March
13, 2015 Pipe Creek / Big Major Spot/Black Point/White Point:
2/02/2015 Black
Point to Pipe Creek, Exuma 14 nm
2/19/2015 Pipe
Creek to Big Majors Spot, 5 nm
2/20/2015 Big
Majors Spot to Sampson Cay, 4 nm
2/23/2015 Sampson
Cay to Staniel (for groceries)/ Black Point 13 nm
2/26/2015 Black
Point to Pipe Creek (Causeway) 13 nm
2/27/2015 Pipe
Creek to Big Majors Spot 9 nm
3/08/2015 Big
Majors Spot to White Point, Jack's Bay 12 nm
3/12/2015 White
Point to Black Point
Total
Miles to Date: 1236 nm
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| White Point Beach N, |
“To look at
the face and not see humanity is to lack humanity.” Edward Curtis
pioneer in photography and author of “The North American Indian”
“As we
frequently need to remind ourselves, history is generally written by
the victors and, as such, can be exceedingly misleading, when it does
not deliberately lie.” Farley Mowat
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| Pipe Ck Sands |
Salty
Turtle has been anchored off White Point about 5 miles S. of Black
Point for the past few days enjoying a little solitude with a nice
snorkel, some exploration, and a couple of beach walks thrown in for
good measure. White Point is “beaches” thus white. Black Point
is “iron rock” thus black. White Point is a tiny peninsula of
land barely 300 feet across with beaches on both sides that extends
about a half mile out into Banks off Great Guana Cay.
We
had shared this peaceful spot with only one other boat and a resident
osprey...until yesterday when the “world” decided to descend on
White Point (2 other boats showed up). Guess it's time to head for
Black Point and see if the wifi gods will let us up load this
blog....
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| Conch Walk |
The
Storm...
We wait...
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| Coming Storm |
It was a flat calm evening in Pipe Creek – a
magic kind of night. Wild Tamarind and Little Pipe cays were etched
black against the magenta sky of a dieing sun. Pipe Creek was
spooky quiet. Not a ripple. Not a bird. Not a human sound. The
Turtle hung in the current as if suspended in a black pool and did
not move...she too was waiting. We both know what is coming...by
morning Pipe Creek will be a different place. The storm with its
strong West winds will be upon us.
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| Pipe Ck Sands |
We had re-set the anchor. Added as much scope
as possible. Lengthened our snubbers to 20 feet and not only had a
loop of chain between the boat and the snubber but had added a pile
of chain on the bottom for the winds and currents to have to drag
around. The charplotter was on and so was Gigi's iPad both track the
Turtle's ever move. Elongated “O” for a track indicates all is
good but “Q” shapes do not give warm and fuzzy feelings and
something must be done 'cause the anchor is (or has) been moving. We
were as ready as could be.
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| Joe - Da Mayor of Pipe Ck |
It is not like we haven't been thru this drill
before without incident. The last 5 weeks had been a series of cold
fronts with strong West winds the like of which no one in living
memory can remember.
By morning the winds were exceeding 30ks in
gusts out of the WNW (NNW winds will blow straight down the Ck). The
snubbers were taught as a banjo strings fixing to bust with a shock
load every minute or so from the 3' waves that were beginning to
march down the creek, but we knew the worst was yet to come with the
switch of tide at 11:00 AM. With the start of the incoming tide wind
would be fighting current, waves would build to a short staccato chop
slamming the hull every few seconds and wind would turn us sideways
to the current. We waited keeping a sharp eye on the chartplotters
and the reefs to our W and E both of which we clear by less than
100'.
By 12:00 Noon the winds and clocked to the NNW
and the winds built to a steady 30k with higher gust. The fight
between the current and the wind was becoming a real problem. We
were circling our anchor about ever 5 minutes. Our 88 pound Rocna
anchor is an amazing piece of gear. It was holding and veering as we
circled..but no anchor can keep up that kind of punishment and stay
in the bottom. It was obvious...it was time to go. When it is bad
enough to leave a relatively protected anchorage for the Banks where
we would be looking at huge seas you know it is bad.
Gigi cranked the “Lolls” (what I call the
engines because of the deep throated sound they make) and I went to
the windless to plan my strategy. With the howl of the winds and the
din created by the canvas being shook like a dog with a rat, it was
obvious all communications were to be by hand signals. I prayed to
the boat gods we got it right the first time...there would be no
second chance.
We waited until the current over came the wind
and the Turtle started her circle around the anchor so there would
less pressure on the rode to over come. With hand signals to Gigi we
followed the rode. I don't know how she did it but she put Salty
Turtle exactly where I signaled her every time. Little by little
the 100' of rode crept in until it was straight up and down. One
more gust and the anchor broke free and Gigi got the “thumbs up”
signal that the boat was free and hers.
Now it was time to do something with that damn
dingy. It had been tied along side. Gigi eased us into the current
in the wind shadow of Wild Tamarind Cay and I re-tied the dink off
the stern for towing – no way could we lift it on deck in that
wind. I can hear you asking why the dink was in the water in the
first place with a storm coming on? Answer: safety. What if you
needed to take a second anchor out or go the assistance of another
boater – with the dink in davits that can not happen.
The 4 foot seas were a piece of cake after the
anchor drill and by 1:00 PM the Turtle had her anchor down in the NE
corner of Big Major Spot with 150' of chain on the bottom and we
could breath again. We were rolling our ass off but we were safe.
Time for an anchor's down R U M! Gigi and I
had 2. By dark the winds had gone due N and settled the roll to
something liveable.
All was right with our world again. Which just
goes to show a little fear can move mountains.
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| Dave & Diane |
Then
There Was... the wedding and
(before you ask) definitely not mine.
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| Dave & Diane |
Pam and Ron on “Legacy,” a Defever-44 like
ours, had spent most of the year in Pipe Creek with us and “Just
Ducky.” They had been excited ever since they entered the creek at
the start of the year. Their best friends, Dave & Diane ,were
coming to spend 10 days with them the first of March. Then came the
phone call. Things were changing and changing fast.
Dave walked into work on or about the 16th
of February and his asshole of a boss strolled in and erased his name
off the “vacation board” and penciled in his own. Dave
protested. He had had the vacation approved for months with tickets
purchased and everything. His boss said, “so?” or words to that
effect. Dave had been considering retirement and quit on the spot.
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| Dave, Diane, Pam, Ron, & Gigi |
He went home, talked things over with Diane,
his lady friend, and decided to put his home on the market and move
in with her. It sold the day it hit the market...Dave was on a roll.
Might as well go all the way, why not get married when they were in
the Bahamas – they were going anyway and damn Dave's Boss. Good
plan!
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| Bouquet in Progress |
That's where the phone call came in and Gigi
and I entered the picture. Ron knew I was a photographer and all
weddings need a photographer...right? Of course I said yes. Now all
that was left was to find a preacher and a church. They went looking
for Burkie Rolle. Burkie works the gas dock at Staniel Cay Yacht
Club, is part owner of Isles General Store with his wife Vivian,
distributes propane for the Cay, is the best outboard mechanic on the
island, and...is the one armed pastor of the Mt. Olivet Baptist
Church (the one armed part is a story in its self). Burkie said yes
and the date was set for Saturday, March 17th at 3:00 PM.
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| Pam & Diane |
The wedding day was a splash of color as the
dinghies sped over the calm waters sprinkled with shadows of
scudding clouds dancing before the sun making a kaleidoscope of ever
shifting blues and greens. They were headed for a pre-party and
lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club. After a great lunch, a number
of Kalik beers, and few frozen daiquiris the wedding party
headed out to pick the brides bouquet (note I said picked not
pickup). Pam had come prepared and she and Diane stopped by the
bougainvillaea that grew along the road on the way to the church and
did a little trimming of the bougainvillaea. Pam even brought
scissor for just such a need – nothing but the best for this bride.
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| Vivian & Burkie |
We arrived at the church early. The ladies
were dressed in their finest beach attire and sandals. Dave actually
wore long pants..and sandals. Burkie came “formal.” He wore his
“arm” (never seen him with two arms before). Ron and Pam gave
the bride away. Vow's were given. Fifteen dollar rings they picked
up at the last minute in Nassau were exchanged and by 3:30 Burkie
had pronounced them “Man and Wife.” It was a simple,
quite beautiful ceremony. Vivian, Gigi and I were the witnesses.
Burkie's service was perfect. And the Bride and Groom were happy and
left hand in hand for the stroll back to the Yacht Club for...at
least one more beer.
For the price of a meal, two $15 dollar rings,
$150 for the church, $20 for Brukie, and an odd beer or two Dave and
Diane were husband and wife. The wedding its self was simple, stress
free, and as perfect as a wedding can be. Weddings don't need to
cost fortunes (although Dave said they blew the budget on flowers).
All a perfect wedding really needs is love, good friends...and maybe
a beer or two.
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| Hand in Hand |
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| Post Party |
Plans:
We will probably spend Easter at Black Point
and then head for Rock Sound in Eleuthera, do a little exploring, and
then head on up island to Spanish Wells and up to the Abacos. Until
next time.
Faiwinds and Rum Drinks,
Vic
PS – If you want to find a “private beach”
then the Exuma Sound side of Jack's Bay Cove off Great Guana Cay is
your place.
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| Jacks Bay Cove Beach |
