Keene Sailing

Shadowfax Sailing

We have experienced some really outstanding sailing since we left the Abacos and like the Abacos we have to pick our times to go or stay put for a few days when big seas and/or wind pass through. The weather plays a big part of our adventure, it will cycle through days of steady trade winds (from the east), then a front moves through and we get bigger winds from the north then it cycles around back to east. As we get further south those cold fronts stall out before we see them sometimes. We stayed at Warderick Wells, which is part of the huge Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park for several days waiting out weather, but also because we really liked it there. We climbed Bo-Bo Hill and experienced on unbelievable view of the ocean (technically Exuma Sound). With the wind blowing in your face and off in to the north you can see a blow hole when the waves would smash onto the rocks it would shoot white spray up into the air.

Low Tide Warderick Wells

Atop Bo Bo Hill

After meeting several other cruisers in Warderick we left and did a sail down to Staniel Cay. We did several long tacks, the first one taking us to the area of the chart marked “Unsurveyed Area” when we could see coral heads dead ahead we tacked away and quickly! We went to an area called Staniel Cay, but we actually anchored, along with some Canadian friends, behind Big Majors Spot with maybe 25 other boats. When we went ashore cruisers had created a beach area and there were donated chairs, grills, tables, and a shaded cover. So we meet more folks, shared food and refreshments, told war stories then headed to the Staniel Cay Yacht club, for drinks and a meal. We really enjoyed ourselves here but the Internet was almost non-existent even sitting next to the Wi-Fi transmitter. I think it was their plan because while trying to logon to your email and it taking 15 minutes or more why not have another beer, how about some conch fritters. I wanted to do some snorkeling in the Thunderbird Grotto, which we are told is amazing, but by the time we got there the current was ripping faster than you could swim (almost faster than our dinghy could go) so we will save that for another time.

We left Staniel after staying for several days and sailed to the next island south of there called Black Point Settlement on Great Guana Cay. I was looking for the barber as I haven’t had a haircut since I don’t remember when, but her clippers weren’t working. What a fun place, there was a modern Laundromat with a pier conveniently around back for our dinghies, so we washed clothes and right down the street was Scorpio’s café, that just happened to have a happy hour with 2 for 1 rum punch. We crawled back to the dinghy, drove in the dark back aboard Shadowfax  then listened to the live music from the other restaurant that sounded really good. Next time we need to go to that bar.

Bright and early we left Black Point and headed to George Town, which would take most of the day expecting to be there around 4PM. It was a beautiful day, we sailed on a close reach with light chop on Exuma Sound till we got close to Georgetown. Our friends Dan and Melissa tried to hail us, but they could not hear our response, as we got closer we found out they were several miles north of George Town in a marina. We decided to break away from our Canadian friends we were sailing with and go to Emerald Bay Marina. We were sorry to leave their company but glad we were tied up in a marina, because that night the wind was blowing with 40 knot gusts. We stayed there for 5 days waiting for the weather to die down some.

Emerald Bay Marina is part of a Sandals resort and it was definitely a top notch place, 18 hole golf course, wonderful restaurant with an endless pool overlooking a white sand beach. There was a liquor store to replenish our beer, rum and wine reserves, a grocery store to refill our food supplies, plus water and fuel. Unfortunately for them after building this wonderful resort, the economy collapsed and the people stopped coming, the marina gets very busy when the weather turns bad, at other times only a few folks stop. As we were maneuvering to our assigned slip our friends were waiting on the pier (as well as several other cruisers) to greet and assist getting the boat tied up. It was so nice to see them, we have been a month behind them since Holiday Hills as they left in October and we left in November. We had lunch together, dined aboard their beautiful boat and shared many stories. They left to go home for a week for their granddaughter’s Christening, but plan to meet us in George Town when thy get back.  When the weather died down we also left for George Town.

Virginia and Bob aboard Slow Dancing

The sail to George Town was pretty rough but we figured it was only an hour and a half so we pounded through 3-4 foot seas with 20 knots of wind. But we finally made it to George Town, this is the cruisers Mecca of the Exumas, it’s the third largest city in the Bahamas and starting next week is the Cruiser’s Regatta. This is a fun week of sailboat racing, partying, and activities of all sorts such as, dinghy parades, pet parades, coconut hunt, all totaled around 15 events for everyone’s enjoyment. We are anchored right off of Chat-n-Chill, which is the happening beach bar, with wonderful fresh conch salad, cold beer, beach volley ball, daily activities such as yoga which Virginia did this morning. The town of George Town has most anything you need including a barber shop which also sells fresh fish! So I got a haircut and 2 lobster tails and a big ole Grouper. Stay tuned for the regatta, see their website www.georgetowncruising.com .