Tabitha’s Tales

Tuesday finds us still at anchor in Long Island. We are very =
comfortable here though it is filling up with people seeking to escape =
George Town. Still, it is quiet enough to be getting on with school =
and other jobs.

The current school project is the mapping of a man-made boat basin =
bordering the bay. It appears to be a minor example of the many grand =
schemes we see in the Bahamas which start with a big vision but end up =
as a half built development scarring the landscape. No matter, it =
suits our purpose as a subject of study and the girls have been =
measuring it with our long steel rule and mapping its features using =
the sextant and lead line. The next step is the production of a scale =
drawing. Of course Sue’s skills are key.

One skill she was working on today was the traditional women’s art of =
washing at the well. There is a well close to the beach which is a =
rare source of fresh water in this area. Taking her laundry with her, =
Sue spent the morning hauling buckets of water and catching up with a =
backlog of washing which is now drying in the rigging. Unfortunately =
more practise is required as she is now complaining of back ache =
(before sending comments please note that I did ALL of our washing by =
hand on our five month trip).

Supplies of rum have been getting low so Elspeth and I launched an =
expedition to the liquor store. The nearest is in Deadman’s Cay which =
is some miles south of here. Luckily Long Island has only one main =
road which runs the 75 miles from the north of the island to the =
south. It is certainly no wider or busier than Saddlemaker’s Lane in =
our village at home. Even so, sticking out our thumb, the very first =
vehicle picked us up and the one behind followed suit when the first =
turned off. Having bought two bottles of rum and a real treat -a =
bottle of red wine - from the store which was in the front room of a =
house, we walked out onto the street and in less than a minute were =
being transported back. What a great public transport system they have =
here!

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We seem to have changed down a gear. Getting out of George Town was a =
great move, Conception Island was wonderful and now we are back at =
Thompson Bay, Long Island which feels as much like home as it did when =
we first sailed in to it.

We have parted company with the ‘Cats with kids’ and are once again =
just us - the old team. Forays ashore for the Friday night ‘Happy =
Hour’ at the local inn (a mix of cruising folk, incomers and a few =
locals) and a ‘cookout’ over an open fire on the beach have given us =
the opportunity to meet others in the anchorage.

We spent today with an American cruising family who have a boy of =
seven and who are in the process of building a house on the island. =
They have a beaten up VW van (possibly the world’s most beaten up VW =
van), in which we traveled to beaches in the north part of the island =
and to Columbus Point - said to be Columbus’s second landing after he =
had crossed from the Canaries on his way to ‘discover’ America. The =
couple are both retired US Navy. In 20 years services she spent a =
total of only three days afloat! Still she is making up for it now.

The boy Ki (sp? sounds like Kye), attends a local primary school of 80 =
children. There are 11 in his class! He is the only non-Bahamian which =
can’t be easy for him but he bears it very well.

Talk aboard ‘Tabitha’ is increasingly of the homeward passage. We =
shall probably have to start retracing our paces in a few weeks time.

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Conception Island has certainly lived up to expectations with the =
clearest water we have ever encountered and coral waters teeming with =
every colour and size of fish. We arrive yesterday knowing that our =
stay would be short. The island is very exposed and another of the =
winter fronts is about to come through. Tonight could be uncomfortable.

Still, we think it will have been worth it with lobster (crawfish) and =
conch in abundance. The island is a nature reserve with a large =
lagoon. At high water today we motored round in the dinghy rowing so =
as not to disturb the many small sea turtles that make it their home. =
It was astoundingly beautiful. A most unswampy mangrove swamp with =
crystal clear water fringed with soft white sand and green mangrove =
bushes. Turtles played in the shallows close to the dinghy coming up =
for air every now and again.

Later we took a walk on the island following a trail along pristine =
white beaches to the headland at the north of the island. =
Unfortunately there is a price to be paid for everything and in the =
winter in the Bahamas it is the frontal systems which come through =
tracking east from America. Sometimes there are several a week. Most =
good anchorages offer shelter from wind in one or two directions but =
with the passing of a front the wind veers all the way around making =
most anchorages exposed - usually to the west.

First thing tomorrow, as the wind fills in from the west we must be on =
our way - back tracking, probably to Thompson Bay, Long Island which =
we like and offers some small protection from the west. This will mean =
saying goodbye to Dream Catcher with whom we have spent some very =
happy times. They are heading back to George Town to shelter from the =
fronts and to visit the Doctor. Yesterday, Dave, the skipper managed =
to burst an ear drum diving down to pick up a small anchor he had =
dropped to the sea bed. He got the anchor but surfaced in agony having =
dived too deep. We had returned to our boat to fetch a powerful magnet =
which we have for just such occasions which would have done the job =
nicely.

A call on the VHF for non-emergency medical advice resulted in a =
relayed conversation by VHF and telephone to a Doctor on the island of =
San Salvador who advised no more swimming and a consultation with a =
doctor in the next few days so poor old Dave is banned from swimming =
which must be hard in these beautiful waters.

The girls got a bit of a shock today when swimming close to the boat. =
Their friend Nicky had swum down deep and surfaced to find a mean =
looking 8′ Reef shark swimming toward the group and not ten feet way. =
They all shot out of the water and into the dinghy with lighting =
speed. Flooded with adrenaline they all screeched all at once and it =
was all we could do to calm them down and restore order. They are =
normally careful to avoid being in the water between 4pm and 8am when =
the sharks are feeding and have the advantage of poor light or =
darkness but today they just got carried away. I don’t suppose it will =
happen again!

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Today was a great day for sailing so we set off 20 miles north up the =
leeward side of Long Island and then planned, maybe, to sail on to =
Conception Island. There was quite a swell on the ocean but not enough =
to prevent us sailing to Conception, another 17 miles.

With the biggest flying fish we have seen flitting across the waves we =
guessed there would be fish to be had if we streamed the lines. Sure =
enough it was not long before the reel on the rod began to wizz. A =
bite. It took a while to slow the boat and land the fish which was a =
sizable Barracuda. They are considered a delicacy by the Bahamians but =
we know that they carry the cigurera bacteria which can be very nasty =
and have permanent effects. We knew we had to throw the fish back but =
they have big teeth, how were we to retrieve our tackle?

We tried the ‘rubbing alchohol on the gills’ trick which is supposed =
to stun the fish but it didn’t lie down to an extent where I felt =
inclined to handle the fish. After a bit I cut the fish’s throat. This =
was not a good move as blood coursed around the deck in a scene =
reminiscent of the pictures we saw in the whaling museums in New =
England. The effect of this was that, decks awash with blood, Elspeth =
and Sue became seasick and asked to turn around.

We turned back to tuck into a rather rolly anchorage at the north of =
Long Island and felt sorry not to have made it to Conception. Two =
lessons were learned - 1. Don’t bleed fish on deck in a rolly sea and =
2. Don’t turn back just because people are uncomfortable. They only =
regret it later!

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George Town lies a few miles north of the Tropic of Cancer so it was =
only today, Wednesday, that we finally crossed the line and arrived =
properly in the Tropics. At Thompson Bay, Long Island we find the kind =
of authentic Bahamas that was so obscured by the volume of cruisers at =
George Town. What a relief it is to have escaped the Butlins holiday =
atmosphere of George Town.

At 35 miles it is a short day sail. Today’s winds were variable in =
strength and direction but we used the engine for only a short part of =
the distance. We fished of course and I managed to find yet another =
way of loosing tackle. This time by lifting the line into the radius =
of the fast spinning blades of the wind generator. Sue thinks I should =
write a book about the creative ways I have found to loose fishing =
tackle whilst avoiding catching any fish.

Turning into the bay here, we were delighted to find ‘Meander’ at =
anchor here. She is a British boat we first noticed in Newport, Rhode =
Island in June as she sailed in to anchor under sail. The next day Sue =
met the crew (from Cornwall) in the laundry at the Seaman’s Mission =
and between them they managed to flood the basement knocking out the =
showers and the washing machines. We saw them again in Tennant’s =
Harbour, Maine in July and in Jewell Harbour, Maine in September.

They are purist sailors who built their own beautiful boat who always =
anchor under sail. There is a lot we can learn from them.

Arriving in the company of Dream Catcher and Leocat was interesting. =
When you sail alone your senses are totally tuned to the place of you =
arrival, ones expectations and interest are all for the new =
destination. Sailing in company, ones is also concerned with one’s =
fellow travelers which in small part detracts from the sensation of =
exploration and discovery. It is not something we had really =
understood before.

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Some people thought we were mad to allow Elspeth and Peta to host a =
’sleep-over’ with three 11 year old girls as guests last night. =
Actually it was a great success. We had girls from two American boats =
and one Canadian.

Lamb is the cheaper meat in these islands and it is our favorite so we =
had lamb curry. We were amazed to find that neither of the Americans =
had ever tasted lamb. There was some concern over ‘the poor little =
lambey’ (they eat pig and cow without apparent concern) but I noted =
all plates were empty at the end of the meal!

Later they settled down to watch our only video, The Sound of Music. =
Another first floor at least one of the girls.

The girls have spent hours working on a fort/den on the beach. Very =
elaborate with lookout posts, a meeting room, ropes for climbing in =
and out, etc. Of course the boys have caught on and claimed a palm hut =
on the beach as their den. They launch occasional assaults on the =
girls fort which has only once required adult intervention to prevent =
serious injury.

The wind is moderating and due to go a little more northerly tomorrow =
which should give us the chance to make our way east to Long Island. =
None of us will be sorry to leave the ‘organised fun’ of George Town =
for a while.

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If it is possible for a sailing boat to grow roots, that is what we it =
feels like we are doing here. At first it was good to stop for a while =
and to make some progress down the list of jobs but now our feet are =
beginning to itch.

The Trade Winds have blown strongly from the east for about five days =
but things are beginning to moderate now. Enough, at least for me to =
make it up the mast today and finish the job I started last week. The =
white LED light is now firmly rooted to the top of the mast. I also =
put more stitches in the Genoa today so that it is now ready to face =
the Atlantic.

Though the wind is due to moderate, it will stay from the east. None =
the less, I think we will make a break for Long Island which is due =
east but has the attraction of being less populated by cruising folk =
of the organising kind of whom we are beginning to tire.

Leaving will also most likely mean that we see more of our children =
who currently disappear as soon as school ends and are not seen again =
until dusk.

As we seem to be laying down roots, it may interest those following us =
on Google Earth to have a precise position which at 2309 GMT on Sunday =
14 January is 23deg 31.23′ N and 75deg 45.38′ W.

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With 170 boats now in the various anchorages in Elizabeth Harbour, =
George Town the daily cruising net on the VHF has its uses. If you can =
put up with daily reminders from the self-appointed organisers about =
trash and dinghy lights at night, etc, and the ‘Butlins’ flavor to the =
announcements about the days events the boat to boat announcements can =
be really useful.

Today we were able to respond to one child’s appeal for a copy of ‘The =
Hobbit’. He was three quarters of the way through the book and at a =
particularly exciting moment when his Mother left his copy in a hotel =
room. Better still, someone responded to our appeal for a digital =
camera and today we managed to pick up an excellent Nikon for the =
price of burgers and margaritas for two.

As we hoped, the ocean was flat enough to go spear fishing yesterday. =
Elspeth and I joined Dave and DJ from Dream Catcher and we buzzed out =
trying four different reefs. We returned with two large crayfish =
(locally known as lobster). Having no defenses, they hide beneath =
rocks during the day and can be very hard to find, especially in an =
area like this with so many hungry cruisers out hunting them.

They are very inquisitive and it is possible to tease them out of =
their hiding places by tickling their long feelers with the spear so =
that you can get a clean shot which I did.

Later we joined other boats with children for a lobster ‘pot luck’ =
supper on the beach with a bonfire beneath a clear starlit sky. Though =
slightly different in taste to the American Lobster, it is equally =
good with more meat.

Being calm it was also a good day for climbing the mast and I made =
good progress moving the mast-head tri light so that I can fit the new =
extra bright white LED light. I haven’t quite finished but we were =
able to test it for the first time after dark and I was well satisfied =
with its brightness and all at only 30 milliamps! If I run short of =
electricity offshore, now at least, I will be able to show a light.

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Our sojourn in George Town continues with maintenance, school and =
beach.

A new preventer system means I won’t have to leave the cockpit to =
adjust the preventer after tacking or gybing, a re-bedded port window =
seems to have stopped a slight leak though it only appeared in heavy =
spray crossing the Gulf Stream and it may take a similar test to prove =
the repair. The steering binnacle passed inspection once I managed to =
remove the steering wheel, a new Bilge high level alarm will provide =
me with some warning should we spring a leak and a new cleat makes =
adjustment of the solar panel angle easier.

In the beach department, Elspeth today organised a sandcastle building =
competition announcing the event of the cruisers net this morning. The =
sand here is really excellent for sandcastles. We really ought ot =
organise one for the adults.

The big disadvantage of George Town is the lack of good hunting in the =
bay. All the good stuff is on the ocean but it is usually too rough to =
venture out however, we are expecting light winds ahead of a front =
tomorrow so we have hope of lobster (crawfish) for tea.

Got the internet onboard for a while today and managed to catch-up =
with a recent episode of The Archers (UK radio soap opera). =
Unfortunately the connection dropped before we discovered the =
consequences of New Years Eve hit and run incident . . .!

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