1/15/11 our first days out from GHC

Well everyone knows about the rebuilt motor, I'm amazed at how many people I've
talked to that have had to do this out here. I'm very pleased and confident in
the job we did and in finding the cause, then installing new parts and sensors to
make sure we have an early and multiple warnings if the same failure accurres.

We ran auntie (I had a great aunt whose last name was Wescott, and that's
easier than Westerbeke, she may have been tougher than this diesel engine) 5 hours
at the dock to break it in right. I don't think I like using that word, break,  when
taking about Auntie. It runs as good as ever and maybe better. We left Great Harbour
Cay Marina with little fan fare early in morning to get out on a high tide,  but
with a heavy heart missing so many local people who went out of their way to help us
and include us in social ring of parties. We really can't say enough about all of
that.

After a beat up wind on a starboard tack we maneuvered around 2 large cruise ships
anchored on the north side of Coco isalnd. This is thier private island where masses
of people get off the ships to go ashore for the great beach there and to buy island
trinkets that the locals sell there, that they bring in from Miami. Then we are on
a 4 hour run with 18 kt winds and a following sea. This is one of the first sails
we've had on Kasidah in a while and I do love how she handles herself in the seas.
We anchored behind white sand cay in 20 ft of clear water and only one other boat
in sight. It is still blowing pretty good at 15 knts and the current has put the
wind on our beam with a pretty good swell setting up,  We are riding well, better
than the 31ft boat with a plumb bow line next to us. Wind and solar have kept all
things working well, cold things cold, anchor alarm on, anchor light on, and still
having enough power to make ice, mmmm.

Sunday:  Well I will admit it was a little more Rollie than we would like it to be
overnight. I slept in the cockpit for 2 reasons, less rolling, nice breeze, and just
in case the anchor dragged, you pick the 2.  We were only 100 yards from jagged
rocks. So on Sunday morning my confidence level was way up in my anchor and chain,
we twisted and turned and yanked on that thing all night long and it held! We made
the decision not to stay as we had planned, but to move on to Nassau. You can't get
there when the wind is SE and it had just turned a bit more east than they had
predicted, so SE was next.

Off we went a bit late and the wind kept Kasidah moving over 6 knts with a little
help from auntie, with waves about 3 to 5 ft.  Another great day on Kasidah.  We
arrived at Nassau at 5 pm the exact same time as 2 Huge cruise boat where leaving.
We had to wait outside the makers for one to leave and then we drove auntie fast
as we dared in front of the 2nd boat and made dock just at dusk. Nassua has more
people living here than the rest of all tha Bahamas. Plus 4 or 5 big boats come in
each day and drop hoards of people to buy there little trinkets from the locals ;-).

So we will spend a couple of days here looking for free wifi and cheap food. We need
more stores, fuel and a pizza would taste good too. The weather next week looks like
we'll cross a bank east and south of here on Wendsday. We're trying to get south to
some people we met in Stuart and crossed with, Hey Jude. These are the folks that
helped us get in when our engine quite.