Monday 28 January 2008
Georgetown
When we arrived at Georgetown the second time there were 25 other boats that arrived on the same day, bringing the total close to 150 boats!!!! This time we anchored a little further away from the action, around the corner at Sand Dollar Beach. We soon however found ourselves back on Volley ball beach sipping blender drinks, talking with other cruisers, while the kids swung, (again) unsupervised, from the trees. Georgetown is a highly organized place, kinda like summer camp with booze, many cruisers make it the focal point of their winter itinerarys. The 8am cruisers net on the vhf radio is awash with the activities of the day: Iron Yoga at 8:30, Bridge at 1300, Volleyball (it is volleyball beach of course) from 2:30 onward, Beach church, Trivial pursuit, Texas hold’m, Potluck from 4pm onward at sanddollar beach, an outboard for sale, someone looking for a part for a wind generator, propane truck 11am Saturday, fundraiser for a local business on satuday afternoon, etc ,etc. you need a daytimer just to keep up!!!!! We don’t have one.
Several of the kid boats we met in the US (Salt and Light, Solange, San It I, Sucia, Meander) are a week or 2 behind us and it is tempting to wait for them, but if we stay here too long then we won’t have the time to spend at other places further south. It is a tough decision
We are watching the weather and hope to move south east to Rum Cay, and the Turks and Caicos soon.
Georgetown
When we arrived at Georgetown the second time there were 25 other boats that arrived on the same day, bringing the total close to 150 boats!!!! This time we anchored a little further away from the action, around the corner at Sand Dollar Beach. We soon however found ourselves back on Volley ball beach sipping blender drinks, talking with other cruisers, while the kids swung, (again) unsupervised, from the trees. Georgetown is a highly organized place, kinda like summer camp with booze, many cruisers make it the focal point of their winter itinerarys. The 8am cruisers net on the vhf radio is awash with the activities of the day: Iron Yoga at 8:30, Bridge at 1300, Volleyball (it is volleyball beach of course) from 2:30 onward, Beach church, Trivial pursuit, Texas hold’m, Potluck from 4pm onward at sanddollar beach, an outboard for sale, someone looking for a part for a wind generator, propane truck 11am Saturday, fundraiser for a local business on satuday afternoon, etc ,etc. you need a daytimer just to keep up!!!!! We don’t have one.
Several of the kid boats we met in the US (Salt and Light, Solange, San It I, Sucia, Meander) are a week or 2 behind us and it is tempting to wait for them, but if we stay here too long then we won’t have the time to spend at other places further south. It is a tough decision
We are watching the weather and hope to move south east to Rum Cay, and the Turks and Caicos soon.
Grandpa and Grandma’s visit
Gary’s parents flew into Staniel Cay (www.stanielcay.com) a few days before Ina flew home so we were able to celebrate Christmas, and birthdays for both grandma’s (Dec15th and 16th) Bradley and Tavish (Jan 7th) and Richard (Jan14th) with a great meal at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (thanks Grandpa).
We stayed in and around Staniel cay for a few days before a leisurly sail across the banks to Blackpoint Settlement. Sailing on the banks is still difficult for west coast sailors. The water is between 12 and 20 feet deep and is crystal clear, with a bright blue hue. It looks like you are sailing in the shallow end of a swimming pool and we find ourselves constantly checking and rechecking the charts and the depth sounder. The winds were 5 to 10 knots and the sky sunny, making it a brilliant first sail for Grandpa and grandma. After anchoring in 9 feet of water and snorkeling out to check the anchor, we went ashore Joan, the manager at Staniel, lived in Blackpoint and had recommended DeShamon’s restaurant for great pizza. Asking about the restaurant at the top of the dock we found Diane, the owner/chef and her husband Simon, who showed us, were their place was and said for us to come back at 5:30 when Diane was finished her day job and could come and open up. This gave us time to walk through the town. Dinner was spectacular, cold beer and Pizza…….. Two of our favorite food groups. Blackpoint Settlement is home to a great Laundromat so the next day was filled laundry and boat work. Little Farmers Cay Yacht Club was the next stop. (don’t let the name fool you) The approach off the bank is shallow, even by Bahamian standards, so at high tide we approached the cay from the west. The charts of this region are notoriously inaccurate, and here there was some disagreement with the paper charts, the cruising guide, and the electronic chart plotter. The first thing you believe is your eyes, and after averaging out all the other inputs we were soon around all the hazards and enjoying a cold beer at the Yacht Club. . Little Farmers Cay Yacht Club consists of a run down fixed dock that cold hold 4 or so boats and a bar/restaurant with a couple of rooms attached. Our host, Roosevelt Nixon, was the dockmaster, bartender, and innkeeper. Although he claimed to have “the best chef on the island” we chose to wander down the road to the Ocean Cabin restaurant where we all enjoyed Carribean lobster and other local cuisine. Here we met a danish couple with a 5 yr old and a 5 month old girl. Soon the 5 yr old was playing games with the boys and Cadeesha, the owner’s daughter.
Little Farmers Cay was a quaint little town, the only sour spot was paying our bill at the Yacht Club when the propieter tried to short change us.
The weather was fairly calm the next day, the 14th of January, the 9th birthday of one Richard Keith Minielly. It was a great day for the ocean run to Georgetown. With fishing lines out we exited the cut at Little Farmers with 3-4 knots of adverse current out into the Atlantic, in search of fish! Along the way we talked on the VHF with Sunspot Baby, a couple we had met in North Carolina as well as numerous spots along the way. They mentioned that they were going to stop a few miles north of Georgetown at the Marina at Emerald Bay. This is a newly built high end marina with a “no frills” dock that has no services, but is very reasonably priced. This and the promise of FREE showers and laundry was all we needed and into the marina we went. The wind was forcast to build and clock to the west and then north the next night so we stayed and crashed the pool at the Four Seasons Resort next door. The next day we walked 2 miles north to have lunch, with Sunspot Baby, at “Big D’s” beachside conch bar. A spectacular setting with great local food.
Georgetown Great Exuma is a sort of Mecca for boats cruising in the Bahamas. Stocking Island, which protects Georgetown and Elizabeth Harbour from the Atlantic Ocean is home to the; Chat and Chill bar and Grill, several completely enclosed harbours and several miles of sand beaches with good anchorage/protection. When we arrived there were close to 125 boats already here. We found a spot just off of “volleyball beach” and soon were enjoying a cold drink on the beach while the kids met some other kids and were soon swinging from the trees.
Keith and Ladora were scheduled to leave on Monday morning, just as another “norther” was scheduled to arrive with 20-25 knot winds. Not wanting to see them arrive at the airport soaking wet from the dinghy ride across the bay we sailed back north to the marina at Emerald Bay, had free hot showers, did some laundry, and had another great meal. Monday morning came too soon. Two weeks of Grandma and Grandpa had gone far too quickly. It was sad to see them go but this was all the time their busy travel schedule would allow. After a week in Florida with Pat and Jim they are off to Palm Springs with Ron and Erica, then after Keith’s University Engineering reunion, May 24th, they are planning to come find us again.
With Grandpa and Grandma on their way we took the next weather opportunity and returned to Georgetown.
Grandpa and Grandma’s visit
Gary’s parents flew into Staniel Cay (www.stanielcay.com) a few days before Ina flew home so we were able to celebrate Christmas, and birthdays for both grandma’s (Dec15th and 16th) Bradley and Tavish (Jan 7th) and Richard (Jan14th) with a great meal at Staniel Cay Yacht Club (thanks Grandpa).
We stayed in and around Staniel cay for a few days before a leisurly sail across the banks to Blackpoint Settlement. Sailing on the banks is still difficult for west coast sailors. The water is between 12 and 20 feet deep and is crystal clear, with a bright blue hue. It looks like you are sailing in the shallow end of a swimming pool and we find ourselves constantly checking and rechecking the charts and the depth sounder. The winds were 5 to 10 knots and the sky sunny, making it a brilliant first sail for Grandpa and grandma. After anchoring in 9 feet of water and snorkeling out to check the anchor, we went ashore Joan, the manager at Staniel, lived in Blackpoint and had recommended DeShamon’s restaurant for great pizza. Asking about the restaurant at the top of the dock we found Diane, the owner/chef and her husband Simon, who showed us, were their place was and said for us to come back at 5:30 when Diane was finished her day job and could come and open up. This gave us time to walk through the town. Dinner was spectacular, cold beer and Pizza…….. Two of our favorite food groups. Blackpoint Settlement is home to a great Laundromat so the next day was filled laundry and boat work. Little Farmers Cay Yacht Club was the next stop. (don’t let the name fool you) The approach off the bank is shallow, even by Bahamian standards, so at high tide we approached the cay from the west. The charts of this region are notoriously inaccurate, and here there was some disagreement with the paper charts, the cruising guide, and the electronic chart plotter. The first thing you believe is your eyes, and after averaging out all the other inputs we were soon around all the hazards and enjoying a cold beer at the Yacht Club. . Little Farmers Cay Yacht Club consists of a run down fixed dock that cold hold 4 or so boats and a bar/restaurant with a couple of rooms attached. Our host, Roosevelt Nixon, was the dockmaster, bartender, and innkeeper. Although he claimed to have “the best chef on the island” we chose to wander down the road to the Ocean Cabin restaurant where we all enjoyed Carribean lobster and other local cuisine. Here we met a danish couple with a 5 yr old and a 5 month old girl. Soon the 5 yr old was playing games with the boys and Cadeesha, the owner’s daughter.
Little Farmers Cay was a quaint little town, the only sour spot was paying our bill at the Yacht Club when the propieter tried to short change us.
The weather was fairly calm the next day, the 14th of January, the 9th birthday of one Richard Keith Minielly. It was a great day for the ocean run to Georgetown. With fishing lines out we exited the cut at Little Farmers with 3-4 knots of adverse current out into the Atlantic, in search of fish! Along the way we talked on the VHF with Sunspot Baby, a couple we had met in North Carolina as well as numerous spots along the way. They mentioned that they were going to stop a few miles north of Georgetown at the Marina at Emerald Bay. This is a newly built high end marina with a “no frills” dock that has no services, but is very reasonably priced. This and the promise of FREE showers and laundry was all we needed and into the marina we went. The wind was forcast to build and clock to the west and then north the next night so we stayed and crashed the pool at the Four Seasons Resort next door. The next day we walked 2 miles north to have lunch, with Sunspot Baby, at “Big D’s” beachside conch bar. A spectacular setting with great local food.
Georgetown Great Exuma is a sort of Mecca for boats cruising in the Bahamas. Stocking Island, which protects Georgetown and Elizabeth Harbour from the Atlantic Ocean is home to the; Chat and Chill bar and Grill, several completely enclosed harbours and several miles of sand beaches with good anchorage/protection. When we arrived there were close to 125 boats already here. We found a spot just off of “volleyball beach” and soon were enjoying a cold drink on the beach while the kids met some other kids and were soon swinging from the trees.
Keith and Ladora were scheduled to leave on Monday morning, just as another “norther” was scheduled to arrive with 20-25 knot winds. Not wanting to see them arrive at the airport soaking wet from the dinghy ride across the bay we sailed back north to the marina at Emerald Bay, had free hot showers, did some laundry, and had another great meal. Monday morning came too soon. Two weeks of Grandma and Grandpa had gone far too quickly. It was sad to see them go but this was all the time their busy travel schedule would allow. After a week in Florida with Pat and Jim they are off to Palm Springs with Ron and Erica, then after Keith’s University Engineering reunion, May 24th, they are planning to come find us again.
With Grandpa and Grandma on their way we took the next weather opportunity and returned to Georgetown.
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Granny's Visit
We picked up Ina a few days before New Years in Nassau. We spent 3 nights here. After a bit of shopping many loads of laundry, and a walk around the mega resort Atlantis, we filled the boat with water and fuel and headed off to the Exuma cays. Our first stop was Allan’s Cay, home of the endangered iguanas. We anchored late in the day after a great sail across the yellow bank and then a 3 hour motor straight into the wind. Losloper, from Alberta was already anchored. This was New Years Eve! After a nice dinner, we got together with Losloper for some New Year’s bubbly and cake. As we were about to retire for the night we heard a boom and looked out to see a fantastic fireworks display on nearby Staniel Cay, what a great surprise, by about 10:30 we were all asleep. 
Happy 2008!! In the morning we swam and visited the beach. As we arrived at the beach the iguanas came out of the scrub looking for hand outs. Although you are not supposed to feed them, many of the tourist boats feed them grapes from a stick.
Here we met a family from England, with 2 kids, aboard the catamaran L’Adventura. They, unfortunately, had been struck by lightning earlier in their trip, and ended up spending a lot of time fixing, and replacing all the electronics. This is the second boat we have met that has been hit. We were able to exchange some books with the kids, which is great as we were in need of some new ones. This family is on the same itinery as us so we will see them again in the future.
New Years Day, we exited Allen’s Cut out on to the ocean. The weather forcast was for a “norther” to blow in, the next day so winds were calm and the sea reasonable. After a couple of hours fishing,we didn’t catch anything but saw a bunch of bait fish and several “fins”, which would be from schooling tuna. We entered Highbourne Cut and found our spot at Highbourne Plantation Marina. Other than the dinghys from some of the yachts we were the smallest boat in the place. Several of the big (120’ – 150’) charter yachts were in as well as a dozen or so 50’ – 75’ trawlers and sport fishers. Only 2 other sailboats, a 50’ and a 60’ both from Nassau. We hung around for 3 days, because of the front passing through. The winds clock around from the usual east, through the south, west, and then the north and build in strength as they shift making many of the regular anchorages uncomfortable, and some dangerous. This was a very nice place to be weathered in. The island is 3 miles long with paved roads for walking and some beautiful beaches. Although the weather was cooler than usual the boys were still keen to skim board, they had fun until they were a little blue with cold. There was a lovely deck to sit and have a sundowner on.
By the 4th, things had moderated enough for us to go. On our way out of the marina we bought 2 lobster and 3 conch from a local fisherman and later Janine and her mom whipped up some curried lobster the next day we had cracked conch and fries, both spectacular meals. Our raw water engine cooling chose today to quit so as Janine and crew sailed the boat Richard and Dad changed the impellor. Losloper, who had been anchored at Highbourne followed us into the anchorage at Skipjack point, Normans Cay. This Cay once belonged to a drug lord and was the center of a huge smuggling operation. All that remains today is an airstrip and a crashed DC3 in the lagoon. McDuff’s Bar and Grill has sprouted up between the airstrip and the beach, a nice little restaurant with 4 cabins for rent. Over our years of planning this trip we have often read about Macduff’s so it felt like we had reached another milestone. After we anchored we took a short walk and had a couple of beers and a snack. The next day we took the dinghy around to the lagoon and saw what was left of the plane. 
It was still fairly windy so we did not snorkel at the plane, but let Janine and her mom out at the dock, while the boys and dad took the dinghy back around to the anchorage. The race was a tie and we all walked into McDuff’s at the same time. Losloper was already there, having had lunch. After a visit and the requisite couple of drinks we were back to the boat for our cracked conch and fries for dinner.
Leaving on the high tide in the morning we sailed south and took a mooring at Warderick Wells, in Exuma Park. Right underneath out boat was the remains of an old boat sunk as an artificial reef which protected dozens and dozens of small fish. Even Granny put on her snorkel gear and although she is not used to getting into the water very quickly, she jumped in to see, she provided us with some comic relief with her squeals and squacks. We had several laughs at her expense over the next while. It’s a good thing she is such a great sport! The Cay has many trails, one of the biggest hills in the Exumas,(almost 75’ high) and a mangrove swamp in the middle. Many of the plants have signs telling all about them. Richard took a real interest in the plants and compiled a list of useful plants incase we get shipwrecked. He has learned about plan “B” from his dad. After walking up the hill and seeing the outer coast, we went around to the sheltered side and tried to find some coral heads to snorkel on. Mother Nature had different ideas, and covered the sky with clouds, taking away the light and the warmth of the sun. Only a few brave souls got wet andwere rewarded with some colorful fish and coral but not the turtle we were hoping to see. After a while we were back to the boat.
Staniel Cay was the next stop. The first night we anchored in the bight at Big Majors Cay, a quarter of a mile away and the next morning at high tide we pulled into the marina. Low Slack water was in the early afternoon and gave us the chance to snorkel the Thunderball Grotto of James Bond fame. We were able to swim into this underground cave and saw hundreds of fish. Including a Lion fish, Trigger fish, an angel fish, and countless others. Because it is a park site and there is no fishing, and because many people feed them, the fish have no fear and swim right up to and around you. The current was strong by the time we were going so we all had a good workout.
The morning of January 9th we tied to the dock at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and we set about cleaning the boat up and organizing all our stuff. At 3:30 pm Keith and Ladora (Gary’s Parents) arrived in an 8 seater Cessna belonging to Flamingo Airlines. After we got everyone setteled back to the boat Grandpa treated us all to a spectacular dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The next day we celebrated the boys birthdays and they opened a bunch of presents. In the afternoon we went to the beach to see the free range pigs. Granny was not quick enough with the food scraps we had brought along and the boar took a nip of her wrist. Fortunatly, although he did break the skin, she was not badly hurt. Because of the aggressive nature of the pigs, our beach trip was shortened. Janine and Granny tracked down the local nurse and Granny got an overdue Tetanus shot. That night a bunch of Ladies from the island put on a beach BBQ, and the whole group of us and a dozen or so other cruisers had a great meal. Friday morning we went to the airport again and said a tearful goodbye to Granny. We wished we had a camera with us, seeing granny standing on the wing of the small 6 passenger airplane with her hair blowing straight back is a vision we are not likely to forget. It was a great visit, and we look forward to seeing her again in the spring. She later told us she settled in as the copilot/stewardess for the rest of the flight!!
Grandpa and Grandma are here!
Happy 2008!! In the morning we swam and visited the beach. As we arrived at the beach the iguanas came out of the scrub looking for hand outs. Although you are not supposed to feed them, many of the tourist boats feed them grapes from a stick.
Here we met a family from England, with 2 kids, aboard the catamaran L’Adventura. They, unfortunately, had been struck by lightning earlier in their trip, and ended up spending a lot of time fixing, and replacing all the electronics. This is the second boat we have met that has been hit. We were able to exchange some books with the kids, which is great as we were in need of some new ones. This family is on the same itinery as us so we will see them again in the future.
New Years Day, we exited Allen’s Cut out on to the ocean. The weather forcast was for a “norther” to blow in, the next day so winds were calm and the sea reasonable. After a couple of hours fishing,we didn’t catch anything but saw a bunch of bait fish and several “fins”, which would be from schooling tuna. We entered Highbourne Cut and found our spot at Highbourne Plantation Marina. Other than the dinghys from some of the yachts we were the smallest boat in the place. Several of the big (120’ – 150’) charter yachts were in as well as a dozen or so 50’ – 75’ trawlers and sport fishers. Only 2 other sailboats, a 50’ and a 60’ both from Nassau. We hung around for 3 days, because of the front passing through. The winds clock around from the usual east, through the south, west, and then the north and build in strength as they shift making many of the regular anchorages uncomfortable, and some dangerous. This was a very nice place to be weathered in. The island is 3 miles long with paved roads for walking and some beautiful beaches. Although the weather was cooler than usual the boys were still keen to skim board, they had fun until they were a little blue with cold. There was a lovely deck to sit and have a sundowner on.
By the 4th, things had moderated enough for us to go. On our way out of the marina we bought 2 lobster and 3 conch from a local fisherman and later Janine and her mom whipped up some curried lobster the next day we had cracked conch and fries, both spectacular meals. Our raw water engine cooling chose today to quit so as Janine and crew sailed the boat Richard and Dad changed the impellor. Losloper, who had been anchored at Highbourne followed us into the anchorage at Skipjack point, Normans Cay. This Cay once belonged to a drug lord and was the center of a huge smuggling operation. All that remains today is an airstrip and a crashed DC3 in the lagoon. McDuff’s Bar and Grill has sprouted up between the airstrip and the beach, a nice little restaurant with 4 cabins for rent. Over our years of planning this trip we have often read about Macduff’s so it felt like we had reached another milestone. After we anchored we took a short walk and had a couple of beers and a snack. The next day we took the dinghy around to the lagoon and saw what was left of the plane. 
It was still fairly windy so we did not snorkel at the plane, but let Janine and her mom out at the dock, while the boys and dad took the dinghy back around to the anchorage. The race was a tie and we all walked into McDuff’s at the same time. Losloper was already there, having had lunch. After a visit and the requisite couple of drinks we were back to the boat for our cracked conch and fries for dinner.
Leaving on the high tide in the morning we sailed south and took a mooring at Warderick Wells, in Exuma Park. Right underneath out boat was the remains of an old boat sunk as an artificial reef which protected dozens and dozens of small fish. Even Granny put on her snorkel gear and although she is not used to getting into the water very quickly, she jumped in to see, she provided us with some comic relief with her squeals and squacks. We had several laughs at her expense over the next while. It’s a good thing she is such a great sport! The Cay has many trails, one of the biggest hills in the Exumas,(almost 75’ high) and a mangrove swamp in the middle. Many of the plants have signs telling all about them. Richard took a real interest in the plants and compiled a list of useful plants incase we get shipwrecked. He has learned about plan “B” from his dad. After walking up the hill and seeing the outer coast, we went around to the sheltered side and tried to find some coral heads to snorkel on. Mother Nature had different ideas, and covered the sky with clouds, taking away the light and the warmth of the sun. Only a few brave souls got wet andwere rewarded with some colorful fish and coral but not the turtle we were hoping to see. After a while we were back to the boat.
Staniel Cay was the next stop. The first night we anchored in the bight at Big Majors Cay, a quarter of a mile away and the next morning at high tide we pulled into the marina. Low Slack water was in the early afternoon and gave us the chance to snorkel the Thunderball Grotto of James Bond fame. We were able to swim into this underground cave and saw hundreds of fish. Including a Lion fish, Trigger fish, an angel fish, and countless others. Because it is a park site and there is no fishing, and because many people feed them, the fish have no fear and swim right up to and around you. The current was strong by the time we were going so we all had a good workout.
The morning of January 9th we tied to the dock at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and we set about cleaning the boat up and organizing all our stuff. At 3:30 pm Keith and Ladora (Gary’s Parents) arrived in an 8 seater Cessna belonging to Flamingo Airlines. After we got everyone setteled back to the boat Grandpa treated us all to a spectacular dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The next day we celebrated the boys birthdays and they opened a bunch of presents. In the afternoon we went to the beach to see the free range pigs. Granny was not quick enough with the food scraps we had brought along and the boar took a nip of her wrist. Fortunatly, although he did break the skin, she was not badly hurt. Because of the aggressive nature of the pigs, our beach trip was shortened. Janine and Granny tracked down the local nurse and Granny got an overdue Tetanus shot. That night a bunch of Ladies from the island put on a beach BBQ, and the whole group of us and a dozen or so other cruisers had a great meal. Friday morning we went to the airport again and said a tearful goodbye to Granny. We wished we had a camera with us, seeing granny standing on the wing of the small 6 passenger airplane with her hair blowing straight back is a vision we are not likely to forget. It was a great visit, and we look forward to seeing her again in the spring. She later told us she settled in as the copilot/stewardess for the rest of the flight!!
Grandpa and Grandma are here!
Granny's Visit
We picked up Ina a few days before New Years in Nassau. We spent 3 nights here. After a bit of shopping many loads of laundry, and a walk around the mega resort Atlantis, we filled the boat with water and fuel and headed off to the Exuma cays. Our first stop was Allan’s Cay, home of the endangered iguanas. We anchored late in the day after a great sail across the yellow bank and then a 3 hour motor straight into the wind. Losloper, from Alberta was already anchored. This was New Years Eve! After a nice dinner, we got together with Losloper for some New Year’s bubbly and cake. As we were about to retire for the night we heard a boom and looked out to see a fantastic fireworks display on nearby Staniel Cay, what a great surprise, by about 10:30 we were all asleep.
Happy 2008!! In the morning we swam and visited the beach. As we arrived at the beach the iguanas came out of the scrub looking for hand outs. Although you are not supposed to feed them, many of the tourist boats feed them grapes from a stick.
Here we met a family from England, with 2 kids, aboard the catamaran L’Adventura. They, unfortunately, had been struck by lightning earlier in their trip, and ended up spending a lot of time fixing, and replacing all the electronics. This is the second boat we have met that has been hit. We were able to exchange some books with the kids, which is great as we were in need of some new ones. This family is on the same itinery as us so we will see them again in the future.
New Years Day, we exited Allen’s Cut out on to the ocean. The weather forcast was for a “norther” to blow in, the next day so winds were calm and the sea reasonable. After a couple of hours fishing,we didn’t catch anything but saw a bunch of bait fish and several “fins”, which would be from schooling tuna. We entered Highbourne Cut and found our spot at Highbourne Plantation Marina. Other than the dinghys from some of the yachts we were the smallest boat in the place. Several of the big (120’ – 150’) charter yachts were in as well as a dozen or so 50’ – 75’ trawlers and sport fishers. Only 2 other sailboats, a 50’ and a 60’ both from Nassau. We hung around for 3 days, because of the front passing through. The winds clock around from the usual east, through the south, west, and then the north and build in strength as they shift making many of the regular anchorages uncomfortable, and some dangerous. This was a very nice place to be weathered in. The island is 3 miles long with paved roads for walking and some beautiful beaches. Although the weather was cooler than usual the boys were still keen to skim board, they had fun until they were a little blue with cold. There was a lovely deck to sit and have a sundowner on.
By the 4th, things had moderated enough for us to go. On our way out of the marina we bought 2 lobster and 3 conch from a local fisherman and later Janine and her mom whipped up some curried lobster the next day we had cracked conch and fries, both spectacular meals. Our raw water engine cooling chose today to quit so as Janine and crew sailed the boat Richard and Dad changed the impellor. Losloper, who had been anchored at Highbourne followed us into the anchorage at Skipjack point, Normans Cay. This Cay once belonged to a drug lord and was the center of a huge smuggling operation. All that remains today is an airstrip and a crashed DC3 in the lagoon. McDuff’s Bar and Grill has sprouted up between the airstrip and the beach, a nice little restaurant with 4 cabins for rent. Over our years of planning this trip we have often read about Macduff’s so it felt like we had reached another milestone. After we anchored we took a short walk and had a couple of beers and a snack. The next day we took the dinghy around to the lagoon and saw what was left of the plane.
It was still fairly windy so we did not snorkel at the plane, but let Janine and her mom out at the dock, while the boys and dad took the dinghy back around to the anchorage. The race was a tie and we all walked into McDuff’s at the same time. Losloper was already there, having had lunch. After a visit and the requisite couple of drinks we were back to the boat for our cracked conch and fries for dinner.
Leaving on the high tide in the morning we sailed south and took a mooring at Warderick Wells, in Exuma Park. Right underneath out boat was the remains of an old boat sunk as an artificial reef which protected dozens and dozens of small fish. Even Granny put on her snorkel gear and although she is not used to getting into the water very quickly, she jumped in to see, she provided us with some comic relief with her squeals and squacks. We had several laughs at her expense over the next while. It’s a good thing she is such a great sport! The Cay has many trails, one of the biggest hills in the Exumas,(almost 75’ high) and a mangrove swamp in the middle. Many of the plants have signs telling all about them. Richard took a real interest in the plants and compiled a list of useful plants incase we get shipwrecked. He has learned about plan “B” from his dad. After walking up the hill and seeing the outer coast, we went around to the sheltered side and tried to find some coral heads to snorkel on. Mother Nature had different ideas, and covered the sky with clouds, taking away the light and the warmth of the sun. Only a few brave souls got wet andwere rewarded with some colorful fish and coral but not the turtle we were hoping to see. After a while we were back to the boat.
Staniel Cay was the next stop. The first night we anchored in the bight at Big Majors Cay, a quarter of a mile away and the next morning at high tide we pulled into the marina. Low Slack water was in the early afternoon and gave us the chance to snorkel the Thunderball Grotto of James Bond fame. We were able to swim into this underground cave and saw hundreds of fish. Including a Lion fish, Trigger fish, an angel fish, and countless others. Because it is a park site and there is no fishing, and because many people feed them, the fish have no fear and swim right up to and around you. The current was strong by the time we were going so we all had a good workout.
The morning of January 9th we tied to the dock at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and we set about cleaning the boat up and organizing all our stuff. At 3:30 pm Keith and Ladora (Gary’s Parents) arrived in an 8 seater Cessna belonging to Flamingo Airlines. After we got everyone setteled back to the boat Grandpa treated us all to a spectacular dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The next day we celebrated the boys birthdays and they opened a bunch of presents. In the afternoon we went to the beach to see the free range pigs. Granny was not quick enough with the food scraps we had brought along and the boar took a nip of her wrist. Fortunatly, although he did break the skin, she was not badly hurt. Because of the aggressive nature of the pigs, our beach trip was shortened. Janine and Granny tracked down the local nurse and Granny got an overdue Tetanus shot. That night a bunch of Ladies from the island put on a beach BBQ, and the whole group of us and a dozen or so other cruisers had a great meal. Friday morning we went to the airport again and said a tearful goodbye to Granny. We wished we had a camera with us, seeing granny standing on the wing of the small 6 passenger airplane with her hair blowing straight back is a vision we are not likely to forget. It was a great visit, and we look forward to seeing her again in the spring. She later told us she settled in as the copilot/stewardess for the rest of the flight!!
Grandpa and Grandma are here!
Happy 2008!! In the morning we swam and visited the beach. As we arrived at the beach the iguanas came out of the scrub looking for hand outs. Although you are not supposed to feed them, many of the tourist boats feed them grapes from a stick.
Here we met a family from England, with 2 kids, aboard the catamaran L’Adventura. They, unfortunately, had been struck by lightning earlier in their trip, and ended up spending a lot of time fixing, and replacing all the electronics. This is the second boat we have met that has been hit. We were able to exchange some books with the kids, which is great as we were in need of some new ones. This family is on the same itinery as us so we will see them again in the future.
New Years Day, we exited Allen’s Cut out on to the ocean. The weather forcast was for a “norther” to blow in, the next day so winds were calm and the sea reasonable. After a couple of hours fishing,we didn’t catch anything but saw a bunch of bait fish and several “fins”, which would be from schooling tuna. We entered Highbourne Cut and found our spot at Highbourne Plantation Marina. Other than the dinghys from some of the yachts we were the smallest boat in the place. Several of the big (120’ – 150’) charter yachts were in as well as a dozen or so 50’ – 75’ trawlers and sport fishers. Only 2 other sailboats, a 50’ and a 60’ both from Nassau. We hung around for 3 days, because of the front passing through. The winds clock around from the usual east, through the south, west, and then the north and build in strength as they shift making many of the regular anchorages uncomfortable, and some dangerous. This was a very nice place to be weathered in. The island is 3 miles long with paved roads for walking and some beautiful beaches. Although the weather was cooler than usual the boys were still keen to skim board, they had fun until they were a little blue with cold. There was a lovely deck to sit and have a sundowner on.
By the 4th, things had moderated enough for us to go. On our way out of the marina we bought 2 lobster and 3 conch from a local fisherman and later Janine and her mom whipped up some curried lobster the next day we had cracked conch and fries, both spectacular meals. Our raw water engine cooling chose today to quit so as Janine and crew sailed the boat Richard and Dad changed the impellor. Losloper, who had been anchored at Highbourne followed us into the anchorage at Skipjack point, Normans Cay. This Cay once belonged to a drug lord and was the center of a huge smuggling operation. All that remains today is an airstrip and a crashed DC3 in the lagoon. McDuff’s Bar and Grill has sprouted up between the airstrip and the beach, a nice little restaurant with 4 cabins for rent. Over our years of planning this trip we have often read about Macduff’s so it felt like we had reached another milestone. After we anchored we took a short walk and had a couple of beers and a snack. The next day we took the dinghy around to the lagoon and saw what was left of the plane.
It was still fairly windy so we did not snorkel at the plane, but let Janine and her mom out at the dock, while the boys and dad took the dinghy back around to the anchorage. The race was a tie and we all walked into McDuff’s at the same time. Losloper was already there, having had lunch. After a visit and the requisite couple of drinks we were back to the boat for our cracked conch and fries for dinner.
Leaving on the high tide in the morning we sailed south and took a mooring at Warderick Wells, in Exuma Park. Right underneath out boat was the remains of an old boat sunk as an artificial reef which protected dozens and dozens of small fish. Even Granny put on her snorkel gear and although she is not used to getting into the water very quickly, she jumped in to see, she provided us with some comic relief with her squeals and squacks. We had several laughs at her expense over the next while. It’s a good thing she is such a great sport! The Cay has many trails, one of the biggest hills in the Exumas,(almost 75’ high) and a mangrove swamp in the middle. Many of the plants have signs telling all about them. Richard took a real interest in the plants and compiled a list of useful plants incase we get shipwrecked. He has learned about plan “B” from his dad. After walking up the hill and seeing the outer coast, we went around to the sheltered side and tried to find some coral heads to snorkel on. Mother Nature had different ideas, and covered the sky with clouds, taking away the light and the warmth of the sun. Only a few brave souls got wet andwere rewarded with some colorful fish and coral but not the turtle we were hoping to see. After a while we were back to the boat.
Staniel Cay was the next stop. The first night we anchored in the bight at Big Majors Cay, a quarter of a mile away and the next morning at high tide we pulled into the marina. Low Slack water was in the early afternoon and gave us the chance to snorkel the Thunderball Grotto of James Bond fame. We were able to swim into this underground cave and saw hundreds of fish. Including a Lion fish, Trigger fish, an angel fish, and countless others. Because it is a park site and there is no fishing, and because many people feed them, the fish have no fear and swim right up to and around you. The current was strong by the time we were going so we all had a good workout.
The morning of January 9th we tied to the dock at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, and we set about cleaning the boat up and organizing all our stuff. At 3:30 pm Keith and Ladora (Gary’s Parents) arrived in an 8 seater Cessna belonging to Flamingo Airlines. After we got everyone setteled back to the boat Grandpa treated us all to a spectacular dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The next day we celebrated the boys birthdays and they opened a bunch of presents. In the afternoon we went to the beach to see the free range pigs. Granny was not quick enough with the food scraps we had brought along and the boar took a nip of her wrist. Fortunatly, although he did break the skin, she was not badly hurt. Because of the aggressive nature of the pigs, our beach trip was shortened. Janine and Granny tracked down the local nurse and Granny got an overdue Tetanus shot. That night a bunch of Ladies from the island put on a beach BBQ, and the whole group of us and a dozen or so other cruisers had a great meal. Friday morning we went to the airport again and said a tearful goodbye to Granny. We wished we had a camera with us, seeing granny standing on the wing of the small 6 passenger airplane with her hair blowing straight back is a vision we are not likely to forget. It was a great visit, and we look forward to seeing her again in the spring. She later told us she settled in as the copilot/stewardess for the rest of the flight!!
Grandpa and Grandma are here!
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