The Exuma Cays Chain - Bahamas
On our way north we visited, albeit briefly, some of the Exuma island chain of islands that we hadn't seen going south.
On April 7th we left behind the on-going cruiser's fun and festivities in Georgetown, skirted the shallow coral and rocks at the north end of Stocking Island and started north. We motor-sailed through the cut from Exuma Sound to the Great Bahama bank side of Rat Cay to spend the night anchored amongst the sting-rays there.
The next day we exited, at slack water, back through the Rat Cay Cut to sail on the Exuma Sound side of the island chain. We averaged 5 knots in light south-east winds and re-entered the Great Bahama Bank side, 35 miles north, through Dotham Cut. Here we anchored for 2 nights off Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay. We hiked to the windward side of the island to explore the beaches and a new marina development. Of interest to us was the sharp contrast in local housing between the Bahamas and many of the Caribbean islands. Here we see houses with glass windows, doors, air-conditioners, sky-lights, chimneys and golf carts in the driveway; non of which we'd seen in most Caribbean communities.
For the rest of our passages along the Exuma Cays we sailed only on the Great Bahama Bank side.
We stopped in at Staniel Cay to snorkel the "thunderball" grotto during slack water. The huge number of multi-coloured reef fish plus the spectacular corals edging the grotto made us feel as though we were swimming in an aquarium. Barry kindly reminded me of Steve-O's (Crykey) fate as I swam back to the boat amongst the myriad of sting-rays in the grotto area.
From Staniel Cay we entered the Exumas Land and Sea Park and anchored for the night in the swift current off Warderick Wells Cay.
Our next stop was Shroud Cay, where we dinghied through the mangroves in the centre of the island to walk the beach on the windward side.
From Shroud Cay we hopped north to take shelter from the fore-casted 30 knot sustained (24 hrs) winds in the lee of the privately owned Highborne Cay. While waiting the weather out we dinghied in to the small marina operating out of the south end of the island. We found not only many sharks in the marina's waters but also in their store as we paid $6.50 U.S. for a loaf of bread. The very swift current in the area gave us just the speed we wanted as we made our hasty exit. We both felt "Highbrow Cay" might have been a more appropriate name for this island.
Anchor to Anchor - Exuma Cays
April 7, 2010 Georgetown, Great Exuma Island to Ray Cay - 5 hours, 23 miles
La 23.43.8'N Lo 76.02.9'W
April 8. 2010 Ray Cat to Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay - 7 hours, 35 miles
La 24.05.9'N Lo 76.24.1'W
April 10, 2010 Black Point Settlement, Great Guana Cay to Staniel Cay - 2 hours, 8 miles
La 24.10.7'N Lo 76.26.9'W
April 10, 2010 Staniel Cay to Warderick Wells Cay - 4 hours, 16 miles
La 24.22.9'N Lo 76.38.1'W
April 11, 2010 Warderick Wells Cay to Shroud Cay - 4 hours - 19 miles
La 24.31.3N Lo 76.47.7'W
April 12, 2010 Shroud Cay to Highborne Cay - 4 hours - 18 miles
La 24.42.9'N Lo 76.49.8'W
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