A Walk In The Park

Big Majors to Cambridge Cay |  2.5 Hours  |  15 Miles 

We left the hustle, bustle, noise, and traffic behind as we departed Big Majors. The Staniel Cay area of the Exumas is not bad for a night or two, but it is way too crowded for me. More than a few mega yachts lined our exit route. Today would be another short hop, but it took us to another world. Almost on cue as we entered the boundaries of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, the water shallowed and changed color. Light blue indicated shallows and dark sports were rocks. As we rounded the tip of Bell Island, we got a good view of each. The deep(er) water channel runs right up against the rocks. We had been here before, so the narrow passage didn't freak us out ... too much.

Even though we entered at low tide, we had no issues with depth. We pulled right in to the mooring field and identified an open ball. With all our lines in place, we threaded the pendant and got Crossroads tied up pretty quickly. A couple on a neighboring boat had come over in their dinghy to offer a hand, but said, "You don't need help. You know what you're doing." Its always nice to receive a vote of confidence. After a quick lunch, we lowered our dinghy and went to the sandbar to take advantage of the low tide. Barry took the high road on the shore, while I made my footprints in the shallows.

We walked until the sand disappeared under the water then turned around and headed back. A pleasant discovery was all of the conch in the flats and tidal pools. The Land and Sea Park is a no take zone, so these young conch have an opportunity to grow and thrive.

From the sandbar we crossed over the mooring field to the beach on Cambridge Cay. We had to anchor the dinghy a good distance from the shore because of the low tide. The thought of "how deep will this water be when we come back?" always comes to mind. After we reached the shore, a short walk on the sandy path through the foliage gave us our first view of the dark turquoise water of Exuma Sound. The beach on the eastern shore was all our's and we walked from one end to the other, taking in the great views.  

Bell Rock dominates this stretch of beach and deservedly was the focal point of most of my photos. After two great walks in the Park, we returned to Crossroads around 4:00. I enjoyed the late afternoon sun on Fiberglass Beach and completed my book. We finished dinner just as the sun was dropping below Bell Island. Cambridge Cay is more our style of Bahamas destinations. We will stay here a few days and enjoy all that the area has to offer.