May 22, 2024
We pulled into Marsh Harbour on Abaco Island on the evening of the 3rd day of our trip from Nassau in the Bahamas to New York for a well-earned beer and karaoke evening. Graham’s Yorkshire rendition of R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion was the highlight of the evening. We are staying here for the day to explore and clear customs and immigration in preparation for our passage to the States – hopefully with more wind than we have had. That is accepting the 70 knots line squall that hit us at 1 am on the first night while next to Sandy Cay, which is about 3 feet high, offered us minimal protection — well done to Phoebe and Pete for getting up on deck in the horizontal rain in their pyjamas to let out 20 metres more anchor chain. Man overboard drill halfway into our 70-mile passage yesterday in a 4m deep flat calm sea saw Hannah with her fear of sharks, somehow inverting herself while being suspended in a harness from the headsail halyard and managing to latch on to the man overboard on the first attempt without touching the water! Meals have been exceptional, with the three watches competing to outdo each other. Losers are treated to a dunking after being made to walk the plank. The carrot cake baked by Martin and Peter for Adam’s birthday has not yet been beaten. – Hayden
