The Exumas!

2/20 We cast off lines at 7:40 am with flat water and calm winds, my kind of departure. A quick call to Nassau Harbour Control for permission to leave and we were on our way! Following Dolphin, we were able to raise the main after clearing boat congestion and the gib shortly after. A glorious day of sailing followed. Noticing the line of almost twenty boats headed to Allen's Cay we changed our destination to Normans Cay and anchored with just two other boats. A beautiful sunset with dinner preceded a calm nights sleeping.

2/21 Took the dingy ashore, jumped in to wade in and squealed when the water came to my chin, bringing a man running from behind the palm trees to laugh at my antics. He was the Australian foreman of the new four unit rental houses and restaurant being constructed in front of the runway. He gave us permission to tour the island. After a stroll along the beach, we took a dingy ride to the other side of the island. Uncovered ruins from drug lord Carlos Lehder's compound from the '80's (he's currently still in jail). Just offshore Don and Adrien snorkeled the sunken plane that had missed the runway a while back. Another dingy ride brought us to Wax Cay, housing a unique resort of many individual villas that had been transported in pieces from Vietnam and furnished with elements from Bali and Java - lots of marble, brass statues, and teak carvings. Each situated on a hillside overlooking magnificent turquoise waters; look up www.waxcay.com. No sooner had we tied the dingys up then Jeffery appeared on a golf cart and gave us a tour of the island and facilities, absolutely breathtaking. Back at the boat, Don dove and cleaned the prop of barnacles acquired sitting in the mud in Stuart, we should be faster now! Dinner on Nemo with Nina and Adrien.

2/22 A long dingy ride to Shroud Cay to explore the mangrove creeks brought us to the Exumas Bank side with more glorious views and sand so fine you sank to ankles with every step on the beach. Snorkeling near the dingy landing uncovered many legal sized conch - too bad we were officially in the Land and Sea Park with it's no take rules. Coasting along back to the Sound side with birds calling from the mangroves was very peaceful. An unexpected stop at Little Wax Cay uncovered a mini drift dive. I had coaxed Don into letting me have a look along the ledges to see if there were lobsters. Only seconds into my exploration uncovered a gorgeous purple sea fan, coral, a variety of reef fish and a basking nurse shark. The strong current was challenging, but the sights kept us going back for more! Back past Wax Cay we finally claimed our first legal conch stash, three for Nemo and two for Dolphin. Don sacked them and hung them on the back of the boat for cleaning the next day. Back to work for Don as he slid into dive gear to change both the boat and propeller zincs. He topped it off with a little more hull cleaning. Nina prepared a Caribbean pork salad on Dolphin that rivaled anything put out by the finest restaurants.

2/23 With wind squarely on our nose we motor sailed to Warderwick Wells to take up a mooring near the Land and Sea Park headquarters, once again arriving just in time for Happy Hour. It took us two tries to land the mooring, the first try I snagged it but didn't get it tied in time. The narrow channel and close proximity of boat neighbors was a testament to Don's maneuvering skills as we made the turn to make the second attempt. All in all not bad for our first mooring. Happy Hour on the beach was attended by 30 - 40 cruisers, the majority from New England. What a spread - love Happy Hour in the Bahamas! A curly tail lizard checked us out while we ate and we spied a hutia, Bahamas only native land mammal resembling a dark earless rabbit, as we departed for the dingy ride back to the boat, compliments of Nina and Adrien. The nearly full moon lit the way. Don was sleeping by 7:30 and I listened to the Kindle until maybe 8:30, resting up for what tomorrow might bring.