Another Gem of a Stop--Lee Stocking Island

I talked about this in the last post but am too lazy to edit it so consider it a reminder of where we left off hahaaa!  Saturday morning we got up pretty much at sunrise for an early departure and to have the tide’s help leaving the shallows around the anchorage.  Plus we were leaving via the south route so always better to be safe when taking a new path.  We were going to anchor on the southwest side of the Cay for breakfast then head out Farmers Cut.  That’s the same Farmers Cut that looked so rough the couple of days before.  Going out cuts is never a simple matter, regardless of how much the winds have calmed.  I suppose that is fair considering it’s where a huge ocean gets squeezed into a little cut.  We zig zagged to our breakfast spot (4.5 feet seems reallllllly shallow when you haven't been through a path before).  We headed out and I decided to stand up front for photo that I already knew would not relay the conditions.  It was a bouncing and fun ride—I felt like I was on a roller coaster, you know that feelinging in your tummy when you go down the big dips?!  We got out just fine and made our way down to Lee Stocking Island.  We tried to have a sail up but the winds did not agree with our plan so it came down unfortunately.  The winds many times do not do what you want and that’s why it is such a joy and thrill when you do get to sail.

The “big deal” of this leg of the journey was it being our first time out on the Exuma Sound.  The real big ocean!  The water on the Sound is that amazing deep blue we saw crossing the gulf stream…cobalt, indigo, something without a name yet.

Again, heading out Farmers Cut

The lovely Sound side of the Cays

We had an uneventful entry into Adderly Cut and around to the anchorage next to the location of the now closed Caribbean Marine Research Center facilities.  That also happened to be where our Exuma Expert, Sheila, had worked and lived.  Speaking of Sheila, her notes and maps and recommendations for the Exumas has been our Bible through the Cays.  We were so lucky and thankful to have her information because she truly was the guiding force for us! 

The Sound is amazingly beautiful and blue and endless but mostly blue!

Sound view nearing Adderlys Cut

There's the cut...the stone tower is a great landmark

Looks like this cut is in a good mood this morning, nice

The Marine Research Center labs/offices/dock

We anchored and Mark jumped in to cool off then everyone basically passed out for naps—that’s common when you’ve been on the water in the wind and sun for hours.  Needless to say we did not get any exploring in that day ;-)  The next morning we planned to head out to Shark Rock and Tug and Barge for snorkeling/snuba’ing.  Both spots are south of Normans Pond Cay which is the Cay next door.  So let me tell you, Shark Rock was a lot farther in reality than it looked on the map but we made it and had a good snorkel.  Saw another Lion Fish (third one) and harassed a humongous crab before we left.  I felt an instant connection to Mr. Crab haha.  We headed over to Tug and Barge (aptly names since that is exactly what it looks like) next.  We saw three osprey and I think two may have been the now grown babies because I also saw a nest on the Tug rock.  The guys set up the snuba and I snorkeled.  There was one head that was beautiful, just beautiful but with so many spiny urchins in around among the coral.  I meant to ask my sister if so many meant something.  I really like our snorkel outings because every stop is a nature spectacular spectacular with their own personality and little world.  On the way back we took a shallows tour along the coast and saw sooooo many huge stingrays.  They were gray with some speckles and did I already say, HUGE.  So graceful so lovely so mesmerizing.  But yeah, they can move when a dinghy comes in and stalks them. LOL.

After lunch we went onto shore to hike over to the beach on the Sound side.  We decided NOT to go through the Center even though the caretaker probably wasn’t there and would have let us if we asked.  We are good citizens so a big No Trespassing sign is something we respect.  Besides that led us to a beach near the boat and a pretty nice hike to the airstrip and then the Sound side.

Evening swims to cool off and the fire in the sky sunsets we love helped us end a very full day in and around the Cays.  Our plan for the morning was to dinghy over to the east side of Normans Pond and see how much washed up treasure we could find.  Well we found a lot of plastic and I had some comfort in knowing that anyone shipwrecked today could really go to town with all the stuff that washes up on beaches.  Not that I ever want to test my theory.  I did find some nice items for my sister and the big find was a small round rubber fishing/crab pot float.  I was super excited because I have been wanting an anchor line float since Miami Beach so yay me!

We got back to the boat and lifted anchor with plenty of time for the tide—which was going to be low and hopefully slack as we hit the cut to go back out.  Wellllll, not exactly slack yet and whoa mamma, what a ride.  Kinda knew it was going to be interesting when you could see the white caps at the cut.  I sat up front again and took some video and photos…my super artistic video was a slow-mo shot of the waves crashing up in front of us.  I also got to see first hand what they meant by current running out far from the cut during an ebb…yes, it did flow out darn far and you could clearly see it.

We put our sails up and had a good motor sail to THE destination (cue dramatic music) GEORGE TOWN.  Can it really be that we are only hours away from the place we have been talking about for couple years and planning for all this time?  Doesn’t feel real and I am feeling anxious at this point.  I’ve read so much about it and, frankly, what I read was not exactly all good.  Boats crowded in bow to stern—400 of them, Nazi-like VHF monitors, people turning other people in for taking money for services like hair cuts, overly organized activities, essentially an old folks community of boaters where I did not think we would fit in at all.  I should have remembered my own advice about not reading those types of things because I was about to find out how unfounded and downright wrong my assumptions were!!