Saturday, March 17, 2007
Underway – North Atlantic Ocean, Bahamas

ROYAL TREATMENT AT EMERALD BAY

We left Georgetown on Wednesday the 14th bound for the brand new Emerald Bay Marina just north of Georgtown on Grand Exuma Island. The seas were pretty rough but I comforted myself with the fact that it was a short trip. I stayed at the helm the entire time and kept track of the huge waves slamming against our hulls. It helps to be prepared and hang on before the big swells hit. I did not get sick and I mark this as a huge accomplishment. As usual, Steve and the kids did fine.

We arrived just after noon. After I regained my equilibrium I quickly gathered our laundry together. I was shocked to realize that it had been a whole month since we last washed our clothes. We were able to hand wash some towels while in Georgetown using rainwater and a large bucket, but our clothes and sheets were growing rather seedy. The marina boasted free laundry with brand new high tech Kenmore machines. I was in laundry heaven.

The marina is part of the Emerald Bay Resort, with a Four Seasons hotel and villas, gold course and pools. Much of it is still under construction and existing structures are brand new and pristine. We think this is why the slips at the marina are so reasonably priced and accessible to average yachts like ours. We did rub shoulders with the crew of huge expensive yachts, exchanging stories in the laundry room. But once the resort is running at full capacity, we suspect it will not be as affordable to the average cruising budget.

After laundry came showers, wondrously glorious hot showers with complimentary coco mango shampoo and mouthwash and sunscreen at every sink. And while we had actually bathed in the past month, it had been a whole month since we had had a real hot shower without the need to conserve water. I suspect that a lot of sand, salt and grime got washed down the drains that day.

Wednesday evening, we took the resort shuttle to the nearby shopping center. We enjoyed pizza and ice cream for dinner. It was a real treat and we felt spoiled as we slid our scrubbed bodies under clean sheets that night. Ahhh, peaceful slumber.

The next day Steve used the Internet access to pay some bills and update our web log. I wanted to take the kids over to one of the resort pools, but Rachel was bothered by a cold and stuffy ear problem, so the kids just stayed on the boat and worked on schoolwork. Steve took the shuttle over to the shopping center to buy some food for our next passage.

BOUND FOR CAICOS ISLANDS

Yesterday, the 16th, we left Emerald Bay along with a flock of other sail boats either headed north on their way back to the United States or Canada or south to the Caribbean. We joined the group going south with a two and a half day/two night passage planned. Winds were predicted to be favorable for our trip to Provindenciales or Provo in the Caicos Islands.

After good sailing to Conception Island the seas were a bit choppy and the winds did not shift as predicted, so we ended up sailing into the wind with the waves hitting our bow. These conditions continued through the evening and all night, making it uncomfortable to perform even small tasks and leaving us all a bit tired and cranky this morning. Still, no seasickness, thank the Lord.

Today, we have been motoring all day since the winds are still on the nose and very tame. The seas are smoother with occasional swells. We are still doing the “underway dance” when we move about the boat, but it is easier to occupy ourselves. Daniel and Rachel played a few rounds of chess, Emily is weaving a bracelet and Steve checked the oil in the engines and changed the alternator belt in the port engine. I continue to read Caribbean Passagemaking – A Cruiser’s Guide.

We will be approaching Mayaguana Island tonight, sailing south of the island, but plan to continue on to reach Sapodilla Bay in Provo sometime on Sunday. We will probably stay in Sapodilla Bay for a week, waiting for another weather window before we continue on to the Dominican Republic.

The other day, as Daniel and I climbed into the starboard bow storage area to hunt for provisions, he picked up a package of blueberry muffin mix and said, “I have to admit, I do like imitation blueberries.” I think everything tastes better when you’ve been at sea for a while. Maybe we will even acquire a taste for ship’s biscuit with fresh weevils.



Thursday, March 22, 2007
Sapodilla Bay, Providenciales, Caicos Islands

A BOAT LOAD OF KIDS

It is now a peaceful night in our anchorage after an afternoon of rain and thunderstorms. We have been anchored here since Sunday. We spent a day and a half simply resting after our last passage. We were worn out. On Monday afternoon Steve went to check in at the customs office. We fly a yellow quarantine flag on our vessel until we are checked in, then we put up the flag for the new place. Down comes the Bahamas flag and up flies the Turks and Caicos flag with the Union Jack in the corner. After check in, we were free to land our dinghy on the beach.

The kids were so sad to leave all their new friends back in Georgetown after the regatta, but they were delighted when we pulled into Sapodilla Bay to see four other catamaran family boats lined up at anchor, most of whom they had already met. We will be in good company sailing south down the island chain with many of these boats. There are about 15 other boats in the bay. We arrived with six of them on Sunday and all the other catamarans arrived the day before us.

Time to frolic with friends in the afternoons after school has made this anchorage fun. Liahona, one of the boats in the anchorage, has been here for almost a year. They are a Mormon missionary family with five children. They have a slick sailing dinghy named “True Love” with colorful striped sails, a furling jib and room for a flock of kids. Yesterday they had at least 14 kids hanging on as it tacked around the bay, half of them falling or jumping into the water at any given time. Lots of hooting, hollering and laughter were heard around the bay. Today one of the dads was pulling a donut tube with his dinghy around the bay with kids taking turns riding on top.

CONCH FARM

We rented a car yesterday and today to get a tour of the island and buy provisions. Everything is very expensive and instead of following the crowd to the resort areas, we searched for the downtown zone where the locals congregate, hoping to get a more reasonably priced meal. We ate at The Hole in the Wall. The only kind of menu we had was a chalkboard where the meal choices were posted with no prices. The waitress was not helpful, even seemed a bit resentful when we asked questions, especially about the price. The jerk chicken was pretty good, but at $10 + a plate, we wondered if we were given “tourist” prices or if this was normal.

This morning, while the kids worked on their school lessons, Steve worked like a dog using the rental car to haul 40 gallons of water (purchased from the reverse osmosis water plant) and 20 gallons of diesel fuel onto the boat. On the recommendation of our Mormon missionary friends, we ate at another local favorite called Chicken-Chicken. We found the prices to be a little better and the bar-b-q ribs were very good. Whatever you order here, it always comes with lots of ‘peas ‘n rice’. The peas are actually kidney or pinto beans.

After lunch we visited a conch farm, reportedly the only one in the world. A scientist sailed to the island and wrecked his boat on the coral reefs back in the 80’s. He had come to study the queen conch and decided to stay and build a farm implementing new technology. We were taken on a tour of the facility and learned about the various stages of growth; from the time they harvest the egg masses, hatchery and metamorphosis, to post larvae and maturation stages. We learned that conchs grow their shells in a clockwise direction, which takes about 3-4 years until they become full-lipped adults. The shells have a rosy pink color on the inside, used for making jewelry and decorative items. At the end of the tour we were taken to a tank where the tour guide pulled out “Sally” and “Jerry”, two specially trained conchs who were not shy to come out of their shells to greet us. We were shown the difference between a male and female conch. Okay, so now we know.


Sunday, March 25, 2007
Sapodilla Bay, Providenciales, Caicos Islands

NEW FRIENDS

We have been anchored here for a week now and we feel ready to move on, but the weather is not cooperating. We have had a lot of rain all week. It is difficult to get to places on the island unless you spend lots of $$money$$.

Two of the family catamarans moved on to the Dominican Republic yesterday. We would have left with them, but decided to stay and travel with our new friends Peter, Debbie and their two boys Joshua (9) and Mattais (7) from Manitoba on the sailing catamaran Sea U Manana. They had started out traveling with our group of boats over a week ago, but had some engine problems and were hung up in Mayaguana for a few days. They sailed into Sapodilla Bay Friday morning after a frightening night passage in high seas and five hours of continuous squalls. Steve had been keeping in touch with them on the SSB radio lending support since the engine trouble they were having was similar to a problem we had last summer. They were so relieved to arrive in Provo safely and since they weren’t ready to move on yet we decided to stay so we could travel together.

Though it has been raining all weekend, we have been uplifted by our new friendship with the crew from Sea U Manana. They recently sold their hotel/restaurant business in Canada to go cruising. It was a privilege to be invited to their boat for dinner Saturday night for lamb curry. Peter is an excellent chef and Debbie also has some great cooking skills. The kids all got along great and Daniel now has two new buddies to play with. We also have found good Christian fellowship with their family. This has been an answer to prayer for us.

CHURCH IN PROVO

Today, with our friends from Sea U Manana, we went to Abundant Life Ministries International, a very lively church on the island. We were able to hitch a ride to the church and back again. Though it was pouring rain outside the sanctuary, the environment inside was vibrant and colorful as the islanders danced and sang to the music. After singing and announcements came the welcome time when everyone walked around hugging each other. We were treated to full body hugs from at least 50% of the large congregation. After all that it was time for the preacher to get down to business. With the volume on the microphones turned up to high octane, he proceeded to preach, actually yell would be a better description. I listened carefully as he yelled into the mike and decided that if I could just get past the volume, he actually had a good message about being salt and light to the world. It was also an educational sermon for a visitor to the island since he was lecturing the people on their poor work habits, immodest dress and propensity towards drinking and partying. He told them that if they were going to call themselves Christians, then they should act like Christians, otherwise they would lose their saltiness and their lights would dim. The volume level of the preaching was hard to take for our sensitive ears, but the message was true. The service started at 10:45 am and ended at 3:00 pm. Whew, it was an endurance test for all of us. We stumbled back to our boats in the rain, our ears ringing, our nerves tattered and our stomachs rumbling. We needed a bowl of soup and a siesta.


Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Sapodilla Bay, Providenciales, Caicos Islands

PREPARING FOR PASSAGE

The rain has continued, making it difficult for the kids to get to the beach to play after school. But we have enjoyed some awesome rainbows this week and Steve has been able to catch a good supply of rainwater.

On Monday, we spent a pleasant rainy afternoon on Sea U Manana. Steve helped Peter fix the engine while Daniel, Joshua and Mattais built wooden model sailboats. Rachel taught Debbie how to macramé and bead a necklace and Debbie taught me how to make embroidered pillows. Emily floated back and forth between building boats and beading necklaces.

Yesterday and today were spent preparing to leave Provo. We shared a rental car with Peter and Debbie, gathering last minute provisions around the island. Steve went to the immigrations office to check out and received the unhappy news that we still had to pay $50 per person, because we stayed longer than the 10 days we initially signed up for. Ugh. Several of the other cruisers also checking out tried to talk their way around the fees, explaining that the weather often dictates how long we stay, but to no avail. The weather can be a hard master.

Tonight we set the kids up with a movie, popcorn and cookies while the four adults went over navigation charts for our passage to the Dominican Republic.


Saturday, March 31, 2007
Luperon, Dominican Republic

PASSAGE TO LUPERON

We left Provo at sunrise on the 29th of March, following Sea U Manana out of the bay. We sailed in choppy water over the Caicos Bank all day, scanning the water for coral heads. It was tense work and we were grateful when we arrived in the anchorage of Great Sand Cay (part of the Turks Islands) to temporarily set our anchors and rest for a few hours before making our night passage. After our stomachs settled a bit, we ate some beef stew for dinner. Debbie called us on the radio with an announcement that she was pulling some hot cranberry scones out of the oven and Peter would be delivering a bag to us in his kayak. Oh, they were perfect after a hard day of sailing! Bless you Debbie. Peter also helped Steve work on the winch for the mainsail since it wasn’t functioning properly.

Our overnight passage was a little rough. I would have done fine, but I ran out of my seasickness medicine and I just couldn’t hold it together. I believe a combination of being at anchor for two weeks (losing my sea legs) and the exhaustion of choppy sailing during the day pushed me over the edge. Rachel got sick too.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We were relieved to enter the Luperon Bay early Friday morning with helpful people guiding us over the VHF radio. Verdant hills and coconut trees graced the shoreline as we approached the anchorage. After setting our anchor in thick mud, we took a short nap. Soon, customs officials boarded our boat and we forked over more money for every department I’d ever heard of. We landed at the government dock with our dinghy along with the crew from Sea U Manana and paid more money at the immigrations office nearby. By the time we were all checked in, it was time for lunch. We walked into town, passing by friendly children calling, “Hola, hola, hola!” Our senses were filled with the sights, sounds and smells of the narrow busy street. Disco music blared from a stereo somewhere. Animals roamed the streets and fields. Chickens, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats mingled with people carrying out their daily lives and conducting business. Dogs and cats are skinny, fertile and free to roam. All chickens are free range. We passed by little shops and restaurants, humble homes with the front doors wide open, old women giving us a nod and a smile, mothers nursing their babies. We stepped gingerly over open sewage in the streets and gutters and around sleeping dogs on the sidewalk. It all reminded me of the Philippines where I grew up.

We found Steve’s Place, a restaurant run by an American, a former cruiser who married Annie, a local lady and settled here. In addition to running a restaurant, they cater to many of the other needs of cruisers including laundry services, transportation, Internet service, a book swap and selling drinks and produce. We ordered lunch and relaxed in comfy rockers, our weary bodies soothed by the gentle wind blowing through the open-air structure and thatched roof. The kids entertained themselves with foosball.

WOW, WATERFALLS!

Today, after a restful night, we called on Handy Andy to arrange a waterfall tour to the Rio Damajanua Cascades. Handy Andy and his partner Papo are enterprising, trustworthy local guys who cater to cruisers here in Luperon. They will deliver water and fuel to your boat and arrange tours and transportation around the country. After breakfast, our family along with Peter, Debbie and boys and Jim and Ruth a couple in their sixties, traveling in a sailboat called Spirit piled into a van. Papo’s sixteen-year-old son, Wilder was elected to be our guide for the trip. I sat by Wilder, a kind, soft-spoken young man, who spoke good English and told me many things about his country and his family. We traveled over lovely green hills, through sugar cane and banana plantations, stands of coconut trees, homes made of cement or wood and tin. As our van rounded a corner, a man waving a red flag approached us. He was obviously trying to get the driver’s attention. The explanation soon became clear as a herd of cows appeared in the road, led by another man with a stick, prodding them and trying to keep them from blocking the road.

We arrived at the base camp of the waterfalls where we were outfitted with life jackets and helmets. We met Gary and Alberto, two strong hunky men who would save our lives many times over that day. None of us really had a clue what lie ahead. Before we left, Ruth questioned her ability, explaining that she had had a total knee replacement several years ago.

We were led up a mountain on a muddy but easy trail. We soon discovered that Gary was an impressionist and comedian. He tricked the kids by making jungle animal noises like monkey and birdcalls. He kept us all in stitches as he sang, “Ooowaaa winga winga winga winga, the lion sleeps tonight”, in a beautiful falsetto voice and a moment later, a deep rumbling Arnold impression, “Hasta la vista, baby!” and then a Road Runner impression. Someone asked where he learned English. His answer: tourists, movies and cartoons. Bingo.

We stopped for a rest by the side of the trail and Gary climbed into the bushes, producing an oval shaped light green fruit. “What is it?” we asked. “Cacoa,” he answered, as he cut it open on a nearby rock. “Oh, chocolate!” we exclaimed with excitement as he passed around pieces of fruit with white flesh around a seed. He explained that the seeds go through a drying process before they are ground into cocoa powder. The fruit was nice sweet tasting and slimy, but had no hint of the cocoa seed beneath.

As we continued hiking, the trail grew steeper and narrower through thick jungle, the recent rain making it slippery. As we started to descend the mountain toward the falls, the trail turned into one big tenuous mudslide around us. This was the real beginning of our adventures. This is when we discovered the real value of Gary and Alberto, strong and stable like rocks, this was a walk in the park for them. Grasping branches, rocks or the muscular arms of our guides, we slipped our way down to the edge of the water to clean the mud off our knees.

I will try my best to paint a true picture of the next step of our adventure. We didn’t have a waterproof camera and we needed our arms constantly to hold on to the rocks, so we have no hard proof of the physical undertaking we went through. Mom, if you are reading this, you might want to close your eyes at this point until it’s over.

The rest of the afternoon was spent climbing steep rocks, hanging from ropes, balancing on narrow ledges, jumping from cliffs into deep pools of opaque green blue water and drifting down rivers, letting the current carry our shivering bodies. There were a few places where we had to straddle the rocks between crevices to jump into the water. Gary would grab the kids by the life jacket, swing them two or three times and throw them over 20 feet down to the pool below where Alberto was waiting to grab them from the current. Steve lost his crocs (rubber waterproof shoes) at one point and thought he would never see them again. But they showed up after we descended to the bottom of the falls. I was very concerned about Ruth, the lady from Maine who had a questionable knee. I saw the look of fear on her face and wondered if she would make it. She realized that there was no way to turn back, so she really had no choice but to swallow her fear and do her best. Gary and Alberto carried her a good part of the way. She originally thought she was going on a sight seeing tour of waterfalls. She had no idea she would be experiencing the falls first hand, head to toe immersion. Truthfully, we all were outside our comfort zone. It was challenging, thrilling and FUN! The falls were also truly beautiful. The rocks were a geologist’s dream to study and explore. Daniel, always the rock hound, wanted to take some home with him, but had no place to keep them.

When we got to the bottom and started our hike back to base camp, I realized that I had completely lost track of time. Every ounce of my energy and concentration had been devoted to survival. Our stomachs rumbled as our van driver took us to a restaurant for a mid afternoon buffet spread of chicken, pork, beef, rice and beans, fruit and fried plantains. Peter led us all in prayer before our meal and thanked God for His protection. Everyone said a hearty “Amen” as we tucked into our feast.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Georgetown, Grand Exuma Island

Volleyball Beach

GEORGETOWN ANNUAL CRUISERS REGATTA

We left Hog Cay and the Exuma Land and Sea Park on Tuesday, February 27^th. Since the winds were very weak that day, we had an uneventful day motoring to our next anchorage, Rudder Cut Cay, a small private island in the Exuma chain with a pristine beach and caves cut into the rock cliffs. We pulled into the anchorage before sunset with just enough time for Steve to pull out the scissors and give Daniel, Emily and Rachel a Bahamas haircut. Daniel got a nice buzz cut. The girls had about six inches trimmed from their long winter manes. As the sun began to turn mellow yellow and big clumps of blonde hair drifted off the stern of our boat, Daniel pulled out a snorkel tube and began to blow long and loud for the benefit of neighboring boats in the anchorage. Perhaps I should give an explanation for his behavior. There is a tradition among cruisers to blow on a conch shell at sunset. Since we had only been in the Bahamas a week, we had not acquired a conch shell yet. The snorkel tube did not carry the rich tone of the conch shell, but it worked in a pinch. It’s the thought that counts, right Daniel?

We arrived the next day in Georgetown, just in time for the kick-off events of the Annual Cruisers Regatta. As we approached Stocking Harbor, we were given a warm welcome from the crew of “Spoony”, the catamaran cruising family we met last summer in Maine. The kids wasted no time going ashore to Hamburger Beach for a reunion with Hannah, Audrey and Lily. They were invited to a birthday party in progress for another girl and were introduced to many other children.

Later in the afternoon, we rode our dinghy over to Volleyball Beach to sign up for Children’s Day and for one of the first events of the regatta, The Pet Parade. The kids were thrilled when they saw Scupper, a wire-haired dachshund adorably dressed in a sailor outfit for the parade. We had met Scupper and the crew from Alexus back at the marina in Brunswick, Georgia. We didn’t get to stay around on the beach afterwards since it was starting to rain and the wind was getting gusty.

Thursday, March 1^st, we moved our boat over to Kidd Cove in front of the town and after the kids finished their schooling, we went into town to get water and bread and do some general scoping out. The town is small with a few hotels and tourist shops for visitors. They have a park, some schools, a library and several churches. The Exuma Markets, the closest grocery store has most everything an American customer might want, but their prices are very high. We wonder where the Bahamians shop.

That evening Steve helped the kids make small sail boats for the race the next day. They used various plastic containers and found objects around the boat, glue, Walmart bags for sails and lots of tape.

Friday, March 2^nd was the long awaited Children’s Day on Volleyball Beach. Rachel shares her account of that fun filled day:

CHILDREN’S DAY ON VOLLEYBALL BEACH

By Rachel Lamb

March 2^nd, the third day of the Cruiser’s Regatta, was Children’s Day. In the morning we had a GPS hunt. Each team was given a hand held GPS and a clue. The clue had the coordinates for where we were supposed to find the next clue, and we used the GPS to find that place, and so on, and so on, till we got the last clue that told us to go to the refreshment table where we got a big glass of water.

Then we played some team games where Emily won 2^nd place in the girls 11 and under long jump and Daniel’s team won third place in the GPS hunt and the ski race. Next, we went down to a cove near Volleyball Beach to race our little sailboats that we had made the day before. Of course, since ours were small and we had only just made them, we didn’t win anything. Some of the other kids had had more time to create theirs. But it was a lot of fun to see the big catamarans shoot across the harbor, even though most of them flipped over at the last minute. The girls from Spoony (with more than a little help from Dad) made a really cool trimaran out of the back of a chair and won 2^nd place for most innovative and 3^rd place in the crosswind race.

After the awards were given, we went back to our boat for lunch. When we returned, we were separated into teams with A LOT of Bahamian school kids. We had to get points by winning games and by showing team spirit. Unfortunately, my team didn’t do very well with the team spirit thing. I’m not sure why.

One of the games was a pudding-eating contest. We had to eat pudding with our hands tied behind our backs. My team won that game! On the count of three, I heard one huge slurping noise, (gross!) and then somebody on my team yelled, “I’m done!” I think he had eaten one third of it and was wearing the rest on his face.

After all the games were done, we were rewarded with snacks. After that, all the team leaders wanted to round up their teams again. Not so easy. Eventually though (I think after someone mentioned prizes), everybody was in their right places and we played tug-of-war to see who would win over all. My team won third place, Daniel’s team won second, and Emily’s team won first place. Her team got the first pick of prizes on a table. She chose a magnetic Sudoku game.

After that, we went and played with some friends for the rest of the day.

Today, Saturday, we are just catching our breath and taking it easy. Steve has been working on our generator. There seems to be an electrical short, but he did get it started so I can continue working on this log for a bit longer. We’ve just called our Canadian friends from “Second Wave” on the VHF radio. We met them at Lake Worth, Florida and they have two boys. We made plans for a play date on Volleyball Beach after lunch today.

How do I describe the cruising community here in Georgetown? There are around 300-400 boats in the harbor through the winter months. The Cruising Regatta is one of the highlights of the season. There is a Cruiser’s Net on VHF channel 68 every morning at 8:00 am sharing announcements, events and weather information. Need a tool for fixing your Yanmar engine? This is the place to ask for help. We keep our VHF radio tuned to channel 68 most of the day to use as a sort of “coconut telegraph” to communicate with other cruisers. Generally everyone is very friendly and helpful. It is a unique, floating, shifting international neighborhood.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Georgetown, Exumas

FUN WITH FRIENDS ON VOLLEYBALL BEACH

On Sunday, we attended Beach Church on Volleyball Beach. After some singing, a message and a time of fellowship we went to St. Francis Resort nearby for lunch and a meeting with other cruisers who are planning a trip south along the Caribbean chain. We gathered information and exchanged boat cards with the hope of traveling together in the next week or so.

Later in the afternoon, Matthew from Second Wave and his sons Christopher, 11, and Nicholas, 8 visited our boat. Matthew helped Steve address the rather urgent problem of fixing our generator while the five kids had a blast jumping off the boat, swinging from the dinghy davits and playing in the water. I found a place in the shade to read Caribbean Passagemaking – A Cruiser’s Guide, by Les Weatheritt.

In the evening, we invited Matthew, Lynda and the boys to stay for dinner. Lynda and I pooled our resources for a casual meal. Rachel shared some glow bracelets with the kids after dark as they ate and talked on the bow trampoline. We had a wonderful time getting better acquainted with our Canadian friends.

Yesterday, after school in the morning and lunch, the kids and I met Lynda and the boys at Volleyball Beach. Steve and Matthew continued to work on solving the generator puzzle on Tantara. With his background in nuclear power, Matthew has expertise in the area of electronics and was able to fix the short that caused the problem. We are so thankful for his help and the time he spent working with Steve. What a relief to have our power back again! This is just one example of the gracious acts of kindness of the folks anchored around us in Georgetown.

The kids spent all afternoon, making new friends and adding treasures to Fort Hunk-a-Junk near Volleyball Beach. Lynda and I sat on beach chairs and chatted while we watched the Volleyball and Bocce ball tournaments on the beach.

Today, Daniel is running a low fever and has the sniffles. I made Chomparado (the ultimate comfort food) for breakfast. This is hot chocolate oatmeal, something my family used to enjoy in the Philippines when I was a child. I just add a few tablespoons of hot cocoa mix and a handful of chocolate chips to the cooked oatmeal. The wind is gusting around 20 mph and the sky is overcast. It has been a good day to just hang out on our boat, catch up on quiet tasks and get some rest. After several days of fun in the sun, it is nice to have a down day. The Round Stocking Island race that was scheduled for today has been postponed till Friday due to high winds.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Georgetown, Exumas

REGATTA CONCLUSION

I have not added to this log in a whole week. I will try to give a synopsis of our activities since last Tuesday. Daniel struggled with a sinus infection last week, but it didn’t slow him down much. We have enjoyed spending time with our friends from Second Wave. The Cruisers Regatta continued through the week and concluded on Saturday the 10^th.

On Thursday, the 8^th, we watched the Elizabeth Harbor Race in the morning. Those of us sitting in the anchorage could watch the competition from our cockpits and listen to the commentary on the VHF cruisers net. White sails appeared throughout the harbor and they looked so graceful against the Bahamian sky. The weather was highly unstable, with rain showers threatening and gusty winds causing crewmembers to stay on their toes. The boats were to sail around the harbor twice. After most of the boats made it around the first circuit, the wind completely died. This is when the radio commentary became hilarious and very entertaining listening. After waiting for the wind to lift again, the tide changed and boats actually started drifting backwards. When the chairman of the race was asked if there were any regulations for this type of condition, he suggested they put out an anchor to save them from any more regression. On some boats, the crew actually jumped overboard and started paddling and pushing from the stern, hoping for some forward propulsion. Just when the race seemed to be turning into one big joke, the wind teased and flirted with the sails once again. It ended in an exciting finish.

That evening, after some playing and relaxing on Volleyball Beach, Steve suggested we have a cookout and bonfire on Honeymoon Beach, a small secluded beach close to where Tantara was anchored. We invited Matthew, Lynda and their boys from Second Wave to join us. Matthew’s sister and stepdaughter were visiting from Canada, staying with them on their boat. We had a lovely evening with our friends, cooking hamburgers and roasting marshmallows over the bonfire. We didn’t have graham crackers or chocolate, but we did have a package of chocolate chip cookies. So we made cookie sandwiches with our roasted marshmallows in the middle. It was a tasty alternative to the traditional s’mores. We sang songs around the fire, marveled at the brilliant stars and told stories of our past experiences, learning more about each other. It was a beautiful night, one of those memories that we will hold in our minds as a highlight of our time here.

The next morning was the Round Stocking Island Race. This time, the weather conditions were perfect for some stiff competition. Again, we listened on the VHF radio to the commentary, learning about the different boats and crewmembers in the race and watched from our cockpits as the sails flew around the island for the rest of the morning. In the evening, on Volleyball Beach, the race results were announced and awards were given. We turned in early as the post race party began to heat up.

Saturday, the 10^th was the last day of the regatta with the Variety Show being the grand finale in the Georgetown Park that evening. We bought dinner at the concession stand and found a place to sit in the grass. People of all ages contributed to the evening entertainment, from a talented young boy with a juggling act to the hilarious “All Conch Choir”, a group of folks blowing their conch shells, keeping time with the conductor. Two teens, a brother and sister, did a funny skit reenacting the frustrations and complexities of trying to communicate with family back home using a Satellite phone and a laptop. We heard many nautical themed songs and enjoyed the talents of instrumentalists including the violin and guitar. We laughed at the silly songs and dances and wiped tears during the heart tugging ballads. It was a rewarding closure to Regatta week.

Sunday morning, we were still in our PJs when we realized that it was not ten minutes after 8:00, but ten minutes after 9:00 because of daylight savings time. Beach church started at 9:30 and we waded through the parking lot (dinghies lined up along the shore) and clomped through the sand in our Crocks a few minutes late. We had wanted to try attending the Baptist church in Georgetown. But the winds were too high to leave the boat for any length of time and the water in the harbor too choppy for the dinghy ride into town.

In the afternoon on Sunday, we met several other families on the Exuma Sound beach, where the waves are bigger and fun for body surfing. The kids wore themselves out allowing the waves to crash against their bodies, toppling them into the washing machine action of the water. That evening as Daniel examined his collection of bumps, bruises, scrapes and bug bites he said with a sigh, “You know, it hurts to have fun.”

GEORGETOWN BLESSINGS

Monday morning was our first opportunity to visit the Georgetown library since their operating hours were limited to 10 to 12 every weekday. The library has a loose lending policy and a large section of books to trade. We had been saving books to donate, especially children’s books for the Bahamian students. We took in a backpack of books and traded some interesting additions to our ship’s library. We also donated a large bag of children’s clothes to Mom’s Bakery, where Mom sells huge loaves of fresh Bahamian bread from her van three days a week. She wears a large cross around her neck, speaks with a soft lilting accent and blesses her customers with big hugs and a “God bless you, you take care now”. She was happy to receive our donation of clothes and reassured us that they would find a home. Eating her delicious bread has nourished our bodies, and her gracious spirit has warmed our hearts.

Today and yesterday, Steve has worked hard to haul water onto our boat from the water pump at the dinghy dock in Georgetown. This afternoon, after school, the kids enjoyed one more afternoon playing with their friends on Volleyball Beach before we leave Georgetown for the Emerald Bay Marina. We will have to say a difficult goodbye to our friends from Second Wave.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Northwest Providence Channel, Bahamas

CROSSING OVER

We finally left Lake Worth, North Palm Beach, Florida at five pm, Tuesday, February 20^th. We cheered and pinched ourselves as we exited the Lake Worth Inlet, filled with pent up energy and excitement for our overnight passage to the Bahamas. As the sun set over calm seas and a light south east wind, we headed south along the Florida coast for about twenty miles before turning east to cross the mysterious Gulf Stream.

The shrinking lights from the Florida coast lent us some temporary night vision from behind, but it was a strange and awesome feeling to sail away from the U. S. coast without a short term plan to return for the first time since our maiden voyage ten months ago.

After a simple chicken dinner and a bedtime story from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Steve and Daniel took the first night watch at nine pm while Rachel, Emily and I crawled into our beds.

I reported for duty at 1:30 am and was greeted by Emily sitting at the navigation station, replacing Daniel as Steve’s assistant. She stayed for a while, keeping me company while Steve slept.

Around 2 am, shortly after I began my watch, I felt Tantara’s rhythm change. I knew even before looking at the chart or GPS that we had begun to cross the Gulf Stream. The boat’s pace slackened and the GPS confirmed my suspicions by showing a slight northward slant to our otherwise easterly progress.

The Gulf Stream runs north up the Florida Strait at about three knots. Unless fighting against an opposing wind, it isn’t a raging river, but it is significant enough to present a challenge to vessels trying to cross its relentless path. This is one reason we waited two weeks in Palm Beach for a good weather window: south winds going with the current. North winds can build up high waves and a very rough ride. It was worth the wait; we had a beautiful crossing.

Rachel joined me for her watch at 4:00 am. Just before Steve woke up for his second watch at 5:30, Tantara’s rhythm changed again and I knew we had crossed over the strongest part of the Gulf Stream.

I kept an eye on the radar and the horizon as half a dozen cruise ships passed us like enormous white ladies waltzing through the night.

ONWARD TO NASSAU

Today we considered stopping in Port Lucaya on the Grand Bahama Island after lunch. We talked about going through customs and checking into a marina to spend the night. But the casino town did not attract us, our energy levels are still good and the light winds have shifted more to the west, and are predicted to turn to the north giving us a good opportunity to make another overnight passage to Nassau.

From Nassau it will be a day sail south to the Exumas, a chain of islands popular for their many anchorages and short passages. Near the end of this chain is Georgetown, where the Annual Cruisers Regatta will be held this year from February 28-March 10. The kids have looked forward to attending this event for many months for all our cruising friends have told us it is not to be missed. Hundreds of cruisers, especially cruising families with kids show up for the organized events. Meeting other cruising kids rates high on the priority list of Tantara’s younger crewmembers. So we press on to the Exumas and Georgetown.

Relaxing is an activity (or inactivity) on the captain and first mate’s list of priorities. We have been working very hard in preparation for our island passage. Steve has been the hardest at work and may have even forgotten how to relax. He may need some gentle prodding and remedial lessons in the art of “letting go”.

I’m writing this log during our passage to Nassau. The water has turned a vivid electric blue and flying fish skim over the water’s surface like tiny white birds. I marvel at the similarity of colors, shapes and life between sky and water.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Warderick Wells Cay, Exumas

ISLAND TIME IN NASSAU

We arrived in Nassau Harbor by 9:00 am, Thursday February 22 after our second night underway. We tied up to the dock at Yacht Haven Marina to wait for the customs and immigration officials to visit our boat. We were not allowed to go anywhere until these duties were completed. The immigration official showed up before lunch and quickly performed his job, stamping and signing papers. We waited all day sitting on the boat, taking cat naps, until finally the customs official showed up at 4:30 pm. He was tired and hassled at the end of a busy day. Our passports were quickly stamped and we were just in time to get diesel at the fuel dock before the 5:00 pm closing. We barely had time to set our anchor at the east end of the harbor before sunset. Exhausted, we fell into our beds not long after dinner. Our first day in the Bahamas we were introduced to “island time” where things don’t get done in a hurry, apparently even in Nassau, the capitol.

We had beautiful sailing weather yesterday, Friday, as we blew south to the Exuma Islands. We dropped our anchor near Allan’s Cay where we went ashore to explore the island. Pink iguanas, no bigger than a miniature dachshund greeted us warmly on the beach. After reading a sign warning us not to feed the critters, we understood why they were following us. They are a unique type of iguana, reportedly only found on the Allan’s Cays. They had a reddish crest running along their backs and the older specimens had fat reddish jowls under the neck. We picked our way along the volcanic rocky shore, inspecting shells and trying to avoid stepping on iguanas. We felt a bit like the scientific team of explorers led by Stephen Machurin from Master and Commander.

EXUMA CAYS LAND AND SEA PARK

After a windy night, waking up several times to the anchor alarm, we decided to move on to a more protected anchorage this morning. We found Warderick Wells Cay and the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park to be our exploration wonderland. This is a really special place, the first land and sea park in the world, established in 1958 and covering 176 square miles. It is a no-take zone by both land and sea. The golden rule is to take only photos and memories, leave only footprints and bubbles.

We took a mooring in a protected anchorage near the park headquarters and drove our dinghy to the office. We found a tree house like structure where very friendly park rangers gave us information and welcomed us to the island. On the veranda, we found petite yellow-breasted birds called bananaquits flying close by. A park volunteer poured a little bit of sugar in our hands and we watched in delight as the cute birds landed on our fingers, licking the sugar with their tiny tongues.

With map in hand, we hiked one of the many trails on the island up to Boo Boo Hill. We were rewarded at the top of the hill with a panoramic view of Exuma Sound. The blue hues of the water took my breath away. This blue water is such a thing of beauty, it must be hard for my brain to catch up and register what I am seeing with my eyes. I wonder if this is a sneak peak of what Heaven will be like – beauty so perfect that our puny brains cannot encompass it.

On the top of Boo Boo Hill there is a mound of drift wood signs painted with the boat names of other cruisers who have traveled to this spot before us. After reading the many signs, we found our friend’s sign from the catamaran “Spoony”. We made plans to add our own sign to the pile. Further along the hill were large blow holes where wind and water from the rocky coast below spewed through the holes, like a powerful sneeze from giant nostrils. It was a windy day and we had to hold onto our hats.

This evening we enjoyed a bonfire party on the beach with other cruisers from the anchorage, park rangers and crew-members from a large yacht. It was fun to meet other people and learn about how they got here and where they are going next.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Warderick Wells Cays, Exumas

Today, after we had a time of family worship on the boat, we packed our lunch and hiked around the island on the trail system. This was not easy hiking because of the volcanic rock, filled with pits and holes and jagged edges. We hiked over to the windward side of the island and along the rocky coast, enjoying the panoramic views of water and waves crashing on the rocks.

We stopped at Beryl’s Beach to eat our lunch. After swimming in the water to cool off, I reached down to pick up my backpack and was startled by a lizard (about 6 inches long) that had climbed inside apparently searching for a snack. We found many of these lizards around the island, along with other interesting flora and fauna. We learned to identify and avoid the Poisonwood tree with sap that produces an itchy and painful rash. We hiked around the Loyalist ruins dating from 1780 made from limestone rock and conch shell mortar. We saw large termite mounds and evidence of a rabbit sized rodent called a hutia. We found hutia droppings everywhere, smelled its skunky odor and found tracks all over the beach. But we wondered why we never saw any hutia. Emily guessed that it was because they are nocturnal. Later, a park ranger confirmed this for us.

After hiking all afternoon about six miles total, Steve and I were tuckered out. But the kids still had energy to try out the Aqua Cycle and the kayaks on Powerful Beach, next to park head quarters.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Hog Cay, Exumas

This morning we were on a mission to make our mark on Boo Boo Hill. During our hike yesterday, we had found a nice log from a palm tree that had washed up on a beach. With markers we wrote “TANTARA” in large letters, along with our own signatures, the date and the reference for I Thessalonians 4:16-18. We made the trek up to the top of Boo Boo Hill (we don’t know why it bears this name) and proudly mounted our plaque, following the tradition of hundreds before us.

After lunch we moved Tantara to a south anchorage between Warderick Wells Cay and Hog Cay, still part of the park. We snorkeled all afternoon off Escape Beach, exploring a tunnel formed by water where the waves flow through dramatically every few minutes. We hiked up on top of the tunnel to discover pools of water where chitons dwell. We found some awesome coral reefs with many colorful fish and coral. This morning, we bought a guidebook from the park office for identifying fish and coral in this area, and the kids have had fun putting names to the fish and coral that they saw today. We anchored our dinghy on Capture Beach where Edward Teach (alias Black Beard) and other infamous pirates established their lair, a place to hide out and catch a snooze. The place where they laid their woven mats is still evident today because non-indigenous grasses from far away places grow there, apparently from seeds that fell from their mats.

Snorkeling was a lot of fun today. It was the first “real” snorkeling the kids had ever done and it was first rate. Steve and I noticed how worn out we felt by the end of the day. But the kids were full of fish stories during dinner.

FINALLY MOVING ON-After over two months at the Brunswick Landing Marina in Brunswick, Georgia, Tantara has finally resumed cruising.

During January, Steve was busy installing a single side band radio, replacing the battery bank, performing routine maintenance on the boat, and achieving his technician’s license for HAM radio. Meanwhile, he continued working on the MadRiv project.

The kids enjoyed getting in a little sailing in Triple Dip, their sailing dinghy, playing with other cruising kids at the marina, and entertaining anyone willing to listen to their piano, penny whistle, and harmonica. Home education continued, and the cold days were made brighter (and a little warmer) by the cutest west-highland white terrier named Winnifred (Winnie for short). Our dock neighbors, Craig and Mary on the catamaran Rum Tum Tiger were working hard remodeling their home in Brunswick. Meanwhile, Winnie was lonely staying on their boat all day by herself. A wonderful arrangement developed for the kids to dog sit during the day, making sure Winnie got lots of exercise and lavish amounts of attention. Winnie did her part by behaving like a true lady on our boat, performing little ballerina dances for treats, keeping our laps warm during morning math lessons and charming her way into our hearts, even though she never did catch on to the finer parts of changing percentages to reduced fractions or finding the area of a triangle.

Julie joined a morning walking group with other folks living at the marina and enjoyed making friends as well as getting regular exercise. Every Wednesday evening, the marina folks organized a casual gathering in the marina lounge where we brought our own appetizers and drinks and shared food, stories and future travel plans while the kids happily serenaded with their instruments. One of Julie’s walking buddies taught her how to make real Italian bread from her travels in Italy, filling our boat with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread.

As we prepared to leave the marina at the end of January, we received numerous offers from our kind marina friends for transportation to the grocery store, Lowes and West Marine as we began provisioning Tantara for our passage to the Bahamas. The Brunswick Landing Marina offered us a supportive community where help, advice, and companionship were only a dock’s walk away. People actually had time for each other, a rarity in modern society. We made many friends there and they will be missed. We hope a few will catch up with us in the Bahamas and perhaps we will see others as we continue our cruise.

						Distance
Day	Date		Location Name		Map	Traveled (1)
Monday	1/1/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Tuesday	1/2/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Wednesday	1/3/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Thursday	1/4/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Friday	1/5/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Saturday	1/6/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Sunday	1/7/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Monday	1/8/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Tuesday	1/9/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Wednesday	1/10/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Thursday	1/11/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Friday	1/12/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Saturday	1/13/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Sunday	1/14/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Monday	1/15/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Tuesday	1/16/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Wednesday	1/17/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Thursday	1/18/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Friday	1/19/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Saturday	1/20/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Sunday	1/21/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Monday	1/22/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Tuesday	1/23/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Wednesday	1/24/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Thursday	1/25/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Friday	1/26/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Saturday	1/27/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Sunday	1/28/2007		Brunswick, GA			0
Monday	1/29/2007		At sea			0
Tuesday	1/30/2007		St. Agustine, FL			87
Wednesday	1/31/2007		St. Agustine, FL			0
			Total Nautical Miles Traveled			87
			Days Under Way			1
			Average Nautical Miles Per Day			87
(1)	Distance traveled since last anchorage in nautical miles

				Distance
Day	Date	Location Name	Map	Traveled (1)
Friday	12/1/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Saturday	12/2/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Sunday	12/3/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Monday	12/4/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Tuesday	12/5/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Wednesday	12/6/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Thursday	12/7/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Friday	12/8/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Saturday	12/9/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Sunday	12/10/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Monday	12/11/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Tuesday	12/12/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Wednesday	12/13/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Thursday	12/14/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Friday	12/15/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Saturday	12/16/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Sunday	12/17/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Monday	12/18/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Tuesday	12/19/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Wednesday	12/20/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Thursday	12/21/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Friday	12/22/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Saturday	12/23/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Sunday	12/24/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Monday	12/25/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Tuesday	12/26/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Wednesday	12/27/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Thursday	12/28/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Friday	12/29/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Saturday	12/30/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It
Sunday	12/31/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It

				Distance
Day	Date	Location Name	Map	Traveled (1)
Wednesday	11/1/2006	Beaufort	Map It	65
Thursday	11/2/2006	Wrightsville Beach, NC	Map It	68
Friday	11/3/2006	Wrightsville Beach, NC	Map It	0
Saturday	11/4/2006	At Sea
Sunday	11/5/2006	Charleston, SC	Map It	150
Monday	11/6/2006	Charleston, SC	Map It	0
Tuesday	11/7/2006	Charleston, SC	Map It	0
Wednesday	11/8/2006	North Edisto River, SC	Map It	50
Thursday	11/9/2006	At Sea
Friday	11/10/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	120
Saturday	11/11/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Sunday	11/12/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Monday	11/13/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Tuesday	11/14/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Wednesday	11/15/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Thursday	11/16/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Friday	11/17/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Saturday	11/18/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Sunday	11/19/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Monday	11/20/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Tuesday	11/21/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Wednesday	11/22/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Thursday	11/23/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Friday	11/24/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Saturday	11/25/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Sunday	11/26/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Monday	11/27/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Tuesday	11/28/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Wednesday	11/29/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
Thursday	11/30/2006	Brunswick, GA	Map It	0
		Total Nautical Miles Traveled		453
		Days Under Way		6
		Average Nautical Miles Per Day		76
(1)	Distance traveled since last anchorage in nautical miles

By Julia Lamb

We left Washington D.C. on October 25^th feeling satisfied.  It seemed appropriate that we should start our world tour seeing our own nation’s capitol and learning more about our founding fathers.  We sailed swiftly back down the Potomac River with wind and currents in our favor, enjoying the rich hues of autumn along the river banks.  After a few days of good sailing in the Potomac and Chesapeake we reached the Virginia entrance to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal.  A man lost and separated from his companions named the swamp, but it is really quite beautiful.

We rose early October 29^th to be ready for the 8:30 opening of the first lock.  The wind was cool and brisk, scattering red and yellow leaves to decorate our boat while the sun rose in a pure blue sky.  We were excited as we anticipated our first passage through a lock and all hands were on deck putting out fenders, manning the dock lines, and roving fender.  Fellow cruisers expressed their admiration and envy at our energetic and capable crew.  When the gates of the lock swung open we hooked our lines around the pilings and waited as the lock filled with water creating a bubble bath effect as Tantara rose to the level of the canal. While we waited, Robert, the lockmaster, serenaded us playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” on a conch shell.  Robert (who loves his job) has created an oasis in the yard next to the lock with an island of banana trees and other tropical plants designed to enhance his growing collection of conch shells.  Cruisers returning north from the islands traditionally bring Robert a conch shell with the name of their boat written on it.  Once the lock filled up Robert invited us ashore for breakfast.  The spread included coffee, Krispy Kreme donuts, breakfast burritos, and orange juice.  We exchanged introductions with other cruisers and met the great Lockmaster himself, who was happy to tell us the history of the Great Dismal Swamp Canal, including such luminaries as George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Edward Teach (also known as Black Beard the pirate).  For details see http://www.icw-net.com/DSCwelcome/CGNC/ .

We stepped aboard Tantara after the festivities and passed through the other side of the lock to continue our 20-mile journey through the Great Dismal Swamp Canal.  In late October there was nothing dismal about the swamp.  Teeming with waterfowl and various critters on land, the woods were lit up with the scarlet, coral, and gold hues of autumn.  About halfway through we stopped at the North Carolina Welcome Center for automobiles and boats.  We tied our boat to another sailboat, creating a raft of boats 4 deep and 5 long, leaving little room in the canal for boats to pass.  This was not a problem, as the next lock would not be opening for some time.  To our surprise we met two other boats hailing from Colorado.  After picking up some free cruising guides at the Welcome Center we became acquainted with our new friends and compared notes on Colorado experiences.  It seemed strange and out of place, a Colorado reunion in the middle of a swamp in North Carolina.  Mixing with “land people” made us chuckle at the odd juxtaposition of boats and cars, our old life and our new one.

After our second lock, where our crew quickly secured Tantara and ran to help other boats tie up, we continued our travels through the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) in North Carolina.  On October 31^st we stopped at a marina in Belhaven, NC for fuel and water.  While Steve, Daniel and Emily performed chores on the boat and finished schoolwork, Rachel and I rented a golf cart from the marina for a grocery trip.  I had never driven a golf cart before, and the busy roads with trucks bearing down on me were frightening, but the other golf carts on the road proceeded as though this was normal, so I plucked up my courage and drove on.  We had a long grocery list and when we were in the checkout line I started feeling anxious about fitting it all in our golf cart.  Just then I noticed a couple that looked like they might also be cruisers.  Confirming my suspicion (a little to their dismay – “Is it really so obvious?” they asked) I ventured to ask them how they were getting back to the marina.  They said they had a courtesy car, and before long our groceries were in their trunk and they were following my little golf cart back to Tantara.  This friendly couple had just returned from Venezuela and encouraged our plans to visit the Caribbean.

We finished October in an anchorage just a few miles south of Belhaven.  The temperatures vary, but we are still pushing south to warmer weather.