Rock Sound area caves and ocean holes

Saturday Allen, Tom, and I took the Whaler to the public dock in Rock Sound, armed with hiking shoes, lights, cameras, water bottles, and a few places we wanted to find.

First, we headed south of town a little more than half a mile from the dinghy dock. Directly across from the AME church, is an Ocean Hole. I guess that here they are calling it an ocean hole if it is inland, and a blue hole if it is offshore. The hole was not something we'd have swum in, though we did watch some turtles and fish in it.

The reason we were there however was to find what someone in Active Captain had described as the biggest cave system he'd seen in the Bahamas. While it wasn't what I'd call a cave system, we found something twice as good! There were caverns that were a part of a sink area.

 They lay sort of in a circular form, and there were enough holes in the top that there was adequate light to look around. We also had our flashlights to look in the dark crevasses. Tree roots had dropped straight down many of the openings. The photos really don't show the size of the complex, and the flash on the camera makes it appear we're just outside somewhere. There were bats in some places, and mosquitoes in other places. We had split up looking for "the cave", and we were yelling Marco Polo to keep up with each other. The guys entered the cavern from one side, and I from another, and we were working towards each other without knowing it. When my "Marco" was met with muffled rock, I worked my way to the entrance, and we promptly teamed up again. I let the guys excitedly take me through what they had found, and then I took them to the area I'd been in. I was convinced they had to connect, and sure enough, we went in my side, and came out theirs. It was great fun.

Then we walked back into town, and went to the city park, which is on a big ocean blue hole. It has to be one of the greatest locations for a park I've ever seen. All around the water was landscaped, and there were stairs and a ladder down to the water. There were a few signs, including one that said the hole was over 600' deep. Hope you're making a list of these must see places in Rock Sound.

We stopped for some ice cold lime-ade that was so refreshing! Then we walked to the other end of town to the grocery store. We needed a loaf of bread, and Tom needed a few more items. I walked back and got the boat and came to pick them up.

On the way, I got new directions (I'd asked where we bought the drinks, but the directions weren't good) to the Assembly of God church, and went by to make sure I could find it the next morning.

In the afternoon, with it hot, we took the dogs to the beach for awhile, then took the Whaler blue hole hunting. We found several that we snorkeled, a few that I quickly looked at with a tank, and killed a few more lionfish. I think I got 11 Sat.

We went back to the bluehole we'd snorkled on Friday, and went around the ledge with SCUBA. It was pretty interesting, and COLD!

After supper, we went to bed exhausted. You really can pack too much into a day!

Hatchet Bay to Rock Sound

On Friday, we awoke to glass calm seas (and thick mosquitoes!) What a beautiful day to travel. The seas were flat all the way, the sun was bright, the water was so calm we spent most of our time on the bow, with the remote autopilot in hand, as we pointed out stuff on the bottom to each other in 30+ feet of water. We stopped once for a swim break, and there was a remora under the boat.

Calm enough to lose the horizon

Tom, on the Daydream was running with us, and had a problem from the beginning with his stbd engine. Allen went over and steered for him while he worked on his electrical problem. So, for awhile Allen had his own trawler!

When we got into Rock Sound, we spotted a pretty blue hole pretty quick, and anchored up near the blue hole to snorkel. The hole was in about 11 feet of water, and dropped to about 24. The edges were undercut at about 18, and there was quite a thermocline where the clear water was coming into the hole. The water on that tide was salt, so I suspect it always is.

Tom has an underwater scooter he let Allen try, which was great fun as he circled the hole.  Allen spotted three lionfish for me, that I promptly speared. I discovered with the three prong paralyzer head, you can slide them off the end with a jerk, and quickly spear them again. After multiple punctures, they are dead and breaking into pieces, which we hope encourages other fish to eat them. A sting ray became interested, and was eating the dead ones.

The lionfish are a Pacific species, with an exotic introduction into the Atlantic and Caribbean, with devastating consequences. The have no natural predators in the Atlantic basin, multiply worse than the proverbial rabbit, and eat enormous quantities of juvenile and small snapper and grouper, which could have serious consequences to the fish stocks. Many divers are trying to keep the population in check.

After our great snorkeling at the hole, we moved from our temporary anchorage, to a great holding, sandy anchorage in the NW corner of the sound. We stayed far enough off the beach that we hoped only the more adventurous mosquitoes would visit.

We had a gorgeous sunset, and a tranquil night, so I'm well rested and ready to explore!

Allen at Allen's Chapel in Rock Sound

Our last day in Hatchet Bay

On Thursday, the now unnamed tropical system that was Debbie eased across north of us, from west to east. The winds had been strongest all along in the SE quadrant, and the feeder bands with gale force winds in intermittent bands has changed the wind direction. The SE, S, and SW winds pushed the water up into Eleuthera Sound, and raised the waters in Hatchet Bay a foot or so higher than normal. With the wind shift, the tide has dropped over 3 feet the last few hours, and the current on the other side of the cut is screaming to the south.

I stuck my head out the cut with the Whaler this morning, and again around mid-day, and while conditions have settled somewhat, it is still pretty rough out, and we are spending what I think will be our last day on the mooring in Hatchet Bay. In the morning, I hope to head down to Rock Sound, or if the weather conditions are super, may stop halfway at Governor's Harbour.

This afternoon, we went into the public dinghy dock, which was a wonderful place to sit in the shade and breeze, with its covered picnic table and benches. I visited with a local lady about my age, Pat, who has lived in Hatchet Bay for the past twenty plus years. She told me that Hatchet Bay used to be THE spot on Eleuthera, with a dairy operation that supplied milk for the Bahamas, and chicken farms that supplied chicken for the Bahamas. At some point, if I followed correctly, the agriculture department quit supporting, or closed the leases, or something, and the jobs were all lost as the plants closed. Every day, while the plant was open, they took the chicken guts and dumped them into an ocean blue hole and fed the sharks. Evidently that was quite a tourist draw for the cruisers staying at the local marina, now also closed.

The local large grocery store that was in the same building as a clothing store, and another store, burned to the ground and was never rebuilt.

Many of the people who live in Hatchet Bay work in Harbour Island, a 30 mile car ride to the ferry, and a short ferry ride to the island.

Mowing the grass at the power plant

I quizzed her about the directions to the ocean hole, and Allen, Tom, and I went and got our cameras and started walking. Just in case you are ever in Hatchet Bay: Walk towards the Atlantic on the road that goes past the Batelco tower, past the diesel power plant, through the sheep and goats until you get to a gate across the road. Back up just a short distance to the second trail back the way you came that leads to the nortwest. Follow that path until it turns sharply to the right towards the ocean. Stop, look to your left. Climb through brush in a direction about 10 o'clock from the trail before the turn, and you will find a badly overgrown, narrow blue hole with trees blown down over it.

You must realize that in order to find this hole, with the scanty directions we had from a woman who hadn't been there in 20 years, (nor had anyone else from all appearances been there in years) involves a considerable hike. We originally went through the gate, in each direction down forked roads/trails until they ended; one at the ocean, the other at an area they trucked sand out of at some point. We had split up to cover more ground. Actually, I think the guys were enjoying walking the coast while I saw scrambling through mosquitoes and brush, looking for a hole in the ground.

Don't drink and drive... yes, that was a car

At some point a pair of angry birds buzzed me with the speed of falcons. They didn't scream at first, and when the first one flew close to scare me away from its ground nest, it sounded like a drone flying past my head.

Allen and Tom on the beach, Linda is in the mosquitoes and brush far away

I enjoyed all the trapesing around, and we saw all kinds of interesting things before Allen eventually found the hole. In general, the exploration was better than the hole itself. The brackish hole was dark, like tanic, and I suspect the only thing living in it now are hermit crabs.

We returned with time to eat at sunset, and crashed pretty early. (Which may explain why I'm posting this at 0330 in the morning.) The wind has dropped to nothing, the harbour is like glass, and the mosquitoes are buzzing outside the screens, and a couple in here, too.

We'll be headed south after daylight, and I believe Tom, on the DAYDREAM, plans to cruise with us, meeting Pat and Ann from the NEXT GIG again in the Exumas.

I'll update next time I have an internet connection. I sure like this Rogue Wave wifi amplifier! I love the folks that leave their wifi unlocked for the cruisers, which Pat told me, the folks in Hatchet Bay do, just for us boaters.

Walking around Hatchet Bay

On Monday, Tom, (a cruiser we met from another trawler,) Allen, and I walked two miles to the south to a produce stand. It was pretty unimpressive, but most of it was from that farmer's small, hand-tilled plots. We bought a pound of ocra, two local grown potatoes that they said are similar to sweet potatoes, a very small eggplant, right off the vine, and four pieces of newly discovered fruit, sapadilla, known locally as dillies.  I think I have discovered the first fruit I don't like.  It is a fruit about the size of a tangerine, with a peel about the consistency of a nectarine, and doesn't taste like anything I've ever eaten. It created a sticky slime on the roof of my mouth that I literally peeled off, like a piece of skin, that then stuck to my fingers, and I could barely even flick it off. I was grateful Tom had a bottle of water to wash my hands, and that I had some candy to get the taste out of my mouth. I was relieved my bowels worked this morning, and wonder if that coating is now in my colon. At 75 cents a piece, I chunked $1.50 worth overboard last night. The four mile treck cost $16 for those couple of items. I don't know how people here afford to eat.

After returning to the boat, another cruiser had a borrowed car, and I rode with him to the north, past the cave we explored the other day, to the road to Surfer's Beach.  I am determined to see pink sand. I realize now that I didn't take any photos, only video that I shot slap-happy as I did my best Captain Ron imitiation. "You've heard of Harbor Island, the world famous pink sand beach? Well this is the next island over.... Its almost as good... Just don't get off the trail, or the go-rillas will get you!" I love Captain Ron!

The paved road turned to a limestone and sand road, deteriorating to an impassable road without a high clearance 4 wheel drive.  Or, in my case a good pair of shoes.  I trapesed over a couple of hills, and finally ended in a sand spot on a hill with I imagine 100' elevation, overlooking a not-pink beach, gorgeous water, beautiful coral heads, and no surf. That was interesting to me, since the wind had the seas crashing on our side, outside our little harbour. There was a footpath down to the beach, through otherwise impenetrable sea grapes, but I'm smart enough to know that if I walked down, I'd have to climb back up, and changed my mind. I walked one dirt road to the south to return, since there were tire tracks on that road, and eventually came to water puddled all across the road. I tried to walk around the puddles, but even leaning into the brush and the spider webs, I ended up slipping into the water. It was easier after that, I just waded. I couldn't believe that I couldn't talk Allen into coming with me, especially with all he missed!

Eventually, the underwater dirt road lead to a dry dirt road, and finally, I was back to the paved road, though still a few miles from the harbor, and the boat!  I walked south, past the cave, and someone stopped and offered me a ride, which I gleefully accepted!

I've given out a couple toy cars and coloring books and crayons in this town. The items were given to me to hand out by some cruisers that didn't get down as far as they had planned. If they are reading, I gave the first car to a little boy driving a rock along a dirt trail, similar to what you had described. He saw me walking and ran out to ask if I had another car, for his friend, a little boy who was with him. I told him I didn't, but I did have another one on the boat I'd get to him later. He told me he could go with me to the boat... He was probably 5 or 6. I told him to go ask his mom if he could walk to the dinghy dock with me, which he was reluctant to do, but, I told him I'd wait while he asked. He came out dejected, since his auntie had told him he could not! I told him that is why it was important to ask, and that I would bring him a car. I think his auntie heard me, and called the boy back inside, and he returned, bouncing, telling me he could go with me if I'd walk him home. I waved at the house, and we walked to the dock. The dock is close enough I could call out to Allen, and asked him to bring me a car and a coloring book. The boy picked a car from a couple that Allen brought, and I carried the coloring book and walked the boy back to the house, with instructions to give the book to his younger brother. That was one happy little boy!

We had one passing squall last night with gale force winds, but otherwise, the winds here have been 20-ish.

And the birds?  After the ungrateful mockingbirds removed all the dog hair from the nest, they took every stick out of the radar reflector, and threw them on the deck.  Then they started to rebuild...


The birds didn't like my nest, and removed it

I finally lost patience, and put a plastic bag over the reflector, after cleaning up their mess while being dive bombed by attacking birds. They've pecked a few holes in the bag, but, I think at this point, have relocated.


Anti-nest contruction attempt

Nesting in Hatchet Bay

Saturday we cleaned out bird nest construction materials from the radar reflecter several times. We finally placed a chewed up plastic bottle (discarded Mercy-toy) into the reflecter. Two birds flew around and screamed at it for awhile, but, by yesterday evening they had decided it was not a threat, just an inconvenience, and went about trying to remove the plastic bottle. They dove on it, moving it from side to side, but, it was in the cup of the reflecteer, so I didn't figure they could get it out. This afternoon, the toy is laying on the roof, and the nest building continues.



Mockingbird nest

I decided that I am going to pick up sticks, build them a nest, line it with Mercy-hair, and see what they do. Wish we had eggs in the refrigerator, I could really freak them out... Now, for entertainment, I'm going to see if I can build a bird nest without getting killed, just to see this girls' reaction. If you can't beat them, join them?



Linda builds nest

Saturday we changed the oil and fuel filters on the main and the generator, and decided we'd hang out in the "country's safest harbor" while TS Debbie decided what she was going to do. It rained off and on during the night as one of the feeder bands pulls precipitation, though not much wind.I found the local grocery store, and bought a couple of fresh pineapples. Boy are they good!

I asked if they had home-made bread, and was told there is a lady who bakes bread and sells it from her house. Anybody can tell you were Mrs. Johnson's house is, if you can't find it. I eventually did find it, and stood at the gate calling while a little dog announced my presence. I kept calling while listening to someone repeatedly telling the dog to shut up, they came to see who it was, and sold me a loaf of bread.

There are a couple of trawlers in the harbor now with us, and two smallish sailboats. The trawlers were at Royal Island when we were, and one was at Spanish Wells marina when we were, too. They were both at Current Cut when we were, though they waited until the next day to come here. We met Pat and Ann on the NEXT GIG, and Tom on the DAYDREAM, and visited for awhile.Saturday I towed Allen on the dive plane to look for conch, but, we came back prematurely due to a passing rain squall.

Examining Linda's nest

Exploring Around Coast and Hatchet Bay Cave

Yesterday evening, we explored around the bay with the Whaler, and saw a couple of birds on the boat. One on the vhf antenna, another on the side band antenna. We tried to get a photo, but, they flew off.

This morning we took the Whaler to the north exploring. The coast has cliff bluffs, with numerous caves and interesting rock formations. The water is 18-25 deep along the cliffs, except for areas that huge slabs of rock have fallen off the cliff, and they are easy to spot in the clear water.Armed with sunscreen, swim suits, flashlights, cameras, and shoes we could climb with, we checked out many nooks and crannies.Further to the north, we saw some houses with stairs to the water, but the couple of miles right above Hatchet Bay is deserted and ripe for exploration!

We had to stop and snorkel in the bouldeer pile, with its juvenile tropical fish, some makeral, and a leopard ray.

I loved these steps, carved probably centuries ago. We climbed them to a field of briars and palmettos that look like no one has been in the area in a long time.

We returned to the boat for lunch, and took the Whaler to the town dock to begin our land exploration.

If you walk through town, walk about 3 miles north on Queen's Highway until you see two silos on the east side of the road, look to your left and find a two rut dirt road between two low rock columns. Follow that road to the left, and keep an eye to your right, and you will find a sign marking Hatchet's Bay Cave. This land cave has been explored over a mile, has steps into the entrance, and has a line through the main corridor. It would be like cave diving, without the water!

 There were bats in the entrance, and a few cave decorations. The big detraction was the graffitti scrawled along the walls. We explored the cave for a little, and then began walking back to Hatchet Bay.

We met an official I won't name, who we talked to for a long tiime, and he told us aabout some wonderful things in Eleuthera, and a little of the history. He said to me sadly that he had never been to Hatchet's Bay Cave, and what a shame it was that so many locals were losing a sense of their history.We continued our journey back to Hatchet Bay when that gentleman came by and offered us a ride back into town! We looked past the "no riders" sign and gleefully climbed in! I know we had walked over five miles, and I sure was grateful for that ride home!

We came back to the boat, and Allen pointed out the bird nest sticking out of the radar reflecter! I climbed to the roof, picking up dropped twigs as I went, and deposited them in the nest. The mockingbird started screaming at me, and dove for me as I started off the roof. I wonder what she's going to do when we get underway?

Current Cut and Hatchet Bay

In the morning, Mercy and I walked the town one last time, checked out the fish in the pens again, talked to a couple of folks, and walked down about a half a mile of beach on the north side of the island. We left Spanish Wells, after enjoying a night at the dock with the air conditioner running and the batteries charging. Spanish Wells is great little town!

We cleared the cut just ahead of the fast ferry's entrance, and proceeded around Meek's Island and headed towards Current Cut. We hit s substantial rainstorm, and once again filled rain buckets, and Allen took a shower in the rain. I chose the shower with hot water, and once again we topped the water tanks. You really can have fun in a rain storm!

We anchored just to the north of Current Cut, off of a gorgeous sandy beach to await the right tide. You should look at google earth to appreciate what I'm about to tell you. Current Cut is about N25 24.1 W076 47.4

The current flows through this cut at up to about 6 knots. The depths in this cut drop to about 60 feet. For 40 years I've heard about people drift diving this cut, and have wanted to do it. I met a woman yesterday in Spanish Wells that was diving this cut with a dive shop today, but, my ear has got me out of the water. I was unable to talk Allen into snorkeling it.

We went through the cut with the Whaler, and checked out our route for the MERCY. We shut off the engine and drifted, and looked over the side. We reached 4.2 kts at one point, drifting with the current. Where the cut narrows, it looks like a river. It is pretty interesting.

We returned to the boat just in time to close up hatches for a passing rainstorm, eat lunch, and start listening to another book, Ian Lawrence's The Wreckers, which involves a sailing vessel smashed to bits on a reef. Hmmm.

At about 2:00, we weighed anchor to continue our journey. The current was still against us, but I wanted to get across to Hatchet Bay by early evening. The cut was impressive, and the seas rolled us from abeam in very short swells for the first five miles of open water, rolling us pretty good. (Rudy, our cabinet boards work great!)

As we neared Hatchet Bay, the coast was looming closer off our port side. The cast is much higher here, probably over 150' elevation, and cliffs and caves along the coast. Tomorrow we'll try to check that out with the Whaler.

Hatchet Bay has a 90' wide chute that was blasted through the rock to obtain entrance into an inland pond, where the town of Alice Town is. Depths there range to 30'-ish, and the rock hills surrounding the bay make for an excellent area of protected water. We are surrounded on all sides by hills, with the only opening to the swells the narrow cut we entered! If the anchorage wasn't already great, there are free moorings! Very faint wi-fi internet! There is a cave just off our port bow, and a gorgeous pavillion covered public dinghy dock right in front of us. This area invites exploration!

Spanish Wells Yacht Haven

Wednesday morning we picked up the anchor early and headed for Spanish Wells. The weather is supposed to clear some tomorrow, and today is a good day to do some town stuff.

My ear is sort of holding its own. Not any worse, maybe a tiny bit better. It is really a great incentive to watch blood sugars!

We came in and docked, did laundry, and each of us explored the town a little on our own. There was only one other boat here, who has since left. The wooden docks and side pilings are great

I enjoyed the fish pens some of the commercial fishermen showed me, and one of them had a 100lb jewfish the guy had been feeding since it was 7.5lbs, 2.5 years ago.

Spanish Wells has great conch houses, all nicely painted bright tropical colors. All the houses have yards, most nicely manicured with a lot of flowering plants. Most folks have clean white roofs, where they catch the rain water for their cisterns.

Much of the traffic is gasoline powered golf carts, but there are cars and trucks as well. I'm not sure why everyone drives so fast on a two mile long island, and while they drive on the left side of the road, it is more like down the center. It can be a little disconcerting when you are walking.

We're cooling off this afternoon, catching up on internet stuff.

Adding to the post: I saw flyers around town for an outdoor church meeting to be held in the parking lot of the food store. I figured I had to check that out. I walked up to the store a little after 7pm to see chairs throughout the parking lot. I checked the flyer, and it said 7:30, so I found a seat. Folks began arriving and filling the seats, until there were maybe 200 folks in the chairs, and pulling up in golf carts. A drive in church service! All of the women were wearing hair coverings, except me, of course! The choir sang a great song, and there was a good solo, and duet. There were a couple of congreational hymns, same words I know, but different music.

The local Gospel Church (Brethren) brought in a preacher from Canada, originally from Mississippi, great guy, great speaker, great Word. Great attendence. And a congregation of people who have no clue of the idea of evangelism or outreach. When did the church lose its fire for evangelism? Not one person said a "hello" to me. (and the uncovered hair should have painted me as a potential lost soul....) I understand John and Charles Wesley were on this island in its origination... hey, we've seen them in the blog before!

The speaker, his wife, and his sister gave me a ride home, and toured the boat. Super nice folks.
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Royal Island, Spanish Wells Clinic and a small world

At home in Royal Island Anchorage

Royal Island Anchorage is a great place to be in a blow. The bottom is great holding, and the surrounding terrain keeps the bay pretty calm. It is still windy enough to not be too hot.

Monday we cleaned the inside of the boat a little, and played chess for several hours. We're listening to audiobooks, and well, it was sort of a "down" day. I've been fighting an ear infection for a few days, and in general, felt miserable.

Tuesday, I decided I'd better get some antibiotics. Allen and Mercy stayed with the MERCY while I took the Whaler to Spanish Wells. It was blowing about 25, and I was really surprised that I could make it to Spanish Wells dry! I will say, however, that every bounce was like someone hammering my head...

I went to Pinder's Grocery Store in Spanish Wells, and Gurney Pinder greeted me at the dock, and told me where the clinic was. I asked him if he knew the two men I'd gone to tankerman's school in Ft. Lauderdale with, and he told me that the one was his brother-in-law, and pointed to a woman driving off, and that was his wife, my sister! I decided to try to make contact with them before I left.

I went to Spanish Wells Yacht Haven Marina, and Treadwell greeted me, and let me tie the Whaler up to go to the clinic. He gave me great directions, and off I went.

The clinic was an interesting place. In the time that I was there, I saw one other patient, who was coming in as I was leaving. I walked in, told them about my problem, filled out a registration form, and was accompanied back to a room by the nurse. The nurse took my vitals, my medical history, and my blood sugar, looked into my ear, and exclaimed how inflamed my ear was. She called the pharmacist across the street to see if he had an otic antibiotic with a steroid for inflammation, and issued me some oral antibiotics as well. The clinic visit was $30, and the antibiotics were $8. She asked me if I needed any pain killers, and me, not big on pain meds, said no. She said she could give me something that evidently they don't have in the States, the name I can't recall, that was popular in the Caribbean. I declined, although I sort of regretted it later, as I was swallowing more Alleve. I walked across the street to Food Fair, and had my script for the ear drops filled. Fast, clean, efficient, thorough, competent... what a great clinic!

Before I left the clinic, I asked the lady at the desk if she knew my friends, and the next thing I knew, she'd picked up the phone, called them, and Donald came to the clinic, picked me up, took me to his house to meet his wife, and offered me a ride anywhere I needed to go. By that point, I just wanted to get my script filled, and go back to the boat!

I made it right before the rain hit. Allen changed to a swimsuit, and scrubbed the boat down, and then we caught enough water to top the water tank off and fill the sunshowers. Water at the marina is .20/gal for city water (that you would NOT put in your water tank) or $.50/gal for RO water, I was glad we topped everything off!

It rained and blew all night, while we slept in a great anchorage.

Coconut bocce ball instead of Harbour Island

Sunday

We decided that, in spite of the wind, we would see if we could run the Whaler around to Harbour Island. We ran to Spanish Wells, and then stuck our head around the point in the Atlantic Ocean, still hiding behind the reef. You should have seen the size of the breakers! We figured out very quickly that while great to look at, definitely NOT something we would do that day in the Whaler, wisdom being the better part of valour, and all!

When the high speed ferry went from Spanish Wells to Harbour Island, we stuck our nose out once more, just to watch him go around the corner. I would think that the passage could get impassable for the ferry if the weather turned really bad out of the north!

Then we returned along the lee side of Royal Island, and found a sand bar, about a foot under water at low tide, where the wind wasn't creating many waves, and turned into a submerged beach day. Allen and Mercy climbed up on the rocks, and Allen pulled a piece of fruit off a tree, about the size of a lemon, green, with a kind of rhind on it, but otherwise, kinda hollow in the center. I have no idea what it was, but they were just the tiniest bit bouyant, and made the best toys! He brought two, and a coconut, and we spent awhile playing bocce ball with the coconut. It gets pretty interesting with the coconut bouncing on the slight chop, moving downwind with the current. It took us awhile to perfect our game, but now we are ready to take on any challengers.

Mercy had a blast with the fruit as well, for when she would bump it with her nose, it would go underwater for several seconds. I know, we should have got a picture of the fruit, but it is hard to play in wet stuff, and still remember to get dry pictures.

We returned to the boat tired and hungry, and cooked a turkey, with potatoes, onions, peas, cranberry sauce... it was pretty good!

Royal Island Anchorage and Spanish Wells

This morning dawned a little windier, but we were in the perfect anchorage for that! The long oval anchorage is open directly to the Eleuthera Sound in a pretty narrow cut to the south, and aside from that, surrounded by land in all directions.

We ran in the lee of the island out to make a dive on the wreck of the Arimoroa. The water was super clear, and there were a lot of fish, including the largest lionfish I have killed to date! It was a little surge-ey, but we were diving at slack tide, so it wasn't bad.

We went back to the boat, had lunch, showered, and got ready for our trip to the town of Spanish Wells. The trip by Whaler was nice, as we ran in the lee of the islands, and we idled through Spanish Wells, looking at all the commercial fishing boats. There is a high speed ferry that runs from Nassau to Spanish Wells to Harbour Island every day, and it only takes 2 1/2 hrs from Nassau. It is an impressive looking boat!

We stopped at the local grocery for a loaf of bread, and then returned to Royal Island anchorage.

We climbed around the old ruins from the 1920's of a fallen estate, and saw some older walls as well.

After supper, we're enjoying some audio books, writing our logs, and enjoying air conditioning as the battery charges. Since it is almost dark, it is almost bedtime. Truly another beautiful day in paradise!

Little Harbour, Abacos to Royal Island, Eleuthera

We awoke to some passing thunderstorms and rain before daylight. It was nice to get a good freshwater rinse for our salty, salty boat.

I listened to the weather on the SSB, as I do almost every morning, and decided that today was the best day to jump across the 50 mile stretch to Eleuthera. We moved the compressor from the roof to the cockpit, and pulled the tanks out of the Whaler, to place in the cockpit as well. It proved we didn't need to move the compressor, as it was a gorgeous, smooth crossing, but, better safe than sorry!

The Atlantic Ocean was calm, with barely a gentle swell. We saw two ships in our crossing, and a couple of sportfishing boats.

We entered the reef at the cut between Little Egg and Egg Island. As I puttered on to our anchorage a couple of miles away, Allen took the Whaler to look at the wreck. The freighter had a galley fire in 1970, that quickly spread, until her fertilizer cargo combusted. The captain ran the ship on the reef, and evacuated the crew. The cargo smoldered for months, and I'm told it killed much of the surrounding reef.

For the next 22 years, she sat upright, looking like an anchored ship. Hurricane Andrew broke the ship into, and sunk her, making for an interesting shallow wreck, and we may dive it tomorrow.

I brought the MERCY into a great holding anchorage at Royal Island, where you could find protection from almost any direction. I've heard a couple of boats rode out Andrew here.

After supper we sat on the bow and watched lightning in distant clouds of a front line. The clouds never made it to us, so we never got rained on, and it was just far enough away to be enjoyable to watch!

Hopetown and Little Harbour

Thursday morning, we got underway for Marsh Harbour, to top off on fuel, gas, and water, so we can cross to Eleuthera in the morning. It looks like we have a weather window, now thru tomorrow night. If we don't go tomorrow, we'll probably be another week in Abacos with the weather; which would be fine, too.

Allen at the Hopetown Lighthouse

We left Marsh Harbour, and went to Hopetown to climb the lighthouse, and see a little of the town. We walked up to Vernon's for some fresh bread, but, they were closed for lunch from 1-2, and we were there shortly after 1. So, we didn't get any bread, but, we did climb the old lighthouse, and took in some spectacular views..... my what a pretty boat in anchored over there!

View from the Lighthouse at Hopetown

Then we went down to Little Harbour, where I sit writing this. This was one of the gorgeous spots I wanted Allen to see. He and Mercy are currently in the 19', puttering around looking at the cliffs and caves.

We are actually on a mooring tonight, and plan to go to Pete's Pub for coconut cracked conch for supper. Well, update they were out of conch.

The wind generally drops off during the night, and its only about 5 kts now! We're just inside the southern exit out the bight, and will probably leave in the morning for Eleuthera.

Great day diving Guana Cay

What a beautiful day! The wind has slacked down, the water is crystal clear, and we are anchored in Baker's Bay, with its beautiful sandy curved beach.

We filled tanks and went to the outside to dive some of the reef. The spot we chose was about 50' to the sand, with rock formations towering up to about 20'. There were sandy chutes between the rocks, where you could swim through the chutes, though a few narrowing to almost 3'.

We saw several large snapper, a few small nassau grouper, a gag, I think, and assorted smaller fish. I saw no lobster, and no lionfish. There was just a little (almost none) blue green algae, but much of the coral was dead.

After our dive, we looked at some of the reef that came up from 60' to breakers in just a few feet. Even with it calm, I wouldn't have put a boat there unattended for the length of a dive. But, it was pretty spectacular to look at, and we were cold! We decided that was the last dive without our shorties!

Later that afternoon, I got a second dive in, very similar conditions, but a few more chutes, and a few more fish!

We remained anchored in Baker's Bay on Wednesday night.

Lionfish hunting near Baker's Bay

We've noticed several posters for lionfish derby's at different areas. The entry is free, and there are great prizes. We hadn't seen too many lionfish until today.

We left Crab Cay, and ran thru Don't Rock Passage, back to Baker's Bay, and our glorious beach. Allen took the Whaler and ran our garbage in to New Plymoth, where we had seen a dumpster for cruisers! He left me when I got into the lee of Green Turtle, and was back before I got to the lee on the other side.

One of the roads in New Plymouth

Then we ran across Don't Rock Passage, which barely had enough water for us with an incoming .7 tide.

We anchored up in our "spot" in Baker's Bay and took the tanks to dive on a wreck we had discovered, passing over with the tug the other day. There was a work barge with a cabin, in a couple big pieces, in about 30' of water, coming up to about 19.' We saw 7 good sized lionfish. We decided we'd go get spears and come back.

The Island Girl had come in and anchored, and we went by to say hi to Greg, and his new crewmember, Phillip. They wanted to go lionfish hunting with us, so we set a date for 30 minutes, giving us time to go to the beach and warm up, and back to the MERCY for the spears.

After a romp on the beach, we picked up the spears, Phillip, and Greg, in that order, and went to the wreck. Jimmy C. I shot nine for you!

Then we went to the outside reef and looked around a little. We came back in and dropped the guys off, and while we were cooking dinner, Gail and Todd (from the Lubbers Cay anchorage) came by in the dinghy. It is really fun running into folks you've interacted with as your paths cross again in cruising areas.

I'm thankful for Baker's Bay free internet, and am so glad I can post these last few days events.

Manjack Cay

Monday morning, we eased to the north a little further, and anchored in a cover between Manjack Cay and Crab Cay.

We went into the beach on Crab Cay and were surprised to see a pig! He walked towards the boat to see if we were bringing food, I suppose, and Mercy-dog was convinced she'd found someone to play with. We walked up the beach a little ways, and saw another pig. The second, and larger, pig snorted and made a step or two towards Mercy, which put her into the lab tail-tuck race away in circles and hope you'll chase me game. She was really disappointed the pigs wouldn't play with her.

Then we took the Whaler and circled the entire Manjack Cay, from the inside out; stopping at beaches, and looking at likely snorkeling spots.

After lunch Linda snorkeled the whole length of the northern shore of Crab Cay, from the northern most sunken barge to the point. There are two barges sunk, and lots of undercuts in the rocky shore, with loads of bait fish, a few tropicals, and just a real interesting snorkel.

The sailboat, Fun, Fun, Fun, which was on a mooring immediately behind our anchored spot in White Sound, is now anchored just a little above us in this cove.

Baker's Bay to Green Turtle

Sunday morning we had our morning devotions and went to the Baker's Bay beach for a nice beach walk.

Then we proceeded out the cut, around Whale Cay, and back into Abaco Sound. We made our way north to Green Turtle Cay, and anchored in White Sound. We parked the Whaler at the Bluff Marina, and walked the road around to Green Turtle Club Marina and back. Most folks on Green Turtle use gasoline golf carts, although a couple of work trucks passed us by.

We returned to the Bluff House Marina for ice tea, and then out to the MERCY for a quiet afternoon reading.

About 1800, after supper, we took the Whaler into Black Sound, and then Settlement Harbour, where we docked, and walked around New Plymoth a little bit.

Church Bus!