Moya Mreeya: 36. To the Abacos

We had some great sails on our way to Spanish Wells. First we headed to the northern part of Eleuthera. We had thought to rent a car in Rock Sound but were told that the bridge over the Glass Window bridge was out. What we didn't realize at the time that it was only part of the bridge and it has been like that for quite some time and people just drive through the water in spots.

The Glass Window is a striking rock formation where the land, high on either side, falls away abruptly to nearly sea level dividing Eleuterea into two. We had heard that the view is quite spectacular with the dark blue Atlantic on one side and the aquamarine water of the Bight of Eleuthera on the other. Above is a picture of the Glass Window bridge when we passed it on the way to Annies Bight where we anchored in a little bay. This part of the Eleuthera has some stunning rock formations and a beauty all its own. The inhabitants have cut pathways into the rocks and we saw some specatcular footpaths.

Current Cut is a narrow passage which is only about 4-5 feet at low water with a strong tidal current which can run to four knots. We heeded all the warnings in our guide books and timed to go through Current Cut at high tide and we had no difficulty at all with myself at the helm.

We sailed on to Spanish Wells which was a delightful place and the most urbanized area that we have seen in the Bahamas except for Nassau. Everywhere you looked, the homes are beautifully maintained and there are signs of prosperity.

Unfortunately we did not spend enough time in Spanish Wells. We seemed to be plagued with one weather front after another, one a week. The forecast was calling for another front with strong winds. The choice was either to stay in Spanish Wells or take advantage that several boats had hired a guide to take them through Riley’s Cut which has many coral reefs just below the water. If we joined them early the next morning, it would make a convoy of 10 boats. Several of the boats we had met in George Town. Each boat would pay the guide $30, a bargain to get through safely. Over dinner, eating the Cero Mackerel that Morris caught, we decided to push on to the Abacos.

We left at first light and followed the boat in front closely as Ole Pot, our guide, led us safely through the Cut.

Soon it became light and once through the Cut we had a good sail for most of the two days it took us to get to Marsh Harbour. We motor-sailed only for the last little bit.

Marsh Harbour is on the Sea of Abacos which is a protected body of water. Even when it is gusty it is an easy sail to various points of interest - Hopetown which has one of the three remaining hand operated lighthouses in the world - Great Iguana Cay, and Treasure Cay which has one of the 10 best beaches in the world. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit everywhere we wanted. We did manage to buy some rake and scrape music to take home. We spent several days in Marsh Harbour visiting with friends such as Jan and Iain from Jocklodge.

We also saw Phil from Falcon’s Nest whom we had not seen since Waterford in the New York Canal System and we made new friends.

Keeping in touch with family is always difficult. We went to a restaurant that had internet and after we ordered, their internet crashed. That was typical in the Bahamas!

Time was going by too quickly and we had to start home. We would have liked to stay much longer in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, June is the start of the hurricane season and although, it is unlikely that there would be hurricanes that early, the water is much warmer than usual and hurricanes form on warm water. Better be safe than sorry has been our motto the entire trip.

We saw only a tiny portion of the Abacos. You could spend an entire winter cruising there and many boaters do just that. Originally I was not keen on going to the Bahamas but I would not have missed this experience for the world. It is easy to understand why so many boaters leave their boats anywhere from Florida to the Chesapeake, go home for the summer and next winter set sail again for the Bahamas. Some have been doing this for 15-20 years. Several sailors have changed to trawlers as they get older because it is easier. We met many sailors in their seventies and some even in their eighties. I would like to go back to the Bahamas and see all the things we never had time to see but first there is Cuba, the Virgin Islands and the entire Carribean to explore. But that is another story.

We listened to the weather reports and Chris Parker on the Ham radio and realized that there would a window to cross the following weekend on Friday. The seas would be high but there was another front on the heels of this one and then we would have to wait at least a week, if not more. The other two boats had to get back to the States and so we sailed to Great Sale Cay to wait for the weather window. Dolphins kept us company.