Allure 16/17

[Frank]

"ROAD TRIP"
Got invited to join 2 friends on a vehicle trip SE on the mainland to see some inland blue holes, bat caves and Abaco Parrots.
What a great day!!
The Parrots are often hard to find but we came upon over 30!! They mate for life and are extremely vocal (read LOUD!) Beautiful green, red and blue tipped wings. You can't see the blue unless they are flying and I lucked out with one pic! Too bad it wasn't brighter outside.
A huge part of a good cruise are the activities off the boat!
Always nice to learn about more local points of interest.

[Frank]

Just back aboard from a walk into town.....what a great day!

Picture is just now....

Motivation for all you northern folks to get your boats down here!!

[Frank]

I know.... I know.....

Can't help it.
Just love sunsets!
Last night...

Allure at anchor

[CharlieJ]

Very pretty- I love them too, except the cold red deep winter ones. Here's one from the Texas Intercoastal

[Frank]

It occurred to me a few years ago back home that it takes visitors to appreciate your local sights. Friends came for a week and we toured the local caves, cliffs, watched the white water rafts go through the Rapids and did all the tourist things. I enjoyed them all and chuckled to myself how you take things so for granted after a while.
The same just happened here. A friend is visiting so I'm playing tour guide and loving it. Walking the long ocean beach on Manjack, playing with the Rays, dingying up the back "mangrove creek" looking at the multitude of sea turtles and snorkelling all the easy dive sights. A great time and nice to do it all again. Company motivates you to enjoy all the things you have seen and done before.
Ray pic
Turtle pics

[Frank]

Sailed to Marsh Harbour for rib night, then to pretty Hope Town.
The view from the candy striped lighthouse is great.
It is now the last kerosene fired-manned lighthouse in the world.

[Frank]

View from the cockpit this morning...

[Frank]

A few pics from Elbow Cay yesterday

[Frank]

Beach views

[Frank]

Treated to a nice downwind sail yesterday. Was 'wing on wing' for several hours. My guest felt quesy with the downwind roll so changed it to a broad reach to settle the motion.
Beautiful full moon at anchorage last night.

[Bob J (ex-misfits)]

For whatever the reason I can't see the pictures on my tablet or smart phone so being home today on account of a decent snow storm, I fired up the laptop. 
It's always nice to see pictures of your travels Frank.
I know perceptions are sometimes deceiving but it's looks pretty neat down there!
Beats running a snowblower I'm sure :)

[Frank]

Yes, pictures can be deceiving...but it really is "pretty neat down here" 😄
Like anywhere....there can be extended periods of high wind and driving rain that make you question your sanity, but then you get a long beam reach over blue-green water and all is forgotten.
The best part are the folks you meet. Everyone has a story, a skill and all are here to have fun.

Pic is "just now" from Allure's cockpit, Hope Town Harbour

[CharlieJ]

Just to add to the "pretty neat down there", here's a pic from the Berry's

My anchor chain and a starfish, in 10-12 feet

[Bob J (ex-misfits)]

You can't hate any of that.

[ralay]

A lot of the pictures you've posted have shown what looks like pretty crowded mooring fields.  Do you have trouble finding room to anchor?  Are things as crowded as they look? 

[CharlieJ]

Rachel. Can't speak for Frank, but in my 3 months there never had any trouble finding a place to anchor. Of course I had a 25 foot boat, and you have a 32, but really shouldn't be a problem

[Frank]

My "home base" is Green Turtle and I grab a mooring in Black Sound as its an easy walk to town. Way too grassy a bottom to anchor there in strong wind. Currently in HopeTown for the music festival and grabbed a ball in the harbour. I often anchor out here in the typical NE winds but S was forcast and as it was busy with the festival, figured a ball was best inside.
Manjack, AllensPensacola, Grand, Marsh a Harbour and some Green Turtle pics are all at anchor. Is it usually easy to anchor out. North of the whale a S wind is hard to find good shelter....S of the whale a SW is difficult. Niether are impossible to find good protection in a blow.
So.....short answer is "YES", you can anchor out 😄😄

[Frank]

Anchored out:
Powel Cay
Marsh Harbour
Front of Green Turtle
Lynyard Cay

[Frank]

Anchored out:
Little Harbour
Manjack Cay
Grand Cay
Bluff Bay

[Frank]

Anchored out:
Double Breasted
From anchor during the big blow at Great Sail Cay last year
From Allens Pensacola

And lots more 😄😄😄