Thursday, March 21, 2019

Enjoying The Bubblebath

Day 305  |  Cambridge Cay to Thomas Cay/Pipe Creek  |  2 Hours  |  11 Miles

The full moon provided a little after-hours drama, first as it rose over one of our mega yacht neighbors and finally as it set this morning over the Cambridge Cay anchorage. We waited until high tide to depart this wonderful spot so that we could exit to the south. The large sandbar that we had visited several times was now underwater and only a tiny bit of island remained exposed. Ti Amo led the way on today's journey. Once out of the Exuma Cays Land Cay Land and Sea Park, we passed by Bravo Eugenia -- the massive spot on the horizon referenced in yesterday's post.


We had good depth coming into Pipe Creek and anchored just east of Thomas Cay. The dinghy came down and we were more than ready to hop in and go exploring. Once again, we were most thankful to have Greg and Glenda sharing some of their favorite spots with us. We exited our anchorage by traveling beside a stone lighthouse. Our first destination was the DECCA Station ruins. Impressive bollards greeted us as we beached our dinghies and hit the shore. Wildlife was plentiful -- lizards, butterflies, and snails -- along the trails.


The DECCA station was used to help locate and track planes and ships before the days of Loran and GPS. It became technologically obsolete and was abandoned. Just a few structures remain.

Our second stop was Rachel's Bubblebath at the north end of Compass Cay. This spot is where the waves from the Sound crash through an opening in the rock and wash westward across the cay. Where the waves dissipate is churned up like a large bubblebath. It was a nice hike across the island, some of it dry and some across a swift current, but well worth it. Glenda and I walked in across the rocky bottom and spent a few minutes enjoying this natural wavepool. Barry, Greg, and Jaxon did not venture in much above their knees. What a great stop.


Swinging northeast around the island, we ducked into Compass Cay Marina and said hello to Melissa, Jeff and Scout from Flip Flop. It is always great to reconnect and hear of others's adventures. With the tide low, our journey back to the anchorage had great scenery with the rise of sandbars. The crystal-clear water just sparkles. On the sandbars we found a few starfish and a healthy population of sea grass. Many of the Bahamian islands have been sold and are now private residences. Little Pipe Cay is one such island and has a beautiful house, landscaping, docks ... and plenty of signs asking cruisers to respect their privacy.


After dropping the boys off at home, Glenda and I went over to explore the sandbar that had emerged not far our boats. We were pleasantly surprised at what we saw: conch, little fish, and brightly colored coral heads.


There were several kinds of coral and I wish I knew more about what I saw. We all gathered aboard Crossroads for appetizers to close another great day together. The sunset was full of deep color that lingered long after the sun fell below the horizon.



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