Feb 27, 2015 Warderick Wells

Today Rich and Kathy repositioned the boat at Warderick Wells in the Exumas Land and Sea Park.  They were able to purchase some WiFi time, but it won't let them download videos, pictures, or go to social media sites.  Darn, I really wish you could see some of their pictures.  Anyhoo, they will be posted in the future.  At the headquarters office they were able to see a hutia mammal, which looks like a miniature ground hog, is nocturnal, and is native only to the Bahamas.  Rich went up to Boo Boo Hill, where boaters leave a momento of their visit and he then went to the blow hole, which wasn't doing anything.  He took me for a dinghy ride...Bitts didn't get to go because she pooped down in the cabin, so no ride for her.  Tomorrow off to Big Majors...follow us on the SPOT.

Feb 26, 2015 Thursday Shroud to Exumas Land and Sea Park

Did I say "dreams tonight"?  It was more like a nightmare.  Winds were blowing 30 knots out of the south and this boat was a rockin and rollin!   Bitts and I were scared as the dinghy was banging the boat and waves were crashing all around us.  It was miserable, so I made my distress, whinny noise and Kathy came to the cockpit.  She could see we were scared, so she brought her pillow and a sheet and came on deck.  The wind and rocking was relentless and did not stop.  Kathy, Bitts, and I did not sleep a wink.  Rich was z'd out on his Benadryl.  Morning came and winds did not die out.  We decided to go to the Exumas Land and Sea Park at Warderick Wells to get out of this weather.  Rich went to get the dinghy ready to put up on the davits, and he yelled for Kathy.  The dinghy motor was gone!!  At first we thought it might have been stolen, but then Rich saw it bobbing in the water behind the dinghy.  Apparently the winds were so bad last night, and with the dinghy banging the mother ship, somehow it loosened the attachments and the motor fell into the salt water--not good for the motor I am told.  The good news is that it was still attached to the dinghy by the "ah sh_t" line and the fuel line.  Rich tied a line around it and Kathy hoisted it out of the water.  All this while still in 25-30 knot winds.  Rich had the motor apart in minutes and washed it with fresh water, some WD 40, and yes, it started.  I was worried I might not be able to go ashore swimming anymore.  So we finally took off for a 4 1/2 hour trip to the Exumas Land and Sea Park.  It was NOT a pleasant trip with winds 25-30 knots on the nose and 4 foot seas.  We picked up a mooring ball at Hog Cay, which is on the lower southeast corner of Warderick Wells.  What a great place and best kept secret.  Weather protection 360 degrees, so we finally got a good night's sleep and I was back to dreaming about beaches.

Feb 25, 2015 Shroud Cay

I overheard Kathy talking about going back to the beach they took a picture of me when I was a puppy 11 years ago.  Dinghy ride and beach...can't wait.  First we stopped at a large beach and Kathy let me jump from the dinghy and swim in.  Bitts would never had made it that far.  Shitz Shu's are not know for their swimming ability...and Bitts has a small, recessed snorkel.  I immediately began tearing up the beach and running as far away as I could.  I do this on purpose to upset Kathy, as she is afraid I will become a Bahamian dog.  Rich is much cooler about it and just ignores me...I always come back.  Bitts swam a little and then did some beach combing.  We both ran up and down the beach a few times, but then Bitts got tired and jumped back into the dinghy.  It was time to go and I pretended not to hear Kathy calling me and I kept running like a bat out of hell (whatever that means) down the beach.  So eventually I turn around, and what???  Hey, what's going on here.  No dinghy.  They left me!!  I mean they really left me!!  The dinghy was way out there.  So I thought about it for a minute and I did not know of a kibbles supply out here, so I thought I better swim like hell out to them.  And boy did I swim like I've never swam before, at least 70 yards.  Good thing I'm a good swimmer.  Rich and Kathy had not seen any sharks, stingrays or even a minnow at Shroud and there were people swimming in the crystal clear water, so they knew I would be okay.  Well they must have seen me swimming and they slowed down so I could catch up.  Kathy pulled me back into my dinghy and we were off to the Exuma Sound beach side.  The channel that goes across the cay to the Exuma Sound is shallow, especially at low tide.  The tide was rising, but  Rich hit a small sand bar, and oops, we hit the sand so hard that Bitts and I popped out of the dinghy.  Of course we were standing on the bow, and good thing we were tethered to the dinghy, so Kathy could just pluck us out of the water. Rich thought we better turn around and explore other parts of Shroud and come back later.  So on high tide we tried it again and made it to one of the most beautiful beaches in the Exumas.  Bitts and I swam and ran up and down this pristine beach...it wasn't so pristine after we got done with it, but that is what the tide is for.  Anyway, I even rolled in seaweed...I don't know why, it just feels good.  We got full of sand and salt water, so when we got back to the mother ship we had to get a shower and then dry off.  That's our least favorite thing about a day at the beach, but oh those dreams tonight!

Feb 24, 2015 Tuesday Allens to Shroud Cay

This was the absolute best sailing day ever, or so Kathy said.  Seas were one foot and winds 10-15 knots with full sails up.  The water was mesmerizing tourquoise.  Rich took a mooring ball on Shroud with 6 other boats.  Kathy said, "This is what you call living the dream".  Well it may be Rich and Kathy's dream...mine would be a dog house filled with treats and no rules!!

Feb 23, 2015 Monday Nassau to Allens Cay

We left Nassau at about 7:30 and what a beautiful sail it was.  Now this is the Bahamas I remember with beautiful tourquoise waters as we crossed the Yellow Banks.  The Yellow Banks are very shallow, 10-12 feet, and Rich had to stand guard at the bow, looking for coral heads.  We got to Allens and the crystal blue water was spectacular.  This is why we love the Exumas.  Yippee, yippee, Rich and Kathy put down the dinghy and we got a dinghy ride to look at the prehistoric iguanas on Leaf and Southwest Allens Cays.  As per Rich and Kathy's strict protocol, Bitts and I were not allowed off of the dinghy to play with the iguanas.  Rich said they would slap me in the head with their tails, and actually that did not sound like much fun to me.  We then went to a little sandy beach where Bitts and I swam and ran in the sand.  Tuesday morning we watched speed boats come in from the cruise ships to look at the iguanas, then we were off to Shroud Cay.

Pics of Nassau with Sunset, luxury yacht, 6 cruise ships in port, and Atlantis Hotel

Feb 22, 2015. Morgan's Bluff to Nassau

                                                            Rich at the helm

Heeling over

                                           

Feb 20, 2015. Nassau

We finally left Morgan's Bluff on Tuesday, and had quite the ride to Nassau.  Winds were out of the southeast, blowing 25-30 knots, and seas 5-6 feet.  Kathy and Rich thought that Bitts and I would be more comfy in the cabin, but I was being a butt and making all sorts of noise to come out.  Well that didn't work out as planned, so I pooped in the cabin, and boy did I make a mess.  That'll teach them.  Anyway, Rich was not very amused by my tactic, and he had to wash a rug and clean the floor.  Oops, better not do that again unless I want to swim home!  When we came into Nassau Harbor Kathy took a picture of 4 cruise ships that we anchored close to.  When I finally got on deck, I could see the Atlantis Hotel.  Wednesday a front moved through and it rained heavily all day.  Rich liked it cuz it washed all the salt off of the boat.  The poor people on the cruise ship did not have a good day in Nassau.  Thursday was not much better, no rain, but the harbor had winds 25-34, with an occasional gust to 40 knots.  Nobody got off the boat.  Today, Friday, it is chilly outside, but sunny.  Everyday different cruise ships come in, and today 4 more came for the day.  This harbor is really busy, and it is fun looking at all the mega luxury yachts, sailboats, party boats, and supply ships.  We even saw the supply ship that docked next to us in Morgan's Bluff.  Well Kathy and Rich went into Nassau to get the calamine lotion and Benadryl for Rich.  He is slowly getting better, but he looks like he has a bad case of the measles.  Then some fresh foods at the grocery store.  Rich listened to the weather this morning and looks like we will head south to maybe Allens Cay on Monday or Tuesday.  I can't wait to see the iguanas!!!

Battery Pics

                                                             See, I was on Battery watch

                                                            Here they come!

                                               Yeah, but putting them on the boat was the hard part.

Feb 16, 2015 Batteries

I guess I should get you caught up on what's happening.  The supply ship was suppose to be here on Wed, February 11th, and no such luck, the weather in the Gulf Stream made it too rough to cross.  No ship on Thursday either.  The dock master told us it would be in at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.  Well that passed too.  Kathy was looking out the port light in the galley at 7:00 p.m., and there she was, the Bahamas Express.  They unloaded the ship in record time, 1 1/2 hours, but Rich had to wait until Saturday morning to get the batteries through customs.  We were all so excited as the forklift brought them to the boat.  The nice man even waved at us.  Then the hard part for Rich.  I guess those batteries weighed a lot.  I heard Rich say they weighed in at 343 pounds...that lead is really heavy!!  Good thing a fellow cruiser helped Rich load and unload the batteries, because Bitts and I put together could not have managed to help with our little paws.  Kathy was conveniently busy making homemade English muffins, and since the dough had risen, she had to attack that job, or so she said.  I don't think she really wanted to help with the batteries.  Rich was able to install all 5 of them.  On Sunday he programed the new regulator, and said we are in business.  Rich is happy that everything is running perfect.  That means we need to wait for the next weather window, which will be tomorrow, Tuesday, February 17th.  We have been here exactly 4 weeks, but have really enjoyed Andros and the people.  Bitts and I got spoiled by being able to do our business on grass everyday.  I won't have a problem on the boat, but boy oh boy, Bitts will have to be retrained again.  She's such a baby.  We met a lot of friendly cruisers who made Morgan's Bluff an overnite or couple day stop.  Rich and Kathy will be looking for them down island.  So tomorrow we head off to Nassau, and then will have to wait for another weather window which will be on the weekend.  Don't know when I will have WiFi available, so follow us on our SPOT, and check in once in awhile to see what we are up to.

Feb 15, 2015 Poisonwood

Well Bitts and I feel really bad, we think we gave our dog Dad a case of poisonwood.  Never heard of it?, well another first.  It is related to the poison oak family and there is an oil on it that will make you break out with a terrible, super unbelievable rash and itch.  One of us must have gotten into it when going for a walk, and when Rich picked us up he got it.  That's what we think.  Anyway, poor Rich, he is one big itchy rash, basically all over his body.  Kathy put some Calamine lotion on it and it is helping, but takes 1-2 weeks to go away.  Kathy, the "nurse",  has everything on board for a major boat accident except Benadryl...she has Epi pens etc, but somehow forgot the Benadryl.  When we get to Nassau tomorrow they will go get some more Calamine lotion and some Benadryl.  Good thing dogs don't get it and it is not contagious.  Rich is a saint with trying not to scratch.  If Kathy got it, she would be drinking Manhattans to put her out of her misery. 

Feb 11, 2015 Texas Family Deported from Bahamas

Don't know if you have been watching the news or TV, but there was a story about a family from Texas, husband and wife, and 7 children, ages 12 and down to diapers, who were wanted for wire fraud and left the US and came to the Bahamas.  Guess what??  Bitts and I not only met them, but their kids were playing with us.  When Rich and Kathy got to Morgan's Bluff, they took a walk to the point and met this family.  He said he was a potato farmer, she said they were on vacation and she was home schooling the kids.  The children were beautiful and pretty well behaved, but the Dad would never let them go past the internal gate.  Anyway, con man father offered to get batteries for Rich's boat, because he "knew someone with a private plane that could fly them in right away".  Thank goodness Rich did not fall for that one.  So one day when the wind was rough, the dockmaster was telling him that she was going to put another boat from the outer harbor inside next to his.  He started giving her some lip about it, and she reminded him that SHE was the dockmaster.  He was persistent with yelling and she threatened to call Customs and Immigration to check his status.  Wham, in less than an hour he had pulled his lines and was out of here in rough seas.  Said he was going to Chub Cay, but the news said he was arrested in Staniel Cay.  We all just feel bad for the kids.  They are in Florida child protective services, and their parents face up to 20 years in jail and $250,000 fine.  Bitts and I are glad that we have good parents!

Feb 7, 2015 Red Bays

Sun was shining so brightly that it was a point and shoot, but turned out pretty.

Feb 7, 2015 Pictures from Red Bays

This gentleman wanted to play us a folk song as a thank you for stopping and buying baskets.

Feb 7, 2015 Tour Again and Junkanoo

The English dude, Simon, and his dog were talking to Rich and Kathy about the Junkanoo in Andros and how they really should see it. (Simon and his wife Carol left England 3 years ago and never looked back.  They love the island and the easy living). Trouble is you really need a car to go to Nicholls Town as it is about 15 minutes away.  Rich asked some of the new cruisers in port if they would be interested in renting a van, doing some touring, and then the Junkanoo at night.  So off they went.  Kathy and Rich are becoming quite the tour guides, as they have spent so much time here.  They went to the usual spots, but also found this really nice liquor store in Lowes Sound, and bought some Bahamian rum called "Fire in de Hole".  They stopped at a local grocery store for some hamburger buns, tomatoes, and onions.  Lunch again at the Andros Island Resort.  Excellent, but took over 2 hours, as they were really busy with the Junkanoo people and there is a funeral tomorrow for one of the Defence Force personnel.  You may be asking yourself, what is a Junkanoo?  It is basically a street carnival with costumes, music, and dance inspired by a different theme each time.  This year's theme was Africa.  Simon said that the costumes are sent to all the islands that have Junkanoo.  There are a number of different beliefs on how Junkanoo started, and one is that it developed from the days of slavery when the Loyalists gave the slaves 3 days off at Xmas, which they celebrated by singing and dancing in colorful costumes.  This year was no exception.  Junkanoo was elaborate and done extremely well.  Food vendors were selling fried chicken, ribs, Jerk pork, fried snapper, peas and rice, crab rice, coleslaw, and conch salad.  The food was excellent.  Kathy and Rich said that the people are the most genuine and friendly around.  There are a lot of people from the US, Switzerland, England, etc that have moved here permanently, and the Bahamians have received them into their communities with open arms.  Bitts and I heard they like dogs too, but it appears we are not allowed to mingle as we did not go to Junkanoo!

Feb 7, 2015. Andros Junkanoo

Feb 5, 20015 Supply Ships in Port

Today was a mad house and too much for me to watch.  The supply ship from Nassau came in around midnight and started unloading at 4 a.m.  Next, an even bigger supply ship came in from the States with all sorts of building materials.  There was so much action that I had to forego my beauty sleep.

Feb 4, 2015 Supply Ship

Yeah, it's Wednesday and, and, yes, I can see the SEACOR supply boat coming with our batteries.  It docked right next to our boat, and Rich and Kathy are so excited.  Okay, so what's happening...looks like nothing is happening, nope, nothing happening as in nothing coming off of the boat.  Rich went to investigate and seems like the little truck that hauls things off the boat is broke...can you believe it?  Heads are rolling and the locals are trying to find someone to fix the truck.  In the meantime, the crew from the Emerald Express are entertaining themselves with our manatee.  Apparently the manatee loves fresh water, so they throw a hose with running water to the manatee and he drinks it. 

What's that? Yippee, the little truck is fixed and stuff is starting to come off the big supply ship.  Bitts and I got to go with Rich and Kathy to check it out on our way to the beach for a swim.  Rich stopped to talk to the SEACOR lady and to check the manifest.  Meanwhile Bitts and I had a great time on the beach and swimming...the water was a little cold but really pretty.  Kathy met Rich on our way back to the boat, but Rich wasn't smiling.  "You have got to be kidding" I heard Kathy say.  Nope, no kidding, the batteries were NOT on the ship.  After some quick emails, it was discovered that the batteries had been on the dock in Ft. Lauderdale since last Friday, but were missing an IMO (whatever that is).  Well, they have been cleared, and SHOULD be on the next ship next Wednesday.  Rich and Kathy were a little bummed out, but both agreed that this was a good place to be:  nice people, nice weather, free dockage at the sea wall, free water with the spigot next to the boat, a fuel dock, beautiful beach, and they have enough food for a few more months.  I wonder if they checked the Kibbles supply?

Laundry

 

                                                            The good old fashion way!

Feb 2, 2015 Laundry and a Manatee

Today is Kathy's birthday, and her plans include doing the laundry and making a great dinner.  Before she could start on the laundry, we had a big visitor, and by big, I mean BIG.  This huge Manatee decided to come visit.  It drove me crazy swimming back and forth around the boat, and of course I show my excitement by making that whinny, squeaking sound.  Kathy Googled manatees and found out that they live in coastal waters and rivers, and sometimes these marine mammals are called Sea Cows.  They move with their tail at 5 m.p.h., and since they are mammals they must surface every 3-4 minutes to breathe in air at the surface.  At rest they can remain submerged for 15 minutes.  Our manatee must have gone to sleep, cuz he quit swimming and floated for a long time.  They eat water grasses, weeds, and algae.  They can eat a tenth of their own weight in 24 hours.  

Well after that excitement Rich pulled out the big blue bucket, the new plunger, and the laundry detergent.  We are next to the sea wall and have access to fresh running water, so Rich connected our hose and laundry day started.  It takes a long time, but is worth having clean clothes and towels.  Kathy decided that a 5 minute agitation cycle was all her hands and arms could take.  Then the rinse cycle, by hand of course.  The spin cycle includes wringing the clothes around a stainless steel post until most of the water is wrung out, and then the dryer consists of hanging the clothes on the lifelines.  We had a great wind and the sun, so the dryer cycle did not take that long.  Rich and Kathy look like gypsies, but heck, that's what cruisers are.   Bitts and I go "commando" so we don't worry about clothes.  For her birthday, Kathy made an incredible Steak Diane with filet mignon, cognac, fresh parsley, chives, and shallots, and a Dijon mustard and worchestershire sauce. Baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, and a salad with fresh tomatoes and a homemade blue cheese dressing.  French croissants finished the meal.  Everything smelled great to us, but Bitts and I could only watch from the cockpit as Rich and Kathy devoured everything.  Can you believe it, not even a lick for us.  Rich did the dishes for Kathy's gift...it's the little things that count.

Unique sunset taken from Rikava

                                                All of the sunsets are beautiful, yet unique

Jan 29, 2015 Touring Andros

Well, I understand the batteries have been ordered from Ft. Lauderdale and should, and I say again, should be on the next boat to Andros, which will be next Wednesday.  I say should, because "Mon, we be in the islands, and we not be in a hurry".  So Rich and Kathy and the people on Sea Wolf rented a car to try the tour thing again.  Andros is actually a really cool island, or so I've been told.  Rich and Kathy did not take us with them, so I am hearing this all second hand.  Andros looks more like northern Florida than like the other Bahamian Islands.  It is the largest of all of the Bahamas Islands, measuring 40 miles wide by 142 miles long, with 9,000 residents.  The largest settlement is Nicholls Town, which is about 6 miles from the harbor.  Andros is bounded to the east by the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world, and borders the 6,000 ft deep undersea canyon know as the "Tongue of the Ocean".  Andros includes over 150,00 acres of undeveloped, often untouched land.  Almost all of the land is Crown Land or government property.  Well, that is all I heard them say.  So off they went exploring the island.  They got some primitive directions, and were able to find the Mennonite mission-run commercial farm that was founded in 1983.  It grows everything from habanero peppers to potatoes, and has numerous fruit trees and honey bee hives.  Kathy bought green peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and bananas that were cut fresh from the stalk.  After that they took about a 25 minute ride on an extremely potholed road to the Red Bay Settlement in the most northwestern part of Andros.  This settlement was primarily developed by the Seminole Indians who left Florida in the 1820's to escape the Seminole Wars.  This is still a remote settlement and is highly renown for their artistry at a unique style of basket weaving passed down from generation to generation.  One of their baskets is on display at the Smithsonian in Washington.   The men do a lot of sponge fishing too.  Lunch at the Andros Island Resort was conch fritters, a grouper sandwich, and sweet potato fries.  Rich had a local beer made in Freeport called "Bush Crack" which he liked, and Kathy had one of those rummy drinks the color of the blue-green water and she said it was delish.   I think they got tired from hitting all the potholes so they came back home to the boat, with vegetables and baskets in tow.  Oh, did I mention they did not bring Bitts and I any goodies?

Jan 30, 2015 Tour of Fresh Creek and Androsia Factory

For some reason or another, Rich and Kathy are not taking Bitts and I with them AGAIN.  They say the rental car is too small, but heck, we're small too.  So off they went with Sea Wolf, this time to Fresh Creek, where the they found the bank, the resort, and the Androsia factory.  You might be wondering what Androsia is.  Well, it is a batik fabric manufactured in Fresh Creek since 1973.  It is brightly colored fabric which is unique to the Andros culture and native to only Andros.  The fabric is used throughout the Bahamas, but shipped throughout the world.  Kathy bought a blouse and baseball cap.  She also saw the Seminole Baskets for sale at 4 times what she paid in Red Bay.  As Rich says, "We are going broke saving money".  They ate lunch at a local restaurant and said it was excellent...chicken, coleslaw, rice and beans, and mixed vegetables.  It took about an hour to get there and back because of all the potholes in the road.  I don't really know what a pothole is, but apparently this island has a lot of them. 

Androsia

                                                           Androsia shirt and cap

Andros Island Resort

Seminole Basket weaver and the baskets Rich and Kathy bought

Exploring Morgan's Cave