Rush Hour in the Exumas

Rush Hour in the Exumas

So now picture this …

We’re surrounded 360 degrees with the most crystal-clear turquoise blue water I’ve ever seen. In front of us are the 6 boats we paraded into this little cove with and the 4 more that followed us in (“rush hour in the Exumas”). To my left as I write from the boat’s cockpit is our own private little beach populated only by large, ugly iguanas, that apparently bite. A moment ago, someone from a near-by boat yelled – “there’s a six-foot shark under your boat”. And Jeff just came into the cockpit after a swim – fortunately, intact! I don’t think these sharks are eating people – there’s lots of other stuff to nourish them.

We’re finally floating at anchor in the place we’ve been heading towards for the last month - the gorgeous Exuma Cays – this is beyond paradise! A 5-hour sail on crystalline water at 6 knots on a close reach (aided by the motor at times) brought us here, on a beautiful blue-sky day. Now we will wend our way down the Bahama Bank to the hurricane hole where we’ll leave Sea Change for a month ‘til we return in March. Then we’ll really explore this area – right now we’re still just getting the boat to its southern home. But this finally feels like vacation time … it’s been a fair amount of work to this point (poor us!).

The day ended with an invitation to a “sundowner” on the beach with the iguanas and about 20 other people, almost all Canadians, from the other boats in the harbor. Everyone brought their own drinks and snacks to share – a sort of tradition here at sunset.

Here are some pics of our last day and evening in Nassau (on anchor overnight), and a few of our first day here in Allens Cay in the Exumas.