We stayed at the West End for several days waiting for the storm front to move thru on the Tues and Wed. There was a very shallow area that we wanted to travel thru at high tide. We were told we would have no less than 7 feet all the way thru at high tide. It was worth waiting for as it would cut off 3 hours of travel time.
There was lots to do while we waited. First there was some fishing to be done. Unfortunately Steve and Linda's outboard motor gave them some trouble and Steve ended up finally rowing back.
Then there was the swimming pool which beckoned us in the afternoons. Peter is here in the top pool talking to another boater in the lower pool.
Then there was a number of bike rides into town. My bike broke down and we did not have tools with us to fix it. Now what do we do. We are about 2 miles from the boat?
Steve and Peter tied the bikes together with two bike lock cables. Then Steve towed Peter on my bike. That's right, Steve had to drag Peter back to the boats, 2 miles away.
Peter and I took a side trip to Port Lucaya one afternoon. Enjoyed the local sights. First an ice cream cone, then wandered thru a touristy flea market where Peter couldn't resist buying a Bahamas shirt. Definitely a tourist. Then we went to the marina and enjoyed a slice of pizza in a open plaza area right at the marina. The visit was very short as we had to be sure to catch the last bus from Port Lucaya and Freeport. There was a casino in Port Lucaya. Too bad Linda missed it.
The day to move on finally arrived and we said goodbye to the West End. 5 boaters were up early and away from docks to catch the early morning high tide thru Indian Cay channel to Barracuda Shoal. No problem. Then we were onto the Little Bahama Bank. Wind and waves were on the nose. 3 foot waves with some 4's and 5's thrown in. Every once in awhile the bow of the boat would rise way out of the water and then bang back down into the next wave. Suspect these were the "square waves" we have been told about. The photo is of "Eagle Wings" on the crossing. We were glad to reach our destination of Great Sale Cay. A delightful anchorage.
Peter had to do some fishing. Around noon he caught a fish. Took him about half an hour to finally bring it in. But how disappointing; it was a barracuda. What an ugly fish, and all those nasty teeth. Now what do we do with it? Well we just towed it behind the boat. We left it in the water overnight, still not sure how to safely get it off the hook. Thinking that we could use it for bait, as they are not good to eat.
Problem solved. The next morning when we got up, there was nothing on the hook. And I mean nothing. Overnight the local fish had a feast and solved our problem.
The next day we were off for another full day of travel. The winds were picking up as the day wore on and we decided to get out of the weather sooner rather than later and anchored near Foxtown, behind Hawksbill Cay. It was a bouncey anchorage, but better than another 3 hours of banging around in the weather. The next day we were up early and made our way to Powell Cay. Our anchor set on the first try, but there was a storm front coming in with high winds blowing thru making it uncomfortable. Steve and Linda looked like they had a more protected spot. We decided to move over to where they were closer to shore. Of course, as we were trying to change our spot the leading edge of the front moved in. Making for an exciting few minutes. Our anchor dragged for quite awhile, but it finally set. The 30 mile an hour winds assured us that we were secure. We could be quite comfortable that we would not drag during the night.
Then off to Green Turtle Cay and a dock and internet. There are green and red balls in the water marking the channel. Strange, very strange. But they sure do the job.
It gets unnerving not to have your communications. We have been 3 days and 3 anchorages without communications. We have no idea of what the weather is going to be. It is good to get to a marina and get some current information. Weather, Wind, Wave Heights, Wave Intervals, Facebook, and emails. How civilized. Still no weather reports on the VHF. No cruisers net on the VHF yet either.
Now we wait for an opportunity to pass thru the Whales Cut or Channel to make our way south towards Marsh Harbour. Multiple conflicting reports. The locals (dock hands) say don't go now, then there is a local pundit, Chris Parks, who says go on this day early, but after that it is a no go for several days. OK, we wait. There are worse places to be. We could be at home, still shovelling snow. Heard they got another 8 inches overnight.
While everyone raves about the Bahamas, they fail to tell you that after you arrive at the West End, that you still have another 3 to 4 travel days to actually get to the islands where you can enjoy the snorkelling and the fishing. And that is only if the winds subside and allow you to enjoy these activities. I am quite contented to be tied at a dock and enjoy the local area.
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