It seems you are "learning the hard way" with most things. Yes, you need to learn to "read the water". There's no other way to learn really. You can trust the Explorer Charts, and yes, Chris is usually high on the wind and possible storms. Think about it, if you pay for his service and he tells you it's 10-13 but you get hit with 20-25, you're pissed. If he tells you 15-20 and storms, but it turns out 12-15 and no storms, you aren't pissed.

The communications situation is MUCH easier if you buy a $45 Bahamian cell phone. They're cheap and can be used almost every where. Also, WIFI is not the way to go. Quit paying for usage and/or trying to find a place to steal it. Get an AT&T (because it has to be GSM) unlocked aircard for your laptop. When you get to the Bahamas, buy a SIM card ($15), and then sign up for data service at $30/month for 2 GB of data usage. Everywhere you get a cell signal, you get can get data for your internet access...right at the boat.

We are getting 3G service sitting down here in the Ragged Islands. We've been down here for 3 months now with easy data access.

Also, don't get fooled by Chris Gordon's reports. Lots of us know the people on the various islands. That's because these people welcome us as family. When we get to Black Point every November, Ida says "welcome home"! That happens even down here in the Raggeds/Jumentos, but not on many of them as they are uninhabited...which is why we are here.

If you don't have a watermaker, that is the way to go. Not having one is more than an inconvenience, it will place you on a schedule to get to water sources, and you don't want a schedule down here. Any by the way, the front you talked about up there was 12 kts. down here.

Most of all...enjoy the Bahamas and the Bahamian people, as they are both very special.