Hi everyone,

We are very much enjoying our stay in the Abaco Islands. The weather has been wonderful with sunny days and cool nights. The winds have been constant and allow us to move around freely. We have been to Green Turtle, Great Guanna, Man-of-War, Hope Town and Marsh Harbour. Our base has been Marsh Harbour. We return here for food and other supplies and to pick up guests.

Tom & Sheila Martin were aboard for 2 weeks and, I think, very much enjoyed their visit. We had a lot of fun and they walked our legs off all around these islands.

The water here is aquamarine in colour and the beaches are lovely fine white sand. We have found many lovely shells and have done some snorkeling on a few reefs close to shore and seen many bright coloreds fish. But we haven’t caught any fish here except for some very small ones. We ate them anyway and they were delicious.

The houses in the towns are painted in lovely pastels and are surrounded by well kept lawns. Many of the plants that grow in their yards are things we grow indoors at home – crotons, philodendron, Norfolk pines ( 80 ft high ), hibiscus etc. The people are very friendly and industrious.

We have had some crowded anchorages and some that were almost private, sharing with only one other boat. The holding has been mostly good and we have been able to get a good hook quite easily. The last few days, we have stayed in Marsh Harbour as I broke my glasses and are waiting for repairs.

Take care all and enjoy your spring. We hope to see you all sometime in late June or July.

Heather

Hi everyone,

It is a week since Robin & Jane left us and we have’t moved very far in that time. The wind has blown very hard ( 20 – 30 kns ) from the north to northeast for the whole time. And where do we want to go? To the north ! We have to make a passage on the outside of the islands – a distance of 50 miles and the waves have been coming all the way from Africa! They are huge out there and everyone is sitting and waiting for a break. We have moved somewhat – from Hatchet Bay to Spanish Wells to Royal Island but even those short protected trips were wet ones with waves crashing against the boat. So here we sit – in a hurricane hole surrounded by blue green water with bright sunshine above. Sounds pretty hard to take, right.

We caught another fish yesterday – a 4 ft barracuda! Darn things keep taking our lure. This one we dragged for a mile or so and drowned him so that we could get our lure back. Not a nice thing to do, but he was too big for me to hold while Murray used the pliers to retrieve it. And those teeth are huge.

Our passage up to the Abacos takes us over some very deep water – 2600 fathoms or 15600 feet ! That’s deep ! We have to enter onto the banks again after the 45 miles and if the winds are too high or the waves to large, the pass may be un-usable. Then I guess we would heave-to and wait for better weather. This is a much better spot to wait. When we get onto the banks, it is only another part day to Marsh Harbour. We plan to stay in that area for a month or two and enjoy the snorkeling and explore quiet anchorages. We hope there is someplace nearby where we can send e-mail and stay in touch with everyone.

I am so glad I had stocked up on canned goods before we left the US as we often cannot get fresh vegetables here. Or fruit. I bought some bananas yesterday and that was the first in a long time. We miss the fresh oranges and juice available in Florida. I also bought a six pound salami that didn’t require refrigeration but we haven’t started on that yet. Snack foods are very expensive here but available. Peanut butter is a terrible price – $3 for a small jar – but luckily, I’m the only one that eats it and I have part of a jar left. Rum is cheap but pop to mix it with is expensive ( $ 13/ case ). I have baked bread but only twice so far. We have been able to buy it most places. I did make English muffins a couple of times and they are simple and very good.

The solar panels have been working well for us. We didn’t have to start the engine to charge batteries for three days. The solar panels kept up with most of the demand. And they are much quieter than the windmills that some boats have.

Mar 31st

Well, we did it – we are in Marsh Harbour, Abaco Island now. Yesterday we left Royal Island early and sailed 60 miles through waves of heights varying from 5 – 15 ft. The wind was up and down but mostly up. And so was my stomach – at least upset. Murray caught a fish on the passage and he really put up a fight – the fish that is. And eventually the fish won as he broke the tackle and was gone with Murray’s favourite lure. As with most fish stories, he was a big one. Murray said it was much more difficult to reel in than the 48 ” barracuda. I’m just as glad we didn’t land him because we had 3 more hours to sail and what would we do with a big fish in the cockpit!

We entered through Little Harbour Bar between the breaking waves and anchored down for the night behind Laynard Cay. There were 8 – 10 sailboats and 3 trawlers there as well. We got up early again today and continued on to Marsh Harbour, negotiating our way between the sand bars and shallows. The water is incredibly clear and a lovely turquoise-blue. We had our anchor down here by 11:30 and will go ashore to explore and hopefully, send e-mail.

All the best to everyone,

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hi everyone,

It is Sunday, Mar 22nd and the sky is very overcast. But no rain today. We are back in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera awaiting weather to move to Royal Island to await weather to move to the Abacos. Lots of waiting, I have certainly learned to be more patient this winter.

We had a great week with Robin & Jane Hewson. We caught 3 fish – 2 barracuda ( one was huge! ) and a mutton snapper. The last one made a lovely meal for the four of us and we managed to release the barracuda with no loss of lure or limb. Well, Robin did get a nasty blister on his thumb from the reel during the fight with the large barracuda. We had several seafood dinners while they were here – grouper and conch as well as the snapper. I have discovered that I can not eat conch. I have been ill every time after eating it and the last time was very violently sick. So, no more of that for me.

We spent a night or two in Royal Island again and then moved over to Spanish Wells. A man we had met on a previous visit arranged a tour of Harbour Island for us. A ferry boat picked us up at the boat and took us across to the mainland. A taxi was waiting there and took us to the ferry to Harbour Island. We spent the day walking and riding on a rented golf cart and seeing the sights. The beaches are lovely and slightly pink but the wind was so strong that it was not a day to sit on the beach. We met some other boaters and had lunch and then shopped and headed back to our boat to rest our tired feet. When we returned to Hatchet Bay, we arranged to rent a car for 24 hrs and did a land cruise. There is a bridge on the island that was shoved 7 feet askew by a rogue wave in 1991. It is unbelievable! And they still drive on it. Robin drove ( on the left ! ) and we saw most of the island in our allotted time and managed to get them to the airport on time only to discover that their plane was very late. Snowstorm up north was the word from the airline. When we left, there was a plane coming to take them to Freeport were the Canada 3000 would meet them. I imagine they were very tired when they got home. Here on the boat, we went to bed at about 8:30 – 9:00ish!

The wind is supposed to switch around tomorrow and allow us to move on. We will dinghy ashore later and send this out today. I am sure this will be the last contact until Marsh Harbour which may be a week or more from now.

Hope everyone is staying well. All the best from the islands, mon!

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hi everyone,

It is now March 13th and we are in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera awaiting the arrival of Robin and Jane Hewson. We spent a week anchored in Royal Island with a short hop to Spanish Wells for supplies. Yesterday we sailed ( actually turned off the motor ! ) here through a very narrow gap, called Current Cut. We calculated our arrival time to co-coincide with slack water and had a relatively easy passage through the cut. There are rocks and shallows to avoid.

Hatchet Bay is a small town with little in the way of shops or groceries. The marina office has a few fresh vegetables for sale but they had seen better days. We have had very little fresh fruit and veggies since Nassau. And there was little fruit there. I am glad I bought all of those cans.

In a week or so, we will head towards the Abacos and Marsh Harbour. A lot of the other cruisers are also heading in that direction and we are looking forward to meeting up with some old friends. Dromenon is headed that way and we heard that they were lucky enough to recover their dinghy which had been missing. Silent Running is in Rum Cay awaiting weather to return to George Town due to transmission and autohelm problems. I’m not sure if that will postpone their trip to Venezuela or just delay it.

Hope all is well with you and the winter is almost over. Think warm thoughts.

Love to all

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

We spent much more time than anticipated in Nassau – 6 days. After the larder was replenished, we explored. On Paradise Island is a casino/hotel complex called Atlantis which has a huge aquarium containing rays, sharks, snappers, barracuda, etc etc. It is a huge area and we spent an afternoon there. We also stopped in to the casino and left behind $5! Last of the big spenders. On the way back to the boat, we found a restaurant with happy hour drinks and a free buffet. Lunch for two for $6 ! What a deal! That is rare in Nassau where meals are very expensive.

The next two nights were very lumpy with high winds and waves. But our anchors held well. Our neighbour had anchored very strangely placing his anchor chain in large arcs on the harbour bottom. With the high wind, he started to come back on us and refused to move. So, we dragged our anchor backwards and away from him.

On Monday, we did the laundry and picked up a couple of items we had forgotten at the store. Late in the day, we prepared to leave but Murray came down with a “bug” and was running a fever. I bundled him into bed with some tylenol in hopes that he would feel better in the am.

Tuesday dawned windy but ffrom the right direction to sail to our destination. We got the anchors up and waved farewell to our friends. On the way out the harbour, we met two ships coming in but managed to slip through. The next stop was 40 + miles away across the tongue of the ocean.

The fishing line was rigged with the new lure that had been guaranteed to catch dolphin fish and catch one we did. But did we land it? No! Just as Murray was bringing it up the transom, it shook itself off the hook and disappeared. What a pretty fish it was – all bright gold and blue. It looked to be about 2 feet long. Oh well, the lure does work. We tossed it back in.

The wind had increased as usual, and we had to reduce sail by reefing the main. Just after 2 pm, we entered the banks and the waves calmed down. Shortly after that, the fishing line went off again. This time we landed a mutton snapper – also a good size. The entry into Royal Island is a little tricky, so the fish had to wait till we were safely anchored. When Murray cleaned him, we had 3 lbs of meat. Which we cooked on the grill with some honey, soy sauce and garlic. Mmmm good.

The next day was spent exploring this island with its abandoned houses. There are many stories about why the people left and who knows what is true. The tile floors in the house are still intact. But the roof and upper story floors are gone. There are remnants of bathroom with sinks and showers. The only living things on the island seem to be roosters and snakes. We saw two of the later and heard the former crowing.

One of the boats in the anchorage is owned by a man who was a weather forecaster and he helped me read the weather fax. He has invited us to visit him in the Chesapeake this summer. Perhaps we will.

Friday morning, and we are alone here. All the other boats have left. We spread the foam from our bed on the foredeck and enjoyed some sun bathing. Then, we jumped in the dinghy for more exploration – this time the reef offshore. It was a long dinghy ride but we drifted over the reef for quite a while, looking through the “look bucket”. This is a bucket with a clear bottom. Then to a beach to hunt for shells and swim. Finally, cocktails and a steak bar-be-que as the sun sets. What a wonderful day!

We will stay here for a few days, then stock up in Spanish Wells and sail to Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera to meet Robin and Jane Hewson. We will certainly bring them to Royal Island to enjoy its peace and quiet. And beaches.

Now, I seem to be catching Murray’s bug and have trouble keeping my eyes open. So, bye for now. I hope to send this in Spanish Wells soon.

Love to all,

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hi everyone,

We had spent four nights in Chub Cay at the marina. The wind was howling through the rigging the whole time. The group had got together three times at the little tiki bar/hut. Twice for pot-luck cocktail parties and once for a pot-luck dinner. Murray had bought some conch and I made a conch creole that was excellent. But, it was time to move on. The wind had finally died down Tuesday evening and everyone was making preparations to head out.

Wednesday dawned clear and sunny with a little breeze. We left the island and headed the 30 odd miles to Nassau. Motorsailing, again. But, the water was gorgeous and very deep – 1500 meters in one spot. We trailed our fishing line again but had no luck. One of the boats caught a 36 inch dolphin fish or mahi-mahi. He was thrilled as he said it had long been one of his dreams. They will eat well for many days. We arrived in Nassau at about 4 pm and there were two cruise ships in the harbour plus many other freighters etc. This is a very busy place. We got our two anchors down without much problem and then waited for the tide to switch to make sure everything was set well.

Murray invited everyone over for drinks – but our bar is pretty depleted. I provided snacks and everyone brought their own drinks. A different kind of cocktail party than is usual at home. We slept like logs that night. The fresh air and sunshine makes for early bedtimes.

On Thursday, we loaded into the dinghy and headed for a shore adventure. We walked to the base of Paradise Island bridge to the open air market to check out prices of produce. Then found a spot where we can send e-mail – $6 US! But that’s the only place around. We walked up a long hill to the grocery store and picked up some items that we could carry in the back packs and then walked into town. Some local boaters organize a luncheon every Thursday at the Sugar Reef. We are just in time for that. Then, off to the liquor supplier. Luckily, he will deliver to the dinghy dock. In fact, he even delivers us. Boy, are we pooped. We have walked many miles. Back to the boat to wash all the bottles before we bring them aboard. Also get rid of all cardboard that may harbour insects or insect eggs. I don’t want any un-invited guests aboard. Another cocktail party, on Lo n Slo this time. Just before sunset, the schooner Empire Sandy went out for a cruise with all sails up. What a lovely sight.

Now, it is Friday morning and the sky is a lovely blue again. Two ships have just entered the harbour – one cruise ship and a freighter. The traffic has begun again. The five mph speed limit seems only to apply to visitors. The local boats “go like hell”. Sometimes it is even difficult to walk around on our boat from the wave action. Today, we will send e-mail and visit the marine store and grocery store again. And perhaps get downtown to the straw market and the rest of the stores.

This will probably be our last contact for a while. Once we leave here, it will probably be difficult to connect to a phone.

Best to all and enjoy your spring/winter.

Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA
PS Please don’t send our whole message back to us with your reply as we
pay for telephone time at an outrageous rate here in the islands.

Hello from the Bahamas!!!

We made it! After 15 years of dreaming, 5 years of planning and 6 months of traveling, we are finally in the Bahamas. We left Miami at midnight on Wednesday in calm wind conditions, and made a run for the islands. There were about 14 boats that left at the same time. Everyone had been waiting for an opening.

After the moon rose, visibility was quite good. But as is always the case, the weather reports were not quite accurate. We meet several line squalls and even thunderstorms. But we had it good. Other boats really got beaten up. With the radar, we could see exactly how large the storm was and get an idea of how long it may last.

As we got closer to the islands, the winds increased and, of course, so did the waves. To make the entrance into Cat Cay, it is necessary to come very close to Gun Cay and then hug the shore to clear around the sandbar. It was very disconcerting to come that close to the island, especially with the wave and wind conditions. The water out in the Gulf Stream was a navy blue with lots of white foam crests. But close to the islands, it became a gorgeous blue-green and very clear. And the sand is soooo white!

We entered the marina at Cat Cay ( pronounced key ) and cleared customs. We were the first boat of the convoy to make it in! By 11 am, it was time to slip our lines again and move out to an anchorage and get some much needed sleep. We had a short nap and then jumped into the salty water to cool off. That actually is hard to do in water that is close to 78 F! It sure felt good to me. The sun was shining and very intense on our pale skin. We must remember to use lots of sunscreen.

Tomorrow, we will cross the Bahama Bank heading towards Chub Cay. As it is quite a distance, we may anchor on the banks tomorrow night. That will be quite disconcerting – open ocean as far as you can see from your anchored boat. Hopefully, at Chubb, we will be able to send e-mail.

Well, we are anchored on the banks with 7 other boats. There is not a light to be seen in any direction except for the anchor lights. The boat is tossing a bit from the waves but it is supposed to calm down soon. On the barbeque is our first fish dinner. We caught a mackerel on a hand line today. I have stuffed it with lime and onions and wrapped it in foil to bake on the grill. We may learn to live off of the sea yet.

A storm is forecast for late Friday,so we will be up early and under way for Chub Cay. We sure didn’t sleep much. Our bed was rising 4 or 5 feet into the air with the waves. And, just to add to the fun, the waves smacked hard and loudly against our stern.

We crossed the rest of the banks and found our way into the deep water again. The entrance to Chub is a little tricky, with a reef and shoal that must be threaded between. We will stay here until the storms pass – perhaps two or three days. There are a large number of the boats that crossed from Florida here as well. I’m sure we will think up some mischief to entertain ourselves.

Now if I can just send my e-mail!!

Love to all

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hello everyone,

Just a brief note to update you on our progress.

We spent a day in Lake Worth and sent e-mail, as you know. We met a couple on another boat interested in crossing to the Bahamas but it looked like no window existed. So, Thursday morning, we rose early and prepared for an offshore run to Ft Lauderdale. As we left, the other boat called and said the window looked good for tonight. We loaded on fuel and water and anchored near the outlet to the sea in preparation. Everything loose below decks was carefully stowed. Pulses quickened and, even though we tried to nap, sleep wouldn’t come. Just before we were to leave, we checked with the weather guru, Herb, and he indicated wind switching to the north west at midnight. No go ! If the wind is from the north at all, the gulf stream is not a good place to be. When we arose in the am, it looked as though the wind had stayed SW to SE, although that was inshore. Who knows what is going on out there.

But we did go out on the great blue ocean anyway. We traveled offshore to Ft Lauderdale, motor-sailing as the winds died. We were in water that was up to 200 ft deep. The fishing line, that trailed behind, did not catch anything for dinner. Oh well, I thawed some chicken. A large cruise ship chased us into the inlet at Lauderdale. But he didn’t go under the bridge! We motored a little way up the ICW and found an anchorage in Lake Sylvia. We are surrounded by very expensive homes and large hotels. A 24 hr limit is placed on anchoring here. But tomorrow we will move on to Miami, just 20 miles on the outside.

Feb 14th. We spent Valentine’s Day on the ocean being bounced around. The wind was from the NW and so far astern that we could not make our course but had to tack down wind. The seas were very lumpy and confused. But, we hadn’t seen anything yet! The entrance channel to Miami harbour was wild! Waves crashed into our boat from all sides and a small fishing boat tried to go between us a large ship. The fishing boat was tossed like a cork and almost crashed into us. Eventually we got inside the breakwater and into calmer water. At least it should be calmer! There was so much traffic of cigarette boats, cruisers, jet skis, ferries etc etc that the channel was extremely rough. Eventually, we found our way to a very calm, protected anchorage at Marine Stadium. Before Hurricane Andrew water shows were held here but the facility was very damaged in the storm and not re-built. Here we found some boats that we had met previously and had invitations to cocktails on one boat and dinner on another within an hour of anchoring! This seems like a great place!

Most of the boats here are awaiting a weather window to cross to the Bahamas. From here it is only about an eight hour sail to Gun Cay or Bimini. Just a short hop! If the weather is good! For the next several days, it sounds like it will be very bad, so I am glad we have a secure anchorage in which to wait. The soonest we may cross is Thursday. Now we have to re-stock with fresh vegetables and bread and get the laundry bucket out. The toilet plunger and bucket laundry does quite a good job. There also is a beach nearby where we can swim if it gets warm enough. In fact the anchorage looks very clean and inviting but just a little cold today.

I am not aware of anywhere to send this e-mail from, but I will be looking. Friends, Charlie and Nancy Stevens, are staying nearby and we will try to connect with them on Sunday.

All the best to everyone.

Heather
Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hello everyone,

Well, we finally did it – we threw off our dock lines. That was a difficult thing to do after seven weeks at dock!

By the time everything was ready, it was almost noon. We left anyway. Heather & Jeff VanDyke were aboard for the trip as far as Ft Pierce. It was sunny but quite cold with a lot of wind blowing. We let out a tiny piece of sail and motorsailed down the waterway. We did a great job of docking at Ft Pierce and were lucky that the tide was slack and the current wasn’t as bad as usual. A frozen pair of passengers left us there and we continued on to Big Mud Creek. The book had said that it was a protected anchorage and a good spot to see manatees. The entrance channel didn’t seem to have as much water as the guide book said and my captain looked at me with questions written all over him. But, we kept going as we were committed by then. Inside, there was a lot of water! Fourty feet in fact! A little deep to anchor but we did it. We were all alone except for pelicans and manatees. We enjoyed the sunset and a lovely dinner and then an early night.

Up early and moving the next day, with lots of water in the entrance channel now. The tide was up. This was bridge day. There was at least six of those things, all on different timetables. Along the waterway were incredible houses with beautiful grounds right up to the water. And mega yachts. At other spots, the scenery was quite wild and undeveloped with mangroves and sand dunes along the waterway. We arrived in Lake Worth / West Palm Beach at three pm. Shortly after our anchor was down, we saw two other boats that we had seen in Vero. Dinghies were launched and we caught up with all the news. It sounds like it was no advantage to have left Vero a week ago as everyone stayed in marinas here due to the bad weather and high winds.

We will stay here a day or so a wait for good weather to cross to the islands but if it doesn’t materialize, we will head off-shore to Miami and maybe take in the boat show. Just what we need – more gear!

I will write again when there is more news. All the best to all.

Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the last time that I say to you “We are still in Vero Beach”. Tuesday, the 3rd, Murray installed the engine and we started it before the end of the afternoon! She purrs like a kitten. We have to do some sea trials before we head off, but on Saturday, we “be gone”. It has been a long time tied to this dock.

The people we have met here have made our wait quite enjoyable. We have made many friends on the dock and will miss them when we move on. Jeff and Heather Van Dyke have been just wonderful to us – feeding us and loaning us their car. Jeff and Murray have re-done most parts of the little Honda, so that, when we return it, it will be better than ever. Jeff and Heather are going to travel with us this weekend as we proceed on down the waterway.

As you have probably heard on the news, there is quite a storm going on in Florida at this time. In fact, they are calling it ” The Storm of ’98”.In Miami, they had wind speeds of 104 mph! There have been several tornados touch down. Most boaters are staying hunkered down and not even traveling the ICW. So, we have been very glad to be tied to a secure dock in a harbour with very little wave action. Monday night, after the engine was lowered into its bed, one of our neighbours on the dock invited us up to their condo for dinner. So, we watched the first of the storm in comfort. The lightning was spectacular but the thunder didn’t seem to indicate a close strike. During that night, about four inches of rain fell! Since then, it has not rained again heavily. But the wind has just not let up. The boat sits here straining at her lines – of course, it doesn’t help that we are doing an engine burn as well. Even when the engine is not running, she bucks and pulls. I think she is trying to tell us ” It’s time to move”.

Since we have been sitting, Murray has worked on the teak and many of the other jobs on the list. The teak just glistens now. He has four coats of satin and three of glossy Cetol on it. He has added a remote oil filter system for the engine that will allow him to more readily reach the oil filter. We put two teak steps on the boarding ladder. And I think every cubby-hole is full of stores for the Bahamas. We found a box that will fit in the dinghy and hold safety equipment while also acting as a seat for me. The dinghy itself also needed repairs. The patch, that we had put on after the close encounter with an oyster bed, was leaking and needed replacing. I attacked the mildew that seemed to suddenly appear in the back of our lockers. Almost every locker had to be emptied, cleaned,dried and then re-packed. So, we have been busy here.

Due to the wind conditions, I think we will stay in the waterway as we go further south. If it works out, we may attend the Miami Boat Show near mid February. But, we can’t spend any more money. The budget is still reeling from the engine hit! What a time for the dollar to be at an all time low!

Once we leave here, it will be hit and miss for the e-mail. We have to find someplace that will allow us to us their phone line. That means we have to be ashore during business hours. And that means we are not moving. When we get to the Bahamas, the major centres have phone buildings where calls can be placed and we can hook-up. But, we will try to stay in touch with everyone. It may just be less frequently.

This is Windswept IV signing off for now. All the best to everyone.

Heather & Murray Rand
aboard Windswept IV
Ham Radio VE3 ZUA