Time To Head “Home”

Emerald Bay Marina, Great Exuma

Our last couple of weeks here has been back in visitor mode, however this time the visitors have been staying on land as with 7 young kids between them life aboard would have been just a bit cramped!

First up were the Fletchers who were staying at Staniel Cay.  With the aid of a Boston Whaler we were able to take in all the sights of the local area, Thunderball Cave, iguanas, swimming pigs and the snorkeling and beaches of Exuma sea park – all best summed up in pictures really.

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After that we sailed down to Emerald Bay to meet the Farleys catching a huge 49” Mahi Mahi on the way, it’s even bigger than the one we caught off the DR in 2009. We had a similarly excellent time with the Farleys either round the pool at the resort or during our side trip to George Town, wonderful to see everyone on holiday rather than working!

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So now it is time for us to turn round and head north, we hope to get away tomorrow and begin the slow trip, it’s around 1300 miles to Annapolis where we plan to spend summer doing some boat work and land travel, we will update our progress as we sail.

Enjoying The Exumas

Staniel Cay, Exumas

When Bofix (finally reunited with their luggage) departed on 10th March, Linda and I were faced with a rare occurrence this season, a whole month with no visitors and no timetable to be anywhere!

We thought up various plans but finally settled on returning to the Exuma Cays to explore the areas we missed on the way south and go back to some favourite spots.  We were also keen to make the most for the last few weeks of the lobster season.

First stop was Rudder Cut Cay a new place for us and a lovely spot, great snorkeling in the area and a calm all weather anchorage.  David Copperfield has bought the islands around there and is trying to keep it all as private as he can, but luckily Bahamian law keeps the beaches open for all so at least his undeveloped Cays are accessible.

The highlight of the area was snorkeling Cave Cay Cut where we saw some huge Eagle Rays up close.

From there we headed north to White Point, catching another Mahi Mahi on the way (not sure what we are doing right this year fishing but whatever it is I hope we keep doing it!).

After exploring there we took in the familiar sights of the Cays, with lots of fun and a few minor incidents, running aground at Normans Cay for a few hours, and my clumsy fall at Allans Cay.

I got up in the morning and walked up the back companion way carrying my Kindle and a coffee, I lost my footing and fell head first into the push pit, hitting my head very hard, smashing my Kindle to pieces but miraculously saving the coffee!  

Other than a small cut all was well except that I then had one of my Vaso Vagal attacks and Linda found me out cold, rigid and frothing at the mouth in the back cockpit.  I woke up after about a minute far less shaken than poor Linda who had not witnessed one first hand before.  24 hours later I am back to normal and we are back snorkeling and so forth!

From there we returned to Cambridge Cay and spent a superb week anchored there enjoying the beach and the stunning diving and snorkeling in Exuma Sea Park.

We returned south today and have two more sets of visitors before we begin the migration north for summer.

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