Day 205

This morning I got up to hear Papa make an inquiry on the net about airlines that fly from Nassau to Staniel Cay. We got a response and we’re giving information about where we could find phone numbers for several airlines. We called Uncle Dave and Aunt Karen to give them the info we got...and then the big debate began. Were we leaving today or not? Well it was blowing...who knows how much the wind was blowing, our wind instrument died remember...but it was blowing quite a bit and the anchorage was getting a little choppy...but then the weatherman promised the wind would die down in the afternoon. We decided to wait until 11:30 or 12 and then see what we wanted to do given the conditions then. I have heard my cousin Kailynn say this sooo many times (because she lives in Georgetown ON) and lately I’ve been thinking about her whenever I think to myself I WANT OUT OF GEORGETOWN!!

At 11 Grama and Papa were preparing the boat to leave and we pulled up anchor at 11:30. We started to head to Monument (the channel zigzags so you have to be very careful trying to get in or out of the cut) and all of a sudden the chart plotter stopped navigating for Grama. So Grama is trying to helm and stay on course and Papa is standing off to the side beside her trying to reach the chart plotter and try to figure out the problem. To add to all the fun we had already raised the main and were heading dead downwind trying to not to jibe. We navigated by the chart (which we always do anyways) and made it out the cut and Papa figured out the chat plotter and all was well.

Once we were out into the sound I decided to plug in my computer (which hasn’t been charged in days)...but in doing so I noticed one little problem...the alternator wasn’t charging. At this point while underway there was nothing we could do about it. A few minutes later while I was down below Grama hollered at me that they were tacking...and for a horrifying minute I thought they were turning around and going back to Georgetown! We had a nice motor-sail up to Lee Stalking Island and had no problems getting through the cut and anchoring.

While anchoring I couldn’t help thinking to myself that I missed the clean crystal clear water. Georgetown is part of the Bahamas and still has beautiful water but it is always a little murky from stirred up sand and a couple hundred boats emptying their holding tanks at night...

Once we were settled Papa went to check out the alternator. If you remember when we first started to have this problem we found a loose connection that Papa had to baby a bit...well that connection was reminding us it was their and it vibrated its self loose. So we put it back in as tight as we could and ran the engine for a bit to charge up for the night.

It was so nice being in a secluded spot and late after supper while we were sitting in the cockpit I wanted to go for a swim...but then Grama burst my bubble reminding me that last time we were here there were a few nurse sharks...that’s fine in the day but not at night.

When we all headed to bed it was so still and quiet...I kept walking up throughout the night thinking something was wrong we were dragging or something because it didn’t sound right lol.

Niki