Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Heading over the bank

Just after dawn on Monday, we set out from our slip at Nassau's Harbour Central Marina, headed east and out over the Great Bahama Bank toward Norman's Cay. We got out the Yankee (small foresail) first and then the mainsail. We had some difficulty getting the main up and did not realize that a batten was caught on a lazyjack line. It wasn't until a few hours later that we discovered what had happened and that the main had a nice two-foot rip along a batten pocket. More repairs. Ugh.

Vowing not to let it ruin our day, we left the main up. Off the wind it didn't appear like it would tear anymore (and thankfully, it didn't). The tear didn't hurt the boat's performance much and we enjoyed our first real sail since leaving the U.S., gliding along the crystal-clear, azure-colored water. The average depth here is about 12 feet, save for an intimidating stretch called the Yellow Bank where charts warn of possibly less than 5 feet and "numerous shallow coral heads." Seeing the bottom as we scooted over dark patches of rock and sand was thrilling and a little bit scary. You will never see water like this on the Chesapeake! Noi stood on the foredeck with binoculars guiding us around the most ominous-looking sections.

We decided to drop a line and were rewarded with our first catch since Charleston -- an Amberjack (we think). Throughout the day, we would catch a Barracuda (not safe to eat, and besides who's volunteering to remove the hook?) and a Snapper (or I still think a Rudderfish).

By afternoon, we made it to Norman's Cay, entered the channel and anchored a few hundred yards from a sunken airplane that crashed circa 1980 when drug-lord Carlos Lehder, a co-founder of the Colombian Medellin Cartel, briefly controlled the island. There were several other boats in the anchorage, including S/V Fairwind, hailing from Annapolis, Md., swinging to two anchors near us. Aboard we met Voi, a self-described "boat bum," who has been back and forth to this area several times over the years.

Noi and Voi

Early Tuesday, we called Waderick Wells Land & Sea Park to get on the wait list for a mooring the next day. We had to have another boat relay our request on VHF Channel 9, as we were just little too far away to reach the park directly.

We spent the rest of the day hiking around the island -- up one hill to find some abandoned bungalows and a still working cistern and then around a new airstrip to find MacDuff's, a famous tiki bar (famous for its location as well as its prices -- $10 a drink!). We were the only customers. 

McDuff's

The forecast showed deteriorating weather and a strong westerly -- fairly unusual for these parts and unfortunately, a direction that the Exuma cays are not well placed geographically to offer protection from. We were hoping to be south and on a secure mooring at Waderick by the time the blow came in. But, we did not get a spot, as everyone else was apparently thinking the same thing. Plan B was to make a reservation at Highbourne Marina just north of us -- a luxury spot with prices to match.

Later, Voi, an avid diver, took Noi on a snorkeling expedition while I tended the dinghy. Among other things, we explored Norman's Pond, a large waterway enclosed 360 degrees -- a wonderful, natural hurricane hole. But alas, the tricky and extremely shallow entrance was a non-starter for us. But if your boat draws less than 5 feet, you could get in at high tide, as several shallow-draft boats do on a regular basis.

Thursday morning, we set out early for Highbourne and made it in the marina by about noon. As we were motoring to our slip, someone was waving from the dock a little too enthusiastically to be the hired help. It turned out to be fellow traveler Laura Bertrand, also ex-NPR, who is sailing the Exumas with her partner, Gail, aboard S/V Footloose, an Ericson 35. A week or so ago, Gail broke her wrist while climbing a hill on Cave Cay (farther south). So, the two have decided to return to Florida and spend the rest of the winter in the keys there. They are stopping at Highbourne (or Highbrow as I call it) to wait out the same weather system as they head back north.

Fellow traveler and ex-nipper (NPR hand) Laura Bertran

So, here we are in another expensive marina seeing dollar signs and a steady rain. I feel a bit like I'm playing one of those children's games where I am forced to move back a space. Oh well, I have a few freelance projects I can do that might pay the bills. Better get to work.