Man O War

Internet connection seems to have improved.  Here are another photo.  Sorry about the typos in the blog.  I guess I'm used to auto correct and I don't pay too much attention to spelling.  We should have some good photos to send from Hope Town tomorrow.

Friday the 17th??

Yes I know, Friday is the 18th but I don't really care.

From Guana and Man O War Cays

Hi everyone.
The weather has been untypical of the Abaco spring.  It has kept us in marinas for the most part this week but we are hopeful a high pressure area now in Mexico will bring a return to the normal weather pattern of sunny days and light breezes from the SE.  We are still travelling more or less with about 5 other cruising boats.  We seem to always wind up at the same marina or anchorage.  Some days we leap frog one another but we eventually seem to wind up in the same places.  It has been fun to get to know people from all over the south east USA.  Thanks to my my college buddy BJ we even met some local folks here on Man O War Cay who are live aboards.  They were very helpful in directing us to all the places to visit.

We left the Green Turtle Club Marina on Green Turtle Cay Monday the 14th under threatening skys but a rising tide.  After 3 hours of motoring in "on the nose" wind of about 10 knots and rain that often kept us from seeing "the nose" we passed through Whale Cay Channel which is notorious for rough seas in certain conditions.  We avoided the certain conditions.  We anchored in Fishers Bay off the north side of Guana Settlement and attempted to dry out.  We were in company with Freelance, Wings, Persephone and later Uteca Wren.  All boats that we had met before either at Green Turtle or West End.

We did find some time between rain drops to visit Guana and it's little settlement.  We also visited "Nippers" which is perhaps the most famous bar and restaurant in the Abacos.  Nippers is perched on a bluff about 50' above the beach with an absolutely astounding view of the Atlantic and the close in reefs that protect Guana.  Photos to follow.  The big attraction for us was that Nippers offers free local and international phone calls to customers.  Needless to say, we became customers but with one small problem.  Modern technology such as speed dial means that we don't memorize anyone's phone number.  Diane finally remembered Dana's number and called her for a brief chat.  Nippers is one of those places that is part bar, part restaurant, part civic center and part telecommunications center for the island.  Somewhere I read there are about 450 full time residents on Guana.  Nippers probably employs 10% of the population.

OK - photo time
The first 3 are naturally - Nippers

This one below is of downtown Guana Settlement. We found another post office (only open on Thursday afternoons).  We also found the house on the bluff overlooking the ocean that we rented with our children way back in '99.  That brought back some nice memories.

So, two night at anchor near Guana and it's off to Man O War in (you guessed it) a rain storm.  Entering the cut in the rocks to Man O War's harbor is a knee shaking event for first timers.  Sharp rocks are apparent above the water line and you imagination can only think its worse below the water line.  I'm not sure there was a 50' opening.  It certainly felt like 50".  Since it rained a slow steady drizzle most of the day we only got to visit BJ's friends for a few minutes before being driven below to dry out.  The treat of the day was an ice cream bar that had the absolute best ice cream since the last place we visited.  We found the local post office here open only on Thursday, the phone company office only open on the first Wednesday of the month and the only bank in town open every Thursday from 10 to 2.  Life moves at a different pace than we are used to but we are beginning to like it.  Our two nights and two days here were mostly rainy so we don't have any good photos of beaches, sun sets and sun rises.  But, here's what we got -

Yes, Ed - "there be dragons"

M O W is noted for boat building.

Our internet connection is getting a little goofy so we will try to send more photos later.  Tomorrow (Friday the 17th we are going to Hope Town is search of a restaurant and a swimming pool).

Green Turtle Cay

Tonight is our 3rd night here at Green Turtle Cay Club.  We've met several nice couples who are all making short spring cruises too -  Darrel & Jennifer on Freelance, Dave & Dotty on Wings, Bud & Jann on Persphone.  The wind has been NE 15-25 all day and is expected to remain the same tomorrow, then shift to the SE at 10-15 on Monday.  If that happens we will leave Monday morning and head south for Guana Cay and pick up a mooring near the small settlement there for the night and visit Nippers, a beach front restaurant on a high bluff overlooking the ocean and a beautiful reef.  We have snorkled on this reef before and if the water is calm we will do it again.  We may be travelling in company with Perspone to Guana Cay.  Thursday we shared a golf cart with Wings and toured Green Turtle.  I'll post some beach photos below.  Friday we napped and spent time at the pool and danced on the restaurant outdoor deck to a local regge band that played a few Waylen Jennings and Louis Armstrong tunes if you can imagine that.  Today we took the dinghy to town.  New Plymouth is a settlement of a few hundred people on the south end of the Cay about a 1 mile dinghy ride away.  We did some shopping for groceries.  Some products are from the US some from British Commonwealth countries.  After eating New Zealand butter on toast this morning I don't think I'll ever be happy with US cows ever again. Diane wrote some postcards.  They won't get mailed until next Thursday since mail is only picked up and delivered one day a week.  There doesn't seem to be poverty here but definately an economy of plain living on a basic level.  There are no supermarkets here, only little mom and pop groceries that carry basic necessities.  If you want more, go to the larger island town of Marsh Harbour - population of about 15,000 we were told.

So here are a couple of beach photos Taken a short walk from the marina.

These below are of the Sea of Abaco looking south from the Bluff House toward New Plymouth.  That's Dotty from Wings next to Diane.

New Plymouth is a town of quaint small houses and shops with narrow streets mostly used by golf carts and pedestrians.  We see a few cars now and then.

AND NOW FOR THE

PHOTO OF THE DAY THANKS TO DIANE

I have no idea why the text alignment just changed, but never the less - Diane spotted this star fish in about 3 feet of wate as we were riding in the dinghy back to the boat from New Plymouth.  It's about 10" from tip to tip.  We have seen several of these in the past week but this is the first time we had the camera when we saw one.

Bahamas bound

We made the Gulf Stream crossing in flat calm conditions, then had two days of great sailing from West End to Mangrove Cay on day one then to Foxtown roadstead on day two.  Steady 10 knot winds from the south both days.  Day 3 & 4 brought stronger winds and rain.  We are now docked at Green Turtle Club Marina on Green Turtle Cay.

I'm a little rusty on blogging so I'll just attach a few photos this morning and do some more later today if this attempt is successful.

The photo above is of our Gulf Stream buddy boat, Xanadu.  She is a sister ship to Sea Breeze.  Note the flat calm seas. It made for a long 11 hour crossing under power but the crossing was uneventful.

The above two photos are of sunset and moon rise from our first night at anchor in West End.  The photos were taken within a few minutes of each other.  Sorry about the blurry moon but you get the idea.

These two photos are of the marina property at West End - pool and beach.

Crow's Nest - Venice, FL

We just arrived at the Crow's Nest Restaurant and Marina in Venice. Diane's favorite restaurant is here so Sea Breeze can't pass by without automatically pulling into the dock. Tonight, as usual, Diane will review every item on the menu and struggle trying to make a choice.......then order the same thing she always does when we come here.

After leaving Gasparilla Marina we spent a couple of days sailing in the Gulf and one day motoring in seas of glass; zero wind all day. We met our long time friend Ed and his lady Laura for dinner in Ft. Myers Beach. The city provides a bunch of moorings for minimal cost to boat owners. It is so convenient and hassle free. I wish all cities would sponsor such facilities. They are a great money maker for the city.

We are on our way home. Too bad about the broken fuel pump and the loss of 3 weeks we thought we would get to spend in the Keys, but I am excited about my mother's upcoming visit to see her great grandchildren. We certainly enjoyed our little cruise and have learned to adapt when the unexpected happens. We learned long ago that while cruising you take what comes and the satisfaction of a successful trip is not in keeping to a schedule but the joy of visiting new places and meeting new people. Sea Breeze should be back at her dock in 2-3 days.

Finally - back on the water again

We finally have the fuel pump problem fixed. So since being at Gasparilla Marina since April 22nd we get to get back to our cruise tomorrow morning. If you have to be "stuck" somewhere, this is a great place to be. We did the car shuffle a couple of times so we were not at a loss for ground transportation. The food, sunsets, scenery and people were all very nice. Paul and Erma were wonderful. It looks like the summer heat and humidity is setting in, so we will not make it to the Keys. We will hang out here in the Boca Grande area, maybe visit Naples or Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel Island along with Cayo Costa and Cabbage Key again. No photos this posting. We will send another update before next weekend.