A quick trip up the Raggeds and Jumentos Cays

Before we left Ragged Island and Hog Cay we looked at weather and saw that we had a few solid good days before the next big blow out of the NE. While we could have weathered the blow in the Raggeds, we decided to spend the next few days exploring, then take advantage of a well-timed high tide and head back to Long Island before the blow. While we don't have a "schedule," we do have some other new-to-us places that we'd like to see this year and heading that way gives us more time and flexibility.

So from Hog Cay we went to Raccoon Cay, a short hop that gave us plenty of time to snorkel and hunt. I got my first hogfish and it was a beauty (not to mention, really delicious!). And we also grabbed a few conch for a fresh conch salad. 

Another epic day of sailing to a beautiful anchorage, and I got this awesome fish!

The next day we went just a little further to Buena Vista Cay. Trent wanted a "down" day so Frank and I went off to hunt/snorkel and came back with four lobsters (F-2, J-2) and a big snapper (F). We enjoyed some really beautiful reefs in the area and since it was St. Patrick's Day, we had lots of Guinness and some beer-battered fish  and potatoes to celebrate my Irish guys!

Sunrise at Racoon Cay before a great day in the water.

Our next move was to Flamingo Cay. We spent our first afternoon exploring via dinghy and foot. We dinghied into the cave at low tide and Trent "rescued" a sun shirt that was on the ocean floor. It fits me, but I'm reaching out to see if any friends claim it! We also hiked ashore, but that experience got its own write-up (see Tragedy in Paradise). The next day we found some nice reefs and came home with two lobsters (T-1, J-1) and a grouper (T). We got a weather update via satellite with our inReach (weather and chats with Katreina were about all we missed in the land of "no service") and saw that the forecast we had seen a few days earlier was still holding so we continued north that day.

For a while we were all alone at Flamingo Cay! We explored a cave and a wreck before heading ashore,

It was just a short hop from there to Water Cay, our staging point for the return to civilization. The short sail up had actually been quite squally and may have prompted one crew member to declare "I hate living on a boat!" so we had a pretty chill afternoon. I gave the Skipper a haircut, we made water, and we all read and relaxed before a nice lobster dinner and movie night. We were planning to depart before sunrise, so it was an early night for all hands!

Our "barber shop" has some nice views!

We definitely liked our first trip to this area and look forward to returning in future cruising seasons. I think we would shoot for a little later in the season to reduce the threat of fronts and we would DEFINITELY stay longer. As there is no cell service until you reach Hog Cay (non-boosted) and there aren't services like fuel and water, this maybe isn't the place to go if you need to work and need services, but for us it was just right!

~Jo, 1st Mate

Tragedy in Paradise

Beyond the reach of cell phone towers in the most beautiful anchorage in a secluded chain of islands in one of my favorite places in the world, we were reminded of the harsh reality that is our current world.

Upon settling in at Flamingo Cay we took a short hike from our beautiful anchorage in Coconut Bay to the beach in North Bay. The trail was the usual sharp, perforated rocks of the Bahamas, edged in poison wood and cactus and marked with pieces of plastic flotsam and sun-bleached conch shells. We passed by little pools of water with bright red shrimp and tiny crabs along the way, and were looking forward to checking out a plane wreck that was reported to be on the beach. 

The trail opened to a stunning scene of layers of blue and powdery white sand. It was beautiful! There was also a bunch of plastic trash at and above the high water line. This sadly is not a surprise on a windward shore around here. But we also noticed clothing, some of it in pretty good shape, some in tatters and sun-faded. As we walked east on the beach towards the airplane, we noticed large pieces of brightly-painted wood scattered about. And still more clothing...a lot more than we normally see on a windward beach. And we saw a few bags.

The stunning North Bay beach and the plane wreck we had sought out.

I cautiously walked up the beach towards a nice looking gym bag that seemed to have a nice blouse hanging out of it. And for some reason, I decided to open the bag. Inside were packages of sanitary napkins, a few nice shirts, a pair of earrings, a phone charger cable, and a card. As I reached in for the card a scorpion crawled out about an inch from my hand and I tossed the bag. But the card was in my hand, and when I flipped it over the state of the beach became horrifyingly clear. It was a Haitian ID card. 

We looked around the beach with new eyes. We looked more closely at the scattered wood pieces—they were painted on one side, charred on the other. Some of the clothes were in distinct piles. There was a child’s blanket…stylish jeans…a KFC shirt…men’s cologne and even a pack of condoms (we like to think there was an optimistic man out there). We found several burn piles that looked like little camps along some of the trails. And I wept.

Charred remains of a boat and piles of personal belongings scattered along the beach and in the brush.

There is no telling exactly what we found on the beach today, but it’s hard for me to imagine that we didn’t find the wreckage of a burned-up refugee boat. We talked…told Trent about the geopolitical situation in Haiti and noted how many boats, many overloaded and unseaworthy, are intercepted by the RBDF and USCG in these very waters. 

And we bluntly pointed out that no matter how f’ed up things seemed in the U.S. right now, no one is jumping into unsafe, overcrowded vessels and risking their lives to flee our country. And maybe we just all need to take a second to appreciate that fact.

Trying to focus on the beautiful things.

Epilogue: When we returned to the land of cell service we searched for recent reports of refugee boats in the Raggeds and connected the scene on Flamingo Island to a mass migrant event last fall. Read more at Unprecedented Illegal Migrant Surge in the Southern Bahamas.

~Jo, 1st Mate (with a good bit of help from the Skipper)

Our first trip to the Raggeds!

We enjoyed fantastic breezes for a 2-day sail from Thompson Bay on Long Island through the Jumentos to Hog Cay in the Raggeds! Gah, it was exhilarating! And also a little surprising to be “out there,” yet be at a cay with a substantial cruisers beach structure and super fast cell service. But, we had arrived in the Raggeds! 

Enjoying a peaceful corner of Hog Cay.

But before I get too excited, the trip here had some excitement, too. As we were motoring from George Town to Thompson Bay (dead into the wind), we felt a shudder. All three of us tensed up and Frank put the boat in neutral. He checked the bilge for water and I grabbed a mask that was hanging in the cockpit and dunked my head in from the sugar scoop to see if there was anything obvious wrapped around the prop/shaft. With the bilge dry and nothing visible around the prop, I dunked my head again to take a better look. All looked well. The prop blades were folded, but I couldn’t see anything amiss. We started forward again, looking, listening, and feeling, but all was fine. A mystery!

Sweet sailing; an unexpected salty hair wash; navigating the skinny, shallow Comer Channel; surrounded by beautiful, clear water.

The wind was nearly perfect on our trip south and we made great speed with just the genoa out. We had to motor into the wind for one 4nm leg (too narrow to comfortably tack up), but otherwise had some of the best sailing we have had all winter. I even got pretty darn comfortable sailing with the wind forward of the beam, which is a huge step for me. The boat handled beautifully!

The happy sailors! I may not like heeling more than 15 degrees, but it really was some sweet sailing.

Hog Cay provided great protection for a NE blow and we were able to hike, spear, meet other cruisers, and visit Duncan Town. 

Surprised by the cruiser's set-up on Hog Cay! Trent started out our Raggeds hunting with a nice lobster haul.

My morning beach walk, complete with animal tracks and goats!

It was all pretty fabulous, but I have to say that Duncan Town was the highlight for me. The island was devastated by Hurricane Matthew in 2017 and has slowly been making a comeback since. It is regularly serviced by a mailboat and has an airstrip. Construction on a new clinic is underway and the new school is nearly complete. And while the government has decided to abandon their offices at this far reach of the country, the people are happy and resourceful and pressing on. Getting to town via the dinghy channel cut into the mangroves was also very cool. And the town motto just spoke to me..."Forward, Together, Upward, Onward." 

We were welcomed at the dock by a man who happily tied us up and after asking about the state of things, we headed to town. We walked by the salt pond and the goat pen (which actually doesn’t have a fence) before stopping by Maxine’s to grab some provisions and to check on things in town. We didn’t really need anything, but got some cold drinks, eggs, and a Kalik bottle of tomatoes anyway. 

We had brought a microscope for the school and some games and coloring supplies for the kids, and Maxine was the one to accept it all. She told us that six kids were currently on island, but that it would go up to 12 when the school opened. The roof trusses were due on “the next boat” so that’s exciting! We thanked her and headed on our way. 

Annnnddd…we made it next door…to the bar! They had pints of Bush Crack for $3 and we hadn’t tried it yet, so we had to stop! The a/c was kicking inside, but we joined the guys on the front porch and watched the chickens wander by and the workers build the rebar supports for the clinic. We left smiling…maybe from the Bush Crack but most likely from the great vibe and sweet people we met along the road. We will return!

(Top to bottom, left to right) Trent navigating the dinghy channel into town; the dinghy channel; "Forward, Together, Upward, Onward"; the salt pond; the goat pen; trying some Bush Crack beer; locally bottled tomatoes; the harbor; the public dock.

We tried to get just a little further south and headed to an anchorage on Ragged Island, but it was super rolly so we had lunch and moved back to Hog Cay for some hunting and a peaceful night. I got a snapper and we had it with peas & rice and slaw—so good!

Can't believe how close we were to Cuba! We rounded out the day with some hunting and a visit from the local sharks.

From here we head north…back to civilization, towards the Abacos, and towards our reunion with Katreina! We plan to spend the next few days slowly working our way up the Ragged and Jumentos, enjoying the beauty and solitude of these remote islands.

~Jo, 1st Mate

Panama!

Back in the fall of 2021 we lingered a bit to see our friends on S/V Kolohe...after all, they were headed for the Pacific and we weren't likely to see them for a very long time! As we parted ways we told them to let us know if they needed help in the Panama Canal as transiting boats have crew requirements to meet. Well, fast-forward to February 2022 and Ava (perhaps jokingly!) asked if I and another of the cruising moms wanted to come be line handlers for their canal transit. As we were sailing near George Town in the Exumas (which has a big airport), I jumped at the opportunity to help! We even tried to get the whole family in on it, but having failed to secure a trustworthy boat-sitter, we opted to send the 1st Mate off to Panama while the Skipper and Swab stayed in George Town for some SCUBA action. 

Jo & Ava in October 2021--NOT the last time they would see each other!

The trip required a flight to Miami with a connection to Panama City, Panama and therefore required a COVID test within a day of the Miami stop. Easy-peasy in George Town! Wednesday I took a water taxi to a land taxi to the airport and had a really smooth day of travel (complete with luxurious lounge time in Miami!) and arrived in Panama City that night. Michael drove me from the airport to Shelter Bay Marina, arriving at the boat around 2300.

The next day I met the other volunteer line handler, Robert, and got to see two of my favorite cruising kiddos again! We walked the lush jungle trails around the marina and the old Army facilities, spotting monkeys and looking for sloth. While we were out, the boat got word that their hired line handler would be arriving THAT EVENING (Thursday) and that they needed to meet the agent at 0430 the NEXT MORNING (Friday) at an anchorage outside of the marina. As they didn't want to leave the marina in the dark, we all had to kick it into gear! While they wrapped up final provisioning, sail repairs, and rental car return, I stayed back with the boys to tidy up the boat for all the additional folks, stow gear, and handle trash. We were so efficient that David and I managed to squeeze in a little pool time! As twilight was setting in the other line handler, José, arrived and we immediately got underway. We made it to the anchorage as the last glimmer of daylight disappeared and settled in for a short, rolly night. 

Crammed a lot into a short stay at Shelter Bay Marina!

The crew prepares.

When the agent lept aboard Kolohe at 0500 Friday they quickly got underway and headed for the first lock, Gatun, where we would ride a triple-flight of locks up 85 feet to Gatun Lake as the sun rose. For this portion, we were port-side tied to a big fishing boat so we didn't have to handle big lines as much as we had to watch fenders and snug up tight to the other boat. Kolohe was the last boat in as the doors to the Atlantic closed behind them and their adventure began.

It was action-packed from "anchor up" until we officially waved good-bye to the Atlantic Ocean!

By 0815 we were clear of Gatun Locks, breakfast was served, and we transited Gatun Lake for the next four-ish hours. It was beautiful! Some boats spend the night in the lake as part of their transit, but Kolohe was scheduled to chug along.

Serious props to Ava for keeping the whole crew fed throughout the day! Gatun Lake was a nice journey.

Next up was the single-step Pedro Miguel Locks which would lower Kolohe 31 feet. We ended up "centered" and alone for this lock so we got to catch the monkey-fists from the tenders ashore, send our big lines up to bollards, and then each of the four line handlers (Ava, Robert, José, and I) tended our lines as we descended. Once the doors opened (we were in the front!), we quickly pulled our big lines back aboard and prepared for the next lock!

Ava, Robert, & I preparing for the next locks. I tended the port bow when we were centered.

Miraflores Locks, the final two-step lock in our journey, would lower Kolohe the final 54 feet (plus or minus for tides) to the Pacific Ocean. This was a moving one, and offered some excitement! We briefly tied up alongside a wall to wait for our turn, then we again set up for a center/solo locking. Between the two steps, we retrieved our heavy lines but the tenders ashore kept the messenger lines and walked along with us to set us up in the final step. Kolohe was in the front! It was so awesome to see this family that we love so much make this big step in their cruising journey. When the doors to the Pacific opened I couldn't help but smile! By 1500 they were through! We dropped off José and the fenders and lines, dropped off the agent, and anchored off of Flamenco Island. It was a whirlwind day, but they did it! Ava and I jumped in the water at sunset to properly celebrate, too!

My toss for our short tie-up was short, but the shore team saved me! Ava and I taking a moment to be silly before we were all back in action for the first step of Miraflores (that's Robert securing the messenger line to our lines).

The opening of the second-to-last lock...almost there!

Ava with a well-earned celebration as we are free at the final lock!  Robert and I were super happy to help Michael and Ava through this part of their journey (and we did it under the watchful eyes of many tourists at the Visitors Center!).

The next day I looked for some parts ashore while they ran errands, and with Frank's help changed my flight to depart Panama City on Sunday, overnight in Miami, and return to George Town Monday. Why would I put myself through that? Trent was SCUBA diving! And if I got back Monday night they had room on his dive Tuesday morning! So worth it! It also freed Kolohe up to not have to wait on my flight as Robert and I had different travel plans. While I would have loved to stay longer, I was super excited to get back to my guys!

I am so proud of the Kolohe crew! You can continue to follow their journey at https://www.sailingkolohe.com and on Instagram!

FUN FACT: Both the Skipper and I have been through the Panama Canal before! It was in 2002 and it was on a bigger, grayer ship...he was a Conning Officer and I was an unqualified nobody! 

~Jo, 1st Mate

Anchor Anxiety

Cruising the Bahamas this time of year means sitting through a few nasty fronts, which can lead to stressful anchoring decisions. We have been anchored in a very well-protected spot off of Stocking Island near George Town, Exuma for a few weeks now--so protected that our boat tends to spin in little wind eddies but never really feels the full brunt of the wind. It's a deep spot...28' so we set our hook with 145' of chain (28' of depth plus 5' of freeboard is 33'...5:1 scope would be 165', but we kept it "short" due to the protection we had). Sweet for a big blow, right? Well...

As other boats moved into the area ahead of this weekend's blow we had one monohull sailboat settle in about a boat length from our port side when we were both pointed/stretched out in the east wind. (Note--one's tolerance for "close" neighbors has to go up in some popular anchorages in Bahamas!) They were just to the north of us and we routinely shifted in the wind eddy so we were on their bow at about a boat length. While we wouldn't have dropped where they did, they were behind us for the forecast winds and we let it go. Well...the blow started and we continued our little spin, sometimes near that boat, sometimes near another. While the winds were blowing near 30 knots we were seeing less than 10 knots on our boat, but occasionally a gust would make it to us and stretch the chain out. While the wind was forecast to be ENE, we were seeing ESE wrapping around the point we were anchored at. The result? At 0400 our bow was pointed ESE, as was the nearby monohull, and as we both stretched out on our chains we got VERY close to them. At one point, their bow was less than 6' from our dinghy in the davits. After we verified that we had not drug, we had to assume that they had way less scope out than we did. We made the decision to shorten scope to 125' and monitor from deck until sunrise. 

The view from the cockpit after we shortened scope.

In the morning, we were still "talking distance" to the other boat. We waived at them, hailed them on deck, hailed them on the radio...no joy...and finally got in our dinghy to go chat. We found out they had anchored in 28' as well, but only had 50' of chain out. That was a surprise! Kind of wonder if the boats behind them knew that! We let them know about the events of the night (they didn't know we'd gotten so close to them) and it quickly became clear that they thought we had drug towards them. When we explained that no, we had not drug (verified via our instruments), but that we had more scope out than they did and that caused the closeness when we shifted, they didn't really seem to agree or understand (English wasn't their first language, but we were communicating well). They didn't want to drop more chain because they were, admittedly, pretty close to some other boats, too, but eventually dropped maybe 10 more feet. 

After watching the boats move about for another hour we decided to just clear out all together. We pulled our 125' of chain and had to work a little to get the well-set anchor out! We moved to a less protected space near friends that has gobs of room between boats. We were in such a protected area, but we just weren't comfortable with our motion compared to that nearest boat anymore. 

WHAT WE DID WRONG: We should have discussed scope length right when they anchored so that we all had an idea of the geometry problem. And even though it's generally up to the newest arrival to ask the scope question of the boats around them, we should have thrown that custom out and pushed the issue with the new arrival. 

WHAT WE DID RIGHT: We set the anchor well initially, then backed down on it again before the blow just to be sure we were set. We kept our radio on. We had lights on the bow and stern in addition to our anchor lights. We made adjustments when we saw they were necessary and then stayed on deck to ensure the boats stayed safe. And when we just couldn't come to agreement with our neighbor, we moved. 

Bottom line--we cruisers may not always agree, but it's up to each Skipper to make the decisions that are right for their own boat. The other boat probably has their own tale of their perspective, that a boat drug onto them, but it is what it is and we have to act on our perspective.

We have a new diver!

We’ve had all sorts of excitement here recently and adding another certified SCUBA diver to the crew was SUPER exciting!

When the 1st Mate made plans to be away for a week the guys headed into Dive Exuma in George Town to get Swab started on his open water dive certification. We adjusted the school schedule so he could focus on his PADI e-learning and the shop worked around weather to schedule his confined and open water portions. 

I lucked out and returned in time to join the open water dives and he did great! We also had some beautiful reef dives with lobster, a huge turtle, a green eel, a spotted eel, tons of reef fish, and some healthy, colorful coral. And it was great to dive as a family!

Trent did great!

~Jo, 1st Mate