The wonderful Exumas

We have been in the Exumas for about a week.  The crossing from Spanish Wells was a little bumpy, but we were in shallow water and protected by the many sandbars in Exuma Sound.  The new pump works great!  We have been  anchoring out (as opposed to marinas) since arriving in the northern Exumas.  The Exumas are roughly 120 miles of separate cays (pronounced keys) that run north to south.  The lee side is on Exuma Sound, and the windward side faces the Atlantic.  With prevailing easterly winds, the sound side has many anchorages.  The middle of the chain contains several cays that make up the Exuma Land and Sea Park (www.exumapark.org).  These are largely uninhabited, and all taking from fishing to shelling is prohibited, so they are a diving paradise.  I will post some underwater pics later.  For some reason the water in the Exumas is the clearest in the Bahamas, so we have snorkeled lots.  There are few towns, and cell coverage is spotty in the park.  Staniel Cay, in the central Exumas is home to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, where we will pick up Stan, Claiborne and families.  Staniel is a metropolis of about 250 people. 

One does not come here for nightlife, unless it is stargazing!  The natural beauty here is amazing, though.  Boats are everywhere, as this area has been discovered by the mega yacht charters, down to every conceivable type of sailboat.  So while never truly alone, we don’t feel crowded.  The VHF radio is the primary contact device.  Want dinner reservation, call on the VHF radio.  Need a slip at one of the few marinas, call on the VHF.  Some standby on specific channels and you need to crack that code with local knowledge.  Some boater will usually tell you are on the wrong channel, and direct you to the correct one.  Most everyone is helpful, because there are precious few resources here if you get in a bind.  We have a watermaker (that is working for now) and can make our own water.  Otherwise you have to go into one of the  marinas (there are only four for the entire chain) and buy water at .50 cents a gallon.  What to get rid of your garbage?  $10 bucks a bag.  Don’t even ask about gas and diesel.  Everything here arrives by the mail boat (an inter-island work boat), so you better be in line for gas, diesel, produce, etc. the day it arrives, as things go fast. There are no radio or TV stations here.  We have Sirius radio and DirecTV on board, so we can watch a movie or listen to some tunes.    We are in the boonies, but it is great.  Hopefully the pics will reflect the beauty.  Claib and family arrive Saturday, and we can’t wait!  

The dinghy is our primary source of transportation to and from an anchorage.  

There are various mooring fields throughout the park, so for a fee you can tie up to a mooring ball as opposed to anchoring.  

Shroud Cay is known for its winding streams.  

This one went for about a mile all the way to the Atlantic side. 

Shroud Cay mooring field.

This guy has a bad habit of pooping on my motor, and laughing about it!

The sunsets over the sound are beautiful. 

Cambridge Cay mooring field. 

Many of the mega yachts have a Stew (Steward), Captain, first mate and deck hand.  This is ours all in one.