Bobbin' and Weavin'

Fernandez Bay to George Town |  9.3 Hours  |  59 Miles 

The day started out great. I had slept well, woke up without too much of a struggle, and was on deck before the sun. The anchor was lifted with well-practiced precision and we were heading south as the sun rose over the trees. We had re-checked the weather and saw the passage to Conception Island would be into 3-foot seas, with an 8-second period. Not ideal, but we could endure a little bouncing in order to visit a new spot which is called the most beautiful island in The Bahamas. When we rounded the tip of Cat Island and set our course, it was obvious that the conditions were not as forecast. The waves were consistently 4-plus footers and the period was closer to 4 seconds. We gave it a go for about 30 minutes and then, once again, abandoned our plan. We would have preferred to detour to Calabash Bay at the north end of Long Island (5 hours away), but online reviews gave it bad marks for a southeast wind. Not wanting to spend an unpleasant night on the hook, we elected to travel back to George Town (6 hours across Exuma Sound) where we would be more protected and have a better chance of getting off the boat tomorrow. For three hours we got bounced around by the wind and waves. We were definitely "bobbin' and weavin'." (No pictures) Spray was finding its way into open doors, windows, and hatches so we had to tightly close everything. The resultant hot, humid, and stuffy conditions left me feeling pretty green. (No pictures) The stabilizer fins worked like champs, though, and kept the trip from being miserable and much longer.

The waves relaxed to the predicted state as we approached George Town. We entered the cut at North Channel Rocks and made a turn north, getting a bit more relief from the waves. Oh, what a sight for sore eyes to see the multiple blues of Elizabeth Harbour. We pulled in and set the hook into a 20-knot breeze. Thankful to have this day over with, I wasted little time in getting a shower and a nap. We'll stay here for a couple of days to get rid of some trash, get some groceries, and get some walking/hiking in. We've been stuck onboard for far too long and these kinked-up legs need stretching.