DAY 40 – January 14th 2011 – Nassau Harbour
After checking the weather we decided not to go to the Exumas, I am disappointed but really not knowing the islands at the top of the chain and whether or not we would find a good enough anchorage for this north wind that is due we thought it safer to stay around Nassau. I did not want to get there and not be able to get back for my flight next Saturday. So we decided to check out Salt Cay and Rose Island, pulled up the anchor and headed west out of the harbour, we thought it might be good to go round Atlantis and see Paradise Island from the north side. It is quite deep and we thought we would be able to get in close. It was so rough again after going out of the channel that we did not want to get too close to Paradise Island as the north wind was pounding us into shore. Once in between the two islands the sea calmed down. We did not stay at Salt, there did not seem to be a safe enough anchorage in this wind so we carried onto Rose Island where we found a lovely bay with three other boats. Anchored and set in to enjoy a quiet day but unfortunately a motor cruiser arrived with about 20 young people on board, jet skis and noise. Doug had a snooze and I tried to sit on the bow and read but it was no good, so we took dinghy to shore and motored along the rocks looking down into the clear water at the coral and fish. Then we went over to a small island with a beautiful white beach. As we approached we ran aground and another dinghy arrived and ran aground at the same time. I got out and I pulled us ashore and up onto the beach while Doug sat like a King with Princess Pinot in the dinghy. This couple had come ashore by dinghy from Nassau, it had taken them over an hour. Seems to me like a bit of a risk. They were here from Cape Cod on their boat but did not want to take her off the dock because of the wind. I am thinking taking a dinghy across in that wind was not too smart either. We both took off at the same time back along the shore and they headed off across the channel and we headed to an inlet we had seen in the rock earlier. This inlet had been cut out of the rock and shore about 100 feet high, we knew there was at least 8 feet of water that went in and round in a circle. As we went in we passed docks that had not been completed, a lovely home with a power boat and a fishing boat and then round the corner came upon an old dock with a sunken boat still attached and two sailboats tied up. A guy was sanding the wood in the cockpit. We thought that both boats were probably just using the docks, they looked like permanent live aboards and using the place just to stay. Once back on board we up anchored and headed back to Nassau, I would have liked to stay but we were unsure of how much wind we would get this evening and there was a reef right behind us not too far out, so if we had dragged, we would have hit the rocks. Got back to Nassau harbour and anchored a bit closer to shore than before. The wind started to pick up even here in the harbour. We ate dinner and I watched a movie while Doug checked out the weather and stuff on the computer.