The Life of Brad: May 2026 - Sailing; Bahamas; Long Island, Crooked Island, Mayaguana to Turks and Caicos

In this month I sailed East to Turks and Caicos via a bunch of Bahamas Islands; Long Island, Crooked Island, Plana Cays and Mayaguana. Basically moving towards a safe spot for pending hurricane season. Lots of hurry up and wait for weather in order to island hop which gave me time to work on boat projects.

Spent the first week of May in George Town getting ready to go; provisioning, working on boat, organising buddy boats to join me and doing a few things I had not done the first time I was here like going to the Fish Fry group of bars.

Getting pretty good at
making gluten free cookies

Got my second fridge running

Dinghied 2 miles over to the Fish Fry

Cracked Lobster for $22! 2 tails
at Crusty's Crab Resto

Then drinks at Charlie's karaoke bar

Figuring out my electrical
and getting AIS working

too many antennas for the stereo

Sweet Side Story: Went to Exumas Market for provisions one day and picked up some locally made bacon "mango jalapeno", $11 for 2lbs. Good deal for Bahamas. When I got back to the boat I noticed it just expired. Not a big deal for vacuum packed bacon, but I thought I should at least ask next time I'm there. Funny part is most food has no expiry dates in the Bahamas so they probably aren't used to a Canadian bitching about it. Anyhow, i'm glad I asked as the girl at the counter told me to get a new package, but it turns out they were all expired so she gave me 75%. I thought, ok 25% off is good, but she said "no, it's 75% off" so I grabbed two packs for about 3.5lbs for $5. Yeehaw! It turns out they had another kind of bacon that came in 1 day expired on arrival and were selling that for $.99 a 12 oz pack too so needless to say I was covered for bacon for the trip to Turks and then some!

Bathroom solar fan opening

Now siliconed up well!

view South at Kidd's Cove

Last quality speedo shorts-7yrs

Cheaper to use a nickel than
a $.30 washer

Nice dump of rain. Most of my silicon jobs seem to have done the trick.

important to unplug the bung
on the dinghy when it pours

This is a little issue which I
already tried siliconing...

Will try something else...

Just some of the cable/wires
I have been pulling out

Damn! That's where the new
heat gun is!

Last sunset in George Town

Captain's Log 2026.05.07 - Buddy Boat: Podapod/Cpt Nate P - Anchor: Calabash Bay, Long Island, Bahamas 23 39.188N 75 20.152W - 27 NM

Notes: Main up at anchor then 3-4kts on close haul of 8 kts wind. Later to beam for 5kts on 10 kts wind.

Had fun at the local bar Santa Maria Cape Resort (tourist bar) with SV Tunuca Crew: Irati, Theis and Mikkel and SV Podapod Nate who got drunk for may be the first time in his life. I think we were drinking some kind of rum punch.

Leaving George Town mid morning.

Podapod a Lagoon 450

Calabash Bay

An awesome 40 minute sun shower

Very clear here

Me, Nate, Theis, Irati and
Mikkel B the inventor of "Qork"

Santa Maria Resort Bar

Captain's Log 2026.05.08 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Clarence Town, Bahamas 23 06.303N 74 57.035W - 49 NM

Notes: One motor and headsail the whole way on tight wind.

Chau Calabash Bay

Not looking too windy

White cliffs of the North part Long Island

In to Clarence Town

Wide open anchorage that's pretty protected
But look out for the low spots and small reef

Not much here

Everything Closed

View from Erica's Bakery

Fancy cat $1MM+

Rich neighbour taking dogs out

It's a nice spot to rest for sure

Coco joy from the little island in front of us.

13 cocos for the trip

Day at Dean's Blue Hole which is more than 202 metres deep making it one of the deepest in the world. We met a few free divers that were testing their limits. One person had a personal record of 126m which is insane!!!

Side Story: should have filled the dinghy with gas before the 3 mile venture to the blue hole. We idled back and actually made it to Nate's boat! What a difference when you don't crank the engine. Less fun, but huge difference.

Kinda tough getting here via the bay with
a dinghy, not sure that's the way to do it.

A video approaching Dean's Blue Hole for the first moments

Freedivers dropping from their platform

Scuba divers enjoying

Nate with his torpedo arm

Nate went for a jump, about 4-5 meters

Oops low on gas

Bacon and Eggs and Coco

Could swim from the boat but I heard lots of talk
of sharks around so I paddled to the beach daily

Captain's Log 2026.05.13 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Clarence Town, Bahamas 23 06.304N 74 57.077W - 7 NM

Notes: Headed out going for Crooked Island, but turned back due to sea conditions. 16kts head wind. Unable to get on a close haul and didn't want to bash for 10 hours (2 motors for 10 hours to 5kts would cost $10/hr = $100 usd). Always tough to turn back, but the right decision.

Captain's Log 2026.05.14 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Major's Cay, Crooked Island, Bahamas 22 44.477N 74 08.274W - 54 NM

Notes: Early squall of 18kts for 30 min. Able to sail close haul 3-4 kts on 10kts wind then motorsailed last 5 hrs to destination.

Going ok, better than yesterday

Passing the Crooked Island Lighthouse thinking it is an island of 3000 people, BUT no, it's 300 people!

Major's Cay, a few houses

Captain's Log 2026.05.15 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Mayaguana NW, Bahamas 22 27.216N 73 07.842W - 65 NM

Notes: Great start 5kts on 10kts beam. Added motor early to gain an extra 1kts to have 6kts. A few trees in the water and lots of seaweed.

Morning calm at Major's Cay.

Calm start...

This is the seaweed that gets
to Mexico eventually

Cooking with Otto running
running the boat

That wasn't worth it as it
stained the deck!

East Plana

Between West and East Plana.

No wind at 5000ft.

Floating logs

Arriving at Mayaguana NW

Morning before sailing off we went for a little snorkel to check out the area. Squid video!!

Wow, I caught a squid swimming by. First time in my life.

Beautiful clear water so had a look at the boat

I have grounded in sand and mud a few times

Nate's boat anchor on rock
and he did move in the night

Chips off antifoul

Captain's Log 2026.05.16 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Abraham's Bay, Bahamas 22 21.678N 72 58.984W - 19 NM

Notes: 6-7 kts on 15-17 kts true wind. Smooth inside fetch and then at Devil's Corner turn had to go in to the wind on motors 3 kts 1 eng then 5 kts on 2 engines. Turned final corner to Abraham's Bay on sails 6.5 kts of 13 kts wind, 1 reef.

Didn't even go to land as the dinghy ride was far and would have been wet. Very rolly anchorage.

Nice in the fetch of Mayaguana

Rough seas after the Devil's Corner, no surprise but it still sucks.

closer to shore a
little easier

Finally got to sail heading in to the bay for about 4 miles, but of course had to watch out for coral heads.

Captain's Log 2026.05.17 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: West Caicos Taque Harbour, Turks and Caicos 21 41.903N 72 27.664W - 51 NM

Notes: 14 kts true for 4 kts. 10:30am dropped main due to back winding. Back to main later to add 1 kts for 6-7 kts on 15-17 kts true wind using 1 eng as it was a close haul. Squall hit 30 kts gusts, but I had main down early and 50% jib motorsailing through it at 6 kts.

Early morning start

Good size waves, swell

Taking on some decent waves to the bow.

After a the first squall, 1 of 3 on the day. My buddy boat ripped his head sail and broke a block at the top of his main so had to drop both to finish the day.

Good to get in to shelter

Quarantine flag going up

So calm, I could stay forever

Very protected, especially from swell.
The marina is unfinished and it seems no one
cares that sailboats anchor there for days.

Captain's Log 2026.05.19 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Sapadilla Bay, Provo, Turks and Caicos 21 44.599N 72 17.248W - 12 NM

Notes: 18 kts in lee of West Caicos. Turned into wind needing 2 engs at 5kts. Tried off course to get 5.8 kts and eventually had to cut back on course and back to 2 engines.

CHECK IN: Did sailclear app the day before and went to Provo South Port Authority office which was a dinghy to shore then less than 2 km walk to the office. Lots of people going in and out and in the small office so there was no chance to get more on the 7 day visa ($50 +$50 for each person on boat). We would head East as soon as it was deemed safe which fell with in our 7 day visa more or less.

Clear water on the Caicos Bank

Turtle Rock

Que Bola Little Havana Cuban resto

Tide in and out, shallow

All flagged up

Captain's Log 2026.05.20 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Cooper Jack Marina, Turks and Caicos 21 45.403N 72 14.237W - 4 NM

Notes: Port engine clogged and not passing 3000rpm nor peeing until warm then good. Tight entrance to undeveloped marina. Great protection.

Stayed the whole week here going in to town one day by dinghy and a few others by bikes with Nate pulling me at some spots with his electric bike which could do more than my single gear. Still got a good work out in.

Tight entry to Cooper Jack

Another unfinished marina

Shallow!!

Took a bit to find the way to a beach by dinghy

This was not the way

Nor was this the way

Big changes with tide

Photo to remember where
the dinghy was

Off to get some provisions

Hennessey bottles

Sunny Foods

Turks and Caicos!

A few local shops

Seemed ok for $16

Nate carrying 36 Dr. Pepper!

Likely no water system so
filler trucks to provide water

Back to the dinghy

Good to be here, winds got up to 28 kts.

riding in to town

about 6 km and it wasn't flat

Discovery Bay

Not a lot for bike paths

Sweet T's fried chicken (wings)

Pretty good for $3 incl pop

Nate the menace

Food World was pretty good

Prices ok except for the
chocolate chips $14 usd!

yep, towed with a strap we
found on the ground

$10 for this bag...oh well

Must be a turtle

Figuring out a leak, maybe

Oh damn...that's not going to unstick

Tried lifting motor. It worked!

Little WD40 and wire brushes, spectacular.

Lock repair kit, haha

That crack in the seal might be
the water problem in forelocker

Replaced failing regulator
which caused other issues

Back to town for Check Out

Big ride, 11 km each way.

Our boats are way off in the distance to the left

Captain's Log 2026.05.27 - BB: Podapod - Anchor: Cooper Jack Marina, Turks and Caicos 21 45.405N 72 14.239W - 5 NM

Notes: Port eng so-so, star eng not peeing and dealing with crazy short period waves and 18-22 kts wind so returned to port.

Going East...really?

Nope, back in Cooper Jack due to wind
strength and direction prohibiting East travel

Captain's Log 2026.05.28 - Anchor: French Cay, Turks and Caicos 21 30.479N 72 12.200W - 17 NM

Notes: Choppy and bashing so beared away to French Cay for a great sail with only head sail needed to go 6 kts on 18kts wind. Podapod carried on to Ambergris.

Spectacular spot off the coast of a bird sanctuary and just North of some of the most dense shark diving areas in the Caribbean. One came for a visit!

First looks at French Cay

checking to see how deep the hard ground is

The closer to shore the less swell

Note that should be fixed

I shark my pants!!! Good thing it was only a nurse shark, but all is heightened when you are alone.

One of the happy days

Captain's Log 2026.05.30 - Anchor: Ambergris, Turks and Caicos 21 19.044N 71 38.705W - 44 NM

Notes: Started on sails for the first time. Close reach South to help angle then 90 deg to Ambergris. Needed engine to tack. Avoided shallows entering back to Caicos Bank. Close haul East 3kts on 12 kts. A day of slow and patience.

Got in late afternoon able to see the coral heads. But would the next day leaving be the same?

See June post to find out...