Passage to the Bahamas

It was time to go, finally.  We had spent 2 weeks, exactly, in St. Marrten getting the boat ship shape and beautiful.  The autopilot was fixed, the oven was in working order, we topped off our fuel, filled our water tanks and pre-made our meals.  We were R-E-A-D-Y.  We were provisioned to the hilt!  We had food and supplies stowed in every nook and cranny possible.  We even had cases of beer stacked as stairs in the girls cabin!  The Bahamas have a way of doing this to cruisers.  The stories that are passed down are mind numbing and put the fear of God in you.  We heard that cases of beer were sold for $90, fresh fruits and vegetables were priced out of this world and the basic necessities, well forget it.  You wouldn't be able to get them, period!  So what is a family of five to do??  Two words come to mind:  Stock Up!  I am certain that our boat sank 2 additional inches once we were done provisioning.

We weighed anchor at 0745 and motored towards the french bridge.  There were a number of boats milling around waiting for the bell to ring.  Once the bridge opened, we all went through like ducks in a row.  We raised the sails and were off and running.  The wind was brisk at 20-25 knots as we sailed due north toward Great Inagua, Bahamas.  The northern swell had laid down and we were running with the seas.  We were settled in for 4 days, our last big passage.

 Watching dolphins in our bow wake

Dolphins escorting us from St. Marrten

 We made excellent time to Virgin Gorda, BVI, sailing 90 nm in less than 10 hours!  Once we passed the BVI's the wind settled down to a steady 15 knots, the following seas were diminished to a comfortable motion.

 Maggie takes her morning watch, enjoying the autopilot

 Craig and Liv take a rest after setting all the fishing gear in the early morning.

Kate helps bring in the fish

 Look Ma....we caught one!  Rainbow Runner.

 Kate assumes her favorite passage activity

Eating like kings and queens on passage:  fresh caught fish, pan fried in olive oil and garlic, served with wasabi soy sauce, and veggie pasta salad. 

 Patching a pin hole leak in the dinghy.  Craig's make shift way of applying pressure to the patch while underway.

 The girls listening to music, enjoying the breeze.

 No Hands!!  The autopilot is working like a charm.

 Wendy getting excited reeling in a fish.

 Olivia reeling in the line to rid the hook of seaweed.

Craig's new teaser made from a piece of bamboo with big shiny washers on either end.  You drag it behind the boat to trick the fish into thinking there are other fish feeding around your lures (so they'll bite).  We hooked 4 fish after he implemented the teaser!

 Fish On!

Here it comes....what is it??

Female Mahi Mahi

 One of many passage snacks:  hard boiled eggs

Hello cutie!

It was surreal to think that this would be our last big passage of the trip.  Once we reached the Bahamas, we'd only be a day away (or less) to any island in the Bahamas and the US.  Our family has come to really enjoy the long passages and look forward to them.

His and Hers

I walked into the electrical store the other day (in St. Martin) to have a chat with the generator repair specialist.  I was feeling somewhat confident in doing so because I was witness to the problem we were experiencing (remember the generator fiasco post).  Who am I kidding, I was not feeling confident at all.  In fact, the only reason I was going at all, was becuase Craig needed to be available to the autopilot guy.  I was forced, against my will.  When I walked in, immediately I felt like a fish out of water because there were only men in the store (old, salty sailor types).  I walked up to the counter and asked to speak to a generator technician.  The tall, thin young man asked me what type of generator we had and I promptly told him what it was.  He looked at me with a puzzled expression.  Clearly he was not the right man for the job!  I pulled out my owner’s manual to show him the English words printed on the front.  He then took my manual and started walking away.  I said, “Should I follow you?”  He replied with “if you want to”.  So I did just that, followed him.  As we walked down the long narrow isle, he kept turning around and smiling as if he couldn’t believe that I, a woman, was asking for the generator technician.  As if I couldn’t possibly know anything about generators or boats or anything for that matter.   Maybe I was being too sensitive, but why else would he smirk like that?

This little incident got me thinking about the typical gender roles we all fall into, whether we want to or not, whether we are on a boat or on land.   I once read about the gender roles men and women take on while living on a boat, they labeled them pink and blue.  Which is really just a cute way of saying ‘his’ and ‘hers’.   He changes the oil, fixes the leaky head while She cooks and does the laundry. 

I don’t know about you, but I like to be able to do things on my own.  I get great satisfaction out of being able to complete a job and not have to call Craig to do everything.  As a girl, growing up with 2 older brothers, I learned how to do a lot of things.  My dad was also very handy, being an engineer.  He could fix stuff.  He could build stuff.  He taught me how to change the oil in my car.  When it came to potential husband material, I wanted someone who could fix and build stuff, just like my dad.  Craig definitely fit that bill.  He grew up on a farm and knows a lot about a lot-o-stuff.   But as men and women, it is natural to fall into the age-old gender rolls of his and hers or blue and pink.  Especially if you compliment each other, as Craig and I do. 

Living on our boat, we fell into the same pink and blue patterns as we did at home.  Sure Craig knows how to shop for food, make a meal and do laundry in a bucket.  Although I am not convinced he would actually do the laundry, considering his dirt threshold is a lot higher than mine.  On the other hand, I am in tune to strange sounds and know how to trouble shoot them (sort of).  But I can drive the boat and set the sails.   I have learned a lot about our systems on the boat, thanks to Craig.  He often includes the girls (me included) and explains what and why he is doing something.  Sometimes, if the girls have broken something or not flushed their toilet resulting in a smelly, dirty toilet, he makes them do the job! 

If we didn't exercise that philosophy, it could be a potentially dangerous situation on the boat.  What if, god forbid, something happened to Craig and he was unable to do 'his' job.  I would have to take over.  It's very important to both of us that I know how to operate the boat.  I feel confident that I could get us safely into a harbor if I needed to.  It might not be pretty, but I could do it.

We shouldn't take things for granted and it's easy to fall into the same ole routine.  We often trade 'jobs' on the boat so that we, meaning I, don't forget how to do all jobs on the boat.  I help with routine maintenance of checking the oil before we head out, change the water filters for the water maker and we trade off on the anchoring duties.  One person runs the windlass (an electric motor that pulls the anchor chain, lifting the anchor) and attaches the bridle while the other maneuvers at the helm.  We both raise and lower the sails and take turns managing the sails, depending who is on watch.  I know how to put in a reef or shake one out.  I have yet to do this all by myself even though Craig says I can.  I feel better when we do it together.  While I don't enjoy changing the oil (I am the assistant), I have learned a lot over the course of the year about maintaining a working boat.  I poke fun at most of my roles because it isn't' rocket science but I enjoy them just the same!

Sailing, Friends and Birthdays

"'Tis skill, not strength, that governs a ship"

-Thomas Fuller

St. Marrten was a reuniting of other cruising friends we have met along the way as well as meeting new ones.  Most importantly, these were boats with kids!  We all descended on St. Marrten at different times, but there was a common window in which we could all play.  The local yacht club held dinghy sailing classes for kids in the afternoons and allowed our kids to participate as much or as little as they wanted.  

DAY 1 sailing class:  Maggie and Olivia.  Maggie, being older, had a semi-private lesson on a larger, 14-ft boat.

Olivia was partnered with an older girl in an opti

Olivia's partner teaches her some techniques like 'hiking out' - where you lean out on the windward side  in an attempt to keep your boat flat and fast.  Here she is demonstrating that skill even though they are not heeling at all!  Oh well, you can't fault her for having tried.

Learning all the boat parts, putting the boats in the water and getting the sails up is part of the 3 1/2 hour class.  And then dissassembling afterwards, as Maggie is doing here.

Fun hanging out afterwards at the yacht club.  Ayla, Jona and Sage from s/v Sea Schelle.  Christian from s/v Ann Bonny.

Celebrating Ayla's birthday aboard s/v Sea Schelle, Matt, blows the conch shell at sunset.  

 This is a swing that Sea Schelle rigged up on the bow of their boat. Ayla takes a turn...

 ....then Olivia...

 ...then Kate, then Jona, then Maggie and even little Sage got a ride

 Ayla's birthday wish was to celebrate with friends and make sushi.  It was the best sushi making feast we have ever had.  So much fun!!  Happy Birthday Ayla.  

 Ayla and Kate being silly

 Maggie playing with Sage.  Sage fell in love with Maggie and would cry each time we had to leave.  She learned how to say her name and was genuinely smitten.  I think the feeling was mutual!

Found Olivia asleep in Sea Schelle's cockpit.  I guess she had enough fun for one day.

Kate and Jona make cookies

 DAY 2 sailing class.  Olivia gets her own set of wheels and she couldn't be more proud.

Kate and Cara from s/v Moana Roa sailing near the yacht club trying not to run into the mega yacht behind them.  Kate came a little too close, as the instructor came racing over in her dinghy to instruct her out of that spot.

 Kate sailing away...

 Back at the dock, getting ready to put away the boats

 Kate carries her sail and mast to the storage building

 Kate and Cara help stack and tie the opti's to the rafters

 DAY 3 sailing class.  This was a special class just for cruising kids held in the morning while the local children were at school.

 Kate sailing along...one by one they sailed past our boat during their class.

 Maggie sailing along....

 Olivia sailing along....

Yacht club drinks after sailing class.  Cara, Kate, Christian, Travis, Beau, Olivia and Maggie

 A pretty sunset in Simpson Bay Lagoon

 We were invited to a beach party with Sea Schell.  Erica and Matt had family in town for a visit and we spent the evening playing volleyball and eating pizza.  The kids found this tiny and scared kitten.  They all became terribly attached and even named him Martin.

Ayla holds and comforts Martin

 Buddies:  Maggie and Sage

Maggie cuddles with Martin on Sea Schell.  They adopted the kitty and brought him on board.