1/25/2013 Georgetown to Puerto Rico

Hi everyone,

            After my last blog post, we continued to stay at Georgetown for several weeks. There was so much to do and so many new people to meet. After my last blog entry, we became friends with a boat called Bendecida. They had two kids, John and Catherine, who were about our ages. We quickly became friends and we spent many afternoons with them over at Volleyball beach. We also had dinner with them and Misty, who we were also becoming excellent friends with. On any sunny afternoon, the five of us could be seen at the beach. We played volleyball, swam, pet wild stingrays, hiked over to the ocean side of the island, and generally grew very close. When we started having to plan to leave, there were a lot of goodbyes but no regrets.

            We set off with Misty and Virage one day after the winds promised to be light for a few days. They  stopped at Conception Island, and we continued on to destination unknown. During the ensuing trip, we had several rain storms and we even saw a small funnel cloud. We ended up stopping at Mayaguana, a very sparsely populated island that is the most eastern Bahamian island before Turks and Caicos. We stopped there for a day to rest and get more fuel. If you think gas prices are high at home, you may just cry when you hear what we paid for diesel there. When all was said and done, the final cost was around $7.50 per gallon. We also went snorkeling and came back with ten conch and two lobster. The island is not visited very often by boaters and tourists, so marine life abounded. We even saw a flock of flamingoes flying low over the water near shore. We set off the next day for what became a 500 mile journey upwind. Along the way, we passed Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and most of Puerto Rico before stopping in San Juan. Our depth sounder is good to around 2,500 feet deep, and during the entire voyage I never once saw it work. According to our chart plotter, the deepest water that we passed over was around 21,000 feet deep. That’s four miles straight down. As we were sailing down the coast of the Dominican Republic one evening, the port engine suddenly spluttered and died. Dad hopped down in the engine room with a flashlight, as the sun had just set, and started checking things. After replacing all the fuel filters, we tried starting the engine but it still wasn’t working. We finally found the next day that a piece of rubber from inside the fuel tank had detached and blocked the fuel line. We started it up, and it was good as new. We continued our journey south, with very little traffic or extreme weather. Finally, after 96 hours or so, we arrived at San Juan, Puerto Rico. As we are now technically in the United States of America, we are now surrounded by high-end hotels and stores, as opposed to endless ocean waves and spectacular sunsets, like the one in the background picture for the blog (We didn’t actually take that photo, but many of the sunsets that we have seen are like this or better). We have explored San Juan and experienced a lot of native Puerto Rican culture, but that is a story for my next blog entry.

Until next time,

Paul

Virginie, John, and me at Volleyball beach.

Mom and Dad relaxing on Island Cat.

Dad blowing our conch horn at sunset.

A sunset over Georgetown harbor.

Making homemade pizza! This one was a clam casino with bacon, pepper, and pesto.

Julia and Catherine on a windsurfing board.

The beach on the ocean side, with the dunes in the foreground.

Catherine, Julia, and Virginie at Volleyball beach.

The view off the deck of St. Francis hotel and resort, where we went for happy hour with Misty before we left Georgetown.

Waving goodbye to Bendecida as we leave Georgetown.

We hooked a large Barracuda at sea. Check out the teeth!

A funnel cloud near Mayaguana.

Julia at Mayaguana with a rainbow in the background.

The tranquil waters of Mayaguana.

Sailing with the coast of the Dominican Republic in view.

Sunset at sea.

1/9/12 Warderick Wells to Georgetown

Hi everyone,
Since we left Warderick Wells, we have had a lot of fun. We have been steadily working our way down the Bahamas, and every place that we visit has new and incredible experiences for us. We visited Staniel Cay, home of the swimming pigs who will swim out to meet your dinghy in hopes of getting food. At the same island is the legendary Thunderball grotto, namesake of the James Bond movie Thunderball. We were able to snorkel into Thunderball grotto, and see the cave where James Bond found the nuclear weapons in Thunderball. Because the limestone that makes up most of the Bahamas is porous and dissolves easily, there are lots of natural limestone caverns and formations on almost every island. This makes for interesting hikes, as well as interesting snorkeling. On some of the smaller, less inhabited islands that we have visited, the snorkeling is incredible because the reefs have not been damaged by thousands of visitors. In Cambridge Cay, there was a coral reef with hundreds of tropical fish which came within inches of snorkelers. One of the fish actually came close enough to nibble Julia's fingers when she hopped in the water. During the course of our trip from Warderick Wells to Georgetown, we managed to make a few new friends and meet a few old ones. We became friends with people from Full Monty, R Cabin,  Virage, Good Trade, and What If (we refer to people by their boat name). We also met Misty, who we originally met in Great Bridge in the United States.
Georgetown, where we are currently located, is one of the larger, more developed islands in the Bahamas, second only to Nassau,  and it is a popular Christmas destination for boaters. As we few stores to buy gifts at, my Christmas gift to mom and dad was two polished conch shells that I caught and cleaned myself. Julia's gift to them was a sketch of an island scene for dad and a decorated sand dollar for mom. I found a bracelet for Julia at a local shop here on Georgetown, and her gift to me was a lunch out at Chat 'n' Chill Bar and Grill, a beachfront bar on Volleyball Beach. Volleyball Beach is a large beach popular with cruisers and vacationers alike, and every day all the kids from different boats come to play volleyball and meet new people. It is one of our favorite spots to visit after we finish our school work for the day. All in all, we are having a lot of fun and I hope everyone reading this is too.
Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year!
-Paul

Adding our Island Cat 2012 sign to the pile at Warderick Wells.

Julia surrounded with fish.

Taking a hike at Cambridge Cay.

A parrot fish swimming near a coral reef.

The swimming pigs at Staniel Cay. 

Going fishing!

A sea turtle cruising over the sand bottom.

Catching my first lobster!

The beautifully-colored houses at Staniel Cay.

We walked by the airport at Staniel Cay on our way to the grocery store. This was the extent of their security.

During the ride back from the Staniel Cay grocery store, the connection between the fiberglass bottom of our
dinghy and the inflatable tube separated, flooding the dinghy with water and nearly sinking us. Dad and I had to winch the motor off the dinghy to make repairs.

The entrance to Thunderball Grotto. Unfortunately it is dark inside the cave, so we didn't get any good photos of the inside of the cave itself.

We went for conch fritters at the Ocean Cabin restaurant on Little Farmers Cay. This is their hours of  business.

Julia and I on the front porch of the Ocean Cabin.

Mom and Dad standing inside the Ocean Cabin.

Before we left the Ocean Cabin they made us sing an ode to Little Farmers Cay. This was the first, and probably last, time that I will ever be asked to sing at a restaurant...

Julia sitting on the bow as we enter Georgetown.

Mom and Dad in Georgetown, at Peace & Plenty Bar and Hotel.

Julia and I lounging at the pool deck at Peace & Plenty.

Rigging up the lights!

Julia, Virginie, and me at Volleyball Beach.

Julia and I petting wild stingrays at Volleyball Beach.

Mom and Dad on the ocean side of the island.

Dad standing in front of the signpost at Volleyball Beach.

Playing volleyball on the beach.

A Christmas happy hour with Misty.

Outdoor Christmas beach church.

12/14/12 Nassau to Warderick Wells

On December 8^th we left Nassau and sailed to Rose Island. Rose Island is a scant four miles or so South-East of Nassau, and we arrived there at two o’clock in the afternoon after checking out of our marina in Nassau at around noon. Julia, Dad, and I spent a lot of the afternoon swimming around the boat trying out some of our new snorkeling gear: a gift from our Grandma. Julia found a King Helmet, a very beautiful type of shell that is about the size of a conch but it has a tan, striped design. There were only four other boats or so in the anchorage, and we were having a very peaceful afternoon. We had a wonderful happy hour, watching the sun continue on to the edge of the world. The peace was only slightly marred by the arrival of a tourist party boat from Nassau, but luckily they moved to the beach on the other side of the island to continue their partying and we were able to have our cheeseburgers in paradise.

Julia and I on the dock at our marina in Nassau. Behind us you can see Atlantis resort.

Julia and I trying out our new snorkeling gear. Julia is holding up the King Helmet that she just found.

The next day we left in the morning to continue on to Ship Channel Cay, an uninhabited island that was approximately thirty miles away. We crossed the Yellow Bank to get there, which is a huge bay of sorts, except the water is only ten to fifteen feet deep. Spying a few coral heads, Dad hopped into the water with his pole spear in search of a lobster or two. As I made slow circles around the reef in the boat, Dad made several free-dives to go try to find some dinner. He was unsuccessful  but he did see a sea turtle and took some pictures with our digital underwater camera. We continued on to Ship Channel Cay, and arrived there around three in the afternoon. After arriving, Julia and I went kayaking to explore the island. We landed on a small beach, surrounded by jagged limestone rocks and coral formations, and watched the sun fall over the water.

The next day we stayed at Ship Channel Cay and went to go explore a few local reefs. What we found was nothing short of breathtaking. The vivid coral served as a backdrop for schools of iridescent fish which slid though the crystal-clear water with little fear of us. Once again, we were able to get some amazing underwater shots of the reef and its inhabitants. Julia and I both carried our pole spears; an early Christmas present which we got in Nassau, which we brandished at Barracudas that were getting too close. After a little while, Dad spotted the tell-tale antennae of a lobster lurking in a coral cave below. He dove down, and speared it on the second try. It was large, perhaps four pounds, and singlehandedly served as dinner for four in a wonderful lobster-pasta linguine. After the sun had set, we went outside and looked up at the stars. With no large cities nearby, the stars were numerous and some were so bright that we could see their reflection on the water.

A sea turtle that we found at Ship Channel Cay.

Julia diving with spear in hand. 

Amazing colors at Ship Channel Cay. The pictures do not do it justice.

Dad holding up his find. 

The next morning we set out for Allan's Cay. Allan's Cay is a small cay that is absolutely covered in wild iguanas. I have no idea how they got there, however the population of iguanas on this tiny island is probably numbered in the hundreds. At any time during the day you can see around twenty or thirty of them at a time sunning themselves on the beach. Julia and I kayaked over to to iguana beach and found that the iguanas are not afraid of humans. They let us get within arm's reach before they scampered away. This is mainly due to the fact that the iguanas are spoiled rotten by all the tourists who come to the island and they expect to be fed every time someone lands on the beach. We took along a small piece of cucumber skin to feed to them, and they were instantly attracted to us. Later that day we went snorkeling again.

The next day we left for Norman's Cay, another almost-uninhabited cay. We were not alone at this cay; there were ten other boats anchored near us, which is probably a record since we left Nassau. Norman's Cay used to be the headquarters of a profitable drug smuggling ring and because of this it boasts a runway and a rusted out DC-3 smuggling plane that missed the runway and sank in four feet of water. The nose of the plane is open, and we were able to snorkel through it. The plane has become an artificial reef of sorts, and now teems with tropical fish and the beginnings of coral growth. The tail and top of the fuselage are still above water, and their tarnished gleam serves as a reminder of another era. Today, Norman's Cay has a restaurant and several rent-able beach houses. Its pristine white beaches stretch uninterrupted for several miles down its length, and it also contains several good snorkeling spots in the surrounding waters. I managed to find two conch during our excursions to said snorkeling spots, and when we returned to Island Cat we steamed them and saved them for future consumption. As we learned on our last trip, conch fritters are very good, but difficult to make. The locals have come up with many recipes that revolve around conch, so we may find something new to try.

The next day we progressed to Shroud Cay. Shroud Cay, which is the beginning of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, is home to a large area of mangroves, and we spent the afternoon exploring up a narrow river that led us to the other side of the island. On this ocean side, there were no signs of civilization except for footprints in the sand. Afterward we did some snorkeling. When the sun went down, we got our Christmas tree out of the bow locker, and played Jimmy Buffett's Christmas album while decorating it and the rest of the boat. That was yesterday. Today we moved to Warderick Wells, which is the headquarters of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. This is a nature preserve, and we are not allowed to catch fish to eat or remove anything from any of the islands. This makes the reefs and scenery all the more pristine, so it is probably a good idea. We went on a long hike around the island on one of its many trails, and now we are relaxing on the boat and enjoying a somewhat-limited but still useful internet connection. My apologies for the few photos, but we are only allowed 100 megabytes and the connection is relatively slow. According to the park warden, "If you think the network connection is too slow, take a look around you and enjoy the scenery and the setting...  after a long look at the different shades of blue water, the sandy beaches, and the beauty of the park, your page should be back up and ready for you to try again." Definitely worth remembering. Until next time, enjoy the Christmas season.

-Paul

12/7/12 Serena

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Serena passed away this morning. She was taken from us in her prime, taken from us before her time. I remember the day that she entered my life very clearly. She entered my life just as suddenly and unexpectedly as she left it. I was in second grade, and my father was walking me home from the bus stop. It was my mother's birthday that day, and Dad told me that he and mom had gone out and gotten a very special birthday gift together. All the way home, I tried to guess what it was. I never even came close to guessing. When I got home, I found her hiding under the table next to our stairs. She was only six months old or so; they had found her at the local animal shelter. She was a very timid cat from the start, but we quickly became close and she became a member of the family. There are so many things that I could say about her that define her. Things like how she doesn't play with her toys normally, but if you take a sheet of paper and crumple it up and toss it up she will tackle it out of the air. Things like her deathly fear of vacuum cleaners. If you can't find her, she is usually snuggled under Mom and Dad's blankets sleeping the day away. If she sees another animal out the window, she will track it from window to window throughout the house. She does not like strangers, but if she sees us with them she will walk out and introduce herself. There are so many things that I could say about her, about how she became a part of our family and stole a bit of our hearts forever. She was a wonderful cat. When we did our ocean crossing from Wrightsville Beach to the Bahamas, she was seasick and was generally unhappy. Even so, one night she managed to hop up on my bed and sleep with me and afterward she went and slept with Mom and Dad and Julia. At the time we had no idea she was trying to say goodbye. When we arrived at Nassau we took her to the vet and he pronounced her as being dehydrated, which makes sense because she had not eaten and had barely had anything to drink during the trip. She was put on an IV and was getting better very quickly. Too late, we found out that her problem was not only dehydration. She passed away early this morning, and apparently she had something wrong with her tongue. It might have been cancerous, but now we will never know. She was certainly a very young cat to have a problem like that. When Mom and Dad got the news from the vet, we stood together in one big group hug. I think everyone was crying. Even though we were all together, there was still a feeling of emptiness, like something was missing. A piece of our family, a piece of our collective heart. Serena you were a part of our family and a part of our lives. May you rest in peace now and forever.