Chilling time.
The anchorage off northern Eleuthera Island.
After the waves and wind had calmed down from the storm we made a short trip over to the Glass Window and Queens Baths on the north eastern end of Eleuthera main island.
Queens Bath in rough seas.
We anchored off a lovely beach and took the dinghy in to explore. The Queens Baths are a series of large rock pools on the Atlantic side of the island that must be lovely on a calm sunny day. When we visited, the waves were crashing and swirling onto the shore. Far too boisterous to consider getting too close, you could so easily get washed away or dashed onto the razor sharp rocks. We instead found a pool on the cliff top and enjoyed a dip there.
We walked down the road to check out the Glass Window, the bridge that spans the breach between north and south Eleuthera, the waves wash under from the deep blue of the Atlantic into the turquoise calm of the Bahamas bank.
Above the Queens Baths, looking north to the Glass Window.
The Glass Window bridge.
The weather seemed to have calmed down, at least for a while, so we decide to take the opportunity to head south. To try and find some warmer water. We make the hop down the coast of Eleuthera and spend a couple of nice days in Governors Harbor, the small town that used to be the capital of the Bahamas. That title now belongs to Nassau, but here in Governors Harbor there are still signs of days gone by. The library in particular has a beautiful interior.
The walk up the hill, where the more expensive homes are, treated us to some lovely gardens and fine views.
The weather had settled down by now and it looked good for a short overnight passage to jump from Eleuthera down to the south of the Exumas, searching for that elusive warm water, and maybe a spot where we could just stay put for a while and chill. We stock up the best we can from the half-filled shelves of the grocery store in Governors Harbor and depart that afternoon.
The overnight passage was surprisingly rough. Exuma Sound has the steady Atlantic swell interrupted by a couple of islands, so the waves become refracted and irregular, most uncomfortable. It was a relief therefore when we pulled in to the large anchorage at the bottom of the Exuma chain, between Stocking Island and Georgetown.
View north from the Monument peak on Stocking Island.
Among cruisers this spot is referred to as “chicken harbor” as it is often the last stop of many cruisers dream. It is easy to get here by day sails in protected flat water from the US coast, no long passages or fighting trade winds. But from here on south it is much more challenging sailing. The last passage to get here has one exposed to the ocean swell, as I have just explained, and that is not everyone’s cup of tea. Many people arrive here and are just too scared to continue.
I was always rather dismissive of Georgetown, hearing of the huge numbers of boats here, and the adult summer-camp kind of organized activities. It was not somewhere I thought I would enjoy. We pulled in and dropped the anchor in a spot between other boats just off Monument beach, a sandy beach about a mile north of the hub of activity at Chat ‘n Chill beach and The Soggy Dollar bar. It was lovely.
Cruisers gazebo on Monument Beach.
We quickly discovered our favorite walk which we did daily; through the sandy shady forest, up the hill to check out the view.
The rest of the 300 or so boats to our south.
Then across the island to the windward shore. Here we frequently had the whole beach to ourselves. Everyone else was tied up with their pickleball and organized activities.
The shoreline is protected by a band of rocky reef.
One favorite spot was called Bobin’s Bath, a pool sheltered from the strong surf by a rocky reef wall, but at high tide waves would occasionally wash over the rocks providing a refreshing shower.
One day, after a spell of rough weather, we found the pristine beach covered in those air bladder packaging bags. They were everywhere, it was shocking. I made a promise to myself to try and never use such wasteful single use plastic items, scrunched up newspaper works fine. Over the next couple of days it was amazing to see the trash slowly disappearing. Of course it has not been picked up and disposed of; the beach has absorbed it, or it has washed back out to sea. The plastic is still there, posing a danger to sea life and the environment.
Georgetown is the main town of the Exumas, it is a wet 2 mile dinghy ride from our anchorage. You pass through this small cut to access the dinghy dock which is conveniently near the grocery store, fuel station and other businesses. We went over only to stock up on groceries, the day following the delivery boats visit was the most successful. Georgetown was not quaint, not pretty or well maintained. It was expensive ($60 hamburger and beer lunch, served in cardboard box), so we stayed in our little slice of paradise, just off Monument beach.
Some art was made for the cabin walls, and Brian worked diligently on his boat building book. He says it will be ready really soon ….. I do hope so!
There was an “art walk” on the southern end of Stocking Island, so one day we dinghied south and explored that. It was fun, mostly boat names created in some form.
Finally, nearly 3 weeks later, we felt that familiar itch. Time to move on. There is only so much chilling one can do, it was time to explore more.