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Season 1

From the Bahamas to ??

SV Garuda Ep 26
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.26 Six Months Living on Our Sailboat

by herbc

This episode marks a milestone for us: we’ve been living on our sailboat away from a home port for over six months now. During that time we’ve seen plenty of scenery changes – from the Florida Keys to the Bahama Islands – and we just about have the hang of it… right?

Well… sort of…

We’ve chosen a fairly unique lifestyle; one that doesn’t exactly come with days off. And while our destinations are a highlight (and a big reason that we chose to live on and travel by sailboat), there a significant amount of work involved. Like all change, it’s taken some getting used to.

This week, we continue our slow sneak down the Exumas… attempting to take the thorns out of the thorny path, as they say… but sailing the Exumas means navigating the Cuts – narrow passages between the Cays, rocks, and cliffs – where the shallow Exuma Bank and the deep waters of the Exuma Sound – violently swap water with the tides. Add a little wind and it really gets interesting…

Our destination this week is Shroud Cay; one of the most visited areas of the Bahamas and home to The Bahama’s Land & Sea National Park. Visiting the Park you’ll find a few boardwalks and trails, a visitors center, and a few man-made spaces – but generally the park is protected from human’s – no trash, no fires, no fishing – just the islands the way nature created them. It’s raw, natural, and beautiful… in a very rugged sort of way.

We take the dinghy through an inland waterway – flanked by acres of mangroves and undeveloped terrain – to “Washing Machine” beach: a tidal flow that churns like a washing machine and dumps you out on a wide sandbar. Come along as we take a break from the boat and go play with the other tourists.

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

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SV Garuda Ep 25
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.25 Pink Sands and Data Blues: Struggling with the Iridium Go! Exec

by herbc

In this episode we finally get to explore the famous pink sands of Harbour Island while struggling with data blues: not able to get our PredictWind DataHub and brand new iridium Go! Exec to play well together.

We’ve relocated a bit to the South; just down from the Glass Window Bridge to Governors Harbor. We really enjoyed this place (and the people we encountered here). It was a MUCH NEEDED change of scenery and activities for us. Not only did we restock the pantry, we also refueled our generator and outboard, and rented a car for a day to cover parts of Eleuthera that we were previously unable to experience due to our hiding from the wind. It’s a MAKE UP episode, so to speak, where we drive back North to Harbour Island.

“Bri’Land,” as the local call it, is a wonderfully exotic, English seacoast village with a 3 mile pink sand beach that is ranked in the top 10 beaches of the world. Swanky resorts cater to the rich and famous (in other words, “not us”) and celebrity sitings are frequent… just don’t expect any cheese on your quesadilla. 🤣

Back in Governors Harbor, we partake in a Family Island tradition: The Friday Night Fish Fry – a community-wide charity event with “Rum Bubba’s” (you should only have one of these), grilled fish and bar-b-q’d meats, and a DJ in the street. We had a great time sharing this event with new found friends (one of the greatest parts of cruising the world)!

Oh…I also review one of the most frustrating projects I’ve encountered on Garuda – largely because there’s really nothing for me to do – trying to get a brand new Iridium Go! Exec to work with a PredictWind DataHub. Arrrg!

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

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SV Garuda Ep 24
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.24 Escaping the Winds of Eleuthera

by herbc

We’ve spent the last few weeks escaping the winds of Eleuthera… or at least trying to.

Our cruising pattern in Eleuthera feels like two days of sailing weather then four of hiding from the wind then repeat. On the positive side, we’re getting really good and weighing and dropping the anchor.

Our trip began with the WORST anchorage we’ve had to date against Egg Island; then improved as we take up hiding behind Meek’s Patch – both sides – with a brief pause to explore Spanish Wells. We fully intended to go through North Eleuthera to celebrity-popular Harbour Island but the warning on the charts reads, “Do not attempt passage through the Devil’s Backbone, one of the most notoriously nasty stretches in the Bahamas, without the services of a local pilot.”

Warning taken.

Instead we head South through Current Cut and onto the Eleuthera Sound to explore the area around the Glass Window Bridge.

The anchorage had us second-guessing ourselves, but it held just fine – giving us the opportunity to go ashore and explore the bridge are including stops at the Cow & Bull, the blow hole, and the Queen’s Baths (…and of course stop for cocktails).

It’s all in a working week escaping the winds of Eleuthera!

 

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

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Learning to Worry Less
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.23 Learning to Worry Less

by herbc

In this episode we make an effort to worry less than we have been. You think it’d be easier for us… I mean we live on a sailboat and are cruising around the Bahama islands. Turns out, it’s not that easy.

The sailing life is still new to me, but one of the things that I’m struggling with is adjusting to the tempo of a life at sea… the weather, sea-state, even the geography rapidly shift from one extreme to the other. And I find it strange that I still worry about things… admittedly not the same things I used to worry about… but I have my worries and frustrations.

We’ve been in the Bahamas a little over a month now… and while we’re defiantly getting more adjusted, there are still a few things we need. So we departed the Berry Islands bound for New Providence and Nassau Harbor for a “refueling” of sorts. The winds were light but steady and we enjoyed another peaceful sea state as we motored sailed South.

Nassau is quite the place – A huge cruise ship terminal, international airport, casinos, beach resorts, water parks, and all of Pleasure island make Nassau a destination all unto itself. But for me, it’s the colonial architecture and island vibes that give Nassau that international allure. I’m particularly taken by Lord Dunmore, the Viscount of Fincastle, and his historical role in both the United States and Bahamas (and it turns out he had some worries too).

Secure on the dock in Nassau, I’m flying back to the States for a week… and we’re getting a guest… In the meantime, consider giving your own worries a break… maybe watch some YouTube and dream of something else… After all, that’s exactly how I got here.

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Conch, Bread & The Great Hammerhead
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.21 Conch, Bread & The Great Hammerhead

by herbc

We’re showing you a few of our favorite things around #Bimini #Bahamas – Conch, Bimini Bread, and the Great Hammerheads (along with a surprise appearance from a couple of Tiger Sharks 😳).

Some of our gear malfunctions in this episode 😡 (a microphone dies and our underwater camera sim card goes kaput)… apologies… we’ll get better at this!.

In this episode we spent some time with some local conch fisherman and learned plenty about how conch are found and cleaned (and a few other life lessons that unfortunately would put our “G” rating at risk). Then we moved on down the road to the Famous and Friendly Joe’s Conch Shack for a lesson on how to prepare one of Bimini’s staples: Conch Salad. There are quite a few varieties of conch salad on the island – we tend to favor those with apple and mango included – but wouldn’t pass the opportunity to enjoy any combination of onions, tomatoes, peppers and seasoning that make this dish so popular.

And speaking of food – no trip to Bimini would be complete without sampling the world famous Bimini Bread – a deliciously sweet twist on traditional loaves bread that now has us looking for workout routines. No joke – this stuff is really, really good. We tried several bakeries and managed to take home a few different varieties, but our favorite was Big Al’s and Taylor Made Bakery (which also makes incredible cinnamon buns, donuts, and rum cake… just sayin’).

The last type of feeding is one unique to the Bahamas – and luckily had us playing next to no role as it centered around feeding the Great Hammerhead Sharks that are found seasonally here. We learned a little about the Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation (aka “Shark Lab”), the ban on long-line fishing, and the 2011 fisheries resource amendment banning all shark related fishing and products.

I (Herb) dive with the famous Neal Watson’s Bimini Dive Center for their Hammerhead Shark feeding and gets to check a big item off the bucket list: diving with Hammerheads. I’m initially a bit reluctant to participate in shark feeding but I’m hopeful that telling the story of dwindling shark population and endangered species makes it all worthwhile. Maybe the universe was trying to tell me something but the sim card on my underwater camera malfunctioned soon after hitting the water. 😖 Luckily, one of the other divers provided some great footage. (Thank you so much, Jeffrey!!)

We’re waiting out our weather window on Bimini – enjoyably – but will soon be leaving to explore more of this great country. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures….

 

 

Links in this episode:

Big Al’s and Taylor Made Bakery = www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054199493732

Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation = https://www.biminisharklab.com/

Famous & Friendly Joe’s Conch Shack = www.instagram.com/friendlyjoesconch/

Neal Watson’s Bimini Dive Center = https://www.biminiscubacenter.com/

 

 

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Ep 20 Leaving the USA
From the BeginningSeason 1

Ep.20 Leaving the U.S. : Setting Sail for the Bahamas!

by herbc

We finally did it… leaving the United States, setting sail for the Bahamas, crossing the Florida Straits, and arriving in Bimini… but not before we had a few issues.

The head backs up, we tear a sail, and lose all of our buddy boats… sound like a great trip? It turns out, it really was. In fact, other than those things (🤣) our first international trip was amazing. And now we find ourselves tying the lines in the Bahamas.

This is quite a milestone for us. Two years of boat repairs/refits before beginning to sail along the Florida Keys have culminated in our first overnight sail to a foreign country. And while there are still projects to complete and many “to-do’s” remain, there’s no escaping the fact that all of our hard work is beginning to pay off.

Join us as we officially kick off Season 1 by setting sail to the Bahamas.

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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