Hog Cay south through the inside

On Tuesday, we took the MERCY, towing the Whaler, and meandered to the south through the inside, up against the islands instead of in the deep waters of the Sound or going way out on the bank. These areas are known for shoaling sand, and it had been years since I had been through there.





We ran along the deep channel west of Hall's Pond Cay, and SW around the sandbar below the southern tip of that island. We cleared the bar and ran back to the NE towards the northern end of Ridge Cay. I don't think it was necessary for us to go to the SW as far as we did, but, since it was raining at that point, it was difficult to read the water. We passed immediately to the west (rock tossing distance) of the islands to the west of Ridge Cay, following the bank of that island with an immediate turn to the east along the south side of the island. The channel through here is pretty visible.





Along the west side of Little Hall's Pond we found two mooring balls that appear to belong to Exumas Land and Sea Park. We rounded the tip of Little Hall's Pond and looked, but could not locate, the sunken airplane along the reef there. We saw dinghy moorings at the Sea Aquarium, up next to the small cay that is north of O'Briens Cay. There is also a large boat mooring just inside O'Briens Cay.





We paralleled the coast of O'Briens Cay, passing to the east of the rocks laying halfway between Pasture Cay and O'Briens. We were headed to Cambridge Cay mooring field. We passed to the east of the small cay in the middle of the cut and ducked into the Cambridge Cay mooring field as a squall with dramatic winds was passing through. The mooring field was empty, and there were tiny white caps through the mooring field. We turned around and headed back to the serene mooring we'd seen behind Little Hall's Pond. This time I passed to the west of the island in the middle of the cut, and went around the south and then west end of Pasture Cay before turning NE and completed the circuitous route.





Little Hall's Pond aka Johnny Depp's Island, is private, with no trespassing signs along the beaches. The side nearest the moorings are rocks coming down into the water, making for great snorkeling along the rocky wall. There is a lot of current through here, so it is a slack tide adventure.





We went over and snorkeled the Sea Aquarium from the installed dinghy mooring. Although the current flies through here, snorkeling on the falling tide, the current hits the wall, and upwells into the corner, making a great area to snorkel behind that upwelling, out of the current. So the boat on the mooring is in strong current, and one boat width away you can be out of the current. There were tons of tropicals, several Nassau grouper, sergeant majors, angel fish, trigger fish, lobster, etc. Everything there looks like they are used to being fed, even though it would be against park rules to do so.

Vacationing around stormy weather....

I did laundry in Black Point and mosied on down to anchor to the west of Sampson Marina.. That is a nice anchorage, unless you get a westerly wind. There was a 140' yacht there, and a 60' It is also on the Staniel to Compass small boat route, and between boats flying past, and jet skies zipping through the anchorage...





In the morning at high tide, and with the latest weather info, I took the shallow water route south and west of Sampson to the deep channel heading up to OverYonder Cay, and turned into my selected spot tucked in next to Thomas Cay to ride out the weather associated with Tropical Storm Chantel. Later that afternoon, a sailboat, Soon Reach, decided the same thing, but anchored in the middle of the channel. I watched him get bounced around by wakes for a couple of days.





Mercy-dog and I took the Whaler through protected water on Thursday to pick up Dorothy at Staniel Cay.





The Staniel Cay Yacht Club has a good relationship with Watermakers Air, out of the executive airport in Fort Lauderdale. This US based airline of small planes seems to be one of the most reliable forms of transportation. They fly from Fort Lauderdale to Andros to clear Customs/Immigration, and then on to Staniel. I would love to make that flight, just to be able to see the low altitude view of the islands! You can get transportation via golf cart with Staniel Cay Yacht Club from the airport to the marina.





On the way to the MERCY, Dorothy and I swung by Big Majors to feed the swimming picks some old bread that I needed to get off the boat. Mercy-dog always wants whatever we're feeding pigs or fish! We just beat a sprinkling rain back to the boat.





On Friday, with the remnants of TS Chantel providing winds, we roamed the quiet protected waters in the vicinity, drift snorkeling and exploring the areas around Pipe Cay, Little Pipe Cay, Compass Cay, and Joe Cay.





Friday night/Saturday morning in the wee hours, we had a 50 kt storm blow through. I'm sure Dorothy wondered what she was getting into.





Saturday morning we saw two ladies off the Soon Reach, and their two dogs walking the beach, and we went in and joined them for an energetic walk on Thomas Cay along a trail that was new to me. The trail cut across the island to the cut, and then along the sound side. They pointed out a couple of other trails as well.





With the squalls over, and our water tanks topped off, we moved the MERCY through the inside, past Compass Cay, did a drive-by of Rocky Dundass, but didn't stop, did a drive-by of Cambridge Cay, and then went outside into the Sound and down to the Hog Cay mooring field at South Wardwick Wells.





While at the mooring field for a coouple of days, we drift snorkeled with the Whaler through several of the cuts, snorkeled along the outside of Hog Cay, snorkeled around Emerald Rock, and did a dive at Jeep reef. One of the more interesting features is the tunnel that goes all the way through Hog Cay, which is pretty much open at low tide. At high tide, when I did it, when the surge wasn't so bad, there are openings to the sky every few feet, making for an easy snorkel. Having said that, it is a good idea to make sure you are swimming into the current, which ensures a ride back.





There were lots of big lobster in these protected areas, as well as an abundance of conch, and tropical fish. The water clarity and the abundance of coral and rocky reefs are always fun.