We Made it to Georgetown

Every beach seems to have it's own special feature.  This one on Galliot Cay features conch and sand dollars. 

At 0730 yesterday Folly and eight other boats left Galliot Cay hoping to get through the cut at slack tide. To go through any of these cuts when the tide is flowing can be treacherous especially if the tidal current and the wind are opposing.  This can create ugly standing waves and what they call a "rage".  Luckily, even though our timing wasn't exact, it was pretty darn close and all was good. 

The plan was to sail to Lee Stocking Island, only 15 miles away, but we changed our minds on the go and sailed straight to Georgetown.   When living on a boat, weather dictates almost every decision made and, with the forecast the way it was, we felt it best to carry on.

As expected, all the boats had their fishing lines out for the trip including Folly.  Endeavor caught 2 tuna and Adamant 1 caught a Mahi-Mahi and we caught .... nothing.  We've been told that it helps if a female (I guess that would be me) spits on on the lure before the line drops in the  water.  I'm not sure if the others did but I will definitely be doing that from now on!  Thankfully we have generous friends and we did get our fish dinner thanks to Don and Peg on Endeavor. 

We made it to Georgetown....the end of the Exuma Cays..... and will likely stay here for a couple of weeks before we carry on but...

More about that....next time.

Laundry day

I was lucky to find two sand dollars in tact!

Endless Wind

They call it the "Christmas Winds" and they aren't kidding!  In fact,  Christmas day was our windiest and wettest day yet.  If it wasn't for our dinner reservations at Lorraine's, we wouldn't have left the boat.   The dinghy ride to shore was ridiculous as we left wearing our Sunday best and arrived looking like drowned rats.  It didn’t dampen our spirits though.  We had just finished talking with our family back home and we were still on a high.

Lorraine owns the popular Lorrain's Cafe at Black Point.  She and her family put on a fantastic spread for the 55 boisterous cruisers that showed up.   After dinner they had games and dancing and a great time was had by all.   Everyone appreciated how this wonderful family gave up their Christmas so that we all could have Christmas.....just amazing! 

Since then the seemingly endless wind has continued to blow.  We moved around the corner from Black Point to a more protected anchorage and a new view.   The beach here on the sound side of the island is pristine with icing sugar sand.  Just a short walk brings us to the ocean side which is wild and exposed .... not great for swimming but great for beach combing, and just to the north of us is a boarded up house that looks like a castle with a sailboat firmly planted on shore.   Beside us is a reef with decent snorkeling. 

We've spent the last two days exploring everything mentioned above.  We are now on the move again, having a fantastic sail, and heading towards Galliot Cay.  Tomorrow we will move again to Lee Stocking Island.  Since we will be in deep water for that, we may dip our fishing line in the water.  Fingers crossed we have fish for dinner tomorrow night.....but more about that...next time.

The ocean side of Great Guana Cay

The sound side of the island.

My beach combing treasures.....I love sea glass!

Merry Christmas

The wind always seems to blow stronger at night!

Here it is...4:00 am Christmas morning and the wind is blowing through the rigging like nobody's business.  I just got up to check and make sure all the boats around us are still where they were the last time I checked.  Now I'm wide awake!  This is the downside to cruising.  So now that I'm up......

If someone said we'd have visitors fly in and fly out for a lunch visit I would have never believed them.  What a treat it was to meet our good friend Kevin on Friday.  Lucky for us he has friends with planes who were looking for an excuse to go flying.  It was fascinating to watch as these two sporty amphibious plans landed at Staniel Cay airport.  It made me giggle to watch as other people, who were waiting for their flights, raise their eyebrows as we walked out on the tarmac to meet them.  For us, it was a very cool experience indeed!   To be able to fly in one those would be amazing!  Kevin, you're a lucky dude!

It was just a short walk to the yacht club where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with fantastic ambience and after lunch they were off again.  Now that's the life!  We feel so fortunate to have had a little taste of it.

Later that same afternoon we sailed from there to Black Point Settlement where we are now.   Most cruisers transiting the Exuma Cays stop here and for two main reasons.....Loraine's restaurant and the laundromat!  We also discovered that there is a wonderful beach on the ocean side of the island.  Grace, Ken, Pat, Lynn, Harley and I spent a pleasant Christmas Eve day together.  However, as beautiful as it was, it doesn't replace our family that we are missing terribly right now.

Today many of us cruisers will be celebrating Christmas together at Loraine's and it promises to be great fun .....

but more about that....next time.

The departure lounge at the airport 

Kevin, me, Harley 

Christmas eve with folks from home.

The anchorage at Black Point

Staniel Cay

Thunderball Grotto, pigs, swimming, and beach bumming.....ahhhh....we love Staniel Cay!  And we are not alone.  This is a popular spot for many cruisers.  Boats of all shapes and sizes are anchored here at Big Major Spot and we all came for the same reasons....the good holding, nice beach, quaint town, and cool sights.

Visiting Pig Beach has to be the most bizarre thing we have seen yet in the Exuma's.  We've  met these animals before when we came through this way 7 years ago and all I can say is, they've grown and propagated.   The sows are huge and hungry and (maybe it's just me) I don't trust them at all.  The piglets however are adorable. 

Thunderball Grotto is another amazing spot.  It was here that they filmed a portion of the James Bond movie Thunderball.  The only way to see it is to snorkel in through a small opening in the wall at low tide or to dive under at high tide.  Once inside it opens up to a large cavern that is awsome by itself but, underwater is equally thrilling as it's alive with tropical fish and coral of every description.  For me this was a "must see" and I didn't want to leave until we did that.  Today we took that opportunity and it was fabulous!

The town (if you can call it that) is laid back and caters mostly to the tourists who rent cottages and those who charter big yachts, but they also treat us buget conscious cruisers well too.  The locals live very simply and seem very friendly and happy.  A big attraction at the yacht club is the many nurse sharks that hang around.  We just happened to be there the other day when someone was feeding them and there had to be at least 15 of them swarming around and a man standing there patting them!  Unfortunately I didn't have a camera handy for that.

We also spent a nice relaxing afternoon at the beach.  Again, this was no ordinary beach.  Over time cruisers have been leaving fun things like tables,  lawn chairs, a b.b.q., and tons of decorative paraphernalia.  It was the perfect backdrop for an awsome afternoon.  Man, we have a tough life!

Tomorrow our good friend Kevin, who lives in Green Turtle Cay,  is flying into Staniel Cay for lunch so, of course, we will be sticking around for that.  Then, if the weather cooperates, we will sail to Black Point for Christmas.....but more about that....next time.

Pig Beach

Nurse Sharks

The power of the wind

Merry Christmas Bahamian style

Grace, Ken, Harley and two young bums

Pat

The cruisers beach

Inside Thunderball Grotto

Me

Beautiful coral

Trunk fish

More nurse sharks

Fresh caught Craw fish

Petting the sharks

And more nurse sharks!

Underwater Garden

Its amazing how dependant we've become on modern technology.  When I  first found out we'd be without a cell signal at Waderick Wells my first reaction was..we certainly can't stay here!....but of course we did and it was fine.  Besides, it's not like we were totally cut off from the outside world.  We were still able to borrow a signal from the park office for a few minutes and we have our Delorme Inreach satalite communicator if push came to shove.  Still it's a weird feeling and one I might as well get used to.  I imagine this will become the norm the further south we go.

So....while we were waiting for the wind to change we finally got to go snorkeling and I for one LOVED it.  My pictures are not very good but perhaps with some practice they will improve.  Since it has been very windy for days the water wasn’t crystal clear but not bad for our first outing.  Two huge spotted eagle rays and a sea turtle were among the many sea creatures we encountered but, darn it, I have no photographic evidence.  I do however have some pictures to share,

We left today and sailed to Big Major Spot near Staniel Cay.  It's still very windy but at least it's coming from a good direction and we had an enjoyable sail.  And, I hate to rub it in for all my family and friends back in Canada, it is very hot.  If it wasn't for this wind we would be dieing.   (I had to add that).

I'm really looking forward to our stay here.  We are anchored just off piggy peach and around the corner is Thunderball Grotto....but more about that....next time.