Nassau

Yesterday we left our anchorage at Rose Island and headed into Nassau harbour, about 7 miles away. After clearing with harbour control we docked at Nassau Harbour Club, took on some fuel, and headed in to town for some things we needed. I needed to replace the lure that the big one got away with, some groceries, a new anchor for Half Note, and some cheap rum that you can't buy as cheap in the States. After going back to the boat and putting things away, it was time to head to Potters Cay for a late lunch, (our conch fix) and explore the Wharves. Potters Cay is a most unusual place where you can get it live or cooked. After pigging out on cracked conch, conch fritters, and a couple of cold Kaliks we wandered the Wharves. This is where everything needed for the out Islands, and I mean everything, gets shipped from. After a hot day in the town it was time for a dip in the pool. Because we had a late lunch (lupper) it was time for Tammy's key lime pie. Well, all we needed was four forks, no plates needed, and the four of us finished it off at pool side. I can't believe we ate the whole thing!
Today we are headed to the Berry Islands where we hope to meet up with Aurora in the next couple of days.
Because we will be traveling on the outside, it will be a fishing day! I will have a chance to try out my new lure. Wish me luck! Let's go fishing!

September Song (looking for the big one) out
Bob

(Don't forget to click on the pix to enlarge them)

The lighthouse and shore line at Nassau

Shopping for fresh fish, conch, red snapper, and other things I don't recognise

10 pound grouper mister? only 80.00. Not today thank you, we are going fishing tomorrow!

Booze headed for one of the Islands

Some one needs new tires

Stuff and more stuff waiting to be loaded on the boats headed for the out Islands

One of the boats used to ship to the Islands

I guess this is where they keep the "frozon" things

Safety first? I don't think their life raft is going to save anyone. Click on the picture

Had to stop at Big Daddy's Sea Side Lounge for a cold Kalik (beer)

Big Daddy himself

Conch for sale or a fresh raw conch salad

Stephanie picking out a live conch

Dried fish anyone?

How about a live crab?

Vegetable stands at Potters Cay

This lady didn't want her picture taken. She probably works for the secret service. Be sure to click on all the pictures to see them in full view

We wanted to get our cracked conch at Tall Boys Conch Stall, but their oil had been sent out to be "cleaned"

Late lunch at potters Cay (lupper)

Waiting for our conch fix and meeting some of the locals

Aren't they cute

Some float, some don't. Notice the yachts in the background. What a contrast

Norman's Cay again

5-24-09
Today we decided to mosey on to Norman's Cay. If you remember, we were here back in April. The weather report finally sounded like it was going to be nice. Just after we slipped our mooring, the rain started, but gently. We meandered up to Norman's, only to find 2 friends here - Turtle Too and Patriot. We heard they had made it to Nassau, but we didn't know if or when we might run into them. We no sooner had the anchor down when the rain started in earnest, along with thunder and lightning. Yippee! More boat wash! As Bob said, be careful what you wish for. We're hoping to go into MacDuff's for lunch with Turtle and Patriot- we'll wait and see if the rain lets up. We're also looking for email to see where Tide Hiker, Rickshaw, Aurora, etc are. If/when we get there, you'll know because Bob will post our accumulated blogs.
September Song (Stephanie here) out
5-25-09
Well, we made it into MacDuff's - had a nice time catching up with Turtle Too and Patriot. But, the internet connection wasn't working, so we didn't get our email or post our blogs. By the time lunch was over, the sun was out and the winds had calmed down. We took the girls to shore and they got to meet Carson and Stormy, the 4-legged crew aboard Turtle Too. All 4 kids had a blast running around the beach and chasing the ball. When we got back to the boat, it seemed like a pancake night, so that was supper. Yummm!
This morning, bright and early, September Song and Gypsies departed for Nassau. A beautiful, and calm, trip, though you wouldn't know it from Cassie's attitude. She has become very jittery when she hears the engines crank up, after a few less-than-calm trips. I tried some Dramamine on her today. Seemed to help a little, but not enough for a long crossing. We'll see what happens.
As we approached the anchorage at Rose Island (just outside of Nassau), the skies grew very dark and foreboding. And very few minutes after dropping the hook,the rain and lightning and thunder started - again. Didn't last too long, but it's now started up again. Poor Cassie - she's just not having very much fun today.She absolutely hates thunderstorms. And there's no beach nearby to take her to. I think she'd be very happy to be in Midway right now. But, then, she wouldn't be with us.
We're headed into Nassau for a night or two tomorrow, so we'll be able to connect. Seems like weeks since we've been online. We'll pick up some groceries and rum and a couple of boat parts, have lunch at Potter's Cay and catch up with the world. Then we'll head for Frazer's Hog Cay, hope to meet up with Aurora and pals. In the not-too-distant future, we'll have to head back across the Stream and North.
September Song (Stephanie again, reminiscing) out

Lunch at McDuff's with Turtle II and Patriot

Best way to get around the Islands

Shroud Cay

Today started out with rain again. Do you remember a few days ago when I said we hadn't seen rain, and it would be great if it would, just to rinse the salt of September Song? Be careful what you wish for. Well the rain did stop this afternoon so it wasn't a total wash out. First we took the girls to the beach to let them play, brought them back to the boat, and then we went exploring with Gypsies. Shroud Cay is an archipelago of Cays, beaches, and rocks surrounding a shallow mangrove Selina which serves as a nursery for conch, lobster, sea turtles, birds, and many varieties of fish. (I took it out of the brochure) Sanctuary Creek which runs through the center of the Cay and ends up on the Atlantic side was way cool. All in all, Shroud is a neat Cay to explore. We had the whole place to ourselves, in fact, if you notice from most of the pictures over these last weeks, we have allot of places to ourselves. You would think this paradise called the Exumas would be crowded. I guess that's why it can still be called paradise.

September Song (in an archipelago of Cays) :=) out
Bob

Star fish

Exploring with Cassie

Sanctuary Creek

I pulled the sword from the stone. Well, maybe out of the sand

Atlantic side of Shroud Cay

Can you see the ghost crab?

Thunderstorm over the Atlantic

Cute little guy

Trees grow out of the rocks

The East side of Shroud after going through Sanctuary Creek. cool cliffs

Hawksbill Cay day 2

We stayed at Hawksbill for one more day to explore this beautiful Cay. September Song and Gypsies in the Palace took the family cars as Norm from Tide Hiker calls them, AKA Half Note and Hobos, that's the name of Doug and Tammy's family car, and explored Smugglers Cave and the North beach on Hawksbill. The cave was way cool but as you can see from the pictures, it is tough to land a tender. The North beach is the largest we have seen in the Bahamas so far with lots of shells and interesting things to pick up, look at, and put back down. The Rule, because we are still in the park boundaries, is "Take nothing but Photographs...Leave nothing but footprints. I sure would like to take some of the grouper, lobster and conch I have seen diving. We walked the beach for a couple of hours and only covered about 25% of it. What a magnificent place as you can see from the pictures. After we got back I took Half Note out with the looky bucket, AKA Bahamian TV, and explored some of the coral heads in the area. This is a great way to view the underwater life without getting wet. Tomorrow morning We are heading for Shroud Cay which is another uninhabited cay that serves as a nursery for conch, lobster, sea turtles, birds, and many varieties of fish. Sanctuary Creek runs through the middle of the Cay and on both sides are huge mangrove fields. they say it reminds you of the classic Movie "African Queen". All this exploring, I need a nap. See you at Shroud.
September Song (ZZZZZZZZ) out and out
Bob

Smugglers Cave

Godiva for another roll in the sand on North beach