| Last year, with only 6 weeks in the Bahamas and bad weather, we didn’t venture very far into the “Out Islands” of the Bahamas. Out Islands is the local term for any islands that are not New Providence (city of Nassau) and Grand Bahama (with Freeport and Lucaya as the largest cities). This year/season, we have more time and somewhat better weather in which to explore. Our first stop from Nassau is the Northern Exumas. These islands are very popular with cruisers and tourists as they are some of the most beautiful islands, beaches, and landscapes in the Bahamas as well as the world. We left Palm Cay with another boat, Glorious, with Dan and Debbie aboard. Glorious happens to also be a Tartan 37, same as Night Music. In fact, the boats are only 3 hull numbers apart so are the same vintage, 1979! Theirs is the pretty white boat you will see in some of the pictures. It was a nice 6 hour sail over to Highborne Cay where we found a suitable anchorage just outside the marina to stop for the night. It felt good to be heading off the grid again and we were already slowing down to “out island” life The following morning we had a raucous trip to Shroud Cay. The waves were 3-4 feet on the nose, so we were motor-sailing into them. It was only a 12 mile trip but it took almost 4 hours. The effort was worth it as we anchored in a crystal clear bay near the north end of the Island. Shroud Cay is in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, a protected marine and land sanctuary where no fishing, shelling, conching, or hunting is allowed. Because of the ever increasing pressure on Bahamas natural resources from tourists and cruising boats, this park is so very important to maintain healthy fisheries. Shroud Cay is unique as it is quite large, and covered in mangrove swamps. There are a few creeks that run from one side of the island to the other, east to west, so we explored by dinghy and were treated to a stunning beach on the Exuma Sound side of the island. We all went for a swim and enjoyed the surf. We stayed two days at Shroud Cay, the second day, after Ava and Reed had finished their schoolwork, we went snorkeling around the nearby rocks and reefs. It was a calm day, great practice for the kids to get more comfortable in their masks and fins. It was so calm, that the boat just drifted around, an anchor was nearly unnecessary as there was no wind to pull the boat away. After Shroud Cay, we moved up toward Highborne Cay Marina to wait out some weather. We stopped at Norman’s Cay, a former hideout of drug runners in the 1970s (think Miami Vice!), complete with a sunken airplane off the end of the runway in about 15 feet of water. It was still very calm so we snorkeled around the old DC3 for a while and checked out its new owners, the fish and coral! That night not much sleep was had as an unforecasted squall came through and had the boat rocking and rolling every which way! Fortunately, we had reservations at Highborne Marina for the following two nights to wait out a fairly large storm that was forecast. We stayed at the marina the year before when Eric’s brother Henry and family visited, so knew it was protected from weather and a fun place to hang out. We enjoyed the beach, bicycling, some of the humorous attractions (the “spring” and the bus stop”). The kids’ highlight was watching the Superbowl in the small lounge at the Xuma bar while it was blowing 45mph outside. Yay for the Broncos and Peyton Manning! The next day, we made the 6 hr sail back to Palm Cay to pick up Karrie’s sister Heidi and her two youngest kids, Michael and Magdalena. They’d visited us last year and helped us cross the boat over to Bimini then. This year, they would get some fun in the beautiful Exuma Cays. Thanks for following along and enjoy the post! |
6 Comments
Jay
3/9/2016 07:25:32 pm
Great pictures! The water is amazing. Is Reed drinking a Miller Lite? No wonder he is smiling.
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Karrie
3/11/2016 10:52:46 am
It was just a coozy cover on the soda, but he'd get the beer if we let him!
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Lisa
3/10/2016 03:40:03 am
Hello Sandersons! Wow! What a wonderful adventure you made for yourselves! The photos are gorgeous and I'm sure they don't even do it justice. Safe sails and we hope to see you this spring!
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Karrie
3/11/2016 10:53:39 am
Thanks - we are very aware of how fast it is flying by and trying to make the most of it!
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Susanne
3/10/2016 02:20:58 pm
Loving all your posts and pics! Miss you..love and hugs to all!
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Karrie
3/11/2016 10:56:03 am
Miss you, too! We will be coming through WI/Onalaska near July 4th timing, hope we can see you all then. xoxo
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AuthorsWe are Karrie, Eric, Ava, and Reed Sanderson. Our house is in Seattle but our home is wherever the four of us are...and for the next two years, our home is Night Music, a Tartan 37 Sailboat. Archives
June 2016
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