Chapter 9 (persistence pays off!)

Chapter 9
Well, blogging has become more difficult due to the internet access the further south we travel. It is nearly impossible to embed photos or Maps. I will have to
Edit and add these to our blog later. I must put a plug in for T-Mobile. When we first arrived at West End, we received a text from T-Mobile, indicating they knew we were in the Bahamas and alerting us that we had free unlimited texting, unlimited data at a slower speed and $0.20 per minute for calls we make. This was a blessing because the Bahamas phone we purchased cost $30 to cents per minute, you must fill up the funds when it is low and no free text or data! The Bahamas phone works great for local calls for dealing with local calls here but not for others. The (Bahamas Telephone Company) BTC has Towers placed strategically throughout the islands that keep you covered fairly well, at least where we have traveled so far. We do have a satellite phone in case of emergencies if all else fails. In fact this chapter is being posted via T-Mobile through BTC!

Culinary cuisine

We have finally started catching fish! Pictures to be posted as soon as possible. We have always been reluctant to catch any fish living on a reef due to the ciguatera fish poisoning found in among other species, Barracuda and large reef fish. We have been told that the smaller reef fish here have been found to be safe. Therefore we have thrown all of the BIG fish back!  That's  our story and we're sticking to it! We caught yellowtail Snapper,  bar Jack, grouper and grunt. I know the grunt does not sound very appetizing but they were all very good! Steve is preparing them for filleted, either  on the grill, skin side down or sauteed in a Buttery sauce. The yellow tail snapper taste sweet like a lobster.  I have loved cooking on a gas stove raather than electric.  For tbose of you that know me I have never been much of a cook but that is because I don't  have the time.   I have enjoyed all of the cooking I have done!  We are still looking for that perfect bone fishing spot and more dolphin to take pictures of!

Our last blog took us to the five days in Marsh Harbour. When we left, Marsh Harbor we continued South down the abacos. We anchored off Tilloo Cay. While we were there Steve notice that the tachometer on the alternator head quit working. Before leaving Florida, we had tried to purchase a spare alternator however, it would have been a special order and they could not get it in stock for several weeks. They tested are alternator at a shop and told us it was great so we left without a spare. We decided to check out our options at Marsh Harbour before continuing. Steve called the boat yard in Marsh Harbour which was on the side of the island closest to us now. They put us in contact with basil Wilmore. He is a nice local fellow and has a business on the island and agreed to look at our alternator. We return to Marsh Harbour outside of the Boatyard. They had no room for us in the Boatyard. We needed to remove the alternator with the understanding that we would not be able to start the engine if there were weather issues, while on anchor outside the harbor. At this time winds were calm. We had to launch the dinghy and take the alternator to shore after we contacted basil to meet us. He met us that evening and had it fixed and returned to us within two hours of receiving it! He charged us $120  for his services (twice what he  initially quoted) but it it was well worth it. This is not the typical Island Experience we have had in the past! Generally it told two hours, it turns into two days and two days into a week. Steve replaced the alternator and we left the next morning for more Adventures.

We continued South to Buckaroon Bay off of great Abaco Island. This was the only time we have anchored in a bay with several other boats. However due to the wind direction it was the only bay in this area with good protection. There were 12 other boats there. However it was a very large Bay. There was a large charter boat that had several women on board from Colorado, (Boulder andAspen), we enjoyed meeting them. They were on a very large, fully crewed,gh charter boat. They gave us a tour of their boat it was beautiful. Pictures to follow. Here in this bay as with others we have found beautiful amazing beaches to play Smash ball on and to beachcomb we have found several beautiful shells (Ed)!

Tonight we are in the most southern area of the abacos. Lynyrd Cay, just next to Little Harbor. Tomorrow we prepare Sol Mates for a 60-mile sail South on Monday in the open Atlantic for Eleuthera, the next Island in the chain. Tonight we met a couple on the beach from Longmont, Colorado.  He was wearing a Carter Lake sailing club t-shirt! I think we will meet up with them again. They had a boat on Carter Lake outside of Loveland during the same time we did!   We are continually finding out what a very small world we live in!
Thank you Stella, for your IT assistance!