Exploring Eleuthera

From the Captain

2/9/14 Cambridge Cay to Rock Sound, Eleuthera, Bahamas 46nm.

Anchors are up at 7am, and we motor out the cut into the Atlantic. I am always surprised when, in the space of a few hundred yards, the depth beneath Luna's keel drops from 14 feet to over a mile. The water turns from turquoise to ultramarine.

There is a bit of a wind on our beam, and a bit of a swell. But not much of either. We motor sail across the 25-mile stretch of open ocean to the next island, which is Eleuthera.

The crossing was uneventful. Mar-a-Lago and Amarone kept up a lively conversation on the VHF, comparing speed, way points, depth under keel, sightings of coral deposits under the water, results of their fishing.

Fishing? We are not carrying fishing equipment on Luna. The cockpit is too small for the mess of cleaning fish. We may not be sure the fish we catch is safe or good to eat. And there are fishermen whose livelihood depends on their customers. We'd as soon give them our business. None the less, trolling his lure, Brian hooks something big. His rod bends, and the line flies off the reel. He never sees the fish. Bruce hooks a "baby marlin," but can't get that close to the boat either. There will be no fresh fish for dinner tonight.

We make landfall by early afternoon. In contrast to the collected cays of the Exumas, Eleuthera is a single island. About 90 miles long, it is three miles at maximum width. As the shoreline comes into sharper focus, the first thing we notice is cars driving up and down the island. There are streetlights. Civilization awaits.

A group of English Puritans, the Eleutherans, first settled on the northern part of the island when their ship bound for the new world fetched up on the rocks in the mid-17th century. That settlement died out, but English loyalists resettled the island at the time of the American Revolution. There is soil and water on the island. Plants grow on Eleuthera, and there is agriculture on the island. There is commerce. Hence, the cars.

Rock Sound is the largest settlement in Eleuthera. The harbor is protected by a strip of beach to the north and west. We launch our dinghy as soon as we're sure Luna is anchored securely and motor in to the dinghy dock near the anchorage. It is Sunday, and most of the businesses in the town are closed. We see lawns and landscaped yards. We walk up and down the main street, the Queens Highway. We are not used to looking out for fast cars.

The captain trains for new career--Professional Grandfather

Rock Sound is noted for its Ocean Hole, a geologic formation near the center of town, out east toward the beach. This is an underwater cave, open at the surface where the diameter is 200 feet or so. Some local boys are racing their bicycles around a small traffic circle at the park. They tell us the hole is bottomless. A sign says it is 600 feet deep and connected far underground to the ocean.

The boys are anxious to show off their diving skills. One jumps into the water from a ledge about 10 feet up. Luckily, I'm wearing my bathing suit. I follow him in. The water is brackish. There are colorful fish feeding near the edge. They scatter as we splash.

We walk back toward the dinghy dock. Like most other Bahamian settlements, Rock Sound has a Batelco (Bahamas Telephone Company) office and cellular tower. Likewise, it has a government dock, where the mail boat comes once or twice a week to bring supplies and mail. We walk past the three gas stations and the shopping plaza with hardware and auto parts stores, as well as the largest supermarket on the island.

We stop at Mar-a-Lago for happy hour, and Brian is going over the weather forecasts. Predictions hold for a strong front to pass the area four days from now. Speaking with Bruce on the VHF, we decide to leave here tomorrow and spend two days at Government Harbour, 25 miles to the north. From there, we will travel to Hatchet Bay, a well protected harbor, and wait until the strong gusty winds pass.

2/10/14 Rock Sound to Governors Harbour, Eleuthera, Bahamas 26.6 nm

Today marks a month since we left Nassau. That means for the past thirty days, we have been anchored out. We have not stayed in a marina. We are off the grid, so to speak. The commander and I discuss this and decide we have rather liked it. In the month, we have become more intimately acquainted with Luna. We have learned to bathe in the ocean and rinse off with the sun shower, or in Luna's shower if we have run the engine and the water is hot. We are coping with the routine of getting water and fuel in the plastic jugs and keeping Luna's tanks full. We are conserving electricity and keeping the batteries charged. We bring our trash to settlements that will accept them (most do). We store full trash bags up forward in the anchor locker until we can dump them. We chop our garbage and send it overboard when we are underway. We empty our holding tank at the same time. At anchor, we are swinging in the wind, so there is always a breeze blowing through the cabin. We are free. I predict we will anchor out more on the way back home than we did on the way down.

The others left for Governors Harbour early this morning, and the commander and I went back into the settlement to buy a few groceries and fill the two 5 gallon fuel containers. We stopped at the Scotia Bank ATM to replenish our cash. I went into the auto parts store and the hardware store to try to buy some new antenna lead for the VHF radio. Nothing doing there.

The supermarket is well stocked and is the only place we've found in all the Bahamas that sells--wait for this---miniature Snickers bars! Luna's chocolate locker was getting seriously depleted. American goods in the Bahamas are more expensive than back home. I bought a half-gallon of Florida Natural grapefruit juice for about $2.00 more than at home. On the other hand, English goods are less. The commander bought a jar of English marmalade that was much cheaper than at home. She found a bag of Bob's Red Mill organic gluten-free baking mix for her muffins. She bought an avocado, and a head of hydroponic Bibb lettuce grown in Lucaya, Grand Bahama.

After we were done, Dennis, the stock clerk, drove us and our groceries and our heavy fuel cans back to our dinghy.

Our change from the groceries came in American and Bahamian dollars. The Bahamian dollar bill has a picture of Sir Lynden Pindling, the George Washington of the Bahamas. He was the first Prime Minister to serve after the establishment of majority rule in 1967 and played a key role as the country became independent from Britain in 1973. There is a map of the Bahamas on the front, a picture of a fan coral, and a stylized imprint of a fish. On the back is a picture of the Bahamian Police Band, with crisp white uniforms, pith helmets, and musical instruments raised. In no place on the money is there a reference to the deity. Around here, the dollar is worth exactly the same as the one inscribed, "In God We Trust," and the two currencies are used interchangeably

We left Rock Sound about 10:30 and arrived at Governors Harbour, the capital of Eleuthera in mid-afternoon. We dropped anchor between Mar-a-Lago and Amarone II. The wind, which was light to start with, ceased to exist in the afternoon. The sound along the coast of Eleuthera became flat as Lake Champlain on a windless day. The sunset lingered over the glassy water. Looking out of the harbor at the distant sound, we could have been home at Split Rock looking up the full expanse of the lake on a summer evening.

2/11/14 Governors Harbour, Eleuthera, Bahamas

It's odd to try to sleep on a very still night. We have become used to Luna's noises, and we have devised strategies to cope with them. But on a windless night, Luna's usual noises are silent. There are other noises we haven't heard that we can hear now that louder sounds are quieted.

On windier nights, Luna's halyards may slap against the mast, even though we have pulled them away with bungie cords. When she rocks from side to side, there is a creak where the lockers in the cabin meet the hull. That improved when we sprayed the area with silicone spray. The most annoying noise comes from wires inside the mast. When Luna rocks, these slap the inside of the hollow aluminum mast. I don't know how to stop this one, but if we close the door to the front cabin, the sound drops to a tolerable level.

When the air and water are still, we hear the sound of water striking the hull. The sliding doors in the salon move ever so slightly back and forth in their tracks, making a knocking sound. The refrigerator compressor fan turns on and off.

There is a new sound in Eleuthera: dogs. We saw few dogs in the Exumas. Here, there are dogs, and they bark at night. The town is so small that once one barks, others join. We go to sleep at the sound of dogs barking. We're so tired at the end of the day, it's not that hard to fall asleep.

Then there are the roosters. There are a lot of chickens in town. Good for the diet when the fishing's poor. One night I woke up about 3:30 to check the anchor position and use the head. I was just falling back to sleep when a rooster crowed. 4 am. Way too early. But another joined him, then another. The town makes an arc around the harbor. Soon we were in the middle of an amphitheater of crowing roosters. Eventually, the roosters and I fell asleep, but they were up again at first light.

When we woke up, it was boat day. Boat day is when the weekly mail boat comes to the government dock to bring supplies. Everyone in the settlement and surrounds knows that today is the day that the market will have the freshest produce and the best selection.

Bougainvillea and manicured lawns in Governors Harbour

We'll visit the market later, but first we make plans to walk through the town and over the hill to the Atlantic ocean side. It's a pretty walk. Governors Harbour has some very nice houses, some with swimming pools, most with lawns and landscaping and flowers. Bougainvillea blossom everywhere.

After about a mile and a half, we arrive at the ocean and the Beach House restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner. There is a path from the outdoor dining area to the beach. We can have a swim. They have a shower outside where we can rinse off the salt and sand before having lunch. It sounds ideal.

But it's too early for lunch. We take off again and walk another mile or so down the road to the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve, a 25-acre tract housing native Bahamian plants. We walk around the guided tour looking at the plants. There is a large section of medicinal plants. The vegetation is lush, as a jungle, though not humid, and the trees are not tall. We are told there is a resident boa constrictor who comes out after a rain and hunts for frogs. We see a couple non-poisonous brown racer snakes. "Don't bother them, and they won't bother you," is the advice from the knowledgeable attendant.

The day is hot, and we are anxious to get back to the beach. As we are leaving, the director arrives.

A swim before lunch at the Beach House

She says, "I saw you walking along the road, and I would have picked you up, but I was going the other way. I had to get into town"

"Why?" we asked.

"It's boat day," she replied.

I guess we walked ourselves out of the market for the freshest produce. But we had a marvelous swim in the clear ocean water. The beach was clean. The shower felt wonderful. The lunch was perfect and

Boat Day at Governors Harbour

relaxed. We had a lovely afternoon.

Back in town, we went to the market and bought a few things. There are two stores, and the smaller of the two sells frozen grouper filets. Thawed and seasoned with Oxacan seasoning, they are perfect on the grill. The commander made Spanish rice--an ideal accompaniment.

2/12/14  Governors Harbour to Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, Bahamas 16.6 nm.

The weather forecast is holding for a strong cold front coming through tonight and tomorrow. This will bring strong winds starting in the south and moving around to the east and northeast. Our third stop in Eleuthera is a well-protected harbor, surrounded by land on all sides, open to the sea only by a narrow man-made channel.

This would be called the perfect hurricane hole. A safe harbor in time of severe weather. Unfortunately, Hurricanes Andrew and Irene clobbered Eleuthera, and destroyed many of the boats in the harbor. The land around the shore is littered with hulks of boats, and there are sunken boats in the harbor. Says the guide book, "There is no perfect hurricane hole."

The government has placed mooring balls in the harbor for cruisers. All these are taken by the time we get there. We find a place to the northwest of the opening and drop our anchor. We're in 12 feet of water. We let out 80 feet of anchor rode and back the engine to set the hook in the bottom. I get out the snorkel, mask and fins and swim over the anchor. It's totally buried in the sand, and there is no debris around to catch the chain. Looks like we're secure.

Someone makes the rounds of the anchorage to announce a "pre-blow" party at the dinghy dock. We'll get a chance to meet our neighbors and establish a connection so we can look out for each other during the expected storm.

We have time to take the dinghy into the settlement. Formerly known as Alicetown, it is now called Hatchet Bay. We find the general store. Boat day is tomorrow. But, Tommy, the owner, sells ice cream, and we find Klondike Bars in his freezer. Imagine that!

Salty Paws gives a concert

Cruisers party in Hatchet Bay

The dinghy dock is new, and there is a gazebo at the end. Thirty or so cruisers have gathered. Many bring food to share. Bentley and Jim, who have been sailing on the catamaran, Salty Paws, for 11 years, play guitar and banjo. We are treated to a concert on the dock. No one seems particularly anxious about the weather.

 The anxiety will come later. The wind starts about 11pm. By 1:30 am, it has built to gale force, 38 kts. There is rain, intermittent and heavy at times and punctuated by thunder and lightning. Luna is pulling on her anchor and circling to the north as the wind changes direction. I am up hourly to note our position on the iPad and measure the distance from where we dropped the anchor to Luna's current position. Luna's recorded path describes an arc. The points on the arc are equidistant from  the center point where the anchor sits. We are OK. Of course, everyone in the harbor is wide awake as the worst of the storm hits. The wind settles down about 4am.

Remarkably, for all the wind, Luna barely rocks. The harbor really is well-protected, and the waves are small. We're glad to be here. Neither Luna nor other boats experienced any serious problems overnight.

2/13/14-2/15/14 Hatchet Bay

Eleuthera seems to attract a different kind of cruiser than the Exumas. The sailboats here are smaller, not as fancy. This island is out of the way. Yet we met several sailors at the dock party who regularly come here on their way to the Exumas. Commonly, they sail down through the Abacos or cross over from Florida to Nassau. They spend some time here. The weather is better in the winter, and they leave for the Exumas in late February or March after the frequent cold fronts have diminished.

This is not a bad place to be. As other places we've visited, people are open and friendly, and the atmosphere unassuming and relaxed. On the Atlantic side of the island are beaches where surfers congregate. There are names like Hidden Beach, The Dump, the Ledges, and Surfers' Beach. I hear the break here is better than anywhere on the east coast of the U.S. There are hotels and vacation cottages for rent at the beaches.

And, of course, the islanders like nothing better than to feed you.  We have a typical Bahamian meal (fried chicken, fish, or conch, peas and rice, macaroni and cheese or potato salad) at Da Spot.  They're busy. A steady stream of locals stops for lunch.

On the menu is fried chicken, boiled ham, or grilled lamb chops. "The only thing we have left," I'm told at the window to the kitchen, "Is chicken."

"O.K, I'll have chicken, please." For the commander, a big serving of peas and rice. The bill comes to $10.00.

To attract business, they offer free internet service. It's a faster connection than we found anywhere in the Exumas. The commander pays some bills electronically, sends some emails, and checks her Facebook page for the first time in weeks.

Boat day in Hatchet Bay brings us a couple heads of broccoli and some nice tomatoes. The tomatoes in the Bahamas have been most impressive. Not the tasteless rocks you find in supermarkets at home. I don't know where they're grown, but everywhere we have gotten them, they have been good.

Valentines Day at the Front Porch

We're here for Valentines Day. This seems like an important event in the Bahamas. Even in the small settlements, little stores have all their red dresses and blouses on display. Lots of love down here. We look around for a place to have a Valentine's Day dinner and find The Front Porch, a little place on a bluff overlooking the harbor near the government dock. It's so charming, we don't much care what they're having for dinner.

It turns out Gina, the owner and her partner, Francis, are offering a Valentine's Day special. Roasted lamb shoulder and grilled lobster tail: a Bahamian surf and turf. They will be crowded--they can take us at 8pm. Because of the late reservation, our partners bail out. The commander and I will be sharing the occasion alone.

Under the full moon, we bring the dinghy to the government dock. The commander feels this is the best meal we've had since Christmas day. Gina gives her an extra lobster tail because she doesn't want the lamb. There is a salad with a great variety of fresh vegetables. The dinner comes with roasted potatoes, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. There are Valentine's Day cupcakes for dessert. It is a far cry from the traditional Bahamian fried meals we have been having. And excellent.

Gina and Francis visit with us during the meal. Gina, a native of Nassau and Eleuthera, dreams of cruising the Bahamas herself someday and wants to know all about our trip. We encourage her to pursue her dreams.

Francis fishes for king crab. We sailed through several sets of crab traps on the way to Hatchet Bay. He also maintains the moorings in the harbor. He feels strongly that cruisers should be welcomed to the community, though he wishes there were a more formal way to ask for contributions for the water and trash disposal.

We get back to Luna at 10:30. We will spend another day here in the harbor. A secondary front with strong winds is due to pass through tonight and tomorrow. Sunday, 2/16, we will leave for Spanish Wells, a settlement off the northwestern tip of Eleuthera. And from there, we will make the 50 mile ocean crossing to the Abacos. We have enjoyed our time in this protected harbor. On behalf of Mar-a-Lago, Amarone II, and Luna, we will leave a donation in town before we leave.

Sunset on a windless evening in Governors Harbour