Long Island Bahamas

Wednesday 26th March 2014  23:33.373 N  75:16.295 W   Distance sailed 153 miles.

Monday 24th and we were welcomed by a beautiful morning at Little Ragged Island and weighed anchor at 07.30 headed for Calabash Bay to pass west of the Diana Bank and east of Long Island planning to check into the Bahamas at Stella Maris. The sea was glassy calm so we had to motor and decided to anchor for the night off South Point having motored 68 miles. The suggested anchoring place on the Navionics chart was among rocks and shallow but with the help of Stephen Pavlidis's pilot we found a safe place. Early next morning we were awoken by the sound of light wind and small waves. Unusually the wind was south west and developed into a force 5 which gave a wonderful sail as we reached along the island. At the north end it was a beat round the corner, a rocky corner that a Colombus ship is reputed to have gone aground on. The entry to Calabash Bay did not look goof in a westerly so I called Stella Maris to check if I could come in. They said it was OK and that I should have enough water, however, Shelduck went aground on sand at 20.00 with less than a mile to go to the harbour entrance. She refloated at 03.00 on the 26th when we anchored to wait for daylight at 07.00 and entered the harbour then.

Ian, the Harbour Manager, called the Customs after we had a few hours sleep and 3 officers arrived including a trainee Roosinique. They had been told to charge me 380 dollars. 300 for entry and 80 for travel. I told them the charge should be 150. They checked with base and 150 was agreed. I said the 80 dollars travel charge should not be paid by me. They explained that on this island the government did not own a car so they had to use their own. The trainee was not willing to sign my requested receipt for the 80 dollars so all three left without payment to report to their boss. 4 days later I have heard nothing more.

Friday 28th was a difficult day for me after 4 days of constipation from the treatment for the Cuban food poisoning. Eventually, late in the evening, after 4 Sennakot and 2 pears I was better.

This Bahamian island is poorer than we expected. The harbour is out of diesel so we hired a car to get it and some provisions. The nearest station had no diesel and the next one could only give us 10 litres before his tank went dry. We then drove 25 miles to the distributor where we got the 100 litres we required.  80% of the berths here are empty but there is a very nice Café with a good cook and excellent internet access which I did miss in Cuba. Shelduck is sheltering here from the tail end of a very deep low travelling up the east coast of the U.S. Our plan is to move on to Great Exuma Island on Fools Day April 1st and from there to Cat Island, The Abacos and on to Fort Pierce Florida.