This past Wednesday we took a weather window and went to Long Island. I had planned this little trip sitting in the chair at our rented condo, Seamount Cay. It is also a favorite of the redoubtable Bruce van Sant, famous for his "Gentleman's Guide to Passages South." We coasted along the edge of the Exuma Sound to Little Exuma Island and then cut east across the White Cay Bank to the slightly deeper Great Bahama Bank. Jan hooked a Spanish mackerel, but Karl failed to net him. Bummer on my first try. After 35 n. mi. of light motor sailing we rounded Indian Head Point into Thomson's Bay. This is a quiet but exceedingly well protected bay. There were 6 other yachts. We anchored in 7 feet of crystal clear water. The night was so quiet that I awoke thinking that I was in bed in CC.
The next day we walked up and down the Queen's Highway and visited St. Joseph's Anglican church. All the graves only have two last names--Knowles and Henderson. That night I treated Jan to a night out. We ate at a local Bahamian establishment--Club Thompson's Bay owned by Tryphema Knowles. For the first time I really felt we got a good deal in the Bahamas! Tryphema asked me to pour my own shot and served a fabulous Bahamian buffet of grouper fingers, grilled grouper, chicken wings, peas & rice, coleslaw, potato salad and fried plantains for $15./ each.
Friday White Pepper motor sailed through the exceedingly narrow and shallow channel that connects the Great Bahama Bank to the Exuma Sound. It is about 8 feet deep, 100 yards wide, and 4 n. mi. long. To the west is a bank that dries at low water and stretches all the way back to Little Exuma. Then we sailed into Calabash Bay. Calabash is rolly, but beautiful. It is mostly lined with upscale private homes and the Santa Maria resort at the north end. We had a nice lunch at the resort Saturday.
John Moore ran over from the 4 star Stella Maris marina where he has Hanco now. We spent a delightful Sat. afternoon together. Jan cooked up steaks from Moody's Meat Market in Corpus Christi. John kept watch over White Pepper while she was at Exuma Dock in February.
Sunday we had to clear back to George Town. The weather was predicted to deteriorate, and it really did go bad Monday (4-14-08) and Tuesday. But Sunday we had a picture perfect 18.8 n. mi. close reach back to the North Channel Rocks in flat seas. For some reason the North Channel Rocks mark the southern entrance to George Town.
So many cruiser have left the harbor that there was plenty of room to anchor at the monument. This is near the world famous Hamburger Beach on Stocking Island. The first time we entered the harbor in Jan. the yachts were stacked three deep. Now we have a primo front row anchorage.
Currently we are pinned down for three days by back to back northers. I have had to pull out my sweat shirt from the bottom of the pack. But the temperature makes for good sleeping.
Next week Alan and Robin Dinn will visit. We will all watch the Out Island Family Regatta. If the weather is perfect a run to Conception Island may be possible. After that the White Pepper will start to head north.
The next day we walked up and down the Queen's Highway and visited St. Joseph's Anglican church. All the graves only have two last names--Knowles and Henderson. That night I treated Jan to a night out. We ate at a local Bahamian establishment--Club Thompson's Bay owned by Tryphema Knowles. For the first time I really felt we got a good deal in the Bahamas! Tryphema asked me to pour my own shot and served a fabulous Bahamian buffet of grouper fingers, grilled grouper, chicken wings, peas & rice, coleslaw, potato salad and fried plantains for $15./ each.
Friday White Pepper motor sailed through the exceedingly narrow and shallow channel that connects the Great Bahama Bank to the Exuma Sound. It is about 8 feet deep, 100 yards wide, and 4 n. mi. long. To the west is a bank that dries at low water and stretches all the way back to Little Exuma. Then we sailed into Calabash Bay. Calabash is rolly, but beautiful. It is mostly lined with upscale private homes and the Santa Maria resort at the north end. We had a nice lunch at the resort Saturday.
John Moore ran over from the 4 star Stella Maris marina where he has Hanco now. We spent a delightful Sat. afternoon together. Jan cooked up steaks from Moody's Meat Market in Corpus Christi. John kept watch over White Pepper while she was at Exuma Dock in February.
Sunday we had to clear back to George Town. The weather was predicted to deteriorate, and it really did go bad Monday (4-14-08) and Tuesday. But Sunday we had a picture perfect 18.8 n. mi. close reach back to the North Channel Rocks in flat seas. For some reason the North Channel Rocks mark the southern entrance to George Town.
So many cruiser have left the harbor that there was plenty of room to anchor at the monument. This is near the world famous Hamburger Beach on Stocking Island. The first time we entered the harbor in Jan. the yachts were stacked three deep. Now we have a primo front row anchorage.
Currently we are pinned down for three days by back to back northers. I have had to pull out my sweat shirt from the bottom of the pack. But the temperature makes for good sleeping.
Next week Alan and Robin Dinn will visit. We will all watch the Out Island Family Regatta. If the weather is perfect a run to Conception Island may be possible. After that the White Pepper will start to head north.
3 comments:
Glad the steaks made it, enjoying the blog & the pics. Philip (in Narbonne)
Glad the steaks made it, enjoying the blog & the pics. Philip (in Narbonne)
just getting back into the blog...pictures are great...looks like yall are having super time!...hope all continues as planned...by the way do you have the name and number of your shrimping buddy (danny?) rita asked me and i didnt have it joe
jkessling4437@yahgoo.com
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