Windwalker Voyages Bahamas 2019 Bahamas 2017 Bahamas 2015 Bahamas 2013 Florida to Maine 2006 East Coast and Caribbean 2003	Bahamas 2017 Overview Chart / Route Status Reports Logs Photos
2017 Trip to the Abacos Last year, we planned another Bahamas trip, but discovered an engine issue during our sea trial. Power was reduced and speed was limited, even with a freshly painted bottom. While in retrospect, we probably could have completed the trip successfully, instead we used the time to do some extensive work on the engine and transmission, fix some leaks in the refrigeration system, and attend to a few other items. As a result of that effort, this year's trip was great and the boat performed flawlessly for the most part. We left the Lake Worth inlet for Old Bahama Bay on a calm crossing day - the wind was light so we were moter sailing, but the seas were flat and it was the most comfortable gulfstream crossing I can remember. After checking in and having a nice meal in the resort restaurant, we had a pleasant evening and slept well, even without the benefit of air conditioning as the "C" dock still lacked electricity ever since Hurricane Matthew. At the end of April, they were charging $2/foot, up from $1 during the winter season, so we only stayed for one night. Catching a good tide for the Indian Cay channel, we had a nice sail to Great Sale Cay, expecting to perhaps stay a few days. This was the only stop without good BTC data coverage on the trip though, and the approaching weather system bringing strong easterlies convinced us to move on after 1 night. An uneventful motorsail in the midst of a pack of boats all seemingly headed for Allans-Pensacola (where the holding is not the best and we would be surrounded by other boats in a coming blow), suggested that we do something different, and we tucked into the Crab Cay anchorage instead. There we sat for 3 days with about 5 other boats, tucked in close to shore in 7 feet as the wind howled in the 20-25 range. Too much wind for dinghy exploring, but the holding was good and we enjoyed swimming off the boat and looking for the green flash in the unobstructed western view at sundown. From there we moved on to the usual stops - Manjack, Tahiti Beach, Bucaroon Bay, with only brief stops in Marsh Harbour for fuel and provisioning. We also were able to get some maxprop zincs at the Marsh Harbour boat yard to replace the one that somehow fell off on the trip over. With light westerly winds for about a week, we were able to explore some places we have always wanted to visit but weren't able with the prevailing wind and swell from the ocean. These included Little Harbour and Pete's Pub (we anchored outside the harbour off the beach where there is usually a significant swell), around the corner at Tom Curry Point in the Bight of Old Robinson, and Spencer's Point in Spencer's Bight. The latter is directly across from the North Bar entrance channel and would probably have had 1-2 foot swells in normal easterly winds, but in these conditions it was like a mill pond. Going ashore in the dinghy, we explored near the ruins of Wilson City, a logging town abandoned a hundred years ago, walking along the shoreside roadbed. Another new (for us) stop was a few days in the Bluff House Marina. We had always lacked the desire to navigate the narrow White Sound entrance channel with our 5.5' draft, but with our new CMAP/Explorer charts, it really wasn't hard. With a 20-25kt wind on the stern, docking was an adventure and we had waves lapping on the boat for the 3 days we were there, but the restaurant was fabulous (Prime rib and lobster pizza!) and we very much enjoyed the stay. In general, the weather was not threatening, and the trip was easy and enjoyable. We especially liked a lot of the new equipment we used for the first time - our Zeus2 chartplotter and B&G 4D Radar, along with an active AIS transponder. Quite a lot of cruising boats have AIS now, and it was fun to note where they were all headed. Several boats we met mentioned they had been following us on AIS as well. The only equipment issue that took some work was getting our boat speed transducer working. Every time I swam off the boat, I would work on any fouling I saw and the speed wheel would easily spin by hand, even if not when the boat was moving. Finally I saw the problem - there was an anemone that had established itself in the wheel cavity. When I approached the boat from the side, I could see it spreading its tentacles out into the current - a good 2-3" in size. When I got close though, it quickly retracted into the hole and could not be seen. Clearly, in the deployed position it was stopping the wheel. With a small screwdriver and a little prodding, I finally got it out and the boat speed was fine for the rest of the trip. All in all a very nice cruise.

Windwalker Voyages

Bahamas 2017

2017 Trip to the Abacos

Last year, we planned another Bahamas trip, but discovered an engine issue during our sea trial. Power was reduced and speed was limited, even with a freshly painted bottom. While in retrospect, we probably could have completed the trip successfully, instead we used the time to do some extensive work on the engine and transmission, fix some leaks in the refrigeration system, and attend to a few other items. As a result of that effort, this year's trip was great and the boat performed flawlessly for the most part.

We left the Lake Worth inlet for Old Bahama Bay on a calm crossing day - the wind was light so we were moter sailing, but the seas were flat and it was the most comfortable gulfstream crossing I can remember. After checking in and having a nice meal in the resort restaurant, we had a pleasant evening and slept well, even without the benefit of air conditioning as the "C" dock still lacked electricity ever since Hurricane Matthew. At the end of April, they were charging $2/foot, up from $1 during the winter season, so we only stayed for one night.

Catching a good tide for the Indian Cay channel, we had a nice sail to Great Sale Cay, expecting to perhaps stay a few days. This was the only stop without good BTC data coverage on the trip though, and the approaching weather system bringing strong easterlies convinced us to move on after 1 night. An uneventful motorsail in the midst of a pack of boats all seemingly headed for Allans-Pensacola (where the holding is not the best and we would be surrounded by other boats in a coming blow), suggested that we do something different, and we tucked into the Crab Cay anchorage instead. There we sat for 3 days with about 5 other boats, tucked in close to shore in 7 feet as the wind howled in the 20-25 range. Too much wind for dinghy exploring, but the holding was good and we enjoyed swimming off the boat and looking for the green flash in the unobstructed western view at sundown.

From there we moved on to the usual stops - Manjack, Tahiti Beach, Bucaroon Bay, with only brief stops in Marsh Harbour for fuel and provisioning. We also were able to get some maxprop zincs at the Marsh Harbour boat yard to replace the one that somehow fell off on the trip over.

With light westerly winds for about a week, we were able to explore some places we have always wanted to visit but weren't able with the prevailing wind and swell from the ocean. These included Little Harbour and Pete's Pub (we anchored outside the harbour off the beach where there is usually a significant swell), around the corner at Tom Curry Point in the Bight of Old Robinson, and Spencer's Point in Spencer's Bight. The latter is directly across from the North Bar entrance channel and would probably have had 1-2 foot swells in normal easterly winds, but in these conditions it was like a mill pond. Going ashore in the dinghy, we explored near the ruins of Wilson City, a logging town abandoned a hundred years ago, walking along the shoreside roadbed.

Another new (for us) stop was a few days in the Bluff House Marina. We had always lacked the desire to navigate the narrow White Sound entrance channel with our 5.5' draft, but with our new CMAP/Explorer charts, it really wasn't hard. With a 20-25kt wind on the stern, docking was an adventure and we had waves lapping on the boat for the 3 days we were there, but the restaurant was fabulous (Prime rib and lobster pizza!) and we very much enjoyed the stay.

In general, the weather was not threatening, and the trip was easy and enjoyable. We especially liked a lot of the new equipment we used for the first time - our Zeus2 chartplotter and B&G 4D Radar, along with an active AIS transponder. Quite a lot of cruising boats have AIS now, and it was fun to note where they were all headed. Several boats we met mentioned they had been following us on AIS as well.

The only equipment issue that took some work was getting our boat speed transducer working. Every time I swam off the boat, I would work on any fouling I saw and the speed wheel would easily spin by hand, even if not when the boat was moving. Finally I saw the problem - there was an anemone that had established itself in the wheel cavity. When I approached the boat from the side, I could see it spreading its tentacles out into the current - a good 2-3" in size. When I got close though, it quickly retracted into the hole and could not be seen. Clearly, in the deployed position it was stopping the wheel. With a small screwdriver and a little prodding, I finally got it out and the boat speed was fine for the rest of the trip.

All in all a very nice cruise.