Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Meshugga’s Trail @ Hog Cay, and Goodbye Bahamas

Having walked the Trail cut by Jerry and Karen of Persephone, to the Dilly Trees, I decided that it was a relatively short distance to continue the Trail to House Bay on the Southern side of Hog Cay. The other trails to House Bay are either over a very rocky hill, or through a Salt Pan, which has been full of water the past few years, making us walk on very sharp rocks through the scrub alongside the Pan.

So I set off, with my iPhone for a Compass, Google Maps and my Apple Watch to Track my Path. The first day I crept though trees, shrubs etc on Goat Paths where possible (and getting very scratched!), and marked a possible trail with blue rope. Looking at my Tracks (from my Watch) back at Meshugga, I could see a couple of areas I was making big loops. So the following day went with Google Maps open and rectified my Path to be as straight as possible.

And then the Cutting started.

I have a Stihl Chainsaw, which unfortunately has only one battery, so my work mornings were dictated by how long my Stihl battery lasted, and my energy for clearing and dumping all the cut foliage off my new path. It took me 6 days, each session 2-3 hours long, and I finally have a Trail I’m proud of.

The Start of my Trail from House Bay

Marker on House Bay Beach to alert Hikers that a New Trail Start is nearby

A view from the Trail looking to the end at House Bay

The Trail, cut wide and raked

My Trail ends at the Dilly Trees. Here is what the Fruits look like.

Map of Persephone and Meshugga’s Trails

Goats along Persephone’s Trail

Marker at the Start of the Trail to tell Hikers where the Trail leads to

Notice buoy on Lobster Beach to tell Hikers that there’s a Trail to House Bay nearby

At low tide, this Ray was ever present in the very shallow water near my dinghy

We decided it was time to start heading up the Chain on our way to Miami, and I attended to some chores

Laundry

We have a small section of seam on our Main Sail where the stitching has disintergrated. The Main Sail is far too big to take off and use my sewing machine, and as the section is only a foot long, I climbed up into the Canoe Boom and spent some time with a heavy duty needle, PTFT thread and a palm hand, sewing the section. Not a thing of beauty, but sewn strong.

My view from up in the Boom

View over our FlyBridge roof with Solar Panels

On my chore list was going ashore to burn our paper trash

Despite a sign over the Trash Burning Pit that clearly says, “NO METAL / GLASS in FIRE”, some Cruisers think that ‘Someone’ will clean up and dispose of their Trash

Bucket of Metal Tins and Glass from the Trash Pit…..

We had a light Westerly wind, and Meshugga is only Just Floating at Low Tide

A final look around the Hog Cay Yacht Club

Meshugga’s sign is still up, and hasn’t faded over the past 4 years

Final night with a stunning Moon Rise

A last look at one of our favorite anchorages.

Main up, and ready to go

The yachts still at Hog Cay

Exiting the Bahamas bank into the Ocean at Nurse Channel, hopefully to catch a Mahi Mahi…..we did not even get a bite!🙁

In the afternoon, the sun disappeared, and we sailed through huge Sqaulls with 30 knot winds and tons and tons of Rain. Meshugga got a good wash down

We spent our first night at Flamingo Cay, and left at first light for the long sail to Black Point via Coakley. Along the way we were treated to dolphins around Meshugga for about a half hour

Unfortunately my video of the dolphins is too large a file to upload…

As we’d only arrive at Black Point around 9.30pm, I made Pizzas whilst sailing. Big Mistake! The wind kept blowing the Gas BBQ fire out, and instead of a 15-20 min bake, it took almost an hour, with constant relighting and then the bases of the Pizza were rather hard. 

Note to Self: Scrap that idea of Pizza dinner underway in future! 🤪

Whilst at Black Point, we received an email to say that our Additional Lithium Batteries that Nicholas had ordered were now being delivered to us in Miami on 18 April, and not 1 May as previously advised. Suddenly our leisurely sail up the Chain has changed into a hurry to get to Miami, 250 miles away. 

We quickly prepped Meshugga and left at first light for a continuous passage to Miami over the Banks, through the Tongue of Ocean, and to cross the Straits of Florida Gulf Current prior to the Winds going Westerly on Monday 17th, early morning.

Our Last Bahamas Sunrise, having just sailed onto the Bank from the Tongue.

I’m going to miss the Bahamas Blue water

Into the Gulf Chanel, a big Cruise Ship

Just prior to sunset we had a little bird come aboard, midway across the Channel. He just tucked up and waited for land to be sighted

We fished the whole way across we fished with No bites

Our last sunset leaving Bahamas

 

Ominous clouds heading for the Florida

In the Dark of the night, a Huge Cruiser with Lights….

We anchored at 12.30am amongst 20 other Yachts outside of No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne. All sails stowed, we went to bed, only to be awoken at 3.30am by Rain and Huge winds. 50 knots, as a Massive Front passed over us. Meshugga’s anchor held well. The yacht behind us did not, dragging until he was able to get it set again.

Back in the US of A ………

Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Little Ragged, Christmas

The days blend into each other. It has been hot, humid and windlass, which has caused us not to go to the beach for Sundowners due to this voracious No-Seeums.

One evening we went to Sojourn for drinks, thanks Karen and Duane for the snacks and company.

En-route we saw a small shark in the shallows, hunting for a meal.

Sunset was superb. Nice to get a photo of Meshugga with the Sun setting

Nicholas made us laugh, with the KVH Dome on his head, which Duane was looking at, as to whether to use if for their intended Starlink dish.

With Christmas approaching, I spent a morning making English Mince Pies. The first 12 were largely inhaled as they came out the oven

So I made another 2 dozen…

Christmas Day, we hosted the boats here at anchor and in total we had 9 Cruisers, including ourselves for Luncheon. Everyone brought a couple of dishes, and we had a feast of Lamb, Chicken, Stuffing, Garlic Potatoes, Green beans, Cauliflower casserole, and Corn Casserole, with all the Trimmings. And that was after appetizers. Dessert was a wonderful Carrot Cake and Cheese Cake made by Donna and Karen.

Russ and Carol of Spirit, Jerry and Donna of Blue Jacket, Karen and Duane of Sojourn, Chris of DragonFly, and us

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our Family and Friends.

Bahamas - Ragged Islands, Little Ragged Island

Two long days sailing. We left at 5am in the Dark from Black Point. With previous Tracks and Aqua Maps, we were confident of not encountering any unforeseen shoals. The day dawned long, and the wind did not fill in as anticipated, so we had to motor the entire day, arriving at Flamingo Cay at 7pm, to a barrage of 8 yachts anchored in Two Palm Bay. With no wind, and shallow water over the bank, it was not for the feint hearted to see the bottom so clear and near.

We were treated to a pod of Dolphins

Next day was a more leisurely departure at 7.30am, and we headed out through the Cut into the Exuma Sound and motor Sailed south to the end of the Raggeds Chain of Islands. As we approached Little Ragged Island from the North, one Fishing Reel screamed, and we had a good sized Mahi Mahi on the hook.

I was busy on the motor and helm, turning Meshugga into the wind to slow us down, and had not had time to reel in the other 3 rods. So Nicholas did that after catching the Mahi Mahi, and found that one Reel, had payed out about 1 km of line. It was a 15 minute slog, to reel in all that line, and on the end of it was a much exhausted, dead Baracuda.

Looking from the Exuma Sound to the South Side anchorage

Rounding south around Little Ragged and then 2 miles north in the Lee of the islands into the South Side Cut. The spot we like to Dive on in settled weather.

With a Flood tide we made it easily through the Cut into the Anchorage, and Nicholas gutted the Mahi Mahi, and I made fast work filleting it for Pickled Fish.

A short trip ashore to say hello to Sojourn, Blue Jacket and Bedouin, but the No-Seeums were so bad that the shore visit was cut short.

Duane and Karen of Sojourn came back to Meshugga for a catch up, and it was great to chat with them.

Our first dive of the Season. Clear beautiful water, but no lobster!

Pretty corals

Nicholas checking out every hole and overhang

Brain Coral

Being the Winter Solstice, after our super dive we invited all the yachts (DragonFly with Chris had arrived in the morning, so we now had 5 yachts in our anchorage), to Meshugga for drinks and snacks as with the light southerly winds the shore would be rife with No-Seeums. A great get together and catchup with everyone.

Donna and Jerry on BlueJacket, Chris and Mandy on Bedouin, Duane and Karen on Sojourn, and Chris on DragonFly.