Saturday, December 15, 2007

Bahamas, Part 2 April - May 2007

Frank and Jim at Bang's Conch Shack in Nassau. 8 conch fritters for $1.
Great food and cold beer!

Warderick Wells Land & Sea Park.
Cruisers leave signs with their boat name at the top of the hill.

Ready to go.....


Frank and Wendy on the trail.



Did you bring the GPS?

Merengue at Boo Boo Hill for all eternity, or until the sign fades!
Jim's shooting this from the bottom of McGuire's Well. He was looking for the stash of Irish Whiskey that might be hidden there.

Looking up from the bottom of one of the dry wells.


The view of the anchorage from the park ranger's station.





Another day, another great hike.

These natural wells are all over the island, thus the name Warderick Wells.


Jim saw the sign to the Pirate's Lair and just had to go. You're not really surprised, are you?

Ahh, sweet water. Drinking from the same well the pirates drank from.

Capture Beach in the south mooring field of Warderick Wells. The trail to this beach is rugged and frequently follows rocky cliffs along the sound side of the island. The hike was more than 2 hours one way. Sorry Frank, it is time to turn around and walk back.

Sharks swimming around our boat at the Compass Cay marina.

The beach at Compass Cay, one of the prettiest we'd been to.

These snails were attached to the trees and bushes all along the trails.


May we borrow your dinghy?


Pig greetings from Pig Beach near Staniel Cay.



What did you bring me?


Catching some rays!




Shipwreck on Pig Beach with the anchorage in the background.


Under the bridge to the dinghy dock.
Georgetown, Great Exuma, Bahamas

The obelisk on Stocking Island, Georgetown.
This shot is from our boat, anchored right off the beach.



At the base of the monument with Dick & Nelda. They are on Alibi, an Island Packet 35.


"I think I'm getting into this lifestyle."


A Faithful Beauty Moth joining us for happy hour? Get your own drink!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Bahamas - Bimini to Allan's Cay

Crossing the Gulf Stream with "Warm Rain" from Toronto and "Secrets" from Montreal.
Mérengue's route from Florida to the British Virgin Islands.




Landfall in the Bahamas.




Frank (Warm Rain) and Jim at the beach bar in Bimini with a couple of cold Kalik beers.



Shipwrecked freighter on the beach.



It feels great to be in the Bahamas!



Pelican posing for a picture!


First leg in red crossing the Great Bahama Banks. Anchored for the night than continued on second leg marked in green to Chub Cay

Merengue following Warm Rain across the Great Bahamas Bank. This is not color enhanced.
The water is really this color and only 8-12 ft deep for 70 miles.


Water clear enough to see starfish on the sand.


Warm Rain and Frank crossing the banks. It's so shallow that you're seeing the boat's shadow on the bottom through the crystal clear water.



Anchoring overnight on the banks, rocking back........



... and forward...........



... and left and........! We didn't get any sleep this night


Church on Chub Cay.

Course from Chub Cay to Nassau.

The view of Nassau Harbor from the bridge. The entrance is in the distance and brings you past the cruise ships and commercial boats.



Merengue and Warm Rain in their slips at the Nassau Harbour Club.
We came for a few days but ended up weathered in for 2 weeks.



Sundowner anyone?


Being weathered in allowed us more time to tour Nassau......


......several forts,...........


....and visit the Governors House.



Our table for High Tea at the Governor's House.
Each table had a hostess. Ours was the wonderful lady to Jim's left, Shirley Rolle.


Frank & Jim, "Why did they put that barge there right when we're trying to leave?"

Course to Rose Island anchorage.

Wading through the shallows to beach the dinghy at Rose Island.



Paradise! The cay off of Rose Island.


On the way back to the boat we spotted this Osprey with his catch of the day.

Back to Nassau for a couple of days then on to Allen's Cay. That course is marked in green.

Sailing to Allen's Cay on a perfect day.


Merengue at anchor off Allen's Cay.


I'm waiting for my rum punch, please!


Nice weather over, we're watching this squall approach.


The storm hit with wind gusts up to 50 knots.
Luckily it hit in the morning when we could see the boats around us.


The storm caused Warm Rain to swing and run aground.
As soon as the squall passed it was dinghies to the rescue.


Storm passed and it was Lassie to the rescue with a sunset serenade on the bagpipes.


Jim feeding a banana to an iguana at Iguana Beach.
The iguanas come running when they hear a dinghy approaching!