Is it odd or is it God?? Cone Clutch Story

Today is the first day of Hannah's visit to George Town.  It is a stormy wet day with an adventurous dinghy crossing 2-3 ft waves to get over to George Town from Stocking Island.  We did bring rain coats but of course did not wear them, so we are now soaking wet in the Peace and Plenty Restaurant waiting for our friends to Joy & Dan from Anomaly to join us for lunch.  We are also waiting for Hannah to arrive in about 2 hours.


Joy and Dan are our new friends from the boat Anomaly another Lagoon 41, just like our boat. Our meeting them was yet another "Is it odd or is it God situation".  So the story begins like this: Last year we met a guy named Matt Linch and his family on boat Anomaly, while sailing in the Abacos. We had approached their boat and spoke with them when we noted that they had the same boat as we did.  They also had solar and a water maker which Brad was interested in learning more about.

So, their story was that they had taken their kids out of school for a year and were sailing around the Bahamas..  They were nearing the end of their adventures and were planning to take the boat back to the states and sell her.  That is where Joy and Dan come in.  They of course bought the boat and then this year sailed it back over to the Bahamas for their first season.  In the meantime, Brad had been in contact with Matt about the solar system and water and he told him that he had sold it to Dan and that if he had further questions, he should email Dan.  So he did contact and they exchanged emails and Dan said he was planning on being in the Bahamas this season so maybe we would meet up and that was basically the end of the story until now.

Upon arriving in George Town we decided to moor the boat in Hole #2 due to an upcoming storm.  As we were doing that, the boat's port engine locked up and it would not go forward or backwards.  Brad had been reading about the cone clutches and how you know when it is going bad is when the boat will slip in and out of gear.  So it was relatively easy to diagnosis the problem.  However it made getting the mooring very difficult. He then only had one engine to maneuver with in a very tight situation.  Nerve wracking to say the least, luckily we had request assistance from the dock master to guide us into the mooring area, so he was right there ready to help as needed.  He grabbed our line and attached it to the mooring, thank God and secured our boat.

So now we know for sure that we have a cone clutch problem, no doubt about it.  But what to do is the question.  Evidently the cone clutches are known for having problems, what happens is they are suppose to be rough and with time they smooth down, so you need to take them apart and re-surface them with a Valve Grinding compound.  Now we are on the hunt for this compound.  The local hardware stores do not carry it, so Brad comes up with the idea of putting it out there on the Cruiser's net and see if any other boats would happen to have some available that they could share.  The first response was from a boat called Soul Purpose and they said they had some that we could have, great!
Then Dan came on the VHF and he said that he not only has the appropriate compound but also the tools needed to do the repair.  Wow, what luck is that.  At this point we have no idea who Dan is, we only know that he has the stuff and is willing and able to assist us in fixing the cone clutches.  So we set it up that he would come over in the morning to assist us with this repair.

Latter on, while listening to the VHF we over heard another boat also looking for help for their cone clutch problem and they ask Dan his name and what boat he was on. Brad said "Oh my G is this Dan from Anomaly?? Yes it is! Wow is it odd or is it God??  Dan and Brad had been communicating with each other on email about the solar and water maker and had planned to meet up somewhere and I guess this is the place.  Dan did not know it was Brad who needed help with his cone clutches and Brad did not know it was Dan who was volunteering to assist. Cool huh!  Anyway, Dan came over the next day and spent the day with Brad fixing the cone clutches, so another problem solved on Sail La Vie.  Thank you Jesus and thank you Dan for keep our hopes high for humanity. Now Brad can fix the other side when it needs it.  Brad is learning so much about the boat workings, he will probably be able to rebuild the boat if necessary, hopefully not.

George Town and Stocking Island

Elizabeth Harbor is a beautiful spacious sheltered basin attracting a large contingent of cruising yachts. Since many boaters spend the winter season here, a unique society has evolved with its own activities and hierarchy.  On Stocking Island there are daily volleyball games, yoga, beach walks, a cruisers’ net on VHF giving news, weather, and announcements from local businesses, boaters, cruisers’ regatta committees; weekly Bible study, bridge club, Sunday Christian services on Stocking Island, regular AA meetings; restaurant specials with weekly barbecues and “rake and scrape” music; even Trivial Pursuit and Texas Holdem games.

The George Town settlement is accommodating to yachts, providing more concentrated facilities than anywhere else in the Exumas. There is great provisioning at the Exuma Market and free Wifi at Eddie’s restaurant and the BTC building. In George Town you can get free R/O town water at the dinghy docks.  If you need fuel gas or diesel, you can also get it at the dock by Jerry Cans, there is no official Marina so you have to use the gas station on land to get what you need.  It is kind of like going back in time, where you go to the town well for water every couple days. Although the store is pretty well stocked, it is also expensive for our taste, it is about twice as much for food here as in the US and the veggies & fruit are so so. George Town reminds me more of Marsh Harbor than Hope Town.  It is more of an industrial center for the people.  Stocking Island on the other hand is an island for the cruisers, with Chat & Chill being the center of town.

We can’t wait until this storm passes so we can get out of the boat and enjoy some of the activities.  There are also many hikes available on the island, if you love to explore nature, you will enjoy hiking and seeing what the island is all about.

Discover the Exumas

DISCOVER THE EXUMAS 

With sapphire-blue water everywhere, The Exumas are an exotic collection of dream destinations. Footprint-free beaches and ultraexclusive resorts and islands fit for celebrities make this tropical paradise an absolute gem. Here, nature outnumbers man, coastlines remain flawless and private homes play host to some of the world’s most famous stars. The Exumas truly are the ultimate escape.

 Right out of the official Bahamas website:  http://www.bahamas.com/islands/exumas

The Exumas are an archipelago of 365 cays and islands, 

beginning just 35 miles southeast of Nassau. 

Great Exuma and Little Exuma are known for their laid-back surroundings, while The Exuma Cays act as a playground for the rich and famous, boasting numerous private homes, luxury resorts and beachside condos. The Exumas are also rich in history, as they were settled by British Loyalists with their slaves following the American Revolution.

Exumas are:

iguanas

sandbars 

island hopping

swimming pigs

numerous cays

beach combing

natural wonders

stunning scenery

amazing snorkeling

picturesque beaches

unlimited rum drinks

Like no other place on Earth 

Places to visit:

Yacht Clubs: Staniel Cay - swimming with pigs & Thunderball Grotto

 Compass Cay Yacht Cay swim pet nurse sharks

Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park - Warderick Wells Cay is a unique protective  marine and terrestrial ecosystem with beautiful shallow reefs, mangroves, tidal creeks, tropical vegetation and a healthy populations of conch, crawfish, grouper, endangered iguanas and once extinct native mammal, the Hutia.

Musha Cay & Rudder Cut Cay - Musha is owned by Magician David Cooperfied.

Mermaid sitting at piano in Rudder Cut

Georgetown:

Beaches: Tropic of Cancer Beach

Stocking Island Chat & Chill

Victoria Lake

Emerald Bay Sandals Resort

Moss Town- Catch A Fire

Sandpiper Arts & Crafts

Exuma Markets - great provisioning

Turtle Lagoon

Mystery Cave Hole #3

Monument Trail

Stocking Island sandbar

Black Rock Coral Reef

Honeymoon Beach

Guana Cay Elkhorn Coral Reef

Fowl Cay Reef

More fun activities:

Yoga at Chat & Chill

Hiking on Stocking Island

Water aerobics

Kite-boarding

Paddle-boarding

Pig Roast

Fish Fry

Snorkeling

Kayaking

Boating

Sailing

Fishing

Bird-watching

Diving

Caving

Blue Holes

Staniel Cay

Feed the pigs, swim with the sharks and experience the Thunderball Grotto was what Staniel Cay was all about!  Oh yes and the Staniel Cay Yacht club as well. So much to see in Staniel Cay

Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay, Exuma

Black Point Cay is a traditional Bahamian settlement based on the fishing industry.  They are also very Cruiser friendly; grocery stores, launder mat and restaurants in fact we are sitting in Lorraine's Cafe right now waiting for our lunch of fried chicken and macaroni and cheese and fish wrap.

Exuma Park Photos

Snorkelling in the Exuma Park was great today, we stopped at several different locations and saw a lot of fish and coral.  It was a bit chilly today but we wore our spring suites so we were ok. Then back to the boat for lunch.  After lunch, we went to the island and went on a long hike across to the other side of the island, beautiful sites everywhere, ended up on Boo Boo Hill Beach, the waters were a bit rough with white caps etc. from the high winds we are experiencing.  The name Boo Boo Hill came from the legend that came from when the boat full of Missionaries sank just off the island, killing all on board.  No bodies were retrieved.  Now, supposedly some of them live on the island as ghost and on some night they sing songs on top of Boo Boo Hill, the highest point on the island. Here are some photos from today adventures around the Wardrick Cays.

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park headquarters

Today we left Compass Cay but it was not an easy departure.  We were crowded between several mega yachts, dinghy boats and the shore, it was tight.  But we had some nice people helping us thank God.  We had to pivot the front of the boat out so we could clear the (2) 60+ft boat behind us, without hitting the dock, the yachts, dinghies or grounding the boat in the sand.  Nerve wracking to say the least, but we made it and did not damage anything. Another success on Sail La Vie.  Then off to the park.  The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park headquarters is located on Warderick Wells and is one of the most beautiful nature parks in the world. The trip over was a bit bumpy but doable.  Once inside the Cay we were much more protected, the winds did not bother us as much.  We were assigned to mooring lucky number 13 near the headquarters office in a good location.  After checking in we did a hike to Boo Boo Hill, which gave us a great view of the entire island and beyond, then back to the boat for a swim.  Brad then went in search of Wi-Fi in order to get his work done, so I decided to work on the blog.  Attached are some great photos of today’s adventures.  See ya on the sea, Sail La Vie…