1-15 May 2006
Marsh Harbour, Bahamas to St Augustine, Fl.
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| Date | Location | Log and Pictures | |
| 1-2 May | Marsh Harbour, Bahamas | Carey returned Tuesday, the 2nd, and the wind has finally started to die down. We are really enjoying Marsh Harbour, a great place to spend a winter, but we're planning our trip home now. Tomorrow we'll travel to Hope Town. | |
| 3-4 May | Hope Town, Bahamas | We were sad to leave Marsh Harbour as we really enjoyed the place, but underway we were for Hope town, just 6 miles away from Marsh Harbour. Hope Town is a picturesque village founded by displaced loyalists during the Revolutionary War. Although many old structures line the lovely winding one-way streets within the settlement, structures along the inlet basin, including the marinas, sustained major damage during Hurricanes Floyd and Jeanne. Hope Town is a major tourist stop, as well as an extended-stay home base for many retired Americans. The local museum is largely staffed by American expatriots who, like many long-term American visitors in the Bahamas, volunteer their services within the local communities during their annual sojourns to the various cays. Some of the views of the place are shown below. We picked up a mooring buoy as anchoring in the small harbor is frowned upon. We have been enjoying the town for two days with new friends Rich and Lee, traveling on their boat Crazy Eights. | |
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| At top, the lighthouse next to the harbor. Top right, the Atlantic Ocean and beach just over a sand dune from the town. At right, one of many local home gardens. Bottom left, the local volunteer fire and rescue building, and finally, lower right a small truck that needed some shade. |
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| 5 May | Green Turtle Cay | Underway at 10:30 following low tide we headed for Green Turtle Cay with Rich and Lee on Crazy Eights; an easy 25 mile trip in beautiful weather. After anchoring we dinghied ashore and enjoyed a local festival along with a marching high school band, toured a beautiful garden, ate ice cream and drank rum drinks all afternoon. A great day. |
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| 6-7 May | Old Bahama Bay Marina, West End | Left Green Turtle, making the 48-mile trip to Great Sail Cay, where we anchored with Crazy Eights (at right) off a secluded and uninhabited beach. Up early, we traveled 58 miles to Old Bahama Bay Marina at West End, just 50 miles from Florida. In the seven weeks since our last visit, this resort on the far western tip of Grand Bahamas Island has continued to expand. It is truly a delightful spot and a major stop for boaters' entry to the Bahamas. Although we planned to make the crossing to Florida on Monday, heavy seas have postponed our departure until Tuesday - somewhat of a repeat of our initial stop here upon entry to the Bahamas. But the music, beautiful beaches, sunset, and hospitality more than compensate for our delays. |
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| 8-10 May | North Palm Beach, Fl | Monday and Tuesday we continued to enjoy Old Bahama Bay Marina as the seas were not to our liking for the crossing to Florida. Wednesday was the day and we departed at 7:30 am and enjoyed the Ocean waters that were more like a lake. A beautiful day to cross to Florida. We opened up the engines and made the 50 mile crossing in 4 hours. We are now moored at Old Port Cove Marina in North Palm Beach, checking in with customs and immigration, and doing the necessary shopping. Tomorrow we'll start our trip north. | |
| 11-12 May | Peck Lake, Fl | Just after lunch we got underway from Old Port Cove for the 25 miles to Peck Lake; now part of the ICW and not a Lake anymore. A beautiful stop with a long sand bar between the Lake and the Ocean, making for an easy walk to the Atlantic beaches that we really liked. We enjoyed Thursday so much we decided to stay another day. Carey relaxed with a crossword puzzle and Sophie napped with her stuffed Ferret, apparently positioned to keep a watch out for any disturbance. The evenings were enhanced by the full moon. |
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| 13 May | Rock Point, FL | Underway at 9 am, we headed north, anchoring at Rock Point after 67 miles on the water. We wanted to anchor earlier, but the water depth was not sufficient at our original choice so we continued steaming. We're at a nice spot and had dinner aboard Crazy Eights with Rich and Lee. A relaxing evening. | |
| 14 May | New Smyrna Beach, FL | 79 miles today and we're anchored at New Smyrna Beach. I fixed a Mother's Day dinner for Carey. Luckily she did the dishes. The travel today, although long was very pleasant; we noted strange home-made built boats, people fishing at "Haulout" Canal and Pelicans guarding an ICW marker. |
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| 15 May | St Augustine, Fl | 67 miles today and we're anchored off the Fort at St Augustine. Easy trip today, even though we passed under a dozen bridges. For most we did not have to wait for an opening. The weather is beautiful, 75 degrees with light winds. Just after anchoring at 3:30 pm we watched a large sailboat head out with a boat load of tourists. Pretty boat. | |
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