2015 - 7/3 to 7/12 - Stranded Naked Cheeseburger Beach Party - Regatta Time in the Abacos & Lynyard Cay

   On July 3rd, a day before the regatta begins, Stranded Naked Swimwear Company sponsors a cheeseburger beach party on Fiddle Cay (one Cay north of Green Turtle).

Official Stranded Naked party boat

Free burgers, fries, hot dogs & rum & tequila drinks all day.

Wayne's waving - chillin in the water with Laurel, Daniel, Laura & the pups

In 2007, our 1st time attending this bash, there were many people, some dinghies & small boats. This year, we were amazed how the party grew & learned that 2000 Bubba Burgers were made - I never did find out how many hot dogs & fries they cooked.

Free drinks & the lines for food & drinks had to be 1/2 mile long into the water

In 2007, I was still working & had to leave the area after the first race - so we only attended the first party  held on New Plymouth. I remember getting freshly made conch fritters from the church ladies who were raising money to build a new church. Well, the church is done & it's exquisite.

The Skipper's meeting was scheduled for 6pm at the Green Turtle Club...just after the Stranded naked party. That meant all the boats attending the party & racing in the regatta had to high-tail it back to Green Turtle, re-anchor & go ashore for the meeting.
Knowing Laurel was joining us on this trip & knowing she loves to race - has since she was little - we focused our attention on getting her here & hopefully she could find a captain needing another crew member.
The meeting went well I suppose even though we weren't part of it. It wasn't until the end of the meeting when Laurel was approached by a guy named Dennis, 'the Iceman' on a boat named ICEMAN, of course.

Daniel & Laura at the Skipper's meeting (met them in Allens-Pensicola)

                      

The "All At Sea" gang (All At Sea is a popular boater's magazine) Laura, Daniel, W&W, Cynthia, Laural & Stephan

In person, this guy looks like a young Harry Chapin - his friend, Diane.

                             ANNIVERSARY REGATTA TIME IN ABACO
                                                       1975 to 2015
"Abaco's maritime culture began about 230 years ago with the arrival of the American Loyalists. They seized the opportunity & built some of the finest two & three-masted schooners of the time. Sailing then was not a fun exercise but a solemn necessity for survival.
It was in 1975 when Regatta Time in Abaco (aka RTIA) began. Initially, it was organized to raise money to enter a Abaconian fishing sloop in the Georgetown, Exuma, work-boat races.
RTIA is a week-long sailing regatta, held in July, which takes place in protected Abaco Sound (the Sea of Abaco). The actual regatta begins on our Independence Day, July 4th in Green Turtle Cay working its way down through the settlements to Hope Town. It ends on July 10th, the Bahamian Independence day".
This year - free drinks were supplied by Mount Gay Rum & Kalik beer.
The boats are placed into various 'classes' or 'fleets':
RTIA & PHRF fleet (not sure what this stands for) - for light to medium displacement yachts that normally race under the PHRF Handicap rules, carrying spinnakers & other specialty sails:
Mother Tub Class: Established for boats equipped for cruising that do not normally compete or race. No spinnakers or other specialty sails are allowed...handicaps assigned by the race committee;
Multihull fleet: Multihull yachts wishing to compete under a time on distance based on MSAF/PHRF handicap formula.
 
7/4 - Race #1 - Green Turtle area; 6pm-Party, free drinks for 1 hour & awards at Tranquil Turtle, Bluff House on Green Turtle. 
I didn't watch the race & for some reason, I don't have pictures from the party. I do remember having the best Conch fritters - ever. ICEMAN had the race won until they had a problem with the rigging - they got the 3rd place award under Mother Tub rules.
 
7/5 - Lay day. Fleet moves to Treasure Cay; Party, as above at Coco Beach Bar, Treasure Cay. 
Having never been here, (it's a bit la-te-da for us) it was tricky business simply finding the channel that goes into the harbor. It is, never-the-less an elegant island full of very upscale homes. I noticed most homes had a TV dish. really? I assumed we wouldn't have reception & I never turned on the TV. Well I'll be damned - yippee! We even got our local stations from home...but no internet.
The party was on a pristine beach but unfortunately, the pictures from tonight & last night's party were lost in transfer. 

7/6 - Race #2 - Treasure Cay to Guana Cay; Party as above at Grabbers on Guana. 
(Wikipedia)  "Great Guana Cay is an islet located in The Bahamas. It is a long but narrow islet, 7 miles (11 km) long. It is located in the centre of the Abaco Islands and is near Gumelemi Cay. It is located about 8 miles from Marsh Harbour. Approximately 150 people live on the island, mostly along the five and a half mile long stretch of beach.
Great Guana Cay's settlement is known for its loyalist culture and architecture, as well as its social scene. Several traditional loyalist homes exist in the settlement, which wraps around a natural harbor".
We were able to see some of the race while crossing to Guana, but difficult, as the boats were scattered all over the place because each class/fleet have different starting times . I really never gave a thought to what a racing boat does with their dinghy while racing...until I saw this- It's called a dinghy tow.

We passed the dinghy tow on our way to Guana

One by one, the sailboats get close to the tow line & tie off their dinghy then swim back to their boat - to retrieve it, same in reverse. A small boat tows the whole kitten-caboodle & leaves them anchored near the finish line...pretty slick. We agreed to tow ICEMAN'S dinghy for the next races.

Live music @ Grabbers - That's Steel Daddy playing the guitar.  The guy in the middle is playing a saw (like in a rake & scrape band)

We had never stopped at Guana before but was tempted to in '07 to attend their Sunday pig roast at Nippers. There are several bars/restaurants popular in Guana; Grabbers on the Abaco sound side & Nippers high up on the ocean side.

ICEMAN came in 1st place for this 2nd race - Dennis, Pat, Kathryn, Laurel & Robert

Pool at Grabbers

One particular (beautiful) Harbor - J.Buffet

7/7 - Lay day. Fleet moves to Marsh Harbor; Party at Crossing Beach, Marsh Harbor;
(from Wikipedia): "Marsh Harbour is a town in Abaco Islands, Bahamas, with a population of 5,314.
The settlement lies on a peninsula just off the Great Abaco Highway, which runs south through Great Abaco to Cherokee Point and Little Harbour. North of town, the road becomes S.C. Bootle Highway, another smooth stretch that runs north and west toward Treasure Cay and Little Abaco".

We went ashore had lunch at Snappas then walked to Bristol's huge liquor store - that was about it for the day. Laurel went to the party but we were partied out so didn't attend. We still have no internet but we have TV reception.

7/8 - Race #3. Marsh Harbor to Hope Town; Party at Hope Town Inn on Elbow Cay;
(Wikipedia) "Elbow Cay is a six-mile long cay in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. Originally populated by British loyalists fleeing the newly independent United States of America in 1785, it has survived on fishing, boat building, and salvage. Its main village of Hope Town surrounds a protected harbor with a noted red and white striped 120 ft (36m) lighthouse built in 1863...Elbow Cay is located about 4 miles East of Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island... Elbow Cay is between Man-O-War Cay to the North and Tiloo Cay to the South. Lubbers Quarters Cay is West of the Southern End of Elbow Cay".

If you Google a map of the Abacos, find these islands, then you can get a fairly good idea how the courses went from island to island. 
We took our time crossing to Hope Town. We anchored outside White sound about 1:30. We could see the boats going every which way from this vantage point.

You can see our trail wandering around the inner harbor - just checkin it out

 

Sign entering White Sound, Hope Town

We'll be in Hope Town for two days as race #3 ends here today & race #4 will race just around Elbow Cay.

The famous Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town

The RAGE- very famous racing boat from the Abacos. Counted 15-20 people on this little boat. Also, the boom extends past the transom so the main sail is huge.

The committee did a fine job of booking the party's at some pretty snazzy locations. Tonight, the party & awards is being held at the new Hope Town Inn.

ICEMAN came in 1st again but there were so many people surrounding them, I couldn't get a picture.

Somehow, Wayne always finds a blonde to talk to

In 2007 there was basically nothing on this site. The only little marina on this side of the harbor was Hope Town Hideaways. Curious, I walked around  this new resort & low & behold, Hideaways was still there, pool all gussied up.

The Hideaway marina pool looks the same but more spruced up & has little rental cabins

  A 'Moorings' rental catamaran anchored next to us. The dogs barking at them as usual. We saw six kids aboard & next thing I know, they're swimming over to see us.

Franco, Javier, Maite, Luca & Daniel (one returned to their boat) - from Venezuela & Uruguay

What great kids & incredibly knowledgeable about the politics of their country - way more than kids know in the US. 
 7/9 - Race #4. Hope Town; Party & awards at the Abaco Inn; This beautiful Inn, located on the Atlantic side of the island, is 5-6 miles from the harbor - We better get a ride cuz I'm not walking. We tied the dinghy up & walked to the street trying to figure a way to get there. No taxis were in site. A shuttle van pulled up taking a bunch of 'kids' to another resort just past the Inn we were going to. They were kind enough to squeeze the 3 of us in off we went. It seemed to be a really long way as we wound around - turning left/right up & down hills & going fast. We saw Daniel & Laura walking but I think some kind soul picked them up.

Stephan & Cynthia - Cynthia works for ALL At Sea magazine & was covering the regatta (I want that job!)

Get this, Laura brought her bag pipes - really?? who would have guessed?? She's from Nova Scotia, but recently from Miami. She played them beautifully for the whole crowd. Then another guy showed up with his bagpipes. Is this some new trend I'm not aware of??

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No comment needed (I have more posed & serious looking pics but I liked this one

I tried & tried - but - you know the sound a whoppie cushion makes? that's the sound I produced

ICEMAN wins 1st place again (Robert, Laurel, Pat, Kathryn & Denis

The trophies were hand-made & crafted at the artisan foundry located in Little Harbor next to Pete's pub. (our next stop) Their pieces are very popular, sought after & expensive. These are just the tiny pieces they make.

I thought it was one of the better parties. Someone in a golf cart took us back to the dock but I'm not sure who or where he came from??
7/10 - Bahamian 42nd year of Independence Celebrations; Regatta's Bitter End Party at Pete's Pub & Gallery, Little Harbour. no free drinks at this party - boo!
from the web: "This unique settlement was founded by a Canadian art professor named Randolph Johnston, who sailed his family to the Bahamas in 1952 &initially sheltered in a cave shared with bats, owls and crabs...It is beautiful beyond description," Johnston wrote at the time. "In this landlocked haven there is a perfect semicircle of white beach gently lapped by water so clear you can not tell where dry sand stops and water begins...There is no sign of man except the distant roof of the Little Harbour Light."...
When it was virtually worthless, Johnston acquired land at Little Harbour & over time sold bits 7 pieces to other vagabonds from varied backgrounds, creating the eclectic community that exists today anchored around Pete's Pub, a famous watering hole run by the sculptor's son. Among the homeowners are artists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, airline pilots, and boat bums..." Johnston set himself up as a charter skipper and sculptor, becoming a local celebrity and a citizen within a few years. His bronze statue of a Bahamian woman was installed on Prince George Wharf in 1975, while his biography, Artist on his Island, was published the following year".


 It took us about 2.5 hours to cruise from Hope Town to Little Harbor.  Just FYI: 'Hole in the Wall' is at the end of Great Abaco & Little Harbor just north of that.

circa 2007 - Yes, believe it or not, this is the famous 'Hole in the Wall' everyone wants to see (really?)

We anchored outside the small harbor thinking there would be no room & were told that it was too shallow for our 5' draft. The 'party' started about 2pm but we thought it started at 6 pm like the other parties. Laurel sailed down with Daniel on Conch Flyer...Laura followed in Annie Laurie.

Lots of turtles in the harbor

Wayne & I were reading on the fly bridge when we got a call from Laurel on the VHF telling us they were anchored inside the harbor & we should come in, the party already started. None of this was true however. Well...not totally true. we hadn't paid attention to the tides & while attempting to enter the pass into the harbor, we went aground. Thankfully, it was a sand bottom. Very embarrassing - we hoped no one was watching. Since we had never been to Pete's we weren't aware that most people party in the water - we didn't wear our bathing suits & were sorry we didn't.

The place was packed with locals & visitors celebrating the holiday - but only a few boaters from the regatta.

We wandered through the 'foundry'...amazing stuff. Laurel purchased a few pieces to take home for her & her kids.
 

 

No comment needed

 

Board walk to the beautiful & peaceful beach

On 7/11 we moved across the bay to deserted Lynyard Cay

with an expansive beach - Daniel & Laura anchored near us. The parties are over so now we can veg a bit. Dinner with Daniel & Laura on BLUE MAX & a night of dominoes.

We stayed two nights but were tempted to stay longer. Since Laurel was flying out from Nassau on the 30th it was difficult to gauge the time. Weather's always a factor & we wanted her to visit as many islands as possible but still be on time for her flight. 
We got the charts out & had a meeting of the minds...where to go?
Decided on Spanish Wells, Eleuthera.