Man of War to Sea Spray on Elbow Key and Hope Town

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Trip Start Oct 19, 2008 Previous
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  Hope Town, Bahamas
Sunday, March 1, 2009

We weighed anchor just after 0830 as the anchorage was no longer sheltered with building wind and sea from the south. We were followed by Sea Mist and made our way to White Sound on Elbow Cay. Dave's reading of the charts and guides had convinced him the passage from the south was the best. Ros thought the passage from the north was best. After looking at the charts a second time there was a consensus on the passage from the north being the best. We pushed on just two hours before high water and made it into Sea Spray Marina Resort just before high water with never less than 7 feet. 4 feet is an ideal draft for the Bahamas however boats of 6 feet can manage ok but can be quite tide restricted.

The slips at Sea Spray have 5 to 6 feet depth. The staff were the most friendly and helpful we have met on our whole trip so far. On the Sunday we watched the clouds build as the cold front that was draping down from the weather system that bought the snow to the US NE on March 1st and 2nd approached. We walked to the beach and watched the lightning in the distance and then sat by the pool and watched the front coming and had to run for the boat as it started to rain.  Eventually the front came through late in the evening with about two hours of rain wind and some distant lightning.

The next day we got a lift into Hope Town in the marina's van. After exploring the town we had a pleasant lunch at Cap'n Jacks and later farewell drinks on board with Dave and Kristie from Sea Mist.  They are leaving their boat here and returning to the US for a couple of weeks.  It has been fun cruising with them.

The next morning we timed our departure for Hope Town harbour for 1 ½ hours before high water and carefully made our way along the inshore channel without incident meeting a trawler carefully going the other way. The cats with their lesser drafts seem to nonchalantly go where ever they want.

We picked up a mooring ball opposite Cap'n Jacks in Hope Town bending a boat hook in the process much to Dave's annoyance as it was one purchased at the boat show that supposedly doubles as a squirt/bailer pump. (proves the maxim that things designed to do two things do neither well). Watched other boats pick up moorings and figured our effort was relatively ok after all.

Fiddled with the radar reflector and flag halyards and then went for a run around the anchorage in the dinghy and then to the prominent red and white striped lighthouse. We climbed the 101 stairs to find a fantastic view.  The old kerosene powered light was interesting and I felt sorry for the keeper hauling all those cans of kerosene to the top to refil the lamp.  As we were leaving the dock we recognized a boat - Southern Vectis at an adjacent slip, with friends of friends on board and aranged to meet them for drinks at Cap'n Jacks and watch the sunset.  As we left Cap,n Jacks, after a couple of drinks, we had a very long, steep climb into the dinghy, as I was by the engine I drove home.  I don't often drive the dinghy or I would have realized that we were dragging our stern anchor, which we also do not set very often, all the way back to the boat!  We retired on board for a delicious barbecued steak. Dave finished reading a gift from Jingles - a book called Total Loss. 40 stories of sailing boats lost due to various causes. Not too depressing as everyone in every story gets rescued but food for thought.

No more fronts forecast but winds today and tonight of 20 to 25 knots with some rain so we will hang out on our mooring ball here in Hope Town for another day. Even Dave has come round to the idea that just doing nothing is fun...........

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White Sound, Elbow Cay	Sea Spray Marina, White Sound	Sea Spray Marina at night	Hope Town Dinghy Dock
Hope Town Street Scene

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