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| The new lobster pots |
We bought the obligatory SIM card, made an easy check in, failed to find any fresh garlic and had another memorable meal from a polystyrene box. This time we were served fried conch in an amazing citrus and garlic marinade, obviously where all the garlic went! Accompanied with baked potato and corn on the cob we feasted like kings. We had to leave at high tide which meant waiting until after lunch, but the weather was settled and we had been advised to spend the night on the bank which we duly did. It was an amazing experience anchoring in a few meters with no land in sight, once the procession of yachts heading South had filed passed us. The next morning we set off to the remote Berry Islands casting the rod only to catch a nasty Barracuda; neither of us pleased to see each other. We set our kite for the first time in over four years, nice to know it is still in one piece. Arriving in the early evening we started to edge our way into the anchorage that Andrew had chosen. With just 0.1m to spare the skipper wisely decided to head back out and spend another night offshore, after all it was hardly very deep out there.
We moved around the headland and anchored in White Cay where we stayed for a few days,
moving spots as the weather changed, marching along the beaches counting those steps, had our first swim in the sea for months and finally read a book on deck in the sunshine. There was a blue hole on one of the little cays which we visited, a very peaceful spot with a little turtle happily swimming in the middle.
moving spots as the weather changed, marching along the beaches counting those steps, had our first swim in the sea for months and finally read a book on deck in the sunshine. There was a blue hole on one of the little cays which we visited, a very peaceful spot with a little turtle happily swimming in the middle.
Reluctantly we tore ourselves away and set sail for the hustle and bustle of Nassau where we were going to leave the boat over Christmas. You could spot the Atlantis resort from miles away, quite an eyesore against the blue sea. We just about squeezed into the harbour and dropped hook in one of the anchorages safely tucked up or so we thought, this rather large ferry thought otherwise making his displeasure known by blaring his horn and almost running us over! Our mistake, we moved to a different spot. We checked out the marina we were leaving the boat in, got some provisions, went to pick up our Fedex parcel which we had been told had arrived but there was no sign of it. Andrew exchanged a few emails and we hoped it would turn up in due course, big mistake but more on that later.
Peering over board the next morning, contemplating a morning dip, we were rather taken aback to find that a six foot nursing shark had taken up residence under and around our boat. All ideas of a dip quickly abandoned we launched the dinghy and went ashore to pay our dues and take a hike on one of the trails. Mentioning our new friend and questioning the suitability of bathing with him we were told by the warden that he was really quite harmless as long as we didn’t poke him and that we remained calm at all times as a raised heart beat would excite him... When I mentioned that putting my foot in the water had caused him to come and investigate me she and her colleague looked rather alarmed and shouted simultaneously, “Don’t put anything in the water!!!!” There is now no way that I am going swimming with this shark or any shark, there is no way on earth that I could remain calm and my heart rate would probably attract half the ocean!
We revisited the shrine on Boo Boo Hill and this time took a pen with us so that we could make a proper offering to King Neptune, after all we have a long trip ahead! We took a walk around the island, happy to flop into the sea at the end, close to shore may I add in the shallows. Returning to the boat our friend was still there, it seemed rude not to give him a name so he became known as Sid. Eventually we did pick up the courage to take a dip but only with one of us on watch, the other getting in as he swam away from the boat and getting out as soon as he made the turn to come back. Apart from that we lived in harmony for the three days we were there, he particularly liked swimming through the coffee granules when we emptied the pot, which did make me worry a little it might over excite him and or make him turbo charged.
We sailed back to Nassau stopping at Hawksbill Cay and Allans Cay on route. Arriving in Nassau in the nick of time before the wind kicked in we tied up and set about putting the boat to bed for our Christmas departure. We were pleased to find Julian & Patricia in town, whom we had first met on the OCC rally in the Chesapeake, and we spent a pleasant evening catching up over supper. Still no Fedex parcel, another email.....
There was much maternal excitement getting on the plane and heading to Denver to meet Emma & Georgina for Christmas and the New Year. It is definitely one of the highlights of our travels to get to spend long periods of quality time with our girls! We met at the car hire, they were surrounded by all the luggage they had bought for themselves and for us, the car was not big enough so we had to upgrade! Most of the clothes went back to the UK unused, and most of those were ours! We set off to Breckinridge to find our apartment, much chattering and laughing. Finding the building was easy, finding the apartment itself took a long time, total user error. Opening the door we were thrilled to find that not only was the apartment lovely but also beautifully decorated with a huge Christmas tree. The plastic bag containing last year’s tiny 6 euro tree from the boat got quickly shoved to the back of the cupboard.
We managed to find a restaurant that would feed us and then all went to bed happy to be en famille and excited about skiing the next day. Skis rented, passes bought, bank balance severely dented we headed to the slopes. The snow was perfect, not a bit of ice in sight and the slopes so pretty covered in pine trees, skiing in and out of them soon became a favourite pass time. We spent a couple of days in Breckers, getting to know the area. It was very cold so we needed to wrap up and we definitely felt the altitude as we were at over 2,900 meters in the town. Returning home in the evenings we would fill our plastic cups with our choice of beverage and head outside to the hot tubs to ease our aching muscles, such a treat.
I have to admit these young girls did wear us out a bit, the tables have definitely turned and we are the ones trying to keep up, if I am honest it has been like that for a while. However I am pleased to say I did manage to provide some light entertainment for the troops. We came upon a ski park with some jumps which is something I would normally avoid at all costs. However on this occasion I thought I would give it a go not realising what a large ski jump I was taking on. Two blokes in the queue waved me forward, probably impressed that this middle aged old dear was capable of making the jump. Off I went, approaching the jump and determined not to wimp out I managed to ski up three quarters of the slope before it clicked that actually I was quite high and maybe I should slow down, on came the brakes in the form of a snow plough. It then became apparent that I was not going to make it to the top! Some how I managed to grab onto the summit and haul my leg over, I am now straddling the jump, bum in the air, supposedly glamorous fur hood planted in the snow! I was acutely aware of the male muttering behind me, not to mention my two kids who I was trying to impress. George tells me she was laughing so much she had to lie down on the slope and for some strange reason needed to beat the ground with her fist? Somehow I extracted myself from the situation but it felt like it took about half and hour!
We had dinner in the apartment on Christmas Eve and of course the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas, I don’t know why we bother to bring the book as everyone knows it word for word. Christmas morning dawned and there was the traditional stocking opening on the end of the bed, the usual tangerine in the toe was a rather large orange, well everything is bigger in America. What a treat to ski on Christmas Day, off we set in our Santa hats surprised to be in the minority. Lunch on the mountain and then back to the apartment for presents, champers and nibbles. Dinner was booked for 9.30pm as The Homestead, which George had found online, was booked for months in advance, but it was worth the wait. The atmosphere was fantastic and the food even better and we waddled home hardly noticing the cold, stuffed to the gunnels.
We had already visited Beaver Creek which is a bit smarter than Breckers but we didn’t think the skiing was quite as good. So our next venture out in our hugely expensive hire car was to Aspen. Driving through the mountains on the way we travelled through the most amazing pass which was breathtaking and worth the drive just to see it. We were not so impressed with the skiing on Aspen mountain but loved the town. We found a great apres ski bar at the bottom of the slopes with fab music and sat outside and had a few drinks. However by the time we got back to our car to change for dinner we were almost frozen solid. We had dinner in town and then Emma drove home with George navigating and the old people asleep in the back.
On Emma’s birthday we went to Vail for the day. Poor Andrew had come down with a terrible cold so spluttered his way around the mountain as we skied the back bowls, singing Happy Birthday at the top of our voices on every chair lift. We all agreed the skiing was best here. Returning to Breckers for the evening we left the sick one in the apartment and had a girl’s night on the town. Dinner first, then drinks in a bar where we ended up jumping up and down to doubtful American music laughing so much I was literally crying. Then of course we had to go to the night club where they had some good modern music and we danced until 2am, I was by far the oldest in the club head down so the wrinkles were not too obvious.
Needless to say we were not the sharpest tools in the box the next morning which suited himself just fine. We decided to have a lazy morning and then set off at lunch time to try Cross country skiing, a first for all of us expect for Emma. I wasn’t sure about it to begin with but there were some tracks to ski in which helped us balance on the skinny little planks we were strapped to. Going up hill was difficult, coming down rather scary. I got overconfident took a corner and fell flat on my face, unfortunately George was close behind so she took a piler and then we heard himself express a swear word and bang we were a heap on the floor. However box ticked, may or may not try it again.
New Years Eve dawned and poor old George went down with the cold. We had another great day’s skiing, I got over confident in the trees and had an argument with one. When we got back to the apartment and I had thawed out I found I had a bump on my shin the size of an orange. None of us were in the best of form but in true Dallas style we made it to the Irish Pub where they had a DJ and we danced, well I hobbled and George sniffled, until the New Year arrived. We were all quite happy to leave at 12.30 mission accomplished.
All too soon that dreaded moment arrived, time to say goodbye at the airport. I had treasured every precious moment with our beautiful daughters knowing that I won’t see them for many months. I tried not to cry I really did, and I know it is my choice to sail off into the sunset but it is the hardest thing about our trip not seeing them. But I have some lovely memories of our holiday to sustain me and they are very supportive of our trip which is lovely. On another note no winner of the holiday cup this time we were all to tired to play games.
We flew back to the boat conscious of the fact that the biggest and most exciting part or our adventure was about to begin. We found quite a contrast in the weather compared to Colorado and quickly donned our shorts, not the best look with a large orange strapped to my left leg. We went in search of the FedEx parcel but there was still no sign of it. There ensued days of telephoning the FedEx help centre in the Bahamas which I soon realised wasn’t local but was actually spread everywhere throughout the world except in the Bahamas. I got more and more frustrated and each person promised to phone me back and not one did. At one point I was assured that all the paperwork had been completed and it would be released in three working days, which would be five as there was a weekend in between. Fed up of being at anchor in Nassau we left for five days and sailed back over the bank again this time dropping our hook in Norman’s Cay, supposed site of the favourite date night rendezvous for Hammerheads, luckily we didn’t see any.
Arriving back in Nassau we made the call, still no news on our package and it turned out it was a National holiday so nothing was open. The next day with steam pouring out of our ears we took the law into our own hands jumped into a cab and headed to the FedEx offices. Much scratching of heads and we began to think they had lost it again. Then suddenly they seemed to locate it and for a small fee we were sent of to the airport to retrieve it. But NO the very nice man there said it had the wrong paperwork attached to it and he didn’t think the customs officer would let us have it. We waited, taxi meter running, whilst he ran backwards and forwards negotiating with the Customs officer who eventually decided FedEx needed to pay a fine and we would have to wait for several days. We begged to see the Customs lady who was not the nicest individual that I have come across and was definitely enjoying her position of power. We put on a sterling performance of misery and desperation, begging her with tears pouring down my cheeks to please let us have our part. She insisted on completing the paperwork and we were turfed out. Andrew took up residence outside the customs cage head in hands looking quite dejected and I set of to find us some nourishment. I don’t know quite what happened, perhaps Andrew’s presence wasn’t good for business but within half and hour he and the fedex man were out in the sunshine with the package and we headed back to the boat. Only to find they had sent the wrong part!!!!!
The next morning we decide to head South as the original engine part still works and we really needed to get going. We switched the generator and the water maker on prior to departure and bang the latter gave up the ghost. So departure delayed again and Andrew spent the day rebuilding the pump. Finally the next morning we set off back across the bank for the last time in sunshine and light winds enjoying our freedom until an alarm went off. Frantically searching for the cause of this noise it became apparent that the engine had overheated spewing coolant and steam all over the engine room. We could not believe it, it was starting to feel like someone was trying to stop us going across the Pacific. We managed to sail to Highbourne Cay which by now we knew well and anchored under sail just as the sun went down. Another night of engineering for my dear husband, it transpired that the impeller on the water pump had broken and as he has spares for almost everything we were soon back in business, but not until he has spent an evening wresting the old one from the tired old engine.
We were hugely relieved to have managed to fix the problem and we are now resigned to the fact that this is an ageing boat with old systems and we will just have to nurse her along. On the plus side the boat itself is in great condition and if we lose our water maker or generator along the way it really wont be the end of the world. So many boats sail around the world without either. Engine purring sweetly we set of the next morning stopping in Shroud Cay and then edged our way into Staniel Cay via the cut on the Sound side.
We went ashore for some much needed R&R and found some brits on holiday to have a few drinks with. It is such a beautiful place and is definitely my new favourite spot in the Bahamas.
We had an exceptional breakfast ashore, found a laundromat and a shop that sold Engine Coolant. I would have liked to stay longer but bad weather was forecast so we headed down to Georgetown in Great Exuma to sit out the blow and wait for a good weather window to continue South. We ended up staying there for a week which was no great hardship. Despite two days trapped on the boat in high winds, we managed to visit the great beach bar Chat n Chill, swim in our private swimming pool and enjoyed our third best meal; again in a polystyrene box, this time chilled conch in a wrap.
One minute there is too much wind and then there is none. We motored to Clarence town, and then onto Crooked Island. Finally back in deep water it was quite a relief to be able to relax at sea without being constantly worried about hitting the hard stuff. We cast our fishing line and were thrilled when we got a bite. I reeled it in, the fishing rod almost bent in half, I really thought I had caught something big. Then the line went slack and I reeled in two thirds of Tarantino the Wahoo, it turned out I had been having a tug of war with a shark who had eaten some of my fish! We managed to get ten meals out of it though, so I suppose I should have been happy to share.
Our last stop in the Bahamas was in Great Inagua. The wind was causing a swell from all sorts of directions so we had to move anchorages and ended up next to the biggest pile of salt I have ever seen. The lorries used to move it about were the size of a small house. Waking up the next morning I thought we were back in Breckers. It turned out it belonged to the Morton Salt company. Andrew wanted to go ashore and fill up the salt cellar but I managed to persuade him otherwise.
We had wanted to visit Cuba after the Bahamas but the Insurance company said no. So we decided to stop in Jamaica instead on our way to Panama. Despite rumours of the anchorages being unsafe we had been told that we should go to the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio where there was lots of security. The wind had died, the anchorage was now so rolly that it had become annoying, the forecast promised wind so we set off mid afternoon in search of new horizons....
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