Once again time has gotten away.  We had a wonderful Christmas but the weather has not cooperated!

We went over to Hope Town and had a great time.  We met Elvis, one of the lighthouse keepers who invited us up to watch them light the flame.  It was amazing.  They start with what looks like a Coleman Lantern wick and light that with alcohol and once that gets hot enough they light the wick wick runs on kerosene.  The lighthouse burns about 2 gallons of kerosene a night but the lighthouse keeper (there are 2 and they each work half the night) must go up every 2 hours to wind the mechanism the turns the Fresnel lens.  There were a few nights while we were in Hope Town that the light stopped turning.  We never found out if there was a problem or if someone just forgot! 

On Christmas Eve we had folks over for drinks & munchies.  It was a bit crowded as there was Bobby & Francie (Barefootin’), Phil & Irene (Plan B), Phil & Nicki (AJAYA-Always Just A Year Away), Steve & Susan (Peregrine) as well as us.
Phil                                               Bobby Francie, Phil & Susan (2 Phil's)

Rob & Irene                                                               Nicki, Steve & Rob

We all had a wonderful time!  Bobby, Francie, Rob & I gathered on Peregrine with Steve & Susan for Christmas dinner.  Their boat is a catamaran and had plenty of room.  Everyone made their specialties and we were all stuffed with good food but the company was even better!

Here are some other pics from Christmas in Hope Town

 
 

There are many rental cottages in Hope Town and it’s really very touristy & commercialized but we still had a wonderful time.  There was caroling too!









We decided to head to Cracker P’s on Lubbers Cay before we made the jump to Royal Island.  This is one of our favorite spots in the Abacos and should you find yourself there you must try their BBQ Conch & Hot Fish Dip.  We get 1 order of each to share & call it lunch!  When we walked to the bar, Brendan took one look at us & said “Welcome back!  It’s good to see you guys again.”  Both he & Patrick always remember us.

We went the next day to Lynyard Cay to cross to Royal Island on New Years Day.  We were unsure of the weather so we did not leave until 7am and the seas were 4 to 6 with occasional 8’s so we did not make good time at all.  It was dark as we approached the cut between Egg Island & Little Egg Island which is narrow & shallow.  Since “Prudence” is always our 3rd crew member we decided to anchor near a very large motor yacht.  The next morning we fished for a couple of hours (fished not caught!) before heading into Royal Island.  We spoke with Steve & Susan on Peregrine who told us that Royal Island was empty!  We knew there was really bad weather heading our way so we went in & picked our spot and had the anchorage to ourselves – for awhile at least.  Most people who make the crossing from the Abacos don’t arrive until late in the afternoon so we thought why not go for a swim & use our new sun shower to shower on deck.  That’s what we did.  Of course while you are on the foredeck – having a shower – naked- is NOT the time you want to see another boat come through the entrance!  Whoops.

The bad weather came.  I posted 2 videos on FB.  During the storm I was speaking with Francie on Barefootin’ on the phone when she realized that Kippin, their mini Yorkie was missing.  I am very sad to say that the little guy went overboard.  They were able to locate him the next day and he now has a grave in Rock Sound where they were during the storm.  Rob & I both cried at the news.  He was the sweetest little guy.  His is missed by anyone who ever met him. 

This storm was not fun.  Our wind speed indicator is not working so we are not sure how strong the winds were in Royal Island but I think we had it better than other folks.  Our new friends Ryan & Kimberly on Sophia drug at Royal but they got the hook reset and were fine after that.  Barefootin’ saw 61knts in Rock Sound.  90+ in Georgetown Exuma and 106 at Cambridge Cay.  Boats drug, one in Georgetown ended up on the beach at Chat-N-Chill.  People had anchors part, it was a mess.  No people were seriously hurt though someone in G’town did require stiches.






                               

 

 

                                             

Christmas till Jan 17, 2016 part 2

After Royal Island we sailed down to Hatchet Bay but only spent 1 night & did not go to shore.  We decided that we would head down to Governors Harbour for the Friday Fish Fry & we heard that there was a Junkanoo on Sat. night.  As we were leaving Hatchet a boat came up behind us and it was our friend Dave.  Dave and his wife Annie we met a few years back and have stayed in touch.  He said he thought he recognized our boat!  We asked if he was going to the Fish Fry but he didn’t think so as he was getting ready to head back to the U.S. 

We had met back up with Peregrine in Hatchet but they decided to move on & not stay in Governors for the Fish Fry.  It was a bit rolly in the anchorage and we almost left too.  We decided that if it got too bad we could always sail to Rock Sound in the dark.  We did not want a repeat of the horrible night spent in Governors with Julie & Chia onboard!

The Fish Fry was great! We got back to the boat & it had calmed down & we had a great nights sleep.  Over the years we have found the best prices on Tanqueray Gin & Frangelico (hazelnut liquor) are at Governors.  We shopped for those items & groceries and went to get ready for Junkanoo.  We heard the drums of The Harbour Boys  and stopped for a look.





 

It always amazes us the creativity of the folks for Junkanoo!

For they last few years we have made it a point to be in Eleuthera for Christmas as the major settlements on the island have a combined Junkanoo Rushout and it is judged.  Weather kept us from making it so we were happy to find out this was it!    Tarpum Bay, Rock Sound, Hatchet Bay & Governors Harbour alternate as the host and this was to be Governors year.  It was a bit different as the Queens Hwy. was blocked off & there was a $5.00 admission?????  We found out that because so many places in The Bahamas have Junkanoo either Christmas or Boxing Day they decided to wait so that ZNS, the Bahamian TV station would televise it.  There was some strife with the other towns so this event was not as large as usual as 2 of the towns went ahead with the traditional Christmas Day event.  It may have been smaller, but it was still fun.

 

 
 
 



Rob Gets a Kalik Bucket




Rob finally gets a Kalik bucket       Phil & Nicki from AJAYA   

Of course in the middle of the festivities, part of the electricity malfunctions.  In the US you would wait for a bucket truck, blah-blah-blah.  But not here!  The workman scampers up the pole.  Removes, yes removes his safety belt, climbs over the wires and starts checking things out.  Within 5 minutes he had repaired it with pliers, wire cutters and  old fashioned wire nuts – the ones that predate butt connectors!

 





On 1/10/2016 we moved on to Rock Sound were we are once again watching the weather.  We are moving all around the harbor depending on which way the strong winds will be. 

Bobby, Francie, Steve, Susan, Ryan, Kimberly, Phil, Irene, Rob & I all went to Nort’Side Restaurant on the ocean side a few days ago.  Rose Gibson runs the place and she is an amazing woman.  We did not get to speak with her as we would have liked to because there were just too many of us.  We all had a great time and it was good to see her, Alice and her 2 dogs Teddy & Page.

 
 
 
 

 

 Yesterday I went to do laundry while Rob hauled water to the boat.  While talking with Walton (owner of 3 T’s Laundry) and Susan from Peregrine our friend Lord Josh walked in!  What a great surprise!  We met Josh several years ago in Tarpum Bay on the last day of lobster season and bought a wonderful crawfish!  We were at D & D’s, that’s Diane & Desmond.

 

I finished laundry & Rob finished water and we met Josh onshore to have a drink.  We found out that Diane had died.  She had a heart attack they think.  There is a clinic here but it is only open a couple of days a week.  We also learned that Tisha, another friend was killed in a car accident.  She & her husband Pascal ran 4 Points Restaurant for many years.  They took over operations at Cape Eleuthera Marina & The Sky Beach Club last year.  Tisha ran the restaurant at Cape Eleuthera and is seems she may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Wow, this is sad. 

On to a happier note!  We are on the west side of the anchorage now and the wind is honkin’!  It’s about 25knts and we are making lots of electricity as the wind gen is crankin’, the sun is shinin’, the laundry is clean, and we have full water tanks!  Life is good.

More later!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas till Jan 17, 2016 part 2

After Royal Island we sailed down to Hatchet Bay but only spent 1 night & did not go to shore.  We decided that we would head down to Governors Harbour for the Friday Fish Fry & we heard that there was a Junkanoo on Sat. night.  As we were leaving Hatchet a boat came up behind us and it was our friend Dave.  Dave and his wife Annie we met a few years back and have stayed in touch.  He said he thought he recognized our boat!  We asked if he was going to the Fish Fry but he didn’t think so as he was getting ready to head back to the U.S. 

We had met back up with Peregrine in Hatchet but they decided to move on & not stay in Governors for the Fish Fry.  It was a bit rolly in the anchorage and we almost left too.  We decided that if it got too bad we could always sail to Rock Sound in the dark.  We did not want a repeat of the horrible night spent in Governors with Julie & Chia onboard!

The Fish Fry was great! We got back to the boat & it had calmed down & we had a great nights sleep.  Over the years we have found the best prices on Tanqueray Gin & Frangelico (hazelnut liquor) are at Governors.  We shopped for those items & groceries and went to get ready for Junkanoo.  We heard the drums of The Harbour Boys  and stopped for a look.



It always amazes us the creativity of the folks for Junkanoo!

For they last few years we have made it a point to be in Eleuthera for Christmas as the major settlements on the island have a combined Junkanoo Rushout and it is judged.  Weather kept us from making it so we were happy to find out this was it!    Tarpum Bay, Rock Sound, Hatchet Bay & Governors Harbour alternate as the host and this was to be Governors year.  It was a bit different as the Queens Hwy. was blocked off & there was a $5.00 admission?????  We found out that because so many places in The Bahamas have Junkanoo either Christmas or Boxing Day they decided to wait so that ZNS, the Bahamian TV station would televise it.  There was some strife with the other towns so this event was not as large as usual as 2 of the towns went ahead with the traditional Christmas Day event.  It may have been smaller, but it was still fun.



Dave –in back                                     Ray from Chanty



Rob finally gets a Kalik bucket       Phil & Nicki from AJAYA     





Of course in the middle of the festivities, part of the electricity malfunctions.  In the US you would wait for a bucket truck, blah-blah-blah.  But not here!  The workman scampers up the pole.  Removes, yes removes his safety belt, climbs over the wires and starts checking things out.  Within 5 minutes he had repaired it with pliers, wire cutters and  old fashioned wire nuts – the ones that predate butt connectors!



On 1/10/2016 we moved on to Rock Sound were we are once again watching the weather.  We are moving all around the harbor depending on which way the strong winds will be. 

Bobby, Francie, Steve, Susan, Ryan, Kimberly, Phil, Irene, Rob & I all went to Nort’Side Restaurant on the ocean side a few days ago.  Rose Gibson runs the place and she is an amazing woman.  We did not get to speak with her as we would have liked to because there were just too many of us.  We all had a great time and it was good to see her, Alice and her 2 dogs Teddy & Page.



Yesterday I went to do laundry while Rob hauled water to the boat.  While talking with Walton (owner of 3 T’s Laundry) and Susan from Peregrine our friend Lord Josh walked in!  What a great surprise!  We met Josh several years ago in Tarpum Bay on the last day of lobster season and bought a wonderful crawfish!  We were at D & D’s, that’s Diane & Desmond.

Desmond                                          Rob & Diane





Rob & Diane                                      Holly & Desmond

I finished laundry & Rob finished water and we met Josh onshore to have a drink.  We found out that Diane had died.  She had a heart attack they think.  There is a clinic here but it is only open a couple of days a week.  We also learned that Tisha, another friend was killed in a car accident.  She & her husband Pascal ran 4 Points Restaurant for many years.  They took over operations at Cape Eleuthera Marina & The Sky Beach Club last year.  Tisha ran the restaurant at Cape Eleuthera and is seems she may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Wow, this is sad. 

On to a happier note!  We are on the west side of the anchorage now and the wind is honkin’!  It’s about 25knts and we are making lots of electricity as the wind gen is crankin’, the sun is shinin’, the laundry is clean, and we have full water tanks!  Life is good.

More later!