Marsh Harbour, Abacos

On a cloudy and warm Thursday, June 9, we left Man-O-War Cay for the quick one hour cruise to Marsh Harbour.  This is the biggest town in the Abacos and the only one where we had a chance of getting our outboard repaired.  It is also the town that people fly in  and out of to get to the Abacos.

We chose a wonderful marina called Mangoes and it has become our favorite marina on the trip so far.  With its funky Key West vibe and small size, it provided all the amenities we needed in an attractive island-like, tropical setting.  It had a comfy and attractive cruisers lounge and an outdoor area complete with pool and hammock.  Lynn spent quite a bit of time in these areas because it was the only place with a decent internet connection (hence the big delay in getting blog posts out).

Upon arrival, our first task was to contact the local Mercury dealer who arranged to come and pick up our outboard. We spent the rest of the day cleaning up the boat, relaxing, and meeting some of the neat people who also made this a great stop for us.

On Friday, we prepared to  walk the mile or so to the Mercury dealer to  pay for the repairs.  We were walking though town which is clearly not the most picturesque one in the Abacos.  It is the best place, however, to shop and get any kind of work done.   We walked through town on this cloudy day but when we arrived at the dealer, our credit card was rejected.  Someone had stolen the number and was making unauthorized charges on it in the U.S.  We then had to trudge back to the boat to get another card.  By this time, we decided to divide and conquer and Lynn detoured to the well-stocked grocery store while Jonny paid the OB bill.  While she was in the store it started to pour with the rain pelting down on the tin roof of the grocery.  Jonny showed up to meet her for the walk home having received a ride from the dealer who delivered the OB back to the boat.  As we exited the grocery, the power went off and we, along with a dozen other patrons, stood on the porch watching the deluge.  Fortunately we were able to catch a cab ride back to Zendo. We spent the evening checking out the local pub’s version of the Goombay Smash.

Next day, Saturday, dawned sunny and bright.  A great day to try the local snorkeling reef on the other side of the harbor.  We dinghied over to Mermaid Reef where several boats were already moored.  It was a   good reef with plenty of colorful fish and we had great fun there.  Afterwards we took a spin around that part of the key and saw some beautiful homes in a quiet harbor.

By this time we had befriended two very lively sets of boaters.  The first set, two guys from North Carolina named Daniel and Micah, were taking a 3 month  break from their jobs to sail Daniel’s boat through the Bahamas.  They were great fun, bright, live wires and just full of energy and good will.  The second set were Steve and Jill from Cape Coral, who were on an extended cruise aboard their sailboat.  They had sort of “adopted”  Daniel and Micah and had been traveling together for part of their journey.  Together we tried the local bars and planned an outing for the next day.  

One of the bars was called Curly Tail after the local lizards that pop up everywhere in this area (see the first picture in this post).  They are very cute and this bar was beautifully decked out with the best view of the harbor.

Daniel’s girlfriend, Erin, had arrived for the weekend and he wanted to give her the full experience so we decided to check out the famous Nipper’s for their Sunday soiree.  Since Zendo could most comfortably accommodate all of us, we set out on Sunday for Great Guana Cay where Nipper's is located.  Jonny and I would have stopped at Guana Cay on the way to Man-O-War  Cay had our travel day not been  so  rainy.  It has a beautiful beach and supposedly good snorkeling.  For those who aren’t familiar with Nipper's, it is a  long standing beach bar that is known for its party atmosphere.  On Sundays they host a big barbecue lunch and people come from all around to partake in the festivities.

As we walked the trail to get to Nipper’s, we were greeted by two very pretty (and topless) young women who had apparently been having a very good time.  They greeted us, obviously very tipsy, and we wondered what we would be encountering when we arrived.  But, perhaps to the disappointment of some of the guys, we found the remaining patrons drinking, dancing, eating and swimming in an array of apparel some more interesting than others. 

We ate lunch on the patio observing the scene and then went down to the beach.

 Reports about the snorkeling were not favorable so Steve and Jonny checked it out to confirm.  The rest of us went swimming at the beach or in one of the pools, had drinks and people watched.  There was music and dancing and carrying on.  A good time was had by all!

Later that afternoon, as we trudged up the dirt path back to our dingy, the party was carrying on without us. 

We had a beautiful cruise back to our calm little Mangrove Marina.  Our guests got a big kick out of traveling on Zendo and we got a big kick out of them including our onboard showers!

That evening we took it easy and had a quiet dinner on Zendo and tucked into bed a little early.

We stayed at Mangoes for four nights and really enjoyed ourselves there.  An added attraction was the fact that that the manager only charged us the monthly rate for staying which certainly added to our appreciation of this cool little marina!

Man-O-War Cay, Abacos

After two nights at Green Turtle Cay, we decided to move on to Man-O-War Cay.  We had been there before on a previous Bahamian vacation many years ago and we had good memories of it as well as a tee shirt that Lynn still wears!  Early in the morning it appeared that the weather would be okay for the passage through Whale Cay Channel.  This was important because this channel consists of a narrow passage between two cays and back again through another narrow passage. There are times when the weather can produce a ‘rage’ which results in large ocean swells that break along the reefs lining those cays. Fortunately for us, the passage through Whale Cay Channel was predicted to be (and was) relatively calm.

However, as soon as we left the dock at the yacht club, we saw storm clouds in the distance.  We decided to proceed anyway and for awhile we were running ahead of the storm.  But not for long!  We hastily closed our Strataglass curtains and hunkered down during a spell of pouring rain.  Jonny started getting nervous as we got closer to Whale Cay Channel because we were beginning to experience white out conditions and our radar was not working as well for us here in the Bahamas as it did during our Down East journey. (out of practice!) Fortunately, the conditions improved and though it was still raining, we were able to navigate the channel successfully. 

If the weather had been better, we would have stopped and anchored off of Great Guana Cay where there are beautiful  beaches and snorkeling.  But because the weather was predicted to be overcast and rainy and the winds did not favor those anchorages, we proceeded on to Man-O-War Cay.

We arrived at the narrow entrance to that well-protected harbor at about 2 p.m. and picked up a mooring ball (after several attempts).  The mooring field can be quite crowded but this time of year it’s not as busy and we were fine. 

We took the dinghy in to Man-O-War and strolled through town. Man-0-War Cay was settled by Loyalists after the Revolutionary War.  This town’s main industry is boat building and the main street and coast are lined with boat building establishments.

We strolled along and visited a couple of shops that sold fabrics.  Lynn had purchased a robe here many years ago as women in the Bahamas weave beautiful colorful fabrics that they use to make garments, tablecloths, etc.  The prices were exorbitant however so Lynn passed.

We also visited a sail cloth making shop where women busily sewing very nice bags of all sorts from colorful sail cloth. Again, a pass,  Jonny was looking for some boat supplies but we keep getting referred to Marsh Harbour for these needs.

We strolled through the residential area where there were colorful homes, many lined with conch shells and whimsical decorations.

We stopped for a refreshing ice cream cone and watched the world go by.  There are golf carts here instead of cars.

The island has historically been dry until just recently.

As a result there are no bars on the island though we understand the restaurants (2) now serve drinks.  We thought we would grab one at the Dock and Dine restaurant next to our marina but at 5 p.m. it showed no sign of being open soon nor was there a bar – so we created our own happy hour aboard Zendo.

We had a delicious dinner of eggplant parmesan that Lynn had made prior to the trip and settled in for the evening to watch one more movie, Pitch Perfect 2.

Green Turtle Cay, Abacos

After a few days at anchor, it was time to stay in a marina.  On a somewhat overcast day on Monday, June 6, we set off at 9 a.m. for the short one hour hop to Green Turtle Cay.  There, we found a cute marina called the Leeward Yacht Club.

 It was also home to several charming cottages, gaily painted with porches decorated with gingerbread trim. 

After cleaning up the boat, we headed out on a food shopping expedition.  This neat, somewhat funky town is filled with friendly people.  To avoid a very long hot walk to the main shopping area (such as it is), we took the dinghy across Black Sound to the settlement of New Plymouth. 

Walking up and over a hill, we found 3 little grocery stores, a couple of hardware stores and two restaurants.  A thriving metropolis!

First things first – we were thirsty and hungry so we headed for the nicest restaurant in town called Harvey’s which also boasted a great air conditioner!  Lynn decided to try the local drink, a Goombay Smash, though it’s not the type of drink she usually goes for.  The choice was a “Smash” hit – refreshing with coconut rum, pineapple juice and who knows what else.  It also  packed a wallop!  After another meal of cracked conch, we stocked up on our groceries and headed back to the boat. 

By the time we returned to Zendo, it was naptime for Lynnie while the ever-industrious Jonny cleaned the outside of the boat.

We met some of our neighbors, two of whom were heading for same MTOA event at Treasure Key that we planned to attend.  A couple of the boats had a bunch of kids and took off on all day fishing trips on the days we were there though we didn’t see any of the fruits of their labor!

On Tuesday morning, Jonny ventured off for a walk to the beach while Lynn stayed lazily behind.  In the afternoon we took the dinghy back to town to go to the hardware store but unfortunately it closed promptly at 5 and they refused to stay open for one more minute. 

Upon returning to the marina, we decided to try their restaurant’s version of the Goombay Smash which was not nearly as potent as Harvey’s!  We stayed for dinner and headed back to Zendo to retire early.

Manjack Cay Anchorage, Abacos

On yet another sunny and warm day, we got up early for the very short cruise (one hour) to Manjack Cay (pronounced Munjack and cay is pronounced key).  Several people had recommended that we spend time here.  There  were three areas to choose from – one more attractive than the next.  We went to the northernmost bay first – the one closest to where we were. 



We took the dinghy in to go snorkeling for the first time on this trip.  It was great fun and quite beautiful.  There weren't a lot of fish but there were enough to make it worthwhile.  We then took the dinghy to the shore where we kept seeing tiny gatherings of people near a particular part of the beach.  Sure enough, there were manta rays and nurse sharks swimming in the shallow waters there.  A man was feeding them and allowing people to do the same.  It was fun to watch!

We spent time walking the length of the stunning beach looking at shells  - lots of conch and sand dollars. 

After returning to the boat, Lynn finally started practicing her piano (first time on the trip) while  Jonny fooled with the music on his IPAD.  Later we moved around the point to a more secure anchorage in the bight between Manjack Cay and Crab Cay. Lynn made a delicious chicken curry for dinner and that night we watched Grandma with Lily Tomlin (good movie).

 
The next morning, Sunday, we got an early start and took the dinghy with the outboard so we could venture further for more snorkeling.  We found a cool place and snorkeled for quite a while along a breakwater but didn’t see a lot.  Jonny, however, did see two manta rays and a sea turtle.  He always sees more than Lynn does!

We returned to Zendo after an extended dinghy ride around a portion of Manjack Cay.  On the way back to Zendo, our engine conked out.  It turned out that that our ow line was tangled up in the prop. Jonny rowed us back and we freed the prop of the line. Another lesson learned!!

 

 

  

 Later on we spent a very relaxing afternoon reading, practicing piano and enjoying each other’s company.  That evening we watched Lady in the Van.  By the way, we have very poor radio reception here and obviously no television reception but we have certainly found plenty of enjoyable  ways to spend our time!

Powell Cay Anchorage, Abacos

Friday, June 3 was another beautiful sunny day!  We left our anchorage in Foxtown bound for another anchorage in Powell Cay.  Now that we are in the Abacos, all of our destinations are relatively close.  Today we made it to Powell Cay in three hours arriving at noon.

What a beautiful spot we found!  This uninhabited cay had sandy beaches and a couple of walking trails.  Although we were the first boat to arrive in this lovely cove, we were soon joined by a very large yacht – over 140 feet long!

 We watched from a distance as the yacht disgorged two large dinghies and a couple of jet ski. This yacht seemed to be familiar with the cay and know just where to “camp out” on the beach.

We took our modest little fold-up dinghy over to the beach and landed a distance from them to allow them some privacy. We then proceeded to walk the beach searching for the path that supposedly bisected the island. Not finding it, we hiked back and asked the yachtsmen if they knew of the path. They immediately pointed it out right behind where they were lounging. 

We hiked up the trail to the top of a bluff on the cay and then over the hill to the beach on the Atlantic side of the cay. It was beautiful!

The trail was quite amusing in and of itself with all kinds of flotsam and jetsam hanging from trees and draped along the path indicated the way in and out.

Afterwards, we hiked further up the bay from where we were anchored and went for a lovely swim in the warm but still refreshing waters.  The water in the Bahamas is so magnificent – with colors ranging from cerulean to turquoise to sea foam green.

Later that afternoon, another yacht not quite as big as the first one (a mere 80’) arrived and anchored on the other side of us.  We were the only 3 boats in the cove and apparently we were in very good company, our little 36 foot trawler quite dwarfed by two mega-yachts!

We had a quiet dinner back aboard Zendo and enjoyed the quiet peacefulness of this spot.  This is a gorgeous anchorage that we would be happy to return to any time!

Foxtown Anchorage, Abacos

On this beautiful, warm Thursday, we left our anchorage at Mangrove Cay and made a six hour cruise to an anchorage off of Foxtown.  The waters were calm as we continued on the over the Little Bahama Bank and again we saw very few boats.  Lynn spent the day reading Elena Ferrante’s second Neapolitan novel.  They are truly addicting!

 

 We arrived at our anchorage off of Foxtown at around 2 p.m.  We spent a couple of hours relaxing on board.  Of course, Jonny kept busy – this time testing the dinghy and its anchor so we could use it when we go snorkeling.  He also tried out our new snorkeling gear.  We’re ready!

Around 5 p.m. we took the dinghy over to Foxtown - an extremely modest settlement!  We walked up and down the main street that lined the coast amidst barking dogs and inquisitive children.  The community seems to be quite poor, but the people were friendly, especially the children.

Fisherman were coming in with catches of fresh conch and fish which they offered to us for purchase.

We decided to follow the advice of our guidebook and get a beer at the local bar that supposedly had the best cracked conch in the Abacos.  DaValley Restaurant/Bar was located on the waterfront close to our dinghy dock. 

We ordered a couple of beers and sat out on the deck – the only place to catch a cool breeze.  We ended up being absolutely delighted with our very fresh cracked conch dinner and salad and the hospitable nature of the proprietress and server.

 

Afterwards we took the dinghy back to the boat and discovered that our outboard was having significant idle problems.  Fortunately we also have a Torqeedo (electric) engine as a back-up to the 4 stroke outboard.  That evening we watched a video that Jonny’s brother Andy gave us, called Sunshine, a very long and somewhat interesting movie with Ralph Fiennes.