Monday 10 Feb, BHS day 42, Black Point: Today was one of those relaxing yet productive days: haircut, laundry, booked marina in Cayman, online orders, and drinks for happy hour!
It was a windy night with several heavy rain squalls. This is trade wind weather now. We both had duties during the night. Oana was up at 2am to get the bread out of the bread maker and I was up at 3am to see our depth at low tide. I was a bit surprised to see it hovering between 2.5 and 2.6m! Meaning we have just a few centimeters below the keel. That was cutting it a bit close! It also means the tide drop was well over 1m which is unusual. But being a full moon and hence spring tides, I should have known better.
There are more than 50 boats now anchored in this small bay. It’s quite crowded. And during breakfast we realise everyone has the same agenda as us: to do their laundry. The dinghies are already crowding the small dock by the laundromat. So no point rushing there just to queue for the washing machines… we go for plan-B instead, and Glen gets a well needed haircut. To stop the hair blowing everywhere we shut all hatches, so by the time hair-dresser Oana has finished her master piece we are both fairly sticky and covered in hair! But I’m very pleased with the result as usual. I’ve given up trying local barbers and Oana is getting better and better at it, each cut she gives me.
After well deserved showers, we make some phone calls to marina in Cayman to inquire on availability and how we can get deliveries there. Seems to be relatively straight forward, so our shopping list comes out and we spend some time on the internet ordering a bladder for the kite, and other bits and bobs. And while at it, we also have a look at potential flights from Trinidad to Europe, just in case we end up with plan B for the summer (as in sail east to Trinidad instead of west to Panama).
Mid-afternoon we head ashore for laundry. Quite well equipped, with 12 washing machines and 9 tumble driers. It’s the perfect yachtsman’s launderette, just 20m walk from its own dinghy dock and the room has a wonderful view over the blue anchorage. Outside they have built shades for you to sit in the cool while the machines do their job. Earlier in the morning the water ran out, but lucky for us it’s been replenished just before we arrive. Ian and Michelle are also doing their washing so we keep each other company and arrange to meet for happy hour later.
On Mondays, happy hour is 5pm-7pm at Emerald Sunset bar. 2 for 1 rum punches while we watch the sunset and the daylight fade, along with several other yacht crews. Over drinks we discuss tomorrow’s plans. Looks like we are both heading down to Rudder Cut, about 15nm south of here. We really must make an effort to keep going south now, or there is a real danger we will just get stuck in the Bahamas forever – just like a lot of these yachts folks.
And on that note we had yet another chat this morning. It really looks like we are honing in on the plan to defer Panama crossing until Dec’20, taking the summer off again. Not sure where we will put Cloudy for that time but it’s starting to look like we will be taking the “Thorny Passage” to Trinidad. (Thorny passage being the yachty term for the long upwind leg east to the Windward Islands)
The sky darken again with threatening clouds, and back at Cloudy we have a look at the forecast. Hm, no wonder there are now so many more boats in this anchorage…it is one of the most sheltered in this area, and the wind will continue to blow. We’d better have a closer look at the charts, for contingency plan.