We always look forward to welcoming friends aboard Let's Dance, and so it is with great enthusiasm that we set off early one morning from our Little Farmer's Cay anchorage to head south to Great Exuma Island. The Ledbetters will arrive soon! Traveling between islands usually entails motoring a few miles in calm, shallow water from one sheltered anchorage to the next. Very safe. Very predictable. To get to Great Exuma though, you have to navigate a narrow cut into the Atlantic and travel for about 25 miles offshore before nipping back in at the northern tip of Stocking Island. It always looks so easy on the charts!
With typical optimism (and a thorough review of wind, weather, tides and seas) Captain Bill steers us towards the cut. The islands act as a long, skinny barrier reef -- protecting the inner, or lee, sides of the cays by taking the brunt of the ocean's force on the windward rocky shores. Breaks in the chain allow the wild ocean waters into the calmer bays creating (guess what?) a rage! We've experienced this phenomenon before, of course. A rage can cause an unpleasant boating experience. But we are sturdy, hale, experienced and too long to be wrong, as they say.
The cabin is well secured, as always before anchoring up, and so there is not much to do except sit down, hold on and enjoy the ride. Let's Dance responds well under Bill's direction and we buck and dive predictably into the oncoming waves. They couldn't be more that 6 feet, and yet, from my perch in the pilothouse it seems that our bow dips dangerously low into the troughs and then soars almost skyward -- repeatedly. Muffled banging and the clinking of bottles in the fridge comes from the galley; the ship's bell chimes; my clenching fingers are the color of sea spray; and then -- with an ominous groan here, a whiny squeak there, we are through the rage at Galliot Cut and into the infinitely calmer Atlantic Ocean.
The remainder of the day cruise south is perfect in every way. Smooth seas and a tasty onboard lunch (as always after episodes of refrigerator mayhem, I open the door very slowly and am prepared to catch wayward bottles and cans). Bill even puts out fishing lines in the afternoon. Our planned route takes us right along the contour lines where the ocean floor drops from tens of feet to hundreds of feet. Right where the big fishes like to swim! Alas, no fishes for us today, but the captain never, ever gives up hope.
Yes, a day perfect in every way except one. The port stabilizer -- you remember the value of functioning fins, right? -- develops a slow oil leak and Bill shuts her down to avoid a worsening situation. Supposedly, one working stabilizer can provide about 70% of the value of a functioning pair. We'll find out. The gently rolling seas and long interval between waves lulls us into a false sense of security. One fin is plenty! Who needs fins?
We pull into the long harbor at Georgetown, Great Exuma Island, drop anchor, and prepare for the arrival of our guests. That consists of a quick dusting of the interiors, a freshwater spray of the exterior and a quick run into town for groceries. We're ready! Early the next afternoon Bill captains the Love Me Tender into the dinghy dock in Georgetown. Harriet and Bureon have been instructed to take a taxi from the airport to the grocery store in town -- the meeting place for all, boaters and locals alike. I eagerly await their arrival back on Let's Dance!
We have a full itinerary planned for the Ledbetter's stay, so we get right on it and dinghy in to the Chat 'n Chill for a beer as soon as they have unpacked. It was freezing when they left Nashville, so a little sun on the face and toes in the sand action is warranted.
After a simple dinner back aboard our little ship, we all admire the full moon, the lapping of waves against the bow and the fresh, salty air, then say goodnight. Tomorrow we are off to the races! The sailboat races back at Little Farmer's Cay.....the annual First Friday in February celebration!
Bureon subs for me as we anchor up the next morning. He dutifully repeats Captain Bill's commands from the bow as he is urged to "forward idle", "bump it in reverse", "rudder all the way to port", etc. The weather is clear and light winds are forecast. Getting back to Little Farmer's with only one working stabilizer should be a piece of cake. We are underway for about an hour when a routine engine room check reveals that the starboard stabilizer is overheating. We have to shut it down. This is not good. We are finless in the open ocean.
After fiddling with the control panel for the stabilizers, Bill puts in a satellite call to James in Florida and learns that there is no quick fix. And possibly no fix. We may have to fly in a mechanic (presumably with parts in hand) to repair the unhappy situation. The four of us confer, discuss alternatives, consider options and calculate odds. As Admiral, I make the final decision and we turn back -- there will be no races for us this year.
We anchor again in the great harbor at Georgetown and settle in. Over the next few days we alternate exploring nearby islands with napping in the shade and find that both are satisfying occupations.
While the rest of us relax and enjoy the good life, Captain Bill studies manuals and monitors and flow charts and figures out a way to possibly eliminate the overheating issue. We take Let's Dance on a sea trial to try his theory. Our test course circumnavigates 5 mile long Stocking Island. With 5 to 7 foot waves at about a 6 second interval, it is rough enough to appreciate the lack of fins. While I drive, Bill plays with the settings on the stabilizer monitor until he gets it just right! The starboard fin is back! It is not overheating! Hooray for Captain Bill!
Now Let's Dance has one working stabilizer and can again comfortably navigate in moderate seas. It is too late for much of a voyage with our guests, but we manage a half day offshore fishing trip before their departure. Harriet and Bureon prove to be such good sports about taking a sea cruise to nowhere that we decide they can come back anytime.
Let's Dance........Carol & Bill
