Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Transit From Abaco to Eleuthera & Marsh Harbour Epilogue

February 23, 2016



Abaco 'Blue Hole'
After trying in vain to find this with directions from the internet, our bible study teacher, Elvane, led us here.  

We arrived in Rock Sound, Eleuthera late yesterday (Monday) after a 3-day transit from Marsh Harbour, Abaco.

Day 1 (Saturday) was a short hop down the 'Sea of Abaco to anchor off Lynyard Cay near Little Harbour Bar (Cut). This is one of those trips that is of 'many turns' as you dodge the numerous shoals that line the way south.  For the first time (at any speed anyway) we briefly hit a small uncharted shoal in water that was supposed to be 10-11' feet deep (we draw less than 5').  After bouncing over it, there appears to be no damage, that we know of, other than probably scrapping some bottom paint off from our keel.

Day 2  (Sunday) featured an exit from Little Harbour Bar to the Atlantic Ocean. Little Harbour Bar is one of the cuts or channels that connect the Sea of Abaco with the Atlantic Ocean.  None of these cuts can be taken lightly.  When a large ocean swell is running, particularly if it is opposing wind and/or tide - the resultant large breaking waves can be very dangerous as you navigate the relatively narrow 'cut'.  Sunday morning featured a 6' NE swell that at near high tide in the morning featured a somewhat bumpy, but safe exit to the ocean.

After exiting the Bar, we proceeded to cross what is known by professional mariners as 'The Hole in the Wall'.  The Bahamas create a huge 'wall' that large ships can not get across to reach the south-east or gulf coasts of the States.  One of the few places where there is a large deep-water channel that allows them to pass is the Northeast Providence Channel or 'The Hole in the Wall'.  Although only about 60 miles across, it consists of deep ocean water heavily trafficked by large ships.  Although much is made about crossing the Gulf Stream with its strong currents, crossing the Hole in the Wall is true 'ocean' sailing in that it is exposed to the North Atlantic swells.  Swells are waves that were created by wind a long way away and have traveled and built up, sometimes to monstrous size.  The swell on Sunday was a moderate 6-8', but even at that, when you are at the bottom of a swell, you sometimes look out of the cockpit at the side of a wave.

Day 3 (Monday) featured a transit through 'Current Cut',  an aptly named very narrow channel between northern Eleuthera and Current Island to the south, through which a huge amount of tidal water flows. We transited a little before a high tide with a modest 2 knot following current.  Then it was across the bank, arriving in late afternoon at Rock Sound, Eleuthera.

Already, we have had great visits here with our friends at Sammy's Place and 3-T's laundry and we are looking forward to our remaining stay.  Although we have done it several times before, the transition from Marsh Harbour, Abaco to here is always striking. Although we have great friends there, Marsh Harbour is the 3rd largest city in the Bahamas and although relatively small by American standards, still has somewhat of a 'city' feel.  Here almost everyone that passes says good-day, how are you - especially the school children - quite a difference from Marsh Harbour.

That said, our time in Abaco, especially Marsh Harbour was precious.  Our friends at Grace Baptist are like family and we enjoy our time together.  This year, in addition to Sunday worship, we joined the Wednesday night bible study and I attended 2 days of a men's conference.  Our time there was a great spiritual uplifting!

The text from one of Pastor Shawn's sermons has become a special passage to me:

Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old,
Behold,  I (God) will do a new thing
Now it will spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
...
To give drink to my chosen people.

Isaiah 43: 18-19,20e


Tom
Anchored Rock Sound, Eleuthera









Sunday, February 7, 2016

Good Friends and Bad Weather


February 7, 2016


We have been docked at Harbour View Marina in Marsh Harbour for a little over 2 weeks.

Our stay has been relatively uneventful, but can be summarized by Good Friends and Bad Weather.

First the bad weather.  January and continuing into February has been relatively cold and stormy. Some blame it on El Nino but, in my experience, January is always a tough month.  We have been having fronts come through almost every 3-5 days as opposed to the more 'normal' pattern of 7-10 days.  Each front ushers in a round of rain and strong clocking wind.  Although we are relatively well protected here, a West to Northwest wind can still build up a chop in the harbour that makes it a bit uncomfortable on the boat.

However, many comments over the years about how it is 'Too cold to go to Abaco early in the year - stay in the Keys until March or later" sparked my curiosity.  Although it is definitely not 'swimming weather', we have typically found the temperatures here to be quite comfortable.  Over the years, we have experienced our coldest weather in South Florida and the Florida Keys.  These events are memorable, because we break out our little propane heater (The Little Buddy) to help stave off the chill.   This is our only source of heat unless we are docked with shore power.


The Little Buddy heater


So I kept a record of temperatures in Marathon and where we were located in the northern Bahamas. In January, the Bahamas averaged 2 degrees warmer at almost 70 degrees,  Not exactly a scientific study, but it kind of bears out our experience.

Now on to friends.  The biggest reason that we stay as long as we do in Marsh Harbour is the great Bahamian friends that we developed through Grace Baptist Church.  They are like family to us!

In addition to great times of worship and bible study at the church.  Shawn and Jackie Robins joined us for a Chicken Roti  dinner (one of my specialties) on the boat, and Shawn joined us for a great car trip 'down north' to Fox Town and Crown Haven at the far northern tip of mainland Abaco. And we have also renewed friendships with many others from the church too numerous to mention!

Pastor Shawn at last year's Family Day

Elder Jackie at last year's Family Day

It is always hard to leave Marsh Harbour because of these friends, but tentatively we plan to leave late this week and head to Eleuthera.


Tom
Docked at Harbour View Marina
Marsh Harbour, Abaco