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.

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.