Norman to Shroud
12 April 2017
Sally Beautiful in the Bahamas
The wind has finally let up enough to allow us to get the dingy back on the bow and the motor on the rail. We hopped out of bed at first light to get it up on deck before the winds started howling again. We never did make it ashore at Norman and both of us are a little stir crazy. The winds have abated enough for us to sail to Shroud and we pulled out at 10:00 which corresponded with high tide at Nassau. Tides here run about 30 minutes after Nassau.
The sail down went from a broad reach, to beam to close hauled to right on our nose. The winds were brisk in the 16 -18 K range. Today and tomorrow are the only days we will see wind under 20 for the foreseeable future. It's supposed to get very nasty over the weekend with squalls and wind gusts up to 30. So much for spring in the Bahamas having the better weather. We've been playing hide and seek with the winds and waves since we got here.
It is only 7 nm from Norman to Shroud which is part of the Exumas Land and Sea park. We have been told that the moorings in the Land and Sea park are the only ones in the Bahamas you can trust. These are supposedly maintained and we sure hope so!. We felt fortunate that there were 3 available when we pulled in. Three out of 5 of which the cruising guide said were 12. Hmmmm things that make you wonder. We picked up the pennant without any issues. We hadn't even got a line on before the park ranger came by to collect. Sheesh guys its blowing like stink can we get the boat secure first?!?! The charge for the mooring is dependent on boat length. Under 40 ft is 20 dollars a night, one of the times it is nice to be a smaller boat. We paid for 5 nights, resigning ourselves to being here until Monday after this next blow. We could move on tomorrow but we want to explore the island and tomorrow may be our only day to do that before we are boat bound by the next blow.
Again we have no cell signal or internet access. We do have lots of company, including several mega yachts. The anchorage/mooring field is truly beautiful. White sandy beaches beckon to us and there are some protected coves to explore. It looks like the snorkeling here could be excellent.
Scott inspected the mooring carefully, it looks to be in good shape. If the Captain is comfortable with it then I am as well. A couple in a dingy stopped by to talk with us, he was from Annapolis and saw our hailing port. He questioned our reliance on the park mooring. I think there is a lot of that going on as most boats are on anchor here. However his plan was to move tomorrow to Warderick Wells for the blow and he would be picking up a mooring there.... Interesting. Both are maintained by the Land and Sea park. Difference being the headquarters of the park are in Warderick Wells.
We did not take the dingy off the bow. We spent the afternoon watching the folks in the anchorage. The mega yachts have all kinds of toys and had set up canopies on the beach for their guests. We figure most of them are charters. None of them have offered to have us come over for sundowners!
The picture is the view off our bow, hard to stay in such surroundings for five whole days. I can hear the groans now. That beach is waiting for my toes!!