HANGING OUT IN CAPE CORAL

A very special thanks to our  friends, Jim and Shirley Chapman, for allowing us to spend the past two weeks at their dock here in Cape Coral.

We rented a car and dropped our prop off at  Frank & Jimmie's Prop Shop in Ft. Lauderdale and drove on home to pick up our truck.  Frank & Jimmie's is quite an operation.  If you're in the Florida Keys and need prop work done, let us know as Bill can get a discount.  

We enjoyed a couple of days at home.  Picked up the prop on our way back, and Bill got it back on.  He's had to take our props off and on so often that Char has given him a new official title - he's a certified "Proptologist." 

Our friends here in Cape Coral have made us feel very welcome.  We've joined them at their favorite hangouts which has been fun.  We call them the "PRAWNS" since they like to eat at the Prawnbroker so often.

CHARLOTTE, BARB, HARRY, RONI, BOB, AND HOLLY



BILL AND THE GANG AT SUNDAY HANGOUT PRAWNBROKER'S

Because of our concern about hurricane risk here, we came close to deciding to head back up to Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River.   We love it up on the Tenn River, and fuel prices have come down some since we left home.  We would probably be on our way there now, but unsettled marine weather has kept us here.  Now we have the possibility of the development of a tropical "something" in the Gulf, so by default we have fallen back to Plan B and will stay here.  We will move to our new home at Marinatown Marina in N. Ft. Myers this afternoon (June 22).

We have been at Marinatown now for about ten days.  It's really a pretty area as you can see from the following photos:

                                                                 VIEW FROM OMEGA'S BOW

                                          OUR WALKWAY DOWN TOWARD THE PARKING LOT

                                                                    

                                                            OMEGA IN SLIP 6 AT MARINATOWN MARINA

June 24 -26 were really windy wet days here with Tropical Storm Debby sitting out in the Gulf.  The tide was so high that it covered the docks.  The marina staff had to turn off the power as the water was up on the power pedestals, so our good ole generator was pressed back into service for two days.  The dockmaster said they had only had water this high two other times, and this wasn't even a hurricane!

                                               WHERE, O WHERE DID THE DOCK GO?

                                                   SORRY FOLKS, NO POWER TODAY!!!

                                          ANOTHER GOOD DAY OF READING ABOARD OMEGA

We sure were happy campers when the waters receded and we could get off the boat again. 

The Fourth of July was a beautiful sunny day, and we celebrated with a cookout for Barbara, Holly, and Bob aboard Omega.

                                                            WE'RE READY TO CELEBRATE!!!

                                                     BOB AND HOLLY DUNCAN, CHARLOTTE

                                                               BARBARA FORDYCE

The finale for the evening was enjoying the fireworks from Omega's flybridge - very nice.  God Bless America!!!!
          Until the next time********


                                              

WE MADE IT!!!

June 4 - 9 ... We left Green Turtle on the 4th and headed north on the Sea of Abaco.  The wind was fairly calm and the waters smooth for a couple of hours, but then the winds picked up and the waves increased.  From there to Great Sale Cay it was more of the same!!  We anchored on the east side of Great Sale to have a little more protection from the wind overnight; with our 5 ft. draft, we couldn't get very close to shore.  So we had another rock-n-roll night with a thunderstorm thrown in as an added attraction.

On the 5th, we continued across the Little Bahama Bank to anchor on the lee side of Mangrove Cay, which is very small.  The wind was still blowing out of the southwest, and the waters continued to be choppy.  Upon our arrival at Mangrove Cay, we were pleased to find another trawler anchored there - Freelance... folks we had met earlier at Tilloo Cay - Darryl and Jennifer.  They were headed back to their home in Stuart.    Darryl told us the St. Lucie Inlet had recently been dredged and remarked, and it was safe to enter.  We changed our route plan to cruise across with them to Stuart rather than heading to Lake Worth.  Of course, we couldn't leave Bahamian waters without experiencing another thunderstorm with lots of lightning during our last night. 

Well before daylight on the 6th, we hauled anchor and headed west with Freelance.  We cruised for about three hours on the Little Bahama Bank to Memory Rock.  No sun - just dark clouds all around with more wind and choppy seas!  On the VHF radio, the National Weather Service announced severe thunderstorm warnings for coastal waters of Florida for the areas for which we were headed; they were moving northeast toward us.  Wonderful!  Just what we were hoping for!! 

OMEGA HEADED WEST ON THE LITTLE BAHAMA BANK

                                             

                                                OUR CROSSING COMPANIONS ABOARD FREELANCE

CIRCUMNAVIGATING LARGE STORM AS WE LEAVE THE BANK FOR DEEP WATER

Capt. Bill said we were turning back if it was rough when we got off the Little Bahama Bank and into deeper waters.  But before we got to that spot, we were surrounded by another thunderstorm.  Fortunately, he was able to skirt around the edges of it, so it wasn't too bad.  Much to our surprise, once we passed Memory Rock and moved into deep water, the wind subsided some and the seas got calmer.  No need to turn back, but the skies still looked threatening.  About 6 pm, we arrived at the St. Lucie Inlet and proceeded through it into calm waters.  Hoorah!!  We are back in the good ole USA!!  We picked up a mooring ball at Sunset Bay Anchorage at mile 7.9 on the Okeechobee Waterway and said farewell to Capt. Darryl and Jennifer.  Fourteen hours and 108.6 miles...we're so thankful it's behind us!

Sunset Bay Marina/Anchorage, built just three years ago, is a beautiful marina.  We enjoyed having lunch on the 7th at the marina restaurant and then went for a walk-a-bout through the restored downtown area.  It's a very nice area with some very interesting shops. 

Early on the 8th, we headed west on the Okeechobee Waterway and locked through the St. Lucie Lock at 9 AM.  The locks at each end of the waterway have restricted openings to conserve the water in Lake Okeechobee.  They open every two hours on the odd hour.  Between Stuart and Lake Okeechobee, you are on the St. Lucie River and canal.  East of the lake after you pass Moore Haven, you pick up the Caloosahatchee River.  The skies were still totally overcast - where, oh where is the sun?

                                                                       APPROACHING ST. LUCIE LOCK

As we neared the Port Mayaca lock, which is just before the east side of Lake Okeechobee, we were again surrounded by thunderstorms.  We were beginning to think we were the center of attraction no matter where we were!  It rained most of the way across Lake Okeechobee (25 miles), but we missed the brunt of the thunder and lightning, thank goodness. 

However, little did we know what we would experience ahead!  About three miles before reaching the Moore Haven lock in a very narrow section of the waterway, we came to a construction site with huge steel pilings next to each other.  They reduced the width of the waterway by at least a third.  There was a warning sign stating "Stay close to pilings for deep water."  On the right side, there were a number of big orange balls.  One of these balls was out of place and was right in our path.  We couldn't get between it and the steel pilings, so Capt. Bill slowly inched to the right side of it.  Suddenly we heard "CRUNCH!  CRUNCH!  CRUNCH!" as we hit rocks!  It was after 5 PM on Friday, so no one was at the construction site.  Two other smaller boats were ahead of us, so when we got to the lock, we got the name and phone # of one of the captains.  The lockmaster gave us the name and phone number of the Army Corps of Engineers Operations Manager, so we can contact him on Monday.   

                                              TWO BOATS IN MOORE HAVE LOCK WHO WITNESSED
                                                          MISPLACED BUOY AT CONSTRUCTION SITE

We tied up at the Moore Haven City dock for the night and tried to calm down!

We continued west on the Okeechobee Waterway on the 9th.  The sun finally decided to come out, and we were able to be up on the flybridge to enjoy the scenery.  There are lots of nice homes with beautiful lawns and landscaping, especially from east of LaBelle until you get to the wide open waters of the Caloosahatchee River near Ft. Myers.

A NICE GRAZING SPOT ALONG THE WATERWAY

                                                                                    

                                                        PRETTY BLUE SKIES AT LAST

ONE OF THE PICTURESQUE HOMES ON THE WATERWAY

                                              
Because Capt. Bill needed to dive under OMEGA to assess damages from hitting the rocks, we decided to go to our friends' dock (Jim and Shirley Chapman) in Cape Coral where the water is clearer rather than to Marinatown in N. Ft. Myers.  Fortunately, it looks like the keel and stabilizer are okay, but we dinged three blades of our starboard prop.  Bill will have to pull it and get it repaired again, the third time in seven months!  Joy! 

This concludes the blog of our trip to the Bahamas.  It was great even though we didn't have good weather most of the time, and we are thankful for the memories!

BACK TO GREEN TURTLE CAY

June 3 ... After attending church at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Marsh Harbour, we said our farewells to the four remaining "Bahama Bums" (Jay, Nancy, William and Judy) and the folks we met at Marsh Harbour Marina and began our return trip to Florida.  It was another windy afternoon, but thankfully not too rough.  We weren't sure if we wanted to "Do the Whale Cay Passage" or not; fortunately, it wasn't bad.

                                               18 KNOT WIND BLOWING OUR BAHAMIAN FLAG

                                                  WHALE CAY IN THE BACKGROUND

                                              SPORTFISH RACING BY US OUTSIDE THE WHALE

                                                                  NORTH END OF WHALE CAY

                                               ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL BAHAMIAN WATERS

                                            APPROACHING NEW PLYMOUTH ON GREEN TURTLE CAY

                                                   NEW PLYMOUTH FROM THE SEA OF ABACO

We are back at the Other Shore Club on Green Turtle where we spent six days about three weeks ago.  Hopefully the weather will permit us to continue our trek back to Florida soon.  If that is the case, you won't see another Blog update until after we have crossed the big pond and are back in the good ole USA!  Until then, we wish you all the very best!

OUR TEN-DAY STAY AT MARSH HARBOUR

May 25 - June 3 .... We anchored in the harbour while everyone else went into Harbour View Marina.  On the 25th, we all went to Boat Harbor Marina to hear Rake and Scrape, two guys entertaining with saws and knives.  It was crazy, but fun.

Enjoyed relaxing times around the pool at the marina; on the 26th,  we had a farewell cookout for Patti, who had to return home to Illinois the next morning.  What a great vacation she had, and she hated to see it come to an end!

                                           BOB AND STEPHANIE BROUGHT CRAB CLAWS FOR APPETIZER

                                                   JUDY AND CHAR RELAXING BY THE POOL

                                            STEPHANIE, PATTI, PAM AND NANCY HARD AT WORK

                                                                  IT'S TIME TO FIRE UP THE GRILL!!
                                                           BILL, BOB, WILLIAM, STEPHEN, AND JAY
                                                                         "MALE BAHAMA BUMS"

THE WHOLE GANG EXCEPT BOB, THE CAMERA MAN

We rode our dinghy over to Man-o-War Cay one morning (about five miles across the Sea of Abaco).  It was a little choppy, but no problem.  Did a walk-about the downtown area, which is quite small.  Scenes from this excursion below:

                                                                         MAN-O-WAR CAY HARBOR

                                                                                    AN ATTRACTIVE FENCE

HOME ON MAN-O-WAY CAY

                                        WHAT'S THIS?  CHAR FOUND A SPOT TO REST HER BACK!

                                         WE LOVE ALL THE COLORFUL TOUCHS SUCH AS THIS!!

                                    RETURNING TO MARSH HARBOR ACROSS THE SEA OF ABACO

On Memorial Day (May 28th) we dinghied out to Mermaid Reef to snorkel.  It's not a large area, but still really neat!  The beautiful, colorful fish were all around us - just awesome!  Unfortunately, other folks had the same idea, and before we knew it, there were almost as many snorkelers as there were fish!

Our friends, Jay and Nancy (Serendipity) have been plagued with various problems (alternator, generator, and most seriously, their frig.)  Several of us have been storing food for them for over a week.  They had to be order a new frig from Boca Raton; because of inclement weather, delivery was delayed an additional two days.  We have been trying to stand by to offer some support, but soon we will have to leave in order to make our June 10th deadline for the lock closure on the Okeechobee Waterway.
On May 30 we said farewell to Bob and Stephanie on September Song and Stephen and Pam on Tides In.  They were both headed north for the summer.  We wished them a safe crossing and a great summer.  We'll look forward to seeing both of them in Marathon in November.

                                                                             SUNRISE AT MARSH HARBOUR

TIDES IN

                                                                                            SEPTEMBER SONG


It was a nice day, and we decided we wanted to return to Hopetown by dinghy since our earlier visit's activities were restricted by windy and rainy days.  Hopetown is about a 10-mile dinghy ride across the Sea of Abaco - pretty bouncy, but well worth it!  So, more photos of Hopetown follow!

                                                                   CROSSING THE SEA OF ABACO

We took another walk-about Hopetown and went to On Da Beach Bar and Grill for lunch, another really cute place overlooking the Atlantic. What a treat! A friendly Bahamian offered us a ride back to town, which we appreciated. Walked toward the north end of Elbow Cay to take in more of the island. William and Judy (Optimystique) had returned to the harbor on their sailboat, so we stopped to greet them as we crossed the harbor for a visit to the historic Hopetown Lighthouse. Climbed the 110 steps to the top to capture the breathtaking view of the area. It doesn't get any better than this!!

                                              LUNCH AT "ON DA BEACH" OVERLOOKING ATLANTIC OCEAN

HOME ON ISLAND CLOSE TO HOPETOWN

HOPETOWN WATERFRONT

ANOTHER VIEW OF HOPETOWN LIGHTHOUSE

HOPETOWN HARBOUR FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE

WOW!  ISN'T THIS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF HOPETOWN?

HOPETOWN HARBOUR FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE

HOPETOWN INN AND MARINA

CHAR AT THE TOP OF HOPETOWN LIGHTHOUSE

                                                        BILL'S READY TO STAY IN HOPETOWN

                                                               YACHT AND DINGHY LEAVING HOPETOWN

                                                           CHAR HEADING DOWN FROM THE TOP
                                                             

                                                           WHERE'S CAPTAIN BILL?

                                                        ENTRANCE DOOR TO LIGHTHOUSE

On our way back to Marsh Harbour, we cruised up near this private island.  What a beautiful beach along the shoreline with lots of palm trees!  Wow!

That evening we enjoyed dinner with Jay and Nancy aboard Serendipity.  Their AC technician Sean, who had flown to Florida and was to bring back their new frig, couldn't get back due to bad weather.  How disappointing their saga had continued to be!

On May 31, Bill helped Jay remove his old refrigerator in preparation for the arrival of the new one.  We had planned to go to Fowl Cay Reef in the dinghy to snorkel, but the wind picked up and it rained off and on.  That was the end of the snorkeling plans.   Jay and Nancy joined us on OMEGA for dinner.

Another front was headed our way from Florida, so our plans to leave for Green Turtle on June 1st were canceled.  Instead, we moved from the anchorage over to Marsh Harbor Marina.  We were pleased with the marina, which is family owned and operated.  Very friendly folks - Dad Tom, Mom Linda, and Son Stephen.  It is located across the harbor from the downtown area of Marsh Harbour.

                                                                                MARSH HARBOUR MARINA
It was great to be able to catch up on our laundry and have access to the Internet after a week of anchoring out.  Met some nice folks from Kemah, TX (Ed and Kathy Winckler) on Eliza Morgan.  They invited us over for Happy Hour with another couple from Little Rock, AK (Gary and Phyllis) on a Beneteau sailboat.  Gary and Phyllis's boat had been struck by lightning there the week before, and they had some serious damage.  This was their maiden cruise as sailors, and it was very unfortunate for them to have his happen. 

On the 2nd of June, we offloaded our scooter and rode all around Marsh Harbour.  Saw some really beautiful homes along the way.  Every Saturday night, the marina has Steak Night with entertainment.  Great meal which we enjoyed with the two couples we met the night before and Richard from Vero Beach,; Richard had a really neat-looking tug.  Rake and Scrap entertained during dinner followed by a Bahamian who did the limbo.  He was amazing!