Blue Blazes

It's Official

2010-08-22T17:18:00.004-04:00

Boy how time flies. It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by. On August 30th both Harley and I start back to work. Our leave of absence is officially over and reality is setting in. I'm quite sure that, by the end of next week, this past year will just feel like a wonderful dream. Thank goodness I kept a journal and took lots of pictures. They may come in handy when the mid-winter blues hit.

Vacation Time!

2010-07-26T21:49:00.001-04:00

The trip south was amazing; there is no doubt about it, but now we are on vacation. The North Channel is just like we remember it......breathtaking!!!!!!

Killarney

2010-07-15T10:11:00.005-04:00

It was a lovely trip up to Killarney on Wednesday. Our original plan was to stay in the Parry Sound/Pointe Au Baril area for a few more days but, given that we had perfect weather, we decided to make a run for it. Lucky we did because today is overcast with off-and-on rain.

We motored for at least half of the eleven-hour trek as there was very little wind, but in the afternoon it picked up and we had a lovely sail; the bay was absolutely flat. It's not very often we see that! We pulled into Killarney around 6:00 just in time for Fish n Chips. Anyone who has been to Killarney knows how we couldn't pass up that!

Stuffed to the gills, we waddled back to Blue Blazes and motored her over to Covered Portage Cove where we dropped the anchor. I can't believe I'm saying this after just returning from the Bahamas, but this is one of my favorite places. We are now in the La Cloche Mountain Range. The scenery is breathtaking with the windswept pines set against the white quartz mountains and tall cliffs right up to the water's edge. (Big breath) Life just doesn't get much better.

Picture:

Covered Portage Cove

God's Country

2010-07-12T08:48:00.008-04:00

It sure feels good to be back cruising Georgian Bay; the land of wind-swept pines and granite rock....or as Harley affectionately calls it "God's country".

So far we have enjoyed beautiful weather and, believe it or not, very warm water. In Port Rawson area, for instance, the water was a toasty 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Today we are heading into Parry Sound to do a small reprovision and stretch our legs. From there we head north.

Picture:

Huckleberry Island, Parry Sound

Come Hell or High Water

2010-07-06T21:55:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow morning we leave for the rest of the summer....come hell or high water.

I know. I know. The last time I wrote I said we were leaving; going wherever the wind blew us. Well it seems as if the wind blew us right back on the dock. (not literally) We've had a bit of a set back but, what can you do....**it happens. Everything is good now however and we are more than ready to take off.

On the bright side, with all the extra time we've had on our hands while ashore, we managed to clean and declutter Blue Blazes from step to stern. That is a good thing! It also gave us time to go car shopping. We are now the proud owners of a 2010 Toyota Prius.

On the down side, if we don't get on the water soon we are going to go broke. This land living is way too expensive.

Time to go Sailing Again

2010-06-26T22:56:00.007-04:00

I bet you thought I was finished with blogging. So did I but, like it or not, I think I might have an addiction.

We've been home for 18 days now and today, for the first time in almost three weeks, we found ourselves looking for things to do. Our days have been PACKED with moving back into our house, getting the boat put back together, and reconnecting with friends and family...so much so that it's felt more like a whirlwind.

While on the subject, moving is one of our least favorite things (yet you'd never know it with how many times we have moved over the years) and even though this, technically, isn't a move it sure feels like it with all the painting and unpacking we've had to do. Also, getting Blue Blazes reassembled and ready to sail again after her road trip was a lot of work as well. Needless to say, we are ready to unwind.

But putting all that aside, adjusting to our life and getting our "land legs" again has gone well. Having said that though, we are anxious to get on the water again where life is much simpler. In the short time we have been back we can already feel the stress that land life holds. We find ourselves stressing over whether this picture looks better on this wall or that wall.....and we really should have our driveway redone because it's looking pretty shabby compared to the neighbor's. But the biggest stress comes from the fact that we have to buy a car. Unlike many people, we dislike cars and think of them as a necessary money pit. (much like most people think of boats...lol)

So it's confirmed....we are weird. Georgian Bay is calling us. We plan to set sail again the day after tomorrow and stay out until the end of August. There is no itinerary, no sail plan....we are just going where the wind takes us. I may post pictures along the way. See you in September.

Until Next Time

2010-06-02T20:02:00.003-04:00

When we started out on this trip nearly ten months ago we thought we were pretty smart. We carefully planned every detail from renting the house, preparing the boat, making a cruise plan, and studying charts, to learning about weather, and tides and currents. Yup, we were all wise...we were prepared for anything. I think it was about day two of the trip that we realized, heck, we know nothing. It was then that the learning began.

I, for one, learned that cooking a meal while standing on a 30 degree angle is no big deal, it is possible to wash dishes in a cup of water, hot water and fresh water are luxuries, and sleep is over rated. I also learned that my head and shins are much tougher than I thought, and I am way stronger than I could have imagined. I proved to myself that I can live for eleven months in something smaller than a jail cell. As well, I will never underestimate the power of salt, will always check the bottom of a tin can before I set it on unvarnished wood, and forever keep a firm hand on my wine glass. I learned these lessons first hand, and so many more like them, and if you asked me if I enjoyed myself I'd say "you betcha!"

If anything, what we both have learned is how important it is to work as a team and keep smiling. Attitude truly is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure. Sometimes it is the passing of time that turns the ordeal into an adventure. Like when we go to tell the story of the horrible squall we sailed through. At the time that was an ordeal but after, well, it's a great adventure story. Even the story about the toilet backing up is fun to tell, but let me tell you at the time that was no fun at all.

The knowledge that we are bringing home with us goes way beyond boat handling skills or weather predicting but, rather, has much more to do with learning about ourselves and what we can handle.

There were times before we set out on this trip that we would sit back and dream about what it would be like to wake up every morning surrounded by clear blue water and a warm breeze. Now, that's going to be our brightest memory. It's sad to see this all come to an end but we were prepared for this and therefore feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity. What an experience.....What an adventure.......When can we do this again?

Blue Blazes is being picked up on the 8th of June. We fly home on the 9th.

Ten months.....gone just like that.....but the memories.......they will last a lifetime.

It's been a blast.

THE END

Here's to Blue Blazes

2010-05-29T16:06:00.002-04:00

We sailor's are a crazy lot. Talk to any sailor who has owned a boat that they've loved and you'll soon learn that they will refer to it as if it were human....or at the very least animal. "She was a great boat!" you'll hear them say. And for some reason they are always female ..."like gentle nymphs of the sea" I guess you could say. To us Blue Blazes is no exception.

She is not exactly in the prime of her life, but then again neither are we, but we still think she's a brave little boat to do what she has done for us. She's travelled away from her familiar waters of the Great Lakes for which she was created and took us out into the big ocean. She put in some very long days, and many times, pushing on long after we had run out of steam.

And she never complained...except for that one time when we ran her aground and broke her transmission.....that hurt! We felt really bad about that, but after we fixed her up and gave her a rest she performed for us like she was young again.

She protected us, sheltered us, got us through some very scary situations, and even some very rough seas. And when she would bring us into a harbour after such times we would wash her down and buff her up. She would really like that and would gleam like a shiny new penny. People would come by and comment on how pretty she looked and we would say to ourselves, "that's our girl".

When we ask her to go fast, you should see her go! She loves to show off, but it wouldn't be right to brag about her, so we tell people that she is a spirited little boat. She doesn't take offence to this though because she knows how proud we are of her without having to say it.

She's getting old now but she still has a lot of life left in her. Having said that though, we don't plan to do this to her again. We may have to adopt a new baby sister if we plan to do anything like that but we are ever so thankful to our old girl.

If it wasn't for Blue Blazes we wouldn't appreciate the simpler things in life and certainly wouldn't have realized that there is life without T.V., or a microwave oven. She has been trustworthy, faithful, comforting, and tireless to the end. To reward her we are sending her on a nice road trip home where she will, once again, bask in the beautiful waters of Georgian Bay.

Here's to Blue Blazes!

Cheers

p.s. Blue Blazes is a CS 36 traditional

Historic Charleston

2010-05-27T08:47:00.006-04:00

Charleston is a wonderful city to visit. Thankfully we didn't know what we were missing on the way down or we might have been a little bummed out.

We arrived in Charleston three days ago. Are we stalling? Maybe, but there is so much to see here that we could easily stay a week and still not see it all. Given that Charleston is one of the oldest cities in North America, it is loaded with history and has a museum on almost every block. But, for me, it's the beauty that is capturing. Around every corner and down every lane way there are meticulously manicured gardens. Even right in the heart of downtown, the streets are lined with palm trees adding to the already fabulous architecture. The old mansions are magnificent and as I gaze at them I can't help but wonder what stories would be told if only the walls could talk.

Yesterday was our big tour of the city. Charleston is a very easy city to get around. We took public transit (the buses are very cute and look like San Fransisco trolley cars) and for $5.00 each we got to ride it all day getting off and on as often as we wanted. It was fabulous and we would highly recommend it. We could have gone on guided tours in a nice comfortable tour bus, or been driven around in a horse and buggy but that just seemed too organized. This way we got to experience Charleston the way we wanted.

From here our next stop is Georgetown, South Carolina.

St.Augustine. 28 hours later Beaufort, South Carolina

2010-05-23T21:47:00.009-04:00

I'm not sure why we are in such a hurry!

We high-tailed it up the I.C.W. to St. Augustine, (Florida), where we jumped outside and sailed to Beaufort, South Carolina. The wind speed and direction was perfect for the 130-mile trip and we had a great sail. Thankfully we left when we did as there is some nasty weather coming our way in the next few days. Believe it or not there was a little a method in our madness.

On the way down last fall we missed Beaufort so we were happy to be able to stop here this time around. This is a town that is very pretty and rich in history and we thoroughly enjoyed walking around and checking out all the sights.

Our plan is set in Jello so don't be surprised if it changes, but from here we hope to travel a bit further north....probably Georgetown, South Carolina...... where we will put Blue Blazes on a truck and have her transported back to Midland, Ontario... her home port. We are feeling that since we have already travelled the I.C.W., and don't really care if we do it again, we might as well take advantage of the time we have and spend the summer cruising our beautiful and familiar North Channel, and Georgian Bay.

Tomorrow (or maybe the day after) we plan to visit Charleston, South Carolina...another city we missed on the way down. We've heard lots of great things about Charleston so we are really looking forward to that. In the meantime we are still trying to get our heads around the fact that we will soon be back to our old life.

We're on the home stretch now.

Picture:

One of the beautiful homes in Beaufort.

Time for a Make-Over

2010-05-19T20:57:00.003-04:00

After living on the boat for 10 months we must be looking rather rough.......

The first thing that we noticed as we sailed through the Ft. Pierce Inlet on Sunday, was the horrible brown colour of the water. Then it was all the weekend fishermen bombing around in their small power boats all hammered up....their bikini-clad girlfriends equally hammered. Welcome to Florida.

Our first two days here in the states were spent in Vero Beach, just north of Ft. Pierce. It wasn't long, however, before we were reminded why we didn't enjoy Vero Beach the last time through. Just like last time, it was hot and humid with barely a breath of air and man-eating no-see-ums. To escape it all we went shopping. There's nothing like shopping to cheer me up. We now have a boat full of food and a whole new wardrobe.

It was nice to be in civilization again, but like I said, we must be looking pretty bad after cruising for so long. Yesterday the girl on the cash at a fast food joint gave us the senior discount without even asking. (By the way, we are not there yet.) Then while shopping for clothes at Bells a lady came up to me and offered me her $10.00 voucher that she had to go toward her purchase. She said that she didn't need it as she has enough money. I must have looked like a charity case with my salt stained flip flops and my unruly hair that Harley has been cutting for the past 6 months. But the cruiser in me showed through....I gave her a hug and gratefully accepted it....lol.

Today we are travelling up the ICW to Titusville, but as soon as we can we will be heading out to the ocean so we can do some sailing in nice clean water again.

Picture:

Titusville at sunset.

Bahama Farewell

2010-05-16T19:30:00.004-04:00

It was with mixed feelings and a very heavy heart that we left the Bahamas. On May 14th we started our trek home. We left from Green Turtle Cay.

As we say good-bye to the Bahamas we can't help but reflect on the memories that will, no doubt, last us a lifetime. The magnificent gin clear waters, the beautiful and friendly people, pristine white sand beaches, conch fritters, rake and scrape, dancing, laughing, swimming, snorkeling, sunsets, starry nights, beach glass, long walks, sailing, wonderful sea life, dolphins, and even sharks are just a few. The list goes on and on. Even the negative things like dodging cold fronts, or sweltering in the heat, salt on the decks, sand in the sheets, and trying to find an Internet connection are all things I will fondly remember.

The experiences we've had and the lessons we've learned have touched us in a way that I am quite sure we are not the same two people who arrived here 5 months ago. We are very lucky people indeed and never, for one minute, did we take any of this for granted. We savoured every minute and fell in love. If we had our way, we would never leave but our life back home is calling us and the time has come.

By the time I post this we will be in Florida but right now we are sadly sailing across the stunningly beautiful Little Bahama Bank. The water is the most gorgeous shade of turquoise and we are having a fabulous down-wind sail to Mangrove Cay. We even had a couple of dolphins swim by the boat a few minutes ago, which was very special since we haven't seen that many here in the Bahamas.

We will stop for a few hours to rest at Mangrove Cay before we cross the Gulf Stream to Fort Pierce Inlet.

It's the end of a chapter........ but it's not the end. There is likely much more to come. We are still a long way from home.

See you on the other side..........

(May 16
P.S. Had another great down-wind sail from Mangrove Cay to Ft. Pierce. The gulf stream was tame today. )

Abaco - Slide Show

2010-05-13T23:49:00.000-04:00

Changing Gears

2010-05-13T23:00:00.003-04:00

We hadn't seen Kyle in almost two years when he came down here and there is no telling when we will see him again so, needless to say, it was a sad moment indeed as we watched him drive away in a taxi to the airport yesterday. The boat seems absolutely lifeless today with him gone.

Now surprisingly, even to us, we have completely changed gears. Sadly, the time has come to start thinking about coming home. We've gone from having fun in the sun to the 'lets get'er done' mode just like that. This leaves little time to properly say good-bye to the Bahamas, however, it looks as if there is a good weather window for the next few days and we may even leave as soon as tomorrow.

We sit in Green Turtle Cay tonight along with Bev and Arne on Scandia, which is a boat we will likely be travelling with . Tomorrow morning we will listen to Chris Parker (our weather guru) and make our decision then.

On a happy note, thankfully, we got to see Kevin for at least one more visit.

Good-bye Kyle

2010-05-11T18:53:00.006-04:00

I can't believe it! Three weeks has gone by so quickly. Tomorrow Kyle is leaving us.

Having Kyle around has been great and has certainly kept things interesting. For starters, we wouldn't have done as much snorkeling and would have never rented a golf cart in Elbow Cay with someone "skitch'n" (skateboard hitching) along side. We would have missed the bar hopping (and the Hooter girls). We wouldn't have moved so much or sailed in such heavy weather all up wind just for the fun of it.......

Yup, it was so much fun and we are going to really miss him!

Moving Around Abaco

2010-05-07T13:21:00.006-04:00

After our "Hooter Experience" the guys decided that we should stay in Great Guana Cay for another day. However, with the Hooter Girls gone, the next day wasn't nearly as exciting but we managed to enjoyed ourselves just the same.

From there we moved down to Hope Town to give Kyle the opportunity to see this unique little community. We checked out the town and the beach (where we picked up another pound of sea glass) stayed the night, and sailed to Sandy Cay the next day.

Sandy Cay is a "must" stop for snorkeling but really isn't a recommended spot for anchoring as it offers little protection. However, it was a pretty spot with an air of remoteness that drew us in like a magnet. The snorkeling here came well recommended as well so given that the weather is settled right now we anchored anyway and were very glad we did. Soon after we anchored we headed over to the snorkel spot.

As soon as we dipped our faces in the water we felt like we were swimming in an aquarium. The water was deep and clear. The massive coral gardens were like nothing I have ever seen before. There were a multitude of sea fans swaying back and forth with the motion of the sea and there was an abundance of fish of every variety. It was another one of those "pinch me" moments that I, for one, will never forget.

Pictures:

1. Nippers
2. Snorkeling off the beach - Great Guana Cay
3. Looking out over the anchorage at Great Guana Cay
4. Hope Town Light House
5. One of the many snorkeling pics.

Hooter's Photo Shoot

2010-05-03T19:26:00.005-04:00

Our time in Green Turtle Cay was wonderful! Kevin showed us a great time and the Island Roots Heritage Festival was a lot of fun complete with entertainment, contests, music, seminars and enough food to feed an army.

Yesterday we sailed to Treasure Cay and being such a beautiful day we waisted no time checking out the fabulous beach.

Today we are in Great Guana Cay and again the weather is perfect. We took a walk over to the famous Nipper's Bar and to our surprise isn't there a Hooter's photo shoot happening. Here's Kyle, he hasn't seen a girl younger than 40 years old in over a week, and he gets to witness this! How's that for luck....lol.

Pictures

1. Treasure Cay Beach
2. One of the Hooter's Girls

Manjack Cay

2010-04-30T08:27:00.005-04:00

Kyle and I snorkeled on the most amazing reef that I have seen yet here in the Bahamas. The coral, the fish, the sea fans, sea vegetation, caves, arches, crevices, and walls were all so stunning......and I forgot my camera. I guess that means we will have to go back. We may even take Harley this time.

Yesterday we took a trip up to Manjack Cay and instantly fell in love with this small island. An acquaintance/friend from way back, Bill Harrington, lives there so it was really nice to see him again and his wife Leslie. Bill owns a wonderful piece of property (his own corner of paradise). He has built a fabulous home surrounded by beautiful gardens and overlooking a pretty cove on the Sea of Abaco. The home itself is a work of art. On the far side of his property is the ocean side of the island, which has a magnificent white sand beach that stretches forever. If I lived there I would NEVER leave.

We are looking forward to the Island Roots Heritage Festival, which starts today here in Green Turtle Cay. Should be fun!

Pictures:

1. Bill and Leslie's front porch

2. Dock on sound side

3. Off the back deck

4. Ocean side

Good times!

2010-04-28T10:38:00.013-04:00

We are still having fun in Green Turtle Cay especially since we have Kevin (the host with the most) taking care of us. Yesterday we spent quite a bit of time on the beach snorkeling, swimming, and beach combing and after, Kevin took us on a booze cruise in his Boston Whaler where we ended up at a bar called Sundowners. It was all great fun.

Pictures:

1. At the beach

2. A live sea biscuit

3. The start of the booze cruise.

4. The end of the booze cruise

Green Turtle Cay

2010-04-25T15:30:00.007-04:00

After Kyle arrived we decided to stay another day in Marsh Harbour. One thing we didn't know was that there is a very nice snorkel spot within a short walk from the anchorage. We enjoyed a nice afternoon there then after, in the evening, we went bar hopping. It's not like we were tourists gone wild or anything like that, but we got to visit a couple of the local hang outs. It was fun and, if nothing else, it was good for people watching.

Today we are sitting in White Sound, Green Turtle Cay where we have met up with Kevin. In true Bennett fashion Kevin has shown us all the high spots and things the normal tourist wouldn't see. He also took us on a tour of his home that he is constructing....all by himself. Let me tell you, when he is finished this home is going to be spectacular. No detail has been overlooked. We were totally impressed!

Tonight we have been invited (via Kevin) to a B.B.Q/Party/Bon Fire, which promises to be a good time. We will be staying in this area for a week so I am sure I will be writing more about Green Turtle Cay later.

Pictures

1. Harley, Kevin, and I

2. Kyle

Kyle's here.

2010-04-23T09:15:00.005-04:00

The wind has died down in the Sea of Abaco and for the last few days it has been flat as a mill pond. It's pretty cool when it's like this though for we can see everything on the bottom as if we were floating on liquid air. There is no sailing however. We motored the whole way from Treasure Cay to Marsh Harbour.

Kyle arrived right on schedule and after our happy reunion we proceeded to show him around the booming metropolis of Marsh Harbour. I'm not being facetious when I say that. This area has the most built up town that we have seen since Nassau. There is even a traffic light! There are hardware stores and a GREAT grocery store complete with a wide selection of produce. We even found a wholesale fish market were we bought lobster for $8.00/lb. Guess what we had for dinner?

This afternoon we will likely move over to Great Guana Cay then tomorrow Green Turtle Cay (GTC) where, at long last, we will meet up with our good friend Kevin. Kevin has lived in GTC for many years but is a good friend of ours from way back to our single days. We have stayed in touch ever since and we can't wait to see him again.

Treasure Cay

2010-04-21T04:04:00.008-04:00

It's been like a vacation away from our vacation the last few days. From what we can tell there is a lot of money on Treasure Cay, which means the nearby marina is a bit more upscale than most. We are anchored out but for $10.00 a day we have full use of the facilities. This includes hot showers, (notice #1 on my list) a beautiful pool, pool bar, and free internet. Across the road is a magnificent beach that, we have been told, has been voted one of the ten best in the world. (no beach glass though..... lol) We have had the best time taking advantage of it all and getting to know some more very cool boaters.

Tomorrow our son Kyle is arriving from Banff, Alberta. We haven't seen him in almost two years and we are super excited to say the least. He is flying into Marsh Harbour so today we are sailing over. We need to be there a day early to reprovision so we have something to feed him for the next three weeks.

New Past Time

2010-04-18T12:55:00.006-04:00

I have a new past time and I am totally addicted. It's fun and as exciting as panning for gold. I call it beach glassing.

Most people, I'm sure, have seen beach glass before (also known as sea glass); and I'm sure most people would look at it and see a piece of garbage washed up on shore. But you know what they say, 'one man's garbage is another man's treasure'. I have admired enough beautiful beach glass jewelry and seen the value of it in the stores to convince me that it is a treasure to find and I'm determined to find it. So far I have filled a mason jar with the stuff and I am so proud of my collection.

Sea glass is glass that, for whatever reason, has been thrown into to sea. Over time this glass breaks and the pieces get ground smooth from the sand and the constant motion of the surf. A perfect piece is not shiny but is smooth and the sharp edges have been rounded. It comes in all shapes and colours. White, green, brown and turquoise are the most popular colours but sometimes you can get lucky and find red, blue or even purple. That's when I get really excited. Harley found a blue piece the other day and he contemplated trading it to me for sexual favours. (Funny guy.)

Yesterday we moved to Man O War Cay....another pretty spot here in the Abacos. The settlement there is very laid back and (like in Hope Town) the homes are sweet and very well kept. Today we sailed to Treasure Cay. We just arrived so you'll just have to wait to hear what this place is all about.

Abaco Inn

2010-04-13T09:03:00.002-04:00

Abaco Inn. Great food, good service, lots of atmosphere and a great place to celebrate our 30th anniversary.

Hope Town

2010-04-12T13:13:00.006-04:00

It rained on April 12th 1980 in southern Ontario. How do I know this? It was on this date 30 years ago that Harley I tied the knot. I was told that it was a good omen to have rain on your wedding day. It rained here in Hope Town today as well. I want to think it's a good omen to have rain on your 30th anniversary too.

Rain or not, Hope Town is a wonderful spot. Actually right now the sun is shining bright and it's hot and humid. It rarely stays overcast for a whole day here in the Bahamas.

Hope Town is the cutest little village loaded with ambiance. The narrow lane ways are lined with very pretty and quaint cottages, unique gift stores, and a couple of cool pubs on the water's edge. The homes are immaculate and beautifully landscaped. The gardens are small but full of colour as everything seems to be in full bloom right now. To top it all off, at the entrance to the harbour, which can be seen from just about everywhere in town, is the prettiest candy-stripped lighthouse that you can imagine.

We will stay here for the next few days to wait out a blow. For now we plan to enjoy the sights and the company of the great people we have met. From here we will continue on to see what the Abacos have to offer. Looking forward to more good times ahead.

Bahama Out Islands

2010-04-09T21:11:00.001-04:00

Eleuthra to Abacos

2010-04-08T22:42:00.006-04:00

Because we liked it so much, we stayed another day in Governor's Harbour. This was such a quaint settlement with many beautiful homes and lovely gift stores. And on the other side of the island there was a very cool pink sand beach that I just had to check out.

Unfortunately , the extended weather forecast has changed our plans for the next few days though. We would have loved to spend more time in Eleuthra but we needed to push on to the Abacos before the weather socked us in. The prediction is for the wind to pick up and blow like stink for the next five or six days and since we are meeting our son Kyle in the Abacos soon we didn't want to risk not making it in time.

We left Governor's Harbour yesterday and sailed to Royal Island at the northern tip of Eleuthra. On the way we had a beautiful dolphin travel along side us, performing all his tricks, for about two hours. It was one of those "pinch me" moments. (Meaning: Pinch me. I can't believe this is happening.) It was so cool.

Royal Island is really a nothing anchorage but is a favorite harbour for cruisers making the Abacos-Eleuthra passage. The crossing from Eleuthra to the Abacos can be rough, and needs to be done when the conditions are good, so today we made the leap.

It was a good nine-hour sail and we are sitting in Little Harbour on Great Abaco Island today. Already I can feel the difference here. More cottagey? More prosperous? I am not sure why but I know I am going to love it here.

Picture:

The Pink Sand Beach

2010-04-08T19:08:00.001-04:00

View The Trail of Blue Blazes in a larger map

Harley and Crazy Glue. My two best friends.

2010-04-05T19:58:00.005-04:00

Well, I don't want to jinx it but it looks like Harley's crazy glue repair to our wifi antenna is working, albeit intermittently, but for now it's better than nothing. Yeah Harley!

The wind today was much stronger than forcasted and we had an exhilarating sail from Rock Sound to Governors Harbor. Eleuthra is a long skinny island and it will take a number of days to travel the length of it but that's o.k. We are really enjoying this island. We are noticing that Eleuthra is more, dare I say, civilized than most of the other islands we have been visiting lately. There are actually cars on the roads. Today is Resurrection Monday and we have been told that it is tradition here for everyone to go to the beach. (That explains why the town was dead.) Apparently, at whatever beach they go to, they party all day and all night with bonfires and music and dancing. You have to love a tradition like that.

When we came back to our dinghy after walking around town these four Bahamian children were so excited to see us and as soon as they found out what dinghy was ours they jumped in. They all started talking at the same time asking us questions and one of the girls immediately put on a life jacket. They were just too cute for words and we were absolutely delighted to let them hang with us for a bit.

Huston We Have a Problem

2010-04-04T21:27:00.002-04:00

Little San Salvador was once a place where cruisers came to find a secluded island paradise but that certainly is not the case now that Holland American Cruise Lines has taken over this beautiful corner of the Bahamas. Ten years ago this island was uninhabited, beautiful, and pristine. Now the beach is lined with hundreds of beach chairs and every water toy imaginable. The other day we watched a cruise ship anchor and in no time there were thousands of people crowed onto this lovely beach. And once the people showed up so did all the organized activities. There were people parasailing, horseback riding, sailing sunfish and hobie cats.....and out came the food. If we were bold enough we could have easily stepped in the food line and helped ourselves but we didn't. About five hours later, as fast as the tourists came, they left, leaving the place looking like Disney Land after hours. It was all very facinating but one day was enough.

The next day we left and sailed to Rock Sound, Eluthra. It's Easter weekend and lucky for us it is also Homecomming weekend and PARTY TIME! There is music, food, and dancing in the street day and night. Given that we like to eat and dance it didn't take us long to join in. Like they say, When in Rome.......

So that's the fun stuff. I do, however, have some sad news to report. (Sad for me that is) Blue Blazes is having some technical difficulties. Our trusty Radio Lab WiFi antenna fell and broke yesterday. That means there will be no internet on the boat until we find a way to get another one. What it also means is that there will be no skype and fewer blog notes (if any) because now I have to find places on shore where I can take my computer to get connected. It's too bad, and we will try to figure something out, but for now it looks like we will have to get by like the cruisers of days gone by. Until recently it was unheard of to have internet on a boat so I guess I should consider myself lucky that I had it this long.

Chow for now.

Cat Island

2010-04-01T07:38:00.003-04:00

The waves have calmed down, the wind has shifted, and we have been thoroughly enjoying all that The New Bight, on Cat Island has to offer.

First of all, what is really making it incredible is the fun people we have been hanging with the last few days, (Two couples we have met before, Jen and Maxwell on Anastasia, and Dwane and Linda on SeaVeyor, and a new couple Jim and Anne on Bees Knees) each of us different but all walking the same path and sharing the same experiences.

What makes this island stand out from the rest is the hospitality of it's residents. The people here love cruisers and go out of their way to make sure all our needs are met. Walking down the street it is not uncommon for someone to call out from their home to say "hi" and "how are you?" and "is everything o.k?". But best of all, we are anchored at the foot of Mount Alvernia, the highest hill in the Bahamas and one of the most intriguing spots we have come across. It is here that the late Father Jerome a Catholic Priest/architect built his retirement home.

Father Jerome was one of the island's noted residents who had come to the Bahamas in 1908 after a devastating hurricane and rebuilt many churches with his unique hurricane- proof architecture and stone work. The Hermitage, retirement home is really something to see and experience. All the way up the path to his home on the hill are stone monuments showing not only his artistic talent but also his genuine and humble devotion to God.

Walking and sight seeing is fun but can be tiring so we have also been doing a lot of swimming and relaxing as well. The water is as warm as soup these days and certainly not hard to take at all.

In a few minutes we are leaving Cat Island and sailing to Little San Salvator, which promises to be another unique stop.

(Pictures of the Hermitage to come.)

Just Imagine

2010-03-30T12:04:00.002-04:00

Imagine, just for a moment, what it would be like to stick a splintered toothpick in your eye. Then while on that thought imagine giving it a quarter turn to the right. Got it? I'd rather have experienced that plus a root canal than be anchored here at Cat Island last night. We rocked and rolled so much that I felt like a rubber ducky in a washing machine. If I ever have another night like that it will be too soon.........and that's all I have to say about that.

A Paridise Within Paradise

2010-03-28T16:07:00.004-04:00

We made our escape from Elizabeth Harbour (Georgetown) last Friday in the early morning light. The 40-mile sail over to Conception was fabulous with a brisk south/east wind moving us towards this magnificent paradise.

The beauty of this uninhabited island comes from its crystalline water, magnificent crescent beaches, and abundant sea life. In fact, from the boat we saw a puffer fish, a dolphin and a shark. (The sharks don't scare us anymore and we went in swimming several times to cool off from the heat of the day.) This island also offers miles of creeks to poke around inland that are home to hundreds of sea turtles.

The wind was calm and the sea was flat while we were in Conception except for two hours when a front came through, which was about as much fun as a root canal, but other than that it was very enjoyable. We would have loved to stay longer, however, Conception Island has no safe and secure harbours for protection form every direction, and given that the wind is to switch around in the next day or two we headed to Cat Island today.

The sail over was epic with large gentle waves and great wind. I must say that Blue Blazes out-performed herself as she averaged 7.2 knots over the 28-mile trek from Conception to the way point at the tip of Cat Island. We even, at one point, saw 9.8 on the knot meter as we were surfing down a wave...hee haw!

As we turned the corner towards The Bight the water depth went from 6,000 feet to 20 feet in about 50 yards. It was very cool and maybe even a bit eerie. It was then that Harley asked me to reel in the fishing line, which (by the way) we always drag but with little success. Usually Harley does this job but he had his hands full at the helm as the wind had picked up and we were close hulled.

So there I am reeling in the line and don't I get a fish on. I call to Harley that I have a fish and he tells me to reel it in. At this point I'm thinking he must be crazy as I know nothing about fishing, but I reel it in. Thankfully it wasn't very big and believe it or not I even got the hook out myself and released it without hurting the poor little guy. I had to look it up on my trusty little Fishwatcher's Field Guide and found that I let a Yellowtail Snapper live for another day. I guess we could have eaten him but I felt he was too little and cute to kill.

Brent and Alyssa's visit - Slide Show

2010-03-23T14:33:00.001-04:00

What next?

2010-03-21T20:28:00.005-04:00

Adjusting back to our quiet and serene lifestyle is going to take some time I think. Brent and Alyssa (pictured above) left yesterday and today the boat seems so quiet. Almost too quiet. We thoroughly enjoyed having them on board for two weeks.

Our days were full as we tried to experience everything the Exumas had to offer. Not only did we see the islands again and through the eyes of first-timers but we experienced them with the enthusiasm, energy, and endurance that comes from being young. Brent and Alyssa gave us this and much more and we are going to miss them so.

Today we are relaxing and making plans for our next leg of this adventure. The plan (a loose term) is to head east to Long Island, then Conception Island. Then north to Cat Island, Little San Salvador, and Eluthra before we head up to the Abacos. Of course this is all weather permitting. One thing for sure....we are going to be heading north soon. There is so much more to see and do before we start thinking about coming home.

Also, not many people know that we are not planning on travelling up the I.C.W. on the way home. Instead, in order to maximise our time down here, we have decided to sail the boat state side sometime in June and have it shipped back to Ontario on a truck from wherever we end up ..... Florida, or Georgia.

As you know we have rented our house while we've been away. The lease was to run to the end of July but our tenants have asked to break the lease and are leaving the end of April. This definitely changes things as we have been counting on our rent cheques to help finance this trip but sh*t happens and we are sure we can deal with it, however, it may change our return date slightly. More on that later. For now we intend to enjoy every minute we have here and not think about coming home.

This time last year we were stressing over all the details of getting the boat ready, renting the house, and leaving our jobs. Now the stress comes from wondering how we are going to manage a "normal" life again on shore....lol.

P.S. Pictures to come when we have a better internet connection.

Free Food

2010-03-17T23:26:00.007-04:00

There is nothing like catching your own dinner to make your day.

We decided to take the outside route (the Ocean side) from Staniel Cay to Little Farmers Cay and on our way we caught this Blackfin Tuna. Yipee! It provided us with two delicious meals. Even Alyssa, who isn't crazy about fish, had third helpings.

Pictures:

1. Fish for dinner
2. Side dish of coconut

More Pix - March 15

2010-03-15T09:18:00.004-04:00

Pictures:

1.Staniel Cay
2.Thunderball Grotto
3.Thunderball Grotto
4.Fishing on the go
5.chillaxing

Our Great Crew

2010-03-12T22:46:00.005-05:00

To be honest I was a bit worried about having company on board for two weeks. Blue Blazes is not a very big boat and with all our cruising gear and food stuffed into her the space down below seems even smaller. However, Brent and Alyssa have proven to be such great crew and good company that we don't even notice the lack of space.

Both Brent and Alyssa have adjusted to the cruising life like ducks to water. The weather has been good but the wind is quite strong, which means the boat is in constant motion ....not always the best scenario for anyone not used to it.....yet neither one seem to be too affected by it. I am especially proud of Alyssa, what a trooper.

As well, we couldn't ask for better guests. If everyone were like them we'd want visitors every week. They both pitch in and help so much that we are definitely going to miss the extra two sets of hands when they leave. But most of all, we are enjoying their company. It's great to be with family and we cherish every minute we have with them.

Taken Yesterday

2010-03-11T23:05:00.004-05:00

A few random shots. People shots to come when I get the o.k. from the crew to post them.

"SWEET"

2010-03-10T09:28:00.004-05:00

We are seeing the Exumas for the third time but this time through the eyes of a first-timmer. Just like our first time, Brent and Alyssa find the Bahamas "sweet!".

Atlantis

2010-03-09T22:07:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since Harley and I have shared so much fun together and we are so glad that we broke down and took a slip at Atlantis Marina.

Brent and Alyssa's first day here was a very full day to say the least. We started the day with a trip into town to check out the straw market and jewelry stores. Then at 11:00 we pulled into Atlantis where we played like kids for the rest of the day.

Atlantis is Vegas, Disney, and Sea World all rolled into one. It has the glitz and glamor of Vegas; it is enchanting like Disney, and has fascinating aquariums and sea life like that of Sea World. But the most fun for us was to be had in the very unique water park. Never before have we been on water slides that throw you uphill as well as down or take you through glass tunnels surrounded by sharks. The whole experience was unbelievable fun.

In the evening we strolled through the casino where Alyssa turned $5.00 into $50.00 in less than 5 minutes. With her winnings she bought the four of us Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, which nearly cleaned her out. Nothing was cheap in Atlantis (except for us), which is why we only stayed one night but it was worth it.

I Love the Bahamas - slide show

2010-03-05T11:59:00.001-05:00

Great to be Canadian by Carole-Anne

2010-03-02T11:25:00.007-05:00

The olympics are over and we didn't get to watch so much as one event. I can't remember ever missing the olympic games. Knowing we probably would have felt exactly the same as she (although I could have never expressed it quite as well) my sister-in-law, Carole-Anne Armstrong, sent us an e-mail sharing her thoughts and feelings. The following is what she wrote:

I have been hunkered down in my apartment watching the olympics for the past 17 days, staying up til midnight most nights. I just could not stop watching. I do love the olympics. I'm not a big sports fan, but I have always enjoyed watching the olympic games. They are in a class all their own. I love the variety, the sports and the athletes that you don't get to see normally and its all concentrated in just over 2 weeks. And best of all, I love how they inspire people. I'm going to repeat myself in the next paragraph but please bare with me.

You should have seen the hockey game - Canada vs. U.S. Oh how sweet the victory was! What an exciting, nail biting game. I sat in my living room watching, almost certain of the gold metal til 24 seconds left of the last period (it was a 2-1 score) and the U.S. team just kept at it, hanging in there, never giving up, tenacious and hungry for the gold themselves. What a great game. What a competition. It was fun and exciting to watch, but I really thought we were in big trouble after the U.S. tied things up. Thank goodness for that young superstar of ours Syndey Crosby. And a thoroughly nice young man to boot! I watched the olympics as much as possible, up til midnight just about every night for two weeks (it made me very tired for work, but I just could not take my eyes away). I truly enjoy watching the olympic games (winter or summer). I am not a big sports fan, but the olympics feel entirely different to me. You get such good variety of things you normally don't get to see and it unifies people as well, and best of all, those athletes are inspiring. They truly are. What wonderful representatives of their countries to show the younger generation growing up, what can be done when you put your mind to it, when you work hard,when you cooperate with your coach and teammates (depending on the sport of course), and when you push yourself to your absolute limit, striving for excellence. I have never seen Canada demonstrate such national pride in a really nice way. I just loved it. The rollercoaster of emotions was exhilerating. I am sorry they are over. It feels so anticlimactic coming into work today, the tv screen in the lunch room black! But at least now I can catch up with my sleep.

Thank you Carole-Anne for giving me permission to post that.

To everyone else, you must agree, Carole-Anne has captured the essence of the games...and so beautifully written. She's right, it is nice to see Canadians demonstrate national pride. We are normally such a modest and even apologetic lot.

I so wish I could have seen the olympic winter games for myself but I guess that's the price of living on a boat. I look forward to 2014.

On the positive side.

2010-02-28T14:33:00.005-05:00

There are plenty of nice days. These pictures were taken at Highborne Cay two days ago. The water was 78 degrees. Air temp. 80.

It is what it is.

2010-02-28T14:06:00.006-05:00

We sailed into Nassau under perfect conditions. The sun was hot, the wind was 90 degrees to our beam and it was a quick, fun and enjoyable trip from Highborne Cay. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. Having said that, we are so glad to be here as another cold front is expected to pass through the area tonight with another one right on it’s tail.

The last three weeks have certainly been a challenge with one front after the other and barely a break in between. It’s not the cold that makes these fronts remarkable, it’s the wind! After all, I haven’t worn shoes or long pants (except for dressing up for Valentines) since I got here so it can’t be that cold. Given that this is our first year here in the Bahamas we wouldn’t know any different if we hadn’t been told that this is “exceptional” being an “El Niño year”.

It is what it is and we are enjoying every minute of it. There’s no need to feel sorry for us….lol. (As if anyone back home would!) Even the rotten days are acceptable. If nothing else it gives us some down time to relax and read a book. Or, if we don't want to do that, there are always jobs to do that we can't get to when we are too busy having fun in the sun.

Pictures:
1. My first attempt at baking bread (made while weathering a storm)
2. A squall going through Norman's Cay.

Heaven on Earth

2010-02-22T20:45:00.003-05:00

The picture speaks for itself.

Friends

2010-02-22T13:25:00.004-05:00

Some days we have too much wind and others we have too little. Then there are days when the wind is great but coming from the wrong direction. Seldom is the wind perfect but that’s sailing and we have now learned to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Our progress up the Exuma chain of islands has been slow but certainly not boring or uneventful. I can’t think of any place I’d rather be “held up” by weather than the Exumas. We have just spent an amazing week of exploring, hiking, snorkelling, and socializing. Life just doesn’t get better than this. Brent and Alyssa will be here in less than two weeks and we can’t wait to share all this with them.

Today we bid farewell to our new friends Brian and Yvonne who we have been travelling with for the last seven days. Brian and Yvonne are the most fun loving and enthusiastic couple you could ever meet and, naturally, we are going to miss their company. Unfortunately we have come to the “Y” in the road. They are heading north to the Abacos as they need to be back in Canada by April 1st. We, as you may remember, are headed for Nassau. Hopefully someday our paths will cross again.

We’re finding that this is what it’s all about. People come and go into our lives and each brings something special that somehow enriches our existence. We shouldn’t feel sad when they leave but, rather, happy to have had the opportunity to get to know each other. Marg, Steve, George, Kim, Brian, Yvonne…(the list goes on)…. Thanks. It’s been a blast!

Pictures:

1 & 2 snorkelling
3. Dinking
4. another beautiful beach
5. Brian on a hammock made from stuff washed in on shore

Today's Treasures

2010-02-18T20:36:00.003-05:00

We are slowly poking our way north to Nassau but we are having to deal with a strong headwind. It's a good thing we're not in a hurry.

This is what I do for excitement. I'm such a nerd!

On the Move Again

2010-02-15T08:13:00.000-05:00

Like it or not we have to leave Emerald Bay Marina. It's time to move north towards Nassau and today the conditions are the best they are going to be for a while.

We probably won't have internet for a bit so don't worry if you don't hear from us for a while.

Picture:

Flamingo Beach

Grand Isle Resort

2010-02-13T12:30:00.001-05:00

We're still here at Emerald Bay Marina. The resort ambience is hard to take....not!

Up until recently, marina guests had full use of the facilities at Grand Isle Resort pictured above. That is until some people took advantage of the situation. Now we can hang out here if we buy a drink but we can't swim in the pool. It's too bad that a couple of jerks ruined it for everybody but we can't blame the resort. It's still a good deal for us regardless.

The weather front we were waiting for came through last night but being tucked in here we hardly felt it. Now that that's over I guess we should start thinking about moving on. Darn.

Big D's

2010-02-11T11:25:00.000-05:00

Looking for some exercise, we set out yesterday on a long walk to ‘Big D’s”. Our long walk, however, turned into a short ride. The marina staff offered us a ride to the local shopping centre, which was nice. We thought; why not shorten the 2 ½ mile trip to a 2 mile trip. So we took them up on it and after we got dropped off we started to walk. We didn’t get 200 yards down the road when a local guy stopped and offered us a ride the rest of the way. It’s just another example of the generosity of the Bahamian people. Bob was his name.

Big D’s is a funky little beach bar and, of course; we couldn’t let Bob go without offering him a drink. (He didn’t seem to be expecting anything.) The drink turned out to be three beers and lunch but it was worth it as we thoroughly enjoyed his company and, besides, we did get a ride back.

Pictures:

1. Conch salad prepared by Big D himself
2. Big D cleaning a conch to make conch salad
3. The beach at Big D's
4. Bob, Harley, and George

A Vacation away from our Vacation

2010-02-10T12:21:00.000-05:00

After listening to our trusted weather guru yesterday we decided to pick up our anchor and head over to Emerald Bay Marina to sit out the next weather front. Besides, it was time to leave Georgetown and we are ready for a break from anchoring out.

The sail over was uneventful until we came to the marina entrance where we surfed in on some pretty impressive waves. It wasn't ideal conditions to say the least but we handled it quite well. Once we made it inside of the break-wall all was calm again, but better than that, what lay before us was a beautiful 1st class facility. We were awe struck!

A very nice dock attendant was waiting for us and after helping us with our dock lines he rolled out this beautiful welcome mat. I'm not kidding! I had to take pictures of it.

After settling in we headed up to the showers and washrooms and found bathrooms like something you'd find in a 5 star hotel. Not only were they beautiful but they came complete with complimentary shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, body wash, lotion, mouthwash, sunscreen, Kleenex, cotton balls, and hand towels. Having been out for 6 months this luxury left us feeling like we had died and gone to heaven. We had the most wonderful shower that we have had in a very long time.

Before we went back to the boat we checked out the beautiful and tastefully decorated club house with comfy couches, desks with computers and free wifi. There was also a lounge with tables and chairs set up overlooking the marina and the ocean beyond. They also offer the use of their state of the art laundry facility free of charge......and....you won't believe it........all this for only twenty dollars a day!!!!!!!

I may never leave.

The End of a Chapter

2010-02-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not we have been out now for almost 6 months and it’s been quite a ride indeed. On day two of this adventure we met up with two of the most crazy, wonderful, fun, and sincere people you could ever know. Lucky for us we have been travelling together ever since. (Well, almost. We did get separated a couple of times but not for long.)

I knew it was coming. I didn’t want to think about it. Today we said our final good-byes. Early tomorrow morning Marg and Steve will be travelling south to the Jumentos while we stay here in Georgetown waiting for a part to come in via Fedex. By the time they return to the area we will be heading north again to Nassau where we will be meeting our son Brent and his girlfriend Alyssa. After that they are planning an amazing voyage through the Caribbean and beyond.

It’s the end of a chapter but also the beginning of another.

Marg and Steve, if you are reading this, we will miss you very much. Stay safe my friends!

Rules Were Made to be Broken

2010-02-05T17:14:00.000-05:00

Blue Blazes
Cruising Rules

• Don’t sail to weather unless absolutely necessary.
• Don’t follow other boats.
• Plot your own course.
• Don’t enter an anchorage after dark.
• This is our home; DON’T RACE.

Life would be so boring if we always played by the rules, but to break all the rules is another story.

Thank goodness the Georgetown to Long Island Race is over. For me, that was stepping way outside the comfort zone.

If it were not for the race, I don’t think any of the 28 boats would have ventured out to Long Island on day one. It wasn’t that it was a bad weather day. In fact it was a beautiful day, but the wind was strong and coming from the very direction we wanted to go.

The race started at 0800 and it was the longest 35 miles I have ever sailed. It was so long in fact that some of the boats didn’t even make it to the finish line before dark. Thankfully we were not one of them.

The two days spent on Long Island, however, was fun making it all worthwhile. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and making new friends. And we took a wild bus tour of the north end of the Island. The bus driver drove like a maniac on roads barely suitable for even an ATV. At times the bus was heeled over so much that I’m surprised we didn’t roll over. The excitement stopped there though as the tour was lame to say the least.

The awards party on day three was a lot of fun. It wasn’t until that night that we realized that Blue Blazes was racing in the “A” fleet (the fast boats). We were the only boat in the fleet under 40 feet so our 4th place finish wasn’t too bad. (For our boating friends…we were beat by a J-46, a Passport 46, and a Taswell 43). It’s not that Blue Blazes is all that fast, in fact she is sailing rather like a slug right now with all our gear and 6 months worth of food on board not to mention the forest that is growing on her hull, but Harley made a great tactical decision that put us out front. This became even more evident on the downwind race back yesterday as these fast boats just blew past us like we were standing still. Oh well.

Like I said, I’m glad it’s over; but I am also glad we did it. But from now on there will be no more breaking the rules.

Pictures:

1. Long Island Anchorage at dawn.
2. North end of Long Island
3. North end of Long Island

Pictures or stories?

2010-01-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, which is my explanation for all the photos lately. It hasn’t been that I have been too busy to write. In fact I have had enough time to pluck each and every leg hair out with tweezers. (Yes, I am living proof it can be done and I got the idea from another boating friend who did the same…lol). Now if that’s not having time on your hands I don’t know what is. Quite simply, I’ve just been too lazy to write.

We arrived in Georgetown a week ago after a phenomenal 30-mile sail from Cave Cay. There was an offshore breeze 18-20 knots and we sailed 45 degrees to the wind. Blue Blazes loves these conditions and she flew like a bird. It was amazing.

Georgetown, like I have mentioned before, is an extremely popular place. At last count there were 185 boats anchored here. That may sound like a lot but the anchorages are huge and there is plenty of room for everyone. We have moved around a few times since arriving but, until today, we have been anchoring in the less popular spots. We just couldn’t see ourselves getting involved in all the organized activities. That is until Harley signed us up for the Georgetown to Long Island Regatta, which starts this Monday. Tonight is the kick off party so we moved in close to the action so we don’t have a long dinghy ride back to the boat after.

I wasn’t too excited at first about going in the regatta because, it’s no secret, I hate racing but this 4-day event sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Harley tells me he has no interest in the racing aspect and that he only signed up for the social part. Anyone who knows Harley knows he is just feeding me a line but I have to admit it sounds enjoyable.

To my surprise the town of Georgetown is quite small. I was expecting something similar to (but not as big as) Nassau. Instead we found a laid back town with one main street and lots of character. The size shouldn’t fool anyone however, as this town has everything anybody would need and it is a great place to re-provision before carrying on to more remote places.

Anyway, it is time to move on, and we plan to after the regatta, but where? We don’t know yet. We’ll just have to see where the wind blows us.

Pictured above:

The Internet Cafe

Georgetown

2010-01-27T16:11:00.000-05:00

The anchorage here in Georgetown is quite a happening place but, as far as I can see, it’s not much more than summer camp for seniors…..not really what we are into but that’s o.k. We had to come and see what all the fuss was about.

Cave Cay (con't)

2010-01-25T13:51:00.000-05:00

If you care to read more about Cave Cay see my comment on the posting.

Janice

Slide show - Bahamas Vol 1

2010-01-25T13:29:00.001-05:00

Cave Cay - A Short Story

2010-01-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

Journal Entry
January 21, 2010

……We wanted a nice protected spot to weather out these high winds.

Cave Cay was the perfect spot with protection from all directions but as soon as we dropped the hook a voice came on the VHF in a very southern U.S. accent, “Vessel just entering Cave Cay Cove…this is Cave Cove Marina……What are your intentions?”

Harley was still up at the bow attending to the anchor so I come back, “This is Blue Blazes, We were planning on staying the night to get out of the weather….we will be leaving in the morning.” I replied.

“Anchoring is not allowed in the harbour…You are welcome to stay at our marina” came back the voice on the other end…….CRAP!

I called Harley back to the cockpit and after a short discussion we decided (what the heck) let’s take a slip for the night. After all, we haven’t tied to a dock since St. Augustine.

“Our batteries could use a charge.” Harley says, “I bet they have water to wash the deck.” he continued,

“I bet they have internet,” I added.

We radioed back to the voice, asked the price, and then said, “What is our slip assignment.”

Two very friendly faces greeted us at the dock to take our lines. In fact, they were overly friendly, which believe it or not freaked me out. I felt like the unsuspecting tourist character from a horror novel falling victim to some horrible plot.

Besides a boat that had as much growth on it as the dock, we were the only boat there.

At first glance this place appeared modern and well kept. The buildings were outstanding and the floating cement docks were built of the highest standards, but we soon found it was only a façade. The structure that looked to be the marina office was beautiful but it was locked up tight. When we peered into the windows we discovered it was totally empty.

I left Harley at the boat and walked up to the laundry, washrooms, and shower facilities. Call it a sixth sense, but I could swear something was watching me. Sure enough I was being carefully watched by four menacing looking German Sheppards. The facilities looked like they haven’t been used in several months with dust, twigs, and leaves that must have blown in over time covering the floors.

While walking back to the dock where Blue Blazes was securely tied, I could feel the burning stares of those intimidating dogs but not only that I could hear a conversation on a VHF radio coming from somewhere up the hill.

“I recognize those voices” I thought and then quickly realized it was Harley and Marg discussing where Lion’s Paw is anchored and what their plans were. Whoever was listening to that radio, was listening in on our working channel!

When I got back to the boat I tried to brush it off. “This is ridiculous.” I thought. “Don’t let your imagination run away with you.” I told myself.

I was creeped out for the rest of the day checking over my shoulder constantly. Even while on the internet I couldn’t help but think I was being watched.

The next day as we were leaving the owner of the place gave us his bill along with an 8 x 10 photo of our boat tied to their dock. (Probably taken by their surveillance camera) He said we could have it as a souvenir and asked us to come back anytime.

“Not in this lifetime!” I thought.

P.S. We had a phenomenal sail yesterday from Cave Cay to Georgetown.

Gin-clear Water

2010-01-20T09:21:00.000-05:00

"On a clear day you can see forever..." both looking up and looking down.

Beautiful People

2010-01-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

The Bahamian people, from what we have experienced anyway, are a rare breed. We could all take lessons from these beautiful people.

Yesterday, for example, we went to a restaurant that runs on an honour system. Lorraine the owner says, “Take what you want, write it on a piece of paper, and pay me later”. It doesn’t even have to be today!

And today, at the laundry mat the proprietor (Ida) takes orders for conch fritters (six for a dollar!), cooks them up right there, and serves them to you while you finish folding your laundry.

In every little village we have stopped at the local people have been incredibly friendly and seem genuinely happy to have us there. Almost without exception, they won’t pass us on the street without giving us a friendly hello…..even the children say hi.

They live simply, have little money, but they are millionaires in quality of life. I am so envious of their laid-back lifestyle. Harley and I joke about it and say, “even the criminals lack motivation!”

Having said that, we never leave the boat unlocked and always put the dinghy up at night. Old habits die hard.

Thunderball Grotto

2010-01-18T12:04:00.000-05:00

We went to Thunderball Grotto again......can you tell? I love this place.

Sampson Cay

2010-01-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

Jan. 14/10

Great weather and beautiful scenary makes for a mighty fine day!

Today we toured around in our dinghy and checked out this whole area. We ended up at Sampson's Cay Club for lunch where we enjoyed a Grouper sandwich that was to die for. Did I ever mention how lucky we are?

Pictures

1. Sampson's Cay Club
2. Sampson's Cay Club
3. Nurse Shark

Piggy Beach

2010-01-15T09:45:00.000-05:00

With everything I put in my mouth these days I feel every calorie settling on my midriff but, no, that is not me on the beach.

They call this beach Piggy Beach as there is a family of wild pigs who live here and, like the Iguanas at Allan’s Cay, they wait for people to come to shore so they can beg for hand-outs. These somewhat aggressive creatures have even been known to swim out to the boats looking for offerings. Now I’ve seen everything.

Staniel Cay

2010-01-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

Jan. 13/10

One of the things that make paradise so tolerable is having playmates. The people we have met along the way have everything to do with why we enjoy this life. We all come from different walks of life but we love what each has to bring to the table and of course we all have sailing in common.....We all live on cramped vessels needing constant maintenance and have nothing but the weather controlling our every decision....LOL.

Today we are playing with our friends Pat and Lynn and since they have been here before, they know of the best places to play. We just came back from the coolest, most spectacular snorkelling we have ever experienced. Here at Staniel Cay there is a reef/cave called “Thunderball Grotto” and it is the location used in two James Bond movies.

The many types of coral formations were like nothing we have ever seen before with their vivid colours and fascinating shapes. We swam through crevices and into a large cave teeming with fish of every description. Unfortunately I am finding that there is a trick to underwater photography. I haven’t quite got a handle on it and most of my pictures didn’t turn out like I would have liked. I’ll keep trying though. For now you will have to take my word for it….It was spectacular.

Pictures:

1. Today's sunset.
2. & 3. Pictures taken while snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto.

2010-01-08T23:06:00.000-05:00

View The Trail of Blue Blazes in a larger map

Now This is the Bahamas We Were Looking For

2010-01-08T20:49:00.000-05:00

Five days ago we left Nassau and had a great sail across the Yellow Bank to Allens Cay. This type of sailing is all new to us and we have discovered that one has to be on their toes to sail in these waters. Like the Great Bahama Bank, the Yellow Bank is very shallow and we could see bottom the entire way. The difference though is that now we had to have a sharp eye out for coral heads. Given that this is our first time down here we weren’t even sure what a coral head should look like so it was a bit nerve racking at first. We soon found out that coral heads are well charted and once we saw one it was really quite obvious where they were and they were easily avoided.

Allens Cay is a beautiful place but what draws cruisers here is the rare species of giant iguanas that have taken up residence on the island. Who could pass up an opportunity to visit ugly, intimidating, and somewhat aggressive creatures like that? Well I can think of someone. As soon as anyone comes to shore in their dinghy they start to come out of the shadows looking for handouts. We stayed on the beach just long enough to throw them our peace offering and snap a few pictures. That was enough for me.

We stayed in Allens Cay for two very windy and very rocky days. From there we sailed to Normans Cay….again, another impressive spot. The sand, the water, the coral, the colours, and the scenery were absolutely stunning. Now that’s what it’s all about but nothing can match the beauty of Wardwick Wells Cay where we are now.

Wardwick Wells Cay is where the headquarters of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park is located. Not only is the scenery exquisite, the Exuma Park is a "no take zone" by land and sea, which means the reefs are abundant and the beaches are pristine. Today I feel like we experienced the best that the Bahamas has to offer. This is the Bahamas I was looking for.

Pictures:
1. A picture taken while snorkling today.
2. The view of the anchorage at Wardwick Wells Cay.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T13:18:00.000-05:00

Picutred above:
1. View of Atlantis from the anchorage
2. Marg and Steve
3. Harley and I

Happy New Year!!!!!

Nassau is a big commercial port and probably not like the rest of the Bahamas but it's definitely worth seeing.

To explore the area we started with a walking tour of the city. After we took a trip to the beach. To get there we walked through the grounds of the fabulous Atlantis resort and it was like walking through Disney World....very commercial and fake but absolutely stunning to say the least. The beach was beautiful and very clean but not what we had envisioned for the Bahamas, but then again this isn't the real Bahamas.

Last night was amazing being New Years Eve and let me just say, this town knows how to party. The party started at midnight with an astounding fireworks display and then Junkanoo started. Junkanoo is a festival similar to mardi gras and it goes all night and all day. We stayed until we could barely stand up any more and at 6:30am we left. It's been a very long time since I last pulled an all nighter, and I'm paying for it today, but I'm glad I went. I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

"It's Better in the Bahamas"

2009-12-31T08:17:00.000-05:00

Journal Entry December 26, 2009-12-30

We left No Name Harbour at 1200 midnight and sailed into the darkness. The wind was blowing form the north/west at 10 to 12 knots as we slowly weaved our way through the shoals just outside the anchorage. Our navigating was good and once out in the open we set our sails, set our auto helm, and sat back.

“We’re going to the Bahamas!”, we yelled out at the top of our lungs.

The wind picked up through the night to 20+ from the north, which isn’t recommended (and not what was forecasted I might add) but we had a fairly comfortable ride. Let’s just say, we have been out in a lot worse conditions. It was bumpy but we expected that.

When the sun came up it was interesting to see just how big those waves were...still…not too bad. But, even more interesting was that fact that we could now see Bimini right in front of us. We made it! It only took us four months and 10 days.

I wrote that in my Journal four days ago. We actually sailed right past Bimini and anchored on the Great Bahama Bank that night, which was an experience in itself. It felt very eerie anchoring with no land in sight. In fact the closest land was a good forty miles away. The next day we sailed to Chub Cay (in the Barry Islands) where we spent a couple of days before we headed down to Nassau where we are right now.

Our two days in the Barry Islands were superb and we spent our time there swimming and snorkelling. We even harvested some conch and made cracked conch appetizers for happy hour.

Yup, it’s true what they say, “everything is better in the Bahamas.”

Pictures:

1. A secluded beach in the Berry Islands
2. Marg showing us treasures found while snorkeling

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T08:49:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!!

Last night, Christmas Eve, we had a visit from Santa. It was a long trip from the north pole and I think by the time he made it down here he had sampled a little too much egg nog.

All going well we will be sticking to the original plan of crossing the golf stream to the Bahamas late tonight/early tomorrow morning. Pray for good weather and fair winds.

Pictures:

1. Santa and his helper
2. Harley and I enjoying Christmas Breakfast.

Waiting to cross

2009-12-23T20:28:00.001-05:00

We left Fort Lauderdale yesterday and had a nice sail down the coast to Miami. It was fascinating to see the hotels lined up, one after the other, all along the shoreline. To me it looked like an architectural competition with each new hotel being bigger and more interesting than the last. From there we sailed into Miami Harbour and we were flabbergasted. Miami is a HUGE city!

Here we sit today, surrounded by beautiful turquoise water, (and lots of other boats) anchored in Key Biscayne Florida waiting for a weather window to cross over to the Bahamas. We were listening to Chris Parker (our weather guru) on the SSB radio this morning and it is looking like we might have a narrow window if we leave Christmas night.

Ideally we would like a three day window since we need one day to travel to Bimini, one day on the Bahama Banks, and the following day to get to Nassau. Now with this narrow window we will probably bypass Bimini, stop on the banks for a few hours then continue as far as Chub Cay to clear customs.

Whatever the case we plan to stay safe and have fun. So….to anyone who reads this, and even those who don’t, Harley and I would like to send a heart felt Merry Christmas greeting to you all. May your holiday bring everything you hope for and more.

Picture:

Key Biscayne with Miami in the background

Held up in Fort Lauderdale

2009-12-18T20:15:00.000-05:00

Nasty weather has prevented us from leaving Fort Lauderdale but we're o.k. with that. We have found a nice protected anchorage (surrounded by multimillion dollar homes and mega yachts) to hold up in and we feel safe and sound.

It poured in rain today but it is still nice and warm so, like true cruisers, we grabbed a bar of soap and shampoo and took our showers on deck. It seemed like a good idea at the time but after I wondered what our millionaire neighbors thought of that.......There goes the neighborhood!

Photo:

1. I couldn't download the video of the "Dolphin Encounter" but was able to capture this frame.
2. One of many beautiful homes here in Fort Lauderdale

Dolphin Encounter

2009-12-16T16:38:00.000-05:00

We sailed from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale today but before we did Harley and I took a little trip down memory lane. West Palm Beach is where we spent our honeymoon almost 30 years ago and it was very cool to be back.

"This is where we turtled the Hobie Cat", I said.

"There's the marina we stayed at."' commented Harley.

"Remember going under this bridge in the Tartan when we went out for a night sail?", I recalled.

It was a perfect day. The sun was shining bright, the sea was gentle, and the breeze was lovely and warm, but the highlight for sure was an awsome dolphin encounter. When I get a better internet connection I will download the video.

Velcro Beach

2009-12-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

After seven days, a lot of shopping, and many no-see-um bites we ripped ourselves away from Velcro, I mean Vero Beach. The rental car was returned by 10:00 after a quick trip to the beach just to say we saw it. We plan to only travel fifteen miles to Fort Pierce today. Perhaps we will head offshore from there. We’ll see.

Oh, and by the way, it’s hot, hot, hot, here.

Pictures:
1. Vero Beach mooring field at dawn today
2. Vero Beach

Provisioning

2009-12-12T16:23:00.000-05:00

Hoping to learn from the experience of others when we started planning this trip 4 years ago, we talked to many people who have already done this……however, nothing prepared us for the daunting task of provisioning for the Bahamas.

Yes, we were warned that we would need to bring as much food as we possibly could for the four to five months we will be away. The towns are spread far apart in the southern Bahamas and we could go weeks between provisioning stops. Also, we were told what stores we do come across will have little to choose from and be very expensive. But planning, preparing lockers, and organizing what little space we have on board was totally exhausting. Then trying to decide what we need, making lists, shopping, and stowing drained us of what little energy we had left. If we don’t have everything we need now that’s just too flipp’n bad.

Believe it or not, we bought enough food and paper products to fill four large grocery carts. Even more surprising is the fact that we were able to fit it all on the boat. The biggest challenge was making sure everything was sealed tightly as moisture is a big problem on any boat. It’s a good thing that they make zip lock bags in all sizes. With how many I have bought, I now feel I should own stocks in the company.

Well, it's all done now and are now ready to start heading south and eventually (hopefully before Christmas) head over to the Bahamas.

Vero |Beach

2009-12-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

They call Vero Beach, "Velcro Beach" because they say once you arrive you don’t want to leave.

It appears that there is an imaginary line that crosses Florida and once you are south of it the weather improves dramatically. Seemingly, Vero Beach is south of this line, which could be why nobody wants to leave. It feels so good to have the weather we’ve travelled so far to get to.

Our jaunt down from Daytona was pretty much uneventful. We anchored in Titusville (near Cape Canaveral) for a night, which was nothing special but it didn’t matter as we were not planning on staying anyway. We arrived in Vero today at 4:30 and I think we might just stay for a day or two. Why should we be different?

Pictures:

Seems like some people have found paradise on the I.C.W.

St. Augustine to Daytona

2009-12-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

St. Augustine is a place, in my opinion, that everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime. Being a town rich in history, it has it's own special charm, and there is so much to do and see. For me, I wish I had gone on a guided tour but, never mind, it was cool just to walk through and imagine what it must have been like in days gone by.

Today we left St. Augustine and made the 53 mile trip to Daytona along the I.C.W. We knew when we left that we would be arriving in the dark (since we didn't leave until 11:00am) but we decided to go for it anyway. I have to say, arriving in an unfamiliar anchorage in the dark is not something I would recommend, however, here we are and all is well.

Pictured above:
1. Scenery along I.C.W.
2. Flipper giving us the hairy eyeball.
3. Arriving at dusk...two more bridges to go.

Picture perfect.

2009-12-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

With the sun setting and dolphins jumping in our bow we arrived in St. Augustine, Florida. It was picture perfect.

Woke up yesterday to a bright day and the sun seemed to warm us from the inside out. Now that's more like it. We plan on spending a few days here as there is so much to see and do.

Pictured above:
1. Arriving in St. Augustine at sunset.
2. St. Augustine City Hall

Cumberland Island

2009-11-28T20:05:00.001-05:00

What a spectacular day we had today.

Situated on the outer banks of Georgia is Cumberland Island. Being a national park and wild life refuge Cumberland Island offers so many wonderful points of interest.

To begin with, the vegetation is varied depending on where you are on the island. We walked through a dense forest of live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss…the forest floor lush with palmetto shrubs. Then we walked out of that into sand dunes, which led us to an amazing undeveloped beach laden with shells, crabs, and starfish. From there we walked back inland through some marsh land, across a meadow, and onto the grounds of the abandoned Carnegie Dungeness.

Among the wildlife on the island are deer, racoons, and armadillos, but the most amazing wildlife of all are the wild horses that roam freely everywhere. How wonderful it was to see these magnificent animals living their lives totally free the way nature intended it.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

Lucky us! We scored big time coming here!

If I can be serious though....the hospitality the town folk of St Marys has shown the 90 boats that came here for Thanksgiving is totally overwhelming. It began on Tuesday, when we arrived, with a welcome "Pain Killer"* party. Wednesday they organized a tag team of vans to take everyone who wanted to go to the mall to shop, or do laundry, or do just whatever they needed. Then, that evening there was a huge party at the local pub with an oyster bake.

The best, however, was saved for yesterday....Thanksgiving day. Everyone brought a pot luck dish and the locals volunteered their time and donated turkeys and we all gathered at the local pub to sit down to a fabulous dinner. Then, just when we felt that there couldn't possibly be more, they had a band playing in the beautiful waterfront park that evening. We even limbered up our stiff cruiser joints with dancing.

Today we are leaving and heading over to Cumberland Island, another recommended spot.

Pictures:
1.Waterfront Park - St. Marys, Georgia
2.The private yacht moored in front of us. Check out the mooring ball!

* Painkiller: Two parts orange juice, one part pineapple juice, one part rum, and a teaspoon of coconut cream. Blend, serve over ice, sprinkle with nutmeg.

In Florida...almost.

2009-11-24T14:39:00.000-05:00

After spending nine days in the Isle of Palms we are now on our way again. Even though our stop there was unexpected and due to a mechanical breakdown, we left with mixed feelings. Certainly we were happy that our transmission was fixed, and glad to be on our way again, but it felt a little sad like the end of a vacation. Our wallets were emptied but the days were filled with fun, laughter, and adventure…just like a vacation. I will always have fond memories of the Isle of Palms.

There has been no internet on Blue Blazes for a few of days, which is why there hasn’t been any postings lately. The first two days were spent strictly travelling down the I.C.W. Since we were trying to make up for lost time, we only stopped at dusk to eat and sleep and left again at dawn.

Finally, we anchored in Bull Creek near Hilton Head, South Carolina where we met up once again with Lion’s Paw and stayed put for a couple of nights. When we arrived, Marg and Steve surprised us by preparing a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Given that the four of us missed our Canadian Thanksgiving, and the American Thanksgiving is just around the corner, they thought it would be a good idea. They had turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, corn, and gravy. Our boating friends will appreciate that preparing a meal like this in our small galleys is no easy feat. Everything was delicious and we all ate till we were stuffed. Marg and Steve, if you are reading this, thank you so much!

We stayed in that area for a couple of days as we were waiting for good weather to head off shore. Well, we found our window of opportunity and last night we sailed down to St. Marys, Georgia, which is on the Georgia/Florida border. It was a long trip, with very little wind, but we at least made some good headway. And, I have to admit, it sure beats too much wind.

St. Marys is another town that loves boaters and they even put on a wonderful thanksgiving dinner just for them so, needless to say, we will be staying until then. After that…..well…..Bahamas isn’t too far away now. We will probably go to the Florida Keys first but it won’t be long after that.

Pictured above:
Boats lined up on the Savanah River getting ready to head off shore.

We're Book'n Out.

2009-11-19T20:07:00.000-05:00

It's been a long tiring day but we are happy to report that the transmission is fixed and we should be on our way tomorrow morning. Keep your fingers crossed that our test run doesn't uncover any problems.

Still

2009-11-17T23:28:00.000-05:00

While our transmission sits on a bench in some shop somewhere, we are trying to keep ourselves entertained here in the Isle of Palms. Regretfully, yesterday, in my quest to stay entertained, I cut my hair. I now look like a mutant Farah Fawcett. Not exactly the look I was going for.

Today, we got together with two other couples and had the marina staff drive us into the main touristy area of town. We walked the beach, had lunch at a cool surfer bar, and then rented golf carts to tour the rest of this island. We even checked out Solomons Island. It was tons of fun!

Pictured above are some more treasures we found on the beach. (The money was play money......too bad)

The mechanic tells us that he should be back to install our repaired transmission this Thursday but we know that probably means Friday at the earliest. We'll see.

Isle of Palms, South Carolina

2009-11-14T18:41:00.000-05:00

They don't call it Isle of Palms for nothing.

This truly is a beautiful spot and if we have to be stuck somewhere it's nice that it's here. Palm trees are everywhere making it feel very tropical and the beach is very special as well. There are no resort hotels...only private beach homes.

Shown above are some of the treasures we found.

Tonight there is an oyster bake here at the marina complete with live music. The band is playing funk/jazz and I must say they are GREAT.

Trying to keep entertained while we wait.

2009-11-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

I was bored today so I thought I would try and figure out how to download a picture from Lion's Paw's blog. This is what I came up with.......lol...... This is obviously Halloween. Steve and I don't always look like this.

It looks like we are going to be here in the Isle of Palms, South Carolina for a bit longer while we wait for our transmission to be repaired. In the meantime we are trying to keep ourselves entertained. The weather is bright and sunny (and warmer) so today we think we will take a trip to the beach. It's just a short walk away. All going well, we should be on our way again in a couple of days.

Marg and Steve have left for points south so I guess that means we will be going it alone from here. I miss them already but I'm trying not to let it get me down. I'm sure we will meet up again sooner or later.

New Jersey to South Carolina slide show

2009-11-13T16:15:00.000-05:00

Remembrance Day…..A Day to Remember

2009-11-12T10:18:00.000-05:00

November 11th

This was a day we will never forget.

The day started off bad. We could hear thunder rumbling in the distance and see the lightning. Normally we wouldn’t head out with the threat of a thunderstorm but we sure didn’t want to be where we were….in the marsh with no protection. So we pulled up the anchor and left in the first light of day.

It rained off and on all day, heavy at times with high winds, but luckily, no storm. After about 4 hours into the day we drove into what felt like thick glue and then the glue set. We were stuck fast on a shoal in the I.C.W.

We slammed it in reverse….nothing. We goosed it in forward ….nothing. We put up the sails to help lean the boat over; making it draw less…nothing. In the meantime, the wind picked up and it started pelting in rain adding to the drama. Anyway, the tide was coming up and about an hour later we drifted off.

Unfortunately, while we were slamming and goosing we must have done something to the transmission. Now we are floating down the I.C.W. with little to no forward. It was time to call Tow Boat U.S.

We were told before we left Ontario that we were not to enter the I.C.W. without an unlimited towing package from Tow Boat U.S. because if we ever hear of anyone going down the I.C.W. without running aground we will know they are liars. So we call Tow Boat and don’t they tell us that the package we have only covers the first $50.00. The bill was going to be 400.00 plus. Needless to say, we limped our way to the first marina we came to.

There was an apposing current coming into the marina and by this time we had next to no forward. We were dead in the water. It was a struggle but we managed to get into a slip with many hands on deck to help.

The staff at the marina were fantastic with us and said if we need anything….a ride into West Marine…..anything…just ask. Well the nicest young man, Chase, drove us into West Marine. (While we were there we inquired why our tow package didn’t cover what we thought it should and it turned out that the plan had been coded incorrectly. We had coverage all along.)

Once we were done at West Marine, Chase, being the nice guy that he is, asked us if we needed any groceries. We weren’t planning on doing any shopping but he insisted saying that we might as well take advantage of the car and he didn’t mind in the least so we did. Then, on the way home, he took us on a guided tour of the town showing us all the sights. It’s just another example of southern hospitality.

This is a very upscale marina we are in and it even has bar and restaurant. It was happy hour by the time we returned from our shopping trip so we went in for “a” drink. A very friendly (millionaire) boater befriended us and kept our glasses topped up and later invited us back to his million dollar yacht to give us the grand tour.

Tomorrow we will deal with our transmission problem.

Bucksport to Five Fathom Creek

2009-11-11T20:50:00.001-05:00

November 10th.

The sky has clouded over and shortly after we set off today the rain came but, rain or not, the Waccama River is very pretty. We travelled the Waccama River for half the day until the I.C.W took a 90 degree right turn into the marsh. If I didn’t know any better I would swear we were in the Florida everglades. I have a keen eye out for alligators but so far haven’t seen any.

We are anchored in the reeds right now with nothing to protect us from the weather but they’re not calling for any hazardous weather overnight so here’s hoping “they” are right. We’re keeping our fingers and toes crossed just in case. It’s an eerie feeling, and to make it even more eerie, right now as I write this, I can hear fish nibbling at the hull of our boat.

Pictures:
1. Waccama River
2. In the marshes.

2009-11-09T21:49:00.000-05:00

We got up at the usual time (6:00) to leave at 6:30, (I’m so glad I took a year off work so I could relax and get up whenever I feel like it) but there wasn’t anything routine about what happen next. It seems there is a 4ft.+ tide here and, where there was plenty of water when we arrived yesterday, there was barely 5 feet this morning. Blue Blazes draws five feet and we ended up bumping and grinding our way out of the anchorage. Unfortunately Lion’s Paw with it’s 5 ½ foot draft was not so lucky. They were stuck hard and had to wait for the tide to rise before they could get out. By 8 o’clock the tide had come up enough for them to plough themselves out of there.

It was a long trip today but it was beautiful as we passed many Plantation style homes landscaped with flowing palm trees. We also crossed the border into South Carolina …..another milestone. Tonight we are in Bucksport tied to a dock for a change

You Know You're in the South When......

2009-11-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

November 8th

You know you’re in the South when:

1. You start seeing Palm trees.
2. The locals say things like “Where are all you all head’n.”
3. You see grits on every menu.
4. Spanish moss drips off the trees.
And
5. You have a close encounter with dolphins while tooting around in your dinghy.

This was a perfect day!

As much as we loved Wrightsville Beach, it was time to move on so today Lion’s Paw and Blue Blazes motored down to Southport near Cape Fear.

Since we arrived early, we decided to put down the dinghies and head over to Bald Head Island and do some exploring. Cars aren't allowed on the island, and golf carts are used instead. We thought this would be a neat place to check out and it turned out to be a great stop. The four of us had fun touring the island and taking lots of pictures.

But nothing could top the experience we had on the way over. Three dolphins, (maybe more) started surfacing all around our dinghies. I was soooo excited that Harley thought I was going to pee my pants! Finally I got some decent pictures.

Wrightsville Beach

2009-11-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

To say that Wrightsville Beach is an affluent town would be an understatement.

As we entered this area it was like we were sailing into a Florida port. Palm trees are everywhere and the homes are magnificent many of them with a beautiful yacht docked out front. We have anchored in a very nice protected harbour surrounded by all this wealth and we’re finding it fascinating to see how the other half live.

We are experiencing some very nice weather and the water is beautiful and clean. Harley even went swimming! Actually, he just wanted to check the underside of the boat but it counts as a swim in my books.

Once we were settled in we went exploring and, of course, we had to check out the beach. This is the life.

(The guy surf-fishing gave us the fish he caught and we had it for dinner)

Inside North Carolina Coast

2009-11-05T13:56:00.001-05:00

Right now we are sitting in front of the Figure Eight Island Bridge waiting for it to open so, to pass the time, I thought I'd check to see if we had an Internet connection and here I am.

We had another early start today and at the ungodly hour of 6:15 we set off. It was the first light of day and there was still a heavy fog in the air but we have some distance to cover and we don't want to arrive too late in the day. Not even ten minutes out we saw them again. Jumping out of the water, through the mist and fog, were three beautiful dolphins....one to starboard and two to port. What a welcome sight first thing in the morning. I tried again to get a picture but it seems I'm just not fast enough.

Believe it or not, by 9:00 we had two more sightings. This is what I signed up for!...this is awesome!

This part of the I.C.W. is very nice as we are running parallel to the Ocean. The North Carolina Beaches are on the outside and beautiful estate homes on the other (and a mixture of everything else in-between).

The pictures above:
1. The picture I missed of dolphins.
2. An example of everything else in-between.

No Internet Lately

2009-11-04T15:34:00.000-05:00

No Internet = no blog postings. There has been, virtually, no Internet connection for us for 3 days, but not to worry...everything is still great here.

We had overcast and wet weather for two days, but still very windy making them good sailing days. And yes, we are getting to sail quite often here in the inter-coastal. The weather yesterday and today has been wonderful and today's sail was fantastic down the Neuse River. Thankfully the wind was coming from the right direction.

But, the best news of all.........I SAW TWO DOLPHINS TODAY! I am so excited because I was the only one who hadn't seen any yet. I didn't get any pictures though....bummer. Oh well, maybe next time.

(The picture shown above is us leaving at the crack of dawn this morning.)

November 2nd

2009-11-04T15:30:00.000-05:00

We left Elizabeth City in a gale and, needless to say, we didn’t get very far before we headed for cover. Besides, it was cold and wet and overall not too pleasant so we anchored in front of Raymond Creek on the Pasquotank River for the night.

Today we left in the fog but definitely a lot nicer than yesterday with a following wind, which made for quite a nice sail across the Albemarle Sound to the Alligator River. We’ll stay the night here and head out tomorrow as we are definitely itching to get further south a.s.a.p.

November 1st

2009-11-04T15:29:00.001-05:00

Halloween in Elizabeth City was so fun and we found that the American’s are much more into it than we are back home.

The cruising families, wanting to keep life as “normal” as possible, got into it pretty good as well. In the afternoon, all the kids carved their pumpkins on the dock and proudly displayed them in front of their boats and of course they all dressed up for trick or treating……even some of the adults joined in.

A very cool neighbourhood in town with very stately homes was blocked off specifically for the event. The city must sponsor the residents as the homes were all done up to look very spooky and the little ghosties and goblins showed up by the thousands. (Of course, we had to check it out too.) It was very well done. Too bad I forgot my camera.

Elizabeth City

2009-10-31T11:05:00.000-04:00

There was a mass exodus from the welcome centre yesterday and at 0730 sharp a flotilla of 10 boats moseyed down the lazy river to Elizabeth City

They call Elizabeth City the "Harbour of Hospitality" and they weren’t kidding. This town loves cruisers. Dockage is free, volunteers greet you at the dock and help with dock lines, there is a free shuttle to the grocery store, and there is even a welcome wine and cheese reception. The mayor of the town, who happens to be a boater himself, came down to welcome us and, of course, to promote his beautiful town.

Tonight is Halloween and, since there are several cruising families on this dock, it promises to be a fun time.

The Great Dismal Swamp

2009-10-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

October 30/09

After reading the cruising guides, we noticed that we will be hitting places like Cape Fear, Mosquito Creek, Alligator River, and Skidaway Creek. With names like that it makes me wonder why anyone would want to enter the I.C.W. However, it was obvious today that we should not to let the names fool us as the Great Dismal Swamp, from what I could see, is anything but dismal.

We entered the Deep Creek Lock at 0830 this morning, (the entrance to the Dismal Swamp), and were greeted by the friendliest lock master who took the time to chat to everyone on each boat and make sure we were all tucked in safe. Even as we were coming up in the lock, he tried to play a tune for the nine boats by blowing into a conch shell. What a cool guy! Now there is someone who loves his job.

It would have been a scenic trip regardless but it's even nicer this time of year with the Autumn colours in the trees. The decision was made yesterday that we would go as far as the Dismal Swamp Visitor’s Centre today, which is about half way through the swamp. We were told it was a stop not to miss as there are walking trails and a wildlife centre. The stop had a dock that could hold three boats but we were told that rafting was expected. By the end of the day there were at least twelve boats rafted together and we had a great time meeting everyone and hear their stories.

On board three of the boats were cruising families and one even had a new ten-week-old baby on board. (Yes Brent, we met up with Adrian and Sarah!) At cocktail hour we all met on shore and a good time was had by all.

Getting Ready for a Swamp Stomp

2009-10-30T13:39:00.000-04:00

October 28/09

Our sail from Hampton to Norfolk was great and we didn’t turn the engine on once (except for when we made a wrong turn but we’re not talking about that). Once we got into the city of Norfolk though we had to take the sails down as the tall buildings were ruining our wind (lol).

Norfolk, Virginia is an interesting place to see from the water as there are many war ships docked along the shores of every shape and size.

The weather was warm today 80°F and the sun shone bright making it most enjoyable. We stopped for the day just short of the “Great Dismal Swamp” in a wonderful anchorage called the “Hole in the Wall”. After spending five nights in Hampton, this was like a little piece of heaven.

Tomorrow we get ready for a swamp stomp.

There Goes the Budget

2009-10-27T09:02:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it. Harley has chipped another tooth and is at the dentist right now as I write. There goes the budget.

If there is anything that controls a cruiser’s life more than the weather, it’s the “Cruising Budget”. Rich or poor, most cruisers live by a strict budget. With little to no money coming in, every penny is carefully watched and accounted for.

Ours is a moderate budget, which allows us to eat out now and then and go to a marina when necessary to plug into electricity, do laundry, and have a nice long hot shower, but it doesn’t allow for much more. Some cruisers live on such a shoe string budget that they have no refrigeration (no need to plug in) and live on rice and beans. Luckily we're not that desperate.

Regardless of what kind of budget one is on, every cruiser has to expect the unexpected ……like dental emergencies. Poor Harley chipped this tooth about two weeks ago but he didn’t want to tell me. He bit down on a hard candy some vendor was handing out at the Boat Show, and after having to take time out to go back to Barrie for some dental work at the beginning of the trip, he was feeling a bit embarrassed.

Oh well, these things happen, and he needs his teeth if he wants to eat. But maybe not, we could always go to the rice and bean diet. Who knows we may have to…….JUST KIDDING!

Check Your Anchor

2009-10-24T19:33:00.000-04:00

There is never a dull moment on a sailboat.

Today, as we were getting ready to head into town, the wind picked up so we decided to stay on board to make sure our anchor was holding. Luckily, our anchor was well stuck but that was not the case for the 43-foot Catamaran that was anchored directly in front of us. We just happen to look up at the very time it broke loose and started bearing down on us. To add to the drama, the owners were not on board at the time.

While I did my best to protect our boat (and their's) by putting up the fenders, Harley jumped in the dingy to do whatever he could to fend it off. In the meantime another boater came to our assistance while someone on shore called the coast guard.

The hulk of a boat drifted along side us when it's anchor snagged again stopping it just a few feet abreast of us. There was not much we could do but watch as it broke loose and re-caught two more times. Each time getting closer and closer.

It created quite a stir in the anchorage with a crowd watching from shore and the coast guard showing up. The Coast Guard were reluctant to board the vessel but were quite concerned as it was now causing a navigational hazard.

Two hours later a very embarrassed couple arrived with a dingy full of groceries.

Today's lesson.....check the anchor and the weather before leaving the boat.