Play Time in the Islands...

Dawn at Emerald Bay Marina.

We spent a couple of days in Emerald Bay Marina which is connected with the Sandals Resort at Emerald Bay. It has the most beautiful amenities and a free laundromat, but it was hot and for the first time we had lots of flies and no-see-ums that were wicked. We used the screens when we were in the marina which helped a lot. Nancy and Bill arrived late Friday and we had a yummy dinner out that evening at the Palappa with no-see-ums for dessert. The next morning we sailed to south anchoring at Stocking Island for some fun exploring the beaches and the little town across the water. Had some higher winds and got absolutely soaked in the dinghy going into George Town. Who else could laugh doing this crazy stuff with us?

Nancy and Bill exploring stromatolytes on the beach at Stocking Island.

We walked the beach at Stocking Island which is the outside part of the huge harbor at George Town (GT) called Elizabeth Harbour. On the east side of the island all along the beach are growing rocks which are some of the oldest in the world, and there is also evidence of the DNA in rocks from the moon which are called Stramatolytes which we all found very interesting. They exist on several islands along the Exuma Sound.

Over- looking the Harbor.

Bill and Marilyn on the beach.

Two Bills and Marilys on the wonderful beach at Stocking Island.

We sailed back to Emerald Bay, and sent Nancy and Bill on their way home off by taxi, and welcomed Marilyn and Bill. Some of y’all may remember that we have done lots of charters with these two couples so are used to being together in small spaces. The trip south to GT was a bit rough but we made it with some discomfort but safely. Winds were not so bad, but seas were bigger. After relaxing we went into GT and visited some shops and sights. It is a small and not too pretty place but has lots of the basics for sailors and a charming Anglican Church. The Straw Market is interesting too watching the ladies plaiting with palm and making baskets not too unlike some of the ones we see in the low country. They also make market baskets and beach bags. A fun part of the trip to GT is going into the Harbor and dinghy docks at Lake Victoria under a little stone bridge though a narrow channel! There is lots of current and it is like an amusement park ride going through! With both couples we had several meals out mostly for lunch, which was lovely and played scrabble with Nancy, and Scrabble and Hearts with Marilyn and Bill in the evenings.


The town was getting ready building booths for the regatta which is the last weekend in April, and hopefully we will be well on our way north by then so we can be in Chicago for nephew Branigan's wedding the end of May.

We had a great if a bit slow sail south around Stocking Island and all the way back to Emerald Bay with Marilyn and Bill after playing a day at Fowl Cay and spending some time at Red Shanks in the south part of the harbor. They headed home on Wednesday, and Christine came down to spend a week with us. We grocery shopped and headed north stopping at Rat Cay to swim, but anchoring at Children’s Bay Cay because of the tidal surge rolling us around at Rat Cay. Christine found a beautiful King Helmet shell on the beach there . We saw one in a store at Staniel Cay for 40 and another for 50 dollars!!


Children’s Bay Cay used to be owned by Jessica Tandy and her husband ….Hume forget his name. It was sold to the Heinz family. Don’t know who owns it now. But they are building a huge marina there near where we were anchored. We went back out the narrow Rat Cut and down to Rudder Cut where we went in and stayed in along the west side of the cays and on the Exuma Bank stopping at Rudder Cay, then at Black Point.

Rocks and caves at Rudder Cay.

Went ashore at Black Point and had some internet time and explored the community. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. We did a bit of shopping and had lunch at Lorraine’s. Met some interesting boaters there and also saw the boat Smashie which was written about in Blue Water magazine recently. It is a handmade wooden C-class boat with handmade cotton sails and a wooden mast. The boat races in all the local regattas. We watched them step the mast and bend on the sail and do some sailing in the bay …very pure sailing and they are good! We tried to keep up with them in the dinghy but they were too fast.Smashie getting too far away from us!


A class A boat made by hand in Blackpoint.

We headed on to Staniel Cay anchoring at Big Majors Spot where we swam, fed the swimming pigs and snorkled in the Thunderball Grotto. We drove all over the island on a golf cart and had a yummy lunch. Had to say goodbye to Christine on Tuesday and she flew back to Atlanta after a terrific visit! She got home in time to go to Mark's Gig. You might not know that he is playing his Zendrum in a band now and is having a great time with his music! .

It was such fun to share these 3 weeks with friends and family and it was very special to have them all with us here sharing this amazing place and our adventure on Wind Spirit!

We relaxed a couple of days in Big Major Spot and had a delicious dinner on “Passages with Ed and Karen. But the BIG boats were there all around us, in full force with their noisy toys so we left and came north to Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park where we have been for 2 days and will be staying a couple of more. It is just lovely here. We are on a mooring, have some limited Sputnik internet of about 10 minutes a day for 10 dollars and no cellular service. We have been snorkeling and swimming and hiked up Boo Boo Hill and across to the beach on the Exuma Sound, facing the Atlantic. Have seen conch all over the bottom of the sea and helmet shells. There is beautiful coral and lots of fish on the reefs here. Had Sundowners on the beach with a bunch of sailors last night and there was an Easter pot luckon Sunday afternoon at the park staff house with a 360 degree view of the water and the island.. Having fun in other words!


Whale skeleton at Exuma Park died from eating plastic.

Sunsets continue to be lovely and every night in whatever harbor we are in someone there blows a conch shell at sunset. After sunset last night someone else played taps. So moving!

Sunset at Children's Bay Cay.

We plan to head to Norman Cay on Monday depending on the wind and then probably on to Nassau and heading north from there towards South Carolina through the Berry Islands.

Rainbow at the park on Easter Monday. We didn't leave until Tuesday because of the weather.


Will add pictures to this as soon as have decent internet, which may be Nassau!

Well we are in Ft. Pierce FL and finally can do the pictures but connection is still a bit slow.