Sailing aboard s/v "Emerald Tide"

[s/v Faith]

Through the Exumas, south to the Virgin Islands.

Made the run south from Tiloo Cut all the way to Georgetown without a stop.  Upon arrival in Georgetown, I was very surprised to find something like 40 boats there, was a week before Christmas so I expected it would be packed with cruisers.  So few boats, there was not even an active cruisers net! 

Carried jugs ashore for some fuel, and got underway for Myguana the next morning.  Wind was pretty close to the bow, so it was motorsailing and tacking down to the last of the Bahamian islands to clear out.

From there I decided to make a straight shot to St. Thomas.  Of course many would have stopped along the way.  I hear good things about the DR, but had no interest in stopping in PR so I kept as much northing as I could and avoided PR.  I have been there already, and have other reasons for not stopping but the passage went well....

Until the autopilot broke....

[s/v Faith]

The Virgin Islands (US and British).

  North of the Mona passage, the autopilot went out.  The difficulty presented by a larger boat like the 424 compared to a smaller (tiller steered) boat is that there are very few options when the autopilot breaks. 

Sure it is hypothetically possible to have a windvane mounted but with the swim platform, dingy davits, AND the large cockpit enclosure with huge solar panels mounted on top it is not very practical.

Tricks I might use on my Ariel like just balancing the helm and lashing the tiller, or rigging sheet to tiller steering are much more difficult or impossible with a larger wheel steered boat.

  Thankfully it was just over a day of hand steering a close hauled course before making the approach to St. Thomas.  I would later learn that while the autopilot control computer had been replaced, the linear actuator (electric motor that turns the quadrant) had not been.  When I worked on it, I learned it was built sometime between 1982 and 1986, so it had certainly done its service.

(Will add arrival picture here when I get sufficient bandwidth to upload it)

  The arrival into St. Thomas was fantastic.  Leaving NC just under a month earlier it seemed so far away, but here it was.

  Even though aboard a US documented vessel I could not go ashore until I cleared in.  I dropped the hook in Brewers Bay near the airport and got some much needed rest.

[s/v Faith]

Lost my easy access, maybe try again when I am in the Bahamas...

[s/v Faith]

Slow access.  Will write more about vi later and post it here.

[s/v Faith]

Turks and Cacos

There are few cruising destinations I have enjoyed as much as the Turks and Cacos Islands (TCI).

These remote, and often overlooked islands have very little to offer the cruiser who is in search of jimmy buffet franchise goods and t shirts.  But if great cruising, amazing diving, and clear water are what you want...  This is the place.

[s/v Faith]

Back to the Bahamas.

Mayuguana

Clarance town Long Island
(Where I am typing this right now).

Flying Fish Marina

Where I got water last night

[Captain Smollett]

Flying Fish Marina

Where I got water last night

Wow.  Their rates seem quite reasonable.

Side Note:  You want me to move this thread to the public board?

[Frank]

Craig....my friends Bob and Jane do the chart work for the Turks and Cacos. They return yearly to check for changes (after hurricanes etc) and send in the updates. I've never been there but they love it.
I just looked at the website for the marina at Long Island and saw a link to "Bahamas Air" for travel. Locally.....they are often late so we've come up with some slogans..........

"When you have time to spare....fly Bahamas Air"

"Bahamas Air is a Christian airline.......God only knows when you'll get there"

HAVE FUN!!!

[s/v Faith]

John,

  I would love to spend more time and add in the pictures and information on each of these locations..l I suppose I can do it later.  I had wanted to wait to get it all down before I went live with it.ll but I suspect I can just do that later.

  It is tough to do it with limited Internet access... As I take the time to type this I am missing the "shark show" where they are feeding the sharks the carcuses of the fish caught today.... So I can upload pictures or I can cruise... So yes.  Please move this into the open forum.  I will modify the earlier posts and add pictures later on.

Thanks.

[s/v Faith]

A guy on a sport fisher just gave me something's like 12-15# of tuna! 

Molly (the bartender at this excellent establishment) is iceing it down for me...  Life is good!  Far better then I deserve...   To all who read, please get out there!

[Captain Smollett]

John,

  I would love to spend more time and add in the pictures and information on each of these locations..l I suppose I can do it later.  I had wanted to wait to get it all down before I went live with it.ll but I suspect I can just do that later.

  It is tough to do it with limited Internet access... As I take the time to type this I am missing the "shark show" where they are feeding the sharks the carcuses of the fish caught today.... So I can upload pictures or I can cruise... So yes.  Please move this into the open forum.  I will modify the earlier posts and add pictures later on.

Thanks.

Okay, I did not realize you planned to add pictures...thought you just wanted it moved.

It's cool to wait til you add the pics.  No rush from my pov...just wanted to help out, but I misunderstood the bigger plan.   ;)

[s/v Faith]

From Clarencetown (19 march) we sailed to Calabash Bay Long Island.

Then on to Georgetown...  Many more boats there this time... Active cruisers net this time.  Found out about a dive site in hurricane hole 2 right off of volleyball beach.  Dove the "mystery cave" went 92' down through the cave...  Really great dive!

Anchored in various places in Elizabeth Harbour until 6 April, then sailed for Cat Island.  In route decided to go back to Long Island to check out Thompson Bay.  Anchored in route off of White Cay.

Attended cruisers sundowner gathering on the beach on the NE corner of the bay and then sailed over to Salt Pond.  Visited the excellent "Island Breeze" marina.  Mike is the owner, he sailed Fastnet 79, (Fastnet force 10)... Humble guy, I only learned about this after I left.

Rented a car, drove around the island and dove in the blue hole where the world free diving competitions are held.

Sailed from Long Island to Conception Island.

[s/v Faith]

Anyone who read the log of my long trip on Faith might remember that I had a goal of reaching Conception Island.  The seed was planted after I met James Baldwin, and he told me over dinner that the picture on his web site was taken at Conception Island. He described it as one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I tried 3 times, but had been unable to make it with the easterly winds and north swell.  My plan had been to try again, but a changed wedding date changed the whole nature of that cruise,.. The rest of it was a challenge to get back to make a wedding....  Conception Island was not to be had that trip.

I made it this time.  It was as beautiful as James had described.  Dingied back into the creek, found the. Turtle nursery, saw small sharks...  Something rally special about that beautiful place!

Sailed from there to the New Bight on Cat Island.  Hiked up to the Hermatage, checked on my friend Frankie who I had taken fishing on my boat back in 08.  Sadly i learned he had passed away.

From there it was back to Georgetown to pick up my friend Dennis.  We sailed up to Farmers Cay where I am anchored right now.  Sadly, the boats anchored near the settlement are scattered and poorly spaced, so I will not be able to get ashore here....  Had to anchor around the corner since there was no room. :(

[s/v Faith]

Almost forgot to mention the coolest part of reaching Conception.... Saw a couple I know I knew.  Finally asked, and sure enough it was Connie and Crock! Lady Bella was laying at anchor there and I got to talk to them in the dingy.... While waiting some dolphins swam by and they took turns getting in the water and swimming with them!

[s/v Faith]

Left georgetown, sailed up to Farmers Cay.  Unfortunately there were several boats anchored (badly) close in so I had to abandon plans to anchor and go in....  :-\

Spent the night without heading in to shore at all... Too far out. 

Did another 40-50 today and now anchored at highborne cay.  Unfortunately, there are a couple boats sloppily anchored and taking up the whole basin (one idiot on 2 anchors, right in the middle of the anchorage).

I am around the corner, out in the swells... Sitting on the banks.  Tomorrow I have to decide if I am going to Nassau and on to the Berrys, or Eleuthera and back up to the Abacos....

[CapnK]

Got an email from Connie about running into you.. She was stoked. :D

[s/v Faith]

Too cool!

Anchor down at Royal Island off the north end of Eleuthera.  Headed across to little Harbour in the morning.

Never made it in to Pete's Pub, might change that tomorrow.

[Frank]

have fun at Lil Harbour...You'll get a kick out of the crooked dock. It's a 'drunk test" to walk on   ;D
Gotta time it for tides...only about 3ft going in at low.

[s/v Faith]

Moored at Spanish Wells.  Man, that channel is narrow coming in! I had a much easier time of it in Faith, ran into the bank, and got a hand from a passing fisherman.

On a mooring ball here, no anchorage.  Chris Parker was perdicting squalls withup to 40 knots between here and abaco today... Try again tomorrow.

[Frank]

Depending on wind direction....the channel to Little harbor can get quite sloppy during and after a blow. VHF ch 68 @ 8:15 is cruisers net when ya get within range ....one chap always sends in a report on the cut at Little Harbor (lives there)