January 22 we go South...
We left Cambridge Cay to weather out a front near a Bahama Tel (Batelco) tower. We had a short but fairly ’snotty’ ride down, current and wind opposing, right on our nose. We cut through Big Rock Cut from Exuma Sound…not at the recommended time or tide and felt the power of the current which could have been disastrous in a lighter boat. Man of Steel at the helm, we made it through, but next time we’ll pause an hour or two to open the office if it means running a cut like that again!
Once inside, we nestled into a spot to ride out the front; we were the only boat in the bight, while we watched a steady parade of boats fill a channel between Little Majors Spot and Big Majors Spot. By 3:00 there were easily 40 boats in this cut which had room for 20…with strong current, surges, and variable holding. The night before the front arrived, three boats dragged anchor. More went in the next day, one or two left. We spent the evening of the front in our bight with perhaps 4 other boats. The front came with some strong clocking wind and we found ourselves hanging further in to the rocky ledge than felt comfortable, with 6 feet of water beneath us (we need 5). So, at 3 a.m. Tony and I upped anchor and moved into the belly of the bight away from the edge and kept one eye open to watch and an ear on the anchor alarm until the morning’s light.
Once again, breaking the rule of no anchor work in the dark. Less damage than anxiety and no blood this time.
After a hearty if late breakfast, we moved Endurance through the southern channel in front of Staniel Cay and set up housekeeping in the large, good holding, on the west beach of Big Majors Spot, now safely out of the wind. After a quick clean up we headed in to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club (sort of like what you’d find at the Weare, NH Yacht Club) for happy hour and the NFC Championship game to rendezvous with PainKiller and have a more formal introduction to FlyingFish, Sam and Janet.
Monday offered us a wet dinghy ride to town to walk to the landfill and then explore the island’s shops. Later in the afternoon we took a ride over to the shore at Big Majors to toss some veggies to the wild pigs. There are a few pigs who listen for dinghy motors and come swimming out to retrieve carrots, apples, lettuce cores and what-have-you. Word to the wise, though: they can be aggressive if you’re slow with the handout and rumor has it a woman needed 40 stitches in her breast because her Ziploc bag wouldn’t open quickly enough!
Sundowner cocktails with PainKiller, and then an evening with Messenger to talk internet connection and possibly a few games.
Tuesday, more internet with Messenger while Elizabeth came to Endurance for a game of SET and 24; Beth & Scott joined us for a round of “Such a Thing?” by the time Tony returned and Elizabeth headed out. We met Mike & Susan from the lovely catamaran Last Dance yesterday and were invited for our evening’s cocktails aboard their boat. Mike gave Tony a year’s worth of cruising Miami Beach area anchorages and some good tips on safe harbors in the Jacksonville area. We had a wonderful evening with them and hope to cross paths again, somehow…. they’re headed to Trinidad!
Wednesday brought news of another front coming through; not one we intend to worry about but others here thinking it through. Lots of boats in the anchorage today, so Tess announced a cruisers BYOB on the NOT PIG beach. Fun to meet and greet and hear the variations on a theme of how long people have been cruising, where they’ve been, where they’re headed, …. Less fun, the little biting gnats! Thunderball grotto snorkel was planned for Thursday…….
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