2011 - 7/24 - 7/28 - Chub to Harbour Island

   7/24 - 7/25 Same nice weather & intermittent showers but a bit more breeze - great for sleeping. Just waiting for a weather window. 7/26 As Mel Fisher said, “Today’s the Day”. Anchor up at 7:00 am and as soon as we turned the point, we got slammed with 3-6 foot waves & a stiff easterly wind. Wayne was tempted to go back but we knew from checking “wind predict” on the web, that the wind & seas would calm a bit by late morning. So we toughed it out & was well worth it. I was able to cut vegetables & add it to my little crock pot along with chicken. About 6:00 pm, we carefully navigated the inlet called Harbor Mouth & picked our way into the anchorage. The books suggest you hire an experienced local captain to take you through - I have an experienced captain. Dinner was great if I say so myself. 7/27 - 8/4 A bit about Dunmore Town on Harbor Island taken from the Yachtsman’s Guide to the Bahamas: “ One of the oldest established settlements in the Bahamas, Dunmore Town is a pretty little town of brightly painted homes, graceful picket fences wound with wildflowers and narrow streets bordered by stone walls. The town is named after Governor Lord Dunmore”. And from Insight Guides-Bahamas: “With its fine natural harbor, Harbour Island is thought by some historians to have been the intended destination of the Eleutherian Adventurers. Located just off the northeast coast of the island of Eleuthera, it is well protected from rough weather by the treacherous reefs that destroyed the Eleutherian Adventurers’ ship…From the 18^th Century until WW II, ships built on Harbour Island plied the seas of the world. By the 19^th Century, the island’s main settlement, Dunmore Town, was the Bahamas’ second city, exceeded only by Nassau in population & wealth. Islanders built everything from dinghies to swift three-masted schooners. In 1922 they built the largest ship ever constructed in the Bahamas, the four-masted Marie J. Thompson”. Lots more history - just Google it. Wayne made a good deal to stay a week at Romora Resort - only $1.25/ft which is half their regular price. We settled in at a dock facing east & furthest from shore so it would simulate being on anchor. With electric costing 65¢ per kwh, we wanted to be stingy. Water charge was $20/day but the water was terrible & only good to wash down our salt-encrusted boat. They didn't charge us. The water-maker was now working since Wayne changed the elements…I was able to do laundry.Only 2 years old, this is the newest marina on the island, cozy, comfortable but chic. We visited their sunset bar & grille on many occasions meeting some really interesting people, locals, tourists & other boaters. The pool was a great relief after walking all over the island & a social gathering place late in the afternoon - we each brought our own adult beverages as non-happy hour drinks at the bar are $10.  This is Janine & Gaetano from NY city



Pool area, sunset bar & grille & dining area.

A local band, Bilanders, played on Thursday evening-they were very good. In addition, a large group of locals, some just arriving from the states, filled the bar & dining area to celebrate an upcoming local's wedding. It was a fun night; I got to dance & have my favorite dish-cracked Conch.

Wayne, with the bride & her mom

We got the local tourist map of the island & simply wandered. We both agreed this is probably the cleanest, most squared-away island we’ve been to in the Bahamas.

Alvin, Alkie & Antoine- our favorite bartenders

Sweet kids - part of the wedding guests

GOLDIE

The people are friendly & helpful, beautiful homes & small hotels, restaurants & resorts abound, but it doesn’t feel cluttered or crowded. Lazy dayz…Wayne worked more on the water maker thinking he hooked something up back-wards ? We’ll see. We haven’t used the a/c at all thanks to steady easterly breezes, the air flows straight thru the boat & into our cabin. But the fly-bridge is the place to be. Wayne relaxes & sleeps in his lounge chair every night.