Exuma Sight Seeing

The wind continues to blow keeping the cruising boats pinned down. A fellow cruiser who we met on the ICW, and who we run in to from time to time explained it best. He said that cruising sailboats move like inchworms. You go like crazy and then you bunch up. You go like crazy and then you bunch up. You go like..... Get the picture? Currently we are bunched up in a marina north of Georgetown, Exuma. The marina has been nice, hot showers, free laundry, fast internet connection, lounge, huge flat screen with movies...... but you can only do so much of that. So we rented a car and toured Great Exuma by land. There are several settlements on Great Exuma, Georgetown, Rolleville, Barraterre, Williamstown, to name a few. We figured if we couldn't go by sea then by land.


Proof we are in the Bahamas.


Jail house ruins in Rolleville, Exuma.



In 1829 a 32 year old slave of a British land owner, Lord Rolle, initiated a rebellion that began the Bahamian anti slavery movement. 77 slaves seized a salt boat and sailed to Nassau to appeal to Governor Carmichael Smith. Although Smith was against slavery the slaves were apprehended and returned to Rolleville. The slave that started the rebellion was made an example of by recieving 39 lashes.



Monument at the Rolleville Jailhouse.

One of three gas pumps on Great Exuma. I had to go door to door until I found the attendent who lived three houses away from the pump. No video cameras here!

The three pictures above are of a site of the first "aid to navigation" on Great Exuma. This pillar was installed to help guide ships in to the harbor where salt was mined from the salt flats.

Emma was challanged by a boy in a race. Emma came in 2nd!

The day after Easter is a Bahamian holiday when they celebrate the abolishment of slavery. Most villages celebrate with food, spirits, games for the kids, sailing, and loud music. This guy made me a coconut drink and showed me how to eat the insides of a coconut the "Bahamian way".

He also got me for two bucks saying he could climb this tree in less than one minute.

Temporary shack set up for the food. We had the snapper and rice.

Ruins of an old house in Williamstown, Exuma.

Beach whithin a five minute walk from Emerald Bay Marina. Also the same site as the Sandles Resort. The rates at the resort run $650 per day per couple. This doesn't include sleeping accomodations. Wow.

April 5, 2010

Great Exuma, Emerald Bay

Our first day on Great Exuma. Promptly after arriving yesterday, I dropped a gen track removable cleat overboard and Kirsten poured soapy water along with our silverware in to the harbor. So today, Emma was put to work. You can see her proudly displaying a spoon retrieved from the bottom.

Easter bunny is coming.

Above, you can see the artists putting the final touches on these little works of art.

Hook in her berth at the Emerald Bay Marina.

April 2-5, 2010

Great Guana Cay, Black Point

Black Point is a quintessential Bahama settlement. We arrived early enough in the day to go ashore and take in some of the island. Unfortunately the weather permitted us to stay only one day. Black Point is a jumping off point for heading to Great Exuma. There are only a few navigable cuts that get you access to Exuma Sound which is the route to Elizabeth Harbor, home of Georgetown, Great Exuma. The wind and tide were favorable to leave the following morning so we said our later gators to our boat buddy and friends for life on sv Seazen and weighed anchor.

This is Smashie. His sons name is Staniel. Both are boat builders and sailors. If we make it to Georgetown for the Family Island Regatta, they have invited me to sail with them. Should be interesting.... He said, "Don't be scared if the bow goes in the water, it just means you are going fast." These boats are 17 ft long with a 40 ft mast and a 20 ft boom. Thats a lot of sail area! The boat Smashie is working on is for a Bahamian in Bimini.


Emma and Mad make freinds in Black Point.

Local post office.

Ladies cleaning chicken and fish on the dock in preperation for Easter weekend.

April 1, 2010

Fowl Cay, Rocky Dundas

Rocky Dundas was a great snorkel stop on our way to Black Point. We anchored in a nearby cove on Fowl Cay for the night. The anchorage was shallow and open to weather from the east. The night was calm except for a swell that caused us to bump a few times at low tide. So at two in the morning we re-set the anchor and then went back to our bunk.





Picture of the Hooks inside one of the caves.



Picture of the Hooks and the Seazens inside one of the caves.

The girls heading to Seazen for a visit. You can see the caves and snorkel site in the distance.

Kirsten taking it in at anchor.

Prior to our snorkel excursion, we went conching on the other side of this peninsula. We gathered six conch for dinner that night. We also made horns from one of the conch we collected.
It is a nightly ritual for boats to blow their conch horns at sunset. Sometimes you can faintly hear horns from other anchorages a mile away. It's a reminder that you are not out here alone.

March 31, 2010

Warderick Wells Cay

Warderick Wells Cay is within the Exuma Land and Sea Park which is a government protected area of 176 square miles. In 1959 the Bahamian Parliament set this area aside to be overseen by the Bahamian National Trust. It extends 22 miles long and 8 miles wide. Its purpose is to provide a safe haven and replenishment area for the wildlife & sealife native to the Bahamas. There is no taking or destruction of any marine mammals, fish, birds, plants, coral reef or beach sand within its boundaries.

Our stay within the park was not long enough. You could easily spend the entire winter within this playground of beaches, coral reefs and hiking trails.


Music night at park headquarters


Taking a break during one of our hikes along the eastern side of Warderick Wells.

"Murphy's Hide Away" Hole along the Hutia trail.

We found these lizards to be quite unafraid of humans. If you sat very still they would scurry up onto your legs as if they thought you were a rock. We saw many, some with short tails lost from battle, and some with very long ones that had been regrown.

Inviting isn't it?

Sharing Seazen's now famous "Blow Hole Pie!"
There were amazing blow holes along the trail to Boo Boo Hill.

If caught at high tide they would emit both air and intense sound, no water from the incoming waves. As the waves would crash the shore the air would be pushed up and out of these holes!

Hook and Seazen joining the ranks of cruisers from this year and years past.

Night hike up to Boo Boo Hill in search for the beheaded ghost of "Murphy", who legend says was marooned on Warderick Wells. It is told that his crew returned to find his body. To prove his death, they returned to Georgetown, Exuma with just his head.

Hutia (Hoot-E-A)

The hutia are the only land mammal native to the Bahamas.

There are only 3 locations in the world where you will see a Hutia, and they are East Plana Cay, Warderick Wells Cay and Little Wax Cay, all in this small area of the Bahamas.

They are plump, brown, rabbit-sized members of the rodent family, weighing only 1-1.5 pounds.

They tend to be nocturnal so this little fellow was a fun sight to see.

Beach at Park Headquarters

Atop Boo Boo Hill. Leaving our contribution to the hill.

View of Hook from the hill top.

The 3 privateers...

Cute little Bananna Berry Birds. The park supplied a container of sugar to shake into your hand to lure the birds to you. They had strong little feet and would scoop their bills into your palm to get the sugar. Very fun.

Mooring field at Warderick Wells.

Kirsten "attempting" internet. Sketchy reception to say the least but we did get a few emails out!

Here we are! Exuma Land & Sea Park.

March 26-30, 2010

Highborne Cay

Highborne Cay ended up being a meeting place for our friends on Seazen. Two cruising boats from Seazens earlier travels ended up at the same place at the same time. It was like a mini-reunion for the 3 boats and we were invited! Great people.

We all met at a snorkel spot called "Octopus' Garden". It proved to be the most beautiful snorkel yet. Maddie and Emma started to learn to free dive amongst the coral and reef fish. Kirsten spotted a Lion fish but Steve did not bring his pole spear to get it. The Bahamas request all seen Lion fish to be exterminated as they are not an indiginous species. Lion fish have no natural predator.

Our anchorage was decent but strong winds from the west can make this anchorage quite uncomfortable secondary to sea swell and chop. The decision was made to return to Allens Cay in the morning as 25Kts winds from the west decided to swing through.


Gary, Mark, Beth, Monty & Betsy from s/v Salsa, Kirsten, Anne, Steve and Liam

Highborne Cay Marina and grocery store.

Watch out! $4/beer and $25 for 1 pound of beef. Needless to say we bought lettuce and eggs and called it good!

Steve on the approach into the harbor

Wait, who is at the helm???
That would be "Auto".

March 24, 2010