2017 Life Logs, Day 122: Last Night at Anchor in the Bahamas
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Weather: Mostly Sunny; Light Winds SE 10
Location: At Anchor on the West Side of Allans-Pensacola Cay
After listening to the weather this morning, the decision was made to head for Fort Pierce in Florida. The long-range forecast for getting out of the Bahamas was worse today than yesterday. It was either leave today or wait for at least ten days. So Sam cancelled the Delta flight out of Marsh Harbor and it was up-anchor and on our way. We motor-sailed northward through the Sea of Abaco retracing our track past Great Guana Cay, over the top of Whale Cay, past Treasure Cay to port with it’s beautiful white sand beach that seems to stretch forever, past Green Turtle Cay to starboard, and onward to Manjack and Crab Cays. The winds for today were forecast to less than 10 knots, so about the time we got to Manjack Cay, we furled the headsail, put out the spinnaker and had a nice sail for about an hour. Sam took this opportunity to climb the mast with his GoPro and get some amazing photos and video. While at the top, he also took the opportunity to control the autopilot with an app on his iPhone via the wifi built into the chartplotter. Amazing! Before we this morning, a decision was made to continue on past Crab Cay, Spanish Cay, and on to Allans-Pensacola so that tomorrow morning we will be ready to head just a little further north before heading to the west. By sundown tomorrow we will be leaving Bahamian waters and doing the Gulf Stream crossing overnight, arriving in Fort Pierce sometime tomorrow morning. Sam and Dawn have spent two wonderful months in the Bahamas and I have been here with them for two weeks. Each of us is a little sad to be saying farewell to the beautiful Bahamian islands, but they will return next November and I have such wonderful memories. And who knows . . . I might find a way to return.
When we reached the anchorage here at Allans-Pensacola Cay, Sam headed to shore with Piper in the dinghy and Dawn took off on the paddle board. I really wanted to try it, but I was afraid that I might fall and twisted or break something. With an overnight passage tomorrow, that just didn’t seem like a smart idea. So I declined the offer. But I got a real kick out of watching Sam take Piper out on the board. We are now getting ready to eat another of Dawn’s fantastic dinners. Tonight it is pork chops simmered in chicken broth with spices and then with the addition of sour cream, almost like beef stroganoff. Sure smells good and I’m sure it will be delicious.
