We are in the Exumas! We had a beautiful crossing yesterday - 35 miles from Rock Sound in Eleuthera to Highbourne Cay in the Northern Exumas. We had a light breeze from the south and we were able to sail most of the way.
We did not have internet access from Spanish Wells until we reached the Exumas. Eleuthera was very different from the Abacos - much less tourist and cruiser infrastructure. Everything was much less expensive, but the towns were much poorer as well.
After Hill and I cleaned up from the Great Flood of '09, we were able to do a little exploring on land near Hatchet Bay. We walked down the main road to the Hatchet Bay Caves, a series of caverns near the water. We were offered rides from locals both there and back - I rode in the back of a pickup truck for the first time since I was 15.
All last week, the wind slowly clocked around in advance of a front coming down from Florida. Every day, it shifted further into the direction that we wanted to go, and it was still fairly strong (forecasts in the 20 knot range). After the Great Flood of '09, we were understandably reticent about pounding upwind again. We decided to make a short jump to Alabaster Bay from Hatchet Bay and then wait there for the front to pass through before continuing on towards the Exumas. Although the harbor in Hatchet Bay provided protection, it wasn't a particularly exciting or scenic place. Alabaster Bay looked a little nicer and would bring us 10 knots closer to our destination. So, on Thursday, we sailed the 10 knots into the wind to the Bay. It was fine, but Hill and I checked down below every few minutes - just in case.
Alabaster Bay was lovely. On the bay side, where we anchored, there was a beach and a small resort. We also walked over to the ocean side of the island, where there was an abandoned U.S. military base (used by NASA for tracking, we were told). The dilapidated base fronted a wide flat stretch of pink sand beach. It's still amazing to me (and awesome) to come across these beautiful stretches of beach with nothing on them.
We stayed in Alabaster Bay until Monday, and I will admit that even with its loveliness, after a few days I started going stir-crazy. The last month has been a lot of waiting. I would like to say that this trip has allowed me to relax into a zen-like state of patience about everything. But that would be a lie. Hill and I are goal-oriented people, and I don't think that's going to change.
On Monday, we finally got our window to go. We motorsailed to Rock Sound in southern Eleuthera (about 30 miles). We anchored in the harbor and had dinner in town (I needed a break from cooking). Then, we left at 7 the next morning for the sail to the Exumas.
We plan to spend the next few weeks hopping down through the Exumas and visiting the Exumas Land and Sea Park. We also hope to spend a few days volunteering in the park. Then we will do our next big leg down to Georgetown in the southern Exumas.
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