Sand Dollar Beach, Stocking Island, Elizabeth Harbour, George Town anchorage

We broke away from Black Point and headed south Monday February 6th, making it to Lee Stocking Island, home of the Caribbean Research Center. Going out Galliot Cut with the SE wind and the ebbing tide made for an exciting passage with huge waves against us, but the current and wind with us, whizzing through the cut at 6.7K. Our speed decreased as we turned into the SE with spray going over our bow. Thankfully, only 12 miles until Adderly Cut and around to the anchorage at Lee Stocking. 3 boats were on mooring balls. Opting to anchor we dropped the hook among them; 3 chartered Beneteaus came in and took the remaining 3 mooring balls, and 2 other boats anchored. Numerous boats were anchored south at Williams Cay.

Tuesday, February 7th, we headed out early, 7am, to make it through Adderly Cut at, hopefully, slack tide, and it wasn’t bad. Once out, we hoisted the m’sail and motorsailed to Conch Cut. It was a beautiful day and the Sound was calmer than the day before. Numerous boats were out on the water. Coming into the harbour we could see a forest of sails in the distance, most around Volley Ball Beach. We tucked in a corner at Sand Dollar Beach and are enjoying the peace and quiet of the anchorage. We did dinghy into Chat ‘n Chill and saw one of the stingrays circling the dinghies at the beach and the pile of conch shells from the Chat ‘n Chill Conch Salad Bar. We could stay here: it’s warm and exotic. We have our books and Ken has his painting. I only need to find a Mexican Train game and internet!

Black Point anchorage

Wednesday, February 1st, we finally left Cambridge Cay for Black Point. We dinked over to the Exuma Park sign and pay box to pay $60 ($15/night) mooring fee after stopping to say hi to the s/v Gratitude from Brandon, VT. All of the boats in the mooring field were leaving, but new boats were coming in as we were going out the channel.

We motor sailed to Harvey Cay where we furled the jib to beat directly into the SE wind the 5 long miles to Black Point. About 40 boats were anchored Wednesday night, but most left the next day for Little Farmers.

Thursday we walked to the seaglass beach and spent about an hour collecting the glass. I love beachcombing and looking for sea glass is my favorite pastime, although it is all waiting for me to use. We ended up going once more during our stay, the first time being the most productive. Each day we thought we’d leave the next, but the weather would deteriorate and we weren’t sure the condition of Exuma Sound.

People were making arrangements for Super Bowl w/numerous parties around the islands. In Black Sound the most popular place is Lorraine’s, a small restaurant w/a laid back atmosphere. Black Sound is probably the most destitute rundown place the cruisers frequent. The big draw is Rockside Laundromat and the proprietor, Ida, also cuts hair, and there are coin operated hot showers. Besides Lorraine’s, there are DeShaMon and Scorpios. All offered Super Bowl parties, but most signed up for Lorraine’s with about 50 people in her little restaurant. We stopped in at Scorpios w/Pru and Burt from s/v Exuberant and Chris and Tom from s/v Polar Pacer. They’d just come from Little Farmers where they had a blast at the 5F.

All the islands were almost devoid of groceries because the supply boat was diverted to Little Farmers for the 5F. Little Farmers is a tiny island w/a population of 55. Most of the cruisers in the area and a lot of the Bahamian sailors and families converge on the island for the weekend. Important dignitaries, including the Prime Minister, give speeches; the racing boats and crew are transported by freighter.

Saturday, our last day, we thought, having eaten at Lorraine’s, which was an experience, we’d try DeShaMon’s. The door was closed. I checked to see if it was locked and if anyone was around. As I was entering through the unlocked door, someone from down the street hollered to say they were closed, that they’d gone to Little Farmers to the boat race and for us to eat at Lorraine’s. Lorraine’s is like no other restaurant. It’s very rundown on the outside and not much better on the inside. Lorraine herself was behind the bar, but wouldn’t wait on me to get Ken a Kalik and me a glass of wine. I had to wait on myself. She expects everyone to make themselves at home, to help themselves w/drinks and to keep a tally of it themselves. One table will give her their order then she goes into the kitchen and prepares it while all the rest of us wait our turns. After getting our drinks and serving one table, we gave her our order and I told a new couple, Cathy and Robert on s/v B n G what to expect. We spent the meal exchanging stories w/Cathy and Robert. Just as we were finishing, Lorraine said she was stepping out for awhile and could someone answer the VHF if anyone called. We figured out about what our bill would be, left the money at the table, and left. And this is why the cruisers embrace her, and why they embrace the whole community because they’re all like this. They’re all friendly and appreciate anything that’s done for them, yet they’re extremely casual about everything.

One night we joined Ann and Joe at Scorpios for happy hour and another had happy hour on their boat. We met Phillip and Sasha and their twins Chantelle and Corwin from Wyoming on s/v Amazing Grace. And Bruce and Gayle on s/v Aquarelle, who are veterans of cruising. The bay went from 40 boats to 20 during the 5F and back up to 50 boats for Sunday and the Super Bowl parties. It was time to leave.

Cambridge Cay mooring ball

We left the anchorage soon after 7am, following ‘Smiles’ with ‘Short Walk’ following us. Later ‘Makani’ and ‘Coyote’ caught up w/us and headed on to Highbourne Cay. The wind was nearly on our nose. I hailed Ann and Joe to say we might divert to Highbourne so we could sail, but decided against it, pulled out the jib, and motored sailed.

About 3 hrs into Exuma Sound about 20 small dolphins played in our bow wave and then veered off to the port side, leaping and bounding out of the water. One small one did impossible jumps, way into the air, upside down, until I determined it wasn’t a dolphin but a large fish they were tossing into the air. As I was scanning the horizon I saw a whitecap that didn’t disappear, looked thru the binoculars and saw it was a dinghy in the middle of Exuma Sound! I hailed Short Walk, who was a few miles behind us, to keep an eye out for it. We saw them change directions and they picked up a brand new 10’Zodiac inflatable w/a 15hp motor. Joe put out ‘securite’ calls and later found out s/v Chaunticler’ lost it at Rum Cay. It had traveled 100 miles north in Exuma Sound.

The crossing across Exuma Sound was a gentler crossing than across the NE Providence Channel. Just outside Bell Cut, we furled the sails and slowly motored into the mooring area where 5 others boats were moored with plenty of moorings open.

Sunday, January 29th, we lolled on the boat, listened to the weather on VHF 12 at 8am that ‘Blue Yonder’ transmits from Staniel Cay, and the mooring assignments at Exuma Park on VHF 09 at 9am. On our way to the seaglass beach we stopped and saw Ann and Joe to discuss the dinghy, which looks brand new and the owner is supposed to pick up tomorrow. Later we all snorkeled at the Sea Aquarium, a beautiful protected reef w/mooring balls for dinghies. Lots of Sergeant Majors, parrot fish of different colors, beautiful coral, and many other colorful fish. We also stopped at the downed plane, a small submerged plane w/reefs nearby. A large stingray w/its long stinger was partially buried in the sand. I opted not to go in w/the strong current but could see the stingray using the looky bucket. Then on to some small islands near to the mooring field. I walked to the island and sandbar we had used for happy hour, and Ann and I found boards to make a table. And, next to the Exuma Park sign was the pay box. On the way back to the boat we stopped at all the boats to notify them of happy hour on the island at 4:30pm. We all converged on the island w/appetizers and drinks, talked sailing, and watched the sunset for the green flash, which didn’t happen because of a cloud obscuring the sun on the horizon.

Next to Cambridge Cay is Belle Island. A sheik owns it, even though it’s in the Park, and is completely reorganizing the island, excavating from one side a monstrous pile of sand on the other. It was a shock to see the change. Johnny Depp owns Little Halls Pond Cay, close to the Sea Aquarium, but has kept the buildings low key, so far.

That night the front hit the area, rigging screeching and boat rocking back and forth, temperature dropping into the low 70s. It was a chance to cook: teff muffins, coleslaw, and the rest of the mutton snapper we bought in Spanish Wells. Later we dinked over to the beach w/the casuarinas and found the trail to the ocean side, stopped at the beach to Bell Rock and talked to Ann and Joe and Steve, the owner of ‘Chaunticler’, who couldn’t thank us enough for finding his dinghy, a needle in a haystack and on its way to Eleuthera where it would have beached on the sandbars, probably rotting in the sun and sand.

Tuesday, January 31st, we’d planned on leaving, but the weather had other plans. Rain came down in sheets, the wind rocking the boat. We later heard boats sailing on the Exuma bank clocking 32-35K. Many boats were making plans to go to the 5F Festival at Little Farmers Cay (Little Farmer Cay Festival on the First Friday in February). We were debating whether to join them or stay at Black Point enjoying the peace and quiet.

Rock Sound anchorage

Leaving beautiful Alabaster Bay around 8am, we sailed to Kemps Point, furled the sails and then motored on in to Rock Sound, dropping the hook near Little Gully and Pascal’s Restaurant among 4 other boats, including s/v Short Walk. ‘Makani’ and ‘Coyote’ came in later, making 11 boats in the north and central anchorages.

Ken changed the oil, pumped in the fuel, and topped off the water tanks.

The next morning, Wednesday, January 25th, Ann and Joe stopped by on their way to the gov’t dock and we dinghied over w/them. We all stopped at Dingles, a local gas station/store/internet supplier. Ken and I walked on to The Market, stopping and talking to Betsy and Jim from m/v Smiles. Ann and Joe stopped by later for happy hour and we discussed going to Cat Island, via Little San Salvador, from here.

Thursday we replenished the fuel and water. Ken and I dinghied over to the gov’t dock, a small dock w/ladders built after the other docks were destroyed, not very convenient to Dingles. He filled the 2 jerry cans then carried them out to the dock w/o ladders, what is left of the old gov’t dock. I stayed there while he brought the dinghy around, stood on the side of the dinghy, grabbed a jerry can I helped him balance, lifting it down into the dinghy. We repeated this process, which is lucky we did because the next day Dingles ran out of fuel. I also signed up for 24hr of internet.

At noon we met Ann and Joe at Pascal’s for lunch and to fill our jerry cans w/water. They’d been sitting at the table for awhile waiting for the restaurant to open. Hours for lunch were to start at 11am, but the owner didn’t get around to opening until after noon. We all discussed our plans. With the winds continuing out of the SE, it made sense to go to the Exumas first then Rum, Conception, and Cat coming back up. Later, checking the weather again, Ken and I decided we’d go the other way. I sent Ann and email and she laughed saying they’d decided to go to the Exumas. We’d wait until morning to make a final decision. Friday with the weather report from Chris Parker predicting strong winds for a few days, we all decided the Exumas made more sense, and the moorings at Cambridge Cay would provide protection, plus there’s lots of snorkeling around there.

Ken and I went into Pascal’s again Friday and on to The Market since Pascal’s was still buttoned down at 11:30. We came back and had lunch and filled our jerry cans w/water again. We got back to the boat and put up the motor and dinghy. That night was a fund raiser/dinner at the pavilion near the beach and we could hear the loud bass until 2am! We later heard from other boaters that the dinner was delicious.

Alabaster Bay anchorage

Conferring w/Short Walk, we agreed to leave between 7 and 7:30am to make it through Current Cut near slack tide. Bandit had not come to collect our mooring fee of $20. I hailed him at 7am Sunday, afraid the whole town would be unavailable all Sunday, but he answered and said he’d be out to collect. We left our moorings about 7:30am, Short Walk having to weave in between 2 fishing boats. Current Cut is a small cut between Current Island and Eleuthera Island where the current can be 4-6 knots and it’s best to time one’s passage at slack tide, which is hard to predict w/high tide being 2 hours different from one side of Eleuthera to the other. Needless to say, we weren’t on the mark and fought the ebbing tide, getting down to 2.6K. Ken and I were debating whether we were early (Ken’s vote) or late (my vote).

We motored across the Eleuthera bank into Alabaster Bay and dropped the hook near a beautiful beach and the resort Coco diMama. Short Walk went on to Hatchet Bay. The next morning we dinked ashore and asked at the resort the way to the Atlantic beach, walked along the road through an old abandoned US missile base to the shore littered w/ the detritus of modern life, gutted small huts, and large cement blocks.

Back at the resort we lounged on the chaise longues under the shade of a tiki hut waiting for 12 noon and lunch. I had the Coco Insalade: greens, tomatoes, sliced apples, walnuts, and grilled shrimp w/lime vinaigrette, and a pinot grigio.. Ken had the strawberry grouper, broccoli, and potato wedges w/the special of the day: mango daiquiri. Mmmm…

We asked the waitress, who is from Clarence Town, Long Island (and recommended visiting her family’s resort, similar to Coco diMama), about snorkeling, dinked out to the rocks and Ken snorkeled at Alabaster Bluff. Tomorrow: Rock Sound.

Spanish Wells

Ann hailed Bandit in Spanish Wells to see if there were moorings available for our 2 boats and there were: #1 for Short Walk, #2 a large cat Double Diamond, #4 Makani, #5 Plumpuppet, #6 a small trawler, #7 a small sailboat, and #8 Coyote, all in a small area with Charlies Island on one side and sandbanks underwater at hightide on the other. Double Diamond stopped by to say hi, one couple having a cabin in Elmore, VT and having skied at Jay Peak, and gave us pointers. Tomorrow being Sunday, everything closes down even at Spanish Wells and Harbour Island and the ferry to Harbour Island leaves later and returns earlier on Sundays.

We, Ann and Joe, found the tiny dinghy dock in front of Pinders Supermarket crowded w/2 dinghies already tied and a small ferry. We were assured by one former sailor gone landlubber that the ferry was not being used today and this was the only dinghy dock, so we maneuvered around, got in, and tied our dinghies to poles. The town reminds us of most other Bahamian island towns w/almost every little space taken up by small shops and houses. Our first concern was food. After checking out the beach we found The Gap Restaurant and settled down for a nice lunch. Ken had the cracked conch burger; Ann and I had the hickory smoked chicken salad, and Joe had the BLT w/potato wedges. Delicious!

Ken and I walked on to the end of the island to a park w/pink sand from the coral w/a stop at Food Fair, a fairly extensive large supermarket comparable to Maxwell’s in Marsh Harbour, and left Ann and Joe to stop for an internet connection at the internet café.

Walking back we stopped and asked about leaving garbage and buying fish. Spanish Wells has a large fishing fleet and supplies over half of the Bahama’s commercial crop of lobster, conch and fish. A Sweeting, related to the original Eleutherian Adventurers, a group from England seeking religious freedom that shipwrecked on the reefs in 1648, found us some frozen mutton snapper, driving us on his golf cart regaling me w/stories about his life on Spanish Wells and showing us his large fishing boat.

Eleuthera

Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012: We listened to Cruisers’ Net, prepared the boat, paid our marina bill for 33 days and then were on our way, waving goodbye to Sue (Ariel), hailing Kilissa to say goodbye to Richard and Carole who are staying in the Abacos for the season, and hailing Short Walk. Ann said they were waiting a day, and we should have waited w/them because we had to beat into the south wind the whole way to Lynyard Cay. We did catch a small jack near Pelican Cays that Ken filleted for supper.

I hailed the boats anchored and ‘Moira’ answered. They were thinking of waiting a day because of the large swells coming into the ocean. Heck! We’re in no hurry and tomorrow Pete’s Pub is open!

There was a fire SW of Little Harbour and with the south winds veering from the SW the smoke blew into us most of the night. Bahamians tend to burn things, like their garbage.

Thursday we dinked ashore to a small beach on Lynyard and walked up for a view of the ocean which looked flat and calm. About 4 boats had left that morning and we were thinking it would have been a good day. Later we heard the crossing wasn’t that nice and we were glad we waited a day.

The wind had shifted from the N, NW. We thought we’d try the anchorage right outside Little Harbour and dink in, but with the swell and the waves, we weren’t comfortable leaving the boat and came back to anchor farther south at Lynyard Cay. We could have gone into the harbour and left early the next morning because the tides would have been okay, but we hesitated going into the little harbour. Boats were coming down, some to anchor, some entering Little Harbour. A large sailboat, 45’ or so, anchored behind us waiting for high tide to go in and we wondered how crowded the anchorage was.

We were bouncing on our anchor with the NW wind which was to veer later to the NE and then we’d be in the lee of Lynyard.

Friday Jan 20th
3 boats left the anchorage before dawn, one, Down Island, going out the North Bar inlet and the other two slowly motoring to Little Harbour inlet allowing the sun to rise. We and Short Walk left soon afterwards, got through the inlet, raised out sails and were able to sail most of the way to Royal Island. Our only excitement were 2 freighters crossing our bows, Ken veering to the west to give them plenty of room. The swells increased in size near the end and we were glad to get behind the bank. This NE Providence Channel is deep, 15,000 feet! Motoring into the calm anchorage at Royal Harbour, we dropped the hook in 9 feet of water. Nice!