Day 29 to 32
13 April 2008 | Exuma Park
[photo: iguanas on Leaf Cay]
Day 29: Wed 9 Apr 08
Up early to Starbucks for a coffee, muffin, and Internet connection. We will be departing for the Exumas this morning and understand that we may not have Internet again for at least a week or more. So, don't worry and just rest your weary eyes from my long prose until the next chapter is posted!
The morning continued with some goodbyes to the cruisers we met at the marina, then casting off. A quick stop at the fuel dock a short bit away and we were off to the east.
The charts indicated a lot of foul water (rocks, coral, etc) in the area we needed to transit, so I was very cautious with my courses. We had several boat come under full sail (we were just motoring) and whizzed by us. I could have succumbed to the rationalization that if they were apparently casually sailing through these water, I could too, but I resisted the temptation.
After we exited what the chart said was the worst of it, we hoisted both sails and turned off the engine. This was truly what we had come for: sailing in 15 kts of breeze just forward of the beam, no engine noise or fuel expenses, bright sunshine and relatively calm seas. I should mention the water clarity and beauty, but that is a given for this environment.
The morning's email had a message from John and Marilyn, so I knew they planned to cruise from New Providence island (where Nassau is) to the northern Exumas today, too. What a treat! I hailed them on the VHF a few hours out of port and we touched base few times en route. The closest we came was about 3 miles. They traveled to Highborne Cay and we made plans to check in on the VHF radio at 2000 tonight.
It is now 1800; we have been at anchor just a few dozen yards east of Leaf Cay, which is part of the Allan's Cays. The claim to fame for these smallish uninhabited islands is the numerous iguanas which live there. From our cockpit, we can see many dozens of iguanas, perhaps up to 30 inches in length. We plan to go ashore tomorrow morning and visit with them a bit.
We were the first boat into the narrow, shallow anchorage. I went in pretty far and anchored in water barely deep enough. It was low tide at the time, which is good, but after I snorkeled around the boat, I saw numerous ridge on the sandy bottom which are a foot higher than where were at that moment. If we swing at anchor, we will come close to those soft ridges, so I have to count on the fact that they are soft sand and the tide will be rising all night.
We were not at anchor 10 minutes when two large go-fast charter boats with perhaps 20 people each came in. We thought that our privacy and serenity was ruined, but they left within 20 minutes. We suspect they are snorkeling tours that just come in to let their patrons view the iguanas from the boat.
More disconcerting, though, was that three other sailboats came in within 20 minutes of each other. They all, to our astonishment, came up the same narrow channel we did and two of them tried to anchor upwind of us. I called out that there was practically no water up there, which one quickly discovered, so they reversed course. I thought they would look for another area entirely, but there are now three of us within 100 yards and the fourth off to one side.
The boat closest to us holds two German couples. I know this because of the flag they are flying, the language they were speaking/shouting as they tried to anchor, and the fact I dinghied over to converse with them later. Fortunately, my German was good enough because they spoke practically no English. It seems that Europeans are used to tighter quarters when anchoring and do not have the same sense that many American boaters do for space. That's not a criticism as much as an observation.
I snorkeled over the anchor; it appears well set in sand. Diane and I then pored over the several cruising guides we brought to determine our next move. This place is fine for tonight, but there are more interesting places to our south.
At 2000, we had a VHF radio chat with John and Marilyn who are anchored just a few miles away at Highborne Cay. We made plans to have the famous hamburger at MacDuff's (which might now be called Norman's Cay Beach Club). The guide books go out of date for some things before they are even printed.
John from Islamorada and I finally got to have a decent conversation on the SSB since crossing to the Bahamas. We could hear each other clearly. None of the gear we were using changed, so it's all about atmospheric propagation, I suppose.
I have to figure a way to keep the anchor chain from making so much noise at night when the boat moves into a new position due to the fierce tidal currents they have around here. I would have put out two anchors (not sure if that would have helped), but the boats close to me did not, so it would have been a mistake to swing differently than they did.
It was not a restful night due to all the noise and fretting about the other boats and very nearby shoal water. I had several choices of where to drop the hook and I should have selected otherwise.
Day 30: Thu 10 Apr 08
Up early, as usual, the weather forecast shows it to be nice for the next few days until a cold front comes in. If the forecast holds true, we should plan to be in a place protected from W, NW, and N winds by Sun evening.
Before leaving Allan's Cays, we dinghied ashore and observed well over a dozen black iguanas about 2 feet long come scurrying out to see what was up with the new visitors. We have seen prettier and much larger iguanas in other places, but never so many in one small area. It was a "do it once and cross it off the list" kind of experience.
We weighed anchor near 0900 and had an incredibly great sail south to Norman's Cay. This was what we had been hoping for: a comfortable sea state, just the right amount of wind coming from the right direction, a few puffy cumulus clouds, bright sunshine, and clear water with beautiful shades of green. Diane was happy; Clyde was happy, and the skipper was happy.
By chance, Glue Goose was just coming out of the entrance from Highborne Cay shortly after we passed it. They hoisted two sails to our one and caught up with us just before it was time to turn toward the "tricky" cut through the shoals. It turned out not to be tricky at all and a parade of four sailboats came streaming in. Thankfully, there is plenty of room here, good holding in firm sand, and protection from easterly waves.
We readied the dinghy and went ashore to find MacDuff's. The atmosphere was charming for an out island place, and the burger was certainly tasty. What made it good was the char-grilled patty and bun. The fries were good, too. The cost was pretty steep, but then I remembered my previous bewilderment about how a restaurant can stay in business with the low and highly unpredictable number of patrons and expensive supplies.
The dinghy ride back was with a lower tidal height and some coral heads were now visible. Where we cruise near home, there are many shallow spots, but very few places where hard things loom up from the sea bottom dangerously. Around here, you can have rocks and coral heads (untold years of accumulation of living coral animals whose bodies become solidified into rock-like mounds that can severely damage a boat if struck).
John and Marilyn weighed anchor and departed for the next lower island: Shroud Cay, to spend the night. The previous evening's fitful sleep played a large role in the post-lunch nap I took. Diane was thrilled that she got to "chill" in the cockpit reading her book with no interruptions.
The remainder of the day was pretty uneventful, except for the peace and quiet we enjoyed in another beautiful spot.
Day 31: Fri 11 Apr 08
Today's sail was to be the shortest yet. Just over one hour of easy sailing got us to Shroud Cay, where we picked up a mooring ball just inshore of J & M. This spot is the prettiest so far, with all the various sized rocks jutting up from the gorgeous water.
Our main goal for today was a "must-do" adventure ride in the dinghy. With J & M leading in their dinghy, we cruised carefully up the western side of the cay to a creek that winds across the cay to the Exuma Sound side (deep water). As the tide rises, the water flows from deep to shallow (east to west) in the creek. We left a few hours before high tide to ensure we had enough water depth to get through the shallower spots.
It was a fabulous cruise. We both wished we had brought our "looky bucket" as there appeared to be a lot of interesting things in the water to view. Like all areas here, you really needed to read the water color to judge depth and stay where there was enough. At one point, we say large dark shapes moving just ahead and realized they were sharks!
Arriving at the other side, we beached our dinghies right near the sign for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park to get our photo op, courtesy of J & M. We strolled the deep, soft sandy of the beach a short ways, and then climbed one of the larger hills in all the Bahamas, close to 90 feet!
At the pinnacle was supposedly a spot where visitors left something with the boat name, home port, etc. We had prepared ours in advance, but the spot seemed essentially deserted. We don't know whether it was cleaned up by someone, but it seems unlikely there could be another reason. Thinking that perhaps the custom had been discouraged by those "in charge" we elected to keep our mementos for another opportunity.
We split up for the return because we had brought snorkeling gear and I wanted to drift back with the current while I held onto the dinghy. Diane elected to stay in the dinghy, perhaps because of the sharks we had seen coming in. Most of the snorkeling was very boring, but it was still a cool thing to do.
At some point, the water depth ran to less than half a foot and we could proceed no further. We realized it was likely we had made a wrong turn and were in the "dead end." I got back into the dinghy, started the engine, and motored back to where we started. At that point, I tried to find the alternate route back but with no success.
Rather than get further lost, we elected to go back the same way we came. In doing so, we came upon the sharks Marilyn had pointed out earlier, so I slipped my fins and mask on and went back into the water. Drifting quietly, they let me get within about 20 feet. They appeared to be reef sharks, but I am not sure, a bit over 3 feet long. I climbed back in after a bit and then saw another larger one up ahead. By this time, it was too much of a hassle to don the gear and go over again, and then clamber back aboard, so we just observed him from above.
Exiting the river, we followed the coastline back in water plenty deep and it was an exhilarating ride. After a short rest and lunch back at Diva Di, we took the dinghy to this lovely beach just a short hop away. Diane took her compact, folding beach chair and a book. I took the cash to put into the "honor system" box for the mooring cost just a short climb away.
While there, we met this nice English couple from Cowes, Andree and Tic. Their boat's name is Antic, not surprisingly. They had followed into the supposedly tricky Norman's Cay approach and thanked us for that. After chatting a while, I invited them back for cocktails at 1730. On the way back in the dinghy, we saw J & M visiting off the stern of Antic, so we went over to quickly extend the invitation to them as well.
It's funny, when we cruise with our club from Punta Gorda, we have one of the smaller boats as far as entertainment space is concerned. Out in the cruising world, filled with boats optimized for oceanic passages, our cockpit is considered enormous. That's not always a good thing, but for the sailing we do, it is a good compromise.
It cannot be expressed often enough that one of the best things about cruising is the good folks you meet. Each couple had delicious appetizers to share (a necessary skill to acquire: something quick and easy to make for sharing at such occasions). The conversation was varied, lively, and stimulating. Clyde made his appearance and was well received for Tic and Andree have a cat aboard, as well.
One of the bad things about such parties is the nutritional issues. The appetizers are not a balanced meal in themselves, yet by the time it breaks up, most people are not interested in preparing a real meal back aboard their own boats. Fortunately, we had some leftovers ready for consumption. It was already past sunset by an hour or so, so a little reading and sleep followed in short order.
Day 32: Sat 12 Apr 08
Up at 0600, Clyde was ready to frolic on deck. Frolic is too strong a word, but he likes to explore and sniff the air a lot. Diane awoke shortly after I checked the weather forecast on the SSB at 0630. We decided to take Clyde in the dinghy to this beautiful, but tiny, beach surrounded by steep volcanic rock. It would be a perfect place for him to roam without his dreaded harness with almost zero risk of him escaping, should he get the notion.
He gets into his carrier very willingly now, perhaps because he associates it with security. The dinghy ride was very short in calm water, so we let him poke his head out to check it out. Seeing he was surrounded by water, he decided to poke his head back in after just 20 seconds or so. Once on the beach, he meowed continually in that tone indicating he was uncertain and not that happy.
After a bit, though, he stopped meowing and started chasing Diane as she trotted up and down the short beach. After 20 minutes and half dozen laps, he jumped back into the dinghy. He checked out his carrier, but decided he could ride back outside it. We decided otherwise, but let him keep his head out.
Back at the boat, we readied for the day's passage to Warderick Wells Cay, where the headquarters of the Exuma Park is located. I decided to get some practice, raised the mainsail while still on the mooring, and sailed off without resorting to the engine. Diane was impressed and it is a good skill to have.
As we sailed, the wind was more "in our face" than I expected, so it was not possible to sail directly along our intended path. Both Blue Goose and Antic followed us out in short order, so on we went. At 0900, the ranger from Exuma Park came on the VHF radio to reconcile those desiring moorings with those available. We were all keeping our fingers crossed to get a mooring assignment since the approaching cold front will likely give us winds where protection is scarce, except for Warderick Wells.
We were all very pleased to find that a lot of boats were departing their moorings today, so that we all three got assignments. By about 1330, we started our approach into the mooring field. It is yet another beautiful place: gorgeous water surrounded by picturesque little cays.
After prepping the boat for a few days in one place, we quenched our thirst and decided to do a little snorkeling. By taking the dinghy up-current, we could hold on and drift down through the interesting area near our boat. Passing our boat, we noted a very large remora-like fish. Considering it was over 3 feet long, we wonder what size shark it attaches to.
One area we passed was that of a sunken boat. Apparently the owner went ashore with the generator running and it burnt to the waterline and sunk. As with most "structure" on a sea bottom, there was a lot of marine life around it, including a nurse shark almost 5 feet long.
J & M dinghied by to inform us that there was a party on the beach at the Tiki hut at 1730: BYOB and a dish to share. We elected to make an artichoke dip (using a saucepan on the stovetop rather than using a lot of gas to heat the oven for almost an hour). It tasted just about as good with 90 per cent less energy.
This was our very first cruisers' beach party. We have attended plenty of parties with out cruising club during organized cruises, but this one was a dozen couples meeting each other for the first time and sharing stories of their lives and the places they have been. It was fun.
Back at the boat just before sunset (which was obscured by the clouds to the west indicating the approaching bad weather), Clyde really enjoyed his topside time in the extremely calm conditions.
I should note that today marks one full month since we cast off for this cruise. It is interesting for me to observe that "my world" has shrunk to the tasks and goals of the day. That may not always be a good thing, but it sure helps rid one of the clutters of modern existence. We are not aware of what is happening with our US presidential campaigns, or what Hollywood personality is in the spotlight, or all the other things than newspapers and TV bring to you.
If everyone adopted the escapist attitude forever, it would be a very different world indeed. We are not advocating that, but the fact is that the world continues on with its affairs with or without the Isings' direct involvement. I have not missed TV at all, although I may be putting more into this Diva Di-ary due to the unavailability of mindless entertainment.