Photo: Entering Spanish Wells harbourPhoto: Spanish Wells "All Age School"
Photo: Pam riding through Spanish Wells 
We met Jim and Dudley Grove on their 1962 Hatteras ("Fanfare") which they have owned for the past 45 years (it was his parent’s boat first). He has been coming to Eleuthera since he was 8 years old and was a wealth of information. On Friday they departed to go over to Harbour Island, about an hours sail. To get there, you have to cross “The Devil’s Backbone”, a snaking route through coral reefs and shifting sands. The services of a professional pilot are strongly recommended.
“La Garza Verde” (The Green Heron) arrived on Friday. We had met John & Susan Hauge down at Exuma Park. We had some drinks and food on their boat and seemed like we had been friends forever.
Photo: Rainbow in Spanish Wells
We met Jim and Dudley Grove on their 1962 Hatteras ("Fanfare") which they have owned for the past 45 years (it was his parent’s boat first). He has been coming to Eleuthera since he was 8 years old and was a wealth of information. On Friday they departed to go over to Harbour Island, about an hours sail. To get there, you have to cross “The Devil’s Backbone”, a snaking route through coral reefs and shifting sands. The services of a professional pilot are strongly recommended.
“La Garza Verde” (The Green Heron) arrived on Friday. We had met John & Susan Hauge down at Exuma Park. We had some drinks and food on their boat and seemed like we had been friends forever.
Photo: Rainbow in Spanish Wells
On Saturday, the four of us decided to take the ‘fast’ ferry (The Bo Hengy) over to Harbour Island. This is a 120 foot catamaran that blows through the Devils’ Backbone at 25 kts. Even at that speed, it was a rockin and rollin trip. At times we were 50’ off the beach and at other times 50 ft from exposed coral reefs. Harbour Island is the new “hot” real estate area of the Bahamas. Waterfront houses routinely go for $3-4 million. The main mode of transportation there is golf carts and they are everywhere. No seatbelts or helmets…. Quite a sight!
Photo: The "Bo Hengy" fast ferry.
Everything closes in Spanish Wells on Sunday. We rode our bikes around and, not only is everything shut down, but there is no one on the streets. Not sure where they all go but is was like a ghost town.
Photo: Fantasy Corner in Harbour Island
We hired a professional pilot to guide us through the reef and get us on our way to the Abacos Monday morning. Alas, it was not to be! He arrived a 7:30am and said, ‘if it was his boat, he would not go’. Good enough for me! Maybe Tuesday…at least the stores are open today and we can check email at “Computer Concepts”.
A 47 Catalina sailboat pulled in this morning. Steve and Mary Jane Floyd from Annapolis have been out on the mooring balls for two weeks waiting to go to the Abacos. Yikes!! He says Tuesday looks promising.
We need to take the boat out today to empty the holding tank. There are no pump out stations in the Bahamas. All the ‘flushing’ of the tides seems to keep the water clear. But, we just don’t feel good about dumping it right in the marina.
A 47 Catalina sailboat pulled in this morning. Steve and Mary Jane Floyd from Annapolis have been out on the mooring balls for two weeks waiting to go to the Abacos. Yikes!! He says Tuesday looks promising.
We need to take the boat out today to empty the holding tank. There are no pump out stations in the Bahamas. All the ‘flushing’ of the tides seems to keep the water clear. But, we just don’t feel good about dumping it right in the marina.
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