Marina at Emerald Bay to Stirrup Cay

April 19, 2020 - April 23, 2020

We got up at 6:00 am on Sunday hoping to get out of the marina by 7:30.  After final showers, we readied the boat for taking off.  One glitch in our plans was that we weren’t able to get the ice we needed for the trip until 7:45 am.  One of the dock hands helped us push off at 8:00 am.  It was a long hot day.  The wind was behind us and at approximately the same speed as we were motoring.  Consequently, no refreshing breeze.  In the afternoon Lola started panting regularly which worried me, but she seemed to be okay.  We anchored off Big Major Spot Cay (remember the pigs)  at 4:00 pm.  Bob grilled some red snapper we had gotten in our grocery order and with sides of peas and rice and cole slaw it was a perfect Bahamian meal.

Rocky islands line the channel
through Galliot Cut which takes
us from the Exuma Sound to the
more protected Exuma Bank.

On Monday we hauled anchor at 7:00 am. Not being allowed to get off the boat at any stop and only being permitted to stop at designated marinas to re-fuel on weekdays made us anxious to get back to the US.  Our schedule gets us to a refueling stop it Port Lucaya on Thursday night just in time to refuel the next morning.  Obviously we can’t take the trip slow and easy.  The wind was stronger than predicted which gave us a cooling breeze but also big swells that rocked the boat uncomfortably.  Occasionally, there were seven foot swells. When in the trough all you saw was water and on the crest all you saw was sky. It was a little unnerving to say the least.  We made it to our anchorage off Highbourne Cay at 2:00 pm. While anchoring My hand accidentally got caught in the chain stop and I suffered a big scrape on my left index finger that bled profusely.  We finally got the injury under control with lots of gauze and bandage tape.  Hope it heals well.

On Tuesday the weather was much calmer by mid-morning. The winds were light but still provided us with a cool breeze.  Our destination was Rose island which is just east of Nassau.  We were avoiding traveling through Nassau Harbor because that is where all of the Coronavirus cases have been diagnosed.  We anchored at 4:00 pm in a lovely deserted anchorage and spent a restful night.

We left our anchorage early on Wednesday, around 7:00 am. We made it past the small islands around New Providence headed to the Berries which ( according to our auto pilot) was eight+ hours away.  The countdown to anchoring dragged on and on as we took our one hour shifts at the helm.  We reached Great Stirrup Cay at 4:00 pm and anchored in a sandy patch amongst the sea grass.  We experienced significant boat motion all night, but still got some sleep. 

The sunrise as we prepared to leave our
anchorage at Rose Island was spectacular!

We passed the huge Atlantis Resort on Paradise
Island just across Nassau Harbour.  This is a
totally different side of the Bahamas than 
 we experience in the out islands.

In the morning Bob and I discussed our options for travel.  He was concerned that if we continued as scheduled we would find a rage condition in the seas around the entrance to Port Lucaya since the winds would increase as the day continued.  We decided to move the boat to a more protected area and remain in the Stirrup Cay Harbour until noon on Saturday and then make an overnight passage across the Gulf stream to Fort Pierce, FL. So we have a couple of days without traveling. The islands near our anchorage are used by different cruise lines for passenger excursions.  On one island I can see what looks like elaborate play equipment.  On the bigger island there are buildings that may be kitchens to provide a beach buffet. 

In the afternoon we transferred all of the diesel fuel in the jerry jugs to our auxiliary tank in preparation for our 24 hour journey starting Saturday at noon.   

Hopefully, my next blog will be posted from Vero Beach, FL.

Stay safe and healthy!

Thank you for reading my blog.

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part ten

April 12, 2020 - April 17, 2020

Easter Sunday started out as usual, Bahamian coconut bread French toast for breakfast and my morning walk.  We decided to have lobster tails (from last weeks grocery order) for lunch and we thought peas and rice would make a delicious side dish.  We had been sent two cans of pigeon peas accidentally in one of our grocery orders.  I looked up a recipe for Bahamian peas and rice and got to work right after my walk. I’m glad I started early because as it was we didn’t have lunch until 2:00 pm. Although it seemed like it would be simple to make there were many ingredients and several steps to preparing the dish.  First, I minced a small onion and bell pepper and sauteed them along with a small piece of ham which I chopped up.  Next, I added tomato paste, chopped tomato, thyme, salt, pepper, water and pigeon peas.  This I simmered for an hour.  I added the rice just before I started to boil the water for the lobster tails.  I was nervous about how the peas and rice would  turn out, but they were delicious.  Of course, the recipe made enough to feed an army so we will have a ready made side dish for many meals to come! 

We had been noticing an abundance of marine growth on the rudder.  On Monday after my walk I put on my bathing suit in preparation for cleaning the rudder.  It was Bob’s idea that I sit on the lowest rung of the swim ladder and scrub the rudder with the long handled brush.  Once I got the hang of it the marine growth came off easily.  We supposed that the boat bottom was covered with the same type of growth (this happens when we sit in a marina for two months).  Since the growth was easy to get off the rudder we are hoping that the growth on the bottom will come off easily once we are under way again.  Since I was already in the water, and enjoying myself, I brushed the growth off of the water line, too.

The water was a perfect temperature.
I hadn't been in the water for over a month.

The weather has been getting hotter and Wednesday morning was no exception. If it weren’t for a breeze we would be sweltering outside.  On my walk I always take note of the sea state, which depends on the direction and the force of the wind.  Some days the waves roll gently into shore, but today they were crashing onto the sand and the rocks making a delightful sound. Even though the sea seemed a bit angry the sound of the waves never ceases to calm my spirit. That afternoon the grocery truck got to the marina early (1:30).  I was walking back to the boat from taking a shower when it pulled in.

Even though we order our food and pay for it I still
feel like a refugee getting my food out of the back of a truck. 

New restrictions came from the government on Wednesday, also.  Foreign boats were encouraged to leave, but would not be allowed to stop anywhere and go ashore on their trip home. Certain marinas where designated as refueling stops during passage through the Bahamas.  We still hoped to stay at the marina until mid May and Bob emailed a request to extend our stay.  However, that evening we talked about the possible outcomes of the situation and decided to prepare for departure on Sunday, April, 19, even though we were still anxious about the covid-19 situation in the US. Our major concern was that restrictions would continue to get stricter and if the Marina was required to close we would have to leave on short notice.  Plus, hurricane season is quickly approaching. We will miss the clear water, our resident nurse sharks, sea turtle, sergeant majors, friendly marina staff, and the relaxed atmosphere of the Bahamas.

On Thursday we started preparing to depart.  I inventoried all of our food stuff and assured Bob that we had plenty of food to get back to the US.  Bob started plotting our route and determined that it would take us seven days to get through the Bahamas, cross the Gulf Stream, and anchor in Fort Pierce, FL. Of course we would stop each night and anchor away from shore.  We converted two gasoline jerry jugs to diesel jugs and filled them, giving us enough fuel on board to make it to Port Lucuya for refueling.  We will try to sail as much as possible, but we had to make provision just in case we had to motor the whole way.  

On Friday, I washed and polished the windows of the enclosure, filled the sun shower, cleaned and reapplied bug repellent to all of our hatch screens, and made two pizzas (one will be for lunch on our first day out). I finally found an easy way to make face masks without sewing (thanks Nancy).  Saturday, will be taken up with final preparations.

My next blog will be when we are on our trip back home.  Stay safe and well!

Thank you for reading my blog

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part nine

April 3, 2020 - April 11, 2020

Our daily routine here in Emerald Bay Marina has been to get up between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. We each have a cup of tea or a cup of coffee—I almost always have two cups of coffee. While Bob is drinking his tea, he reads the news (from 3 or 4 different sources) on his iPad. I play games (designed to keep my mind sharp) on my iPhone. Then we have breakfast onboard which varies daily between French toast, whole wheat pancakes, eggs, oatmeal, and cereal. At this point, I usually take a walk around the marina property (maybe 45 minutes) while Bob works on the day’s blogpost. Around noon or a bit later we have lunch onboard, our primary meal for the day—what we have for lunch varies widely too. We’ve been searching online for new recipes. After lunch, we usually go up to the marina lounge where we can use their free WiFi—we spend a couple hours there each day. We generally take showers every other day, usually in the afternoons. We typically start our Happy Hour at 4 PM with some light snacks (carrot sticks, pieces of cheese, crackers, or popcorn) to accompany our (alcoholic) beverages. When the sun goes down, Bob usually goes to bed (and reads for a while in bed). I sit on the port settee for a couple more hours and do jigsaw puzzles on my iPad or read my current kindle book. Once a week we have been getting groceries delivered.  The day varies according to when the fresh produce boat arrives in George Town.

The best part of my day is my walk for the following reasons:

• It builds my stamina. 
• I get off the boat.
• It prevents victim D deficiency.
• The sound of the waves feeds my soul.
• I have alone time to pray for the safety and health of my family.
• I can appreciate the turquoise water of the ocean and the emerald water of the marina.
• I get to observe wildlife. 
• The physical exertion helps me sleep better.

The sound of the waves each
 morning calms me.

I can't walk along the golf course
anymore, but it is beautiful.

The color of the water is
always so beautiful.

This might be the best beach picture
I have ever captured.

The restrictions on movement in the Bahamas have been extended until after the Easter Holiday weekend with a further rule requiring everyone to wear masks when they leave their residence. Fortunately, the marina grounds are considered part of my residence so I still have the freedom to walk everyday. I have also started to wear gloves when I pick up our groceries and sanitize everything before bringing items onto the boat.  I am taking this extra precaution because all provisions come through Nassau where the outbreak of the virus occurred.

Thank you for reading my blog.

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part eight

March 29,2020 - April 2, 2020

The restrictions due to the coronavirus  have been extended to April 8 here in the Bahamas, which I think is a good thing.  There are still only four confirmed cases, but there are ten people in a quarantine facility.  All of these cases are more than 100 miles away from us and, thankfully, all of the people at the marina are taking the restrictions seriously.  We will get our second grocery order delivered today from Exuma markets.  We are thankful we can still enjoy cooking and eating good meals.  

The truck arrived around 4:30 pm with everyones
grocery orders packed in large blue storage containers.

I have always been excited about seeing marine animals in the wild, but it has become an even more exciting event when I encounter a sea turtle swimming in the marina on my daily walks. Many reef fish live in the marina as well.  It seems that the concrete supports for some of the piers have started to grow coral and it has attracted sergeant majors, yellow tail snappers, spotted grouper, and we have a resident nurse shark. A couple of days ago we had a green heron land on the boat for a short visit. I miss swimming and I may even start cleaning the bottom of the boat just to have an excuse to get into the water.  

Some pictures I captured this week:

I found pink coral growing on the cement pier.

I often see this sea turtle in the
marina on my morning walk.

Our resident nurse shark

Sea gulls are not a common sight in the Bahamas.
A small flock has decided to live at the marina.

The greens of the golf course I walk by
each morning have to stay green.

One of the villas next to the golf course has
a very unique pool that encircles an island.

This view of the above pool shows the
lounge chairs that are sitting in a
shallow pool of water presumably
to keep the sun bathers cool.
That's the guest house in the background.

It is such a blessing to hear the
ocean on my morning walk.

Some flowers along my path.

m/y Entourage is the largest vessel
in the marina. I think it is 150 feet long.

Than you for reading my blog.

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part seven

March 23, 2020 - March 28, 2020

On Monday morning I filled out the paper work to reserve a rental car for our Wednesday provisioning and exploring trip.  However, on Tuesday morning  the Prime Minister of the Bahamas put “stay at home” orders in place.  No one is allowed to leave their residence unless they are going to the doctor, pharmacy, grocery store, or filling station.  The marina is closed to all new boats and if we check out of the marina we cannot return.  Liquor stores aren’t even allowed to open. We couldn’t get the rental car so we had to come up with a different way to get groceries,  We actually have enough groceries to last quite awhile, but we don’t want to use everything up and find we can’t get more food.  Many of the cruisers at the marina emailed our grocery orders into the Exuma Market in George Town.  There was some confusion on Wednesday as to how the orders would get to the marina, but Exuma Market offered to drive them to the marina and they arrived at 4:15 pm.  That was quite a relief as I had been a bit concerned about the procedure all day.  The market will be doing the same for us at the marina next week.  Fortunately, the marina is large and there is plenty of room for my morning walks and we can still go to the boaters lounge as long as we practice “social distancing”.  We are glad the Prime Minister is taking the pandemic so seriously and we feel very safe here.

We’re doing lots of reading, cooking and I’m watching some good shows on Netflix, but it is still very confining. I do miss going to the beach at the resort nearby.  I shouldn’t complain as being quarantined in paradise isn’t bad.  I’m just so concerned about my family members in the states and miss them so.  Wish there was something I could do to help.

This is my third effort at making pizza
on the boat and it was the best yet!

Large villas line the point of
the resort property. 

Some sailors still take day sails.

I really miss swimming in the ocean.
This beach is east of the marina
but not really suitable for swimming.

Each day seems to be much like the day before.  The weather is beautiful, but starting to get hot so we have to keep the air conditioner on.  I miss all of the activities I usually did in the Bahamas- swimming in the ocean, snorkeling, exploring new places, and eating out occasionally.  It almost seems like life is at a standstill here.  The restrictions have been extended until April 8th so we will be placing another food order with The Exuma Market.  Thankfully we can get our food delivered to the marina.  

One morning we noticed that the bilge pump was turning on more often than usual.  We examined all of the water hose connections and found some loose hose clamps in the connections under one of the floor boards between the galley and the head.  We think the problem is solved, but will continue to monitor the fresh water system for evidence of leaks.

Stay safe from COVID-19.  I watched a very informative video which was posted on Face Book by my niece Allison Hartle. You can find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J0d59dd-qM&fbclid=IwAR1uxRmmjg3ocEJW19VPhUB2j6WjW5KQ6NaY7WVxrlvHlcFnGuAxdG4RIiw It explains how the virus works and why it is so important to be serious about the precautions that have been set in place.

Thank you for reading my blog.

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part 6

March 17, 2020 - March 22, 2020

We have been monitoring the progress of the Corona Virus Pandemic in the US.  Conditions seem serious with schools closed, businesses shut down, grocery store shelves empty, and citizens required to self quarantine, shelter in place, and practice social distancing.  Bob and I are strongly considering staying in the Bahamas longer than planned.  

On Wednesday we rented a car to buy groceries and explore.  After stowing all of our food we drove north to Shoreline Beach Club, Bar, and Restaurant.  It was slightly north of Cocoplum beach.  The food was great and the beach beautiful.  I took a walk further north on the beach and got some great photos.

We walked along the pathway to
Shoreline Beach Club and Restaurant.

The beach in front of the restaurant

Coconuts are growing on a tree
behind our table on the porch.

A power boat was anchored off the beach.

Some Bahamian children turned a huge
piece of styrofoam into a swim platform
 and were enjoying the water.

A beached row boat

A large piece of delicate fan
coral washed up on the beach.

Some colorful kayaks were stored on the beach.

On the way back to the marina, we stopped for dessert at the Light House Ice Cream Parlor.  The sign on the front door said "Carry Out Only".  We saw some people on the back porch and entered from that door.  The owner was frantically wiping everything down with disinfectant.  We ordered our ice cream and watched the news on TV which gave us the reason for all of this concern - three cases of the covid-19 had been diagnosed in Nassau. We stopped to fill the car up with gas and all of the attendants were wearing gloves, washing their hands, and using hand sanitizer profusely.  We stopped at the liquor store to pick up ice and the store was only allowing two people in the store at a time.  Fortunately, Nassau is many miles and many islands north of us, but with the continued arrival of tourists to the resorts near by it made us wonder how long the Exumas would remain virus free.  Bob and I both contacted family to get a first hand report of conditions in the US.  After considering all of the information we gathered we decided to stay where we are until mid-April and then reevaluate our plans.  

Life has become a routine here at the marina.  After breakfast I take a long walk along the ocean on the near by resort's golf cart trails and the marinas roads and docks.  The resort is like a ghost town as all resorts and hotels have been closed.  Restaurants are only permitted to serve carry out.  We have not left the marina since last Wednesday.  Several boats here are still occupied, but we stay clear of each other even though most of us have been in the Exumas long before the virus became a problem - you just never know.  After lunch I usually go to the lounge and check e-mail and watch a Netflix show or two if the signal is strong enough. Bob’s back had continued to improve until Sunday when he woke up with severe pain again, causing him difficulty walking.  With continued treatment with analgesic gels, his back brace, and ibuprofen I hope he gets some relief from the pain quickly.

Keep Calm, and carry on at home!

Thank you for reading my blog.

The Marina at Emerald Bay, part 5

March 11, 2020 - March 16, 2020

Again we rented a car on Wednesday to get groceries and explore.  Unfortunately, because of the high winds the mail boat was delayed in making deliveries and the shelves were a bit bare at Exuma Market and Island Prime Meats.  We had to return in the afternoon to get a few more items.  We also stopped at Smitty’s which is a small grocery store and pharmacy to purchase some items for Bob’s back pain.  We purchased some analgesic cream and a back brace which helped Bob a great deal that day.  

Lunch at Lighthouse Cafe and Ice-cream Parlor, again, was delicious.  Afterwards we traveled north to a side (dirt) road that led to Cocoplum Beach.  The beach was beautiful and very shallow with huge sand bars that led from the beach far out into the water.  I was able to walk out to the furthest sand bar without the water getting above my knees.  The beach was noted for sand dollars and other shells which I collected a few. 

A kite surfer was taking advantage of
the strong winds over shallow water.

Drift wood on Cocoplum Beach

This panorama of the beach
shows the sand bars.

The sand bars made for good shelling.
Here's my collection from the day.

On Thursday we prepared for leaving The Marina at Emerald Bay on Friday. I stowed the bikes in the quarter berth and arranged all other items for easy access, cleaned, cooked, and did laundry.  Laundry at the marina is free, but with only two working washers it gets a bit backed up. However, its a good time to make friends with the other ladies while we wait for available machines. Several ladies were waiting on the porch and chatting.  I often go back to the boat to wait, but we had downpours off and on all day so it was just easier to wait by the laundry.  Believe me, if you aren’t there when a machine comes available you are out of luck, especially if the person who snagged the machine has three or four loads to do.  I got lucky and had two machines open up at the same time just as I was starting my laundry. Yes!!!!

Bob made the decision not to leave on Friday, but instead we rented a car and drove to the small hospital clinic just north of Georgetown as his back pain was getting continually worse.  We had quite a wait for not only the rental car to arrive, but to be seen by the doctor at the clinic.  We thought Bob got excellent care from the staff and a very thorough doctor.  He got an analgesic/anti inflammatory shot, a prescription for ibuprofen 800mg, and instructions to see his primary care physician as soon as he got home for further tests.  Hopefully, the problem will calm down enough for him to get back to Maryland without more pain. 

Bob’s condition continued to improve with the medication, back brace, and analgesic gel. I fell into a routine here; walking in the morning, cooking lunch, cleaning in the afternoon, and reading later in the day.  Things were a bit boring, but we have to stay here until Bob feels well enough to proceed.

Thanks for reading my blog.

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