Rough Seas are Followed by Calm Water (and the reverse)

When you find yourself in the “Out Islands”, where fewer cruisers venture, it provides both a share of anxiety and a feeling of liberation.

 On our return trip to Ragged Island and the Jumentos we were lucky to connect with Different Drummer, My Sharonna and Scooter, all of whom met us down there within a day of our arrival. 

Returning from a morning of diving

In addition to spearing fish, conch has been harvested

The conch must be extracted and skinned-- a group effort

 Because the VHF radio (our main mode of communication) is so quiet down there, we need only  select a non-hailing channel to which to keep the radio tuned, in order to chat with one another.  Normally, a boat is hailed on 16 or some other hailing channel, then after the response, both switch to a clear channel to converse.

  Imagine sitting in your “living room”, absorbed in whatever task may be occupying you, and hearing your friend’s voice suddenly asking a question or making a suggestion.  We all have a communal conversation via radio, sometimes to talk about dinner plans, sometimes just to check in.

 Its quite pleasant and easy-going, and takes some re-adjusting to formally switching channels when we get back to more populated areas.

Another difference in the remote anchorages is when you hear a dinghy passing--  it is most probably coming to your boat.  Company!....

Sunset with friends on the bridge of Independence

On our first northward leg leaving the Jumentos island group to reach the bottom of the Exumas, we had a bit of left over easterly swells and wind chop from the previous 5-6 days of strong NE /E winds.  This put the 4-5 ft seas pretty much on our beam, our least favorite and least comfortable ride.

Once again, imagine sitting in your “living room”, looking out the window at some trees, which quickly become just treetops, then sky and clouds.  Then just as quickly the view is back to the base of the trees and the view just below the window.  The room, in other words, is tilting back and forth so crazily that your not actually “sitting”, but more like wedged into the corner, one foot bracing against the fixed table and your body attempting to stay put as the rocking and rolling continues ceaselessly.

Oh, and add to this, the occasional need to get up, lunging across the rolling floor like a drunken baby to capture a cabinet door that has swung open, threatening to toss its contents out with the pitching of the room.  Oops, there goes the tea kettle, now rolling back and forth on the floor, the sponge container and soap dispenser already having spilled over into the sink. 

Of course that same crazy tossing motion is going on inside you, as the internal organs slosh back and forth against the confines of your body (or not!).  Fun at sea!

Then, finally, you reach safe harbor and in the early darkness of oncoming night drop the anchor, shut down the systems, and fall into the most blessed and well-deserved sleep and dream about your body being absolutely still.

Flat water - our preference!

Exploring Long Island

There is another Long Island far away from the New York wintery home that we left behind.  This one lies between Little Exuma and Rum Cay, and north of the Jumentos and Crooked/Acklins.

Paul and I enjoyed a fabulous stay in a very nice marina at the southern end of this 80-mile long island.  There is prime fishing not far from the marina.  We enjoyed our own fish, as well as a plentiful overflow from the daily catch of the sportfish boats.

This Island requires a rental car to really explore and enjoy the many benefits of the island. 

We explored a previously existing basin where salt-moving ships accessed the Diamond Salt cargo.  A hurricane had filled it in, leaving this vessel stranded:

One unusual treasure is a spectacular blue hole.  This is easily accessible from the beach and so unique it is hard to describe the experience of swimming in waist-high water to a hole of deep, blue water that plunges to depths of 800 ft or more.

Sadly, free-divers have lost their lives here. There is an annual competition

We also encountered beautiful, white powder beaches, and hidden coves.

The spot where Columbus supposedly first reached the Americas is yet another spectacular view and a worthwhile stop.

Our conclusion:  Long Island, Bahamas is beautiful, friendly and clean-- we will happily come back!

Church-going goats

A gift from hospitable L.I. farmers

Produce at the government depot

What Are We Doing Here? The Ragged Islands…

More on the Jumentos/Ragged Islands--

As previously mentioned, snorkeling allows a vista into a truly unspoiled collection of reefs and coral heads.  The lobster is aggresively fished by Bahamian fishing fleets, which consist of a lead boat, much in the style of Maine lobster boats, strung along with 3 to 5 small dinghys or faster speedboats, which work throughout the fishing grounds for the day returning to the mother boat in the evening.

This Bahamian fishing boat is towing only 1 support boat--note the traps stacked above

Life on the coral is abundant, and mostly healthy.  Most reef fish are not edible, but there is a variety of grouper, snapper and plenty of hogfish to be found here.  We have been quite amazed at the healthy beds of conch (pronounced conk), which are quite over harvested further north.

One morning's snorkeling harvest: conch and hogfish

Cleaning the conch becomes a team effort, with a hammer claw we break a hole in the shell to cut the muscle loose and pull the conch out.  Then cut off the non-meat sections and clean the digestive track. (slippery and often slimy work)  Then with a fish-skin puller, pull the tough pachyderm skin off the meat.  The conch is now ready for eating or cooking, but must be pounded or chopped small. 

In addition to snorkeling, hunting for and preparing our food, we spend time exploring.  There are often trails cut through the brush and maintained and marked by cruisers (or not).  When you come across something like this:

 It is probably not some random work of art created with jetsam and flotsam, but more likely a trail marker.  Some more examples:

A very creepy transition from doll to trail marker

Sometimes, although it usually requires some bush-wacking, you can discover extensive ruins-- the stony remains of the walls and homes built by the slaves of the Loyalists.  

A beautiful day in the water.

Jumentos Bound

South of the Exumas, strung along the banks in a long, thin southeast-curving line, lie a series of rocks and cays called the Jumentos and Ragged Islands.  Cruising here is not for the faint of heart, or the weekend pleasure sailor.  Depending on your choice of 2 courses, one is dependent on a rising tide at a narrow cut which will then allow most shallow-draft vessels to pass safely.  The longer, alternate route still requires a pass through Comer Channel and a short passage in open seas, exposed on the east by miles of shallow banks and open ocean to the east.

Photo: Note the curved string of islands just north of Cuba, ocean to the east and the Great Bahama Banks extending westward and north towards the swampy south shore of Andros.  You will also see the Tongue of the Ocean- the deep water extending down between Andros and the northern Exuma chain, cutting into the shallow Banks.

When you arrive at the top of the island string, nothing more than scattered rocks and reef, there is some protection from the easterly swells.  The necklace of islands offer beautiful unspoiled beaches and stretches of rocky shore.  The vegetation is not much more than wind-scrubbed brush, patches of buttonwood and a few short palms.

 We  enjoy walking the stretches of windward beaches strewn with flotsam and jetsam. (mostly plastic, lots of shoes, bottles, driftwood, and the occasional treasure)

You will not find civilization here, although there is one settlement at the southern end with less than 80 people, total population.  Thus the cruiser must arrive well prepared to fend for himself, arriving with stores of food, medicine and first aid kits, water and fuel.

Dinghy approach to Duncantown, the only settlement

Two younger residents of Duncantown

 Of course, Independence was named specifically to reflect this kind of preparation and ability to self-sustain for long periods of time.  After a number of years exploring the Bahamas, we are finally exploring this corner of the  country of scattered islands. 

Happily, our concerns of surgy anchorages, causing a trawler like ours to roll, are not a deal-killer.  We are learning to use a stern anchor or an interesting anchor technique, in which you pull a snubber from the anchor rode to a side or aft cleat to turn the boat bow to the swell.

Coral heads offer up some of the most beautiful corals, and array of fish in the Bahamas.  Although we have virtually no data connection (I hope to post this when I get to Duncantown), we still have our satellite phone, which is intermittently reliable.

Yes, it is nice to be almost completely cut off from busy civilization, and so very tuned in to the tides, sunrises and sunsets, wind and water conditions.

Southern Exumas to Georgetown

On our way south to Georgetown from our New Year stay in Staniel Cay, we stopped for a night to anchor off Musha Cay, an island owned by David Copperfield the magician.  He commissioned a very interesting piece to be placed in a very interesting location—underwater.

So we dove the mermaid piano and enjoyed the sheer novelty of finding this underwater scene.  Sorry, photos are not so great, as our timing put us at a tide change, making it difficult to snap a shot while being pushed back by a couple of knots of current

Georgetown feels like civilization, and we did reconnect with friends, which is always a treat.

fresh conch salad

The youngest Wagner, Mom and Grandpa

resident dolphin plays with swimmers

volleyball at Chat 'n Chill beach

pot luck picnic at Flip Flop Shack

When Marcus and Jeni passed through on their way to Rum Cay aboard their new boat, Walrus, we took the next available weather day to join them, heading east and south along with Chris and Sarah on Pendana.  Actually, it was not a great opportunity for Independence as far as the sea state goes and its affect on our un-stabilized boat with a hard-chine bottom.  That unfortunate combination causes the boat to roll tremendously, back and forth when in a beam sea.  Paul, wisely, insisted that I make this passage aboard 85-ft. Pendana which made the voyage much more manageable.  I was however, feeling anxious and a bit sea-sick just looking through the binoculars at Independence making way just behind us—bobbing around in the rough seas like a cork, bouncing and rolling….

Walrus

Thanks to the presence of Walrus, Pendana and our dear friends Sue and Oscar, as well as Bobby and Gro, we had a really pleasant stay at Rum Cay.  We shared many meals and enjoyed the island’s riches.  Sharks still abound in the marina, which is currently under no management and has no services.  Dock at your own risk and fend for yourself.

Sarah, Chris, Bobby- aboard Walrus

cool fold-out table on Walrus

did I mention we eat well?

Aboard Pendana

big space on Pendana

resident sharks

Bobby and Gro's farm

chez Sue & Oscar

Lucky timing allowed us to once again attend Delores’ birthday party—this time a spry 84 years young.  The community arrives at Kay’s bar with appetizers and lots of good cheer, and local drummers provide rocking Bahamas rhythm.

Birthday Girls chooses Paul as her dance partner

A few adventures included a walk and dinghy ride to salt pond, a rugged ride to a north beach picnic, bush-whacking to the local sour orange tree for a bounty harvest, and finally catching a shark-eaten wahoo!