Hogsty Reef

Hogsty Reef over 30 nautical miles from land in any direction can only be visited in perfect weather, an atoll rising up out of the depths forming a horseshoe shaped reef. Just five nautical miles east to west and three north to south. It has earned its reputation as a passage stopper, there are apparently more than 200 wrecks on the reef.

Two of these wrecks bare their rusted bones above the water line. The Liberty and The Lady Eagle lie in about 3 meters of water. The incoming waves continue to pound and smash onto them creating whirlpools as the water rushes in and out of the submerged hull. The bow lies midship facing onto the reef and is full of Blue Tang and a big school of Mutton Snappers. Lobster hide beneath scattered pieces and colorful reef fish swim in and out. Large Nurse shark lie lazily on the bottom and huge Barracuda lurk menacingly keeping an eye on you for a potential food source.

Lady Eagle

The remoteness saved the life of a fish or two and took fresh shot fish off the menu. Taking a chance shooting one with huge Barracuda and Shark nearby was not worth the risk. The odd lobster was not that lucky and we had to have lobster for dinner, breakfast and lunch.

The Liberty

The once proud Lady Eagle is more intact and we didn't dive on her.

At each end of the horseshoe is a flat sandy spit about a meter high and 100 meters long. Littered with shells I found three of my favorite cowrie shells. Treasure indeed.

Early the next morning we lifted anchor and headed for Matthew Town.

International Rescue Group Reserve

Two years ago Andre flew to France to see a boat we were interested in called Rendezvous Cay, to cut a long story short we decided against buying it and were doubtful it would ever leave France!

Can you imagine our surprise as we sailed into Meeks Patch, Eleuthera to see that very boat tied up alongside a 97 foot steel yacht called Thunderbird 5!  We had to find out how it got there and what it was doing there. Approaching the boat we met Captain Ray Thackeray of Thunderbird 5. He informed us the previous owner had donated it to his organization called International Rescue Group after we had decided not to buy her! What a small world.

Some four weeks later as we crossed the channel back from George Town to Rat Catcher and who should we see anchored off of Chat and Chill beach but Thunderbird 5. Stopping to say hi Ray informed us Rendezvous Cay had sailed down from Eleuthera to Haiti to deliver relief supplies and had then headed back to USA for repair and overhaul to be chartered as one of the IRG boat to generate income for the organization.

Good Run left

Capt Ray Thackeray

As Capt. Ray had sailed the route we were considering taking South, Andre and John from JODA made a plan to visit and pick his brains.  In doing so we discovered Ray is the founder of International Rescue Group (IRG) run solely on donations. Thunderbird 5 was packed with supplies destined for Haiti who is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Matthew. The organization owns 5 boats one of which is currently based in Haiti and would be receiving the donations to put to use. They are digging wells, putting roofs back on houses distributing medical supplies and other goods. In addition to the boats they own IRG has a growing group of Auxiliary or Reserve boats. Invited to dinner of an amazing triage of curries and awesome company we met the Captain and crew of Good Run, one of the reserve boats. 

Thiago

Tiago a Brazilian, who looks like the traditional pictures of Jesus and has a demeanor to match, is the proud owner and his friends Zack from USA and Emma from New Zealand are crew. They were rafted up alongside Thunderbird being filled with supplies for Haiti. Their home page is Good Run Sailing for Hope.

Dinner Guests

The dinner

Tiago had actually already had a fund raiser in USA and with the proceeds bought as many school supplies and other goods as he could to take to Haiti. Their travels brought them in contact with Capt. Ray the rest is history.

It didn't take long for Ray to convince both us to load supplies for our destination being Ilha de Vache onto Rat Catcher and Joda. That is how we became members of IRG Reserve.

The morning following dinner prior to setting sail South we ratted up against Thunderbird 5 and loaded a generator, a water maker, an 20 donated yacht sails, a folding bicycle, garden tools, various items including boat spares donated for the boat based in Haiti.

The generator will be used to drive the water maker which produces 2000 liters a day. Post disaster water requirements for maintaining life are calculated at 2 liters per person per day. This means this water maker will supply a village of 1000 people with fresh water daily.

The sails are for the traditional boats used by the Haitian fishermen. This their only means of propulsion, no motors no fuel even if there was they couldn't afford it. So sailors worldwide are asked to donate their used sails to "IRG" or "Sails for Sustenance". To be distributed.

The folding bike is for the local IRG go to man for his transport.

A huge container of roof nails. Garden tools including spades for the digging of the wells.

Joda was loaded with similar items.

Ray, Emma, Zack and Thiago
L-R

IRG's aims have boats around the world assisting with or responding to disaster. 

Being solely run on donations every dollar helps and if you can't assist with dollars how about spending some time aboard one of the boats at $20 a day which covers board and meals. 

Alternately run a fund raiser or  organize donations. 

Join IRG reserve and get involved, no costs to join.

Eleuthera

Leaving Marsh Harbour we headed South. Stopping overnight at Tahiti Beach and taking advantage of low tide for a long walk we headed for Lanyard Cay.

One of our buddy boats

There we found 13 other boats waiting to make the jump to Eleuthera. A sundowner on the beach ended up with a huge bonfire with dancing and meeting new friends. The winds and seas had died enough for us to get through the Little Harbour cut. Although from a distance it looked like the seas were still breaking in the cut as we neared there was a calmer narrow channel we squeezed through out to the open sea. A 2 - 3 meter swell with about a meter chop made for interesting sailing but sail we did. A reef in the main and 2/3 Genoa we were cruising along averaging 8 knots.

From endless pineapple fields to white and pink sand beaches to secluded coves and miles of coastlines, Eleuthera & Harbour Island defines The Bahamas. British Loyalists who settled here in the 1700s influenced much of the architecture and way of life. The other Bahamian islands, making Eleuthera & Harbour Island the birthplace of the entire country, have since adopted this style. In addition, the islands continue to charm visitors with tropical flair, as Harbour Island is known as one of the best islands in the Caribbean. If you’re visiting The Bahamas, Eleuthera & Harbour Island are not to be missed.

Ten hours later we entered Meeks Patch anchorage in Eleuthera. Meeks Patch is a well-used anchorage and is good for protection from Easterly or Westerly winds. This results in cruisers doing what they call the 'Meeks Patch Shuffle' as they move around the island as the winds change. Most of the boats that left with us also anchored there and a beach bonfire was once again in the cards for a fun evening.

 

Spanish Wells

I managed to get a snorkel in along the shallow shores and was rewarded seeing huge hairy looking crabs and eel.

The next morning we lifted anchor and headed for the uninhabited Egg Island. It's so named because it is home to chickens owned by residents of other nearby islands who travel here to collect the eggs.

We headed for the wreck just off Little Egg. In May of 1970, the Arimoroa, a steel-hulled, 260 foot Lebanese freighter, was traveling from South America to Europe with a cargo of guano-based fertilizer when a fire started in the ship's galley. The fire spread so rapidly that the captain ordered the ship to be run aground on the closest island (Egg Island in this case). The crew was able to escape, but the cargo continued to burn for three months, and the phosphates leaking from the wreck made the area around the wreck barren of sea life for several years.

Although we saw good-sized fish there is still very little coral on the wreck. No lobsters for dinner.

Just off of Spanish Wells was our next anchorage.

The first colonists were the Eleutheran adventurers from Bermuda (intending to be some of the first settlers of Eleuthera), who suffered shipwreck on a reef, known as the "Devil's Backbone" off Eleuthera in 1647. After living in a cave known as "Preacher's Cave" on Eleuthera, they ended up at Spanish Wells. Among other, later, groups of settlers were Crown loyalists, who left the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Historically, the island was used as a last stop for Spanish ships returning to Europe, where these ships refilled their water supply from wells created for this purpose - thus the English name of the settlement: Spanish Wells.

The townspeople are very house proud and it is obvious by the pristine condition of the town and beaches. They all drive around in golf carts and one often sees them stop to pick up litter that has blow in. We found them friendly and welcoming and keen to tell you about their town. Our favorite restaurant is Buddha’s Bar, we think they have the cheapest best hamburgers in Bahamas. At $4.99 and up to $7 with cheese and bacon added they are delicious. Their happy hour is one of the best at around $3.00 for everything beers and spirits included. Not hard to guess why they are full every night.

With a big blow expected we decided to head to A safe anchorage at Harbour Island via the infamous Devils Backbone Passage. The track runs between coral reef and the shore and it is advised to take a pilot aboard or, as we did, follow another boat who has done and knows the path. It's quite spectacular sailing not much more than a boat length from the shore with waves breaking both on the shore and on the reef, also about a boat length from your other side. The track winds between coral heads and shallow shores. Not for the faint hearted or for bad weather.

Tucked safely in with the anchor well buried, we headed ashore and set out to walk to Glass Window and The Queens Baths.

This famous bridge links North Eleuthera to the mainland of Eleuthera. It is notable because on can see the dark Atlantic meeting the aquamarine Caribbean at the thinnest part of the island.

Glass Window Bridge, originally the site of an extraordinary natural arch linking the Exuma Sound to the Atlantic, is one of the most impressive sights on Eleuthera.

A story I found while researching Glass Window Bridge! True or not I don’t know but I quite enjoyed the read! http://www.eleuthera-map.com/rage-glass-window-bridge-1.htm

NATURES FURY can be devastating. For centuries, there was a natural stone bridge connection between north and south Eleuthera. Phillip Thompson of Gregory Town remembers his parents talking about taking walks over it on a regular basis. Then in the 1940's, several hurricanes combined to destroy the seemingly immortal land bridge and a concrete replacement was built. For decades, this bridge was patched with reinforced concrete, but in 1992 and 1999 Mother Nature struck again without mercy. Hurricane Andrew chipped away at the old bridge significantly in '92, but in '99 the real damage came.

For more than 2 days and nights, Hurricane Floyd, a Category 4 hurricane, pounded the area of the Glass Window with persistently high winds and waves until nothing of the original Glass Window remained. Although the bridge was repaired and Queen's Highway re-connected within a few months, the geography of Eleuthera has changed forever.

The name "Glass Window" is still used, however, to describe the opening that connects the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans. Although natural rock has been replaced by man-made steel and concrete, the sense of awe still lingers. Stop the car and climb the rocks. Then marvel at the power of the Atlantic surf pounding against and through the narrow cut. The feeling is spectacular!

The Queen’s Bath or the Hot Tubs, are natural pools (carved by centuries of waves pounding the rock) are filled with dramatic crashing waves, shells and small sea life that wash over from the Atlantic Ocean. The sun, creating a bath like temperature tidal pool that’s perfect for soaking, warms this crystal clear water.  The best time to visit the hot tubs is during low or medium tide.  

Once the front had passed we headed back to Spanish Wells via the Devils Backbone. This time following our own track made on the way in!

A couple of days restocking and waiting for the right winds and we headed south.

Sailing through Current Cut un flat millpond seas we decided to anchor in the Lee of the Island. Once the hook was well in we all dinghied ashore after checking the nearby sea for some lunch. None found so lobster was not on the menu. As a front drew closer we watched the seas go from flat to a two-meter swell and a half meter chop in 20 mins. We sat it out hoping it would blow over but decided this was not going to be a comfortable night anchorage. Lifting anchor we headed for Hatchet bay.

Before the 1940's and the creation of "The Cut," a 90-foot artificial opening created by amphibious earth-moving machines, Hatchet Bay did not exist; only a land-bound lake next to Alice Township. After "the cut," Hatchet Bay then became known as the "country's safest harbour" since it was completely enclosed and provided terrific protection from foul winds and storms.

 

Joda going through the cut

Hatchet Bay has an awesome entrance. Not for the faint-hearted. From the sea it looks like there is no way we would fit through. As we were on our way in we spotted the fast ferry and seeing it screaming to ward us decided to stand off to allow it to pass first!

The Hangout!

Why was this the boys favourite stop again?

It didn’t even slow down with what looked like less than a meter space on each side it screamed through the cut did a very sharp right turn and headed for the dock. Following behind we discovered how much turbulence it created in the water. As we entered the cut our depth sounder started screaming, the current was pushing winds pulling and we held our breath until we were out the other side. It was the ferries turbulence that caused it and we were glad to enter the flat calm harbour.

Governors Harbour is a quaint little town with friendly people. The best coffee shop serves great coffee and snacks to lunches called ‘Da Perk’.

A long walk over the hill to the Atlantic side brings you to another pink beach. Not quite as spectacular as the one at Dunmore town but a stunning long beach with the usual Turquoise seas!

This is the capital of Eleuthera and wandering around takes you back to a time past. Victorian Era houses overlook the bay and the narrow lanes and steep hills take one past the homes of the islands wealthiest residents.

It was here we returned to, to meet up with the islands veterinarian when Lulu became ill. We met the most amazing young woman. Dr Italia Sands of Noah’s Ark Veterinary Centre. We met her ashore and dinghied her over to the boat to meet the patient. She promptly plonked herself on the floor of the salon next to Lulu and had a good chat with her before beginning her examination. It turns out she had a UTI and we had an amusing attempt at Dr S trying to get a pill down Lulus throat. She is a past master at not allowing you to put anything in her mouth. We eventually agreed I would dissolve the pills in a little water and get them in that way. Ten days of hell for poor Lulu but the meds worked.

Dr Sands has recently moved from Nassau home to Governor’s and has opened the clinic, while they are busy completing the surgery she drives the length and breadth of the Island visiting her patients. Thank you Dr Sands you are amazing.

Our next anchorage Rock Sound promised a Geocache and ashore we discovered a well-hidden secret of Rock Sound! The most amazing caves! Climbing down into the first cave we walked past the roots of trees still growing on the ground above, light filtering between the leaves creating a magical ambiance!

Sound Point was our last stop in Eleuthera before crossing over to Warderick Wells and the Exumas!