Sorry for the delay in getting this onto the blog but internet is a problem out in the Exumas. We have a 3G simcard from Bahamas Telecoms but for the last few days it has been on the slowest snail pace imaginable because of high winds moving the dishes and wifi is only available ashore in a few places, never free in marinas and when we can get it loading photos is really hard.
However there will be photos loaded in the next day or so to go with this blog.
My sisters arrived early February direct to Nassau from the UK and we sailed up there a day earlier to take a berth in the Nassau Boat Harbour Marina to do some jobs, restock the larder, and give the boat a good clean. We have had some pretty strange weather during January when we have had to find sheltered anchorages, some with tricky entrances and dicey amounts of water so that marina berths (which are horrendously expensive in the Exumas) are a treat to be used well.

The first night we tied up two boats were boarded, one right opposite us on the same dock way, by robbers swimming out. Both boats were entered and the robbers managed to get away with money, phones and computers from one boat but on the other boat the owner woke to find one of the bad guys in his cabin looking through his things. Both boats also had their paddle boards removed from the deck - presumably the bad guys use these to get away.
We checked on our stern steps up from the water but there was no salt so we knew we had been lucky. We decided that as soon as the girls were aboard that afternoon we would leave, not wanting to risk the first night of their holiday being targeted by thieves.
Security guards were on duty at the marina supposedly all night!!!

We had dinner en route and the girls went to bed at 8pm, leaving Gerry and I to finish the final 20 miles or so back to Highbourne Cay where we had a marina berth booked for the following night. We knew we could approach the island and anchor safely in the dark.
The wind increased to over 20 knots nearly on the nose and the boat was going up and down quite a bit but our sleepy passengers dozed on and were only woken when the anchor went down at 11.30 pm.
We spent two nights in Highbourne Cay marina, one of the days we went to neighbouring Allens Cay to see the native iguanas on the beach. The weather was lovely and when we left to go south we had light winds and lovely warm sunshine. Highbourne has free bicycles, kayaks and paddle boards for guests and chairs and recliners and shady gazebos on the beaches.

A stop off for snorkelling on the wrecked drug runners plane at Normans Cay was made all the more interesting when a large eagle spotted ray drifted through the anchorage and the girls were able to snorkel right over it.
We also went to our favourite anchorage off Shroud Cay so we could dinghy through the mangrove channels to the lovely beach and inlet on the ocean east side of the island.

However as has been the case all winter another weather system threatened to turn the wind to the west which makes all the favourite anchorages untenable along the islands so we retreated to Compass Cay marina further south. The marina was full of large boats and we were given a berth behind another boat of the same design as ours. But we were pinned against the wooden pilings for two days and paying $120 per night plus electricity for the pleasure so we pulled out and anchored further north in the Exuma Land and Sea Park at Bell Island.
Johnny Depp has recently purchased one of the islands called Little Halls Pond Cay a few islands north of Bell Island.
As with may of the private islands there is no access ashore but we found another island nearby with trails to walk for some exercise.
We also snorkelled on some coral areas and into some impressive caves.

Once the weather settled down we made the final leg of their journey to Staniel Cay where they were taking an inter island flight back to Nassau with the prettily named Flamingo Air!
The area around Staniel Cay is famous for the swimming pigs (on the Expedia or Trip Advisor ad - can't remember which) and the Thunderball Cavern where scenes from Sean Connery's Thunderball movie were shot.
After the girls left we stayed on in the area and spent a few days down at Black Point where there is an amazing launderette to get all those towels and sheets washed.
We are now back in Staniel Cay and will go into the marina this morning ready to give the boat a wash and wait for the arrival of our friend Sue this afternoon.