Wonderful Hope Town Abacos

Hope Town Abacos--- probably everyone’s favorite destination in the Abacos. We are here now --- for a while – maybe a LONG while…

The weather is taking a nasty turn this week with at least 2 strong cold fronts coming through – Tuesday and Saturday. I decided last night I needed a break from anchoring in a cold front with all the assorted worries so Hope Town was first choice followed by Man O War, then Marsh Harbour – a Marina.

We had a nice evening at Tahiti Beach last night – calm and peaceful. Good thing too. This morning we had drifted over our anchor and I noticed it was laying on its side with a big tuft of grass in its beak!! Boy that may have held against 1500 RPMs in reverse but a wind buffeting would have definitely dragged… I probably would have caught it earlier but I wasn’t worried last night. If I know a blow is coming I set the anchor at 1800 – 2000 RPMs. Big difference…

High tide was at 8:50am this morning so we left early to make it here on the rising tide near high tide. Hope Town is a tricky shallow entrance and you need help from the tide to get in. At low tide it is only 3.5 feet MLW and I draw 5.5 feet.

I’m on one of the Alley OOP moorings in front of Capt’n Jacks and the Harbour View Grocery. I see a lot of boat traffic but they are well behaved here.

Once we were settled in we went for a ride around the harbour to see who was here – Flash II from our days at the Bluff House is still here and plan to stay through these next 2 blows. Smiles is coming tomorrow and Mid Watch is at the Hope Town Marina with guests.

We had a nice lunch and have just relaxed here this afternoon. The sky is already threatening with the cold front a full day away!! We also had a short shower this afternoon and I put my bathing suit on and in the rain I scrubbed the deck of the boat – it has been looking pretty filthy here lately. Now waiting for a real downpour to wash the dirt and soap away now. Fresh water is precious here…

We can stay for many days because we just filled up on water and fuel yesterday. I think we may be here for nearly a week.

Gosh the ease we found moorings here sort of points to the low tourist traffic here in the Bahamas this winter. This mooring pool is usually very crowded and all moorings are normally full. We got here this morning and there were 12 empty ones. Now late this afternoon there are 2 empty and both are adjacent to me!! I hope my neighbors will not be boors.