This leg to Highborne is all on the banks, and as you near the Exumas you have to zig zag around a lot of coral heads. The day was overcast, with a moderate north wind (Highborne has no north protection), so we decided to anchor on the south side of Current Island and then head to Highborne the following day.
The current at Current Cut often flows faster than sailboat speed, so the ideal plan would be to go at slack current--or at least not at max current. Also, going our direction you have to make a hard right as soon as you go through. If you mess up the current can sweep you onto a shoal. The state of the tide was not working out in our favor, so we took the long way around. This involved going past the wreck we snorkeled on, out into Northeast Providence Channel, then back onto the bank through Fleeming Channel, then backtracking north to the south side of Current Island. We could have gone through Current Cut, but I really wanted to fish (only Barracuda on the banks).
This is what I caught. I forgot to set the reel alarm, so by the time we realized the line was running out, I had about 700 yards of line to real back in.
Beautiful sunset at Current Island.
We have had very few cloudless, sunny days since arriving in the Bahamas. Clouds are not your friend when weaving through reefs. So the following morning we crossed our fingers and headed to the Middle Bank reefs on our way to Highborne. With the wind on our stern, we had a wonderful sail. We turned on the motor and rolled in the sails when we approached the shallower, reef infested leg of our route. The clouds came and went, and it was very tedious steering around the reefs. It is by far the most reef congested area we've gone through yet. When the sun is out, they are easy to see, but there were a few times when it looked like there was no way through. In reality, I'm sure there were many we could have passed over, but we are not good enough or brave enough, so we dodge them all.
We made Highborne with no problems. We stayed at Highborne for a couple of days. The first day I wanted to continue working at cleaning the bottom of the boat. The water was a balmy 70 degrees. Better than the 67 degree water the last time I dove our anchor at Royal. I had all my cleaning stuff together, got in the water, went under the boat only to find a small 3 1/2 foot shark hanging out next to our keel. I had Lisa get my pole spear (at that point I had never used it), I approached the shark in hopes that he would swim away. Didn't work. I banged on the hull and that didn't work. I considered shooting it, but didn't want a shark to be my first target. Especially since a pole spear doesn't have near the power of a Hawaiian sling. They say that sharks and barracuda will retaliate--that's just not fair. Anyway, after about 30 minutes, he still wasn't interested in leaving, so I got out of the water.
There were some reefs on the north side of our anchorage, and I was determined to try out my pole spear. So we anchored the dinghy next to the reefs as I tried to become one with the sea. I keep telling Lisa that I swim like a fish, but she thinks I swim like a fish out of water.
My first victim. OK so it wasn't a tasty Trigger fish, but a Grey Angelfish.....OOPS. Not exactly a headshot but sheesh, he was moving.
We made Highborne with no problems. We stayed at Highborne for a couple of days. The first day I wanted to continue working at cleaning the bottom of the boat. The water was a balmy 70 degrees. Better than the 67 degree water the last time I dove our anchor at Royal. I had all my cleaning stuff together, got in the water, went under the boat only to find a small 3 1/2 foot shark hanging out next to our keel. I had Lisa get my pole spear (at that point I had never used it), I approached the shark in hopes that he would swim away. Didn't work. I banged on the hull and that didn't work. I considered shooting it, but didn't want a shark to be my first target. Especially since a pole spear doesn't have near the power of a Hawaiian sling. They say that sharks and barracuda will retaliate--that's just not fair. Anyway, after about 30 minutes, he still wasn't interested in leaving, so I got out of the water.
There were some reefs on the north side of our anchorage, and I was determined to try out my pole spear. So we anchored the dinghy next to the reefs as I tried to become one with the sea. I keep telling Lisa that I swim like a fish, but she thinks I swim like a fish out of water.
My first victim. OK so it wasn't a tasty Trigger fish, but a Grey Angelfish.....OOPS. Not exactly a headshot but sheesh, he was moving.
We planned on stopping at Normans Cay, but needed to find all around protection from the next front, so we headed towards the Pipe Creek, Bell Island area. It was a cloudy day so we anchored on the SW side of Bell Island with the plan of going into either Pipe Creek or the east side of Bell Island the following day.
Just before going to bed, I popped my head out to make sure everything was OK. There was a large boat (turned out to be a barge) approaching very close to us. He looked like he was going to go right through us, so I turned on all our cockpit lights and the deck light. At that point Lisa saw him flash his lights, and then he altered course. He ended up docking at Bell Island which is privately owned. Another barge came through the following morning, but he took a proper route. We can't figure out what the first one was doing--seems like he should have been aground at the angle he was approaching us.
The following day we moved to the east side of Bell Island which would offer all around protection for the front. The front didn't clock as quickly as forecast, so we ended up staying a bit longer than we had anticipated. We did dinghy to the Pipe Creek area, and I did some snorkeling. We were also able to clean most of the bottom of the boat.
This picture is not very clear, but this float plane would land very close to our boat, drop off people on the beach and then take off near this ketch.
Just before going to bed, I popped my head out to make sure everything was OK. There was a large boat (turned out to be a barge) approaching very close to us. He looked like he was going to go right through us, so I turned on all our cockpit lights and the deck light. At that point Lisa saw him flash his lights, and then he altered course. He ended up docking at Bell Island which is privately owned. Another barge came through the following morning, but he took a proper route. We can't figure out what the first one was doing--seems like he should have been aground at the angle he was approaching us.
The following day we moved to the east side of Bell Island which would offer all around protection for the front. The front didn't clock as quickly as forecast, so we ended up staying a bit longer than we had anticipated. We did dinghy to the Pipe Creek area, and I did some snorkeling. We were also able to clean most of the bottom of the boat.
This picture is not very clear, but this float plane would land very close to our boat, drop off people on the beach and then take off near this ketch.
Once the front finished it's business, we went out the cut to Exuma Sound and headed for Farmers Cut and Little Farmers Cay. We wanted to go a bit further south to Cave Cay, but the wind for the night was to be from the Northwest, so we decided to anchor on the SE side of Little Farmers.
It was a beautiful trip, but the anchorage was a tad crowded. We had anticipated this since the Georgetown crowd is in the process of migrating north. The anchorage was rocky sand, and when the anchor grabbed, we knew it hooked on a rock. The winds were light that night, but I kept waking up thinking I was going to have to dive on the anchor to extract it from the rock--at high tide.
While weighing anchor we saw a huge ray go air born 2 different times. That was way cool. But the anchor would not come up easily, so I got to go for a 7:15 am swim. It was a bit chilly on deck, but the water actually felt good. After 2 tries, I had the trip line attached to the front part of the anchor (with the assistance of the deck babe on the bow feeding the line). The trip line basically lets you pull the anchor out backwards. It actually worked. I was relieved. With everyone in the anchorage watching, I could not afford to fail. It's a guy thing.
We had another great motorsail, and then motor to Georgetown. Were able to make lots of water and charge all our gadgets. Had a huge fish on the spinning reel, but he threw the hook.
When we entered the harbor at Georgetown, we were surprised at how beautiful the water is. Stocking Island beaches look good too, but we have stayed close to town to take care of business.
The exit/entrance to Lake Victoria (where the dinghies dock to go into town).
It was a beautiful trip, but the anchorage was a tad crowded. We had anticipated this since the Georgetown crowd is in the process of migrating north. The anchorage was rocky sand, and when the anchor grabbed, we knew it hooked on a rock. The winds were light that night, but I kept waking up thinking I was going to have to dive on the anchor to extract it from the rock--at high tide.
While weighing anchor we saw a huge ray go air born 2 different times. That was way cool. But the anchor would not come up easily, so I got to go for a 7:15 am swim. It was a bit chilly on deck, but the water actually felt good. After 2 tries, I had the trip line attached to the front part of the anchor (with the assistance of the deck babe on the bow feeding the line). The trip line basically lets you pull the anchor out backwards. It actually worked. I was relieved. With everyone in the anchorage watching, I could not afford to fail. It's a guy thing.
We had another great motorsail, and then motor to Georgetown. Were able to make lots of water and charge all our gadgets. Had a huge fish on the spinning reel, but he threw the hook.
When we entered the harbor at Georgetown, we were surprised at how beautiful the water is. Stocking Island beaches look good too, but we have stayed close to town to take care of business.
The exit/entrance to Lake Victoria (where the dinghies dock to go into town).
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