16 April, 2015

I’m Baaaaack!

Saturday, the 11th.  Dick & Jan left this morning at 1100.  We were sorry to see them go, ‘cause there are no friends like old friends.  We had a great week together, but the physical activities were somewhat limited as they’re still trying to recover from their horrendous automobile accident last Memorial Day (see May 2014 blog).  Boy, one minute you’re celebrating your anniversary, having dinner with your kids, the next minute, your life is changed forever.  Said it before, I’m sayin’ it again.  If you’ve got a Dream, do it now.  Get off the sidelines, and into the Game.  We did it, and haven’t looked back for ONE SECOND.  (End sermon).  We spent the rest of the day doing boatchores and produce shopping, feeling supergrateful for just Being.

We liked Great Guana Cay anchorage so much (the first and second time) that we decided to return for a few days and just chill before heading up to Green Turtle Cay.  It was a beautiful 10 mile ride, with the bonus being that “Erben Renewal” was anchored there also, having just arrived from Man O’ War Cay.  By the end of the afternoon, there were over 30 boats in the anchorage, presumably for the weekly Sunday barbeque at Nipper’s.  Suz and I opted to stay on ze boat, floating off the stern in the crystal clear aquamarine water, lifejackets between our legs, and a sip in our hands hands (a technique patented by our daughter, Alison, on a previous bareboat charter in the Virgin Islands).  After our dip, the Admiral and I were having sips when we heard a loud CRUUUUNCH,  Holy Crap, Batman,  that sailboat that was motoring through the anchorage is now sitting beam to the wind, hard aground on a charted rock.  As we watch the drama unfold, a couple of dinghies from other boats come alongside and try to pull her off.  Bad news, the tide is falling, it ain’t moving and starting to exhibit a rather precarious lean.  Enter “White Star”.  Still no joy, and things aren’t lookin’ so good.  Troy, from Dive Guana, whips out with his 250 horses, we throw him our 100’ line (the stricken boat has none), and he gives a tug.  The line is so taught, it’s audibly singing, and still nothing.  A perpendicular vector rotates the vessel, and before long, they’re making inches of headway.  As they toss off our lines, and the dinghies disperse, we ask them where they’re heading.  “Outta here” is the reply, and they literally sail into the sunset with a “God bless you all”.  The following day, Suz and I headed to shore for a last look at the beach by Nipper’s, and to get some milk for Julia.  After that, Steve’s boat repairs complete, we all headed up to Baker’s Bay in the dinghies.  Baker’s is a private enclave, with residences and a marina where 70’ yachts look like dinghies compared to the megayachts berthed there.  They don’t allow us boat trash come ashore, but can’t keep us from tooling around the marina and ogling.  I guess that if we really wanted to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, we could ante up the $6/ft. that they get to dock there.  The 147’ Feadship at the dock named “Winning Drive” had to be a football dudes ride, and sure enough, when Suz Googled it, it turned out to be the owner of the Baltimore Ravens.  After dinner, we all headed in to “Grabber’s”, a bar at the head of the bay for sips.  Steve got us all pretty wound up, and a good time was had by all. 

The Ides of April.  Got a dose of reality yesterday when the CPA sent us our return to okay an E File.  Bad medicine-I just want my bride and my boat.  The Girl got a nice freshwater bath yesterday, courtesy of the first rain we’ve seen in weeks, complete with lightning and thunder as we were waiting for Steve & Julia to come over for dinner.  No sips beforehand, though, as we were all naughty bears the night before, and our livers were in hyperdrive.  As I unfolded a chair on the back porch, I SPOTTED A F%$#@!G ROACH!  (no, not that kind, a creepycrawly one).  This is especially bad news, as the Admiral is fastidious about no cardboard food boxes and the like which contain roach eggs on the boat.  I’m hopin’ that this guy was a lone cowboy that just flew aboard, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled.  An old salt told me that the way to get rid of these guys is to put out saucers of antifreeze, which is sweet, and deadly.  I’ll put some out in the dark spots and see what develops.  Anyway, it’s1030, and we’re on our way back to Great Guana Cay, this time to the north end, where we’re hoping that the weather will be settled enough that we can anchor in this poorly sheltered bay.  We got some intel that says the diving is good there, and we’re ready to get wet.  Steve’s been sharpening up his spear in hopes of nailing some dinner for us.

Soooo, The North Anchorage at Great Guana was beautiful.  Crystal clear blue water, 20’ over sand.  Out at the reef, scuba was just okay, but there was a pretty good assortment of tropical fishes to check out.  Steve speared a Bermuda Chubb while he was snorkeling, as Suz and I hit some deeper water.  Julia had us over for some pork and chicken satay at dinnertime, and it was delicious.  We’ve had better nights at anchor, as there was just a slight easterly breeze, with swells coming in from the north.  Made for a rather rolly night, but hey, who was listening to Yours Truly when he suggested that we might want to move up to No Name Cay after our dive?  Next morning, we transited the Whale Cay Passage, which is notorious for crazy seas in certain conditions.  The Bahamians call it a “Rage” when the seas, tides, and wind combine to do their evil magic in this locale.  On this day, benign was the word, and not by accident.  We do everything we can to keep it pleasure boating.  No Name Cay’s anchorage was an absolute joy, and we spent the day at anchor, taking the tenders out to the reef for some snorkin’.  The island is inhabited by an extended family of feral pigs, several of which swam out to the tender to meet us as we approached the shore laden with garbage, er, I mean pig delicacies.  Too funny!  We headed over to Black Sound on Green Turtle Cay in the late afternoon on a rising tide, as we needed the depth to get in the channel.  Donny, from Donny’s Marina and Boat Rental came out of the harbor to guide us in, as the charts showed absolutely not enough water for us to get in.  Now safely in the harbor, the interweb is only moderately maddeningly slow, so here it comes.  Our plan is to stay here for the next few days.

-Later

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