Story from New Providence where Nassau is
24:59.78N and 77:32.;04W
This is our second to last stop in the Bahamas before crossing over to the
US. It is only an overnight stop. We will go to Berry Islands and we hear
Chub Cay is a nice place to visit so I hope we get to stay a couple of days.
It will be our staging post for the crossing and we will head to West Palm
Beach for clearing in and visiting a Westmarine store - where the boys (Bert
and Bill) will be in seventh heaven. If their stores are anything like I
hear their supermarkets are then this will be a huge chandlery. Time is
pressing so we won't be there more than a day as we have to move north as
quickly as possible - hurricane season and all that (insurance purposes
dictate).
We have left the Exuma Islands now. Norman Cay is a great place as is
Staniel Cay which has some shops for provisions or a house that has a sign
for bread and you walk in the kitchen to get it. All the islands are
serviced by light planes 9 or 10 seaters and a supply boat which brings
provisions in every week. Not all the islands have proper settlements such
as Staniel but Norman Cay has 13 homes and an airstrip you can walk on.
Planes are not allowed to land at night and would be suspected of
trafficking if they did. Norman Cay used to be controlled by a drug baron
but now it must be remembered for McDuffs Bar and Grill. You land a dinghy
on the beach at approximatley 24:36N 076:49W, follow the wooden sign along
an inland path, then turn right where two wooden signs say Airport and
McDuffs and there they both are. McDuffs seems to serve as the departure
lounge.
We grounded on sand and had to wait over two hours until the rising tide let
us off. We had come in the exact same way but obviusly on a high tide (no
more than .9m range).
We also stopped at Higborne Cay but it is a private island and marina and
they were not welcoming - wouldn't let us buy internet time.
Here are some photos of the last few days in Staniel Cay, Norman Cay and
Hawksbill Cay. Check out Bill looking for coral heads because we don't want
to anchor on those. Also did you know that pigs could swim? They do in
Staniel, especially if they know that boaters are going to feed them.
Lastly there is a nice picof Bill giving a helping hand to Bert and Leni who
had some repairs to do.
end.
