Cistern Cay to Lynyard Cay–April 8

Monday, April 8

We left Cistern Cay at 6:40 a.m. heading toward the Abacos Islands.  We had an uneventful passage most of the way.  Winds were coming from the east as we were heading east.  The waves were not breaking but providing an interesting ride.  I finally had to lie down in the pilot house.  I was not seasick–I just have a hard time looking at the massive wall of water wave after wave after wave.  If I don’t look, it feels like a car ride not like the most powerful force in the world coming toward me. 

 We saw the famed Hole In the Wall turned the corner and started heading North as the wind continued to blow strongly from the east.  We had planned to turn into Little Harbour at Little Harbour Bar to find an anchorage with protection from the wind.  We made a last minute change after reading that the entrance was not to be made in windy situations.  We could see the waves breaking over the rocks at this narrow somewhat twisted entrance.  We took the advice of the books aboard and went three miles more north to take the North Bar Channel into the safety of Little Harbour.  North Bar Channel is deep and wide and is used by the mail boat so it is the more friendly of the entry areas.  Upon turning into the entrance, we avoided the rocks to both side and went straight toward the white house atop the hill.  Once we got in, the waters calmed significantly.  We turned back south behind Lyndard Cay to find ten or twelve other boats anchored. 

We slipped right in next to a Selene named Isis, lowered our anchor, lowered the dinghy, took Piper for a walk and turned on our television.  After a rough, nerve racking day, all we seek is calm and normalcy.   I like to escape with television,  Steve likes to eat chips and salsa. 

We put out a second anchor before dark because we felt we were swinging too closely to Isis.

The second anchor did the trick and held us further away.  The winds blew throughout the night and rocked us gently but comfortably.  We opened the portholes for the cool breezes and slept soundly throughout the night.