Scuba Certified!

Before we left Michigan, Chuck wanted to certify for scuba diving, but time did not permit.  There is a Padi certified dive shop here in the marina, so we stayed a few days longer and Chuck is now a Padi Open Water Diver. Congratulations Chuck!  I guess this means that now he can clean the bottom of our boat instead of hiring a diver?  Unfortunately, there is sometimes a down side to a good thing.  Poor Chuck received eight blisters on six of his ten toes!  He should have bought those neoprene socks for his fins.

Emerald Bay Marina on Great Exuma Island

On April 11, 2015 we set sail for Great Exuma Island which had to be navigated on the outside of the Exumas in the Atlantic Ocean.  The wind 15-20 knots and the waves 2-5 feet were on the nose, so we motored for 7.5 hours for 33 nautical miles in not the best of conditions, but doable.  We arrived at Emerald Bay Marina owned by Sandals Resorts for only $1 a foot with free laundry!  The average cost to do a load of laundry in the Bahamas is $8 and we have seen it as high as $12.  The water is metered at $0.43 per gallon for R/O water.  It was very warm when we arrived, so we made an ice bath in our cockpit to cool off our hot little feet.  The marina is beautiful with lounges, library, billiard room, dive shop, Monday night free rum punch and food, and access to the beaches.  We spent quite a few days here to clean the boat, clean our clothes, provision our food, fuel, relax and enjoy!  One of the best places we encountered was Big D’s Conch Spot on the beach.  Big D makes the conch salad fresh (his helper swims out to the ocean to get the live conch) and puts on quite a preparation show with his culinary skills.  We asked him to show us how the conch is cleaned and the video is a must see!  Chuck even ate the thistle from the conch – it’s a manly thing.    We were able to visit the Sandals resort very close to Emerald Bay Marina.  Sandals really knows how to make a luxury resort.

Little Farmers Cay in The Exumas

After spending five days in Black Point we hauled up the anchor and set sail for Little Farmers Cay, about 14 miles south.  This is a small island but rich in history owned by the descendants of the Nixon family, former slaves who bought the island after they were freed.  Only ancestors of this family can own property here.  The locals sell fish, conch shells, baskets, and wood carvings.  We met Roosevelt Nixon, the owner of Farmers Cay Yacht Club and the go-to person for just about everything.  We also spent some time with the only teacher and principal of the all-age school, Miss Cox, with ten students in all from grades 1-8.  For a great homemade dinner, a reservation was made at Ocean Cabin, where the owner and his wife cook and serve all the guests.  They do have interesting hours.  This island is truly a quiet, peaceful rock in the Exumas.

Black Point in The Exumas

We arrived in Black Point on Saturday, April 4, 2015 after a short 10 mile trip from Big Majors.  This is a real out-island “non-touristy” settlement.  This is also the home of the best laundromat and with Wi-Fi on the deck in the Exumas run by Ida who also bakes, cooks, and cuts hair.  There are two small grocery stores, three restaurants with Wi-Fi, and free water from a spigot on the side of the road.  The anchorage is beautiful and without any mega-yachts.  We were there over Easter and there were celebrations including music, dancing, and freshly made conch salad at the Regatta Park.  If you think there isn’t much in Black Point, take a look at the sign post with all the signs.  There is always one or two bakers on the islands that bake homemade Bahamian Bread.  Our boat buddies, Jack and Penny on s/v Circe, went deep sea fishing on their sailboat with a local fisherman and caught two huge Mahi!  That night we had the best and the freshest grilled Mahi ever!  The Garden of Eden, driftwood and stone sculpture garden, and the blow hole are a must see.  We also had a remora living under our boat just waiting for us to feed him – and he did like the banana skins.  Cruisers Happy Hour with two for one rum punches was dangerous!  

Big Majors and Staniel Cay in The Exumas

We left for Big Majors on Sunday, March 30, 2015 and were able to sail for several hours.  Normally the wind is not blowing in the direction we want to go and the water is very shallow in many areas so we are limited to where we can navigate.  We anchored in Big Majors which is very close to Staniel Cay.  Big Majors is an island where the swimming pigs live – yes, swimming pigs that as soon as you head towards the beach they swim out to your boat looking for food.  People come from all over to see these wild pigs that are only interested in you if you have food to feed them.  We were told of “Bill’s Pirate Beach” which is an accumulation of chairs, umbrellas, tables, grill, beach games, and signs for the comfort and relaxation of the cruisers – and BYOB!  The starfish, stingrays and sharks are plentiful and beautiful.  Getting groceries can be quite a challenge and on occasion Chuck has to haul a case of cans on his shoulder – but how else will he get his exercise?  On Staniel Cay, the local fisherman clean their daily catches on the dock and throw the pieces to the nurse sharks and stingrays. Believe it or not, people get in the water here and swim with them.  Chuck was brave enough to wade in the water with the sharks, but they weren’t interested in him much.    The James Bond movie, Thunderball, was filmed here in 1965 and we went snorkeling in Thunderball Grotto in the cave where some of the scenes were shot.  The varieties and quantity of fish was amazing and some of the best snorkeling so far.  Everyone arrives in their dinghy and drops anchor and then socialize together rafted off of each other.  The water colors, sunsets, views and nature are hard to describe and the pictures really don’t show the real beauty.