Rerouted by a Storm

June 15, 2016

We departed West Bay with the intention of bringing our Bahamian adventure to a close with our course set for Florida.  We were headed towards the southern tip of the Bimini chain, a location far enough south to make the Palm Beach Inlet without the gulf stream sweeping us too far north. We had not decided if we were going to stop there or continue overnight towards Florida.

The sky was bright, and the sea was a vibrant glassy sapphire blue.

Sailing past high altitude rainfall.

We were happily sailing along at approximately 25 knots in calm waters towards clear blue sunny skies when I casually looked behind me. The sky was turning black as rapidly moving dark clouds coalesced on the horizon. Waterspouts began dropping to the sea.  "AJ!" I yelled pointing towards the stern. Then promptly went below to get the off shore life vests while AJ started reefing.

 

When I came back up a wall of darkness was devouring the light. As it encroached on both sides, we found ourselves pointed towards an ever-narrowing window of blue sky.

The wind kicked up, we put in another reef and decided to hightail it to the nearest island, Chub key.

We made it to Chub in time to anchor before sunset. It was a long windy bouncy night in the unprotected anchorage of a sport fishing club resort island. Unbeknownst to us, it was the first of many stormy nights to come, and our Bahamian adventure was far from over. 

Stormy Weather and a Broken Prop

June 2016

We dropped anchor in Nassau Harbor, and while backing down to set it in the bottom, I allowed my rudder to overturn and strike the prop.  (I knew I should have installed turn stops).  The whole drivetrain started shaking and vibrating, so I dropped into neutral.  Our little Yanmar diesel still idled and revved smoothly in neutral, so at least I didn't bend a con rod or crankshaft, but a quick dive overboard revealed that our four-month-old two-bladed prop was a, still youthful, but much less useful, single blade prop.

Immediately I thought about all the hassle of trying to get a spare radio into the country a couple months earlier, and I knew we would have to source a prop locally.  Luckily, a local prop shop on the island had a spare used three-blade prop that could be modified to fit.  "Island cheap" at just under $500, but they still wanted another $450 for an in-water dive installation and wouldn't be able to do the install for two weeks.  I ordered the prop to be modified and they said we could pick it up in a couple days.

Nassau Harbor is a long East-West straight of water between the main island, New Providence, and the barrier island, Paradise Island/Atlantis Resort.  This means that during tidal shifts, the current rips through at about 3-4 knots in a different direction every 6 hours and lays slack between times.  Anchoring in a situation like this can be hairy because your boat drifts over the anchor and starts pulling hard 180 degrees opposite every six hours, so if your anchor doesn't properly roll over and re-set in the sand, then you will go adrift...  FAST... through a tight harbor packed with multi-million dollar boats.

The nice part about storms and heavy wind in the harbor is that you only swing on your anchor in one direction if the wind is strong enough to beat the ripping current.  Of course, then your keel is sideways to the current, and the boat starts sailing up on the anchor before reaching the end of the rode, stalling and falling back to do it again.
Geologically speaking, Nassau is a terrible place to anchor.
Geographically speaking, is a pretty nice place to break down.

Obviously, I was nervous hanging on anchor in Nassau harbor for a couple days without push-button propulsion.  With storms on the forecast, I was more than just nervous.  But, in situations like this, you've got to figure out something.  So I manually deployed another anchor, dove to the bottom to dig the anchors into the sandy/muddy bottom by hand, and scoured the area for anchor-clogging debris.

(With the anchor we pulled up a total of four pairs of jeans, a heavy-weather jacket, and a concrete cinder block wrapped in flannel shirts during this trip.)

The storms rolled in from the north over Atlantis Resort.

Everybody in the anchorage hunkers down for the blow and 90-degree shift in position.  

As expected, the prop was being fixed on island time, so we spent another week sitting in harbor without power. Every storm was nerve-wracking.  Watching the GPS drag alarm, sitting in foul weather gear, just waiting to spring on deck and fire up the dinghy (instead of the big boat's diesel) if trouble arose.

With a week of fast-moving storm fronts and killer oscillating currents, the anchors had to come loose at some point, and sure enough, when returning from a grocery trip to town, we found our boat had drug out into the shipping port turning basin, immediately in front of Nassau Harbor Control.  We meekly dinghied back to the boat, and Nassau Harbor Patrol was on us within minutes, demanding that we move.  I agreed, apologized for the disruption, and promptly failed to notify them that I lacked power and lacked a dinghy with the power to move my boat in the current.

One thing the Army instilled in me: Many problems that seem insurmountable can actually be overcome with rigorous output of brutal manual labor.  With this in mind, I realized "just" had to hand-over-hand haul our 9-ton boat about 150 feet to the first anchor, hand pull the anchor and chain out of the mud, drive it out into the current about 200 feet, and reset it before the current pulled the boat over into the commercial docks.  Then I could do the exact same thing with the other anchor. And if I did that four times in a row, then I could "walk" my boat out, anchor-by-anchor, a couple hundred yards into a safe spot in just a couple hours. So I did that, and I only had to dive 25 feet to dig the anchor out of the harbor's underwater anti-drag cables twice along the way.

Two days later and a week late, we got the prop from the shop.  I wasn't about to spend $450 on a diver for a half hour, so I gathered up my hammer, pliers, wrenches, prop puller and all my gumption and did it myself. Six breath-hold dives (plus a couple for go-pro selfies) to do the job from start to finish and POOF, one blade becomes three.

More storms were coming so within an hour or so of installing the prop, we were under sail en route to West Bay at the western tip of New Providence island to catch the first good passage westward.

Exiting the western Harbor entrance.

Physically and mentally, this was hell week, but there is nothing like taking some hell to make you feel like a superhero.  And West Bay turned out to be a great little natural day spa to scrub it all away. We watched the sunset from the deserted secluded beach while having ourselves a sand scrub ocean bath.

The Pirates of Nassau

The Age of Piracy kicked off in Nassau in 1696. By 1706 Britain had lost control of Nassau entirely. Nassau became an independent Pirate Republic of sorts until Britain sent governor Woodes Rogers to regain control in 1718. This 11 year 'republic' of pirates was dominated by bitter rivals, Benjamn Hornigold and Henry Jennings. Hornigold was mentor to Blackbeard (Edward Teach), and Jennings mentored my favorite pirate trio: Jack Rackam, Anne Bonny and Mary Reid. Little or Nothing is left standing from that era, so when I stumbled upon a pirate museum in downtown Nassau I couldn't resist.

  

The images on the outside of the museum are portraits of famous pirates and their flags. They didn't all fly a skull and crossbones, many of them had their own personalized pirate flags. However, for the sake of anonymity and safety, pirate flags were rarely raised until they were about to engaged in battle. 

Inside the museum you board a reconstructed pirate ship while an audio recording explains the conditions of life aboard an 18th century ship.

After the ship you enter galleries of artifacts and information that separate fact from folk lore. For instance, there are no pirate treasure maps. Pirates spent their spoils on merriment. The ability to purchase leisure was largely the point of being a pirate after all. However it is true that pirates kept parrots as pets.   

The vast majority of pirates were young seamen who were either forced into or chose piracy when their ship was captured, or were made redundant by the navy and saw piracy as an easy option. An ordinary seaman in the Navy was poorly paid and endured harsh discipline and savage punishments. Life on a merchant ship was equally bleak. Piracy offered the prospect of rum, riches, women, and the warm seas of the Caribbean.

“In honest service there is thin Commons, low wages, and hard labor, in this plenty of satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power, and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking. No, a merry life and short one shall by my motto.” - Bartholemew Roberts

The Pirate's Code of Conduct

Pirate ships adopted a series of articles governing the conduct and behavior of the crew. To break the pirate articles was a serious offense. Pirate crews had to be disciplined in order to survive, sail, and navigate a ship.  These are the articles of Captain John Phillips and his crew.

Articles on board pirate ship Revenge, 1723

1. Every man shall obey civil command; the captain shall have one full share and a half in all prizes. The master carpenter, boatswain and gunner shall have one share and a quarter. 
2. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any secret from the company, he shall be marooned, with one bottle of powder, one bottle of water, one small arm and shot.
3. If any man shall steal anything in the company or game, to the value of a piece of 8, he shall be marooned or shot
4. If at anytime we should meet anther marooner (that is pirate) that man shall sign his articesl without the consent of the company, and shall suffer such punishment as the Captain and company shall think fit.
5. That man that shall strike another while these articles are in force shall receive Moses' law (that is 40 stripes lacking one) on the bare back.
6. That man that shall snap his arms or smoke tobacco in the hold without a cap to his pipe, or carry a candle lighted without a lantern shall suffer the same punishment as the former article.
7. That man that shall not keep his arms clean, fit for engagement, or neglect his business, shall be cut off from his share and suffer such other punishment and the Captain and company shall think fit.
8. If any man shall lose a joint in time of engagement, hall have 400 pieces of eight, if a limb 800
9. If at any time you meet with a prudent woman, that man that offers to meddle with her, without her consent, shall suffer present death.

Flag of Jack Rackam (Calico Jack) 

Exploring Nassau

Walking around a new city is one of my favorite things to do. It's the best way to explore, find the unexpected, and meet new people. Plus it's free! Our dinghy dock is about a mile from downtown/West Bay street.   Between the dock and downtown is a mile stretch of colorful empty buildings for sale or lease. 

West Bay street is where Nassau caters to tourists with restaurants, souvenir shops, beach shops, and luxury retailers.  Nassau hosts up to five cruise-ships at once, which means a few thousand people are dumped on West Bay street daily.

It doesn't take long to notice that business hours are linked to when cruise ships are in port.  On the rare occasion that all ships have left the harbor before regular closing time, you will suddenly find yourself in a ghost town. 

The Straw Market is a large open air market where locals sell touristy goods.  Some are locally hand made (wood carvings, seashell jewelry/decor) and other goods are from China (hats, clothes etc..). Here you can haggle over prices.

Government buildings are also downtown.

There are many historical churches in Nassau.  Mostly, their grand facades face narrow heavily trafficked streets, so I didn't get pictures of most of them. Nassau closes for Easter. Not just Easter Sunday, but for a full four day weekend.  Easter trumps cruise ships.  It's a paid holiday.

Episcopal Church

St. Mathew's Anglican Churh

Do not put your feet on this wall. Please.

If you have the inkling or the time to venture out into Nassau, take a Jitney - the local buses. Naturally, they return to where you boarded, so pick a bus, any bus, and take a tour for $1.25. There is no bus route map, but the streets each bus travels are listed on the front of the bus.  If there are specific places you need to go just ask anyone, but you probably won't have to because Bahamians are quick to offer assistance. Every time we waited at a bus stop a local asked us where we were going and told us which bus to take and where to find what. The drivers are also very friendly and helpful. There are a few designated bus stops (rarely marked), but the driver will let you off anywhere on his route, and will pick you up just about anywhere on his route if you hail him.

If the bus won't do and you need a taxi, they are everywhere and will hail you via a honk and a wave. If that doesn't happen, just stand on a sidewalk with your arm out and one will find you shortly. However, each taxi is independent. There is no meter or set rates so it's best to settle on a price before getting in. On our walks we were hailed by multiple taxis, but waved them on because you can't smell roses (or take pictures) from a moving taxi.  

The Fish Fry is a line of local seafood restaurants/bars on the waterfront just down from Junkanoo Beach.  While the dinner prices are about the same as downtown, they do have more drink specials, dinner deals, and $4 appetizers.  You can easily make a meal out of the appetizers. Conch fritters are $4 here, but $8+ everywhere else.

There are three forts in Nassau: Fort Montague, Fort Charlotte, and Fort Fincastle, but we only managed to visit Fort Fincastle during operating hours.  To reach the fort you pass through a canyon that was chiseled by hand without even a pickaxe, and then ascend the Queen's staircase. Queen Victoria freed the slaves in the Bahamas and across the British empire in the very first year of her 65 year reign.  The staircase was built in her honor, with one step for each year that she reigned.

Anchoring in Nassau Harbor

The primary anchorage in Nassau harbor lies between the east side of the cruiseship docks and the west side of the cargo docks at the base of the bridge.  The depth is around 10' for much of the anchorage but falls off sharply to 25' on the north side and there is a lump in the middle that is 6' deep or less that should be avoided by deep draft boats.  Holding is good, but being a 200+ year old busy harbor, there is some debris on the bottom.  Also, the tidal current direction alternates between east and west, moving about at about 2-3 knots between tides, so your anchor will be resetting itself every 6 hours.  One morning, after a week at anchor we wrapped a pair of barnacle-covered blue jeans around the anchor and chain and started dragging, but with plenty of space to move re-anchoring was easy.   Bay Street Marina maintains a dinghy dock available to anchorage bums on the south side at east end of the anchorage right in front of the Green Parrot.

Beach soccer at the base of the bridge.

The Green Parrot has excellent food, plenty of open air seating and fast Wifi.  However it is pricey - well averagely priced for the Bahamas, $15+ a plate, $8+ appetizers.

If you are anchored in the harbor and would like to find cheaper local fare, you don't have to go much further.  There are two local restaurants a couple blocks from the Parrot with sub $10 menus.
Just take a right (go west) out of the Green Parrot and walk a couple blocks.  Native Breeze and Rachael's Takeaway will be on the left.  Both have excellent food as well.

We spent a couple days at Nassau Yacht Haven to pick up water, groceries and do laundry before returning to the anchorage.  It is east side of the bridge and is "only" $2.15 per foot daily.