Warderick Wells
On Tuesday we depart Norman's Cay and travel 23 miles south
to Warderick Wells in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. This
park covers 176 square miles in the Exumas and is a no-take
area. The more-protected north mooring field is full, so we're
assigned a ball in the Emerald Rock area on the west side
of the island. The weather is beautiful now, but we know a
cold front will bring westerly winds in a few days.
After securing the boat to its mooring ball, we pop a few
tops and jump in the water with our Wet Buns (floating chairs).
Aaah... this is the life! The next day we snorkel on several
reefs and see a variety of coral, a huge lobster, and a plump
grouper that will never occupy a dinner plate.
On Thursday, the winds begin clocking to the southwest preceding
the cold front. Although the Emerald Rock area is exposed
to the west, we decide to "tough it out" so we can
continue exploring the park. We get more than we bargain for
though. The boat bucks up and down in the fetch like a rodeo
bull. We attempt to get in our dinghy and go ashore, but have
to abandon the effort when the boat nearly crushes the dinghy
under its stern. For about 12 hours the boat rolls miserably
in the fetch. We're safe, but uncomfortable. I have to put
on my seabands and take a motion sickness pill so I can focus
on the swaying computer screen without getting seasick.
Conditions improve on Friday, and we enjoy a hike around
the park with our friends on Civil Twilight.
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Caribbean Soul at Warderick Wells
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Cambridge Cay
With another cold front arriving Sunday, we are determined
not to ride out this one in our current location. On Saturday,
we make the short trip to the more protected anchorage in
Cambridge Cay, also part of Exuma Park. We decide to enter
by the south entrance, which requires visual piloting in good
light with a high tide. We squeeze through a shallow area
between a rocky point and coral heads. We make it--Whew! We
later learn that a boat ran aground here the day before and
several of the other boaters had to help pull it off the shoal.
We take Dakota ashore for a hike on Sunday. The trail provides
a spectacular view of the Exuma Banks on the west and the
Exuma Sound on the east. Dakota is soon a happy, wet ball
of fur covered with sand and sticker burrs. Another sun shower
on deck is required before he's allowed inside the boat.
By Monday afternoon, the frontal winds are subsiding and
we decide to continue our journey south. With some apprehension,
we agree to test our luck again and go out the south exit.
We leave on the rising tide and follow our previous, successful
track as shown on the chartplotter. Today's tide is not quite
as high though, and this time we hit bottom. Oh #$%@! The
boat powers forward stirring up a trail of sand... then we're
free! But no--we bump again...then drift forward.... The other
boats are probably watching our dilemma and saying, "Oh
geez, we'll have to rescue another one." But this time
we break loose and reach deeper water. That was a close call!
We're on our way to Big Major, where we intend to see for
ourselves if pigs really can swim.
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Is that a happy dog, or what?
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