Cruising the Exumas, Long and Ragged Islands

March 23, 2008 - Happy Easter

I cannot believe it has been since February 5th since I updated our blog. In a way it seems that the time goes so quickly and yet it seems like a very long while ago as I read my calendar to refresh my memory.

We intended to snorkel at Warderick Wells and we did. The reef did not seem as nice as last year, but it is still very, very good. And then an eagle ray appeared. It was about six feet across and glided along about one third up between the bottom and the surface with effortless flaps of his “wings.” Eagle rays have a very distinct head with a face. As Barbie was enjoying the view, the ray turned around and swam back towards her (she thought at first), but soon realized that he was rejoining the rest of his squadron and leading them back and forth below us for us to get a really good look at all six of them majestically “flying” in formation. These are precious moments. This is the best way to learn to snorkel as well. One’s mind forgets that one is in the water and breathing through a tube wearing a mask and fins. The mind is fixed on the beautiful scene unfolding before you and one is captured by it to the extent that floating and breathing become no longer conscious actions and are just as automatic as standing and breathing on dry land. Another good day.

We went the short distance to anchor at Fowl Cay and found one other boat there. Tom and Candace on Long Reach came over for sundowners and we talked into the night. Interesting story for another time. We dinghyed to the a spot where Richard (Tisha Baby) had said was the best he’d seen anywhere and enjoyed the reef ourselves. At slack tide we went over to the Rocky Dundas where there are caves with water level entrances. After entering by snorkel, fantastic stalactite formations are ones reward for taking the risk. A small opening in the roof twenty feet above provides enough light to see the interior. Photos would be nice and really the best way to describe the experience, but our camera would have been at too much risk since we do not have a waterproof container for it. Returning to the boat we pulled up the anchor and sailed to Black Point Settlement where the next day Barb did laundry, I dinghyed several trips for 42 gallons of water and trash disposal, we had lunch at Florence’s Café and got bread from Florence’s Mom and walked the beach finding much good sea glass. Part of my right lower last molar broke off. No pain so far.

The next day we motored to The Marina at Emerald Bay. There we took on fuel and paid for water to give the boat a fresh water rinse and to top off the water tanks. Within the hour our intention to walk to the grocery was interrupted by a sudden, strong, long lasting, soaking rain that would have saved us $12 had it been forecasted or arrived a little earlier. The molar piece sure left a big hole.

Early on Feb. 10th Barb did the rest of the laundry, I checked e-mail and did some internet business in the captain’s lounge. Larry from Skipper, a pretty new Gemini catamaran, got talking and we traded thoughts for the voyage to come. His wife was going to return to the US soon and he was contemplating finding crew to sail through the Ragged Islands and then north along Cuba to the Florida Keys. I said I had thought to do the same route coincidently and also coincidently that brother Tom (retiring from the National Weather Service in March, 3 weeks from now--can you taste it, Tom?) and Vickie, want to buy a Gemini after spending time kayak camping this season. Larry thought that this might be the crew he needs so I gave him Tom’s e-mail address and he sent electrons off to the ether immediately. Tom got the message and I am wondering what the opportunity may bring. We would sail our boat and would enjoy having a “buddy boat” on a 300-mile ocean passage. Tom and Vickie would get to test sail the boat they have been talking about for several years. There is a lot to consider in a short time, but what would you do?

That same morning we cast off to sail to George Town and anchor by Sand Dollar Beach with time left over to visit with Ted and Judy and Georges and Lucy at the St. Frances for a late lunch/early dinner. When we returned to the US last spring, we had left Ted and Judy in George Town aboard Helen Irene. They left their boat in George Town to fly back to Washington state for hurricane season and had returned about six weeks ago to be on their way to Puerto Rico, but were greeted with engine problems to solve first. It was really great to see them again. Food kinda gets stuck in the hole in my molar, but no pain. Ted and Judy recommended I go to the clinic dentist and that he was very good.

Monday, Feb 11th, we were boat bound by squally weather and 30 knot winds. Barb did some reading and some baking and I figured out how to tune our radio to the NOAA Weather Fax signal and then download the data into the computer where the weather maps slowly make themselves visible. Using my vast academic knowledge to interpret these maps makes them a little more useful than before when I couldn’t download them. Still, it is neat to be able to get them out of the airwaves. The molar is still pain free and I am getting used to the big hole left by the missing piece.

Tuesday, we moved the boat across the harbor to anchor in Kidd’s Cove within a stone’s throw of George Town’s “downtown.” From this location it was a short (dry) dinghy ride into Lake Victoria and the dinghy dock behind Exuma Market. We walked around town and I got to the dentist’s office making an appointment for the next day. The tooth is still pain free, but maybe that will be changed tomorrow. On the way back to the boat we stopped at a phone booth to call Mom and Dad and went int Exuma Market and got more groceries, mostly fruit and vegetables (for maybe my last meal for a while.) The wind was expected to remain strong so we expected to stay at this anchorage at least through the night as well. It gusted to 35 knots.

Wednesday, Dr. Lee said cheerfully, “I can repair that” and did so - $70! It was a good enough experience that I scheduled a cleaning for Thursday. I met a cruising couple outside the office and they said that they, like many others, get their teeth cleaned every year by Dr. Lee. (I wonder what part of the trip would be tax deductible?—just kidding![?]) Barb had left me at the dentist and went to lunch at Peace and Plenty with eleven other women. When I was finished I ran into three of the husbands; Arnie of Scandia, Dave of Passport and George of Island Star looking for propane and then lunch so I joined them. We learned that the propane would not be available until Friday or Saturday at the earliest. They left their tanks and paid for the gas ahead of time as requested. Then the four of us went to Eddie’s for lunch. I had snapper and a Kalik. The fish was only fair, but expensive. Since half my mouth was still numb, the beer was cold in only half of my mouth. It was hot on the recovering-from-numb side! Following lunch we met our wives and after comparing notes we returned to the boat and pulled anchor to cross the harbor to anchor at Sand Dollar Beach again.

Each morning there is a captains’ coffee at the Sand Dollar Yacht Club (stumps and buckets with boards across them). So I went to that a couple of mornings and shared in the tales of sailing destinations and trouble-shooting. On Valentines Day I spotted a water spout on the ocean side of Stocking Island. Sorry, no photo. Decision. Do I get the camera or get ready for trouble. I did neither because it dissipated after only a minute. There was a dance that evening at Chat n Chill on Volley Ball Beach with rockin Ron of Seadancer as the emcee. It was a huge crowd and fun. The restaurant ran out of food and the bartenders were slow enough that it wasn’t worth the wait to get more than 2 rounds of beer all night. Cheap and fun music and dancing with hundreds of other cruisers!

For the next few days we hiked, watched the start of a sailboat race lunched with Ted and Judy, Richard and Pam at Peace and Plenty, read, relaxed, got more groceries, water, did laundry and got ready to sail to Calabash Bay on Long Island on the 19th.

And a lovely sail it was - Tisha Baby, one other boat and we were in the anchorage. It was a bit rolly so we sailed on to Thompson Bay the next day where we spent several days, renting a car and touring the length of Long Island. None of the public phones worked! Sorry family. I miss talking to you. I think the use of cell phones here is promoted by the lack of public phones. As many young Bahamians have phones as the young citizens of the USA.

The day after Tisha Baby left we departed for a great solo sail to Water Cay in the Jumentos Cays/Ragged Islands. We worked our way down this island chain stopping in wonderful naturally wild places with goats on some of the cays, lizards and birds on all and so many sea beans that we have stopped collecting. Around the cays are great numbers of fish, sharks and rays, among the plentiful coral gardens and reefs. There are few other boats and no settlements until we got to Duncan Town on Ragged Island – way south and only 62 miles from Cuba. Can we go there – NO. So close, but yet so far.

We stayed at Hog Cay where the newly reconstructed (sticks, boards, rope, nets, floats, buckets and board seats, a fire ring and other junk) Hog Cay Yacht Club was reopening just in time for Dave’s (of M/V Dyad – interesting vessel. See http://www.bigdumboat.com) birthday celebration. Many of the other boats that were in the Jumentos sailed in for the occasion. We had about fifteen boats! (George Town had about 300 boats at this same time) This was Dave’s seventh straight celebration of his birthday at the yacht club and we sang songs and had a great time around the fire late into the night (late for cruisers is 10 PM.)

Tisha Baby arrived the next day and we explored more of the cays together for another twelve days. We decided to head back north to Barraterre on Great Exuma Island to visit people who had befriended Richard and Pam last year and while we looked forward to this cultural opportunity we were saddened at the realization that we were leaving a place that is as close to paradise as we have ever experienced.
This brings us to March 14th, so I am only nine days behind our present date of the 23rd. Happy Easter!