Last Updated 10/24/05

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March did, in fact, come in like a lion and we spent most of the first week hunkering down at the Samson Cay Club marina. Winds topped 40 kt, and the best guess was that we got 3+” of much needed rain. It's a shame fishing is not permitted in the marina because each morning the bonefish would school under one of the docked boats awaiting low tide so they could go out to the flats to chow down on whatever unlucky fish that swam by.

We rewarded our own patience by going around and anchoring again off Big Majors Spot so we could dink in and enjoy another fine dining experience at the Fowl Cay Resort. Well worth the effort and at a fixed price of $50 covering dinner, desert, a bottle of wine, and open bar before and after, it is one of the all time great bargains.

After two full weeks in the Staniel Cay area (Samson to Staniel is only 2 miles), it was time to turn north, so on Sunday we went an easy 16 miles north to anchor between Cambridge Cay and Bell Island. A very well protected spot. We liked it so much we stayed a second day and snorkeled at the caves at Rocky Dundas, and then north a couple miles to the “Aquarium” at the tip of O’Brien’s Cay. It is a very small and deep spot nearly surrounded by a coral island and full of fish. They are unabashed about approaching a diver. If we knew more we could have identified dozens of species. All are brilliantly colored and come in every size and shape. Yellow, black, purple, bright blue, green, iridescent, and more. We shot up a full roll of film in one of those disposable underwater cameras and hope the shots come out.

A couple days later we resumed our slow northerly trek and grabbed a mooring at Warderick Wells. Not as much time for a visit as the last time we were there, but time enough to have the birds eat out of our hands, and to meet the barracuda guarding our boat when we returned in the dink. A provable 4’ long as measured along the dink, Andrea checked it out with our glass-bottom bucket and decided not to dangle her toes in the water.

On Wednesday, we slipped the mooring and headed north to Highborne Cay to hunker down for a predicted few days of frontal passage with winds to top 35kt. On the way we anchored at Norman's Cay, site of an infamous drug trading post in the 60s and 70s. Only thing left now is the wreckage of a crashed plane. The cay is developing. We ate lunch at McDuff's, home of the cheesburger in paradise that inspired Jimmy Buffett. Then it was on to Highborne, and by 1am Thursday, 3/10, the reports were realized and we had the wind and rain that was expected. A great time to roll over and feel snug and secure behind a huge stone breakwater.

Highbourne Cay is a great place to hang out a few days, even if you're the smallest boat in the place. Right! 150' yachts with all their guests and toys abound. But there are a lot of fellow cruisers, and like other stops, friendships are spontaneous. We snorkeled, hung out on the beach, did a bit of boat cleaning and maintenance waiting out two accurately forecast blows. We also were able to catch up on our website thanks to a really solid wi-fi connection. The beach is over two miles long with lots of little sub-beaches all along it, and sometimes there would be as many as 4-6 people crowded along the whole stretch. It’s only a short dink ride to Allan’s Cay where the iguanas rule.

Highbourne has become a favorite of ours. We have met some great friends.  On Friday night, one of the visiting yachts, a little 150’ vessel, provided fireworks for entertainment of all. On Saturday, a beach BBQ with ribs, grilled grouper, and a ton of other stuff drew almost everyone to a grand social time. We had a delightful visit with Bruce and Joan Kessler who are somewhat famous for being the first couple to circumnavigate the planet under power, which they did in 1990 on their 90’ trawler, Zopilote. These days they cruise on their newer and smaller (70’) trawler, Spirit of Zopilote. 

Sunday, 3/13 arrived with forecast beautiful, calm, clear, warm weather and we left early, went out Highbourne Cut into Exuma Sound and turned north. About 60 miles later we arrived in Spanish Wells where we boarded a pilot, Jock Morgan, to guide us around the northern tip of Eluthera to Harbour Island. This 6-mile stretch of reef and rock is known as the “Devils Backbone.” It is well named, and the local knowledge a pilot provides is essential to snaking this way and that through an unmarked, winding, and narrow pathway. Arriving in Harbour Island, we spent four nights anchored off its South Bar where our friends Kathy and Jack have had a home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean for years. It’s an unobstructed view that, given a flat earth, one could see North Africa. Mutual friends Karen and Peter also joined, and a great time was had by all.

Bonefishing was satisfying, if not productive, but Jack and Chuck did a lot of wading on the extensive flats and spotted some large, if disinterested, fish. There’s a community garden that supplied us with fantastic fresh veggies each night. Most impressively, Kathy provided us with gourmet dining each evening as well.  The weather forecasts have been fairly dependable, so when a front was indicated for Thursday night/Friday morning, we decided to depart Harbour Island and head for Nassau to await the Sunday arrival of Marcie and Roger. Kathy and Jack dinked out to wave goodbye around 0745.

Again, the pilot took us back around the Devil’s Backbone. He dropped off at Spanish Wells, and we headed southwest down New Providence Channel to Nassau 4 hours later. The water was quite different than what we had been accustomed to – over 6,000 feet deep instead of the 15’-20’ or less that is the norm on the banks in the Exumas. We anchored in the harbor in Nassau on Thursday afternoon, 3/17, and awaited the frontal passage which thankfully turned out to be far less intense than we were prepared for.

New crew arrived in Nassau on Sunday, 3/20, right on time, and soon Roger and Marcie settled in. Off we went to the Exumas for their week’s vacation from teaching in cold and snowy Connecticut. Highbourne Cay the first day, then two at Warderick Wells where they found lizards, land crabs, and banana birds.

Our first snorkeling was at the “Sea Aquarium” north of Cambridge Cay and it was awesome. A natural alcove in a very small cay, it is 6-15’ deep and full of large coral heads that invite fish and creatures of every type. Marcie spotted a small octopus. Roger shot up a ton of pictures. Later, Roger and Marcie hiked the cay, Andrea and Chuck dinked a dozen miles south to Sampson Cay for some provisions.

Starting north, we anchored in a bit of a bouncy place off Shroud Cay and tried to dink across its fabled creeks. But at low tide, we were unable to make it even though we got out and wrestled the Zodiac over some nearly dry spots. Next time we’ll time the tide better. In the morning, we watched CSPAN for an hour because one of Andrea's friends, Faye, was featured because of the book she wrote, "Where Have All The Nurses Gone?" Faye has been a guest on Celebrate.

On Saturday it was a fairly short ride up to Allans Cay where anchoring was a cinch, letting us hop ashore to visit with the iguanas, and later to dink around to its eastern beach. Andrea and Marcie took advantage of the sun and sand while Roger and Chuck fired up the Brownie “hooka” and discovered some fantastic coral heads loaded with exotic fish. Can’t wait to see his pictures!

All good things must come to an end, so on Sunday we returned to Nassau for their departure and in two days rounded New Providence Island to leave the boat with Nick and Carolyn in Coral Harbour while we flew north for Chuck’s dad’s 90th birthday.

March was a very busy month, indeed.