Another New Cay
10 March 2011 | Rum Cay
Beth - high 80's
We left Conception Island on Thursday morning - a little later than planned because, once again, the propane tank emptied itself before the kettle got to a boil for the morning coffee. This is the second time this year. I wonder which of our guardian angels are getting a chuckle out of delaying the morning coffee? What would be so wrong with delaying dishwashing water or even afternoon tea? Captain Jim obligingly switched tanks so we could all have our morning shot of caffeine and by the time we got the dinghy hoisted, it was 0630, Chris Parker time. He reported conditions that reflected what we were expecting, so after we heard what we needed, we up-anchored and waved good bye to Conception Island. We’ll be back because we have more exploring to do here.
Our motoring trip to Rum Cay was slow but enjoyable - a day to enjoy the foredeck with a cushion and a book. The fishing lines were out. Jim caught one barracuda and let him go. He lost another fish - it must have been a big one because it was there one minute and then fish, hook and lure were gone the next minute. Mary Jean lost one and then caught a nice little barjack. By that time, we were almost into the anchoring area at Rum Cay so the pole and yoyo line came in and all eyes were focused on coral heads.
I thought it would be much harder to navigate among the heads and reefs, but the water is so deep and so clear that it wasn’t really a problem at all. We dropped the anchor in 9 feet of water just off the Batelco tower. It dropped to 7 feet at low tide - but hey - still lots of depth! A boat was leaving from near the marina entrance, and Seabbatical I came in after us - making a grand total of 2 boats here. We had heard rumours of this being a really surgy anchorage, but it is perfectly acceptable tonight (Thursday). We’ll see what happens when the wind picks up on Friday!
After getting settled in and eating lunch (salad and that nice little barjack that was in the saute pan not more than an hour after being plucked from the sea) we donned bathing suits and checked out the dark spots in the area. Once again, there were some pretty fish and some OK coral. We didn’t see any lobster antennas sticking out from under rocks or any fat fish that would stay out in the open long enough for Jim’s spear.
Having struck out in hunter gatherer mode, we switched to explorer mode and headed for shore. I told MJ and JD that dinner would be peas’n’rice, cole slaw and a can of tuna that night and I think they got a little worried because we went right to Kaye’s Place just across the road from the government dock and reserved spaces at dinner on Friday evening (it was too late for today). Both Mary Jean and I had read about Kaye’s Place and we were all keen to go there. We met Dolores Wilson, chatted with her and bought the book she wrote about her life in Rum Cay, “Rum Cay, My Home”. We’ll be back there on Friday for dinner and more conversation - especially since we will have read the book by then and I’m sure will have lots of questions for her.
Next stop was the Last Chance Grocery store operated by Dolores’ daughter Kaye (after whom the restaurant/bar is named). No yogurt, not much produce - but the mail boat came in tonight so we stand a better chance of picking up some produce on Friday morning. There won’t be any yogurt coming on the boat though, and Kaye said, “Come early” for the rest of it. I bought a little packet of “seasoning” - garlic, hot pepper, thyme in sea salt - and Mary Jean is taking home one of her pretty little shell flowers.
From there, we wandered down the dirt road to the Marina - and decided we are very pleased with our lovely, airy, easy to enter and exit spot out in the anchorage. While the marina would be well protected, it seemed claustrophobic to us, and was heavily populated with fisherfolk and surfers. There was no one in the restaurant so we didn’t stop for a beer, and we didn’t have our computers with us on that excursion so we didn’t ask about wifi although I understand it exists. We like the town part of Rum Cay much better than the marina area and look forward to exploring it tomorrow. The Anglican Church is so pretty with its fresh coat of white and blue; the sandy roads beckon to us; the friendly folks sitting under the trees wave and ask how we are all doing. Of course the answer is “Absolutely wonderful, thank you!”
The mailboat, the “Lady Frances”, arrived as we were doing our walkabout so we took some pics of pickup trucks backing rapidly down the wharf and young men toting bags and boxes to vehicles parked by the road. Kaye told us the “Lady Frances” makes two stops in the Exumas and one at San Salvador before arriving here each Thursday evening, and the feeling is much the same as on other islands we have visited. It is a social event as well as a “shopping trip.” Folks gather and chat before it arrives and look forward to receiving whatever goods they are expecting from Nassau.
By then it was heading on to 6 o’clock and it was time to head home. It was then that the most wonderful event of the day occurred. Angie came flying across the water in her dinghy and upon hearing that we had no luck fishing, handed over a plastic bag with two lobster tails! She and Clark are much better spear fishers than we are - and they were out in 25 - 30 ft deep water too. Jim’s diving skills are just not that good, and mine are non existent. So how wonderful was that? They knew we were keen to dine on some lobster and were having little luck catching them so they went out specifically to shoot our dinner. Pretty nice, I’d say!
I put on the peas’n’rice, made some cole slaw, slathered the lobster tails with garlic butter and Jim put them on the BBQ. Oh - what a mouthwatering meal! Mary Jean and I finished it off with Coconut rum over ice - and I think we might have introduced her to a new vice!. What a meal. Thanks Clark! Thanks Angie!
We’ll be here on Friday, watching the wind clock around and hoping things don’t get too rocky. We’ll walk and explore, and dine well again in the evening on whatever Dolores has prepared. Then the plan is to leave here on Saturday, going back to Long Island and stopping either at Calabash Bay, Hog Cay, or going back to Thompson Bay.