Florida to the Exuma Islands

In 1997 we left Florida and crossed the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. After clearing in at Chubb Cay in the Berry Islands we sailed to Nassau and then down the Exuma Cays to Georgetown.

The cruise took four months. At Little Farmers Cay, we participated in the rescue of two Cat Island fisherman who had floated helpless in a small boat with a dead engine across Exuma Sound in stormy seas. This was a cruise of the many wonders of being out there for the first time. The story is published as Part One in our book White Cays and Blue Seas.

We head to the Bahamas after years preparing

We made the trip on Delphinium, our Pearson 365 ketch. It was bare bones cruising. We rarely used refrigeration, had no autopilot, minimal power systems, and no water maker or air conditioning.

At the time the Exuma Islands were a frontier. This was before the Explorer charts. GPS was scrambled by the government and not useful in coastal waters. The charts available were old and not reliable. It was a challenge, even for experienced boaters.

We lived aboard in St. Petersburg, Florida at the time. We had spent years cruising the west coast of Florida and reparing and upgrading Delphinium. When the time came to let loose the dock lines, we had no idea of what to expect. Each leg of this cruise was filled with the magic of new experiences.

 

 

Our first crossing of the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas

From our marina in St. Petersburg, Florida, we headed offshore and sailed south overnight to Charlotte Harbor, anchoring off Cayo Costa. Another overnight run took us to the Shark River in the Everglades and a cloud of mosquitoes. The next day we crossed Florida Bay to Boot Key Harbor, at Marathon in the Florida Keys.

We relaxed there among other cruisers, and waited for good weather. We soaked up the culture and met a number of memorable characters. After ten days, the weather settled and we left to cross the Gulf Stream.

Crossing the Gulf Stream requires diligent navigation; the current pulls you seriously off track. We had to plot and adjust the course constantly. There were cruise ships and freighters to dodge.

At dawn we spotted South Riding Rocks on the edge of the Bahama Banks. We crossed onto the banks and sailed all day, marveling at the clear blue water. That night we anchored on the eastern side near Russell light.

The next day we passed through the Northwest Light channel and sailed down the Tongue of the Ocean to Chubb Cay. There we cleared customs and proudly hauled up the Bahamas ensign. We had arrived.

From Chubb Cay we crossed to Nassau. After touring and restocking, we made our way to Allan's Cay in the Northern Exumas. We then island-hopped south to Georgetown.

 

Iguanas greet us at Allans Cay in the Northern Exumas

That first night anchored off Allans Cay was densely dark under a canopy of blazingly white stars. A manta ray leaped out of the water a few feet from us -- he was five feet wide and sailed high before plunging back into the sea.

We were truly alone in raw nature; we experienced a primordial shiver as we stared into the dark in awe of nature.

The next day we were greated by a colony of curious iguanas.

We adapted to life without refrigeration. Butter, mayonnaise and other condiments can last weeks, if treated properly. Eggs can last seemingly forever by turning daily. They go bad because their tops dry out, breaking their natural seal. These and other tips are included in White Cays and Blue Seas.

 

 

South along the Exuma Islands to Georgetown

South of Allans Cay, we discovered the natural gem of Shroud Cay. Its beautiful white beaches and inland streams became favorites we revisted on future cruises.

We stopped at Warderick Wells, home of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. There we enjoyed visiting flocks of Bananaquits.

The next stop was Little Bell Island. The limestone cliffs offer incredible views overlooking Exuma Sound with its intense blue water and black coral heads.

At Staniel Cay, we found civilization. The settlement offers two competing grocery stores and a few small restaurants. Nearby is Thunderball Cave, which was filmed in the James Bond movie.

At anchor off Little Farmers Cay, we rescued two Cat Island fishermen. They had drifted across Exuma Sound in a small boat during a fierce storm. Their relatives had given them up for drowned.

Beached and exhaused, we ferried them to Terry Bain's Ocean Cabin. For this we earned an OCaFACaRATS T-Shirt, and the gratitude of the families.

At Rudder Cay, we collected sea bisquits and large black snail shells.

Finally we made Georgetown. It was our first exposure to that cruising mecca. Thankfully, we were off season and there were only about 50 boats in the harbor. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the town and harbor.

Returning home, we were filled with amazing sights and experiences. We vowed to return. First, we had to refund; we were down to our last $500. Second, we decided we needed a better boat. It took us five years to return to the Bahamas, this time on Nalani, our 37 foot Tayana cutter.

See Bahamas 2003.

 

 

 

 

 

The inland streams of Shroud Cay