The boats at Hog Cay...all four of them...there is a trawler too low to see in this picture


We finally left Raccoon Cay and came down to Hog Cay. This is the "social center" for cruisers in the Ragged Islands. There's a pavilion on the beach along with fire pits, chairs, benches, etc. for our evening cocktail hours...very civilized. All of this and only 62 miles off the NE coast of Cuba.

The anchorage at Raccoon Cay


We are below the Tropic of Cancer. That means we are in the tropics folks. Yes it is in the mid 80's and the wind has been howling for several days. The winds are in the low to mid 20's day and night. The anchorages are comfortable, but it is hindering the spearfishing. It's too rough in the cuts between the islands and that's where most of the lobsters are located. So we've had to hunt on the small coral heads and reefs on the shallow bank side. Slim pickings so far. I'm sure things will change.

Kim surveying the beach (with drink in hand)


We do get internet (very slow) and TV here. Hog Cay is the closest anchorage to Duncan Town that has around 50 inhabitants. It's the only settlement in the whole of the Jumentos/Ragged Islands chain. In other words, the next closest Bahamian settlement is around 80 miles north.

Another view of the Raccoon anchorage


Right now, there are four boats down here. In the season, there are around 20+ boats down here, but the weather getting from the states and then moving south has not been cooperative this year. When coming to the Bahamas, my motto is, "get there as soon as you can". That has made a huge difference this year.

Kim is starting to do some basket weaving, but it's not like riding a bike. She hasn't gotten her "weave down" yet. Once she starts, I'm sure she'll be hell on wheels. Is that how that goes?

Today is "supposed" to have lower winds...in the mid-teens. That means we might go into town. It's a 5 NM dinghy trip and we go across a fairly open area to get there. There's not much there, but if the mailboat comes today, may be able to get some fresh veggies. Life in these out islands depends a lot on the mailboat. It's a big day when it arrives. Its schedule is sort of every three out of four weeks and usually on Thursday down here, but you never know for sure until the mailboat "done reached".

Hunting this morning and going to town this afternoon, maybe a wallow after that...whew a big day ahead.

More later...