, and then went on through NW Channel, and down to anchor off Morgan's Bluff, Andros to anchor for the night. I went into the channel after dark, but, having been here before, I was familiar with the channel, and most of the channel markers were on station.

I cleared Customs and Immigration the following morning, and pulled pulled my pressure pump on the fresh water system apart, trying to fix the pressure switch that wasn't working properly.  Then I crossed fifteen miles of the gorgeous waters of the Tongue of the Ocean, to anchor between Bird Cay and Frazer’s Cay @25 24. 739N  77 49.900W  I was watching the early Tropical Storm A…, and decided we would be in for a night of blusterymisty rain.  I managed to grill chicken,sweet potatoes, and onions between the squalls.

                      

In the morning, unable to get a good weather forecast, I took the Whaler over to the Berry Island Club, where Harry met me at the dock,and gave me the weather scoop.  I moved the Mercy around to one of their moorings, where I sit, waiting for the wind to ease off a little.

I enjoyed my first cracked conch for the trip, with rice and peas, and coleslaw at their little restaurant. The food was REALLY good!

Today I spent a couple of hours putting things away andorganizing and cleaning, and now, catching the journal up as the misty rain and blustery winds continue.  It blew steady around 35kts with some gusts on that for a couple of hours, and when the wind dropped back to 25kts, it seemed remarkably calm!  Did I mention how I love this boat, her stability, and her ride?

There are now five boats clinging to the moorings, and two other boats I’ve talked to, that are anchored out of sight of here.  One of the boats is from Marathon!  I heard a boat coming into Chub Cay say thathe’d had 10-12’ seas.  It is a great time to be tied to a good mooring, in a somewhat protected area.  I am looking forward to ministry in the Abacos, and this weather has been a good time for me to “be still." The forecast for tomorrow is calling for wind before things slow down on Friday. 

Considering that Abaco is facing the open ocean, I have tofigure out when best to make the crossing over from the Berry’s.  I’ve been reading up on all the anchorages,and there is a lot of exploring I’ll have to come back and do with Allen.