In December our friends called and invited us to spend some time on their boat while they sail
the Bahamas this winter. It took us a nano second to say, "YES!" After many conversations of where and when we flew into Nassau on Feb. to meet them at the Nassau Yacht Club. They crossed from Fort Pierce, FL a couple of weeks before and explored the Berries, just north of Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas.
You fly over dark blue ocean for hours and then like a light went on you see out the plane window a mesmerizing, famous Bahama Blue. These are the Berries looking from the east or Atlantic side. (No color enhancements to any of these photos.)
By the end of this trip you'll be sick of this color, although I
never tire of it.
Our Navionics app shows the
speed of the plane and where we are approaching Nassau, New Providence Island with Andros to the left.
Lucky us that Oasis is waiting for us at the dock at Nassau Harbor Yacht Club.
Oasis is a spacious Catalina 44' boat with fore and aft cabins, 2 heads, a great cockpit with double wheels so there is a space between to easily walk down the stern steps into the beautiful water or dinghy. You'll see.
The first day we simply provisioned the boat at a nearby market. We walked to the National Trust (begun in 1985 by Prince Phillip) to get memberships and discounts for entereing the Exuma Land and Sea Park, "known for its pristine beauty, outstanding anchorages and breathtaking marine environment.." I have been to numerous talks on sailboats crossing from Florida to the Bahamas and never once have I heard of this fantastic National Park that is a preserve. It has far more fish and wildlife because of the protections - no fishing, take nothing out, leave nothing behind.
And where are we going? The Exumas - a group of islands southwest of Eleuthera, south of New Providence 176 square miles that include: Little Wax Cay, Shroud Cay, Little Pigeon Cay (private), Hawksbill Cay,
Little Hawksbill Cay, Cistern Cay (private), Long Cay, Warderick Wells,
Halls Pond Cay, Little White Bay Cay, South Halls Pond Cay (private),
Soldier Cay (private) O’Brien’s/ Pasture Cays, Bell Island (private),
Little Bell Island (private) and Rocky Dundas. Some of these are uninhabited but some of them have private resorts, and I mention their names as a potential vacation spot for any reader.
The weather conditions were iffy with conflicting information from Chris Parker, Barometer Bob.org, Wind Finder, Predict Wind -- generally the winds were predicted for 13 to 20 k and higher waves than have been out there in a while, but we decided not to wait another day. Our first leg was a short hour motoring east to Athos Island, an easy anchorage with, of course, snorkeling. Our entire trip the sail never came out. The wind was always dead on the nose or directly ahead with no angle to catch the slightest bit of wind. So it goes.
Motoring out of Nassau Harbor between Nassau and Paradise Island, home of the large gambling casino.
As we head out Alisa and I toast the our future days.
Ira and Drew at the helms.
We anchor at Athos and immediately Drew is snorkeling.
So am I. We saw little rock reefs with yellow and purple fairy fish, purple fan coral, red tube coral - not lots but it's trying to come back or it's the last bit.
The next morning we pass by this old lighthouse and swim spot as we head to Alan's Cay at 8 am ETA of 2:30. Lots of coral in the seas as we crossed over and shallow for our 5' draft boat.
I am astounded at how remote it all feels. No fresh water on these little cays explains why so many are uninhabited. No one is at the anchorage when we arrive. We think we're going to have the place to ourselves until 6 other boats come in later in the evening. Sunset is about 7 pm.
I think I am in Eden and eager to explore everything. Not able to wait for others I dive in and swim to shore, climb the steps to a concrete grafittiful and colorful small ruin. Drew came over and looked too.
Alisa is supreme at cooking, mindful of everyone's eating routines, super healthy and delicious. For the first few nights she heads up all the kitchen duties. We watch her and respect the routines she has artfully designed to maximize efficiency in the kitchen. After a while she reluctantly allows Drew and I to help out where we can to prepare appetizers, drinks, chop veggies and wash dishes.
This is quickly becoming my favorite vacation with few people to meet, no restaurants, great food, no shopping, good conversation - just looking at incredible views, snorkeling, exploring each island. Unfortunately we have no underwater camera so you won't see any fish, but they are there in large numbers. The protected area really makes a difference.
We explore the nearby coast in the dinghy.
Each anchorage in the Land and Sea Park has something special nearby. Leaf Cay has friendly Iguanas that love to be fed by tourists who come daily to do just that. I was surprised to meet eye to eye with an iguana in a tree. Scared me - didn't know they can climb.
No fear from any living being.
Every day on a boat has something to fix as you know from reading the blog. Our first day on the water the seas were over the bow. The forward hatch had not been double latched tight so saltwater came in all over the mattress, sheets and pad. They rinsed everything in fresh water and hung out all to dry all over the boat. The mattress was covered in towels to soak up the dampness and turned on its side then over. Each night it slowly dried out. They'll probably get a new one when they get back.
Always looking for that green flash when the sun sets into the sea.
Bed at 9 usually since we're up early, swim and explore each day. One night we opened all the hatches for some cool air as usual because of course there is no air conditioning nor fans. A sudden cloud burst caused us all to jump up out of bed to close all the hatches some of us naked.
The next day we snorkeled, but didn't see much but eel grass. Ira and Alisa each found sunglasses on the bottom.
Headed to Norman's Cay at 10 am just 10 miles, 2 hours. We pass Wax Cay that supposedly has luxurious resort. I am not using the Internet for 2 weeks. Ira and Drew have ways to pick it up on their connections.
Today's fix is related to the holding tank. Not something you ever want to have to fix.
Ira noticed that after he emptied the tank the gauge did not show zero. Hmmm. He figured somewhere in the thru hull it must have become plugged. He filled the tank with bucketfuls of water and when he emptied it not all came out. He brought the dinghy to the side of the boat with the dinghy air pump near the waste thru hole. He set up the air pump to push air into the thru hole and remove the plug. The first time nothing. I flushed for 10 seconds to fill up the tank. They tried pumping air again and the brown waste burst out with the removal of the pump hose. Success!
Three of us snorkeled just out to the anchor. You always can see it all the way down, clear as clear can be to the bottom's white sand. I noticed declivities in the sand filled with what looked like white feathers. (Camera couldn't capture it.) Have no idea what they were. I read and relaxed the rest of the day. (Presently reading
Manhattan Beach and
The Female Brain.)
We stay another day at this anchorage to explore the good snorkeling around a crashed seaplane about 10' down. We dinghy over to see schools of grunts and sargent majors come right up to our faces. More fish than usual, all colors, staying in their schools. We dinghy back to Oasis for beers and a nap. That night we watched
Captain and Commanders on an intermittent CD player for movie night. That became the fix for the next day. At dinner a knife went sliding off a plate onto the transom and into the sea at dinner. Drew snorkeled down and retrieved it the next day - water is so clear.
On to Shrouds Cay. The Land and Sea Park information described a surreal beach thru a mangrove on the Atlantic side. Through a little cut we dinghied to the other side through the mangroves and coral about 15 minutes. We pulled the dinghy up on a little beach and saw beautifully spectacular white silt sand, no fish area.
Me swimming in my cover up.
We walked to the top of the hill for the view. Ira coming up too.
There are people but so few.
On the way back we saw a young green turtle swimming between the dinghy and mangroves. When we returned to the boat I wanted to swim again and see the rocks and coral off of our boat. Tuna lunch for all. Alisa and I went snorkeling at the black rocks. We saw two Queen Anglefish - gorgeous and colorful, a green scrawled cowfish, a tree coral, fairy basslet, red soldierfish, rock beauty, blue tangs, lots of bluehead wrasses, barracudas, yellow goatfish, tomtate, grey striped snapper.
