Chidrens Bay

December 22, 2008-Wednesday December 24, 2008
Ship's Log
On Board: Mark, David, Madeline, Gary, and Dana

Dana's Entry:

On Monday we flew in to meet the Stray Cat in Georgetown, Exuma. After provisioning the vessel we decided to anchor right outside of Great Exuma where we ate dinner at the Chat and Chill Restaurant and Bar. I ordered 2 Kalik Golds, they hit the spot. I ordered the fish and fries, Mahi Mahi, cooked fresh. After dining we moved back to the boat to relax and have some cocktails.

Today is Tuesday. Due to extreme winds at about 25 knots, we have decided to hang around the boat today. We will move tomorrow and fight the wind and waves for either 15 or 30 miles. Tonight for dinner we are having Mark's potatoes that I have heard a lot about accompanied by steak and vegetables.

Wednesday Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) we had a light breakfast and decided to motor sail 15 miles to Children's Bay. After 6-9 foot swells for 15 miles we had finally arrived. Two of us on board were not feeling very well from the Atlantic swells so we made a decision to cut through to the inside area of the islands where it would be calmer. To cut through we would have to take the boat through a small area where the waves were breaking. After a quick turn and 2 waves that broke on the boat we made it through. On the other side the water was much calmer and was easier on our stomachs. I must say though that Mark gave me a little bracelet to shock some nerves in my wrist area, and suddenly I was cured of my motion sickness. (I will definitely be buying one of those when I get home! Thanks Mark!) So we are on the inside (west) of the islands and begin to find a cove to settle down for the night. Once in Children's cove we took the dingy to land to go for a small hike over to the east side of the island where the waves were breaking hard. Following our hike Gary and I decided to get into the 77 degree water and see what we could find with masks and snorkels. We saw 1 fish and plenty of "ant hills" that were probably clams underneath the sand. We will cook again tonight because the island is not inhabited and will sail to another island tomorrow that has a restaurant. Until then; good night friend.

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Continued

Back at the boat we decided to watch a movie called Bloody Sunday. I wasn't really into the movie right away so I started looking around at the boat. I noticed that Mark was looking out the stern a little concerned. He called Gary to come and look and our hearts dropped into our ankles. The dingy was GONE!! With no moon and 25 MPH winds we started to look for it with flash lights hoping that it ran aground on the beach near by. The other option is that it had gone out to sea. Of course I am sure you can imagine that we were definitely hoping for the beached outcome. After about 30-40 minutes of wandering with the catamaran and flash lights Gary had an idea to dock and look for the dingy by foot along the shore. Madeline, David, and I went one way, nothing. Gary went the other way in his booties and wetsuit, nothing. Back at the boat the rest of us could see Gary by the light moving on his flashlight. Suddenly his flashlight stopped for some reason. As we kept watching we suddenly got a call on the VHF radio. "I got it!" he said! At that moment our hearts moved from our ankles to our chests again and it was definitely time for a drink. Wow! I can't believe we found it. Gary found a $6000 bill just floating on the shore and motored it back to our catamaran. My hero…..for now :

Friday December 26, 2008

Last night the winds were howling louder than I have heard since my trips to Mexico in a tent trailer with my parents. In the morning we had some breakfast and quickly got moving to our next Cay. We traveled another 10-15 miles to a new island called Stanley's Cay. We first anchored near a beach, took the dingy into shore, to be greeted by a family of 4 wild pigs. On the beach we took several pictures with the pigs who were venturing into the water to meet the other boats for food. On the beach you could find random carrots and egg shells, etc. The pigs would come up to your hands to see if you had any food. The coolest was the baby pig who seemed to afraid to go all the way into the water but still liked to cool his feet. Once we walked the beach and got plenty of pictures with the pigs we decided it was time to go snorkeling in Thunderbull Cave.
Thunderbull cave got it's name because the James Bond movie filmed a scene inside. The cave had an extreme amount of current going through so it was a little difficult to get in but not impossible. Inside the cave we saw many different types of fish. One fish that was a surprise was a Voltan lion fish. Any time a Bahamian sees a lion they are supposed to kill it because it is a Pacific fish and does not belong here. Gary and I spent about an hour in the water swimming in and out of the cave through the different holes. When we tired out we went back to the boat to get ready for dinner. Dinner tonight was at Club Thunderbull and the choices were chicken or ribs dinner. I chose the chicken and boy was it great. It was served with a small piece of corn on the cob, a baked potato, and a hefty salad. Due to the strong current and snorkeling adventure I did not even mind that it was dark meat and before I knew it my plate was empty. Like yesterday with the lobster I don't usually eat dark meat chicken so you know it must have been great. Well, after a wonderful dinner and a small dingy ride back to the boat we are now settling in with some tea and dessert on the boat and will soon retire to bed for another day at sea. Until then, goodnight friend.

P.S. Hi Mom!

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Back Country Exuma sailing

Stray Cat Captain's Log
On Board: David, Madeline, Gary, Dana
Captained by: Mark

Thursday December 25, 2008

As I woke up on Christmas morning I quickly noticed it was still very windy here in Children's Bay Cay. We decided it would be safer and more enjoyable for all if we stayed inside the islands and weaved in and out of the shallow depths. We passed many different small cays today, that included cays owned by Faith Hill and Johnny Depp. As we were weaving in and out there were times that we were in 3.5 to 4.5 feet deep. It was incredible to see the different blues due to the depth changes around us. On the later part of our travels today we ran into 2 Atlantic bottle nose dolphins. That was exciting although they only hung with us for about 1 minute, not even enough time to get the bread treat from Madeline. Finally, after 2-3 hours of sailing we reached our final destination for the night, Little Farmer's Cay, where we fortunately were able to get dinner thanks to a nice man named Terry.
On shore was an interesting experience for me. As soon as I stepped on land I felt like I had already consumed 4 beers. My equilibrium was off and I could not find my balance at times. As we entered the Le Bleu Restaurant we were introduced to the owner Terry and we sat down for a drink at the bar. Suddenly, it went from a quaint bar with the 6 of us to a grand party with an attendance of about 15% of the islands population (approximately 60 total). Many different locals came into the bar to greet us and enjoy drinks with us. As we were waiting for dinner in the bar the officer from the island came to sit with us. We ask him several questions about his life as an officer of the Bahamas and he told us many interesting things about life as he knows. After a couple of Kaliks our wonderful dinner had arrived to our table. For dinner tonight: Bahamian Mac and Cheese, Cole Slaw, Peas and Rice, and the largest lobster tail I have ever seen.
I must tell you that I do not enjoy lobster very much, but when I was finished I looked at my plate and it was virtually empty (even the lobster was gone). I must say I have always made fun of my cousin because one time when we were younger she was absolutely sure that she hated lobster dinner. It is an ongoing family joke because when she actually tried it she loved it. Well, pretty much the same thing happened to me. I have realized that maybe I just have not liked the way it was cooked or prepared. Anyways, back to our story. So as we finished dinner the locals were starting to play bar games.
As they were playing we realized they were playing a game that we have never seen before. It consisted of a board on the wall with a hook attached, and a ring on a string about 8 feet away. The object was to throw the ring on a string to the wall and hook it. It was harder than it looked but we decided to give it a try and ended up being fairly good at it. After the festivities we decided it was time to go back to the boat for some relaxation and a movie. (continued)

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Chidrens Bay

December 22, 2008-Wednesday December 24, 2008
Ship's Log
On Board: Mark, David, Madeline, Gary, and Dana

Dana's Entry:

On Monday we flew in to meet the Stray Cat in Georgetown, Exuma. After provisioning the vessel we decided to anchor right outside of Great Exuma where we ate dinner at the Chat and Chill Restaurant and Bar. I ordered 2 Kalik Golds, they hit the spot. I ordered the fish and fries, Mahi Mahi, cooked fresh. After dining we moved back to the boat to relax and have some cocktails.

Today is Tuesday. Due to extreme winds at about 25 knots, we have decided to hang around the boat today. We will move tomorrow and fight the wind and waves for either 15 or 30 miles. Tonight for dinner we are having Mark's potatoes that I have heard a lot about accompanied by steak and vegetables.

Wednesday Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) we had a light breakfast and decided to motor sail 15 miles to Children's Bay. After 6-9 foot swells for 15 miles we had finally arrived. Two of us on board were not feeling very well from the Atlantic swells so we made a decision to cut through to the inside area of the islands where it would be calmer. To cut through we would have to take the boat through a small area where the waves were breaking. After a quick turn and 2 waves that broke on the boat we made it through. On the other side the water was much calmer and was easier on our stomachs. I must say though that Mark gave me a little bracelet to shock some nerves in my wrist area, and suddenly I was cured of my motion sickness. (I will definitely be buying one of those when I get home! Thanks Mark!) So we are on the inside (west) of the islands and begin to find a cove to settle down for the night. Once in Children's cove we took the dingy to land to go for a small hike over to the east side of the island where the waves were breaking hard. Following our hike Gary and I decided to get into the 77 degree water and see what we could find with masks and snorkels. We saw 1 fish and plenty of "ant hills" that were probably clams underneath the sand. We will cook again tonight because the island is not inhabited and will sail to another island tomorrow that has a restaurant. Until then; good night friend.

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The sailing life

I completed a five day trip with five guys who went to grad school together; it was great to have them aboard. Since they went to M I T, I thought they would all have pocket protectors, glasses held together with duck tape and goofy clothes; stereotyping was wrong, as always.
I'm at anchor in Nassau harbor and have been for three days dealing with small but aggravating maintenance issues. My four year old GPS chart plotter began to malfunction on my way over from Miami and finally died. That's being handled by my next guest Gary who has purchased a new one for me and will bring it with him to George Town. That will be expensive, about 2k when all is done.
I was enjoying some BBQ ribs sometime last week and broke a four tooth permanent bridge. Dental work is the only thing I know that's more expensive then boats but fortunately I have been doing barter with my two Dentists for years so the only expense will be flying to North Carolina a few times to get this problem resolved. I just have to remember to not smile to broadly till then.
More maintenance, the anchor windless is slipping when I use it to haul the anchor up. That usually means I simply re torque the main spindle bolt thereby increasing the friction. Well the dam bolt is frozen, I have for two days been trying PB Blaster, extreme heat and ice. Last night I got the bright idea to use the wench handle (that's the way it's designed) with a leverage bar yep; the wench handle broke. What next, I don't know, anybody out there got an idea?
Here's a small one but very aggravating; Chef Mate Deb told me way back in Miami that there was water on the shelves below the two galley sinks. I replaced all the plumbing with new, it seems I only made the problem worse; I'm not good at plumbing would be a kind description of my plumbing skills.
While I'm venting, I was boarded here in the harbor by the Bahamian Defense Force yesterday. I presented myself and papers while covered in grease, with tools strewn inside and out, topped off by my smile at their comment. They said they couldn't believe the age on my passport compared to my physical condition; and where is all my help.
I quoted Captain Ron "it's the rum, sailing and woman" that keeps you young.

Here is the last one I'm dealing with: the raw water pump that brings up sea water to cool the diesel engine, which drives the generator, had a small water leak caused by a two dollar lip seal failure. No problem, I have a spare for that so, remove, repair and reinstall about two hours, wrong. The spare was damaged. I got in a taxi then visited six shops, I was slow to understand that lunch here means that one shop is closed 12 to 1 and the next might be 1 to 2, anyway four hours later and a $120 taxi ride I located the seal at the last shop that might have such a seal, it wasn't two dollars it was ten; I would have paid fifty at that point.
I put it all back together and it worked fine; this morning it is not drawing water up-see why I don't like plumbing!
At the end of four days I'm right back where I was at the beginning with the exception of dock and taxi fees.
I'm going to the dock after I post this log and find my friend Captain Tony who often knows more about certain plumbing issues then me, not to diminish Tony but most everyone knows more about plumbing

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MIT BOYS

Monday 12/22/08

We depart from Nassau this morning after four days with Captain Mark and crew of Stay Cat feeling somewhat like one feels after huge Thanksgiving dinner, very full and satisfied. I not sure if it was all of the great food, the picturesque spots we anchored each night, or the nine bottles of rum we consumed over four days. Most likely some combination of the above. We were not your typical carter customer, five grad school buddies with a hall pass from our wives to go relive some memories for a long weekend. We arrived last Thursday night with just enough time to make it out to Rose Island for the sunset. Our plan was to head south the following morning to explore the Exumas, however, there was one problem, we had polished off most Stay Cat's stores of Rum, Tonic and limes and needed to head back to Nassau to reload. I think at this point Captain Mark was beginning to question why he had accepted this charter, but in record time we had the bow pointed south again. We made it to Allen's Cay in plenty of time for a dingy excursion to the white sand beaches and some great snorkeling, which was followed by a sumptuous multi course dinner and a full contact poker game lasting well into the evening. We were loud and at about 11:30 PM had a visitor from a neighboring boat: we presumed to complain. As it turned out he wanted to join the party.

The following morning after two hours of snorkeling and given the relatively short duration of our planned stay, we decided to head north again to take advantage of the settled weather and to get a little closer to the barn in advance of an approaching cold front. We found a spot about two hours outside of Nassau and again strapped on our snorkels and fins. This time we found ourselves in a schools of six eagle rays - a spectacular sight. In the evening more food and booze - a special thanks to the crew of Dances with Dolphins (a neighboring cat) who had vacuumed all of the lobster off of the reef that afternoon and bestowed upon us some fresh tails.

On our final day, we decided we needed to act more like children (like some how we had been mature the previous three). We took a slip in the Atlantis Marina and spent the afternoon sliding down the waterslides giggling like 11 year-olds. Fun, lots of it and here we are getting ready to leave, full. A special thanks to Captain Mark and "Candy" the able bodies Cook Mate and card shark.

See again soon.

Jim Alden and the MIT boys

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Miami, Cat, Chub to Nassau

Time to get caught up again, a couple of weeks ago I was trying to decide to cancel a short charter in Nassau because the last hurricane of the season was headed for Cuba and might have gone on to the central Bahamas. The storm slammed into Cuba as a Cat IIII about 160 miles from my location. The upper air, (shear) and the high mountains tore it up, so the charter was on again. Debra chef mated for me so the food was great and the weather was fine.
Deb sailed back to Miami with me in some heavy weather- but great sailing -I think she wanted more weather, go figure.
I just finished a trip last night with a very special family of five from Bulgaria and Deb who was the able chef again. This family was just so darn nice I should have paid them for there company. A high point was the last night at Hurricane Hole when Diko's Dad Balcho started singing Bulgarian folk music. He has a very deep and strong singing voice that was heard through the anchorage and enjoyed by all who could hear. Diko will post a ship's log entry in a few days telling all about the holiday aboard Stray Cat with his family.
I got to sleep at about 9:00 last night and was up at five to get ready for this passage today to Nassau. I had plenty of help Robert, Deb and Candace all helped with laundry, beds, floors, food, fuel, water and such. I have two days to get to Nassau for my next trip.
Candyce is aboard and will Chef mate for me then fly out.
We are mid Gulf Stream on the back side of a cold front, the sea is running about seven feet and we are under sail making about 8 knts, the sky is clear. The sunsets in Miami and the Bahamas are legendary; looking back at Miami it's easy to see why, tonight's example is awesome. .
Mark

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