The Exumas at last

We have officially arrived at our destination - the Exuma Islands. It hasn’t been all smiles and sunshine, but a day of fast-paced sailing or snorkeling in majestic Bahamian water overshadows a sleepless night (or three) on rolly seas. We made it from Miami to the central Exumas with the “Star Fleet,” which derives its name from the Island Packet star logo. The Star Fleet started out with the following Island Packets, plus Traveller: SV Island Spirit (IP 35), SV Just Ducky (IP 35), and SV Sea Lyon (IP 370). Former Island Packet owners Tom and Tammi man the “Mothership,” a Fleming 55 (MV Our Eden). Since the Mothership moves faster than the rest of the fleet, Tom and Tammi assess and report on anchorage conditions ahead of our arrival. They also provide precious ice cubes to cool the fleet's fuel 😇 Now, let’s turn to how we got here.

Mike lowers the yellow quarantine flag & raises the Bahamian flag after we clear customs

At 7:20AM on March 7, the Star Fleet set out on a 127 nautical mile trek from Key Biscayne in Miami to Great Harbour Cay in the north Berry Islands. Waves were minimal and winds were light (under 10 knots) as we motored across an unbelievably calm Gulf Stream with a reefed mainsail for stability. Exiting the Gulf Stream, we watched deep sapphire water transition to turquoise water shallow enough to see through to the ocean floor. 

Mike catches a Mahi-Mahi soon after we exit the Gulf Stream

As we approached Bimini, Mike reeled in a Mahi-Mahi. In full disclosure, the Mahi-Mahi was a bit fatigued after evading capture on SV Sea Lyon’s trolling line and swimming away with a cedar plug hooked in its mouth. Mike filleted the massive fish on a bench in the cockpit, a messy job that made us grateful to have a fresh water rinse-down hose. A couple of hours later, we watched the full moon rise over Traveller’s bow while feasting on pan-seared Catch of the Day. As we proceeded eastward through the Great Bahama Bank, we raised the jib sail for additional speed. At 3:20AM on March 8, we anchored off Great Harbour Cay in Bullock Harbour. A few hours later, we relocated to Great Harbour Cay Marina and checked in with Bahamas Customs.

The March full moon (the "Worm Moon") lights up the sky during our overnight passage

The Berry Islands are a chain of 30 islands located east of Bimini and northwest of New Providence. Most of the Berrys’ 500 inhabitants reside in Great Harbour Cay, the largest and most developed island in the chain. During our 5-day stay at Great Harbour Cay Marina (which was reasonably priced at $2 a foot per day) we:

• Surveyed the dilapidated remains of what once was a luxury golf resort patronized by the Rat Pack;

• Rode marina bikes to Shark Creek Beach, where we found countless starfish and sand dollars lying in powder white sand;

• Snorkeled at a sunken drug smuggling plane, a shipwreck, and a blue hole where Mike pole speared a snapper;

• Sampled Bahamian mac-and-cheese at a cruisers’ open mic and BBQ event; and 

• Gave Traveller the most thorough cleaning she’s had since we left Baltimore. 

Clubhouse on the abandoned golf resort constructed for $38 million the 1960's

Shark Creek Beach

Shipwreck that we snorkeled at in Bullock Harbour

On March 12, we checked out of Great Harbour Cay Marina, headed east out of Bullock Harbour into the Atlantic Ocean, turned south, and proceeded southeast. After 55 nautical miles and 8.5 hours of motor-sailing, we anchored at Frazer’s Hog Cay (a small island in the southern Berrys, located just east of Chub Cay). The next day, we motor-sailed another 30 nautical miles southeast to New Providence (the most populated island in the Bahamas where the capital, Nassau, is located). We advanced via the Northwest Providence Channel, which took us from the pale shallows of the Great Bahama Bank to the dark-hued Tongue of the Ocean. In the depths of the Tongue of the Ocean, which varies from 3,600 feet in the south to 6,600 feet in the north, evasive beaked whales feed and the U.S. Navy conducts submarine warfare simulations. As we proceeded through the Northwest Providence Channel, we couldn’t help but wonder what lurked thousands of feet beneath us.

The captain remains behind the wheel and presentable while underway

A little squall keeps us on our toes

On March 14, we motor-sailed 50 nautical miles from New Providence to Highbourne Cay in the northern Exumas. A thunderous squall with 30 knot wind gusts spiced up an otherwise windless day of motor-sailing. The surge of excitement that overtook us when we reached our first stop in the Exumas was subdued by three consecutive nights of inadequate sleep due to strong and unpredictably shifty winds. Luckily, the windy conditions also delivered two days of exhilarating, motor-free sailing. Steady 20 knot winds and gusts to 25 enabled us to maintain (and at times surpass) Traveller’s 7 knot hull speed with a double reefed mainsail and jib. We sailed downwind 13 nautical miles from Highbourne Cay to Shroud Cay on March 15, and on a beamreach 30 nautical miles from Shroud Cay to Big Major Cay on March 16. Ready for some R&R, the Star Fleet decided to spend a few nights anchored among the rich and the famous at Big Major Cay, located just north of Staniel Cay in the central Exumas. 

SV Island Spirit of the Star Fleet charging through 20-25 kt wind

We anchored a stone’s throw from Pig Beach, home of the famous “Swimming Pigs.” The pack of feral pigs and piglets are cute from a safe distance. However, they can be relentless in their search for food - sniffing you with their wet snouts, chasing you down the beach, swimming after you, and climbing into your dinghy with their sandy hooves. We gathered on the beach one evening to officially welcome Mark and Rose of SV Painkiller (IP 380) to the Star Fleet. Living up to their vessel’s namesake, Mark and Rose brought tasty painkillers to share with the group. The pigs must have caught a whiff of the nutmeg garnish on our cocktails, because they came out of the brush and circled us. I was freaked out, having recently heard a vivid recount of a woman who was medevacked off the island after a pig she attempted to take a selfie with bit her breast. Mike took charge of the situation, herding the pigs away from our beached dinghies and back into the brush by lightly spanking them with an oar. The gathering went great from there. It wrapped up soon after Hayden of SV Island Spirit performed the Bahamian tradition of blowing a conch horn as the last sliver of sun descends below the horizon.

Mike brings order to Pig Beach

The Star Fleet celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a festive lunch at the Staniel Cay Marina. Afterwards, we walked to the “Blue Store.” Based on what we’ve seen and heard, the Blue Store lived up to its reputation as one of the best stocked Bahamian grocery stores outside of Nassau. From our point of view, that’s not saying much. Pretty much anything you may need or want to buy in the Bahamas is imported and subject to a customs duty, with an average rate of 30% - 35%. Most imported goods are shipped to Nassau, and Mailboats subsequently transport goods destined for other islands. Since it is logistically complicated and expensive for vendors in most parts of the Bahamas to acquire inventory, minimal options and high prices are typical. For example, an avocado cost $5.75 and a zucchini cost $6.00 at the Blue Store. Although non-prepared foods are exempt, most imported or domestically manufactured goods sold in the Bahamas are also subject to a value added tax (the standard VAT rate is 10%). Seemingly exorbitant import duties and value added taxes make more sense when you consider the fact that Bahamian citizens do not pay taxes on income, inheritance, gifts, or capital gains. There is some good news for tourists - you can still find a bargain on domestic rum!

Thunderball Grotto

Water outside a submerged entrance to the grotto appears to glow on a sunny afternoon

The highlight of our stay at Big Major Cay was snorkeling at nearby reefs and Thunderball Grotto, which is named after the 1965 James Bond movie that was filmed there. Thunderball Grotto is a mostly submerged cave that you can swim into through various underwater openings. There is a hole in the top center of the cave, through which sunbeams light-up the interior at mid-day. There are vibrant reefs and loads of fish (angel fish, parrotfish, damselfish, trumpet fish, grunts, etc.) inside of and around the grotto. We snorkeled there three times, each time being uniquely phenomenal due to variance in tide, current, and the position of the sun. We also had fun snorkeling at less frequented limestone formations near the grotto, where we encountered sea turtles, a nurse shark, and stingrays.

Nurse shark sneaking up on us

Baby sea turtle riding the current

Today, we will wait out afternoon squalls predicted to bring gusts up to 35 knots at Big Major Cay. We hope to move a little further south to Black Point tomorrow. Black Point is popular with cruisers because it has a nice laundromat, free potable water (which costs about $0.50 a gallon most places in the Bahamas), and a dive bar that serves dangerously tasty rum punch. We do not have firm plans beyond tomorrow. You’ll have to wait and see where the wind blows us 😉