Bellatrix

25 January 2016

Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas

We left Staniel Cay and sailed to Blackpoint entering through Dotham Cut another entrance through two rocky coral heads, always exciting. We spent one night to do laundry, get the best pizza in the Bahamas at DeShamon’s, and had cocktails with Donna and Grant from the trawler “Prima

Donna”. We left Blackpoint and sailed on the banks side to Cave Cay to wait for the wind to lay down a little before going outside (the sound side, actually the ocean). We anchored in a protective cove within sight of Moosha Cay, owned by David Copperfield. We watched to see if it might disappear, but it was there in the morning.

The Exuma chain of islands lay from northwest to southeast. As we sail down the Exumas we can either use the banks side, shallow, averaging about 12 feet or the sound side, actually the Atlantic Ocean which averages about 5000 feet. You choose by wind and wave. The fishing is on the sound side, though I’ve been bragging too much about our cedar plugs and we haven’t caught a thing.

We had a “spirited” sail to Stocking Island and Georgetown. The wind averaged about 20 knots and the seas were from 4-8 feet, we made good time.

We decided to get to Georgetown for protection from a looming northeaster and we had heard about a concert called “Exuma Unplugged”. We anchored and went to town to catch up with many friends and acquaintances from last year.

We met up with “Jillie” at a bar and she invited us to an afternoon “tea” at the Peace and Plenty. Alcohol and free food sponsored by the Exuma’s Ministry of Tourism to welcome the winter cruisers. We partied there for awhile and went back to the boat to take Bella for a walk then back to town to “Redbone” for Rake and Scrape. Redbone is a outside shack eatery by day. Rake and Scrape bands play a lot of 50’s and 60’s music to a Bahamian beat. There is often a guitar, a bass guitar, a keyboard, a (one) drum (often a 55 gal drum with a skin over one end) and a guy with a saw he strums with a screwdriver. What they lack in talent they make up for in volume (large speakers). It is amazing these people can carry on a conversation and aren’t deaf. It became quite a party and we got in late. The next night was “Exuma Unplugged, different performers from Canada who did country music and a Blues Guitarist, Stacy Mitchhart. I really enjoy blues and this guy played a regular guitar, a steel slide guitar, and a couple of “Cigarbox” guitars. If you like Blues Guitar look him up on the internet and listen to some of his stuff.

After the concert there was a Junkanoo band and we danced through the street following their hypnotic beat. Robin loves Junkanoo!

In Georgetown there is a large bay, about a mile and a half wide and about 6 miles long, you can move to different anchorages determined by the wind and weather or your preference of scenery. On one side is the island of Great Exuma and the other is Stocking Island. The town is on Great Exuma, has restaurants, bars and groceries, and free water. The other side is Stocking Island with beaches, the “Chat and Chill” beach bar, volleyball, dominos, and get togethers. It is a place you can enjoy, meet many cruisers and locals and use as a base to explore other islands. The temperature averages about 80 degrees daytime and 68 at night during the winter. Gin clear warm water and white sand beaches.

We may sail around for the next few days, Robin’s Mom is coming to visit next Tuesday, we and she are anxious for the visit.