MacDuff's Bar and Grill

Today is April 14th and the winds picked up so we moved to a more protected anchorage about a mile from where we were. The winds are only going to last a day, then calm down.

From what I could tell the blog made it through from MacDuff's Bar and grill OK. It was a little different from the usual and mixed up, but all things considered, it went through fine.

MacDuff's is one of those places in the Exumas with a charm all its own. It's on Norman's Cay with a population of I would guess less than ten people,  and is a popular stop for cruisers who anchor in the area. It's also a great get-away for people who fly in and stay in their two beach side cottages. Yes, they do have an air strip or something that looks like one anyway.  It was put there when the Island was controlled by Carlos Lehder, the drug runner. MacDuff's is one of those places we came to the Exumas to experience. One of the other great things about MacDuff's is that it has an Internet connection. Just bring your computer in by tender, belly up to the bar, order a drink, plug in, and you are good to go. A little slow maybe, but you need to remember it is on Island time also. Things are a little different than what we are normally use to. The

bathroom is a palm frond covered hut a short walk from the bar, well mostly covered, that has a sign clipped to a branch outside the hut that you flip to "occupied" when in use. No door, just a sign. after burning up the keyboard and sipping on a few spiced rum and cokes, maybe that's why the blog was a little mixed up, we all sat down for a great early dinner. I had conch fritters and Stephanie had a great cheeseburger and fries we shared. (cheeseburger in Paradise) I don't know if the food is any better here, but I think when you are in the Islands and the fresh salt air, everything is just better. By the way, as I write this, the fresh salt air is blowing at about 20 knots. I don't know where we will be tomorrow because our plan is, we have no set plan, but rest assured, I will take you there. Being on island time and schedules is great. I am loving it!

September Song (on Island time mon!) out

Bob

I'm writing this on Stephanie's computer because I couldn't get connected. Sorry! The pictures are on my computer. I will send them when I get another connection. 

Jaws

While we were out exploring we had a shark encounter. WOW!

Notice he or she was right under the tender

Norman's Cay

Welcome to Norman's Cay. We arrived at Norman's Cay Easter Sunday, after traveling outside on a gorgeous day. We dropped the hook in a huge anchorage with Gypsies, Tide Hiker, Rickshaw, and Life's2Short. Norman's is one of the largest Cays in the Exumas and was controlled by Carlos Lehder, a famous drug runner from the 70's to the 80's. One of his planes, a DC 3, is still visible as you enter from the outside. It crashed and is still lying on the bottom. As soon as we arrived we put Half Note in the water and went to the beach with the girls. After wearing them out, Stephanie and I went exploring. While traveling through the shallows we encountered a shark, about six+ foot long, swimming alongside us. I think I heard the Jaws music playing!
While we were coming in earlier in the day we noticed a beautiful little Island that we had to go explore. It was a picture postcard place with tons of shelling. Got your shells Marsie. That evening we all gathered on Gypsies in the Palace for sunset and fresh Mahi on the grill, compliments of Colleen, AKA The Fisher Girl. What a great way to end the day.
September Song (pinch me) out
Bob

The beautiful beaches of the Bahamas

September Song, Life's2Short, Gypsies in the Palace, Tide Hiker, and Rickshaw at anchor at Norman's Cay

Dinner on Gypsies. Great Dolphin Colleen!

Tide Hiker at sunset from Gypsies

The DC 3 on the bottom

Coming into Norman's Cay

Our private Island

Stephanie on our private Island

More Allen's Cay


Rick, Lynnie and Doug on September Song

We eat well!

Exploring

Norm, Vickie and Colleen on September Song for dinner

Sorry, these pictures belong to the blog below.


Iguanas at Allen's Cay

Big guy!

Bonfire on the beach

Osprey on top of the cliff

Cassie in Half Note watching the birds

Doug and Tammy leaving the beach

The group at the beach

Stephanie looking out over the the beach

The jagged Island coast of Allen's Cay

Notice Half Note's shadow on the bottom. (15 foot deep)

In the Exumas, YA!

Hello all,
I don't know how all this is going to work because I have to write my blog on Notepad, paste it into my blog, then put the pictures in, take it into Norman's Cay, plug in the computer, and send it.

We left Nassau on Wednesday morning and headed to our first stop in the Exumas, Allen's Cay, where we did a ton of exploring and waited for Tide Hiker and Rickshaw to catch up to us. Allen's/Leaf Cay has hundreds of Iguanas living there and they flock to the beach and beg for food when you go ashore. The Island is pre-historic looking with volcanic hills, jagged cliffs, beautiful white sand beaches, and water that is so clear it looks like a swimming pool. That night,I wasn't feeling too well (I think it was the conch fritters at happy hour the night before) so itwas rice and chicken for me and a quiet night catching up on TV. Yes, we still get Satellite TV here with our KVH.We celebrated our arrival in the Exumas Thursday night with a huge bonfire on the beach with wood we scavenged that day while on the beach. It was like out of an old Beach Boys movie except I didn't see anyone who looked like Annette Funicello or Frankie Avalon, or was that another movie? Anyway, it was great fun.

The next day we explored the other islands in the area and because it was a late night the night before, we chilled out and made it an early evening. We knew it was going to be a wild one the next night, as Tide Hiker and Rickshaw would be joining us Saturday and we have not seen them since Pelican Bay over a month ago. We were all excited to finally have them catch up. Tide Hiker with Norm and Vicki, and Rickshaw with Rick and Lynnie, arrived Saturday as planned and we were all glad to see them again.That evening we all got together on September Song, Vicki made delicious shrimp dip, Colleen made lasagna, Stephanie made another award winning salad from our garden on the boat along with the best garlic bread, and Lynnie made a chocolate pie that was so good Doug asked if she would marry him. (He already had TWO wives! VBG) The night was filled with catching up and pigging out. Today, Easter Sunday, we left Allen's Cay and fished the outside to our next stop, Norman's Cay. The only boats that had any luck were Lucky Stars, one tuna, and Gypsies in the Palace, YAY! Colleen caught a dolphin. The trip was great with calm seas and beautiful flag blue water. If you are wondering about Cassie and Godiva, they are doing just fine with trips to the beach and lots of new places to sniff. They are having the time of their life as we are. If this isn't paradise, it's darn close to it.I hope this all makes it through along with the pictures so you can see a little of what we are experiencing.
September Song (hope this works) out 

Bob 

PS. Yes Marsie, we have shells for you.