GaYa On The Move 2018-2019: January 12-25, 2019

January 12, 2019

6:00am- Woke up this morning to a cloudy day. Finally got some exercise in although maintaining our balance on the boat and all the walking keeps us fit.

Went to Maxwell's to pick up a few groceries before heading out to Man O War. Anchor was lifted by 9:30am. We plan on meeting up with Margi and Chuck from V Twins whom we travelled with a couple of year ago. We are excited to see them again.

10:45- Didn't take long to arrive at Man O War mooring since we only covered 5.3kn.
As we were picking up the mooring, Steve got soak and wet since it started pouring.
Now we can dry off and relax once again.
Looks like we will be staying here for a week. Usually it cost $20 / night for a mooring but if you stay for a week, it is $80. What a deal. Guess it is even cheaper for a month. It is quite protected in this Harbour also.
Margi and Chuck came over to welcome us once it stopped raining. Weird how it just downpour as we were mooring and then the sun came out once we were all settled.

After lunch, Steve and I went into town and had an ice cream cone. I always remember how much I like their ice cream. Walked around a bit.

5:00pm- Margi and Chuck came over for a pulled porc dinner. It was nice catching up.
After they left, we started watching a Netflx series but soon realized we ran out of data. Guess we will have to go in town where they have wifi and top up tomorrow.
What a gorgeous night out. The smiley moon is shining so bright along with the stars.
We both decided to bunk down and read a book.

January 13, 2019

After listening to the Cruiser's net, Steve did a few repairs and then attempted to get the water maker going. After last year's issues, he got the water pump all refitted while we were in Canada. Yeah, we can make water again.

Coral Grave sight which is hand dug

I went to the marina to hook up to wifi while Steve stayed on the boat. For some reason we are having a difficult time with our BTC cellular hook up so I deceived to download some movies for tonight. We later went for a walk on the beach. It feels good to get our walking in. It sprinkled a little so we rushed back before getting wet. Once we realized it wasn't going to rain, we dinghies down in the bay to explore it. The water is crystal clear and I saw a huge turtle swimming and a huge fish. It is really nice in the way here.
We had an early dinner since we skipped lunch. Guess I goofed on the Netflix,downloads since one was in German and the other was a documentary which neither one of us liked. We decided to finish listening to Michelle Obama audible book and then I entertained Steve with a little of my guitar playing. It is sure pitched dark at night. We came inside the boat thinking it was 11ish but in reality it was only 9:30pm. We both went to bed anyways.

January 14, 2013
Woke up at 6:00am and did my routine exercise while waiting for the sunrise. It is going to be a gorgeous day. Didn't see much of a sunrise because of the trees.

After breakfast, while Steve worked on the heater element, I went kayaking. For some reason we were not getting hot water when we ran the generator. He quickly resolved the proble.

We then did a load of wash at the marina. $5.50 a load. While we were doing the laundry, we downloaded movies on the iPad since the wifi was good and free.

Steve taking advantage of free wifi

After changing our bedding, we stopped in Chuck and Margi's boat for a,quick drink.

Margi and Chuck from V Twin

Once back at our boat, we listened to music and enjoyed barbecued pork chops for dinner.

Steve noticed a bird on the mast spreaders.

Steve blowing the conch

We were in bed by 10:00pm after watching a movie. It was such a beautiful night.
Steve blew the conch at sunset

January 15, 2019

Went kayaking this morning before Steve woke up. He made water after breakfast and then went for a swim before going to the marina to check our mail

First swim in the Bahamas this year

I finished my audible book on Sally Field and then later did a little painting. Chuck and Margie invited us over for a wonderful dinner. She makes he own ricotta cheese, homemade bread and even yogurt. We had a wonderful evening. Steve and I came back to the boat to watch a crappy movie. Can't win them all.

January 16, 2019
Another calm morning so I went kayaking.
Steve cleaned one of the solar panel today while I went in the dinghy to explore. I want to go diving for Sea Biscuits but the water always seem a little bumpy by the time we go.
Relaxed and either read or played guitar. It was on and sprinkling all day.
A Canadian couple, Brad and Julia, from London area came by in their dinghy with their lab dog and their daughter Rachel. They sold everything and live on their boat.
As we ate our dinner, we noticed the sunset colors were illuminating gorgeous colors so we hurried in the dinghy and went outside the bay to see it. So beautiful.

The water was so clear that we could see the mooring

After watching a movie, we sat outside the boat and noticed how bright the half moon. It lit up all the boats and the water was so still. It is a picture you can't describe. You have to be here to see it. So calming. Funny thing is, everyone moored in the bay was already sleeping. Absolutely no lights were on in any of the boats.
We decided to go read a bit before bedtime.

January 17, 2019

Beautiful morning kayaking

Went kayaking early morning and enjoyed the peaceful still water. We talked to a couple, Judy and Mike Bornkoff, from Gibson, BC who have a tug boat Blue Yonder 111. They were on their way for coffee in town and stopped by on their dinghy.

At 11am, we met up with Chuck and Margi and they went snorkeling with Steve while I swam by the dinghies. Steve managed to get me half a dozen Sea biscuits. He knows what makes me happy.
We later made water and relaxed

Steve snorkeling

Margi and Chuck snokelling

I made a spaghetti meal and took the dinghy out to see another gorgeous sunset. Watch a few movie before going to bed.

The bright moon

January 18, 2019

Beautiful sun rise

What a gorgeous morning to go kayaking. It was so calm that I was able to kayak on the outside of the bay to see the sun rising. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. There was a gentlemen who was sculling on his sailboat with his sails up. We quietly waved to each other since we did not want to wake anybody with our voices.

Guy sculling

Around 9am, Steve and I decided to take our dinghy across to Hopetown. It only took us 15 minute since it was so calm.

We first stopped in to see John Barrows from the boat Mandalay. We then went for a nice long walk on the beach before meeting up with Debra John's wife) at the school. She volunteers at the school while she stays in Hopetown throughout the winter.

Hopetown School

After we had lunch with Debra, we said our goodbyes and headed back to Man O War around 2:15pm.
Around 5pm, Chuck and Margie came over for flatbread pizza. It was such a lovely night. We are really appreciating because we know that it is going to get rainy, cold and windy in the next couple of days.

January 19, 2019

We paid $80 for another week since high winds are on its way. Better than the snow storm they are now having at home.

We went out the Harbour to pump out our heads. Afterwards, Steve took the oven apart to clean it. The oven wasn't working efficiently last night when we made pizza. Now she is running beautifully. Went to the marina to take advantage of the good wifi to download movies. Getting ready to bundle up in the boat the next couple of days.
At 4:30pm, we met up with other boats with their dinghy and we were tied up in a circle while drifting with the current, drinking, passing hors d'oeuvres, listening to someone play mandolin and ukulele in honor of the full moon. What a gorgeous night.

Boater playing the Mandolin

January 20, 2019
As we expected, the rain storm and wind was upon us after lunch. I managed to go to the marina to Face time loved ones before getting rained on.
It was a great chance for me to keep listening to audible. I am really enjoying the book Chris Hadfield "An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth. I even made cookies which did not need an oven.

Yummy cookie

Gorgeous sunset

Sunset even with all the wind

Steve's famous steak meal

The moon is shining on the water

What a sight

Can't believe how the moon actually looked like the sun. It was so bright that it lit up the harbor. Steve enjoyed listening to football on the back of the boat while viewing the moon. Around 11:00pm we started viewing the most beautiful lunar blood eclipse from the bed hatch. I didn't get to sleep until 12:30am. Spectacular!

Lunar Blood Wolf Eclipse

January 21, 2019

After breakfast, went to the marina to take advantage of the wifi. It is amazing how high the tides are due to the full moon. It was sure easy to get out of the dinghy onto the dock. We went for a long walk and explored the East side of the island. Last year we walked the West side. We noticed there was a lot of homes and properties for sale. So beautiful.

Steve doing his pushups

Beautiful flower which attracts bees, butterflies & hummingbird

On our way back, we saw Chuck and Margi visiting a couple from Massachusetts on their lobster boat. They live on it during off season. We managed to get a tour. What a nice boat!

After our visit, we returned back to the boat to make water. I replaced the "Hamilton" logo on the back of our boat. It was pretty banged up and we had a spare while Steve polished the stainless steel on the topside.

Taco night and watched a movie. The moon was really still very bright. Ended up being a great day.

January 22, 2019

After breakfast, walked on the West side of Man O War today. At the end of the island was John & Sue's place which we met a couple of year ago. It was all closed up but Steve picked up 3 coconuts and chopped them up with his machete.

Found an old telephone booth

John & Terry were not home

Found an alligator on our walk

Yummy....3 coconuts

Steve chopping up coconut

After our walk, I painted while Steve read a book.
It is really windy tonight. Stir fry for dinner. The boat is rocking while we watch a Netflix series.

January 23, 2019

Bringing trash from the beach

After breakfast, we went for a walk on the beach. It was SO windy that we got sandblasted
On the beach we picked up plastic garbage and placed it in the bin provided as you left. What a great idea.

Eating a fresh orange from a tree

Cracking the coconut

Fresh coconut water

When we got back to the boat, Steve cracked open the 3 coconuts he picked up yesterday. He managed to fill up a container with the coconut water. What a treat!

At 5pm, we were invited over to Margi and Chuck's for heavy appetizers where we met Betty and Rob from Halifax who stay on their boat named Wonder. It was a nice evening. When we got back to the boat around 8pn, we barely could keep up to watch a series.

January 24, 2019
It was sure blowing last night. I woke up around 2:30am from the high winds. The boat was tossing and turning. Funny how the winds come and go. All day, the rain was on and off. Actually, just the odd sprinkle.

Carol's backyard

We went in town and walked around and for an ice cream. Carol, a local, took the time to talk to us as she was standing in front of her house with her dog. She explained how she came from Florida and after being widowed, she met her husband on line who lived in Man O War. She moved here 3 years ago. It is great living here, she explained, however as they are aging, they worry about the medical facility. The "so called" hospital in Marsh Harbor does not meet the care she would get in the States. We must of talked with her for an hour. She gave Steve 3 oranges from her tree as she showed us her backyard bearing also fruit such as bananas, papaya, avocado and melons.

Carol Weatherford who lives in Man O War

Steve petting Carol's dog

Carol lived beside a church and in front of the school who only has 13 students

When we returned to the boat, I made mini macaroni cheese for future meals. Hamburger for dinner tonight and then a movie.

January 25, 2019
it rained most of the night but at least the wind subsided. We did a load of laundry and as the washing machine started, the power went out. It is very common on these islands. Thankfully, they had a generator at the marina and we were able to continue with the wash.
In the meantime, we went to the local coffee shop across from the grocery store and had a cinnamon bun. She did not have a generator therefore could only make drip coffee and couldn't warm up the cinnamon buns. Not a problem since they went down quite well. If you spent more than $5, you can visit the on site museum.