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Showing posts with label Oven Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oven Rock. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2013

Oven Rock and the Cavern

I'm not sure how my blogs for these couple of days got deleted, but, I'll put it here for a few weeks, and then move it into sequence with the dates I was there last summer.  I had to add it though, since it was one of my favorite places.

We spent the night anchored in good sand off Oven Rock, and went exploring in the morning.  We had heard about a trail going up hill to a sink/cavern that dropped to a cool liquid grotto, and we were determined we were going to find it.

Allen and I walked the beach area until we found a likely looking trail, towards the northern end of the curved beach north of Oven Rock, and trekked off, armed with machetes for the undergrowth.  (One thing I learned from hiking is, you need to give back, aka trail maintenance.)  The trail split off in several directions, and we followed various trails until we eventually found the cavern.  It was well worth it.

The cavern does a manageable elevation drop to get down to the water grotto at the bottom.  There is enough light to see the way out, but you definitely want a light to explore with.  The cavern is large enough that it is a welcome cool from the surrounding summer heat, and an interesting place to look around.  I had heard that the water in the grotto was fresh, but, it is not.  I think that means that the cavern must drop to sea level.  The water that drips from the ceiling is fresh, forming beautiful stalagtites, and stalagmites.  Someone had placed a 5 gallon bucket there to collect water.  It was nice and cold where it dripped from the rocks.
The water in the grotto was also cold, which was a refreshing change since we'd gotten pretty warm hiking around.  We swam for a little while, and I decided that the next trip I'd bring a mask and a dive light! 

When we left the cavern, we followed the trail over to the east side of the island, and scoured the beach there for treasures among the flotsam.  We found a couple of sea beans, and some various larger objects that I had to pry from Allen's hands as I insisted they weren't going back to the boat.  I did persuade him to leave them in a picnic looking area where there were already a various assortment of interesting flotsam.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Norman's Pond, Cave Cay, Oven Rock

From Norman's Pond Cay, we eased north inside to exit into the sound between Bock Cay and Scupper Cay. The tide was meeting the wind, and the cut was rough! We went out into the deep water of the sound to get away from the short swells, and kept running in Exuma Sound. The wind was steadily increasing, and we ducked back into the calm, protected waters through Cave Cay Cut.  The cut would make you pucker, with the short, steep swells.  I love this Nordic Tug!

Psalm 107:23-31 (NIV) is my Psalm for the day!
23Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27They reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they were at their wits’ end.
28Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.

I took the Whaler into Cave Cay harbour to look around. The marina area is still being built, with currently serviceable dockage facilities. The floating docks are great, and this is one of the best hurricane holes I've seen for the Exumas.

We continued on the inside, along Cave Cay, between Big Farmers and Little Farmers, and up to anchor off Oven Rock towards the southwest side of Great Guana Cay. The sand holding was excellent, and we stayed there two nights.
 
Mercy loves watching Allen's radio controlled boat.  We would tell the boat "come" and "go" and "good boat" when it minded!