Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Exumas at last

We had a fantastic 40-mile run from Rock Sound in South Eleuthera to Highbourne Cay in the Exumas Sunday. The wind was on our back and we ran at about 6 to 7 knots, helped considerably by our spinnaker pole Scott set to hold the jib.

We travelled with our friends on Painkiller and Endurance. About five miles from the Exumas, we got a message on the radio from Tess on Endurance that Tony had caught a giant skipjack tuna and she was freaking out about the blood in the cockpit.

We congratulated them then we set about taking our spinnaker pole and getting ready to maneuvre the cut when zing! we heard our pole go with a big fish on the other end. I was on the helm and Scott raced to get back to reel the big thing in - he started to reel it and it fought, he reeled, it fought. I was wondering what the heck we were going to do if got the thing into the boat. Scott yelled for me to slow down - a bit hard when we're sailing with full main! Then snap! the line, the fancy lure and the big fish got away.

Scott berated himself for not reeling properly but we were all cheered by Tess and Tony's promise of a big feast that night. Sure enough, we got together and had a potluck. That fish gave eight of us such a meal - tuna steaks that were so meaty and juicy - Tony is also a great chef.

We had a great night with Pictionary with all of them. The next day we were told we got a mooring at the Exuma Land and Sea Park at Warderick Wells - it was a bit surprising as it's sometimes hard to get a spot here.

We came in yesterday and had the most fantastic day today - hiking through the trails on the island, swimming and snorkeling. Elizabeth was a bit put off from her first experience but we need to find a place with less current for her to find her fins.

Our friends Heather and Murray Rand on Windswept heard us on the radio and we connected and hope to see each other soon. Another boat that we had heard of through mutual friends also contacted us and we hope to see them this week too!!

This is a marvelous place with sparkling secluded beaches, marked paths and fantastic coral reefs with massive pieces of coral.We have so much to talk about with the kids for science class! We hope to bring Reggie up here because we all said how much he would have loved it. Aidan said that this is what he imagined the Bahamas would be like.

Elizabeth-Anne was excited tonight to get an email from the editor of an Eleuthera magazine that wanted to interview her after reading her blog, elizabethssailingblog.blogspot.com. She put together her answer including observations about Eleuthera and sent it back. She's starting to develop a following.

Scott just saw some huge ugly fish in the clear waters under our boat tonight. Spooky.
The interior of Warderick Wells Cay, along the trail

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