Friday, March 13, 2009

Heading North but not USA YET!!

We are underway again - no moss growing on this pair of cruisers!! The local weather forecast was calling for winds of 10 - 15 kts but 9 - 12 feet seas (generated by a low pressure east of here). Chris had a forecast of 18kts. Well it was favorable for Treasure Cay and the seas forecast was Unfavorable for the Whale Cay Passage so we opted to head to Treasure till the Whale subsides. Good THING!!

Once on the Sea of Abaco the winds were 10 - 15 but after a couple of miles built to near 20 then 27. WOW that is a lot of wind anywhere. Well we were on a broad reach so it was not bad but I wondered how I was going to pull the Genoa in with that much wind. It has been giving me fits when the wind is near or just above 20.

Well I learned something today. As we approached Treasure I went forward after luffing the sail slightly and I pulled on the retrieval line just a few feet from the drum. Karen tailed me and pulled in the slack I created. It worked like a charm. It was easy to pull in even with all that wind. Thus I thought I had a problem in the Roller furling mechanism but it is actually in the retrieval line. I can troubleshoot that when the conditions moderate to between 10 and 15.

We made Treasure with little difficulty in all that wind and picked a spot and anchored on first attempt. The holding is great here. I am a little close to the power boat channel but they just have to get over that. Most these dern fellows like motoring through all the anchored boats anyway rather than use a channel.

Not too crowded and only 15 boats when we arrived. Now the count is up to 23 but that trawler that dragged last time here is not here now so hopefully it will be a quiet night. It should be the wind is down to 10 kts now at 6pm.

We went to central business area here and I mailed my response to a jury summons of all things. It was just two printed pages in a business size envelope (just a note that I can't make it but to re-schedule me later). I gave it to the postmistress here and said it was a letter to the US. She said .65 cents then hefted it and said " ohhh that's heavy - that will be $1.30!! And she used no scale!! I know better than to question so I just pays it and lets it go.

Nice walk on the beach this afternoon but we found nothing. Looks like lots of folks here for Spring Break and they are combing the beach too. Well tomorrow if the winds lay down which they are forecast too we can dinghy to area/channel near the entrance to Treasure Cay and look for Sand Dollars. It is reported to be many there.

Right now I think we will head north around the Whale Cay either Sunday or Monday. Note there were RAGE conditions reported in the Whale this morning. First time this season I heard that term used. Glad to be tucked in here tonight and tomorrow.

Ohhh the Internet has been down all day. When we attempt to connect here at Treasure we see a message indicating Fiber Optic Cable problems and try again later. Well it's the Bahamas!!

No comments: