To Marsh Harbour

Great Sale Anchorage

We spent two nights at Great Sale,  anchored first on the north side and then to the southwest protected by the curve of the island.   The water although beautiful,  was cold - Ontario lakes in May cold - so we would have to wait for our first swim.    Early the next morning we motored out of the anchorage and set sail in a building north west wind,   sailing (first on a close haul and then a broad reach) our fastest yet - 8plus knots.    The weather was sunny, warm and the seas flat with a 15-20 knot wind,  a lovely introduction to the Bahamas.

Peace

Peace, slowed down so that we (H2OBO and Java) could enter the Manjack anchorage together.    Which was kind of them since they had just 'smoked' us once we left Great Sale - that is one fast boat :-)  Manjack is where Peace stays for the winter, anchored in front of  their friends (Bill and Leslie) home.   We anchored as we usually do and then paddled our way across to Bill and Leslie's.  Their home is beautiful, surrounded by gardens that they created themselves - we were invited to decorate the Christmas tree that also grows in their garden.

Atlantic side of Manjack

 I was gazing out at the anchorage, enjoying a rum and lemonade and a rum ball.   Thinking how beautiful the view was;  suddenly our boat was whizzing past towards the shore - yikes,  the only living thing on the boat was Sophie and she was not at the helm.   Unfortunately, the wind had picked up,  we had paddled to shore (without the engine) and it was getting dark.   Peace (again kindly) loaned Branko their dingy to catch the boat,  Jim from Java jumped into the dingy with Branko and they shot off towards the boat.   Guests at the party jumped in their power boat,  (with me) and went out to the boat.   The anchor thankfully,  had slowed the boat down before it reached shore, and the depth was enough.  Branko motored the boat away from the shore,  Jim picked up the anchor and the 'guests' found a hidden mooring ball that Bill and Leslie let us use that evening.

Manjack 

 Turns out the bottom at Manjack is weedy and our anchor could not dig itself through these thick weeds to hold the boat.  Our anchor is 33 lbs with not enough of a sharp tip to get through and we think not heavy enough either.

We eventually put out two anchors  to work OK,  but we slept uneasily and did not like to leave the boat.  Branko got to swim for the first time,  diving down to the anchors to see how they were holding.  Good experience.   We have had no trouble with our Brazilian anchor up to this point and have been anchoring often since leaving Toronto.

Check in was in New Plymouth,  we got 90 days (visa) which is perfect for our time here.

New Plymouth

Drew and Terri were flying to Marsh Harbour so we needed to get through this Whale cut to get to Marsh.    The Whale gets alot of publicity here as it can be impassable at times.  Seemed there was a window to  get through the cut and off we went just before high tide.   We had no idea what the cut looked like,  but as we approached there were breakers crashing over the reefs from the Atlantic.    As we got closer and closer the swells built 6-8feet,  which was not an issue but somewhere I had read that the cut is only 30ft wide -  ugh that would not be pleasant to ride through the cut with these swells.  But,  we noticed a few sailboats going through and so we decided to go too.   Once in the cut the swells were minimal and we turned south with a following sea - beautiful day again with a nice sail down to Marsh.

The Sea of Abaco is very beautiful with the clear turquoise waters, pink sand and warm breezes.    We made good time and arrived at the entrance to Marsh 2 hours before low tide.    As we entered I noticed a number of boats motoring into the harbour far to the left close to shore,   we were travelling down the marked channel.... hmmm but why were these people way over there?   I reviewed the chart and the plotter to discover another channel (the one all the boats were taking) but could not visually see any buoys or pilings or indication of a channel.   First error was  that I had not checked all this out before we arrived (which is usually what I do)  second error was asking Branko to leave  the helm and have a look at the plotter,  third error was us deciding to turn right,  fourth error was motoring on to a shoal -  bam - boat stops.

We tried to get off the shoal ourselves by using our jib,  no deal since the wind was  pushing us further on to the shoal -  reversing and more reversing,  nope - nothing and the tide was going out.    We resigned ourselves to sitting there and wait for the rising tide,  but thankfully a helpful boater named Peter from New Zealand saw us and dingy-ed over.  He took one of our halyards and pulled us off the shoal - we gently and slowly made our way into the harbour and anchored.    Thank you Peter!

Maggie