We continue to work our way south through the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. The weather has been mixed — sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy — but its generally very nice and in the mid-70s. Hard to believe it is almost December!
Back home, work on our new house is progressing. To see the progress go to the blog site (www.silvermapleblog.wordpress.com) and click on the ‘Our New House Back in Canada’ page.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25th to MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26th — DAY 96 to 97 (Leeward Yacht Club on Green Turtle Cay)
Our first day at the Leeward Yacht Club in Black Sound on Green Turtle Cay (Island) is Sunday, but we head into the nearby town of New Plymouth in our dingy to get a few groceries. We hear there is a store open until noon. The town overlooking the Sea of Abaco, is gorgeous with pastel painted buildings and homes.
Later we ride our bicycles to one of the beaches nearby and have dinner with our friends, Carolyn and Peter.
Leo in the dingy heading to town
New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay is a picturesque little down on the sea
Homes in pastel colours
Beautiful beach nearby
Leeward is full of Canadians! This row of boats includes folks from Montreal, Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Nova Scotia
Silver Maple, as the sun sets, is tied at the end of the dock at the Leeward Yacht Club on Green Turtle Cay
Visiting Carolyn and Peter who come every year to the Bahamas from Oakville, ON
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27th — DAY 98 (Orchid Bay on Great Guana Cay)
While at Leeward, we wait for a weather window to make the next required ocean crossing around Whale Cay. Tuesday is the day, and when we head out the sun is rising and the winds are good, but on the nose — so no sailing.
Nice morning for the Whale Cay crossing
Crossing Whale Cay
After we do the Whale Cay crossing, we arrive safe and sound in Great Guana Cay and tie up at the Orchid Bay Marina. Unfortunately, it is another very deserted place and we are the only boat there. Everyone tells us that we are early and things will get busy in December. Hope so! Its a bit weird there being so few people around.
We tour the island on our bicycles and visit the world-famous, Nippers. This bar is on a beautiful beach with some of the softest sand we have ever seen. It feels like all-purpose flour to touch.
Silver Maple alone again, this time at the Orchid Bay Marina on Great Guana Cay
Orchid Bay is very nice, but empty
The famous Nippers Bar and Grill on Great Guana Cay in the Bahamas
Lee and Randy in Nippers
Beautiful soft sand on the beach in front of Nippers
Sun setting on the Orchid Bay Marina on Great Guana Cay
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27th to FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30th — DAY 99 to 101 (Hope Town Marina, Hope Town, Bahamas on Elbow Cay)
The next day we head to Hope Town on Elbow Cay. It is a beautiful calm morning, and the water is so clear that we can see star fish on the bottom when we are in 12 ft of water. Incredible.
Calm morning heading to Hope Town
Nice sunrise
Approaching Hope Town
When we arrive in Hope Town, the marina is very nice and there are lots of boats and other cruisers around. We sit by the pool and then take the ferry shuttle to town across the bay from the marina.
Leo hanging out by the pool
Hope Town, Bahamas on Elbow Cay
Golf cart is main form of (land) transportation
Randy and Leo in Hope Town
Silver Maple in the Hope Town Marina with lots of other boats. Yeah!
More pool time
View off of the back of Silver Maple here at Hope Town Marina
Shortly after we arrived in Hope Town, the weather has been rough with winds of 25 mph, so we have stayed put and enjoyed the town and island. Tuesday we head to Marsh Harbour to meet our friends, Crista and Fritz who are arriving from Switzerland and renting a sailboat for a week to join us. Really looking forward to seeing them!
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