Author name: jrand

Well, it has arrived. The quiet times that we looked for in late July. The boat docks have only one or two boats a night now and there never is a line-up for fueling.

Heather has been sent off to bar duty as of Monday this week. So now Murray is alone on the docks. He keeps busy with chores there as well as trips to get fish, liquor etc for the Lodge.

This week was a trifle stressfull for us. On Sunday evening, Heather noticed something in front of her left eye. It wouldn’t brush away and, on examination in the mirror, nothing could be seen. Finally she realized that this multi-legged object was inside the eye, not in front of it. Since Monday was a holiday, nothing could be done. So Tuesday morning, we went to Emergency in Sudbury. She was examined by a doctor there and referred on to an Opthamologist. He examined her as well and diagnosed a small hole or tear in the retina. She was booked for laser surgery for the next day.

The surgery was quickly and painlessly completed on Wednesday morning. The blood clots ( which created the multi-legged object ) are still visible to her but should disappear over time. The specialist wants to see her again in 3 weeks, before we leave this area.

Supposedly, these tears or holes can happen to anyone in their 50’s or 60’s and, if left, can lead to a retina detachment. So, we are glad it was discovered and dealt with quickly.

The last two hurricanes have not damaged Windswept IV. Frances caused 75 knot wind at our marina and a lot of rain, so we likely have water in the bilge. Other boats at the marina, in the water, were damaged and two sunk at the dock. Now we have Ivan to worry about. We will keep you informed.

So, that is what is happening here. Our departure date is set for Sept 28th. After a visit with Heather’s mom, we will be in southern Ontario for a while. Sure hope to see you all then.

Hugs, Murray & Heather

Cough,cough, sniffle, hack. Luckily this is a virus that I cannot share with you over the computer. Yes, I have a summer cold. And it seems to want to stay with me ALL summer. A slight exageration – it has only been 10 days. Surely, soon it will release me from its evil clutches.

Life at the Boat House is slowing slightly. The number of boats has dipped already but we still manage to be full every night. It is just fewer hours of madness now – like maybe 2 or 3 in the middle of the day. Instead of almost the whole day.

We lose our first staff member( other than personal or health issues which have already claimed 2 ) this week. And then there were five. That number should stay constant until approx Sept 1 when everyone will depart. And then there were two. Until I go to work in the bar, and Mur is on his own.

His carving is coming along again as he has some time during the day to work at it. He will give one to each of the dock staff as they leave. He has started to carry a sea-bean in his pocket now to sand in his spare time.

Me – well, I am knitting some Christmas surprises. And supposedly, working on my Morse code so that I can take my test this fall. It will be difficult to send though, as my surgery this fall will be on my right hand. Do you need to hear me send code, Dave?

Several friends have stopped by to visit. Mostly arrive by boat but some by car. It is wonderful to see them all and spend a few hours with them catching up or reminiscing on past adventures.

Last week an aluminum power catamaran passed through Killarney. It was a vessel we had seen many times in the Bahamas called Dyad. We managed a radio contact and had a nice chat with Dave and Kathy as they headed on. They will motor down to Chicago and down the Mississippi to the Gulf coast and back to the Bahamas. What an adventure they will have to tell us about.

So, other than old and new friends, beautiful boats and lovely sunsets there is not much happening up here. No anchors dragging in the blackest night, no howling winds in the rigging, and definitely no midnight runs to emergency departments. Life is quiet. I think maybe that is a good thing.

We sure hope that your is quiet and beautiful too. Hugs,

Murray & Heather

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the lack of communications from this end, but it has been very busy for the last few weeks. The docks are full every night and there are long lines for the gas dock space. The radio calls and telephone calls are unending and simultanious. I need many more hands than I have.

Our hours of work have been nuts, as usual. Twelve hour work days, running all the time. And then there are the evening calls for ice or dock reservations or info. We turn off the radio when we retire for the night and that isn’t quite early enough most nights.Our one day off (separately ) a week gives us time to do laundry and clean our little cabin.

Soon, the traffic will slow and the boats will disappear again. And then we will have time to write to you all again and catch up on what is happening in the world around us.

The temperature here has finally risen to seasonable levels and our days are even hot! The nights are cool enough for a blanket, which is why we love it here.

So, again, I must apologize for neglecting to respond to your notes and e-mails. I have no excuse other than the lack of time and energy.

Hopefully, your world is going well and life is treating your well. Take care of yourselves.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

June is almost a memory now and July looms ahead of us. But where is our summer weather?

Here it has been very cool, dare I say downright cold. And I understand that this is not unique to our area. Everywhere in Ontario people are experiencing cool weather. But we even had frost the other day! The flowers were not affected though.

A few boats are showing up now and again. By ones and twos they are appearing. Our biggest night so far consisted of 5 boats. But that will change very shortly. School is out everywhere and our reservations are starting to come in. By July 8th, we are cramming them in as we have a large group of enormous yachts in from Ohio for 3 days. And then the Great Lakes Cruising Club rendezvous takes place here from the 11th to 15th of July.

We have lost one of our staff already. She was planning to move to Victoria with her boyfriend who is in the Canadian Navy. But the move was to be in the fall. However, it was changed to June and, if she wanted the military to pay for her move, she had to leave right away. We miss Lacey but understand. A new girl is starting this week and will have to be trained quickly.

A couple of sailboats heading south have stopped by recently and we dredged up some Bahamas stories to entertain them. We have exchanged boat cards and made plans to meet in the islands in the future. Should be fun. They are spending the summer in the North Channel and then heading to the Erie Barge Canal, Hudson River and beyond. That was our initial plan for the summer of our departure but we never got to cruise the North Channel. Perhaps some day in the future, when we get tired of the sunny south.

So, as you can see, not much is happening here. Stay in touch and we will try to do the same.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

We arrived at Killarney on Sunday May 23rd, after spending most of a month visiting family and friends. Some people that we hadn’t seen in many years ( in one case 32 years! ) managed to connect with us. Other friends that we try to visit yearly were missed this time but we will certainly try again in the fall.

Sunday in the rain, we moved into our new cabin. Other than the need for a bridge to cover the floods surrounding the cabin, the move went well. We sloshed back and forth and quite quickly set up our new abode.

The cabin has a screened porch with chairs for ourselves and guests. Inside, electric baseboard heaters keep the rooms toasty ( big change from a small heater that we were afraid to leave running while we worked ). And yes, I did say rooms! We have a small sitting room with a couple of chairs and shelves for books and magazines.Then the bedroom, with a wardrobe and chest of drawers. Beyond that is the bathroom, with our own waterheater and some shelves and cupboard space for storage of shampoo, toothpaste etc.

I am afraid our cabin has become even more “party central”. The last two nights have been late and involved our liquor supply, needless to say. Tonight, we plan to shut out the lights and retire early.

Man, is it freezing here right now. And the Boat House is the coldest place here. I look for excuses to stop by our cabin and warm up. Some of our staff have started already and we are challenged daily to come up with jobs for them to do. The sun will shine soon, I hope, and we can get outside practising boat handling, knot tying and other dockside activities. Our staff is all female again this year and they seem like a great bunch.

My hand surgery went well and I have only occassional twinges now and then at 3 weeks post-op today. The night-time numbness seems really improved and has seldom woke me from a sound sleep since the surgery. This is a very good thing.

For the next while, it will remain very quiet up here but the guests and boats will start to appear as the days become warmer. And we hope that happens soon.

Stay in touch and stay well.

Hugs, Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

Last night Murray was working on his log book and did some end-of-season calculations. On our 2003-2004 cruise, we used 160 gallons of diesel, ran the motor for 192 hours, traveled 1500 nautical miles, made 500 gallons of fresh water, used 40 lbs of propane and 48 gallons of gas ( for the dinghy and generator ).

The water was all of our usage from Dec 23rd until April 7th ( in the US we get free water from the marinas by filling jugs and hauling them back to the boat ). We showered daily unless it was too cold to shower in the cockpit. The water was not rationed but, of course, taps were not left running. Our monthly usage averages out to be approx 140 gallons. How does that compare with your household usage? Of course we have one advantage in that we flush our toilet with salt water.

The 40 lbs of propane cost us about $40 US. That took care of all of our cooking needs from the end of Oct 2003 until the end of April 2004 ( 6 months ). During that time, I made a hot breakfast daily and baked bread, muffins and even cookies as needed.

The gas ran our car ( the dinghy ) and supplied all of our electrical needs for the six months. Of course, the generator was supplemented by the solar and wind power but there is no charge for that. Once you buy the equipment that is. The maximum paid for gasoline in the islands was $3.30 and, if that price was paid for the total gallons, our car and electrical power for the six months cost us approx $160 US.

We have not mentioned the $300 for a cruising permit to travel in the Bahamas. This was a huge increase over the previous charge of $100 and caused many cruisers to re-think their travel plans. We have also not calculated the many dollars spent to keep the boat in tip-top shape. It has all been recorded and, if anyone is interested, we can give a yearly average of maintenance expenses at a future date.

So, those are some numbers that you can relate to and compare with your household costs for the same period. How do we measure up?

Today, Murray is re-assembling the pedestal in the cockpit ( it is where the steering wheel, gear shift and accelerator are mounted ). A friend helped him paint it the other day and now it looks brand new. It was not a job on the list but you take advantage of paint and spray guns when they are offered! I am washing down all of the woodwork in the boat with a vinegar solution to retard the growth of mildew while we are gone. Also organizing our clothes etc for packing. We will load the car ( the real car this time ) on Sunday as we will be hauled out early Monday morning. Once the sunshield is in place and all of the final jobs are done, we will head north.

In case I haven’t described it before, the sunshield is a screening material that cuts 60-70% of the sun’s rays but allows the wind to blow through. Thus it does not create a danger during high winds. We drape it over the spinnaker pole attached to the mast up forward and it is cut to go around the rigging. The seams are then held in place with wire ties as the awning is shaped around the boom and the stern arch. I do have photos of the boat enclosed in this material and will post them on the website.

We sure look forward to meeting up with all of you in the near future. Until then, hugs

Heather & Murray

Hello everyone,

We have safely made our fourteenth crossing of the Gulf Stream. At just before 9 AM on the 6th of April, we hauled our anchor at Great Sale Cay, Abaco and headed for White Sand Ridge, an opening to the sea. It was approximately 50 miles to this waypoint and we motorsailed the whole distance.

The last 5 to 10 miles on the shallow banks were very exciting as Murray caught 5 fish! Three were edible cero mackerel and 2 were barracuda. He cleaned them in the cockpit as I made myself scarce. With the stress of a coming crossing already affecting my stomach, I did not need the added scent of fish guts! Once the fish were safely in the freezer, I started to feel better again.

The ocean was relatively calm with swells catching us on the beam. Once we hit the Gulf Stream, the waves became rather erratic and we had the washing machine effect. The main sail steadied us somewhat, even though there was not enough wind to fill it often. The full moon rose soon after sunset and gave us enough light that we could see our shadows on the deck.

The night was fairly uneventful, with only one close crossing with a freighter. We took turns below decks, trying to sleep. But that was almost impossible with the sail slatting back and forth and every can in the lockers adding their clank and roll to the cacophony. Step Three, with Nancy June and Peter aboard, dogged our heels the whole way across as they did not have radar and had never entered Canaveral before. It was very nice to know that another vessel was close by and we maintained radio contact all night long.

Just before daybreak, we neared the Florida coast and the lights of Canaveral. Using the radar and computer charting, we entered the harbour before dawn and docked at Cape Marina to re-fuel before 7 AM. Once we had walked to Customs and completed our paperwork, we cast off again and headed to the ICW and north to Titusville.

Step Three went into the marina the next day and prepared to haul and store in Florida for the first time. They prevailed on us to stay and assist them with their preparations. Also, the long Easter weekend was approaching and we do not like to travel on weekends due to the increased boat traffic. Titusville is a good place to wait. We did laundry, got a few supplies along with fresh oj and helped Step Three as much as we could ( including eating the steaks and lobster in their freezer ).

Monday morning dawned stormy with high winds and rain. So, we waited until things seemed to clear and hauled anchor at 11 AM, headed for Daytona Beach.

Another nasty sky greeted us this morning, but we headed out anyhow. Winds are gusty and we are motorsailing northward, taking advantage of the wind and saving fuel.

Tonight we will anchor just off the ICW in a cove ( Pine Island ) past St Augustine. From there, we are one long day from Green Cove Springs Marina. Once there, our work will start. There are no big jobs on the list this spring, other than the cracked water tank that must be removed and repaired somehow. I have some sail and canvas repairs to make as well as other sewing. Then, clean and prepare the boat for summer storage.

Our winter was not great with high winds, many fronts and my health problems. But, we were together mostly and there was no snow! How can we complain too much.

Many hugs and we look forward to seeing you all soon, Heather & Murray

We left Royal Island at dawn on March 12th, slipping quietly out the entrance and motoring to the cut by Egg Island. The waves were crashing onto the reef on the northwest side of Royal Island and the sight of these rollers worried some of the captains accompanying us. A total of 15 boats made the trip north that day.

Once we reached clear water and turned onto the course for Little Harbour entrance into Abaco, the waves approached us more on the bow. They were huge ocean swells, the first we had seen quite like this. They appeared to be big rolling hills that the boat just rose over and then slid down into the valley. While in the valleys, vessels nearby disappeared, sometimes completely including the masts. We could not estimate accurately the size of these rollers but some were very impressive.

The wind had come too close to the bow and we were unable to make enough speed sailing. The cuts cannot be entered at night. So, on went the engine after only 8 or 9 miles of sailing. Murray had 2 fishing poles rigged and lures dragging as soon as we reached deep water.

Two vessels traveling with us caught dolphin fish ( Mahi-mahi ) and we were very happy to hear our line go zinggg. Murray hauled in the fish slowly while I readied the cockpit for fish ( remove the cushions, get pails and gloves ready ). The fish was jumping out of the water trying to throw the hook but Murray continued to reel him in. As he got closer we could see that yes, it was a dolphin ! I took the pole from Murray and he reached down and grabbed the leader to toss the fish into the cockpit. Just then the leader snapped. Gone. No fish for dinner and a brand new lure is lost. Oh well, try again as we still have miles to go.

A nearby boat called to ask if we had seen the whales. Between us appeared a dark fin not unlike a porpoise. Then another and another. Spouts of water from blow holes all about. They were pilot whales. One of the smallest whales found in the ocean, they very much resemble the porpoise or dolphin. But, they didn’t want to play around our bow as the dolphins would have but just kept traveling southward.

Shortly after 3 pm, we safely cleared Little Harbour bar and motored to an anchorage near Lynyard Cay. The waves rolled around the end of the island and made our anchorage a very uncomfortable spot overnight. In the morning we moved on to Elbow Cay and anchored near a lovely beach.

We have stayed here a couple of days now and it is time to move on once more. But, we must wait for mid or high tide as the waters nearby are very shallow. Likely we will head up to Man-of-War Cay overnight and then into Marsh Harbour early tomorrow morning for restocking and laundry. Also to meet up with some old friends.

We will be in Abaco for another two weeks approximately and then prepare to cross over to the USA once again.

Hopefully, all is well with you and yours. Stay in touch as we love to get mail aboard.

Murray & Heather aboard Windswept IV

The wind has been blowing steady at 20+ knots for six days! We have not had to start the engine or generator to re-charge the batteries as the wind generator has taken care of all of our power needs. That means every bit of our energy requirements from lights to computer to making water from Feb 24th! But, we do get tired of the wind. And it is cool. I know that we don’t really understand cool as compared to you guys up north, but it is too cool to swim. And the water is only 66 degrees F or about 18 C. Brrr.

On Sat 26th Feb, we traveled from our anchorage at Royal Island to the town of Spanish Wells nearby. We needed to offload some garbage and to purchase some fresh vegetables. In company with Southern Cross, with Marcel and Karen aboard, we met friends who live in town for a lovely lunch at a local restaurant. Dodging rain storms, we replenished our cupboards at the well-supplied grocery store. During our walk-about, we met cruisers with a problem. They were on the moorings and maybe had transmission problems but couldn’t find a mechanic with time to check it out. Off we go, to their boat and Murray does a few checks of the transmission. It definitely is defective but what part exactly? That is tomorrow’s job as they offer to cook breakfast in return for Murray’s assistance. That night, we met Woody ( a local Bahamian fishing guide and boat pilot ) and his family and proceeded to another local restaurant where Woody treated us to a humongous steak dinner! Man, that was the most tender and largest steak that I have had in many years. Sunday morning, Murray is upside down in the engine compartment of Calypso, removing their transmission. His final analysis? “Order a new one, this one can maybe be fixed stateside but not here.”

The wind switched direction while we were aboard Calypso and our anchorage was rapidly becoming untenable. We hauled anchor and moved over to a tiny island called Meeks Patch. The locals from Spanish Wells come out here in the summer and have constructed picnic tables, hammocks etc. Here we have sheltered for the last four nights. During the day, we walk on the beach and explore the island. As day draws to a close, we gather on the beach to share cocktails and snacks and stories. Last night we had a pot-luck dinner ashore with each vessel contributing. I baked baguettes and made garlic bread as well as a salad. Marcel & Karen made spaghetti sauce, while Robin and Michael ( Estrellita ) cooked the noodles. Pam and Cliff ( Lady Lex ) made pineapple cake for dessert. Such a feast we had. Michael is an artist and we have acquired some of his paintings.

Everyone here are sharing their talents and helping each other with boat jobs. Cliff was having radio problems and Mur and I helped with those. I trimmed hair on the beach in the morning and helped with computer problems in the afternoon. We are filling our time but would really like this wind to stop howling soon.

Once it does, we will likely head north towards the Abacos to position ourself to cross back to the US. Plans are to cross to the States by early to mid April and return to Canada by the end of April. Until we see you, stay warm and healthy and know that we miss you all. Hugs,

Murray & Heather aboard Windswept IV

Hello everyone,

I had a wonderful visit in Ottawa with Jeremy, Cynthia and Matthew. I arrived there on Friday the 13th and departed on Monday 16th. From Ottawa, I flew to Toronto traveling business class. That was a treat – huge seats, hot washcloths and attentive stewards. In Toronto, I spent a short night in the Days Inn, near the airport. As I was on an international flight, I arrived at the airport at 3:30 to find that the airline check-in desk didn’t open until 4:00. Then, we were ushered into a waiting area for US Immigration. They don’t open until 5 am. Why they tell you to arrive 3 hrs prior to your flight, I don’t know. Finally I arrived at my gate to be told that we would not be fed on this flight, just juice or coffee. Luckily, I had packed a nutrition bar in my carry-on.

We arrived in Miami in time and I was directed to the terminal to catch my next flight to Nassau on Bahamasair. Unfortunately, to get there I had to go out of the security area. After a long walk, I arrived at the check-in area only to be told that I must buy a return ticket as I couldn’t prove that I was listed as crew of the vessel Windswept IV. The return part of the ticket was refundable in Nassau at their office downtown. Now it is time to join the security line again. Man, it stretches forever. Luckily I have an hour before my flight. Finally I am through and hurrying to the gate. I am the last person aboard.

As I got settled, the captain announced a delay due to a malfunction of the radar unit. So, I had time to catch my breath. A lot of time actually. When we finally backed away from the gate, we still had to wait in line for take-off so the flight was delayed about an hour.

Rain and overcast skies greeted us in Nassau. The highway was blocked by a traffic accident. By the time I arrived at Crocodiles, Murray had almost given up. But, he was still there! Looking handsome as usual and soooo tanned.

We loaded my gear into the dinghy and headed up the harbour to Windswept IV. She looked lovely sitting there off of Paradise Island, across from Nassau Harbour Club Marina.

Murray had a chilled bottle of champagne awaiting my arrival. We talked and hugged between sips. For dinner, he prepared a wonderful lobster tail with garlic butter for dipping. I was exhausted, so once the dishes were done it was straight to bed for me.

The next day we walked to the Bahamasair office only to be told that the ticket could only be redeemed at the airport. That was two $27 taxi rides away! We walked and walked and studied our options. Maybe a bus close to the airport? We arrived back at Crocodiles, a local bar/restaurant. Murray talked to the bartender to find any other solutions. The owner overheard us and offered to drop us off on his way to the other end of the island. And, if we were finished when he was on the way back, he would pick us up again and return us to Crocodiles! What a deal.

Finally, refund in hand we were back at Crocodiles. Time to enjoy some lunch with these nice people.

Dinner that night and the following one was provided by sailing friends in the harbour. Man, am I spoiled!

We motorsailed out of Nassau at 7:30 on Feb 20th and bashed into waves to Norman’s Cay, Exuma. Only 8 or 9 boats were anchored inside, so there was lots of room for us.

Friends arrived the next day and we went diving and beach walking. Cocktail parties blossomed everywhere for the coming nights. Life is back to normal.

As for my health, I am feeling well. A little tender now and then, but I will take it easier than usual. The incisions are almost completely healed and looking good. Soon, I will forget this little bump in my road.

Our plans? Well, to rest here for a while and then head northward. To Ship Channel Cay, Rock Sound, Royal Island, Spanish Wells, and the Abacos. But, all is written in jello as usual.

Stay warm up in the north country and we will see you all soon. Hugs,

Murray & Heather