Weird Winter Weather in the Exumas – Part 2

Regatta is over, and the weather pattern has changed to strong trade winds from the southeast.  In previous years, the regatta has sponsored a rally to Long Island about 35 miles further south east.  Our friends Ron and Karen on Sea Dancer have always organized this, but this year they have retired from cruising. To perpetuate the tradition, we have volunteered to oversee the sailing portion of the rally while our crew from the Round-the-Island Race will be in charge of the land arrangements.  It turns out to be a huge undertaking as some of the infrastructure on Long Island that facilitated cruisers is no longer available. At one point we have over 100 boats signed up to participate. Also, the weather is not cooperating, and we are having difficulty determining a departure date due to persistent strong SE winds and a SE destination. Finally, rather than run a race from George Town to Long Island, we pick the mildest day within a week and plan to motor the distance and, upon arrival, schedule a make up race in the protected water just outside our destination.  The change in plans and last minute departure date whittle our flotilla down to 41 boats, four of which turn back when they realize it won’t be a totally enjoyable trip under motor.  As it turns out, the trip becomes more and more pleasant the further we go as the surrounding cays and sand bores almost negate the waves. And it is a gorgeous trip through brilliant, glowing turquoise waters unlike anything else in the Bahamas.  

The glowing water near the uninhabited White Cay Bank

The group arrives in good spirits and enjoys a welcome Happy Hour at the local regatta center with a Rake and Scrape Band of national reputation. 

The next day we put on a race in flat waters and moderate winds, a difficult task as our committee boats (both trawlers) have decided not to brave the weather.  Exuberant becomes the starting mark, and we set a turning mark with our dinghy and an anchored fender just in the nick of time. Fifteen boats, including one sailing dinghy, tackle the simple course and cross the finish line with whoops and hollers as the sailing is utterly delightful.  

The boats are off and the sailing dinghy at the rear keeps up pretty well despite having to bail the entire course.

And back they come on a tight reach.

The kids on this boat were having a blast although we doubt they contributed much ballast.

That night we have a “trophy dinner” at the regatta center and the previous night’s band shows up again to play for free as they are having such a good time.  Hosting a group of cruisers such as ourselves is a big deal for Long Island as it is sparsely populated and off the normal cruising track; our presence is a real boost to their economy.

We chill out the next day as many of the cruisers take a bus tour of the island, something we have done several times before.  That evening 80 of us cram into one school bus and travel 30 miles to Stella Maris, a classy resort at the north end of the island.  We are here to have a candle light dinner in a large cave on the property.  We walk down a lit path to the cave entrance and are astonished to see hundreds of candles illuminating the cave interior.   

The walk down to the cave with the path illuminated by beer bottles molded into the concrete and filled with kerosene and a home made wick.

There are slabs of stone set on the ground and masonry benches in place around the “tables”. 

the interior of the cave where groups gathered around stone tables for dinner.

In one corner, a band is playing “tasteful” music and in another are a slew of bats hanging in a darken hole, the candle light and several camp fires keeping the bats in their place.  The dinner is excellent, and we utterly enjoy this unusual event. The next day we have a nice sail back to George Town while many of the boats who have never visited Long Island before stay for a few more days’ exploration.

Our weather guru foresees a change in the weather pattern to more settled weather by mid-March and that is good news for us.  Meanwhile, in George Town, we wile away the days, walking the ocean front beaches,

The ocean side beaches remain mostly unpopulated - note only one brave swimmer in the water.

All to ourselves on this glorious day

My favorite spot on the north end of Stocking Island with a "hot tube" and great quantities of miniture shells for collecting.

doing chores, partaking in yoga or water aerobics, and spending afternoons on the beach at Chat and Chill, a nearby beach bar, where cruisers gather each day at 2 pm to play volleyball, dominos (a traditional cruisers’ game), or weave baskets. 

One of several sand volleyball courts where the cruisers and other guests play fun volleyball, which would be better called funny volleyball.

The hard core dominoes players

Some of the basketmakers at work

A selection of pine needle baskets I have made this season - these differ from the silver palm baskets more common here - they use Carolina Long Leaf pine needles and offer more creative options in the construction.

Children enjoy tree swings, swimming off the shallow beach, and petting the resident sting rays. On Sunday mornings we attend Beach Church under the whispering pines where adults are seated on picnic benches while the children sit high in the trees. There are happy hours and dinghy raft-ups on occasions 

One dinghy raft-up took place just off our bow.  At this point most of the dinghies have departed but at the height there were over 80 dinghies celebrating the sunset with libations and shared hors d'ouvres.

and on Sunday evenings we head to St. Frances Resort for Trivia night.  At the final, “Grand Championship” night, we are teamed with another couple who prove to be strong trivia players. We end up tying for first place, losing in the second tie-breaker, and walking out with bottles of wine and shark bobble head trophies – pretty amusing!

So, with a few days’ notice of settled weather we begin preparations to leave George Town with trips to the laundry and grocery store, and stops to pick up odds and ends before leaving this relatively civilized harbor. We say good-bye to the many locals and our fellow cruisers going different directions until next year when the cruising hoards again descend upon George Town.

Weird Winter Weather in the Exumas – Part1

The succession of fronts in the Exumas just keep coming.  We get a few days’ break in the weather and scurry down to Blackpoint Settlement, a small town of several hundred residents and a locale that is very accommodating to cruisers.   

The anchorage at Blackpoint

Newly built vacation houses at Blackpoint - this is a comparatively industrious community for the Exumas

The laundromat is the best in the Bahamas as Ida, the proprietor, takes great pride in keeping it spotless, newly painted, and in good working order, an oddity in these areas. 

Assisting one of the local sailors with rebuilding his traditional racing sloop, Seahorse

We celebrate Super Bowl Sunday at Scorpio’s Bar and Grill with a mixture of locals and cruisers.  It is a “spirited” evening with an outstanding buffet dinner of traditional Bahamian fare. And you just can’t leave Blackpoint without a loaf or two of Lorraine’s mother’s famous coconut bread.

We hike to the local blow hole which sends up plumes of spray

And why is the blow hole blowing?  Just look at the ocean waves on a windy day.

But later we have a classic Bahamian sunset

But leave we must as another significant front is bearing down on us. We had hoped to spend the weekend at Little Farmer’s Cay to attend their homecoming and traditional Bahamian sloop regatta, but the weather just won’t allow it.  Even some of the locals from Blackpoint will not attend as the winds will be too strong for their tender boats. We have a nice sail south on the banks to Musha Cay where we anchor in front of David Copperfield’s resort compound.  It is an idyllic tropical setting where guests can pay somewhere around $10,000 per day to soak up the luxury. 

The beach front of David Copperfield's resort on Musha Cay

Copperfield owns Musha along with nearby Rudder Cay where he also has a private home.  The next day we continue on to the protected harbor at George Town where we will stay for an extended period of time.

The decision to camp out in George Town proves to be wise and most of the boats in the northern Exumas are making a similar choice, resulting in over 300 boats in Elizabeth Harbor.   

Wind and waves pound the ocean side of Stocking Island which forms the harbor at George Town

The weather has become increasingly difficult as every 48 hours fronts pass through with winds close to gale force, even in our protected anchorage. 

The storm bears down on our anchorage

One night the wind makes an abrupt switch in direction and blows into the 30’s.  The boat to windward of us has let out additional chain, and now it blows back on to us.  The only escape is to begin letting out additional scope on our boat until both boats come to rest less than a boat length apart – all this is done in the dark of night.  For several days we are pinned between the up wind boat and another to our lee, unable to extricate ourselves as the windward boat is directly over our anchor and rode.  Another fierce storm rolls in a few days later but during daylight hours.  After the initial blasts of wind, you can look in any direction and see at least one boat dragging.  Most of the boats are able to self rescue but two catamarans have broken loose and either have inoperable engines or have fouled their engines with anchor rode.  The dinghy brigade springs into action as ten or more dinghies attempt to corral the drifting boats before they cause additional damage to themselves or to surrounding boats. 

Burt, in the dinghy, heads off to help rescue a dragging boat

One has pinned its stern to the side of a large trawler and is causing considerable damage to fiberglass and stainless. I watch with binoculars as Burt and our friend Anthony try to maneuver the two boats apart and help the stunned crews re-anchor.  At least this time there are two people in the dinghy as the waves and wind would make this dangerous single-handed operation. 

In the midst of the storms we are sitting in the cockpit and happen to glance back to notice the motor is no longer on our dinghy. Burt left it in the up position and with the wave action and newly greased fastening bolts, it has worked it way free and is dangling behind the dinghy, submersed in the water and attached only by a backup lanyard.  Panic ensues as our dinghy and motor are essential to our cruising life.  In three foot waves we attach the harness of the motor to the lift and bring it back on board.  Burt starts tearing it apart while I get on the VHF radio to solicit information on how one services a submerged engine.  With less than two hours of daylight left we manage to change the oil, remove the spark plug, rinse every conceivable crevice with fresh water, reassemble the entire engine, and, hallelujah, it starts back up and runs for the recommended half hour.  We are utterly exhausted and pretty unnerved.  The next day Burt repeats the entire process along with rinsing and treating all the electrical connections.  We are back in running order, but now the bolt toggles are tied together so that they can’t accidentally unscrew.  

George Town is famous for its annual Cruiser’s Regatta, and this year we have become involved in the racing portion – Burt as statistician and I as general help.  After re-scheduling around inclement weather, we serve on the committee boat for the in-harbor race. Several days later we race Exuberant in the Round-the-Island race in perfect conditions.  It’s a nail-bitter as we sail through the skinny water of the western harbor (several shallower draft boats actually went aground) and out into the deep sapphire waters of Exuma Sound.  Our boat speed is great, and we’re having a lot of fun with our novice crew, taking several head to toe dousings of water while hiking on the rail.  But, we choose the wrong side of the course and lose distance on the boats we had already passed.  Bottom line – we came in 5^th in our class but have the distinction of beating the boat which historically wins this race.   

After the race our crew celebrates with the Bahamian flag in the background.  Included are Sue and Al from Nova Scotia and Phil from Maine.

 

Boats (including ours) anchored off the beach at Chat and Chill - just a small portion of the 350 boats in the harbor for the Regatta.