Nassau was home for over week. We got lots of boat projects done. A hint: Don't take your outboard apart till you have all the pieces you need to put it back together again!
Nassau is the biggest population center in the Bahamas with over 100,000 inhabitants. With lots of resorts and cruise ships in port there were crowds of tourists. We heard the Sean Connery was in his home on Nassau recovering from surgery and I guess that's why we did not get invited over for drinks. Oh well.
Nassau is the cross road between the northern Bahamas and the Bahamas Out Islands and the Caribbean further south. As a result there were lots of cruising friends passing through while we were there including the Karen M, Interlude, Salty Paws and Sea Angel.
Sean arrived on schedule Wednesday night and Thursday morning at slack tide we departed for the 40 mile sail to Allan's Cay in the Exumas in company with Doug and Sandy on Interlude. It is hard to imagine better cruising than the Exumas. The water is clear as glass. The coral is spectacular and very accessible in shallow waters. Our first stop was Allan's Cay, home to the only remaining Bahamas iguanas. They are an endangered species and strictly protected. However, they are thriving on Allan's Cay by approaching each boat that lands looking for food. It is a little unnerving sitting on a beach having cocktails surrounded by expectant iguanas! Never the less Sandy and Doug look might cool here in this photo.
Saturday we reluctantly departed Allan's Cay for Wardrick Wells Cay. Wardrick Wells is the headquarters of the Exumas Land and Sea Park and hard as it was for us to imagine is even prettier that Allan's Cay. The turquoise blue color of the water over the sandy bottom is almost beyond belief. Sitting on the deck of the boat and seeing the blades of sea grass 25 feet underwater is astonishing. Snorkling, hiking and a Saturday night beach party are keeping us busy here.
Tomorrow its off to Staniel Cay, home the the grotto where parts of the Thunderball James Bond movie were filmed. We are looking forward to snorkeling it.
