Two days ago, we raised anchor, planning to move up the Berry Island chain. I was glad to move on from Frazier's Hog Cay. The previous day I'd explored it some and found it a bit eerie. The beach where I pulled in was in front of an abandoned beach front restaurant. I followed a road into the island, and found old construction equipment, including a large crane, rusting away. I also stumbled on to a small settlement of houses and buildings - all abandoned and open to go inside. I even saw a laundry room with washer and dryer, and laundry piled on a table. Although I didn't see anyone, I did at one point here a voice. Thinking it might be a duppy (west indian term for ghost), I quietly walked away, looking over my shoulder.

Wednesday, Faith Afloat and I headed out, with a target of Little Harbor Cay, where there is a well-known beach front restaurant and bar called Flo's Place. But as we turned to the northeast, the wind picked up to the high teens, and there were 4 ft swells on our nose. In order to get to the Little Harbor anchorage, we'd need to pass through a cut between islands. Our charts had a warning that under the wrong conditions (northeast winds and swells) the cuts would have something called a 'rage' - seas so rough they are like a washing machine, and regarded as 'impassable'. Sadly, we turned around, and then went to an anchorage between Whale and Bird Cay.

In one sense, we were stuck here - waiting for the weather to improve. But what a place to be stuck! We had a wonderful soft sand beach to ourselves. There was the remains of a gazebo with two lawn chairs. There were shells. The water was that fabled turquoise, due to the sand bottom.

(Note: beaches with lots of shells are dangerous. You can't move 5 ft before finding another special one and eventually your pockets (and your boat) get filled with shells!)

Yesterday, Tom and Luke from Faith Afloat, and I went exploring on some roads that went into the island. We met three separate people who live on Whale Cay - one West Indian, and the rest from Canada. They were each very hospitable, and said we were welcome to explore the original owner's mansion. One even said 'the doors are all locked, except by the kitchen, so go in that way'!

It's a small mansion, but still largely furnished inside - dinning room table and chairs, crystal chandeliers, four-poster beds, pictures on the walls, etc. There was the owner's side and the servants side. Take a look in the photo gallery to see it, as well pictures of another building we went into. The purpose of this other building - a round tower, with one large room surrounded by a balcony, is a mystery - perhaps some sort of religious one?

As nice as this spot is, there are more places we'd like to see, so we plan to try again today to move up the Berry Island chain.