Bahamas - Exumas, Georgetown

Boxing Day, the 26th was spent doing nothing. Jenny soaked up the sun, and we chilled

Dinner was Kyk-Weer (Look again), of Christmas Day Lunch heated up in the Microwave

We hauled out the Playing Cards and Shuffler and played a few hands of Canaster.

On the 27th we buzzed across the harbor to Georgetown village for some Retail Therapy

The newly renovated Exuma Market Grocery Store was lovely and full of Fresh Veggeis and Fruits, the Mailboat having arrived yesterday.

Jenny selecting some Coriander

We walked through the Village and unfortunately found most establishments closed as Boxing Day was on Sunday, and today, Monday is now a Public Holiday

The Village Center

The Straw Market was open and we did some shopping both for ourselves and gifts

Next was the SandPiper, the only other store open today and both Jenny and I laid down dollars in the store

Back with Nicholas on the dinghy he informed us that the Steering Wheel cable had broken, so he steered the dinghy back by hand, I controlling the throttle.

Bahamas - Stocking Island, Georgetown, Sand Dollar Beach , Christmas Day Lunch

After Booysies Cay, we upped anchor and sailed south to Georgetown where we had plans to meet Karen and Duane of Sojourn for Christmas Lunch

Monument Beach on Stocking Island, Georgetown

Monument on the hill of Monument Beach

Sailing through the channel to Sand Dollar Beach, Stocking Island

The afternoon and evening of the 24th Jenny and I did all the major Prep work for Christmas Day Lunch

My Glazed ham

Nicholas carving my 11 pound (5 kg) Turkey

The table set with all the preliminary things

Our Christmas table with Nicholas, me, Jenny, Karen and Duane

We had Foie Graz with Mango Confit and Crackers for Starters

Turkey, Ham, Glazed Almond Carrots, Brussels, American Bean Casserole, Roast Potato and Stuffing for Mains

Pineapple Fluff for a light Dessert

A Merry Christmas to all our Family and Friends, from Jenny, Nicholas and me

 

Bahamas - Booysies Cay and the Geyser

Back from Staniel we picked up the anchor and headed out the cut for a sail south to the Rat Cay Cut

 

Nicholas at the helm,

 We arrived late afternoon/early evening and anchored off Booysies Cay. It was too late to go ashore so first thing next morning we went ashore

To see the Geyser and small Lagoon

The water flushes in from the Sea into a Lagoon, spilling over the sand at High Tide. With each swell that hits the shore, the water travels under rocks and shoot out in a Geyser in amongst the rocks onto the sand

Jenny up on the rocks with the Cairns that the Cruisers create

Nicholas and me with Meshugga

Bahamas - Staniel Cay

Tuesday morning we left with a good breeze blowing, and we rounded the North of Bimini to Cross the Bahamas Bank. Making good progress.

Nicholas put his large line out and a couple of hours later we heard the reel go

Nicely caught but unfortunately a Barracuda, so it went back into the sea

The Mackie Shoal Light. It was almost dusk and we could not see any light. Last year it was not working so assume it’s still Out of Order.

We arrived mid morning to visit Staniel Cay, and anchored in the lee of Fowl Cay.

We dinghied to Big Majors Pigs Beach to see the swimming Pigs, but they were not interested in swimming out to us, and the onshore wind made landing our dinghy on their beach too risky with the chance of being swamped by a wave, so we just took photos of them on the beach,

We then continued onto Staniel, but the wind and choppy seas just resulted in Jenny and I getting quite soaked, and the Dinghy dock was no where to be seen. Again the small beach where a few dinghies were pulled up out of the surf, is not suitable for our big dinghy. She’s just too big and heavy to pull up or down the beach. So we admitted defeat and returned to Meshugga. Tomorrow is another day.

Next day, the wind had died considerably and Nicholas had found the Public Government dock, so we went to Staniel again.

At the Government Dock, we found 3 Nurse sharks hanging around in the shallows.

The painted sign at the Government Dock

Lindsay’s Boutique where we were able to buy a Courtesy Bahamian Flag, as I’ve not painted one yet this year, and last years Flag is wind torn and an insult to the Bahamians to fly.

We walked around the island, and these are some sights we saw

Beautiful beaches even in an onshore wind

Coconut trees galore, but remember that every tree on the island belongs to someone, so you can’t just go picking coconuts or any other fruit

We then found our way to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Gift Shop

Fuel Jetty

The main Club house Restuarant

The Yacht Club Accomodation Rooms

Jenny on the docks

The Bahamian Flag flying from the Flag Pole

The dingy beach area for yachts to come ashore to the club

We had a coffee on the patio so Jenny could smoke

On our walk back to the dinghy, we stopped at the Pink Pearl Super Market

Jenny blending into the Pink Pearl 

Map of Staniel Cay Village