People We Met Along the Way
We met alot of interesting people on our journey, people who shared a bit about themselves with us. The following is a thumbnail collection of what we found out about a few of those people.
Grant & Wendy Wolfe, Texas, aboard "Vindaloo", a Power Cat. Vindaloo was anchored about a half mile away from us at Bonds Cay. They stopped to say hello while passing on their way to do a little snorkeling. Very friendly and fun to talk to. Later that evening when I was talking to my friend Bill in Maine I told him we had met a nice couple: Grant and Wendy. Bill said "Grant and Wendy Wolfe?" Small world.
Sam from Nassua (originally from the UK) with his parents Steve & Fran who were visiting Sam in the Bahamas. We met them at Highborne Cay where Sam had brought them for lunch. They had arrived at the same moment we were docking Navigator We met them later at the restaurant. Steve introduced himself as we were leaving and complemented my docking maneuver. Sam lives in the Bahamas full time and builds high end housing.
Mike McVee, aboard the Hinkley 50 "Sunshine". Mike was our neighbor in the marina at Highbourne Cay. Mike is from Texas, or Colorado depending on the moment. He has his own business and says he is not retired, but he sure does a good impression of retirement. He spends long stretches in the Bahamas in the early winter months, then heads to Colorado to ski.
Timothy, the Bar Tender at the Horseshoe Beach Bar, Highbourne Cay. Timothy showed me how to refine my Margarita recipe and also loved my Anthony Bourdain T-shirt.
Un-Thethered
Brad, aboard "Un-Thethered", from Parry Sound, Ontario. Got a glimpse of Brad's personality at 4 AM at Cambridge Wells, the night we were bumped by a 60 ft sail boat in the storm. I got on the radio and called that boat to wake him up and see how we could deal with the situation. Of course, my radio call was heard by any other of the 20 vessels in the anchorage who might be up monitoring the storm. "Un-Thethered" had been listening. I knew he had been listening because he snapped his spot light on us. Several times in the next hour or so we sorted out the problem in the dark. The next day Brad helped me find a better spot to anchor.
We encounter Brad and his family again the night we spent at Atlantis Marina in Nassau. I found out that Brad is a Harbor Host for the America's Great Loop Cruising Association.
Paul & Michele Grego, aboard "Una Vida" Sailing Cat. We met Paul and Michele as we went for a hike at Cambridge Wells. They showed us Pirate Max Gusto's cave. Paul and Michele have cruised extensively on "Una Vida" having visited 27 countries, including New Zeeland, Fiji and the Cook Islands. The introduced us the "NoForeignLands" app for international cruisers.
Lee, Taxi Driver, Nassau. Lee took us shopping for a plumbing snake in Nassau. First to the department store: AID where we had been told to go, in the "Over the Hill" section of the city, where tourists are generally advised to exercise caution. They had plungers and brushes, but no snakes. A clerk directed us to a plumbing supply store not far away. No joy there either and they directed us to Tops. Lee finally asked us what exactly we were looking for - and offered to help. At Tops he marched in with us and got right to the point with the sales people. In minutes, they located some snakes, but at one of their other stores! Off we went again, getting the grand tour of Over the Hill.
Saunders, Mechanic, employed by a boat owner at Hurricane Hole Marina. Saunders was recommended to us by Captain John. Saunders showed up in his overalls (clearly a mechanic), but when he turned around, I realized from the logo printed on his back that he was no slouch. He worked for "Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines". Saunders listened to what we had done, asked a few questions, jumped into engine room and performed a couple of tests and declared 'the pump is no good!' Go buy a new one.
Ron, Waiter Carnival Restaurant, (where we ate on three different occasions). Ron made our drinks appear like magic and somehow we only got charged for one drink each meal. He was into Bahamian cusine and taught us the right way to cook a plantain.
John & Ben: The crew aboard a yacht from Naples, Florida. Two young guys, full time crew aboard a 90 ft yacht. Tthey arrived one evening and docked right next to us - the owners not on board. John executed the docking by remote control. I complemented his landing but chided him for using an electronic crutch, we had a good laugh. Nice guys, both in their early 20's. The next morning we heard their thrusters as they left at first light.
Doug Watson & Jackie Simmons Olsen, aboard S/V Leaf, from Georgetown Maine, who we met at Warderick Wells Emerald Cay. Doug is a retired USCG mechanic and offered to look at our sanitary problem. He even climbed into the engine room with me and did a full assessment. He noticed that the breaker for the pump was undersized! Thanks Doug!
Elgin, Park Ranger, Exuma Park, Warderick Wells. Studied Marine Science in Georgia. He offered us a mooring in the favored North mooring field because we "were nice on the radio", despite the waiting list! Elgin grew up on Grand Bahama and told us of his experience during Hurricane Dorian during the 20 ft storm surge when he helped his dad rescuing people during the height of the storm. The wind was howling. Streets were flooded. Houses inundated. Driving his dad's truck through water up to its hood until it stalled. While struggling to push it out of water his finger suddenly was dislocated. Confused he looked behind him and noticed a tree branch as big as a man's waist had landed behind him. He realized the branch, propelled by the wind had just caught his finger tip as it sailed through the air. Later they helped a paramedic rescue a bed ridden man. Wading through chest deep water to his house, he passed a small dog perched on top of a window A/C unit just at water level. They found the man in his bed close to drowning and carried him to safety. As he returned past the house he looked for the dog but the dog was no longer there. That is when he noticed the tail of a large shark swimming away...
Colin & Sara, Gabriel (10), Mariella (7). Aboard S/V Calisto, Rose Haven, MD. Home schooling their 2 children. A family of weekend sailors on the Chesapeake for a number of years. As a family they watched YouTube videos about cruising the Bahamas. The children proposed to the parents that they should do so as well. They get up every morning and do school work and the parents work remotely. Afternoons they explore and have adventures. We listened on the VHF as Marielle, the 7 yr old daughter, called her friends on the VHF radio and using correct radio etiquette.
George and Anna Jordan aboard the "Sara G". The Sara G had been damaged by Hurricane Dorian in 2019 while in Man-O-War Cay. The Jordan's found her in 2020, afloat but severely damaged. They towed her back to the States and rebuilt her in Aries Pond, Orleans, MA. They now live aboard leading a cruising life with their two daughters Grace and Eleanor.
Jean Knapp & Zarpe
Jean Knapp aboard Zarpe, a Nordhaven 62 in Big Major Cay. Her and her husband are from Sterling, MA. We were passing in our dinghy admiring their boat when she came out on deck to see who we were. She ended up telling us almost her whole life story (well at least her boating life). She and her husband knew about the Nordhaven owners who are travelling to the South Pacifica - which includes the previous owners of Navigator, Marco & Karen.
Paul, and Julie, and Henry (Bernadoodle). Our dock neighbors at Highbourne Cay. Retired from Quebec and had spent the winter in the Bahamas aboard Cyrano, a Beneteau sail boat. Left Quebec in September and in late March starting their way back north.
Lenore: Met her while walking along the dirt road going to Pete's Restaurant at Little Harbour in the Abaco's. She was sitting in a Adirondack chair in the shade, across the street from the beach, knitting. Lenore is in her 80's now and has wintered here in Little Harbour for the past 29 years in a house they bought, after they gave up the cruising life.
Tristan, Corey & Avis at Abaco Resort & Marina in Marsh Town. Avis took our reservation over the phone and was a hoot. Tristan was the Dock Hand and Corey the receptionist at the Marina Office.
Robin & Bernadette aboard the Fleming 55 "Blessed" from Virgina. First met them at Cambridge Cay having cocktails on the sand bar. The night Navigator got bumped in the dark Blessed also had a boat that was too close to them and were forced to relocated. Made for interesting radio exchanges.
Saw Robin & Bernadette again in Stanley Cay, then again in Hope Town at the Inn and Marina.
Donny of Donny's Marina in Black Sound, Green Turtle Cay. A unique character to say the least. Donnie runs a small marina that is a throwback of sorts. Fixed docks with room for 20 or 30 boats under 50 ft. A one man operation competing with the bigger, corporate marinas that are fully staffed with dock hands, harbor masters, maintenance personel, etc. Donny plays all of those rolls.
Donny claimed to have flown airplanes around the Caribbean on various nefarious missions in his youth, but eventually realized he needed to find a more stable lifestyle. Now the marina is his life. He loves his marina, and if you pull in, you become part of his world.
Sabrina & Josh Lowe We met them on Green Turtle Cay. She runs Lowes Karts - golf cart business. She grew up in Guatemala and Florida and Marsh Harbor. Her dad is an engineer who came to the Bahamas to dismantle some old sugar mills. He is a native Bahamian and a captain of one of the ferry's. Hurricane Dorian displaced them out of their house. Wind driven rain entered the house through broken windows and flooded everything. They had to gut it. They were able to remain on the island by living with his parents while they rebuilt. They home school their 3 children. They love the island life.
Steve & Maureen aboard Resolute a Kady Crogan from Hingham, MA. Met them at Donny's then again at Great Sale Cay. They invited us aboard for a beer, and when we realized they were without 120v power (ie, no coffee maker), so we invited them over to Navigator for coffee the next morning.
Rhett the dock hand at Palmetto Bay Marina who we met a year ago and was there to help us check in again as we returned - and remembered us! Personable, enthusiastic, energetic, a one man show. As he was getting us tied up, he took a bit of a plunge! Claimed it was the first time in 3 years working there that he had gotten wet. I guess we distracted him!
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