We are currently moored in Vero Beach, Florida. I’ve fallen behind on typing the log. It’s like credit dept or taxes- The longer you fall behind, the harder it is to get caught up! Evergreen has put some miles under her keel since my last post. Below is a summary of the last week or so.

April 14th- Green Turtle Cay, Abaco Islands to Great Sale Cay, Bahamas

Our second stay at Green Turtle Cay (GTC) was mostly dominated by bad weather. I was glad we took the time to rework the mooring gear. Evergreen withstood the 40kt gusts and the wind was elevated for the remainder of our stay. We were cozy on Evergreen during inclement weather. Between squalls we hungout with SV Rhiannon, SV Outward Bound, and MV Tug Along. We split the cost of a golf cart with Rhiannon for a couple days. It was the first time Lynne or I have driven a golf cart and a first for the necessity of driving on the left side of the road! It took some concentration. One morning me and the skipper of Outward Bound took the golf cart to Coco Bay to see the beach. We got stuck and needed help to extract the cart. Later the Admiral’s club took the cart out for a cruise around the island and also to Coco Bay. They got stuck too!

Stuck at Coco Bay, Green Turtle Cay.

Our Bahamas cruising permit didn’t expire until May 21st but we knew we needed to sail back to the USA soon so we could get headed north. The plan is to try to get back to Massachusetts sometime in June. Evergreen needs to be hauled out for some bottom painting and other various projects. Lynne is planning to sew a new cockpit dodger, which is a very complicated project. Time to go.

We were having northeast winds which are not good for a Gulf Stream crossing. SV Rhiannon had also been watching the weather to cross and determined we’d have a short window to get across before the next front came through with more northeast wind. For this plan to work we’d need to sail for Great Sale Cay Friday, stop there for a night, then set out for Fort Pierce, Florida, on Saturday. The distance between Great Sale and Fort Pierce is around 115 nautical miles and would take us 19 to 20 hours. We’d arrive early Sunday morning to catch the incoming tide at Fort Pierce inlet. The plan sounded good so we readied Evergreen for departure and retrieved our mooring gear.

We had a favorable wind direction for the passage to Great Sale and were able to sail much of the way therefore conserving some of our diesel fuel. We anchored for the evening near a cove with a beach for Ollie’s evening commando raid.

SV Rhiannon having a great sail to Great Sale.

Evergreen anchored off Great Sale Cay.

Sunset

April 15th and 16th- Great Sale Cay, Bahamas to Ft Pierce, Florida

The plan to get back across the Gulf Stream involved an over night crossing. A big first for us. SV Rhiannon were gracious enough to accompany us on this trip. We’d try to keep within visual range of each other and check in every two hours over the VHF radio. They have made many crossings and it was a comfort to have someone with experience near by.

We hauled up our anchor at 11:00am for the voyage to Fort Pierce. It was a hot, sunny, day and I rigged extra “canvas” to provide us with some shade as we motored along the Little Bahama Banks. At sunset we reached our waypoint near Matanilla Shoal and crossed from the shallow banks to the deep water of the Florida Straits. We turned on our running lights and rolled out our genoa for more visibility. Magically, the wind picked up and we were motor sailing at seven knots for a while.

SV Rhiannon sailing into the Sunset.

We followed SV Rhiannon into the night. On our first trip across, there were very few ships on the ocean. Tonight, there were many near to the Bahamas. Rhiannon has a device called an AIS transponder. AIS stands for Automatic Identification System. AIS uses VHF signals and GPS satellites to transmit both ship/ boat location and course for collision avoidance. Most ships have AIS. A very useful tool when crossing shipping lanes at night. Rhiannon kept track of the many ships on AIS, often radioing the ship’s captain if we were close. If there was a problem, Rhiannon would radio us with a course change and speed to avoid the problem. We could see the lights of the ship’s. We were also able to pick them up on Evergreen’s radar and determine the range. We are now convinced that Evergreen needs to have an AIS transponder so we can see, and be seen, by large ships.

Eventually the wind became more westerly and we could no longer sail toward Ft Pierce. We plowed into the headwind with Evergreen’s diesel engine running at full power. At this point it was a wet ride but we could see the lights of Florida and knew we’d be at the inlet soon. Soon after Rhiannon passed through the inlet they radioed us that the current was favorable and the seas were calm.

Sunrise near the Fort Pierce inlet buoy. “Red skies in morning, sailors take warning”.

Fort Pierce was a little bit of a culture shock for us. There were many small runabouts exiting the inlet, heading out to fish. We dropped anchor near a small island, brought Ollie to shore, then got some much needed rest. When I woke, a few hours later, I popped my head out of the hatch to see 100s of people crowding the local beaches! Boats everywhere! I haven’t seen this many people since leaving the US.

We hung around Evergreen for the day, catching up on sleep. At some point some seriously ominous clouds started to roll in. Then our phones started to beep indicating there was a Tornado ALERT. “Take shelter in the basement”. WHAT!! Have you seen our bilge? We could actually see the formation cloud but didn’t see any tornadoes or water spouts. Do to high winds, several boats dragged their anchors but Evergreen held through the storm.

Not exactly what you want to see when you are on the water.

I believe this wanted to be a tornado or waterspout. It had a weird green tinge to it.

No harm done. The salt was washed from Evergreen’s decks.

To be continued.

Comic by Sarah Steenland.

April 10th- Green Turtle Cay, Abaco Islands, Bahamas

We left our anchorage at Man-O-War Cay on Saturday (the 8th) and headed back down to GTC. With big northeast winds coming up, the area around Whale Cay would become impassable for several days and we needed to get through there to get any further north. We had been monitoring this front and decided to leave early and find a protected harbor for Evergreen. Our first call was to Donny’s Marina in GTC’s Black Sound. Donny was completely booked up for the week. There are many cruisers traveling back to the US and Canada. Most probably know about the upcoming weather. Our next contact was to the Skipper of Outward Bound. We met him in Marsh Harbour and knew he had a mooring in White Sound, which is also another harbor in Green Turtle Cay. His boat was on its mooring but he offered to find us another mooring. With that in mind we left Man-O-War for GTC and had a nice day for a sail around the Whale.

A few more pictures from Man-O-War Cay.

Evergreen anchored at Man-O-War. This photo was taken by another talented cruiser from their boat.

Sunset at Man-O-War.

Wing on wing to the Whale.

While we have been to Green Turtle before this was our first time in White Sound so we were cautious. The entry was straight forward and we had plenty of depth for Evergreen’s keel. We contacted Outward Bound and got instructions for finding the mooring. The mooring was free for us for as long as we wanted but the catch was, it’s free because it’s abandoned. On a positive note there have been many boats, larger than ours, using the mooring over the winter. There are other abandoned moorings in the harbor but the others are mostly unsafe. Since we’ll be having some high winds it was suggested to me that I should dive on the mooring and see what’s going on before the front arrives. The winds were light so there was no rush to do the work. We dinghyed over to the Green Turtle Club, did some exploration, and met up with our friends from Rhiannon again. Ollie was adopted by a local Bahamian boy (Rico) and they had great fun running up and down the docks.

The Admiral surveying the entrance channel. She was standing but I was worried she might go over the bow if we hit something.

Eventually I donned snorkeling gear and went to work on the mooring. The pennant was a tangled mess and I didn’t like the way it looked. After about 20 free dives (I have no diving skills) I was able to drag a 3/8″ chain down to the mooring and shackle it up. We had this chain down in the bilge for ballast. To this I shackled a 3/4″ mooring pennant that I had stored for just such an occasion. Lynne assisted me from the dinghy. By the end I was waterlogged and tired. My snorkeling mask leaks and I have come to hate it.

The wind started in this morning and I started to think about the metal that I had our gear attached to. I tend to lose sleep over these things! I then decided to row out our kedge anchor to relieve some of the stress from the mooring. The wind is whipping through the rigging as I type this but we now feel secure. It’s going to be a project to retrieve all of this gear. The harbor is protected so there isn’t much wave action. Ollie and I climbed a hill on shore so we could see the Atlantic side of the island. It’s all waves and a sea of white surf. It would certainly be a bad day to be on the ocean. We’ll be here for a few days waiting for the Sea to calm down. Time for a “Dark and Stormy”.

View off the back porch. Calm before the blow.

A grey day today. Sustained winds 20+ kts. Supposed to be gusting to 38 kts tonight.

April 5th- Man-O-War Cay, Abaco Islands, Bahamas

On Monday (April 3rd) we loaded up Evergreen with as much water as we could fit and sailed from Marsh Harbour to Man-O-War Cay. There are two inner harbors at Man-O-War with rental moorings but we had intel that there was a third protected harbor behind Old Scopleys Rock. It’s a nice spot, out in the open air, and has a beautiful beach to land Ollie at. Anchoring was a bit difficult when we arrived. I tried a few spots but couldn’t get the anchor to set due to rocks and grass. Finally I put Evergreen’s bow right over a sandy bar that extends from the beach. The anchor grabbed right away. Later, I snorkeled to the anchor and dove down to see how it was set (good). The clear Bahamas water sure makes anchoring less of a mystery. Since I’ve been swimming almost every day, I’ve also used my time here to scrape some growth off of the hull and check the center board.

The beach at the cove. There is a little cabana with a picnic table in the middle.

This pirate flag is on Old Scopleys Rock. A good omen.

Man-O-War Cay was (is still) the boat building capital of the Abacos. It was another British Loyalist community whose settlers fled the US after the revolution. It was owned primarily by one family, the Alburys. The descendants of Benjamin and Eleanor Albury populated most of the island and their descendants still own most of the businesses to this day. Lynne bought a new bag from the Albury Sail shop. We visited Albury Brothers Boats which make the (fiberglass) Albury 23 power boats that we’ve seen all over the islands. We also went to the wood shop of another Albury who is in the process of building a wooden Abaco sailing dinghy. He was a really interesting guy and we spent a lot of time talking “wood” and the history of Man-O-War.

Man-O-War is a small island. There are around 215 residents and no less than three churches. It is a dry island and no alcohol is sold or allowed to be consumed in public. Perhaps this has helped to preserve the island from tourists and resorts.

I’m currently reading a book by Ralph Johnston, the sculptor that settled Little Harbour in the 1950s. After leaving the US he and his family lived on Man-O-War for almost a year. Eventually he purchased a 47′ schooner, the Langosta, from Norman Albury. He used this vessel to settle Little Harbour. It’s really interesting to be reading his diary passages about life on Man-O-War in the 50’s while walking the same island. I don’t think the island has changed much. Dorian wrecked this island too but it has come back. There was a marina, before the storm. It is still in the process of being rebuilt. The islander I spoke to felt that the new marina would help island commerce when it is done.There are no big restaurants but we found a little place that sells lunch and ICECREAM!

Albury Brothers boat shop.

The Woodshop.

Some scenes from Man-O-War Cay.

The Library.

Evergreen anchored off Man-O-War Cay.

Sunset at Man-O-War.

Oh yeah. I got a conch horn today. A new sunset tradition. Ollie loves it.

April 1st- Little Harbour to Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas

Time to turn around. Little Harbour was the terminus of our southern journey in the Bahamas. We didn’t get to dinner at Pete’s Pub but we explored most of Little Harbour and had a great time. Both my stomach illness and broken toe got better. Before leaving we visited the ruins of a lighthouse and walked the rocky cliffs.

Lighthouse ruins.

Sailing in the Abacos is an absolute joy. We only used the diesel engine to get in and out of the harbors today. While motoring out of Little Harbour I could hear the bottom of Evergreen’s keel just whisk over the sandbar. Maybe our departure was a little too close to low tide. Once again we were happy with our shallow draft vessel. Once out of Little Harbour we raised all sail and Evergreen got to stretch her legs a little. We jibed several times during the day due to the wind being mostly off our stern. All were very controlled and good practice for Captain and crew.

We’ll spend a day in Marsh to get some groceries, booze, and fill our water tanks. Next stop is possibly Man-O-War Cay.

Sunset at Marsh Harbour.

March 27th- Black Point Cay to Little Harbour, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas

On Monday we moved on to Little Harbour. I had hoped for a few more days poking around various anchorages. There is a cold front moving through the area on Wednesday with brisk winds following it for a few days. Little Harbour is “little” so I figured it might be prudent to get there ahead of the rush so we could grab a mooring. Little Harbour is protected on all sides so is a good place to wait out some questionable weather.

Little Harbour is an interesting place. The community is off the grid and relies on solar power and rain water. There is Pete’s Pub, a gallery, a bronze foundry, and a few houses. The community was founded by sculptor Robert Johnston in the 1950s. He built the foundry and a few buildings. Apparently they also lived in a cave near by. His son Pete, started Pete’s Pub and is also a sculptor.

The Foundry.

The harbor is very scenic. Outside, there are many reefs which attracts divers. Inside the harbor is bordered by beaches and limestone cliffs. We went to the gallery but I didn’t photograph any of the work inside out of respect for the artists. The work was very detailed. I did photograph some of the bronze sculptures scattered around the area.

Bronze sculptures.

March 29th- Little Harbour, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas

We’ve been on the mooring a couple of days. There now are many charter catamarans in the harbor and it looks like all the moorings are full. We’ve had a few small squalls blow through. The rain has been brief so far. There was enough to wash some of the salt off of Evergreen’s decks but not enough for water collection.

We explored more of the area. I found the caves and we plan on checking them out. There is the ruins of a lighthouse we’d like to visit. Then there is Pete’s Pub. It looks like a very cool beach bar and I’ve heard the food is good. UNFORTUNATELY, I traveled all this way to eat at Pete’s Pub but seem to have contracted some kind of stomach illness. It came on rapidly yesterday and I hope it leaves rapidly. I am resting and fasting today. Tomorrow is another day! We put together a comprehensive medical kit before leaving on this trip so we have enough medications to treat a bunch of ailments.

The deck on the back of this house is shaped like the bow of a boat.

Amazing how this boulder is just balanced there.

Someone’s barbecue pit.

On top of a hill. You can just make out the boat masts in the background.

Finally! A picture of a sea turtle! We’ve seen many turtles and Rays in Little Harbour. In the same evening the Admiral managed to photograph this ray swimming by the boat. It was huge and had spots on its back.

Evergreen moored in Little Harbour.

March 26th- Tiloo Cay to Black Point Cay, Abaco Islands, Bahamas

Egg Sandwiches, coffee, Ollie to the beach. Today we sailed another 4 or 5 nautical miles south. The weather has been warm and sunny. The water is still clear but it’s been breezy everyday so I can’t see the bottom as well. We crept in to Black Point Cay, watching the depth sounder, and dropped the hook. We probably could have anchored in closer but we were coming in around high tide and if we got stuck…. It would be a problem.

This seems like a remote location but we’re still getting cellular service. We explored a small bay in Black Point and then headed over to Buckaroon Bay for the afternoon. We had our own private beach and went swimming. Ollie alternated between frisbee and swimming. We haven’t seen any sea turtles in the bay but we did see a big stringray. We’ve added more shells to our collection but haven’t located any gold doubloons.

Sunset at Black Point Cay.

March 25th- Hope Town/ Elbow Cay to Tiloo Cay, Abaco Islands, Bahamas

Time to make a break for it! We fully enjoyed our stay in Hope Town but our time in the Bahamas is limited and there is more that we’d like to see in this island chain. The morning was spent, leisurely, getting Evergreen ready. We needed water. Saturday is garbage day in Hope Town, so I delivered a bag to the commercial dock. I was going to help out with hauling the Abaco dinghies out of the water but was late to the effort. My motivations were questioned (I really did want to help), but I did get to check them out better on their racks (forgot the camera). Eventually we got underway and exited the harbor after saying our goodbyes.

Another sunny day in the Abacos. We only had a short distance to go. I had two different anchorages marked for Tiloo Cay. At the first spot I was unable to get the anchor to set after 3 tries. Each attempt requires me to crank up our anchor gear and is a workout. I wasn’t looking forward to a fourth try so we set off for my second choice, outside of Tiloo Pond. The hook set right away and we are very pleased with the spot. Tiloo Pond is absolutely loaded with sea turtles. We drifted around in an attempt to get up close to them. We saw many but so far they have been unreceptive to being photographed.

We are the only boat here and are looking forward to a quiet night amongst the stars and turtles. There are a few houses on the island but nothing else.

One more picture from Hope Town.

Some scenes from Tiloo Pond.

Sea dog.

Evergreen anchored off Tiloo Cay.

March 24th- Hope Town/ Elbow Cay, Abaco Islands, Bahamas

Sometimes a little networking goes a long way. Hope Town Harbor is still very full. Multiple boats drive through the harbor every day looking to pounce on the next open mooring. Since we are not the type of sailors to keep a vigilant watch for the next mooring, it seemed we’d have little chance of grabbing one. Hope Town’s moorings are owned by a few different entities in town. Lucky Strike’s moorings were rented out. The bike shop didn’t have any available. Hope Town Marina was full. That led Lynne to tracking down Captain Jack of Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant and Bar. He directed us to talk to the skipper on SV Noodin as they were having issues with immigration and might have to head over to Marsh Harbour to clear things up. We bought a six pack from Cap’n Jack and headed over to Noodin for sundowners. They were heading to Marsh and had a gift for us to drop off at SV Rhiannon when we see them. The next day we switched over to the mooring they were on and decided to spend the rest of the week in Hope Town.

We’ve had a good week. The beaches are a short walk or dinghy ride and Ollie is exhausted every evening. We had a nice lunch with Rhiannon at “On Da Beach”. Afterwards we went beach combing on da beach. I met the skipper of SV Antares. He’s been coming here for a long time and has been the voice of the Abaco Cruisers Net in the morning. He’s also an accomplished woodworker and has rebuilt two Abaco sailing dinghies that were originally built in Hope Town (photographs below). The other day there was a BYOB cruiser’s get together (for sundowners) at the Hope Town Marina near the Canadian Pool. Why is it called the Canadian Pool? It’s not heated. We met many different cruisers with a ton of Bahamas experience. We’ve already started planning Evergreen’s next Bahamas adventure.

Some scenes from Hope Town.

Lignum Vitae is the Bahamas national tree.

Abaco Sailing Dinghies.

This is a Marshall Catboat made in Dartmouth Massachusetts, our home port. Our first boat was a Marshall Cat named Iris. Small world.

Paintings at the elementary school.

March 16th to 19th – Hope Town /Elbow Cay, Abaco Islands Bahamas

On Thursday afternoon we sailed over to the harbor in Hope Town. We spent the morning hanging out on Tahiti Beach. The trip over to Hope Town was sort of a slow drift with occasional zephyrs helping to keep enough forward momentum so we could steer. We ghosted through all of the boats anchored outside of Hope Town. It was a fun and relaxing 3 nautical miles! We found Rhiannon’s mooring and tied up for a few days.

Hope Town is like a post card. There is very little evidence of the damage done by Dorian. It’s probably the most touristy of the islands we’ve visited. The harbor is surrounded by quaint little homes. Looking over the harbor is the Elbow Reef lighthouse.

The Elbow Reef lighthouse is the last manned, non-electrified, lighthouse in the world. It’s lens is hand wound and is fueled by kerosene. We’ve seen the lighthouse keeper up there, with a flashlight, lighting the lamp. Along with getting diesel and water, checking out the lighthouse was a priority.

Since arriving here Lynne and I have been wandering around the little streets and checking out the town. There are a few grocery stores. Captain Jack’s is a restaurant and bar right on the water, a stones throw from the dinghy dock. It seems to be a gathering place for the cruisers in harbor. The beach is a very short walk across town. There is a cruiser’s net on the VHF radio in the morning. The broadcast covers local happenings, marine weather, and other boat related news.

We’ll be here until Tuesday when SV Rhiannon returns. We’d like to get another mooring but it doesn’t seem very likely as the harbor is full. According to someone we spoke with, March and April are the busiest months. Besides the usual migratory vessels there are a lot of big charter catamarans around here. Some larger than our house!

Some scenes from Hope Town.

View off the back porch.

Elbow Reef lighthouse.

Kerosene tanks for the light. We are climbing the tower.

View from the top. It was pretty windy up there!

Evergreen is in the back row of this shot.

Evergreen moored in Hope Town. Elbow Cay, Bahamas.

For Sunday night into Monday we are expecting rain. We’ve had some showers move through the area today. I’ve been experimenting with different awnings to keep Evergreen ventilated while keeping the rain out. I’ve also been working on rain catchment systems to fill the tanks. I built a particulate filter, before leaving home, that filters down to around 1 micron. That, plus bleach, should keep the water pure. We also have another filter on our drinking water that filters down to 1/2 micron and removes the bleach taste. Sometimes Evergreen is like a big science experiment. It keeps me entertained.

Sunset at Hope Town Harbor.

March 16th- Marsh Harbour to Tahiti Beach, Abaco Islands Bahamas

Captain and crew are living on “Island Time” which causes me to get behind on this blog.

We spent a few days in Marsh Harbour. The Abaco weather has changed a bit to a more winter pattern for the area. The definition of Winter in the Bahamas is much different than New England winter. We’ve had a few nights in the 60s F. Not quite as hot during the day. More wind has been present. We’ve had some storms blow through.

While in Marsh Harbour we had two squalls. I rigged our second anchor just in case we dragged. During the second squall we saw a boat dragging, out of control, toward docks and shallow water. All the boats were pointed to the southwest. When the squall hit all boats did a quick 180 degree turn and pointed towards the northeast. The crew were onboard but must have been sleeping. I repeatedly blew our loud airhorn to no effect. At about the time I was starting to jump in the dinghy, the boat right next to us started to drag it’s anchor. The wind was howling through the rigging. By this point I was more worried about Evergreen so decided to stay on the boat (the Admiral strongly suggested the same). Another good samaritan dinghyed out to the first boat and woke them up. Efforts were made to get the boat stopped and back in deeper water. Our dragging neighbor was also able to reanchor his vessel.

Every time I see this kind of thing it reinforces my opinion that a big, heavy, anchor and lots of chain is worth the extra effort. We also back down heavily on our gear after dropping the anchor. Sometimes I rip it out of the seabed and have to reanchor again. When the anchor is set, it’s SET (for now).

Marsh Harbour has a great grocery store (Maxwell’s) so while there we stocked up on food. We went to a liquor store (Packy) also. Beer was really expensive but rum wasn’t, so we got a bottle to offset our dwindling beer supply. When in Rome….

Some scenes from Marsh Harbour. Wally’s Restaurant is open. Looks nice. Might go for a special dinner next time.After the squall.We were ready to move on by Thursday but didn’t have a concrete plan. That seems to be a theme lately. Man O War is close but I wasn’t sure if the wind was going to switch over night. A problem if we were anchored out.

We broke out our anchor, and found a nice breeze blowing in the Sea of Abaco. There are a lot more opportunities to sail out here than the usual ICW stuff we are doing. We decided on Elbow Cay and tacked our way into the south breeze.

Hope Town has a nice harbor but all the moorings were full and there is no room to anchor. We moved on a little further to Tahiti Beach which is on the southern tip of Elbow Cay.

The anchorage at Tahiti Beach is pretty well protected with Elbow on one side, Lubbers Quarter on the other, and various shoals blocking the wave action. There is even a Tiki boat that shows up during the day to serve drinks to the folks on the beach. Ollie loves the beach and seems to anticipate the amount of fun he is going to have as soon as he sees one.

Some scenes from Tahiti Beach and the community near by.Evergreen anchored at Tahiti Beach.

We have some friends (SV Rhiannon) on a mooring in Hope Town. We got in touch with them to see if any moorings had opened up. Turns out, they are going to Marsh Harbour for a few days and we can use their mooring until they return. They’ll be leaving around high tide tomorrow and we’ll check out Hope Town for a few days.