PelicanPosts

Idyllic Northern Abacos
February 3-10 2025

What a promising beginning as we embarked on one last tour of the Bahamas on Pelican. From West Palm Beach to West End, our track served up our calmest crossing ever. And in a providential reversal, quieter winter weather prevailed in the typically windy northwest Bahamas while the southern Bahamas experienced uncharacteristically unsettled weather. This allowed us to anchor at the northern edge of Abaco by Double Breasted Cays and Grand Cay, islands we’d always wanted to visit but never had, due to rough weather. This year, we could drop the anchor anywhere in tranquil seas and turquoise waters.

Near Grand Cay

Leaving Grand Bahama

Sunset at Old Bahama Bay

A very secluded anchorage near Grand Cay

Rosie's Place, Grand Cay

We asked around at Grand Cay where we could buy fresh lobster; they pointed us to Wendell who opened
the door of his treasure chest (a securely locked walk-in freezer) of "Bahamian Gold."

Yes!

Winds soon reverted to normal, and we returned to an itinerary through our favorite stops over the years.

The "signing tree" at Allens-Pensacola Cay

A quick stop at Green Turtle Cay

A Tale of Two Harbours

February 11-13, 2025

The first time we cruised the Bahamas in 2003, we spent most of our time in Marsh Harbour, and we love it. The last time we’d been in Marsh Harbour, in 2022, recovery from Hurricane Dorian’s 2019 devastation had barely begun. Three years later, it was heartening to see the strides the community has made to come back from the horrific damage. We reserved a slip at the newly rebuilt Harbour View Marina and landed in the lap of luxury! Clubhouse, pool, and most importantly to cruisers, the bathrooms, were all gorgeous. One highlight in town was seeing our old friend, George, the “Conch Salad Man.” We asked about him and were told he was now a taxi driver. The next day we walked into a shop and there was George at the counter making a purchase. It’s wonderful to reconnect with special people we’ve met over the years.

The office at Harbour View Marina

Marina pool

Places to go

Wally's is open for business

Dinner at Wally's

A few days later, we moved on to Pete’s Pub and Gallery in Little Harbour for lunch followed by a calm night at anchor.

Pete's Pub - casually funky island ambiance, amazing food

Spectacular sculptures, mostly marine life, are still forged in the Johnston Art Foundry, established in this remote harbor by Randolph W. Johnston in 1952. Succeeding generations carry on the tradition.

Spanish Wells Oasis

February 14-16, 2025

Crossing from Little Harbour to Spanish Wells, we pounded into rougher seas than our Gulf Stream crossing served up. We were fairly comfortable as we passed through floating sargassum, possibly the edge of the Sargasso Sea. These floating mats, sometimes called the "golden floating rainforest," are an underwater nursery for sea turtles, eels, crabs, and schools of pelagic fish. At the edge of this calm area, converging currents from Tongue of the Ocean and the Northeast Providence channel met opposing swells. Churning breakers rose to feisty, foaming peaks and pitched us about. It felt scary, but fortunately, over time, I’ve learned that uncomfortable is not a synonym for unsafe.

The golden floating rainforest

Once we arrived safely in Spanish Wells, a dock at Yacht Haven and a rental golf cart gave us the time and freedom to explore on land. We like the authentic Bahamian vibe and friendly people here, not to mention the big grocery and marine supply stores.

Yacht Haven, Spanish Wells, St. George's Cay

The Sand Bar on adjacent Russell Island

The view from the Sand Bar

We took the high-speed ferry to Harbour Island for long enough to eat lunch and walk the town and the gorgeous pink sand beach for which ’Briland is famous. Our phones recorded more than 18 thousand steps that day!

Bougainvillea in beautiful bloom on 'Briland

Pink Sands beach

Lush, Tropical Eleuthera

February 17 - 27. 2025

After timing our passage through Current Cut, Eleuthera was our next cruising ground, with a first stop at the famous Glass Window. At an isthmus that forms the narrowest point on the island, you can stand in one place and see the deep sapphire blue Atlantic on one side of the bridge and the aqua waters of the shallow banks on the other. The Glass Window was a land bridge spanning the gap between eighty-foot cliffs on either side. In the early twentieth century, sea storms and towering rogue waves amazingly washed out the high arch, which was later replaced by a highway bridge.

Glass Window panorama

Keith on bridge spanning the Glass Window

Our next stop, Gregory Town harbor

Conch shell construction material, Gregory Town

Stormy Weather

February 18-21, 2025

Anchored father south at Rainbow Cay, we saw a SpaceX launch. With a storm brewing, we backtracked and tucked into Hatchet Bay, a harbor about one-third of the way down Eleuthera with protection on all sides. When a storm is coming boats congregate at the few places that provide the best protection. But it seems somebody's anchor always drags, invariably in the middle of the night. In the pre-dawn hours, a single-hander’s boat dragged within ten feet of ours. Keith dinghied over in the dark and helped him get the anchor up and move. Relief—it ended well, the storm passed, and we left for a quieter night in the less crowded Alabaster Bay.

Space X launch at Rainbow Bay

Front Porch Restaurant in Hatchet Bay

Harbor view from the Front Porch

One of the reasons we love the Front Porch

Keith living like a local in Hatchet Bay

With clearing skies, leaving the protected Hatchet Bay

Governor's Harbour

February 22. 2025

Governor’s Harbour is one of the first European settlements in the Bahamas, founded in 1648 by Puritans known as the Eleutheran Adventurers. The Adventurers, who were seeking religious freedom, first settled on Cupid's Cay, a small cay connected to the main island by a short causeway.

The Buccaneer Club, a favorite restaurant in Governor's Harbour

Colorful Cupid's Cay

Cape Eleuthera

February 23-27, 2025

Another strong stormfront (with at least one more to follow) is coming, so we hightailed it to Cape Eleuthera for a few days. Being tied up at the marina feels safer than a packed anchorage. As soon as we tied up, the storm let loose. It was a doozy, the rain coming in torrents, pouring bucketsful! Winds clocked at a "strong gale" on the Beaufort scale. We had nine lines secured to different cleats and pilings to keep the boat from getting damaged against the dock, Keith adjusting while it blew. Even in this protected marina, the waves were rough. Surge from long-duration west winds rushed into the marina entrance channel. We were grateful to be docked in a fairly protected corner.

Finally! Blue sky broke through. Although storms are part of the package deal, it's so much more fun with sunshine and balmy breezes. We rented a car to make the rounds of grocery store, bakery, and Eleuthera Island Farm—terrific provisioning.

In the middle, we had lunch at Tippy’s, a cute restaurant across the island from Governor’s Harbour. Keith asked the manager if he knew Hans Febles. Hans had managed Great Harbour Cay Marina the first few times we stayed there. He'd left a number of years ago to develop/refurbish, along with a partner, a resort property on the ocean side near Governor’s Harbour. It turned out that the resort, the Potlatch Club, was right next door. We popped in and Hans gave us the tour. It had just opened in June and was stunning! Rooms went for a cool $2000 per night, and they were fully booked. It was fun to get the VIP tour from the person who’s worked for the last seven years to make it happen!

Storm blowing over at Cape Eleuthera

Tippy's overlooking the ocean side of Eleuthera

The grounds of the Potlatch Club

Keith and Hans at the Potlatch Club

Cat Island

Shanna's Cove, Arthur's Town

February 28 - March 1, 2025

We saw our chance and went for it! Cat Island is our favorite in the Bahamas, and we had really hoped we could visit. In strong west wind, there is hardly any place to find shelter. But the long-range forecast looked good, so we undertook the seven-hour trip to Cat. After landfall in the northernmost bay, we ate an elegant and delicious dinner at Shanna’s Cove. Pelican was the only boat at anchor in the cove.

The last time we’d visited Cat Island in 2015 we visited Arthur’s Town by rental car and ate at Da Smoke Pot on the shore. The proprietor. Julian Russell, had autographed a Cat Island tourism magazine for us. We still had the magazine on the boat and thought it would be fun to show it to him.

Julian and Joanie

Julian in front of Da Smoke Pot

Bennett's Harbour to Pigeon Cay Beach

March 2, 2025

There were major thunderstorms around our area. Lightning lit up the entire sky. But the storms were some distance away, and we decided we had time before they hit to move to the other side of a peninsula for better wind protection. A foreboding satellite image showed our pin was under huge cloud cover. I asked the Lord, "Can you find us under there?" And sensed His reply, "Can I find you? Are you kidding? I'm right in the boat with you!" As we motored west, very dark skies quickly approached and thunder boomed close by. The skies broke open. Normally I would be very tense. This time I just talked to the Lord the whole time, thanking Him that He was right there with us, that He was our shelter, that when I was afraid, I could trust Him. And my heart stayed calm in the storm.

The next morning, I read: “In my desperation I prayed and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles…. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:6, 8 NLT) and thought, "Amen! That's exactly what happened."

It also happened that the new sheltered anchorage was next to Pigeon Cay Beach, one of the most beautiful we’d seen in all the Bahamas.