FISHING

Then there is the FISHING

Perhaps the biggest and most passionate activity, which was not mentioned in the previous blog, is FISHING!  The omission may have had more to do with our recent lack of success than the amount of time, energy and resources devoted to this activity.  However, the tide has now turned.  (We think it was Alizann gifting us some of their Mahi Magic, but that is only an educated guess.) 

Steve did bag a Wahoo on the way into George Town which we shared to keep room in our freezer.    The trip down to Cat was especially exciting – a sailfish took the bait and fought valiantly only to be photographed and released. No room for trophy fish on our walls.  He was beautiful.

Then after almost 10 hours underway we approached the turn into the bight on Cat Island and three lines sang.  Fortunately, only two were landed since we barely have room for the 20+ pounds of Mahi that were caught.  The big boy was huge and managed to destroy most of my planters on the back deck as he thrashed about – we feared he was going back overboard.  Such fun in rolling seas – is priceless.

Oh then the dolphins joined us to leap for joy – celebrating with Steve his big catch! Sorry I was not fast enough to catch the whole pod in the air at the same time…..

Long Island – a place to revisit

Long Island – a place to revisit

Our first stop after George Town was Thompson Bay on Long Island.  While we hid from Hurricane Joaquin last fall in the NY Long Island, the Bahamas’ Long Island was being destroyed by the storm.  For 30+ hours it pounded the southern half of the island and the results are still visible in Salt Pond on the northern edge of the destruction.  We found the people friendly, welcoming and eager to have visitors.  It was also a place to offer help in the recovery efforts still underway.

The approaching weather is the only reason we headed out and look forward to returning for a longer stay and tour of this island with everything a cruiser could need – even a weekly Farmer’s Market with local produce and products. 

Before leaving we managed a protracted lunch on the veranda at Chez Pierre’s restaurant.  The curmudgeon-like Chef Pierre grudgingly prepared lunch for us – his only customers that day and in spite of his brusque demeanor the meal was fantastic – and so plentiful the group could only manage to share one dessert. It was worth the 6 mile dinghy ride each way and made a fitting farewell from our friends on Sea Dweller and Changing Course who opted to linger on in Thompson Bay while we headed for Cat Island.

George Town, Exumas

George Town, Exumas

Reported to be the southern destination for most visitors to the Exumas, George Town is a “real” city.  Cars and trucks are everywhere although the roads are narrow and windy.  Drivers appear more experienced with boats than cars since fender benders seem to be common from sights on the streets and the condition of most vehicles.  There are crowds and lines in the shops and hundreds of boats in the harbor.

The city is centered round a mini Lake Victoria which is connected to the major protected harbor that makes this a boaters’ paradise.  Elizabeth Harbor is several miles wide and almost 5 miles long.  The entrance to Lake Victoria is hidden around a spit that projects into the harbor offering the commercial ships safe deep water docks.  On our first pass we missed the narrow opening and had a tour of much of the harbor before returning to find the entrance and convenient dinghy dock provided by the Exuma Market.  This grocery has everything – of course at a slightly inflated price – but if there is a need, they have it. Town also includes some shops for tourist goods, a bakery, and even a deli/butcher shop that offers transport from the harbor two or three days a week.

This is the place to seriously restock the fresh food items and even add to the stash of special treats which somehow got consumed.  Several liquor stores also make happy hour happier if all the rum has disappeared. Even though it is a city with every convenience it does not have the charm of Black Point Settlement.  We will soon be moving on to the more remote anchorages of the less populated islands that we have enjoyed on this trip.

Cruising activities

Cruising activities

Now we know many of you wonder what we do all day and how so many days can slip by without our noticing.  Besides those daily chores of boat living (dusting, vacuuming cat hair, washing windows, removing salt scum, checking oils, repairing what happens to have broken most recently, etc.) we manage to keep busy with hikes, snorkels, fishing, and exotic excursions. 

One fun excursions was our trip up to Rachel’s  Bubbles.  This is a cut that is just south of the Exuma Land and Sea Park where on windy days and at high tide, the water crashes over the rocks into a protected pool giving the same bubbles as the jets in a typical hot tub. Unlike a normal hot tub, however, the bubbles are not steady and surge with the wave cycles.  The occasional big wave can knock the unsuspecting into the deep.  While the water wasn’t HOT, it was refreshing and an easy place to relax for a while.

Helping each other is another major pastime.  We have been the recipient of much help on this trip.  Rebecca – the maven of brightwork – turned us on to her bible of brightwork repair and has generously demonstrated the work she has been doing on her boat. Our friend, Jeff, recently spent a few hours helping us sort out IT issues.  Earlier, Bill and Steve spent hours mapping and adjusting the logical arrangement of our batteries.  And remember that was after all those hours fixing our hydo-lock issue back in Shroud. 

Just about everyone has been helping Steve trouble shoot our wonky Inverter – the magic box that makes our batteries run those essential 120 devices like this computer.  Thanks also to the kind vendors who call us back to save our BeTelCo minutes as they work on our problem.  Fortunately the problem seems to be in the remote panel not the inverter so replacement can be deferred until we return stateside.  It is nice to know boaters help each other so freely and we try to reciprocate when possible.  Everyone seems to have a few skills or spare parts to add to the mix.

In places like George Town there is a net in the morning where boaters connect, exchange info and generally get questions answered. Also, all the ongoing activities are announced from restaurant events like pig roasts, water aerobics exercise classes on the beach, Mexican train dominos, and Texas Hold ‘um Poker. It is hard to find time to enjoy it all!

On the fun side, we also hike when opportunities to get ashore are possible. (Some of the islands in the Exumas are private and visitors are not always welcome.)  Beach combing is usually possible since as in the states, up to the high tide line is public land. Some of the trails are sandy but most involve the coral rock that form these islands.  Good shoes are a must as are bug spray, hats, and sunscreen. Interesting rock formations, dramatic shorelines and sweeping views have been the reward for our efforts.

Some days even the dinghy ride to shore can be an adventure.  In the recent 20 knot winds breakers refreshed us as we returned from town. Soaked to the sink we realized too late that swimsuits would have been the better choice of attire for the day. Then there are the ultra-calm days when the water is so clear we can see fish or our anchor like looking through glass. A snorkel is not even necessary.

Then of course there are those evening social hours – gathering on the back deck of a boat at sunset.  Tonight there is a mini Krogen Rendezvous with 6 KKs in Monument Bay.  Wish you were here to enjoy the fun with us. (Thanks to Jeff Hall for the group photos!)