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We spent a
month in Southern Florida while waiting to attend a meeting in the
third week of May, including two weeks on a mooring in Vero Beach.
We celebrated the full moon and David's Dad's birthday on May 13th by
hoisting our Tibetan prayer flags and watching the moon rise. We
left Gyatso at a marina in North Palm Beach while we traveled to
Vermont for a LakeNet trustees meeting. |
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At anchor in
Fox Town, Bahamas. We crossed the Gulf Stream from Florida to West
End on May 27, 2006, and after clearing customs, we made our way across
the Little Bahama Bank, stopping for two days in the protected anchorage
behind of
Hawksbill Cay. |
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The weather was
"unsettled" while we were in the Bahamas due to a low pressure
trough and then the fringes of the first named storm of the year,
Alberto. We had squally conditions for two of the five days crossing
the Little Bahama Bank on our way to Marsh Harbour. |
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Green Turtle
Cay has a quaint little village and two protected harbors. We spent
two nights in this peaceful island setting. |
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The dinghy dock
in Marsh Harbour is conveniently located for going ashore to
provision. We found a bakery with delicious bread about two blocks
from the landing. |
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Hope Town and
Elbow Cay were a favorite stop for Gyatso and crew. We picked
up a mooring in the protected harbor which was convenient for going
ashore to enjoy the charming town and beautiful
beaches. |
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For Lisa's
birthday, we let someone else drive the boat and joined a dive charter to
snorkel on reefs in the nearby national park. |
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A perfect
specimen of brain coral seen while snorkeling in the National Park. |
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A snap shot
from a snorkeling trip in the Bahamas. |
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David is
surrounded by fish while snorkeling in the National Park. |
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We saw evidence
of the coral bleaching we read about before arriving in the
Bahamas. |
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David enjoying
life aboard Gyatso |
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Brightly
painted cottages line the narrow road (path) in Hope Town. |
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Sneaking a peek
through
the front gate of a cottage in Hope Town. |
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Gyatso, third
from left, at a mooring in Hope Town, Elbow Cay. We spent much of
our time at anchor in the Bahamas, and so it was a relief to spend a few
days on a secure mooring in a quiet, calm harbor. |
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View of the
lighthouse at Hope Town from the cockpit of Gyatso. |
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We loved the
beaches on Elbow Cay. This is a view looking east toward the
Atlantic. |
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Gyatso in the
protected harbor at Hope Town, Elbow Cay. This view is from the top
of the lighthouse tower. |
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North of the
Bahamas, we approached a set of clouds that seemed harmless but in fact
contained several water spouts. We used Chris Parker as a weather
router, and he gave us an amazingly accurate four-day forecast for our
trip to Beaufort, North Carolina. |
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Lisa encourages
the invisible Otto, our autopilot. After his outstanding performance
during the offshore passage from the Bahamas, our third crew member is now known as "Otto
the Great." |
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Dolphins
playing in our bow wake during the offshore passage from the Bahamas to
Beaufort, NC. |
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The Bahamas
courtesy flag is brought down as we approach Beaufort, North Carolina.
We saw no other sailboats until the afternoon before arriving in Beaufort. |
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