Author name: jrand

Hello everyone,

Well, we managed to escape the clutches of George Town! It was difficult, as there is always another party, beach thing or barbeque in the works. After one more such evening of fun, music, and food ( my piazza didn’t even make it as far as the table! ), we hauled anchor and sailed out on Feb 18th. It was a robust sail and we had no luck fishing. Except Mur did manage to catch the wind generator with the fishing line when the wind blew the line sideways into the blades. Man, did that stop fast. Friends were anchored near Rudder Cay, so we lined up to enter Rudder Cut, staying out of the out-going current until the last minute. We started the engine and turned downwind to enter the cut, when we discovered that there was no cooling water going to the engine. Yikes! Luckily, the rule is “all sails up, just in case “, so we sailed in, very slowly as we were fighting a strong ebb tide and sailing down wind. But, we made it and then proceeded to anchor under sail. Mur checked out the engine and found a loose cap on the strainer. Perhaps that is the problem.

The water at Rudder Cay was gin clear! There were no boats within a mile of our anchorage, so into the water we dove – starkers! What a glorious swim. The next day, after a leisurely breakfast, we dinghied around the neighbouring area and snorkeled over any interesting spots. A beautiful day with a green flash at sunset to finish it off.

The wind carried us on northward, up the Exuma chain on the inside ( the shallow water side ). We spent a night near White Point and another at Black Point settlement. There I sat with the ladies as they plaited the straw and I worked on my basket. Did I say that I was weaving a basket? Well, I am trying to anyhow. They gave me some pointers and some of their palm fronds as well. From Black Point, we sailed on to Staniel, anchoring under sail most nights and even hauling anchor under sail.

Another glorious day to spend before we must head on. Haircuts on the beach are done first thing. Then off to snorkel once more. Mur got a trigger fish and a conch and we spent the afternoon in crystal clear water watching brightly coloured fish. How tough is that?

The next day was the first time since Long Island that we had to motor. But, with a cold front approaching and a schedule to keep, we needed to head on northward to Norman’s Cay. It was a fast trip and we arrived in time to catch a few hours out over the reefs once again. The wind started to howl during the night and we sailed, very fast, on the Nassau in the morning. In fact we hit over 9 knots and averaged over 8 knots on the trip. Just as we prepared to drop the anchor, Mur noticed that the engine was not pumping water once again and then the over-heat alarm started to sound! Quickly we dropped the hook. Mur went to his part supplies and installed another water pump. That seemed to solve the problem.

Now, we are safely anchored in Nassau. A cold front is expected to come through here today, packing high winds. So, we will stay aboard for the next few days, getting the boat ship-shape for company. Then, when the winds abate slightly, we will do laundry, re-stock the larder and await our guests. Linda and Kuyler will be aboard for two weeks and we hope for good weather so that we can share with them some of our favourite spots here in the Exumas.

That is what is happening aboard. How are things with you? Write when you have time.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

This year has been a tough one for many people, with fronts and high winds happening all too often. We have been involved in or have listened to, several rescue situations here in the islands.

The first one was a freighter, 180 feet long, disabled and drifting helplessly in 15 to 20 foot seas and high winds. We assisted in radio communications to try to arrange food and water drops and/or rescue. Eventually a tug, from Dominican Republic, was sent to tow them to shore.

Then, we heard of two mega yachts ( over 120 feet ) who sunk near Nassau. One hit a breakwall on the way into Lyford Cay Marina. A cruising friend has been involved in the salvage of one of these vessels. Another 120 foot yacht, took on water and capsized near Long Island. All hands were rescued and the boat towed by a salvager.

A cruising sailboat, on the way to Nassau, was hit at night and damaged by a mail boat. They managed to limp into Nassau for repairs.

On Feb 13th, 2 cruising catamarans were lost off of Mayaguana. All the people, from both boats, managed to get ashore. Again, cruisers assisted with radio communications between the vessels and rescuers.

And, finally, just the other day , Murray was involved in an incident that shook us both. He and Doug, from High Stepper, headed out to snorkel some reefs. Bill, from Sea Crest, had also asked to come along. With Doug and Mur in one dinghy and Bill in another, they headed south in Elizabeth Harbour. Once anchored at a likely spot, they all jumped in the water. Murray was the first one to get out, followed shortly by Doug. Not seeing Bill, Mur asked if Doug had seen him. Yes, he had but not for a few minutes. The two of them stood up in the dinghy and scanned the area, without seeing his head or snorkel. They motored to the other dinghy and checked to make sure he wasn’t hanging on to the far side. Now it had been 15 mins or more. They flagged down a passing powerboat to put out a radio call for assistance in searching. Returning to the reef, they motored slowly, scanning the surrounding waters. Finally, Mur spotted a head about a half mile away. They raced over and pulled Bill aboard, with them. He was exhausted but did not understand why they were so upset with him! He had swum down wave and current to search a far rock. Whether he would have been able to make it back to his own dinghy is debatable.

These events certainly do give us pause to reflect on the dangers we all face out here. It is not an everyday “walk in the park”. But, with caution, weather planning, vessel maintenance and proper seamanship, we manage to avoid the disasters. We plan to continue to do that. As far as we know there has been no loss of life in any of these incidents, although tremendous loss of material goods. Goods and possessions can be replaced, people cannot.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

The weather co-operated with us last week and we returned to Long Island on Mon, Feb 6th. We even managed to sail there with an average speed of 7.4 kts. Together with High Stepper, Doug & Connie, we anchored in Thompson Bay. Murray has managed to catch 3 fish on the way over and even landed one, so we cooked a fish dinner for all of us. That afternoon, I arranged a car rental to start at 2 pm the next day.

The best part of the whole experience was the interaction with the local people. They are very friendly and will even pick up cruisers hitch-hiking on their roads. Details of the trip follow.

In the morning, we explored the anchorage, the dinghy dock and walked around the neighbourhood somewhat. At 2 pm, we got our rental car and started the adventures. We would spend that afternoon heading north and, in the morning, would see what we could to the south. We passed through a few tiny towns and followed a sign to Elsie Knowles Straw Handicraft. Elsie was a trip – very knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic about the Bahamian straw weaving industry. Each area weaves a different pattern and Elsie gets it all and makes bags, hats etc. When I said that I was trying basket-making myself, she showed us her plait patterns, the “straw” and encouraged me to continue with the skill.

Elsie sent us down a dirt road, looking for a beautiful beach. That was an adventure in itself as the road deteriorated to a mere track, littered with rocks. Finally, we did find a beach but we have seem more beautiful ones. We had a nice walk but found few shells or beans.

Eventually, we reached the northern tip of Long Island at the Columbus Monument. One of Columbus ships wrecked here on a reef off of the point named for it – Cape Santa Maria. Long Island was Columbus’s third stop in the New World. The land around the monument is very rough and tourists would not be allowed to even walk near this area in Canada or US, due to danger of falling from the cliff or slipping down the steep path. But, we made it and got some good pictures too.

A cold beer was next on the list and quickly taken care of. Heading back to the dinghy dock, Mur spied the sign for Beer and Burgers. The car turned right in and we spent a pleasant time, conversing with a local lobster fisherman.

Early the next morning, we headed off southward. The first stop was the ruins of the Spanish Church, built in 1600’s and still in use in 1960’s. Clarence Town and the St Peter and Paul’s Catholic church was our next stop. The church was built by Father Jerome and is situated on the highest hill in the area. Mur climbed the one tower that was still usable and has some great photos. Also in Clarence Town, we saw the salt ponds and the canal dug by the slaves to fill those ponds. They used the sun’s heat to evaporate the water and then harvested the salt.

The road from yesterday soon paled in our minds as we traveled down a track to Dean’s Blue Hole. It is one of the deepest blue holes in the world and is 633 feet deep. An Australian is training there to beat the world record for free diving and dives daily, with no fins or weight belts to assist him. He dove to 240 ft while cruisers stood and watched. The record now is at 256 ft.

The museum was next on the list and, although small, was very informative and interesting. There we saw the remnants of a dugout log canoe built by the early inhabitants of these islands, the Arawak Indians.

Time was running short, but we stopped by Roland McHardy’s Produce & Sponges. He is a 77 yr old widower, who farms in the rocky soil and grows fruits and vegetables galore. We chatted, marveled and carried two buckets full of stuff to the trunk. Sixteen dollars was all he would charge, but only after he showed us photos of his daughters and grandson. Now we just have to figure out how to cook/eat some of the unusual stuff like plantain and papaya.

The car was returned by 2 pm and we headed to the boat, exhausted from our adventures. Thompson Bay Inn was the place for dinner that night, with many cruisers in attendance.

Thursday, we sailed the whole way back to George Town, right into the anchorage. A radio call informed us that a concert was planned for that evening. We dinghied over, tied onto a major dinghy raft and listened in awe to opera. Stephanie, from Rhapsody and Divia from Maggie M. provided the beautiful arias. Stephanie, the whole 110 lbs of her, was a trained professional opera singer and can really project her clear, beautiful sound over the water. The almost full moon rose behind them. Wow, what a night.

But, we must pay for these good days and another cold front was expected. Hiding once more in Crab Cay, we are somewhat protected from the wind. The front hit yesterday afternoon with rain and high winds. Our anchor held and so did the ones around us. Now, the wind will continue to blow for a few more days and then we will head further north.

This is getting too long, so I will write another one soon. Hugs to all,

Heather & Murray

When last we wrote, we were on the way to George Town, Great Exuma. We arrived there on Jan 25th, anchored in town, dumped the garbage, hit the grocery store ( lots of fresh veggies,even avocados! ) and then went to anchor at Sand Dollar Beach.

George Town or Elizabeth Harbour is about 5 miles long, and about two miles wide with most of the anchoring up against Stocking Island, opposite town. There are 4 main areas where boats congregate: Hamburger Beach – named because of the burger stand; Monument Beach – with the stone monument high above; Volleyball Beach – close to the many volleyball courts; Sand Dollar Beach – furthest south and with sand dollars buried in the sand. There also are a few other popular areas that can only be used by shallow draft vessels. But those 4 are the main choices. The trip to town from any of them can be a very wet one if the wind is blowing very much. The new dinghy helps, but we do still get slightly wet at times.

So, here we weathered another cold front. Most days we were able to get ashore to walk over the hill to the beach. I even managed to take in a lesson on basket weaving. But mostly we sat aboard and read or played sudoku on the computer.

Finally the wind died. We dashed to town again, did laundry and shopped once more. After a lovely dinner with friends on Lolligag ( Matt & Madeline from Toronto ), we hauled anchor on Tuesday Jan 31st, headed for Thompson Bay, Long Island.

We sailed and motorsailed the distance, some 35 miles and anchored in a lovely bay. In the misty morning light, we hauled anchor again and motored in flat calm to Water Cay, Jumentos about another 40 miles.

The water was so flat that we could see starfish on the bottom and soft corals flowing in the current. A very large ( 8 Ft ) shark was seen on the surface during our journey. It was a beautiful day. The islands here are very low and covered with scrub bushes and a few stubby palms. In the morning, we walked on many of the beaches searching for hamburger beans and shells. Not many shells were found but we did get 5 lucky beans. We went snorkeling and while motoring in the dinghy, caught a 12 lb yellow jack on a hand line. Then, Mur shot a large trigger fish. Enough for one day!

All day, we had been discussing the next cold front that was expected. Earlier, it had been predicted to peter out. But now, it was coming on and stronger than previous reports. There was no place to hide close by.

So, reluctantly, we hauled anchor on Friday, Feb 3rd, and sailed back to George Town some 60 miles away. But, it was a glorious sail with speeds of over 8 knots showing most times on the knotmeter.

Now, we are tucked in, awaiting the front expected overnight. They always come at night, it seems. The wind will howl for a few days and then perhaps we can return to Long Island and visit some of its beautiful anchorages.

That is what is happening aboard. How are things up north with you? Write when you can.

Hugs, Murray & Heather

PS We will give more details of Water Cay at a later date.

Well, it is early for this but we are underway to George Town, Great Exuma today. The wind blew hard for the last 5 days and we got itchy feet, I guess. Several friends had planned to head south. We had decided not to go. Then, in the morning, we looked at each other and said “Why not!” So, we tacked our way south to Cave Cay yesterday, had a nice snorkel and headed out before 8 this morning. We are only 35 miles out of our destination, so should arrive in the early afternoon. As another cold front with high winds again, is expected later today, we want to be tucked in securely.

Because we didn’t plan this, we need to get to a store before the winds arrive. On board right now, we have only 3 eggs, one tomato, some carrots, romaine, and a few multi-grain rolls that I baked. So, if we get there early enough, we will anchor near town, dinghy in to the store, stock up and get rid of garbage. Then we will head for Sand Dollar Beach to anchor down before the front.

Once the winds die down again, we hope to head further south to Long Island and the Jumentos. The later are a series of very small islands on a shallow bank. Lots of fishing, shelling, lobstering etc but also lots of sharks and no shelter from cold fronts. And no grocery stores. So, the larder must be full before this adventure.

Winds today are calm but the seas are rough. Thus this letter will be brief as it is time for me to go topsides for some air!

Hugs to all, Heather & Murray

Man, did it rain! I have never seen it like that. Last night we had rain squalls one after the other with accompanying thunder and lightning, of course. A nearby islander reported 2.5 inches of rain fell last night. I can believe it. Our dinghy was nearly half full. The cisterns on the islands will be brimming today.

We sailed down to Black Point the other day, to do laundry. They have a new facility there and it is the only one in the upper Exuma chain. It is well maintained and has huge windows overlooking the turquoise waters of the anchorage. Or there are benches were you can sit and wait for things to dry and watch the dinghy traffic go by. What a treat it was to have clean clothes, sheets and towels. We hated to get anything dirty by jumping in the dinghy and going to windward. But, that night we did go out to dinner and Murray enjoyed a “stew fish” with peas and rice and coleslaw. I had chicken, with the same side dishes. It was a nice evening.

Then it blew hard for a day and we were stuck aboard, listening to music, playing sudoku and reading books. The following day found the wind subsiding and we ventured ashore for a walk and phone calls. As we are expecting some company in March, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to order a few parts that we need to replace broken things. By late afternoon, the rain started. Between storms, we visited with friends and shared some snacks and laughs. When it seemed to be settling in for the night, we said our goodbyes and dashed for home.

Today, there is NO wind and we are motoring north towards some protection for the next big blow, due on Sat. We will stop at Sampson Cay, do e-mail on-line and buy some fresh veggies and eggs. Then tomorrow, we will find a hidey-hole and hunker down again. The water temp has really dropped due to these last few storms and is now just over 70F or room temp for the Celcius people. Brrr. But, we must get in snorkeling tomorrow as it will be too cool and windy for the next few days.

Otherwise, not much happening here. How are things in the frozen north? Keep warm and write when you can.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

We hope that your holiday season has been a wonderful one with lot of friends and family to celebrate with you.

Ours was spent here, in this little piece of paradise called Staniel Cay. On Christmas Eve, I organized a cruiser beach party where we shared snacks and drinks while the tropical sun set over the anchorage. By the glimmering firelight, a cruiser sang “O Holy Night” and many people wiped away a tear when she finished. Then, everyone sang some carols with the children and I read my “Week Before Christmas” poem. When the fire died down, everyone departed to their boats with calls of “Merry Christmas” echoing around the anchorage. A lovely night.

On Christmas Day, a front was expected to pass by. Pre-frontal activity arrived mid morning with lots of rain and a shifting wind. Our anchor alarm went off and we were dragging toward another boat! Quickly, we dashed on deck, hauled anchor and re-set it to the new wind direction. Were we soaked! But, it was fresh water. A neighbouring vessel ( the one we were dragging towards! ) had invited us to dinner. When we arrived, they had the air conditioning on! It was lovely as it was a very hot and humid afternoon. After a lovely dinner and enjoying pumpkin pie in the cockpit, we saw nearby lightning. Time to cut the visit short.

The next few days were spent snorkeling, beach walking and visiting. On the 30th, a fund-raising auction was held at the Yacht Club. I donated some of my red pepper jelly ( raised $25! ) and we bought a bag of books and a box of canned goods. Some beautiful items had been donated but prices went sky high. On the 31st, the ‘C’ class Bahamian boats raced and cruisers were given a chance to be aboard. Murray raced on Smashy. The name was maybe prophetic as he did hit another vessel and the buoy during the race! I will try to attach a photo. Fireworks happened at midnight but we were long asleep by then.

On Monday, the 2nd, the Cruisers Regatta was held. The wind blew at about 15 kn and everyone had a wonderful time. Most of our crew had jumped ship to race their own boats so we took aboard a local couple. Dave Moxie owns a ‘C’ class boat and is captain of a 90+ power yacht. Ellen is a dentist in Nassau. Again, I will try to attach a photo of the crew. Don Wilson, from Next Exit, was very glad to see more crew arrive as he and I were the only ones left. The race was a trianglar course, approx 2 miles per side, that we went around twice. It was a neck and neck race but we managed to get second place. Last night, the awards ceremony was held and every participant received a basket of goodies from the organizers. Then they brought out the food! Roast pork and chicken, with peas & rice, macaroni and coleslaw. I could not finish it all. There was dancing in the street but we were exhausted from all of the activities this week and headed back to the boat before 7 pm.

Today, we are hidden in Oz again with two cold fronts expected before the next weekend. Oh well, time to relax and read some of those books that I bought.

So, that is what is happening in our life. How’s things up north? Write when you get a chance, as we love to get your mail aboard. All of the best for 2006!

Hugs, Heather & Murray

PS This was too large to send out the usual way, so we delayed it until we had access to the wireless connection at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Buy a beer and use the wireless – good deal!

The weather was looking better, so we hauled anchor at Ft Pierce on Friday, Dec 9th and headed south to West Palm Beach. The trip took us all day due to many bridges all with specific schedules of opening. Once in West Palm, we anchored near Peanut Island to be close to the inlet.

That evening, Murray performed his usual engine inspection. Then we ran the webbing jacklines down both sides of the deck. This allows us to clip a harness to the jackline and go forward ( to the mast or beyond ) safely while off-shore. Then the dinghy was hauled aboard and strapped firmly to the foredeck. We had a lovely barbequed dinner by moonlight and retired for the night.

Morning found us re-checking weather and details aboard. I baked muffins and made sandwiches for the trip.

By 10:00 am, we were hauling up the anchor once again and heading off. Although it was Sat, the boat traffic had yet to ramp up. We motored out into the rolly Atlantic waters and set our course for the Bahamas. Two other vessels followed us out, headed approximately the same place. Our mainsail was up to help steady the boat and, just maybe, take advantage of any wind we might find.

The ocean was littered with Man-of-War. The are a very dangerous type of jellyfish. Their tentacle are extremely long ( up to 40 feet ) and dangle below the surface. All that is seen above, is the pale blue balloon-like “sail” that propels them along. A sting by the tentacles causes extreme pain, shock or even respiratory paralysis. Thank goodness we have only seen them out at sea but they do end up on the Florida beaches.

A daytime crossing was quite different for us. For one thing, it was HOT. We shared the bit of shade available and enjoyed the day. A few ships appeared but nothing came close. Of course not, as it wasn’t dark yet!

As the sun set, we tried to dodge around a rain squall by sailing further south than the course line. Murray prepared a light dinner for us as my lack of sea legs wouldn’t allow me to spend much time below decks. The rest of the night was punctuated by short naps in the cockpit, close encounters with many cruise ships and trying to stay awake.

Dawn found s surrounded by squalls, with lightning flashing here and there. I put the handheld GPS and VHF in the oven to protect them in case we were hit by the lightning. All other electronics would be wiped out, even if turn off. But, the squalls missed us and blue skies appeared.

Finally, ahead of the bow, we can see the flash of the light on Little Stirrup Cay. Then the low islands start to come into sight.

By 9 am, we are motoring into Great Harbour Cay and headed for the marina to check in with customs and immigration. The dock staff give us all the forms to fill in and we doze until customs wakes us. Then we wait. And wait. And wait for immigration. Eventually, the customs agent returns and fills in the immigration papers. It is now too late to leave and we spend the night at the marina.

Quick showers, light dinner and bed. Finally.

The next morning, with a strong north wind blowing, where do we have to head? North of course! Just for a little ways but far enough to get quite salty. Then we sail past an anchored cruise ship and appear in many people’s holiday pictures. On we dash, with Murray hauling in fish one after the other. He caught 6 in the first hour!

At Hoffman Cay, we ducked in the narrow gap and dropped our hook in a protected anchorage where we rest, re-coup and play for a few days. Friends are anchored here as well and we will get into trouble with them for sure. Shelling has been great as we all found beautiful specimens one afternoon. A dinghy adventure took us down to Little Harbour for a burger at Flo’s. A vessel anchored here “Oma & Opa” invited us all to share in some beach cooking yesterday. They prepared a fish stew over an open fire. It was delicious.

Murray refuses to motor any further so we await the right winds to sail on to Nassau. Perhaps early next week. There we will re-stock with fresh veggies and then head off south to the Exumas.

The Christmas decorations are not up yet, because of the passage. But, soon. I have a surprise or two for Mur’s stocking. We are not sure where we will be but friends will be close by.

We hope that your Christmas will be special to you as well, with family and friends to share it all. Take care of each other and spread the love around. Hugs,

Heather & Murray

We finally did it – left the dock! Last Sunday, almost a week ago now, we started the motor, slipped the lines and waved goodbye to the friends on the dock. It was a cool but sunny day and we motored up the river towards Jacksonville, with the tidal current giving us a little extra push. The bridges in Jacksonville cooperated and delayed us very little. But, as we approached the junction of the river and the ICW, the calculations showed that we would not be able to make the 25 miles on to the next anchorage. So, we stopped early and tucked into a cove to spend the night. Murray did his usual magic with the barbeque and we crash.

Before dawn, we were up and hauled anchor at first light. The new windlass works like a champ and was worth all of the aggravation Murray had while installing it. That day, we pushed past St Augustine and anchored early once again. This time it was due to lightning in the area with heavy rain. The strong currents of the Matanzas River was to be our home for the night. The rain continued most of the night and on into the morning hours. But, before 8 am,donned in rain gear, we hauled anchor and moved on once more. This time, we passed through Daytona, New Symrna and into the Mosquito Lagoon. Just before a beautiful sunset, we dropped anchor on the side of the ICW and ducked below to avoid those critters that the area is named for.

The wind was behind us the next day and helped push us on down the waterway. As we approached Cocoa Beach, Murray suggested that we stop and visit cruising friends who have a place on the ICW. We anchored in front of their home, went ashore and spent a lovely afternoon and evening catching up and planning winter adventures.

By, 3 pm the next day,Thursday, we had reached our temporary destination – Ft Pierce. We had traveled 260 nautical miles since our departure on Sunday. Here we have friends who need some assistance with computer/GPS connections etc.

Their connection has been made and works with the navigation program that she is familiar with. And they have driven us all over to obtain the parts necessary to make our repairs. Yes, things are broken on board already. The water heater failed, the pressure water system as well. My computer/GPS cable burned up – well, didn’t catch fire but got hot and failed. So, repairs are underway here and we are visiting with friends ashore daily.

There is a weather window for a crossing on Sunday/Monday. If all of our jobs are completed, we MAY be able to catch it. Otherwise, we will look for the next one as we head on down further south.

From up north, we hear that there is lots of snow but maybe the hot air generated by the coming election will melt it all away. Ho, ho. Enjoy the snow but don’t believe too much of the rhetoric from the politicians.

Hugs to all, Heather & Murray underway again

Hello all,

We arrived in Green Cove Springs on Mon,Oct 31st and got the boat ready to move to the work yard. It was in fairly good shape with some mildew here and there. When I started to clean, I discovered that the cushions were missing! But, at least it appeared as though our berth cushions were still in place, so that we had a somewhere to sleep. When I climbed onto the bed to clean there, I found that those cushions were gone as well! We called the place that was making our NEW cushions. Yes, they had come aboard and taken them earlier in the summer. OK, could they please return at least our bed? No, they couldn’t as they had cut them up for patterns! But, the new ones were ready. With the grime and dirt of life in the work yard, we didn’t want the majority of the cushions aboard but did need the ones for our bed. And, was it comfy, with 3 different layers of foam.

That was our first problem. Now the work started in earnest. We filled, polished and painted accomplishing everything on the list in time to launch just a week later, on the Tuesday the 8th. Monday night, we had celebrated Mur’s real 60th, with beer, snacks and cake for all of the cruisers around.

After launching, we spent a whole day washing a summer’s worth of dirt off of the decks. Now, she looked better. Our mainsail arrived and we put it into place. But, it was disappointing to discover that it was still very difficult to pull it up or drop it back down. More phone calls to the sailmaker. We tried several other “cars” that he sent us, but the sail continued to bind against the sail track. Finally, he came up with a solution which he would sell us at his cost. As it is a serious safety issue( if the main doesn’t fall when you loosen the halyard), we had to go forward with this option. This was the second problem.

Now the boat was ready for the new cushions. We had done some varnishing in the head, aft cabin and main cabin and the wood was looking very good. The cushions were delivered and were truly lovely. There are still a few fit issues to be resolved. The man who is doing the work has serious back problems and is due for surgery in just a few more days. Meanwhile, he is trying to finish our new mainsail cover, between episodes of terrible pain.

Taking the weekend off, we headed to Melbourne for the Seven Seas Cruising Association get-together. There we met up with many cruising friends and had an enjoyable time. At the flea market on Sat, we found a new/old (but un-used ) 2-speed manual windlass. Somehow, it followed us home. And became the next problem.

Our chain didn’t fit the windlass. To get the correct part ( the gypsy )would cost another $300. So, instead we bought some new chain that DID fit. Then Mur worked very hard to install the windlass into our anchor locker.

Oh, and the frig wasn’t working well most of this time. Cold beer is a requirement for the captain’s happiness! Especially in the heat and dust of the work yard.

So, we have had some issues to resolve this year. A few are still out-standing. The cushions still need some work, the sail cover hasn’t even been finished yet and the mainsail track system hasn’t arrived.

But, the lockers are full and the shopping list is very short. I also spent one afternoon shopping for new pillows to go with the new cushions in the main salon. And, did I find some beauties! There were many Ooh’s and Aah’s from the female cruisers when I unloaded the trunk . The main salon looks absolutely lovely.

When will we get away? I am not sure. There now is another tropical storm churning away and rumours are that it will follow Wilma’s track. That is not a good thing. Once the outstanding issues are resolved, we will likely head out,keeping our eyes on the weather reports. Hopefully, that departure will be by mid-week.

So, that is what is happening here. Life on boat is seldom dull. If it is, just wait a while and something will break. We laugh, but it is all too true.

Hugs to all up north. Write when you have time.

Murray & Heather back aboard Windswept IV