One more Bahamas post...

We've been back in the states for a little over a week now - heading up the Intracoastal Waterway towards North Carolina.  Here's a few more pics from this year's Abacos Bahamas trip...

Alina & David spent our last week in the Bahamas with us - she speared a Hog fish - David got one the next day, but no pic to share.

Piggie island - this one is on No Name Cay near Green Turtle - Alina said they were aggressive!

This guy came every afternoon to the anchorage we were in - looking for clams.

George collecting his treasure for more art!

We never get enough of the beautiful Bahamian waters!

We saw this vessel a lot around Hope Town - a different and cool looking charter boat!

Our last night at the dock in Green Turtle - we hosted the happy hour - so many nice people - one of the best perks of cruising is being part of the community.  Everyone is always there for each other!

David & Emma - our British friends - just "gob smacked" to have our paths cross!

Shay & Elizabeth - so very helpful and so very kind with your southern hospitality!

Donny - hats off to a great little marina to hide from weather or take a break.  

Thank you very much Tom & Mary Lou for your help with learning the SSB!

More of George's artwork - hard clay sand found on beaches that he carves 

...moon rises....

...as the sun sets...one of our favs!

It's time to sell the Christina Sea...

It's hard to believe we are writing this post!  Having been on board for twelve years now and only fully retired two and a half, we planned to cruise for several more.  But as the title of our blog says, "plans written in the sand change often with the tide", it's time to start a new chapter in our lives.

We're not sure what that's going to look like yet, but the first step is to sell our beloved Christina Sea.  If any of you out there are interested in purchasing her, or know someone who might be, and you would like to save some money on commission fees, please reach out to us soon, as we are actively looking for a brokerage! 

Meanwhile, we are still enjoying the southern Abacos Bahamas - even though weather has played a huge factor in how much we can enjoy, it's paradise here! 

...another front moving in...

Sunrise in a calm anchorage.  We kayaked ashore to get a shot with the boat and the sun rising.

Tilloo Pond - we had two anchors out to keep us in place in a small area

...the other side of Tilloo Pond, up over the hill is the Atlantic Ocean - rough seas...

What's a typical day in the Bahamas?

It's been seven weeks in the Bahamas now!  So what's a typical day like?  Weather, weather, weather...anything we do or don't do depends on the weather.  The days are always beautiful, but the wind has really been blowing (check out our weather forecast picture below!).  If it's too windy to get the dink down, then we do projects and maintenance on the boat in the mornings, read in the afternoons, watch boats come and go, or just enjoy quiet.  Sometimes the quiet in the Bahamas is like Alaska, it's almost deafening.  And the stars at night...oh my gosh...trillions!  If the wind is a little calmer, then we'll put the dink down and go exploring...walking on beaches, snorkeling (although the water has been chilly), finding treasure, and some islands have trails that we can walk and get exercise.

So far, we've explored the northern Abacos - Great Sale, Grand Cay, Allans - Pensacola Cay, Double Breasted Cay, Cave Cay, Cash Cay, Foxtown, Powell Cay, Manjack Cay, Crab Cay and Green Turtle Cay.  We've spend the most time in Green Turtle and just love the town; everyone is so friendly!

Next week we hope to cross the "Whale" passage and into the southern part of the Abacos...depending on the weather of course.

Reading spot on the back deck...LOVE the water colors here!

Green Turtle, Gilliam Bay - follow the signs.

Powell Cay - the sand here was like powder.

Powell Cay - several very big star fish.

Terns - watched them in the mornings

Stingray - from the bow of the deck - water so clear we could see the chain and the wildlife on the sea floor.

Conch shell pile near Double Breasted Cay - these are often found as Conch is a food staple here.

Not a conch, but a tiny hermit crab found on Allans - Pensacola Cay

Weather system moving in while the sun was setting at Double Breasted Cay

...another sunset with a different perspective...

...and another perspective with George's guitar...

...she just burns into the water...

This was a sunrise, but it was the colors of the sky reflecting on such calm waters that made it special!

Beach treasure art!  We find it, George paints it and we hang it up on the beach with others who leave their boat names as well.

This is an app call "Sail Flow" that we live by every day, multiple times a day!

Anchor caught on some coral bringing it up one morning!  It is supposed to be laying flat and definitely not separated!

Thank you Ted for all your help getting our new anchor shank to us!

Bears, bears, and more bears...

We have added a new page to our blog about THE most AMAZING Alaskan adventure.  Click on the tab - "Alaska Bear Adventures" under the picture of Christina Sea.  Here's a little video of the first bear we saw that day.  Turn up your volume and listen to our guide ask us "who packed the salmon?!?" at the end - LOL!!!

Alaska, the rest of the story - Ninilchick Beach on the Kenai Peninsula - eagle bath time!

Ninilchick Beach, a spot we had heard was great for out of the way camping, but turned out that they no longer allowed camping on the beach.  So we went for a walk and saw an amazing sight!  Two adult eagles, maybe the parents, one of which was taking a bath in a river stream that led out to the ocean.  The other adult eagle was "standing guard" while they both summoned a young eagle to join them.  It was so cool watching this as we crouched low to the ground just on the other side of the flowing water. 

Meanwhile, in the air, there were other young eagles that were "practicing or playing" their acrobatic mid air tricks and tumbles.  It was quite an afternoon of eagle entertainment!

Tidal changes in the area are sometimes 20 feet - so it's normal for these guys to sit in mud!

When the young eagle was finished playing in the water, he took off to play in the air!

Assuming this is mom, she was soaking wet when she got out - we don't think she could fly!

...here they come...

Adult on the bottom, upside down - young eagle on top - round 1

Round 2!

Wow!

Alaska, the rest of the story - Stariski campsite on the Kenai Peninsula - some of the most beautiful views we saw!

We wanted to check out Homer, AK, but we didn't want all the crowds - we found Stariski campground about 20 miles north.  We enjoyed several campfires with cocktails and coffee on a high bluff overlooking Cook Inlet.  Our view was amazing of Mount Redoubt, Mount Augustine, and Mount Iliamna!

Be careful - we were told these big, pretty, lacey plants can cause serious pain!  The pathway led out to our campfire and picnic table overlooking the bluff - where we took beautiful mountain pictures seen below.

This little bird didn't seem to bothered by the plant...

Looking down the shore from high above in the campground

Another time of day, more views

Wow - so many mountains!

Another campsite view

Such beauty - like many views in Alaska, we felt so small

We drove past Homer and hiked in some meadows overlooking Cook Inlet, but a different set of mountains

The eagle shot this week is a preview for the next post of our Ninilchik encounter when a young eagle learns to take a bath from two older ones (parents?) - Wow!!!