The Abacos  

Sharon, Margaret Towe & I had a great time on our two week plus trip to the Abacos (those islands in the northeast region of the Bahamas. It is about 200 nm (much of which is in open waters) so having a well equipped and provisioned yacht is a must! Everything worked perfectly including our helmsman "Harry Auto" who steered the boat 95% of the way. Harry did not drink any beer, ate nothing, did not second guess the skipper or give me any back talk, and as long as I kept him in the juice (electric that is) he performed beyond expectations.

You should have seen Margaret steering the boat the last 30 miles into Green Turtle Cay. She covered the distance in less than 3 hours and never had to tack. What a ride. It almost compared to the trip back which was covered in 22 hours (a new personal best). You cannot fathom the beauty of the gulf stream and the deep purple color once the sun comes up. Cruising along at 12 knots with sails set and autopilot on almost puts you into a trance.

   It is amazing that more sailors don't opt to visit the Abacos. It is close, not outrageously expensive and the friendly citizens make sure your stay is enjoyable. I will admit that all of us had to spend the better part of a week "drying out" and letting our livers recover. So many parties, so many islands, so many white sandy beaches and a couple of races in between (we came in second overall) makes us ready to go back right now.

                                                        Bob