Today was another great day. After breakfast (pesto/ricotta scrambled eggs), we headed out in the dinghy to nearby Double Breasted Cays, a collection of cays just a mile east of our anchorage. Armed with the "lookie bucket", a clear-bottomed bucket, for finding some interesting snorkeling, and our gear, we zipped across the cut where the current was running out at 4 knots. An engine failure here could be disastrous, sweeping us out into the open ocean, so we carry an kit to guard against that. It includes a hand-held VHF, an anchor with 60' of line, and a small kit with such things as a signalling mirror, whistle, flashlight and space blanket. Lets hope we never have to use it! Across the cut, we swing in between two of the larger cays and slow down to judge the water depth. In the bright sunshine and clear water, its tough to distinguish 3' from 30', so we go slowly until we are sure we are in the channel. Curving round the next point, we come up to Sand Cay, a cay about 75 yards in diameter surrounded by sandy beach. Ashore we explore the small cay and finally select a site for swimming. But we misjudged the current, and after just a few minutes we're back ashore, exhausted from the strong current. Luckily, here we would just have been swept up on a sand bank from where we could walk back to the cay. Around the other side, we see a 40' catamaran coming in to anchor. It's a very scenic anchorage, but not too well protected from tonight's forecast 30 knot westerlies. So back in the dinghy we meet the couple on the cat. They're from Buffalo and the boat is brand new. It was built in South Africa and they sailed it up from there in the fall and will cruise the Bahamas for the winter. It turns out they crossed the Gulf Stream with us although we didn't see them. After lunch, its time to head into town for a few things, gas for the dinghy, and dinner. But half way in, we flag down a returning fisherman and buy 5 lobster tails (crawfish in the Bahamas) for $15. Ashore we are astonished to find fresh grapes in one store, so we snatch them up just as our friends from the cat come in. On to the bakery for a small coconut cake, then the other store for some limes. Although its locked when we get there, the owner finally appears and we go in. There has been a third boat come into the town anchorage in the meantime, and we we chat with them for a while. Then back to the boat in the late afternoon. Soon after we see the cat working its way out of its anchorage and heading over to ours. Fortunately they realized that theirs was too exposed for tonight's wind, and after a few tries are settled down beside us. Dinner is grilled lobster tails with butter and the standard cole slaw and rice 'n beans. And of course, a nice Chardonnay. For desert, we have the small coconut cake with whipped cream, and champagne to follow. Did I say it was my 60th birthday? After a chat with Andrew and Sarah via satellite phone, I open a couple of gifts smuggled aboard from Strathspey, who are crossing tonight, then bed. An exiting and exhausting day!