It's hard to believe that a whole month has past since I wrote my last blog! On the other hand, so much has happened, and the scene has changed so many times that it seems like a long time ago!



From Highbourne, we sailed to Hog Cay, which is part of Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.



We had a mooring in a beautiful protected area that was a favorite spot for pirates back in the day. I spent one afternoon snorkeling through the whole place. It was great exercise against the swift current and also beautiful.



We did a little hiking as well, but dodging the poisonwood (like poison ivy, but a tree) got to be too much work.



From Hog Cay, we sailed to Big Majors Spot where we were just a short dinghy ride from Staniel Cay Yacht Club



where we celebrated Valentine's Day with an evening out to dinner. That was our first eating out since West Palm Beach except for lunch at Coolimae's on Great Harbour Cay. The first thing we did when we got to Big Majors Spot was dinghy over to Thunderball Grotto to snorkel.



This time I remembered to bring some green beans to feed the fish! The Sergeant Majors (Claire calls them bumblebee fish) love them! After Thunderball Grotto,



we dinghied back over to Big Majors Spot to pay a visit to the beach pigs there. We didn't bring food for them so they lost interest in us pretty quick.

After an overnight at Big Majors Spot, we sailed on to Black Point to do laundry. We only spent one night there, as well.



The next morning we set out for George Town, Great Exuma Island. Our first outing in George Town was to the clinic our first morning there. I had a very painful group of blisters on my left hand and some other sensitive patches on the same hand. I thought it might be shingles, but we also suspected poisonwood since we'd been near so much of it. The doctor didn't think it was either one. He prescribed some antibiotics for a dermal infection and a pain reliever.



It's been 2 weeks and it doesn't hurt anymore, and is clearing up. It was weird. The waiting room at the clinic was the prettiest I'd ever waited in--a bench out on the porch overlooking Elizabeth Harbour! The doctor visit plus two prescriptions was $60.

We spent the next few days getting ready for our guests, Marshall and Donna Macdonald. Marshall is a childhood friend of Mark's. We posted my last blog during that time, as well. This is the first place that we've been able to get fast enough internet for that. Well, we get it if we go up to J&K Computers. Opening night of the week long 34th Annual Cruiser's Regatta was held at Regatta Park over in George Town the night before Marshall and Donna got here.



We took the water taxi from Stocking Island across the harbor to George Town where we enjoyed a fun variety show that included acts by cruisers and Bahamians. The ladies of the Family Island Regatta provided the dinner that we purchased there and at other regatta events. All the fees for all the activities and races involved in The Cruiser's Regatta go to help fund the Family Island Regatta, which is in April. I hope we get to come back for that this year! A.J., a young man we met 2 years ago piloted the taxi back. He used to make conch salad for Chat-n-Chill. What a ride back! All the anchor lights off of Stocking Island look like NYC!! Well, maybe just a sailboat city, but a city nonetheless--and the stars in the heavens, MAN! Beautiful!



Marshall and Donna's week with us began with a pretty bumpy dinghy ride in the dark across Elizabeth Harbour to our spot at Sand Dollar Beach off of Stocking Island (they couldn't get over all the anchor lights, either)! The water taxi that we had arranged for them fell through. I had a late dinner of Tuna Salad Polynesian waiting for them when they boarded Nancy Lu to help smooth things out, and our time together was a blast from then on! The next afternoon, on our little hike across Stocking Island to the windward (big ocean) side, Donna commented that we'd already done so much in less than 24 hours!



Our first morning together was Sunday, so we attended Beach Church. I always enjoy the service there, and they did, too! It's nice to get together with believers wherever you are.



After church, we came back to Nancy Lu to change into our swimsuits. We went back to the beach (Volleyball Beach) for the weekly pig roast--YUM! The ladies make the BEST cole slaw ever with lots of garlic; I need to get their recipe! After lunch



and a visit to feed the sting rays that hang out by the conch salad bar,



we went on a little snorkeling trip in one of the three little lagoons called hurricane holes. The snorkeling there is not the greatest, but it was a little appetizer for things to come.



The windward side of the island is totally different from the leeward side where we anchor and beautiful in it's own way! The next day, we sailed downwind with our spinnaker up to Lee Stocking Island about 20 miles north.



What a treat to sail with the spinnaker!!! We had never been to Lee Stocking so it was a new adventure for both the Macdonalds and us! The next morning, we hiked to a pretty beach on the windward side of this island through the "ruins" of a defunked marine research facility that's been out of commission for a couple of years.



Donna said it was like a scene from LOST.



We met up with a couple there that we had met 2 years ago and their cute grandson, Julian. After lunch we dinghied over to the lovely and pristine Coconut Beach.



I got out and waded around in the shallow water then we dinghied on a couple of miles to another spot. On our way, we saw a couple all by themselves camping on a beach. We decided to stop and ask them for suggestions for snorkeling. It turned out to be a couple that Marshall and Donna had shared a taxi with from the airport. They were kayaking around the islands and camping out on beaches!



Marshall said that we probably looked like characters from a 007 movie to them since we were all dressed in black--me in my swimsuit and the other three in wetsuits! I hope we weren't too intimidating to them until they recognized Donna and Marshall!



We did some wonderful shallow water snorkeling at our next two stops. We saw a Scrawled Cowfish very up close and personal; it's a weird looking, colorful fish. You should look it up on the Internet because I didn't get a good picture of it. We also saw beautiful sea anemone, Trigger Fish, other pretty fish, a Barracuda, and a giant 2 ft. Horse Conch shell.



We were treated to a beautiful sunset above a calm anchorage that night,



and the next morning, we awoke to a glassy anchorage.



You could see straight to the bottom in about 20 feet of water. Without any wind, we motored back to Elizabeth Harbour. After lunch that day, we did some more awesome snorkeling! This time I saw a sea turtle just hanging out on the seabed. He was so close and clear!! I got to watch him for a while before I scared him away by calling for the others to come see. At another site, I swam upon a GIANT Nassau Grouper, about 3 ft. long--UGLY!



The next day, we spent time in town souvenir shopping at the straw market



and browsing around in the library.





That night, we were treated by Marshall and Donna to dinner and dancing at the hotel, Peace and Plenty. We spent all day the next day aboard Nancy Lu because the winds were so high. The Macdonalds were on their way home bright and early the next morning aboard the water taxi.



We were sad to see them go!

Since they've been gone, we've just been doing "living on a boat stuff"



including yoga on the beach every morning at 8:45 (only in George Town aka Cruisers Mecca) with one exciting exception---



I SWAM WITH DOLPHINS!!!!!!! IT WAS AWESOME!!!



Three of them were swimming in our new anchorage kind of close to town. Mark dinghied me out close to them and I jumped in! They played around with me and a crab that they found on the sea floor. I could have touched them many times, but I thought it would be better not to. I swam with them for about 20 minutes while Mark filmed! Don't worry about the Dolphins as the boat engine was in neutral. They would swim upside-down and watch me and swim toward me and then go around me--what a treat! I can cross that off my bucket list!!

We're probably leaving for Long Island to the south and then on further south to the Jumentos in a couple of days. The Jumentos are much more remote so... no more Beach Church (which we enjoyed again this past Sunday), dancing at Peace and Plenty, grocery shopping at Exuma Markets, Laundry at Mrs. Lee's Corner Laundromat, or yoga on the beach, but I'm sure we'll find something to do!

There are MANY more pics in the gallery tab at the top right of the blog. You can leave us a comment by clicking on the word "comments" just below and to the right of this sentence.