Al Qualifies for Medicare

Enjoying a "goodby" party on Samana with Mercedes and Ron

We finally left Marsh Harbor after having a “goodbye party” on Samana with Ron, Mercedes, Denise and John from Sloop John Dee and us. Sloop John Dee was headed our way, but Samana was heading out the cut and straight to Charleston where they live.

Everyone was concerned about going through the cut called “The Whale” but it went well and we headed just north of Green Turtle to a place we had not been before, between Crab Cay and Nunjack Cay to anchor for the night. It was a pretty spot and there were at least 15 boats anchored there. 

Beach at Nunjack Cay

There was a beautiful little beach in front of us which looked private but we were told by other cruisers that the owners had been cruisers themselves and welcome people to use the beach and trails. 

Neat hand-painted signs to guide us.

Hiking trail to the ocean.

So we headed in to hike the trail to the ocean side. They had done a wonderful job cutting a nice wide trail and it took us 20 minutes walking at a good pace to reach the ocean. They had wonderful hand-painted signs directing the way.

The beach on the sound side where get-togethers are held.

 We were also told that around “Happy Hour” boaters who are musically talented come to the beach to play, but unfortunately not the night we were there. Also, due to the fact it was low tide, we were not able to take the dinghy into the mangroves where turtles can often be spotted.

Sunset at Nunjack Cay.

 We did have a beautiful, peaceful sunset 

Beautiful sunrise at Nunjack.

and sunrise the next morning was exquisite. We decided this is a spot we will have to return to check it out more thoroughly.

We continued on to Great Sale Cay to prepare to cross over to Florida. It was April 1^st and we had a nice gentle sail. Since we were not heeled and it was a smooth sail I decided it was time for a pedicure. So I got out my dark pink nail polish which was in my hand with a loose lid and when I reached for a cloth to put down on the seat, it slipped out of my hand and hit the seat and splattered all over the seat cushion, throw-able cushions and on the side of the cockpit. Well, I was successful in getting it off the boat and most of the seat cushions, but I know people will ask why is there blood on the throw-able cushions for a long time! I guess I won't be using nail polish in the cockpit anymore. I just will have to find salons along the way!

Lots of boats heading to Great Sale for a crossing.

Then later that day we were motor sailing because the wind lightened and the boat was on autopilot.  It was like an armada heading out.  

I was busy reading and Al had gone down below to do something. All of a sudden we heard a wham under the boat and the engine sounded funny so I quickly shut it down. Being Chesapeake Bay sailors for 38 years, we are familiar with crab pots getting hung up on boats and that is what it sounded like. However, there are no crab pots in the Bahamas. Well, Al checked the engine and all seemed okay and he started the engine and it worked. He tried putting it in reverse to see if it would release what was on there but it did not. We continued to sail to get to a shallower spot and then anchored. 

Al going in to check the problem.

 Al donned his wet suit and went down to see what we had on the propeller. 

Al under the boat working on the problem

It was a massive jumble of black polypropylene floating line. Luckily our prop isn't too far below on the boat so he was able to cut it off, but we had to turn the wheel to one side because it was wedged between the prop and the rudder.

Al looking a little tired after cutting the line off the prop.

 Luckily it seems it did no damage to the boat. This massive body of water we are in and we were the lucky ones to run over a 2 foot mass of line. It was no April Fool joke!

We made it to Great Sale and prepared the boat for crossing and rested. We were leaving about 2PM the next day to cross with Sun Cat the Bahama Banks and then across the Gulf Stream to come into Fort Pierce inlet. In the morning Al changed the zincs so he would not have to do it in Chesapeake waters where visibility is almost nil. I kayaked to shore and found some sea glass and then we left about noon because winds were lighter than we expected. 

Crossing the banks was just a massive turquoise blue body of water with a few more sailboats doing the same crossing as us. It was blowing 12-13 knots behind us most of the way. We had a nice sunset with a green flash which we don't see too often because land seems to always be in the way.

Heading west into the sunset to Florida.

It was a bit roly-poly in the gulf stream but not bad and only saw 3 ships in the crossing which made for an uneventful (thank heavens) crossing on Al's big 65^th birthday. We entered Fort Pierce inlet about 10:30AM and got onto a mooring at Vero Beach by 12:30PM and tied up with Sloop John Dee who had done the crossing a day ahead of us.

We have been getting accustom to our land legs again. Doing various chores of oil changes on the outboard and boat engine, restocking the frig and closets with items we don't get in the Bahamas and cleaning up the boat. I also finished up my final basket and when I gathered them all together I was surprised at how many I had done this year.

My collection of baskets that I made in the Bahamas.

Denise and John came for Al's belated birthday dinner and left to head north today. We plan to be here a few more days and then start the trek back north slowly ourselves.