Andros, the eastern coast­­

 

 

Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas, with a sparse, friendly population, and not a lot of tourists.  The third largest barrier reef in the world runs along her eastern coast, and then the depths drop off rapidly into the Tongue of the Ocean.  The depths can rise to the surface from 35 feet in a boat length.  The diving is spectacular.  I am, however, dismayed at the death of many of the corals there in the past 20 years.  If you like vertical relief, Andros is a great place to dive.

 

Twenty years ago, I marveled how the largest elkhorn coral formations I had ever seen had been knocked over in a large storm, and lay sprawled across the bottom like a petrified forest. 

 

I tried to survey a small quadrant each year for the biodiversity of corals in an area just north of middle bight.  If you are into different types of coral, this is a great place to dive.

 

The island is a remarkable karst system dotted with an abundance of blue holes, many of which are tidal.  The spring (blowing out) is often fresh water, cold, and clear.  Where the salt water and the fresh water meet, it makes for a murky meld called a halocline.  When the tide turns, and these holes siphon (current going into the hole) it can be with such a velocity that it creates a whirlpool.  Be careful around these holes.  These holes can be dangerous, even to trained cave divers, who may not be familiar with the types of changing currents encountered there.  I used to come to Andros for blue hole exploration, but at this point in my life, I can satisfy my adventurous spirit in other areas, without having to go where no man has gone before…  I do, however, enjoy treks back into a couple of my favorite passageways.

 

Andros is a great place for folks who like to explore, and anchor.  There is some farming on the northern end of the island, which is a nice place to get some fresh veggies.

 

The entrance to Morgan’s Bluff is clearly marked, and that is where I cleared Customs and Immigration last year.  Fresh water is readily available.  Until recent years, a water tanker ship used to come into Morgan’s Bluff, and transport water to Nassau.

 

Fresh Creek had a marina that I used to visit every year.  The current does not change there at the same time as the tide, which always messed with my brain there more than other places.  I never used shore power with the old boat, and water was free.  Never count on fuel availability.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I used to clear Customs and Immigration by docking at the government dock at Driggs Hill, and getting the officials from Congo Town.  I haven’t been into Driggs Hill in ten years. 

 

This past year, I spent my time cruising to some islands I hadn’t visited before, and sort of ran out of time, needing to get my cousin back to school.  I hope to visit some of my favorite anchorages off Andros later this year.

Andros from the west

I had a reader ask me if I've been to Andros, and why more boaters don't seem to go there. Since I haven't been blogging about home repairs, numerous medical trips to Miami, landscaping, and other mundane tasks that don't really fit into a boating blog, and as I'm making preparations for my next trip, I decided I'd devote the next couple of days to talking about Andros.

I have spent a few months diving and exploring around Andros, which is a place I love! With my previous boat, which only drew about 2.5 feet, I used to head from the Keys to Cay Sal Bank, where I would anchor for my first stop. The next leg was continuing on across the Santaren Channel, and the Bahamas Bank; anchoring a few miles offshore of the western end of South Bight. I would go through South Bight with the tide, and dock at Driggs Hill to clear Customs and Immigration.  Once this involved walking the few miles to Congo Town to find an agent at the airport, since all the phones in Driggs Hill were out.  I miss being able to take the shortcut through South Bight on this vessel, which draws a little too much water to get through the way I used to. I have yet to explore to see if I can get through Middle Bight with this boat.

The western shore of Andros is uninhabited, except for the very northern tip. Coming in from the bank, the bottom is deep sand over limestone.

The journey through South Bight is NOT for the faint of heart, and involves some pretty involved water-reading on the western coast, especially. The water is not necessarily clear in the Bight, especially the western end. The waters snake through a low salt scrub terrain, growing on limestone. The vegetation and the elevation get higher as you work your way to the east. The sand bottom shifts around on the limestone base, and can change some with hurricanes. There are numerous blue holes, though most of the ones that I've explored are closer to the eastern side.

There are humongous biting flies, similar to what we called "green heads" in Louisiana, and what the locals of Andros call "doctor flies." They are relentless coming through the western ends of the Bights. These huge horse flies cut you as they land rather than land and then bite. I used to pass fly swatters to my cruising partners and challenge them to see who could kill 100 first in the open air cockpit of the old boat. We even modified the game to see how many times in a row you could kill two in a single swat before a miss, and how many could you kill in ten swats. Every so often I would just make a swoop with Raid Flying Insect killer.  I would wash the corpses off with the salt water wash down hose.

I dove one day in Miller's Creek, while waiting on the tide, to check out a cave entrance to a blue hole, which, BTW, I never explored, choosing to spend my time on the clearer water blue holes on the east side of Andros instead. Anyhow, I dove the hole, and when I surfaced, the fellow who was traveling with me, who had been exploring by skiff was about 2 minutes shy of being bonkers from the flies, and threatening mutiny. Fortunately, the tide was up enough that we pressed on.

Don't get me wrong, I love exploring the Bights! You just either need to be moving quickly in a small boat, or tucked safely behind screens, or in long sleeves and pants, Everglades style.

The flies are less numerous along the eastern side of Andros, and even in the Bights they are only a daylight phenomenon. I don't know if they sleep at night, or have to hide somewhere to keep from being sucked dry by the mosquitoes. Did I mention the mosquitoes?

Don't worry, I'll write something more positive tomorrow.

My little piece of the world

I haven't been blogging much lately, since I haven't recently been on any multiple day trips by vessel. (You will be happy to know that I am underway at least once a week, and have made frequent overnight trips, to keep the vessel systems fully operational, and to preserve my sanity, such as it is...)

I decided last year that I would make a point to try to say "hi" to boaters passing through my area, and try to do some little thing to contribute to their voyage enjoyment or safety. The first thing I needed to do was to determine where "my area" would be. Then I take the Whaler out every couple of days, and if a trawler or sailboat that appears to be cruising is anchored within my little piece of the world, I stop by, pass a boat card, and offer them a place to tie their dinghy, a ride to the grocery store for reprovisioning with my truck, a visit to the local drug store, or auto parts, etc. Several boaters have taken me up on it.

Friends on the porch

In the course of the last few months, I've met a lot of folks, helped a few, made a few friends, and hope I've added a little bit to their journeys.

Even though many boaters are avid walkers, it sure is nice to have a vehicle to haul heavy items... One couple caught cokes on sale and we packed up twenty 12 packs for them to begin their Bahamas cruise. I've transported a lot of groceries, a few pails of oil, and several tanks of lp and gasoline. I try to remember to take their garbage in, too.

Local knowledge goes a long ways towards finding a doctor, a dentist, a vet, and miscellaneous boat parts.

I've also met some great people from the web, other trawlers, who have treated me to dinner, shared great sea stories, and added to my life. I had two couples from the T&T list come to the house for a great visit, and take me to dinner the next day, whose company I enjoyed so greatly I almost cruised north with them!

Over my life I've been blessed by many others coming to my aid, and by kindnesses extended to me. I live in a neighborhood of helpful folks who have extended themselves to me in hospitality and support. I've had others visit me when I was sick, feed me when I was hungry, comfort me when I was troubled, drive me when I needed transport, and help me when I needed a hand. I thank God for a good community.

I can't help everyone, everywhere, but, I've had a lot of fun targeting my little piece of the world, and trying to make it just a little better place.

Little Farmers Cay, Family Island, Bahamas

Little Farmer's Cay is one of my favorite communities in the Bahamas.  Why?  Because we were allowed to be a part of that community!

Somehow, this blog was erased after it was initially posted, and I am trying to re-write it months later. Because I may not remember all the details now, I can tell you, that I remember the community acceptance that I felt there. I have NO photos of Little Farmers Cay. These are photos from the Cay directly across, Great Guana Cay.

When I was in Marsh Harbour, I met a couple on a sailboat that had a few bags of items that they had planned to take to Little Farmer's Cay, to the pastor there.  The weather had kept them from getting down into the Exumas, and I volunteered to take the items, (Coloring books, crayons and markers, toy trucks, and miscellaneous other items for the kids at Little Farmer's Cay) with the caveat that I wasn't on a schedule...  Another sailing couple gave me toys for some of the family islands, which I added to some I had brought, and I had the joy of handing out toys and coloring books in a lot of the smaller communities.

Anyhow, back to Little Farmer's Cay...  I had never stopped at that island before, so while Allen took a recovery nap from our beach combing, trail hiking, cavern exploring day, I took the Whaler into the town dock at Little Farmer's Cay.

A couple of friendly gentlemen greeted me and helped me tie up while asking me if I wanted to buy anything, if I needed a guide, a meal, etc.  I explained that I didn't want to buy anything, but had come to give something.  I explained I had some items for the church, and asked if they knew where I could find the local pastor.  They informed me she was off-island for the next ten days, but one gentleman said that he would escort me to a church board member.  We walked up the dock into town, bearing a couple of bags.  I greeted everyone we passed, and together we delivered the kids' supplies. 

                                                                   
My escort asked me if he could buy me a drink, and I thanked him, and told him I didn't drink.  He laughed, and asked me if I drank water or coke.  I followed him into the local bar, and began a delightful afternoon.  Several of the town residents came in, and we set about discussing, if not solving, various world problems.  The lady next to me suddenly turned to me, and asked if I had plans for supper.  I stammered something about a starving teen-ager I'd left on the boat.  I thought she was trying to get me to go to the local eating establishment. 

Suddenly the whole room was involved, and the next thing I knew, Little Farmer's Cay had decided to have a spontaneous community dinner fish fry, cooked over an outdoor fire.  Plans were made as to who was bringing what, and my orders were to bring nothing but Allen.  I returned to the boat, and Allen and I returned to the dock for one of the most fun evenings I've had in the Bahamas!

The guys took Allen under their wings and taught him to play dominos, Bahamian style.  There weren't any teen-agers on the island, as they had evidently all gone to Nassau that week.  They treated Allen as a young man, and he had a great time.

I enjoyed helping cook over the open fire, and eating the different items being cooked up.

Most of all, I enjoyed being treated as though I was an extended member of the community rather than a tourist.  The little kids were all running around playing together, when three six or seven year olds came running up to me to settle a dispute.  One little girl was whining, half crying, and told me, in a tattling tone that the boy had thrown a stick at her.  I asked the little boy, "Did you throw a stick at her?"

He looked down, and then protested, "She threw a stick at me first!"

"Did you throw a stick at him?" I asked the little girl.  The subsequent looks told me both of those two were guilty. 

I started into my adult tirade.  "I don't care WHO started it, both of you are smart enough to know better than to throw sticks at somebody, don't you?"  They nodded.  "What would happen if you hit them in the eye with a stick?" (Hey, its the age-old line, and it works pretty well...)

I think I demanded apologies to each other, and asserted that if they couldn't play nice with each other, they'd have to come back up with the adults... (the untimate threat) The kids went back to playing, and a couple of aunties came up behind me and nodded their approval, and we went back to where we were cleaning up.  No one thought anything about it.

Why had the kids run to me?  Because I was the closest adult in the community.  Yep, that's how I knew I was part of the community.  The aunties agreement confirmed it.  It really does take a community to raise a child. 

Later, I had those same kids snuggled up to me as we sat together, enjoying the warm atmosphere of the Family Island.

I'm looking forward to going back to my extended community family at Little Farmer's Cay.