Happy New Year!!!

Here we are wishing you all a Happy New Year!!!
We had a great time in Treasure Cay, lovely beach and wonderful weather. To make the most of it we stayed Saturday night as well, so Sunday morning we woke up really early and sailed back to Marsh Harbour. By 10 we were back. We had planned to stay at a marina so that we could do all our laundry. I went by my guide book and chose a marina where we found out, after we had tied up, that the laundry was not working. Themarina next door did have laundry, so although Juan complained and huffed and puffed and groaned, we moved.
The kids left and are all safely back home. In the meantime we have been cleaning, and washing and organizing: we had four loads of laundry each, so that took up most of the day yesterday. Today we went shopping and continued doing stuff. Nothing glamorous, just work and organizing. Idette's blackberry seems to have died so she spent over four hours today talking to T-mobile and downloading software only to find out she will have to get a new set!
Last night I cooked (Moroccan) and tonight Idette cooked our New Year's dinner: ham, vegetables and wonderful Italian bread. We were hoping to have some champagne at midnight, but Juan and Mike passed out at about 9, Idette and I stayed out listening to the band playing in the restaurant right next the marina (imported from Nassau!), got to see some early bird fireworks and then she also conked out, so here I am at 10:45 writing this post and also ready for bed!
So tomorrow mimosas! That's where the champagne is going! The band is blasting out there but Zingaro and Sweet Tides snore!
New Year is when they celebrate carnival in the Bahamas, it's called Juncanoo. The best Juncanoo is supposedly in Nassau, but around this area it's Green Turtle Cay. The cruisers have organized a trip by bus and ferry so we have signed up for it and will go party. As long as it's during the day we can take it!
After that we will see what the weather brings. A cold front is on its way with very high winds so we may have to stay put for a few days.

Green Turtles in Treasure Cay ...

The golf cart ride in Guana was not a big success, mainly because the roads that go to to the north of the island stop at a new development that occupies the whole peninsula, there are beaches on both sides but not snorkeling which is what we were after. To the south we could find no road. So after having lunch on a covered pier just before the Baker's Point development we returned the cart, with a partial refund, and headed back to the beach where we had been for the last two days.
We considered dinghying to Fowl Cay where apparently is the best snorkeling in the area, and actually tried going out, but turned back. The next day when we went out with the boats we were very glad we didn't even attempt it, it was at least four miles out. And once you get there you have to cross the cut, go out in the ocean and tie to the mooring balls (in the dinghy of course). It did not look doable. If the day had been calm we might have attempted to anchor the boats and go out in the dinghy but it was too windy. But given it was too windy and after all, we are sailboats, we opened the sails had a wonderful run all the way to Treasure Cay.
According to the guide this is the most beautiful beach in the Abacos. I still think Guana is more beautiful but this comes a close second. A lovely bay with calm blue waters looking at the Atlantic but protected by several islands in the distance. The anchorage is in a bay within the development so you pay 10 dollars but have access to all their facilities. And there are green turtles that come up and spy on you while you go out in your dinghy!
P.S. I thought I would post a picture of the reporter for a change. I asked for a young, thin picture but I don't think the photographer tried hard enough.

Paradise continued

There's nippers and there's grabbers and each has their own deadly rum concoction. Nippers is on the beach and at 10 am you already see people sitting there drinking either nippers or kaliks, the local beer. The public docks get filled with small motor boats that come from all over to the beach and to nippers.
Grabbers faces West so it's for sunset drinks, strong drinks. And the sunset yesterday was spectacular, the night sky even more so. And best of all we woke up to a bright sunny day, practically no wind and temperatures reaching 80 for the first time since we arrived.
Yesterday we snorkeled off the rocks and the water was very pleasant, not at all cold. The snorkeling was alright, there were some fish at least to get us started. Today we are going to rent a golf cart and load our snorkeling gear and start exploring the island.
We continue to have wonderful meals, last night it was Idette's turn to prepare a Mexican feast, with chicken fajitas, rice, beans, guacamole, and everything else. Today we are going to have to swim a LOT to be able to use up all those calories!!

Paradise at last!

Finally!! We have been in the Abacos for a week and between the very shallow waters and the instability of the weather we had started to seriously consider heading south as soon as the Sweet Tides kids left. But yesterday we left Elboy Cay, tiptoeing around the bay because it was again shallow, shallow and pointed to Guana Cay, which is the first island after you come into the Sea of Abacos, the longest and the least inhabited. The bay where we moored is very small, there are only 4 sailboats. But the beach is spectacular! Long stretch of pink sands, peppered with rocks to snorkel from.  So if you have no news for a while you know why!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

The Sweet Tides managed to get together at last. Michael made it on the 4:15 ferry!! Zingaro will share the holiday with them while our thoughts are all spread out, in Arlington with Joanna and Sophia, in Brazil and Uruguay with our family and friends, and in the DC area with all our friends (plus some that are in Peru and Venezuela! and those blanketed in snow in Vermont! and those in Arizona is it? or back in Georgia?) We will be toasting you all tonight. It will be midnight in Brazil and Uruguay but I assure you it will not be midnight for those on EST, because we have been going to bed so early it's pitiful. We are giddy with joy when we make it to nine! and that is hardly ever!
The weather in the Abacos sucks really, it's never sunny for too long, so we have not been swimming or snorkeling. Juan says we will give it to January 6th, if it hasn't improved by then we're off to the Exumas. At least the further south we go the warmer it will get!
This week we'll be going around the islands with the young Sweet Tides, when they leave we'll see what we do.
I am feeling a bit nostalgic today but it's Zingaro's fate to never be completely whole anywhere: if we are here we miss being there, if we're there we freeze, you get the picture. Next Christmas it will be Uruguay!!!

It never rains in the Bahamas!

So it never rains in the Bahamas, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. (Natalie don't read this.) When it started Juan and Mike went out with their brushes to wash the salt off the boat, then I went out with my shampoo. Of course it stopped when I had foam all over and had to open the shower on the swimming platform and use the water I was trying to save.
When I was all dry it started again and has not stopped.
Obviously I did not go snorkeling, instead I finished my translations, sent invoices, responded to all my holiday emails, and now I am updating my blog. If I don't find something else to do quickly Juan will have me cleaning something in no time!!
But hey! the goddess of uncleanliness is looking after me because I see the clouds opening and maybe we'll get to go to town!!

Manjack Cay

One month and two days after we left Herrington Harbor, we are finally in cruising mood. We anchored here last night and the anchor held firmly all night long and all day today. Juan and Mike have been trying to fix Sweet Tides´ windlass but so far have not been successful. Mike ordered a part that will be delivered to Natalie, but suddenly now they believe the part will not solve the problem. However, after a nice dinner cooked by Mike on the grill tonight and several glasses of red wine, we have decided that the windlass is not a major problem and it will not spoil our trip. He can always throw the anchor by hand if need be. 

This morning, one of the trawlers that was in West End, Spartina, and that had also anchored here, came over in their dinghy to visit and suggested we make sandwiches and have a picnic on the beach. They already had their dinghy in the water and took all of us. It was really nice although not quite warm enough for us to go swimming. Although Mike did go in the water when we came back. We had a hair cutting session: Idette and I cut Juan and Mike's hair and I must say we did a pretty good job. Especially if you don´t look too close. 

The plan now is to go across the Whale passage tomorrow to go to Marsh Harbor and give Green Turtle Cay a pass for the time being. We will be back afterwards. Now it´s best if we are already past the last hurdle and all set for their kids´arrival. 

The last hurdle being the passage out into the ocean and back into the Sea of Abaco, around Whale Cay. According to the guide book, if the weather is not good it can be a very rough passage. You have to go across with the ebbing tide so we are timing ourselves make it in time. If we get there and don´t like it, we´ll come back to Green Turtle Cay. 

Manjack has been great, not only because it´s beautiful but also because its generous inhabitants broadcast wi fi from one of the two houses on land!

Abacos here we come!!

I thought I had managed to post on the blog with the blackberry but obviously I did not. We left West End without problems and travelled the whole day all the way to Great Sale Cay. It was windy and rolly but we did ok.  

Eight boats left West End in the morning and they were all at the anchorage in the evening. Very protected in spite of the wind. We anchored and as we waited for Sweet Tides, Juan decided it would be safer if we did not raft up because the wind was blowing almost 20 knots. But when Sweet Tides tried to anchor their windlass did not work. So they did raft up with us and we had a very calm night because the wind died down. And since it was Juan's birthday we were able to celebrate. 

Today we left at eight and arrived in Manjack Cay which is next door to Green Turtle Cay. A beautiful anchorage with crystal clear waters. It's been a month and a day since we left Herrington Harbor and today we can say we have arrived. It' s not beach weather yet, the northerlies were strong so temperatures are only on the 70s, but will be increasing towards the weekend. The signal is not good enough to send pictures but as soon as we get some decent wifi we'll post some.

Thank you all for your birthday wishes for Juan, we wish you had been here with us!

(I can post with my blackberry, as long as I write the email address correctly, duhhh!)

Windy, windy, windy

About 25 boats arrived from Florida between Friday and Saturday to this marina, and we are all still here. The wind is howling at over 30 knots and nobody is budging. Actually a small trawler ventured out this morning but immediately returned. To go into the banks you have to leave the marina, sail about a mile into the ocean to get back into the channel that leads you into the banks. And that passage looks really nasty right now. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and we'll be able to leave. If not we might have to stay put until Tuesday. We could be stuck in a much worse place. The marina is nice, it has nice facilities, a gym, a couple of restaurants, a heated pool and of course a lovely beach. But of course although it is warm it's not beach weather. So we are doing housekeeping stuff. Sweet Tides are working on putting their room back together after it got all wet during the crossing - they inadvertently left the hatch open and the waves washed over the boat all the time. Juan is waxing and cleaning - when it stops raining - and I am writing my blog. As soon as I am done I just might go and take a nap! 

Quick update and test

Apparently I can post from my blackberry so I am testing.
Both Mike and Zingaro are much better so we may continue our adventures together. Mike only needed a good night' s sleep and Zingaro' s strut seems firmly in place (Juan went in the water) and did some tests, hosing the boat in areas where water could be coming in and it was positive. The waves washed over us all the time and that could have been the culprit.
Things are looking up.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile