Atwood Harbor on the north side of Acklins Island. Pretty nice spot in light winds from the south. We spent a few days, mostly alone, except for two nurse sharks and a big barracuda that never left our side—like annoying pet chihuahuas.
From Acklins Island it was 110 mile overnight hop to our next stop, Turks and Caicos. We left around midnight and had light winds, but a bit of a bouncy ride with the small swell on the nose.
We hadn’t been underway more than half an hour when Ali started to scream. I was downstairs in a single bound, even without my cape. “What’s wrong?”
She flicked a light on and there in the middle of the kitchen was a nice-sized flying fish. It had hit the boat, flopped down the walkway on the side, and right in the door to whack against Ali’s leg, in the dark, as she sat at the helm.
I threw the fish back in the water—surely saving a life in the process—then flew back up top. All in a day’s work.
A few minutes later Ali went downstairs to use the bathroom—in the dark still. As she reached for the toilet seat she touched Ouest’s head. Ouest had been woken by the fish screaming incident and gone to use the bathroom. Of course, Ali touching Ouest in the dark set off more screaming. This time I just stayed put.
Kids had trouble sleeping down in their beds—I won’t say it was all the screaming, but, come on— so while I sat outside and read a book, the rest of the gang sprawled out around the saloon and slept. Overall, not a bad night. By two we were approaching Providenciales.
Not the view we wanted when we were three miles out from the reef—the reef that requires a guide boat to help get you through safely.
We decided to spend a few days at a marina, get checked in to the country, grab some food from an honest to goodness grocery store, and wait for some weather to blow through, before popping back out around the islands. Stepping off the boat onto dry land is always fun for a little while.
20 Comments on “Turks and Caicos”
So close again. Have been following you since your first circumnavigation.mwe have just missed each other a few times by a week. Once in Vieques and another in Tahiti. I am on North Caicos now but heading back to Canada. Will be in Provo April 23rd for. Few days.
Sometimes that just happens! If we get “stuck” in Provo longer waiting on weather, we might see you this time.
Nice hang time kids!
So strong they are.
Your lead photo clearly shows what I thought was a sailing rig attached to you dink. The earlier trick photo made me think you hadn’t really given up wind power…
Some do hook up a sail for a little more speed. We will not be doing that. 😉
What’s the yellow thing on the piling next to the paddle on the beach photo?
A broken bouy light the kids found on the beach.
Said like Yoda! Even the flying fish gone rogue are attracted to the force! ?
Miss you all,
Magic
“Pat hurry!” Seriously how does it hit the boat/me in thousand and thousands of open ocean waters?!
We will see you this summer! The MN/WI winter this year sounds nearly as bad as the winter of working on the bus in your shed. Hang in there!
Couldn’t stop laughing about the fish and poor Ouest’s head….I am pretty sure we have all been there!
Awesome photos. So glad you guys are back in the water! Safe travels.
Once you are freaked out, it just seems to continue…remember we’ve had cockroaches run across us in the past, and you feel those crawling on you for awhile. But yes, poor Ouest, I really freaked her out.
We’ve been to Ambergris Cay in Turks many times. Check out Fish Cay and Little Ambergris Cay (both uninhibited) if you get down that way.
When I read your story about the flying fish in your kitchen, I thought of the time I was kayaking in the Gulf and a huge mullet jumped at just the right time and smacked me in the side of my face. It left my face covered in green slime. Screaming was involved 🙂
I just picture Pat sitting on deck with a book, occasionally cocking an ear in your direction below and not moving until you and the kids are constantly screaming non stop. It’s sort of like the boy who cried wolf but with fish and a bathroom.
Let’s just say this is not the first flying fish incident. Not by a long shot. 🙂
I love that Lowe and both wheels of his scooter are airborne. What do you feed that kid?
Fruit Loops. 😉
Comparing nurse sharks and a big barracuda to a pet chihuahua?? Ha! Seriously, the Atlantic barracuda are impressive. I grew up in the Pacific with a smaller yet more aggressive variant. The first time I came face to face with an Atlantic, I must admit, the chihuahua wasn’t on my mind!
haha, you just sort of get used to them hanging around and not being the least bit afraid of you. They’ve got teeth, like a chihuahua, and are annoying, like a chihuahua, but are unlikely to actually hurt you, like a chihuahua. 🙂 Every anchorage we end up in now we have a 3-4′ barracuda hanging around. I had to almost push one out of the way to get to the swim ladder yesterday. I hate those guys.