NAVIGATING AND CRUISING

NAVIGATING AND CRUISING

APRIL 25, 2012

The course is sometimes tricky.  On this particular day, travelling between Royal Island and Highbourne Cay, we first had to go through “Current Cut”.

Capt'n Fred at the helm watching the charts and water

As you can see, it is very skinny going through here and the passage has to be timed so as not to hit the tide at the wrong time.  If the tidal flow is running with you, you could be pushed off course and run aground.  You want to be passing this area at either slack water or against the tide.  It seems counter-intuitive the way you have to go – you must keep very close to the coral in order to be in the channel.  

Pretty close...but this is where the "deep" water is...

There are so many islands in the archipelago of the Bahamas that you are often in a situation where you have to go between islands through a narrow passage.  You really have to pay attention to the tides, currents and winds to navigate these areas.




 

On the same day we transited between Middle Ground Bank and the west side of Eleuthera.  This area is full of coral heads and you have to stay alert to be sure you do not run into one.  There was only 8 or so feet of water under us as we went across, and we needed all eyes on deck to keep a close watch for any heads not marked on the chart.  It was a tense 30 minutes and we made it through fine.  (Obviously, or this post would have had a far different tone!!!)

Hard to tell in the photo, but the dark spot toward the top is a coral head.
These are what you have to look for as they cannot all be charted.
You find them scattered all over the place -- pay attention!

Here's another coral head about in the middle of the photo.

Of course, Gus and Pepper are never concerned...

Gus loves to bask in the sun!

And then you get the occasional dolphin riding the bow wake.  Pepper has not seen one of these yet...we are waiting!

Signing off for now!

Still sitting in Highbourne Cay at the marina on April 30 waiting for the weather to break.  At least the rain has stopped for now!

MORE ABOUT THE DOGS' LIVES.....

MORE ABOUT THE DOGS' LIVES...

Gus lounging on the "poop deck"  (that was just about all he did on it!)

Ahhhhh.  Cruising!  A great time to nap!  (gotta have that pillow...!)

A break in the shade on the beach at Highbourne Cay

And Pepper was never still!

Notice the leash on Pepper.  That is the only way we could get her to stop!

"What's this?  Looks fun!"

One of the favorite lounging places...in the sun on the swim platform -- ready for the dingy to be launched!

New tricks for puppies...she started this all on her own...

Now we have a diving dog!
 

Time at a beach near Big Majors for the dogs...and us, of course!

 Pepper is always searching for those lizards!

 Gus (at 10 years old) may not have the speed of Pepper, but he certainly has the enthusiasm!!!!!

A pooped puppy after time at the beach

THE spot for cruising...!

Don't know if you can see this, but she is stalking a FLY on the left side of the table...(if you click on the photo, you can see the fly)

"Wake me when we get there..."

IGUANAS AND PIGS AND SHARKS, OH MY! PART DEUX...

IGUANAS AND PIGS AND SHARKS, OH MY!  PART DEUX

NOTE:  Some of the following is rated PG.....(nothing to do with "pig"...)

Okay.  We have covered the iguanas...here is more fun with the pigs of Big Majors!

In the afternoon, I kayaked over to the beach and was greated by this guy... 
























He was rather insistent that I must have some food with me and proceeded to check for himself!!!  (He even tried to chew my water bottle!)

 

"ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE NOT HIDING SOME VEGGIES IN THERE?!!!!"

 As I sat in the kayak fending off the hungry pig, another couple of the bovines started some interesting activities on the beach.  Being the voyeur that I apparently am, I watched, photoed and videoed the "action"...

And the dance begins...

 

I don't know about you, but it looks like two girls to me.....

Now that I have shown you how "it" happens, shall I share some photos from two years ago that includes BABY piggies?!!!!

 

 

After our anchoring at Big Majors, we headed to the marina at Compass Cay, one of our favorite spots from 2010.  This is where the SHARKS come in...

Part of the dock at the marina is built so it is underwater when there is a high tide.  There is a fish/conch cleaning station at the end of the dock.  The nurse sharks in the area have learned that when they hear the "thunk, thunk" of the cleaning knife there will likely be bits of fish/conch in the water.  So...when the tide is high and you use the knife to "thunk" on the dock, they propel themselves on to the dock waiting for a treat!  The shark feeding has become such an attraction that tour guides bring small boats filled with tourists to see the feeding and even (if they feel brave) swim with the sharks.  We have been in the water with them and they are harmless, unless you pull their tails!

Here is Kevin checking out the situation when we first arrived... 

So this guy is in about three or four inches of water on the dock (the water is so CLEAR it is hard to tell he is stil in it!)

Fred petting the sharks on first approach -- Pepper has not yet discovered why she is standing in the water...

Ah ha!  Gus and Pepper see what is coming!

Pepper is like "What in the world are you doing?????"

Gus getting a closer look...

Gus to Pepper "Do you really want to paw at this thing????"

And the toy swims away and she still paws at the water...

"Feed me!  Feed me!"

Next up...some general stuff from the trip...

 

IGUANAS AND PIGS AND SHARKS, OH MY!!!!!

IGUANAS AND PIGS AND SHARKS, OH MY!!!!!!!

This entry starts on April 28, 2012... 

Gus gives a very sad face when we leave the boat without him!

From our anchorage off Highboure Cay we decide to take the dinghy to Southwest Allen’s Cay.  This time Gus and Pepper have to stay on the boat as there are no dogs allowed on any of the Allen’s Cay Group because these islands are home to a colony of endangered Euxma iguanas.  

We took a dinghy ride to the beach.  You stand quietly on the shore and watch as first one, then another, then another, iguana comes to see what you’ll do.  Eventually we saw about a dozen motionless iguanas of widely varying sizes, poised silently in watchfulness.

Our first glimpse.

The iguanas inhabiting the Exuma Islands are considered to be among the world’s most endangered lizards and are found nowhere else.  These iguanas are vegetarians and are important to the island because they help disperse seeds and prune plants, which helps maintain a healthy plant community

One guesses that once they existed Bahamas-wide, but sometime post-Columbus that was it – curtains for most of them.  As it is, if you wonder at the name, it’s Spanish, and they took it from the Arawak word for the animal “iwana.” Small scaly creature about the size of a dachshund, and with no more ground clearance than a few inches.

The Exuma Iguanas can weigh as much as 24 pounds (I don’t really care to see that one!) and live to be 80 years old.  They eat mainly leaves, flowers and fruits (luckily not fingers and toes!)  They breed every one to three years, construct their nests in sand during June and July (darn!  We were there in April!)  They deposit up to 10 eggs in the nest and after 80 days the hatchlings emerge.

 

"Now THIS is my good side..."

These iguanas are part of a long-term study to investigate their survival, nesting behavior, and population growth.  Some Exuma iguana populations have been under study for over 30 years!  Bahamian and International laws protect the lizards.

Not sure what this guy way trying to say...

but then he just glared at me!

After spending time with our new “friends” and Fred scouring the beach picking up trash, we decide to head back to Jambo.  We say goodbye to our new friends.

Fred's afternoon's work!

We're saved!!!

Just as we are getting to a reef we have to transit to get back to the boat, the dinghy engine starts curring out. We pump the fuel line, it starts again, and we go a bit and stall out again.  Long story short, Kevin called a nearby boat and one of their crew comes out on their jet ski and towes us in.  turns out, our fuel line was pinched by something in the hold.  No big problem, just us not knowing where to look.  Lesson learned.

That afternoon we head in to the marina at Highbourne Cay and end up docked right next to Risky Business.

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY – AND THIS WIND CAN TAKE A HIKE AS WELL!!!

The next four days are foul weather!  Winds 30-35 with torrential rain for two of the days.  Fred managed to take the dogs to the beach each day and they came back looking like drowned rats!  (Ups, this is supposed to be about pigs...!)

Pepper and Gus are happy to be along for the ride!

When the weather finally cleared, we headed to a lovely spot off the island of Big Majors.  This is the home of what I call "pig beach".  You approach the beach in your dingy y and are met by any number of wild pigs that inhabit the islands.  The SWIM (yes, I said swim) out to greet you and see what goodies you have brought for them to eat.  It is quite a site and they swim out quite far.

Here they come!!!

We had to hold Gus in...he wanted to join in the swim!

Here's a guy swimming out to another dinghy...
The seagulls get in the act as well.

There is more to show...but I have no more internet right now.  Will post Part 2 in the next few days...


coming up next -- more pigs, piglets and SHARKS!