January 16, 2017 Hatchet Bay to Rock Sound, Eleuthera and Mantus swivel

We want to keep moving south, so we headed out today knowing it was going to be a “festive” sail, as another sailor puts it.  The winds were in the 15-20k range with gusts over 20, the highest being 26k.  We sailed all but the last 5 nm when we had to turn into the wind to enter the sound.  And we ran at 7k most of the way.  Fun sail. 

I have been meaning to mention that Dave placed a Mantus S3 swivel on our anchor.  He got their biggest one and loves how it is “overbuilt”.  He had been looking at them for awhile, but most of the others seemed like they would be a “weak link”.  With this, the chain doesn’t twist.  In the past, if the chain would twist, it would jump out of the gypsy and run out and overboard.  The anchor comes over the bow roller better, too.  He bought two and will use the other one on a storm parachute that helps you “heave to”, or come to a stop in the water. 

close up of shackle only on the left and shackle with swivel on right

shows the two chains connected to the two anchors on our bow

Rock Sound is a large harbor with protection from all direction, if you move your boat for the best wind block.  We plan to spend a couple days out at the south west tip of the island snorkeling when the winds calm down.  Then we are expecting strong winds again for a few days and will tuck up for that. 

We were sitting in the cockpit for about 30 minutes after anchoring enjoying the peacefulness.   We heard a halyard clanking on a mast and turned to see a catamaran coming closer to our boat.  The western shore of this sound has to be about 5 miles long and there were 2 other boats here.  This cat comes and anchors right next to us.  Besides not liking how close they were, they didn’t point into the wind to anchor (best for setting your anchor), they didn’t put out very much chain (as Dave says “tink, tink, tink, done), they backed up the boat right away to pull the anchor and set it, rather than let the boat drift back, pull horizontally, then check the set with the motor.  And to top it off, the guy at the helm comes out and looks at the anchor wearing some fancy pants with reinforced seat and knees, a little too “yachty” for us. 

Rather than even talk to them, we decided to move our boat.  There was plenty of room to move, not like where we were in Royal Harbour.  That’s the first time we have moved after someone anchored near us.  Pretty soon, we saw them make two trips to shore with the dinghy to get 8 people shore.  Dave was hoping they would come over to ask why we moved.  He was ready to tell them we just wanted the practice of getting away from people who don’t know how to anchor. 

We had a Mexican dinner to use the fresh cilantro and try out the peppers.  All was good.