Update: Sampson Cay, Black Point, Staniel Cay, White Point, Little Farmers Cay and Big Majors.

All I can say is we have been having a great time cruising with old and newly found friends since leaving Exuma Park. The weather has been a little blowy but who can complain with 72-74 deg mornings with mostly sunny skies served over the crystal clear waters of the Exumas. After the big blow with three afternoons of the Blowing Like Stink Parties on the beach at Emerald Rock everyone was ready to move on to a little civilization. So we left Warderick Wells for Sampson Cay.

If you remember Sampson Cay was one of our favorite stops last year. What a difference a year can make. We arrived early afternoon, set the hook and went to shore to make dinner reservations and purchase a few items from the store. We had a good dinner (ok food at exorbitant prices) with great friends from “Bagheera” and “Megerin”. The next morning we purchased fuel, water and some supplies from the marina and set off for Black Point.

We really enjoy the Bahamian locals at Black Point. They are so friendly and go out of their way to welcome cruisers to their village. 

We enjoyed the restaurants, and walks on the beach and through town. John and Marilyn on “Carolina” (one of Ginny’s High School Classmates who we met in No Name Harbor) came in from Georgetown and invited us, Ray and Sandy on Megerin, Ward and Richard on Bagheera for a drinks and a wonderful spaghetti dinner on “Carolina”. We had a blast telling stories and discussing our adventures. We were even serenaded by a couple of squalls that livened up the party and the dink ride home in the dark.

The next morning we waved John and Marilyn off as they started their trek back to Jacksonville, Florida. Our friends on “Goose Bumps” came into Black Point and we enjoyed a Group get together at Scorpio’s. The next couple of days we headed south to explore the uninhabited portion of Great Guana Cay. We spent one night anchored off White Point, one night anchored off Oven Rock north of Little Farmers Cay and one night anchored off the beach in Little Bay.

What beautiful unspoiled beaches there are along this stretch of the Exuma Chain.

After a night at Little Bay we were off to Big Majors for a few days. The anchorage off the Island of Big Majors is one of the most popular anchorages in the Exumas. Yachts of all types and sizes anchor here for days on end. 

Big Majors is the home of the swimming pigs and Pirate Beach where we killed a few brain cells a couple afternoons. 

We enjoyed several dinghy exploration trips and snorkeled the Thunderball cave near Staniel Cay. We ran into old sailing friends from Oriental, NC (Debbie and Don) on m/v “Valkyrie”. It was great to see them again and enjoy a few drinks on Pirate Beach together.

After a few days Big Majors it was time to prep for a run to Rock Sound on the Island of Eleuthera. We moved over to Sampson Cay to buy water and a few provisions. We ran into sailing friends from New Bern, George and Lyn on “Sunspot Baby”. They were headed to Nassau and we hope to see them in the Abacos in a few weeks.

We made our way to Warderick Wells and the Emerald Rock mooring field for the evening and prepared for the Exuma Sound crossing to Eleuthera with buddy boats Megerin and Bagheera.

We have thoroughly enjoyed the Exumas again this year. 


The water here is simply breath taking and we look forward to visiting again next season. For now it’s off to Eleuthera and more adventures.

UPDATE: Tom’s Bay, ELeuthera, The Bahamas

Today was a great day! We sailed (all be it very slowly) from Rock Sound to Governor’s Harbor. The anchoring dealer was not kind to us in Governor’s Harbor, so we moved around the corner and still didn't get the hook set to our satisfaction. It’s amazing how a couple of drinks will wash your concerns away. After trying to set the hook for the 6^th time (2^nd time in Tom’s Bay) Ginny used the code word for “I HAVE HAD ENOUGH TODAY” (It’s FYI “What the FxxK”) and well, the Captain was done. So here we sit with smiles on our faces in a secluded anchorage, rewarded with the best WIFI signal we have had since Miami. Stay Tuned! 

UPDATE: Blow’n Like Stink Beach Party at Warderick Wells

That's 45 Knots of Hold Onto Your Hat Wind

Sunday around 7:30 pm the cold front came through and as predicted it’s been blowing like stink here in the Central Exumas ever since. Our wind generator is really getting a workout with the sustained wind velocity at or near Gale Force with gust well into the Gale Force range. The Emerald Rock Mooring Field is well protected from the Northeast to East wind so we are comfortable here. 

Monday we took a dinghy ride to the Park office and hiked to the top of Boo Boo hill with Ray and Sandy our friends on “Megerin” . They had us over along with sailors from “Patty Cakes” for a Sundowner. Yesterday we had a “Blow’n Like Stink Party” on the beach. 

Let the Party Begin

It was Jack’s birthday (s/v “Patty Cakes”) and his wife Shaun made a great apple cake which she and Jack shared with the group. Jack and Ray kept everyone in stitches with jokes and we had a great time swapping stories.

Jack Begging Shaun for a piece ----- of apple cake.

Friday before the big wind Richard and Ward on m/v “Bagheera” (a Grand Alaska 53) had us and “Megerin” over for cocktails. What an awesome yacht they have. We met Ward and Richard in Nassau at the Marina and they helped us get off the dock when we had to change slips. We also ran into them at Highborne Cay and then here in Warderick Wells. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these guys. What great souls they are.

Ward , Richard and Ginny

Looks like Friday we may be able to move down to Black Point or maybe Sampson Cay. Until then it may be a repeat of the “Blow’n Like Stink Party” on the beach this afternoon and maybe tomorrow.

The Guys - Ray (Megerin), JP (Wind Dust),  Richard and Ward (Bagheera), Jack (Patty Cakes)

Update: Exuma Cays – Highborne, Hawksbill and Warderick Wells

Capt. Ray (left) and Capt. JP discussing the Nassau Exit Strategy 

During our crossing from Miami a weld on our dinghy davits broke and I was able to lash it together with rope for a temporary fix to get us to Nassau. After the welder I scheduled to repair the davits didn't show Saturday morning I was able purchase stainless steel parts and permanently repair the unit with a mechanical joint verses a weld.  Work ethics and peoples word is not what it used to be. Anyway, we stayed in Nassau due to high east winds an extra day. One day we went bar hopping in downtown Nassau and the next day we had to change slips because we were in a Big Dogs slip and the Big Dog was coming home. Guess that means we are little dogs on the proverbial block. No illusions here, especially when you are docked next to yachts so big we could be their dinghy. Oh well maybe I will amount to something in my next life and be able to afford one of those floating art galleries with anchors hanging off the bow.

Tuesday morning we shoved off from Nassau around 10:00 am for Highborne Cay. The forecast was for 10 to 15 kts out of the ESE for our crossing of the Yellow Bank. I should actually say skirting the western edge of the Yellow Bank as I set a route to bypass the coral heads. The Yellow Bank is a relatively shallow sand bank with lots of coral heads to dodge. One needs the sun high in the sky and relatively calm seas to be able to navigate across the bank. As we approached the western edge of the Yellow bank we did see a few coral heads and were able to navigate around them. We also got lucky and passed between two squalls although we did have 30 kt winds for a brief period. Around 4:30 we set the hook at the western Highborne Cay anchorage. Mother nature blessed us with a nice rain shower to wash the salt off Wind Dust.

Anchorage off the Beach on Highborne Cay, Exuma 

Wednesday had us moving and anchoring “Wind Dust” close to the beach. We rode into Highborne Cay with our friends from Megerin and had lunch at the restaurant. What a picturesque place. Wednesday afternoon we had a Sun Down beach party and met some other cruisers in the anchorage. These gathering are always fun.

Cruisers Sun Downer on Highborne Cay 

Mega Yachts in Highborne Cay Marina 

Ginny cooling her heels.  

Not a bad place for a drink and lunch. 

The Beach in front of Highborne Cay Marina. 

These guys are eating lunch too. 

Thursday we were off to Hawksbill Cay. Hawksbill Cay is part of Exuma Land and Sea Park which was established in back in 1958. The Park encompasses a number of cays and is approximately 8 miles wide by 20 miles(+-) long. Fishing & shelling are strictly prohibited so the park in effects acts as a breeding ground for fish, conch and lobster. Some of the tagged Park fish have been caught 100’s of miles from the park. Hawksbill Cay in inhabited and the surrounding waters are absolutely stunning. Ray and Sandy from Megerin picked us up on their dinghy and we explored the southern end of Hawksbill and it’s Cay’s. We had a nice evening on the hook with the moon and stars providing a nice light show. The anchorage was a little uncomfortable due to the southeasterly wind and surge so we left for the Warderick Wells-Emerald Rock mooring field around 9:30 am.

Hawksbill Cay, Exuma 

Mouth of a Interior Tidal Creek, Hawksbill Cay 

Interior Tidal Creek 

South End of Hawksbill Cay, Exuma 

Capt. Ray enjoying the views. 

Happy Hour on the Hook 

The trip from Hawksbill to Emerald Rock was approximately 15 nautical miles and we arrived around noon. The wind was on the nose the entire trip and seas were a little bumpy. We picked up our mooring with “Megerin” right behind us. As Ray and I were shoving off for the office to sign in our friends from “Goose Bumps” came in to the mooring field.

With the impending blow coming in we decided we would hunker down at the Emerald Rock Mooring Field. It’s a good place to sit out major wind from the North to the east. We had to put up with a couple of days of light South-Southeast to south wind though and it’s not real comfortable bouncing around. Last year we weathered a big blow up in the North Mooring field and didn’t like the wind against tide in the slew so here we are.

Our Back Yard at Emerald Rock Mooring, Warderick Wells 

Last night (Sunday March 4^th) the front came through around 7:30 pm. It was amazing to watch the black frontal boundary approach (even with low light conditions at night) and feel the wind shift from South-Southwest to North-Northeast in about two minutes. With the North-Northeast wind at about 35 to 40 kts it didn’t take long for the mooring field to lay down from the rolling conditions of the South wind to a smooth comfortable spot well protected by the rock cliffs 500 ft to the north of us. The wind piped up all night as forecast, however was a higher velocity than predicted. We clocked sustain winds from the North-Northeast at 30 to 35 knots with gusts to 40. God made this mooring field for North-to-East conditions and we are glad to be sitting here safe and comfortable in it. More of the same high wind conditions in the forecast through Thursday of this week. 

Our Buddy Boat waiting on the Front. 

Guess it’s time to kick back and read a book, watch a few movies and have a few let’s say cold ones.