Ahhh....Atlantis

Nassau...Paradise Island...Atlantis.  Been here 4 nights and I can't wait to leave.  Julianne has had a good time as there is plenty of shopping and great pools to swim in.  To me this was like sailing into Las Vegas.

Atlantis from Nassau Harbor

We started out Sunday AM from Chub Cay and fought 20 kt breeze and 4-6 ft seas right on the bow all the way to Nassau harbor.  36 nm in about 4 hours.  At least it was a short trip.  Got moored up on a concrete fixed dock and spent the rest of the afternoon washing the boat.  Still had dirt on it from the east coast, so I spent about 3 hours really cleaning her.....Julianne gladly went exploring.

Folks that have sailed with me, know that I like to clean the boat myself.  The exception is Rob Greig, Greg Ford and Captain Eric Stewart.  These guys have done many deliveries with me over the years and they can make short work of removing the salt.

Entering Atlantis Marina

Touring around the Atlantis property was fun for a few hours, and I'm going to leave it at that.

I was excited to get underway first thing this morning (Wed Nov 7), but found out when I woke up that I was getting a high pressure failure from the AC units in both the master suite and the salon (living room).  Knowing enough about how the AC systems work on this boat, I knew right away that the raw water pump that cools both of the condensers had failed.

I was thanking Charlie Reese from Burr Yacht Sales who had convinced me over the summer to buy back up pumps for everything.  Charlie had put a list together and AJ and I picked them up in Maryland on my drive down to get AJ started on his Junior year in Hilton Head.  Thank Charlie....brand new pump ready to go!

View Aft- Moored at Atlantis

So I had a cup of coffee and got to work.  I had replaced this pump about a year ago, so I was wondering why it failed so early.  I opened the floor up in the Lazzarette and my answer was right in front of me.  A brass elbow supplying water from the pump to the AC condensers had developed a pin hole leak that sprayed a very small stream of salt water right into the pumps electric motor.  They entire motor was covered with a quarter inch of dried salt.

For the first time in 4 days I was thankful to be in Nassau.  I called up my new friend Rico to give me a ride to the plumbing store.  I have found when leaving the US, it is always good to find a Cab driver that becomes your tour guide and chauffeur.  Rico has done a great job for us.  Julianne went grocery shopping with him two days ago and last night, he brought by a case of Guiness beer that Julianne has taken a liking to.

Looking out at Atlantis Marina

Rico got me to the marine supply store here in Nassau.  They didn't have the exact brass elbow, but we put two parts together and made it work.  3 hours later that new pump was installed and the boat was back to 75 degrees.

Still sitting in Atlantis Marina and I can't wait to leave.  I told Julianne we are leaving a first light.  Can't go earlier as we will be sailing over Browns Banks, which is a shallow area with giant brain corals growing.   Charts say to visually navigate between the corals.  This will be the first time we visually navigate.  More on this tomorrow night when we get to Highbourne Cay in the northern Exuma Chain.  Very remote....true Bahamas...Can wait.