Bahamas Flying and Sailing trip - the Exumas

Forgot this from yesterday's post - Messy view of our room at Tranquility on the Bay - huge room!  Very comfy!

Tranquility on the Bay from the air.  The "round" building was the bar/restaurant.

Colonel Hill Airport -  Crooked Island Bahamas from the air.

Approaching Georgetown Exuma

Landing at Exuma International Airport

The FBO, Odyssey Aviation was very helpful!

After a short taxi ride, we were at the Exuma Yacht Club -  meet the "other" Island Girl!  A 46' Leopard Catamaran.

The other couples arrived at intervals -  getting settled in.

This weekend was the Island Family Regatta - a local celebration of sailing using specifically design sailing sloops - no engines allowed and all crew must be from the Islands!  It's a big deal down here - mostly for bragging rights.

Island Girl at the dock.

The boys - working for once.....cleaning the deck before departure.

Reid being silly - I don't know if he's sleeping or hugging the beer.  (Lots of beer!)

More of the competition boats.

After fueling up and topping off the water tanks - we were away from the dock for the short trip across to Stocking Island.

The Regatta was under way.

Forgot to mention that the boats not only have no motors - but the sails are all cotton.

Anchored near the "Chat n Chill" beach bar.  Dinghy-ing in for our first bit of island libations.

Chat n Chill in the distance.

A Cessna 182 on floats tied up to the beach.

Our transport for the next 10 days!

Rays  inhabit the shore - looking for handouts from the bar....

Closer view of the Cessna

I was already feeling like I was getting too much sun....covered up to make sure of no sunburns!

At Chat n Chill

Silly Reid again....

More regatta traffic - we were anchored very near the course.

Some of the crew creep out on the board pictured here to help offset the sail on the other side of the boat.  Exciting!

Reid had brought a LED light that goes in the water to attract fish at night.....it was cool looking but we never saw it attract much more than some smaller fish.  Weird, because we've seen similar lights at docks and there were always lots of huge tarpon or sharks attracted.

And the day was done - pretty sunset!

Bahamas Flying and Sailing Trip - Tranquility on the Bay Resort, Crooked Island, Bahamas

We spent the day doing exactly nothing!  Just reading and relaxing.  Not a soul in sight.

Later in the morning, I met a very friendly local man named LeRoy.  He snorkels out in the bay most every day to pick up conch and spear an occasional fish. 

Here is LeRoy's "boat" - it's just an old plastic drum that he has carved out to fit his needs.  He has a rope tied to it which he trails behind him as he's snorkeling.  I watched him out in the bay for over an hour!

Then he comes back to the cleaning station and cleans his catch to be used in the restaurant (and I'm assuming at home too!)  Here he is displaying a nicely cleaned conch.  Note the golden bottle of rum on the table....that was with him out in the bay too!  He was a happy man, livin' off the land/sea!

This shows the entire lodging area - just 5 rooms.....so no crowds!

Truly Tranquility on the Bay!

And tonight the fabulous meal was fresh grouper, "peas and grits" and a lovely coleslaw.  Washed down with a cold Kalik beer, of course!

Bahamas Flying and Sailing Trip - NC to Crooked Island, Bahamas

Took off around 7AM from home, arrived Ft. Pierce, Florida around 11AM.

Had a quick lunch with Dick and Lindy at the Tiki Hut.  Nothing special, but a good break before crossing the gulf stream!

After a little flight planning and call to ATC, we were on our way.  Life jackets on..... Leaving Ft. Pierce.....

And on to the beautiful waters of the Bahamas!

I'm always amazed at the beautiful colors - these photos are "un-retouched"....just exactly like my camera took them!

We landed at Stella Maris, Long Island to clear customs into the Bahamas.  (There is no customs station at Crooked Island,  about a half hour south).

After a quick refuel and easy customs encounter, we were off for our destination for 2 days - Tranquility on the Bay Resort on Crooked Island.

We had a strange thing happen - the Garmin 530 map in the plane and our Ipad program (WX Pro) both had the airport pinpointed in the wrong place!  This was the first time we've ever seen that happen!  The location shown was about 3 miles from the actual airport!  So, we did a bit of circling and finally found the little, unmarked airstrip.

Here's a photo of the strip - called Colonel Hill - on final approach. Looked just like a road with no markings.  No worries - the surface was smooth enough.

Here's a bit of a video I shot on the approach.....it's cloudy and a little late in the day....you can just make out the little landing strip in front of the plane!

We had "circled low over the resort" to alert the owners to our arrival (since our phones don't work in the Bahamas!).  Within a couple of minutes, Mrs. Ferguson arrived in her SUV to take us to the resort.  Just a few more minutes and we were relaxing.....just what we wanted!

A little walk on the beach and then settled in for some serious relaxing!

Mr. Ferguson asked us what we wanted for dinner - he offered fish and lobster.  Duane chose the fish, I the lobster!  Can't get any fresher than today's catch!  He went outside to the cleaning station - and a few minutes later was busy preparing our dinner.  Duane's meal was the entire fish!  He said it was very good.

He served a fabulous conch ceviche - basically raw conch marinated in lime juice to "cook" it.

My simple and wonderful meal.

And that was about it for a long and fun day!!!

Flying/Sailing Trip to Bahamas..Crooked Island and the Exumas

I'll be telling the tale soon....just have to get everything organized!

Trip back from Ocracoke

Sharon snapped this photo of us at Gaffer's.....a little wind-blown, I must say!

Up early for the trip back to Oriental.

Leaving Silver Lake.

The obligatory ferry photo....note the nice calm water.  Much different than the trip over.

But the calm water meant light winds....so we had to run one of the engines all the way back.  Cute little sailboat we passed in the Pamlico Sound.  And that's it - just another fun jaunt to Ocracoke!

Sail to Ocracoke

Our first "real" sail - from Oriental to Ocracoke.  It's a little over 40 miles....

Up early and shoved off the dock without even making breakfast!

Buddy on crab-pot look-out.  It must be "season" for crab fishing since I don't remember so many before.  Wouldn't be good to run over one of the buoys with the propeller!

A really nice sail in strong winds.  I had planned to make chili while underway....but it was a little tossy-turvy....so we just snacked.

Always a ferry photo or two!  In the channel approaching Ocracoke Island.

Always a welcome sight after 6 or 7 hours of sailing!

All tied up to the Ocracoke National Park Service dock on the windy day!

Miranda and Richard joined us - we're all in for a good mini-vacation!

Later that evening....all settled in with our folding bikes nearby.

Just a pretty picture

We had to go out in open water to calibrate the autopilot.  (You have to make large circles in the water to set up the autopilot at the first installation).

Beautiful day!!  And almost a mirror on the water.