It has been a few weeks since I had a good internet connection. Since leaving Hope Town for the second time, we visited Great Guana Cay and Green Turtle Cay again. We visited Nippers Beach Bar on Great Guana on a Sunday afternoon for the Pig Roast and party. Mostly we just watched and played in the waves on the beach.
Next, we travelled north again towards Green Turtle so we would be close as it got nearer to when my parents and Molly would arrive for a four day visit. We had about three days so went to the north end of Manjack Cay where we found one of the most perfect anchorages. It was deep right up close to the beach, well protected and beautiful. We spent all three days there swimming, snorkeling and playing on the beach. It is also a popular spot with the local guides who bring small groups for day picnics where they grill fish and feed the stingrays. The stingrays, turtles and sharks are so used to this routine, they come right up to you. We were able to pet the stingrays!
Building a sand castle on the beach side of Manjack
June 20th we left Manjack and docked back at the Green Turtle Club to welcome my parents and Molly. Molly had a late flight (and delayed) and wasn't going to be able to make the last scheduled ferry to Green Turtle. We were scrambling to set up a charter boat when we got the message from Molly that she had met someone else going to Green Turtle and she would be able to hitch a ride with her on their boat. Whew!
We had a great few days snorkeling, eating out, and sailing back up to Manjack on a day trip. Molly has lots of great pictures I'm hoping to get a hold of soon. The lionfish roundup was also during the visit. Molly hitched a ride out to look for some, but the weather wasn't great. We did get to taste lots of lionfish later in the day, prepared multiple ways. Yummy!
We had a great few days snorkeling, eating out, and sailing back up to Manjack on a day trip. Molly has lots of great pictures I'm hoping to get a hold of soon. The lionfish roundup was also during the visit. Molly hitched a ride out to look for some, but the weather wasn't great. We did get to taste lots of lionfish later in the day, prepared multiple ways. Yummy!
Lion fish roundup
Jumping off the side!
Petting the stingrays.
A six-sided sea star.
Raising the main
The 24th we said good-bye to all our visitors and started getting serious about our decisions on where to go next and how long to stay. We have been torn about staying in the Abacos a little longer versus having plenty of time to get the boat all the way back up to Carrabelle. We really wanted to stay and experience the beginning of the Regatta in Abaco, but it was still 10 days away, so we decided to start heading back. We spent one night at Powell Cay and then two long sailing days, one to Mangrove and the next to Freeport.
We live our lives by the weather, the wind and the tides. We knew we had to leave Mangrove early in the morning so we would get to a particular spot that we had to go through at high tide. We made that, but then by the time we got around West End to Freeport and close the marina we were hoping to stay, it was getting close to low tide and the marina said we couldn't get in their channel until midnight. Not wanting to do that, we found another place close by with a little deeper channel. That is where we are now, Ocean Reef Yacht Club. It sounds fancy, but it is not. It is nice enough though and has a pool, which Kaylee loves, and is cheap, so it is great place to be while we wait for good weather to make our next jump. As of today our plan is to leave early tomorrow for Bimini, then on to Miami the next day. Wind and weather forecasts may change and so may our plans.
Look forward to seeing and talking to everyone soon!
We live our lives by the weather, the wind and the tides. We knew we had to leave Mangrove early in the morning so we would get to a particular spot that we had to go through at high tide. We made that, but then by the time we got around West End to Freeport and close the marina we were hoping to stay, it was getting close to low tide and the marina said we couldn't get in their channel until midnight. Not wanting to do that, we found another place close by with a little deeper channel. That is where we are now, Ocean Reef Yacht Club. It sounds fancy, but it is not. It is nice enough though and has a pool, which Kaylee loves, and is cheap, so it is great place to be while we wait for good weather to make our next jump. As of today our plan is to leave early tomorrow for Bimini, then on to Miami the next day. Wind and weather forecasts may change and so may our plans.
Look forward to seeing and talking to everyone soon!
