Month: June 2013

ANDROS GOLD aka Dwight’s West Side Story (Part 3 of 9)

Written by Hans Wilson

Monday – We departed early to catch the tide, headed through Middle Bight.  I am getting used to picking our way over shallow waters, with only a foot of clearance below the props. The boat, a 46’ Newton dive boat, reconfigured by Dave for Bahamas cruising is designed well for this type of exploration.  I had the helm for a while and was trying to use the charts when it seemed we were getting shallower.  Dave took over and we finally spotted the aforementioned “wheel channel”.  Sure enough that was how Charlie Bethel gets his landing craft and boat supplies to Flamingo Cay, so we followed it, giving us about an additional foot of clearance.

Following a “wheel channel” through Middle Bight.  This is at high tide. Check out the stirred up mud behind us.

We scared turtles out of the channel on occasion but that was about all we saw.  It really narrowed down as we entered Loggerhead Creek.  It was beautiful but made me nervous about navigating the boat in such tight quarters so I turned it over to The Squirrel.  We were not expecting the numerous sponge divers and boats in the creek and were a little disappointed to see anybody, expecting desolation. The Squirrel’s expectations were that no one would be around.  A few terms were bandied about regarding whether they were Dominicans poaching conch or Bahamians, and we finally decided they were Haitians working for the local Bahamians collecting sponges, owed in part to the boat we saw at Mangrove Cay loaded with sponges.  I didn’t think this was still a viable industry but apparently I was wrong.

We explored the three channels leading into the west side then anchored up in the Creek to get our dive equipment ready and to eat lunch.  The Squirrel got into Mom’s potato salad so we grilled the brats and had a great lunch.  We logged in some of the GPS numbers The Squirrel’s staff put on the Google maps showing interesting locations.  We also discovered the battery charger was broken so I helped Dave with handing him tools as he put in a spare.  He is always prepared for the worst, an important trait if you are going to be boating in the middle of nowhere.

Checking out Loggerhead Creek

We headed south and didn’t see much on the three GPS locations.  The Squirrel was the man overboard for the day but of the three sites only one had any rock surface, the others were just grass.  After we checked them all we headed back north to the south exit from Middle Bight and to anchor up for the night.

Em and I took the dinghy to shore to explore what we thought was a sandy beach.  Turns out it was all clay with just a little bit of sand at the top of the shoreline, creating a “dune”.  It was a really weird shoreline and there was basically no trash to be seen, which is unusual for most shorelines in the Bahamas.  It is kind of a shame so much trash washes up on the Bahamian beaches, taking away from the natural beauty of the area.

The clay banks of the west side of Andros Island.

We headed inland through the mud and mangroves, pausing at a crab hole to take a picture.  It was a huge hole and Em commented about not wanting to have to spend the night on the island, fearing the crabs would take over.  With a claw about the size of my hand, I too would not want the pleasure of meeting up with one in the middle of the night. I walked out to a mangrove island, checking out the middle in search of the treasure The Squirrel promised we would find. I headed back to meet Em, we walked the beach a little, then headed to the boat.

Man eating land crab, awaits the dark and it’s next victim.

 

Mudding my way to the mangrove island where treasure awaited.

I was tired but happy with being able to do a little exploring.  The drinking continued as usual, and I enjoyed another night on the foredeck watching the stars.  Saw my two favorite satellites and another shooting star.  Constellation watching is becoming one of my favorite Bahamian past times. Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle said the scotch in my coffee cup. Dwight’s ashes were safely tucked in my gear bag, but I am sure he was enjoying the constellations with his son.  I’m not sure if he was looking up at the stars or down at me but I could feel his smile.

ANDROS GOLD aka Dwight’s West Side Story (Part 1 of 9)

Written by Hans Wilson

Andros – April 6^th to 16^th. Dealing with the loss of my father and (two) one week vacations in one short month was a new one for me. My Dad was a sailor and outdoorsman and I have tried to follow in those footsteps as well. But I seldom take that much time off from work since I am the top billing guy in a marine engineering consulting firm.  With some trepidation I accepted the invite from Rocky the Flying Squirrel to go explore the west side of Andros Island with Diamond Dave and the lovely Miss Em.  I would be returning home and, in less than a week, would be leaving again for Costa Rica. But I couldn’t NOT go, citing the old adage “No one was ever in their death bed saying they wished they spent more time in the office”.  My Dad had died in the end of March and his passing was additional impetus for me to live my life to the fullest extent possible.  He would accompany me on this trip, in both ashes, and spirit.

It is a good team, with The Flying Squirrel a wiggy, lovable one.  Em is a lady capable of holding her own with the guys. Diamond Dave is the consummate Bahama’s boater.  Dave and The Squirrel are partners in the boat with two others.  Fortunately that means the boat get’s used a lot, always better than one that sits around. A Bahama’s trip with this group is always good company, full of adventure, work, and wonder.  But it is always a challenge in escaping the commitments of the work world.

This trip would be unusual in that we were going to be exploring the west side of Andros Island.  This area is very remote and mostly viewed by the Squirrel from a couple of thousand feet in altitude while making his way from Florida to the islands and back.  All those little dark patches in the water were something!  With the wonder of Google maps, GPS, and a little luck we would find a sunken treasure ship or maybe at least a fish or two.

Three days before leaving, Robin my business partner, and I blasted down to Key West to check on the progress of one of our construction projects, Tarpon Pier replacement.  She did the driving and I worked on the laptop, writing reports, and basically doing as much as I could to get caught up before I left. It also gave me time to think about my responsibilities for two meals on the trip.  I knew I could whip up a decent spaghetti sauce, hey, who can’t, but the second meal was a challenge.  Shell, my sweet wife, offered some solutions, the best one being sausage with onions and peppers.  But I was concerned about bringing produce into the country, not wanting to start out the vacation in a Bahamian brig.

I worked my lists and resolved myself to cook spaghetti sauce on Thursday night, coming back from the Keys run.  Travelling such a distance is tiring, even if I am not doing the driving. Robin and I got back into town about 6:00, time enough to get to Publix and secure the proper supplies.  Sometimes it is easier to make a decision about something when you just relax and let the ideas flow.  I bought into Shell’s idea of the sausages, and bought a big pack of Bratwurst.  I already had Mom teed up to prepare her world famous potato salad, so I figure between the spaghetti sauce and bratwust/potato salad I would be covered for the trip.

Cooked, delicious, and cooling on the stove was my best pot of spaghetti, probably because I hadn’t made it in so long so I thought it was pretty good.  Shell baked the brats on Friday and Mom delivered on the potato salad Friday night.  Things were working out.

I was forsaking my Board meeting Friday night for an evening out with Shell.  That was okay since she gave me the Bahama’s pass for a week.  I know we had a Costa Rica vacation following the Bahama’s adventure so my husband credits were good, but never the less we had a lovely evening out. She was happy with dinner and the week ahead was looking good.

Saturday – The lists worked well, crossing off items, rethinking others, and adding those last minute items I seem to always forget.  I was packing the truck for the run to Naples, grabbing last minute items like batteries out of the shop as I got ready.  I made Rocky’s office at 8:00, on time, and sat in Em’s cubicle marveling at her cartoon collections as she wrapped up her business.  She has a marvelously dry sense of humor and I can always count on her for an occasional  email worthy of archiving.  The boys had yet to arrive.

We made it to the airport and began the process of loading all the “stuff” we had.  Wow, so much gear and they already had preloaded the boat over the past month. I stepped in and exercised my “stowing prowess”, getting it all packed into the back of the plane.  With no room to spare we were wheels up for New Providence.

Jammed to the roof of the plane with our load of gear.

It was an effortless flight, The Flying Squirrel doing his usual stellar job of piloting with Dave by his side, and shortly we were unpacking, then packing again into a taxi at Odyseey, the private terminal in Nassau.  Customs asked a question about our packages but we were innocuous enough that they didn’t check anything.  I could have brought the produce, hell, Dave had a bag full but it was easier bringing a cooler with the spaghetti, brats, and potato salad chilled.  Plus we had a bunch of Coors Light, Dave’s flavor of choice.

We got it all into the taxi and headed off to the marina at Old Fort Bay on Lyford Cay, stopping at the new Whole Foods store for some last minute foodstuffs and a case of Gold Kalik, my favorite beer.  In spite of it now being available at Publix, it was once Coorslike unobtainium, with the occasional case provided for as a Christmas present or on a return trip from the Bahamas.  So many great memories with this formerly high horsepower beer, I still drink it as my Bahamian favorite. The Squirrel scarfed up some cigars and the next thing I knew we were loading the boat direct from the taxi.  Everyone hustles, it is a great team, and since we all know what to do things got stowed quickly.

We waited a while for a local friend to pick up some maps and charts that the Squirrel is currently developing. With the meeting over Dave fired up the starboard engine and then the port, but something was wrong, making a bit of noise so he shut her down.  We scanned the handbooks and Dave made some calls, resulting in a delay as we pulled the valve cover off the port engine and checked the injectors.  I really didn’t care if we didn’t leave right away and I enjoyed the opportunity to study the engines and help Dave with the wrenching.  We checked the electrical leads to the injectors, per telephone direction from the local mechanic, and sure enough that was the problem.  Disconnect and reconnect and once fired the port engine purred like a sleeping Tiger.  We were into the Tongue of the Ocean headed to the Middle Bight of Andros Island.

The Flying Squirrel passed out on the back deck, letting the worries of work and flying reside elsewhere, dreaming of G4’s.

We fished a little along the way, drank cold beers (some slept) and we finally anchored a ways up the Middle Bight. The Squirrel grilled steaks and Em  made a delicious salad. Everyone was finally chilling out and I finished a rather long day with my favorite scotch in a ceramic coffee cup and watched the stars.  I saw two satellites and a shooting star, making a wish on my daughter’s behalf, then retired to my bunk.  The wind came dashing through the forward hatch, and I slept like a baby… (to be continued)