Boom De Yada: To the Point, that's Black Point!!

Today is Feb 1st, the winds will pick up again around noon, so we lifted anchor at 08:30 for a 6 mile passage to Black Point - a large well protected bay from NE, E & SE winds with no current or surge. First we need to head West 2.5 miles to round Turtle Point before turning SE towards Black Point.

As we make the turn, the winds are already blowing 25knts gusting to 30knts and the waves are 4 feet. We beat into the wind and waves with seas splashing over our bow in just 15 feet of water. As we get closer to land the waves slowly diminish.

Our anchor chain in light winds

I much prefer to anchor when the winds are blowing; its a lot easier to guestimate the location of other anchors as everyone is pointing the same way. Boats can turn differently in light winds due to the heavy weight of their chains and their anchor can be anywhere, even behind their boat.
We drop anchor in Black Point by 10:00; It's a well protected habour from most directions. Today is Superbowl Sunday and we make dinner reservations over VHF16 at Lorraines to watch the game. We went ashore in the afternoon to do some exploring.

I didn't even think they had a need for this...the police station.

There were no cars, just golf carts on the few narrow roads. We stopped at Scorpio's for drinks and met Shivargo the owner...friends of ours, Tony and Liza stopped here to help him for a few weeks along their way. The food was excellent but we had reservations at Lorraines. We were one of the first to arrive at Lorraines but by the time appretizers were served the place was packed. The buffet had ribs and chicken off the BBQ, coleslaw, conch fritters, crab salad, rice and peas, plantain and mac pie. We didn't have many drinks as they pour them quite strong. Dinner and drinks for the three of us was $80...the best deal we have found so far.
At night, it can be a challenge sometimes to find your boat in amongst 20-50 boats. We put reflective tape on our mast which illuminates with a flashlight from a mile away. This makes getting home to bed much easier and faster.
The next day, the winds had diminished and Julie was thrilled to have good wifi (no where in the Bahamas has really good wifi like high-speed cable we had back home) and hangout in town while waiting for the laundry.

On the hunt for lobster

Ocean side...too rough for snorkelling today

Wally and I took the dinghy to the beach with Johnny and Cathy in their dinghy, as we were going to the ocean side hunting for lobster. With snorkel gear, spear and other weapons in hand we left the dinghy's on the beach and headed for the ocean side - about a 5 minute walk. We stopped to investigate a blow hole (when an ocean wave hits the shore and pushes water through a cave and up in the air through a hole in the surface) and walked further up the coast. The waves were at least 6 feet...too rough to snorkel.

Sitting in the shallows with a cold rum & coke

By the time we reached back to the dinghy's, the tide was well on its way out and 300 feet of this beach gets exposed at low tide. We had to walk/drag our dinghy's out to the deeper water, then poured a drink and sat in the water to stay cool. Afterwards, Wally and I went back to town to check on Julie and found her at Scopios drinking a rum punch, happy to have wifi, while waiting for the laundry to be done. So Wally and I headed to Johnny's boat to snorkel around there where we saw a 6' shark and other sea creatures. We figured it was time to go back to get Julie who was thrilled to be still sitting at Scopios with another rum punch and conch fritters for lunch. Together we collected the laundry and went to Johnny's boat for a drink. Once back on our boat, a great steak meal was enjoyed and then we watched the sunset...we all feel....Black Point is awesome!

We stayed a few nights here at Black Point. A cruiser that we met the other day stopped by to educate us on travelling to other parts of the Bahamas and dropped off a couple of folding water jugs that we may want to use when in George Town. He said we wouldn't want to make water in the harbour as it is crowded with many boats. The three of us along with Johnny and Cathy headed back to the ocean side to snorkel, but no sign of lobster. Later we checked in town to see if the produce boat had been. Nope, but we did meet a fisherman on the dock cleaning fish and 3 large lobster...yes, fresh lobster later tonight with plantain and home made coleslaw!

As fresh as if we caught them ourselves!!

Once the lobster is safe on board we all head to Scorpios for happy hour. The rum punch here is wicked, we decide they should call it Rum Knock-down instead of Rum Punch...we have 3 each...damn this island living is rough!

Later that evening, Johnny and Cathy come by for a sun downer and guitars.

The journey just keeps getting better!