Anyone in the Bahamas from here now?

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
We have been in the Bahamas for about a month now. Left the boatyard on Florida's west coast Feb. 15th. Been in the Exumas the last 3 weeks and will probably be here another 10 days or so.

Spent the night at Big Majors with the pigs and are moving north today a few miles to Pipe. Then Warderick Wells, Shroud, Highbourne and Allans before starting back. If any of you guys/gals are near us let us know. On VHF the boat name is Margaret Ann. We will probably be without internet until we get to the Highbourne area,

Sumner
=============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
We put our iPhone in a bag and raised it up the mast using it for a hot spot. We were able then to get posts and weather. Don’t tell anyone but this works well.

We’re in the Abacos now but had done the Exuma’s in January.
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
We put our iPhone in a bag and raised it up the mast using it for a hot spot. We were able then to get posts and weather. Don’t tell anyone but this works well....
Thanks, we are actually doing that now at Pipe Cay. Only needed to put it on the Bimini but further north we will try higher.

I wondered if you guys were still over here. This is only the second place we've been where we are alone. Tons more boats here vs. when I was here 4 years ago. Lots of big ones over 100 ft.


Saw Jerry Jones' 358 foot, 250 million dollar boat a week or so ago. Lots and lots of tour boats ranging from day trip ones to ones you can rent for $220,000 a week. Glad we got back here now. Looks to only get more crowded,

Sumner
========================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I wish I was there :(
A fellow club member said we should check out Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. He charters down there regularly. he says it isn't very deep so the cruise ships don't spoil it.
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
I wish I was there :(
A fellow club member said we should check out Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. He charters down there regularly. he says it isn't very deep so the cruise ships don't spoil it.
No big cruise ships in the Exumas due to shallow water, but now they are making 100-200 footers that are owned privately or you can charter for a couple hundred thousand a week. Quite a few of those here now. They can't get in as close as you can in your boat but no problem for them as they have expensive tenders and jet skies. There were a half dozen that size off Big Majors Cay when we went by there a couple weeks ago. Only 2 when we were there two days ago.

I've only been to one small part of the Abacos but from what I've seen there and in the Berrys and Andros the Exumas are really special. Dottie couldn't believe the water quality. You can easily see the bottom 20 feet down and swimming on small reefs by yourself in crystal clear water is unbelievable, not to mention the beaches you can have all to yourself if you wander off the popular anchorages. We are at one of those now,

Sumner
===========================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
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Likes: Justin_NSA
Jan 30, 2012
105
Catalina 36 Bayfield, WI
We were in Nassau on Monday, Half Moon Cay on Tue, and Grand Turk today. Cruise Boats are awesome but I sure wish I had my sailboat down here!
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Super Yacht update.

All you fellow Harbor Freight tool buyers here is where your tool money went.



Harbor Freight's owner, Eric Smidt's, 150 million 290 foot yacht above and it's ...


210 foot support vessel. Yep, the one above just hauls the toys around for the other one and has a crew and staff of 21 people. The 'big' boat has room for 14 guests and a crew of 27. They went by us this morning and are anchored about 3 miles from us now, but we can still see them.

More on Eric, his wife, and the two boats here....

https://www.superyachtfan.com/yacht-infinity.html

Forgot to mention that they also own a 70 million Gulf Stream Jet and a 45 million dollar home. Glad my tool money is going to good use,

Sumner
==============================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
We are on a remote anchorage just off the SW corner of Pipe Cay. No other boats around but while posting above an interesting boat came in and anchored about 300 yards off of us...


https://www.gulfbase.org/asset/rv-coral-reef-ii-80-ft-vessel

They have been here a while now but haven't seen them leave the ship, so not sure if they are collecting here or not. We are waiting out high winds for a couple days and have a nice little beach...



... just inside of us. Swam there the other day and there are a few fish and some coral along the entrance. Have it all to ourselves. Will go ashore there again today and tomorrow. Leave for Wardrick Wells on Sunday probably.



Took the inflatable a half mile up to the old Decca base a couple days ago. That was also interesting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decca_Navigator_System

http://jproc.ca/hyperbolic/decca_bahamas.html

Satellites and GPS put an end to that. On Bahama time,

Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Interesting … Shedd Aquarium is Chicago's fabulous aquarium. It sort of looks like a work boat.

Oh, now I see that you already posted that.
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Interesting … Shedd Aquarium is Chicago's fabulous aquarium. It sort of looks like a work boat..
They left the boat in some inflatables and headed towards Big Majors or maybe Staniels. Came back a couple hours later and left so we are all alone again :).

Our beach, at least for one more day.

The Margaret Ann just off shore in about 9 feet of water.

The water is unbelievable and saw some different fish today than other days. We have seen a number like the one above before though. Did get some nice underwater video with one of the cameras we use on Hooley's Bonneville car.

Long distance shot of the 150 million dollar boat anchored a little over 3 miles south of us along with it's 'toy support' boat (out of the picture).

A great day in a beautiful place. Started windy on the boat but on shore it was perfect. We walked across a narrow spit of land to a cool inland tidal flats that we had taken the dinghy to a couple days ago. Plan on returning there tomorrow and will dive on an interesting hole in the middle of the flats,

Sumner
=======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
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Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
A little update... All of the following are in the Exuma chain of Cays in the Bahamas.

Our anchorage off Pipe Cay about 4 days ago where we had the really nice beach to ourselves.

Sunset off Pipe Cay. It seems like almost every night there is a great sunset and the sunrises can also be spectacular.

We then sailed north a few miles to Warderick Wells which is where the park office is for Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The park encompasses a lot of islands in the Exumas. We hiked about a 2 mile trail there that about killed us. Half of it was over sharp reef rock that makes up a lot of the islands. We have been on the boat since mid-Feb. so have lost a lot of leg muscle. We also snorkeled while there on some great reefs with lots of fish since they can't be caught in the park. A great place.

Yesterday we sailed up to Shroud Cay which has a salt water creek that runs from one side of the island to the other. A really nice dinghy ride. The tide was going out so the water runs out both sides and gets ripping on the Atlantic side. You jump in the water there and it carries you a ways out where the water is shallow again and you walk back in. They call it the washing machine as it can really get turbulent.
It was 22.5 NM from Warderick to Shroud and the winds were really light at about 5-6 kts. We sailed all but the last 4 miles or so at about 2-3 kts and as little as 1 1/5 kts. Took us most of the day but I hate firing up the motor if we can sail at all. Overall the sailing has been great once we got over here. The Exumas run somewhat north to south and most of the time the wind is some direction out of the east. Since leaving Rose Cay up by Nassau we have traveled 153 miles down into the Exumas and are now making our way back north. We have sailed all but about 10 miles of that. It has been wonderful and the Endeavour has sailed much better than I thought she might when we bought her. Amazed she can make way in 5-6 kts of wind. South out of Rose in 16-22 mph winds we were running 6-7 on only the genoa and had that sail reefed in a little. It was fairly rough with fairly large following seas. Had to hand steer that 32 NM since the autopilot couldn't quite keep up with the conditions. Hope to sail most of the way back to Florida and the boatyard if at all possible.

The Margaret Ann anchored in 7 feet of water off Shroud Cay. The dark spot in the water in the foreground is a coral head. We dove on it today and it was also really nice.

Going to sit out the next front for a few days here. Then move north to Highbourne for a night, then up to Rose by Nassau, then over to Morgans Bluff on the north end of Andros Island before making the 3 day passage back to Marathon in the Keys It has been a great tirp,

Sumner
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NOTE: All U Get notice the bag part way up the mast. Has the cell phone in it like you mentioned. On deck not even one bar. Up there good fast internet. Dottie asked today if she could use the phone. I said 'sure if you can get up the mast'.....
 
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Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
We need to get a solar panel for the phone so we can leave it up there longer. We left Great Sale Cay Friday and rode the Gulf Stream until we came out in South Carolina to Winyah Bay last night.
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
We need to get a solar panel for the phone so we can leave it up there longer. We left Great Sale Cay Friday and rode the Gulf Stream until we came out in South Carolina to Winyah Bay last night.

How about a cell phone battery pack? I thought about that the other day. I almost bought one before the trip but didn't.

Glad to know you made it across the 'stream' ok. We went up to West Bay off New Providence day before yesterday and from there to Morgan's Bluff (north Andros) yesterday. Sailed both days which slowed us down but that was ok. Got beat up yesterday part of the day with large rollers coming in from two different directions.

Looks like we might be here until at least Sunday waiting on good crossing weather. We will have to fight the stream some since we are going back to Marathon before heading up the SW coast of Florida. Will head south west off the bank until we get into the stream then west letting it carry us north and then south on Hawk Channel on the other side to Channel Five bridge,

Sumner
=============================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
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Likes: All U Get

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Made it back to Marathon in the Keys Thursday. Sat for 2 weeks at Morgans Bluff on the north end of Andros Island (Bahamas) waiting on a weather windows to cross back over the 200 miles from there to the Keys. 3 days of no land in sight except when you pass South Riding Rocks at the western edge of the Great Bahama Bank. We spent the first day getting to about 20 miles east of South Riding Rocks and anchored on the Banks for the night. Pretty bouncy the first half of the night.

Left about 8 in the morning the second day and went all day headed for Florida 100 miles across the Florida Straights and the Gulf Stream. Headed southwest until the stream started to slow the boat. Then started turning north one degree at a time to keep the boat speed about 4 1/2 to 5 knots. Got into the main part of the stream and it started taking us north as we stayed on a heading of about 260 degrees. Not as far north as I thought it would. Came out the other side of the stream around 4 in the morning and continued SW and went in at the Channel 5 bridge north of Marathon around 9 in the morning after going all night (25 hours). We were then able to turn the engine off and sail the last 20 miles to Marathon.

Lots of traffic in the shipping lanes crossing both ways.

It was nice to have AIS (all those targets are large ships) and ....

.... be able to see the tankers, cargo ships and cruise ships. Only had to talk to one and they then changed course a little and..

... went astern of us. Nice of them. I'd for sure recommend having the ability to at least receive AIS for anyone wanting to make the trip to the Bahamas. I had it on the Mac also and it helps in the shipping lanes a lot, especially at night. We were in the lanes for about 4 hours of the night going and coming and the AIS is really nice then.

We had a great time in the Bahamas and even waiting for the two weeks (longest I ever had to wait) was very enjoyable at Morgans Bluff.

Things there are spread out and the few places to get food or a meal are about 4-5 miles from the harbor. Just start walking that direction and someone will come along and offer you a ride. We would always offer something to help with the gas ($5.00+ a gallon there), but they would usually refuse to take it and the Bahamas is a third world country in many ways and the people don't have much. A lot of them lost their home a couple years ago in a hurricane. Great people!!

This will be our last trip there. When we get back to the yard in about a week the boat will go up for sale and this part of our life will come to an end. Still going to keep the Mac for trips on lakes in the west, but probably not back to Florida. It has been good to be able to make these trips, especially at my age, and Dottie and I are very grateful for that. Get out there and do what you want to before you find that time has slipped by you.

Will head for the Everglades tomorrow and Marco the day after. Take a day or two off and then 3-4 days north to the yard (Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage),

Sumner
==============================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Last edited:
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Likes: All U Get
Jul 29, 2004
406
Hunter 340 Lake Lanier, GA
Hi Sumner, hope all is well. I'm doing some advanced trip planning for an Exumas charter and remembered your post. However, the pictures are all Red X'd for some reason. Do you have an updated link to them or your travelogue?
 

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
272
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
I also can not see the photos. From the text, I want to see the photos!