We were a little behind schedule but we waited patiently (and had a great time doing it) and finally the forecast for a reasonable weather window was falling into place. The plan: Head to West End, the closest point to the U.S. in the Northern Bahamas, and the next day head out for our crossing to the U.S. Jeff had pieced the exhaust system together as best as he could without the proper parts. We waited for high tide to make our way out the shallow channel and off we went.
Well, that lasted for about five minutes. The cabin filled up with exhaust and it didn't take long for us to realise that more work was needed. Back to the drawing board, MacGyver. We turned around and headed back into the marina with our tails beneath our legs.
After assessment and a new plan, we called our handy-dandy driver and he delivered some JB Weld and another case of beer. Jeff spent the day in the hole in the floor in the sweltering heat. I had every available fan on him. Another couple of days waiting for the weld to cure and the weather to settle down again. Ugh, boat repairs are a bummer at the best of times but in the Bahamas, where parts and services are hard to come by, they're an even a bigger bummer. At least we were in Freeport, one of the larger cities in the Bahamas.
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| Freighters outside of Freeport. |
So in a few days off we went again. Headed to West End to wait for our ocean crossing. By now we were well past our targeted departure date and getting a little anxious to get going. We had had it with the hurry up and wait scene.
The sea was a little bouncy, but doable. We bopped along, happy to be finally moving, when suddenly we felt a big hiccough in the engine and it began to run oddly rough. We looked at each other. Now what? Jeff checked it out while bouncing around in the cabin and he could see that a seal had let go and diesel was spraying out of a fitting. Ugh! Seriously?!
By now we were feeling pretty exasperated. We were out there bouncing around, the boat was running rough, we weren't sure just which seal it was or even if the boat going to make it to port (or was safe for that matter).
I began to run back in my memory trying to remember where I saw the phone number for a tow in the Bahamas. I eyed the distant shore. Miles of deserted beach. Distances can be deceiving on the water but I was pretty sure I could swim it if, heaven forbid, we had a fire. Not a great image though. We'd get to shore and then what? It looked like a completely unpopulated area (although the thought of sitting on a beach and watching the boat burn up and sink was getting to be a little appealing at that point!)
We finally limped into Old Bahama Bay at West End and Jeff began to research and talk to his mechanical contacts. He figured out it was a return line that was leaking (which was good news). All preliminary advice was that if it was wrapped tight with a rag it should be okay. A reasonable looking crossing was up the next day. We didn't really have any buddy boats going the same way we were. Should we attempt it?
By two in the morning I had decided even if Jeff hadn't. No way was I going out there in the Atlantic in a boat we weren't confident in, on a day with iffy weather at best, and no buddy boats. I was so relieved when he immediately agreed with me.
So we hunkered down. We spent a week or so just relaxing at Old Bahama Bay Marina while the wind and waves carried on out on the sea. The next weather window would arrive when it arrives and fretting wasn't going to help it. Jeff sought out further confirmation from all his buddies in the know and the consensus was that even though the boat was running a bit rough it was safe to run if we wrapped the leak tightly, but we'd have to take it really easy.
We focused on enjoying the resort we were stuck in and loving life. We took solace in the fact that, even though we felt badly for them, the folks that had crossed on the day we missed had all said it was a rough day out there.
And, Old Bahama Bay was not a bad place to be stuck (even if it was blowing our budget sky high). There was a beautiful pool with a billiards table on the deck. What's not to love about that! Pool by the pool! We played shuffle board. There was lots of wild life around and a nice little beach with kayaks available. We saw tons of sharks, a manatee visited every day for a rub down and some lettuce, great big turtles were frequently sighted.
By now we were feeling pretty exasperated. We were out there bouncing around, the boat was running rough, we weren't sure just which seal it was or even if the boat going to make it to port (or was safe for that matter).I began to run back in my memory trying to remember where I saw the phone number for a tow in the Bahamas. I eyed the distant shore. Miles of deserted beach. Distances can be deceiving on the water but I was pretty sure I could swim it if, heaven forbid, we had a fire. Not a great image though. We'd get to shore and then what? It looked like a completely unpopulated area (although the thought of sitting on a beach and watching the boat burn up and sink was getting to be a little appealing at that point!)
We finally limped into Old Bahama Bay at West End and Jeff began to research and talk to his mechanical contacts. He figured out it was a return line that was leaking (which was good news). All preliminary advice was that if it was wrapped tight with a rag it should be okay. A reasonable looking crossing was up the next day. We didn't really have any buddy boats going the same way we were. Should we attempt it?
By two in the morning I had decided even if Jeff hadn't. No way was I going out there in the Atlantic in a boat we weren't confident in, on a day with iffy weather at best, and no buddy boats. I was so relieved when he immediately agreed with me.
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| Pool by the pool. What's not to love! |
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| A great place to be "stuck" |
We focused on enjoying the resort we were stuck in and loving life. We took solace in the fact that, even though we felt badly for them, the folks that had crossed on the day we missed had all said it was a rough day out there.
And, Old Bahama Bay was not a bad place to be stuck (even if it was blowing our budget sky high). There was a beautiful pool with a billiards table on the deck. What's not to love about that! Pool by the pool! We played shuffle board. There was lots of wild life around and a nice little beach with kayaks available. We saw tons of sharks, a manatee visited every day for a rub down and some lettuce, great big turtles were frequently sighted.
One day we rode the loaner bikes into the little settlement, which is very poor and run-down. There is still much damage from Hurricane Matthew that ripped through there two or three years ago that they can't afford
to fix. It put things in perspective. We just accepted our fate and enjoyed. We were not that hard done by.
Eventually a new weather window appeared. A boating buddy hooked us up with a group of trawlers who were crossing that same day and on the same course as us. We met a sailor who had engine trouble and TowBoat US was coming to tow him all the way across to the States, so we knew a tow boat would be out there with us likely within easy radio range.
The stars had lined up. It was time to go home.
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| My Little Lady. She visited every day. |
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| Feeding frenzy. These are very shark infested waters. Shallow and warm. Local fishermen were throwing scraps into the water right in the marina. We had seen the odd shark around but wow, suddenly there were lots of them! Hmm... and to think I was swimming just outside the marina last year while we were at anchor. |
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| Out for a walk to check on the blustery sea. |
Eventually a new weather window appeared. A boating buddy hooked us up with a group of trawlers who were crossing that same day and on the same course as us. We met a sailor who had engine trouble and TowBoat US was coming to tow him all the way across to the States, so we knew a tow boat would be out there with us likely within easy radio range.
The stars had lined up. It was time to go home.
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