Our journey started on Monday the 16th when we left Governor's Harbor in Eleuthera. We had clean laundry, some extra potatoes, carrots, and cabbage and some fond memories of this place. We attended a movie at the Globe Princess Theater sneaking Bentley in inside of a canvas bag. We ate a fish dinner at the weekly Fish Fry by the beach. We walked four miles over a hill onto the other side of the island to swim in the Atlantic Ocean. Thankfully we were able to hitchhike back as we weren't looking forward to climbing back up over that hill.
We left the harbor at 9:45 am and motored in calm seas flying the Genoa sail when the winds permitted. We did 85 miles in 22 hours. We stopped for diesel fuel in Powell Point at the southern tip of Eleuthera. The bright full moon was a wonderful aid to our travels. We anchored off a beautiful resort in Fernandez Bay on Cat Island at 7:45 am. It looked like a perfect place to spend some time waiting for the expected strong east winds to arrive by Thursday.
But the captain felt we needed to keep going with the light winds we are having, so another night of sailing over night. We sailed off into the sunset at 5:15 for a night of motor sailing in calm seas and full moon light. Our shifts were the same as last night.. I slept from 6:00 - midnight. Will slept from 1:00 - 5:00. This probably doesn't seem fair with me getting six hours and Will only four, but believe me it isn't easy to fall asleep at six, so I usually only got about 4 or 5 hours myself. What do
you do when sailing through the night? We have an automatic pilot, so we set our course and monitor it on a regular basis. We watch radar periodically. Will likes to listen to down loaded PBS on his ipod and I like playing games on my Ipad. You do a lot of thinking and hoping all goes well through the night. Bentley cuddles up with whoever is resting.
After 13 hours we make landfall at Rum Cay at 6:15 am and a total of 60 miles. We put sails away, enter Port Nelson harbor and drop the anchor at 9:45 am. The water is aqua blue and clear as drinking water. However, there is a surge from the ocean so there will be some rocking and rolling. Will put on a bridle to turn the boat into the waves so we pitch forward and back like a hobby horse instead of rolling from side to side.
We ventured into town yesterday to get gasoline for our outboard dingy engine. We were met my Eden the local police officer and got a ride in the police car to Jefferson's home where he distributes the petrol out of drums and a siphon. We needed four gallons and Eden waited for us to fuel up our jerry can. Then he was happy to give us a ride back to the dock with a stop at the local grocery store. The pickings were thin. The produce is in the cooler and the meat department is in the deep freezer. We purchased eggs, cabbage, a bag of carrots and 4 potatoes for $10.00.
So it looks like this will be our home for Christmas. The east winds today are in the 20 to 25 knot range, so we may not even make it to shore. Bentley is always anxious to get to land, but he is a hardy sea dog and will make do with the fore deck if necessary.
We wish you all a relaxing weekend and a stressless beginning of the week in preparation for Christmas. I am sure there is lots of shopping going on, something we don't have here in paradise. I do not miss Wal Mart but a Publix or Harris Teeter would be a nice Christmas gift from Santa.
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