Greetings from the Bahamas, Matt and Dan in the Abacos

 Greetings!

We are here!  It was a hard week, waiting at Lake Worth for the right weather window, but finally on Monday, January 21st we lifted our anchor at 6:30 a.m. and left the inlet. Our route took us across the Gulf Stream and into West End, Grand Bahama Island where we checked in at customs, right on the dock at the Old Bahama Bay Marina and were allowed to put up our Bahamas courtesy flag. After a hectic day on the water, the Admiral needed to relax.

A couple days later we took the Indian Cay passage onto the Bahama Bank, and over to Great Sale Cay anchorage.  The vast Bahama Bank at its finest....every direction you look as far as the eye can see..

At Great Sale Cay anchorage, we toasted the sunset with some fellow cruisers - our buddy boaters are Pat and Jenn on Madeline and Jules and Karen on La Contessa VII.

One night at Spanish Cay, then off  to No Name Cay for an afternoon. As we motored toward the beach these wild sows and piglets came out to meet us, looking for a hand-out.

Sorry, guys, I have no treats...

We stopped overnight at Green Turtle Cay -great place- while we waited again, this time for conditions in the Whale Cay Channel to improve.  On Sunday, January 27th, we motored around Whale Cay and into the Sea of Abaco.
An hour later we entered the channel at Treasure Cay and picked our spot to lower the anchor, not too far away from Clarity. Kim and Terry, the Welcoming Committee, came over on their dinghy.  We went ashore and they showed us the whereabouts of the grocery store, bakery, liquor store and told us about other features of the area. For example, you can buy a beer at the liquor store, put it in a little brown bag, the opener is hanging by the door, then go back to the bar and relax poolside- only possible because the bar doesn't open until 6:00.

We spent the afternoon walking on the beach and admiring the amazing green-blue water and powdery-soft sand.

                                                 Terry, Jane, Ben and Kim


We hiked to the site of a failed development. Harbours were dredged, lots were numbered, tiki huts were built.  This is an abandoned bulldozer- the keys and the driver were still in it!

A bronze plaque is cemented into the rock at Carleton Point to commemorate the first loyalist settlers to come to Abaco in 1783.  They left New York because they opposed independence and wanted to found a new British colony.  The settlement lasted a few years.

 The end of a perfect day was dinner aboard Clarity...lobster, no less...caught by Terry, conch shell... blown by Terry.

 It feels really good to be at our first destination in the Abacos.

Monday, Feb. 4th, 2013
 Matt and Dan flew into Marsh Harbour and they took a cab to the Union Jack dock.   We had arrived and anchored there the day before, and dinghied over to pick them up- very easy.
 Back on Old Rosie, we celebrated with a round of Sands (a Bahamian beer) on the back deck.

Great sunset views when anchored at Marsh Harbour, and every night the conch shells can be heard. 


Off to Hopetown on Elbow Cay.

Dinghy runs and exploring

Colourful houses and restaurants line the harbour

Hopetown Lighthouse, built in 1863, still kerosene-fueled

Looking out at the Atlantic...  no surfing today!

Time to check out the snorkeling

 Danny's getting his GoPro ready

The Fowler Cay Reef Preserve was amazing- brightly coloured coral and fish really shine in the sunny conditions.  Matt and Dan saw a nurse shark eating/resting down on the bottom....glad I didn't see that!


GoPro shots of the sail back

A relaxing ride back to Treasure Cay

The back deck after a day of snorkeling...

Back to Treasure Cay for fun on the beach

 Lobster dip for appies, and a potluck dinner on Clarity to end an afternoon of snorkeling and lobster hunting.

A great sail back to Marsh Harbour- 4.5 knots without the motor.

And all too soon the week has passed, the euchre tournament has ended,  the rum is gone, and the boys are saying good-bye.