The Final Voyage of S/V SATISFACTION
In May of 2019 we took a very enjoyable cruise on SATISFACTION our 41-foot Beneteau sailboat. We cruised for three weeks to the Abaco islands northwest of Green Turtle Cay where very few boats go. The weather, water, and snorkeling were perfect for this trip. On 1 June SATISFACTION was hauled out for summer storage at the boatyard at Green Turtle Cay. I am really glad we took that three-week cruise as it was the last cruise we would take on SATISFACTION. And 1 June was the last time we would see SATISFACTION as well.
SATISFACTION was a casualty of hurricane Dorian which passed through the Abaco islands in the Bahamas on 1 September 2019. Hurricane Dorian made its first landfall in this area of the Bahamas with average winds of 185 MPH. Almost all boats were destroyed as were many homes. It has been three months since Dorian hit and the Abaco area is still in the early stages of recovery.
We are certainly very sad about the inglorious ending for SATISFACTION, but her demise is not the worst part of this life-changing event. The heartbreaking part of this event is Hope Town, our winter home for the last 8 years, was devastated by Dorian. Hope Town settlement on Elbow Cay was a slice of heaven. Most of the friends that we have in retirement we only see in Hope Town. These friends live the rest of the year in many different areas around the US and Canada and every winter we all gathered in Hope Town by boat. Without Hope Town, it will be difficult to see everyone.
Making recovery of the area even more difficult is Marsh Harbour was also destroyed. Marsh Harbour is on the main Abaco island and is the “big city” where the airport, island ferries, and power generation are located. So a lot of the infrastructure for the area was badly damaged. It will be at least a year before the region has central power generation again.
However, Hope Town will recover. It will take a while, but the local Bahamians in Hope Town are a resourceful bunch. Additionally, Hope Town has an emotional tie to many of the cruisers from the US and Canada, some of which have been going there for decades. As I write this blog post, several of our friends are already in Hope Town or are on their way to Hope Town to help out with their recovery. We wish we could be there, but there are currently no accommodations available. With no power available, anyone going to the Abaco area has to be self-sufficient. Most cruising sailboats are solar-powered so they are pretty independent.
As for us, our lives have been altered for the foreseeable future. SATISFACTION is gone and the Abacos will be a few years in recovery. We plan to return to Hope Town, whether by boat or staying on land remains to be seen. For me, a person who likes to plan out everything in life, it will be a period of uncertainty. Right now our plan is to evaluate everything annually.
This past summer we spent a month in Madeira, Portugal. We really liked it so we are going back there for the months of January and February 2020. Several of our Hope Town friends, who also lost their boat in Dorian will be joining us. Madeira is not quite as warm as the Abaco; about 65-70 degrees in January as opposed to 75-80 degrees in Hope Town, but it is a lot better than staying in Maryland. In March we will make a few one-week stops in other parts of Portugal and Spain. Then back to Maryland.
I will end this post with a couple short videos of the final voyage of S/V SATISFACTION.
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