Safina South 2013

Safina South 2013-2014

March 22 -27

The underwater pictures from Conception Island,Staniel Cay and Shroud Cay

These are not the best pictures or the best camera, but it was all I had.

Sunset on our first night heading across.
We were paralleling Andros Island.

Here is it again after it came through the cloud.
Last of our Bahama sunsets for a while.

First big ray we have seen.

This was a gray one.

Underwater coral and vegetation. We need to study up on some of these.

Don't look at Dennis's legs, just all the fish.

The colors really didn't show up, but they were pretty fish.

More of the bottom of the Exuma Sound at Conception Island

Entrance to Thunderball Grotto at Staniel Cay.

These Dennis again swimming with the fish in the grotto.

You guessed it....more fish....and

more bottom..

March 22

Back in Vero Beach safe and sound.

Hibiscus are larger here and Exumas than at home in Maryland.

Still a pretty flower.

March 27

Left Vero Beach today heading to Cocoa to see friends.

Heading north now and will be looking for some blooming Azaleas.

We are hoping for some warmer weather as we head home.

Feb. 16th - March 13th Miami, FL to Conception Island

Our -Turn Around Point

This is buoy marker 6 going in the Miami inlet.

Look at these huge fenders!

Feb. 17th

No Name Harbour Key Biscayne FL

A pretty sunset reflection on the buildings in No Name anchorage.

Feb.18-22

The entrance to Bimini Sands Marina in South Bimini,Bahamas.

We are the sailboat mast behind the little power boat coming out.
Nice protected marina.

Walking into North Bimini.
Entering Alice Town looking for a WiFi air stick for the computer.
We found it in Bailey Town.

A beach in South Bimini

Look who's there!

My first snorkeling lesson. I'm ready for the big time!
I can get the video to stop. Must have an Ever Ready battery going.

The foliage is very pretty in the Bahamas.
Amazing since there is very little topsoil.

Sunset in Bimini Sands Marina

View of the pool from the upper level restaurant.

Dinner out with cruisers in the slip next to u,s Anita and John on Anjo.
Some of the many interesting people we meet cruising.
They are spending a month here and then will cross back to Titusville, FL.

Feb. 22

We have left Bimini @ 630 and are heading through

Gun Cay and Cat Cay to anchor on the Great Bahama Banks.

Just passing Gun/Cat Cay. Looks like some new construction.

This is my kind of day!!!

Anchor up the next morning and heading to West Bay.
We sailed into West Bay, which is on the southwest side of New Providence Island.
An 8 hr. day and 47 NM.
I was told this place belongs to some designer. Pretty gawdy.

Leaving West Bay anchorage and heading to Shroud Cay.
This vessel is anchored just off the coast of New Providence

Feb. 24

In Shroud Cay for the night after 8 1/2 hours
on the water and 51 NM.
We dinghied in to pay our $20 for a mooring ball.
They are on an honor system.

Feb. 25-Mar 1

Made it into Fowl Cay and ran into friends from Solomons.

Ted and Nancy on Aloha Friday, a 44 ft Trawler.

A dinghy ride back from the dump to leave our trash.

A Sapadillo tree.
This fruit is very sweet texture like a kiwi but more yellow/brown in color.

Ted said this was a termite hive.

I think this may be an Avocado Pear tree.

Want to feed the pigs? These wild pigs come right out to your dinghy.

A face only a mother could love....maybe.

Our first dinghy drift happy hour. We had about 8 dinghies and lots of good food.
Not too much drifting, at least not in the right direction back to our boats.

Just relaxing...

Dinghy drift

Movie night on Aloha Friday with another couple from Solomons,
Marty and Matt on Runaway.
We watched Fargo compliments of Runaway.

Another interesting tree that I have not yet been able to identify.

You can see that it has seeds inside.

Same bush I saw 2 yeas ago, on the way out of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club.
Lots of Bougainvillea everywhere.

This fellow was going around all the boats in the Fowl Cay anchorage.
He finally did get caught on the boat behind us and I missed the picture!!!!
Looks like a good work out to me. He must have lasted at least an hour.

Mar. 1, 2, 3,

Black Point Settlement

Don't usually see to any animals around except for goats,
a few chickens and some pigs.

Leaving Black Point.
This was the beginning of a resort started several years ago.
They may get it finished some day.

Part of the unfinished resort.

Mar. 4, 5

Rudder Cut Cay
Cave at high tide. We are anchored here.

Same cave at low tide. You can see the sand inside.
Another missed photo. I should have taken a photo from inside.

A stainless steel sculpture commissioned by David Copperfield a few years ago.
I didn't take this picture, it was sent to me by a cruiser, who had an underwater camera.
I did see it though. Really neat!!!

Mar. 6, Emerald Bay Marina

This is a great marina, especially when the weather turns bad.
Free wifi, laundry and a nice walk

to the Sandal's Resort and beach.

Day sailors at the Sandal's Beach

Another Maryland friend. Dinner at Pallappa's with Ben on Loon.
This is part of the Sandal's Resort.
Ben always has good stories. He single - hands on Loon.

Mar 6,

Barraterre, Great Exuma Island

We rented a car and drove up to Barraterre. We can't get in there by boat,
although the locals told us there was plenty of water...6 ft. Just barely for us.

This catamaran made it in though.

Dennis on the dock at Barraterre perusing the depths.

My new friends. We bought some produce and had a chat.

Fay was a Home Ec. teacher. Her brother worked for Disney Shipping Lines in

Cape Canaveral and then came back home after retirement.

Also met another lady that was making straw items also a retired teacher

The coast at Barraterre

Just look at the beautiful blue sky and water!!!

And how clear the water is.....

Rolleville
Some of the homes here.

Mar. 9, 10

Coming into the anchorage at Conception. This will be our turn - around point.
There were a total of 6 boats this evening.
It took us hrs. and 42 NM

We dinghied to the beach and then walked to the ocean side.

Found this rope to get to the top of these rocks.

What a great view!

Of course you have to go down.

Conception is part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park and is uninhabited.
You take nothing from this pristine site and only leave foot prints.

I thought these sea urchin shells were neat. I added to the pile and took a picture.

Dinghied with two other couples over to the mangroves to see some sea life.

There are some very shallow areas, especially at low tide.

The Mangrove trees root right in the water and are very dense.

The best I could do to get this sea ray.
I never could get the turtles, they are too fast.

I did get to snorkel in Conception and did take underwater pictures
with a Fuji camera I purchased in George Town. Only problem is that I have to get the film developed. Guess you will see those pictures much later.

Mar. 11

George Town, Bahamas

Back to Georgetown at Monument Beach.
We are going to climb to the monument.

We made it to the top!!!!

And there is Safina way down below.

There she is!

Now to get back down to the boat.

All that way down! Oh Boy.....

Nice and easy now, we don't need any broken bones.

Really looks steeper when you are there.

Here's how you really do it....a piece of cake!!!!

Mar. 13, Thursday..........

We should be leaving Emerald Bay just as this cold front passes through by Saturday.
We saw 45 kts gusts this afternoon as we sat in the cockpit. It's a good safe place to be.

From New Years on HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

Jan.10 - 21 We drove back to Vero Beach from Solomons. Vero Beach is always a great stopping place. Visited with friends and watched the Super Bowls at the Vero Beach Yacht Club. Fun evening. We won a bottle of gin and rum plus $50. How lucky can you get!

Jan. 20th or thereabouts....

This is the back yard of our building.
This is the weather we are missing!!

New happy hour glasses from Blair. Thanks, they will be well used.

Feb. 21 Lantana, Fl

Anchored in North Lake Worth and then headed to Lantana.
Building is Loggerhead Marina at Lake Worth. Love the colors

Don and Denise in Lantana. I told you the glasses would be well used.
Cheers!!!

Nothing like a pretty rainbow!

Feb. 22- 26 Naples, FL

Or a beautiful sunset
Denise and I drove to Naples for a ladies' holiday!!
Drinks and sunset on the Gulf.

And here we are. The sixth one is taking the picture.

Nice view of the Gulf and the beach.
Can't show you anymore from Naples...What happens in Naples stays in Naples!!!

Feb. 27. Back to Vero Beach

Heading back up to Vero Beach we heard a knocking. Stopped at
Cracker Boys Marina for a haul out. They had to replace bolts that support the strut holding the shaft.
Good thing we stopped, could have been worse.
That's Dennis in the yellow jacket giving a helping hand.

Jan. 31, 2014 Blair closing on his house!! So happy for him.

Blair signing his life away for his new home. Congrats!!!
It's an exciting day.

Blair and Ashley going home.

Rod sent us this picture of our slip in Solomons, MD.

Iced up for several days. Safina would not be happy there.

Feb. 5/6 Palm Beach

We hung out at Vero Beach for several weeks and then headed to visit friends, Larry and Rose at the Breakers in Palm Beach. Great day at the Breakers, one of many Henry Flagler's buildings.

Flowers at the Breakers are beautiful!! And so is all the decor.

Here we are at the Breakers. I think I am shrinking!!!

The outside gardens at the Breakers are lovely.

Fountain at the entrance.

Two fellows solving all the world's problems.

The Breakers in all her glory.

Feb. 7- 16 in Ft. Lauderdale

The 17th Street Bridge. We are waiting for an opening.
Heading to Ft. Lauderdale from Ft. Pierce Inlet.
Family and friends coming to visit.

We anchored in Lake Silvia for a few day.

Dinghied under this bridge to go to South Port Raw Bar and West Marine.

On the way back we couldn't get under it because the tide was too high.

We had to go up to the next canal to get under.

Kat and Jerry at Casa Blanca's on the ocean side. Escaping the cold in MD

Guess who!!??

Great to have Blair visit for a few days. We had at least 3 visits to
West Marine while he was here. He also joined us for dinner.
Good food and great company!!

I had a great time too!!!

They always have great visuals here.

Dennis and Maureen...sister- in- law. She drove from Naples to visit.
Fun visit and another great meal. Thanks for coming, Maureen.

Feb. 17, 2014

We should be heading for Bimini, Bahamas in a day or so.
Will check in with you later.

Oct. 30, 2013 Left Solomons to head south. We had a beautiful sunrise.

A good omen for the trip I hope. Spent the night on anchor north of

Gwynn Island just past the Rappahannock River. Great anchorage.

Oct. 31 to Nov. 1-2

Made it to Portsmouth VA. Stayed 3 days on a free dock.

Nice area to get out and walk or run. This is a Lightship.

Didn't know there was such a thing. It was built in 1915 as LV, light vessel and served for 40 years helping mariners avoid dangerous shoals. It became

too expensive to keep it running.

Fresnel Lens that is housed in a 16 ft wide pavilion. Among the largest and brightest of its kind with more than 250 prisms of optical glass.

Nov. 4-5

Going through the Dismal Swamp locks.

There is a 12 foot variance.

First ones on the Visitors Center dock. One more came in so there were 4 boats for the night.

We got through the Dismal Swamp the next day and headed to Elizabeth City and stayed one

night at Pelican Marina. We got lucky and were hooked up to power that evening as it went down to 41degrees.

Nov. 9 Carolina Beach NC

This is a great anchorage. We stopped 2 years ago just before it was in full operation.

There are 9 mooring balls.

This was one of several boats near us.

Nov. 10 Barefoot Marina, SC

A great visit with my college professor Marilyn. Good food and better company. She is wearing a shawl I made for her. She loves purple!

Nov. 12 Charleston, SC

Spent last night at anchor and woke up to 56 degress. It didn't feel too bad until we started moving and the breeze was in our face. Luckily it did warm up by the time we got to Charleston at 1PM

Back in the Gin and Tonic weather and putting the Old Fashion drink away for a bit.

Dennis said this was a white heron. Loved the reflection of the bird and grass in the water.

Hairgrass in full fall flower color. I saw this along the walk back to the marina.

Would love to have this in Solomons

Nov. 16-17 Beaufort, SC, a favorite stop.

The birthplace of Catholicism in Beaufort -- and the Lowcountry --

is open again after years of being shuttered.

The original St. Peter's Catholic Church has been restored to its former glory

as it looked when built in 1846.

This is the Palmetto Palm the is the symbol of the state of South Carolina.

This is the bridge that crosses over to Lady's Island from downtown Beaufort
that we have walked over and sailed under.

Nov. 23-24 Fernandina, FL

Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2012/10/01/2229197/renovation-takes-historic-st-peters.html#storylink=cp

A charming town that we bypassed in the passed because all you can see from the ICW

is the smoke from the paper mills.

Historic Post Office in Fernandina. A nice looking building.

Nov. 26-27 St Augustine, FL

Cameron, my cousin's granddaughter getting a

navigation lesson from Captain Dennis.

A very curious and smart 9 year old!

Cameron and Grandpa Tommy

What a great visit.

Nov. 27

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

My one year old granddaughter Trynity Jade.

Nov. 28-29 Daytona to Vero Beach

Waking up in Daytona to 31 degrees Thanksgiving Day was quite a surprise.

Yikes, don't expect that in Florida.

Sailed wing-on-wing down the Indian River with friends from Maryland

and they took these next two pictures.

Wind was from the north and we were going 8.5 kts. Nice ride, no motor for a few hours.

This is what we are supposed to be doing!

Nov. 30-Jan. 20 Vero Beach, FL

We made it to our destination for the first leg of our trip. Time to clean up the boat and leave her for about a month and head back north to the cold for warm visits with family and friends!

Last picture before leaving. This heron came to visit each night.