Inching our way North

Friday morning after I finished changing oil we decided to leave our favorite anchorage, Big Major Spot, and head North, back to the Exumas Land and Sea Park North Anchorage. When we arrived along with Gypsies in the Palace, we saw two other Defevers in the anchorage. The four boats, September Song, Gypsies in the Palace, Utopia, and Cygnet got together for cocktails on September Song and as always shared our cruising stories, well, mostly Herb's stories from Utopia from 30 years ago in the Bahamas when it was more like the wild west of the drug trade. Tonight we went to the beach at the park headquarters where every Saturday night all the cruisers in the anchorage get together for cocktails and have a chance to meet other cruisers. It's always lots of fun to get together with people who have the same passion for cruising, trade favorite places and favorite stories. I should start a book of cruisers favorite stories. It would probably be a best seller. It's late and I'm turning into a pumpkin. Oh, did I tell you we have Internet via our 5-mile WIFI and the park's hot spot. It's nice to be able to blog on the boat from the pilot house.

September Song (headed for cruisers dreamland) out

Bob

We were welcomed by Sugar birds looking for sugar. Friendly little guys

A new captain at the helm

Our last sunset at our favorite anchorage, Big Major Spot

View of the park office from our bow

View of the beach from our bow including a whale skeleton

When did Gypsies install a mast? Oh! It's just a sailboat getting friendly with their stern

September Song on her mooring ball at the Land and Sea Park

Fun in the water with Mom

Can we go to the beach again Dad? No Godiva, we just got back!

What day is it?

5-14-09 Let's see, where did I last leave you. All the days seem to run together and you tend to forget what day it is. The only thing we pay close attention to is the weather, and it has been so beautiful, we haven't had to pay real close attention to that either. We haven't had rain one day the whole time we have been in the Exumas. The weather prediction is for rain later today and tonight. I hope it does, as September Song could use a good shower to rinse off the salt.Monday after I blogged we went to the beach for an afternoon of sun and swimming and then that evening we gathered on the beach for sunset and another bonfire.We love our bonfires on the beach. The evenings are so beautiful here. If it weren't for the hurricanes, I think we would stay here for a lot longer. Tuesday was a snorkeling day and a wonderful dinner on Freyja that evening. Jack and Susan have a beautiful classic sailboat and we had a wonderful evening. Thanks Jack and Susan. Wednesday was a day of exploring the Pipe Creek area just to our North with Gypsies in the Palace. The Pipe Creek area is a chain of little Islands and waterways with great beaches. That afternoon we went to Club Thunderball for a late lunch, (Momma Burger and a beer) and then snorkeled Thunderball cave again. We are invited to Gypsies for dolphin tonight and Tammy made brownies. We will bring the milk! We are headed off to send this blog and check to see if our mail came in (it has only been 5 weeks) before the winds pick up when the rain comes.
It may be a few days before I can send a new blog as we will be moving on in a couple of days and it is an area that has no Internet. Sorry! Rest assured, I will take you there.

September Song (BROWNIES AND MILK!) out
Bob

Shark!

Can you hear the music?

Stingray

Enjoying the beach. Who is the good looking one on the left? Oh, that's my love

My love walking the beach

Godiva enjoying a roll in the sand. She does love it here

The only footprints on the beach are ours

It this beach beautiful or what!

One of the beaches on Pipe Creek

Who owns this?

Chapel in the hills. Nice view

Lighthouse in Pipe Creek

Under water pictures courtesy of Doug

Feeding frenzy

I'm glad they aren't piranha

Gorgeous fish

The sargent majors like french fries

Holes in the top of the cave

Inside the cave

It has buck teeth

Happy Mothers Day

5-11-09 Good morning from Big Major Spot anchorage and Staniel Cay. Saturday we moved to an anchorage we fell in love with when we were here the end of April.There are so many beautiful places in this area to explore and also we can go to Staniel Cay Yacht Club, have lunch, have a Kalik, or maybe two, and send out our blog. Saturday when we arrived, we went into the Yacht Club dock and took on water (40 cents a gallon) because our water maker was acting up. The good news is that I got it running and all systems are back in good working condition. Because of the dogs needing to be hosed down after we go to the beach, along with us, the dishwasher, showers, heads, washing machine, etc. etc. we use about 70 gallons a day. It doesn't sound like much but when you only hold 400 gallons, the water maker is very important. Most everywhere in the Exumas they charge for water by the gallon, so it is nice to have the water maker working again. Yesterday was Mothers day. Happy Mothers day to all you mothers, especially Kerri and Patti, and my mother, the greatest mother who ever was. I know she is looking down on us and reading our blog. Hi Mom! And last, but not the least, My love, Stephanie. Cassie and Godiva celebrated by taking Mom to not just one beach, but two beaches. We spent most of the day exploring the dozens of little cays around this area in Half Note. What a gorgeous area we are in. Late yesterday afternoon we were joined in the anchorage by our friends on Freyja, Jack and Susan,(we spent the last night before our Gulf Stream crossing with them) who made a special trip up from Black Point to join us. They brought us a loaf of Loraine's mother's great coconut bread.(get out the butter) Last night Gypsies in the Palace, Doug and Tammy, and Freja, Jack and Susan, joined us for cocktails and a beautiful sunset (we had one of the best green flashes ever) on the front deck, and then we had fresh dolphin on the grill and Tammy's chocolate cheesecake on the fly bridge. We do eat well, and I love chocolate cheesecake! We'll spend a few days here exploring this beautiful area. We are having a great time cruising with Doug and Tammy, we just Kalik, I mean click. We are headed to the Yacht Club for lunch and a brew, send out our blog, try to find our mail, and enjoy the day in Staniel Cay.
September Song (conch bits for lunch) out
Bob
And, BTW, yesterday May 10, was the 1 year anniversary of our full-time cruising! And many more to come!

That's not the sun, it's the moon over our anchorage

Dad and his girls

I don't think they will want to go back to the States

Throw the ball Dad!

The fisher dog

One of the many beautiful secluded beaches