News Years in St, Augustine

December 31, 2015/16

Both downtown Jacksonville and St. Augustine had activities with Fireworks to ring in the new year. We chose St. Augustine because the activities were on the beach and they ended at 10:00 with fireworks. Hey don't laugh at us for being old! That was not the reason we chose St. Augustine. We thought with it being a 25 minute drive back to the marina we would be off the rode before the crazies! It was a nice warm night making the walk along the beach with music in the background a great way to enjoy the end of the year. While I roamed around and through the crowds Tom watched some of the football playoffs.  There were lots of food booths, activities for kids, and wonderful fireworks. Back at the marina by 11:15,  we took our chairs and a bottle of bubbly and walked out to the end of the 1/4 mile concrete  pier to watch the fireworks from Jacksonville and other surrounding towns. The sky over the water was filled  with color from every direction. It was like watching fireworks in surround sound.

                                    The Fireworks were set off from the fishing pier in St. Augustine

                                The main street of St. Augustine still had their Christmas lights up

                              More lights in St. Augustine

CUBA BOUND JANUARY 2016

Heading South from Michigan;
Dec. 26th, 2015

It was one of those days, the ones we all experience. Your body and mind are reeling from all of the  emotions your feeling. It was the day we locked the cabin door for the last time this year. A sad day made easier by the inevitable cold weather that was coming. We were headed to Indiana for the holidays, excited about the hugs and laughs and smiles that we were going to share, and it was the first stop in our trek to Jacksonville and our winter home on the water. 
 We finished loading the RV late in the day. Our new to us dinghy, an aluminum fishing boat was tied to the hood of the jeep and the jeep tethered to the RV. We were ready. It started to rain soon after our departure and the wind was howling.  The night was as black as coal, no sign, of a moon., making it difficult to watch for creatures of the night through the rain. About five miles before we came to the interstate ramp I  heard a noise that sounded like a large tin can hitting the road. I looked at Tom to see if he heard it but no response so I kept quiet.  Soon after the noise Tom noted a flashing yellow light in the distance behind us. We hoped it wasn't police of some sort coming after us. We pulled over at the ramp to check all the lines before getting on the interstate Tom was just getting out of the car when the pick-up truck with the flashing yellow lights pulled up next to us. He asked if all was OK. Tom said yes thanks, just checking tie downs and such. The fellow backed up behind us and getting out of his truck again ask Tom if he lost something, Tom replied, no, just checking everything. The gentlemen was persistent. I see you have a line hanging from the back of your car, did you have a boat on top? Tom looked up at the same time he answered yes, but the boat wasn't there!   At that point he yelled for me to come out, announcing that our dinghy was gone. Obviously the tin can sound we now acknowledged to each other that we heard. The kind gentlemen said he had it on the back of his pickup and had been trying to catch us. He hoped we would realize we lost something before getting on the interstate because this was as far as he was willing to go. The nose ring on the bow of the boat had broke off allowing the boat to go air born tearing apart the other straps holding it down. After the addition of bungy chords to the front and three rather than two straps across the top we were back on our way, a little damp and cold. Damage you ask? Well apart from the broken ring we had a pretty good sized dent in the back of the jeep and sum rumpling of the seam on the bottom of the boat.  The remainder of our trip to Indiana was slow as we kept the speed at 55, but four plus hours later we were parked at our friend Lois house in Portage, tired but safe.

Our first day on the wrong side of the road on Great Exuma

April 3
We wanted to experience the remainder of Big Exuma, visiting a few of the settlements and places we had read and heard about. We also wanted to visit Little Exuma to the South so we rented a car, packed a few snacks and headed North first. The roads are narrow and in many places the edges were eaten away. When your not used to driving on the wrong side of the narrow roads, those holes  seem to appear and swallow your tires more than you would like.  After a couple of hours of driving I wondered if we would return the car with all four tires still attached.  Northbound we passed many a vacant and partially completed homes. Once we were a ways from Georgetown there were few settlements. Most of the area uninhabited. We did come across two resorts. Emerald Bay and a Sandals. Both were situated on beautiful beaches although Emerald Bay would not allow us to come in and drive around.  A left turn from the main highway took us to Barraterre. A very small settlement at the end of a T road. I had read about Fishermans lodge, a restaurant owned and run by a character named Norm. We found nothing on our own that resembled a restaurant so we stopped to ask. A gentleman pointed down the road towards a small white building. We pulled into the gravel area that sort of resembled a parking lot and I elected Tom to be the one to investigate. We had found it! There was no sign or indication of any kind that it was a restaurant!  Inside there was a little bar and enough room for one little table. We had to wait while Norm thawed and cooked our meals so we ordered a drink, and had a look around. A lady came over bringing a bottle of oil for Norman. Following her delivery she came over and stood next to me. We looked out over the rocky cliff we were on to the water below and the islands nearby. She was quiet and unless I asked her a question just stood beside me in silence. Unfortunately neither Tom nor I got her name but she did tell me she was Norms sister . Dinner was ready, Norms sister headed for a house across the lot and I headed for the diner. Toms lobster and my grouper were phenomenal. I was a little taken back by its presentation, head and all, but didn't let on and since then have had my fish served whole several times. Norm was also a man of few words. He politely answered questions and when Tom told him he was famous as he was listed in a boaters guide, he smiled from ear to ear. Norm explained that at one time the diner was twice the size but a fire had taken half of it in 2006.  He also told us that Hughrie, the boat builder we met earlier was his brother. It was now after 6pm and time to head back to Georgetown and the boat. We didn't find the Loyalists  settlement, or the pothole farm but what we did experience was priceless.

                          
Hughrie told us he taught himself to build boats when he was a young man and builds about 4 a year for people.

These are the same type of sailing boats used in the Regattas

 

                                             

This was our view as we came to the top of a hill. We pulled over to take the photo.

Norms Fisherman's Lodge. We told him and his sister that he needs a sign. She said she would encourage him to put one up. He just said I probably should.

This is the little outside bar next to his restaurant

                                Norms sister and I looking out over the water behind the diner

Our meals. We even had placemats at our little table

Norm and I

 

                                           

Oh My Goodness! How do we see and do it all in a month!

March 28th
Time, a subject that makes its way into our daily conversations. What time are we leaving. What time are we arriving. How long are we staying. How much time do we have left? As much as it frustrates us because we don't want to be pressed for time. It happens and it happens often. This was happening with us here in Georgetown. There is so much to pick and choose from. You can try and do it all, be satisfied with what you can do, or relax on your boat or the beach doing nothing at all. If walking along a beach, searching for treasures is what you like, and that happens to be one of my favorite pass times, your in for a treat here with 6+ beaches.  If you enjoy snorkeling and or diving, places abound. If you’re a social butterfly, there is yoga, volleyball and various other games on the beach, water aerobics. great Bahamian rake and scrape music playing in town three nights a week, Texas hold um tournaments twice per week, boaters socials and more. I think you get the idea. If your not spending the entire winter here you must ultimately pick and choose what you will see and do. We woke to blue sky's and sunshine every day but one. The sun was warm but the ever present wind provided the needed breeze to make it comfortable. The winds did make for wet lumpy rides to town but you cant have everything, right? Our two biggest challenges? Deciding which items on wish list had to be left off and sacrificing a day of fun to work on needed boat jobs.

                                       Flip Flop Beach, all made from found wood and stones

The tables and bar area at flip flop beach

 

 Someone made a trail and lined it with conch shells. The trail leads from flip flop beach to the beach on the ocean side

 

                                  
 The beach in front of chat and chill on a Sunday afternoon. The boats are lined up along the beach and the music rocking from the boats

I was drumming on the table while enjoying the Rake and Scrape Band at Eddies. One of the drummers came and got me. Said I had good rhythm and needed to play so he could have a break. So I did.

 

                                                                  Side shot of me playing

Tom sitting in the shallows of a beach we found at the end of Stocking Island. It looks like he is sitting on glass instead of in the water!

                             I found a bar bell made out of a pipe and two round cement weights!

The Bahamians making conch salad at the little booth on the beach keep the yucky pieces in a bucket. These pieces are used to feed the large Rays that come looking for food several times a day. I decided I wanted to feed them

They suck the conch from your hand and let you pet them. If you stop feeding them  they come up on your feet looking for more

Floating off the back of the boat on a warm afternoon

One of the dinghy socials on Sand Dollar Beach

 

 

 

                                             

Getting to know Stocking Island

March 25
We quickly learned that although peaceful, Monument beach anchorage was quite the distance from everything. Chat and Chill, Sand Dollar, Georgetown etc.  Add brisk winds and the dink rides were bumpy and wet. The six of us spent our first three days hiking, hunting sand dollars at sand dollar beach, where else right, and chillin at the beach outside Chat and Chill. We played chicken foot and diamonds and marbles at Volleyball beach and visited the shops and straw market in Georgetown. Both Charm and Sun Storm began their trek back North on Tuesday, the 24th, Tom and I decided to move closer to all the activities by anchoring at the beach in front of Chat and Chill. Unfortunately engine trouble prevented that from happening. Tom had changed the filter on the port engine the day before and when it wouldn’t start he realized that air had gotten in the system. We had an air lock. He did what he knew to bleed the lines but it didn’t work. A fellow boater, Tom from Andonte, came over but still no luck. He gave Tom the name of a boater who is was knowledgeable and willing to help others as another option. We tried to reach him via radio but had no luck. That evening we met a couple from Canada during a Texas Hold um game. Don offered to come over to help the next morning. He showed Tom where all the fittings were and how to bleed them.  Soon we had two engines running, what sweet noise that was, and were moving to volleyball beach. We found a spot at the edge of the activity area that was so close I could probably swim to the beach if I wanted to. We were excited.

                                                                                             

                                          Hammocks on the beach near Chat and Chill

                               There is a conch shack on the beach and this is his garbage pile of conchs

                                                             Inside Chat and Chill

 

kids playing on the challenge activities

A view of the monument and anchorage below, where we started out

We hiked to the top of the hill to see the monument. This is the ocean side view

Another ocean side view

We hiked down the other side of the hill to the ocean side beach

Someone built this wall of rocks along side one of the paths on top of the hill.

Tom and Jim enjoying the view from the top of the mountain

The view of the harbor from the top of monument hill

 

 

Too Many to masts to count

March 21st
Whether meeting boaters on your journey north or south there is always one question that presents itself. Where are you headed? Our answer this trip was final destination Georgetown. The responses were slanted much more toward the negative than the positive. The complaints were the same. Too many boats, crowded anchorage, to busy. The repeated negativity was disappointing but we were determined to maintain an open mind rather than be tainted by the negative remarks. The entrance channel was a bit disconcerting and I was pleased we were not leading our trio of boats.. There are two entrance routes, one for shallow draft boats and one for deep draft boats. I am still confused as to which we are at times but when in doubt take the deeper draft route.  The waves broke over rocks on both sides of us as we entered a sure sign of shallow water. Once through the entrance our turn to the port brought us along side a long sand bar whose existence was obvious from the breaking waves.  actually followed along side the very sand bar that framed the entrance. Ahead were so many masts standing tall it could be mistaken for a forest of leafless trees. Following a brief radio conversation the decision was made to anchor at monument beach. Named for the monument that rests at the top of the hill overlooking the anchorage.  The clarity of the water was remarkable making it essential to keep one eye on and trust our depth finder. We learned later that there were more than 275 boats anchored in the harbor down from the nearly 4-600 hundred that are here from December through February.  Now that’s a lot of boats!  Securely anchored and organized we set out with our boat buddies for a dingy ride over to Chat and Chill, otherwise known as volleyball beach.  Chat and Chill is the name of the restaurant and  bar located on volleyball beach. We had heard this was where the boaters hung out and found that to be true. There were picnic tables, sand volleyball courts, and challenge course activities, We decided that with all the activities, beautiful beaches to explore, plus two islands to check out we were going to like it here.                                    


                   

The channel entrance

Waves breaking on the rocks at the entrance

 

The sand bar that ran along side us going to the anchorage

Next Stop Farmers Cay

March 18, 2015

It was another 1/2 day trip to Farmers Cay. This is another very small settlement.  The boaters use this Cay as their weather staging area to Georgetown. From here to Georgetown you must go out on the ocean/sound and in windy weather it could be a miserable and even dangerous trip. 
Farmers Cay is very interesting to say the least. There are only about 60 residents and they are almost all related. You cannot open a business here unless you are a relative.  We were met at the dock by a young Bahamian gentlemen who was trying to make a few dollars by offering to make conk salad, show us where the turtles live, fetch rum etc.  He was quite the character.  As we walked toward town there were several tables set up with women selling t-shirts and straw items. The crossroads at the center of town really did not provide much that made you want to explore. We did decide to walk up the hill to a woodworkers shop. The shop owner was carving fish and African type heads. The fish were beautiful and expensive.  Following our short walk around we took a dingy ride to the Atlantic side of the island to a beach bar.  The bar had a lot of atmosphere and it sat at the end of the airport runway serving as the waiting point for those who were flying out of Farmers. The small planes used every inch of the short runway during take off and landing. If not times correctly they are in the water.  Not for me!

 

 

The Yacht club on Farmers Cay, after I took this we did see a newer building while on our way to the beach bar.

The hand made railing along the dock was really cool. Made from local trees

 

Our three dinks near the beach bar

The runway!!!!

The beach bar

The beach along the shore of the beach bar was really pretty

                                                Cindi took this shot of us leaving the beach bar

            A motley crew to say the least! We left peanut on the boat. That's Murphy in the photo

looks like our dingy is sitting on glass not water