Exumas, Bahamas (Highborne Cay to Great Exuma (Georgetown)
After island hopping down the Exuma chain of islands to Georgetown, we decided that we'd slow down on our trip north. I'm not sure it worked out that way, as we may have spent a little more time in Georgetown than we anticipated, AND the sailing on the way north was GREAT! (Sometimes it was a shame to pull in and drop the hook).
The pictures here are from the trip north.
We had a great time with Ruth, and James, the last part of February, in and around Nassau (all the way down to West Bay and Goulding Cay); sightseeing, scuba diving, and in general "being on Vacation". They had some great dives with a local dive group too (Blue Hole; caves, reefs, etc.).
Then, Susan and I split for the Exumas for some island hopping, going south.
The islands were full of gorgeous sights, both above, and below the water. We did some drift dives (through navigable cuts to Exuma Sound); snorkeled Thunderball Grotto; snorkeled reefs; even did some work on the boat's hull underwater (scuba). In general, we had fun.
We met up with some fellow cruisers at Blackpoint, then separated again, only to meet up with them several islands down (Great Exuma). Such is cruising.
We finally made it down to Georgetown on the Great Exuma Island. We anchored at Stocking Island which is where about 90% of the cruisers "hangout". Some have called it an "adult-day-care" center. It really IS full of activities.... But it has to be. Cruisers sometimes spend the entire winter there (months, and months). So there's volleyball, dominos, bridge, Texas-Hold-Em tournements; dances, etc. There is something to keep you busy all the time.
The beach parties were great. And they had a get-to-gether one Friday night called a "Rake & Scrape" (We had no idea where this name came from .... so we asked). It turns out that in some of the old Bahamian Bands one of the main "instruments" was a hand SAW. But it's not played like a saw here in the USA (mountains)....They beat on it, and scrape it with a handle. AKA rake and scrape.
On the way north, Susan and I got a chance to fly the spinaker (asymetrical) twice. It was great sailing.
The only part of the trip north, and then back to the USA, we probably would not do again, was the anchoring on the Bahamas Bank on the way, west, to North Cat Cay. That was a very rough night... Done again, I think we would have just continued on through the night.
The other resolution that Susan and I made regarded provisions. We'd load the AB to the "gills" in the USA. Prices of everything in the Islands are double what they are in the USA.
One of the first projects I wanted to do for the boat is to add an additional raw water filter to the Watermaker system. AND to move the original 5 micron filter to somewhere that we can see it, and change it without crawling under the work bench in the Engine room. So, now they're both on the back wall of the Engine Room... (picture).
Ceiling of Thunderball Grotto - Staniel Cay
