I think today is Friday everyplace else but here it is the day after yesterday and the day we left Bitter Guana Cay. We could have enjoyed just staying there another day but we needed to move onto get back to Nassau to meet up with some friends who are coming in next week.

It was another spinnaker day with the wind almost dead behind us. When we left the anchorage this morning the wind was dead behind us when we were heading 315dm and that was just about the direction we needed to go. Bitter Guana lies south of Staniel Cay but to head north the course is very far west around Harvey Cay almost 7 miles west.

Once we got to the course we raised the spinnaker and main and headed westerly of our northern course for about an hour as the wind decreased from 15+ kts to 10 kts and became more southerly. So we jibed which was extremely time consuming with our spinnaker and main. I had to douse the spinnaker, jibe the main and then switch the sheets between the tack and the clew. All the time we’re holding the sail and the line to keep them from blowing off or going in the water. 4 hands were barely enough but we got it done.

 After the jibe we set off on a course of about 25 miles. The wind declined into single digits where it stayed foor most of the trip. With the low wind we found the main blanking the spinnaker so we pulled in the main and just sailed slowly and peacefully all the way to the anchorage at Shroud Cay.

We stopped at Shroud Cay on the way south but wanted to come back to enjoy it some more. When we got here we found some surprises. First, there were actually moorings available which there weren’t on our way south. Secondly, we saw an Island Packet 380 that we met in Black Point and met the folks onboard when we were headed south.

We’ve met some very great folks on this trip at the places we’ve stopped and made many new friends in the process. We enjoy meeting other Packeteers so we can exchange ideas about the boats and share common ideas. So after getting situated, Linda and I snorkeled over to Gotta Jibboo an IP 380 with folks who now live in Punta Gorda having just moved from New Jersey. We shared refreshment in the cockpit and then Linda and I snorkeled around the rock ledge surrounding the anchorage.

Tonight I’m sitting in the cockpit just enjoying the breeze, the quiet and just savoring being here. When I think back to all the things we did on land and had great times doing them I just enjoy how wonderful it is to be here. It’s not cold. Every time it seems hot I think about how cold it could be and I enjoy it being warm. Although I keep thinking about fall because it seems like we’ve had summer. Our objective is to have an endless summer. If we never see snow again it will be fine. I enjoyed it, there were many great times in the cold but being able to just jump off the back of the boat whenever we feel like it. That’s cool!

Tomorrow we plan to try and see more of the Cay by dinghy if the motor works or kayak if we can find the air pump and snorkel. Maybe we can find a nice secluded beach where we can just hang out and enjoy nature.