Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5

Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Dr.Ralph <rbundy@cfl.rr.com> -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 11:49 a.m. EST

Thursday, July 11
Our day begins prematurely as a squall roars through Spanish Cay at 3:30. Heavy rain, thunder, and lightning accompany strong winds that whip up the surge in the marina to the point that twice I am bounced up out of my bunk. Bunny and I sit for a few moments until it passes, then I venture up to the helm. All is well, other than another inch of rain in my trash bucket.

Bunny and I are at the stage in our lives where it is unusual for both of us to get all the way through the night without one of us having to get up. Those of you who are more or less fifty will understand. At home we sleep in a king size bed; when one of us has to get up, we quietly slip out and all is well. Attitude's two berths are nominally "doubles," but both can be accessed from only one side, and then only in the middle. We have tried sleeping together, but when the one of us on the inside has to get up, he/she has to climb over the other, which is impossible to sleep through. So while we cruise we sleep in separate berths; when we go to bed one will crawl in with the other to talk or whatever, then we separate. It's a regrettable but acceptable concession to aging.

The next time we wake up it's 8:30, much better. We take it slow this morning; after the busy night and the difficulty of the past few days, we want to relax. It's sunny but the wind is still roaring out of the SW. We're excited, it's playday at Spanish Cay. The plan is to take whatever the weather gives us and explore the surrounding cays; again we'll stay on the NE or ocean side and keep an eye out for squalls.

Lines are off by 11, and we cruise SE along the windward shore of Spanish and the rocks to its SE. It's sloppy, but as we arc to the NW and slide behind the cay, the sea settles down nicely and we are treated to a gorgeous excursion. As previously mentioned, Attitude is a "go-fast;" however, we enjoy running her at sailboat speed when we are exploring or cruising with a relaxed itinerary. Her motors are quiet, there's less motion, Bunny sits on the bow and watches the bottom, and I sit in the tower with charts and cameras. I love the tower: it's shaded, the view is incredible, and it's ten degrees cooler than my station at the helm.

We pass a little cove opposite the marina, then the rocky point where the Wreckers Bar watches over the beautiful beach. After we pass the shoal, I bring Attitude to within fifty feet of the shoreline, and we glide along the stunning tropical garden. Friends in Walker's had told us that Spanish is the most beautiful cay in all Abaco, and I may have to agree. The great majority of Abaco visitors never get this far NW, and it's regrettable considering everything we see today.

The beach extends NW for a few miles, then finally gives way to rocky shoreline. After we round Squances Cay at the tip of Spanish, we throttle up and eat the 2-3 foot chop as we head west toward the Hog Cays. We tuck into the lee behind the first of the Hogs and resume our sightseeing cruise. Now we are really in the boonies; we are alone except for two small island homes that sit along a gorgeous cove ringed by a golden beach. A single figure from a second floor balcony watches us pass and returns my wave. I wonder what life is like for this individual: there is no power, no water, no sewer, no help; he must rely on his home's systems and his own wits. Is he lonely, does he have friends, does he venture out to the neighboring cays, does he live there year round? We couldn't do it. But Lord, does he have some choice scenery!

The Hog Cays consist of three "principal" islands and a myriad of odd rocks and islets. The colors that interweave throughout this labyrinth are the electric greens and blues that dazzled us at Double Breasted. There are a few tiny beaches, some are very enticing, but rocks and shoals are everywhere. We work farther west to Prince Cay and find a stunning little cove near its western tip. Shallow and rocky, we work our way in; there is a strong current and the wind swirls around the corner, sliding Attitude toward the beach. Bunny is standing by with the anchor, she's dying to go ashore. But while I'm jockeying Attitude into position, I see trouble on the radar: two dots of rain have appeared to the SW. I look up and see a dark line of clouds forming; it's about eight miles away. If the wind is blowing twenty knots from the SW, then we have less than a half-hour until it hits us.

How can we assess the destructive potential of a squall? Some of this is guesswork, but there are important things to consider. Often we can determine the direction of movement by watching the cell over time; sometimes they will follow the direction of the prevailing wind. A line seems to be worse than a single round cell; the darker it gets, the stronger it seems to be. Likewise, those with frequent lightning seem to be worse. If a really dark cell develops a greenish sheen, the cell is very powerful, very electric, and easily has enough energy to spin off waterspouts or tornadoes.

So I study this one for a moment and consider this potential anchorage: it's difficult as it is, we don't have much room to swing, and while we would be out of the wind for a while, the wind shift that often accompanies a cell could push us onto the beach or the rocks. As we cruise, we have a rule: if either of us sees a spot they want to explore, we make every effort to stop and do it. This time we'll have to pass; we discuss it for a moment, Bunny is disappointed, but we have to play it safe. Within another five minutes the line darkens and extends. We had wanted to work NW to Big Hog, but we decide to run back to Spanish to the cove by the Wreckers Bar. I am amazed at how fast the weather deteriorates. I have to idle for about a mile across the shallow bank before I can throttle up, and by the time we can run the monster is only a mile away, threatening us with a strong, chilly downdraft. In a flash we are flying at thirty knots, and the run to shelter only takes a few moments. We anchor in our cove and watch a wall of water drift to within 200 yards of the boat. While we briefly get 30-40 knot winds, the rain and the worst of the cell stay west of us.

After a sandwich and drink, we wonder if there might be conch in our little cove, so we don dive gear and ease into the water. The grassy bottom has good potential; we find whelks, horse conchs, sea biscuits, and a few lobsters, but no conch. We wave a regrettable goodbye to the "bugs," climb back onto Attitude and clean up. When we bought Attitude, Bunny had them install a fresh water shower with hot water in the transom walkthrough; it's a very civilized comfort to wash off the salt with warm freshwater at the end of a swim or dive.

After the weather clears, we decide to cruise SE to Powell Cay. This is a quick run with the wind and seas behind us; we again elect to stay on the sheltered ocean side of the cay. In previous years we had explored the beach that faces SW; today we ease through patch reefs and rocks and anchor off Powell's north beach. This one is a dandy, an absolutely perfect Bahamian beach. The beach itself is wide and clear, extending in a gentle curve for over a mile, and the green sandy shallows are clear and protected. We dally here for over an hour, noodling to the shore and exploring.

Later we continue east and creep over rocks into the bight formed by Powell's eastern shore and the smaller High and Soldiers Cays. We anchor in four feet just west of the bar that extends south from Soldiers Cay. The colors and scenery are staggering! It is shallow enough to walk from the boat up onto the bar, then to Soldier Cay, a scenic, craggy little rock. We watch another squall pass to our west, and would have played a while longer in our snug little anchorage were it not for the falling tide and surrounding shoals. We carefully ease back out of the bight into deep water, then quickly run back to Spanish. Attitude gets a bath, then we take a half-hour to cool off with a strawberry colada in the pool.

As the sun drops behind the Hogs we set up our grill on the transom. We have a little circular Magma charcoal grill that fits in a rodholder. I line it with foil, pour in a bag of Minute Lite, light the fire, and settle back. A crowd and some "oohs and ahhs" draws me to the fish-cleaning table at the base of the dock. Two men are cleaning fish and throwing the remains into the five-foot-deep water. Ten sharks, some of them sizable, are looping under the table and gobbling up the goodies. Many of them are nurses, but there is a blacktip and another that looks like a bull. The dock doesn't have a rail, and as the crowd shifts to get a better view, I wonder what would happen should someone fall in. One of the cleaners ties his last fish head to bare 20-pound line on a spinning rod. He throws it into the open water a short distance from the table. A shark quickly grabs it and starts to run; it lunges violently when it feels the pressure, creating an exciting burst of white froth. Then the line snaps and party is over.

Bunny is cooking Kielbasa on the grill as our dockmates return from the restaurant. We get the feeling none of these people cook. But the aroma of sizzling sausage is a magnet, and soon we have our own small crowd and a little conversation. At last we have our dinner, which we eat at a small table we have set up on deck. Again we are exhausted, and after a rum drink and some quiet time we slip into our berths. Today we have certified two "Noodle Beaches," a rare double! Tomorrow we cruise to Treasure Cay and a rendezvous with Gary M and AbacoWilly.

Re: Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Charlotte Couple <sailr@excite.com> -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 1:50 p.m. EST

This series of trip reports is worth keeping as a link at the top of the board, like we have with Dr. Ralph's other sage advice. How about it?

Re: Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Bigfoot <rickh@sprintnw.com> -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 3:23 p.m. EST

I've been reading an old Travis McGee novel and lamenting that the author, John D. McDonald, is no longer with us to write more. However, I think Dr. Ralph could be the one to take up the mantle and write the continuation of the Travis McGee novels. I can see it now, in the ensuing years since the last McGee novel, Travis has gone to medical school to become a wandering OB/GYN. Has possibilities doesn't it?

Rick

Re: Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Bigfoot <rickh@sprintnw.com> -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 3:23 p.m. EST

I've been reading an old Travis McGee novel and lamenting that the author, John D. McDonald, is no longer with us to write more. However, I think Dr. Ralph could be the one to take up the mantle and write the continuation of the Travis McGee novels. I can see it now, in the ensuing years since the last McGee novel, Travis has gone to medical school to become a wandering OB/GYN. Has possibilities doesn't it?

Rick

Squall photo is awesome..ready for frame!
CC -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 3:28 p.m. EST

Squall photo is awesome..ready for frame!
CC -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 3:28 p.m. EST

Re: Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Pat S. <psmmech@webtv.net> -- on Monday 7/30/01 @ 7:27 p.m. EST

My God....you are killing me with these trip reports! Doc, I am there with you! That does it....I am going to the store and buy a noodle!
Keep em coming! I hope you are saving all your reports for that book!

Re: Attitude Adjustment in Abaco Part 5
Noontide -- on Tuesday 7/31/01 @ 11:49 a.m. EST

Yes Pat Noodles should be standard equipment on all vessels. Don't know where but the admiral got this mesh that fits the noodles and converts them to a floating lounge chair.

Noodles, 1 vs 2?
Abaco Skippy <skippy1st@aol.com> -- on Tuesday 7/31/01 @ 12:21 p.m. EST

Yeah, we have those meshy things too. They are really neat! Unfortunately when floating in our FRESH water pool, I require TWO noodles in the mesh chair part! Or does that have something to do with fluid/food intake? I'm stickin' with the FRESH vs. SALT water argument! More buoyancy in salt water ya know. I feel the need for some field trials. Can I get a Government Grant for this?

Re: Noodles, 1 vs 2?
Noontide -- on Tuesday 7/31/01 @ 1:10 p.m. EST

Go ahead and ask for the grant but make sure to tell them I will be assisting in the investigation!

Re: Noodles, 1 vs 2?
Abaco Skippy <skippy1st@aol.com> -- on Tuesday 7/31/01 @ 1:52 p.m. EST

Oh, I don't think I'd have a shortage of volunteers! I'll put you down on the list. And of course all research is to be done offshore.....say......The Sea of Abaco maybe?? I'll have to come up with some fancy name for this study....."The Buoyancy Affects of High Density Polyethylene and Fermented Grains"!!??

Re: Noodles, 1 vs 2?
Abacoparrott <parrochie@webtv.net> -- on Tuesday 7/31/01 @ 1:33 p.m. EST

That's my Skippy.....let taxes pay for it.....it's the only way to get your money back.....gotcha....BTW spend the grant money in Abaco....Ken