The passage from Bermuda was bit rough at times (15 to 20 foot seas in the Gulfstream with 30 knots on the nose). For most of the trip we 20/25 knots on the nose, so it was alot of pounding with boat on its side. The boat held up well with some minor damage (wear and tear stuff).

There were a lot of Dolphins and a few whales. We stopped every day for a swim. The only significant event happened on Friday night while motoring towards Bermuda; the prop snagged a drifting fishing line, disabling the engine. Paul and I had to dive on the prop, in the dark with 4 to 5 feet seas. We were successful getting untangled and continued on through the night.

While I’ll miss the Bahamas, I am looking forward to getting back home to the states and resuming my life. We are planning on leaving Thursday early. Unfortunately, we’ll have to head out the Western side due to the strong ENE winds in the Bahamas. It will be a bit bumpy for the first couple of days…then the winds will die as we head North and East. The next problem will be fuel.

I will posting position reports via shiptrak.org. To find me, you will need to enter my HAM call sign (KB1LIQ). If needed, I can also be post some messages via 14300.net. You will need to go to the website and click on the “Net Watch database”…when that page opens, click on search database link at the top of the page and enter my HAM callsign KB1LIQ…it should show any messages (e.g. “we are drifting in the Atlantic….had to put the cat overboard” or “we are out of beer” or “a whale attacked the boat and ate the cat”).

We just got back from the Berry Islands where we spent 6 very pleasant days. We came into Nassau for a quick stop before heading to the Exumas for one last visit before Lorri and the kids depart for Georgia and the crew flies in.

I will posting directions on how you can track our progess, as well be making position reports via shiptrak.org.

The corollary to this is that there is also frequently the stench of cat business wafting in close proximity to galley and salon where we eat our meals.   If the four humans did not smell almost as bad as the bathroom, we’d be pretty miserable.  As it is, since we can shower only once a week or so, and since we wear the same clothes over and over because laundry facilities are rare and expensive, we are able to cope nicely with the medley of aromas that surround us at the dining table. 

I sweep, usually twice daily, our sixty square feet of floorspace below.  It’s good to keep the millions of cat hairs, that hover in the air, circulating. 

Jasper and Georgia are paid to swat flies below decks.  They earn ten cents for every fly they swat.  The most they have earned in one afternoon is $7.40.

We are vigilant in keeping all cardboard off the boat to prevent cockroach infestation.  So far, so good.  Unfortunately, we did not realize that beach sand can be just as invasive a pest.  Despite vigorous shampooing, a tenecious colony is alive and well in Jasper’s hair.

Leaving Staniel Cay tomorrow and heading further up the Exuma chain toward Nassau.  See ya’ll soon.

So, while we make our way north to Nassau, and wrestle with how to by groceries in grocery stores that have very little on the shelves (see Jasper’s blog – he’s not exaggerating), I feel a little like a horse I road long ago that refused to keep pace the entire ride, until we turned for home – he practically killed me galloping back to the barn.

right  now we’re in bahamas, meating up with the few other kid  boats that there are. the bahamas really aren’t what i thought they would be, for me there’s too much color, scraggly islands and blue  water. some the fish kind of creep me too.  my parents say: you’re going to appreciat this trip some day, and i probably will but i really don’t feel the excitement.