Wednesday, March 14th

Early morning showers in Marsh Harbor provide the backdrop for a relaxing morning aboard Cutter Loose.  Rain has been a rare event on this voyage.  In the cozy confines of the salon, we take comfort in the sound of raindrops on the deck.  We use this time to experiment with our new Internet connection through Bahama Wi-Max, whose wi-fi  hot spots are reputedly located in major harbors of the Sea of Abaco.   

[caption id="attachment_3240" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Under sail on a beam reach in the aquamarine waters of the Sea of Abaco"][/caption]

Showers give way to partial clearing just before noon.  The anchor is up in Marsh Harbor.  Cutter Loose is under sail on a comfortable beam reach in 12 knots of breeze, this time to Great Guana Cay, about 9 miles to the northwest.   Winds increase to 20 knots in advance of a squall line moving in from the east as we approach Foots Cay. 

We enter the boat basin at the Settlement (town harbor) on Great Guana Cay and decide instead to move to the nearby anchorage at Fisher’s Bay.  Already the anchorage is filled with boats in anticipation of an important entertainment event scheduled for Friday afternoon.  Barefoot Man and his band will perform at Nippers Beach Bar.  Hundreds of fans and party-goers are expected to attend.

[caption id="attachment_3242" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Grabbers Beach Bar"][/caption]

Cutter Loose is secured to a mooring in Fisher’s Bay amidst a late afternoon rain shower.  As the rain tapers off, we are in the dinghy preparing for a beach landing at Grabber’s, a small resort and beach bar at the head of Fisher’s Bay.  Every Wednesday evening, local residents and visiting cruisers are invited to a potluck on the sand beach at Grabbers.  Some 50 people are in attendance at this event.   In darkness, we push the dinghy from the beach into knee-deep water for the return trip to Cutter Loose.  We will continue our exploration of Great Guana Cay tomorrow.

Sunday, March 11th through Tuesday, March 13th - lay days in Marsh Harbour

[caption id="attachment_3223" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Happy hour view of the harbour from Snappa's"][/caption]

Cutter Loose is one of about forty boats anchored in Marsh Harbour.   The harbor is large, well-protected from prevailing easterlies and the holding ground is good.  At the three marinas here in Marsh Harbour, there are another 200 boats docked for the winter.   This is an active cruising community.  Every morning at 8:15 on the VHF radio, there is an interactive cruiser’s net which features various topics related to the cruising lifestyle.  This includes local weather conditions, navigational advice, community events, boat-related services and verbal advertisements from restaurants and bakeries.

The winter weather pattern continues here in the Northern Bahamas with brisk 25 knot winds from the east on Sunday.   There is a light chop in the harbor, just enough to become soaked with saltwater on an upwind run in the dinghy.   Cruisers anchored in the harbor are easily distinguished ashore.  They are the folks with the floppy hats and wet butts.

[caption id="attachment_3219" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Marsh Harbour Community Library"][/caption]

Marsh Harbour is centrally located in the Sea of Abaco.  With some 5,000 residents, it is the largest town in Abaco and the third largest town in the Bahamas.   Unlike Green Turtle Cay where golf carts are used for transportation, the narrow streets of Marsh Harbour are filled with cars and trucks that are dated by American standards.   It is election season here in the Bahamas and many vehicles are flying banners expressing an affiliation or preference for one of three political parties.

There are two distinct business districts in Marsh Harbour.  A handful of restaurants, bars and touristy shops are clustered around the marinas.   Few Bahamians, other than employees, visit this area.  The majority of commerce is conducted in small shops within the traditional business district, a grid network of paved streets roughly two blocks wide by four blocks long.  It is a functional, if not attractive town center.  Unlike Green Turtle Cay, there are no Caucasian Loyalists walking these streets or tending the shops…only Bahamians and cruisers.     

The Bahamians speak English when conversing with cruisers.   But in conversations amongst themselves, the language is indecipherable.   It is said that the language of the Bahamians is closely related to Gullah, spoken in the low country of South Carolina.  Some shops have signage in both English and Creole.



Once ashore, the first stop of the day is Da Bes Bakery.  The friendly proprietors advise us when the whole wheat bread will be hot out of the oven so that we can return before the supply disappears.  Da Bes also serves up a delectable sweet pastry stuffed with either coconut or pineapple filling.

[caption id="attachment_3220" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="US-style grocery store in Marsh Harbour"][/caption]

 

Just about anything that a cruiser would need can be found here.   Maxwell’s Supermarket, located about six blocks from the dinghy dock, is an amazingly modern facility with a wide variety of provisions.  Depending on deliveries, fruits and vegetables can be either abundant or scarce.  There are two additional supermarkets in town that specialize in case lot supplies, similar in concept to a Costco but on a smaller scale.  Prices here are 20% to 100% higher than in the US, depending on the item purchased.  Street vendors sell garden vegetables and there is a farmer’s market every other Saturday.  Fresh seafood is a rare commodity, which is surprising in light of our proximity to productive fishing grounds in the ocean canyons east of the Sea of Abaco.  Locals advise against the consumption of grouper, which has been known to cause a foodborne illness called ciguatera.

As usual, our visit to the local Laundromat turns out to be an enlightening experience.  About two-thirds of the washers and dryers are inoperable.  There are two or three cruisers and thirty Bahamians competing for the operable machines.  The Bahamians teach us how to queue up for access to the washing machines.  While the machine is in the wash cycle, one politely asks the user if this is his/her final load.  If the answer is yes, the next person in the queue claims rights to the machine by placing quarters in the change slots.  Once one’s quarters are in position, the territory must be guarded carefully.  It is not unusual for the entire family to participate in a laundry event.  It is a place where acquaintances are renewed and the news of the day is shared.  During our visit, a woman wearing an orange vest similar to that of a crossing guard delivers a highly charged and well-rehearsed info-mercial about the health benefits of keeping one’s colon clean.  Some of her descriptions are quite graphic and downright frightening.  She is waving two small glass bottles of a potion guaranteed to achieve the desired result.  After about ten minutes, she has lost the attention of the audience and moves on.  Our outlay of quarters for the machines is well worth the price of admission to this entertaining cultural experience.

Saturday, March 10th

[caption id="attachment_3210" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Pre-dawn departure from Manjack Cay"][/caption]

The anchor is up at Manjack Cay at 6:20 AM.  From all appearances, it is a perfect day to transit Whale Cay passage.  Under clear skies, the wind is light and variable at less than 5 knots.  

Our course takes us southeast past No Name Cay, then due east into Whale Cay Channel.  At slack high tide, 3 to 4 foot swells and no breaking waves, the channel appears manageable.  As in most areas of the Bahamas, there are no buoys or aids to navigation here to define the edges of the channel.  Instead, we plot our course using a series of latitude and longitude coordinates published in the Dodge cruising guide. 

[caption id="attachment_3211" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Early morning transit of Whale Cay passage in calm water"][/caption]

Once in the ocean, waves are breaking on Channel Rock to our port side and crashing onto the reefs at Whale Cay to starboard.  This is the most significant navigational challenge in the Abacos.  During rage conditions, large ocean swells funnel into the relatively shallow water of this cut causing waves to break in the channel.  One can only imagine what the Whale would be like in a storm.  Thankfully, conditions are benign today. 

A right turn to the southeast places us on a course that passes parallel to Whale Cay for a distance of two miles before turning south into Loggerhead Channel to enter the Sea of Abaco.  A cruise ship channel was dredged here in 1989. But the cruise ships discontinued visits to this area in the early 1990s because rage conditions sometimes rendered the channel impassable during the winter months.  The abandoned ship terminal near Baker’s Bay is visible to port as we enter the Sea of Abaco.

The Sea of Abaco is a protected body of water that lies between Great Abaco Island and a series of cays to the northeast that provide a buffer from the Atlantic Ocean.  It is about 20 miles long and 5 miles wide, offering cruisers an ideal destination for sailing, snorkeling and visiting small villages.  We will spend the next month exploring this area before retracing our steps to Florida in mid-to-late April. 

Our destination today is Marsh Harbour, 9 miles to the southwest of Baker’s Bay.  By 11 AM, Cutter Loose is anchored in the harbor, well in advance of the approaching cold front.  We will remain in Marsh Harbor for a few days, exploring the town and monitoring the weather picture.

Friday, March 9th

After a leisurely breakfast, we settle our account at Green Turtle Club and prepare Cutter Loose to leave the dock.  Winds have subsided, but are still blowing at 12 knots from the east.  The forecast calls for diminishing winds throughout the afternoon and overnight.  But reduced wind speed does not instantly translate to calm seas.  Ocean swells begin to subside only after a sustained period of diminished winds.  We decide to anchor overnight and transit Whale Cay channel early on Saturday morning after the seas have had an opportunity to lay down overnight.

[caption id="attachment_3204" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Manjack Cay anchorage"][/caption]

Under sunny skies, our journey today takes us to Manjack Cay, a distance of 5 miles.  Cutter Loose is anchored in the bight between Crab Cay and Rat Cay.   The water here is crystal clear.  Our anchor and chain rode are clearly visible in the sand beneath 12 feet of water.  Several white sand beaches are nearby.   We take advantage of this relaxed setting to study the charts for tomorrow’s passage while the solar panels generate energy to operate the reverse osmosis watermaker. 

By mid-afternoon, the wind speed has dropped off to 5 knots.   It will be a calm night at anchor.

Tuesday, March 6th through Thursday, March 8th

[caption id="attachment_3195" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Breaking waves - Atlantic Ocean in 30 knot easterlies"][/caption]

As predicted, strong trade winds dominate the weather picture in Green Turtle Cay for several days.  Trade winds occur when a high pressure dome to the north (aka a “Bermuda high”) moves offshore from the Carolinas and becomes nearly stationary.  Wind circulates in a clockwise pattern around the high pressure center.  This results in an easterly flow in the general area to the south of the high, i.e., the Bahamas and Caribbean.   

The Bermuda high is a stubborn beast.  It will remain nearly stationary until the next winter cold front challenges its dominance and slowly pushes its way eastward.  Since a new next cold front is not expected until the weekend, the next few days will bring easterlies in the 25 to 30 knot range.  On the Atlantic Ocean side of Green Turtle Cay, the wind-driven waves are creating huge breakers on the reefs.  Fortunately, the Green Turtle Club Marina in White Harbor is well-protected from the east.   Cutter Loose is sandwiched between two 50+ foot trawlers that are docked on both sides.  She tugs at her dock lines only when the gusts exceed 25 knots.

We will remain here at Green Turtle Cay for several days until the next cold front approaches from the north.  Thereafter, the wind will gradually diminish for a day or two until the cold front passes.  During this brief reprieve, we will move Cutter Loose further south to a location where we can seek protection from the northerly winds.  After the passage of the cold front, the wind will subside for a few days before another Bermuda high becomes entrenched to the north, forcing us to scurry for cover once again from the strong easterlies. 

This weather pattern affords an opportunity to enjoy our surroundings at the Green Turtle Club and to explore this small island.  Since the cost of meals at the Club offset the cost of our dockage, these days are filled with leisurely breakfasts and casual dinners in the dining room.  In the afternoons, we gather with our Island Packet friends for a few games of dominoes.  Although the resort includes accommodations, nearly all of the patrons at this time of year are cruisers.  By the end of our first full day, we are on a first name basis with most of the boaters on the dock as well as Club staff.

[caption id="attachment_3190" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay"][/caption]

For exercise, we walk three miles to the settlement of New Plymouth, located at the southernmost tip of the Cay.  This is a small village with narrow streets, modest homes, shops, restaurants, churches, a school and a museum.  The primary mode of transportation on the island is by golf cart.  Without exception, residents and tourists wave as they pass by on their golf cart.  Several drivers stop to offer us a ride, which we politely decline in the interest of fitness.



[caption id="attachment_3197" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Green Turtle Cay loyalist emblems"][/caption]

The early inhabitants of the Bahamas in general and Green Turtle Cay in particular were Loyalists…those who opposed the revolutionary movement in what would become the United States.  Black slaves also immigrated from the U.S. to the Bahamas after the Revolutionary War.  The museum and adjacent sculpture garden document the plight of the Loyalists.  Allegedly, they were shunned and persecuted by the colonists in America.  When Britain took control of the Bahamas from Spain, the Loyalists moved here with the intent of establishing a farming economy.  However, the sandy, rocky soil of the Bahamas is not conducive to agriculture.  Many of the original settlements failed.  Today, the shopkeepers are proud to explain that they are seventh generation residents of the island.

Beyond the settlement of New Plymouth, the remainder of the island is sparsely developed with vacation homes and a handful of small resorts and marinas.  Some resort properties sustained damage during Hurricane Irene in August of 2011 and have not reopened. 

[caption id="attachment_3196" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Live music at Green Turtle Club on Wednesday evening"][/caption]

By Thursday afternoon, the intense easterlies begin to subside.  We are watching the weather closely now as our opportunity to move Cutter Loose to the Sea of Abaco draws closer.  The next leg of our journey requires settled weather.  We must navigate our way into the Atlantic Ocean and re-enter the Sea of Abaco at Loggerhead Channel.  Any significant amount of wind and/or ocean swell creates breaking waves in the channels, rendering this passage impassable. 

We have enjoyed our relaxing stay at Green Turtle Cay.  In the morning, it will be time to move south to discover new destinations.

Monday, March 5th

The wind this morning is out of the NNE at 15 knots, which presents yet another opportunity to sail with the wind on the beam.  Our destination is Green Turtle Cay, 18 miles to the southeast.  A noon departure from Spanish Cay should place us at Green Turtle Cay by mid-afternoon, a few hours before high tide in the entrance to White Sound.

To our southwest is Great Abaco Island and to the northeast are a series of small, low lying, uninhabited Cays, the largest of which include Powell Cay, Ambergris Cay and Manjack Cay.   The gleaming white beaches of these Cays invite exploration.  But we are on a mission to arrive at Green Turtle Cay before the forecasted arrival of strong easterly trade winds later on in the afternoon.

[caption id="attachment_3182" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Shallow water near the opening to the Atlantic Ocean at Ambergris Cay"][/caption]

Between the Cays are open passages to the Atlantic Ocean.  Wind speed increases as we pass alongside these openings.  At Ambergris Cay, ocean currents create uncharted shifting sand bars that require us to steer towards Great Abaco Island in order to avoid the shallows.  The white sand under the brilliant afternoon sun casts an aquamarine glow on the surface of the water, reminding us that it is a privelege to be enjoying such an outstanding sailing day in the Bahamas.

At 3 PM, Cutter Loose enters the well-marked channel into White Sound.  There are several feet of water under the keel.  Soon we are docked at the Green Turtle Club Marina.  This is a well-known establishment that offers an attractive inducement to cruisers.  For every dollar spent in the bar and restaurant, our dockage fee is reduced by a dollar.  Essentially, the marina is willing to discount or forgive dockage fees for visitors that patronize the restaurant.  This is a no-brainer.  There will be no provisioning or food preparation aboard Cutter Loose during our stay.  The dining room is our new center of activity.

We will remain here at the Green Turtle Club for several days until the wind diminishes or until we have outgrown our clothes, whichever occurs first.

Sunday, March 4th

Today is a day to remain in our slip at Spanish Cay Marina.  Clear skies in the early morning give way to high clouds at noon.  By early afternoon, clouds thicken and a dark squall line is bearing down on the marina.  Pre-frontal winds of 30 knots from the south are displaced by showers, followed by a sudden wind shift to the northwest.  The temperature and humidity drop instantly.  Since Cutter Loose is docked on the south side of the Cay, it is as if someone turned off the switch to the wind machine.  The marina becomes calm, blanketed in the lee of land and vegetation.  Just a few steps away on the north (Atlantic Ocean) side of the Cay, wind speeds of 30 knots from the northwest create a foaming sea filled with breaking waves.   It is incredible to witness the drama of a powerful winter cold front, preferably from the vantage point of safe and secure surroundings.





After the passage of the front, we gather together with our fellow cruisers for late afternoon entertainment...darts and table shuffleboard in the game room.  Not to be outdone by previous visitors to Spanish Cay, each of us signs and dates the front of an Island Packet t shirt...a permanent record of our visit.

[caption id="attachment_3169" align="aligncenter" width="284" caption="Island Packet wall art...a leave-behind at Spanish Cay"][/caption]

The kitchen and dining room are short-staffed.  We are politely asked to continue gaming while the chef prepares meals for seated guests.  The fact that this does not bother us in the least is a sure signal that we are successfully adjusting to Bahama time.

[caption id="attachment_3168" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Gradual clearing after the passage of a cold front at Spanish Cay"][/caption]

Saturday, March 3rd

At 6:30 AM, the single sideband radio aboard Cutter Loose crackles to life with an ominous weather forecast.  The weekend weathermaker is a vigorous cold front making its way across the Florida peninsula.  Winds are expected to strengthen out of the south today in advance of the front.  We have been monitoring the progression of this cold front on Sirius marine weather, a satellite subscription service that portrays the current weather map on the Raymarine chartplotter.  The front is expected to pass through the Northern Bahamas sometime on Sunday.  The strategy for today is to move Cutter Loose to a location that is protected from the northwest and north.

The anchor is up at Great Sale Cay at 8 AM.  In light of the forecast, our destination for today is Spanish Cay Marina, a harbor of refuge some 40 miles to the southeast.  Our initial course takes us north of Great Sale Cay to Little Sale Cay where we turn east, leaving Sale Cay Rocks to starboard.  Early morning winds are 15 knots out of the south.  Cutter Loose  lopes along on a comfortable beam reach.

From Sale Cay Rocks, our course bends to the southeast, avoiding the shallows of Carters Cays Bank to the north en route to Hawksbill Cays, just north of the small fishing village of Foxtown on Little Abaco Island.  This course adjustment brings Cutter Loose closer to the wind, her bow now pounding into the southerly swells.  Wind speed is now 20 knots and Cutter Loose is rounding up into the gusts...a signal that the time has come to reduce sail area. 

The wind continues to build as we sail alongside Center of the World Rock en route to the cut that lies between the Hog Cays to the north and Crab Cay to the south.  At 8 knots over ground, we will cover the remaining distance to Spanish Cay in less than an hour,  But Cutter Loose is now heeling excessively in 25 knots of wind on a close reach.  Sheets of sea water are crashing on deck...time to de-power by reefing the sails even further.

On the horizon, Spanish Cay Marina is a welcome sight.  There is a rock jetty and seawall surrounding the marina, which offers some protection within the basin.  But this facility is located on the south side of the island and is therefore exposed to today's fresh southerlies.  While this makes docking a challenge, it is a small price to pay for wind protection from the north when the front arrives tomorrow.  In anticipation of the inevitable wind shift, every dockline that we can find aboard Cutter Loose is strewn between the boat and the network of pilings that surround her slip.  She gives the appearance of being trapped in a spider's web.

[caption id="attachment_3143" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Spanish Cay Marina"][/caption]

At the ultra low cost of $1 per foot, Spanish Cay Marina is an excellent place to batten down the hatches in the face of the advancing cold front.  There is a paved runway on Spanish Cay, but no scheduled commercial flights land here.  Access to this island is by private boat or charter flight.  This funky tropical resort is still recovering from damage sustained as a result of Hurricane Irene in August, 2011.  Perhaps it is the commonality of having survived Irene.  Or maybe it is merely the comfort afforded by being in a protected place in the face of adverse weather.  Whatever the reason, it feels good to be here.

Friday, March 2nd

Resisting the urge to sleep in after a long day and a late night, we are up and underway early from Old Bahama Bay at low tide.  From West End, we transit the well-traveled shallow waters of Indian Cay Channel to gain entrance to Little Bahama Bank.  There are no buoys or markers of any kind in this channel.  Instead, we rely on a series of waypoints (latitude and longitude cooridinates) published in a popular cruising guide to sound our way through this skinny entrance.  In this narrow channel, there is only a foot of water under the keel of Cutter Loose.  Once beyond Barracuda Shoal, depths increase to a more comfortable 8 to 11 feet.  

With sunny skies, crystal clear aquamarine water and moderate 15 knot winds from the south, it is a magnificent day for sailing east across the Bank.  The water is of such clarity that the shadows formed by our sails can clearly be seen on the white sandy bottom of these pristine waters.   All 50 miles of today's journey is sailed with the wind on the beam and on the same tack with only one slight course adjustment at Mangrove Cay.  This is sailing paradise.

Little Bahama Bank is a shallow sea protected by by low lying islands (cays) to the north and Grand Bahama Island to the south.  There are no barriers to the wind, but ample protection from ocean swells, which keeps the water relatively calm.  The resort towns of Freeport and Lucaya are located 25 miles to the south on the southern coast of Grand Bahama Island.  We will bypass these destinations, opting instead for the cruising grounds further east in the Abacos.

[caption id="attachment_3142" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Red sky at night..."][/caption]

Our destination for today is an overnight anchorage at Great Sale Cay.  Cutter Loose is anchored on the northwest side of the island in the lee of the Cay.  We are rewarded with yet another outstanding view of the sunset, this time enhanced by interesting cloud formations.

Thursday, March 1st - crossing to the Bahamas

The alarm wakes us at 3:30 AM.  At 4:15 AM, the anchor is up at Fisher Island.  In complete darkness, Cutter Loose inches her way towards a right-hand turn into Government Cut.  At 4:30 AM, there is already considerable activity in the channel.   Two inbound ships with tugs hug the green (outbound) side of the channel.  Obviously, they require the entire width of the channel to maneuver.  Just our luck to be transiting Government Cut at such a busy time.  Beyond the entrance channel two other ships are hovering, awaiting pilots beyond the sea buoy.  In darkness, it is difficult to decipher the light patterns and movements of these behemoths.  It is a stressful way to begin the day.

The wind today is 8 to 13 knots out of the southeast.  On an outgoing tide, wind against current kick up a lumpy chop in the channel.  The waves are invisible in darkness.  But once at sea, the motion becomes rhythmic as we make sail and turn the bow northeast towards West End on Grand Bahama Island, a distance of 74 miles.  Within just a few miles of the Miami sea buoy, the depthsounder screen becomes blank, no longer capable of measuring the ocean depths.  We will not see soundings again until we approach West End.

The effects of the Gulf Stream are felt within five miles of Miami.  Speed over ground increases to 9.5 knots as Cutter Loose is swept north by the current.   We are making excellent time to our destination.  At first light, the outlines of clouds become faintly visible on the horizon.  At dawn, we see white sails on the horizon that correspond to the targets we have been following on the radar.  It is reassuring to be able to make visual contact with our buddy boats, if only tiny specs on the horizon.  

[caption id="attachment_3122" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sunrise in the Gulf Stream en route to West End"][/caption]

Sunrise is a special time on the ocean.  The indigo color of the water is phenomenal.  Flying fish skim atop the crests of the waves.  It is a good day to be sailing to the Bahamas.

At 1:30 PM, the water tower at West End becomes visible through the binoculars at a distance of 8 miles.  By 3 PM, Cutter Loose is securely tied in her slip at Old Bahama Bay flying her yellow quarantine flag. 

[caption id="attachment_3125" align="alignright" width="251" caption="A visit with the immigration man"][/caption]

The first order of business is clearing customs.  Thankfully, we can accomplish this at the Immigration Office right here at Old Bahama Bay.  There is a mound of paperwork to be completed.  And there is a $300 cash payment to be made for our four month Bahamian cruising permit. 

Once back aboard Cutter Loose, the Q flag is lowered and the Bahamian courtesy flag is raised on the starboard spreader, whereupon Cutter Loose is rewarded with a well-deserved bath.  This marina and resort feature a pool and a tiki hut restaurant, where our group of fellow travelers gather in the evening to celebrate our long-awaited arrival in the Bahamas.  After an eleven hour sail, sleep will come easily tonight.

[caption id="attachment_3123" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Old Bahama Bay Marina and Resort, West End"][/caption]