December 26, 2011

Monday December 26, 2011

Woke up to a beautiful day to sail.  We took the dinghy into The Green Parrot with our laptops hoping to get one last chance to post some things before we left Nassau.  Although the connection was slow, I did manage to post some updates on facebook from the trip.  Fred called my parents and we talked to them until the connection went sour again but at least we got to say hi.  We could hear them, they couldn’t hear us.  Anchor up we cruised through the harbor between Nassau and Paradise island.  The water was even prettier than before.  All shades of blues and greens.  Coral heads were every where and Fred told me the first time he came through here he was really scared because coral heads can take a boat down in a really short time.  I was amazed how shallow the water was on out way to Alan’s Cay.  Threw the line out but didn’t get a bite, just a bit of seaweed.  As son as we left the harbor, the main went up then the jib.  Wind power!  Quiet, and all one could hear is the bow cutting through the water as we moved West.   We had to motor during the last part of the trip in order to reach Allan’s Cay before sundown.  This was one of the most remote places I have ever been.   As soon as the anchor was set, we lowered the dinghy and off we went to shore.  As soon as we got to the beach, I fell out of the dinghy with my camera around my neck.  Thank goodness it was a good recovery.  The only thing damaged was my pride.  Ha!  One look after getting myself upright and there were all these prehistoric Iguanas coming out of the shrubby tree line.  They didn’t seem afraid of people which made me happy because I just had to have a close up of one of these.  Looking further up the island, the tree line and beaches were covered with these strange looking creatures.  After spending some time there we got back in the dinghy and rode around a bit, exploring the other rocks and islands from a distance.  The sunset was beautiful.  We ate on deck, pork chops, salad and rosemary/garlic potatoes.  This is so relaxing, it is hard to get anything done.  The bottom is crystal clear.  I can’t wait to get ion the water and snorkel, but it won’t be on this island.  I asked Fred if we could stay here a whole day but tomorrow we are leaving for Norman’s Cay, which is the location of Fred’s very favorite little island.  I think I am in for some beautiful treats in the days ahead .  I can’t imagine anything better than this.  I did learn a few more things though.  After pulling the lines Fred asked me to clean up my “Spaghetti”.  I thought he was kidding but he was dead serious.  That tangled mess of lines laying there is called “Spaghetti”  and we don’t leave “Spaghetti” laying around a sailboat.  I am still having a time wrapping the lines.  I just can’t seem to have them come out even so I decided to use my foot to coil it.  I saw Fred looking at me puzzled wondering what the heck I was doing.  But it worked...for me anyway.  I think I have invented a few knots along the way also that even Houdini would have trouble with.  Don’t ask me to show you...I could never do that again.