We are back in the Bahamas !

[Bob 04 H260]

Finally a weather window opened and we did the jump from Lake Worth Inlet to West End, Grand Bahama Island last Tuesday. We hauled the anchor up at 4am and arrived at Old Bahama Bay Marina about 2pm. The winds were light, seas a bit lumpy, we motor sailed using just our jib. Treated to a beautiful sunrise,
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Wednesday morning we sailed to Great Sale Cay and anchored out for the night. We continued on Thursday to Crab Cay, a favourite anchorage of ours. We intended to stay here a second night but were warned of a front coming through. We decided to keep moving and had a great sail to Green Turtle Cay, we picked up a mooring ball here in the protected anchorage,
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We had our bottom done just before we were launched this year. What a difference it has made. I think we dropped 500 rpm's for the same SOG, she easily hit hull speed under sail,
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Yesterday we took the dinghy over to New Plymouth for a walk about. A stop at the Blue Bee Bar for a Goombay Smash, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goombay_Smash

Then we picked up a bottle of our favourite Bahamian rum,
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Bob

 

[rgranger]

Nice pics.

 

[joker460]

You're just a bit behind some of our dock buddies. They are at Man of War Cay. Boats Name is "Thera".
If you pass them say Hello from Eric.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

You're just a bit behind some of our dock buddies. They are at Man of War Cay. Boats Name is "Thera".
If you pass them say Hello from Eric.

Ok Eric, I'll keep an eye out for "Thera". We like Man-O-War Cay a lot.
We will be hunkered down here for a few days I think. The worst should be tomorrow, winds to 30 Kts and squalls possible with 40 to 50 Kt gusts. Then the winds will clock to the north the first part of next week so we will be waiting to do the Whale Cay Passage until Thursday I think.
Bob

 

[Gunni]

Bob, how did the Whale Cay maneuver go?

 

[Bob 04 H260]

No problems a bit of a swell from one direction and some chop from another, overall no problem. We called to see if a vessel was ahead of us to try and get a report on the conditions but "nothing heard". So we ended being the one reporting back as we went through. We have been enjoying Treasure Cay and now anchored out in Marsh Harbour, going to Hopetown tomorrow. Predicting chance of squalls tonight with gusts to 40 kts !
Bob
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[Gunni]

Thanks for that Skipper! I assume you shot the inlets at slack tide, but I am always looking for advice. Hopetown is a great protected spot in a gale, pick up a stout mooring and done!

 

[Bob 04 H260]

We came in with the tide, gives us a bit more speed, shortens the time. Wind was on our beam coming in the cut. Usually try to avoid a north wind that's against the tide. That can generate some big waves in shallow water.

No balls in Hopetown, back on the hook in Marsh, lots of chain out, dropped the anchor at low tide in 8 ft water, backed down to 6.5 ft, so she will be going up hill if we drag ! should be fine.
B