I'm trying to do this blog post thru the SSB radio interface...hope it works!

We left Nassau for Highborne Cay in the Exumas Tuesday (4/3), arriving in the mid-afternoon. We had an easy motor over the banks with no wind & flat seas. Looking at the bottom in 20' of water, you could see every little detail in the sand! Lots of starfish, some sea cucumbers & a few (lemon?) sharks.

The next day we left for Norman's Cay. This was the Bahamas HQ for the Columbian cocaine dealer Carlos Lehder in the lates 70's & early 80's. By the looks of all the run-down buildings, he had a major operation there at one time. On the way, we went out into the Exuma Sound fishing in 90' - 2500' of water - no luck. After anchoring, we explored the southern section of the island (where Lehder's buildings were located). Thw weather predictions were for the wind to clock around to the West, then NW and N with the possibility of squalls & 50kt - 60kt winds! As we were in a good spot for that weather, we decided to stay put. However, the winds for the evening were predicted to be very light - unfortunately that was incorrect as they picked up a LOT after midnight.

The next morning I discovered the dinghy was missing! A sailor anchored next to us answered my radio call for help & took me all around the (long) lagoon, but no dinghy. Shortly after that, I took Windy to shore on the kayak & under the decrepit docks lay the dinghy - with the motor under it half-buried in the sand.