Come again another day. That was our refrain yesterday as it rained very hard all day long. Murray had the day off and spent his time carving, reading and napping. The docks were fairly quiet and we, at the Boathouse, spent the day trying to stay warm. Enough boats came in for gas that the staff got quite wet and changed clothes many times.

Things are busy here now with full docks most evry night. Our friend, Gary, from N Dakota, is here for a visit for several days and we have been partying way tooo much. But, it has been fun and has got us out of our cabin.

This weekend is the Fireman’s fundraising fish fry and we finally managed to get to order our lunch from them. Every year we have tried but having Gary here made it easy to pick it up. We used our tip money and all the staff had a great lunch.

So, now our life is work, eat and sleep until the rush is over and we no longer have to work 12 hours a day. September will be here soon enough and things will slow down.

That is what is happening here in Killarney. We hope all is well with everyone down south. Stay in touch and, of course, we would love to see anyone who cares to venture this far off of the beaten path.

Hugs to all, Heather & Murray

Dear Friends, We just received the following from the Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club:

“TO: All Members – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – In a meeting with Customs Officer Forbes in Marsh Harbour on July 14, 2003, the following answers were received, reviewed and approved concerning the new Customs fees and procedures.

• A cruising permit is normally issued for 12 months.

• You cannot leave the Bahamas during that period and return on the same cruising permit. You must check in again and pay the published fees.

• Fees for entering the Bahamas…$150 for all vessels under 35 feet and $300 for vessels 35.1 feet or greater. $150 for dinghys/tenders over 18 feet.

• The above fees cover the CAptain and 3 crew members. Any additional crew members over 6 years old must pay $15 per person. Your fishing license for three months is included. If you wish to extend your fishing license it is an additional $150 for 12 months. Also included is a $15 exit/departure fee for four individuals.

• For those of you that keep your boat here for more than one year it will cost you $500 per year for the next two years. You can do that for a max of two years and then you must eith leave the Bahamas or “duty in” your vessel. The cost of duty on your vessel is 27% under 30 feet and 6% for 30.1 feet or greater.

• In addition to the paperwork you now submit when entering the Bahamas, Customs Officers will now require the ORIGINAL of your State Registration or Coast Guard Documentation to be submitted with your application and a copy of same. They will return the original but will retain the copy for their records. They require that the copy show the names of the vessel and the length. Since some of the Customs Offices may not have a copy machine I strongly recommend that you make several copies and bring them with you.

• You should always ask the Customs Officer for a receipt for monies paid. You will not need to pay your exit/departure fee of $15 at the airport if you need to fly out of the country on an emergency or if one of your crew members goes home. Be sure and bring the receipt and a copy of your cruising permit to the airport with you.. In the event the officer does not have a receipt book withthem you can go to th Customs office in Marsh Harbour, at the new port facility and they will give you one.

• Overtime….there are NO overtime charges for weekend Customs clearance.

• This information covers the Abacos and is supposed to be standardized for ALL of the Bahamas.

Don Van Beck, Commodore, Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club”

Please read the above carefully, especially about the extra documentation. Suggest that you also make copies of dinghy registration as well as mother boat. Transportation fees were not asked about at the time, but we were told by another source later, that those fees might be levied at the discretion of the officer clearing you in if he uses his personal vehicle and travels to your location. A boat clearing in at Marsh Harbour was charged $35 transportation fee on a Saturday.

Info on West End (Old Bahama Bay Club)charges: 35′ minimum. Weekdays $1.65 ft pd, Weekends (Fri & Sat night) $1.95 ft pd, $18 electricity, $10 water per day used or not. Can anchor in turning basin for $25 per day, includes amenities.

That’s the news for now.

Cindy & Art, S/V Gypsy Jean

Hello everyone,

I sure hope that it warmer where you are! It was quite hot last week, but today it is very cool here in the boathouse. I am wearing a sweatshirt and a coat over that. The breezes have been coming in from Georgian Bay which makes it cool near the water.

The Lodge has started to get busier and there are a few boats at our docks now. Tomorrow, we will be very busy as we expect 12 boats of varying sizes. They will, of course, all arrive at lunch time. And all together. We will run around like mad fiends for an hour or so and spend the rest of the day waiting for something to happen.

The black flies died out in that hot spell last week but the mosquitoes are as vicious as ever. Perhaps not quite as numerous but we still get dive-bombed in bed in the early morning hours. Hardly ever do we need the alarm to wake us as the mozzies do the job.

John & Angela Wellman, from Port Stanley, stopped in for a visit today and we had a great chat, catching up on our respective cruises. They have sold Penny Plain but brought Suffolk Punch back from Florida to continue sailing the North Channel. John & Angela are the main reason that we are cruising in the islands as they inspired us with their stories of places seen and beaches explored. It was wonderful to see them again.

Murray’s mom is back in the hospital in Woodstock due to a fall. Nothing seems to be broken, but she is having some rehab. Hopefully, she will be back to her old self very soon.

There is not much more news to relate from up here. We sure hope all is well in your piece of the world. Take care and stay in touch.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Well, Windswept IV has been hauled out and stored once more. We worked hard for the last two weeks and got some jobs done that had been on the list for a while.

We re-varnished the galley and head (kitchen and bathroom, for you land-lubbers). That was a trick to do while living amongst the job, but we got it done. Murray started on the floor re-finishing. Most of that job will be done in the fall, but he did the aft-cabin floor and un-screwed the rest of the floor pieces in prep.

I had my sewing machine out for several days and did repairs to the bimini, sun cover,sail cover, some clothing etc. I also replaced the clear plastic panel in the front of dodger. It was quite a job but turned out well. My sewing machine has a few problems but the local repair shop was unable to resolve them. It still sews straight and zigzag, so I will keep it going for now.

The haul went well with very little growth on the bottom. The only damage that showed up from our grounding episode appears to be cracking at the joint of the wing keel. We will have to dig out the bolts, unbolt them, and have the keel dropped. That will be a fall job.

So, we finished packing the car, installed the sunshield canopy, put out my chemical stuff for bugs and mildew. By 1 pm, we were showered and on the road.

Last night we visited a friend in Orlando. Today, we are visiting other friends near Daytona. They are renting a house on the beach. With a pool. Couldn’t resist the idea of another day in the sun, before we head north.

Tomorrow, Monday, we will start driving early. By Tuesday, we will be in Ohio visiting boating friends there. Wednesday will find us in London, Ont. So, we are getting close and should see some of you very soon.

Until then, hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

We are anchored in White Sound, Green Turtle Cay awaiting the arrival of another cold front. This one is scheduled to come through near midnight with violent thunderstorms and high winds. Many boats have gone to neighbouring marinas to get a little more security. The Bluff House Marina here has quite a good deal going – any purchases in the gift shop or restaurant and bar are directly subtracted from your dockage bill. It is tempting, but…..$1.15 per ft US, plus water and power.

When the wind dies a few days after this front, we will start to head northward into the outer reaches of the Abacos and get staged for the jump-off to the US. Security measures have been tightened, as you can imagine, due to the war. Radio reports say that all vessels are being boarded by Coast Guard 10 – 15 miles offshore. We do not look forward to that, but all of our papers are in order so it should be just a formality. We will head for Cape Canaveral again, weather permitting. It is a 24 to 25 hr crossing, so we need some good weather for at least a full day and night.

Today’s plans are to prepare for the blow by putting out a second anchor, tidying up the decks, checking flashlight batteries and tying down any loose objects. Then, I must sort my shells from Spoils Island and stash them. Afterwards, we are going to the pool and gift shop at the Bluff House. for the afternoon. Guests are coming over for cocktails later and we will catch up with their adventures for the past year.

News from home indicates that the temperatures are rising up there and the lakes are breaking up. Dock work has started in Port Stanley, so spring must be close behind. Rain has rid most areas of the snow except perhaps in the bush. We do get some info about Ontario, but not a lot. Cases of this new respiratory disease, SARS, seem to be spreading. Take care all of you as you are too precious to us both.

Well, we will soon be there amongst you all with hugs to share and stories to tell. So, stay well and happy and we will see you soon.

Murray & Heather

Hello everyone,

Before I tell you our tale I want to say that no one was injured and the boat is in good shape.

On March 17th after our usual radio sked with Ontario , we climbed into bed to settled down for the night. Lightning was flashing in the sky on all sides but other squalls had passed over us during the day with little increase in wind. I was unable to close my eyes and got up to watch the storm approach. The wind hit us suddenly from the side and was clocked at 67 knots. That is almost hurricane strength. The GPS drag alarm started to beep and I saw that we were moving through the water at 1.3 knots. The anchor was not holding. The rain was being driven by the high winds and it was impossible to see what was happening. Murray dashed into the cockpit and started the engine to help the anchor hold against the wind. By the flashes of lightning, we could see a cliff of rock behind us. But, how close was it? It was very difficult to tell. Murray realized that it was just a few feet away and told me make a radio call. “Mayday, mayday, mayday” I called, giving our position and the fact that we were close to going onto the rocks. BASRA ( Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association ) answered and took the info. We donned lifejackets and Murray jumped into the dinghy to take a second anchor out. I turned on the running lights and deck lights so that we could be seen and also the strobe at the masthead which signifies a visual mayday.

By this time, the slashing rain had passed and we were able to see that we were sitting 30 feet off of the razor rock cliff. It also appeared that we were aground. Murray took the second anchor out to the bitter end and I payed out the line for him. We hauled as hard as we could with the windlass and pulled that line as tight as we could possibly get it. Looking around we could see that the other two sailing vessels that were anchored nearby had also been blown ashore and had landed on different beach on their sides. A dinghy from a powerboat anchored nearby came out in the storm and helped each vessel deploy anchors. They hauled our primary anchor and took it out as far as they could to windward. We tightened that rode as well using a 2-speed winch on the cabin top. As we were in no immediate danger, we canceled the mayday call. From the dinghy, Murray could see that the water was 18 inches below normal waterline at the bow. At the stern, the rudder was digging a hole in the sand. Radio calls informed us that low tide was still two hours away. Would we remain upright on our wing keel or would we topple over?

I gathered up the ship’s papers, our passports and money in case it was necessary to abandon ship. We tried to rest but another storm cell approached. The wind howled again, this time hitting us on the side. The boat remained upright even in the force of this gale. After its passage, we watched the hours tick away and tried to rest waiting for enough water to return to float us off.

At 4:30 am, we started to haul on the anchor rodes, going to first one and then the other. Finally, she swung free! We started the engine and re-anchored in deep water. We could see by the dawn light that the other boats had also managed to pull themselves off the beach.

Murray dove on the rudder to check for damage. Thank you C & C for building strong boats. No visual damage seen, but we will check closer when we haul out. On the wing keel, he could see 8 inches of sand and grass piled on the flat surfaces.

For a time, we will be very nervous of approaching thunderstorms but nothing can prepare your boat for a sudden, unexpected violent wind. This was the first time we both realized that we could lose our boat in just one instant. We were lucky.

Now, we are anchored near Marsh Harbour to relax a bit, check out the underbody more closely for damage and to meet with friends.

Hugs to all,

Murray & Heather

I hadn’t noted the date that morning or perhaps I wouldn’t have been talked out of my bed quite so easily. We were anchored in Royal Island and planned to sail at first light, heading to the Abacos. But, during the night the wind had started to sing through the rigging. When the alarm went off at 5:45 am, we looked at each other and said “Maybe tomorrow”. A short time later we spoke to friends who were underway already and they reported that the seas were fine. So….. we grabbed our clothes and hauled anchor. We powered through between the Egg Islands and into the North East Providence Channel with a glimpse of two sailboats off in the distance ahead of us.

The Channel was busy with freighter and cruise ship traffic but none of them came close to us. Other than the three sailing vessels, we saw only one other pleasure boat during our passage. Murray had the fishing line out for the complete trip but not a nibble. The seas were very confused, as is usual with this area. The winds were from the south east at 15 knots but the waves seemed to come from two directions – east as well as southeast. The boat tossed and rolled. Murray saw the heel indicator show 15 degrees on one side, then right over to 20 degrees on the opposite side. In the hurry to depart, I had neglected to take any anti-nausea medication. So, my stomach was not really happy with the conditions but as long as I stayed above decks, I was ok.

When we were within 20 miles from our goal, the sky over the land to the west of us began to darken. The clouds took on an ominous appearance. Then, was that thunder? When the sound came again we were positive it was thunder. The lightning flashes followed soon afterwards, but seemed a long ways off yet. We told ourselves that the storm was following the land and that the sky was still clear above us. That didn’t last too long. Soon the sky was dark everywhere and lightning flashes surrounded us. When one flash was immediately followed by the crash of thunder, we both jumped. Rain pelted down and the wind picked up. Luckily, we had rolled up the headsail and had only the main up at this time.

All in all, we went through four squalls before we entered between the reefs at Little Harbour, Abaco. Other than a little wet and cold, we were in fine shape. Visibility at times had been hampered but it cleared enough when we needed it to safely navigate into the protection of the islands of the Abacos. We motored a short distance and dropped the anchor for the night just before 5 pm. Double rations of grog for the whole crew that night.

Yesterday, we snorkeled some and found a few conch. I walked the beach picking up shells while Murray cleaned them. Everyone had departed from our anchorage and we enjoyed the solitude. The squalls are still marching through now and then, rinsing the decks with fresh water and shortening our radio use with the crashes of lightning. But the skies cleared and we were blessed with a perfect complete rainbow nearby. Today the wind has been honking and we will stay put once again. But soon we will have to venture into the crowded Marsh Harbour to meet old friends, do laundry in a machine again and maybe get some fresh veggies. I stocked the boat so completely this year that all we have had to purchase so far has been tomatoes, green peppers and lettuce.

The Abacos will keep us under its spell for a few weeks and then we will start to wend our way further north and prepare to cross into the US once again. We hope all is well with everyone up north and that spring will be showing its face soon.

Hugs to all, Murray & Heather

Yesterday was quite an eventful day. The wind and current were opposing when we awoke and the boats were ahead on their anchors. Some of the boats had to haul anchor and re-set further away as the vessels came close enough to pass coffee cups across.

The wind died out completely before lunch and a dive expedition was arranged. Many dinghies were zooming around, checking out the reefs and looking for fish. We saw some beautiful reefs but no fish for the freezer. The balance of the afternoon was spent relaxing and reading.

About 4:00 pm, Murray noticed that the sky had become very dark and threatening. Quickly we took down our big shade awning, just in case the wind blew hard. It was a good thing that we did. Not 10 minutes later, the wind came up from the north west and blew 25 plus knots. Our boat and Kotcha seemed a little closer than we would like for this much wind. Both boats worked at putting out a second anchor, which pulled us apart more. Checking vessels around us, we notice one dragging through the anchorage. That was The Office. They hauled anchor and re-located between the Majors. Another vessel, Windsong, seemed to be sideways to the wind and had water splashing against their side. A radio call confirmed our fears – they were aground. And the tide was still falling. Dinghies from 3 boats converged on Windsong and helped set another anchor to prevent them going further aground. Now, all they could do was wait for higher tide. Their engine had overheated as the water pickup was not in the water, so they had no means of propulsion. The rain had started to fall and the night was very dark by the time the tide had risen enough to maybe get them free. Murray, Mort from Meteor, Pete from The Office,and Jay from Kotcha all headed over to help. By hauling in on the anchors and re-setting them with dinghies as needed, they managed to pull Windsong off of the sandbar and into deeper water.

It was eleven pm by the time that job was done. Soaked to the skin and chilled but exuberant, the guys returned to their own boats and checked in with each other to ensure safe arrival in the dark night.

The cruising community is a wondrous thing. Strangers work together to help each other out here, with mechanical problems or, as last night, weather-created problems. It is so much the way life used to be in “the old days”, I think. As Pete said last night ” It is like a bank into which you make deposits, to be utilized someday in the future when you have a problem”. And we all have a problem eventually.

Today, the wind continues to blow and the rain continues to fall. Not too much to do but write e-mails, read books, bake muffins and chat on the radio. That is life aboard.

Hugs to all, Murray & Heather

Hi everyone,

The last letter found us just arriving in Staniel. We spent some time there, enjoyed the beaches and the Thunderball Grotto and then headed to Black Point for a day or two. Black Point offers free water and garbage disposal. That sure attracts a few cruisers.

The radio was alive with announcements about the Five F’s – First Friday in February in Farmers Festival. So, we hauled anchor and slid down to check out the fuss. Not being enamored with crowds, we anchored a few miles north of the cay near Oven Rock on Thursday. The C class Bahamian boat races got underway before noon the next day and we had a great spot to watch them. As they approached, we followed them with the dinghy, taking a few photos. The finish was a close one, but the boat Termite, sailed by the juniors from Staniel, won the race. Ashore, things were heating up with the Men’s Best Legs contest underway. There we met up with Jill & Don from Next Exit and shared a few tasties while catching up on our doings. Their boat was anchored right off the finish line and we were in prime position to watch the next race, with Termite finishing second.

In the morning on Saturday, we hauled anchor and turned our bow south and away from the crowds. I couldn’t believe that Murray was going to miss the Wet T-shirt Contest, but he wanted to hunt for lobster. The anchor dropped into the sand at Cave Cay and we were in the dinghy shortly afterwards. Out near the cut, we found a deep trench with ledges and shallows around it. Jay, from Katcha, rolled into the water and said ” you have got to see this”. It didn’t take us long to follow. It was awesome. The trench was 40 feet deep or more and lined with all types of corals. A squadron of seven spotted eagle rays passed in front of us 3 or 4 times. What a sight that was! Their wingspan was 6 to 8 feet and they appeared to fly through the clear blue water. Murray and Marcie, from Kotcha, saw a huge Jew Fish or Grouper Giganticus weighing at least 50 lbs. There wasn’t anything edible on the reef, at least that we could get to, but it sure was one of the best snorkels that we have ever had.

From there, we headed to another cut and more serious hunting. Jay found a ledge with 3 lobster hiding under it. Murray and Jay each got one before the last went off to hide. By now, the current had started to flow and we didn’t have much more time to waste. A quick dive on another likely area and it was time to get out of the current before we got into trouble. We spent the afternoon playing dice and chatting under the shade on Windswept IV. Just at sunset, Murray took a rod and went out to the cut in the dinghy. Not more than a few minutes went by, and he arrived back with a horse-eyed jack. Time to clean fish and cook lobster for dinner. Yummm.

In the morning, we hauled anchor early and headed out the cut with both fishing rods deployed as soon as the main sail was up. About an hour out, zzzing went one rod, with the other one following suit just seconds later. Two dolphins! We could see their golden skin flashing in the sun. Which rod to go to?? Fist furl the jib, then grab a rod. Damn, that one got loose. Off to the second rod. Haul this one in carefully, and get it past the trailing dinghy. Wow, its aboard and a beaut. About 30 inches long weighing 6 lbs. So, reset both rods and continue to enjoy this wonderful sail. The decision was made to continue past Dotham cut and into Big Rock Cut at Staniel. I am glad we did that, because the rod went zzing again and Murray pulled in a 4 lb cero mackerel just 3 miles from the cut. He reset the rod and not a minute went by before it sang its song again. This time it was another dolphin, about 36 inches and weighing 7 lbs.

With a cockpit full of fish, we entered the cut and headed to our favourite spot near Fowl Cay. The anchor was set before 11:30 and we headed to the beach to clean fish. Of course, we took a couple of pictures first.

As the sun set, we sat in the cockpit with our drinks in hand raising a toast to the wonderful day that had just been enjoyed. The dolphin was cooked ‘blackened’ with a spice recipe given to me by our friend Gary. It was awesome.

Now another day has dawned, a few boat jobs await us and then, we are heading out with friends by dinghy, to hunt for some more lobster. My sprout farm is growing well and I baked two loaves of whole wheat bread yesterday. What more could a person want for. Life is good.

Hugs to all,

Murray & Heather

On January 25th, we hauled anchor and departed Lucaya with an expected good weather window to make the passage to Nassau. But, it was not to be. The wind built all day and the boat felt as though it was inside a washing machine. We approached Great Stirrup just before dark and decided to anchor for the night. It was full dark by the time we entered the harbour but with the aid of radar and computer charts, we managed to enter and anchor. My knees were aknocking until we got the hook down safely. The wind was coming straight into the anchorage and the boat leapt and bobbed all night long as the wind howled. We did manage to get a little sleep and arose at dawn the next morning to continue our journey.

It was a lumpy exit to the Northwest Providence Channel but, once we had settled into the course for Nassau, we were able to sail the whole way. Murray dropped the fishing line off the stern and hooked his first fish of the year. It was an Amberjack and about 5 pounds. He cleaned it while we were underway and froze the pieces.

The autopilot has been doing great things for us and has worked without a hiccup. It does draw a fair amount of power so may cause some problems if we sail in less wind. Hasn’t been a problem yet as the wind has been howling and the wind generator is putting the power back into the batteries at the same time as the autopilot takes it out. In fact, we also run the watermaker at the same time.

We anchored in Nassau on the 26th, just before sunset. Early in the morning, we loaded all the laundry into the dinghy and went in search of a laundromat. The first one had no power, so we went on for 5 blocks further. Thank goodness for the cart! Laundry started, I walked on to the grocery and picked up a couple of items. By the time we got back to the boat, we had our exercise for the day. Each evening we listened to Herb, the weather guy, and planned to leave in the morning. And, each morning the expected shift and calming of the winds did not come.

After another disappointing morning weather report, I made plans with friends to tour the Bacardi plant. Through word-of-mouth and boredom, the news spread throughout the cruisers. It ended up being 52 people! I stepped into the street, flagged down a bus and arranged for 2 buses to pick us up and deliver us to the plant. It was a good afternoon and enjoyed by all that attended. Some, of course, got into the sampling more than others.

Finally we got our wind shift and we departed Nassau on Jan 30th, heading to Norman’s Cay for overnight and on to Staniel the next day. The wind was so good that we arrived in Staniel at 1:30 pm. Thirty-five miles in less than 6 hours. Since Lucaya, we have sailed to all our destinations. No usage of fuel ( in fact only 20 gallons since West Palm ) and it is really hard to wipe that grin off of Murray’s face.

Stormy Night, from Killarney with the East family aboard, was anchored at Big Major and we had a huge reunion. Beaches and snorkeling were high on the list of things to do.

On Feb 1st, we dressed up and headed ashore to attend the funeral of Kenneth Rolle. He was a marina and motel owner, organizer of the New Year’s Regatta and a lovely man. The funeral lasted 2 1/2 hours, with speeches from the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, other dignitaries, local church leaders and family. The church was full and the overflow was in a tent outside. The wake went on most of the afternoon, but we did not attend.

So, we are back in our old stomping grounds. It sure feels good to finally get into the water and see fish again. The water is still a bit cool at 75 degrees, but sure is warmer than the US or Canada.

Hope all is well up north. Stay warm and healthy. Hugs,

Murray & Heather