The Calm Before the Storm

It was mirror-calm on the water last evening, and we both sighed with relief from the rocking and rolling of the last two days in our anchorage off Staniel Cay. However, we woke this morning to grey skies and howling wind, and a weather prediction of more to come. So we decided to weigh anchor and head for points north, where there might be more protected anchorages.

We left at about 8:30 a.m. and were buffeted for an hour by big rolling seas (about 5 foot waves), with lots of spray, as we were motoring right into the wind. “Enough of this”, says my Captain – “let’s go into Sampson Cay”. This used to be a beautiful, full-service marina, but a call on the VHF informed me that it was now “private”. Apparently, the whole island has been taken over by an American billionaire, who closed down the marina/resort and is using the gorgeous development on land for his family and friends (see pics below). This guy is reported to be the largest land-owner in the US – a former VP of a telecommunications company.

So though we can’t go ashore (lots of signs saying “private – keep off!”), we are now anchored opposite his not-so-modest villa – still in rolly water, but at least sheltered from the worst of the wind.  We’ll sit this “norther” out and then probably head back to George Town – snorkeling in the marine park will have to wait for another visit. I guess we were due this lousy weather – it’s been two full weeks of pure heaven.

I Didn't Know Pigs Could Swim

A cloudy morning today turned into a sunny afternoon. So after both of us had worked at our computers for three hours, we decided to check out the Thunderball Grotto for snorkeling, now that the waves had calmed down.

The waves may have been calm – but the current wasn’t! Jeff could barely swim against it, and I didn’t even try. People who did get in while we watched from our dinghy said the current almost sucked them out the other side L. So instead, we “snorkeled” from the dinghy, with our heads over the side, adorned with mask and snorkel. It was actually quite good – lots of colourful Parrot fish, beautiful coral and Jeff saw a three foot nurse shark!

Then we took a long ride all around Big Major Spot Island to the other side, where there was a beach off which pigs (yes, pigs!) swam out to be fed by us. We knew about the pigs, and had come equipped with left-overs  – for which they grunted their appreciation.

We heard from other cruisers that the pigs were brought to the Island after 9/11 by Bahamians who thought that their food supply might be threatened by a US war with the terrorists. So they left the pigs on the Island to forage and fatten up for food. But since they didn’t get eaten, they instead became a tourist attraction.

“I didn’t know pigs could swim” quipped Jeff, as we dinghied back to Sea Change – tired but very satisfied. Another beautiful day in Paradise.

The pics below are from our afternoon yesterday touring Staniel Cay in a rented golf cart, and from today’s dinghy ride to the swimming pigs.

Paying it Forward

We’ve had so much help from other cruisers since we’ve been in the Bahamas, that we were hoping some day to be able to start “paying it forward”.

Well, today was the day. As we ate our poached egg breakfast in the cockpit, I was thinking: “You know you’re really relaxed when you can be entertained for an hour by watching your neighbour try to unsnag his anchor”.

By the time we’d finished eating, they still hadn’t managed to get free, despite attempts with wet suits and snorkel gear, and all manner of gymnastics from their dinghy. So my Captain took our dinghy and his new rescue knife over to the neighbour’s boat, with an offer of help. After another half hour, they had cut the anchor chain free from a line wrapped around it, and attached to a stray piece of 7 foot-long fiberglass from a wrecked boat on the ocean floor! Many “thank you’s” later, the neighbour’s boat departed and we dinghied over to Staniel Cay Yacht Club for lunch in their gorgeous new dining room.

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the nurse sharks who hang around the Yacht Club being fed by fishermen cleaning 4-foot long Grouper, lobsters and Mahi Mahi; strolling the 8-foot wide “highway” around the central part of town; and chatting with two cruisers who offered to dinghy me back to our boat, since Jeff had left earlier.

As the sun was setting and we looked off the side of Sea Change, we could see another boat that had made a bad decision when anchoring, and was stranded aground on the low tide. We just wished him luck and went below to make dinner.

All in all, quite a day!

The Garden of Eden

January 22, 2015

After provisioning and laundry this morning, we left the lovely little settlement of Black Point – but not before a side trip to “The Garden of Eden”. This is a sculpture garden made entirely of driftwood and strategically-placed plantings, done by elderly Willie, who asks only for a “small donation” if you choose to wander through (see pics below).

It was as charming as both the locals and the cruisers all seem to be in this part of the world. As we were making our way down to our parked dinghy, a cruiser was telling a friend about the gluten-free bread a local woman’s mother had made for her. I overheard, and asked about it for Jeff, and she handed me a loaf – “enjoy”, she said. Jeff is overjoyed to again have some bread, as we had run out days ago.

Then we had a beautiful beam reach sail to our next destination – Staniel Cay, where 007’s "Thunderball" was filmed. We watched the movie the other night in preparation ... pretty awful!! I hope snorkelling in the Thunderball grotto will be less disappointing. More about Staniel Cay after we visit tomorrow.