The Sailing Shipleys

We write this sailing from Charleston to Annapolis, becalmed for the third time in two days, and reflecting on our adventures in the Bahamas. A quick distance analysis convinced us we had to sail there: it is only 50NM from Florida. That, and the fact the Bahamas are held up as a cruising paradise which boasts endless miles of beautiful beaches and forgiving sandy bottoms for both the experienced and brand new sailor, made it an easy decision.

The Bahamas were supposed to be our first real vacation of our sabbatical. That meant no boat projects, just cruising, enjoying life, going nowhere in a hurry. If you’ve read our post on engine failure, we couldn’t abide the “no projects” rule, but truly there was no better place to have engine trouble than these peaceful islands.

We spent most of our time in the Abaco Islands, a string of Cays (pronounced like “key”) the furthest northeast. Since we are planning to head north this summer, it only made sense to explore this island chain first so we could easily depart before the weather became too hot or hurricane season began. The Abacos offer excellent protection from the ocean and every destination is a small day sail away.

The Abacos were terrific. We snorkeled colorful reefs, had beach bonfires, rode our folding bicycles to secluded sand bars, saw starfish, turtles, endless number of stingrays, and met other cruisers and tried to live by island time: no hurry, no rush. Time to really slow life and live, as John Mark Comer calls it, an unhurried life. Sailing is, after all, a simple life at 5 knots.

“the solution to an overbusy life is not more time. It’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters.”

John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

The calm waters allowed us to sail safely everywhere, swim off the boat every day, and still have easy access to land for Moses. Our daily walks on the beaches made him one tired pug.

Perhaps most importantly, sailing the Abacos gave us a chance to really dial in how we sail as a couple. Of course, we still had to find ways to get space from one another which often took the form of one of us to land and the other on the boat. We discovered that “coffee shops” don’t really exist and you’re much better off buying $8 local beer from the bar. We drank rum punch, decided it was over rated and stuck to our own stores. We opened our celestial navigation book and pulled out the sextant for the first time, dipping our toes into the cool practice of sun and moon sights.

Overall, we loved the Bahamas. 10/10 recommend, especially for anyone looking to charter a sailboat or take their own boat. The Bahamians were some of the most friendly people we met, going out of their way to greet you. The beaches speak for themselves, and if you don’t eat at restaurants, the cost is reasonable – everything has to be imported after all!

So, will we return to the Bahamas? Absolutely! We would love to one day – maybe with a few baby Shipleys in tow. There is so much left to explore. For now though, we are enjoying cooler weather in the Chesapeake Bay.