BahamasCaribbeanCruising

Travel videos now available

By April 10, 2011 No Comments

I am very excited to let everyone know I uploaded the first two episodes of “Aboard the Guiding Light”.  These are 4-7 minute travel videos I will be releasing every two weeks or so.  The first one starts in Galveston and each episode will follow my path of travel.  You can find them under the “Travel video” tab.

This week I have had three different anchorages.  The first one is Landrail Point Settlement on Crooked Island and is where Michael’s entry left us.  After church we had a great fish lunch for $10 at Gibson Lunchroom #2.  If you go, say hi to Willie, the owner.  Her cousin gave us a ride to the Pitts Town Resort so we could see the first post office in the Bahamas.  The resort restaurant and bar was built to incorporate the post office walls.  There is a plaque commemorating the location.  He also took us to William Hope’s plantation, which was overgrown with scrubs but in decent shape.  On Monday I took the kayak up the creek (I did have a paddle) and across the salt pond, which was not easy since the wind was blowing 20+ knots.  But I made it to the far side and was able to see a cannon emplacement and another ruin.  The emplacement had three cannons in a fortified position and two more lying haphazardly.  The cannons were in great shape for their age and I found numbers, a seal, and the angle markings on a couple of them.  On Tuesday we got up and started the 40 mile run to Clarence Town, but first stopped two miles offshore of Crooked Island at Bird Rock Lighthouse.  This lighthouse has become my favorite, because the keeper’s quarters are the circular building surrounding the base of the lighthouse.  They are not connected.  There is a 5-6 foot open courtyard between them.  It was very unique and quite impressive.

We made it to Clarence Town by 5pm and instantly fell in love with the harbor.  I saw it by car a month a go, but it is so much better from a boat.  The next day we walked around town and I took Michael to the two churches Father Jerome built.  We also went to the large blue hole at the southwestern corner of the harbor, which had a very steep slope and I had a blast running into the water and falling over the slope like a kid.  Later in the day we took the boat into the marina and filled up with fuel and arranged a rental car, so I could take Michael to the airport on Thursday morning.  Once I got him to the tiny airport (we missed the check in building and almost drove onto the runway…oops) I drove 10 miles or so to Salt Pond and visited with Storyville and Pipe Muh Bligh before touring Hamilton’s Cave.  This is the one thing I did not get to do last month.  The tour was about thirty minutes long and was worth the $10.  It was amazing to see the cave formations and there was sunlight streaming into parts of it.  Other parts you had to use a flashlight and watch out for BATS!!  In the past the natives used this cave as a hurricane shelter.  Once I was done with the tour I returned the car and did two loads of laundry and some basic shopping.

I left Clarence Town on Friday morning and made the 35 mile close hauled trip to Rum Cay.  Once I got here I promptly took a nap!  Saturday I walked around the marina and town.  At the marina four large boxers started barking and charging at me.  I was backing up and ended up tripping and falling into a very large fire pit (not lit of course).  I was later told the dogs would not have hurt me, but it sure seemed like they were interested!!!  In town two couples and I used a long board and knocked coconuts out of a tree.  In the afternoon I took the dinghy, a handheld GPS, and coordinates and dove on the HMS Conqueror.  I saw debris scattered about and was able to identify the chain and screw shaft.  The boo-boo I had was coming back inside the reef.  I misjudged the small cut and rode a wave over the reef.  I ended up hitting the prop.  Everything was fine so I went to a beach with a 30 foot cliff to climb and look around.  When I was pulling the dinghy up the beach I found two sea beans.  I have wanted to find some since I got here and now I have them, YEA!!!!  After the look around I went to the entrance of the salt pond.  I was told it was quite attractive and they were right.  Unlike most salt ponds this one was crystal clear.  The entrance is the best part, but inside is nice too.  I even found a small cave that has a thin floor while still having the rock under it cut away (hard to explain, but I found it fascinating – see if the photo helps).  I could have spent hours here relaxing, but the engine started giving me trouble.  Seems the reef did do some damage after all.  I ended up tying it to a tree and walking 2-3 miles around and across the pond to the only settlement, Port Nelson.  I will go back after church and tow it back.  I think I need to replace the prop or the rubber part in the center of the prop.  We will see.

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