Spanish Wells

Well looks like the squalls will last through the morning tomorrow so we are going to put off our departure until Friday. We will hire a pilot to lead us through the reef in the Devil's Backbone. The advice is that one should not try it without local knowledge. It will save us miles and allow us to have a better angle on the wind. We have to time our arrival so that we go through the cut to Little Harbor with a slack or flood tide so as to not encounter what is called 'a rage' where the current goes against the wind and can be quite dangerous. Our windlass is still not working. John is working up the courage to take it apart. Our contact in Annapolis tells us the problem is in the gear box and it will require a $200.00 part being flown in. We will not do that now but wait until we reach Marsh Harbor or Green Turtle. That means we will be pulling up the anchor by hand. Picture two old folks on their butts pulling up a 73 lb. anchor plus chain onto the deck of Spunky with a little black dog racing back and forth. That will be us.