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Last update April 04 2016

JoHo is back at Manjack Cay, after a few days in Baker's Bay.
This is the same bay where we were not allowed with our bikes because you need to be a member of the millionaires club. But with JoHo is it another story, all the beaches in the Bahamas are in fact still publicly accessible. So we took our dinghy ashore where we met some people who have a house here and they invited us to their place for a tour, chat and drink. Totally amazing, what an extravagant luxury in this place.

After all this luxury we thus effortless switch our environment to the simple life of Manjack. Here the people are busy with survival, independent life, and the likes. Lesley and Bill grow their own fruit and vegetables, chickens scurrying there all day on the loose. Sometimes the chickens will be petted, they appear to enjoy this treat. These people are as self-sufficient as possible. We always feel very welcome and at home with Bill and Lesley and the island is so beautiful with the walking trails and beautiful beaches. In between our stay we sail up and down to Green Turtle Cay to spend our last Bahamian dollars and take out the garbage. We also enjoy the tranquility of New Plymouth.

JoHo is slowly on its way back to the States when we get some stable weather. So on March 7th, after saying goodbye to Bill and Lesley we sail with a stiff breeze to the north, up to Allans-Pensacola Cay. There are a few boats at anchor, including motorvessel Teamwork with Bill and Betty Sue from South Carolina. When JoHo is anchored they come to say hello. Later we talk with them aboard JoHo.
Our goal here at Allans-Pensacola is to hang our JoHo-ship's bell in the remembrance tree on the island. The old brass bell is edited by John with a dremel. He engraves the boat name, a sketch of our icon, our names and the years that we have been in the Bahamas. Proud of his work he shows the bell, now we have to find a place where we can hang it. After a short walk we arrive at the tree. John is trying to find the perfect spot and that is not easy. Eventually he is satisfied. When we leave our bel makes merry sounds.

As the weather looks good and stable for the next few days, we think it's time to go. We do this on March 10th. The genua is rolled out and we sail to Sale Cay and Mangrove Cay for some night-anchorages. These two islands have nothing and coming ashore is a drama, so we're not going ashore.
Then, very early in the morning on March 12th we weigh anchor. We must schedule JoHo for the Indian cut, the West End entrance, arriving with high tide. This narrow channel opens into the Florida Strait and is very shallow. Our timing is perfect though and we bid farewell to the Bahamas. Once in the Florida Strait it becomes rougher. The wind is good, but a bit more than expected and JoHo sails like mad. Our calculation was to arrive around eleven in the evening in West Palm Beach, but it will be much earlier and if the US Coast Guard hadn't held us up for a check-up we'd have even been earlier.
Unfortunately, it is already dark when we enter the entrance to West Palm Beach. The evening entrances are always confusing with all those lights ashore. What makes it even worse is that they're dredging the channel. The dredging hoses are barely lit and we must be extra careful in the dark. Time to drop our anchor in a good place as soon as possible, fortunately we know this environment well.

After a night at anchor near the entrance we proceed on the Intracoastal Waterway to the North Lake Worth Lagoon. This is a lovely enclosed anchorage about 5 nm away. JoHo is back in the States.

Friday, March 18th we cycle about 15 miles to the West Palm Beach boat show. Mostly mega yachts. And John has arranged free tickets. We put on our best clothes and stare at all those extreme luxury motor yachts. The one even more beautiful and bigger than the other. Almost all boats here are registered in Bikini, the Marshall islands in the Pacific Ocean. That's a tax paradise for big-boat owners. Dutch company Heesen yachts from Oss is also represented. John chats with the salesmen from the Netherlands. It is the first time that they are at this boat show and their expectations are high.
After the conversation we continue and choose a 30-plus meter super-sailyacht to visit. All this is by appointment only and the -permanent- crew shows us around. If these boat are sold, the crew is included in the deal. Very nice all these dream boats, but as some say about fancy cars and beautiful women; nice to look at but not practical. And that's how it is.
At the end of the day we are happy to go back to our own dream boat.

Easter is approaching. You see it in the stores. The day before Easter I'm busy painting the eggs I cooked in the JoHo style. When I'm done with that I'm going to the shop (naturally without John) for the Peeps. These are sweets, in the form of hens, chickens and hares. A real American thing.
On the 1st day of Easter I serve the eggs, buns, strawberries and cream and of course the peeps in our cockpit. The weather is beautiful, what a pleasure it is with all the goodies on board our JoHo. These are fun days.
In the afternoon we go by bike to the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. To our surprise most shops are closed! This is so un-american with their 24/7 economy. Eventually we did find something open, the Barnes and Noble. This luxury bookstore is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon. Surrounded by books and magazines, nice in the air conditioning, as it is very humid outside. What surprised me is that I found the English edition of two Dutch magazines, the "Flow" and "Happinez". Always nice to see the Netherlands represented abroad.

Before we know it's the end of the month again. When we will take a short trip north we do not know yet, but the end of April we will at least somewhere near Indiantown.

Jolanda

I finished a special photobook, about our travels 10 years JoHo's travel from 2001 to 2011.
Curious ? Then click the link.
And if you're interested in sailing the BAHAMAS, BERMUDA, MALDIVES, BONAIRE, SURINAME or ARUBA have a look at our books at SAILADVENTURES where the books are available online.
You can always mail us for more info on these cruising grounds or cruising in general, we'll gladly help you out.

John and Jolanda

Current position

JoHo is at anchor at Lake Worth, USA at 26°50,4' N - 80°03,3' W.

Plans

Our floating home and office is always ready for us to work for ourselves as writers and editors compiling cruising guides on our way.
Remember to live life to the max, it can be over before you know it. That's our motto.

John and Jolanda