Kennedy Space Center

We spent two nights at a marina in Cape Canaveral so we could visit the Kennedy Space Center.  We went in not really knowing what to expect but this family of nerds came away very happy with the trip. Sam and I in particular were inspired by the experience.  Sam because he is on the cusp of starting his engineering education and me because I am in the throes of a midlife engineering career crisis. To be able to work on a project on the cutting edge of technology, where every problem is a new one that has never been solved before must be exhilarating. One exhibit described the engineers and scientists they need to supporr a Mars mission - apparently environmental engineers and hydrogeologists are needed to figure out where all the water on Mars went to. I could do that.

  

The Canadarm!  The US made a whole shuttle but we made an arm, dammit.

Seeing the actual shuttle was strange.  It is smaller than I thought and a little beat up.

They still find a way to play video games.

I loved looking at the technology behind the Mercury missions.  So outdated compared to what we all carry in our pockets today yet it accomplished amazing things.

The nerds who wore these coats are the real heros of NASA!

The original countdown clock.

I would sail 5000 miles, and I would sail 5000 more...

Edit (5/21/18)- Ooops I had a mistake in my calculation.  We only hit 4000 nautical miles on our crossing back to the US.  I'll update again when I actually hit the big one.

Edit (6/5/18) I hit 5000 miles on the trip to Solomons, MD

My apologies to The Proclaimers (above) but I had to modify their lyric and make a special post for this as I didn't want it to be buried in another post.  On our crossing from Bimini to Cape Canaveral we hit 5000 nautical miles since leaving Hamilton in July. For sailors, 5000 nautical miles is a milestone.  Sailors have traditions of marking voyages with tattoos - one of those traditions is a swallow for every 5000 miles. I will definitely be making an appointment when I get home.

Bonus trivia: the song I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was the first song that Reg and I danced to on our first date.

Bye Bye Bahamas

Our last week in the Bahamas was a whirlwind.  We had a plan to work our way up Eleuthera and then cross to the Abacos and make our way to the most north-western point in the Bahamas before jumping back to the US.  That plan changed when we were in Spanish Wells with a forecast full of north wind which would make the crossing to Abaco miserable.  We decided to abandon that idea and head west back to the Berry islands then Bimini.

Over the next few days we traveled almost 340 nautical miles and landed in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Our original plan was to travel much further north and land in St. Augustine.  Mother Nature, Poseidon, and Neptune conspired against us with thunderstorms and strong north winds which had us turn in early.  The thunderstorms while unnerving weren't actually the scariest part.  That award goes to the stronger than predicted north winds which turn up horrible waves when they meet the gulf stream running in the opposite direction.  Sam and I were game for continuing as the conditions were improving by the time we turned west, but Reg was decidedly green and Riley decidedly bored.

Our last glimpse of the beautiful waters of the Bahamas

A storm approaches on our crossing back to the US.
Our sails came down approximately 30 seconds after I took this shot.

In the morning after the nasty weather the sun came out and a pod
of 17 dolphins joined us.  We turned off the engine and spent a good
10 minutes watching them.

Governor's Harbour

Heading north from Rock Sound our next stop was Governor's Harbour, location of the Bahamas' first parliament in 1746.  Given that history, the town had quite a different architectural feel than other places in the Bahamas.

Many of the houses had pineapple detailing in the shutters or fences.  Pineapples were a valuable cash crop on Eleuthera until the US started getting them from Hawaii.

We stopped in at this gift shop . I wonder what happened to prompt this sign.

  

One thing I love about cruising is all the sailors helping each other out.  This guy's dingy was left high and dry when the tide went out.

Waiting Out the Weather in Rock Sound

On Friday the 13th we crossed the 46 nautical miles from Cambridge Cay in the Exumas east to Rock Sound on Eluthera Island. If I had known it was Friday the 13th I might have been nervous but cruisers never have a clue what day of the week it is so I was fine.

We ended up staying 4 days instead of the planned 2 because there was a weather system coming in with thunderstorms and winds shifting 180 degrees in a span of a few hours.  Rock Sound is one of the few protected harbours in the Eleutheras and we had a good anchor set so we decided to stay put.

In addition to the well protected anchorage with good holding, Rock Sound has 3 major things to offer cruisers - the best grocery store outside of Nassau, a great swimming hole, and a very cool cave system.

The Caves are known as the Spider caves.  The name terrified me but fortunately while I saw lots of webs I didn't see any spiders. Tourist attractions here are so low key that you almost miss them.  We were only able to find these through detailed directions in a cruising guide - "walk south of town until to reach a church on the left side of the road.  Across the street is a gap in the guard rail. Go through the gap and follow the trail until you find a ladder.  Climb the ladder down into the darkness". The directions were spot on except that the ladder has been replaced with a very sturdy set of steps.

 

Rock climbing in a dress as one does.

The Ocean Hole in town is a 600' deep hole that is connected to the ocean through a deep cave system.  There are some small jumping cliffs (10-12') surrounding it which makes it a popular spot for tourists and locals alike. After exploring the caves and getting covered with dirt, Sam and I were happy to don skivvies and have a dip.

I guess I should have mentioned Rock Sound's 4th cruiser attraction - Samood Groove (nee Sam Smith).  He entertained us Bahamian music and stories of his family in the Bahamas and the lessons he has learned in his 60+ trips around the sun.

Cambridge Cay

After the solitude of the sout' side we entered civilization again at Staniel Cay and then back into the Exuma Land and Sea Park at Cambridge Cay. We found lots to keep us busy at Cambridge.  The snorkeling was the best we have encountered and the hiking was great as usual.

On the way north to the Land and Sea Park.  This was the entrance to a small private marina.  I wonder what it costs to own this piece of paradise?

You can see this rock from the opposite side of Cambridge Cay.  Sam was determined to climb it from the second he clapped eyes on it.  We couldn't see from the other side that it was in the water

But that wasn't going to stop Sam.

Almost there...

... made it!

I love seeing Binary from the top of a hill.  Always makes the climbs worth it.

3/4 of my boys.

Riley's dazzling smile is almost completely lost under his hair these days

On the ocean side of the Cay the soft rock is eroded away by the waves.  Very pretty.

Yet another beautiful ocean view.  It is amazing how different the scenery is on the east and west side of the cays.

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Another little cruiser monument. There is very limited cell reception in the park so I guess they have to entertain themselves somehow.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the snorkeling.  The kids really wanted me to buy a GoPro before we left the States but I didn't think the budget could spring for it.  It was a mistake.  If anyone is reading this while planning a trip - make sure you put a decent underwater camera on your list. We were chatting with some other tourists at the aquarium reef who had a camera and the said they would send us some stills and videos.  If they come through I will update this page but until then you can find some amazing photos at: http://www.boatlifelarks.com/2017/04/cambridge-cay-sea.html

The Sout' Side

After leaving Georgetown we traveled through Hog Cay Cut to the sout' side of the Exumas.  On this stretch we reached our most southern point - 23°22.925'N 75°31.472'W

Time to turn north :(

The water is fairly shallow so many cruising boats can't make this trip.  We have retractable centerboards as opposed to a keel so this route was open to us, and apparently no one else, as we didn't see another soul for 48 hours (unless you count dolphins).We had an amazing two days of sailing in 12 knots of breeze aft of the beam in beautifully clear water only 7-10' deep.

Look at the colour of that water.  I want to paint my whole house in it to hide from the doom and gloom next winter.

Binary looking beautiful as usual

For the kids, deserted islands with no one around only mean one thing - campfire!

Alas the solitude ended so quickly as we headed north and back into the heart of the Exuma cruising grounds.  Next up, Cambridge Cay.

Georgetown

The Bahamas has a few cruising Meccas and one of them is Georgetown, Exumas.  We have been here for two weeks, which is a relatively short stay as many cruisers make this their home for the entire winter season.  One reason we have been here for so long is that we were waiting for some parts to come in for the head and fridge, and shipping to the Bahamas is a long, slow process, but it turns out that we might have stayed here for two weeks even if we hadn't had that complication.

Georgetown has lots to offer crusiner.  First of all there is a nice large protected harbour with room for many hundreds of boats.  When we came in from the north we counted over one hundred boats before we anchored and we were only about half way down.  And this isn't even the busiest time of the season - that happens when there are regattas in town.

Georgetown and Stocking Island with Elizabeth Harbour between them

The Stocking Island side of the harbour is where all the cruiser action happens.  There is a beach bar called Chat 'n' Chill which is the central hangout.  Every day at about 2pm cruisers and locals alike gather for volleyball, dominoes, and drinks. On other beaches on the island cruisers organize water aerobics, music lessons, pot lucks, and campfires. A resort on the island hosts poker twice a week (Reg was pretty happy about that). Stocking Island is also covered with hiking trails which provide a way to see Exuma Sound on the ocean side of the island.

Bahamian sloops resting before the big Family
Islands Regatta which takes place every year at the end of April

A team out practicing

Sign post at the Chat 'n' Chill

1200 or so nautical miles to home

Another sign from home

We spent a fair amount of time with a group of other cruisers in Georgetown - some whom we had been running into (not literally, don't worry Aunt Wendy!) over and over again since Bimini.  One afternoon we all gathered on a trimaran belonging to one of them and went out fishing.  Shortly after that we said goodbye as they all headed further south.

The boys hanging out

Ned took the boys out and taught them how to dive using a hookah which is a line attached to the air tank in the boat so you don't need to carry it with you on your back.

Riley relaxing

Tim (owner of the boat) and Stuart relaxing after diving

Tim was excited about the Lobster he caught, Riley wasn't so sure

Speaking of lobster, a few days later Sam caught this beauty.  Amazing what you can do with a cheap snorkel mask, a basic set of fins, and a spear attached to a bit of rubber hose (a.k.a. a Hawaiian sling)

                                                                                       

One of the hiking trails on Stocking Island.  This one took us to the top of Monument Hill.

Sam and me on Monument Hill.

When we got to the top of the hill we could see that cruisers had written their boat names with rocks in the sand.  We had to go back a few days later to add ours.  Sam insisted it be the biggest one on the beach.

Sam was braver than I when investigating termite mounds. 
Well, we don't actually know they were termites - we didn't get THAT close!

If his expression were a little more serious I think Riley could use this as the cover for his debut album.

On one of our hikes we found yet another little cruiser monument - this one was a fishing net where people leave lost shoes.  It was at the end of a trail appropriately called "Shoe Tree Trail"

The hiking up and over the island was definitely
worth it for the amazing ocean views

Sam hidden by glasses and Riley hidden by hair but at least they both agreed to a photo

Binary sitting peacefully at anchor.  Yes, our fenders are hanging out but that is where other cruisers would tie up their dinghies when they came visiting.

  

Not so peaceful at anchor after this large charter catamaran invaded.  I actually called the charter company to let them know the captain was an a**hole in case he was an employee of theirs but they rented it out "bareboat" which means they don't supply the captain.

A relaxing afternoon for me...

... and a working afternoon for Sam as
our neighbours got him to go up their
mast to fix their anchor light. He was
paid handsomely in cash and snacks.