Welcome to March!

Well, it’s been a long time.  It’s the end of February already!

Here we are watching another beautiful Bahamian sunset.  At Lee Stocking Island for a second time, we have gone South, then North, then South again.  Ali arrived from New York City on Sunday, February 13.  That was three Sundays ago!

The weather in George Town kept us in harbor for most of the week.  The dinghy ride in to or back from the boat (and often both ways) was wet and miserable (if being splashed in mid-February by 80 degree water is what you consider to be miserable – thank goodness the air temperature never dropped below 82 degrees!).  We left on Friday morning after finishing out of the money at Thursday night’s Texas Hold’Em Tournament (Ali did hold in there almost to the last table, though).

An easy 12 mile sail North was expected, but huge following seas made it a bit uncomfortable.  Likely the largest swells we have seen since the Frazier’s Hog to Nassau run with George.  No fishing this time as I hand-steered the entire way.  ( oooh, how much the captain leaves out!  The swells were paired with ugly gusts and nothing on the right angle – it made the dinghy ride look reasonably dry!)

Coming in to the notorious Emerald Bay Channel was a treat.  They routinely close it if there is wind from the NE at 25.  Having an ESE at 25 is okay, I guess.  Huge breaking waves – in the channel!  As we go up one, we lose sight of the buoy that a minute ago was right beside us.  Yikes!  (We also never had a visual on the sail boat entering moments before us, who left George Town half an hour earlier than we did…that is to say, swells were big enough to not have visibility more than 2 boat lengths ahead, especially if you’re hyperventilating)

But once in, it is calm as a mill pond.  And the Marina at Emerald Bay is by far the nicest we have ever been to.  Great docks.  Great showers.  Free laundry.  A multi-level clubhouse with a bar, reading rooms, big screen TVs, pool table and a private club feel to it (but a private club that would invite us as members – imagine that). (this is what the Wentworth wants to be – a first class marina in all ways, from radio contact to dock hands to courtesy shuttle to grocery and liquor store …they are the bomb!)

Had a great beach and snorkel day with Ali on Saturday at the adjacent Sandals Resort beach.  Even used their great umbrella lounge chairs.  There was a small reef there just chock full of bait fish about six inches long which just swarmed around us as we swam.  Pretty cool.  Tess and Ali attempted a kayak ride out toward the channel, as I followed on a bike.  (Not having sufficiently forgotten the terrifying entry to the channel, Tess balked and needed to head back in to the Oz-like marina!)

Sunday was a Haircut Day.  Alison did an admirable job, without the first time jitters (and gouges) of my Spanish Wells haircut.  Cribbage, reading, beach walks and more cribbage filled the day until Ali’s flight home in the early evening.  Though we didn’t travel far or to any of the diverse islands here, it was great just to be “home” with family for us.

Ed & Karen from “Passages” (our IP40 mentors) were at Emerald Bay with their guests and we, of course, took advantage of the opportunity to squeeze more tips and experience from them.  We also finally met and spoke at length with Josh & Jen – the newlyweds from New Hampshire – aboard “Sheliak”.  And we were able to spend time with Steve & Alice from “Ocean Star” before they took off for Turks & Caicos with Monday’s weather window, planning to go South until there was no more South to go.

Our Monday was a boat work day.  Oil, filters, laundry, circuit breaker replacement and generally getting our house in order.  Tuesday was a full on office day.  But Wednesday, we had a glorious (and flat calm) exit from Emerald Bay and headed North to an empty anchorage at Little Farmers Cay.  What a difference from the Festival mob.  What a great place to relax and swim and reconnect with the clear, warm water.  After a few days in Black point (to score one more loaf of  Lorraine’s coconut bread), we headed South again on the Bahamas Banks side of the Exumas.  On our way a pair of feeding dolphins highlighted the tranquility of the Banks.

Now at Lee Stocking Cay, site of the Caribbean Marine Research Center.  I flew through True Grit and Mike Birbiglia (thanks. Ali!), and have broken down to read sailing how-to books (some would say, it’s about time), and a stack of legal magazines that have been sitting around since October (some would say, that’s a first).  The respite quiet and solitude have been lovely since leaving Georgetown’s city-like feel, but it’s time for us to return to cruising friends for a bit and look forward to a visit from Jeff and Lynn.  This is the Regatta week kick off, and we should have our eyes wide open to a festival of cruisers.  Georgetown, here we come!

Today, we head South.