Eleuthera, The Final Chapter...Spanish Wells April 15-18

After a fun swoop through Current Cut we made our way to Spanish Wells.  This settlement name is actually the common name for all of St. Georges Cay.  This is a prosperous and primarily white Cay that found its fortunes through fishing--lobster (crawfish), fish and conch.  Settled by Eleutheran Adventurers (as was the entire Island) the folks there maintain a unique accent that sounds like a combination of what American ears pick up as "British" with a side of maybe Scottish drizzled with a touch of Bahamian we'd been hearing.  It was interesting and I found it rather melodious and song like.  Sometimes I didn't pay attention to their words because I was so focused on the sound of the voice.  Pinder was a very common name and traces back to the original settlers...no wonder you saw the name everywhere.  Another fun fact about Spanish Wells is that it used to be a dry island...used to be.  We knew about one bar there from Shiloh; however, being the industrious group we are, we found BOTH bars on the island as well as one liquor store.  Well, I suppose tradition and history couldn't hold out for too long against tourists' and cruisers' leanings towards the drink.  Plus, I think they had to compete with Harbour Island around the corner. But what the heck do I know about anything.

Oh anyway, back to the trip...we had been told about an anchorage on the southeast side of the Cay so decided to try it out.  Yeah, well...that was where we had our first Bahamas bottom catch.  Depth went from 6 to 3 feet in nothing and we were stuck on one side.  We were at low tide so worst case would be to just sit and wait to be lifted off but instead Mark and Jon put out the head sail and used the wind to push us off.  Like that the depth was back up so we had the luck of finding a shoal.  Back we went to the anchorage on the southwest side and had no issues with getting in close to the shore while remaining in 7 feet of water.  Whew, there's a bar on shore you say?  haha

Entrance to the Spanish Wells Harbour

After our unplanned run in with the bottom, we anchored safely in deeper water.  Mark did a hull check and it wasn't too bad.  Shallow Bottom 1 : Pride 0 (honorable mention for using the sail to get out of it)

Our seven foot anchor spot

We found the dinghy dock at Pinders Grocery and took a little tour.  We saw a catamaran at the boat yard that had obviously been partially sunk and terribly damaged...hull damage and clearly flooded with much of what was inside, now outside.  Yikes! We later found out that this was a much older couple who had dragged anchor in the night and woke to find themselves on a reef.  They grabbed their cat and sent out a mayday...only a mailboat responded.  Really?  Well, thank goodness for the mailboats who are truly the life blood of the Islands and Cays as well as coming to the aid of a sinking boat.  When it got to them the two of them were on one of the front hulls still above water, holding their cat.  We also found out that they had dragged in George Town as well but luckily didn't hit anything or anyone that time.  I saw them a couple of days later taking inventory--the boat was supposedly a total loss but we saw it again floating and somewhat repaired.  Wonder how it turned out.

On the more sunny side, we met a nice guy named Tom who had just replaced the motor on his Gemini.  He is a graphic designer/Grand Canyon hiking tour guide who was taking some time in the Bahamas.  He was the one who gave us the skinny on that couples wrecked catamaran.  He was a nice guy and pointed us in the direction of Budda's Snack Shack which I had read about but did not realize it was also one of the two bars on the island.  Our path was pretty much clear at that point.  Then we decided on dinner at Shipyard which I knew about also and Holli from Shiloh had mentioned.  Oh no, reading this again I realized I completely forgot to mention the wonderful couple we met at shipyard from their boat called Lady J. They had spent a decent amount of time in George Town but had also gone further down to the Raggeds. They gave us wonderful stories about their time down there including all the spearfishing they had done and spotting/close encounters with sharks while doing it. They also told us about a situation where there buddy had a small "nick" on his finger from a lionfish… they said it was barely a scratch at best.  Fast forward a couple of hours later his entire hand had swollen up three times the regular size. Holy moly!  They were a lot of fun to talk with, and they had been the other ones to tell us about the elderly couple with the catamaran that had dragged in George Town a few months earlier. My favorite story they told was that while in the Raggeds they had decided to be silly and do their own "net" on what they thought was a non-use channel. Come to find out it was a channel monitored by the Defense Force. Oopsie. Fun couple. They reinforced our feeling that we'd get to the Raggeds ourselves the next time. Maybe without the lionfish stings though. 

Spanish Wells waterfront (hey you think it's going to rain?)

We found the Snack Shack...we met Budda inside his liquor store too.  Nice guy.

Awww, so cute

Jon loves when I insist on taking pictures of him

One of the micro trucks Mark is now obsessed with finding and bringing into the US...max speed in this country is 45 and only in certain states.  So clearly we must have one :-/

Seriously my favorite radio station...local 89.9 that played 70's disco and slow rock and 80's and some early 90's.  I know I'm weird but I really loved it.  See how excited the guys are too?

Very nice place at the end of the point looking out towards the ocean from one direction and the harbour from another

Happy Kalik Fans

The next morning...April 16, I saw how close we were to the preferred route of the local freighters.  This one was super close to the boat further out than us then weaved in around another one closer in then did a significant turn to head back out.  I know that it does get shallow but that much too'ing and fro'ing when most other boats just went around was probably intended to send a little message to us irritating sailboaters who insist on anchoring where they like to drive for work.

That day Mark and I had taking a nice little two mile jog on the island which let us check out the bridge that crosses over to Russell Island next door.  That was where we decided to go on our bike ride that day.  We rode quite a long while down along Russell Island and got caught in first sprinkles then some light showers.  Jon and I had dirt sand mud up our backsides...and yep wet shorts too.  But that's ok because we were bound for Mangoes for a rest and cocktail and it'd all be worth it...huh? Oh, closed on Thursdays...of course you are.  So we turned around and headed back but it was a fun ride and good excercise that we'd eat through back at Shipyard.

Looking out towards the banks side...down there is a future pretty upscale development.  Acutally a lot of property on the Island was for sale, a lot for sale throughout the entire Bahamas come to think of it.

Curious goats...I think I disappointed them by not having any food

Recently relieved of their wool

Just watching the showers blow by

Our trip on the Fast Ferry to Harbour Island on April 17...so we kinda sorta debated the merits of taking the boat to Harbour Island and decided no.  We were not comfortable with Devils Backbone, aka a narrow path with the top of Eleuthera on one side and dangerous shallow reefs along the other.  Most people have a pilot lead them through but we just were not keen on that.  Honestly, having been on the ferry and seen it in person in decent conditions, still don't think I would take the boat over.  We came up with a great solution in the Fast Ferry and it worked out perfectly for us.  Oh and by the way, super rolling waves through it and watched a monohull being guided through as the ferry blasted past them and they got well out of the way.  I'd do the same thing again if we ever come back to Eleuthera.  Blah blah blah, anyway, the Island is adorable and lovely.  Everyone calls it the Nantucket of the Bahamas and for good reason...yes the beach was gorgeous and we ate at a great little spot and had fun looking at all the lovely cottages.  It didn't have the same 'real' feeling of Spanish Wells because I think it is more yachting and vacationing oriented while Spanish Wells is more of a working town.  Not sure that makes sense but if you have been to both, maybe you get the gist?  No matter--Great way to spend the day and I can see why it's such a popular vacation destination and perfect day trip from either Nassau or Spanish Wells.

Leaving Spanish Wells, I really love this shot

Glimpse of the reefs

Much better shot of the reefs--beautiful as they are dangerous in the wrong conditions

Somebody famous was getting married the next day

Wonderful lunch stop at Sip Sip...also where Mark and Jon had Lion fish

Great view from Sip Sip's back patio

Looking out into Harbour Island's harbour

Cutting fish and birds having their way with critters in low tide

Lovely cottages

Cool

Mr. Kitty!  That is not polite ;-)

Super fun style

Froo froo marina

Nice--plane landed to pick up clients (in the boat) then took off. 

Coming back into Spanish Wells

Last day in Eleuthera had us preparing to move onto The Berrys...departing the next day at 0400 to get there in time plus be anchored for predicted winds.  This was the day I put on big girl pants and took the dinghy into town by myself so I could jog and do provisioning while the gents did some boat checks and such.  Well, the jog went well and then I walked to the 'nicer' grocery store...that was NINE blocks away.  Nine...and lucky me, I was rewarded by meeting Jude, who was walking the opposite direction and turned around to chat me up and follow me to the store.  He even asked for my number and said he didn't mind calling me in the US.  Did I mention the part where he turned around and followed me to the store?  Yeah, I still got it ;-)

Oh and if nine blocks wasn't long enough walking there, try walking back with a loaded cooler (thanks again Crockers!!) and grocery sack.  I'll give the ladies credit for getting it all in just the two.  Huge help!  So with a "have a good day" goodbye to Jude and his buddy who had joined him under a tree outside the store, I was off.  I even had a nice man and son offer me a ride--note to self, when walking with a load of groceries nine blocks and a man with a 8 year old offers a ride in their cart, take it.  So back to the dinghy I went and how lucky am I?  The wind and waves nicely picked up as I was rounding the corner back to the boat.  Weeeee!

That was nothing compared to what the guys had been up to.  What had intended to be a reasonably simple matter of oil and fuel filter change turned ugly when they found that our port raw water pump was shot.  This is actually bad.  Say what you will about Mark and his spares of everything -- we had a spare Mark had built! I'm sure there is so much more to it than I understand since unlike the two of them, I am not a mechanic, engineer or otherwise gearhead.  Mark hoped to rebuild the broken one but the kit was for a different pump that we no longer had.  He went back ashore to see if there was anyone who could rebuild it but had to settle for filling up our spare diesel cans.  Hey, did I mention my nine block walk each way to the store? 

The comings and goings of the fleet

Pretty church gardens seen on my jog

I cannot even being to tell you about these shoes.  Mark needs to write a letter to Teva telling their long and interesting story from the Bluegrass Festival in Telluride to Virginia to the US east coast to the Bahamas to south of the Tropic of Cancer and back again, repetitive gluing has ensued.  But he refuses to buy new shoes.

Four am came quite early and we pulled anchor and made our way around Royal Island for our waypoint at SW Reef.  I'm very proud of our (Mark's) confidence with overnights and moving in the predawn hours.  We took the longer route because it was dark, obviously, and decided using the cut between Egg and Little Egg was better used in day light.  For only 20 extra minutes, better safe than sorry.  Then we turned northwest and headed to the Berrys...

Coming sunrise over Eleuthera...it was hard to say goodbye

PS, as always, these posts are based on my own remembrances and what my brain can piece together since it's been a few weeks. If I got anything too terribly wrong, I sure hope Mark and Jon will chime in and correct me.