Spanish Wells

Monday, January 20, 2020

Today’s cruise was spectacular. The winds were calm and the water was also pretty calm, we had a little roll but long intervals between the waves. Out in the ocean, sun blazing and no one around. That is until we heard Mayday, Mayday, This is the vessel Tranquility Base does anyone copy? They described getting bad fuel and being a drift with no engines. Eddie was able to figure out that they were about 8 ish miles back in the other direction. The only one who responded to them was a sailboat that was 20 miles away, which would have meant 4 hours for the sail boat to get them. We tried to communicate by radio but kept losing contact. Eventually, we turned around. Eddie said, “I’m not leaving them, what if it was us?” Just as we turned around another boat reached them on the radio and was 13 miles away, travels faster than we do and was headed toward them. We continued on to our anchorage. Later at our anchorage In Spanish Wells we saw them get towed in. 

Water $pout towing 2 center consoles and Tranquility Base. 

Everyone has been asking us if we have been fishing. We have not been fishing but we woke up to this guy In the dinghy Tuesday morning!

On Tuesday we rented a golf cart for the day and explored the island. First stop was groceries at a for real grocery store! We basically only needed produce and eggs. Expensive!!! A small head of broccoli was $8! Yup, we bought it as we are veggie eaters!

I loved the town, it was very relaxed with a working harbor. Most everyone gets around on golf carts and every turn is a pretty home, beautiful garden or amazing seascape!

Our whip for the day! Lots of smiles and laughs!

Gives new meaning to cruising!

 Cemeteries all decorated with lots and lots of flowers.

 Garden in front of someone’s home!

I just love the houses and colors on the beach here. 

We walked out to this sandbar at low tide.  Beyond the sand bar, the far breaking waves is the coral reef that surrounds Spanish Wells on the Atlantic Side.


To give you an idea of how far out we were able to walk on the sandbar, this view of the blue house is looking back towards land. By the way, the blue house is for sale and I thought it would be perfect for our friend’s Steve and Rona. Low key, gorgeous views. The island could use some Smokeys on the weekends. Only problem, too many zeros in the price. Ringing in at $1,250,000.

 Every turn on our golf cart exploration was beautiful!

 I was so surprised to see cotton growing!

 Crossing over the Russell Island Bridge.

 We stopped to swing at a beach.

This is the view looking up from the swing. The camera really didn’t capture the color of green against blue sky!

This is the view looking out from the swing. I could have stayed there all afternoon.  We were on a schedule to return our golf cart and move to a more protected anchorage so alas, it was a brief stop.

Weather. People have asked if we pay attention to the weather?! Yes!!! We are subscribed to Chris Parker weather, I watch passagemaker weather, the NOAA forecast, Windy and Windfinder. And its a very good thing because the winds have been howling. 

Last summer when we were in Italy I took this picture. It is from an exhibit in Florence, in the Duomo. There were huge music books with beautiful illustrations. It’s ironic that I only took one picture of the books and it is of the Wind! Yes, that’s what it feels like has been happening in the Bahamas - there is a Wind God blowing as hard as he/she can and we are running and hiding! 

Last night’s winds were gusts to 40mph! I’m grateful for strong ground tackle. Our anchor and snubber have been working hard and holding us rock solid. It’s supposed to settle tomorrow and we hope to swim with the fishies in the next few days. 

5:30pm 1/22/2020 Rainbow over our anchorage at Royal Island