Fun in the Bahamas

Since leaving the Dominican Republic we made our way overnight to South Caicos. We checked in at Cockburn Harbour and spent the next day exploring the beaches and snorkeling. The clarity of the water was amazing and the variety of fish was incredible. After Cockburn Harbor we crossed Caicos Banks to Providenciales, where we stayed through Easter.

With the encouragement of Calypso, another family boat that we met in Luperon, we then headed out for Little Inagua, one of the southern most island of the Bahamas. We then crossed with them to Hogsty Reef, the closest thing to an atoll that you can find in the Atlantic. It is a 3 mile x 5 mile horseshoe reef that rises up out of almost nowhere. (Try Google images for a good picture.) There are two wreck on the reef, with one being a big liberty ship. Quite amazing.

From there we sailed to Datum Bay which is found on the south west tip of Acklins Island. We took the dinghy around to the ocean side and explored the trash and treasures washed up along the beach. Upon hearing about Grappy's death, we made our way up to Clarence Town, on the south eastern part of Long Island. The people at Flying Fish Marina we quite helpful in getting the boat secure and our family to the closest airport.

The kids and I returned to the boat on the 19th. We explored Dean's Blue Hole (see Josie's entry below) and were amazed by some dockside entertainment (see Jeremiah's entry). On the 21st we made our way to Conception Island, where we swam, hiked, snorkeled, built sand castles, and did a little fishing (see Xavier's entry). On Friday with light winds and calm seas we motored to Elizabeth Harbor (Georgetown), on Great Exuma. The Bermuda Family Island Regatta was going on and we were able to watch the last race of the day. Chassuer was in the harbor as well and we had a great dinner with them, catching up on their adventures since we last saw them in Vieques. Saturday was a blast with the kids crewing on some of the local race boats (see Catherine's entry).

From here we plan to slowly make our way up the Exumas and then on to the Abacos. Sometime towards the end of May we will do a multi-day passage to either Beaufort, NC or Norfolk, VA, depending on the weather window we get. Hope you enjoy the entries and pictures below.

--Peter

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Dean's Blue Hole

While we were in Provo we were told of Dean’s Blue Hole, the deepest blue hole the world, which is on Long Island, Bahamas. When we returned to Clarence Town from Pittsburgh, we decided to go check it out.

It would have been a three mile dinghy ride to the hole from the marina, but our inflatable dinghy was leaking air and needed some attention. Instead we decided to walk the four miles to the blue hole. After walking about a mile and a half along the road we were able to hitch a ride up to the turn-off. From there we walked the last half mile or so along a sand road to the beautiful beach.

When we reached the beach I was surprised by how small the hole was in diameter. I was also amazed by how dramatic the color changes were. The water started out at about one foot deep and had a clear color with a slight hint of turquoise, then quickly dropped to about fifteen feet. This water was a light shade of aquamarine and formed a thirty foot wide ring around the blue hole. The blue hole itself had a depth of 638 feet and was a beautiful sapphire color. The blue hole was 60 feet in diameter and a very popular free diving spot.

During our visit there were two divers practicing for a free diving competition that was coming up, but I felt no need to dive into the deep creepy depths. I did, however, swim across the blue hole with Catherine, Jeremiah and Dad. I was encouraged by the fact that it was not very likely that there were sharks swimming around below me because they would have had to swim through very shallow water to reach the deep water. On the far side of the blue hole cliffs rise up about forty feet overhead. We thought about climbing the rope ladder that hung from the cliff, but it looked too tricky. We had heard of a path that led to the top of the cliffs, so we swam back to Xavier and went in search of it.

We found the path and walked along the cliff edge till we reach a point that was about 25 feet from the water (Yup, I did jump off another 25 foot cliff.). Catherine and Dad jumped from there as well. Jeremiah jumped from a place that was about 10 feet lower and Xavier walked along till the drop off was not far from the water and jumped from there. After jumping we swam back to the beach and started the walk back. We walked for about 10 minutes before a car came by and Dad stuck out his thumb. The nice man driving the jeep drove us all the way back to Flying Fish Marina where we were keeping our boat.

Blue holes are amazing geological features and they though they probably all look similar, there is something to be said for going the deepest one in the world. It is like going to Mt. Everest or to the Dead Sea, it is simply really cool to be somewhere where that is one of a kind. There is no blue hole deeper than Deans Blue hole, it is the best you can get.

(To see more pictures of this blue hole you can Google it or look for it on Google Earth. Try “Deans Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas” or find Clarence Town and track northwest along the coast a bit)

– Josephine.

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Dockside Aquarium

While we were at Clarence Town, we saw lots of sea life. Snappers, rays, and sharks swam around the dock of the marina. The crystal clear water made it easier to identify the sea life because we could see the details and shapes a whole lot better. Out of all we saw, the coolest were the sharks.

At the marina there was a place where all the fishermen cleaned their fish and then dropped the leftovers into the water. One evening we watched a person throw in a carcass of a wahoo which was tied to a rope. If it was not attached to the rope the sharks would down it in one bite.

There were two big lemon sharks, one small black tipped reef shark, one big black tipped reef shark and one small nurse shark. When the sharks attacked the carcass they rolled back their eyes to protect them from getting scratched. When they do this they have to find the fish by movement. This was hard for them because the fish was not alive. (Near the end of the video, you can see the shark snap at the air.) This feeding fest went for a long time until the big reef shark ripped the fish off of the rope.

One very interesting thing was that all the fish, rays, and sharks had a rank in when to eat. There was a lemon shark the size of Dad and a black tipped reef shark the size of Xavier. Even though the reef shark was smaller it got first dibs and the lemon shark could only watch a perfect meal go down the reef shark’s throat.

This was a great experience for Xavier (the shark expert), for me, and for everyone else there. Since I have seen this it is a little harder to jump off the boat.

-- Jeremiah





Shark video.

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Fishing at Conception Island

When we were at Conception Island, we went fishing. The first day we used lures and spaghetti for bait to try to catch horse-eye jacks. They were about two and a half feet long. The next day we went fishing again in the morning. We used lures to try to catch trunkfish. They were about a foot in length. We were fishing for about forty-five minutes when we hooked a fish. Jeremiah was casting and caught a trunkfish. When he realed it in, we noticed that the hook was caught in the gill. We had to release our catch because we were in a national park. That night we were trying to catch jacks again. We used hooks and cheese for bait. It seemed that the jacks like it. The first bite we got the fish took the hook so we had to replace it. The second time it took just the cheese. This happened about ten more times. I kept moving from the side of the boat to the companionway telling everyone what was happening. It was a lot of fun.

-- Xavier

On the beach at Conception Island

One of the trunkfish swimming by our boat.

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Georgetown Junior Races

Off we set at 7:20 bound for the race boat anchorage. All the cruiser kids had been invited to join in the Junior Race, one of the many races held during the Family Island Regatta. Josie, Jeremiah, and I were all taking part. Amid all the confusion in the anchorage the three of us wound up on the boats: Sweet Island Gal, Smashie, and Lady Ruthnell. The start was pending so up came the anchor, up went the sail, and out to the start line we tacked.

Lady Ruthnell at the start.

Besides from the fact that they were junior races there was also one other major difference, the boats anchored at the start line. At the start of most races the boats just tack back and forth trying not to cross the line early and using the right of way to their advantage or other boats disadvantage. In our case the advantage was with whomever could haul the anchor in fastest and in the meanwhile raise their sail and set a straight course for the first mark. When everybody was ready the siren blared and we set off. The first race consisted of only two legs instead of the traditional three. Lady Ruthnell coasted along in a rhythmic pattern of heeling over and flattening out. A pattern matched by the shifting of weight on the pry, the board extended out from the side of the boat that the crew sits on to balance the boat. Haley and Alana, the two other girls on the boat, and I pretty much spent the first race figuring out what to do and when. Soon we had it down pat.

Jeremiah out on the pry.

The second race proceeded just like the first but the third was a full three legs. On the final race Smashie (Jeremiah’s boat which Evan from Chasseur skippered) came in first. Lady Ruthnell claimed 4^th on that one.

Sweet Island Girl - Josie has on yellow hat.

Win or no win, it was tons of fun. Stories were swapped for the rest of the day and overall everyone had a blast, each of us glad we were in Georgetown for the regatta and especially the junior races.

-- Catherine

Rounding the second mark.

Sad News

Greetings everyone,

As many of you already have heard, Eliza's father passed away two weeks ago. We were in the undeveloped parts of the southern Bahamas, no internet, no cell service, and only the one other boat we were traveling with ... However, Eliza's cousin was able to get a message out on different SSB cruising networks, and we got the news in time to get back to Pittsburgh and be there for the wake and funeral. It was an emotional time with lots of tears and hugs and stories and even laughter. The variety of people and the distances they travel really speaks to how much we all valued and love Bill/Grappy.

Eliza has stayed on in Pittsburgh to help her mom and will join us in Georgetown, Great Exuma, in the Bahamas.

The kids are all working on great blog entries to illuminate the adventures we have had since the DR. We hope to post them later this week.

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers you have shared with us.

Peace,
Peter

Catherine wrote a thoughtful and heartfelt piece about my dad that she read to us at the funeral. I want to share it with all of you who have been following us this year.

My Grappy

My Grappy is the man who I beat only once in hearts,
My Grappy is the man with tricky clues for password,
My Grappy is the man who wouldn't let me near the dishes,
My Grappy is the man who had a crossword and pencil in hand.

My Grappy is the one who owned the kitchen,
My Grappy is the one who turned tour guide for Josie and me,
My Grappy is the one with a heart for sports and a head for words,
My Grappy is the one who deemed every mother 'Mother dearest love of my life'.

My Grappy rode the incline with me,
My Grappy went to Steelers games , twice with me,
My Grappy played cards with me,
My Grappy will always be with me.

My Grappy is with God now, I hope He can play Oh Heck,
My Grappy is gone now, in being but him I will never forget,
My Grappy gave me precious memories,
My Grappy made the world a better place not only for me.

My Grappy must be remembered,
My Grappy deserves to be honored,
My Grappy must be shared, because,
My Grappy gave me happiness as I hope he did for you.

So to keep My Grappy alive try to be like him,
Give someone what he gave me,
Love, Life, Happiness and most of all memories,
I love My Grappy and I think he loved me.

My Grappy will be alive in me always,
Find your Grappy and make him a home in your soul,
Grappy's soul left his body and now we can make room for that soul in ourselves,
Grappy lives on in everyone who loves him.

My Grappy is at peace,
My Grappy is in me,
My Grappy is mine alone,
My Grappy is loved.

--Catherine

(There should be no size difference in the text. I messed up and can't figure it out.)

Leaving the DR and heading north

Eliza has rejoined the crew after successfully helping her parents transition from their home to a new apartment in a senior living community, and we have officially begun our return north. We completed an overnight run from Luperon (in the Dominican Republic) to South Caicos and from here we will make our way up through the Bahamas and then on to the eastern seaboard.

Our time in the Dominican Republic was an eye-opening cultural experience. Having to communicate in a second language, rolling with the bureaucratic process of checking in and out of each port, experiencing the natural wonders, grimacing at the burning trash piles, and enjoying the warm-hearted spirit and friendly faces that greeted us whenever we went ashore, all will make up integral parts of our memories of this country.

Below are pieces the kids have put together describing some of the experiences we had in the Dominican Republic.

-- Peter

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While we were in Samana, we were invited onto the Harvey Gamage. It is an old schooner used by Ocean Classroom. It is 131 feet long. It is wood and has lots of cabin space. They have only one fresh water pump that you have to pump by hand. On board they have a captain, a 1st mate, a 2nd mate, 3rd mate , three deck hands, one cook, and two full time educators, and the kids. The kids travel and learn. The Harvey Gamage is three times the size of Ohana. It has much more cabin space and much more sails. It has taller masts. The Harvey Gamage was huge.

--Xavier

The Harvey Gamage

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Those of you who live in Boston, know that in the summer a popular trip is a whale watch. In the summer whales inhabit the northern waters, but when winter comes around all the whales leave to come to the Caribbean. We had read in our cruising guide that there were many whales in the area of Samana so as we were leaving this bay we kept a sharp lookout.

Finding the whales was easy enough, Dad just followed the whale watching boats. The whale watching boats here in the Caribbean are very different from the ones that can be seen in Boston Harbor. These boats are much smaller and have outboard engines (most had two 150s I think). They are just one level without any roof or snack shack, just a open boat with a steering wheel, lots of seats, and many tourists. We followed and low and behold they led us right to where the whales were.

There was probably three whales that we saw, all humpbacks by Xavier’s calculations. We saw them spout water from their blow holes and wave at us with their fins. Their bumpy backs emerged from the water numerous times. With each appearance came the sound of the camera snapping and of much oooh-ahhhing. We watched the whales for about half an hour at which point they took one last breath and returned to the deeps of the ocean.

Once the whales had disappeared for the time being, the whale watching boats returned to the harbor and we continued on our way to Luperon.

-Josephine

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Hola! From Luperon! Our last stop in the Dominican Republic is a sailboat filled, mangrove lined, hurricane hole. We arrived Sunday morning and promptly ran aground. Luperon is a harbor full of bumps and ditches. We freed Ohana from the mud and proceeded to set our anchor with success. When we were motoring in, we saw one boat with kids on it and another one radioed us with advice for where the deep spots could be found. After Josie, Dad, and I crashed for two hours (minus a short interuption from the Marina de Guerra). Once everyone on board felt recharged we showed our faces above deck and were immediately rewarded with a visit from the two kids from Osprey, Kayo the 12 year old boy and Kylarnie (or Birdie) the 10 year old girl, stopped by and told us about plans to visit the marina pool. We chose to stay back and just chill for the day.

Feeling braver on our second day, the five of us venture into town. We bought fruits and veggies and noted where we could buy roasted chickens for dinner. Later the dad on Osprey, John, stopped by to invite us to come along to a fast pitch softball game being played in town. After lunch Xavier, Dad, and I headed over to find the field empty of not only fans but players as well. Confused we continued up the road to buy dinner while we are on land. On the way we ran into the family from Osprey and the couple from Kaya (a catamaran Osprey knows). They were glad to see us but sad to inform us that the game had been canceled due to the rain from the previous night. Next door to the restaurant the six of them were eating lunch at is a place named Steve’s there Kayo and Birdie taught Xavier and I how to play pool and we got to know each other while the adults talked and drank beer.

Upon invitation the three of us returned to Ohana, changed into bathing suits and picked up Jeremiah before heading to the pool. There the kids from both Osprey and Calypso, the first kid boat we had seen during our entrance to the harbor, had already set up camp. Our day of fun was crowned by Nica, the mom from Calypso, and her daughter, Maddie, coming over to play cards after dinner.

In comparison the next day was drab with primarily a school day aboard the boat, but a climax after dinner. Jeremy, Nica and Maddie, from Calypso, joined us along with Kayo and Birdie, from Osprey. A very interesting game of Mafia was the end product. It consisted of excitable narrators, crazy debates, quite a ruckus, and fun all around.

A day of school on land, swimming in the pool and relaxing in the evening followed the night of Mafia. After that came Wednesday, was the day of Mom’s return. Osprey and Calypso spent the day horseback riding, Dad picked Mom up and went provisioning, we kids cleaned and organized the boat.

Thursday was another pool day when Mom met the other adults and switched back to island life. On Friday all three kid boats set out for a full day adventure. We were headed to the waterfalls! A week ago Calypso and Osprey had done the first seven waterfalls but now we were off to do all twenty-seven! They were amazing! Jeremiah will tell you more.

Adios until the Bahamas.

– Catherine

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Sliding down 15 foot waterfalls that had made a natural waterslide and jumping off 25 foot ledges into icy water is what we did for 2 hours on the 25th of March.

Xavier about to head down a slide.

To get to the ledges overlooking the river you climb up a rope with knots for handholds. You then would walk to a ledge overlooking a deep spot in the canyon. Last you would push off of the ledge propelling yourself outward so you land in the deep spot of the river avoiding the submerged rocks. When I jumped off the tallest ledge I was thinking “ Why haven't I hit yet?” The drop seemed endless. On some of the waterfalls, instead of jumping into the canyon, you could slide down the chute it had carved.

Jeremiah halfway down the big drop.

To slide down the sometimes bumpy sometimes smooth waterfalls, you would cross your hands across your chest in a X position. Then the guide would hold you until the person before you swam out of the way. Next the guide would let you go sliding down the waterfalls. Unlike slides at a amusement park, these are risky. You have to wear a life jacket and a helmet. Some of these slides led into deep pools of water while others led you into canyons with steep walls. Though you could get hurt the risk was worth the fun.

Floating down the canyons after jump.

Once in the canyon, you swam along ducking under overhangs and studying cool rock figures. One time there was a cave that we dared each other to enter. No one went in, though some swam near the entrance. Another time the canyon was so skinny that it was almost impossible to stop to study rock figures because the current swept us along at a fast pace. These passes were unique because there weren't a lot of them.

All of us at the end of the ride.

While zip lining in Puerto Rico was great because you got to repell as well as zip line, this adventure was focused on one thing, waterfalls. Both experiences were new and exciting. They tested your nerves by offering opportunities that started an adrenaline rush. I look forward to the next time we do an adventure like this.

-- Jeremiah