A Ride On The Lazy River

Emerald Rock to Shroud Cay |  2.7 Hours  |  17.8 Miles  

We moved north today in search of fresh areas to explore and an internet signal. Barry and I each miss connectivity in our own way. Barry enjoys streaming the Today Show, Jeopardy!, and catching a TV drama at night. My days don't seem right without my daily texts and calls to and from my family. We eased off the mooring ball at Emerald Rock and made our way back into the main travel lanes at rush hour. Dozens of boats were following the sailing line both north and south. What a pleasant surprise it was to pass Asanté, and catch up with Nancy and Blaine over the radio on their activities since we last saw them in Long Island. Our destination was Shroud Cay, at the northern limits of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. While there are no cell towers on the island, it is much closer to the tower on the next island north. We joined close to 20 boats in the south anchorage and had some lunch. During that time two large motor yachts departed the anchorage. We moved closer to shore and reset the anchor in their vacated spot before lowering the dinghy. High tide had just passed, so it was the optimal time to head north to Sanctuary Creek and one of the most beautiful passages in all of The Bahamas. The entrance to the creek is wide and well-marked. The small print on the sign prohibits jet boats and speeds over three knots throughout the delicate ecosystem. Sadly, most of the megayacht tenders act as if the rules don't apply to them. The crystal clear water beckoned us to move forward. 

Mangroves line the water's edge. We saw dozens of turtles, of all sizes, swimming along. More surprising was the occasional shark siting.

The creek led to Driftwood Beach on the Eastern side of the island. A large sandbar stretched across the entrance inviting visitors to walk two hundred yards out in ankle-deep water. 

It was another perfect day in the Exumas. No matter how many pictures I take, none perfectly capture the setting. 

After an hour of walking up and down the beach, we began our trip out at max ebb tide. We spotted many more turtles by looking through the water. I caught two by putting the camera in the water and hoping for a good shot. The tide was falling as evidenced by the exposed mangrove knees and the emerging sandbar.

We were able to idle the outboard and just float in the current of the lazy river. Since our initial crossing of the anchorage, several new rocks and sandbars had emerged from the "deep" water as we approached low tide. Back on Crossroads, I read on Fiberglass Beach and watched eight white-tailed tropicbirds glide above the anchorage. As a bonus, the birds were vocal and filled the air with their song. The sun sets much later these days which allows us to finish dinner before catching Mother Nature's light show. We watched the day's colorful end from the flybridge.