May 17 - May 31, 2007

Marooned in Spanish Wells, St George’s Cay since 5/14 (17 days and still counting). The winds just won’t blow themselves out!! There are several boats stuck in the same situation and we are all trying not to go crazy. We have been able to do a bit of walking on the beach as well as exploring and of course there are the social gatherings with the other cruisers.

One walk on the beach brought us some kind of sea worm. At least that’s what we think it might be. No one seems to know what it is. They looked like rolled up nylon stockings, felt like jello and broke very easily when lifted creating 2 new ones. Tom actually split one in two when he first lifted it with a stick.

We met quite a few new cruisers heading in all directions but we all were stuck in Spanish Wells with the wind and squalls.

Having not done laundry since we left Marsh Harbour on April 9th, Babette was forced into doing it for a day’s entertainment. Luckily this affluent community had 1 washer and 1 dryer located behind a small grocery store and what a bargain at $2 a wash and $2 a dry!! It did occupy most of the day but mission was accomplished.

The man we rent the mooring from offered to give us a ride back to our dinghy by car so we wouldn’t have to lug the load of laundry. What a pleasant surprise!! His wife, Pat, and himself, Bradley, gave us a tour of the area and neighboring George’s Cay. A lot of developing going on in this area. We were amazed by the amount of construction and mainly by locals.

We left Rock Sound on Sunday, 5/13, for Hatchet Bay. Escaping the thunderstorms to the south of us we welcomed the enclosed bay with grateful feelings. We were very lucky today!!

(trip - 42.9 nm)

Out of Hatchet Bay, Monday 5/14, with a destination of Spanish Wells. We raced through the feared, but respected, Current Cut at 9.7 knots!! Arrived in Spanish Wells an hour before the winds picked up. Now it’s time to kick back, chill and relax as the weather forecast is yucky (windy and thunderstorms) for the next week! (trip - 28.6 nm)

Some pictures from Current Cut

The rocky bar need to pass before the sharp right angle turn with the cut behind.

Escape cruising through the cut at 9.7 knots!!

The ebbing current was ripping at about 4 knots.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

The day has come!! We decided to begin our return back to the states. Deciding which route to take was difficult. Do we take the one we came down on which took several days or another route with only a couple long days? Weather reports state a lot of unsettled weather and atmospheric conditions. Not to mention the sub-tropical storm Andrea which was only a little more than 100 miles from Nassau. Being within 50 miles from Nassau we decided to return the way we came …back up the Eleuthera coast.

Our last night in Exumas was spent in the Emerald Rock anchorage in the Land and Sea Park in Warderick Wells. With an absolutely calm evening, the water being clearer than a swimming pool and the most perfect sunset we savored the moment. (trip - 19.2 nm)

Thursday, May 10, 2007 Exuma Sound Crossing

Up before sunrise to prepare for the day’s voyage across Exuma Sound. After listening to Chris Parker’s weather forecast and for the location of Andrea, it looks good to go. We passed through Warderick Cut with the tide flowing in our favor at 7:50 am. Within 45 minutes….BOOM!! ….a clap of thunder was heard in the distance. Babette called a local weather forecaster and inquired about the thunderstorm conditions on her radar. The radar showed was only scattered storms…..no squall line….no problems.

We watched the distant dark sky for 4 hours trying to decipher it’s direction. Having difficulty figuring out which way it was traveling, it began growing darker and darker. When the rainfall on the water became apparent….that’s when we knew we were doomed. The storm had been chasing us for 30 miles and had now caught up.

The wind changed directions from SE to NW (not exceeding 20 knots - thank god!!) and the torrential downpour created whiteout conditions. We were 1.5 nm from the shoreline and flying along at 7.5 knots. We wanted out of the lightning and the shallow waters ahead of us so we reversed our course and headed backwards. Within 45 minutes the skies had become sunny and we were back on course. We have experienced many thunderstorms but this was the 1st one in over 14,000 feet of water.

We arrived in Rock Sound, Eleuthera at 3:45 pm ready for a cold beer. We made great time crossing the Exuma Sound and now we’ll wait for the atmosphere to become more settled before cruising up the coast. (trip - 51.7 nm)

Lesson learned: When you can’t tell what way the clouds are moving, it’s probably because they are coming toward you.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Left Emerald Rock, Waderick Wells and motor sailed to Staniel Cay (trip 19.4 nm)

We go ashore to check out the area. Staniel Cay is a mixture of Bahamians and foreigners with second homes on the island. It is known as the cruising headquarters for the central Exumas and is welcoming and helpful to the yachting community. There are a lot of mega yachts in the area. The Staniel Cay Yacht Club is the central attraction.

Much sea life can be seen at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club docks - large nurse sharks, several stingrays, variety of fish and fish skeletons.

Stingrays

7 ft nurse shark. One of the larger ones. There are several.

Friday, May 4, 2007

We heard our friend Captain Randy on the VHF radio. He and his friend, Marlee were up from Georgetown after the family regatta taking a few days of leisure until the next race. Randy is the captain of Nomad which is the towing boat for the Bahamian racing sailboat, Abaco Rage. We became friends with Randy in Abaco. He anchored Nomad next to us at the Thunderball Cave.


Saturday, May 5, 2007

Randy and Marlee ask us to join them on a skiff tour through Pipe Creek Cay. No questions asked we hop aboard. It was a beautiful sunny day with spectacular waters. Randy weaved us through the coral heads and sand bars.

Captain Randy & Marlee

First stop - Sampson Cay where we visit Randy’s friends to return some snorkel gear they borrowed. Marlee needs a souvenir for the dog sitter so David sends her over to Graham who lives in a petite cottage across the bay. He carves buttonwood. Interesting guy and a recluse!!

Second stop - Little Pipe Creek sand bar. We drift the skiff to the sand bar where out of the sand awaits an anchor line to hook up to. Secured to the line we pop a cold one to quench our thirsts. Absolutely awesome!

Little Pipe Cay beacon


Marlee relaxes with a cold one on the sand bar.

Weaving through the sand bars, rock and coral heads once again, we arrive at our third

stop - Compass Cay Marina. Tied up to the dock, we treat our thirst to another cold one from the marina store. We met Micah and Andrea who are running the marina and cottages. Very quiet cay but very quaint!! They even have pet nurse sharks that they have named. The other island entertainment are the NAS-CRAB races.

Tom & Micah at the Compass Cay Marina gathering spot.

Meet the pet sharks at Compass Cay Marina

NAS CRAB Raceway and the rib of a 45 ft sperm whale

We return back to our boats and gussied up for the Cinco de Mayo festivities at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Homemade sangria, margaritas, and Corona beers are the specials. A Mexican buffet is dinner at the ringing of the dinner bell at 7pm. We didn’t stay for the buffet as we were all tired from being tourists for the day. Life sure is good!!

Captain Randy & Babette celebrating Cinco de Mayo
at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

We leave the Thunderball mooring with a slack tide due to the strong current that flows with the tides to head to Big Majors Spot, an island just around the corner (2.1 nm) After getting a good anchor set, Tom notices the autopilot isn’t working right and needs to be reset. So after breakfast we haul anchor and take advantage of the calm conditions needed to reset it. After numerous circles made trying to reset it, it just won’t set so we give up and re-anchor, just a little frustrated.

We regroup and head out for the next attraction of Big Majors Spot…..Pig Beach. Wild pigs swim out to greet the incoming dinghies looking for any table scraps they might bring to share with them. We meet 5 of the pigs but we didn’t get to meet the piglets. It’s quite something to say the least!

We’re spotted….

then checked out…he begged…

And he got what he wanted.

We only saw 5 of the pigs - 2 males, 3 females.
There were piglets but they didn’t come to visit.

Back at the boat, we notice it’s slack low tide and it would be a good time to snorkel the Thunderball Cave. This is where they filmed the James Bond movie “Thunderball” with Sean Connery as well as “Splash” with Tom Hanks. Once inside the entrance it opens up to a skylit cavern filled with colorful coral and abundant fish. Tom was amazed he was able to get Babette inside the cave seeing she is a reluctant and anxious snorkeler, BUT…….she did it!!

Thunderball Cave entrance.

At the days end we enjoyed a BBQ steak dinner aboard Escape. Quite a few full days.

Sunday, April 29, 2007 Exuma Sound Crossing

A mixed bag of weather. Left Rock Sound with cloudy skies, had a light rain shower causing the wind to shift directions and be on the nose (not what we wanted). With 29 nm more to go , we had to decide whether to go on or turn back. The skies looked broken and a bit bluer ahead so on we motor sailed. Once the rain ended the wind came back behind us and the sun came out. We had made the right decision.

Entered Waderick Cut on an incoming half tide. Once the current grabbed the boat we were moving along at 7.8 knots. Having received our mooring assignment from the park ranger, Judy, we navigated through the moored boats to the very last mooring ball. The channel is u-shaped and is flanked with sand bars. Beautiful to look at and very narrow. Attached to the mooring, we pinched ourselves to make sure we were still alive. This place is incredibly spectacular !!!

Exumas Land and Sea Park headquarters in Waderick Wells

Monday, 4/30 - 5/2/07

Park Exploring. Awesome Place!

Waderick Wells is located in the middle of The Exumas Land and Sea Park. It is the 1st land and sea park in the world and is owned by the Bahamas National Trust. The park encompasses 176 square miles of land and sea (approximately 22 miles in length and 10 miles wide). This area is a NO-TAKE zone (nothing living or dead can be removed from the park). This is one of 25 national parks in the Bahamas.

The park is well planned out and impeccably maintained. There are 4 miles of hiking trails, a skeleton of a 52 ft sperm whale, snorkeling, blow holes, beautiful beaches, caves, cliffs, spectacular view, folk lore of ghosts, shipwrecks, and the famous
Boo Boo Hill.

A 52 ft. sperm whale that died from eating plastic bags thought to be jellyfish.

There are 4 miles of hiking trails providing all different types of terrain and are very well maintained.

The Causeway trail.

Blow holes. As the waves hit the rocky cliffs it forces air up through the holes

creating a Marilyn Monroe breeze.

The infamous Boo Boo Hill.

Waderick Wells is believed to be haunted from the 3 shipwrecks off it's coast.

Escape's donation to Boo Boo Hill.

Only driftwood items are allowed. Babette carved a piece we had onboard and inlaid green sea glass.

We left the northern anchorage in the park Tuesday afternoon and anchored near Emerald Rock where we went snorkeling over some small coral patches. It was the BEST snorkeling we've ever seen. The park is an incredible place!!