Our anchorage at Hog Cay turned out to be a great spot with numerous places to explore. Once the anchors were set on Thursday afternoon we launched the dinghies and headed off to scout out the area. When the tide is out there is a huge exposed sand bar that seems to go on for miles, we beached the dinghies and headed off for a walk. To us it felt like what walking on the moon would be like, a vast open expense full of potholes, kinda like a Quebec Road. Once the tide started rising we headed to one of the many beaches in the area in search of the perfect shell. The end to a perfect day was capped off with dinner aboard "Eyre".

Since we wanted to be back in Thompson Bay late Friday we were up early and set off for more exploring. After searching for a good snorkeling area we found a great little spot on the south side of Hog Cay. The rock formations here are quite different from
what we've been used to but once we were in the water we amazed by the sea life. We found the water a little cooler than we were used to so after an hour or so we set off for more beach combing in the sunshine to warm up.

We had throughly enjoyed the beautiful sailing conditions on the way north on Thursday and we were treated to more of the same for the return trip. Another great sail in bright sunshine, as we had a tight reach in 15-18 knots all the way back to Thompson Bay. It still amazes us as you sail on the open bank, with nothing in view to the west for miles and miles but the water is only 10 feet deep.

Today we all attended a fundraising BBQ for the local Opti Race Team. I had a chance to speak to the coach and they were thrilled that the cruisers in the harbour supported the event so well. There will be 3 qualifying regattas in Nassau this spring to select sailors to attend the North American Championships which will be held in Nassau later this year. It's a huge opportunity for the Bahamian kids to sail in a major event and they're all working hard to be on the team.

The harbour is quiet tonight as the forecasted strong winds have started to roll in. We’ expecteing 20-30 knots with gusts to 35 right through until Monday morning. Fortunately, we're well protected from the east as we sit in the lee of the hills on Long Island. The dinghy is hoisted in the davits and extra anchor chain has been let out so we're all set for the night.

Today's picture is of a tree in Hog Cay, I was intrigued by the above ground root system, hard to believe that it has survived hurricanes,