Hi All...

We're headed out from Warderick Wells Cay this morning and will head about 16nm South to Cambridge Cay...it looks like a nice easy sail of about 3 hours and as usual, the weather is beautiful. Life is pretty tough.....

We won't have any internet connection while we're there, but likely will pick one up again at Staniel Cay in a few days. We'll be in touch then!

Nikki, for Randy!

Later: We are actually anchored off the SW shore of a small island called Little Halls Pond Cay next to O'Brien's Cay, but it was a place called the Sea Aquarium next to O'Brien's Cay that we went to snorkel today. This place was absolutely beautiful with many different kinds of fish. Some little guys about the size of blue gills but with yellow and black stripes called sergeant majors swarmed us immediately, so they are probably used to getting fed by people. Lots of neat coral and fish like sting rays, grouper, squirrel fish, parrot fish, and on and on. We swam around for the better part of an hour (I think) but had to get out of the water as it is only about 70 degrees and we don't have wet suits. I am surprised by the water and air temps here. I would have expected warmer based on last year's experience in the Keys, but think that we are far enough east of the Gulf Stream that the warming effect is less. It is still beautiful here, and we plan to do much more snorkeling and exploring. But wet suits are definitely on the list of things to purchase at the first opportunity!

We also went to a site where there is a plane that wrecked close by in the 1980's. I did not expect to be impressed, but there is something very odd about seeing an airplane underwater. An even bigger surprise was the 6' nurse shark lying on the bottom next to the plane just minding his own business. How cool?!

We met some folks a couple nights ago at the Saturday night beach party named Gary and Celeste on the 33' catamaran named Sol Surfin'. As luck would have it, we met them again yesterday while hiking a trail on Warderick Wells Cay. We invited them over for some margaritas; they stopped by, and then invited us to their boat for dinner with another couple, Steve and Michelle of John Ray, another 38' Island Packet. We had a blast, laughed a lot, and think we have made some new friends whom we really enjoy. Anyway, they were all moving in the same direction today as us, so we actually snorkeled with Gary and Celeste at a place called the Sea Aquarium off the NW side of O'Brien Cay. I offered them $500 each for their wet suits, but they weren't giving them up. Gary and Celeste have been out sailing for 5 years now, having left San Diego and just returned from cruising in Central and South America for the duration. They are planning to spend some time on the east coast and are headed north, perhaps as far as Maine this year.

The weather is supposed to warm a little as the week goes on and hopefully will be close to 80 by Saturday. Of course, everyday is Saturday, so what do I know? The northerlies continue with gusto, which makes it important to find safe and secure anchorages, which we have been able to do, rather easily. I expected there to be more boats competing for space, but it would appear there just aren't as many boats cruising this far south as you would find further north.