Bahamas Journal - Nassau Interlude

Friday, January 22, 2010
Nassau, The Bahamas

Arrived in time for happy hour on Friday. No marine stores open. Had a drink.

Nassau: Sojourn at sunset with Paradise Bridge in Background

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Nassau, Bahamas

We were up early Saturday morning hoping to find something open. No luck. We headed across to the local Starbucks, one of the few reliable WiFi sites around. For a cup of coffee (US Prices) you can get 2 hours of very good internet access. We Skyped the kids (Kevin and Laura).

We were safe and sound in Nassau and would start the search for a mechanic to repair our heat exchanger in the morning.

The marina we were staying at was under construction - like most of the Bahamas. We were hearing more and more about the destruction from the 2004 hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. That damage, plus the global recession meant there was a lot of hurtin' going on. The Nassau Harbor Club Marina is a hotel, restaurant, bar and marina. Only the marina was operational.

We opted to walk down to Potter's Cay and the Bridge over to Paradise Island. There the fish boats come in, restaurants purchase the catch of the day. There is a fruit and vegetable exchange, primarily from the farms on Andros Island. We walked around. I watched a local fisherman cleaning conch, looking for hints on how to make it a simpler task. He was too fast and I didn't learn much.

Close to noon, we stopped at one of the stands. It was painted bright pink and had the most cheerful staff we had seen in a long time. You just have to support a business that is trying.

We had an order of conch fritters – 8 large puffy deep fried morsels and 2 Heineken beer. The bill came to $8.00. We then crossed the Paradise bridge to the Atlantis Resort and Casino on Paradise Island

A little tired after our walk, we went back to the Marina.

Sunday, January 24, 2010
Nassau, Bahamas

Another glorious day in Nassau. Today's outing is to walk to the Paradise Beach Club on Paradise Island with the crews from Blessed Spirit and Interlude, the two boats that came to our assistance on the Flats coming into Chubb Cay. We were off to see the NFL Playoffs.

Monday, January 25, 2010
Nassau, Bahamas

We were bound and determined to resolve the issues with our engine overheating. We looked up the local Westerbeke dealer in the cruising guide and called them. They office was not far. We also looked up the local BaTelCo office to get a Bahamas SIM chip for our Blackberry.

Our first challenge is that with the widening for the 2 main roads in and out of downtown – East Bay and Shirley – any semblance of a sidewalk went missing. The second challenge was although there are street address numbers in the phone book, no one uses them. All navigation is by reference point. So went up and down Shirley Street, a couple of times. We did find the BaTelCo office and a bakery where we picked up a loaf of coconut bread and some fresh cake. The cake didn't last long. The fresh out of the oven bread made it back to the boat.

We finally found the Westerbeke dealer and they looked up the engine part and could get it in for us. There is no 'next day' in the Bahamas. It would have to be flown from Connecticut to Florida and then Florida to the Bahamas and might be there by the next Friday. But probably not.

I decided to phone Bristol Marine in Port Credit. Since there was a large concentration our make of boat in the Toronto area, maybe they would have the part. They did and put it on an Air Canada flight that evening. There was a one day delay in Toronto because of the heightened security at the airport and the end cap we need for the heat exchanger came down to Nassau airport on Wednesday.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Nassau, Bahamas

The Air Canada Flight was due in at approximately 1 pm. We decided to do the tourist thing in downtown Nassau before going out to the airport.

As we finished up a lunch of fresh snapper with peas and rice at the local fish fry, we called the broker at Nassau airport and our part had indeed arrived. We will not belabour the 4 hours and pile of paperwork it took, but suffice it to say, of all the wonderful, smiling friendly people we interacted with to get our boat part, one nasty rude customs agent almost spoiled the elation of being able to put our boat back together. We decided to remember all of the nice people instead.

Recently, the Bahamian Customs department eliminated duty on boat parts for boats cruising the islands on a temporary permit – like us. Prior to that, there would have been a 48% duty. Fortunately, we had all of our paperwork in order and were able to get the part back to the boat.

In fitting the rubber end cap (for the 3rd time) I discovered a piece of metal lodged in the outlet pipe of our heat exchanger. This is the problem that started the entire issue way back in Morehead City, NC, the first time the heat exchanger cap came off. I had not seen it, because the outlet was blocked from view. Once removed, the end cap went on beautifully and we have been cruising without incident ever since.

Thursday, January 28, 2010
Nassau, Bahamas

With the repair complete, it was time to finalize our provisioning. Most of the other boats we were sailing with had departed for the Exuma Island Chain. We felt it was our turn.

We topped up the diesel tanks and headed out of the east end of Nassau harbor at around 10 am. It was nice to be sailing again as we started to navigate what is known as the Yellow Bank. Coming out of Nassau is a large shallow bank, strewn with coral heads. The guides all say to wait until the sun is high in the sky, post a lookout on the bow and pick your way through. There is also a note in the guides that say that if you do not mind travelling just a little bit further, you can go around the Yellow Bank. We felt the long way around was just an extra hour, so we headed further south before returning to an easterly course. Our destination was either Allen Cay, a popular first stop out of Nassau, or Highbourn Cay, just a little further south.

The crossing was without incident. We sailed most of the way, motor sailing the last 8 – 10 miles. We radioed to see if any the boats that had left Nassau a few days earlier were still at Allen Cay. We got a response from Hocus Pocus, one of the catamarans we had started the Gulf Stream crossing with. They were anchored off the beach on the west side of Highborn. We headed a little further sound and in a few hours we were anchored with them. Mary and I went over for drinks and to catch up on their adventures.

We told them we had caught up with Miss Kitty (the other catamaran we crossed with) and told them of Miss Kitty having to turn back to get their radar repaired. Miss Kitty and some hull repair to do and were crossing to Spanish Wells on Eluthera, the only place with a hoist large enough to accommodate their boat.

Bill and Sue from Hocus Pocus welcomed us to the 'real Bahamas' the Bahamas we had been working to see since we left Toronto on September 12. We felt we had arrived.

Friday - Sunday, January 29-31, 2010
Highbourne Cay

We spent 3 days at Highborne Cay. It is a private island and allows visiting boaters to come ashore. They just ask that you call the Marina Office to let them know you are on shore. Cruisers are allowed on all of the beaches. They just ask that you not light fires and that you are off the island by dark.

The first day we anchored on the west side. Then a norther was due through, with winds coming from the west and then northwest for a few days, so we moved up into the bay at the northern end of Highborne.

Days were spent the way we and envisioned. Diving the reefs, swimming, walking on the beach and getting together with the other boaters for drinks and dinner. Our next destination was Warderick Wells, center of the Exuma Land and Sea Park – a national park and reserve.

Monday - Monday, February 1-8, 2010
Warderick Wells

It was nice being on a mooring ball. The weather was going to rough for a few days, so we took a mooring at the Exuma Park.

	But today is nice, so we go snorkeling on a small reef at the end of the mooring field. I went in first to look around and had to inform Mary, that in addition of a great number of fish there was a Nurse Shark swimming by.
On an mooring ball at Warderick Wells Cay

Nurse sharks are easy going and don't bother people. There was also a large Nassau Grouper and the shark and grouper seemed to be swimming together, Mary entered the water and watched the two (grouper and shark) swim by and then eased over the reef to take a look at the other fish. Each day we are completely amazed at the clarity of the water, the abundance of sea life and how close to the surface all of this happens.

But today is nice, so we go snorkeling on a small reef at the end of the mooring field. I went in first to look around and had to inform Mary, that in addition of a great number of fish there was a Nurse Shark swimming by. Nurse sharks are easy going and don't bother people. There was also a large Nassau Grouper and the shark and grouper seemed to be swimming together,

Mary entered the water and watched the two (grouper and shark) swim by and then eased over the reef to take a look at the other fish. Each day we are completely amazed at the clarity of the water, the abundance of sea life and how close to the surface all of this happens.

On the land side, because this is the Exuma Land and Sea Park, there are several nature trails, all signed with the type of flora and fauna. There are studies of mangrove swamp growth, including nurseries for all sorts of water plants that clean water, hold land together, protect coral from damage in storms and give home to a lot of the smaller sea life at the start of the food chain.

There was no phone, water, hydro or stores at Warderick Wells. The WiFi was satellite and sometimes intermittent. The week was a wonderful bonus. Welcome to the real Bahamas!