Made it!

News Flash! We made it to Georgetown! Internet it not the best, but we'll post up more within the next few days. We're staying for at least a month!

beaches and braids in the bahamas

We are enjoying a Saturday afternoon at the Staniel Cay yacht club after a rousing game of tennis and a walk around the island. The norther that was blowing last night settled down, and we managed to get off the boat around 1pm to dinghy into town. We went to the Island Store this time, having experienced both the pink and blue stores already. Grocery stores here are limited in what they carry - a selection of canned and dry goods = and a few frozen things. Bread is baked by local ladies and is white inevitably and kind of sweet but at least robust in texture. At the Island General Store we managed to find a whole chicken cut up into parts and frozen, which should help us subsist until Georgetown. Winds look favorable leaving Monday for Cave Cay and then Tuesday for Georgetown where we intend to be planted for 6 weeks or so. In the meantime, we plan to check out the church services tomorrow morning (baptist), have breakfast here at the yacht club, and dive in the fabulous Thunderball cave where the James Bond movie "Thunderball" was flimed. What a life but someone has to do it! We have heard that Claude has had some less than excellent weather in the Florida Keys, and that is in fact the usual January Thaw in the UP with temps in the 20's F. We are enjoying balmy 70-s 80-s and sometimes close to 90-s and in fact have absolutely nothing to complain about except that the cues at the pool table here are warped and the tips are loose. Other than that, very smooth sailing. Oh yes - the braids were a must in Nassau so that I don't have to do any hair anything for the next month. My daughters will be mortified, but they have managed to wear things that I wouldn't either...The beaches are just like this - beautiful little deserted areas where you can pull your dinghy up, do some yoga or pilates, and breathe LIFE!

Staniel Cay's Sweet Anchorage

We spent yesterday in Warderick Wells nature park in a lovely crescent bay with mooring balls. We hiked the trails and dove on the reef, but did not see the preponderance of colorful fish we were expecting. We left there early this morning for Staniel Cay, one of the last legs to Georgetown. Although the marina and mooring facilities leave something to be desired, we are in a huge anchorage only a 10-minute dinghy ride away from town. Even the expensive huge motor yachts are in the anchorage, waiting for the next big norther to blow us into a frenzy. It seems the wind clocks around every few days to a big blow from the north, resulting in "roll-y" anchorages and current surge. The anchorage we are in is extremely protected, and we expect nothing of the type of bumpy nights we spent in Norman's Cay. All of these places deserve a much longer blog posting, but our internet time is limited. Suffice it to say that Norman's was a place out of time, ruins of it's glorious past with Kennedys and tennis stars long gone, and the huge money-machine of Carlos Leder's cocaine base. Warderick Wells is a nature-lover's paradise, but not a whole lot to do if you've seen it and you live in a place as beautiful as the UP. But Staniel Cay, now here's something totally different. We are sitting in the cute yacht club, drinking a Kalik and about to head into town for a bit of provisioning. There IS a small town here, the size of Ralph or something ( about 150 people) and a music scene. We are excited to finally get into Bahamas small-town life, and will load up pictures as soon as we have faster internet connection. To be sure, the prize looms close - Georgetown here we come.

Drug lords, Kennedys, and cold beer

We made it to Norman's Cay and have just survived a big norther well stuck but bumpy. There is only one internet connection on the island at a lovely bar/restaurant called McDuff's so we are sharing and will have to make this quick. Tomorrow on to Warderick Wells, and then Staniel Cay where we'll wait out the next stretch of bad weather. Should be in Georgetown next week. More news when there's more time!

leaving Nassau, on to Norman

what a great day! We played tennis on Paradise island and then went to the pool at Atlantis resort. Google it. It's beyond belief. After a great dinner at the Poop Deck here at the Nassau Yacht Harbor we went across the street for jazz night at the jambey cafe. Too many talented singers from around the globe include 3 beautiful young ladies from Montreal's Musical Theatre programme: Jasmine, Patricia and Flo. On to Norman Cay tomorrow to get a good hook and wait out the Norther that's coming. After that we'll head down to Georgetown finally for a month or so of going nowhere. Sounds great.

The Great Bahama Bank and the Tongue of the Ocean

Here's Wayne at the tiller crossing the Tongue of the Ocean, and me sporting a Phil's 550 shirt on the beach at Whale Cay.
We arrived in Nassau yesterday, after about a week at sea. After checking in at Cat Cay, we sailed two days across the Great Bahama Bank to Chub Cay. The Bank is an extraordinary geographical phenomenon, a vast area of ocean only 10 to 15 feet deep, with beautiful white sand creating the most dazzling water color you've ever seen! The total distance was about 75 miles, so after a big 50-(nautical) mile day the first day we just threw out the anchor and hunkered down. It is, after all, the middle of the ocean so it was hardly what you would call a "calm" anchorage. It really wasn't too bad, considering how much better it was than the Gulf Stream crossing. You kind of get used to constant motion and clanking. The second day we had a favorable wind and Wayne had his finest sailing day in the Caribbean as we managed to sail to Chub Cay. There the development has focused exclusively on expensive power boats and fishing, we were not really welcomed on the island. We did anchor in front of a lovely beach (we were not allowed to use) and saw Paul and Becky and their daughters Maddie and Kelsey on Rio Dulce. We had met them in No Name just prior to the crossing. They are on a dreamy 40+ foot Catalana catamaran. Some day. Maybe. They convinced us to join them at Whale Cay the next day, a wholly deserted island. The entrance is marked by an abanoned light house, perched about an incredible white sugar sand beach with a little run-down palapa for shade. It was only about 8 miles from Chub, so we grabbed a bag of ice and sailed off to join them. We had a great day playing in the ocean with the girls, snorkeling, exploring, and hanging out in general. Just as the afternoon was winding to a close, we noticed a big truck on what we had thought was the unused road to the lighthouse. A guy got out, and came down to see us on the beach. He explained that he owned the island. Ooopppssss. Well, he wasn't too angry really, he just wanted to make sure we would not leave any trash. We assured him we would not, and after a big of a real estate conversation he took off again. Our lovely day ended with a move over to the other side of the channel in the lee of Bird Cay as the wind was predicted to change to the west. That it did, which made it perfect for our crossing to Nassau. We left Bird Cay by 7am, and made Nassau by noon or so - tired but happy. Apparently the Tongue of the Ocean is part of this last crossing - quite the reverse of the Bank, this is an incredibly DEEP part which can get super churned up on the wrong wind. In addition, it is considered a part of the Bermuda Triangle. Since I have recently mastered the new Garmin GPS, we had little fear as we set out. Waiting for the ideal wind seems to be the most intelligent thing a sailor can do in the Bahamas. This is, of course, the principle of parsimony. This would apply to the GPS as well. We still look over everything on the paper charts first, plot the course both ways, and look up a heck of a lot. But the bottom line is, sailing using the GPS is nothing like doing it "the old fashioned way" - which is what we have been doing to this point. It's so easy, it almost seems unreal. Ah well, thank goodness for the benefits of the GPS. Seemingly in order to balance out this new facility, the autohelm decided not to work any more, resulting in 100% hand-steering and another return to the stone age of sailing. No worries though, it's kind of fun!

Nassau is all new to us, so we'll be doing some exploring looking for local music and art. More on that tomorrow, with any luck.

In the Bahamas, Mon

We made it! After a 10 hour crossing starting out in the pitch black in Miami's No Name Harbor, we crossed the Gulf Stream and made it to Gun Cay yesterday, where we anchored to recover. Wayne was heroic, I was nauseous. We lived. Today we are in the lovely Cat Cay Marina, tied up to a slip and loving life. It is BEAUTIFUL. Two days across the Grand Bahama Bank and we should be in Cubb Cay. From there Nassau and a few days later, Georgetown. We'll be back online in a week or so. LIFE IS GREAT!

Remembering 2007, going forward

Before leaving the USA for a few months, we just wanted to re-cap the incredible couple of weeks we've had in Miami. The first picture is from the dinner before the big day, and prominently features Katherine Rayhorn. We were fortunate that Sarah's bff could join us in Miami for the whole event. She is a charming young lady, and welcome on the boat anytime too! The second picture is my lovely mother, Lydia with my son Thomas while we were waiting inline at the courthouse. The third is New Year's Eve and our cute and perky daugher Sarah. Then, that's my Cate and me getting ready to step out with Wayne.
What an incredible week and a great year.
The weather forecast is holding and we are in the final stages of preparation. Our cell phone is useless, our only way to stay in contact will be computer. We'll head to No Name Harbor tomorrow as planned, and cross on Wednesday. Our three-day weather window should get us to Chubb Cay, where we'll check in with customs and immigration. There is a specific procedure required, which includes flying a yellow "quarantine" flag until they check you out. Only the captain can go ashore until the paperwork gets started, so I should have plenty of time to read.

I played with the new GPS for a total of about 4 hours now, and it will be an extremely useful tool. We have charts galore and cruising guides and a full tank of diesel. We've got a plan. We've got the right weather. It's been a great trip and a great time in Miami, but now we are onto our ultimate dream destination!

Final Fiesta in the Grove

Our weather window seems to be holding, so we are sticking to our plan to take off to No Name Harbor on Tuesday and start the Gulf Stream crossing about 4am Wednesday. Our new GPS works super well, and it will help significantly. All the training I did on Claude's Garmin certainly helped. The GPS unit itself has an extraordinary amount of map/chart data already programmed in, and I have learned how to program waypoints and routes. Sweet! We will take a practice run out the channel Tuesday during the daytime, verify all our coordinates, and then head out Wednesday. It is sunny and mild again here, perfect weather for running in the morning and amusing oneself in the afternoon. Last night we took the fun seriously and "did the town" We started at the Cafe Tu Tu Tango with tapas and sangria, then a walk around and a stop at the Ritz-Carlton for Mohitos. They had a very good "smooth jazz" saxophonist playing to a tune track. The lobby bar was dramatic, at least 2 stories high with huge marble pillars and an enormous window looking out upon a lit fountain. The server brought us a trefoil-shaped dish of lovely mixed nuts and we felt very chic. Next another lovely stroll to listen to a supposedly jazz band at Cristadelle's Quarters. This four-story New Orleans-style restaurant is never very full, and we cannot figure out how they stay open. Anyway, we listened to the band there for a while (it was the same one as two Saturdays ago) and shoved off for our last stop - our favorite Sand Bar. In contrast to the elegant places we had been before, the Sandbar was packed! They have a bunch of screens, and all were playing the Steelers/jaguars game last night. Honestly, the beer and football experiences have been the most fun. So, we wrapped up our last big night in Miami in style and today are charting, planning, and doing last-minute projects. Even though slightly daunting, the thought of finally crossing to the Bahamas is getting the energy going and we feel very good about it. Sadly, Claude may not make the crossing with us after all, but he has a grand tour of the Florida Cays planned, and I am sure he will have a blast.

The Waiting Game

Here's Wayne waiting to leave for the crossing. Next picture is the lovely park where we run each day. Final picture is the Ritz-Carlton ballroom entryway. Coconut Grove is fabulous! Post-Christmas shopping is great, as anticipated. The weather is warming up again and our window to the Bahamas should be opening Wednesday early morning.

We went to Coral Gables last night to the First Friday Artwalk, but it was nothing like before. The city has unfortunately taken over the event, and transformed it from an elegant evening strolling between galleries, enjoying a little wine and cheese at each into a "fair" with vendors, etc. What a shame! We did enjoy one of the galleries particularly well. The owners are two charming French gentlemen who offer a variety of european and latin american art, with heavy emphasis on europe. They even had a Salvador Dali original ink/watercolor. They had a number of interesting sculptures, and Wayne was particularly interested in a Spanish sculptor's work in bronze . This sculptor, Carlos Mata, is one of just many vibrant modern artists they represent. You can see all kinds of exciting art at their website: www.patoufineart.com We wandered about for a brief while in other galleries until the rain came, and we took shelter in the trolley. The public transit here being excellent, we were able to take a free trolley to the train station, and then a local bus or "circulator" back to the Grove for 25 cents! We stopped in at Scotty's Landing again for dinner, as we figure on leaving pretty soon and are hoping to repeat our most enjoyable experiences before we go.

Tonight it's tapas at the Cafe Tu Tu Tango, tomorrow checking in with our new friends Wayne and Karen with any luck. Mostly we will be looking at charts, learning how to use the new GPS, and planning, listening to the weather, and feeling the good vibes (or not). Wayne's friend Bob Belanger was kind enough to lend us his Explorer charts, so we really have all the info we need to make the crossing. Wayne did this 10 or so years ago with Tim Preston, and they seemed perfectly capable with less info/technological tools than we have now. OK, that's another great story but you'll have to ask Wayne about it when we return or Tim about it if you see him. At any rate, after reading a bunch and listening to a bunch of stories, it all boils down to this: it's a 42-mile day sail. If you pick a good day, you're going to make it. We are not sure if Claude will join us after all, as he is leaning toward staying in the keys. Since our ultimate goal has always been Georgetown, we're in go mode.

Waiting for the Window

We are back in Coconut Grove, in the final stages of preparation for crossing the Gulf Stream. Here, a "cold" front has moved in and the daytime temperature is only about 50 to 60 Fahrenheit. Of course this is laughable, given what our families returned to in the UP and Canada. I hate to say it, but it's almost a welcome break from the heat down here while we work to prepare the boat and ourselves. We were tickled to know that Claude will make the crossing with us after all, and the tremendous (or terrible) trio remains intact. He called to give his condolences to Wayne the day after we got married. I think in some way he could not believe it but...the pictures don't lie. Now all our energies are being redirected to boat projects and reading about the Bahamas. We did acquire a new GPS at West Marine and will be learning to use it as well. Life is calm back here, but the great tourbillion or whirlwind of kids and family are keenly missed by me. It is wonderful to keep in touch over the computer, but nothing beats just laying on the couch with the kids, watching tv. I have to admit, going to the Sandbar here in the Grove for their happy hour beer and nachos last night while watching the Rose Bowl was not all that torturous. It felt like getting back home in a way. To be sure, we could not have found a better place to be while waiting for the wind to calm down and shift to the south so we can undertake the "next phase". We missed our goal of Nassau by New Year's Eve, but could not have had a more wonderful time with Family in Miami.