This Could Be My New Favorite Beach

Old Bight     

From sunset last evening through sunrise this morning we enjoyed a respite from the wind. Crossroads rested quietly in the anchorage with no waves, and no noise from the anchor chain and bridle. I was able to have all the doors open in the pilot house while watching the sun appear over the Cat Island. By 9:00 all of that had changed and the stiff breeze had returned. We had a slow morning onboard with a little cleaning and a couple boat fixes. At noon we were ready to go ashore for lunch at Rollezz Villa Beach Resort. The colorful waterfront cabins made for a scenic trip to the beach -- almost as scenic as our dinghy seemingly hovering above the crystal clear water. 

The resort is very cruiser-friendly. We entered through a beach-front gate onto the beautifully landscaped property. We joined three other cruising couples on the deck for lunch. I had the grouper and Barry had the conch, each came with mashed potatoes, and a freshly-picked garden salad. The meal was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere like no other we've experienced. We watched hummingbirds and curly-tailed lizards moving amongst the palms and bougainvillea against a backdrop of the beautiful Exuma Sound. For after meal entertainment, the resident pup came over for some belly rubs and fell asleep on my foot. 

After saying goodbye to the other folks, Barry and I set out walking along an idyllic stretch of powdery soft yet hard-packed sand. Those conditions were perfect for Barry who removed his Keens to reveal his tiger stripes. Beaches cannot get much prettier than this. Being in the lee of the prevailing easterly winds, there is no wash-up of sea grass or plastic waste to spoil the aesthetic. This definitely could be my new favorite beach.

Only a single ripple came to shore. The waves in the pictures were actually in the sand, not the water. We walked about as far north as possible then turned around to see dark rain clouds moving across the horizon.  

All of the showers passed to our south and we stayed dry throughout our walk and while sitting on the beach swing. The clouds broke up and the sun re-emerged for a few more hours. We returned to Crossroads and opened up all the hatches, doors, and ports so the fresh breeze could blow through the boat. Although the temperature was in the low 80s, the "wind chill" brought out a few goose bumps on my arms as I stood in the cockpit and watched the sunset. 

North To Cat Island

Thompson Bay to Old Bight  |  9.5 Hours  |  64.8 Miles   

Today was moving day. The strong easterly wind and waves had finally settled, making for more comfortable travel. All of the remaining half dozen boats in our Thompson Bay anchorage were scattering to various points, including George Town, Lee Stocking Island, and our destination of Cat Island. Our anchor which held so well during the blow was buried in the sand, but came up cleanly. We were underway before the sun rose over the ridge line of island. After we turned past Indian Head Point and began to parallel the Long Island shoreline, a lone dolphin joined us. We were heading north through some skinny water and noted the many small towns we drove through on our car tour. Once we cleared the Cape Santa Maria Resort at the top of the island, we entered into the deep open ocean water marked by a color change to dark blue. The ocean swells that concerned us did approach four feet, but with an eight second period were easily handled by the stabilizers. Our ride was never uncomfortable and the windows I washed yesterday were never wet by sea spray. A few hours later the sight of land and light blue waters signaled our arrival at Cat Island.     

The chart plotter was a cluttered mess with nine boats converging on the Hawks Nest Point waypoint at the same time. Everyone played nicely together as we crossed the shallow light blue waters to the anchorage. We take advantage of every opportunity possible to gaze across these beautiful waters.  

We anchored among five other boats in the anchorage, but were soon joined by 12 more. We lowered our dinghy and then retired our weather-beaten Bahamas courtesy flag in favor of a crisp new one. Word quickly spread inviting everyone to shore for sundowners. We met four other couples (all with teenagers) and shared stories while watching the sun lower in the sky.

The swirling clouds were the highlight of tonight's show, transitioning from yellow to pink. At near darkness we all dispersed and returned to our boats. Tomorrow will be spent exploring this new-to-us area.