The Berry Islands

The crossing from Nassau to the Berry Islands was a gentle one.   There wasn't much wind, so we ended up motor sailing the entire way.  It seems that the trend lately has been either  too much wind to move, or not enough to sail.  The highlight of the trip was definitely watching Wren reel in a beautiful  Mahi-Mahi.  I don't think I've ever seen her more excited and proud.   Please check out the blog she wrote about it.  There are more pictures there as well. 

Mahi girl

For the first three days in the Berry Islands, we were pretty much held captive on the boat by the weather.  The wind howled and the waves rose up, even in our anchorage just off Frazer's Hog Cay (yup, that's really what it's called).  The dinghy (flaccid as it was) and outboard were still up on deck from the crossing and it was too tumultuous to attempt uniting them in the water.   This actually wasn't such a bad thing, as we had purchased a fresh can of dinghy glue in Nassau, and once applied, it would need 48 hours to cure before inflating.  We spent the first day slaving over the dinghy.  Again.  

The next couple of days were spent reading, writing, playing games, baking bread, and Scott plugged away on his book while the girls did schoolwork.   I was amazed by their tolerance for being cooped up in a small space for so long.  I didn't fare as well.  I eventually blew up a paddle board and braved some pretty big waves to go to shore for a run. 

I need a run.

Navigation lesson with dad

Science lesson with Riley

Working on...

the book.

Pre-birthday breakfast for Wren from Riley.

The front eventually moved through and we were able to depart for Devil's Cay.  We wanted to be someplace special for Wren's Birthday, and Devil's had lots to offer.  We also knew that our Bahama days were coming to a close.  If we were to be back in Maine by early-June, we needed to start making tracks north.  We started to scrutinize the weather forecast with a different eye, looking for a possible weather window... (gulp).... to leave.

Our few days at Devil's Cay were as sweet as Wren's Duncan Heinz chocolate birthday cake.  She turned 10 without a hitch and Kiawah hosted her first birthday party.  It was the first year ever that I didn't make her a cake from scratch.  She wanted a "box" cake.  It reminded me of my sister and I begging my mom for TV dinners when we were kids (she refused and made us buy them ourselves with our paper route money).   I was not as strong, and even bought a can of frosting to go with it.  I'll let Wren tell you all about her day in her blog entitled "My Bahamas Birthday".  There are more pictures there as well.

Hike to the "other side"

Blue hole swim party

Double digits

Lawrence and Joan from Tranquility

Box cake rocks

We were thrilled to run into Lawrence and Joan on Tranquility again.  We'd been crossing paths with them since Half Moon Cay, and had even shared such intimate experiences as "the meat truck" in Georgetown.  They were on a similar north-bound trajectory.  We also met another fun couple, Jim and Jude, on Inti II.   They joined us for a beach bonfire to celebrate our third, and final, full moon in paradise. 

Two moons

We hiked, snorkeled, swam, and dug our toes into the warm white sand, savoring every moment.   We knew this was the end of our Bahamas beach time.  None of us wanted it to end.  

My last swim was especially memorable.  Wren wanted to take one last beach walk.  I obliged and brought her over in the dinghy (which, by the way, STILL leaked.  It seems that we missed two tiny holes when we patched it).  We got distracted playing with some hermit crabs and when I stood up I was horrified to see the dinghy floating away.  I ran down the beach at breakneck speed and dove in the water fully clothed and swam after the dinghy (praying that no one was watching).  As I was pulled myself in, I heard Riley laughing hysterically from her prime vantage point on Kiawah's foredeck.  Of course, she had witnessed the whole thing.  I will be teased about the dinghy for eternity.

Eventually, Chris Parker gave his weather blessing.  A stretch of "benign" weather was predicted (as well as weather can be predicted).   It looked good to stage for a Gulf Stream crossing.  It was time to head to Stirrup Cay (northern tip of the Berry Islands), and then on to West End (western tip of Grand Bahama), and on to Florida. 

Ready or not, the window was open.