Revisiting Royal Pain in the A** Island and riding the High Seas across the Ocean

Exumas to Royal Island to Abacos

We had some big travelling days the last few days. We spent our last day in the Exumas visiting the endangered iguanas on Leaf Cay in a dicey anchorage, then moved off to a secluded anchorage where we snorkeled, Reg stared down a big barracuda and we had a quiet night.

Then we left at first light for the 45-mile or so passage from the tip of the Northern Exumas back to Royal Island. We dodged a minefield of coralheads in unbelievably clear water where we could see starfish and urchiuns dotting the bottom as we skimmed above.

We were headed to Royal Island where we had such a bad experience two months previous - we had dragged our anchor in the midst of a nasty series of squalls and then a gale. Funnily enough we were travelling once again with Painkiller, Beth and Scott, who we travelled with since the Abacos. Beth shared our feelings too about Royal. We saw clear to the bottom in the anchorage and noticed a piece of steel I beam, old mooring balls and all kinds of garbage on the bottom, perfect for fouling anchors and rodes not to mention the possibility of damaging a boat.Yikes. It was calm but none of us slept well.

The forecast for the next day was about 10 to 12 kt winds. We had that sitting at anchor and by the time we got out and turned north to the Abacos the winds were rising and so were the seas.

We had a wild ride with building seas 8 to 10 feet and winds 18 to 22 kts. It was on our stern quarter though so we were able to surf but had to handsteer the 60 miles. Scott took the brunt of the helmwork, and I spelled him off and later Aidan. Unfortunately Reg was terribly seasick, didn't give him his medication early enough and we're determined to try the patches next. We need to manage that for our big jump offshore to the United States.

For now we're recuperating in Treasure Cay - our first major stop after we reached the Bahamas. We'll spend a week or so in the Abacos waiting for our friends on Endurance to reach us and for a good weather window to cross.

Our time in the Bahamas is coming to a close.