A slow, casual, crusing mode Lindsay McRory May 14, 1996 The wind hadn't slowed down at Nassau for an entire week. But when it did stop, boats scurried out like cockroaches. Most marinas went from 95 percent occupancy to 30 percent by 10 a.m. The wind calmed down so much there wasn't a breath of it to be found. We motored 35 nautical miles northeast to Royal Harbor on Royal Island. The island has been uninhabited since it took a direct hit from Hurricane Andrew. Royal Harbor has great protection--nearly 360 degrees, which is rare in the Bahamas. Like most of the places we've been to so far, the holding isn't great, mostly because of bushy grass over a thin layer of sand. Our primary anchor--"Mr. Ugly," the Max 20--is on probation. He's never slipped, but he never seems to set right, usually digging in on one side only, leaving half of the shovel sticking out. I'm worried that a strong wind veer will pop him right out. We've tried various techniques. Even hard pulls with the motor won't dig him in. Our second anchor, a CQR 45, seems to dig in straight and deep every time. We got lazy tonight and grabbed a mooring buoy. Like Canada and the United States, mooring buoy parks are popping up all over the place here. I'm really surprised at the number of them in the Bahamas. I snorkeled down there just to see what we were trusting our boat to. The first 20 feet of chain was reasonably new, large, and in great shape. It was shacked to 20 feet of old rusted chain that was barely 50 percent of its original size and visibly elongated. Not a good sign. With poor holding for our own ground tackle, it's like being caught between a rock and a hard place. I cheated and brought a length of rope down to the four-foot cube of cement that acts as anchor for the mooring buoy. If the wind pipes up and the chain breaks, the rope will act as backup. Just to be extra prepared, 50 feet of anchor rode is coiled on deck and the Max is ready for a quick release. As always at anchor, the engine keys are in the ignition. Life has been pretty easy, the weather's been great. There's always lots to do. Kita and Wes are amazingly good swimmers and snorkelers. All systems are working great. It's nice being self-sufficient. The days, now more than ever, seem to fly by. It's been one year since we left Kingston, Ontario, and eight months since we left Norfolk. No one's in any hurry to return to suburbia. Spanish Wells is just around the corner. We may visit there in the next couple of days. We're in a slow, casual, cruising mode.