Off the Beaten Track the Jumentos (aka the Ragged Islands)
Mandalay
Robin & Jenny Martin
Tue 6 Mar 2012 16:02
The Jumentos are a string of small low lying uninhabited Cays except Little Ragged at the southern tip which boasts a 50 strong community and a very small village store. This is a cruising ground for those who are well prepared, stocked up, and enjoy the simple things in life. They stretch for 75 miles northwards to the nearest opportunity to fill the larder again.
After a long day motor sailing up from Cuba we anchored in as close as we could under Little Ragged in the dark, having traced our track from our last visit.
Just before dark two things happened that confirms Robbie's theory on sailing (ie one step forward then one step back) we caught a nice big mutton snapper and then one of the fan belts broke!
It was a fitful night as we rolled around in the surge between the Cays.
Next morning Robbie was up early scanning the charts, a half cup of tea (less chance to spill) for a better spot as the wind was forecast to increase to 20+. On paper Hog Cay looked a good bet so we set off thinking we were the only souls this far south.
We wriggled around the coral heads we had missed on the way in! If you can't see them you don't worry.
At Hog Cay we found a whole community, mostly Americans who are not allowed to go further south to Cuba. About 20 boats were anchored there, some had been there since November, they must have big freezers! I suppose it is the get away from it all feeling especially when you pass through George Town where there were 300 boats at anchor. The regulars, most come here every year, had made a sort of scout camp on the beach. It had an awning with palm frond roof, hanging decorations from the sea, benches and camp fire. Even an incinerator especially for the burnable rubbish. We played boulle on their pitch with fishing float balls and were lucky enough to go to one of the social evenings. Three guitars and a banjo and some real American folk music which was a mix between Bob Dylan and John Denver or was it Andy Williams, not sure.
The most amazing thing was that Robbie put a call out on VHF for another v belt, the 3 spares he had didn't fit, they were for the other alternator and one of those had broken a couple of months ago, and guess what?
We had 4 offers within 5 minutes so off he went to Dots Way and he didn't want anything for it. We left a warm bottle of champagne instead. I don't think his freezer would have been full.
Next off to Water Cay which was a great beam reach up the inside of the Cays about 50 miles. We passed going the other way Polar Pacer who we had met in the Abacos 6 weeks earlier. He was on his way to Cuba ( a Canadian) so told him what we had done over the radio.
Water cay looked nice and was a good anchorage but we left first thing so didn't get ashore.
On to the short cut to the north called the Comer Passage, which we didn't even consider on the way down because of the minimal depth. It meant going to Long Island which we didn't mind at all. Well, minimal depth it was. For over 10 miles we had 6 inches under the keel!
We were on a rising tide for another hour but that would have given us only another 6 inches. When the sea bed is so flat 6 inches is a lot, it's only sand. Anyway, we didn't touch and got to Thompson Bay, Long Island.
Anchored a good mile out, you've guessed it, too shallow but a big bay.
After a soaking in the dinghy in the morning we got to The Breeze Resort where we were able to catch up with emails after 3 weeks. 170 emails awaited, welcome back to the real world.
Everyday we tune into Chris Parker on the SSB for the weather forecast and typically the wind is predicted to be 25+ all next week but with luck should settled a bit for Charlie and Serena's arrival on Friday. So tomorrow, Sunday, we plan to sail the 35 miles to Elizabeth harbour and sit out the blow.
Photos Hog Cay and more of Cuba