After our informative tour of the Caribbean Marine Research Centre, we debate as to what's the best time 6o depart our anchorage to head north to our next destination.

A bit of hydrology...... Look at your atlas and consider that Georgetown is on the Exuma Sound side of the chain. This means it is really part of the Atlantic Ocean with big seas and swells. You've got to get into the Sound then back west into the "bank" side. This means transiting one of many "cuts" along the Exuma chain. Don't underestimate the power and might of these cuts. They're essentially water passages from one side to the other which sounds innocuous enough until you add in winds and tides. As I've stated in an earlier post, with the right (or wrong) conditions, the competition of wind against tide can set up what's locally called a "rage". Need I say more

While our conditions upon leaving Lee Stocking may not have been rage status, it was not fun./ For long time blog followers, recall my discussion of coming into Barnegat Bay in the New Jersey Coast way back in early October where we described the fear of breaking and towering waves in that cut. This way not as bad but not real fun..

Anyway, we survived the cut, fell off the wind and trimmed sails for a wonderful, spirited sail up the Sound. Sea Sharp was grateful to be under sail and have the engine off . (Editor's note: I just realized that I should clarify that the caption of this post (Bumpy but Beautiful, refers to th great sail we had that day, not those beautiful ladies in the picture (although the caption does apply))