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Onward’s Cruise Journal 2017
Bahamas

Updated: 25 April 2017

April 2017

1 Apr 17; Saturday; Thompson Bay, Long Island

• It was a quiet night and morning with what little with what little winds there was coming from the SE. It promised a good day to take down and fold the genoa.
• We went ashore at 0815 for the farmers market that was to start at 0800. We found a number of dinghies already at the pier. Along the walk up the hill we met the crew of another Catalina, Melanie Kaye, who were also full time cruisers. The Farmers Market, held at the parking lot at the base of the cell tower was well underway when we arrived. Since our last visit to Salt Ponds in 2015, they bulldozed the huge pile of fill and rock that had been dredged to enlarge the government dock a few years ago. There is also a nice building with indoor stall space just for the Farmers Market. We had been told that this year had been a good for gardens. However we found the fresh vegetables limited: green peppers, eggplants and a few other things. We bought some eggplant and peppers and now it is my job to develop some recipes to add to our repertoire. Peggy found fresh bread and zucchini bread and I found cinnamon buns and chocolate cake - that made the trip worthwhile of itself. Too late I discovered how good the cinnamon buns were and the were GONE. There were an equal number of stalls with crafts for sale. It was clear to see the market was an important social event for the community. Of course the cruisers community was well represented.
• On the way back to the boat, we found Basil's wife, Dolly, about her garden where she had quite a collection of papaya trees. She instructed us on how to tell they were ripe and how to eat them, so I bought one to try. Basil and Dolly very kindly make their newly rebuilt cement dock available to cruisers. She told us of the destruction caused by the storm surge of Hurricane Joachim in 2015 that did a huge amount of damage. Most of the boats kept at anchor were not safe in the basin into which they were moved and ended up high and dry in the bush. Luckily, their son's boat had only minor shaft and prop damage and was soon back in service.
• Our friends on Ultimate headed N to George Town armed with Onwards Bahamas waypoints.
• Back aboard Onward, it was time for me to finally work on income tax returns. Oh the joy. It is rather amazing that our electronic connected world enables me to do this in Paradise.
• Our new friend from Calypso was due over at 1200 to help me with the genoa. Peggy and I invited him to have lunch with us after we dropped the sail so I made a batch of Onward Chicken Salad. This iteration, Peggy provided me with fresh parsley and basil from her amazing garden on the stern seat that has been growing amazingly well
• Mark arrived and the three of us got the genoa down on deck and then Mark helped me flake it and roll it in preparation for transfer to his tender, a long flat-bottomed skiff. He plans to take the sail to Crooked Island for the locals to convert into sails for their boats. I also went diving into the stern locker and gave him two 70' lengths of 3/4" braided line that were that were the original sheets for this sail. Somehow I felt very nice that both sail and lines would be put to good use in the Bahamas.
• Our work done we settled for a leisurely lunch. When this was done, Mark spent a couple of hours with me going over the BCG. His knowledge of the area is encyclopedic and I found his comments very valuable and I have my work cut out to get them all edited into the BCG.
• Once Mark left, Peggy and I decided that our original plan to move Onward N and anchor off Chez Pierre so we could have dinner was too much. So we decided to spend the night here and head N in the morning so we could go through the cut to George Town before the winds and seas came up on Monday. We experienced a beautiful evening sitting in the lanai reading and updating this website. Peggy whipped up another tasty one-pot meal to use up aging zucchini. It is fun to experience her growing adventuresomeness in putting together meals of the moment.

• It was a very quiet night with gentle winds from the SE. As soon as the morning coffee had made me alert enough, we weighted anchor at o0715 and headed back to George Town.
• Peggy scared me a bit when she gently reminded me that there were only 4 days left before our guests, Laura & Kurlen, arrived. So I turned over the con to her and scurried below to plan out how to get Onward in shape to receive our guests. In the process, I realized there were really 7 days left. A deep sigh of relief.
• Back at the usual spot
• Tom Lane
• Trivia

• Attempt to contact Ultimate
• MacGyver saga

• Peggy's egg pie

• Talked to the Ultimates as they departed George Town for the central Exumas and then Nassau. They thanked me again for sharing Onward's waypoints that made their navigation much easier.
• Completed reorganization & inventory of MacGyver stores
• Oasis IIIs and Rally Point for dinner.

• FSR clean up
• Dinner at Chat & Chill

• New genoa arrives
• Customs saga
• Lunch

• There is a forward berth
• Water
• Blu

• A day of recovery from guest preparations.

• Moved Onward
• L&K arrived
• February Point
• Star Party Special Relativity!

• Hike
• Lumina Pt.

• • L&K Explore

• GT experience

• L&K explore
• Dinner at Lumina

• Moved Onward
• Water
• L&K depart
• crash

• Started spray shield

• More spray shield

• More spray shield

• • Sewed spray shield

• wind solar control panel

• Auto tour

• Chill out during winds
• Star Party on iTunes!

• As I took my early morning look at the news, I was reminded that today was Earth Day. Then I recalled a discussion I had with Laura about the March for Science. She wanted to take Elena and Kian to participate in a march event and had some security concerns for them. Suddenly my New England guilt complex kicked in because I had made no plans to support the International March for Science. Given my background and my lifestyle, supporting both the nurturing of our planet and the world of science and scientific though agains the ongoing attack by luddites and demagogues should is important to me. Just then the 0800 Cruisers Net began and I took the opportunity to announce that I was organizing the George Town, Bahamas event for the International March for Science. I asked cruisers to join me at the sign post in front of Chan n' Chill on Volleyball Beach, an iconic spot for the cruising and tourist communities.
• I figured it might just work out to be Peggy and I but that was OK. Next I made and printed up up ten single-page posters for use. That done, I donned the appropriate uniform: swim shorts and Tee, and headed ashore. Soon after setting foot on the beach, a family of 3 approached wearing Tees that had slogans in support of Science! I was impressed (gotta get me some). By the time the appointed 1100 rolled around, cruisers from about 10 boats showed up. Not a bad turnout for a harbor that had emptied out during the week. The posters were a hit. We took photos and then marched about. Great fun in support of a very good cause.
• bocce
• help for the sailor

• Shark talk. Sandy Feet
• Spray shield
• windy night; mega squall at Cape Eleuthera

• Calm
• Batens
• Dinner Istars & Rally Points; room in the fridge
• UW light & fish

• More calm
• Lazy day
• Where does my energy go?
• Spray shield mods

• Spray shield mutiny
• Peggy off
• Regatta
• Storm

• Wet day in AM; lazy day aboard

• A nice day promised…