Bahamas - Little Ragged Island, New Year 2023

New Years Eve Bonfire

Russ went ashore during the day and built a beautiful Bonfire. The monkey was taken off before we lit the fire

Nicholas lighting Sparklers for us to play with

Towards Cruisers Midnight, aka 9pm, old Flares were set off 

Red parachute Flare

Making our way back to our yachts in the dark of the night

New Years Day, we all gathered again on the beach for a Cookout, all bringing something to Grill and a dish or two to share. There was much to go around, and we had 15 Cruisers together to celebrate.

Too much fun, and I did not take many photos, and missed the Full Grill and Table Spread of dishes

The afternoon ended with another Bonfire, but not as late as New Years Eve.

Happy New Year to all our Family and Friends.

Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Buenavista Cay, Burning Garbage and a Bonfire

Nicholas found some more space on top of our Flybridge roof, and could add another two solar panels

As Nicholas was so busy on Meshugga, I undertook what traditionally is one of his jobs, and took the burnable garbage ashore. I was quite happy with myself for making a decent fire and getting the garbage burned, using the garbage fire pit.
 

Another view of Edward’s dilapidated house

That morning Karen suggested drinks and a bonfire ashore for tonight. As there was only one other yacht now in our anchorage she dinghied over to them and invited them to join us. However, during the day, their 3 friend yachts and another few arrived and by nightfall there was a sizeable number of yachts in our anchorage. Thanks to Karen and Duane for cleaning out the bonfire pit and collecting wood and palm fronz for the bonfire.

Pyrotechnics fanatics

Stunning sunset with our dinghy and Meshugga

The 8 other yachts which arrived during the day - at least they all anchored on the southern end of the bay, and we still had our privacy around Meshugga

Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Little Ragged, Fixing the Gearbox

Our Port Gearbox is squirting oil……

Nicholas bought 3 sets of seals/O-rings, and it time to start the fix.

It is quite a mission with loosening the Anodes, using a Puller to remove the front plate, diving and loosing the prop shaft and pulling it partially out, then loosening the gearbox, using a halyard and lifting the entire gearbox out of the engine compartment. Only then can he start with actual repair of dismantling the gearbox and hoping to find exactly where the leak was, cleaning everything and replacing the seals.

Thanks to Duane of Sojourn who came to help Nicholas and overlook each aspect of the repair.

Nicholas inside the Port engine compartment where we have a small workbench with vice and drill press etc

Whilst Nicholas was busy with the gearbox, I undertook to burn garbage (which Nicholas usually does), I was most happy to see that I could successfully light a fire, and get the garbage burned!

We burn all paper and light plastic. All heavy plastic, tins and glass is cleaned and kept aboard until we can get to a garbage dump on an inhabited island.

 

Whilst I burned garbage, Jenny went for a walk and then used the Sea Beans we’d collected on the windward beaches, to write Meshugga in the sand

Being such a hot day, after burning the garbage I went for a cooling swim off Meshugga and then retired to the Flybridge to enjoy the vista and stunning day

Sunset came, and Karen of SV Sojourn, and I, had arranged a BBQ on the shore and invited all the yachts in the anchorage to join us, each to bring something to BBQ and a dish to share. We were most happy to find that all the yachts came, so we had quite a large crowd, 14 yachts and 30 people…..

Nicholas, me Jenny and Gosia of SV Alderbaron

Nicholas cut wood and Karen started the fire

A great bed of coals, we brought our South African Braai grid ashore to supplement Karens grid

Another superb sunset with exclamations of Green Flash

A groaning table of sides and another table of desserts

Looking out at our anchorage, we have never seen Little Ragged Cut with so many yachts. In previous years, there has only been 3 or 4 yachts, but Social Media and Cruising Websites have made this little bit of Paradise well known and many yachts have come this far south hearing of this haven 

Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Little Ragged, A snake comes to visit & Diving Coco Bay

Friday was a dreary overcast windy rainy day. We spent it indoors reading and watching videos. Later in the day the skies cleared and a couple of yachts went ashore for drinks and company.

Whilst sitting chatting this Ragged Island Boa, came out to say Hi. Jenny was sitting close and made a hasty exit from her chair. The Boa is only about 3 foot and non venomous.

Karen thanks for this photo!

We all moved our chairs away from the beach scrub that the Boa seems to live in. (He made quite a few appearances last year)

Saturday dawned windless and as predicted would be a good day for snorkeling with calm conditions. We arranged with Sojourn to make the long dinghy ride south to Coco Bay, which can only be dived in calm windless conditions. 

At the eastern side of Coco Bay, we looked at the cut, but the current was still running and the bottom did not look like good diving 

Looking around at Bommies (Coral Heads) to decide which to dive on.

Nicholas and I dived, I stayed in the water longer than I did 2 days ago, and am slowly getting more comfortable in the water after my shark scare last year. 

Once out the water, back on the dinghy I have decided to learn to fish. Nicholas has given me lessons on tying Trace, Hook, Line and Sinkers and how to Cast.

My first throw, I was incredibly excited to get a bite almost immediately and hooked the fish.

Unfortunately not anything big, but my fist sea fish I’ve ever caught!

I got quite a few takes, but did not Hook the fish and lost my bait to entrepreneurial fish. I did get one further Hook but the fish was too quick for me and swam under a rock, and I fought him for quite a while and had to eventually cut the Line and loose my Hook and Trace.

Nicholas continued to dive

He dived out 4 good sized Lobster, and after about 2 hours of diving was tired.

Sojourn had better luck in the size department and took out one Huge Lobster and two good sized ones

Karen suggested we BBQ our Lobster ashore and I let the anchorage know of our plans. As usual everyone is game for a Beach BBQ and all 7 yachts came (Dale on MokaKat having left early Saturday morning to fetch a friend who’s flying into Georgetown)

Our BBQ, Karens Lobster on the LHS, Jenny and mine on the RHS. Both Nicholas and Duane don’t care for Lobster so their dinners are sausage, and a few of the other yachts dinners on the grill. The grill is unfortunately too small to do everyone’s meals simultaneously, so it’s done in relays.

A superb setting sun and we all agreed a good chance of a Green Flash as no clouds are in sight

A nice photo of my friend Karen

Our group of yachties

The sun set with a few Green spots, but no real Flash

Dinner over, the fire was built up to a BonFire and Nicholas used his Blower to get it going well

Susan of C-Language had some neat sticks which when put into the fire makes it glow different colours

Close up showing all the beautiful blues, greens and purple in the fire

The Luci Lights giving a nice glow over our group

I was up early this morning and was impressed with the awesome Red Moon setting