One Last Walk Along The Pink Sand Of Long Island

Thompson Bay     

Today's sunrise was the signal for many boats in the anchorage to move on to their next destinations. We had made the decision to stay and enjoy one more day in beautiful Long Island. I cleaned our air conditioner return grills and all the exterior windows before moving out to Fiberglass Beach to read. The south wind brought in warmer temperatures and higher humidity, but no complaints from me. After lunch we joined Kelly and Richard (Untethered) and Danielle and Kirk (Sea Horse) on Boaters Beach for another walk of the island. On the trail from our dinghy landing to the road, we passed by a large and deep well/cistern. We all took turns looking in at the water pooled at the bottom. We followed the same route we took yesterday, up the hill toward the lush palm trees, then down to the Atlantic shore. Today's deep blue sky was a definite improvement over yesterday's heavy cloud cover.

We picked up from yesterday's rainout and continued south. It may have been the same stretch of sand, but the beach was entirely new and different. Both the waves and the tide were lower. We walked along a much broader stretch of pink sand. Occasional waves still broke high on the outer reef, but the waves morphed to ripples by the time they reached their furthest point in the sand. 

Every step was a gift in this beautiful setting. 

As we reached the rocky cliffs at the southernmost point of our walk, we came upon two stunning tidal pools. No more than a foot of water filled the deep end. On shore the absence of water revealed intricate arches and passageways carved out by the surf. 

After one final look we retraced our steps back to the dinghy and returned to Crossroads for a brief time onboard. Kelly and I grabbed our trash for one last run to shore. We tied up at Basil's dock and said "Hello" to his sweet dog and marveled once more at his beautiful bougainvillea.   

A quick walk up the road took us to Hillside Market for a  few last-minute provisions. With our bags full, we left the store as the day's final customers. After a quick "Thank You" to Basil and his wife for the use of his dock, we lowered our purchases into the dinghy. The sun had already moved below the horizon as we enjoyed one last high-speed run across the anchorage. Final goodbyes were exchanged and I hopped back onto Crossroads. Barry and I quickly raised our dinghy to the upper deck in preparation for tomorrow's early morning departure. Huge thanks go to Kelly and Richard for all the great times these last few days. Extra thanks to Kelly for all the walks, smiles, and the pictures -- including the three below. The final one was taken today at the tidal pool when I found a large conch shell. 

On a separate note, tremendous thanks to everyone who has followed this little journal over the years. It blows my mind to report that the little picture show I began as a way to organize my photos and memories 834 posts ago has now accumulated 100,000 views. Here's hoping for many more adventures. 

A Sunday In The Palms

Thompson Bay     

It was nice to have a slow morning onboard. I didn't intend to sleep late, but did and hit the floor running. We did a load of laundry and I spent the morning catching up on all sorts of computer work. There was another dive into the commissary to retrieve an item, from the furthest corner possible, that I missed last week. I read a little in the pilothouse and later moved to Fiberglass Beach. The wind had clocked some to the southeast, but was still strong. Around 2:30 Kelly and I went to shore for our daily walk. We anchored her dinghy in the shallow water and walked to Boaters Beach, coming ashore at the tree "decorated" with conch shells. We followed a path through the trees to Queen's Highway then turned onto a road that crossed the island. Along the way we kept commenting on the lushness of the vegetation and were stumped by the presence of a large cactus. Further inland we came upon two grazing wild goats. I was quite surprised by the steep incline, but appreciative of the much-needed cardio workout. As we neared the east side of the island, large groupings of palm trees lined the road. The pavement led to the edge of the dune where the stalk of a century plant towered above its surroundings. These plants bloom only once during its entire life (which is closer to 20-30 years). The stalk can reach a height of 30 feet and produces yellow flowers.   

Through the seas oats, the path opened onto a wide and flat beach. We walked north first and enjoyed the blue sky and gentle waves. Much like yesterday's beach, this cove was protected by a rocky outer reef that settled the surf before it arrived on the pink sand.   

Large rock formations lined the shore. A tall cliff extended out into the Atlantic and signaled the end of our northern trek.   

We turned south and walked through the surf, studying the waves as they broke around the rocks. As we continued walking, the waves breaking offshore became more impressive.  

The sky also darkened and rain was spotted offshore. We never quite made it to our destination rock. Rain began to fall so we turned around and headed to our trail. Once again we stopped to admire the onshore vegetation.  

The rock beyond the dunes had been eroded to form several caves. Back on the path, we stopped at the palm trees and gave them a closer inspection. Several different species were intermixed. The tall coconut palms craned at odd angles in search of sunlight, while the smaller palms kept their fan-shaped fronds at eye level.     

Today was the Fourth Sunday of Lent, but for Kelly and I it was more like Palm Sunday. We enjoyed our time in this small, but beautiful, oasis. In the palm tree nursery, five coconuts had given life to new sprouts. After gathering a couple of coconuts for the boys, we headed up the steep hill. Uphill both ways? Somehow we did not remember there being a downhill stretch only a few hours prior. A heavy shower took our minds off of the climb. By the time we returned to the dinghy we were drenched, but the squall had moved through and the sun was shining bright in a blue sky. After a shower and getting into dry clothes, it was time to fix dinner and close the day with another beautiful Bahamian sunset.

A Walk To The Wild Side

Thompson Bay     

I was stretching downstairs when I heard a loud racket and felt a subsequent shaking of the boat. I went upstairs and looked out the saloon door to see Barry in the cockpit waging war against one of his recently harvested coconuts. With multiple instruments of destruction laying at his feet, he had turned to hand combat to wrestle the nut from the husk. I snapped the first two photos before he realized I was watching. Only when his opponent morphed into a Teddy bear begging for mercy, did I open the door to get a better look. Barry was quite proud of his cute little extraction and rushed inside to poke it's eyes out, crack it open, and enjoy the fruit of his labors. (Coconut is a fruit, not a nut.) We were both disappointed when the contents turned out to be rancid. A solemn cleanup was taking place as Kelly picked me up at 10:00 for a day onshore.

Today's exploration would be done by foot and we had identified three spots we wanted to visit. Our first stop was the Farmers Market. We quickly realized that we were a few hours late. All of the eggs and most of the produce were gone. I purchased a small coin purse and a slice each of coconut and guava bread, while Kelly snagged some guava jam. Our biggest find was the four lady vendors that we chatted with for about an hour. I'll say it again, the folks on Long Island are a treasure. 

We then continued south on Queen's Highway for a return trip to Dapple. Our beverages were enjoyed on the porch as we looked out at the orchids and also greeted all the folks coming and going from this cute little coffee house and bistro. Locals and visitors all stopped to chat on this beautiful Saturday. The wind had calmed from overnight and the sun was out. Well, it was out until the showers settled in. We stayed on the porch longer than intended, but with no regrets. 

Once the rain stopped, it was time to take a walk to the wild side. We crossed the island to the Atlantic coast. We paused as the chickens crossed the road. They disappeared into the scrub vegetation so we never saw exactly why they crossed. Pretty yellow flowers and plenty of vibrant red bougainvillea lined the one lane hard-packed dirt road. Off to the north was a large inland pond. Birds sang in the trees and weren't phased by us as we passed alongside their position.

After cresting the last hill, the path flattened and went straight through lush grasses to the Hamilton's Beach. The strong east wind was still whipping up large surf, but a small reef dampened the breakers before they reached the shore. We kicked off our shoes and walked barefoot in the soft, but densely packed, sand.

Kelly and I headed north first toward the rock formations at Milan's Beach. There were no other crazy people out on this sporty day, so the sand was pristine as we made our way into the crescent basin at the base of the rocks. The rock was a geologist's dream with clearly defined and uniform strata. This special spot made the perfect background for our souvenir photo.

Unable to go further north, we reversed course and headed south. We were surprised to see blue sky and sun while walking in the surf. The sun highlighted the sand and enhanced its distinctive pink coloration. The large rock formation at Hamilton's Beach loomed in the distance with its many facets and features catching my eye. 

Somehow it looked even more interesting from the other side with the sun bringing out the color of the rock. We kept walking until the sand ended at a large rock outcropping. The layers in this rock were highly contorted, almost swirled. Stepping out into the shallow water, I was finally able to capture a photo showing the hole in the large rock. 

In spite of the wild surf, this beach walk was very relaxing. Whether watching the ripples advance onto the sand or sitting on a large piece of driftwood high on the dune and just chatting, it was simply a special afternoon. Although not shown in the above "pretty" pictures I feel I must comment on the tons of plastic trash washed up on this remote beach. This is a serious and ever-growing problem on all the beaches we've visited. With clouds darkening, we reluctantly turned our backs to the waves, passed through the grasses -- saying "Hello" to a grasshopper, then put our shoes on before crossing back across the island.

We made a few other detours to check out the buildings on the Thompson Bay shore. The Long Island mural at the cultural center was particularly bright and cheerful. Finally back at Basil's Dock, we were surprised at how far the tide had fallen. We expertly guided the dinghy by hand around the dock to the ladder and eased in for the return ride to our boats. The water was so calm that we took a slow cruise along the shore to squeeze a bit more into our day. Right on cue as we made the final turn across the anchorage, the wind started whipping up. We spotted rain moving across the island on the currents of the building gusts. I quickly, and even somewhat gracefully, bid farewell to Kelly and hopped from the dinghy onto the swim platform of Crossroads. Kelly zipped off to Untethered and got onboard just as the rain started to fall. As usual, the shower did not last long. We were treated to a small rainbow to end the day. The heavy clouds obscured the sunset, but didn't dull the colorful memories of another great day exploring Long Island. And the stiff wind continues to blow ...

[Thanks to Kelly for sharing a few photos!]

Taking In The Northern Sights

Thompson Bay     

With the front approaching, we got an early start on our continued rental car tour of the northern reaches of Long Island. Kelly and Richard picked us up in their dinghy at 8:30 and quickly (and dryly) got us to Basil's Dock. Nothing tames the chop in the anchorage like a heavy dinghy and a 50hp outboard. Left to our own transportation in our small dinghy, we would have spent the day aboard Crossroads. Our first stop was the newly-opened Dapple Café in Salt Pond. This was quite the happening spot and the parking lot was full. As the others' orders were being prepared I strolled through their lovely grounds and examined the many orchids blooming at eye-level. Orchids are epiphytes and grow on the trees, but do not harm them. They obtain water and nutrients from the air and rain, not the trees. With coffee orders fulfilled, we were off and made a stop at Seafarer Marine Supply so the boys could enjoy some retail therapy, and then at Hillside Food Supply for a couple quick pick-ups. This grocery store is well-stocked and moderately priced (for The Bahamas). The sun was out and small white clouds dotted the sky. We headed north along Queen's Highway, taking in the sights. Our next stop was at Stella Maris Marina to check out the narrow (and shallow) channel into their basin.  

Just like yesterday, small green roadside signs indicated when we entered each town. Pretty churches were plentiful. The northern road was in much poorer condition than the southern route. Kelly did a great job dodging and straddling large potholes. At the northernmost tip of the island, we turned onto the much-smoother Monument Road and followed it to a large parking lot. We stepped out to view the sporty Atlantic surf and were greeted by a sandstorm whipped up by the wind. We ascended the steps to another panoramic overlook of the much calmer tidal flats. 

At the top of the highest point on Long Island (and second highest in The Bahamas) sits the Columbus Monument. The statue is dedicated the original "gentle, peaceful, and happy aboriginal" Lucayan inhabitants and the arrival of Christopher Columbus on October 17, 1492. Down from the monument, we scooted over to Busted Bridge. The namesake bridge has been replaced and is in very good shape. We crossed it to a path that led through the trees to a well-protected cove.  

We all walked the length of the sandy beach. Barrier reefs and small islands kept the waves to small ripples. On the path as we headed back to the car were several large and fierce-acting land crabs. Mercifully, they let us pass without incident. We arrived at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort for lunch just before 2:00. We admired the beautiful landscaping and view before we entered the restaurant. 

The view from our table could not be beat. Looking out on the western/lee shore of the island, the waves were minimal. Our water was served with Krispy Kreme cups, which led me to tell of the company's Winston-Salem origin. My grouper sandwich was delicious and all four of us joined the clean plate club. We spent the next few hours walking up and down the soft clean beach and out onto the sandbar. 

There were no shells and no seagrass on the beach. The sand was soft, but firm and easy to walk in. It was a pleasant surprise to see a sea star in the surf. The wind had begun to pick up intensity. We sat at an outside table and checked the weather forecast and discussed what else we wanted to see on our trip back to the dock. I spotted a couple of my favorite yellow plumeria blooms high on a tree. After a closer look, we found many more bright blooms on the ground, victims of the increasing wind.

Also on the grounds was a sea grape tree loaded with immature fruit. The large pineapple-like cones on a nearby tree caught our attention. No one had ever before seen either the cone or the odd root structure. Once we got our wi-fi back, I found it was a screw pine -- a perennial tropical tree that is salt tolerant and is used to help stabilize soil. It thrives in hot, windy areas and prefers full sun. My kind of tree. The clouds were moving in and we hit the road. One more small diversion was made back to the Atlantic shore and we marveled at the large breakers crashing the shore in the Stella Maris area.

As much as the sea state grabbed our attention, so did the large houses in the area. We made it back to Thompson Bay in time to make one more grocery store run, fuel up the rental car, and drop off all our bags at the dinghy dock. Kelly and I returned the rental car to the super-nice Mr. Fox and thanked him for allowing us to have two great days in Long Island. He walked us back to the dinghy dock where Richard and Barry had everything loaded. We quickly headed back to the boats as the day was dimming to night. Soon after we returned the wind started howling at a consistent 30 knots. So far all is good, but this blow is supposed to continue through tomorrow.

 

What A Wonderful World

Thompson Bay     

We'll be in Thompson Bay for a few days waiting for an upcoming blow to pass. Today we rented a car along with Kelly and Richard (Untethered) and explored the southern end of Long Island. It was already a beautiful day when we arrived onshore at 10:00. While Kelly picked up the car from Mr. Fox, I visited with the locals and admired all the flowers along the street. 

Our first stop was the tourism office where we picked up a map and Dawn gave us a few must-see highlights. She enthusiastically shared her story and asked each of us for ours. Long Island is 80 miles long, so even traveling half of it meant that we needed to get moving. A single road runs down the middle of the island so navigation was easy. We stopped at a few gift/souvenir stores along the way. In each we were greeted by such friendly folks and it was difficult to pull ourselves away to continue down the road. The island is dotted by many small communities. Each is identified by a sign and usually contains a church. The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Hamilton was quite picturesque. Our first destination was Dean's Blue Hole in Clarence Town. As we crested the hill, we all took pictures of the beautiful scene that was before us.   

A short walk led us to a beautiful white sand beach with crystal clear water. Although this view is impressive, Barry and I knew the view from the top was immensely better. We scampered up the limestone trail to a flat spot in the rock overlooking the basin. 

From the high vantage point we were able to take in the whole scene. Dean's Blue Hole is enclosed on three sides by rock, and on the fourth side by a turquoise lagoon. The dark area in the center is the blue hole. This is the third-deepest blue hole in the world, dropping to a depth of 663 feet. The white rectangle in the center is a platform anchored in place.

With the view from the top properly documented, it was time to put on the mask and fins and see what was happening in the water. A large school of fish greeted me, Kelly, and Richard as we entered the water. Only the sun's rays penetrated the dark blue of the hole. On our fist pass, Kelly and I surveyed the perimeter of the cove. 

Baby fish were hanging tight to the edge of the platform. There were good number of fish present with most of them staying just above the dark drop-off. 

After a few laps, Kelly and I moved out into the lagoon where grasses grew in the sand. There were more fish, but the most impressive thing we saw swimming by was a four foot ray. As I made my way back to shore in the foot-deep water, I enjoyed the simple beauty of the sea grasses growing in the rippled sandy bottom. Although super excited from our time in the water, we had to move on. We dried off, changed clothes, and tried to get as much sand off of us as possible before getting back into the car. 

On the way out, we stopped in front of a group of coconut palms. The boys went into the scrub and harvested several large coconuts which they deposited in the trunk. We continued into Clarence Town proper, past the stately St. Paul Anglican Church. Our next stop was Lighthouse Point Restaurant at Flying Fish Marina. This area is a hotspot for sport fishing and diving excursions. We were all hungry for our 3:00 lunch, but took a few moments to admire the scenery of the Atlantic coastline lined by a rugged reef. All of our meals were wonderful and the staff was again exceptionally and genuinely friendly. 

It was after 5:00 when we hit the road again with much more still to see. The "Welcome to Long Island" sign was positioned just before the road up to the Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. The church's twin towers reach for the sky from atop the highest hill. We were pleasantly surprised to find the doors open and went in to admire the simple elegance of the sanctuary. The sun was dropping in the sky as we descended its impressive entry steps.

We still had not reached our southern-most destination so onward we went. We stopped and stalked a lone flamingo wading in the roadside shallows. On a long desolate stretch of road we passed a lady walking alone. We stopped and gave her a ride to her home and had a wonderful chat along the way. Her resilience and strength are so impressive. We passed through a small herd of free-range goats and stopped to get a closer look. One of the oddest sightings was a group of large crabs crossing the road. The creatures took a fighting position before scurrying off to the shoulder. At 6:15 we reached the end of the road, turned right, and stopped at Gordon's. Inside we again were fortunate to meet wonderful people -- the two proprietors and a German couple on a sailboat anchored just off the beach.

The white clouds were orderly claiming their position for the day's swan song. After enjoying a beverage, I went out to the sand to watch as the sun moved behind the clouds.  

The colors of the evening capped off a wonderful day. We returned to Thompson Bay in the dark, parked the rental car, and made our way back to the dinghy dock. As we crossed the anchorage, the deep black sky was the ultimate background for the bright stars. We identified the constellations above, then found our anchor lights from the dozens of boats sitting still in the calm waters. "We saw trees of green, red flowers too. We saw skies of blue and clouds of white; the bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights. The colors of the rainbow were so pretty in the sky and so were the faces of people passing by." With those sentiments adapted from Louis Armstrong in my head, I'll close this day's report by saying, "What A Wonderful World."

It All Happened While I Was Asleep

Thompson Bay     

The storms missed us yesterday afternoon, but not early this morning. I was sound asleep and oblivious to all of the excitement. When we woke this morning Barry filled me in on what I missed. Around 1:00 am, heavy rain started. By 3:30 it was still raining, the wind had shifted 180-degrees, and lightning frequently brightened the sky. By 5:30 Crossroads had almost completed a full rotation on the anchor and the rain had stopped. I was happy that the decks got a much-needed rinse and that the clouds were moving out. The morning was spent deep cleaning the inside of the boat and restocking the pantry from the commissary. After showers and lunch, we lowered the dinghy and visited the small Cruisers Beach.  

Barry and I made a few passes up and down the sand before being joined by Kelly (Untethered). Our dinghies floated peacefully in the still water as we made several more laps. The afternoon was warm with strong sunshine and very light wind. We returned to Crossroads in the late day sunlight which added drama to the clouds.  

Following dinner, we watched the sunset from the flybridge. The large fluffy clouds glowed golden with the evening's colors before the sun bid farewell. Tomorrow looks like our best day to explore before the next front rolls through.

Running From Storms That Never Came

Water Cay to Thompson Bay  |  6.25 Hours  |  44.3 Miles   

The weather experts had us concerned about afternoon squalls with significant gusts. With that weighing heavily on our minds, we were up way too early. At first light the anchor was raised and we departed the Jumentos. The sun made only a brief appearance to usher in the day. We headed east into both the wind and waves. The chop was not uncomfortable, but did keep our windshield wet from the spray.  

My sunglasses stayed at the ready, but were never needed. The shallow waters of Comer Channel, which were a stunningly beautiful blue two days ago, were today a drab gray. We kept waiting for signs of impending storms, but none ever developed. I was actually looking forward to a nice steady rain to give Crossroads a much-needed bath. Just after noon, Long Island appeared on the horizon. We joined a handful of other boats in the Thompson Bay anchorage. The sky pleasantly cleared for a while and I grabbed those sunglasses and moved to Fiberglass Beach for some reading. A few hours later, the clouds had again thickened and obscured the sunset. We're still waiting on that rain, but now hope it stays away for a couple of days.  

Well, We Gave It A Shot

Water Cay to Flamingo Cay (and back again)  |  4 Hours  |  26 Miles   

The prospect of making our way to the sea bean-lined beaches, wonderful hiking trails, and beautiful remote waters of the Ragged Islands has been a goal of ours for the past six years. To this point, something has always come up: stabilizer leaking (first time), Covid (2 years), generator heat exchanger, and solar panels blown off in a freak storm. This year we found ourselves with an open week in our schedule and thought we'd give it a shot. Our first evening of being the furthest south ever was peaceful and we woke up eager to keep moving. We raised the anchor and relocated to the next popular spot in the Jumentos, Flamingo Cay. We dropped anchor just off low tide in front of an inviting beach. As we were eating lunch, the swell intensified with the rising tide. The anchorage quickly became unsettled to the point of not wanting to lower the dinghy. The sandbars that had buffeted the surge on our arrival were no longer effective against the rising tide. We began running scenarios of where to move using the upcoming arrival of the next frontal system, our current location, and our scheduled arrival in Spanish Wells at Easter. It made the most sense for us to retrace our tracks back to the more protected Water Cay anchorage. Two hours later, we were back where we started the day. I admired the rocky cliffs as I read on the bow in the late afternoon sun. Heavy cloud cover moved in and obscured the sunset. We hope we to have the opportunity to give the Raggeds another shot next year. We will depart early in the morning and make our way north and east, hoping to avoid most/all of the forecasted squalls, and get settled before the high winds roll in at the end of the week.    

Laying New Tracks

George Town to Water Cay  |  8.9 Hours  |  61.7 Miles   

The best compensation for an early alarm is a beautiful dawn sky. Elizabeth Harbour was basking in a beautiful orange glow as I claimed my spot on the bow to raise the anchor. We were underway by the time the sun finally emerged from behind Stocking Island. At Middle Rocks we exited the harbor into the Exuma Sound and continued south along Great Guana Cay and then Little Guana Cay. At this point we began laying new tracks on our chartplotter. The tide was not in our favor as we arrived at Hog Cay Cut almost exactly at low tide. Chicken may be a bit strong of a term, but we are risk averse. We elected to go around the cut and gain a few extra inches of depth in the process. We consistently saw depth readings of less than two feet below our keel. Occasionally, it was too shallow to register a reading. 

On the positive side, the shallow water made for beautiful scenery ...

which made our three hour detour more bearable. (The shortest distance would have been the red dotted line through Hog Cay Cut.) Soon we spotted land and several small boats fishing in the area. As we rounded a point, we saw the "mothership" where all the little boats would later return with their catch. This boat in no way compares to the beautiful Spanish Wells fleet, but it seemed to be serviceable. We eased into an anchorage at Water Cay in the Jumentos, noting this is the furthest south we've ever been aboard Crossroads. 

We cleaned up and I followed a few basketball games in the late afternoon hours. Just before sunset, the friendly voices of Kelly and Richard (Untethered) came from our stern and they invited us to join them for a sunset cruise in their dinghy. Kelly showed us their favorite snorkeling spots and took us close to the rocky hills. The setting sun cast a golden glow on the island.

The real show was developing to the west. Everyone pulled out their phone cameras to capture a stunning sunset. Occasionally we looked to the east to see a snowy egret flying overhead or a large osprey roosting in a waterfront tree. 

The clouds and colors continued to hold our attention long after the sun disappeared. We made plans for tomorrow and returned to Crossroads in darkness. In separate news, our little boat self-guided tour that was filmed during last week's Selene gathering was posted to the Selene Youtube channel this morning. We won't be challenging Wicked Part 2 for any Oscar next year, but it may give you a little insight to our home on the water.