Compass Cay to Spanish Wells to the Abacos

Beth feeding and petting the nurse sharks

Our last few days in the Exumas were wonderful. We stayed at Compass Cay Marina two nights, and had the pleasure of feeding (and swimming with) their pet sharks, going on a long kayak ride up a creek, and meeting some really nice folks who shared their fresh catch of dolphin fish (Mahi Mahi).

A different world!

Hanging out at Pete's Pub

From there we did a short hop to Hawksbill Cay for a lazy day at anchor. The next day we had planned another short hop to Allens Cay to visit the iguanas, but the wind was perfect for a run to Eleuthera (actually Spanish Wells, which is next to it), so we made it a long day of motor sailing and arrived around 6 PM. In Spanish Wells we tied up to a dock, so took the bikes off for a great ride around the island. It's populated with former loyalists, so the accents are an interesting mix of Brit, Scot, Irish and American. We took in a ballgame for some local color, and chatted with the folks there. No pictures in Spanish Wells (sorry!)

A coconut pirate aloft at Pete's

The next morning (this past Saturday) we took advantage of the weather window and hightailed it to the Abacos, putting in at Little Harbor and taking a mooring from Pete's Pub - home of the Blaster! We partook of a couple Blasters and some very good dinner, then stuck around yesterday and today. This morning we biked about 15 miles to see a little settlement called Cherokee Point, again populated by loyalists. It was a lovely, neat little town.
Tomorrow we'll head further north in the Abacos, but we have plenty of time to get to Treasure Cay to pick up Christine, Bob and our three grandkids Megan, Olivia and Jake on April 3rd, so we'll have a few lazy days ahead.

Good Times in Black Point, Exumas

The Black Point Welcome sign:
"Get to the Point, Stick to the Point"

Low tide at the beach - Bill taking a rest

We spent four days anchored at Black Point, a very cool settlement on Great Guana Cay. Did the laundry, attended a town-sponsored benefit barbeque, took several long hikes, and ate a lot of delicious grouper fingers. Basically, just hung out and relaxed, and met nice townspeople and cruisers.

Thunderball Grotto from the water

From there we went back to Staniel Cay (Big Majors Spot) to snorkel the Thunderball Grotto (see pix),
 and then sailed (wow, no engines for a change) to Compass Cay, where we are now at the marina for a couple of blowy days.

A Great Time in James Bond Country!

Hmm, do you think Bill was really looking at the pigs?

Here, little (big) piggy!

The Colors of the Bahamas

Ok, let's try that again! We spent a little more than 2 days at Big Majors Spot, an anchorage just outside Staniel Cay. Very nearby is a snorkeling spot called Thunderball Grotto, where the James Bond film Thunderball was filmed. We did not get a chance to snorkel it yet, because slack low tide was either after dinner or early in the morning, but we will try again our our way north. Just off our anchor, the island boasted a pack of wild pigs who swim out to get food from the visiting boaters. They rejected my first offer of celery, but took the carrots we took later (see pix). They seemed to like cake and beer best of all, judging by the reception they gave other boaters.

The dinghy dock at Staniel Yacht Club

The Yacht Club there was having a James Bond Casino Royale party on St. Patrick's day, but we thought we would prefer something a little more typically Bahamian, so we headed about 10 miles south to Great Guana Cay and a lovely anchorage at Black Point. Of all the places we've been so far, this may be our favorite. It's a real Bahamian town, with three nice restaurants and a laundromat where I'm sitting right now. At the laundromat you can also get cake and coffee, or a haircut, and I just might do the haircut tomorrow. Life is good!

A Great Time in James G

Exumas At Last!

Bill snorkelling in 6" of water -
Our boat in the distance

Coral and fish - Warderick Wells

We left Nassau last Friday, when winds finally subsided enough for a lumpy ride to Shroud Cay, the northernmost Cay in the Exuma Land and Sea Park. We spent two nights on a mooring, took the dinghy through a mangrove creek, kayaked, snorkeled a little, met some nice folks, got rained on, and generally enjoyed sunny, lazy days. From there we came further south to Warderick Wells, where the camp HQ is located. We got a choice mooring swimming distance to a little coral bed, so enjoyed some snorkelling with our underwater camera. We're still learning how to use it - the photos should improve once we remember to put it on underwater setting - but it's fantastic to be able to take a camera underwater.
This morning we hiked to Boo Boo Hill, called that either for the sound of ghosts (Boo! Boo!) from a long-ago shipwreck, or because there are blow holes that make some interesting sounds when the tide is up. It's quite windy still, and will be the rest of the week, but the waves on the bank look reasonable, so either tomorrow or the next day we'll move further south. There is nothing to do here but enjoy the gorgeous scenery, the warm weather, and the crystal-clear water. In other words, who could ask for more?

Windy in Nassau!

Cottage at Lyford Cay

The winds came in as forecasted on Sunday afternoon, just as we returned from a great day with Julie and Stu Conway and Stu's family at Lyford Cay Resort. They are down here this week, so there was something definitely good about having to stick around due to weather! Yesterday they joined us for lunch at Potter's Cay, and took us to the grocery store in their car.

In The Hole!

All major projects are now finished - Bill spent most of last week in "the hole" - the back of the engine coompartment under our bed - installing the new autopilot. Looks like it works - we'll need to be at sea to finish the calibrations.  He then grounded the single sideband radio, hoping for better reception. Still working on that, but at least we can get the weather to some degree.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee

On Monday we walked downtown, since Bill hadn't seen any of Nassau. Tried to have a high tea at the British Colonial Hilton, but they no longer offer it, so we opted for Big Macs at McDonalds instead. Heavenly! Took a few shots of interesting sights. Hope you enjoy!

Green Bahamas Project

With luck we'll be on our way Friday morning. Outside chance of Thursday, but not looking like it at the moment. Meanwhile, the winds are blowing very strong, and it's cool, so no need for super envy (although we're still wearing shorts, just with hoodies!)

In Nassau for another week

Potters Cay, Nassau

Lunch at Da Twin Brothers

We've been enjoying Nassau, tied up at the Harbor Club Marina. I've learned the bus system and have been all over the place, finding most of the island distinctly more sane than the downtown tourist area. Every day we saunter down to Potter's Cay for lunch - hence the pictures. Potter's Cay is just a long line of food shanties under the bridge to Paradise Island, and there is some seriously good food (conch salad and fish sandwiches) to be had here, along with a cold Kalik (Bahamian beer we've become fond of).
The reason we're staying longer is that our old autopilot system died on the way over to the Bahamas, and Bill has been installing the new one he had on board. But it needed some custom frame pieces, which had to be fabricated. Although we were lucky to find a stainless steel fabricator right around the corner, and they've been doing their best to fit our work in, they still aren't quite done with it. Meanwhile, a serious weather front is moving in, and we've decided to stay put until it runs its course. No point making ourselves miserable! More pictures to follow as we'll have more time to explore this next week.