Friday, March 17th to Friday, March 31st, 2017
Our last few weeks here in the Bahamas have been busy, busy, busy. Well, okay, not really. Its still pretty low key and laid back. Who are we kidding!
The weather gets nice so we head to Great Guana Cay and the Nipper’s Bar for St. Patrick’s Day Barefoot Man concert. The Barefoot Man is kind of the Bahamas’ answer to Jimmy Buffet. The concert is a lot of fun. We dance and meet up with boat friends from Hope Town and Marsh Harbour.
Sails are up as we head to Great Guana Cay for the St. Patrick’s Day Barefoot Man concert at Nippers
Barefoot Man concert in a great setting
Our friend Sharon (boat Emerald Lady) having a blast at the Barefoot Man concert
Sunrise over Silver Maple in Fisher’s Bay at Great Guana Cay, Bahamas
Then, a few days later Jackson arrives! We have two great days of weather, so we take off to visit Lynyard Cay and anchor there. In the afternoon we go via dinghy to Little Harbour to visit Pete’s Pub. It is a beautiful day! Afterwards we take a swim at the beach and enjoy a gorgeous evening.
Jackson arrives!! Woohoo!
Heading to Lynyard Cay, Bahamas
Jackson enjoying the ride
Silver Maple has her full crew back together!
Parking at Pete’s Pub
Bellying up to the bar
Randy and Jackson enjoying the Pete’s Pub signature drink, the Blaster
Lee and Jackson at Pete’s Pub over looking Little Harbour
View of Little Harbour from Pete’s Pub
Randy and Jackson going for a swim on the beach at Lynyard Cay with forest fires burning on the horizon
Beautiful sunset at Lynyard Cay thanks to those nearby forest fires
The next day, we take the dinghy in search of the Abaco blue holes that are said to be nearby. After some searching, we finally find them. The mangrove lagoon is less than 2 feet deep until you reach the holes then it drops away into darkness. Apparently they connect to the ocean which is about two miles away. Divers have died trying to explore the underwater caves and a memorial is located on shore.
The Lynyard Cay anchorage in the morning
Randy pulling us in the dinghy into the lagoon to search for the blue holes. The entrance is too shallow for the motor.
Lots of turtles in the water
A blue hole!
Cruising the lagoon around a blue hole
Memorial on shore to divers who died exploring the Abaco blue holes
Chilling on our way back to Hope Town. It is too calm to sail. Boo!
Still gorgeous!
Clear Bahamian waters where you can see a star fish at a depth of 15ft
When we get back to Hope Town, the weather turns ugly for the rest of Jackson’s visit, so once again we are stuck at the dock in high winds and intermittent rain. Regardless, we keep busy playing games, biking and catching a few rays at the pool when the sun shows its face.
Back in Hope Town!
Out for dinner at our favourite pizza place in Hope Town called Sip Sip
Stopping to enjoy the view while on a bike ride around Elbow Cay, Bahamas
Lunch break from our bike ride at On Da Beach restaurant
After our bike ride waiting on the dock for our shuttle ride back to the marina
Jackson boarding the ferry to Marsh Harbour to catch his flight. Bye!
And then when Jackson is gone, the weather turns lovely again. Of course! And, it is time to start heading back north to prepare to put Silver Maple to bed for another season and head home, but since the weather is so nice we make a couple of stops along the way. Our friends, Joanne and Toby on their boat Comocean join us on the trip as far as Great Guana’s Fisher’s Bay where we anchor for the night before heading out to do the Whale Cay ocean crossing. Then, we have a lovely night at Manjack and arrive safe and sound at Green Turtle Cay.
Silver Maple on the way to Great Guana Cay. Photo courtesy of Comocean.
Captain gets the big sail out!
Nice to see the gennaker up! It does not happen very often.
Silver Maple looking colourful! Photo courtesy of Comocean.
Heading off towards the Whale Cay ocean passage on a beautiful day
Silver Maple anchored at Manjack Cay
Sunset and moon rise at Manjack Cay
Silver Maple safe and sound on the dock at the Green Turtle Club on Green Turtle Cay
View of sunset off the back of Silver Maple on the dock at the Green Turtle Club
Silver Maple gets pulled out of the water next week and put into storage for another season. Lots of chores to be done to get it ready before then, so it will be a busy week. Its very sad to have another season of sailing wrap up, but we are ready to go home.
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