Exactly five weeks. That is how long we were anchored in Elizabeth Harbor, near Georgetown. We waited there for the relentless northeast wind to subside. When the wind eased to less than 20 knots we stayed a couple of extra days to allow the seas to settle-down before we pulled anchor to leave the harbor and sail into Exuma Sound.
Exuma Sound is bordered from the north, west and south by the Great Bahama Bank. The Great Bahama Bank is a vast area of shallow water. It is too shallow for large cruise ships, but much of the bank is deep enough for family-sized cruising boats that can operate in water less than 7 foot deep. Shibumi needs only 5 foot depth. The Exuma Sound, on the other hand, reaches depths of well over 6500 feet. Because of its depth Exuma Sound can become extremely hostile in strong winds. The sound is open to, and is actually a part of, the Atlantic Ocean to the east. In the middle of that opening is a 35-mile sprit of land known as Cat Island. (Sidney Portier is from Cat Island.) If I were to look for the lost continenent of Atlantis, I would begin my search in Exuma Sound.
After five weeks we finally left Elizabeth Harbor and sailed into the Exuma Sound. The wind was 15-20 knots and the wave heights ranged from 4 to 7 feet. It became obvious that we should have waited one more day for a better sea state. However, we were already out there and it was a manageable sea, so we continued. About one-hour into the trip our auto-pilot quit. I had to hand steer in the sloppy seas for the remainder of the day. At Cave Cay Cut we turned west and went back on the shallow Bahama Banks and anchored off of Galliot Cay for the night.
I investigated the auto pilot problem. The lower sprocket on the rudder drive had worked loose and fell off. I found it laying on the top of the transmission case. I have learned to classify boat maintenence problems by how many swear words I feel compelled to use before the problem is solved. The problem with the auto-pilot turned out to be a three curse word problem, which meant is was a relatively mild as far as boat issues go.
The following day we continued on to Blackpoint where we joined with three other ships to make a 10 hour trip across Exuma Sound to the island of Eleuthera. Shibumi is comfortably anchored in Rock Sound, Eleuthera as I write this.
Tomorrow we will rent a van with two other couples and explore the 60-mile long island by road.
Click Here for More 2007 Shibumi Pictures...
Click here for my on-line journal: AS I SEE IT |
