BAHAMAS - LONG ISLAND

May 20, 2021

BAHAMAS - LONG ISLAND

Circled in red is Long Island, which is what this blog covers. The red dots are where we have anchored so far and the red "X" is where we are now, right back in No Name Harbor. This is where we left for the Bahamas last Christmas Eve morning. As you can see we've covered a lot of ground since sending the last blog from San Salvador less than three weeks ago. In the process, we spent multiple days on Conception Island (the prettiest water we've seen yet), Cat Island (where we had WAY too much fun with the locals one night) and Great Harbor Cay (a nice break between two overnight sails). We also had short stops off Little San Salvador, Eleuthera Island, Great Stirrup Cay and on Bimini.

At 80 miles long, four miles wide at it's widest point and having a population of around 3,000, Long Island is one of the larger Bahamian islands. It is also considered one of the most scenic. The northeast side has steep rocky headlands, the southwest coast has white sand beaches and the entire island is surrounded by bays, inlets and small offshore cays. Long Island is also noted for its caves including Dean's Blue Hole.

Like much of the Bahamas, the Lucayan Taino tribe settled on Long Island between 500 and 800 AD. They probably lived in the island's cave system. After they were taken as slaves to Hispaniola and Cuba in the early 1500's there was no large settlement until the arrival of the Simms family in 1720. They were joined by British Loyalists from the US after the American Revolution. They raised cattle, sheep and cotton. However, the cotton plantations did well for only a few years before depleted soil and pests took their toll. So by the time slavery was abolished in 1834, most plantations had already been abandoned. There are many ruins from this period, the majority of which are overgrown by bush. The descendants of both the plantation owners and slaves make up most of Long island's population.

The entire 35 miles from the Georgetown area to Long Island was in 10ish feet of very clear water over a white sand bottom.

When sailing or motoring we usually drag a couple lures behind the boat HOPING to catch mahi-mahi, wahoo and/or snapper. However, in such shallow water, catching a mahi-mahi or wahoo wasn't going to happen, but we thought maybe a snapper. Unfortunately, all we caught were barracuda, seven of them, including this big one, before we gave up. We like barracuda and ate it in Central America, but here we just feel the risk of getting ciguatera is too great. However, the locals love them and eat those caught in certain areas. Actually catching fish while sailing is a pain. You have to slow the boat down the best you can while being sure not to unintentionally tack, jibe and/or get the line tangled up in the props. Plus, landing and cleaning a fish on a rolling boat isn't easy.

We anchored in Calabash Bay at the north end of Long Island in time for a nice sunset.

Most historians identify Long Island as the site of Columbus' third landfall on his 1492 voyage. However, others believe the third landfall could have been on any number of other islands. Regardless, a relatively new Columbus Monument has been erected on the very northern tip of Long Island. The morning after anchoring we made a LONG dinghy ride to check out the monument. Unfortunately the entrance to the little bay next to the monument was way too rough to enter.

So we ended up beaching the dinghy in another bay and walking a couple miles. We started out on a sand road cut through the bush and continued on this brand new paved one. It was a hot walk. Plus, sad to say, we're just not used to walking that much.

We were the only visitors aside from the three who arrived and parked in the big, new parking lot.

There are some nice views from the monument.

The three in the car were celebrating one of their birthdays. Delana dropped so many hints about us appreciating a ride back to the dirt road it was embarrassing. However, her shameless clues did work.

When we arrived at the island the day before, we anchored in front to this cool resort.

Other than a wedding party, most of the patrons were cruisers from other boats anchored in the bay. The whole scene reminded me of Herman Wouk's novel Don't Stop the Carnival. If you ever have a chance, it's a good quick read about a New Yorker who buys a resort on a fictitious Caribbean island in the 1960's and ALL the challenges that follow.

This is a photo of our anchor after being set. We set the anchor by putting the boat in reverse after putting out the anchor and chain If we were expecting strong winds we would have set it harder to the point where the flukes were completely buried in the sand. Our ground tackle (anchoring system) consists of a 65 lb. Delta anchor, anchor swivel, 150' of 5/16" galvanized chain, 150' of 5/8" rope and an electric windlass with chain counter that can be controlled at the helm or from the foredeck. We also have a spare 65 lb. Delta with another 150' of 5/8" rope, as well as a 35 lb. Danforth anchor. We hardly ever use anything but the main anchor. The amount of chain/rope we put out depends on the water depth, as well the anticipated wind. For instance, if we anchor in 10' of water with no high winds forecast, we use a 5 to 1 scope meaning we add the depth (10') to the distance between the water surface and the boats deck (6') and multiply by the scope (5) = 80' of chain. If we were expecting higher winds we might go to a 7 to 1 scope or even greater.

The two sections of rope on either side of this photo are of equal length and run from the front of each hull to a stainless steel hook that slides over a link of chain. This bridle takes pressure off the windlass, while at the same time keeps Starship pointed directly into the wind.

The chain and rope are stored in the chain locker which is directly below the electric windlass. The windlass lets the chain out, as well as brings it back in. Besides the electronic chain counter, we also have colored zip ties on the chain in 20' increment. We remember the color code using a phrase told to us by an old salt. Here it is....don't forget it.... "rub (red) your (yellow) balls (blue) with (white) grease (green)". Hey, whatever works.

To explore the island we rented a car for a couple days with Trish and Tom. They're the couple we knew from Roatan and who showed us their secret anchorage near Georgetown. Almost all of these islands have split personalities. The eastern shores are windy and rocky with crashing waves. Pretty but not very relaxing,

while the western sides often have beautiful sand beaches and fairly calm waters.

This is the entrance to Hamilton's Cave, the largest cave system in the Bahamas.

Leonard Cartwright, whose family has owned the cave for several generations, gave us a tour.

The cave includes writings from 19th century colonists, as well as some pre-1500 Lucayan cave drawings.

These sculptures, and others, were created by Leonard's brother, circa 2000.

Besides the writings, drawings and sculptures, the cave includes stalactites, stalagmites, pools of water, large rooms, high ceilings and of course bats. Until recently it had been used as an official hurricane shelter, as it no doubt has for centuries

The island has a number of cool, old churches.

Here are the remnants of an old salt harvesting operation.

This is what's left of Saint Mary The Virgin Anglican Church. It is said to be the oldest church in The Bahamas and is thought to have been built by the Spanish in the 1600s.

Just a couple hundred yards through the bush behind the church was this water filled cave.

The water was crystal clear and

full of little pink shrimp.

The next stop was Dean's Blue Hole. At 663 feet deep it is the second deepest blue hole in the world. At the surface it's about 100 feet across, but the diameter increases to over 300 feet at a depth of around 65 feet. Since 2008 Dean's Blue Hole has hosted an annual international freediving (just holding your breath) competition and has been the venue of multiple world and national records. The white raft has a weighted line on it that the freedivers use to guide them as they go down and then come back up. In Roatan I took a freediving introductory class and soon realized it wasn't for me. I just wanted to learn to hold my breath longer. In 2013 American freediver Nicholas Mevoli died after attempting to set an American record here. There are several freediving categories, including with fins, without fins and riding down on a weight, all with their own world records. The deepest record was set at 702 feet in 2007 by an Austrian man in Greece. Google or Youtube "freediving" to learn and see more. It's pretty incredible.

We had food and drinks on the beach. After enough liquid courage,

I swam to the hole,

floated across it,

climbed up the rocks on the other side and jumped in from where it looks like the little red guy is peeing into the water.

Long Island had the best grocery store we had seen in the Bahamas. Fresh produce was still a challenge, but they had about everything else.

Delana's cushion reupholstering project turned out great.

A before photo.

Then she started right in on making new curtains. Would you believe it if I told you I picked out the pink flamingo pattern?

This is a nice little beach bar not very far from where we were anchored.

There were a few locals but most everyone else were cruisers.

With Covid, parents being able to work remotely and kids able to be boat schooled, where ever there are a lot of boats, there are a lot of kids.

Regardless of ages and backgrounds they all seem to have a great time together.

While at the beach bar we met a local guy who looked about my age but was actually in his late 80's. He said his secret was a bush medicine concoction of local stems, leaves and bark that he made into tea and drank everyday. Delana and Trish went out with him the next day to learn the magic ingredients. Delana brought them back and made tea. It tasted OK, but I think we only drank it once. I'm good with looking my age.

While scavenging for the secret ingredients the three ran across this poisonwood tree. This is a tree you don't want to make tea from. If you touch it, the reaction is similar to poison ivy.

Going to church can sometimes be an adventure. You can often see the church from the water, but getting to it can be difficult. Here in the settlement of Salt Pond I was able to dinghy to a little man-made, though now deserted, harbor.

Follow a path that I could only assume would lead me to a road.

Then follow the Queens Highway (nearly every island with a road has a Queen's Highway) to the church.

Many of the graves have open tops so flowers can be planted in them.

It was another Anglican Church. I was there for both Palm and Easter Sundays. The services were good, but I bet the Anglican Church in Georgetown would have really been something.

A long standing tradition among many cruisers is to blow a conch shell at sunset. So Delana decided she wanted to join in. Finding conch shells is easy but finding one without a hole created when removing the conch is another matter. She did find one though. Then she used a Dremel to cut part of the pointy end off so it can be blown into it. It usually takes her a couple tries, but once she's warmed up she lets out with a respectable blast.

Remember the moth that showed up on-board shortly after we entered the Bahamas? We've probably seen it a half dozen other times in various parts of the boats over the past four plus months.

So we looked it up and have decided it's a Black Witch Moth, which is a migratory species that goes back and forth between South America and Florida/Texas. It's also called the Butterfly of Death in Mexico, Jinxing Butterfly in Argentina, Witch Moth in Venezuela, Black Death Moth in Mexico, Messenger in Black in Peru, Borrows your House in Mayan, as well as Lost Soul, Ghost, Malevolent Spirit, Papillion Devil, Mourning Moth and Sorrow Moth. It's been tagged with these less than positive names because it's believed the moth brings bad luck, and even death, into any house it enters. The Silence of the Lambs book had serial killer Buffalo Bill place the Black Witch Moth pupae in the mouths of his victims. However, it's not all doom and gloom. In Hawaii if you see one after the death of a loved one, it is that person's soul returning to say farewell. And better yet, here in the Bahamas it's called a Money Moth or Money Bat. And if one lands on you, you will receive money. I'm going with that.

A couple months ago we replaced the water maker membrane. The parts per million had creeped up to near 600 (approaching the fair category), water production had creeped down to six gallons per hour and since the existing membrane was on the boat when I bought it, I had no idea how old it was. Anyway, replacing the membrane brought the parts per million down to below 300 (considered excellent), but really didn't improve production. So I tested the volts reaching the supply pump. There was quite a drop between the panel and what I measured at the pump. I then decided to replace the existing wire with heavier gauge.

To replace the wire I first had to get access to the back of the panels, then trace the wires,

remove some wall panels,

and open up the floor. After all that, neither the voltage at the pump or the amount of water produced went up. I did have a spare pump so I replaced the existing one. And just like that, water production went from six gallons per hour to nine. That's a big deal. I just wish I would have replaced the pump first instead of last.

We met Georgie at the beach bar. He has lived on the island part-time for the past 30 years and built a home there. He told us that the first live music on the island in over a year was going to take place at another bar the following night. He was nice enough to pick us up at the dinghy dock, show us his home and take us to/from the bar that had the live music.