Cays, Cays and more Cays

  As we sailed through the Cays toward Georgetown, Exumas we spent time in some of the most beautiful anchorages that you could imagine. Just looking around you knew you were in ..........well, paradise.

Spanish Wells is small harbour full of either fishing boats, small freighters or boats to be repaired at the marina.  Due to being shallow we didn't think we were going to get a chance to visit. We hitched a ride with our friends on Ishmael, and spent the day walking around.

 We then moved down to Wardrick Wells, a national park here in Bahamas. The water is so , aquamarine blue it seems you are floating on air. All wildlife is protected, no fishing, just snorkel or swim. We hiked many of the trails on the island.

On top of a hill overlooking the park, called Boo Boo Hill, cruisers who have visited leave a memento, and so we also had to leave ours. We made up a plaque with our info and left it amongst the rest.

After spending a few days, we had nice easy sail to Staniel Cay, a favourite stop for many cruisers, inside the harbour is a grotto where a James Bond movie was shot years ago. When the fishing boats get back with the days catch, it becomes a huge social event with groups of people standing around to watch the men clean their catch. They throw all the entrails into the water which in turn, brings in the sharks. They move in soon as they hear the knives working on the cleaning bench. They are very tame and even allow you to get in the water with them.

 An anchorage where we stayed is famous for it's swimming pigs, located at Big Major Cay, a mile from Staniel.

 They wait around the beach looking for hand-outs.We dingied over and found out, that they like popcorn, so much so, that we had to keep the motor on so he wouldn't climb in the dinghy.

 

 

 

Leaving Marsh Harbour

   We finally said good-bye to Marsh Harbour and started our way down to the Exumas, where everyone says the weather is warmer. All our days here have been in the high 70s or 80s. I don't know how anybody can complain about the temps.
   The sailing life revolves around the perfect conditions,#1: To make passage, and #2: what its going to be like when you get there. Looking at the Island hops ahead of us we picked a small place, rightfully called, Little Harbour.
   When we arrived, we anchored outside the basin and went ashore by dinghy.  The depths inside are for the local fishing boats, only about 3ft. We had our first "cheeseburger in paradise" at Pete's Pub a small beach bar washed down with a Kalik, a Bahamian beer........ it couldn't get any better.

 After our Jimmy Buffet lunch, we visited an art gallery & foundry established in the fifities where magnificent bronze castings are still produced. It is easy to understand why sculptor/artist Randolph Johnson and his family selected this spot to settle and realize their dreams of Island life.
  We then continued our walk, being followed by a couple of stray dogs known as potpies.

  Over to the Atlantic side of the Island the waves pound onto the shore bringing tons of plastic objects and depositing it here on the shore. One of the thinges to search for are known as hamburger or heart beans, actually a large seed from the Amazon fall into the water and travel here. They are a very rich mahogany color and shaped like a heart or a hamburger, they are very hard. Once polished they are a beautiful keepsake. No luck this time, but we feel optimistic counting the number of beaches still to come.

  For the night we moved over to Lynyard Cay 3 miles away to get some protection from the s/w wind, or have a rolly night. As it was, the waves and wind bounced us around till morning.

After breakfast, which we enjoyed in the cockpit we set off to explore close to our anchorage. Cruisers who visit, pick the plastic off the beach, known as flotsam and have decorated the trees. Due to waiting for a weather window we spent two days here in one of last cays of the Abacos.

  We left just after sunrise to cross 50nm to Eleuthera, anchoring in Royal Island, a circle shaped harbour. The stong east wind kept us held here for 3 days. We took a trip in to Spanish Wells oboard our friends trimaran. This is a very shallow harbour and we are glad that we got a chance to visit.
  The wind co-operated so we continued to the Exumas where we made stops at Allens Cay, Normans Cay then to Wardrick Wells where there is Great Exuma Park. A protected area that is true paradise.