Shroud Cay:
Its been a while since we posted because we have been in isolated anchorages without access to phone or internet services. I will try and fill in the missing links but can't possibly detail everything.
Looking for a strong mooring because of the impending winds we quickly moved Betsy to the moorings at Shroud Cay, only an hours ride south of Highbourne Cay. A pleasant ride found us in an idyllic setting with azure blue water, proud white sandy beaches and backed by a few minor scruffy looking hills. I picked the biggest mooring ball, knowing that within 24 hours it might get rough.
Shroud Cay Mooring Ball
Clarity of the water
The beaches and water invited us to explore so Huen, Linda and Lucky picked us up in their dinghy and to the shore we went. Spencer, Sophie and Lucky were in heaven, jumping around like little kids, chasing one another barking loudly, rolling in the sand, running from the undulating waves on the beach, finally free from the confines of the boat.
Sophie was a relentless pursuer of curly tailed ghekos and Spencer actually seemed to like being carried out into the water so he could swim back to "Mommy". Sophie eventually joined in and repeatedly tried to race Spencer back to shore. Rolling around in the sand to dry off they both got sand deep into their fur, up their nose and in their eyes. For once they seemed to enjoy their rinse off and bath, back in the boat cockpit.
Before long other boats joined us. Little did we realize that the loss of Highbourne Cay Marina would put pressure on anchoring and mooring places south. By dusk there were a total of 21 boats anchored and all the mooring balls taken, one by a 115 foot yacht on a mooring ball meant for a 65 foot boat. A serene scene at sunset soon turned into a very tumultuous scene that night. All of the boats survived but mal de mer was the order of the night on Betsy.
The next day was beautiful. A leisurely ride up a slow moving shallow stream that lead us across Shroud Cay to a beautiful beach on the Ocean side was posted for only 3 mph, but rudely interrupted by two screaming jet skis from one of the charter yachts. We put put putted over the tidal stream looking for wildlife of any sort, finally rewarded by seeing two brown and white logger head turtles. Amazed by how fast they darted out of the way of our slow moving inflatable we continued on to see several long tailed sea birds floating overhead but only scrub brush and sand flats on the banks. Finally we could smell the fresh salt water and turned a bend to see the white caps churning on a purple ocean. Walking the ankle deep sand beach I spotted a coarse rock trail that ascended steeply to a look out that revealed a 360 deg view of the entire island. Scrambling up the cliff, Huen was wishing for a lift to get back down the hill but we all made it with only a minor amount of slipping and no butt sliding.
We were able to ply our way around to come back to our original anchorage via another connecting stream when we saw another dinghy full of guys coming from a different direction. It was actually an area Beth had explored on her paddle board but had to return for lack of water depth because the tide was low.
Hawksbill Cay:
The next day we untied and took a 14 mile cruise south to Hawksbill Cay. I guess I suck at picking calm spots to anchor or maybe it was just that the winds were up but we spent another rolly night.
A tough climb to put the top rock on a Cairn
Warderick Wells:
We moved on to the beautiful Warderick Wells, more snorkeling and one of the worst nights we ever spent at anchor thanks to the wind whipping up to a dish closet clearing 20 to 25 knots, according to Beth. Ha! HA! I slept through most of it thanks to Antivert swallowed with a Cubra Libra.
Boo Boo Hill
Panoramic Views of the Exumas
Monuments created by Cruisers that have visited the islands.
Legend has it that it is haunted by those that have gone aground on the reefs. Cruisers leave an offering to King Neptune to be blessed with fair winds and smooth seas. Lucky One and Betsy left their offering. We can use all the help we can get.
Since we had launched Lil Betsy to take the dogs to shore the dinghy was tied up behind Betsy in the same direction as the swim platform. When the winds whipped the rollers up to 4 feet the slop from the back of the boat quickly started to fill up the dinghy. Futile efforts to use a water cannon, then a large bucket to prevent the dinghy from sinking were abandoned when Huen and Linda showed up to tow Lil Betsy to shore.
Thus, the "Dingy Episode" began!
As we approached the rocky shore before the sandy beach, Huen's dingy spun a prop...ie NO Pushy from motor! Linda and I each picked up our respective plastic oars and pulled into the 3 foot chop with all of our strength. We inched forward managing to keep the inflatable dingy from being punctured by the jagged rocks. I can only guess that the fear of the situation and of course my unbelievable newly found upper body strength were the cause of my oar snapping off the dinghy. Reacting quickl, Linda jumped overboard into chest high water, caught the nose of the dinghy and the three of us hauled both of the dinghies to shore.
"Now what!" I exclaimed after we pulled the bottom plug and emptied the sea out of Lil Betsy.
"We will just use your dinghy to pull mine back to our boat where I can repair my prop." Huen said in a calm voice.
"I have only a 2.5 hp motor. Do you think it will pull the 3 of us and your dinghy? It only carries about a gallon of fuel and we used it some yesterday, I mumbled to myself.
Seeing the look on my face Huen responded like a comment out of the movie "Captain Ron", "If she can't do it we'll just use the oars and ROW!"
So we turned the ropes around, put Linda in Lil Betsy with me and Huen in his dingy. It was my turn to save him. Putting Lil Betsy's nose into the waves, she tugged on to the rope and valiently strained her way across the frothy rolling waves, inching toward Lucky one. Fortunately, their boat was on the other side of my boat. Why fortunate? As we inched our way across the front of Betsy's anchor line the motor on Lil Betsy burped once, and quit. Immediately the waves pushed us toward Betsy.
"Huen, grab the anchor line!" Linda and I screamed in unison while frantically waving our arms since we knew Huen couldn't hear a thing without his hearing aids.
We threw Beth a line from Lil Betsy to pull us up to the swim platform then she ran and got what was left of the gasoline. Bouncing around we shloshed fuel into the tiny tank on top of the motor. After many attempts by all of us, Lil Betsy's motor kicked over and with an extra load of sea water in the dinghy we managed to get Huen, Linda and the dinghies back to their respective boats.
When I got back to Betsy, Beth looked pale,was nauseated and headed for a beer and bed. It was probably more stressful for her watching us flounder in the white water knowing that I am a poor swimmer than for us who were totally focused on the task at hand.
"Enough with the excitement," I thought. "This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. However, as the unflappable Bob Bitchin of Lattitudes and Attitudes fame once stated. "The difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude!" Ya! Ya! Well I think I'm running out of attitude!
The 3 foot rollers and 2 foot seas the next day seemed tame as we cruised toward Staniel Cay. Maybe in retrospect, Bob is right. It's the tough times that make the less tough times, feel a whole lot easier.
