Spirit Dancer is now in the Bahamas. Our cruising pass will let us stay until June 10th but by then we should be almost to Washington DC.

Below are links to Google Maps of our location, links to marinas if applicable and links to Kem's blog on the Houston Chronicle. Most recent event on top.

Tentative Plans

Cat Cay

5/19/2010

SPOT

From here we made it through the "Gun Cay" cut out into the Florida Straights to cross the Gulf Stream to Ft. Lauderdale.

See the East Coast 2010 Aventure to pick it up from here.

Chub Cay

05/18/2010

SPOT

Chub Cay Yacht Club

Been here done that the first time. Location, location, location.

May 8, 2010

SPOT

"CARMEN MIRANDA"

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Excerpt: " As I’ve mentioned before, we receive snail mail about once a month – and usually it’s a fun event. This time, however, most of The Bahamas marina charges came in on these credit car... "

"TOURIST DAY"

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Excerpt: " Prince George Wharf was constructed in the 1920’s – the heyday of American Prohibition, to provide harbor space for hundreds of bootlegging craft defying the American blockade against liq... "

"FEATHERED FRIENDS"

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Excerpt: " To date, in our Bahamian adventure, we kissed dolphins –   We fed swimming pigs –   We (Poe Man) swam with sharks –   And now, we have marched with Flamingos – ... "

Movies:
Flamingos Enter the Arena
Flamingos March
Kem tries to be a flamingo too

"STAYING PUT"

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Excerpt: " We enjoyed a picture postcard sunset last night – and then brought all “movable” items inside the boat. Although it was calm when we closed up, we knew the winds were on the way. &n... "

Movie:
Wind blows in the harbor

"NASSAU REVISITED"

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Excerpt: " We’re back in Nassau – one day ahead of the increased winds and waves. From the looks of our new weather source, www.windfinder.com , it looks like we may be here a few days. The next leg... "

May 7, 2010

SPOT

May 6, 2010

SPOT

May 4, 2010

SPOT

May 1 - 3, 2010

SPOT

Marina at Emerald Bay

The return visit was great. We stayed an extra day to let the seas calm down. And that meant we got to spend more time at the beach by the Grand Isle Resort. They bring the bucket of beer to you. Nice touch.

Thu – Sun, April 22 – 30

SPOT

Georgetown - St. Francis

"TROPIC OF CANCER"

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Excerpt: " The Tropic of Cancer is the circle of latitude on the earth that marks the apparent position of the sun and the time of the northern (summer) solstice. It is one of the two tropics (Tropic of Caprico... "

"CRUISERS ALERT!"

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Excerpt: " Listen up all of you US boaters who are cruising out of the country (Bahamas). Be aware of the new flight regulations!   Last week on my whirlwind 24 hour trip back to The Woodlands, I mana... "

VIDEO Family Regatta

• Start at anchor on the line with sails down
• Race underway, music in the background, cold Kalik beers in hand

"G TOWN"

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Excerpt: " George Town in the Southern Exumas is alive with activity this week due to the race week that just ended. We moved over to the Exuma Docking Service slips so that Bob could get some minor boat repair... "

"CHAT N CHILL"

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Excerpt: " The Chat n’ Chill is the Bahamian equivalent of the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. It’s a great beach – accessible only by dingy, which means that you most likely w... "

"REGATTA TIME"

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Excerpt: " We are in G-Town during one of the most celebrated weeks of the Bahamian year. Think of combining Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio – that about sums it up for the National Family I... "

"DOCK, ANCHOR, BALL"

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Excerpt: " Today is a first for us. We have managed to dock the boat, anchor the boat, and snag a mooring ball – all in one day. It started early AM when we left our slip at Emerald Bay Marina and moved o... "

Wed, April 19 – 21
SPOT

"CAVE CAY"

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Excerpt: " Following a large breakfast at the Club, and goodbyes to all of our new Staniel Cay friends, William and Gayle helped us cast off the lines and head out for new adventures. Our inside passage to Cave... "

"MOVIN ON"

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Excerpt: " It really was good to be back at the dock, working on our “to do” lists. As I mentioned when we headed back over here, we had a lot to accomplish in a few days.   One, we have a lot ... "

"MERMAID TEARS"

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Excerpt: " I am really not a collector, and since I’m currently living in a 650 square foot space (give or take a few hidey holes) I can’t afford to collect anything that can’t be consumed or ... "

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES"

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Excerpt: " When high winds and wild seas are predicted, we have to take many precautions even at dockside. We secure anything outside that might get blown off the boat, and bring everything else inside. The rea... "

"BAHAMAS COLORS"

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Excerpt: " These islands are awash with vibrant pastel colors. The base colors, of course, come from the seascapes and forever changing hues of blue. It’s almost magical and mystical how many different sh... "

"WE'RE BACK AT SCYC" on chron.Commons.

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Excerpt: " It was a short trek yesterday (all of a 10 minute cruise from the mooring ball), and now we are back dockside at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, an Exuma favorite destination. We were welcomed ... "

"ISLAND IN THE STREAM"

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Excerpt: " MORNING FRONT DOOR VIEW By the time I post this, we will have been stationary on this mooring ball since Thursday, April 1. Papa Hemingway wrote about Bimini, the Island in the (Gulf) Stream, and tha... "

"SOL and JEFF"

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Excerpt: " When we caught this mooring ball, it wasn’t obvious who owned it. We were looking for someone to pay the $20 per day, so we called the Yacht Club (bar) and they said call Solomon. So we left me... "

"THUNDERBALL"

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Excerpt: " After an exhilarating aftnoon of pig feeding and photoing, Spirit Dancer brought us back to Staniel Cay, although not to the Yacht Club. Since we were going to be here a few more days, my vote was to... "

BAY OF PIGS"

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Excerpt: " We were up early and after a hearty breakfast at the club, we cast off the lines and headed for the Bay of Pigs, Bahamas style. Whatever would make us leave such an ideal place, you ask? Well, the sw... "

"STANIEL CAY"

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Excerpt: " Our next stop, Staniel Cay, is one of my very favorite places so far. Its’ a small community in the Central Exuma Island chain and the local Bahamian people are so gracious and friendly. I&rsqu... "

"GARDEN OF EDEN"

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Excerpt: " This day we could have done the inside passage, but John assured us that seas were relatively calm and we drove down the Atlantic side of the islands to our next destination, Warderick Wells. This 17... "

"DOLPHIN CAY"

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Excerpt: " Not to be outdone by the guys, Becky and I had our own great adventure. We went to Dolphin Cay at Atlantis and got up close and personal with a pod of lovely Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. Many of the... "

"LEAP OF FAITH"

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Excerpt: " Plummeting down a 60 foot vertical drop through shark infested waters, is something John has wanted to do his “whole entire life” and Becky wouldn’t let him do it – until now.... "

"JOHN & BECKY ARRIVE"

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Excerpt: " We have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of our boating friends from Austin, John and Becky. We chartered with them in the British Virgin Islands a few years ago, so we knew they would be eager ... "

"ATLANTIS - LOST CITY"

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Excerpt: " Some twenty years ago, Bob and I took a brief holiday to the Nassau. We stayed in the Royal Bahamian and walked down to the casino, which at that time was the only completed building on the soon to b... "

"STAYING CONNECTED - BAHAMAS STYLE"

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Excerpt: " Having previously had the mindset that power, water, and Starbucks is a God-given right for Americans, we are here to say that ain’t the case in developing countries. In the

"SOMETHING WE SAID?"

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Excerpt: " Just yesterday, we were shoulder to shoulder, or to put it more correctly, beam to beam, with other boats – 99% of them were sailboats. Spirit Dancer really stands out here, as there are few

"BIMINI REUNION"

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Excerpt: " You might remember the great lobster tail party and subsequent “jaws” catch at the Sea Crest Marina dock in Bimini. Well, we happened to meet up with most of that international set of gre... "

"DATE WITH GENNY"

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Excerpt: " Thunder last night signaled rain today – and rain it did. It’s a good thing, since the boat got washed off and we refilled our rain water buckets. I’m glad we took care of the dingh... "

"DINGHY DAY"

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Excerpt: " It’s a picture perfect day, and our new friends Diego and Claudia are off in their beautiful sailboat, Berri , to explore nearby Rose Island. Per Claudia, there is absolutely nothing there exce... "

TONGUE OF THE OCEAN"

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Excerpt: " Our crossing today was not as long as our crossing of the Great Bahama Bank. Today we crossed what is called the Tongue of the Ocean. Above, you can see the body of water and the depths that are char... "

"CHUB CAY"

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Excerpt: " What a difference a day makes! After the cool front and weather blew through, we set out from Cat Cay at first light yesterday. We inched our way out of the channel at low tide and turned the corner ... "

Video - Crossing the Great Bahama Bank

The Great Bahama Bank - 12 feet deep x 65 miles across
Kemba at the Helm - And a tour out back

"CAT CAY"

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Excerpt: " Cat Cay is privately owned by the members of the Cat Cay Club with an excellent marina that welcomes visiting boats if space is available. And judging from the number of empty slips, we should be ext... "

March 10, 2010

SPOT

"JAWS"

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Excerpt: " The vote on the dock is in – tomorrow is a go for most of us to start moving on down the islands. The day is full of activity – topping off the water tanks, getting final provisions, sail... "

Video - Catching a Bull Shark at Sea Crest.
NOTE: These are large files. Wait till they load and then hit replay.

1. Capt. Kenny in the chair
2. Bull Shark reeled in next to Spirit Dancer
3. Bull Shark released

"SHIPWRECKS AND SEA GLASS"

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Excerpt: " Well, today is another lay day and we are going to seize this one for fun and frolic. Daylight savings time gave us a late start, so we lingered over coffee and tried to zero in on our next destinati..."

"LAY DAY"

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Excerpt: " Well, judging from the elephants marching across the horizon, we aren’t going anywhere today, in other words, we’re taking a lay day. A lay day in boater terms, means not moving on to ano... "

"WATER WATER EVERYWHERE"

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Excerpt: " “Water, water everywhere, and not enough to drink.” Never before have those words meant anything to me. Now it’s hitting home. Yesterday we got the eagerly anticipated rain and it w... "

"SEA CREST"

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Excerpt: " Since we elected to enter into the Bahamas at Bimini, we had several options as to marinas. There are a couple of POSH marina resorts on this island. In earlier days, when booking transatlantic cruis... "

"THE DEEP"

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Excerpt: " My anxieties were building the evening before departing Miami. I awoke several times in the middle of the night with a million “what if” scenarios running through my mind. What if the sea... "

Video - Crossing

1. Calm Seas in the Atlantic Ocean
2. Kem at the helm crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini