Due to Regatta Time in Abaco the Green Turtle Marina and neighboring ones will be totally full for the next week. We left our slip at checkout time of 1100, unfortunately low tide was at 1115. We took our time making our way to the channel which is quite shallow in spots. SABA has a 6,000 lb. keel which extends 5 feet below the waterline. Since our keel bumped on the way in, we adjusted course and exited the White Sound with just a foot or so of clearance from the sandy bottom.
In open water we unfurled the Main and Jib to take advantage of the 10 – 12 knots from the SE. Before long, the wind piped up to 20 to 25 knots and the seas rose to 4 to 5 feet as we were approaching the Whale Cay Channel. Traveling to the Hub of Abaco will require us to leave the protection of the Cays and then re-enter a few miles south. The Whale Cay area is considered the most difficult and treacherous part of the Abacos due to shallow banks and breaking waves. Transiting the area in 20+ knots of wind as we did requires seamanship, navigational skill, sail-handling ability and a tight sphincter.
After an exciting ride, we reentered the Sea of Abaco and headed WSW to Treasure Cay which is on Great Abaco Island. We called yesterday and reserved a slip at the Treasure Cay Marina and just as we entered the channel we were met with an afternoon downpour. We broke out the foul weather jackets, but by the time we reached our slip the sun made an appearance and we tied up and plugged in. Since we have been traveling almost daily, a vow was made to stay put and enjoy the Resort and it’s amenities for a few days.
PIZZA NIGHT!
Yes, it was a special night at the “Tipsy Seagull” and it’s usually a sellout. The on-site bar/restaurant was packed with locals and tourists alike. A local band was playing dance music and young and old were bopping around, while enjoying fresh baked pizza to order and their favorite beverage. The service was friendly and amazingly fast considering we were on island time. After having our fill and then dancing to familiar tunes, we called it a night.
We spend the next couple of days combining relaxation and chores. During inspection, I found that the bilge pump was malfunctioning… NOT a good thing. Overlooked, this could cause the boat to sink, which would probably ruin a great vacation. Tracing the problem to a worn float switch, I raided my “spares” locker and installed a new one. Perfect! Now off to the beach.
TREASURE CAY BEACH
National Geographic has rated this 3 plus mile crescent shaped beach one of the ten best in the world. Like many of you, I have seen more than a few beaches, but the crystalline water, cool, powder- like sand and lack of crowds make this one spectacular. Truly magnificent. We didn’t want to leave.
The nearby Coco Beach Club with a beach-funky restaurant and facilities made it damn near perfect. While we were kickin’ back under our palapa and chaise lounges sipping libations our laundry was controlled by a friendly and capable Abaconian named Donna….. It’s good to be the king.
Reading the Cruising Guide, one is overwhelmed with the possibilities for places to visit so press on we must. Even before we thought of traveling to the Abacos we heard tales of Nipper’s Beach Bar on Great Guana Cay.
Saying goodbye to Treasure Cay with a promise to return, we cast off the dock lines and headed for Great Guana only 10 miles across the Sea of Abaco. We arrived at 1130 and picked up a mooring at Guana Cay Harbor, a vibrant, happy place on any Sunday. Now, it’s time to get the dinghy off the deck and give her the power of the outboard engine we carry along to make the trip ashore.
Great Guana Cay and Nipper’s
The main street was a sea of people in mid-revelrie and golf carts galore snaking their way through the crowd. Apparently, the masses were headed either to or from Nipper’s or Grabber’s, another hot spot. Along the way, we were warned about the scant possibility of scoring a drink at the crowded bar.
Through the well-marked path we found Nipper’s on the Beach side of the island. We heard the voice of Robin Thick and the beat of “Blurred Lines” before we glimpsed the throng at the wildly popular spot. As promised, the lines at the bar were three deep, but I managed to find one tucked away where I only waited ten minutes for a couple of Maragitas.
We watched the goings on with all age groups represented dancing, prancing and showing their stuff. There was enough T & A to make a pirate blush, but most were too fogged up to notice. 
The beach scene below the bluff where Nipper’s sits was equally raucous with a gaggle of powerboats overloaded with partiers and a few sirens dancing on the bow.
Witnessing such debauchery, I cursed the fact that I was born way too soon. After an hour or so came the realization that even watching the unfolding events made me desire the dinghy ride back to the boat for some quiet time and a nap.
We toured the rest of the town and met some pleasant travelers from South Africa who were escaping their winter sailing here in the Bahamas. They just arrived from a visit to Cuba and enjoyed it.
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
We are spending a quiet day on the mooring with me reading and Robin doing a needlepoint project. As I write, we are preparing for our own personal cookout followed by fireworks. The display from, where else…..Nipper’s and it promises to be spectacular.
Hope you are enjoying your holiday as much as we are.
Captain Bobby and the Admiral
After a restful night we set off again to make landfall ih the Northern Cays. One that we had read about in cruising guides for its pristine beauty, sand bars and tidal pools is Double Breasted Cays. The entry to the anchorage was serpentine but worth the idyllic setting. We spend the late afternoon with a swim to the sand bar and some peaceful rest in the protection of the low lying barrier islands. We had some visitors from “Let It Be” a 42 foot Catamaran. Frank and Mary Grace were cordial, we had much in common and plan to meet up with us in Annapolis at the Boat Show in October. 
Making our way toward Green Turtle Cay we had two overnight stops, one at Allans-Pensacola Cay and another at Powell Cay. As we traveled south the appearance of the water increased in clarity and beauty and we were again treated to near perfect weather with 5 to 12 knots of wind, sunny skies and 1 to 2 foot seas. The leg to Powell Cay which is the across the Sound from Coopers Town on Little Abaco Island was the best yet.
Green Turtle Cay has a population of about 450 and a variety of anchorages and marinas. We chose the 
Charting and route planning are also an important part of a successful trip. Using a combination of paper charts, electronic charts, cruising guides and the experience of crossing the Gulf Stream in the Straits of Florida we planned a course to take us to Abacos. This leg of the trip should cover 180 miles and take about 30 hours. We left Marathon on Wednesday morning at 0700 and then motorsailed against an east wind along the Hawk Channel. The reefed mainsail gave us stability and lift as we traveled between the Keys and the Florida Reefs. It was a lovely sunny day and we were making a bit less than 6 knots until we were able change course a bit to get more speed.
We were under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at 1140 and out of Tampa Bay and in the Gulf of Mexico heading south by 1300. The winds varied from 17 to 20 knots with gusts up to 25. The 3 to 6 foot seas were confused with lots of whitecaps and occasionally we were slammed with larger waves. Beaufort terms this a Force 5 or “Fresh Breeze”. Since we’re traveling south toward Boca Grande it was a quartering sea but the bit of wallowing was better than slamming against the waves. The autopilot held a steady course, but I imagine a few of you mates may have lost breakfast over the side.
Lovely! Robin and I are used to running overnight by doing 3 hour watches. Robin uses an iPod loaded with audiobooks while checking course, speed, navigational hazards and the occasional boat. She has help from two chart plotters, radar, and an AIS receiver (Automatic Identification System) which all vessels over 300 tons must use. The safety factor of knowing the name, description, course, speed and prediction of collision is wonderful. As for me, I just sit there and pretend I know what the hell I am doing.
We arrived at 
We chilled out on Sunday and got some needed rest, listened to the Cruisers Net on VHF channel 68, which is like a boaters chatroom. We found out we’re in for a show tonight at 8:30pm (2030) as the Space Shuttle travels overhead.
By now you have packed your seabag with everything you need for a 38 day trip. Hand it over to me and come on board our Hunter 38 foot cruising sailboat SABA. We’ll stow it in the forward cabin and make sure you settle in. First mate Robin and I have everything ship shape and have filled the larders with enough provisions and adult beverages to choke a horse. Not to worry, we’ll keep you safe and comfortable, no need for Dramamine, Scopalamine or Stugeron to ward off Mal de Mer since you actually will just be experiencing this adventure from your couch.
From St. Petersburg, Florida on Tampa Bay we are headed for the Abacos in the Northern Bahamas and plan on traveling about 1,100 nautical miles over the next 38 days. The weather forecast is favorable for the first leg of our trip in the Gulf of Mexico with wind out of the west at about 10 to 15 knots and 2 to 3 foot seas. There is rain in the forecast, but nothing that should prevent us from reaching Marathon a distance of about 215 nautical miles in about 35 to 36 hours. Our plan is to leave the dock at the