For the first time we beat Eyran out of the anchorage. I was amazed. Hideko and I hauled anchor as morning light just started to touch the sky. We followed the first boat out of the cut as the light strengthened enough to make out the surroundings.

There was a noticeable ground swell coming straight into the cut and peaking up a bit as it climbed up the ever shallower bottom. You could easily see how these cuts could get treacherous in strong easterly conditions. The Bahamians call violent currents accompanied by breakers in a cut a Rage. Quite appropriate.

The wind was two or three knots from wherever so we motored without the sails. I ran both motors to ensure a timely arrival. Mom and Dad wanted to look around Georgetown and this would really be their only day. We did about 9 knots all the way at about 2,400 RPM in the calm conditions. I really wanted to get an extra knot or two from the main but every time I looked at the instruments the wind was coming from where we were going at the speed we were going. Not enough wind, or too much, so they say.

Hideko dropped a hand line overboard with a Wahoo lure for the first time on our trip so far. Dad, and old boy scout, helped her rig up a snubber and I did my best to find the 80 foot line. We didn't get any bites but it was nice to have the rig set up and tested. I love Wahoo and Hideko loves sushi, and a guy we met in Great Harbor says that Wahoo makes the best sushi you can get. We're both looking forward to testing this advice.

Various folks have tried to put the fear into us about the Elizabeth Harbor gauntlet. The Explorer Charts do a good job of laying out a nice track through the shoal hazards so I just dropped their way points into the chart plotter and kept a close eye on the water on the way in. We watched a mail boat enter in front of us but he was too fast to follow. We turned into Conch Cut and everything else was as advertised all the way to the dock.

As we tooled down the harbor we saw lots of cruising boats anchored off of Monument beach, so named because of the 15 foot stone monument clearly visible at the top of the hill. We also saw Calypso, Swingin on a Star's new sister ship, docked at the Saint Francis Resort. There were even more boats in front of the volleyball beach, which seems to be the principal beach for daily cruiser activities.

There wasn't too much traffic but I did notice a small dinghy heading toward us with some freight on board. As it got closer Hideko recognized them. It was the Edelweiss crew! They had just returned from picking up a gas generator in Georgetown (delivered from Nassau on the mail boat). It was great to see them. They were in high spirits and had been enjoying Georgetown for a few weeks. After locating their boat we agreed to meet up later.

We wanted to dock on Great Exuma for the night to facilitate getting my parents safely ashore early in the morning with all of their luggage. Exuma Docking Service is the only game in town anywhere close to Georgetown. After a trying radio conversation with "Sugar One", the Exuma Docking Services radio alias, we ended up just bringing the boat into the docks. Seeing no one on the dock and getting no direction on the radio we decided to take an end tie facing east, perfect for getting off in the upcoming nasty weather. Just as I was about to close the gap the dock master hollered at us from the western most dock. He seemed insistent that we park on what would be the windward side of the dock near a charted 3 foot area.

I pulled in and, as can happen here, I couldn't get a straight answer as to why he wanted us there. The Red Leopard crew was on shore selling Georgetown Cruising Regatta Tee Shirts and came to help us tie up. Like Edelweiss, we hadn't seen them since Bimini. Rick cautioned me about the east swell that marches through the marina in an east wind and placed his vote of no confidence in the facilities. We were a long way from the protection of the north east bluffs of Stocking Island and the dock was not quite falling apart but far from spry. We had shore power but I'm guessing a lot of the dock space is derelict due to instability or lack of services. The onshore bathrooms and showers were pretty rank and I wouldn't put anything I valued in the laundry facilities. Given the conditions today it was a fine place for now, not to mention the only place, so we left Swingin on a Star tied up and headed off to square away air fare, explore and grab some lunch.

We had lunch at the Peace and Plenty with Lowell and Jane from Edelweiss. The Peace and Plenty seems to be the principal hang out in Georgetown with its beachside hotel and restaurant. There is a little straw market on the way with nice baskets and hats and a grocery with everything you really need.

After lunch we rented a car and headed for Tropic of Cancer beach on Little Exuma. We drove to the Southern tip of Great Exuma and crossed a one lane bridge, known as The Ferry, then drove South on the main road looking for a telephone pole with blue reflectors. Rick and Myrna had given us the directions, typical for the Bahamas. If you ever want to know about all of the best places and Red Leopard is there, just call them up. If they've been there 24 hours they will have the whole place wired.

The Topic of Cancer beach is supposed to be on the Tropic of Cancer, the beginning of the tropics and the latitude beyond which the sun does not traverse in the Northern hemisphere. I believe that the Tropic of Cancer is 23 degrees 28 minutes north, and after a quick chart check the beach is a fair bit south of there. Quite beautiful and highly recommended all the same. I noticed some good lobster spots a few hundred yards off shore that I will have to return to.

After a nice dinner at, you guessed it, the Peace and Plenty we retired to the boat to give Mom and Dad a while to pack. It was going to be another early morning and I want to get the boat off of the dock before we got pinned in by the heavy post frontal winds.