Sailboat Tranquilizer: A great day to cross the Whale Cay Passage

As the time of our stay in the Abacos is slowly elapsing, we had to time our crossing through the Whale Cay Passage. While this passage, on a good day, can be a snap, you find lots of reasonable warnings, to time your crossing well. In a "rage" (stronger not winds or swell from the Atlantic Ocean pushing the waters through the narrow cut in the barrier reef), the conditions out there can be hazardous for most boats.

Some boats left Treasure Cay a day before us. They hurried up, to make the crossing over the Gulf Stream on Thursday or Friday. The weather forecast for the weekend is very bad. A storm from the North is approaching, bringing squalls and sustained winds up to 30 kts. The weather should then calm down again, allowing for a passable crossing of the Gulf Stream towards the end of the upcoming week.

So we left Treasure Cay on Wednesday morning and headed towards the Whale Cay Passage. The weather was just perfect. Bright sky, light wind and only a gentle swell from the Atlantic. When we came to the beginning of the passage on the East side, many more sail and power boats joined us for the crossing.

The conditions on the Ocean were just perfect. A "Sécurite" call on the radio caught out attention. A dive boat found a sea freight container, floating just under or at the surface at Chub Cay, only a half a mile away from our position. - Always the issues with logistics! - A police patrol boat came into sight, headed out to the site, to take care of the situation. Such a floating container can easily sink a cruising boat, when hitting the hull. We carried on and enjoyed our pleasant ride under sail, with some help of our iron friend Yanmar down below.

We went to Crab Cay / Manjack Cay, an anchorage which we have visited already. Yes, of course did we go to see the wild hogs again! Still there, still nosy in every way, for whom is coming and what is going on. Later we did dinghy to another fantastic beach to cool off al little bit.

At the end of the day, we've been threaten by another fantastic sunset.