Last Stop Down the chain.

Sunday January 30, 2011

We did it again, twice in one day and only on a 4 mile trip. Ran aground, yeap, and not sand this time either. The first time was going back out a cut around the same rocks, remember I made the note about flying Kasidah around the bend. Well I cut it too close and bumped harder than we've ever hit anything before, but she bounced right up and over it. Arline was on the bow and yelled but it was too late. We still had a ways to go and Arline asked if we were taking on water so I reached to the panel to turn on the bilge pump and water started pumping out but I knew I had water in the bilge anyway and wasn't too worried about it. We had one more area that was tricky. The bilge emptied and I reached in again to shut it off but hit the switch to turn all the instruments off, not good! The back up was running but it wasn't the better charts for the area. It takes a few minutes to reboot, the sun, being in front of us was wrong so we couldn't see the next rocky area well enough, I went too far before turning off and aground again. This time Kasidah stopped and started to lean over, the strong current turned us sideways and leaned over some more. Her mast was over 30 degrees or more. Then the engine stopped because we were on the main tank which was half full and leaned over so far she sucked air and was out of fuel, If I had been on the new day tank the engine would have kept running. Arline got on the radio and a minute later 4 or 6 dinghies were there and 2 larger power boats. We pulled the mast over with one, pulled the nose into the current and away from the rocks with the larger boat from the marina which we were in front of. We held her stern in place with an anchor so she wouldn't be driven up any further from the current if the rising tide did anything. All worked well and she floated right off, she stood up quick and proud as to say "I'm alright just scraped my knee". I think it took about 10 minutes to pull her off. The motor started before we got to the marina which was only about 100 ft away, pulled in to calm down before going out to try for a third time. I wanted to check the bottom to see how bad she might have been damaged. No water in the bilge but got to make sure right. Got my mask and fins hopped in the dinghy to slide into the water and just before sliding in I look down and see sharks. Well the bottom inspection will have to wait. Arline was downstairs checking things, saw I wasn't in the water "Well aren't you going in to check?". They were only nurse sharks but two of them where right under the keel of the boat in about 8 ft of water. Then we see 3 others. Now I know Nurse sharks are fine but still I didn't want to have to move them to look. Well I used the new viewing bucket we made and couldn't see any real damage. We thought we might spend the night at the marina; it would have been $100 just for the night too. But tide would be worst tomorrow, so after refueling, tipping the marina guy in the boat, walking the dogs, thanking everyone for helping, we pushed on.

There is this beach in Staniel Cay that Pigs come out to your dink and look for handouts.

We were just going to the other side of this little island so we would be at a better spot to duck from wind, oh and there was a party on the beach. We made it out and around the rock this time and had lots of water to keep going; there was all of ten ft! Dropped anchor, snorkeled under to inspect it And I've got some glass work to lay up but it's not bad, no big pieces missing, no lead showing but I can see where the 2 halves of the boat where molded together. And we made the party. Most people knew what happened and told us about their groundings. There was one lady that we'd meet the night before they had come to the party a little later and I started talking with her, they had just come from the marina and made a comment "Did you see that boat that run up on the rocks there, AH?" I couldn't miss an opportunity like this now could I. "I did, that was pretty stupid how could you miss it right?". Well she was very nice and made all kinds of excuses for the guy. Then I screamed "THAT WAS US!" OMG it was just too funny. The party was nice, met more great cruisers, one guy off a larger motor yacht had ashore his big cast iron pan, and gas burner and was frying up French Fries, Onion Rings, conch fritters and more. We were forced to party hard. Sunday we got out just before noon and sailed inside the islands on the bank to Black Point Settlement with another boat. The nice lady who now knows it was us aground. There was another shallow area and it sure felt good having another boat go in front of us. We'll do laundry on Monday, I think we are moving again after laundry just ten miles to Little Farmers Cay and will follow the same boat down. They draw almost as much as us and there is another tricky part. Wish us luck.

Tuesday February 1, 2011

We left Black Point Settlement after laundry about noon after making a quick repair on some wiring at the alternator. Melted a couple of wires on the tachometer and field wires, half hour of boat chores and repairs, and we’re off. We went out into the Exuma Sound to sail to Little Farmer Cut about 10 miles, and followed our new boating friends, Dave and Leslie, on a 36 ft Hallberg Rassy, drawing 5.5 ft. The wind was on our beam at about 15 or 20 Knts. Going out the cut the current was coming in at max flood and we were only making 2 knts of SOG (speed over ground) but our boat speed was almost six Knts. The cut coming into Little Farmers is narrow but deep, the tide was still flooding but had slowed down a lot. Once inside the Cays there are a couple of mooring balls that we had reserved for us. This is their big festival weekend and lots of boats will be coming in. The owner of these moorings will come out in his little boat and guide you in around the rocks and coral, and it was a bit tricky cutting VERY CLOSE to some exposed rocks and running just 50 to 100 ft off a beach. Thank you very much Terry, from Ocean Cabins. Oh ya, just for the record Dave ran aground after we had come through the cut here, we joked with him and told him he was just trying to make us feel better.

These are some local kids that made friends with Sarah and took her for walks.

We will spend a week or two here exploring and partying at the festival weekend then we will start heading north again to make our way back to Florida slowly.