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This log is updated through April 30, 2005 March 27, 2005 in Mayaguana
Thomas and his wife and 14-year old son are just completing their four year circumnavigation of the world. After meeting Thomas, we reflected on the fact that we’ve been adventure traveling so long that a circumnavigation almost sounds routine. April 2, 2005 at Plana West Island Approaching the island, we were in 2,000 feet of water. A few seconds later it was 550 feet, and moments later only 20 feet deep. The island is the top of a huge mostly underwater mountain. From where we anchored, you could throw a rock toward the island and see it lying on the shimming sand below. Toss it the other way and it would drop nearly a half mile into the sea. For the first time in our lives, we saw the Green Flash! Just as the sun was setting into the Atlantic and Don was finishing the tune “Taps” on his trumpet, we both saw the Green Flash from the sun. (This photo is of sunrise, the next morning.) April 3, 2005 in Georgetown, Bahamas
Good thing we only burned seven gallons of diesel all the way from Luperon in the Dominican Republic -- 455 statute miles. But the water here is beautiful. Ap This photo was taken from the beautiful Fowl Cay Resort (www.fowlcay.com). Pioneer is anchored in the distance. Tonight we will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary with dinner here. Don is a lucky man indeed!
Seriously! This porker even swam out to our dinghy (“Scout”), in a quest for handouts. This section of the Bahamas Islands south of Nassau is beautiful -- not because of the islands, which are mostly desert-dry, but because of the water After a lot of world traveling, and sailing the northern Caribbean this winter and the Bahamas two years earlier, this is the most beautiful water we’ve seen. We sailed from Georgetown in the deep water of Exuma Sound and onto the shallow banks through a cut between islands with a ripping tidal current. Then suddenly everything was as calm as you see in this photo. We are doing everything possible to arrive in Oriental, North Carolina by the end of the month. But with a thousand nautical miles to go and a series of spring storms to consider, we might not make it. A key safe-sailing rule: no schedules! April 13, 2005 in Morgan’s Bluff, Andros, Bahamas Based on good weather forecasts, we sailed west on the Decca Channel across the Exuma Banks. At sunset, where the shallow banks meet the seriously deep water of the “Tongue of the Ocean,” we dropped the hook in 28 feet of water, 40 miles from land, to spend the night. Luckily, things calmed down just enough for us to be able to retrieve our anchor up in the morning, but shortly after getting underway toward Andros Island, a U.S. Navy helicopter swooped across our bow. The pilot called on VHF: “We are conducting live fire exercises. If you continue on your present heading will put yourself and your vessel in extreme danger.” The helicopter stayed nearby almost an hour, making sure we reversed course, sailing back past the place we had uncomfortably spent the night. Then it suddenly flew off, leaving us with no instructions when we could resume course. Our many radio calls were not answered.
With great relief, we finally anchored outside Fresh Creek, Andros -- reluctant to go inside because of shallow water and tight space in front of the little town. Photo: the entrance marker at Fresh Creek. The water here is calm because it’s behind a reef -- the third largest barrier reef in the world. The next day’s sail brought a new dilemma in Morgan’s Bluff: lousy holding -- and with strong winds in store. We couldn’t get any anchor to set well. In a stiff breeze, and after some heart-stopping moments, we finally wrestled Pioneer safely into a tight pocket near the freighter dock and tied her off to the bank. We are frustrated that we haven’t been able to update this website in. It was easier in the remote jungles of SE Asia. In the Bahamas, the Internet is either not available, or is extremely expensive. We continue to wait for better weather before departing for the USA. It’s not wise to challenge the Gulf Stream, especially since the forecast in coming days is for swells 15-20 feet! April 16, 2005 in Morgan’s Bluff A big ship came in this morning from Florida and reported seas in the Gulf Stream at a steep 15 feet. It was tough on ship and crew -- and something we’re not willing to face.
Although Morgan’s Bluff has poor anchor holding and almost no facilities needed by cruising sailors, it has potential. Someday someone will build a marina and related infrastructure. But don’t hold your breath. April 21, 2005 in Vero Beach, Florida It was SO good to rip along in the Gulf Stream along the Florida coast. This photo of our chartplotter shows our speed “over the bottom” as 9.5 kts. Not bad for a sailboat of our size. It’s SO good to be back with Internet access after a dry spell in the Bahamas for nearly a month! We had an easier time updating from the jungles of Laos and Thailand! We apologize to those we know follow this site regularly. After a few days in Vero, we’ll continue north on the next good wind forecast. But meanwhile, we’ll enjoy how easy things are back “home.” April 27, 2005 in Saint Augustine, Florida The weather over the ocean waters has been volatilel. We’ll motor on up to the Georgia border while waiting for a weather window to continue on to North Carolina. We don’t like motoring the ICW in Georgia, which works out well since a bridge is out and the ICW will be blocked for a month. Please continue to the Next Log. |
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March 28, 2005 in Abraham Bay
After logging only 40 NM by late in the day, we anchored off uninhabited Plana West Island.
As of today, Georgetown has no diesel fuel, no electricity, no Internet access and no drinking water at the town dock. However, a grocery store has milk at $8/gallon and the Shell station sells gasoline at $4.02/gallon, the most we’ve paid anywhere in the world. 
ril 7, 2005 in Big Majors Spot in the Exuma Islands
We have been working our way NW, making great time on strong winds -- too strong at times. Now we are holding up because a major storm bearing down from the north. This gave us time to check out some fat naked pigs on the beach.
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In the night the wind came up, producing large waves that rocked Pioneer to the point that it was hard to stay in bed, and impossible to sleep well.
We found a “testing” area noted on the chart and sailed north, around its periphery -- while occasionally being overflown by several helicopters trailing weapons on cables -- which were dropped into the ocean clearly within our view.
A wonderful older man named Eric joined Don in a jam session in a small pub (Eric on guitar, Don on trumpet), and before we left, Eric presented Becky will a beautiful shell that he found for her.
The sail from the Bahamas across the Gulf Stream to Florida was tiring, but uneventful. It’s a good thing we waited for good weather. A huge cruise ship didn’t, and was hit with a 50-ft wave that broke out windows, flooded 60 suites and injured several people.