Mayaguana Island Bahamas (6th January to 11th February 2015)

Mayaguana Island

We left the British Virgin islands on the 6th of January, arriving on the 12^th, covering 570nm.

The following movie is of the passage

We arrived at night then proceeded to Abraham bay in daylight. Just after we had got through the tricky reef entrance our gearbox failed but we were far enough in to anchor safely. Eric proceeded to get the gearbox off the motor which was a tedious and difficult task. Lifting the whole motor out was not an option with the boat rolling in the seas and swell. We needed the motor to be operational for charging our batteries and to keep our freezer full of food frozen, so we sent a message ashore with another yachtsman to inform the administrator (There are no customs/immigration officers on Mayaguana Island) that we couldn't clear in immediately.

Then a frontal system came through and the wind was up so we didn't want to leave the boat unattended. Once the gearbox problem was diagnosed the next task was to clear in and use the internet to order parts. ( A new gear shaft and dampening drive plate which were worn )

We spent a lot of time in the communications office over the next few days emailing suppliers in NZ and Boston.

The local folk were extremely helpful and friendly putting us in contact with a mechanic who was here from Nassau working on the roading, The gearbox was taken apart on the back of a ute

A very nice man organised the parts to be put on the flight to Mayaguana Island when they arrived in Nassau from the USA. Local folk also gave us rides from the dinghy dock and in ferrying water from the well.

Eric was able to do some electrical work on a boat in return.

While we waited for the parts we explored a wrecked yacht on the foreshore and after getting permission we managed to salvage a furling system.

Time was spent snorkelling the reef and fishing, but we both came down with a sickness.( Lethargy, heavy legs and fullness in the head and sinuses) Not typical of Ciguatera poisoning but it made us a bit wary of eating the volume of fish and lobster we had been eating, even though we had only eaten small fish and safe species. We called in at the nurses clinic to see if there was a virus going round with these symptoms but not so.

We had a great time beachcombing and enjoying the birdlife.

We hired a motorbike for a day and toured the island visiting Pirates well and Betsy bay settlements and the northern lagoon

An interesting site was the old Nasa Thor missile radar tracking towers overlooking the runway

Water collection was tedious. Usually we get enough rain water from a deck filling system but there had been no rain of significance since we arrived and our water maker failed so it was a long dinghy ride ashore followed by a km walk along a road being ripped up for water reticulation. A community well of rain water was available where we required a dipping bucket to reach down. Then it was a long walk with the jerry can on a wheelie back to the dinghy then to the boat. Usually by this time the wind had got up and our clothing was soaked in salt water!

In 8 yrs we had needed to use our water maker once and when we needed it most it failed!!

(But often we got a lift by a friendly local or the community police)

Evenings were spent enjoying the sunsets at the end of full days and making new friends.

When the parts arrived by Bahama Air, the gearbox was put back together and after some initial problems it was reunited with the motor...

After 4 weeks at Mayaguana Island we were underway again