Last night as the Southeast wind kicked up and we bounced at anchor just off the abandoned site of the Perry Marine Research Institute at Lee Stocking Island, I had a dream about world destruction. It seems likely that the ghosts of this place had seeded themselves in my psyche: rusted and decomposing furniture, whiteboards still bearing dates and observations; research bibliographies partially removed from open three-ring binders strewn on cement floors, and the fish pens still streaming with marine life. The disarray of the ruins and remains of what was once an important NOAA -funded marine research facility suggests hurried flight, as if impending disaster loomed. A potent metaphor for these times. In reality, it was too expensive to dismantle and ship all the equipment, supplies and furnishings, so they were left to be reclaimed by salt, sea, wind and scavengers, a timeless fate for human endeavors seen everywhere on the islands of the Bahamas. And yet this island is one of the most strikingly beautiful we have visited, with an abundance private coves, half-moon stretches of sandy beach on both the banks and the Exuma Sound, healthy coral heads attracting reef fish, which we snorkeled, even on the inside banks of Williams Cay. After three nights at anchor, we are still waiting for the Southeast wind to settle before moving on.

We made a daring decision to rely on the influence of February's full moon on the tides to brave the inside passage from Rudder Cut Cay to Lee Stocking. The course along the magenta line showed mean low water as low as 1.3 meters. We never imagined that our 6 foot 4-inch draft could make it through without running aground. We left on the rising tide and relied on the guidance of our buddy boat, Jubilee, who called out depths to us as we traveled the meandering course through the banks well behind her. We always had a few inches of water beneath us, even at the shallowest places, but I'm not sure we would do it again without a similar confluence of tides. Another boat we had been traveling with left Rudder Cay the day before us to take the outside route after a night of wind that churned up the waves, and the captain had been knocked over his lifeline as he raised his main, saved only by his tether from going overboard. After hearing about this incident, we preferred to brave the inside route or wait until the wave heights subsided.

We are headed to Georgetown to re-provision and hopefully head to towards the Jumentos, as weather permits.