Bahama Fun with Family & Friends

After two nights at the Chub Cay Marina, we sailed across the Northwest Channel in the Tongue of the Ocean into Nassau Harbor Club Marina, again for protection from another approaching front with strong wind. Being in a marina allowed us easy access for shopping, laundry, and meeting our daughter Kenya and son-in-law Nathan. After an overnight flight from L.A., they arrived in Nassau February 14. The next morning, Solar Eclipse and Lapidus left Nassau for a stop in Norman’s Cay, close to 50 nautical miles.

Crossing the Yellow Bank is necessary on routes from Nassau to the Northern Exumas. Our new crew was on the bow, enjoying the sun and turquoise water, but also keeping an eye out for large black coral heads off our bow that seemed too close to the surface. We had no problems and a great day of sailing, though we did have to motor sail part of the way. Norman's cay is popular, and we dropped anchor in a large group of other boats. The water is beautiful, the sand is white, and McDuff’s (great hamburgers and conch) is fun.

Weighing anchor Tuesday morning, we set sail for another adventure. We entered Exuma Sound through Norman’s Cay Cut, very narrow with 2.5 meters over rock. Though the cut is challenging, we were soon in the deep cobalt-colored Sound, for a 22 nm run to Little Hall’s Pond Cay, a private island owned by Johhny Depp, but also a dingy ride from a natural sea aquarium. The light wind became strong and gusty as we put down our sails and inched our way through Soldier Cut, described in the Chart Book as “use only in excellent conditions.” The thought crossed my mind that maybe we should have picked destinations that we had already previously visited, but Kenya and Nathan helped us pick our way through and didn’t seem to notice the sound of our hearts (or way it just mine?) pumping.

We snaked along three nautical miles of avoiding shallow coral and sliding sand bars took a while, but we did take pictures of Captain Jack’s Sparrow’s place as we slowly made way through the beautiful area. We saw masts from the mooring in Cambridge Cay a mile away, but as we motored around the end of Little Hall's Pond Cay, we and Solar Eclipse had a private anchorage. We skipped the anchorage noted on the chart to gain a little protection from the gusty northeast wind behind a small, unnamed island, which gave us a great place to explore, along with the Sea Aquarium, nice snorkeling short dingy ride away.

Though privately owned, Little Hall’s Pond Cay, as well as four other neighboring private islands are part of the Exuma Land & Sea Park, a no-take marine conservation park that covers 176 square miles of cays, rocks, and reefs. Many Bahamians are voicing concern about the development on these privately owned cays causing harmful effects on the Park. I think their fears may turn out to be justified, though, at least for now, the development seems modest.

When not underway, we enjoyed just being together. Snorkeling and beachcombing are great activities, but enjoying great meals and rum cocktails are high on our list as well.

Another one-night anchorage and Lapidus and Solar Eclipse set sail for Staniel Cay and Big Major's Spot, islands we visited last year, and loved!

To be continued……..