Greetings, fellow small boaters. Well, we are doing it again - TIME ENOUGH is presently anchored off Staniel Cay, Exumas, Bahama Islands. After spending the holidays with family and friends we returned to Florida in mid-January and crossed the Gulf Stream in company with Chuck and Katie Mnson on ERIDANUS on February 1. We had fair weather for the night crossing and it was mostly uneventful except an extra strong Gulf Stream current swept us 12 miles past our destination on the Little Bahama bank and we had a tough beat back against the wind and current. But the next morning was payback - sunshine, calm winds, dazzling water, easy sailing, swimming off the boat at Great Sale Cay - it was great to be back.

For the next two weeks we moved through the Abacos with the Munsons. We reached Little Harbor and got stuck. We were there for a week. One cruiser described it as a vortex - it's just so pleasant that it's hard to move on. This was the scene of the infamous No Moon party last year. This year we again provided entertainment, though more sedate. On Valentine's Day Carol and I volunteered to play some waltz's. We collected some other musicians off cruising boats and after a ten minute rehearsal played our big gig at Pete's Pub. Chuck and Pat switched off on bass, Matt and Carol played guitar and sang, Jake (10 years old) played mandolin and I fiddled. Our tunes were well received and we moved on to songs, eventually leaving the Valentine theme and jamming Grateful Dead and Jimmy Buffet. Free drinks for the band and free Blasters for all the ladies! Pete's is a party place. I think it was the highlight of the trip so far, except the next day I couldn't remember very much.

At Little Harbor we parted company with ERIDANUS. Commitments to work and guests kept them in the Abacos while we continued south to Spanish Wells, Eleuthra, and the Exumas. We waited for the right weather and had no problem with our longer passages(50 miles to Eleuthra, 45 to the Exumas). On the passage to the Exumas we started to lose our VHF antenna, so we dropped anchor in 12 feet of water (out of sight of land), lowered the mast and repaired the antenna, raised the mast and continued on our way. Only on a Macgregor! The Exumas are less developed than the Abacos and you are very much on your own. The water is crystal clear (you can see the bottom 30 feet down), one beautiful isolated beach follows another, the water is 80 degrees, the days sunny and warm. One fly in the ointment (literally) are the no-see-ums, aka sand flies or midges. These flying mouths are almost to small to see, go right through our screening and have spoiled several otherwise lovely anchorages. When the wind is up the bugs are blown away, but then you have to contend with rolling on the surge. With no bottom Macgregors do roll more than most cruising boats. Sometimes we have to choose between getting in close for protection and having the bugs or staying out in the wind and rolling. Not a happy choice.

But tonight there are no bugs and no rolling. We are anchored right off the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and the music, talk and laughter carry clearly over the water. I said it seemed rather boisterous for a Monday, but Carol pointed our that it was Noday; days of the week are meaningless to cruisers. We took full advantage of Macgregors shallow draft today, traveling 30 miles among the islands, sometimes less than 3 feet deep. All the other cruisers were 2 or 3 miles out on the banks in deep water. We had protection and a close up view of the cays, and a lot of practice piloting and chart reading. Tomorrow we visit town, then Thunderball grotto where Thunderball was filmed. Life is good.

Bob and Carol

TIME ENOUGH