Glad you were able to join me for the adventure with the swimming pigs. We are up at the crack of dawn
trying to squeeze in this latest escapade in time to be able to still get to Georgetown before dark. We pile
into the dinghy and head a bit North to Pig Beach at Big Major Cay. Now I really wanted to swim with the pigs but somone forwarned us that just a week ago a tourist got bit in the ass by one of the pigs so we decided to play it safe and stay aboard. We approach the beach...not a pig in site..back and forth and back and forth we go...maybe we don't have the right beach !! We go a little further North and see another boat and ask where the pigs are ...they direct us back to where we were. Apparently the pigs are a bit precocious..we hadn't brought food with us to coax them out..maybe this time will splash the water and make a bit of noise outwitting them . Sure enough..we spot one.!!

The pig

He is very well camouflaged amongst the trees and sand. No wonder we didnt see him the first time.
yeah!! Here's another   and oops..I mistook the first pig for a he but  its a she..must have a young litter about ..that side view helped...

Pig number 2

 

 

 

 

  The pigs are not swimming to us..we have no food...I spot an old ear of corn up the beach and decide
to brave the warning and jump out of the boat ..get the corn ..back in the boat ..without any mishaps..maybe now they'll swim out to us..Guess what ...it worked!!  The female couldnt resist...here she comes!!!

About halfway out to us ..she's no fool..she realizes thats a pretty old ear of corn and turns her back on us..
Oh well..we got a taste of the swimming pigs..crank up the motor and back to Viento for the final leg of the trip. We arrive at our destination Stocking Island just across from Georgetown , the most Southern part of the Exumas.  This is much more developed and doesn't have the feel of the idyllic little spots we had along the way.  Over the next couple of days , Doug makes arrangements for a mooring till he returns in Janaury , the rest of us prepare the catamaran for departure ..cleaning, laundry, polishing etc.. so she is tidy for the next guests arriving for the New Year .

 Time to move on ..back to reality...our  families await us for Thanksgiving !!

Exuma Land and Sea Park

Bye Viento!!!!!!

Another beautiful day in paradise aboard the Viento. The winds are looking very favorable  for us to be able to sail. Everyone is up bright and early .  After breakfast , Doug surprises us with a video clip he had taken in the park . You'll truly be able to experience the abundant marine life in this protected treasure. 

 What a nice way to document our underwater experiences. ! Thank you Doug !!!
Looking at the navigational charts looks like we will be spending tonight in Staniel Cay . We are very excited as this cay has alot to offer . Along the way we hear the fishing reel spin out ZZZZZZZZZZZ..what do we have on the hook ??? It seemed like forever to reel it in OH!OH!  ..looks like a Barracuda....I think we better cut the line with that set of razor sharp teeth..no fish for supper tonight..!

BARRACUDA!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our overnight mooring at Staniel Cay .

As we approach Staniel we see a very picturesque harbor ..lots of choices for a very scenic mooring.
We are trying to get close to  Thunderball Cave which is a recommended snorkeling site . The best time to attempt this is  at low tide which just gives you enough clearance to swim into an underground cave.
Otherwise you take a hugh breathe and swim like hell to clear the wall and pop up on the inside . HMMMM!! Courtney and I opt for the low tide . Doug  heads out right when we get there at high tide  and
tackles the challenge successfully .

Entrance to Thunderball Cave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few hours later the tide is just right for us to enter the cave. Scott, Courtney and I motor over in the dinghy and gear up. Splash over the side and we approach the cave. Our heads barely clear the top of the cave mouth and we are in. The sunrays are pouring in thru a hole in the ceiling and bounce off the water
bursting into hundreds of crystal prisms . It is a sight to behold. An incredible array of tropical fish are swimming about ! Assorted sizes of angel fish, large parrot fish, schools of stripped zebra danios  so many
I don't know the names for...The  iridescent colors of the coral span the rainbow . I hear giggling underwater
and then a gasp...I quickly turn to see whats going on and the sounds are emanating from Courtney thru her mask. She is in the middle of a huge school of fish and cannot contain herself . I swim over to be sure shes ok and she gives me the high sign..The fish are so unafraid  obviously from years of being feed ..you are able to get very very close. As we exit the cave , the timing couldn't have been more perfect..an adventure charter
is just pulling up filled with folks..we smile knowing we just had the entire cave to ourselves !!! Again Doug
outdid himself and presented us with another video ..it gives you a complete 360 degree view .

   Back to the boat.. evening is approaching . We decide to spend some time on shore and have a
few happy hour drinks at the Staniel Yacht Club as only an island yacht club should be ...open walls
breeze blowing thru , reggae music filling the air and the Bahama Mamas are yummy. After chatting with 
a few folks , I find out there's one more thing we need to see before we depart for Georgetown in the morning...swimming pigs..yes thats right swimming pigs...Stay tuned!!
 

 After sampling our Rock Lobster and coming up with several more recipe ideas , Doug decided to
go explore with his spear gun and see if he could get us more for the next several days. He dropped
us off on Allen's Cay just around the corner for a bit of sunbathing and exploring. Just as he motored away
iguanas of all sizes came creeping out of the rocks and vegetation . It was a bit unnerving to say the least. They were not frightened of us  but a bit aggressive probably from years of  associating humans the fact that we may have food.  Well ..luckily Scott with his booming voice got them to  scatter  a bit . Our excitement for exploring was a bit dampened and we anxiously awaited Doug's return .

Iguana Cay

Surrounded by yachts

 Later in the day several more large motor
yachts joined us . There are quite a few cruisers in the area all of which seem to dwarf us . This particular vessel was in excess of 80 feet complete with a 24 foot Boston Whaler which was used to tender some of the guests to the shore . The boat tender was formally dressed in a starched white shirt with gold bars on the shoulder and navy blue pants .
The yacht hailed from Australia. Much to our dismay  we were not invited over for cocktails

National Park

For the next couple of days , we moored in the
channel at Warderick Wells one of the cays that make up the Exuma Cays Land and Sea park, truly a national gem. This park consists of 15 major cays set aside in a National Trust  for the preservation of this beautiful natural area. Warderick Wells has several hiking trails to different secluded beaches and over 8 snorkeling sites. The waters are crystal clear so much so that I was able to photograph
marine life with my camera .

Tropical fish

Baby ray 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the park office

 It was a treat to  just leisurely explore this little gem. With lunch packed ,fins and snorkel gear in hand, we headed to the other side of the island to a beautiful secluded beach on the back side for an afternoon of swimming and relaxing . The winds were favorable for Doug to get his kiting gear out .  He made it look so easy but the control and finesse he exhibited demonstrated the fact that he had years of experience behind him.                          .

Head of the hiking trail

Dinghy dock at park with mailbox 

  The young couple staffing the park office are from Vermont. They have been here for almost four years.
A huge bay window in the office takes full advantage of th emillion dollar views of the harbor. Notice the mailbox on the post at the end of the dock. What an address !! I hated to leave this idyllic spot but Georgetown awaits , our final destination.

From the Abacos , we crossed 50 nautical miles of open ocean again , this time not as bad as the first
crossing . We now all have our sea legs and are adjusting to the up and down wave action with less difficulty.
The Eleuthera chain of cays are our weighpoint. In the very Northern section  we pulled into safe harbor
for our first night at Royal Harbour Island. It was too late to explore that evening but when we awoke the next morning we were surrounded by turquoise waters even more so then in the Abacos.

Pilings on Royal Island

The Current 

    About mid morning, we got underway  after a sizeable breakfast of pineapple pancakes that Courtney
cooked up. By early afternoon we moored at The Current . This cay is inhabited by Scottish settlers who were shipwrecked on the Devil's Backbone . The island is aptly named as the currents here are very very strong. In the middle of the night , we heard bumpity bump and next thing we knew we were stuck on a
sand bar . The tide had changed and shifted us . With head lamps on at 3:00 am we tried to illuminate the water as  Doug had to dive into the water and move the anchor by hand as it was pitch black and to dangerous to use the engines. After about an hour an a half we were floating again . I am learning that Murphy's Law seems to favor the sailor .

In the morning we dinghied to the island and walked around to give our legs a  much needed stretch .
walking along the gorgeous powdery beaches we came upon the motherload of Queen conches. Both Courtney and I grabbed a few..they were incredibly polished and an amazing pink color . The ones we
found  In the Abacos were quickly abandoned. On our final island loop we stopped into Durhams General store and purchased a $12 half gallon of vanilla ice cream..remote island prices but it was well worth it and we had it for lunch loaded with all the fixings.Only 100 settlers inhabit The Currant and the only industry is fishing. The men are gone for weeks at a time.

Viento off The Currant

 Early afternoon we set sail for The Exumas about a 23 mile crossing for the final leg of our Bahamian excursion. Winds were favorable and we settled into our anchorage on Highbourne Cay alongside several
Bahamian lobster boats . Hmmm!!  Lobster..after a short dinghy over to their boats we came back with
several sizeable rock lobster tails for dinner..What to make ?? Lobster Alfredo over angel hair pasta.It was delicious . What a nice ending to a perfect day !

Bahamian Lobster Boat

Rock Lobster Tails

The Bahamas are an amazing array of over 2000 islands and cays ( pronounced keys) scattered in the most
beautiful turquoise waters . Its been nice to shed our long sleeves and pants for shorts and tank tops now that we are further South. The Abacos , the most northern of the Bahamian chain has been our home for the
past three days . We re-provisioned and fueled in Marsh Harbour the first day then off we went to
Elbow Cay , home to Hope Town our destination.  It was a fairly short distance over the open waters
and still early in the day as we set the mooring and plenty of  opportunity to relax and enjoy this picturesque
harbor before nightfall. Caribbean  colored cottages , shops  and restaurants dot the waterfront . The colonial feel and gingerbread architecture is reminescent of  Nantucket or Martha's Vinyard.

Caribbean Colored cottages

Candy  striped lighthouse in Hope Town

  The dinghy sprang to life as we skipped across the harbor to Captain Jack's for the 2 for 1 margarita
special. Mango was the unanimous choice . After a few rounds,  I needed to visit the ladies room but  had
a bit of difficulty deciding which one to choose...which one would you have chosen ?

 The next morning Doug surprised us all with  a delicious breakfast of french toast and fried ham . This certainly gave us the energy required to climb the spiral staircase consisting of 91 steps which takes you to the top of the lighthouse from which a spectacular view awaits you .

Sugar sand beaches

It also  gave us the opportunity to orientate ourselves and decide in  which direction to head out for exploring. On the East side of the island , we discovered pristine  beaches with  sugar  white sand and much to my delight I was able to collect  a bit of seaglass some of which  are jewelry quality . The weather was perfect for a long leisurely stroll.






 By mid afternoon , our legs grew weary and we decided to finish our tour of the island in a golf cart. With Scott at the helm and Courtney in the rear we headed West to the very tip of the island which really wasn't too far as  Elbow Cay is approximately six miles long and 1/4 wide at its widest point.

Scott and Courtney in the cart

Evidence of the recent hurricane was much more noticeable on this end of the island . Boats were beached , palm trees and fronds were strewn about  and beach sand literally covered the road and walkways.










The day couldn't have ended on a better note.  As we rounded a corner Scott noticed a gorgeous pink lipped conch shell on the beach . I scrambled down the sand embankment and retrieved my newest treasure.
Let's hope it makes it back home thru Custom and Immigrations.

Landfall at last !! What an experience ! After much deliberation on weather forecasts that were favorable we set out late Thursday to one of the Outer Bank Islands about 10 miles out  that had a very protected cove

Outer Banks lighthouse

Sand dunes Outer banks

to be in a better position for an early dawn start across the Gulf Stream. Within hours of leaving early Friday am , we knew we were in for a long haul. Braving 30 knot winds and  6 foot waves that crashed over the bow I experienced what its like to be seasick...I won't go into details but it wasn't pretty...seas settled late the second day and I finally came around on the 3rd day. My bones are sore from laying in bed .

  Once I got my sealegs , I enjoyed the journey . Doug , the toughest one of the lot put fishing lines out
as soon as it was feasible and we caught 6 fish. A few came off  right at the boat , one large sailfish we
cut free and several small mahi mai were filleted and served up for dinner and several fish taco lunches.

Mahi Mahi

Billfish ( we think)

  On our final day we were joined by an adorable little bird , he flew right into the galley and landed on the teapot. He hung out for a few minutes looking for food but as soon as I got up to get him some bread he
took off in flight. Poor little thing..I hope he makes it to land.

Birdie on teapot

Taking off

Sooo  cute!!

At long last , we motor into Marsh Harbour in the Abacos , the most Northern part of the BahamasWe have to go thru Customs and Immigrations which goes smoothly. Tonight we are enjoying being off the boat and hitting a couple of the favorite island hotspots.

It's been a few days since I last posted. We've been at the dock in Morehead City, N.C. waiting for the seas to calm before we attempt to cross the Gulf Stream. Our thoughts are with all our friends and family who may have suffered any devastaton during Sandy .. we on the other hand didn't have it all that bad.

Yesterday we were visited by three adorable trick a treaters much to our surprise..thank God , Scott
had a stash of sweets.  You will all appreciate how small the world is when you hear that these kids recognized Doug . He actually took a family picture of them this summer in Seal Harbor Maine when
they were crusing by in their dinghy. The photo came out so well that he gave it to them and they remembered him from this kind gesture. The kids along with their parents are sailing for a year and are on their way South.

We had the opportunity to spend some time with our friends Maggie and Bob , whom some of you may know. Maggie was my neighbor in South Portland and has since married . They are following their sailing passions and are chartering in the BVI's. on the beautiful Silver Moon. They also got held up by Sandy and only happen to be a few miles across the river in Beaufort. For those of you who have had dreams of
sailing,  check out her link on Facebook ..Silver Moon Sailing Adventures.




The cupboards are full, laundry all done, new zipper on the bimini top, new pressure cooker overnighted
by Doug's wife..thank you , water tanks and fuel top off..we are ready.. just waiting for one more delivery
of the satellite phone  before  we cast off the ropes. Since we will not have access to phone or internet during the crossing , our next posting will be from the tropics in the beautiful Bahamas. Stay well my friends..till then!

This part of The Alligator  river meanders thru the backwoods of North Carolina. Homes are few and far between. It's customary to wave to passersby on foot or boat but this local gave us a look that was far from welcoming.

Deer hunting in the bayou !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are sections of the river that are carpeted in green moss  and the water filled with the decay of leaves and trees changes from a deep coffee color to a light colored root beer.

Green stearn waves

 

Root beer bubbles                                      

                                                                                                          
We are headed to Adams Creek, deep within the river where a friend of a friend has offered us the safety of his mooring in about 4-5 feet of water to weather out the storm .  The skies are ominous as we bunker down to prepare for the onslaught. With double mooring lines anchoring the bow and all secured , we hop in the dinghy to meet our gracious host , Robert Irwin.  His English Bull Terrier greets us at the dock.
Bob is very entertaining and has had an extraordinary life . In the 60's as a rock and roll photographer

for the Atlanta Pop Festival , he captured the essence of the era by photographing the likes of B.B. King,
Janis Joplin , Eric Clapton , The Rolling Stones..the list is endless. His talents also include accomplished
painter , sculptor and cyclist.  A tour thru his studio and workshop says it all . Hours later we board the dinghy back to Viento to ride out the storm . Howling winds and driving rains keep us boatbound for 2 days.
We pass the hours away reading , watching movies , celebrating Scott's birthday and Doug treats us to a
delicious fritata for Sunday brunch.

Dougs Fritata

Scott's birthday breakfast

Rain, rain go away..come back another day!!

                              

The tricky part about taking the ICW inland route is looking ahead and anticipating your arrival time at
the bridges and locks. Locks are only open at posted times and some of the bridges are not open during both morning and evening rush hour. What inevitably starts to happen is the boats start to stack up at
these locations. Many snowbirds are heading South . We just met a couple as we were waiting for the bridge to open  that started from Quebec City on Aug 29th meandering thru the St Lawrence Seaway, Lake Champlain and Hudson River . What endless possibilities are at are disposal ! I think I foresee cruising
in our future...Scott is already leafing thru Boattrader.com....

All lined up for the bridge opening

I think I just figured out why the monohaul seems to be the boat of preference on these inland waterways.
Try squeezing a 65 foot catamaran mast under a 64 foot bridge with  barely a 3-4 foot tide to assist. Let's keep our fingers crossed as there really is no other way to tell until its too late.

Holy Crap!!! See the small antennae scrapping the underside of the bridge.

That was a bit too close for comfort . Doug decides to climb the mast and remove the wind vane as we have several more bridges to deal with  before we get to Beaufort. Secured in a climbing harness with Scott raising him up with the winch and belaying him back down,  Doug is safely back on deck. 

I really begin to appreciate the fact that my designated tasks are in the galley as chief cook and bottle washer and moral and welfare coordinator.
Swinging in the breeze with those straps looks a bit uncomfortable to say the least. Doug is appreciative
as I hand him a bubbling gin and tonic accompanied with nacho chips and homemade mango salsa.
Let's call it a day!
 We splurge for dinner at Groupers Restaurant in Elizabeth City , N.C. and enjoy delicious macademia encrusted mahi mahi, and call it an early night.

At sunrise we depart Elizabeth City (Mile 51) hoping to cross Albemarle Sound and and make it all the way to the Pungo River ( Mile 136)