Now that we have finally reached the Exumas it is so different. This is the Bahamas’ mon! After we left the S/W side of Providence Island we headed down the banks of the Exuma islands. Anchoring on the s/w side of New Providence Island was like anchoring on stone. Well limestone more less. It was just the weight of the anchor and 70 ft of chain that held us that first night. But we knew it was going to be no winds so that is why we went there. The water is so dang clear it is scary. We are now sailing in mostly 10 to 15 ft of water all the time or even less. Just like everyone else it was a learning curve for us both sailing in such shallow water. But it is heaven trust me, Standing up on the bow watching starfish and rays go by as we pass over them.
Yes and sharks now and then. Fishing on the banks is not very productive as it is on the ocean side where we usually run the drop offs and that is where the fish are. Our first stop from New Providence Island to the Exumas was Normans Cay. It was our really first time doing what is called VPR. Visual Piloting Rules. Gauging the depth of the water by color. Blue blue sail on thru, Green green mighty lean, Brown brown run aground. The tide is mainly around 2 ½ to 3 ft all up and down the Exuma chain of islands. So running with our friends on Polar Pacer which is a cat and draws 3 feet. We push the limit to where we can get into but only on a rising tide. As some places have a little hole to anchor in but you need to get over a sand bar to get in them.
So naturally going into Normans Cay we done just that. We had to back up and turn around a few times as we hit sand. As we were picking our way into the anchorage the clouds would cover the sun and then the whole water would turn black and we could not tell where we were headed by the water color. Only by depth. With my butt pucker up we edged in and then slowed to a stop. Back her up and move over and try again. The good thing is now we have our depth gauge adjusted so we know when we are out of water That is the good thing mostly down here. It is sand. But there are coral heads which appear as a black spots in the water and are very visible. If we are picking our way into a spot we have our head sets on and Jeannie is at the helm and I am on the bow looking where to go as she is reading the depths as we inch in to places.
Once we got into Normans we had to go in and have a few beers as they were only $6 each. Drink slow we have learned oh and as for cheap rum, We have not found any yet. It was cheaper in the states as I did not stock up as we had heard it was cheap over here. So the hunt is on for cheap rum. We only stayed one night at Normans Cay as we wanted to get down to Warderick Wells as we had a cold front approaching and was looking for cover. Warderick Wells is a Land and sea Park that is one stop that is a must, We ended up staying 10 days there. It has so much to see and do there and most places you need to stay on a mooring ball which for our boat was $15 a day.
One of the things that is a must do for first time cruisers is to go up on Boo Boo hill. It is a place where everyone leaves ta board with there boat name on it and there are piles of boards from the past. 
Now if you want to work there and do what ever they have that needs fixing they will comp your mooring ball fee, So for 5 days I worked for $15 a day, yes, $15 day. From 9am to 12 then 1 to 4pm. What I ended up doing with Tom from Polar Pacer was we ended up painting one of their park boats with a 2 part epoxy paint. It was not the best job in my eyes but you have to make do with what you have on hand. Some of the paint I think was like 3 yrs old and we did it on the beach.
So there you have it, But they were tickled pink. In that time frame of doing all the work I got the chance to meet and make many new friends that will last a life time. Andrew. Chris and Henry who all work for the park are such great people and what job they have. We have learned how simple it is to live and enjoy life, As I know it is so easy to get caught up in needing STUFF. .We had a few dinners with them up at the ranger station that over looked the park and what a view. As it came time to move on we only went like 15 miles down to Pipe Creek and stayed just off one of the old DECA stations. We had learned that the US had set up these stations for WWII. 
It took the place for radar I surmise in intercepting the enemy. Actually there are a few around the Bahamas we have noticed. One of the things we never thought of was how much we use our dingy and the need for fuel, We have a 6 gallon tank for the dink and a extra 2 ½ gallon tank we carry for extra fuel. Ah that is not enough we have found out. So once in Georgetown we will be scoping out a extra 5 gallon jerry can for gas. Only spending one night in Pipe Creek due to low dingy gas we headed off to Big Majors to see the swimming pigs. Yea they come out to greet you when come ashore as they are looking for food that the cruisers leave them. Now these pigs are not small by no means, I would guess 400 or 500 lbs. Not knowing what they would do to you we never got that close to them. But later we learned and watched a tour boat bring in people who swam with them. Well we now know how they make salt pork. Now they are braver then I am. As one cruiser said oh yea you can go up on the beach and pet them. Not this dude no way. The one night we decided to attend an AA (alcohol awareness) meeting on the beach we had the smaller piglets join us just as the sun was setting. Now they were only like 100 lbs but they would keep their distance from us.
Not all boats that we have seen in the Exumas are small. One called Mimi came in and spent a few days anchoring amongst the cruisers as well. Listening to Chris Parker on the ssb in the mornings @ 6:30 we learned of a new cold front approaching once again and we figured that with a few good days ahead of us before it comes in we had better leave Big Majors and head for Georgetown as Jeannie has a flight to catch on the 28th to fly back home for a few weeks.
So our stop over to Georgetown was at Cave Cay which is private. Now that it is just Jeannie and I for a while she decided she better learn how to run the dingy. So dingy lesson 101 we had. I will have to say she did better then I had figured. Getting the steering down and learning how the twist throttle works to go fast and slow. So we putted around where we were anchored for a bit going along the shore looking things over. They are still in the process of building a new marina in Cave Cay so we went in there and checked it out. It was not till we came out that she had to make a big turn. Well it all went well till she saw the rock wall and it was like a magnet. Twist the grip full throttle and here comes the dam wall at us faster then I could have jumped out of the dingy to save my life. I actually had to grab the kill switch and give it a yank to stop the motor. Dang almost did us in hun I told Jeannie, She said I am done and no more.
Well you know me, Nope, get back over there and lets do it again. So back to the boat we head as she runs the dink up on plane and back down a few times and doing great. Then once again a big object out in front of her. You guessed it the boat, so what does she do. Twist the throttle to full and freezes as we head right for the side of our boat. Once again I pull the kill switch as I tell her you trying to kill us or what. But it was all in fun an she finally had to laugh. After leaving Cave Cay we headed out to deep water on the sound for a run to Georgetown. A mere 35 miles. Coming into Georgetown one has to do a few zigs and zags getting into the harbor as in spots it is shallow.
Once into the harbor one realizes how big it is as it did not take us long to figure out what is called the Georgetown shuffle. It depends on which way the wind is blowing and how hard to which side you go for protection. Kidd cove is the place that is close to town as that was our first stop fof a few nights. Here in Georgetown Exuma Market provides free R/O water as it is a drive up service and you bring your water jugs and fill them in your dingy and take them back to your boat. At times there is a long line of dinks waiting for water unless your like me and hit it way early in the morning before sun up. We will be here now till the mid February as Jeannie has went home to see our new grandson and family. Then it is our slow trek back north thru the Exumas and onto the Abaco Islands.
