Off to the Bahamas
Catacaos
Graham Shaw
Tue 28 Apr 2009 23:34
Gray missed out saying about the sleepless nights again on the trip to Turks and Caicos, we were doing night shifts of three hours each, which was fine except I could not sleep when off duty, to noisy at sea again, it takes a while to get use to it unlike Lucas who will sleep through anything - the more noise the better. It was nice to be at sea again a little like spaghetti junction the first night with cruise ships coming at us from all directions. I think Gray was a little worried I was going to crash the boat. The good thing about cruise ships is you can see them before they have come over the horizon due to the amount of lights on them, you do struggle to pick out their navigation lights though. I did meet a man on the dive trip who seems to spend his life on cruise ships, the average age on his cruise ship was 71 years. When it did arrive in port three amblances were there to greet the ship!! A great way to spend your retired years I think. Lots of shooting stars and a distress call as well - not from us I add - a boat taking on water, the Coastguard from Puerto Rico rescued them. I thought I saw a flare but infact it was a very vivid shooting star - no I had not been drinking just a lack of sleep - Lucas was a star -I am getting a little fed up of Shrek and Cars now ever though he still loves them???
We arrived in Grand Turk then decided we go off again after getting no response from the harbour people to clear in so we went off to South Caicos. Grand Turk is where you see all the whales in the winter so we were a little late for that sight seeing tour. After South Turk we had to take on the Caios Banks to Provo- AHHHHH very shallow water lots and lots of reef rocks etc we ummed and ahhed about what to do, a Irish man came over to our boat to check out the charts? (did he have none) then he decided to go all the way around which was a really long way. Anyway after a lot of diliberation, we took the bull by the horns and went off across the bank. I have to say with Graham steering, I thought it was pointless me steering as I would be annoying him every five minutes, plus if we crash it would be his fault not mine. Least we would not sink as it is that shallow, not that our boat would sink because of the foam pannels (gray just reminding me). Anyway, success - we managed to get all the way. The water was so blue and the lowest we went to was 1 metre below the keel, which was okay (ish). I'd rather have a 100m but were were doing 7 knots most of the way, it would have hurt if we hit anything.
We met some lovely people on a tri maran - Renzo, Eidith, Carolyn and Peter. Renzo & Eidith came and joined us for a night of drinking lightly - Gray and Renzo managed to finish off our fine bottle of Calavdos from the War. Yes Gray looking a little worse for wear. After TWO bacon and egg sandwiches he was much better. Anyway they are off to the Bahamas as well, so they are going to give us a head start. Their trimaran does 23 knots but with all the cruising stuff on board it only does a measly 17 knots! They are on their way back to Holland, which I sure will take a 1/3 of the time it took us to cross the atlantic.
Provo is very nice - lots of white sandy beaches. Took a hike into town, walking seems to be a myth here - everyone kept on stopping to give us a lift - they found it a little bizarre that we were walking - after about 4 miles we took the next lift - then taxi back (lots of shopping - well that my execuse).
Next stop Bahamas off tomorrow am to Mayaguna.
Pictures of the salt lake, the blue sea of Caicos (the sky looks a little black though) dolphins - very hard to photograph I think I took near on 60 pictures and this is the best I could do.
Lucas had a fall (jumping on bean bag) and managed to crack open above his eye, lots of blood and tears. No stitches required, he still has not learned though - getting a little too bold I think!