Monday 16 February 2015

Visitors

We are having an amazing time with Marmie and Di-dad (Ted's parents)!!!  We sailed again to Lee Stocking Island the day after they arrived and spent a few days exploring. Then, yesterday we tucked into Rat Cay with the intention of exploring the blow hole and tidal pools but when the surge was more than expected and the forcasted winds increased for the evening we decided to push on - back to Georgetown. We had a beautiful sail but unfortunately no fish. Tomorrow we will join some other cruisers for some beach trash pick-up and more island exploration. We are so glad they made the last minute decision to join us. 

Monday 9 February 2015

Long Island back to Georgetown.

We had a great sail downwind in 20knots of wind and beautiful skies.  We traveled with 14 other boats, all escaping the upcoming weather.  We picked a protected and therefore popular spot to drop the hook. Lucy counted the number of boats in our anchorage throughout today.  We started with 21 boats at 7am and ended with 53 this evening - I suspect more will come tomorrow morning. 
Below, Scout (with Lucy) is belting out the lyrics to Rod Stewart and laughing, "where the ocean meets the sky I'll be sailing...whoohoo"

Saturday 7 February 2015

Southern Exumas and Long Island

It is hard to believe it has been 5 weeks since our last blog post! I am not even sure where to begin, there have been far too many highlights to capture...we are currently in Long Island (Thompson Bay) where we have been for most of the past week. The previous month or so has been spent in the southern Exumas. We reunited with sv Sheila and other friends and have spent time mostly in the Lee Stocking Cay area, or in Georgetown. Georgetown is great from a provisions standpoint (excellent groceries, supplies, etc), has very nice beaches and an incredible surfing wave, but is crowded with cruisers (usually 200+ boats!). While this creates a nice community, it also feels overwhelming after a few days. We have managed to find some great places to travel to from Georgetown where we can find the peace and tranquility (and awesome fishing) we have come to enjoy in so many other parts of the Exumas. On two occasions we have spent a week at Lee Stocking where an abandoned marine research facility makes for a slightly eery, but mostly fun backdrop for inland exploration, hiking, countless beautiful and empty beaches and phenomenal underwater life. When there we eat lobster until we no longer desire it, and laugh about how easy it would be to film a zombie movie in the falling-down buildings, dusty hyperbaric chamber, and countless sheds of dirty and rusty old parts. Like our other favorite Exuma stop, Normans Cay, Lee Stocking is in the process of a planned facelift with the end result being a major marina complex. We feel lucky to be able to explore this place before shovels meet dirt, and plan on returning there at least one more time before we leave the area. It pains us to think about what this paradise might become in a few years.
This past week in Long Island has been a lot of fun as well. After spending a night near the northern cape Santa Maria, we have been based in Thompson bay. Two days ago we rented a car and drove almost the entire length of the island which is 81 miles long. We stopped at some neat spots, our favorite being Dean's Blue Hole. This is the deepest blue hole in the world, dropping 663 feet down and the location of the world records for free-diving. We had a lot of fun swimming in and around it.
Tomorrow we head back to Georgetown once again to restock and pick up Marmie and Di-dad who are flying in for a week. The girls could not be more excited and the current plan is to head back up to Lee Stocking on Thursday, weather dependent. We hope it won't be another 5 weeks before we write another post!


Summit of Perry's Peak on Lee Stocking 

This pretty much sums up Scouty. Tutu and her Apple Shirt sticking out of her wetsuit. 
All she wanted for Christmas was strawberry ice cream. We finally fulfilled the wish when we arrived in Georgetown.



Dean's Blue Hole