Eleuthera to Warderick Wells in the Exumas
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Mon 10 Feb 2014 21:29
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24:23.00N, 076:37.91W Emerald Rock, Warderick
Wells
A whole host of boats left Rock Sound heading for various
points in the Exuma chain to the west of Eleuthera. Some were going north,
making their way back towards the States but most were sailing in a generally
southwards direction towards whichever cut they favoured to gain access onto the
Exuma Banks.
Arriving at the wrong time in the wrong conditions can mean a
nasty reminder of how important it is to time your arrival so that the wind is
not blowing over the outgoing tide. That's nearly always the way things will be
in this part of the Bahamas.
Once clear of Powell Point, our exit cut out of Eleuthera, we
enjoyed probably the best sail for a long time despite a beam sea which is not
the most comfortable in a cat. Our friends up ahead reported that they had just
lost a large bull Dorado, which Graham had fought to get to the back of their
boat. The Dorado did not have any thoughts about becoming an evening meal and
duly spat the hook and escaped. Following along a mile or so behind trailing
three fishing lines we hoped we may hook the escapee. Although he had
probably lost his appetite for funny looking plastic squids. We continued
to trail all three lines over to where the Exuma Park boundary is clearly marked
on charts as a No Fishing Zone and in came the lines.
 'Bonnie Lass' blasting past us
on the crossing from Eleuthera to the Exumas - we forgive
you!
We then hung off the cut for thirty minutes or so to allow the
worst of the ebb to flow off the banks before we transited Warderick Cut.
Safely through we motorsailed round to Emerald Rock where we were to spend a
couple of bouncy nights as the wind developed more south than we would have
liked. The forecast was for pretty much the same but lighter so we planned
short hops to our next destination to avoid too much windward
purgatory!
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