Home for Christmas

Home away from home...Green Turtle Cay

So, Scott & I finally left Marsh Harbour. We never intended to stay for a week but as usual our plans are etched in jello. We really wanted to be in Green Turtle for the holidays for a couple of reasons. There is an AWESOME "cruiser's potluck" here on Christmas day. All the cruisers in the anchorage make a special dish & come together to celebrate Christmas. It was the 1st gathering we went to last year in the Bahamas & now has a sentimental, familiar feel to it that we felt was worth making a 4+ hour sail to be a part of. We also want to spend New Year's here because Green Turtle Cay has the BEST Junkanoo (carnival) EVER!!!! We went last year & had such an amazing time. A Junkanoo is like a parade on steroids. It's amazing.

Christmas on the Sea of Abaco

So we left Marsh this morning with a fresh updated weather report & everything looked/sounded good to cross "The Whale". The Whale is a small passage, it's actually " a cut" from the Sea of Abaco out to the Atlantic Ocean. It is too shallow to just cross wherever you want in the Sea of Abaco, so sometimes you have go out to the ocean & come back in through "a cut". There are well charted, established routes to get around here.

The chart of our back yard

The Whale is a small cut but it can be unpassable in the wrong weather. It's important to know the conditions. So, we're having an awesome sail...engine off, cruising along at 6.2-6.9 knots with a sweet southwest wind. Great sailing day. As we approach The Whale we see a squall is coming. Of Course!! We met each other at the entrance of the Whale. Thanks Mother Nature!

Entering "The Whale" just in time for a squall

 

Peace out squall! Malaika always takes care of us!

 

Malaika's mainsail from the view of our new sunroof

We tucked in safely to our beloved Green Turtle Cay & headed to the beach.

My boys guiding us in to Green Turtle

 

The Captain is resting after today's sail. No chair needed.

Nothing like a face full of sand to end the day! Glorious as far as Jib's concerned.

It's great to be here. I miss my family & friends so much during the holidays. Green Turtle Cay makes it hurt a little less.

Love & miss you all so much. XXXOO

Little note to our families....still trying to call using our iPad (skype) but having trouble with connections. We will probably get a phone....the phone company is only open on Thursdays so hopefully we will get it figured out by then. We miss hearing your voices!!!

Michelle, Scott, & Jib

 

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Mass Adventures

What an adventure we had getting to church today! The Bahamas are predominately Christian but the only Catholic Church in Abaco is in Marsh Harbour. We went many times last year & figured out after our first visit that there is a bus that is provided by the church & they will pick you up at certain stops every Sunday & then bring you home too. It's obviously GREAT for us since we don't have a car. It's a bit too far to walk & if we took a taxi (which we did the 1st time) it costs us $7.00 each way.

The beautiful alter at St. Francis De Sales

Scott tying up the dinghy in his Sunday bests

Our church journey starts with a short dinghy ride from the mother ship to one of the public docks where we will walk to one of the "bus stops". There aren't really any designated stops...I think if you look like you're dressed up a little & are just standing on a corner on the bus route (which is a circle through town) the bus will stop to see if you need a ride. There aren't too many folks dressed for church standing on the street corner at 8:15 on Sunday morning in Marsh Harbour so I suppose we are easy to spot. Today as we were walking I spotted an elderly Bahamian man, clearly dressed for church & asked if he too was waiting for the bus. YEP! He was so we waited with him....but the bus never came....none of us had a watch but we knew mass was starting soon so we decided to start walking that way & maybe we would run into the bus or someone would give us a ride. We were standing at the main intersection in town for several minutes when we heard "honk honk" from a truck. Scott & I immediately recognized the driver .... He is the church bus driver. He shouted from the window, "there's a problem with the bus!" He promptly pulled over & Scott & I piled into the back of the truck. Our new buddy hopped in front & we all cruised to church.

In the back of the pick up racing to mass!

Scott thanked our driver for using his own truck to give church goers a ride & he casually said "well, of course, I am the bus driver!". It was a great mass & in the year we've been away, we could tell this church has really become a closer knit community. It was great. So after mass we start walking to the truck....& so did half the congregation. There were about 25 of us piled into the back of the pickup! It was great!

Scott squeezing in the pick up with our church buddies

Another beautiful Sunday. After church we went home & picked up Jib to take him to his "church"... The beach.

Jib never tires of the beach....

Jib is a very accomplished diver now. He can hold his breath for 8-10 seconds now while searching for treasures in the sea....usually a stick.

 

VICTORY!

Life can happen anywhere! Even in stone.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. We sure do miss our family & friends as Christmas nears. Love you guys. We've been trying to Skype without success so far but will keep trying.

P.S. I have no idea why the 1st paragraph of this blog is in blue or why it's n the photo caption but oh well! Sometimes the blog has a mind of its own.

Love,

Michelle, Scott & Jib

 

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Tangled Up In Poo

Malaika has returned to the thriving metropolis that is Marsh Harbor! The 3rd largest city in the Bahamas. Marsh Harbor doesn't have much to offer as far as scenery, diving, snorkeling, or beaches, BUT...it is unmatched in the Abacos as far as groceries, boat supplies, bars, restaurants, entertainment, etc. It's a great place to reprovision the boat.

Sunset in Marsh Harbour

It's been a little busy here on Malaika the past few days. When we were at Treasure Cay a few days ago my friend Matt from Gone Global Adventures helped me get Internet service on my iPad. We went to Batelco...the phone company here in the Bahamas & got a sim card & whalla! I have Internet service anywhere in the Bahamas for $30 per 40 days. It's AWESOME! Last year we paid $100/month for service that worked "most" of the time. My friend Brittany from s/v Great Mysterious also helped me figure out a ton of stuff about posting my blog from the iPad, pictures, new blog apps. Thanks so much guys!

So...remember how happy we were to have the macerator installed? That thing that pumps the poo from our holding tanks out to sea? Well....we already had a macerator malfunction. Grrrr!!!! Of course, we don't realize there is a problem until the tank is full & we're out sea ready to dump it. Scott turned the switch & nothing. The motor was trying to run but couldn't & after about 6 seconds it would shut itself off. Uh oh. That can mean only one thing....it's clogged somewhere. Gross. Poor Scott. He had to take it apart....which means getting up close & personal with poo. Sometimes living on a sailboat is so NOT glamorous.

Scott is about to dive in & see if the thru hole where the macerator dumps out of on the outside is clogged. I think his face says it all.

It was not clogged externally. Once he took the macerator apart we found the problem. It was hair. My hair. It had wound around the blades in the pump & was preventing it from churning. I guess I'll have to start wearing a hat or something while in the loo. Sorry honey.

We'll be hanging out in Marsh Harbor for a few days & then island hopping over to Hopetown. Tonight we are going to a "rake & scrape". That's a band that uses things like saws, spoons, bells, bongos to make some awesome island tunes. Very excited for that!

Jib investigating a Conch

This is what the whole conch looks like. Looks super gross but fixed up like a ceviche....yum. Also, battered up & fried "Conch fritters" ....a Bahamian classic!

Love this sign

Under the sea....

Malaika......Home.

Love & Miss everyone.

XXXOOO

Our hearts are breaking as the news comes in regarding the school shooting in Connecticut. Our prayers go out to all those children & parents who are in their darkest hour. Mother Mary....pray for us now.....

Michelle, Scott & Jib

 

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Cruisin' The Abacos

We finally have some internet!!! It's been more than a few days!! We sailed to Treasure Cay today from Manjack. We had THE best time in Manjack & went on a crazy lobster hunt with THE LOBSTER SLAYER....

Matt from Gone Global Adventures...the Lobster Slayer....50+ lobster in 7 days....

Lobster Hunter

Pic from a shipwreck dive

Are we in the Amazon?

Jib's new play buddy on the beach...Mr. Crab

It's been a great few days...Love & Miss you all so much..
XXXOOO

Love,
Michelle, Scott & Jib

Island Life

My new friend, Georgette, who I met on a snorkle trip today.

Wow....we've been in the Bahamas for a week already! It's been mostly awesome.  A few days ago our friends had an unfortunate experience. In the night when we were all sleeping, someone snuck up on the boats & stole our friends dinghy motor. I noticed when I woke up that their dinghy wasn't behind the boat & thought, jeez...they're up & out early...but no. Their dinghy was gone because it was stolen. They found the dinghy with the help of our other friends Matt & M.E. but the motor was gone. That is just such a violation among boaters. It's like having your car stolen. Motors are expensive (even more so here in the islands), and our dinghys are how we get around...It was heart breaking. We did our best to cheer Lindsey & Matt up...headed straight to the beach. Scott gave Lindsey his first basket of the season to help keep good memories of  Green Turtle.

 

 

Half the gang hanging out on the beach

 

Later, we all went to the bar for some rum therapy & ran into Brendal, from Brendal's Dive Shop. Brendal is a Bahama native & owns one of the biggest dive operations here in Abaco. We told him what happened & he was mortified that someone would steal from the cruisers. He put the word out  on the island & helped Lindsey & Matt try & find a motor that could work for them & was affordable. So far, they are still working on that. We do appreciate Brendal's help with this so much. Yesterday he called us on the radio & asked if Lindsey & I could "crew" for him on one of his boats because his staff really need to finish sanding the bottom of a couple of his boats before the season really kicks into gear. He had a boat with 6 passengers heading out for a snorkle trip. Brendal's snorkle trips include a trip to a private beach where he prepares a gourmet meal.

Prepping for the gourmet dinner

That gourmet dinner included fresh lobster & red snapper caught by Brendal earlier in the morning

I thought that there would be a grill at Brendal's beach but nope! He gathered firewood & built a fire

YUMMY!!!

Double Yummy!!

Thanks Brendal for a fun "work" day!

Lindsey cracking everyone up with her big coconuts

  Tomorrow we are all  heading to another island...won't have internet for a couple days. We will join our friends Matt & M.E. from Gone Global Adventures for some more fun in the sun in a different place! One of the best things about our cruising life is the wonderful friends we make along the way & that we all stick together when somebody needs a little help. XXOO

Love,
Michelle, Scott & Jib

Welcome To The Bahamas Mon' !!

 

View from The Bluff House Beach Club

 

     I feel like we are home. I mean, Phoenix is of coarse our home but...Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas has a special place in my heart. I love this place. We are having a blast.

Some of our friends from St. Augustine are here & we've just been having an awesome time. My computer is going to die, so just a short little blog today

M.E. drifitng in the dinghy..

Lindsey heading into town



Scott is already basket weaving...

Love,
Michelle, Scott & Jib