Not a lot of places can claim to be truly “unique”, and actually one of a kind. Our current location, Hogsty Reef, is one of those. It is the only official atoll in the Atlantic Ocean. It has been on my list of places to see for some time, but to visit the weather has to be pretty stable and cooperative. Finally on this trip, we got here.
Our trip here from Great Inagua was straightforward, and uneventful. 45 miles in 8 hours, mostly motor sailing through somewhat contrary winds.
An atoll is a central lagoon surrounded by a coral barrier reef. In the Pacific Ocean atolls are more common and are most commonly produced when a volcanic island sinks beneath the waves, and the coral grows faster than the land subsides, leaving a ring of coral around a lagoon. Hogsty Reef has a different origin story. A couple dozen feet higher, and it would have been a typical Bahamian Island, but as the water levels rose after the last ice age, the upper surface ended up below sea level, and the coral grew in a ring of reefs around the submerged land in the middle creating a lagoon about 4 miles across.
A least one blogger has pronounced it as “the most isolated place in the Bahamas!” Nice headline, but not true. It is only 35 miles from two other islands, and there are Bahamian islands with more space around them than that. But is does FEEL remote for sure, and visits are rare.
There are two “permanent” patches of land, Northwest Cay, and Southwest Cay. We are currently anchored off the larger of the two, Northwest Cay.
We will not be going ashore here because the terns are still nesting on the island. Certainly one of the smallest places we have ever anchored at. This is also a marine protected area so we will not be fishing or collecting here.
If the weather holds as forecast, we will be spending another day or two here, and hopefully have a chance to get you some more photos from above and underwater.
We are sailing to the northwest off the northwest corner of Puerto Rico, crossing the Puerto Rico Trench. Over five miles deep, it is the second deepest place on the world’s oceans. At the end of the afternoon it is mostly cloudy, cooler than we have gotten used to (maybe “less hot” would be a better description.
Our sail for today has been easy, and comfortable. A steady wind on the quarter of 1pm to 12 knots, and a boat speed of 5 to 6 knots. The autopilot has been steering full time and no adjustments have been needed to the sails.
Last night was a bit more challenging. After dark, numerous small squalls popped up. Nothing violent (except for some truly thunderous downpours), but the convection associated with them caused the winds to vary dramatically in speed and direction, requiring constant active sailing of the boat to keep moving more or less on course. Especially since they were so close together, predictions of the wind shifts proved impossible to make ahead of time.
The forecasts for tonight have things a bit less active. Time will tell.
We are now about 3 days out from Great Inagua where we will check in with Bahamian customs which will leave us free to move around the Bahamas. We expect to arrive in Brunswick, Georgia a few days before the beginning of July.
We are just about 3 days from leaving the dock in Martinique. Our expected next stop is the island of Great Inagua in the Bahamas where we will check into customs for a stay of a couple weeks. After sailing for 360 miles, we are in the Spanish Virgin Islands off the east coast of Puerto Rico.
We have another 5 days and a bit over 500 miles before we reach our destination.
Sailing has been easy, all downwind. Other than a bit of rain from the first tropical wave of the season, the weather has been perfect.
We did stop at a seamount to add fish to the freezer. A place 80 miles from the nearest land, and 100 feet deep surrounded by water half a mile deep or more is always a place to expect a good catch.
A red hind grouper from Gibbs Seamount.
We expect more good weather and fair winds for the rest of the trip.
We have had a couple of deliveries lined up over the past month or so that have kept us busy, and some what off line. If you think that job might be all fun…
The romance of the open ocean! Sailing boats to exotic places! The glamor! The fun! All while getting paid! What’s not to love? Ha!
Reality
Nobody (well, almost nobody!) hires a delivery captain to move a boat downwind, in good weather, from one desirable port to another. That’s the kind of sailing the owner wants to do! We just got back from a delivery, and while we had a fun time, all is not rainbows and unicorns.
This boat needed to move from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to Martinique. This is about 330 nautical miles as the seagull flies, and it is almost always an upwind passage into the tradewinds. There was an extra complication, the boat’s engine was not reliable. While it was working, it had a history of recent problems that had not really been definitively diagnosed and repaired.
Off to a Good Start
We left the marina in good weather, and motored out. Everything was running fine, and spirits were high for a passage easier than we expected. But it was not to be. A few hours into the trip, the engine stopped running, and would not restart.
Oh, well, it is a sailboat, and we have wind!
Strategy
The wind was forecast to continue blowing from the east at about 15 knots, with no real changes expected. On most cruising boats this passage would be taken down close to the island chain, but I decided not to do this.
Some of these islands are quite high, and have dramatic wind shadows where wind speeds are dramatically reduced. Off Dominica the wind shadow can extend 50 or 70 miles to the west. Not usually a problem, just fire up the engine, and push through the calm… Oh… Wait… We don’t have an engine…
We trimmed the boat for a close hauled course on port tack, and just kept it like that, sailing as close to the wind as we could until we reached the latitude of our destination, and only then began to work our way east. Instead of the 330 miles of the direct rhumb line course, this took almost 490 miles, and just about 4 days.
On arrival at the outer harbor in Martinique, we used the dinghy as a tug boat to push us into the marina, and get docking lined up. The marina crew at Marina du Marin was, as usual, helpful and professional. They used their boats to push and poke at us until we were secured at the dock, just 5 slips down from our Harmonie.
From Here…
Within a couple days, we will be preping Harmonie to start our migration northward, almost the exact reverse of the delivery sail we just completed, except this time (Cheers!) it will be a downwind route. Our first planned stop will be in the Bahamas, which will be about a week’s sailing from here.
We have been in Le Marin, Martinique since our last update–at least mostly!
When we first arrived, the dock was full of boats that were full of people we knew. Lots of socializing and many sea stories were traded.
The main harbour in Le Marin, Martinique. Since the arrival of the Sahara Dust it has not been anywhere nearly this clear.
The weather has been consistent to the point of boredom. About 90ºF during the day, and high 70’s at night. Other than one day of rain, it is partly or mostly cloudy. The biggest topic of discussion locally about weather is the large amount of dust in the air blown up off the Sahara Dessert and across the ocean. Parts of our boat are liberally sprinkled with rich orange dust from 3,000 miles away.
Today’s satellite measurements of airborne dust
While here we have scheduled a couple deliveries. Week last we finished moving a boat from Fort Lauderdale to Deltaville, VA, and next week we will be moving another boat from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to here in Martinique.
Generally, we don’t post much about deliveries, that is more the prerogative of the client. But here is a quick example of the perils of being a delivery skipper. The boat had two ways of keeping the batteries charged. The alternator on the main engine, which we already knew had “issues.” In addition there was a diesel powered generator, which had been working well in the weeks leading up to the delivery. Unfortunately, the first time we needed it, the engine on the generator started and ran, but only at idle speed, insufficient to generate any usable power.
It turns out the throttle linkage was broken. It’s not often I get to make a temporary repair on a boat with baling wire, but in this case it got us to our destination.
OK, I KNOW it is really ugly. But it did get us to where we needed to be!
When we returned from the delivery that ended in Virginia, all of the people we know back in Le Marin had scattered in various directions on the ocean. It seems strange to be here “alone.”
Harmonie Visits the Boat Spa
Harmonie has been getting a lot of work done by the staff of the local Amel service center. Some of the projects are significant routine service that we did not have the time or tools to do, some of them are upgrades and cosmetic improvements. The Amel staff does exceptionally good work, they know these boats better than anybody, with the possible exception of the factory in La Rochelle, France. They are about the only crew I would ever turn over major mechanical work to, and then leave the boat with them while we went off on a delivery.
I know we have said it before, but if you own an Amel and it is even remotely possible, you need to get the boat here and have Alban and his crew give it a good going over. Their labor rates are reasonable, they have the parts they need, and they do an excellent job. Just as an example, Karen asked them if they have the little rubber feet that support the wood shower grates up off the fiberglass floor in the head. The reply was, “Sure, how many do you need?”
All that, AND the price for space at the marina is also one of the lowest we have paid anywhere in the Caribbean, or the East Coast of the USA. Costs of supplies and food are reasonable, and the best selection of boat supplies in the Caribbean, outside of Sint Maartin. The down side is that there are three chandleries within walking distance from the dock, and somehow they all seem to carry (mostly) different things. Sometimes you just have to visit them all to find exactly what you are looking for.
What’s Next?
As soon as we finish the next delivery we will begin serious preparations for moving north. Karen has a number of places she really wants to stop in the Bahamas that we skipped on the way down to take advantage of favorable weather.
Our first stop back in the US will likely be Brunswick, GA. We have some clients there with a work list that will keep me busy for a few weeks, then we will probably head further north to avoid the heat of the southern summer.
We have made 800 miles in 5 1/2 days. Not a blistering pace, but respectable. After cutting over the Puerto Rican Trench, at nearly 30,000 feet some of the Earth’s deepest water, we are now approaching Anagada, the Northeastern most of the British Virgin Islands. Once we enter the Anagada Passage, we will officially leave the North Atlantic Ocean, and enter the Caribbean Sea.
Our winds continue to be almost bizarrely favorable. The only possible complaint is right at the moment we could use a bit more, but a little motoring in calm seas is vastly better than the hard-core closehauled beat this route would normally require.
It has been an uneventful trip so far in waters relatively empty of shipping. The highlight was Karen’s spotting of a distant splash, which quickly turned into a humpback whale jumping repeatedly out of the water. These waters are the winter calfing and breeding grounds for these huge creatures, so not too surprising to see them.
Martinique is about 330 miles as the seagull flies, we expect to be pulling in there in two days
We left Cape Eleuthera 3 days ago, and have covered 420 miles since. Not a terrible fast trip, but easy and comfortable. The weather continues to give us exactly what we need, and the forecast continues to look good. For anybody used to sailing in the Caribbean, the idea that anyone could sail from the Bahamas to Martinique in one go and very sail upwind will seem almost laughable, but here we are!
This part of the ocean is really very empty. A highlight of the day is if we have two other vessels within 25 miles. Not much exiting to report. Winds right now are on the lighter side, we are on a beam reach with winds from the NNW at 8, it’s sunny and comfortable.
Our expected arrival in La Marin, Martinique is April 1, making this one of our longer passages on Harmonie so far.
What does a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral look like 450 miles down range?
We were lucky, the original launch time was originally 5PM, but it was delayed a couple hours so the sun had set, but was still illuminating the sky, dramatically lighting the contrail.
This was a SpaceX launch of 23 new Starlink satellites.
We have been moving around away from the boat on deliveries, and working on refits in Fort Lauderdale, now we are back on Harmonie, and ready to sail. Karen is right now up at the marina office settling our bill. Harmonie has been waiting patiently for us in Cape Eleuthera Marina, and as a reward for her tolerance of us playing on other boats, we are taking her for a nice long ride starting today.
What a difference a day makes…
Yesterday, and overnight, a strong cold front blasted through, and has upset the normal trade winds for the next week. We are taking advantage of this unusual weather pattern to jump ahead of what would normally be a nasty upwind slog. If the weather forecasts hold we might get as far as Martinique over the next 7 or 8 days. Of course that is a long time to trust the weather forecasts, but we have alternatives if things do not turn out as expected.
The fly in the ointment here is we can not easily get an outbound clearance from the Bahamas here. Not a problem for the Bahamas, it is not required, but there are other countries down range that DO require an outbound clearance, and others that do not. So our next Port of Call will be at a country that does not require this particular paperchase. Our choices will be, Puerto Rico, the USVI, the French side of Saint Martin, and any of the French islands.
We are not completely happy with jumping out of the Bahamas so soon, but sometimes weather drives decisions.
We have begun our migration south and east from Cape Eleuthera We made a short stop to anchor for the night off of Cat Island, and then proceeded to sail the 75 miles south to Georgetown.
Our SailLogger track from yesterday. Cat Island to Georgetown.
As is our normal procedure when weather allows, as soon as we cleared the reefs and got out into open water, we set our fishing lines. We were targeting wahoo specifically because we find them especially tasty, and this area has been quite productive at delivering them for us.
We had not gone very far, sailing along at 6 knots, when the drag on our biggest rod started to scream. We furled the genoa to slow down, and headed off the wind a bit. By the time I got back to the rod, a LOT of line had peeled off the reel. It was quickly apparent that this was a very big, strong fish.
I had Karen break out the harness that transfers the pull of the rod to my back, instead of just my arms. This rod is spooled with 80 lb test line, and when a large fish is running drag out, there is a LOT of pressure on the rod.
Although the initial run was a fast as I’d expect from a large wahoo, the rest of the fight was very different. Wahoo make 3, maybe 4, really fast runs, and then they are spent. This fight settled into a powerful tug of war. The fish dove deep, and every time I’d get him up close to the surface, he would race down again in a very non-Wahoo like fashion. Each dive became shorter as he tired. And a good thing, too. My arms were getting a bit wobbly!
About 20 minutes after the first contact, I get him close enough that we can see, and my first impression is a long thin fish with blue stripes. At first, I am sure I have a HUGE wahoo, but the tail looks too big… Wait… wahoo don’t have a dorsal fin like that… And it has a bill! It’s a Striped Marlin!
Striped marlin at boatside.
Now most fisherman have a bucket list of fish they hope–someday–to catch. If you fish in the freshwater lakes of North America, it might be a muskie, the largest member of the pike family. Large, rare and hard to catch. For most salt water sport anglers, marlin are at the top of this category. Striped marlin are small as far as this family of apex predators go, topping out at “only” about 400 pounds. The black marlin tops out well over 1500 lbs.
This is our first marlin, so a fishing milestone for Harmonie. I’d guess 7 or 8 feet in length, and 150 to 200 lbs. Although they are very good eating, in the Bahamas all members of the billfish family must be released. It takes us some time to solve the riddle of how to get him unhooked in the water, but we eventually get it sorted out and off he swam.
Every fisherman will want to know what we caught this fish on…
Big baits, big fish! This is a lure out of Australia, a Nomad Minnow DTX 220. A deep diving, beast of a plug. The marlin was caught on a slightly different color, Purple and pink, not the black and purple in the photo. It’s become our goto for wahoo although we have hooked mahi-mahi and tuna on them as well.
While I have known that these lures are used by people specifically targeting marlin, for some reason it never really occurred to me that we might hook one.
Are there more fish on my bucket list? You bet… a swordfish and any of the large, deep-water groupers. I reserve the right to add to the list at anytime!
Georgetown
If you have followed our travels, you might remember that Georgetown tends to be a bit too “people-y” for us. Right now there are over 400 boats here in the harbor. People come here for the social activities, with many staying most of the season. Sort of the very reasons we tend to leave this anchorage as quickly as we can!
We had a chance today to visit the grocery store here in town which is small, but well stocked. Prices are quite high, but not wildly so for the Bahamas. The supply boat arrived yesterday, so the staff was busy restocking the produce section.
From here we will visit some of the uninhabited islands in the far eastern reaches of the Bahamas that are more our speed. If we find a weather window suitable, we will be back here to restock, and jump off for Puerto Rico.
fetchinketch 