Exploring the Exumas
There is no place like the Exumas. Hundreds of tiny islands to explore with natural sights behind every beach with names like “Rachel’s Bubble Bath,” “The Aquarium,” and “the Washing Machine”. You can build a bonfire on almost any beach, have sundowners in quiet coves and pretend you’re the only people on earth.
Luckily, we weren’t the only people - we were with two Dutch boats, SV Emma, who we’ve known since Cape Verde, and SV @C who we met in George Town. With 8 kids between us, it was never boring, and we feel so grateful to have spent several weeks with these two boat families. It was the perfect combination of wonderful people, great kids and so much laughter.
Our first stop was exploring Iguana Beach. PSA: Iguanas are not cute but like most Bahamas wildlife, they are hungry. Jordan went trekking on the island alone, got lost and was gone for several hours before Russ finally found him in the dinghy where it was easier for him to jump in and swim than to walk all the way back. This is after Kyle spent several hours hiking to try to find him. The freedom of exploration, though, is this kid’s dream and no lessons were learned….
Back to Staniel, we spent a few nights and hung with the pigs again, but the main event was Rosie’s kid watersports day. She wrangled that group into all her best games including “Simon Says” on inflatables and a jumping competition.
Meanwhile in Staniel, I picked up my new full-size keyboard! The boat actually has a perfect spot for it since we no longer use paper charts, and I had really been missing playing. It’s a great sources of calm and comfort, and no doubt our boat Christmases will now be filled with carols.
Between stops are short sails, sometimes only an hour going slow, watching for very shallow spots among the generally shallow waters. Rachel’s Bubble Bath is a deserted coral island that rings a pool of water where the waves from the open ocean splash through the rocks. Although the day was horribly windy, the kids spent hours in the bath, we built a bonfire and had hot dogs and s’mores, and ignored the constant-blowing sand in our faces. The memories are already sepia-toned.
Then it was up to the Aquarium, where we had a watersports day and Rosie got up on waterskis for the first time. We pulled tubes on the dinghies and the adults (not Russ or I) wing foiled. In the evenings we had drinks on a beach where the tide went out fast and nearly left us stranded. The next morning, Caroline, Lieke and I took our coffee to the beach and enjoyed a rare Moms-only moment. We even did 20 minutes of yoga.
It was also in this anchorage that as Jordan was showering on the back of the boat one night, he dropped something in the water. Mid-shower, he jumps in to retrieve it. He sees a massive grouper. Against my instructions, he (all while naked) puts the spear sling together in minutes, dives back in, comes back up for his goggles, dives down again, spears the grouper, comes up for gloves, goes back down and brings the massive grouper to the boat. This would be awesome except that, 1) it’s dusk, there’s now fish blood in the water and he’s probably swimming with sharks and, 2) we are anchored in a nature reserve where fishing is not allowed, hence the grouper unconcerned about being a target. We were able to save the grouper and throw it back. Again, not sure any lesson was learned by either the grouper or Jordan.
We said see you soon to the crew of @C and headed north to Highbourne Cay, where we had an awesome island walk with SV Emma before being told it was completely private, and then we met up with two of our Atlantic Crossing crew (Jackie and Aaron) and their friends on a charter boat. It was so fun to see them again and meet their friends, and Russ and I joined them for an adults-only dinner (!!!!) at the lovely restaurant on Highbourne.
We accompanied them down to Shroud Cay where we enjoyed the longest natural lazy river! It was full of sea turtles and was such a fun day to be floating along in the dinghy from the ocean on one side, where the “washing machine” spins you in a whirlpool, to the bay on the other, nearly a mile of current-fueled seaglass-blue river.
From there we said goodbye to Jackie and Aaron as well as SV Emma, who we would meet up with again in Nassau. And that was it for the Exumas. I really, really hope to be back some day. Nassau, here we come!
