Back on Solid Ground

Hello all!  We have made it back to the US.  We left from Spanish Cay in the Abacos and sailed directly back to the Cape Fear river and on to Carolina Beach.  It took 3 days and 5 hours to complete the 500 mile trip.  We would have made better time but the wind was extremely light. 

 

So, to catch everyone up with the pictures, here are the ones we took of the Abacos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/Abacos?feat=directlink

 

Additionally, here are pics we swapped from two of the boats we travelled with - Side By Side and Miakoda.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/MiakodaAndSideBySide?feat=directlink

 

Adjusting to reality is proving to be difficult!

--
Lew Nance

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover."  ~ Mark Twain

Lots and Lots of pictures

We have finally found somewhere with enough bandwidth to upload photos!  And so without further ado...

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/ConceptionCatLittleSanSalvadorEleuthera?feat=directlink

Quick update

Hello all!  We have had a busy couple of weeks and not much Internet availability.  From Long Island we traveled to Conception Island.  It is an uninhabited island about 25 miles north east of the North end of Long Island.  It was an incredibly beautiful anchorage!  From there we traveled to Cat Island to link up with some other "kid boats" and tour the island.  While there we hiked to the highest hill in the Bahamas which has a hermitage on site.  It was something special to be at a wonderful overlook and enter a one person chapel with its cross as the highest feature in the Bahamas!  On the path up, were the 12 stations of the cross.  Each station was depicted by sculpture or plaque.

 

From Cat, we sailed to Eleuthera.  We stayed a few days in Rock Sound, a few in Governor's Harbor, and are now in Alabaster Bay, just off the beach from a resort named Cocodimama.  It has some of the best Italian food I have ever eaten!

 

We plan to move North on Thursday once the weather gets better.  I hope to post pictures soon so stand by!

 

 

Long Island

We traveled 40 miles east - south east to Long Island.  80 miles long and with a population of 4000, it is a destination for bonefishermen from around the world.  We are staying at the Stella Maris marina and having a great time.  Yesterday we drove south to Davis' Blue Hole which is a blue hole just steps from shore that reaches a depth of 660 feet.  Caroline and I both jumped from the cliffs on the far side, right into the middle of the deep part.  We also toured  the largest cave in the Bahamas and discovered many kinds of stalactites and stalagmites.  Caroline's favorite part was seeing the fruit bats that inhabit the cave.  Today, we went to the Christopher Columbus monument and enjoyed a spectacular overlook.

 

Heeeeeeeres the pictures!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/LongIsland?feat=directlink

 

 

National Family Island Regatta

We can definately say a good time was had by all at the 56th Annual National Family Island Regatta in Georgetown Bahamas!  Locals and Cruisers alike let it all hang out for the entire week culminating in a huge party Saturday night which would rival Marti Gras!  We only stayed til 8:00 and things were well on their way to getting out of hand.  Let me just comment too that the Nassau Police Marching Band was awesome and would rival any drumline in the states!

 

Enjoy the pics

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/NationalFamilyIslandRegatta?feat=directlink
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Countdown to the Regatta

With a bit of sadness, we bid farewell to Melisa, Brian, Anna Lisa and Grant this morning.  We had a wonderful visit which I'm sure will be remembered by all.  Two weeks with guests and it already is begining to feel a little lonely.  You just become accustomed to all the commotion, conversation and loving smiles, that once it's gone, normal no longer seems so normal. 

 

We did get to spend a little time with John and Susan Hornaday, their daughter Brooks and her husband Steve.  We spent the morning talking, laughing and swapping stories.  By lunch we had really worked up an appetite, so we sauntered down to the Peace & Plenty to grab Sunday lunch together.  It was nice to catch up with some friends from home and to hear about their cruising plans for the next few months.

 

Here is the final installment of the Ciarrocca Saga.  Some of these pictures may even become the next P90X promotion posters!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/BrianMelisaGrantAndAnnaLisa?feat=directlink

 

 

Melisa, Brian, Anna Lisa and Grant

The Next group has arrived!  We have already had lots of fun but have taken very few pictures.  We have gone snorkeling at Fowl Cay, attended a sunrise Easter Service on the beach, played in a Texas Holdem tourney with 45 other cruisers, sang karoke at the St Francis Resort and have even caught a fish at anchor off the stern!  Here is the first installment of pictures:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/lewisnance/BrianMelisaGrantAndAnnaLisa?feat=directlink

 

 

We will post more pictures soon, so check back and follow the link!