Feb. 9th, 2011
After about a week in Long Island running errands, eating out for a change, and enjoying unlimited internet time, we both got a little tired of civilization and waited for suitable wind to head north. When it came we had a wonderful sail up the island in about 15 knots of wind and anchored close in at Hog Cay. Our anchorage was only about 4 miles from Cape Santa Maria at the northern tip of Long Island and when the trade winds are up there is a wrap around swell that comes down from the north while our boats point to the east. The resulting roll can be uncomfortable, but this time it wasn’t too bad. The solution to this roll is to bridle the anchor by running a second snubber to the stern and then playing out the bow snubber until the bow is angling into the swell. Any we spent a pleasant night and woke to considerably more wind from the east. We were about 4 boat lengths from shore in calm water but could see white caps building not far to our west.
Barry and Susan went hunting in the morning but after an hour they were back empty handed. After lunch we explored up Joe’s Sound for a few miles. Hog Cay is located just north of Glenton Sound which is a huge shallow area of water perfect for bone fishing. On our north is Joe’s Sound which is narrow but runs to the northeast for about 6 miles. The area between two sounds is wall to wall mangroves with natural channels running throughout. We spent a couple of hours poking around, but had to leave as the tide receded.
After returning to the boat for a while we went into the beach where Barry cleaned a couple of conch while I tore apart our grill for a good cleaning and to replace the burner. The grill has been a good investment but will need to be replaced sometime in the near future.

The next morning we were off the hook after the weather report and sailing northwest to the deep water for some fishing. We trolled north along the drop off for about an hour and a half without a bite and then turned to the west with a course to the southern end of Elizabeth Harbor. We had a great sail most of the day but the fishing was poor. Finally as we began to think about pulling in our lines we passed through a school of small tuna hooking two and landing one. We motored into Georgetown and anchored behind Mutual Fun at Sand Dollar beach.
The last few days here in Georgetown have been spent cleaning, hunting a little out in the sound, and swimming. In the afternoons we usually go into Volleyball beach to visit with friends. According to “Windstar 4” there are 264 cruising boat here in Elizabeth Harbor. The majority are anchored in the lea of Stocking Island either north or south of Volleyball beach which is the meeting place for cruisers and the home of the Chat and Chill which sells beer and burgers. North of Volleyball are Honeymoon Beach, Monument Beach, and Hamburger Beach while to the south there is Sand Dollar Beach. We currently are anchored in the southern section of Sand Dollar so most of the boats are anchored in a two mile span to our north. Stocking is a barrier Island and along with other smaller islands, cays and rocks protect the harbor from Exuma Sound and creates Elizabeth harbor which is roughly a 6 miles in length. Across the harbor is the island of Great Exuma and the town of George Town. There are usually about 40 boats anchored in Kidd Cove which is just off the main part of the town. A few miles to the south there is an area called Red Shanks where a few boats anchor for the winter and when storms roll in is full of folks who travel down there for protection. It is actually a nice harbor; holding and protection are generally good, the drawback is the shear number of people. There is a core group of cruisers who leave the States in November, run directly here and anchor for the season. They tend to run the community of boaters and many of us resent their organization. Some of our friends avoid this place like the plague…if they wanted structure, rules and organization they would have never left home…

Lots of beach parties and lunches out. Abby and Jake are coming tomorrow!