LOG OF
                                 BEES KNEES

 February 8, 2007

  We sit, anchored securely, in Lake Sylvia,
Ft. Lauderdale,
awaiting a weather window to cross to the Bahamas.  It’s been a long haul since the purchase of
our Creekmore 45’ cutter-rigged sailing vessel, Bees Knees, on August 30,
2005.  I’ll save all the refit info for
another time (you’re thinking….thank goodness!!)  “To make a long story short” (a quote I’ve
stolen from my friend Mary Huser) the plan was to sell both of our boats (Murph
and Esmeral), buy this wonderful seaworthy boat to take us around the world,
spend a few dollars and a little time to get her ready for us…and take
off.  Well….here we are a few zillion
dollars less and a year and a half later….awaiting weather to do our “shake
down” cruise.

  We left Norfolk, VA, the Saturday
after Thanksgiving…the great Nor’easter of ’06….and headed South down the ICW
with all of our junk stored in bins (4) strapped to the cabin top, including 2
kayaks, an extra anchor, pieces of track for the mast, our Monitor windvane,
multiple fenders and dockline.  We looked
much like a freakin’ freighter!

We had a great motor trip down the ICW...agreat nature trip...viewing 4-5 bald eagles in North and South Carolina, a million loons, about 8 deer swimming across the intracoastal in Georgia,
roseate spoonbills, white pelicans and the everyday frolicking dolphins.  We stopped in many places along the way…. St.
Simon’s for provisioning and shopping, Cumberland Island for the walk on the
beach to view the wild horse grazing and watching a submarine being led out the
inlet by Coast Guard and Navy, St. Augustine for Christmas shopping, Fort
Frederica (no relation) to eat the prohibited oranges that even the animals
don’t eat, and finally at Peck’s Lake to regroup and ready ourselves for
arriving in North Palm Beach, FL.

Our goal in NPB was to work as much as we could with the good weather and get rid of all the bins on the deck….making
us more seaworthy and able to venture into the ocean.  Also we’d try to fit in visits with family
and friends…..but still being able to work. 
Lauren, Jim’s daughter, was our first visitor in Peck’s Lake.  It had been
quite a while since we were all together and we celebrated Christmas and Jim
and Lauren’s birthdays on one day!  After
we moved to NPB, Jims’ sister, Barb, came to visit for a few days.  We kayaked and dinghied around Peanut Island
and were treated to a wonderful meal at Sailfish Marina on Singer Island.  The day after she left, Bonnie, Jim’s friend
from Colorado, writer, consultant,
entrepreneur, flew in to WPB and spent about 4 days on Bees Knees…..with a
great cruise from Peanut Island to North Palm Beach….about
3 miles…whoohoo!  I met up with my old
running buddies….twice on Saturday mornings…at the usual time of 0630…and was
able to run the Race for the Cure (even though we missed the start because we
were talking too much and walking the opposite way!)  Judy and Dan Panfil, along with Judy’s 78
year old mom, dinghied out to Bees Knees one calm evening and we enjoyed a
great meal with wine in the cozy cabin. 
Allen Trefry, a good friend from the Gator Ski Club, came out by dinghy
for cocktails one evening, and we reminisced about old friends and times and
dogs.  Pat Madden, “the beach lady”, was
reported to be in town twice….I viewed her rushing to her plane once day at the
airport when we were picking up Barb and we chatted for a few minutes.  But she did return, in the midst of gutting
and rebuilding her beautiful home in Jupiter, and was able to meet us for
dinner one evening and come out to Bees Knees for a short visit.  We spent New Years’ Eve with Kim and Darlene
and a boatload of their friends….sharing stories, eating King crab legs (3 feet
long) and, once again drinking wine.  We
were invited to their home, aka Harbour House, on Singer Island for a great
dinner one evening….able to visit with Granny, still soft rosy-cheeked and
holding “Tina” her 2# Chihuahua, making plans to meet in Roatan.  My sister, Maureen, with her son and wife,
Nick and Amy, drove all the way over from Ft. Myers one day to spend some great
hours sitting in the cockpit, drinking umbrella drinks and beer, eating snacks,
and then heading out for dinner at Panama Hattie’s on the waterfront in Palm
Beach Gardens.  It was a great time….but
way tooo short.  Jim’s friends, Martin
and Tracy, were very helpful during our visit….first inviting us to the
Waterway for dinner a few times and letting us know about the “Happy Hour”
dinners and drinks….then to their home one evening for pizza and video of their
cross country vacation….then allowing us to send and receive packages at the
marina where Tracy works.  Great
people!  I’m sure we were wearing out our
welcome!!  We got together with old
sailing friends from Lake Park Marina….where Murph used to dock…and were treated
to a delicious meal at the home of Don and Florence Bottaro….salmon Florentine,
corn on the cob, broccoli bread, macaroni and cheese and, of course, wine.  Two other couples were there also… Sante’ (in
town so he could have surgery on his cervical spine…then return to their boat
in the Bahamas)
and Tempation…returning to land and settling in kicking and screaming.  In the meantime…..anchored near us in North
Palm Beach was Pacific Rose….and dear couple that I met in 2004 in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, and met up with during my
travels in the Exumas.  They were having
a few boat problems and eventually went into the marina at Old Port Cove….where
Murph used to dock (she got around, huh?)….so I got to visit a bunch of other
old friends, including Susie, the manager of the marina office and social
events, and Tim and Martha on a prisitine
Cape Dory (he did a lot
of work on Murph before I took off in 2004). 
But Nan and John, aka Pacific Rose, and Jim and I spent many hours
visiting…eating dinner, being hoisted up the mast, hanging off their boat
getting water, drinking tea out of a real tea pot with a cozy, (me drinking
beer), and dinghying in tandem to the Waterway. 
We left the area about the same time and they are presently in Miami as we sit here in Ft. Lauderdale….and
we’ll probably end up crossing the Gulf the same time….being in contact by VHF
radio.

  Even though this sounds like a lot of
visiting….there were still friends that we didn’t get a chance to see.  As I mentioned….we really did try to get some
work done.  The day Jim finished putting
on the second coat of primer on the deck….the deck was pronounced
waterproof….and we were able to travel about the country!  My good friend, Daminica, who lives in Ft.
Lauderdale with her husband and two children, 2 year old Dominico and 7 month
old Padraig, called a few times while we were in NPB…..fretting that we left
before she could drive up to see us.  She
and Patrick and working full time and caring for their children and giving
emotional support to family members, and entertaining Chicago fans in town for
the Super Bowl….just a little busy!!  But
we did get to see them last night…we were shuttled to their loft in downtown
Ft. Lauderdale and were able to spend precious time with Patrick and the
children….I even got to put on a clean diaper….not me….little Padraig!  We ate pizza….and drank wine.  I was contemplating hiding one of the kids in
my backpack….but I know I couldn’t fit in all the toys!!!  So….after they were put “down” we sat for
awhile and then were taken back to the dinghy dock, bidding farewell….hopefully
will see them before they have the next 2!!

Today we're just kicking back….awaiting to hear from Lauren…she may come for dinner tonight….or she may
come to stay and go across to the Bahamas with us….just another decision she
has to make!!  What a rough life,
huh?  We’ll make one last run to the
grocery store and get fuel and spark plugs for the dinghy motor.  We may get in one or two more little
projects….but doubtful.  We still have
two “project boxes” full of stuff that we want to install…..including a wind
speed indicator, the tachometer (still doesn’t read anything after replacing
the starter), speakers in the cockpit with homemade teak boxes (by Jim,
varnished by Ann), handles for the dodger, and the list goes on.  But….all the major stuff is on and everything
will be secure.  We have a good engine,
good generator, good sails….although we’ve yet to sail…..plenty of food, beer
and wine….rum we’ll get over there….plenty of bird seed for Scootie, the
one-eyed pirated cockatiel that is over 14 years old with an attitude!

Bye for now!

February 18, 2007

Sunday

     We’re anchored securely in beautiful white
sand and blue, blue water in the middle of a cold front with winds forcasted
25-35 knots and seas about 1-2 feet in the anchorage.  We’re in Normans Cay in the Northern Exumas,
just north of the Exuma Land and Sea
Park.  We arrived here 3 days ago after spending
three days at Allens Cay, just 25 nm north of here.

  The crossing of the Gulf was
uneventful…which is always good!!  We
motored only due to no wind, only a few knots but right on the nose the whole
way.  We entered the Great Bahama Bank
the next morning at daylight, just between the Hens and Chickens and Great
Isaac Light, north of Bimini.  We left Ft. Lauderdale
about 2000 on 2/8/2007 and anchored at the Northwest Shoal on the banks late
the afternoon of 2/9/2007.  The seas that
night were like glass, we could see our anchor thru the clear blue water and
there must have been a zillion stars out that night…..and a few
satellites.  Had a great meal with
candlelight under the stars in the cockpit that night.

  The next morning we lifted anchor and 
actually sailed to Chub Cay to check into Customs.  We had to enter a marina, tie up along an old
dock with fenders out…still trying to protect our paint job….got a little
fuel…and were whisked off by bus to the Customs office at the airport.  Jim and I went into the office, there was the
local Bahamian music playing and we both began tapping our feet while the
Customs officer went thru our paperwork. 
I knew we had arrived by then!! 
It was really an easy process….much easier than what we’d been hearing
at other islands, i.e. Nassau.  So….we returned to Bees Knees, took down our
quarantine flag and hoisted the Bahamian flag and miraculously made it away
from the dock, in spite of the attempt by the local two dock guys to pull our
bowline by hand….what a circus!  But we
anchored outside the marina that night and watched a huge influx of powerboats
arriving after fishing the last day of the Wahoo Tournament.

  The following morning we sailed under
reefed main and jib (first time sailing Bees Knees….believe it or not….and we
remembered how to do it!!!!).  We sailed
past Nassau and anchored at Rose Island
with about 5-6 other boats.  We talked
with our friends, John and Nan (Pacific Rose)   , that had stopped in Nassau for Customs…..just
by VHF.  We’ve been in close contact with them
since hopping down the ICW from North Palm Beach.  We arrived at Allens Cay, in the Northern Exumas, on 2/12/07.  The anchorage was beautiful and we decided
just to hang and regroup…and enjoy the weather and snorkeling.  We dinghied around looking for reefs and dove
on a few, but no fish…and no sharks!! 
Whew!  But the island is famous
for the big iguanas that hang out on the beach. 
A lot of tourists feed them, so they get pretty close to you!  Jim and I kayaked around the island, just a
beautiful few days.  Had a big squall
come thru one afternoon…..wind probably blew 40K with rain, lightning and
thunder.  It was wild.  We had our foul weather gear on and had the
engine on, in forward, just to take some strain off the anchorline.  We did end up dragging about 30-40ft., but
then so did everyone else.  So….after the
storm went thru we reanchored while a beautiful double rainbow developed to the
East of us.  It was beautiful!  There were about 15 sailboats in the anchored
in the same area, and everyone was talking on the radio, supporting each other
and joking….it was really kind of nice.     

When we arrived here at Normans on Thursday, we were about the 10th boat in the anchorage, but then by that evening there were about 20!!  We were all waiting for this front to arrive
today….and it’s here in full force.  Bees
Knees is soooo nice and stable though that it’s not too bad down below when it's blowing so hard outside

     We have had a few little problems……

 Our tachometer still doesn’t work.  We purchased a new sender, then a new tachometer,
but still cannot get it to read.  Jim has
been contacting people thru the SSB radio and even the techies cannot figure
out what the problem is.  So….he’s going
to try a few more things…then see if that works.  We just run the engine by sound right
now….it’s a turbo engine and they like to run fast, so that’s good!  Just hope we’re running it fast enough

  While we were heading to Rose Island,
we found water pouring out in the cabin above the floorboards!  Of course, first thing Jim always does is
taste it to see if it’s salty…and it wasn’t. 
So….that was a good thing.  We
found a hose that had popped off the hot water heater…draining gallons of water
into the bilge and onto the floor.  But
got that taken care of pretty fast!! 
Didn’t even drain the tanks completely!

  We were sailing the following day and
started to hear this squeaking noise that we thought was coming from the engine
or the steering rudder.  Jim thought that
the engine was toast…..but quickly found out the noise was resonating from the
mast….and it was found to be an spare Fortress anchor that we had secured to
the “granny bars” on deck was rubbing, aluminum against stainless steel, making
that horrible squeaking noise! 
So….nothing a spare surgical towel couldn’t fix…wedged between the
anchor and the bar!!!  LOL!!

  We also have a little leak…..that we’ve
been trying to track down since leaving Norfolk.  We found it to be from the rudder post, the
packing…everytime the wheel turns the rudder, about a teaspoon of water comes
out of the “dripless” packing around the rudder post.  So….that will be something to keep an eye on
until the next time we haul out to repair.

  We’ve been trying to catch fish….to no
avail.  We dragged two lines in the Northwest Passage, but no bites.  Then we’ve been snorkeling around Allens and
Normans Cay, but all the fish are little. 
Oh….not all…..I did see my first shark just near the land at Normans and I nearly
walked on water back to the dinghy.  Jim
saw the same shark, but was also trying to spear dinner, so he just stayed in
the water and he said the shark went the other way!!!  I just never take the time to see if they’re
going to hang out or swim away!!  I also
never really look to see what kind of shark they are…..sharks are sharks, right….even
though fish are friends!!  LOL!!!  So….I’ve been eating Garden Burgers most of
the time!!  But we’ll keep trying!  Once we enter the Exuma Park,
we cannot fish until we’re South of it which would be after about two more
anchorages as we plan ahead.

  Our plan…which changes daily….is to head
South tomorrow….winds should be East about 10-15K…which is perfect for heading
South down the inside of the Exuma Chain, on the banks in about 25ft. of water.  We’re going to try to get down to Georgetown so we can
anchor and get some projects done…paint the deck and continue the
varnishing.  So….then we have some
friends from Beaufort coming in to stay with another boat….they arrive the end
of the month…just a few days ahead of the Cruisers’ Regatta in Georgetown.  It was reported that there were over 300
boats there already….aaaaaaauuuuuuugggghhhhh! 
But…..if we get that done before they visit, then we can head out and
leisurely come up the Exuma chain of islands again….and take our time, stopping
to see everything that we can.

   Internet access is not available as yet
for us since leaving Ft.
Lauderdale.  Jim’s working on something today, hoping to
get a WIFI connection from one of the homes on an island nearby. 

Well....nearly a month has flown by already since we’ve been in the Bahamas.  Everyday is different, even if we stay in the
same anchorage.  It’s amazing how the weather
can affect that!!  The water changes
color….kinda turns a mean green on cloudy, unsettled weather days….then is the
most beautiful turquoise blue on the sunny cloudless days!!  Today is the mean green day….as we sit out
another front in Joe’s Sound, Long Island.  We’ve been here over a week, arriving on
Monday 2/26/2007, enjoying the white sandy beaches, appearing at low tide, and
the sparkling blue/green waters.  Jim and
I were here two years ago and it is one of our favorite places in the Bahamas.

   When we finally left Norman’s
Cay in the Northern Exumas, we sailed down to
Shroud Cay.  Doesn’t sound very
nice…..kinda deadly really (LOL)….but it’s another uninhabited island that is
full of mangroves and little streams that run through it to the Exuma Sound
from the banks.  We met two other boats
there that we had cocktails with at Norman’s
Cay….”Sea Schell” and “Shibumi”.  Great
couples that had known each other for awhile….but as we sat around talking one
evening we discovered that the three guys were from New York originally and the
three women from Ohio!!  What a small
world, huh?  Anyways….while at Shroud we
spent a day traveling thru the mangroves…they on two dinghies and Jim and I in
kayaks.  Once we got to the other side of
the island, there is a beautiful beach that we went swimming at and walked a
little.  If we ever get the pictures on
the website you’ll see Jim diving off the small cliff!  I didn’t even push him!!  We spent the rest of our time there either
kayaking or sailing in Jim’s kayak.

  On the 21^st, Wednesday, we
said our good-byes to our new friends….hopefully will meet again at some remote
anchorage.  Jim and I sailed a short
distance to Sampson Cay where we were the only boat anchored until late that
evening and another boat came in.  We
zoomed around the island in the dinghy and picked out a few fishing holes that
looked promising for our return trip….if we go back that way.  The following day was the best sailing
yet……wing on wing…(which is balancing two sails while they are on the port and
starboard side of the boat…usually pretty tenuous to sail because the wind is
directly behind you, sailing downwind, and you have to steer accordingly!)  Jim was dying to fly the cruising spinnaker
that we designed with black and yellow stripes with red borders (pretty wild
for the Bees Knees!!)….so he popped up that sail on the portside and we flew
the main on the starboard side with a preventer attached to the stanchion
base.  We tried to take pictures, but we
couldn’t get the whole sail and the boat in the frame.  So…we’ll eventually post some pictures, but
you’ll get an idea of how cool it was. 
But we went over 14nm sailing that way…and of course we were racing any
other boat that was nearby…..the only one that passed us was a catamaran that
had both sails up and had his motor on (with a bizarre name of “Double
Tap”….not to calming for a sailor-type, huh?) 
But it was a beautiful day of sailing. 
We anchored that night at Cave Cay……once again the only boat anchored
there.  We passed an anchorage full of
boats that were crammed in to one small space….and here we had a beach all to
ourselves.  Just South of Cave Cay is
Musha Cay….which is rumored to have a house owned by Oprah on it.  We were able to get some WIFI internet
connection from there….so Jim thinks it should be a country song….we poached
Oprah’s WIFI while anchored at Cave Cay…..can’t you just hear it????

   We arrived in Georgetown, Elizabeth Harbour,in the Southern Exumas the following day,Friday, 2/23/2007.  This is my third time here and Jim’s second…..as we came around the island from the inlet…..there were over 300 boats anchored.  We dropped the sails and anchored as far away as we could from them…..only to wake up the
next day about 1nm away from where we had anchored!!!!  So….we nonchalantly picked up the dragging
anchor and motored down to “Hamburger Beach” at Georgetown and snuggled up next
to the beach pretty securely with the other 320 boats in town.  Our goal was then to meet up with our friends
from Beaufort, arriving on Sunday, and meet their friends on “Sea Paws”, a
Beneteau trawler anchored off “Sand Dollar Beach” in Georgetown, and to reprovision.  As we were setting our anchor the first day,
I heard a call on the VHF radio from “Alicat”….friends that I had met on “Murph”
in 2004…..so another meeting was set up to get together with them.

  We spent the next few days trying to get supplies at the local markets.  The
best deal was a Rasti man that sells vegetables at a roadside stand.  They don’t say much, but the veges and fruit
are always great.  We found a bunch of the small bananas cut right off the stalk for us, a cucumber, ripe small
tomatoes (the best I’ve tasted since Ohio), and a small head of cabbage.  We also stocked up on Rum and Vodka….and a
few more cheap bottles of wine and a case of Kalik Gold beer.  The wine is really expensive here…..Barefoot
wines, normally $5-$6 in the States, was about $26.  So…if you find a cheap wine….I can’t even imagine where they get it or what it would cost in the States….they probably pay you to drink it!!!  LOL!!!  But…for some reason it tastes pretty good in plastic wine glasses sitting on a boat in the Bahamas!!

Jan and Don arrived on schedule on Sunday and we had cocktails on “Sea Paws” that evening.  The following day we left Georgetown to come to Joe’s Sound.  It was only a 20nm sail, and had to motorsail
into the wind, but it was a great sail. 
OH…..I forgot to tell you that we caught a dolphin (mahi mahi) coming
down from Cave Cay to Georgetown.  That was our first on this trip!  We sprayed rum into it’s gills to help it die
a better death and Jim filleted it and we put it in the freezer after giving
thanks to the fish.  We have been
trailing a line whenever we could, outside of the Exuma
Land and Sea Park,
but this is the first and only fish so far.

 The entrance to Joe’s Sound is
intimidating…..Jim and I have been here a couple of times before (two years
ago)….so we were a lot more comfortable with entering.  I stood on the bow while he was behind the
wheel and I was giving my infamous hand signals and we breezed right in.  We were told that if you can see water
between the rocks and the boat, you’re not close enough to the rocks.  That’s how tight it is….then immediately
after you pass the rocks on the right, there’s a sandbar directly in front of
you that you have to veer to the starboard quickly.  We looked like pros coming in….and as we
passed an already anchored boat, “Estelle”, in the anchorage, they commented
that they were impressed with our entrance!! 
Whooohooo!!     The next few days were filled with

The next few days were filled with small boat projects…..teak/varnish and sanding the deck after removing the
traveler….and diving for fish.  Jim caught a snapper, a Schoolmaster, while diving…also a lobster that Ronnie from
“Alicat” pointed out, so he gave the lobster to them that they enjoyed for lunch that day.  Otherwise we really didn’t see many big fish……Nassau grouper were everywhere until the season opened on March 1….now you can’t find them!!  But luckily I still had a Gardenburger left!!  LOL!!  Jim made pasta with a great tomato sauce and grilled the snapper and laid that on the side.  He’s the cook of the two of us…..we still take turns cooking, but I dread my night and cannot think of what to make unless I have a recipe.  He just whips up the best meals out of seemingly nothing!!  So…he’s cooking tonight….we’re having macaroni and cheese and coleslaw.  We’re starting to run low on provisions, so hopefully we’ll get stuff done when the weather clears so we can put the traveler back in place and head South to Thompson’s Bay where they have a store within walking distance of the anchorage.

 We really enjoyed our time with Jan
and Don from Beaufort and “Sea Paws” Gail and John.  We had two great meals with them on “Sea
Paws” and Jim really cooked up a great meal for 8 one night….”Sea Paws”
“Alicat” and Jan and Don…….making curried seafood (kind of a combo of the day’s
catch among all of us….mahi mahi….lobster…and glass-eyed snapper).  We all gathered in the cockpit of Bees Knees,
passing plates up from the galley…then enjoying a great dessert from “Alicat”
of pie made from marscapone cheese…..not toooo bad for eating on a boat in the middle of the Bahamas, huh?  LOL!!!  

Presently there are three other boats…….one catamaran is a couple and their children that we met two
years ago in the same anchorage.  They are both ER doctors in the Yukon.  There is a couple from Canada that
“house sit” in a house behind a beachfront house…..they used to be cruisers…..and they help out the cruisers that anchor at Joe’s Sound.  Two years ago we were introduced to them thru another couple from Beaufort, Bob and Barb on “Rhiannon”, and this year we hailed them on the VHF to say HI.  We just returned from their house after dropping off our propane tanks that they will get filled tomorrow when they go into town.  They have great stories of the Yukon….he’s a
pilot and they had wilderness camp that they flew people in and out of the “bush”….great stories and you never tire of them.  It just so happens that two of the boats in the anchorage with us are also from the Yukon…..the ER docs on “Isla Bonita” and “Maeve”.  Small world, huh?

  Well…..waiting for the weather again….just enjoying life.  Getting a lot of reading done and I’m getting better at Spider solitaire…..to Jim’s dismay!!!  Tomorrow the winds should be lighter, but still have to be concerned with the isolated thunderstorms predicted…..not because of safety, but boat projects!  We just need about four days of no rain/light
wind….then we can put the traveler back on….then worry about the rest of the boat projects later.

   Will write more later……not any WIFI where we are…have to walk about 2 miles to the resort and pay $10/day for using our computers with their WIFI…….so not sure when I’ll send this or if we get the website together ….then you can just read at your leisure.  But until then I may keep sending these goofy logs.

Bye for now!!

March 19,2007

Georgetown, Exuma

Hello again!

          Well, we’re sitting in Georgetown, again!  We’re holed up behind Hamburger
Beach, aka Monument Beach, hiding from big winds 25-30K…along with 260 of our closest friends!!      

We did get the traveler back on when we were in Joe’s Sound.  Jim painted the areas where it was secured and I varnished the blocks that it sits on…and alas…one day was actually free of rain that we were able to secure it all back
on.  So then we were free to travel about the world, once again. 

    When we left Joe’s Sound there was just one other sailboat in the anchorage…and the couple dinghied up to us the
evening before and introduced themselves…they were on “Puff”.  And to prove what a small world it is….his
father looked at our boat when it was for sale in Beaufort, at Core Creek.  He was from Harker’s Island….just close to
Beaufort….and they were buying land on Long Island (where Joe’s Sound is).  So….we swapped information….WIFI, the free conch fritters with happy hour at Cape Santa Maria, the friends that house-sit named “Fernandina Rock” and are kind enough to help out with any needs that cruisers have while anchored in Joe’s Sound.  We blasted thru the inlet to Joe’s Sound, like pros again…with Jim at the helm and I was balanced over the bow watching for rocks that might have jumped into place.  It was great!!  Of course, getting the sails up in 30-35K winds that we found outside the harbour was not as much fun…..a little disagreement here and there….and off we went….sailing towards Thompson Bay, just about 24 nm South of Joe’s Sound.  We were ripping thru the water at 7K under double reefed main and a small jib pulled out. 
The depths are only 7-9 feet along the course, so no seas at all.  It was great. 

   We pulled into Thompson Bay and found about 25 other cruising boats anchored…including friends on “Boundless”, from Beaufort.  So we anchored nearby them at the rear of the pack and scurried to get over to their boat for
happy hour.  Now the happy hours don’t always end up being just “happy hours”.  Seems like more than a few times we’ve extended our stay to well past the “happy hour” and pull ourselves off the boat around 2100 or 2200 when you
start to see one of the hosts yawning!!  The last we saw John and Marilyn was when they stopped by Elizabeth City in their RV enroute North…then they were going to head off cruising.  So….it had been about a year.   We’ve kept in
contact with them thru emails and the SSB radio. 

   The SSB is a wonderful communication network…and you don’t have to be a ham radio operator to use it.  There are designated channels at varying hours throughout the morning and evening that you can tune to to chat with friends, listen to weather, tune in to “Cruiseheimers”.  “Cruiseheimers” is a net that is run by cruisers or “land cruisers” who used to be cruisers…..and it’s purely for communication with other cruisers.  They have an emergency/priority/or medical section at the beginning of every session.  So….if there is any problem, it is addressed…and all the cruisers listening try to help.  There are often posted “boat watches” for a buddy boat that didn’t show up on time or something like that.  Or if family is trying to get in touch with us, that’s a good way to find out.  Then they go thru and take boat names and locations….so you just check in every now and then….if someone hears you check in that wants to talk with you…they just chime in and mention that they have traffic with you.  Then you agree on another channel to go to….leave the net…and talk to you long lost friends!!  Pretty cool, huh?  Now they’ve also started the “tech net” which follows the regular “Cruiseheimer’s” on Wednesday and Sundays.  On this net if you’re having any problems that you cannot figure out on your boat….you can ask the other cruisers…and everybody chimes in if they have an idea of how to fix things.  Kind of like a public “Click and Clack” for boaters (my favorite NPR show!!)       To get back to the Thompson Bay……the

To get back to the Thompson Bay....next day it was announced that they were having dinner for anyone interested at
the Thompson Bay Inn….where a woman named Whilemenia cooks for everyone…local Bahamian style….and it is delicious. 
Even not eating meat….I’m “stuffed” by the time I leave.  It’s $10/person, and $5 per drink……so it’s a great deal.  There were 30 cruisers that signed up, but I think more ended up going.  We showed up at 1700 for drinks and dinner was probably served by 1900 for us all….buffet style.  I had the best coleslaw, mac and cheese (a Bahamian favorite), fried breaded shrimp, and Jim also had all that and ribs, chicken, peas and rice.  We had a great time and met a lot of our
neighbors in the anchorage.

  Also that AM we took two bags of laundry to Mrs. Miller who lives in a house just next to the local petroleum
station.  We found her sitting in her rocking chair in her open-doored house, plaiting grass…..so fast…kind of like
how my mom used to knit without looking at what she was doing and carrying on a conversation.  Jim was very interested in
the art and carried on a conversation…and she told us where we could find the grass on the island if we wanted to attempt the art.  But…we agreed on a price for the laundry and guaranteed it would be done the following afternoon if it didn’t rain!!  Nice woman!

   We then filled up a couple of jerry jugs with diesel and one of gasoline for the dinghy and carried those back to the dinghy.  Then off to the grocery store for supplies.  Well….we had a huge list….and the grocery store is, as Jim describes it, “the size of a hat box”, with all the supplies that we really needed.  Of course…it’s such a small place that we ran into “Boundless”, the couple from “Fernandina Rock” and their German friend from Simms, Marianne.  So…it was a great time just going to reprovision.  So…..then we carried everything back to the dinghy and off to “Bees Knees”. 

    We hurried and loaded all the “stuff” onto the boat, put the refrigerated items away and zoomed off with John and
Marilyn from “Boundless” in their dinghy for the shore.  We were to meet about 2-3 other boats there to explore the local cave.  Well…when we got to shore, we met another couple that also “house sit” for someone that had a great house right on the shore by the cave.  They had a great yellow lab that we adopted for the trip into the cave….and I also got my “dog fix” for the day with Salty…and off we went.  There was just a small path leading to the cave.  The path had few lizards, but no snakes or spiders that I could see.  Then we entered the wide open cave…..which is really cool to think that your under the rocks….tree roots growing down, copper rocks sitting around, dirt floor…..and then they shine their lights on a huge cockroach on the ceiling right next to a termite trail that snaked off above our heads all away across the ceiling of the cave.  Well….we were warned to each bring a flashlight…so I brought the one we use in the dinghy at night….and we
were heading into a tunnel, much smaller that the room that we were in.  I shined my flashlite once into the darkness
and couldn’t see anything and made the snap decision not to proceed.  I just kind of backed to the end of the line
of people and John took by picture as I was running out of the cave to wait by the beach.  I guess I really am a chicken, but why spoil a great life by trying to be brave when I really am a chicken?  As I stood outside the cave I could hear their voices coming from the right….then from the left….then I heard the trucks going over them on the road that probably was right over their heads.   I stood by the rocks on the beach and wondered how I could actually sail a boat across the Gulf Stream without thinking about it, but when it comes to small dark caves, I call it quits?  I guess we all have our weaknesses and spiders and snakes are mine.  Give me storms and lightning, waves and wind, and wide open oceans on a small piece of fiberglass anyday!!!  But…..finally I did see Salty run out of the cave ahead of everyone with a stick in his mouth and soon everyone else came out.  Jim and another cruiser had black tarry toes where they had stepped in bat guano, John had a huge scape down his left lower leg where he fell into a hole, they saw bats all over and one spider.  I just wonder what they didn’t see!!!  Jim now tells me he could feel the bats fly by him!!  I would have died on the spot.  He would have had a hard time explaining all of that, huh?

    Well….after the non-cave experience, we came back to Bees Knees and relaxed for awhile.  We were going to try to go to lunch somewhere, but the only place that had lunch had closed the year before.  We dinghied back to Mrs. Miller’s that
afternoon for our laundry which was piled neatly, folded, and smelled fresh as the wind.  We piled it into our net
bags…talked with her a little more….then carried the bags back to the dinghy and put them in garbage bags for the ride home to “Bees Knees”.  So…you wonder what we do all day, huh?  There’s a lot of lugging and putting things away!!

   Since we’ve been back in Georgetown Jim was able to sand the deck one day in 20K winds….but no waves and no rain….so it worked out O.K.(just felt sorry for the sailboat behind us!!)  Today, now the 20^th, he was able to hand sand a few spots, but rain threatened, so no big projects.  We heard the forecast this AM and it sounds like there isn’t going to be any real traveling weather until April…the winds are forecasted to be out of the NNE at 20-25K for the next two weeks.  So….hopefully we’ll get a lot done.

       Monument Beach is a big hill that has trails all over.  The best hike is up to the top where the monument is and you have a view of the anchorage at Hamburger Beach and also of the Exuma Sound.  It’s beautiful!!  Especially in these winds where there are breakers coming onto the reefs just offshore…then they fly up like a blow hole.  The beach on the Sound side is beautiful also…..white sand and nearly deserted.  I’m trying to get back into running, but have not been very religious about it.  But this is a perfect spot to keep trying!!

  We’ve also been kayaking a lot….if you stay close to shore the hills kind of shield the wind and it’s much easier.  While Jim was sanding the other day I kayaked all the way down the harbour to Sand Dollar Beach and back.  That evening we used Jim’s kayak that has a sailing kit….and we sailed around the anchorage…one at a time.  It’s a blast!  It’s only my third time using it and the first time I tipped over….forgot to let go….and it was right in front of a sailing club on the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City…..a little embarrassing!

 There are a lot of boats here that we know and that I’ve mentioned in past logs….”Boundless”, “Pacific Rose”, “Alicat”,  and “Shibumi”.  On St. Patrick’s Day I tried to gather everyone up to celebrate and there were about 10 of us, including “Boundless”, “Pacific Rose”, “Shibumi” then “Memory Rose” and “Shamrock”…two boats that we were introduced to.  There was a little bit of green and I had Jim wearing a little green elf pin!

We had Bahamian beers, Kalik, and conch burgers to celebrate!  It was fun, but I missed hanging out with Maureen, my sister, and my mom!!  We always seemed to have just a little bit more fun!!!!       

Georgetown is a small town, but they have a couple of grocery stores, hardware store, two liquor stores, gas stations.  We found a local Rasta man that sells vegetables on a stand on the side of the road, Roosevelt.  He has the best tomatoes and the small bananas that he cuts off the branch for us.  So we loaded up on those, some green onions, papaya and grits.  It’s really special to find good fresh produce in the islands. 
We met 6 other friends for lunch at “Eddie’s Edgewater” after we used their free WIFI to file our taxes and get email.  On the way back to the dinghy we stopped at the grocery store and got the rest of our supplies on the list.  We’ve turned into excellent list makers…the problem is that Jim sticks to it!!!!  LOL!!

     So….it looks like we’ll be here for the next two weeks at least.  Last week we almost made a decision to head further South rather than come back to the States.  But….we slept on it and the next morning decided that it would be better to come back for this next season, then head out for good.  Just need to get a little more prepared…..charts, supplies, money, etc.!!!!  I still haven’t found the perfect job….had a few offers, but not enough money.  So….I’ll keep looking.  Maine looks good, but I think the pay might be less than NC. 

Well….no web page yet, so I don’t know if I’ll send this or just wait until the page gets developed.  We have some great pictures, though…once we get it going we’ll post those.  Had just a great sail from Long Island to Georgetown…had the spinnaker up with the main reefed….there were 14 boats heading in the same direction and we were racing,
of course, and beat most of them!!  It’s a fast boat….about 7K with that flying.  We then dropped the spinnaker, pulled the reef out of the main and put out the jib and flew nearly downwind with a spinnaker pole attached to the clew
of the jib.  Next thing I know…Jim’s standing on the spinnaker pole, over the water, riding it up and down!!  So…of course I had to try it….it was a blast. 

  We went off soundings heading North up Stocking Island and had two fishing lines dragging….and that’s all they did….no fish.  The fishing has been slim this year….I just read that I have to start spitting on the lures before we throw them in.  So…I’ll let you know how that goes!!!

April 23, 2007

We are crossing the banks of Eleuthera, from Alabaster Bay to Current Cut, with winds abaft of beam on the starboard side, main and reefed jib flying, with speed about 6-7K.  In other words, a glorious sail!!

We finally left Georgetown after a month.  Jim did get the entire deck primed and we are finally all one color anyways!  It looks soooo nice.  The only part he got paint on was in the cockpit and it is beautiful…he did a great job.  So…the rest will hold until we stop for the season…somewhere up North.    It was quite a job….taking off all the hardware, the canvas bimini and dodger…praying for no rain….and sanding and painting.  I did a lot of kayaking while he was working with the toxic fumes with a gas mask on.  People were impressed! 

There was another boat that pulled into Georgetown a few days prior to us leaving…a real beautiful classic lined sailing vessel from Grand Cayman…they spent two hours cleaning the hull upon their arrival.  Well…the next day a helicopter landed on the flat rock beach on Hamburger Beach, to deliver a part for them, and then they were off the following day!!  Guess all it takes is money, right?

          On Easter Monday in GT we watched a race between the local Class C boats.  It was a blast.  About 6-7 dinghies full of cruisers motored across the harbour to Fish Fry Village, got a few beers and conch for lunch and sat and watched the three boats race around a course.  It’s really neat to see.  They have the lightest and probably youngest crew at the helm and everyone else is perched far out on these outriggers, which are really just big boards, for ballast.  The sails are huge and to reef them, they just pull on the corners and
tie them down…nothing fancy, but it’s great to see.

 May 15, 2007

ICW South Carolina

          Well….I guess I’ve been a little lax in keeping the log up to date.  Seems like Eleuthera is soooo far away…the blue water, the pink sand beaches.  Boo Hoo L……..

I’ll try to be brief, but the bottom line is…..we weren’t able to sail offshore due to
weather….several attempts! 

    We crossed the banks of Eleuthera and anchored at Royal Island on 4/23/2007.  When we attempted to start our generator that evening, it wouldn’t start.  We had been having some problems with it starting and thought it may have been low voltage on the battery.  Well…it would start and run for 10-11 seconds, then die.  Jim contacted the factory rep and got a quick response…using “Wild Card’s” SSB email system…Sailmail.  We removed a wire for the oil pressure as suggested and alas….it ran great.  But…only for an hour or so…while we made a little water and cooled down the refrig. 
Then…it started to make a “clunky” sound…so we rushed to turn it off.  Found oil sprayed all over the generator near the oil filter and were totally confused.  The oil under the engine was a grey goo….mixture of oil and something. 
So….called the rep guy again and he suggested to change the oil filter (“probably blew an oil seal”) refill the generator with oil and try to start it again.  So we did and when we tried to start it again, the generator made an awful metal on metal sound.  So….that was the end of that.  Doesn’t sound toooo terrible until you figure that Bees Knees is mostly an AC boat and the watermaker, refrig/freezer run off of it and we use it to charge the batteries when we’re at anchor.  So….we had to make a decision on where to go with limited water and fridge and freezer thawing out.  We decided to head to the Abacos and take off from the northern Abacos, to go offshore to Beaufort, NC….about
a 3-4 day trip….looking for 3-5 days of favorable weather.  It never happened for us.  We were anchored at Manjack Cay, just north of Green Turtle…and our friends on Wild Card decided to leave a day before us, to head to Great Sale, then offshore the following day to Beaufort.  Well….off they went and we waved goodbye on 4/29/2007.  That day we spent walking the island, watching little sharks near the beach, patrolling, and dolphins playing, birds chirping.  Really a great day.  On Monday, 4/30/2007 we
motor-sailed to Great Sale.  The following day we spent doing maintenance on the main engine….changing oil and
filters, changing fuel filters, tightening belts….all that stuff.  The weather shut down….there was a cold front
developing in the Carolinas that would be there about the time we would have been there…..so, we opted to sail from Great Sale to Fernandina Beach, FL, leaving 5/2/2007 at 0715 and arriving in Fernandina Beach on Friday at 0130.  It was a great crossing….sailed for the first 5-6 hours….with a few thunderstorms passing thru…..then had to motor once we
hit the Gulf Stream….little wind and it was on the nose.  Well…even the breath of wind went away and it was like a pond on the ocean.  We saw sooo much wildlife…..alot of dolphins that were playing off our bow.  There were huge sea turtles floating in the water…and we’d recognize them mainly because there were always 2 seagulls sitting on the shell!!  Then we had this cute little bird come aboard….we looked in the bird book and thought he was a vireo…..so we named him “Beerio” the vireo!! 
He was soooo cute.  He just hopped around the boat…inside and out….hung on Scootie’s cage a few times…sat on our
heads….ate dinner with us.  Jim was amazed at his precision in catching his food, mid-air….moths and bugs that were flying by!  Jim was lying down and I was on the bow watching dolphins….and the last we saw Beerio was hopping toward the
Vberth down below.  So…we figured he flew away.  We did see him start to fly away several times, but then returned quickly.  We figure now that he probably was weak and couldn’t make it.  We found him the next day….in Jim’s Croc’s
(shoe)….where he nested to die.  Poor Beerio!      

  In Fernandina Beach....we did all the stuff cruisers do when they return to the States…..laundry, fuel, water,
provision…..went to dinner, bought great coffee beans, found shrimp at the
local seafood shop, got my picture taken with the Geico gecko!  It was the weekend for the “Shrimp
Festival”….so we got there just when they were setting it all up.  That night they had just a spectacular
fireworks display…..Jim’s logic was as follows:  He saw a guy put a chair on the front of his little power boat about
1500 that day….so he assumes they are going to have fireworks that evening.  Well….we asked the local patrolling cops, they said NO…..Jim asked the taxi driver….he doubted they’d have fireworks because of all the smoke from the fires in Georgia already in the area.  So….I bet him…..and lost!!!!  I’m still trying to make good my wager!!

          We left the following day for Frederica River…just off St. Simon Island in Georgia.  We stayed there while a front went thru….which turned into subtropical storm Andrea.  We scooted out of there quick when she was named, motoring up the ICW to Walburg Creek in Georgia on May 9^th (Barb’s birthday, Jim’s sister)!  We were
in contact with a boat that left right behind us, “Changes in Latitudes”…and we continued to talk to them on the radio nearly daily since then….never have met yet!  The ICW in Georgia just winds around and around…so you get nowhere fast….but it’s really pretty.  We anchored in the Herb River the following day, then made it to Beaufort, South Carolina, by Friday, the 11^th.  Again we provisioned….walking miles to Publix and the liquor store….lugging everything back to the dinghy at Ladies Island Marina….then zoomed back to Bees Knees at anchor.  We visited a few shops in Beaufort…coffee and scones….then a bookstore where Jim bought his study guide for the HAM exam.  We decided to both try to get our General HAM licenses….the test is to be given in Beaufort, NC, on Saturday the 19^th…..just 4 days away!!  I passed the technician exam in 2004 in Georgetown….then passed the General exam in 2006 in Georgetown…but not the Morse Code part.  So…I had a year to pass the Morse Code exam part to get my General license….and I let it slip by.  Now….they’ve deleted the Morse Code as part of the exam!!  Whoohooo!!  So, I just have to pass the test again…and I’ll have my General license.  Jim hasn’t ever attempted to get his HAM, nor did he want to.  But Wild Card was using their HAM license on
the SSB for email in the middle of nowhere…and getting good weather reports and contacting people in emergencies….so he changed his mind.  So….that’s part of what we’re doing as we meander up the ICW….studying for the HAM exams!!  The biggest trick will be trying to get to Beaufort, NC, by Friday to take the exam on Saturday.

       Yesterday….another one of those days…..especially for those of you that wonder what we do all day.  We pulled up the anchor, having spent the night in Stono River, just South of Wapoo Creek and Charleston…..again another
front came thru…..so we headed out to the harbour, trying to decide if we should go offshore the following day….we were going to anchor in the Charleston harbour and leave early the next morning. 
The winds were supposed to die down and seas accordingly.  Well…..we got into the harbour and the wind
had to be 20-25K, from the NNE (forecasted to be ESE and less than 10K)….so we motored across the harbour, heading up the ICW.  Suddenly there was a loud sound as if we hit the rocks……might have been better….we caught a crab pot around our prop.  The boat immediately slowed down and that sound that things were
knocking, off kilter.  We were in the middle of the bay…so we continued for about another 1.5miles at about 2.5 knots
only.  When we got across the bay we found the bridge wouldn’t open for another 2 hours.  So….we anchored in the middle of the ICW, put out a Securite call on the radio that we had a fouled prop and would have a
diver in the water.  The water was mud colored and no visibility….aaaauuuuggghhhh!! 
So…in I went with a knife in my teeth….not really, but it sounds better…..but I had a BC and tank on and was able to cut thru the polypropelene line that was wrapped a zillion times around the shaft between the prop and the
zinc.  There were two pieces of melted line that were the last to come off…..just amazing.  Plus no dead bodies floated by, that I know of…..and no dolphins came up and nosed me!  So…we did all that and pulled up the anchor just in time to catch the bridge opening at 1800.

          The high tide was really high due to an upcoming new moon and the ICW was just covered with reeds and grass floating by…Jim kept looking for Moses wrapped up lying on top of one….but no joy!  So….the first anchorage we came to right after the bridge was Inlet Creek….but it was difficult to tell where the land ended and the water began due to such high tides….we thought better of it and turned around and continued to head up the ICW. 
Just shortly after that….our next bridge that we encountered was a fixed 65’ vertical clearance (according to the charts).  Well….as we approached we found the water so high, the clearance was only 62’…and we believe our mast to be 63.5’ tall….including the antenna.  So…..we turned around and went back to the Inlet Creek. 

Then….as if things couldn’t get worse…..as we anchored and the anchor was set….it’s been sort of a ritual that Jim disappears below and come back on deck with a cold beer in a cozy just for me!!!  Isn’t that sweet?  But…..on this
day…..he shows up on deck, empty handed and states that there is no cold beer in the fridge!!!!!  So…I hurried and put
away all the anchoring supplies….and zoomed down below to search the fridge…..and only to find a lone Bass Ale lying sideways on the bottom of the fridge!  That night we ate steamed green beans with Parmesan cheese and leftover pizza that Jim made the night before.

          Our plan for today was to awake early, check the weather…the weather buoys near shore and offshore of Charleston….if the seas laid down and the wind died, we were heading back thru the bridge to the scene of the crab pot
and head offshore.  But….the seas were 4’ with winds con’t. East at 15K….Nearly the direction we were heading, NE.  So…..we decided something is making us stay in the ICW…..we’re supposed to be here for a reason……not sure what that is
yet…..or if we ever will….but here we are. 
Most of the crab pots have been off to the side as we head Northtoday….but our eyes are peeled!

          Well…that’s all for now…once again.