S/V 'Faith'

[Capt. Tony]

Craig,
I think that is a good idea.  Anything to keep you busy these days seems like a good idea.  And if for nothing else, it will help me 'get the big picture'.  See?

So now I'm going to go back and read your thread again.

[Captain Smollett]

Thank-you for bringing up this thread again.  I've had a joy today re-reading from the beginning (not done with the whole thing, yet, but it's been a gas so far).  

One question:

In this post, you mention West End not being very visible from the deck/cockpit of a small boat.  I wonder...were those clouds indicative of land?

They are quite prominent in your photo, and I've read that clouds can signal landfalls when offshore (my experience with 'offshore' has been "turn right, you'll find land"   , not like finding an island on the ocean).

Do you happen to recall if the clouds were 'centered' over the landfall in that particular case?

[CharlieJ]

Can't speak for West End, but clouds certainly showed us where the Exumas and Eluethera were from a good ways out.

Of course the day we left Exumas bound for Eluethera we motored all the way on glassy water. Zero wind, which could have been the reason for the clouds.

[Captain Smollett]

I took the liberty of putting together a trip summary for Faith's 2007-2008 time in the Bahamas like I did for the first part of Connie's trip on s/v Pixie Dust.

Lines on these charts are NOT GPS tracks, just my interpretation of the position reports and my FREEHAND drawing on the chart image.

18 October 2007: Crossing from Lake Worth, Florida to West End, Grand Bahama



18 October 2007 - 28 November 2007: Grand Bahama and Abacos

Arrived West End, Grand Bahama (From Lake Worth, Florida)
Mangrove Cay
Great Sale Cay
Allen's Pensacola Cay
Crab Cay (Hurricane Noel)
Green Turtle Cay
Nunjack Cay
Marsh Harbor
Great Guana Cay
Man O War Cay
Elbow Cay
Lynyard Cay (Depart for Eleuthera)




2 December 2007 - January 2008: Eleuthera and Cat Island

Arrived Spanish Wells, Eleuthera (from Lynyard Cay, Abacos)
Through Current Cut
Governor's Harbor
Rock Sound
Around Powell Point
Weymes Bight
Little San Salvador
Bennett's Harbour, Cat Island
Smith Harbour
New Bight
Hawk's Nest Creek (Depart to Exumas)



January 2008: Exumas

Arrived Georgetown, Exumas (from Hawk's Nest Creek, Cat Island)
Norman's Pond Cay
Farmer's Cay Cut
Black Sound (Great Guana Cay)
Cambridge Cay
Thomas Cay
Hawksbill Cay (Depart for Nassau, New Providence)



25 January 2008: Nassau, Berry's and Bimini

Arrived Nassau, New Providence (from Hawksbill Cay, Exumas)
Chub Cay, Berry's
Bimini (Depart for Lake Worth Florida)



31 December, 2008: Crossing back to Florida



Finally, an overview of the 4 month trip:

[s/v Faith]

John,

  You made my morning!  That is really great!  Thank you very much....

[Captain Smollett]

You are quite welcome.  Sorry it took so long to do this.

I re-read the entire thread this week; great reading, and now lots of wishing/dreaming!  Thank YOU for 'taking us along.'

[Jim_ME]

John, By showing the route on the charts you have done exactly what I was thinking about. Visually expressing the cruise on the charts really makes it seem even more real, since although the cruiser moves on to the next anchorage and eventually returns to his home port, the geographic places remain, waiting to be revisited. 
Great work.
Grog to you.

Craig & Rose, Congratulations again on your cruise. I'm looking forward to rereading and being taken along (as JR says) again. Until some of us get down there ourselves, it's the next best thing, and an escape from and help in getting through the long winter.
Grog to you, too.