Saturday 19th April. It is very windy today. Seaweed left for Nassau, and will rendezvous with us there. They want to use our Honda generator to run some power tools. The anchorage is very rolly, so we went ashore and explored the lighthouse. Then we walked to Bertram's Cove. It is a beautiful beach and there was a cruise ship anchored off. There was live music and stalls selling shells and T-shirts, to the cruise ship passengers who thronged the beach. There was a big open barbecue and we joined in the queue and had a delicious meal.

Sunday 20th April. We decided not to go to Nassau today, but to spend the day on the deserted beach that Dave and Sarah found. We took a picnic lunch and spent the day swimming and snorkeling. It is like being on a desert island. We saw no-one all day, and had fun pretending to be Robinson Crusoe.

Monday 21st April. We hoisted sail for Nassau this morning, but once again, the wind was on the noise, so we decided to go to Little Harbour Cay, another of the Berry Islands. We arrived at 15.00hrs, but the anchorage was very crowded and rolly, so we moved 2 miles south to Frozen Alder Cay. It is a good anchorage in 9ft. We can see lots of big black rays swimming around. Some are 5ft across.

Tuesday 22nd April. We sailed early for Nassau, and the wind was really good N.E.force3, however the sky suddenly blackened and we could see a curtain of rain coming towards us. We reduced sail and waited for the squall to hit. The amount of rain was incredible, you couldn't see a few feet ahead, we all went on deck to have a shower, it's great when you don't have to watch how much water you are using. The storm passed after about an hour and we carried on to Nassau. The entrance was very easy, but as we sailed to the east end of the harbour we were surprised to find a sea-plane heading straight for us. We later found out that the central part of the harbour is a landing strip for several inter-island companies. We passed under the Paradise Island Bridge and anchored near Seaweed, just off the Nassau yacht club. We had to lay 2 anchors as there is a very strong tide between New Providence and Paradise Islands. This proved to be the case for all the other anchorages in the Bahamas.

Wednesday 23rd April. We went ashore today and collected our mail from the Poste-restante counter of the post office. There were only 3 letters and we were disappointed. One of the disadvantages of cruising is that mail is continually going astray, so although our friends write we often go months before actually receiving any correspondence from them. We stayed in Nassau for a week, having a great time with fellow cruisers. We found we could not get our English gas bottles filled anywhere so we will have to wait until Jamaica. We also found this to be a problem in the States and have found a temporary solution by filling a U.S. bottle, then connecting it by rubber hose to our British bottle and hauling it into the air so that the LPG flows downwards into our bottle, it is messy but at least it works.

Wednesday 30th April. There are two ways to get from Nassau to Allens Cay at the north of the Exhumas. Both involve going over the shallow banks between New Providence and the Exhuma chain. The shortest route is direct across the yellow bank, an area full of coral heads, and you need a lookout on the bows to eyeball you through. Seaweed chose this route. We took the easier but longer route, heading south for 12 miles after leaving Porgee Rocks, the entrance to Nassau harbour. Then we headed at 121 magnetic for 21 miles. On this route we had the wind behind us for the first 12 miles and were able to fly the spinnaker and mizzen staysail, thus averaging 6 knots. We never saw any coral at all and arrived at Allens Cay at 16hrs. Seaweed came in 2 hours later with horrific tales of coral heads at either side of the bows. We are glad we took the easy way. Allens Cay is a group of uninhabited islands at the north end of the Exhuma chain; it is home to numerous iguanas, which are a protected species in the Bahamas.

Thursday 1st May. We went ashore today and the beach was full of iguanas, they all come to see if you have any food for them. Dave, Sarah and Craig from Seaweed collected conch and prepared them on deck. I made conch fritters. We decided to have a barbecue on the beach tonight Someone from another boat joined us and the crew of Seaweed, someone had a guitar and we spent the evening eating, drinking and singing, a good time was had by all.

Friday 2nd May. We took the dinghy over to S.W. Allens Cay today to so some more diving. Dave and Sarah saw a shark and several big barracuda, so it put us off swimming a bit. We had another beach party tonight.

Saturday 3rd May. Seaweed left today for Staniel Cay. He is going over the bank. We decided to go in the deep water outside and spent the day planning our course.

Sunday 4th May. We left at 08.30 and had to sail 2 miles west, 2 miles south and 2 miles east to avoid reefs which come out from Highburn Cay. We entered the deep water through Highburn Cut and breathed a sigh of relief when we couldn't see the bottom any more. Unfortunately there was not much wind so we had to start the motor. We arrived at Big Major Cay, the entrance to Staniel Cay at 18.30 hrs, and there was not enough light to eyeball our way through the reef to Staniel so we anchored at Big Major for the night.

Monday 5th May. At noon when the sun was high we eyeballed our way through the rocks to Staniel Cay. Seaweed had just anchored there, they ran aground out on the bank near Norman Spit and had a rotten night. We went ashore and bought bread and had happy hour at the yacht club.

Tuesday 6th May. There is a large underwater cave here, it was used in the filming of the James Bond film Thunderball we took the dinghy over and joined our friends from Seaweed. We tied the dinghy to a coral head and dived into the cave. It was beautiful inside. There were holes in the roof which let light in, and inside the cave there were thousands of different little fish and numerous big colourful ones. Luckily there were no sharks. I leaned against the side of the cave and got stung by fire coral, which immediately produced large blisters. Still it was worth it. It was a wonderful day.

Wednesday 7th May. We have had bad news today. Seaweed, which was to be our buddy boat to Tahiti, has had some bad news. A crew member who left the boat in Nassau, because he fell in the saloon due to the rolling of the boat has decided to sue Dick, the captain for $800,000. It seems ridiculous to us, but apparently in the USA it is a common occurrence and unless Seaweed goes home Dick could lose everything. We had a very tearful farewell and all feel down tonight.

Thursday 8th May. We feel very blue today, the wind is very strong and we are missing Seaweed already. We have decided to leave tomorrow.

Friday 9th May. We left early for Rudder Cay 25 miles south. We had to motor as the wind had disappeared. We arrived at about 15.00hrs but although there was a building with a round roof and a radio mast, the entrance did not look at all like the chart and the sketch in the Bahamas cruising guide. So we stood off for a while until we could get better bearings. Everything seemed correct but we still weren't too happy. Dave decided to go closer and we managed to get a better perspective, and made our way through the channel. There are already 2 boats anchored here so we chose a good spot and dropped the hook. It is a private island so we can't go ashore.

Saturday 10th May. There is a small craft warning so we didn't leave today as planned. The other boats left to find more shelter as there is a northerly coming but we are well inshore and protected on all sides except the west. Dave took the big fishermans anchor out in the dinghy, so now we have 3 anchors down. The storm came at 14.00 and the wind was very strong but it came as predicted from the north so although the wind blew we did not get any surge as we are well protected.

Sunday 11th May. The wind was still strong today so we decided to stay, although we have taken up the fishermans anchor. There is a very large fish under the boat and Dave is trying to catch it for Oakum, but I think it is too canny.

Monday 12th May. We decided to leave today to go to Clarence Town Long Island. It is 95 miles but all in deep water so there should not be any problems. The entrance To Rudder Cut was horrible with large breaking waves rushing towards us and our bows burying themselves in the breakers. The wind is against tide on the nose again so we are motorsailing

Tuesday 13th May. I came off watch at 04.00hrs and Dave stopped the motor as we had altered course to 155m down Long Island. At 05.30 the anchor alarm which was set on 10 fathoms went off. At the same time Dave smelt smoke and called me. The main saloon was filling with smoke. Dave rushed to the engine compartment in the cockpit and lifted the lid. As he did so the smoke burst into flames. So he yelled for a fire extinguisher and Sarah and I both passed him one, but in the dark he couldn't figure out how to use it so I filled a pan with water and threw it at the flames Dave also smothered them with a blanket. He turned off the batteries. The auto pilot had stopped working and the boat hove-to so we left it like that until Dave could asses the damage. A whole bunch of wires had melted together and the starter switch, generator, and autopilot did not work. The navigation equipment is still okay and all the lights work. Dave taped the ends of the wires up separately then he tried to start the engine by putting a screwdriver across the starter and solenoid. It worked and the engine burst into life, although none of the engine gauges work. We stopped the engine and sailed to Clarence town Starting the engine at the last minute to get us through the reef and into the anchorage. We are the only boat here and we are sure happy to have made it. If the fire had got bigger it could have melted the fuel lines or worse still the LPG tubing. We feel we have been very lucky.

Wednesday 14th May. Dave started to assess the damage today. It looks like a lot of spaghetti. He tested everything and from the location of the fire he thinks it was caused by chafe. The wires must have been touching the engine and shorted out, starting the fire. Dave is slowly sorting out what goes where.

Thursday 15th May. Another boat came into the anchorage today; it is Canadian, with a father and 15 year old son on board. Sarah and I went over to say hello as Dave was busy with the wiring. The boat is called Sailaway and came via the Mississippi River from Canada.

Friday 16th May. We went ashore today; the local people are very friendly. Dave is still rewiring the engine. I made the Jamaica flag today.

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