Return to Eluethera

Eluethera is an oddly shaped island, something like a sling-shot with an enormous reversed C sprouting from the right prong.  The center of the C is filled with shallow water, coral heads, and shifting sands. We stopped for a night at the tip of the left prong, Powell's point. There is nothing at Powell's Point but a sheltered marina. Fishermen like it here, a protected cove with nice deep water slips, electricity for their air conditioners and TVs, restaurants which specialize in cooking your catch, fuel, wifi, laundry, a few items in the convenience store, and a cheerful staff. The mega yacht, Gallant Lady was tied up here. And, we discovered to our delight, so was the sport-fisherman, Robert, who also hails from Key West. We met Robert last year at Staniel Key where he shared some fresh fish with us. This year, he gave us some of the dolphin fish that the restaurant had cooked for him and later fillets of fresh caught tuna and some Popsicles to refresh on a hot day.

We stayed two  nights. We had hoped to restart out energy management system, which was managing still, but would no longer tell us the State of charge of the battery or the amps in amps out.  Cookie had inadvertently pushed the button that told the system to reset for an 80% charge. Supposedly, a good day on AC power would reset the system, but it didn't happen. So now we are without windless motor and energy management.

Never mind, we head out for Governors Harbor, hugging the deep inner side of the C shape, and reach our goal by late afternoon. The town was discovered by the Spanish, but settled by English seeking religious freedom. The harbor is protected from the NNW through the SSW, but open to anything westerly. The anchorage was reported as poor, partially because the bottom rises from 30 foot depths to depths of only a foot or two within a short space. As we sat eating dinner, we kept our eyes on a huge cloud approaching from the west. It didn't look good for our anchorage, But before the cloud bank reached us, another storm blew in behind in from the Atlantic. We swung wildly at anchor in a full circle, in gusts to 30, and the rain poured down. Jagged cloud to water lightening sizzled from the skies just outside the harbor. When all stopped, we appeared to be intact, but set our GPS for anchor watch, just in case.

The morning rose sweetly sunny and we happily set ashore, tying our dinghy to a railing on the steps up the seawall. Both a reported new marina opening and a dingy dock proving to be in the mind of some developer only. Governors Harbor is a village of contrasts. Fabulous homes with beautiful views dot the hillside above. Abandoned buildings and shabby homes circle the water. Lovely Bahamian churches are here and a restored 18th century jailhouse. We saw basketball camps and sailing classes taking place, but heard the sad tale of stolen equipment. Even in paradise little evils creep in.



Interior of a church



  



Exterior of another church






 

Old Jailhouse







Restaurant Patio



another Church

After a great patio lunch, we decided to check our anchor while we were in the dinghy. Disaster! It seems that we weren't actually anchored there. Instead, our anchor was laying uselessly on its side while the chain had wrapped itself around a small coral head on the bottom!



Wind Dancer at anchor in Governors Harbor

SSince Rick had to raise all 95 feet of chain and  to maneuver the boat around the coral head, we decided to go on to another anchorage. Twenty miles north, we stopped at a site called The Glass Window. Nearby is a beautiful anchorage in front of a beach, protected from all but the western winds. Lots of rocks, thin sand and grass, but we had no trouble anchoring. The Glass Window was once a natural bridge, which connected two parts of the island. When the natural bridge collapsed in a storm, a highway bridge took its place. Here the waves wash over the bottom at high tide, from the Atlantic into the interior banks of the island.  Even at low tide, we could see water splash up as the waves pounded on the rocks of the far side.

This was one of those nights you dream of as a sailor, reminiscent of Van Gogh's Starry, Starry Night, complete with a moonrise of beauty, gentle breezes, and a million stars.

The following day, east winds ballooned to the 20s forcing us to add 14 miles to our travels by going around to the wider, easier Fleeming Cut, rather than attempt Current Cut with the winds opposing the tides.  We dashed out into the ocean and back across to the banks on the other side to reach our goal of Royal Island. We had worried that plans to restart a development there might have closes the anchorage, but no problem, no development.

We stayed the next day too in order to avoid travel in the Northwest Passage on wind whipped waves caused by the 20 knot plus breezes.