From Highborne Cay, Exuma it is 50+ n. mi. to Spanish Wells. We wanted to stop there for supplies on the way to the Abacos. The trip began before dawn. We proceeded north on a light SE breeze motor sailing. We passed Allen Cay where we had stopped in Jan., Roberts Cay, and Beacon Cay which guards the cut called Ship Channel. Then on into the Middle Ground. The Middle Ground is not the worst place on the Exuma Bank, but it is strewn with numerous coral heads. The sky was overcast and the tide low so my anxiety titers were high for about two hours. From then on to the Fleeming Cut (correctly spelled) into the North East Channel. By
6 pm we had a mooring secured.
My first impression of Spanish Wells was of children. Teenagers were hot dogging small boats up and down the waterfront the way American kids do the drag. Many younger children were riding bicycles along the seawall. There is a public park at the end of the island were dozens and dozens of children of all sizes, races, and ages just hang out in the water for hours, horsing around and jumping off a low bridge into the channel. We met a local mother, Kelly, who told us that the kids have the run of the island on Friday and Saturday. They run around seemingly unsupervised, but of course they are completely supervised. On this small island everybody knows everyone. Also no liquor is available here. I suspect that the children have such fond memories of their home that most stay and few are lured off to Nassau.
Spanish Wells is not pretty. It is quaint and busy. The people are largely derived from Loyalist stock and there relatives. Most are named Pinder. The population is mostly, but not exclusively, white. They speak with a brogue that I suspect wound be familiar to any 16th century Englishman. They have rejected the tourist trade and support themselves quite well as commercial fisherman and the related boat trades. It is a prosperous little town of 1500.
We have stayed longer than we should as the weather window is closing Saturday. Jan tried her had at bone fishing off the stern of White Pepper. We could see dozens of bone fish feeding the the flat at low tide. They were not interested in lures. Locals say they only take flies. We were awoken every morning by the free range roosters that roam everywhere. We went to the Methodist Church for Sunday service. It was familiar, but all of the hymns were quite archaic. The communion service were all old Anglican. We met new friends--Bobbie and Kenny. They are headed for Bonnaire.
This morning White Pepper is headed for Royal Island on the high tide. Tomorrow we will motor sail to Little Harbor, Abaco. Then depending on the weather make for Marsh Harbor during the weekend.
Pictures will be populated later as the camera is acting up. First stop in Florida will by Best Buy to buy a replacement.
6 pm we had a mooring secured.
My first impression of Spanish Wells was of children. Teenagers were hot dogging small boats up and down the waterfront the way American kids do the drag. Many younger children were riding bicycles along the seawall. There is a public park at the end of the island were dozens and dozens of children of all sizes, races, and ages just hang out in the water for hours, horsing around and jumping off a low bridge into the channel. We met a local mother, Kelly, who told us that the kids have the run of the island on Friday and Saturday. They run around seemingly unsupervised, but of course they are completely supervised. On this small island everybody knows everyone. Also no liquor is available here. I suspect that the children have such fond memories of their home that most stay and few are lured off to Nassau.
Spanish Wells is not pretty. It is quaint and busy. The people are largely derived from Loyalist stock and there relatives. Most are named Pinder. The population is mostly, but not exclusively, white. They speak with a brogue that I suspect wound be familiar to any 16th century Englishman. They have rejected the tourist trade and support themselves quite well as commercial fisherman and the related boat trades. It is a prosperous little town of 1500.
We have stayed longer than we should as the weather window is closing Saturday. Jan tried her had at bone fishing off the stern of White Pepper. We could see dozens of bone fish feeding the the flat at low tide. They were not interested in lures. Locals say they only take flies. We were awoken every morning by the free range roosters that roam everywhere. We went to the Methodist Church for Sunday service. It was familiar, but all of the hymns were quite archaic. The communion service were all old Anglican. We met new friends--Bobbie and Kenny. They are headed for Bonnaire.
This morning White Pepper is headed for Royal Island on the high tide. Tomorrow we will motor sail to Little Harbor, Abaco. Then depending on the weather make for Marsh Harbor during the weekend.
Pictures will be populated later as the camera is acting up. First stop in Florida will by Best Buy to buy a replacement.
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