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

Cocktails on the front deck on Mothers Day

Mothers Day sunset. 30 seconds more to the green flash

A fishing day to remember!

5-8-09 Today was a fishing day to remember! After the line was out about 15 minutes I had a strike, it took out almost all my line before I got him turned around the first time. He broke the water about 150 yards behind the boat and my heart dropped. A sailfish!!! I got him in about half way and he turned and ran again. We saw him come out of the water several more times and I thought I had lost him. I had Stephanie put September Song in reverse to help catch up to him. I made sure my drag was set perfectly so he wouldn't break the line. It was a long, long fight, and he just about wore me out before he wore out. I finally got him to the boat, but he was way down deep. after another 15 minutes he finally came to the surface. He was huge, so huge I couldn't lift him aboard with the gaff. He was beautiful!! I had seen people catch fish like this on TV, but never imagined I would ever have the thrill of catching one of these monsters of the ocean myself. He was approx. 6 foot long not including his bill, and I don't know how much he weighed, but I know I couldn't lift him aboard. What a day to remember! The big one didn't get away today! I can't tell you what a thrill it was to see him leaping out of the water and dancing across the surface. It took a long time to bring him in, but now it seems the time went by all too quickly. I'm sure glad I took the time yesterday to put new line on my pole after the last big one took half of it before breaking the line. Oh, by the way, I did catch dinner again today. A 34 inch dolphin. It seemed like reeling in a bait fish after the fight with the sailfish. What a day!

September Song (arms tired) out
Bob

What a gorgeous fish

It was beautiful

I didn't want to get anywhere near that bill

My 34 inch dolphin. Dinner!

George Town

The Straw market

Saint Andrews Anglican/Episcopal Church

Kathy and Al, enlarge and see the seventh from the bottom

Blogging today 5-7-09 in George Town

Today we made the trip into town to pick up some things, including line to replace the line the "BIG ONE" removed from my reel, tender gas, and go to the rustic Internet Cafe'. As you can see from the pictures, it is not like your usual Internet Cafe'. "They do things a little different in the Bahamas mon" George Town is not what we expected, but I guess we had no expectations. It does have lot's of stuff you may need, but isn't anything like the Villages on the small Islands. Lot's of cars, faster pace, (but still on Bahama time mon) and not as clean. People in the villages seem to take more pride in their Islands. Tomorrow we will lift the hook and head out to the old fishing ground and see if I can get the "BIG ONE" on again. Wish me luck!
George Town is a milestone for me (Stephanie) - it is the farthest south I've ever been. And, yes, it marks the start of our journey North. Back in Georgia by 7/1.

September Song (looking for the "BIG ONE") out
Bob


Showing Stephanie how to get on line

As Doug always says, "you can't make this stuff up"

Inside the Internet Cafe'

Tammy at the front door of the Internet Cafe'

On the way to George Town

5-6-09 Hello from the farthest point South in the Exumas, George Town. George Town is a cruisers Mecca for many cruisers in the Exumas and during the winter season hosts around 300 boats. George Town is the largest settlement in the Exumas and is a great place to pick-up any supplies you may be short on and to see,taste, and explore the settlement.Now to the update. Sunday 5-3 we made the trek over to Sea Glass Beach where we filled a qt. plastic bag with sea glass. Sea glass is pieces of glass that have been washing in the surf for I don't know how long and look like colored rocks after the sand and pounding surf have done their polishing. That afternoon we played on the beach with the girls. That evening we all got together for a farewell bonfire as Gypsies in the Palace and September Song will go farther South to George Town while the others will do some more exploring as they head North and then back to the States. The sunset that evening was great, and the s'mores furnished by Tide Hiker were yummy. It was a fun evening, reminiscing about our adventures together, but we knew the time had come for the group to go their separate ways. It is always sad to say goodbye, but we all know we will meet again as our paths cross. See you soon Tide Hiker, Rickshaw, and Life's2Short. Fair winds and calm Seas.September Song and Gypsies in the Palace departed the anchorage Monday morning, waved goodbye to the others, and headed out to sea. Not so fair winds and calm seas greeted us, so we turned into Farmers Cut to continue on the inside. We went as far as Cave Cay, where we planned to wait for the tide to come in to head further south to Rudder Cut Cay to anchor for the night. By the time we were ready to leave the wind had calmed down, so we headed out to sea, this time headed for Lee Stocking Island. Tuesday morning we headed out to a beautiful day on the Atlantic so it was time to put the lines out and catch dinner. We were not disappointed! I caught a 36-inch dolphin and had another one on that was huge. After running out a bunch of my line I started to tighten the drag and get ready to take the pole from the rod holder. The monster decided it wanted to go the other way and as it did my 60 pound test line broke, and off it went with my favorite lure. I saw it come out of the water one last time and it was huge. I know, I know, the big one always gets away. It takes a big fish to snap 60 pound test line. Doug, on Gypsies also had good luck. He caught 2 barracuda, (not fun to take the hook out of) a 36 inch dolphin, and a 42 inch dolphin. Way to go Doug! We arrived at George Town early that afternoon, cleaned the fish,and that evening had fresh dolphin on the grill, Bahamian Mac and Cheese, salad, and chocolate rum cake on Gypsies in the Palace. What a way to celebrate a great day of fishing! (pinch me) Today we are headed in to explore George Town. Would you like to come along?
September Song (the dolphin slayer) out
Bob

It's a beautiful thing

Almost in!

Now that's a fish. The one that didn't get away

Black Point

5-2-09 The weather has been great, warm sunny days in the mid 80's with light winds and cool evenings in the lower 70's. Thursday we played with the girls (4 legged) at the beach and then got together with the group for sunset on the beach and bonfire that night. What a fantastic way to finish a day. (pinch me!)Friday morning we headed to Thunderball cave for some snorkeling. One side of the cave is on the ocean side and the other is on the banks side so the curent flows strong through the cave during tide change, so you need to go there during slack tide. The cave was way cool with stalagmites and stalactites and an opening at the top that lets light in. There were thousands of fish and a coral reef inside the cave. It was the coolest thing. I have never seen someof the coral colors before that I saw in the cave - dark blues, oranges, and deep reds. I need to rent the movie Thunderball to see the cave in the movie.Saturday morning we all headed to Black Point Settlement, our next anchorage, only 7 miles away. The town (it's more of a village) of Black Point is a typical Bahamian community on Great Guana Cay. We went in and explored the town, hit the "grocery store", found ICE CREAM, and made a stop at Loraine's Cafe, where we would all get together later to celebrate Todd and Brenda's 10th aniversary, and picked up a loaf of her famous coconut bread, fresh and warm out of the oven. After a little more exploring, we returned to the boat and promptly cut the warm loaf of coconut bread, slathered on some french butter, (you can't getit in the states) and pigged out. It lived up to its reputation and then some. After finishing a good bit of the loaf we needed some exercise, so we took the girls to the beach.Tonight we all gathered at Loraine's for a traditional Bahamian meal. Man was it good. After dinner we were served Loraine's wonderful chocolate pineapple cake. Do we eat well or what?I always have so much more to tell you, but I prefer to let the pictures do that. I know you enjoy the pictures more than me rambling on anyway.
September Song (full and happy) out
Bob