Plans change often when sailing, and the biggest factor of that is the weather. We had anticipated being in Lucaya, a suburb of Freeport, Grand Bahamas, for about a week, but that will likely be extended to almost two. We had a couple of beautiful sunny days when we arrived at the dock. We are able to go for walks, lay by the pool, explore the area on our bikes, work on some boat projects, and hang clothes out to dry.
Then came the storm, a tropical depression bringing strong winds and torrential rains for two days straight. We had sustained winds in the bay in the 20 knot range, with gusts up to 32. Just outside the bay, however, the sustained winds were 30 knots with gusts up to 52. We were very grateful to be on a dock in a well-protected harbour, but it was still a strong storm that brought six inches of rainfall within 48 hours.
We didn’t go outside much except to take Gracie to go to the bathroom, and for Kory to check our lines and fenders to make sure they were secure. Because of the rising tide, one of our fenders hit a weak point near the top of a piling, and the stress from the wind pushing the fender against the piling caused it to crack. Other than that, everything held securely, and we were thankful when it was over.
Rick and Maryalice’s boat, SeeBreeze, was docked right behind ours, and they waited out the storm inside just like we did. We occupied ourselves with projects and enjoyed the downtime. Both nights, Rick and Maryalice braved the wind and the rain and came to our boat to watch a couple of excellent documentaries. We enjoyed snacks and laughs together before calling it a night.
On the second day of the storm, Kory and Rick decided to get in our dinghy and head out near the inlet to see what the seas were like outside the bay. They didn’t even make it into the inlet because the waters were so rough that they had to turn around. They said the visibility was really poor, but they could see well enough that it was quite tempestuous out in the Atlantic.
When the storm passed, we spent time laying all of the wet throw pillows out to dry, doing laundry now that we had sun to dry the clothes, going for walks, and soaking up the sun. The homeowner of this dock is so friendly, and very giving. He offered to take Maryalice and me grocery shopping. We went to Cost Right, which is like a mini-Costco in the United States, and Sawyer’s Fresh Market. It was a nice drive touring the area as well.
Rick hadn’t started his dinghy motor since he left it at the marina in May. He was happy when it started right up and he sped off to take it for a ride. But he was soon humbled when his motor died and he had to make a “distress” call for Kory to come get him. We were laughing as Kory towed Rick home while us girls were documenting this funny event with pictures and videos. Thanks for your good humor, Rick. We love you!
I experimented with a new fish for dinner. I had never heard of Swai, but I decided to try it. It’s a white fish from Vietnam, and it was surprisingly good. I enjoy finding new foods to try while on the islands. Sadly, most of the food has to be imported, so the prices are close to double for a lot of items. But mangos, papayas, and other citrus grow well here in The Bahamas, so those items are fairly inexpensive. And I hear that lobster, stone crab claws, snapper, and wahoo are inexpensive and quite prevalent when in season. We hope to buy local fresh fish, but we’d be happier catching it ourselves.
It was a great last few days, even though we had a tropical storm and needed to shelter in place. We rested on the truth that we have a Mighty Refuge when the tempests come, and we took comfort in the hymn, “A Shelter in the Time of Storm,”
The Lord’s our rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.
Mighty Rock in a weary land,
Cooling shade on the burning sand,
Faithful guide for the pilgrim band-
A shelter in the time of storm.The raging storms may round us beat,
Verses 1 and 3 of “A Shelter in The Time of Storm”
A shelter in the time of storm;
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A shelter in the time of storm.
Mighty Rock in a weary land,
Cooling shade on the burning sand,
Faithful guide for the pilgrim band-
A shelter in the time of storm.