Bellatrix

8 April 2015

Georgetown, Exuma, Bahamas

After a week in the Jumentos we are back in Georgetown. We had to sail 10 miles east to Long Island, then west, then south, to navigate around shallow water. The Jumentos are a group of mostly uninhabited islands. You need to be totally self sufficient there, food water, fuel, there are no settlements and few other sailors. No radio, no cell service, nobody. The beaches are pretty and secluded, no need to “dress to impress” here. We snorkeled the reefs, explored the islands, and enjoyed the beaches. One of the islands, Flamingo Cay, we are told that Flamingos come there during a migration but none while we were there. There is a cave that you can dinghy into during low tide, a sunk fishing trawler, and a plane wreck. As you walk around the island there are paths marked by other travelers with flip flops to show the way. It is amazing how many shoes and sandals wash up on the beach.

Robin spotted a monster lobster under the hull of the trawler but by the time she got her spear it had disappeared.

On Easter Sunday as we returned we decided to attempt to take a short cut through Hog Cay Cut, bad decision. We were told that there was enough water during a high tide. We started hitting bottom about 2 miles out and literally scraped bottom at about 2 knots for another mile or so. Finally we had to give it up and sailed back over to Long Island Cay at night arriving around midnight.

On Monday we had a great sail back to Georgetown, Robin at the helm and I with a good novel. Nothing is open on Easter Monday so we anchored and spent Tuesday collecting water, fuel, doing laundry, groceries, and wine, oh and a 3 beer lunch in the middle. There is only one marina here, water there is 50 cents a gallon, so we chose to carry jerry cans of water and fuel. Water is free at the dinghy dock in Georgetown. We needed 20 gallons of diesel, 5 gallons of gasoline and about 65 gallons of water. We have 4 - 5 gallon water cans, 2 - 5 gallon diesel cans and 1 - 5 gallon gas can = lots of trips then dumping the contents into the tanks of the boat, a lot of work. We rewarded ourselves with 2 store bought lobster tails, $10 at the beauty salon, a nice wine and Skip’s home made bread for dinner.

Today, back to the Georgetown routine. Robin will go to Water Aerobics then later we’ll go to the Cat & Chill Beach for volleyball, beer and stories, tales and new crusiers to meet, beer and Conch Salad. Tonight is dancing to the DJ at Chat & Chill, and tomorrow night maybe Texas Hold ‘em at the St. Francis Marina & Restaurant.

We will spend a few days here then maybe a trip and back for the Family Regatta here the end of the month.