Pixie Dust

[Captain Smollett]

Hey Connie, good to hear from you.  Sounds like you are having a blast.  Keep the reports comin for us dreamers.

I mentioned your trip to a friend on another board, and he asked if you were going to have a chance to check out the Atlantean Stones.  Look 'em up on Google for more info (and an arial view).  I'd never heard of them.

Here's some pics:





It's an interesting formation/phenomenon. 

[Frank]

Connie...say hello to Violet for me at the Blue Bee from 'Frank the Canadian'. Sundowners has awesome conch fritters too. I WANT TO GO BACK NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Have fun. ;)  PS..the best is yet to come!!

[skylark]

excellent tale, thank you!

[Lynx]

About what I had thought. Sounds like you are having a Great Time.

I would be interested on the 2x anchoring problem that you are having. I was thinking about keeping the 2nd anchor on the stern and just letting the bow anchor out enough to set the stern.

Atlantean Stones - when I was in Bimini in March '06 I saw the Atlantean Stones. I was not really impresses. As I came to them the cracks in the ocean floor became more and more square looking. Oh well.

Going to Little Harbor soon?

James M/S Lynx

[Bubba the Pirate]

Congrats, Connie!! 

You are giving me hope and energy as I'm working on In A Mist.   It _is_ getting warmer here in Michigan.   :o)

TrT

[Pixie Dust]

Ahoy all!!  I have internet today, so here is a lengthy update from Pixie Dustings.  I hope all is well in the States and Canada!!   If any of you make it over, hail me on Channel 69.  That is our chat channel.
I will post in 2 postings since it is soo long.  :)

5-24-07
On 5-11 when we left Fox Town , we thought we would scoot over to Allens Pensacola for the day/night.  Weather was not great, but did not sound like it was going to be too bad.  Well, it rapidly got too bad.  We got into Allens Pensacola and by the time we started to set anchors, the winds had rapidly increased to 20 knots and were rolling into the anchorage.  This location does not have good holding or protection from N, NE winds and that is exactly what we had.  We all finally got our anchors down, but no one was comfortable.  The beach was in the lee shore, just a short amount of yards from our sterns.  The boats were rocking hard and porpoising and I was just not comfortable leaving the boat in these conditions even to take a walk on the gorgeous beaches behind us.  We all voted and immediately decided to pull anchor and locate a safe harbor to ride out, yes, another N, NE high wind adventure.   I had some challenges with this little activity.  Pixie just has a 10 hp diesel; winds were running hard through the cut I had to go out, rocky lee shore and now 20-23 knot winds on the nose heading out.  Pixie was struggling to get any speed against those conditions.  I pulled the anchor up and got most of the rode into the locker, except for the 30' of chain.  I had to get back to the helm due to the small area I had to maneuver in and figured I would tend to it as soon as I got out of the anchorage.  Bad move on my part.  When I started through the cut, Pixie was riding high up and down and rocking hard.  I was trying to get far enough out, that I could put out some jib to help the engine out and gain some speed, when the chain decided to roll off the port side of the boat.  *&^%    I got far enough out that I felt safe enough from the rocky shore, pulled out some jib to stabilize the boat, put on life vest, tethered myself to the boat and headed to the bow.  I was not a happy girl to be up there.  I had water coming over the bow, boat was heeled way over, about 15-20 ft of chain hanging over the edge of my boat.  I braced myself with one leg on a stanchion and wrapped an arm around another one while I pulled up chain and safely secured it in the chain locker.  WHEW... I will sleep well tonight.  It was a bit of a challenge.   That day, we had 17-25 knot winds.  I sailed with Jib and again was making 6 plus knots.  Too much again for the autopilot ( Tracy , steering mechanism that keeps the boat on course for you J), so I actually was the autopilot that day.  We headed to Coopers Town and
anchored off the beach of Coopers Town for 2 days.  Lots of fires burning on Great Abaco Island .  They have really been dry and there are fires burning on each side of the settlement.  Nice little town.  Good grocery store within walking distance of dinghy dock but no fuel or water in close proximity.  Hurricane took the docks and they have not been able to rebuild them.  The service station/liquor store was closed because the owner went out of town and did not have anyone to mind the stores.  J Only in the Abacos.  After 2 days, we finally had a wonderful calm, no wind night and we all rested peacefully.  Prior to, the winds were strong, but the shoreline provided great protection from the swells for us with good holding.  Plus, if you dragged anchor, you would just keep dragging into the Sea of Abaco , so "no worries Mon!"  Lots of poverty here and in Foxtown, but folks are smiling, warm and friendly.

Left there on Mothers Day 5-13 and headed to Manjack Cay.  Anchored between it and Crab Key.  Great little protected area with good holding.  Great little spot to snorkel in.  Went to the Atlantic side and located some reefs, toured the little creeks that run through the island and saw baby conch. They were so cute and bright bright pink.   Saw some nice fish on the reef but nothing to spear for dinner.  Mostly pretty reef fish.  Did not see any Bahamian Bugs either, of course they are out of season right now.  I loved this day.  I definitely want to come back here and spend more time, but weather is once again steering us in a direction to find really good holding and protection due to yet another weather front.  We opted to be in Gr. Turtle for this one so we could at least get off the boat and do town stuff if needed.
Did I say in the last posting how much I love Green Turtle?  Great little settlement town to spend time in.  It is a little town with so much character, beautiful scenery, friendly folks and great food of all kinds.  Tues 5-15,  I had homemade mango ice cream, home made coconut cake, conch fritters at the Wrecking Tree and then we walked to McIntosh's where they were just taking fresh coconut bread out of the oven.  I bought a loaf of that and had them slice it so Audrey, Rick and I could have a piece right then.  Amazing that I have not gained weight with the amount of food I consumed in Green Turtle.  We took the dinghy into White Sound and spent some time.  We then walked up to the Bluff House and met up with other boaters where we enjoyed the incredible view of the sounds and Sea of Abaco .  We saw the House Boat titled Stranded Naked.  It has a sign that says, "Don't laugh, your daughter may be here."  It is owned by the lady who owns the line of bathing suits titled Stranded Naked and hosts the Stranded Naked Party during the Sailing Regatta the first week of July.  On the way back to the boat, we saw a kids float toy floating off the beach.  We decided to rescue it and take it in to the child.  That led to us going to Pineapples for a water front happy hour while watching the sunset.   Fun, fun day.  We ended up boat bound on Thurs 5-17.  We had rain all day long that day.  Islands across and to the south of us did not see a drop.  I put out my rain catcher in the cockpit and caught 7 gal of fresh water for the tank.  This was a good relaxing day of reading, boat cleaning and cooking.  Nothing has changed for me, I still like to cook and eat.  Being on the boat has not slowed me down at all regarding that.
5-30-07
The next day Friday 5-18, we decided to weigh anchor and take advantage of calm water and light winds.  We have not seen much of that since arriving in the Hamas.  The water was crystal clear that morning after a day and night of rain and squally conditions. My anchor chains looked like snakes circling around on the bottom.  I was floating over top of one.  Those babies had really dug in with all the wind we had the 2 days prior.  It is so easy to pull up 2 when the wind and seas are calm and one is lying right underneath your bow.  J.  I almost forget the fact that I would appreciate a windlass on those days. ( Tracy- a windlass is mounted on the bow and electrically pulls up your anchor lines for you rather than you sitting on the bow using your own muscle power. J)  After weighing up 2 anchors with 100' of line and chain each, I am usually ready to eat again.  LOL
We headed towards Whale Pass.   This is a Pass that you have to leave the Sea of Abaco , go on the outside into the Atlantic for about 2-3 NM, and then cut back into the Sea of Abaco .  These passes can get quite rough and dangerous and need to be treated with utmost respect.  People can wait long periods of time to get from Central Abacos to Northern Abacos due to the conditions of these passes.  There is Whale Cay on one side of the pass where water crashes into the shoreline and on the other side is a barrier reef that you can see water breaking over if seas are up.  We expected it to be swelly due to the weather we had been having and it did not let us down.  We were just praying it was not breaking and it wasn't.  We had pretty large swells, but no breaking seas thank goodness.  It was interesting to say the least.  We did lots of rocking and rolling, but Pixie handled it beautifully.  Long periods in between gave her lots of time to ride them up and surf down them.  Once you get to the other side of the cut, it is marked with a buoy system.  Disney for a short period of time brought a cruise ship into Bakers Bay in Guana.   Everything was marked great for it.  Due to the unpredictability of Whale Pass , they stopped coming in and just left the markers, docks, buildings etc in place.  I felt very pumped after making my first pass through this often talked about cut.  We dropped anchor at Bakers Bay which is the N end of Guana Cay and it looks like an island paradise. Palm trees line the shore, beautiful pink sandy beaches, tall rocky shoreline behind the beaches, and sapphire blue water with a reef that runs off the beach with rollers breaking on it.  Nice grass beds in area which made for some fun snorkeling.  Where you anchor, you can look down and see sand dollars, seabiscuits, starfish and urchins on the bottom. The starfish are very large and deep red.  We saw some baby conch, still in the growing stages.  After a great lunch, we pulled anchor and headed on down to Fishers Bay for a safer anchorage for the night.   Did a little more snorkeling, mostly to verify setting of the anchors.  Anchorage here has a grassy bottom with hard bottom under, so anchor setting can be a bit of a challenge.  There is a little coral reef right in the middle of the anchorage marked with a pole in the ground and a radar reflector tied to the top.  This anchorage is beautiful too.  We dinghyed to shore and visited Grabbers, checked out Orchid Bay Marina , met some other cruisers and went to Nippers.... Now Nippers.  It sits on a bluff  and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean .  It has a reef running along it, large rocks along the coast and a wide sandy coastline.  Did I say Gorgeous??  It is gorgeous.   They also have 2 saltwater pools to play in while you relax and laz your afternoon away.  They have a vonnage phone were you can call from for free if you can hear over top of the jammin music playing.  On Sundays, they have a pig roast that really brings in the hordes of cruisers.  On the way down the hill from Nippers at a new little establishment (name skips me) I got to talking to some folks whose spouses were from the Panhandle.  They had spent lots of time in the Destin, Panama City and Pensacola areas.  Another fun day and fun to talk with folks familiar with home stomping grounds.

Once again, winds picked up and had us rocking in the morning, so we weighed anchors and headed for Marsh Harbor .  Forecast was not sounding pretty for the next several days and little did we know how many days that low pressure  was going to affect us.
We arrived in Marsh Harbor on Friday 5-18th and anchored in the bay off the docks.  I filled up with fuel here.  Extasea, Naked Lady, Carefree II and I are all anchored in fairly close proximity.  We made reservations at the Jib Room for Sat Steak night.  OH MY awesome meal.  They only serve dinner 2 nights a week and Sat is steak night.  Delicious!! I met a whole table of folks from WV, my area, west side, Belle, Sissonville.  They were Jones', but not related.  For my WV buds, they know Burl Jones well.  They were here renting a house for a couple of weeks.  Small Small world.  We knew the same areas.  The Jib Room had music and limbo going on, so we did a little limbo until we realized we were too old and lacked the flexibility to keep up with the Limbo King of the island.  We let him win the kitty that night.  Marsh Harbor is an area that is like a big city harbor.  They have everything here that you need or want.  They have very well stocked super markets, an airport, shops, motels, marinas, etc.  It also has a very large anchorage with good holding..... Thank goodness.  We have had 20-30 East, NE knot winds sustained, gusting higher since arriving.  I have my little delta out with about 8-9 scope and it has held great.  As long as I have held, I am sure there is no reason to put out 2 anchors.  My new motto is "Why use 2 if one will do?"  Everyday I think it cannot get worse, however last night and today has been 25-30 consistent.  This is thanks to a trough sitting right over us.  They are not expecting this to let up until Sunday or Monday.  That was wishful thinking.   Sea of Abaco is too rough to go anywhere in.  A sailboat that was on an outer island broke loose last night, engine failed and they ended up over here on the beach at Marsh Harbor on their side.  We walked over there today and watched until a squaw chased us back to the boats.  They have a beautiful boat with teak decks and my heart was crying for them.  There was a young couple on board.  They were waiting on high tide and 2 boats were supposed to come out at high tide and try to help pull them off.  They had a stern line out attached to a wench to keep them from going any further onto the rocky beach.  We were all praying for them.  I got a thrill later that evening when I looked out and saw the 2 power boats leading them into the anchorage.  They were ok, the boat was ok!!!!  Looking at that beautiful vessel laying on her side at the mercy of the 30-35 knot winds out there, breaking seas, wind increasing and squall approaching was just heart wrenching for me.  My heart went out to the couple trying to save their boat.  Happy Happy ending to that story. 
Weather is very unusual here for this time of year.  Even dingy rides to shore are rough at best.  Everyone here is ready for summer weather to arrive with gentle winds.  The marina's and anchorages are full of boats trying to get back to the states or further south.  I talked to 2 boats trying to get to Bermuda and the Azores and have been waiting on weather for a month. 
We all loaded on Extasea and Naked Lady 2 days ago and just went out around the corner outside of the anchorage so they could make water in cleaner water and fill their tanks.  They also made Pixie about 10 gals to top her tanks off.  Their water makers are great.  The water tastes great and is about 98% pure.  The water here in this particular anchorage is very dirty so they cannot make it in here.  We took a dingy ride into a protected beach cove and you could almost forget the wind was blowing in there.  It was still and calm.  Nice reprieve from the singing rigging and howling winds taking place just 300 yds away.  In this kind of weather, you clean your boat top to bottom, I even oiled all my interior wood, did some boat projects, read and J caught up on journaling.
Winds here continued to howl for 10 days.  In the interim, Audrey and I both caught a little flu bug that lasted about 36 hrs.  We were not our perky little selves for a couple of days.  Those of you who know me well, when I cannot eat, something is definitely going on.  2 days of sleeping and then all was well again, just in time for the weather to let up so we can finally get out of Marsh Harbor .

[Pixie Dust]

On day 10, 5-28-07 we excitedly weighed anchor and headed back to Great Guana to anchor off Fishers Bay .  For the next 4 days we snorkeled, explored, walked and fished.  We took a day and went dingy exploring down the beaches on the Abaco side.  I picked up some really unique pretty shells that I hope to make some jewelry out of later.  The water looks just like bath water and we took the time to just enjoy the beautiful paradise surroundings.  They will not allow you to walk to the interior of the island in this area.  They are building a new resort, golf course and marina.  The locals are very much up in arms about this and a legal fight is in the works.  Some local islanders are arguing pollution and ruination of the reefs, developers are forging ahead while both parties wait for the judge to make a ruling.  Signs against the development are very visible all around the island settlement.

That afternoon I went fishing from the dinghy with Carefree and we caught enough grunt, porgy's and triggers for a fish fry for all 4 boats.  Easy to catch on conch parts.  We just fished along the rocky shore and looked for rocks in the shallow water to fish around.  Another fun evening was had on Extasea before Mark and Katie on Carefree were heading back to the states the next morning.  We really hated to see them go.  They have been a lot of fun to have around.  As of the next morning, we were back down to the 3 musketeers.   They circled us before leaving using the air horn to let us know they were off to the states.  Story is, they are going to get the boat upgraded some, add a water maker, generator etc and then head back over once the house sells.   
The next day, I cleaned my boat bottom and then snorkeled the reef which was awesome.  I had a beautiful sea turtle that seemed to have no problem swimming with me.  I hovered over him/her as it glided along gracefully.  The sunlight danced off the beautiful golden brown designs on its shell.  It would stop and hang on the bottom eating grass, then gracefully glide along again with me right there with it.  I loved that.  I also saw a large mangrove snapper, a school of grunt hanging in a huddle on the bottom, a school of ballyhoo, numerous tropical fish of all kinds.  The reef was so colorful with the sunlight reflecting off its many shades of both plant and animal life.
My day took a little turn for the worse when I rode into shore with Audrey and Rick to go walking.  I had my big back pack on and on my way up a very tall ladder at the dinghy dock, I lost my balance and fell all the away to the bottom (as if there is any where else to fall) onto a cross board that supported the ladder.  Yes, I am very black and blue, luckily I did not need stitches or worse yet, break my pelvis.  It was a little tense and very painful until I could assess the damage and apply lots of ice to various locations.  Being able to walk was a blessing.  I think my guardian angel helped with that one.   It could have been so much worse.  We even ended up taking a shortened version of our walk a couple hours later.   For those of you wondering, the answer is "NO, I had not even had 1 beer that I could use as my excuse."  This was all me.
6-6-07
On Thursday, I headed to Hope Town located on Elbow Cay, one of my favorite locations.   Welcome back 20 knot winds!!   I had 18-20 on the nose, stiff chop and sea spray all the way there for 3 hours.   I also entered the harbor on extremely low low tide which I do not recommend to anyone other than a planing boat or a dinghy.  How I ended  up not grounded was once again sweet luck.  My depth sounder registered 2.7 at one point and I need 3.6.   I utilized the ferry wake and throttled up to get past that hairy location.  I made it in, but I was kissing the bottom in some areas.   I snagged a mooring ball on the first attempt, cleaned up the boat and made ready for some more nasty storms headed this way. 
I love Hope Town.  As you enter the Harbor, there is a red and white candy striped working light house that sits at the mouth of the harbor.  You can even go up to the top for a wonderful view of the island and surrounding waters.  Inside, the harbor has brightly painted houses and restaurants all around the perimeter.  Hope Town Lodge sits up on the hill overlooking the harbor and the Atlantic .  As you walk up the stairs to it, you have the sweet smell of various flowers greeting you.  I have always wanted to stay there, and I had the opportunity to do so this trip.  It was fun getting off the boat, having nice hot water whenever you wanted it and as much as you wanted, being in a nice room where you could look out and watch the storms, knowing that your boat is safe on a mooring ball and no worries about anchors dragging.  When you are doing it, you really don't realize how nice it is to just have that little break from the stress of being on the boat in heavy winds, storms and on the hook.  The room had a little porch off it with Adirondack chairs overlooking the pool and the Atlantic .  It was a full moon weekend which made all tides extreme.   I am so glad I had this opportunity to enjoy this beautiful establishment for longer than just an afternoon at the pool.  A day of dinghy exploring of tidal creeks, the harbor etc took place in the rain on Saturday. Even in the rain, it was fun.   I located another Com-pac 25 anchored in a little hurricane hole, but no one was on board.  Sunday entailed a long walk to Turtle Hill for a beachside restaurant lunch, then onto White Sound to check out Abaco Inn and Sea Spray.  A few games of backgammon ended up with Pixie here being the hands down champion.  J
Back to Hope Town, this time via van, for yet another wonderful meal.   Food in Hope Town is wonderful.  If you ever get a chance, spend some time in Hope Town, grab a mooring ball, get off the boat and explore Elbow Cay.  You will not be disappointed.  It is a great place to meet up with family or friends for a vacation like atmosphere in beautiful surroundings.  It also is a hot spot for weddings.  Several were taking place during my stay there.  The golf carts were decorated with flowers, white sheets and or coconuts.  Everyone was smiling, even in the rain on Saturday.
Things happen in 3's and on Thursday, I had a very sore little knot on my back, but by the weekend, it was terrible.  Large, painful, and obviously infected.  I immediately started self medicating with antibiotics, warm compresses, and antibiotic cream, however, it was not improving.  All clinics were closed in Hope Town until Monday morning, so I went first thing.  The nurse tortured me and then recommended I see an MD in Marsh Harbor .  I really wanted to be a sissy girl and cry, but kept telling myself that it would do no good and would not make it hurt any less.  Long story short, I have been bitten by a spider, assumed to be a recluse.  That darn thing must have gotten me good.  I have a lot of necrosis and the MD is not pleased with the looks of it.  He has changed my antibiotic, tried to clean it up, but it is too much for a clinic.  He is giving the antibiotic until Friday and if not improvement, he is sending me to Nassau for surgery to remove the necrotic tissue.  L  It is a very large place and he is concerned about the outcome without surgical removal of the damaged tissue and poisoned area.  This is such a bummer, because right now, the winds are wonderful, the sun is shining, the seas are calm and I am ready to go, however I have to stay in Marsh Harbor until Fridays verdict.  I am not allowed in the water, so even swimming is out.  The weather has definitely changed and instead of the N, NE cool winds and cool nights, we are having S, SW and muggy hot days.  I could at least be content if I could get in the water.  I am not the happiest of girls right now.  Again, crying will not change the course of events.  The bright side, Naked Lady is making plans to stick with me through this.  I keep telling I will be OK, but they are wonderful and caring and I could just cry thinking about how lucky I am that Jimmy Bus put me in touch with them.  It sure makes my family feel better and I feel as though I have family here with me.   If I have the time, we could have the boats to Nassau in 3 days, otherwise, I will have to fly in for the procedure.  More to come on this one.   Since this is #3 ordeal in the last 2 weeks, this should be it for a while.  J  I cannot complain, it could always be worse. This is just a little life challenge, nothing major.

Hope all is well with everyone.  Here is hoping I am heading towards the Berry 's soon for swimming and diving and not towards Nassau for the knife. 
Love and Friendship to All

[AdriftAtSea]

Connie-

Ouch... I hope you get well very soon. 

[cubemonkey]

Long story short, I have been bitten by a spider, assumed to be a recluse.

Oh Connie, that sounds truly nasty. I hope you get good medical care.

I love your narrations. You have a good way with words, that really allows us to share your experiences. I enjoy feeling your enthusiasm, surprise, charm, dismay, pain, disappointment, courage. Did you ever think of publishing your stories?

Do get better.

-elizabeth

[Zen]

the last word from Connie was she is doing much better, the doctor checked her over an things have improved. I think she was heading out soon with Pixie Dust.

[Lynx]

Connie - if you have not done so already, take everything out of the boat and spray, close up for a while and then vent well.

Good luck.

[CharlieJ]

Would be good advice except----

She's loaded for cruising, anchored out, in the Bahamas. Where's she gonna PUT it all while she has it out of the boat?

[Lynx]

I realize that this would be a tough and in her condition as well. From what I have read about boats that have gotton everything wet cruising, they find a good beach and unload to dry. I do not know if that would be better than leaving it inside and just moving everything around to clean or putting some in the cockpit one section at a time. Not really a bad idea to do every year.

If she got bit inside the boat there may be more.  I need to work this out myself as I want to spend some time in the Everglades and cruising rivers.

Anybody have trouble with spiders in their boats? Any harder to get rid of than other bugs? Any prevention?

[AdriftAtSea]

Might be worthwhile to read this webpage, as it has some good advice on Brown Recluse Spiders.  I get the feeling that this may be due to another spider or some other sort of infection, since the brown recluse and related species are not local to Florida or the eastern seaboard in general. 

It is estimated that 80% of reported brown recluse bites may be misdiagnoses. The misdiagnosis of a wound as a brown recluse bite could delay proper treatment of serious diseases.[3] There is now a ELISA-based test for brown recluse venom that can determine if a wound is a brown recluse bite, although it is not commercially available and not in routine use.[18] [3]

There are numerous documented infectious and noninfectious conditions (including pyoderma gangrenosum, bacterial infections by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, herpes, diabetic ulcer, fungal infections, chemical burns, toxicodendron dermatitis, squamous cell carcinoma, localized vasculitis, syphilis, toxic epidermal necrolysis, sporotrichosis, and Lyme disease) that produce wounds that have been initially misdiagnosed as recluse bites by medical professionals; many of these conditions are far more common and more likely to be the source of mysterious necrotic wounds, even in areas where recluses actually occur.[3]

While they are native to the southern central states, it seems peculiar that one could have hidden on Pixie Dust for so long before biting Connie, since it appears unlikely that the spider came aboard in either Florida or anywhere east of there.

[CharlieJ]

That's an excellent point. I had forgotten that that spider was not found in Florida or the east coast as a general rule.

It could possibly have been a mis-diagnosis in the Bahamas also I suppose.

[Lynx]

I would hope that Connie does not have those sort of things mentioned above but, if not a spider bite, an infection that got out of hand as can be done swimming in salt water and that she will be OK very soon.

Cruising is an adventure and not Disneyworld. We all need to make the best out of what we have. It would not be 1/2 the fun if not for the risk and challenges.

Before I forget, I have found that those rashes and little cuts will heal better if rubbed with hand sanitizer. Don't rinse off.

[Pixie Dust]

Hi Guys.  Lots of spiders over here, especially on Guana.  I have spoken to numerous folks over here who have been nibbled on while on Guana with all the same symptoms etc.  The MD feels 95% it was a brown recluse and I feel certain due to the timing, I was nabbed while walking on Guana.   The bite is much much better.  Still cannot get in the water, but hoping by Monday, I will be able too.  Finished the antibiotics last night and thewound has closed up considerably in the last 3 days.  The redness is also gone.  I think I am going to live!!!!  LOL   They are nasty, nasty, ugly wounds.  Wicked little venomous creatures. 
That spider is not on my boat, I feel certain.  I only hope he strangled on the sun screen that day.  :)

[Pixie Dust]

6-15-07 Friday
Ahoy!!! A rainy day in Abaco. 
Well, since last posting, Naked Lady and Pixie Dust left Marsh Harbor on Saturday June 9th in the morning after a wonderful doctor report on Friday and lots of rain in the harbor.  We both filled our water tanks with wonderful fresh rain water, topped off fuel and was ready for another adventure.  We had planned on attending Junkanoo on Friday night, which is a Bahamian Street party, but the rain ended up canceling the event.  It is a parade with lots of colorful costumes, dancing, street bands, and local food.  They were flying entertainers in from other islands.  Touted to be a very fun and lively event.  We were disappointed, but maybe next week.
We headed to Tilloo which was about a 2 hour run.  Wind of course was variable and on the nose as is so often the case with us sailors, but the run was beautiful.  We skirted the edge of Great Abaco gliding along in the Sea of Abaco, enjoying the beautiful coastline, colorful homes and gorgeous, gorgeous blue water of varying shades.   It took about 1 ½ hours to just get around the corner coming out of Marsh Harbor to Boat Harbor on the other side of the Island.   The scenery was lovely under the beautiful sunny blue sky.  As we neared the anchorage at Tilloo which is an out island, we looked back and it was rainy and stormy on the island we had just left.  We watched the storms on the other side of Sea of Abaco all day while we had sunshine and sweet breezes.  The anchorage at Tilloo is beautiful.  The water is clear and the bottom is active with sea life and grass beds.  A few private homes is all that is on the island.  We took dinghy's into shore for a nice walk on the beach and then a dinghy exploration ride around the rocky coastline until we came to a reef that opens into the Atlantic.  That night, it was a moonless sky and the stars were unbelievable.  No ambient light to distract from the starlight glow in the sky.  It just takes my breath away to lie on the cabin top and just look at the night sky when you are in a secluded area and the night sky has the opportunity to show its true designs. 
The next morning, I took the dinghy to shore for a wonderful adventure.  I still cannot get in the water and swim until this little hole in my back heals, but I waded to my knees in perfectly clear water.  I watched as baby barracuda swam close to shore.  Thousands of little neon minnows surrounded them in a circular pattern, leaving a wide empty circle between them and Mr. Cuda.  It reminded me of kids in a school yard with the "it" in the middle and how they circle calling come and get me, but skirting just far enough away to provide the safety zone so they don't become the "it".  It was funny to watch this game of cuda and minnow (cat and mouse)    I saw bright red starfish about 10" across lying in the calm shallow surf.  I watched 2 huge fat sea cucumbers inching along.  I saw lots of trails in the sand, tiny little holes in the sand trail line.  When I followed it, I came upon baby queen conch, the size of the palm of my hand.  The little holes are the spines that they have to pull.  I watched it inch about ¼ " then stop to rest, another ¼" then stop to rest.  Very, slow process.  These were everywhere.  Sea urchins were prevalent with their long black spines and other little fish darted in and out of the soft surf.  On the beach, folks had left seats of boats and old rattan sofas to sit on.  There were also volley ball poles, home built table tops on stumps and grills.  This was all sitting under a pine grove area overlooking the beach.  This was a nice way to spend my morning coffee time. 

At high tide, we weighed anchor and headed to Little Harbor, passing N. Bar Channel, another opening into the Atlantic.  The water here is the most beautiful shade of turquoise I have ever seen.  I am not sure the crayola box has a color to match this beautiful shade.
We anchored outside around the edge from Little Harbor where we would have some breeze.   You could hear the surf breaking against the rocky jetty that separated us from the harbor and the Atlantic.  Audrey and Rick draw a little too much water and would need a really high tide to get in the harbor.  We jumped in the dinghy and headed to famous Pete's Pub.  Pete Johnston is the owner and also does bronze work.  He has a gallery there and a work shop for his bronzing and jewelry making, a trade he learned from his father.  His parents came here, lived on a boat and they even lived in the caves on the island until they were able to build a home.  Quite a story and quite an interesting man.  We had the opportunity to chat with him at his beach side establishment.  He had on a very large sharks tooth necklace which was set in a shark at the top.  The gold chain was large with a shackle connecting the shark and tooth to the chain.  Quite an interesting piece.  Pete's Pub is an outdoor little restaurant and bar with fun written all over it.  A big traffic light hangs off the front of it with numerous tee shirts and under garmets hanging from the rafters with lots of boat names and memory events.  We ran into some friends, Cyndi and Eddie on Cyrano from Marsh Harbor who had driven down for the day.  They introduced us to some locals and the conversation was lively and very interesting.   Talk of hurricane shelters, island history, boat names and of course, spider bites were just a few of the topics. 
The next day, NL was waiting on a little water to float her boat again,   I took off for shore to explore the island.  I walked up to a high point on the harbor (Little Harbor is also on Great Abaco)  This is where the old Pete's Pub and home used to be as well as the old lighthouse.  Now it is a lighted tower.  The walls of the old place are still standing with some roof structure.  The walls were about 12" thick with tall skinny windows.  The cistern is still there as well as an off structure with a fireplace.  Over the point, the Atlantic has dug way back into the rocks creating a cave like appearance as the water rushes in and crashes against the rocks.  On my way down and walking along the harbor, a local the we met the previous evening came by on a 4 wheeler and offered me a tour of the island by ATV.  That was fun and I got a little more island history as well as some beautiful scenery of the beaches and hilltop sights.  Larry is a treasure hunter during the winter months and offered me a position on his search boat if I chose to be really adventuresome.  All dives are mostly in 40' or less of water.   Maybe I will have a new career.... Treasure hunting on sunken Spanish Galleons.   (it is ok Mom, I don't see me doing that just yet )   NL finally was floating and her team came to shore where we had an awesome lunch at Pete's Pub.  The tuna and the grouper sandwiches were the best that I have ever tasted anywhere!
We stayed there 2 nights.  We took the dinghy and explored creeks, tidal areas and mangroves.  There is supposed to be a blue hole too, but we did not locate it.  Lots of wonderful sea turtles and many, many of the bright red starfish were seen in this location.  The water again was crystal clear.  You get up in the morning and see what is under your little floating home.  It is like being on the surface of an aquarium.

Wed. afternoon 6-13 we headed for Lanyard Cay, a whole 40 minutes if that, cruising back over to the other side of Sea of Abaco to another out island.   Lots of corals around this anchorage and poor Naked Lady discovered one around midnight when their boat shifted and the tide dropped.  No problem, just pull anchor and move the boat out a little further.  Next day, Audrey and Rick snorkeled the anchorage and I dinghied and looked over the side at the fish and underwater scenery.  It is killing me not being able to jump in, but by Monday, I should be good to go.  Later that day, we fished the coral heads and caught enough fish for a great little fish fry that night.   At 4:00, we weighed anchor due to shifting winds and the need to not be on a lee shore.  We were going to Snake Cay, but when we got there, the wind was a little more than anticipated so we decided to go ahead to Marsh Harbor.  Rick has parts coming in and I need a couple of parts as well as changing engine oils etc.  4 hrs later, we entered good ole Marsh Harbor, 8:00 at night, anchored up and fried the fish with some cheese grits and bean salad.  YUM!!!!!!!!
Thurs 6-14, spent time doing engine work on the boat and searching for a new thermostat.  No luck yet, but I have not given up.  Today is Friday, 6-15 and we are going to hang here tonight and try the Junkanoo again.  It is rainy today, so we shall see if they get to have it or not.  It is supposed to be squally this weekend, so as soon as that is past, we are headed to the out islands and probably up around the Whale again to enjoy the snorkeling on the areas we missed coming down.   I promised myself that I would go back and enjoy them under more favorable conditions and the summer weather has finally kicked in to allow this.   Life is good in Abaco.  I keep hearing the song in my head, "It is all right now, I learned my lessons well, you can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself."   That I am doing!  All smiles on this end...plus, I got to talk to Ethan this morning.  I love and miss my babies.   Hugs and kisses to all!
Love and friendship!
Connie
PS  Craig and Rose- Hurry and get here.   Sorry to miss your retirement celebration, but if you get to the Hamas while I still am here and have money, we will celebrate big!!!!!!!  You will love this!!!!

[AdriftAtSea]

Glad to hear you're doing better and recovering.  :D 

[s/v Faith]

Connie,

  Thank you so much for the updates, and info.  Rose and I are really excited, and hope to see you there soon!

  Here is a link to Connie's sailfar blog.