Allen's Pensacola to Manjack Cay

4/1/10 6:30 am

I slept really well but am awake early so I read my book. I am reading a good science fiction novel called SOLITAIRE by Kelley Eskridge. It’s a good story. Just before dawn I hear my father moving around so I get up and put the kettle on. Soon Dave and Todd are up and we have a oatmeal and cereal breakfast and then I get a good picture of the sunrise. The sky is blue and the weather is calm. We need to sail back at least to Manjack Cay today and if the weather looks iffy for tomorrow on through the Whale Cay Passage while the weather is good. We try to catch the weather on the radio but it’s Thursday before Easter and al the radio stations are getting ready for Easter. The people in the Abacos are very religious. SO no weather forecast today.

We call the Tranquility on the VHF radio and they are just getting started on breakfast so we decide to sail on ahead. We are really working like real crew now. In no time we have the anchor up and as we raise our mainsail a nice breeze picks up and we are off on a broad reach. We have a great sail back down past Powell’s Cay and we miss the 3 ½ ft deep sandbar again and soon we are geeing close to Manjack. Tranquility radioed us that they we going into Spanish Cay for water, dinghy fuel and did we need any groceries? We could use some dessert type stuff. They radio back that they have us covered on the desert front and they will try and get a weather report at the Spanish Cay marina. We call them again as we near Manjack and they reply that the weather forecast is good for going through the Whale Cay Passage tomorrow.

We cruise into Manjack and anchor off the southernmost tip as it’s low tide and the passage out the reef will not have enough water. We will have to drive the dinghy around the south end of the island. Todd and I suit up and head out leaving the old guys to have a nap and if we are lucky start dinner.

We get out on the ocean side and go hunting for coral heads. We look at a few and head further out until finally I am seeing staghorn coral sticking out of the water. The tide is very low and the water is calm. It’s a perfect day to be snorkeling out here! I am back in the water with my camera and getting some great shots! Again I am glad to have to wetsuit as the water is chilly. Lots of fish and beautiful coral. Todd calls me over to show me a lobster down under a rock. Too bad he let his tickler in the other dinghy. We can’t get it out. No lobster dinner tonight.

We snorkel until we are both chilled and then motor back to Land Escaper. No sign of Tranquility. My father talked to them on the radio awhile back so we now they are nearby. Todd and I have a nice swim and a bath off the stern and a freshwater rinse. Nice to have a shave and wash my hair. Then we pull the anchor and motor around into the anchorage. We see a boat way up away from the other boats and assume it’s them but the water is way to shallow at a little past low. We creep on and a 3’ 4” we run aground. We call on the radio and discover that Tranquility is back with the other boats. About 10 minutes later the incoming tide floats us and we turn about face and head back to Tranquility and the rest of the boats. We drop out anchor and use reverse to dig it in deep. The forecast is for a calm night and there is no wind blowing. Todd and Dave bake the fish an serve it with canned green beans, corn and rice and white wine.

After dinner we get a radio message that double chocolate cookies are ready. We get in the dinghy and head over. Dave gets on board but grbs the steering wheel and falls onto a cooler. Luckily he is not hurt. He declared earlier that this will be his last sailing trip. His reflexes are just getting too slow. I think it’s a wise decision. A tough decision to make though. We can smell the cookies baking so I join the little girls at the galley table for a game of UNO while we wait. Richard tells me they put into much water and had to add some Bisquick to make up. They cookies are puffy like biscuits but very tasty! I eat a couple and eventually win the card game. Soon it’s time for the little people to go to bed so we thank the cookie chefs and head back to Land Escaper.

Soon I am sleepy and head for my cabin to head some more of my book. It’s been a really great day! Afer about 2 pages I am fat asleep. After a while I wake up enough to turn off the light. The sea is calm and there is no wind tonight. I fall right back to sleep.