Southern Bahamas
01 June 2017
Checking in to the Bahamas is simple and straight forward, and we have internet back for the first time in what seems like ages. Amazing how much you come to rely on and expect it. Suddenly we can look up the answers to the questions we’ve been asking, if only we could remember the questions. The reef on the south coast of Mayaguana provides a reasonable anchorage even in SE winds and most importantly flat water for the kite surfers. The wrecks along the reef show how quickly things can change around here. Alongside the incredibly shallow government dock local fishermen show us how to clean conch (the huge and beautiful shelled sea snails) and give instructions on cooking. The recipe might need a little adaptation if we’re to repeat the experience. Not a total success unfortunately.
Wrecks seem to be a bit of a theme at the moment. Swimming through shallow coral reefs scattered with wreck flotsum and jetsam is a salutary reminder of how easily circumstances change. Ikea bowls, cheese graters and navigation pilots stir in the sand as the gentle surf piles over the reef. A 40m fishing boat is wedged on the rocky reef of Plana Cay, a huge bird nest showing signs of the only recent occupation. Anything of use to anybody has been taken.
The environment however, is stunning. The colours never fail to surprise and astonish. Beaches of fabled soft white sand, rocky outcrops and feathery palm fronds. The snorkelling has been marvelled at and something we were looking forward to seeing. Coral heads still remain but sadly the recent hurricanes have decimated them. Occasional outcrops have survived with soft corals slowly colonising barren areas and the odd reef fish making the most of what’s available.
Sheltered harbours in the SE winds on Acklin, Crooked and Conception Islands dazzle us. There’s few boats around and most of the time we’re the only ones anchored. It is late in the season but with our newly available internet we keep a close eye on the weather. The locals greet us and give advice when ever we see them from how to clean the conch to offering a lift back from the store/gas (petrol) station. Always happy to meet us and give a hand. I hope we would do the same.
Conception island is reputedly one of the jewels in the Bahamas. East of the Exuma chain of islands it is an uninhabited National Park (with no internet ….). All the above descriptions of the area apply. The inland waterway, approached through a rocky channel, gives way to wide open mangroves lining shallow waterways teeming with green turtles. The GoPro camera attempted to capture the exceptionally fast moving reptiles but the skill with which they moved was not matched by the photographic ability of the operator. A couple of photos are ok, but nothing to write home about unfortunately. Having learnt from the previous photo disaster a dinghy excursion to check out the coral heads was in order.Eventually, by wearing the snorkel while dinghying along and looking below being careful not to inhale too much water or get swept out of the dinghy, a patch of outlying coral heads appeared to be less damaged, with some corals and life around. First attempt at anchoring the dinghy showed we needed quite a bit more line on the anchor - touching the sea bed is always good….finally all set … and ready for an invigorating snorkel. Admiring the underwater vista we looked around, double checked … and yes those are two rather large and hungry looking sharks heading our way. Quickly, but much slower than we’d like, we lurch into the dinghy and decide that snorkelling might not be what we’d like to do today. They were probably fine, no worries, they don't eat people - but the previous night with our available internet we’d checked out shark attacks in the Bahamas. Maybe it just made us a little nervy.