Moonlight
Anchoring
Leaving
Long Island after the Saturday Farmer’s Market for the 10+ hour trip into the
New Bight anchorage, we knew our arrival would come just after sunset. Even though we have pulled the anchor in the
dark many times, we have never needed to enter an anchorage after dark. Fishing delays added to the travel time but
this first for us, was a big yawn. The shiny
3/4 moon was out as the sun disappeared and our new radar sharply defined the
four other boats already at anchor in this spacious spot. The sandy bottom insured the hook bit on the
first try and we were watching CBS network TV over the antenna before NCIS New
Orleans rerun was finished.
As
a side note, we were told by a Long Islander who is a duel US/Bahamian citizen,
that US TV is broadcast in most of the islands as a side benefit for letting
the private companies build the new cell tower system. Who would have thunk to
tune the TV in the middle of nowhere? We
have also noticed a 100% improvement in the cell tower coverage this year over
last – with our cell booster we have had at least periodic connectivity most of
the trip. The connection is not always
strong enough for uploading but plenty good enough for downloading emails which
is better than we experienced last year in the Abacos.
The
New Bight anchorage is off Cat Island’s famous Hermitage - retirement home of
Father Jerome architect of memorable houses of worship throughout the islands.
It is perched atop the highest peak in the Bahamas – twice the height of
Perry’s Peak in the Exumas!
There
is a paved road and a wide path most of the way to the Hermitage. Only the last stretch is steeply up hill,
however, the climb is made easier with steps carved and built into the
cliff. The building is beautifully
constructed using ancient barrel vaults reminiscent of the Mediterranean and Middle
East. The big surprise was the petit
size. From below the complex looks
massive, but in fact, it is tiny. The
chapel barely has room for one seat and lacks the lofty headroom of its style. It is mini retreat lovingly built for one man
of small stature. The view is 360 degrees with glimpses of the Exuma Sound as
well as the Atlantic. A perfect perch for a life of solitude and contemplation –
Father Jerome’s stated goal.
Our
stop in New Bight was not only about mountain retreats. We visited Hidden
Treasures – a food shack on the beach for several delicious lunches prepared by
Chef Denise whose hospitality puts Chef Pierre to shame. Denise has also
retired to Cat Island for a change of pace from Nassau. Although she hasn’t built in stone like Father
Jerome, she has created her own little paradise. Along with her daughter and mother, she entertains
guest at the umbrella tables on the beach behind her “shack” which holds the
bar and her kitchen. The short bit of
road in front of the cell tower boasts colorful public Regatta buildings, the
bright yellow admin complex, a gleaming new FREE bathhouse, a couple closed
basket shops, and a handful of sparkling gems serving food. The turquoise
Hidden Treasure is our favorite. Steve even tried to help Denise find the stash of conch that seems to have gone missing but no luck there. He still enjoyed a fantastic grilled conch lunch!
This
stop on Cat has everything – space for solitude, abundant natural beauty, revolutionary era ruins, great
food and easy access to resupply – not to mention HELPFUL people. When Steve asked for the location of a
hardware store in the Police Station, the receptionist offered the use of her
car since it was too far to walk. That was only one offer for a ride in our
short stay. We also had plenty of help when Steve made a run to ice all that
fish…. Yes, New Bight will be a place to revisit on our next trip.
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