Sunrise, Sunset

Meeks Patch    

The alarm was set this morning to get me out of bed in the dark. I made my way to the pilothouse and opened the doors. For a pleasant change the wind was low. I joined the livestream of the 253rd annual sunrise service from Old Salem in Winston-Salem, NC, and settled in for the next hour. In the dark, the preacher proclaimed, "The Lord Is Risen." Without need for an ode, I responded, "The Lord Is Risen, Indeed." That's just part of my Easter tradition. I watched as the dawn brightened simultaneously in North Carolina and through the windshield of Crossroads. The announcer on the livestream stated, "this is not a service you come to see, but come to experience." I agree and can apply that statement to many other events and sights.  

I mentioned last week that I had a little stash of items brought along for special occasions. I had pulled out the crinkle toys for when The Boyz came to visit. I also pulled out the plastic Easter eggs and my Snoopy Easter shirt. Although on most days it is "Better in the Bahamas," I do miss being home for Easter. Barry was a good sport and hid the eggs. I was sent out to collect them -- in my mesh shell bag. The wind increased throughout the afternoon and we again spent the day onboard. I finished another book (my 17th) and moved on to the next. The number of unread titles in my library is quickly dwindling and I pulled out one that I'd been putting off. The print is so small it requires me to wear alternate sunglasses complete with readers. Ugghh. The hours passed quickly and soon the day was down to the last few minutes of light. I sat on the flybridge and "experienced" the sunset to properly bookend a Happy Easter. 

Settled In For The Blow

Meeks Patch    

After a busy few days in Spanish Wells, it was nice to have a slow day courtesy of the latest wind event. All 30 boats in the anchorage settled in and I did not see a single dinghy launched all day. The Bo Hengy III maintained its schedule and there were a few excursion boats zipping in to view the pigs. For most of the day the star attractions stayed up on the beach. Only in the late afternoon did they venture down to the water. In the morning I consolidated our remaining provisions from the commissary to the storage area under the settee. The wind picked up in the early afternoon with gusts exceeding 30 knots. After it waned a bit, I read on the upper deck in the lee of the pilot house until I finished my latest book. As the sun fell, so did the temperature. We closed most of our open ports and windows to combat the chill. The sunset was dramatic up to the point where the heavy cloud cover put an early end to the show.

It Is Friday And The Weather Has Turned

Spanish Wells to Meeks Patch   |  .6 Hours  |  2.9 Miles  

"The weather always turns before Easter" -- that is a common folk belief to which I fully subscribe. The weather forecasters have also been telling us this turn was eminent ... but thankfully not quite yet this morning. It was a beautiful start to the day. The gulls gathered on the finger pier for an impromptu cheerful concert. Good news arrived early as Katie and Jerold were on their way over to say hello. We enjoyed a great visit on the deck at Wreckers. By the time we said farewells and had our photo taken, the wind was picking up. We needed to get underway, but I insisted on one last walk around the marina to prolong our stay in Spanish Wells. I took one last look at the pool and palms, the cute lizards sunbathing on the rock wall ...      

... the sea grapes loaded with immature fruit, the pink desert roses, and the bright fuchsia bougainvillea. Lastly, there was one last extended look at Crossroads in her slip at the Yacht Haven.  

We brought our lines onboard and eased out of the slip into a building breeze. Farewell and thank you, Spanish Wells. We had another wonderful visit and look forward to seeing you again next year. We had a quick run over to Meeks Patch. As we pulled into the lee of the small island the wind was blowing consistently over 25 knots. We opened all the ports to air out the boat. I brought my chair and book to the upper deck. Even with the pilothouse blocking some of the wind, I felt it necessary to secure my chair with a line to make sure it didn't go flying. The excursion boats from Spanish Wells were undeterred by the wind and brought loads of holiday visitors over to experience the swimming pigs. 

Several kite surfers were out enjoying perfect conditions -- for them. The passenger ferry Bo Hengy III came in from Nassau, departed for Harbor Island then retraced its path. Cloud cover increased to hide most of the sunset. We closed all the ports to quiet the sound of the wind blowing through the boat and because there was a chill in the air. The weather had indeed changed again on Good Friday. I tuned into the livestream and joined the family for the traditional service at Home Church. It is Friday ... but Sunday's a coming. Fittingly, that is when the wind and waves are supposed to calm down. We will stay here at Meeks Patch through the weekend.

Walking On Sunshine

Spanish Wells    

There were quite a few items on the To Do List for our last full day in Spanish Wells. We gathered up our bags and set out on Round 1 around 9:00. The sight of two hummingbirds surprised us as we exited the marina. We made our way back to the Islander Shop to get Barry a new ball cap which was posted on their Facebook page yesterday. From there we walked down Main Street to the Food Fair to pick up fruits, veggies, and a few other staples. Along the way my eyes were scanning both sides of the road, taking in all the pretty flowers.   

It was a successful trip as we found almost everything on our grocery list. After loading our purchases in the refrigerator I had time to take my book to the pool for a few hours. Gulls swooped in and out to drink out of the pool. I sat in the sun initially, but soon moved over to the shady side under the palms. The trunk of palms is as interesting as their overhead fronds. Palms are not actually trees, but grasses -- they lack bark and do not develop growth rings. For Round 2, we went for a late lunch at Budda's where we were entertained by a small lizard clinging to table-side branch. Out front bright red hibiscus blooms filled a tree against the building.

From Budda's we walked over for a visit with Demetria (Deidre's sister). It was a pleasant surprise to find Darcie-Grace, Jurni, Euleta, and Shae also gathered. After a nice time chatting, Jurni joined in with Demetria for a photo. The walk back to the marina keeps getting shorter and more enjoyable -- like walking on sunshine. The scenery occupies my mind and we've learned the best route to avoid the big hill and traffic. 

The bougainvillea hedges were stunning in the bright sunlight and set against the deep blue sky.

I unpacked from that outing and readied myself for the Round 3. At 4:00 it was time to head back to Northside Beach for my low tide sandbar walk. A northerly wind blew in some water and the sand was not exposed as much as on my previous trips. No doubt about it though, it was still gorgeous.

My favorite area is always as far out as I can go. The sand ripples and white shells were again plentiful. 

Low tide was late in the day (at 5:00) so I didn't have too much time to wander around the bars and tidal pools. At 6:00 it was time to head back to Crossroads. After climbing the makeshift steps over the dune, I took in one last long look. 

The walk back to the marina took me by my favorite plumeria tree loaded with yellow blossoms. The flowers' light scent wafted on the breeze. I unloaded my daily harvest of shells and emptied the sand out of my backpack. Soon a golden glow was filtering through the windows of Crossroads. I went out on the dock and watched the sunset along with two gulls. Once the sun dropped below the trees it was time for Round 4. Barry and I walked down the street one more time to enjoy some frozen goodness from Papa's Scoops. I wish I'd had a pedometer to see how far I walked today. My feet told me that I easily hit my step goal. 

A Busy Day In Paradise

Spanish Wells    

It was a busy day and I hope pictures will speak more than words. We started with some chores. Barry tended to a load of laundry in the marina's machines as I tried to clean Crossroads just a little. It was imperative that I remove at least the top layer of dust that had recently accumulated. In some spots I joked that if it was snow, Richmond would have closed schools. The refrigerator was cleaned and organized. Trash was gathered and disposed of at the marina. We were done with all of that by 10:00 and decided we'd lower the dinghy and take a cruise up and down the harbor creek. We first headed east where the town was on our left and a lush mangrove forest to the right. Multiple ferries were loaded with people coming from and going to North Eleuthera (presumably to the airport). We did not go as far as Gene's Bay Dock, but turned north and rounded Gun Point. The iconic namesake gun was still perched atop the red box at the corner of the waterfront building. If interested, the luxury 80-acre property is being offered by Sotheby's for $19.7 million.    

We reversed course and went back along the Spanish Wells waterfront. Dozens of turtles made brief appearances around the dinghy, but I managed only a couple of headshots. The major visual attraction were all the fishing boats recently back in port after lobster season ended on March 31. Before we passed under the Higgs Bridge which crosses to Russell Island, we stopped and chatted with the 53-foot Selene Atlantic Attitude which was tied up to a private dock. After making our way to the Northside Beach, we returned to Crossroads. 

Right after lunch we took an hour-long walk around the marina and up and down the nearby streets. The brilliant colors of all the flowers were on full display. Plumeria was well represented in yellow (my favorite), pink, and white. Palm-sized hibiscus blooms opened wide to soak up the day's strong sunshine. A salmon-hued bougainvillea stood out amongst the more popular colored varieties. 

By far, pink blooms were the most common. Dusty rose blooms on bare stems. The clumpy-bloomed paperflower bougainvillea was an interesting find. Regular bougainvillea seemed to be thriving in every yard. Subtle shade differences in the blooms were common, but I saw only one vine with variegated leaves.

Then there were the many coconut palms on the marina property. Barry scooped him up a fallen coconut and proceeded to remove the husk while I read by the pool. To celebrate his successful extraction of the coconut without bloodshed, he took a dip in the pool. Spanish Wells Yacht Haven is a beautiful place and a nice break from being on anchor for two months.

Around 3:30 I headed over to the Northside Beach for another walk on the sandbar at low tide. When timed properly, the clean sand extends for half a mile (or more?) from the high tide mark. As shown yesterday, the ripples in the sand are a work of art. The water is so clear that it is difficult to determine where the shallows actually begin. 

An unexpected find was a conch nursery close to shore. An even more unexpected find were mature conch walking across the sand carrying their large shells. 

Good-sized fish darted through the tidal pools. Their translucent bodies often went unnoticed, but their shadow gave away their presence. Schools of small dark fish were more easily spotted. A few larger and more interesting shells were found further out. Today's top find were hundreds of shiny, smooth white shells. I filled up my pockets with the perfect specimens. The rivulets that drained/filled the tidal pools were quite interesting, but not as interesting as the waves in the sand. 

Pictures do not convey the massive scale of this sandbar. The dark spot in the first photo below is a man. After close to three hours in the sun and with my pockets full of shells, I worked my way back to the access point. Foot-high sand "cliffs" surrounded the largest tidal pool which remained close and formed the traditional shore line. 

I took one last look out at this slice of paradise before climbing back over the dunes at the blue "Life's A Beach And Then You Live" sign. Back on Crossroads, it was only a short time before the sun set a the end of the creek, over the transient yachts in the marina and with the iconic rigging of a fishing boat in the distance. 

Goodbyes and Hellos

Russell Island (East) to Spanish Wells   |  .6 Hours  |  1 Mile  

This morning was occupied by chores we had not done since Valentine's Day. I readied dock lines and fenders to go into a marina. I also brought out a few items from storage for guests that would be arriving as soon as we docked. We tuck a little bit of everything into every nook and cranny. Some, like splints we hope to never use. Others, we stash in hope of bringing them out for special occasions. Glenda, Greg, and The Boyz had already departed in their dinghy when we raised our anchor. We took a long last look at Paradigm Shift which we've shared an anchorage with for the past eight days. Only one mile need to be crossed to reach Spanish Wells Yacht Haven, but it took a little longer than expected. We had to hold station for a while as we waited for traffic to exit the harbor. Once directed in, we made our way to our assigned slip. Familiar faces awaited our arrival as dockmaster Tread was there to help with our lines. Glenda and The Boyz were also waiting for us. Even though she had her hands full, Glenda took some nice shots of our arrival.

I was thrilled to puppy-sit this morning so Glenda could do some grocery shopping. The Boyz came aboard and seemed pleasantly surprised to find their crinkly and squeaky friends from home. Jaxon's excitement soon waned and he settled in for a nap on the settee. Cooper was all about exploring -- in and out, up and down -- right up to the point where he also ran out of energy and laid down for a snooze.

Glenda returned from shopping and we stowed her purchases on Crossroads within minutes of the time Greg arrived by dinghy. All six of us piled into the rental golf cart and went for a quick driving tour which led us first over the bridge to Russell Island and down as far as Sandbar restaurant. The amount of new construction was incredible. We came back the same way, but continued around the looping road of Spanish Wells. At the park we stopped to gaze out over the beautiful beach. Today's wind was light and the flag flapped lazily. Off to Budda's we went for lunch. The food was great as always and it was fun reading all the cute signs placed around the open-air restaurant.

After lunch we went back to the beach. The tide had continued to fall and exposed the massive sandbar. It was an incredible walk in the clean, soft sand. Cooper claimed the sand as a place to run. Jaxon found the shallow tide pools to be a place to lay and soak. We could have stayed for much longer, but knew our time together was fleeting. The walk back to shore was slow as we soaked up every bit of scenery.

Of course Glenda and I took one last selfie before returning to Crossroads. Final hugs were shared and their dinghy was full as they pulled away. It was a special treat to share this bonus time together and I'm thankful for the smiles and memories. Trying to keep my eyes from watering, I had to recite a favorite quote from Dr. Seuss. The Paradigm Shift crew departed later in the afternoon to stage for tomorrow's passage to the Abacos. We'll see them again in about a month, back home in Virginia.

After a little cleanup that I had not done after docking, we changed focus to enjoy the best of Spanish Wells. We went to visit Deidre's (my cousin-in-law) mom, Euleta. It was a fun time catching up with the activities of all the relatives. As a bonus we also got to see Darcie-Grace. With the obligatory photo taken to capture the moment, we said goodbye and then I was momentarily sidetracked by the bananas growing across the street. Barry and I made one stop before returning the golf cart and walking back to the marina. At 7:00 we walked back to the Northside Beach hoping to see the colors of the sunset (the actual setting sun was hidden by the island). The tide was rising, but there was still a good amount of beach. The view to the east was reminiscent of earlier in the day.

To the west there was an orange glow over the still water. It was not coincidental that we had to pass Papa's Scoops on the way back to the marina. We were welcomed back (OK, so was everyone else) and closed our day with a small cup of frozen goodness.

Topping Off The Tanks

Russell Island (West) to Russell Island (East)   |  1.2 Hours  |  2.1 Miles   

A beautiful sunrise ushered in our day. We upped anchor at 8:45 with a goal of being first in line when the power plant fuel dock opened at 9:00. A sailing catamaran had the same plan and had already occupied the side of the pump we needed by the time we arrived. We held station and waited our turn until they had finished. Paradigm Shift went ahead of us and pulled into the empty spot on the opposite side of the dock. We arrived at high tide which made the large dock a little less intimidating. 

While waiting for the fuel hose we admired the scenery on shore. I always find the "cave" fascinating. A sea turtle and a large school of fish were welcome sights in the water. Just over 400 gallons of diesel went into Crossroads to top off our tanks. That will be enough to get us back to Virginia. After exiting the fuel dock both boats moved a short distance east, closer to the harbor entrance. At noon Glenda, Greg, and The Boyz picked us up in their dinghy and we zipped into Spanish Wells for a few hours.   

After a cruise along the waterfront we tied up at Wreckers and had lunch. The restaurant was packed with many Easter week vacationers. Glenda and I followed our meal with a quick walk around the eastern end of the island. We had several places we wanted to visit today and made arrangements for a buggy (golf cart) to explore more tomorrow. By late afternoon we were all back on the motherships. I finished another book before the sun set in a bright fireball behind other anchored boats.

A Stop At Sandbar

Rotten Bay to Russell Island   |  2.4 Hours  |  14.5 Miles   

Rotten Bay provided one of the best night's sleep I've had in a while. The calm anchorage and cool temperature had me sleeping in past the moonset and the sunrise. Barry captured a photo of each while I was still covered in a blanket. While waiting for our departure time I read on the upper deck -- bundled up in a long sleeved shirt. I feel only a slight amount of guilt in reporting that goosebumps were present in 74 degrees with low humidity and a light breeze. There were thoughts of digging into the darkest corners of storage to find a pair of socks, but I persevered. Our later than usual departure was to time the tidal change in Current Cut. This small opening in the tip of North Eleuthera provides a short cut for travels further north. The goal is to enter the cut at a slack tide with a minimal current. The approach was accompanied by plenty of light blue shallow water a seemingly short distance to starboard. 

As we neared the opening a lone catamaran was coming our way. The Current Pride was tied up to shore. I was on the bow listening to the Palm Sunday service on livestream. By the time the singing of Hosannah was completed, Barry had lined us up for passage.

When the timing is correct, the Cut really a nonevent as it is wide and deep. We exited around the trees and looked back to see Paradigm Shift finishing their passage. A slight turn to the right took us alongside Lobster Cay. 

Ahead of us was beautiful blue water and Russell Island. Sandbar restaurant came into view and, after a quick chat with Glenda, became our destination. We lowered the dinghy; picked up Glenda, Greg, and The Boyz; and headed for shore. The restaurant was hopping with a combination of water- and land-based visitors. Later we were told this was the only restaurant open today.

We were joined by Robin and Rick (Endangered Species) and all enjoyed beverages, lunch, the scenery, and two additional forms of entertainment. A singer and keyboardist provided music. In the anchorage everyone watched as "the village" tried to free the large blue-hulled center console from the sand. The effort took awhile, but was eventually successful. 

We paused for a final group shot on this beautiful day before loading back into the dinghy. Glenda and I spent a few hours hanging out in Paradigm Shift's cockpit, thankful for these days that we've had together. The sun was setting and it was again getting chilly. Barry picked me up and we returned to Crossroads. The dinghy was raised to the upper deck and I settled in to watch the sunset -- inside and back in the long sleeved shirt. 

You Can't Judge A Bay By It's Name

Governor's Harbour to Rotten Bay   |  4.3 Hours  |  29.5 Miles   

The morning started with a few surprises, the most being ... crab pots! It is stone crab season in The Bahamas and dozens of traps lined our course. Being seasoned veterans of the Chesapeake Bay crab pot minefields, we quickly reverted to our eagle-eyed watch positions and kept lookout for the small volleyball-sized floats. Initially they were not difficult to spot in flat seas and bright sunshine. Soon heavy cloud cover moved in, accompanied by increased winds and a brief rain shower. The floats seemed to hide in the whitecaps and gray sky.

Our ride turned both sporty and salty. We watched through the windshield as Crossroads received several fresh coats of salt spray as we moved directly into the waves. By stepping to our cockpit I was able to capture a shot of Paradigm Shift as she plowed through the choppy water and created an impressive spray. We passed many of our favorite sites from previous years as we moved north along the coast of Eleuthera. Twin Silos marked the position of the Eleuthera Pineapple Farm which we visited two years ago. We wondered how Mr. Russell was doing. A short distance later, we were at the Glass Window Bridge. All looked calm in the small opening between our shallow water of Eleuthera Bight and the deep water of the Atlantic Ocean on the opposite side of the rocks.

In order to get protection from wind and waves coming from the west and shifting to the north, we continued beyond the bridge and anchored off of Lower Bogue in a spot oddly named Rotten Bay. Contrary to its name, we found the anchorage to be just what we were looking for. The sun came back out and the water turned a bright blue. We lowered the dinghy and Barry took me over to Paradigm Shift. Glenda and I enjoyed floating and relaxing in the inflatable chairs for a couple of hours. Barry rejoined us for appys on the upper deck. We returned to Crossroads and raised the dinghy as the sun was setting.

The sunset was pretty, but the view to the east was better. Paradigm Shift was bathed in golden light in front of an impressive cloud bank. A few moments later, the large full moon rose brightly into the evening sky.

A Special Day With The Boyz

White Bluff to Governor's Harbour  |  .5 Hours  |  1.3 Miles   

A peaceful night was what we were looking for in the anchorage behind Levi Island, and that's exactly what we enjoyed. Soon after the sun rose we relocated to Governor's Harbour which was already busy with all sorts of activity. A large "mail boat" was unloading at the government dock as we claimed our anchoring spot. Stacks of newly arrived palletized goods were lined up and down the waterfront. Off our starboard side a flock of birds engaged in a feeding frenzy that lasted several minutes. We lowered the dinghy and prepared for a trip to shore by checking the tide tables. Low tide was to arrive at 1:39 so we anchored in knee-deep water to ensure the dinghy would be floating when we returned. Once onshore we picked up two special companions for the day. While Glenda and Greg enjoyed an afternoon with hometown friends, Barry and I had the pleasure of leading my favorite pups, Jaxon and Cooper (The Boyz), on a tour of the neighborhood. We started out at the Fish Fry which had received a new paint job since the last time we were here. The side streets were our preferred paths to avoid traffic and take advantage of shade. The sun was strong and I feared the pavement would get too hot for their little puppy paw pads.     

Cooper and I took the lead and eagerly explored every new smell. Barry and Jaxon seemed to not have the same sense of urgency. Our first stop was the bakery where Barry went in and picked up a fresh loaf of cinnamon raison bread. The Boyz and I stayed outside in the shade and all three of us enjoyed a water break on the cool concrete. When we started on our way again, I had taken control of both leashes and was definitely in my Happy Place. All along our travels bright red bougainvillea and lush green palms dominated the landscape. Two giant red hibiscus blooms acted as stop signs. The Boyz and I paused and snapped a photo.

Turned out the hibiscus were on the property of Frigates. This restaurant was a long-time fixture in Rock Sound and recently moved to this new location. The Boyz enjoyed laying on the cool stone patio floor while we had lunch. Cooper couldn't understand why there were no crumbs falling his way. Afterwards, our tour continued toward a stand of large palms. We still had a few stops to make. I would not have guessed that a dead palm frond would have been the most interesting thing on our trek, but it sure seemed so to these guys. Barry went into the grocery store while we waited in the shade. I went into the gift shop while Barry and The Boyz stayed outside. We walked across the ball field to the government building and once again rested in the shade with a water break. Barry enjoyed the relaxed pace of today's walk. The sandbar and shallows caught our eye as we walked back along the waterfront road. 

It was more than an hour past low tide, but the water had not yet returned enough to free the dinghy from the sand. Jaxon and Cooper were very patient as Barry and I drug the dinghy out to freedom in knee-deep water. I took The Boyz back home and sat with them for a while. All three of us were tired from our expedition and enjoyed some quiet time. From the upper deck of Paradigm Shift I had a good view of Barry aboard Crossroads. When Glenda and Greg returned, I said "goodbye" to The Boyz and returned to Crossroads to read for a while before dinner. The view of the charming Governor's Harbour waterfront provided a frequent distraction. Activity at the Fish Fry increased and the music spread across the anchorage. A full moon rose to the east, as the sun set in a cloudless sky to the west. An accompanying green flash was a perfect close to a special day. 

Plan B, For Beautiful

Rock Sound to White Bluff  |  4 Hours  |  25.8 Miles   

The clouds moved out overnight and the brilliant blues returned with the morning. We raised the dinghy at 9:00 and headed north behind Paradigm Shift. Once out of the spacious Rock Sound anchorage, it was a quick run to our next stop. Turns out is was too quick as we outran the anticipated change of direction in of the wind/waves. The waves from the west had not diminished by the time we reached the entrance to Governor's Harbour. If we had stopped, it would have been a rolly anchorage. We continued a little further north and sought protection in the lee of Levi Island off of White Bluff. It was low tide when we dropped our anchor. The large sandbar was almost awash. I found my place on Fiberglass Beach and finished off a book while frequently looking out over the water.

This Plan B anchorage turned out to be beautiful. The afternoon passed quickly, the wind eventually clocked around to the northeast, and soon it was time for dinner. As I prepared chicken in the skillet, Barry and I laughed at the indispensible OXO silicone turner I was using. With the help of Google, I found it was 77 days ago that I had used it to chip the ice off our bow in Beaufort, SC. We were untangling our bridle and unknotting our anchor chain as the sun set behind Levi Island. I finished resetting the anchor just as the sun was highlighting the upper edge of the cloud. Tomorrow morning we'll relocate around the corner to Governor's Harbour.