Nassau, Bahamas to Normans Cay

Bob had us up bright and early on Christmas morning heading out the south entrance to the harbor toward Normans Cay by 6:30. He discovered that his GPS auto pilot was not working, but decided that he had probably knocked something loose while working on our blasted Internet booster (that hasn’t worked properly since the day we installed it), and decided we would do just fine following Carleigh and see if he can fix it when we drop anchor in Normans Cay later in the day. A couple of other sailboats and a trawler were headed south with us as well since we have a day of calm weather before the next “blow.”

You may remember from reading the blog in past years that the pattern is move and drop anchor in calm weather, then sit in a protected spot until the wind dies down for 2 to 5 days, and then move again in calm weather. That is the normal winter weather pattern.

We stayed at TPA Marina in Nassau during a short blow. It is a small marina, really built to house the toys, I mean boats of one individual on Nassau. This gentleman used to own a large portion of Kalik stock (one of the beers of the Bahamas, Sands being the other) and the marina houses a 150 foot mega-yacht called the Maratini X and all her tenders. We are always at the dock the Maratini X is on and it is great that it blocks the afternoon sun, but it also blocks the marinas Internet signal. Darn!

There is now a new Bertram sport fishing boat called the Maratini XII at the dock as well. She is a gorgeous new boat, only a month old and the best of the class. They only have about 3 slips or docks available for transients. The nice thing about the marina is that it is that it is closest to the bridges and a central location among all the docks. Once you have stayed there, Vince, the dock master, says you are “family” and treats you as such. (Maratini is a made-up name from the first two letters of the four children of the owner of these boats).

What I find interesting about Nassau is that all the stores throughout the island have metal grates and hire security officers to sit by the door to “buzz” you in. I can’t imagine that there is that much crime during business hours that require this much security.

I wonder if it is more a leftover of past times when there was more crime or more a measure of providing employment for security guards. Since guns are not allowed on the island, one wonders what value the guards really provide. I also wonder what percentage of the workforce is employed part or full time as security.

We arrived at Normans Cay just after lunch and anchored in shallow water close to shore. With only a 3 and half foot draft, we can anchor in as little water as about 5 feet mean low water letting us snuggle up to land. Carleigh decided to go to a marina at Highborne Cay nearby to wait out this blow.

 

The little "Postcard Perfect" is right off the anchorage at Normans Cay. We went shelling there the first day before we were stuck on the boat through the high winds.

We put the dinghy down and wandered around the anchorage to wish some of the other boaters a “Merry Christmas.” We met a German couple with their relatives aboard, a couple on Rhapsody that were friends with My Sharona and Independence that we know, and Volt and Sandy on Amber Isle that we have known the last three years.

I slept in Sunday morning and that felt good after being up early the day before. The winds have picked up and the 12 other boats in the anchorage, most of which are sailboats, jockeyed around the anchorage for a better, more protected spot from the wind. Amber Isle moved to anchor behind a small island for better protection.
Around 1 on Sunday, we had a call on the radio from Carleigh telling us that rain was on the way. It was already raining at Highborne. We could see it coming. The wind shifted slightly when the rain came, putting the island now clearly as protection for us. Bob decided to have his first “rain shower” for the year. With the temps being high 60’s or low 70’s, he said it was certainly “refreshing.” Winds are expected to be 30 mph or more today.

Bob decided to spend the night in the pilot house watching to make sure our anchor did not move. Clay, in Highborne Cay Marina said that a sailboat anchored outside that marina clocked winds at 35 knots, gusting to 45. I know the winds have certainly been howling around the boat and our wind generator is really putting out electricity! Winds should start to lay down late Monday and we should be able to move again on Tuesday.

I slept in till 9:30 on Tuesday, a real sleeping beauty. I think that was because the waves had calmed down and I really relaxed. We had a a call at 10 from Carleigh and they were getting underway at the marina north of our position. They were still north of us when we came out from behind Normans Cay, but could see them. We headed south to Staniel Cay skipping the Exuma Land and Sea Park for the present (but will come back north to it later). Our goal is to make Staniel Cay today so we will be there for the Pirate Party Wednesday night. Our favorite party of the year. We will catch up with My Sharona, Independence and Different Drummer, to name a few and our boating friends, and will also see Butch and Sarah, landlubbers on Staniel.

Temps were a little chilly in the wind on Tuesday, but expected to warm now that the storm has passed. Winds on the bank were around 10-15 with very minor waves for the trip south to Staniel. I hope we don’t have a storm quite that bad again for a while. It was the tail end of the storm that hit the east coast, so I’m sure all our friends at home don’t want to see one like that again either.

Since we were pretty much stuck on the boat for a couple of days, I didn't out to take any more photos.

Next stop Staniel Cay for the Pirate Party!