March 22, 2012

We arrived in Nassau yesterday, having decided to try to catch the weather window forecast for Friday and Saturday that looks good for a crossing of the Gulf Stream to Florida. We still are in the company of Steve and Mary Ann on Living Well, and they have been most gracious and generous in giving dinghy rides!

We enjoyed a leisurely cruise up the Exuma chain, from Sampson Cay, to Cambridge Cay (March 16 to 17), thence to Hawksbill Cay (March 18-20), Shroud (March 20-21), and now Nassau. Cambridge Cay is in the Exuma Park and we had a wonderful snorkel day at the Sea Aquarium (located between several islands just north of Cambridge). It is not an “aquarium” in the man-made sense. Rather, it is a large coral head and islet around which a huge variety of fish, coral, and other creatures thrive – including lobster – can you spot it? Because this is in the park, we could only look but not take (or taste). We also snorkeled a small airplane wreck, hiked from Honeymoon Beach to the south end of Cambridge and snorkeled out to near the cut, where we saw Elkhorn Coral (and watched carefully as the incoming waves crested over the surrounding rocks), and we all went to Rachel’s Bubble Bath, on the north end of Compass Cay (next post). In short, we took advantage of the wonderful water and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

At Hawksbill, we took a mooring (still in the Park) at the southern mooring field. (On the way south, we anchored in the northern anchorage). The southern field is beautiful and we walked the beaches, snorkeled the coral heads dotting the area, and explored a creek that meanders from the inside originating in a mangrove swamp. (Those are nursery habitats for a multitude of fish, turtles, sharks, etc.) While we were snorkeling around one big head, we saw a small turtle a distance away. Those creatures may be awkward and slow on land, but they are little rockets in the water.

Shroud Cay was just a short (5 mile) sail to the north and we took moorings in the central field. (On the way down, we anchored at the south end to try to avoid a more northerly wind. This time, the wind was from the east and forecast to intensify, so we wanted to be in the lee of the land.) We went ashore and found the fresh water well that has been used for centuries by spongers and fishermen. The well is large and the water quite good! We also dinghied through the northern creek to the out (Exuma Sound) side and Steve and Van climbed up to Camp Driftwood (where a hermit was said to have lived). The driftwood is all gone, but the views are quite nice. Looking down on the interior of the island (which actually is a cluster of cays) reminds one of a view across the plains of Africa – low scrubby growth, interspersed by a meandering waterway, hot, and sunny. The view to the outside reminded us all why we had not ventured out to the Sound – it was rough.

Although we had talked about continuing our slow passage north (possibly to Norman’s Cay, Highborne Cay, and Allen’s Cay – where the iguanas live), because the forecast for Friday and Saturday is for light winds with a southerly component, which is what one wants to cross the Gulf Stream, and because another front and increasing winds from the north (what one does not want) are forecast for an extended period, we decided to make the jump to Nassau and be in position to make the crossing. It is about 40 miles from the mooring field in Shroud to the marina in Nassau, so we dropped the mooring lines, said farewell to Gaia, and headed north. The winds were from the east at 22-24, as forecast, with gusts to 25-26. On Gratitude, we set the jib and the mizzen sail and enjoyed a broad reach at an average of 7.5 knots, often over 8. Although a somewhat “cork screwy” path, the ride was not uncomfortable and we made good time to Nassau. We called the Nassau Harbor Club and reserved the last two slips and then cleared in through Nassau Harbor Control for our two days here.

While we do not need much in the way of food, we do need some fresh fruits and vegetables, so we will hit the supermarket this morning. Mary Ann has promised to show Lauren the Bahamian fabric store in town, and we will do a walkabout and enjoy other shops and treats. We intend to have lunch at one of the “fish shacks” at the foot of the bridge to Paradise Island, and Lauren wants to have a final Piña Colada before we depart the Bahamas on Friday morning. That likely will be used to wash down some conch fritters, another local treat.