Blog 4: Eleuthera...We love Eleuthera

Blog 4 2017

Eleuthera ... We LOVE Eleuthera

(and so does Panacea!)

Beach view from Tippy's

It's was two whole weeks for us in Coral Harbour. The pace had been slow, with no weather concerns because we were at dockside in a protected man-made waterway. Every now and again I lend the carpenter, doing hurricane repairs, a hand to carry something awkward, and I spend the rest of the time doing cosmetic repairs in the cockpit.

We visited a Building Supply warehouse and got some primer and paint for the cockpit, as well as a couple of treated pine boards with which to construct a new bathroom cabinet. Our host entertained us with Johnny Cash music as we drove through that mission. It felt gooood. Nick's Morgan Plus 8 still awaits a new owner in the carport. He seems to have lost interest in the car.(If only I had more deck space on the boat.....darn!).

Susan and our hostess have driven the entire island doing coffee klatches and museum tours. Sue says she has been on every road on New Providence. Other visitors have come and gone from the wharf while we stay here. We could have anchored out, but we really like these folks so we stay until Nargis arrives. Shep and Deb of High ZZ's joined us from Palm Bay Marina after a day or two. They are cruising friends from years past in Bimini. We hang out together whenever our wakes cross.

With Nargis aboard, we traversed Coral Harbour, waiting until lunchtime so as to avoid small arms fire from the practice range at the Naval Base. High ZZ's turned west, to return to the States, while we turned east – destination Shroud Cay, where we arrived after a brisk sail, just as the sun drops below the horizon. Next morning we departed Shroud and, again with a brisk wind, sailed into Big Majors spot and found a good place to anchor, close-in under the coral cliffs.

Lunch at Lorraine's Black Point

Nurse sharks coming for leftovers

Brisk North winds held us in Big Majors Spot for several days, but did not prevent us from taking dinghy expeditions to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and Isles General Store. When the winds turned easterly we sailed over to Black Point Beach, where we spent a couple of days hanging out on shore with more fellow cruisers.

With diminished easterlies we raised anchor and made our way out of Dotham Cut fighting the tide, which had not quite slacked. We were sailing on a course for Powell Point, Eleuthera only twenty minutes after raising anchor. Things were going just fine.

Cape Eleuthera Marina 

We were steering manually as the auto-pilot couldn't cope with the swell on our quarter. We had been fussing with the sail trim, attempting to get her 'balanced', finally accepting the 'fluffly' conditions and just sitting back.

Whenever things are going THAT fine I tend to relax and speculate about what will be the next project for Panacea.

We have it in mind to enclose the cockpit. A curved glass windshield might be within reach – costwise. Roll-up side curtains will let us stay warm and dry in the kind of weather that brought us to the islands this year. “Yup, we're going to do that” were my words spoken in my mind as the new plan.

“What was that?” Nargis had heard a change in engine note. Admittedly, the engine had slowed a few RPM's. I adjusted the throttle up a tad and re-cinched the small lanyard that we 'lock' the throttle with, telling myself “the darned throttle spring is too strong...”.

Moments later, we lost 300 RPM. I raised the throttle. Yup, full response.

I was automatically trouble-shooting, and by revving her up again, was assured that fuel was getting through.

Susan had gone into troubleshooting mode automatically too. “The antifreeze overflow tank is bubbling a lot”.

“That's it, we're sailing again” I declared as I shut the engine down. Sue and I looked at each other “...Head Gasket....again!”

The winds dropped to the point where the plotter gave us an ETA of midnight. I rigged the dinghy abreast and tied the steering of the outboard, checked its oil and filled the fuel tank.

Making three knots solely using the outboard, our Estimated Time of Arrival soon dropped to 9:00 pm, and when the winds steadied and increased, we began to smile again. We arrived at Powell Point and clipped into Davis Channel an hour before sunset. We messed up our tack at Poison Point, circling to lee close-in to the point in total darkness – before getting our act together – finally anchoring in exactly the same place where we had dropped the hook two years ago – also with a dud engine.

In my brain I was seeing Tekla Bramble already at anchor just ahead of us. Of course – that was two years ago. This time we are one lone boat. At least we are on completely familiar ground this time. We have done this before.

When we raised anchor at sunrise, leading a flotilla of other sailboats – all of which passed us as they sped West and North. When we entered Governor's Harbour in mid-afternoon a few of those same boats sent their tenders to assist placing us in the anchorage. One lady urged us to pick-up the empty mooring ball in mid-harbour. I was slow to accept her advice as Susan would have to be handling the throttle in the dinghy while I would necessarily have to steer Panacea, leaving it to Nargis to secure us to the mooring ball. This task would require a lot more strength that she possesses.

After two tries at anchoring, one of the other boaters suggested that he assist with the ball.

Problem solved.

Dinghy on the beach Governors Harbour

Susan stayed aboard while Nargis and I drove to the French Leave Resort to pay for a couple of nights on 'their' mooring ball.

Mooring balls in the Bahamas are usually installed by the Bahamian government and then 'leased' to a nearby commercial enterprise whose business it will be, to recoup the leasing costs and eke a margin of profit from mooring rentals from cruisers passing through.

This seemingly straightforward concept has a few kinks.

One of these kinks can be laid at the feet of the authors of several chartbooks and cruising guides. To be sure, the authors of those books and guides were committing what they knew to be true at the time - to paper. Unfortunately, when the Government's mooring ball business plan evolved from “free for all” model - to a “lessee and sub-lessee” model, the “knowledge” that these things are free could not be erased from all of the guides and chartbooks out there in circulation.

The battles on VHF between defiant boaters and frustrated lessee mooring operators have not generally diminished. They are not a pleasant thing to witness.

And now – back to the story. We presented ourselves to the business office and advised that we wished to pay for the use of their mooring ball. The young woman looked at me with a serious expression and replied “We won't take your money. You can stay on the ball if you wish, but I have to advise you that some of the moorings have failed and we cannot assure that the two remaining ones will not fail as well”.

With thanks, we returned aboard, happy enough to stay on the mooring in the mild conditions we were then currently experiencing. If the hardware was going to fail, then it would fail when under heavy load, probably during a 'blow'. I inspected the mooing lines and the attachment hardware, which all looked 'perfect'. At 'sundowners' aboard another boat Kevin of Apres Ski told me that he had once attached his own hardware by diving to the ring on a mooring block in this harbour. Others advised that the mooring where we had attached had been occupied by a large power boat for a long period. We felt well-assured on learning that fact. When the wind turned to the northwest and every other boat left Governor's Harbour - we stayed right there on the ball.

Derek and Sue enjoying lunch at Tippy's

It got pretty ugly, what with all of the rolling and pitching – but the mooring held. I declared that I had had enough and dinghy'd to Anchor Bay on the opposite side of the isthmus to Cupid's Cay, where I sounded the bottom and otherwise 'scoped-it-out'. We made the move the very next day, even as some of the other sailboats returned to GH.

Derek checking out the anchor set

Anchor Bay is delightful. As I write this I am listening to the pastor of the Episcopal Church as he delivers his sermon only two-hundred feet away. Skin diving in this cove is a treat, with clear water – unlike the water in the main harbour. We expect the new head gasket to arrive tomorrow from the tractor supply firm in Las Vegas. Hopefully it will solve the problem. If it turns out that we have to do other things to get her running again, well this is a great place to hang-out. The anchorage is protected better than the main harbour and we can stay near the grocery stores, banks, the NAPA auto parts store and the express company.

We are anchored facing Fish Fry and Library 

Our stern is side on to the Episcopalian church

Many of the local people are aware of our reason for staying and have offered advice. One morning walker, wintering here from Mahone Bay,NS invited us to 'visit' with he and his wife, an offer we intend to take Tom up on. Last night we were invited to attend a grand 50^th birthday celebration by the sister of the celebrant. The sister has been very helpful at the watering dock. She just happens to be working on a construction crew – but whenever a dinghy approaches the dock, she drops her tools and brings a water hose to the cruisers dinghy.

And the birthday party was a smasher – and only 400 feet away at the 'weekly fishfry' site. Sue and I left early, Nargis hitched a ride back a little later.

It's a sunny Sunday morning here in Anchor Bay. We have been catching up on boat chores that we fell behind on while bouncing around on the mooring. Nargis has just booked her air ticket out via PineappleAir for Tuesday. Today is a day of R&R. We had tried to rent a car for today to show Nargis some other parts of the island – but could not get one. It seems that the Easter Season is a busy time here for car rentals.

We're going to explore by dinghy instead, and maybe do some snorkelling.

water falls at Leon Levy Preserve