2012-02-10 Moving around – that weather again!!
The forecast is for stronger winds from the S to the SW and then the N to NE – get the pattern??? The idea is to choose an anchorage that gives you the protection you need from the wind, but when it swings from south to west to north to north-east, it generally means you have to move from anchorage to anchorage. So yesterday we did – only to end up back where we started!!! Why, you may well ask??
Our plan was to head to a great protected bay called Gaviota Bay and pick up a mooring ball there and then hang out till the winds came and went. It all went to plan, we contacted the harbourmaster and were told there were 2-3 vacant mooring balls and all we had to do was select one. Which we did! Motored all the way into the bay where we saw 2 vacant mooring balls tucked up nice and close to shore giving great all round protection from the wind.
I must say that the mooring balls were so close that we felt we were packed in like sardines. I’m sure if we attached a line to the back end of a neighbour’s boat we could have pulled it around so that we would literally be able to walk across from ours 
Anyway, we were nicely settled in when a local water taxi arrived and informed us that we were on a private mooring ball!! Why the neighbouring houseboat owner and other permanent liveaboards didn’t tell us, I will never know!! There was another vacant private ball further out with a kayak attached which the taxi guy said we could use for a few days as the owner was away. We didn’t quite like that idea either. What if the owner arrived back late in the afternoon and then we had to vacate his mooring and find an anchorage in the dark? No thank you!!
The other option was to try for one of the other mooring balls administered by the St Francis Resort. Naturally, Bahamas style, they only started work and taking radio calls from 11.30am – nice job!! So we waited until then and tried to radio them and eventually got through only to be told there were no vacancies. So what about the vacant balls we could see? No they were prepaid and the boats could return at any time! Gill at St Francis though had a South African accent and so that is always nice to hear.
The other party was called Little Toot – no idea why – but he was on Exuma Island and only intermittently answered his radio – what a way to run a business!!!
The upshot of this is that we decided to go across to George Town itself, anchor there for a few hours, visit its great metropolis, get lunch and then some supplies. Anchored without a hitch and dinghied to the government dock to dispose of our trash and then dinghied into Lake Victoria through the dinghy channel (very narrow, only one boat can really fit at a time). Man, what an experience!! The tide was ebbing and there was a HUGE current against us!! I opened the throttle but hardly moved; opened some more with little response and had to open up almost full throttle to make headway. All the while trying to avoid being smashed onto the walls by the rushing water – well, it wasn’t not quite that bad. All ended well and we tied up at the dinghy dock. Went over to Eddie Edgewater for lunch where I had a conch burger and Mary had sautéed shrimps. All very nice but the service was very poor to say the least. We weren’t even acknowledged when we walked in and had to stand at the take-away counter to find out if we could eat in the restaurant. Fortunately, the restaurant itself was very nice and the food excellent 
After that we explored a bit of the “city” and, while quaint, we were disappointed in the lack of upkeep and general decay evident. Not much different to any of the small African towns we know so well.
The Exuma Market grocery store was great with everything that one would need available. So we stocked up on a number of items that we needed – including 2 cases of soft drink cans. Then made our way back to the dinghy and met up with the admiral from Polar Bear (met them in Allens Cay) and also caught up with Steve and Amanda of Diana. We hope to get together for a drink while they’re still here – they’re waiting for propane. The supply apparently didn’t arrive this week and they have to wait until Tuesday. And we totally forgot to tell them all about my Mahi Mahi as we were kind of being pestered by a local wanting to help with our groceries – essentially to lift them the 1 foot between the dock and dinghy.
We then dinghied out of the lake with the current and met an oncoming powerboat (actually just an ostentatious dinghy!!!) entering the channel. I went through first as, according to Mary the outgoing boats have right of way. The guy and his wife in the powerboat dinghy gave us huge scowls as we went past but we just waved nicely at them thinking they should lighten up a little – this is the Bahamas, mon! Only later did I read that the incoming boat has right of way, oops! In my defence, I must say that I had already partly entered the channel when the powerboat came zooming up!
Back to Amanzi, upanchored and headed back to our first anchorage where we knew we’d have a good night with the current wind direction. And we did:)
2012-02-11 Coconut Cove
This morning we moved just around the headland to take advantage of its protection once the wind shifts to the north-west and north. It’s also very sheltered here – not so much from the wind which is starting to pipe up but from the wave chop generated by the wind. So now we’re just blobbing again – Mary on the foredeck catching some sun and reading – thanks for the cooling wind – while I am doing this.
We have a great vantage point here for observing all the incoming vessels and even the few that left earlier today.
2012-02-12 bumpy, bumpy, bumpy – noisy, noisy, noisy
Yep, that was last night. The wind came up, as expected, and changed direction, as expected but swung around more than expected to the NNE. The net result was a swell swinging in around our headland. We were well protected from the wind but the swell that came surging in made for a very uncomfortable night. Imagine placing you mattress on a trampoline and trying to sleep while 2 or 3 other people are trying to bounce on the trampoline!!! Then add a couple of 2-3 year olds banging away on their toy drums all night long. That was our night.
But we weren’t the only ones. There were many other cruisers who were up in the night checking on things and we heard of more via the radio, who had had little sleep.
So, today, as planned, we up anchored and moved to a new anchorage. Just off Rocky point on the southern side of Stocking Island.
It’s still blowing like stink but the water is not as disturbed. We still have a bit of bumpity-bump but not nearly as much as last night. Pity we can’t do anything about the slapity-slap of the water on the hull – it’s very noisy!!
We’ve decided that the rest of today will be another day for blobbing. We are not inclined to take the dinghy anywhere and get soaked in the process from the choppy waters. Maybe we’ll catch up on some sorely needed zzzzz’s…….. More tomorrow
2012-02-13 Chat ‘n’ Chill
Had a great night last night – slept really well. This morning got the pumpout boat to drop by and empty our holding tank which was getting fuller. The whole of Elizabeth Harbour is a designated no-discharge zone. The aim is to keep the water in the harbour nice and clean. According to reports, though, there are about 250 boats in the harbour and only about a 45% usage of the pumpout boat. It really makes you wonder at the mentality of the people who visit here for the pristine crystal clear waters of the Bahamas and then proceed to pollute that very same water with their effluent!!! Sure it costs a bit to have the holding tank emptied but it’s not onerous (50 cents a gallon).
This morning we again bumped into Arthur and Mamiko of Matane as they were dinghying past us. It was good to catch up and, as they were going to the docks later, they offered to offload a bag of our trash there – thanks, guys!!
After all that we headed to the Chat ‘n’ Chill bar and restaurant. This seems to be the cruisers “headquarters” or hangout and is on Stocking Island across the bay from town. Most of the boats, including us, are anchored in or around this area.
We were a bit disappointed initially as we kind of expected it to be a hive of activity but there was nothing happening except a few people playing beach volleyball. We got there at about 11.30 which, it later transpired, was way too early for any real activity.
We had a great lunch at Chat ‘n’ Chill – ribs, fries and coleslaw. The ribs were done to perfection with the meat so tender it simply fell off the bone. Scrumptious While there we met a solo sailor, Randy, of Mariah, who has been coming to George Town for many many years. He invited us to come over for drinks and nibbles on his boat which is about 100m from where we are anchored. After lunch we wandered around volley ball beach some more and there were now heaps more people doing various things: playing volleyball (9 a side), basket weaving and we even saw a game of rummikub in action. We ended up chatting to a few of the regulars before heading back to Amanzi.
After lazing around for a while, we took off to Randy’s boat were we met another 2 couples, Bob and Chesley of Cygnet and George and Lynne of Sunspot Baby and had a very enjoyable social evening. It turns out that Bob and Chesley have family arriving on the same flight as our family on 25th so we’ve organised to taxi share.
We even got to return to Amanzi in the dark which was a first for us!!
Oh yes – remember I spoke about how we wanted to tie up to a mooring ball the other day? Well yesterday a 48ft launch was on one through the strong winds and he didn’t break off the mooring, the whole mooring lifted and dragged!! With plenty of assistance from other boats he was able to stay out of the shallows and is now anchored fairly close to us. There always seems to be something on the go around here.
Just the other morning we heard of another boat that somehow got entangled with a coral head and again lots of dinghies went to assist. Yet another boat’s mast fell off just outside the harbour entrance and although he’s safely on his boat here (on a mooring ball!), his mast is on the beach and he’s waiting for decisions to be made by his insurance company!
Now it’s coffee time and then bed
2012-02-14 Valentine’s Day
Not much going on today. Dinghied over to Chat ‘n’ Chill for a while where one cruiser was holding an informal talk on cruising to and around Cuba. WE listened for a wile and also watched some beach volleyball and then headed up to St Francis Resort. There we spoke to Jill whom we had spoken to earlier on VHF. She is also an ex South African but she and her husband have been here for about 10 years. He is somehow associated with the St Francis Catamaran Company in SA. We also bought some internet time.
After that we took Amadink and headed over to George Town – about 1¼ miles across Elizabeth harbour. Got Amadink up on the plane but is was a bumpy ride There we got some provisions from the Exuma market as well as some fuel for Amadink. Then we headed back to Amanzi at great speed Lunch and a lazy afternoon followed with the completion of a few chores thrown in.
It’s a warm, calm sunny day today and we are enjoying the relaxation. So now its time foe sundowners and hopefully I can get onto the internet to publish this and some photos.
