March 1 - 7, 2015

the limestone basin

ocean race boat

Paperbird and Modaki walking the beaches

the viewing pail

checking the anchor

bean bag chairs on the beach .. why not

our under water camera … me

March 1 - 7, 2015

Talloo Cay and Lynyard Cay

We decided to spend another night at Mango Marina and give Modaki a good scrub down with fresh water, fill our water tank and jugs, our selves showers, a washing of clothes (hung them on the life lines, dryers not working), and get caught up with the blog.

Finally the wind is to be east for about 4 days, no more clocking around like it has been doing for the last month.  We headed out with Paperbird and anchored about 14 miles away at South Tavern Cay, on Talloo Cay.  Went for a dinghy ride to a shallow cove and saw lots of red star fish. There was one house that stood out to us, it was on a high limestone hill, that had been voided of brush. A marina was carved out of the rocks, no boats visible when we where there. But it sure was impressive, see pictures.

The next day we moved 2 miles down to Tilloo Pond, you could actually anchor in this small area, but not recommended.  There was quite a few turtles darting here and there.  Paperbird lent us their home made viewing bucket (pail with a hole in the bottom that has plexiglass screwed in place), to see the turtles, anchor, anything that is at the bottom of the sea.  We will be making one as soon as we get the necessary supplies.

Then we found our way up and over the hill to the ocean side. To our surprise we found a racing boat washed ashore, high up on the rocks, with lots of debris all around. We did google and found out that UMPGLUMPA 682 was in a Transit 650, Ocean Challenge race. The Italian boat was launched in 2007 and skipper Andrea Lacopini won many races, some of them in Spain and Barcelona. On December 12, 2013, it hit an object 350 miles from the finish line in Guateloupe. Lacopini abandoned the boat and saw it sink.  These boats are made to be unsinkable.

On February 20, 2015, just a few weeks ago during gale force winds, it washed a shore, high on the rocks on Tilloo Cay.  During this storm Modaki, and Snowbird where safe on mooring balls at Hope Town on Elbow Cay about 5 miles away.

In this area we also found lots of sea glass on the ocean side and a beach full of sea biscuits on the Sea of Abaco side.

The winds for the next 2 days picked up and changed to SE , so we moved north again to Tavern Cay, just south of Tahini Beach.  The first time we anchored, some one from a house close by yelled to say there was buried power cables in this area. So we moved.  The Lewis Chartbook and Great Book of Anchorages in Bahamas, had this area as anchoring. Bur when we went to our 3rd reference book, Dodge Guide to Abaco's it was marked as NO ANCHORING, buried power cables.

Greg from Paperbird brought over his viewing bucket and made sure our Rocna, was buried, getting ready for the high winds.

Friday, March 6, we motored, into the wind, about 12 miles south to Little Harbour, you have to enter at mid to high tide, because the entrance is only 4 ft deep. Since we arrived after high tide we anchored at Lynyard Cay, about 2 1/2 miles north. There was protection from the ocean swell here, but near Little Harbour, it would not have been a very comfortable night. Once again, we went off to the sandy beach and then found a path over the hill to the ocean. The waves once again crashing into shore, and lots of plastic littered the shoreline. Once we got back to the boat we snorkelled near and around Modaki, building up our skills.

Saturday, the 7th we where going to catch high tide to enter Little Harbour, which was about 8:45 am., but didn't.  We decided to follow Paperbird back to the Land and Sea Park, across from North Bar Cut, (ocean) to snorkel.  Once we got there the ocean swell was not making this happen.  Joe and I are just not that comfortable yet and there would of been a lot of currant even at this time, Slack Tide. Now it was too late to return and enter Little Harbour at high tide.

So we motored north, into the wind again. Around Talloo Sand Bank and anchored off  the beach. The sky was threatening rain.  The wind today was to be 2-3 knots and variable.  It was not, again anchor up and we moved further north, to the south part of Tavern Cay. The winds now are N - NE gusting to 20 knots, with rain squalls to the south of us. Paperbird invited us over for cards, but we thought it wise to stay on Modaki, during these gusts, because we know how fast, the anchor can break loose or drag.

We spring forward with the time tonight.