Exuma Land and Sea Park
leeonsea
Lee Price
Sat 30 Jun 2007 04:01
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Welcome to Warderick Wells, home of the Bahamas Exuma Land and Sea Park.  (Taken atop BooBoo Hill looking south)
What a wonderful place this is, as part of the Bahamas National Trust this park covers over 176sq miles and was set up in 1958. Warderick Wells Cay sits in the middle and houses the Parks HQ. There is no airstrip and no ferry boats or power boat trippers from Nassau, no regular tourists of any kind, it's here solely to be for itself and the only way to get here is in your own boat, how cool.
I arrived last night after a frustrating sail here from Normans Cay. The wind was not in a place that was useful to us and was steadily building backing and generally getting in the way. A fantastic rain storm saw me collect 2 gallons of water, I could have collected more but didn't have any additional containers. My hunter gather instincts in full effect and I saved myself $3 to boot. The Park runs a No Take Zone, meaning no fishing of any kind, nothing taken onto or off the islands. I saw one notice with the motto 'Take only photos, leave only footprints' which I quite liked. There is a statement in the chart book which says 'if you see plastic or any other debris, pick it up and take it to the Park HQ for disposal' Unfortunately when walking on the Atlantic side of the island today I would have needed a large skip to pick all the plastic off the beach, so much flotsam. It really drives home what a terrible mess we are making of this earth when even a site protected from human habitation of any kind for nearly the last 50years shows so many signs of human intervention. Anyhoo, they have trails marked through the vegetation, beaches and cliffs. I don't mean nice leveled walks, I mean pioneering trails, the odd branch cut off, a tree removed but generally just a mark every hundred yards or so by a pile of rocks or spray painted on a palm. Other than that, completely wild. Each trail connects a beach or other point of interest, I saw may small lizards, birds and a small brown rodent I must find out the name of tomorrow. The Atlantic side was wild and windy today, with spray blasting off the volcanic cliff faces, but cross over the island to the west side and your back in Paradise with wonderful white sand beaches and clear clear water.  (BooBoo Hill Trail sign across 'Banshee Creek)
 (Across the Creek and Up the Hill, none of the other trails were this well marked) On one of the trails I came across 'Davis Plantation Ruins' little more than 3 single room dry stone building ruins, some walls still sporting plaster, dating from 1780's with two dry stone wall traversing the island east to west, one of which is still very much in tact and forms part of the trail. Incredible to think that a group of settlers tried to make their fortunes on a rock in the middle of no where.  (Murpheys Hideaway, one of many weathered holes in the rock, though this
one had a ladder - Cool)
Heading back to the boat I came across a Crab, big, in a rock pool eating his dinner so I had to stop and play with him for a while, I don't think he was too impressed as he buggered off. Also these little shell crabs that just tuck themselves up inside their shells when they hear you coming, generally on the side of a hill so when they do they just roll away, very funny.  (Many Larry Lizards on the Island) Tomorrow I'm going snorkeling in the Coral garden here and I found atop Boo Hill a huge amount of little home made plaques of boats that have passed through so I want to find a little drift wood and make one for 'Half Price'.  (Just one shot of three, there must be hundreds of these planted on top of
BooBoo Hill)
 (The sign says - Termite Mound, Do Not Disturb - Unfortunatly the termites
have eaten it! LoL)
 (One of the less well marked trails - still not the worst)
They have Internet here !!! via Satellite I think and as this wind is going to continue to blow for a day or two yet, I'll post this blog and some pics tomorrow. It's cost $15 a night to moor here though and in the interests of keeping it all lovely no anchoring is allowed, blowing the budget! Ah well, Staniel Cay in the next few days, swimming pigs, Thunderball grotto, Laundry! (bliss) and if I make it by Sat (which I wont) Rock and Roll band at the Yacht club! This is livin ;o) L x. |