We re-anchored this morning, moving to the edge of the
sand, just before it became grass. It gained us another two feet of depth so we
should be fine. As we bring up the anchor, Noah’s job is to keep the chain from
castling by knocking it down with a plunger. He did his job today without complaints.
Noah is also improving his skills as a dinghy driver.
sand, just before it became grass. It gained us another two feet of depth so we
should be fine. As we bring up the anchor, Noah’s job is to keep the chain from
castling by knocking it down with a plunger. He did his job today without complaints.
Noah is also improving his skills as a dinghy driver.
The excitement of the morning was finally connecting
via marine SSB to Earl back in North Carolina. It was light, but 6227 worked at
0800. It was great to hear a friendly voice from home.
via marine SSB to Earl back in North Carolina. It was light, but 6227 worked at
0800. It was great to hear a friendly voice from home.
Noah completed school before 1000, so we had time for
snorkeling. Winds were light and we explored the southeast end of Big Major
Spot. Lots of fish on a shallow reef kept Noah interested. He was trying his
darndest to dive down to the bottom, but his wetsuit provided too much
buoyancy. Took him over the sand and let him hold Beth’s weight belt. He
expected it to take him down, but it didn’t. He still had to kick to get to the
bottom, where he promptly dropped the weights and bounced back up like a cork.
Enjoyed peanut butter and jam on tortillas after the dive. We do like the look
down window for finding reefs. Motored around looking for another good place,
but the current had picked up too much to swim.
snorkeling. Winds were light and we explored the southeast end of Big Major
Spot. Lots of fish on a shallow reef kept Noah interested. He was trying his
darndest to dive down to the bottom, but his wetsuit provided too much
buoyancy. Took him over the sand and let him hold Beth’s weight belt. He
expected it to take him down, but it didn’t. He still had to kick to get to the
bottom, where he promptly dropped the weights and bounced back up like a cork.
Enjoyed peanut butter and jam on tortillas after the dive. We do like the look
down window for finding reefs. Motored around looking for another good place,
but the current had picked up too much to swim.
Took the dinghy through the cut between Big Majors
Spot and Fowl Cay. We were quoting “The Little Engine That Could” as
we pushed against the outgoing tide. Some folks use this tiny cut as a short
cut, but I wouldn’t do it in the big boat unless it was at slack. I doesn’t
look any wider than our 35 is long. Looked to see if any kid boats were
still on the West side of the island, but the boat count was down from 48 a
couple of days ago to 8.
Spot and Fowl Cay. We were quoting “The Little Engine That Could” as
we pushed against the outgoing tide. Some folks use this tiny cut as a short
cut, but I wouldn’t do it in the big boat unless it was at slack. I doesn’t
look any wider than our 35 is long. Looked to see if any kid boats were
still on the West side of the island, but the boat count was down from 48 a
couple of days ago to 8.
Noah did spy a cave on the edge of the water between
Middle and North beaches. The current doesn’t bother this side of the island,
so we went in to explore. The cave was small, and had an open ceiling so it
was perfect for an eight year old. We were pleasantly surprised to find a small
reef beside it with quite a variety of fish. After this we headed back to
Intuition for fresh water rinses.
Middle and North beaches. The current doesn’t bother this side of the island,
so we went in to explore. The cave was small, and had an open ceiling so it
was perfect for an eight year old. We were pleasantly surprised to find a small
reef beside it with quite a variety of fish. After this we headed back to
Intuition for fresh water rinses.
The mail boat came in this morning, so it is shopping
day. We zoomed over to town and stopped at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (SCYC) to get
more water. Dinghied up the creek to visit Isles General Store. It was now 1530
and they were already out of Bread and Cabbage, the two things on our list.
They did have more of a variety than the other two stores on the Island, but
not as many groceries. This is the place to come for boat supplies or post
cards. Noah asked to go for a walk, so he and I walked back through town while
Beth took the dinghy (now dubbed Pelican) back to SCYC.
day. We zoomed over to town and stopped at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (SCYC) to get
more water. Dinghied up the creek to visit Isles General Store. It was now 1530
and they were already out of Bread and Cabbage, the two things on our list.
They did have more of a variety than the other two stores on the Island, but
not as many groceries. This is the place to come for boat supplies or post
cards. Noah asked to go for a walk, so he and I walked back through town while
Beth took the dinghy (now dubbed Pelican) back to SCYC.
Noah found a shortcut to the Pink Store and the
proprietress was sitting on a bench weaving straw baskets. They had fresh
bread, baked by her daughter whom we met on the way out, but no cabbage. On to
the Blue Store and they still had cabbage! Noah even found some ten cent candy
and I bought a loaf of Banana Bread. Prices are a bit higher than home with
bread at $5 and a head of cabbage for $3.75, but shopping is a fun adventure.
The vehicle of choice here is the golf cart. A sign on the community bulletin
boards reminds people that you must “hold a drivers license to drive a
cart.”
proprietress was sitting on a bench weaving straw baskets. They had fresh
bread, baked by her daughter whom we met on the way out, but no cabbage. On to
the Blue Store and they still had cabbage! Noah even found some ten cent candy
and I bought a loaf of Banana Bread. Prices are a bit higher than home with
bread at $5 and a head of cabbage for $3.75, but shopping is a fun adventure.
The vehicle of choice here is the golf cart. A sign on the community bulletin
boards reminds people that you must “hold a drivers license to drive a
cart.”
Getting back to SCYC, there were some other kids so
Noah stopped to visit. It was also fish cleaning time so the area under the
docks was popular with sharks and rays. We counted 9 nurse sharks and 3 big
rays looking for handouts. Fun to watch, but not a place to go swimming!
It looked like rain to the southwest, so we headed back to Intuition.
Today’s lesson was don’t wait until afternoon when the mail boat comes in the
morning.
Noah stopped to visit. It was also fish cleaning time so the area under the
docks was popular with sharks and rays. We counted 9 nurse sharks and 3 big
rays looking for handouts. Fun to watch, but not a place to go swimming!
It looked like rain to the southwest, so we headed back to Intuition.
Today’s lesson was don’t wait until afternoon when the mail boat comes in the
morning.
Getting back to the anchorage, a few more boats pulled
in, including friend on Oasis. There are now 12 boats anchored between the Majors.
Grilled turkey burgers and enjoyed them on fresh bread.
in, including friend on Oasis. There are now 12 boats anchored between the Majors.
Grilled turkey burgers and enjoyed them on fresh bread.
There is a Bahamian cruisers radio net on 4006 at
1900, and we tried it for the first time last night. Heard friends on
“Ministry” asking for copper foil and it just so happens we had some,
so volunteered it. “Ministry” is up in Pipe Creek, but “Just
Ducky” volunteered to swing by and pick it up. When we explained that we
were an Island Packet 35, they said they would recognize the boat since they
have IP 35 hull number 1. They are Joe and Carole out of Forest Hill, MD. It is
a small world. For our IP friends, the previous “Ministry” was an IP
38.
1900, and we tried it for the first time last night. Heard friends on
“Ministry” asking for copper foil and it just so happens we had some,
so volunteered it. “Ministry” is up in Pipe Creek, but “Just
Ducky” volunteered to swing by and pick it up. When we explained that we
were an Island Packet 35, they said they would recognize the boat since they
have IP 35 hull number 1. They are Joe and Carole out of Forest Hill, MD. It is
a small world. For our IP friends, the previous “Ministry” was an IP
38.
Noah’s now listening to the second Harry Potter book
on CD. Hard to beat that as entertainment.
on CD. Hard to beat that as entertainment.