April 1st- Spanish Wells Eleuthera to Black Point Cay/ Great Abaco Island, Bahamas
The trip back to the Abacos went well. We exited through Ridley Head channel which runs through a large reef. Conditions were calm so it was just a navigational exercise to stay in the middle of the channel. The rest of the day was a mix of motoring and sailing. The sea was a little sloppy so I devised various ways to keep our sails from flopping around.
One more picture from Spanish Wells. I’m in island mode.
Many boats were crossing so we assumed Little Harbour would be full. Since we were running early we kept going and anchored in a place we used last year. There is nothing at Black Point Cay other than nature. Buckaroon bay is near and has many small secluded beaches. We had hoped to spend a couple days but…. The Weather. It seems we never go more than a day or two without making preparations for the next front that’s moving through. The weather has been difficult this year in comparison to our last Bahamas trip. We’ve heard from one ocean veteran that this has been the worst weather in his eight years of cruising the Bahamas. What ever! It’s still better than the winter weather in Massachusetts.
April 2nd- Black Point Cay/ Great Abaco Island to Man-O-War Cay, Abaco Islands Bahamas
We had a perfect down wind sail to Man-O-War. Actually there are a few twists and turns so not all down wind, but close enough. We’ve anchored off of Man-O-War in the past but decided to take a mooring in the harbor. The harbor has a narrow entrance and full protection from the wind. It also has a couple of good dinghy docks and a good coffee shop. There is no booze on the island so that can be an issue if you are running low (we were). Other than that it’s great! Good grocery stores. The new marina sells fuel and water. Buddy runs the moorings and is a genuinely nice guy and a wealth of local knowledge.
April 3rd to 5th- Man-O-War Cay, Abaco Islands Bahamas
We had a good stay. We had our “weather day” and were protected in the harbor.
Some scenes from Man-O-War Cay.
Priority one. Giant beach to play ball on. My back and arm are killing me. Ollie is fine.
Evergreen moored at Man-O-War Cay.
April 6th to 12th- Man-O-War Cay to Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island Bahamas
Next stop – Marsh Harbour. We first planned a short stop but this extended to a week. Marsh Harbour is a good place to get stuff done. Groceries, liquor, fuel – done. A problem we had sneaking up on us was laundry. The Bubbles laundromat solved that issue. The Admiral gives it an A rating as far as laundromats go.
We also spent time waiting for calmer seas at the Whale Passage. Another front rolled through so we decided to wait that out too. I’ve been finding different docks to bring Ollie to shore and different places to walk. There is new construction around town. It’s nice to see things improving in Marsh Harbour. The place was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian.
Tomorrow we plan on moving a little further down the island chain. We’re likely to make a few stops and then cross back over to Florida late next week. It looks like the trade winds will be helping us along. Our cruising permit expires soon so it’s time to sail back home.
Some scenes from Marsh Harbour.
Ollie’s exercise field.
Evergreen anchored in Marsh Harbour.