Unexcused Absences

February 1 – 10, 2016. After the excitement of catching (and eating) our first fish in the previous post, while anchored off Pipe Cay, we changed gears to the more mundane aspects of cruising and motored south towards supplies, laundry, and water at Black Point, a small settlement about 4 miles south of Staniel Cay.

First, though, Susan and Brian, of Good Morning Vietnam, returned from their morning excursion around lunchtime with an enormous conch. They asked if I new how to extract and clean the conch, and I confidently said, “sure, let me show you how to do it.” I had, after all, an entire afternoon of experience and two whole conch cleanings to my credit. Plus, it was lunchtime, so I suggested that Heather get some conch from our freezer and we’d have fresh conch salad for lunch.

“Miss Adventure” anchored west of Pipe Cay

Brian and I went over to the beach with a cutting board, hammer, chisel, and filet knife, and then proceeded to completely and utterly fail to get the critter out of the shell. We spent at least an hour and a half on our effort. We made the hole in the shell in the proper place (between the 2nd and 3rd rings of spikes), but what followed was pure comedy. “Just slide the knife in and sever the attachment point, like this,” I said. “Then, just grab the ‘foot’ and he (or she) will slide right out.” “Let’s try the knife again.” “Make the hole bigger.” “Maybe we need some pliers.” “Or a sledgehammer.”

Anyway, we finally got him/her out of the shell, but not before completely mutilating the poor thing. I hereby apologize, on behalf of all humans, to any and all conch who are reading this.

Meanwhile, Heather and Susan were probably wondering what on earth we were doing with lunch. It was pushing 2 o’clock by the time we sheepishly came back to Miss Adventure with the traumatized conch. But the late lunch was delicious in the end.

Then it was off to Great Guana Cay. Our anchorage at Little Bay had only two other boats, Loon and Truant. We first met Ben, from Loon, in Spanish Wells a few weeks prior. As we were wrapping up our anchoring, he got on the radio and said, “I think your anchor’s dragging.” Normally that causes a boater’s heart to skip a few beats, but this is Ben’s signature phrase, uttered while completely secure, at a dock, or even in a bar. So we weren’t too concerned.

Watching the sunset from “Loon”

He invited us over for happy hour to meet his friend Mark, of Truant. Mark was quite a character, and brought over two guitars. I guess he was hoping one of us had some musical skill, but unfortunately neither Heather nor I were blessed with any talent, other than the ability to make great iPod playlists. He sang some classic songs, and some funny songs, and the four of us had a great evening until well after boater’s midnight.

Dinghy dock at Ida’s, Black Point

Tuesday we left early to do some errands in Black Point settlement, around the corner from Little Bay. Ida’s Laundry, Cafe, and Tackle Shop is “cruising boat central” in this part of the Exumas. She has her own dinghy dock, which was packed, and a laundromat (also packed) with at least 10 machines. She sells baked goods, makes the most incredibly light and fluffy conch fritters at 5 for $1, sells fishing gear, rents apartments, and gives haircuts – excellent news for Heather, because I was getting really close to my “Dr. J” look which happens when I go more than 6 weeks without a haircut. She cuts hair not just on the premises but directly under the “Haircuts Done Here” sign at the back door. The sign should really read “Haircuts Done RIGHT Here.”

Ida’s haircuts done RIGHT here

After three loads of laundry, lunch (conch fritters), some light provisioning, and filling our water jugs at the government dock, we moved Miss Adventure an hour north to Staniel Cay, anchoring just east of the famous Thunderball Grotto on a small patch of sand in eight feet of water.

The Staniel Cay Yacht Club

The next morning we took the dinghy in to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club to do some computer work for them, our very favorite clients. A couple hours later we were wrapping up our work and saw Brian and Susan of Good Morning Vietnam walk into the bar (yes, we were working in the bar). Conveniently, it was lunchtime, so we got a table on the deck outside and met their friends Drew and Sharon, of the sailboat Z-Raye. After a proper 2-hour government lunch break the 6 of us went shopping at the Pink Store, run by Hugh Smith, which is not to be confused with the Blue Store next door run by his brother, Burke Smith. It’s a small island.

Ready to leave for “work”

Arriving at the “office”

“Working” in our “office”

After the big provision run (our sole purchase was three Romaine lettuce heads for $7), we brought the big boat in to the Yacht Club for some fuel, water, and dinghy gas. Late that afternoon we motored a half hour south to North Beach at Bitter Guana Cay, and were the only boat at anchor that night.

“Miss Adventure” at Bitter Guana Cay

Bitter Guana is home to some of the endangered Exumas Iguanas, and they came running (if you can call it that) when they heard our dinghy engine. But unlike many visitors, we actually obeyed the “don’t feed the Iguanas” sign, and their disappointment was readily apparent. The next day we took a picnic lunch up to the top of the cliffs over looking the bay, and admired the impossibly blue water of the Exumas.

Iguanas

“Miss A” and our dinghy at North Beach

The anchorage at North Beach, Bitter Guana Cay

From Bitter Guana we turned north again and dropped anchor just past Staniel Cay, at Big Major Spot. In our many previous stays at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, the conditions were never calm enough for us to snorkel the ocean cut between Little Major Spot and Sampson Cay, but the seas were incredibly calm and the snorkeling was amazing. We floated over an entire forest of fan coral on the way to the ocean side.

Approaching the Big Major Spot anchorage

Friday we headed back to the south about 15 miles to Little Farmers Cay, which was having their “First Friday in February Farmers Cay Festival.” As we were securing the boat at the western anchorage, we saw Brian, Susan, Drew and Sharon arrive at Ty’s Sunset Bar in their dinghy. We immediately joined them and were soon in the full swing of the festival. For dinner I had fresh conch salad (more on that in sec) while Heather had the “9-F Special” (Fresh Fish Fry Fundraiser at the Farmers Cay First Friday in February Festival). Lots of F’s. I think it was Sharon who dubbed it the “Effin’ Festival.”

Lots of boats in town for the 5F festival

I am embarrassed to report that the local who prepared my fresh conch salad was able to grab a live conch from a bucket, knock a hole in the shell, reach in with his knife, extract the critter, make a few strategically placed cuts, and slap a white chunk of conch meat onto the cutting board in about 45 seconds flat.This was the same process that took me and Brian over an hour and a half a few days prior.

Party at Ty’s Sunset Bar

The big attraction of the 5F festival, other than the Friday night pre-race party at Ty’s, was the Bahamian sloop regatta Saturday morning. We needed to get to a protected anchorage by Saturday afternoon because a couple days of west wind were forecast, but we also wanted to watch the regatta, so we enquired ashore when the race would start. “Ten o’clock, sharp, mon,” was the reply from one of the local organizers. Now, I know enough about the Bahamas to realize that “ten o’clock, sharp,” is Bahamian for “sometime before noon.”

The start line

“But it’s 9:45 and I don’t see anyone in their boats yet,” I said. “Oh, de race, she staht jus’ now,” replied the organizer. So we headed back to Miss Adventure, which had a front row seat for the race. The course actually wound right through the anchorage, and there were over a dozen anchored cruising boats for the racers to maneuver around. It made quite a spectacle when the race finally started at “ten o’clock, sharp” (11:20 am).

Boat 47

“47” makes a close pass

Great day for racing

“Warrior” and “Golden Girl”

After securing our protected anchor spot back near Staniel, we settled in for what was going to be 4 days of rough weather. Fortunately we were anchored not far from shore, and were able to take the dinghy to a small beach, walk across the runway, and over to the Yacht Club for their annual Superbowl party. They served a delicious BBQ chicken and ribs buffet, and we met and sat with some locals, Peggy and Bob, who have had a vacation house on Staniel for decades. It was a great party, and I’m only vaguely aware that someone named “Peyton” had the upper hand in the game itself.

Modest houses on the ridge at Staniel Cay

We spent the next few days catching up on our work, and Tuesday we invited Yacht Club owners David and Christina over to Miss Adventure for one of Heather’s home cooked meals. David’s parents started the Staniel Cay Yacht Club in the late 1950’s, and back then it was truly an outpost of civilization. David grew up on the island (how cool is that?), and went off to Princeton and then to the big city, before returning about 10 years ago to take over the family business.

Superbowl party at the Yacht Club

Our plan is to hang out in the central Exumas for the foreseeable future, so I’ll continue our story in my next post.

Bahamas 2016 Cruise – Central Exumas Part 1

• Engine Hours: 13
• Generator Hours: 23
• Miles Traveled: 76
• Marina and Mooring Fees: $0

Bahamas 2016 Cruise – Total Numbers

• Engine Hours: 73
• Generator Hours: 79
• Miles Traveled: 450
• Marina and Mooring Fees: $1,110 (includes one month of parking on Grand Bahama during the holidays)

Bahamas 2016 Cruise – Central Exumas 1

At the Farmer’s Cay Regatta

Racers pass an anchored cruising boat

Waiting for the start

Dusk at Ty’s Sunset Bar

Shallow and clear water at Big Major Spot

Sunset

A stingray glides through our anchorage

Iguana at Bitter Guana Cay

“Miss Adventure” at Big Major Spot