Friday, February 7, 2014 Fishers Bay, Great Guana Cay

We are venturing away from the dock again with Whisper and Circe II.  Circe got more company last night….Ilene and Robert’s sister and two nieces arrived last night during the Bingo game.   They are staying until next Friday.  Kathy and daughters, Erin and Amanda, will be moving into the Pelican Cottages on Sunday afternoon.  In the meantime, Robert is flying to Florida this morning.  After our three boats provision, we are going to be heading for Fisher's Bay. Hey, weren’t we just there on Tuesday?

We left the dock around 11 am. Circe pulled out just ahead of us.  Whisper got a jump on both of our boats and once we motor-sailed out into the Sea of Abaco, we still couldn't see Whisper….they really got a jump on us!  Billy just hailed us and said he was going to fire up his ‘metal sail’.  The winds aren't in our favor and we want to get to Guana Cay in time to explore.   So we fired up our engine also.  The Sea of Abaco has a slight chop and the winds are light and variable.  The sun is shining hot and bright, but there are still clouds that are billowy and gray.  We just heard sv/Rising Sun hail Circe.  Apparently Keith is back in the Abacos from Eleuthra.  He and girlfriend, Donna, spent last night at Little Harbour.  He left there this morning toward low tide and hit quite a few times on his way out of the channel.  It looks like, we are all going to connect tomorrow in Hope Town.

Fisher's Bay

Fisher's Bay

We are now just approaching Foots Cay…not Feet Cay…but Foots Cay.   Interesting!  The sun makes the water look turquoise….and unbelievably clear.  Once past this island, it’s not far to Fisher's Bay at Great Guana Cay.  As soon as our jib is furled and our main lowered lowered, Rita called to let us know that they found a sandy patch to anchor in and there is room for us also.  Billy went in and anchored  way out and we decided to take one of the 4 mooring balls still available.  Billy wasn't happy with his anchor, so he snorkeled out and dove down to push it into the sand/grass.  When Chuck motored up to the ball,  I thought I had the line…wrong!  The current and wind pushed us away from the ball, and our hook was still attached.  This is becoming a real problem!  A guy in a ketch was motoring by in his dinghy.  He grabbed the line and threw it at me.  It wasn't a good toss and it landed in the water…short. (He later apologized to me for his horrible toss!)   He rescued it and his second throw
connected with me.  I put the loop on our cleat and it was good to go.  In the meantime Chuck is trying to release our boat hook.  What fun!  I ran back to the cockpit and got another boat hook.  It was a good thing because Chuck had to drop the first hook into the water but retrieved it with our second hook..  It’s always good to have multiple boat hooks on the boat!!   Crazy!!  I guess we should have anchored like everyone else…

Each of us went to shore at our own time. Whisper is suppose to meet a
friend from back home who has a house on Guana.  They are to meet at the ferry dock.    Once we pulled our dinghy up onto the beach and  set its anchor in the sand, we walked at a leisurely pace through the settlement. Soon Rita and David caught up to us and the four of us decided to continue to Nippers.  It is so hot today!  It seems like one of the hottest since we've had since we've been here.  The coolest spot at Nippers is up on the second story under the gazebo-like deck.  Chuck and I ordered a fish meal to split.  When it arrived, so did the Circe crew!    Whisper’s friend, Bruce, met up with them at Nippers and the rest of us went to the beach.  Chuck and Billy snorkeled on this reef which they said wasn't that great.  Kathy, Erin, Amanda, and I, went in to ride the waves.  Ilene decided to stay on the beach and watch us play in the ocean.  It was cool at first but then very pleasant.  All the exercise soon made Erin and Amanda hungry, so we went back up the stairs to Nippers.  In the meantime, the skies started to grow very dark.  We kept our eyes on the threatening skies to determine if they were headed our way or not.   Chuck and I needed to cool down again so we swam in the two Nipper pools for a while before heading back to Happy Hours.  Of course on our way back we had to walk through Grabbers Beach Bar and Grill, so we ordered their signature drink, the Grabber.  Once again we got ‘grabbed at the Grabber’!

Back to the boat at 5:30 and I was ready for a quiet evening relaxing on our boat.  The sun, water, and fresh air  really does me in.  Pizzas are in the oven and I’m ready for bed!