Well of course he does with me:).

And he’s made many cuts over the years with all his sports and coaching endeavors.

But today he made the cut through Farmers Cay, from the Bahamas Banks to the Exuma Sound side.

But it was a little dicey for sure. We left Black Point around 8 am and headed toward Farmers Cay, not knowing if we would stay there tonight or keep going. The winds were moderate and favorable today to sail some, and by Saturday they were supposed to get pretty strong.

So we knew wherever we got over the next couple of days we might have to stay there for a week and wait out the winds.

So after a good sail in the morning we decided to keep on trucking out toward the Sound.

Approaching Farmers Cay Cut we knew it was slack tide but the cuts can be treacherous with competing wind and currents.

Ed managed the approach past the White House on Dubba Hill (that was our 90 degree landmark according to the book).

The water looked shallow and our depth alarm confirmed that when it started going off at 5 feet, steadily down to 3.8 feet over a period of a scary five minutes.

We have a shallow draft boat, and we still had a five inch clearance at that point. But Yikes. They say everyone runs aground at some point here but we weren’t anxious to be in that statistic today.

Then the waters going into the cut got deeper and swirled around us. After about 10 minutes we made it out into deeper waters of the sound, rocking and rolling but deep.

We were going to anchor out but decided to continue to a Georgetown marina – Emerald Bay -for New Years.

It will be a long 8 hour day.

But they’ll have champagne there won’t they?

Happy New Year!

As small Bahamian villages go, this one is working hard for cruiser visits. They have by far the cleanest laundromat we’ve seen yet, free water, food stores and three little restaurants beckoning for your business.

Yachts don’t come here, just sailboat and trawler cruisers like us. As a result everything is cheaper!

We dinghied over, rowing since it was close to our anchorage. Ed claims my rowing skills need work, but hey I got us there, I did my part. We got the laundry done and had awesome homemade pizza for lunch.

Ed went back on the dinghy to fill up our extra water cans. We will go back for happy hour at Scorpios, who broadcasts their specials on the boaters open channel VHF 16.

Conch fritters free during happy hour! Wine for $2 a glass!

Are you kidding me? I might not make it back on the dinghy after getting too happy.

We would like to stay but weather/winds are looking like we need to move tomorrow.

And a little rain shower is here, first we’ve seen since arriving in the islands.

And Party like a Pirate!

That’s the slogan for tonight’s Staniel Cay Yacht Club party. It’s the first of 3 nights of reverie for the New Year.

We may not make it though. We will join the other boaters at the little beach nearby where only cruisers hang out.

It’s outfitted with chairs, a grill and campfire spot, lovingly supplied over the years by boaters before us.

It will be a fun evening before we crash at boaters midnight (dark).

We saw pigs, goats and chickens on the pig island this morning. Ziggy was on the bow watching their every move.

I visited the Clinic and got ear medicine. Ed snorkeled on Thunderball Grotto where they made the Bond movie.

He met a barracuda in the cave but he didn’t bite… Just hovered and glared at the intruder in his space.

Oh and we found out the 285 foot mega yacht we passed anchored outside on the Banks here is owned by Steven Spielburg. $200 million boat called the Seven Seas.

I bet he’s never had battery, water pump or toilet issues. Or if he did the 26-man crew probably never told him.

Moving on to Black Point tomorrow early! Aaaaargh.

They’re not really cute little piggies, they’re big ol mama sows. And they can swim since they have that piggy fat.

So if you go anywhere close to their island they will swim out to your dinghy and try to climb aboard.

Unless you throw food to them first. Which I did. I don’t want to be capsized with a swimming sow and excited dog in the vicinity.

We are taking it easy today, visiting the village here at Staniel Cay.

Oh and betting on some sweet NFL games. TVs in the bar!

They’re not really cute little piggies, they’re big ol mama sows. And they can swim since they have that piggy fat.

So if you go anywhere close to their island they will swim out to your dinghy and try to climb aboard.

Unless you throw food to them first. Which I did. I don’t want to be capsized with a swimming sow and excited dog in the vicinity.

We are taking it easy today, visiting the village here at Staniel Cay.

Oh and betting on some sweet NFL games. TVs in the bar!

We came through some choppy seas down the Banks yesterday and after about 6 hours we arrived at Warderick Wells, a protected park of about 176 acres.

It was our first mooring ball attempt and despite our mutual concern it went off easily. Ed positioned the boat and I drive up to it, he grabbed the line and we were on!

Moored is a nice way to be. You don’t have to worry about your anchor slipping in the sand. So Ed could get a good night’s sleep.

We dinghied over to the park office to pay, Ziggy jumped right in and then out at the dock. She’s doing better than me!

Then we walked on one of the trails covered in coral, intending to go up to Boo Boo Hill. Ed said it felt like we were walking on the moon, the coral was cratered and sharp. I was gun shy about continuing after my toe injury so we turned back as it would be dark in an hour.

Boo Boo Hill is named that for a shipwrecked vessel where everyone died. They say at night you can hear their souls singing hymns on top if the hill.

Boo!

We may leave tomorrow or not depending on winds. Wendy the wind gen is doing her thing big-time, throwing out power as the wind whistles through here.

This is our 7th day off the grid, using only our solar and wind power along with motor yesterday to charge batteries. So far so good!

Bad news is I have managed to get swimmers ear I think, right ear is clogged up and face is sore.

Thank the Lord for Aleve!

It is Christmas morning, another beautiful day in Paradise. There are poinsettias on our dock tables, that’s how we know what day it is.

We made pancakes this morning and watched the yachties wash down their huge charters, something they seem to do every day whether the boat needs it or not.

Yesterday was a wonderful day, reading in the cabana by the ocean and then at the harbor beach. We even tried paddle boarding! It was so calm it was easy to stand up.

Yachties drove golf carts with their clients’ kids down to the beach to entertain them for the afternoon. They put up a huge inflatable trampoline, kayaked and played in the sand for hours. Not sure where the parents were, but the kids didn’t seem to mind.

The native children don’t need such entertainment, they make their own. I met Ed’s bike buddies as I walked past the village where the island staff lives. They were maybe 8-10 years old, very excited about Santa coming. I asked them what they wanted for Christmas.

“I want a new IPad, you know the one that has 200 games.” He waved his arms wide showing me how big it was.

“I want a bike,” the younger one said. I replied you have a bike. He said no that wasn’t his bike.

They said they knew Ed, they said they beat him racing. Hmmm, that was not what Ed had told me.

Who knows the real truth??

We found out the children of the staff here don’t live here because there are no schools. They live in Nassau and visit their parents here on holidays and occasional weekends. They are here this week on Christmas break.

We will buy water and settle up this morning, as the office closes at noon. We are celebrating the holiday with dinner at the restaurant -“Xuma” – tonight.

“Plan A,” the luxury yacht across from us is preparing to leave. We are amidst 13 luxury charters, in high cotton as my dad used to say.

But “Cool Runner,” the island patriarch, chats readily with all of us, blow-boaters and stink-potters, and makes us feel at home on Highborne Cay.

First Christmas I’ve ever been away from my kids—kisses and hugs to Nate, Will and Gracie from Bahama Mama!

Highborne Cay, the northernmost island in the Exuma chain, is reviewed by boaters as a beautiful spot with nice amenities, but expensive.

Marinas charge by the boat length. We have been staying for anywhere from $36-72 per night ($1-2 per foot).
Here it’s $99 per night.

Pretty cheap when you consider we are on the water with a 2-minute walk to a harbor beach, a 5-minute bike ride to the ocean beach, free bikes, free kayaks, access to golf carts and laundry/showers, a wonderful grocery store and beautiful little cabanas for cocktails.

Not too shabby.

Sharks come to the fish cleaning station hoping for handouts. Apparently they didn’t realize the restaurant was closed on Monday.

We chose to come into the marina for a few nights due to windy conditions and chop forecast. It was not a hard decision. We have had some busy and challenging days and this is really our first chance to relax and put our toes in the sand.

Speaking of toes, I had the misfortune of cutting mine on a hidden rock as we walked on the beach so I am hobbling around a bit. Ed on the other hand is doing his usual energetic activities.

He rode one of the free cruiser bikes yesterday and challenged some native kids to a race up the hill (he kicked their butts). Then he went to what’s called the Crows Nest at the top of the hill, which is outfitted with Cross Fit type gym equipment. Gracie you should be here!

Then Ed came back and cleaned the hulls of the boat before joining me at the waterfront cabana for sunset cocktails.

All I did was read a book and nurse my toes all afternoon. But I really didn’t feel bad about it.

The charter yachts here come and go, amazing 75-100 foot beasts towing little runabout power boats behind them. Their crews, called “yachties” are friendly young people who maintain the ship and serve the passengers in return for beautiful destinations and hopes of generous tips.

Not a bad life if you’re in your twenties.

I bet they have boat challenges from time to time too?

Naaaahh.

We are staying here in Paradise through Christmas, after which the winds are forecast to turn so we can sail down the chain further.

Leaving Nassau at 8:30 this morning we made our way down the Grand Bahamas Bank toward the Exuma chain of islands.

It was a pretty uneventful, calm day (imagine that!) by the time we arrived at the northernmost island, Highborne Cay, some 7 hours later.

We anchored out just maybe 100 yards from the beach where 6 other boats were anchored. Ziggy was ready to get in the dinghy (imagine that too!) and it was a short ride to the shore so we rowed there.

Nice beach, pretty much to ourselves except for some party people down the beach a little way. They had jet skis and a big speed boat, racing each other back and forth.

Ed threw Ziggy in the water and she swam out to us a couple of times. When it was time to go she jumped right in the dinghy.

That dog is adapting quite well from her homeless days in Columbus County.

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John our Bahamian electrician is a man of few words. When he first checked out batteries we asked him what he found.

“You got 2 dead batteries,” he said. We said yeah that’s what we thought. Where can we get new ones?

“The battery store,” he replied. Well duh that makes sense.

So John picked up Ed early in his car to drive to the store and pay for the batteries. Back at the boat he installed them and then checked the sump pump for the shower.

He got it running and I asked how he did that.

“You got to top it,” I thought he said in the lilt that makes every sentence sound like a question.

“Top it?” I couldn’t figure that out.

John rapped with his wrench on his hand. Oh now I get it, he meant tap it.

OK so that high tech problem was solved.

The last issue was the second fresh water pump not running. John took a quick look and delivered his usual terse verdict.

“You got a dead pump.” Once again something on our boat has died.

John told us where to buy one and how it was a simple thing to install. Ed and I looked at each other and said ok we will see.

Long story short we were able to install it (miracle!) and it works!

I won’t tell you how much 2 batteries, a pump and labor cost but you can make a good guess if you multiply what it would cost at home times two.

After all that we were ready for some fun so we took a cab to Atlantis and the Sportsbook there, where this time we watched UNC beat Ohio State solidly.

Since our luck was turning, Ed put some money on the Blackjack table and came out ahead!

We decided that was it for the day. On the way home we stopped at Potters Cay under the bridge where all the locals eat fresh Bahamian fish, etc. The snapper was awesome!