After three days of rest at Grand Bahama Island, it was time to move south and east to the more southern islands of the Bahamas — where we will spend the winter. Of course, the wind was blowing from that same direction which would mean that once again, at best, Imagine would be a motor sailer, or worse … a trawler with a mast. We could stay and pray for the wind to change, or we could go. What the heck, another 24 hours of beating into the wind and we would reach the Exumas.
Exiting Bell Channel, the VHF radio surprised us with a familiar voice. It was long-time Canadian boating acquaintances Brian and Yvonne Wilkins on the catamaran Options III. They were arriving in Lucaya after crossing over from Lake Worth, Fla. the night before. Traveling with them were other sailing friends, Bess Wordell and Jim St. Pierre, on the sailboat Destiny.
Both boats were only a couple of miles away. We switched to a non-working channel and quickly caught up as Ed set a course for Great Harbor in The Berry Islands chain. Their timing was great, an hour later and we would not have heard them.
Under sunny skies and shouldering against three to four waves, Imagine sailed slightly off course for a more comfortable ride and to keep air in the mainsail. It was necessary to tack left and then right every couple of miles to maintain the course as we sailed toward The Berrys. A glow of light appeared on the western horizon as we approached the island chain after dark.
The course kept us well east of the shallow waters surrounding The Berrys. Imagine sailed past Great Harbor and continued southeast toward Rose Island off of New Providence Island and Nassau.
White blips on the radar screen indicated the movement of other boats, their course and speed. Lights on the darkened horizon 12 or more miles out often prove to be one of the many cruise ships that frequent the area. These behemoth ships light up the darkness like bright white neon from miles away as they circle and wait for daylight to head into Freeport or Nassau.
I think cruise-ship marketers plan morning arrivals so that guests awake to the clear turquoise waters as they head into port.
Daylight comes and Rose Island diminishes as Imagine now moves toward the shallow Yellow Banks. Coral heads and rocks dot the shallow area and can prove hazardous to unwary boaters. The lowest depth noticed on this trip was seven feet. Once across, the course was set for Norman’s Stake that marks the entrance of Norman’s Cay anchorage.
Twenty-seven hours after leaving Grand Bahama, Imagine bobbed at anchor in front of a lone palm tree on a sandy islet inside the Norman’s Cay anchorage. We were the only boat anchored. We could have been depicted on paradise postcard. Forty days and 1,262 nautical miles after leaving the Sassafras River on the Chesapeake, we arrived in the southern Bahamas. Ed got the watermaker running. We took showers, ate sandwiches and were asleep before dark.
Large stacked gray clouds sat heavy on the horizon as Imagine got under way the next morning heading further south. After lunch, Ed grabbed the binoculars when he noticed a boat on the far horizon. As Imagine closed the difference it was obvious that someone was waving from the boat. What appeared to be a windsock was a T-shirt. The boat was anchored in front of Galliott Cut. As we got closer we notice the local man waving more frantically. Ed slowed Imagine and turned toward the distressed boater. I took a line and went to the bow. The stranded man lifted a red fuel jug to indicate he had run out of gas. He pulled his anchor and I threw him a line.
His name was Barry Ellis and he lived on Little Farmers Cay. He was heading to nearby Cave Cay to get gas and then to Musha Cay (home to magician David Copperfield) to pick up his wife from work when he ran out of gas. The unlucky boater had been sitting there for three hours when we came into sight. We towed him as close as we could get to Cave Cay. The low tide kept us from getting all the way in. I anchored Imagine as Ed gave Ellis the gas to get going again. It took a while for the Bahamian to mix oil into the gas and to get his motor started again.
When he asked what he owed us, Ed replied, “A simple thank you will do.”
He told us to stop by Little Farmers for some lobster in appreciation for our help.
After the rescue, Imagine stayed where it was, anchored for the night. The next morning Imagine would snuggle into a no-service slip at the Sandals Marina at Emerald Bay to re-fuel and wash six large loads of salty and very smelly laundry. It was a good way to end the day.
And, as I said in the beginning, timing is everything. I know one Bahamian fisherman who would agree.
By Sharron Spark Boyle
New Jersey Sunbeam
