Baha-ha-hamas with Krista

We did find a really cool island batik shop at the end of the road

Androsian Batiks got some of my money

 Last blog---we were still on Andros Island....









After 2 weeks in the Morgan's Bluff harbor, we departed with determination to reach the shores of Providence Island (Nassau)…on 26 miles southeast. 











 With 10-12kt SE winds slightly south of our charted course, we were able to motor-sail with a close hauled mainsail…..a little bit of satisfaction for a sail hungry gal.  It took us 7 hours traveling 4-4.5 mph….yep, nothin’ but time.  When we set a destination on our Garmin chart plotter at the helm, it draws a “magenta line” or rhumb line,  telling us what our magnetic bearing should be, how many nautical miles, what our latitude/longitude coordinates are and what our ETA will be given our speed…..it really has changed the nautical world so that many novices can navigate the seas.  

However, knowing that electronics can also fail, all mariners should have paper charts with another source of GPS to keep track of location.  So each hour we log down our coordinates and pencil them on our Explorer Charts…..it’s actually fun, and continually keeps us in the “here and now” state of mind.  Seven hours later, we arrive at West Bay on Providence Island…..it’s peaceful and the perfect anchorage for the night.

West Bay---Providence Island (aka Fantasy Island)

 

 We drop the hook, and snorkel over it to make sure it's dug in.  One of our unexpected delights in West Bay, was this strange looking fantasy/resort looking playground on the northern point of the bay.  At sunset, it became a surreal world of glowing colored lights….all night it was eerily silent like it was waiting for Peter Pan and Wendy to show up…..what the heck is it?  We later learned it is the playground of eccentric billionaire fashion designer Peter Nygard…..it was a night off for the party-goers, I guess.  We would have stayed here for the next 5 nights, while we waited for our daughter, Krista, to arrive at the airport, but the forecast was calling for yet…another...rather large storm, so we opted to seek safe harbor in Palm Cay Marina.

The next morning we charted a course for the southeastern point of the island, but we had to venture south offshore for a couple of miles to avoid the shallow sands and coral heads that blanket the south side of the whole island. Once again, pretty easy with a chart plotter, however, once again it’s electronic and not infallible.  So we’re learning the fine art of VPR….visual piloting rules….a crew member stationed on the bow sprint looking for dark spots and steering the helmsman around them with hand signals.  We arrive into the channel taking us into our quaint marina and get safely docked….we were very happy with this marina and can highly recommend it.  

Krista arrived a day late, (an 11 hour delay out of Burlington, VT)  in the middle of the rainy, windy storm.  We were cozily tucked in as it raged across the island.  The next morning we learned that in the islands south of us the winds turned into hurricane force—74+ mph. Yikes…..mother nature rules.

This storm consequently, knocked out the cell towers to the south….so we were really incommunicado now.  Wifi is scarce too.  

Nominated best photo of the trip

The next morning, with an improved forecast and Krista aboard, we took off for the Exuma Island chain, a popular cruisers destination paradise.  We pulled into the anchorage between Allens Cay (pronounced key) and Leaf Cay. We were the second boat in, but by sunset, there were 11 of us.  That afternoon was filled with snorkeling the banks and visiting the popular Iguana beach, where about 30 prehistoric iguanas emerged from the shrubs looking for handouts.  Tourists arrive from Nassau by the power boat-loads to visit them for about 30 minutes.  We even had a sea-plane with 4 "guana-gawkers" land next to us…..all for some pretty ugly-looking lizards….go figure.  

The next morning in smooth glassy seas (finally, calm....too calm for a sailboat...motoring again) we motored for 3 hours to our next stop at Shroud Cay—a part of the Exuma Park islands.  Here we made a great attempt to dinghy up a shallow creek through the mangroves to access a hidden hermits camp on a hill called Camp Driftwood. The tide was NOT in our favor and rendered the outboard motor useless about mid-way.  After pulling, paddling, sweating, grunting and cursing…..we had to give up and returned back to the boat.  Ah well, still learning about the tides and currents here…..it’s an ongoing classroom these days.

That night, was a rough ride of winds and waves…..hobby-horsing on the anchor with our heads flying off the pillow——yeehaw.  

But the next day paid us back with some fair winds and full sails as we floated our way down to the main headquarters of the Exuma Park….Warderick Wells, where we picked up a mooring ball (and 24 hours of wifi) for 2 nights.  Here we snorkeled on a reef, climbed up Boo-Boo Hill and left our ritual peace offering for King Neptune….as many a sailor has before us…..a little stick with the date and Fiesta’s name placed on top of huge organic pile of other sailboat names…a simple and humble gift for fair winds. 

Boo Boo Hill with pile of mariner offerings to Neptune

Warderick Wells---Exuma National Trust Park

  

Lil' Fiesta stick for Boo Boo Hill gods

We also learned that the billionaire, Louis Bacon, who bought Taos Ski Valley 2 years ago, also owns Cambridge Cay, a private but protected island in the Exuma Park boundaries.    He is respected and known for his conservation efforts through out the islands......just another little Taos connection that we liked.

Oink oink

Our next stop was in Staniel Cay well known for several unique attractions…one of them is the pigs….not just any pigs….but swimming pigs….looking for boat scraps with determination.   It was very charming…in a cute pig sense.  

Piglets were less scary--who would have known

We all had some giggles and laughs with the pigs----but Krista decided that she could totally do without the sting-rays and sharks lurking under the boat. 

The other spectacular draw for the area is the famous Thunderball Grotto….a snorkeling cave with sunlit holes overhead, shining down on the gin clear waters full of colorful tenacious hungry fish.  You might remember it in the James Bond movie in the 60’s Thunderball…and the more sorta-recently Darryl Hannah’s movie Splash.  We had it all to ourselves for the first half hour….video soon to come.  
 

Our anchorage with the grotto island in background

Refueling via jerry can

Have I mentioned the color of the waters yet?

The multi shades of turquoises are only rivaled in the turquoise section at a gem and mineral show.

Here in the Bahamas, we’ve learned how to read the different colors for depth.  We have a 4’6” draft, and are able to negotiate certain paths in and around the lighter colored sandy/shoal areas and/or the dark spots of rocks and coral heads….it’s tricky sometimes, but we stay conservative for now.  

Oh yeah, there is a cluster of nurse sharks too ....no.... they don't eat the pigs

Staniel Cay is a small Bahamian town (called a called a “settlement” in the islands) existing mostly for the yachties, sailors and pale-skin stressed tourists looking to escape reality. It has a couple of small grocery stores…the Blue Store and the Pink Store….







a clinic with a nurse….(of which was needed to treat an infection for a bad rope burn on my ankle----*tsk *tsk)....












a boutique…..a couple of restaurants……lots of roosters and hens....


....and the very popular 
Staniel Cay Yacht Club….

Staniel Cay Yacht Club with shark infested dinghy dock.....drunks beware

Airport check in desk and rusty weight scale

But more important was the airport, where Krista flew out on Flamingo Air— a puddle jumper with a picture of a pink flamingo on the tail—a  30 minute ride to Nassau to connect for her return to the cold north.

Flamingo Air----nine-seater

Though the intense weather fronts hindered us here and there with strong winds and fresh rains, we had an exceptional time with Krista---complete with conch fritters and Kalik beers.






In 10 days, we had fun and did everything we set out to do AND met the flight schedule too.  

We're at the little white dot in the middle of the Bahamas

And now....there looms.....yet.....another.....giant storm on Sat Jan 23.......jeesh, enough already.


  

Updating the blog.....Bahamian style

So, now we figure out the next move…..but not too fast....we're on island time.
Until next Monday——we're in a safe harbor----with a strong anchor.
Cheers!