Jumentos - Paradise found!

Water Cay
We lifted anchor from Thomson Bay, Long Island just before 0800 hrs, hoisted the sails and set our track for Water Cay, Jumentos. We managed to sail about half way before the wind dropped and we had to motor sail the rest of the way.

Just after four that afternoon we dropped anchor off Water Cay. Gin clear waters beckoned and we had no sooner settled the boat when we went in to check the anchor and explore. Two large Remora had take refuge under the hull, their funny upside down heads and mouths looking for scraps. We snorkeled over then walked the length of the beach and got back into the water to swim back across the bay to the boat.

Showering on the sugarscoop I glanced down to see a big Nurse shark hovering under me. She swam through between the hulls and over to the shore where we could see her fin in the shallows and she went looking for dinner.

Such a perfect evening called for a braai / bbq and as the meat cooked we lay on the sun bed on the back of the boat chatting. Once again I glanced down to see a huge Hammerhead shark swimming lazily by. At least twelve foot / four meters long he was spectacular. The first hammerhead we have seen in the wild. We jumped up to grab cameras in the hope he would turn and do another swim by but no such luck. As we were watching we heard a blow and a huge head appeared. It was so large for a split second I thought it was a seal, then realized it was a huge turtle. He eyed us then ducked under water to surface about five meters closer then ducked down and disappeared.

By this time the sun had gone down and we had switched on the spotlight to shine down into the water. Two beautiful blue needle fish swam into the light and under the boat when there was a splash and bang under the sugarscoop and the needle fish leapt up and away. We realized the huge turtle must have been lying under the boat and he and the needle fish had scared each other. We watched him swim away into the darkness.

Jumentos - Duncan Town

The Ragged Islands are simply out of this world.

From Water Cay we stopped at Flamingo Cay, Nurse Cay (what can I say), Bona Vista Cay, Hog Cay and Ragged Island's Duncan Town. 

This place is spectacular! We met up with our friends on Panache, Ryana and Island Explorer but most of the time we were alone at an anchorage or the bay was so big we felt alone despite having friends nearby. stunning.

Photo credit Ursula Du Toit; Island Explorer.

 In Water Cay we went out in the dinghy to snorkel and had the weirdest sensation. The water was like glass and gin clear. The sky and sea blended into each other on the horizon making it difficult to see where one ended and the other started. As the dinghy got onto the plane we got the peculiar sensation like we were airborn. Freaky funny out of control feeling as we sped along to the dive site.

Water Cay has two 'Blue holes' a few miles off the anchorage and the stunning Triggerfish reef. The reef and the shallower blue hole Andre and I free dived. The reef lived up to its name with hundreds of Triggerfish swimming around. We learned how aggressive they can be on a feed. Not toward us but the prey. André shot a fish that got off the spear and the Triggerfish went after it with a vengeance. 

Nurse Cay was another favorite. A tiny little bay with 2 meters of water virtually to the shore. We tucked in let out just enough chain to allow us to swing without touching sides for if the wind changed and went ashore. Walking the beach looking for shells, snorkeling and lazing in the shallow water. Heaven!

The boats all met up again in Hog Cay. It was a beach for 'Talking heads' and we took advantage. Our friends on Purrfect arrived from Cuba and we all got together for a braai on the beach. The local's have built a Boma or what they call a Tikki Bar for the cruisers to use and we took advantage. 

Duncan town is about a half hour dinghy ride down a channel in the mangroves. This is the only settlement in the Ragged islands. In its time a thriving Salt industry keep it busy but since the decline of the salt industry the few families who stayed support themselves from the sea. 

Well known in town is Maxine and her husband who own the small store which is restocked from Nassau, brought in by the mail boat. The main problem is Maxine never knows how many people / cruisers will be in town so she can't order ahead. But she is very willing to place and order for you that will arrive in a week.

We also met Cephas who owns the Ponderosa Bar. Although the it was Mail boat day and everyone was unpacking supplies, Cephas opened the bar for us to sit in the cool, use their free wifi, drink beer and chat to locals.

We met the infamous Edward who lives on Bona Vista and was visiting his children in town. What a character he had us laughing at his stories and antics. His curly blonde hair and huge smile are not forgettable. We promised to visit him on Bona Vista.

I was wondering around town and noticed a man staring at me curiously. I waved and said hi and he was astonished. With my tan he thought I was a Bahamian woman and he couldn't figure out who I was. In the tiny town of 40 or so residents he was trying to work out who the new woman town was. Lewis and I got chatting. He is a fisherman and lived on the island all his life. He and his friends were fascinated that we sailed all the way from Africa. Later that day on his way out to check his traps he stopped by to see Rat Catcher to see what boat would sail all that way. He had found some mollusk he didn't use in his traps and kindly allowed me to choose some beautiful shells. Thank you Lewis.

We sat out some weather in South Side anchorage off Duncan town and then upped anchor and headed North. 

Conception Island

We had heard Conception Island was not to be missed so as soon as the weather allowed we sailed out of George Town eastward and made a stop at the northern tip of Long Island for the night. After a quick morning snorkel at the nearby reef which established there was not much to find; we lifted anchor and set off for Conception Island.
There was a long rolling sea and we pitched, yawed and rolled our way across to the West end anchorage. After a quick lunch we set out to the nearby reef, it was 15h00, an hour before low tide and the Fire Coral heads were breaking the surface as the swell rolled in. Perfect conditions below water with coral heads like mushrooms surrounding us.
We had just started swimming towards one when a call from André stopped me and i turn to find him holding up a large Crayfish / Lobster. Not even 3 minutes into the dive and dinner was taken care of. The first Coral bombie we dived on a large Nassau Grouper peeped out of his cave. A bulls eye shot from André’s hawaiian sling and dinner waas set!
We spent another two hours exploring the reef. It seemed to have been damaged and broken in the last hurricane but was re-establishing itself and was teeming with colourful reef fish of all sizes.
Le Maitresse crew, Rosaire and Neena joined us and we headed for the reef in the anchorage to explore.
A few minutes into the dive and once again huge Crayfish were spotted in the reef. My ace hunter once again did his thing and we had two for the pot. He was no sooner on the dinghy in the bucket and returning to the same hole in the reef another Lobster had taken his place and was added to the catch. Unbelievably we went back and found a third in the same spot. Each person had their appetizers provided.
Then strolling across the sand another Lobster giving Rosaire his first oppotunity to use his hawaiian sling. it was fn and a learing experience but this one got the chance to live anther day by wedging himself into a small tight space under the coral.


Dinner was on Rat Catcher, freshly cooked Nassau grouper. As is our custom we then take the carcass of the fish when it is filleted and tie it with string to hand beneath the boat. We love watching Ray and Shark feed off it. Nothing appeared immediatly but not long after we had eaten the squeek of the line on the handle indicated something big and strong had it in their mouth. Grabbing a spotlight we saw a large shape in the water that swam off as we aimed the light at him. lifting the carcass all that was left was the head with the line tied through its jaw. We had given up watching and just settled down chatting when a ‘ping / snap’ sound drew us back to the line.
The first time ever the stgrong line we used to hold the fish carcass to the bpoat had been snapped like a piece of string. Sadly we never saw the perpetrator but it musty have been a big boy!
Neena and Rosaire were very very careful climbing back into their dinghy for the ride home.

Birthday in George Town

André’s birthday was on the 18th March and Neena, our friend on La Maitresse was on the 17th. As we were not all together on those days it was decided the birthday celebration would take place on the 20th in George Town.

At the anchorage were Aleycat, Shiloh, Panache, Island Khaya, Rat Catcher and a new South African friend Pieter on Aqua Viva. Both Alleycat and Shiloh had guests aboard so our party group grew to 16 people. The more the merrier.

We found a perfect little spot in ‘Flip Flop Beach’. it had a small boma with a fire area for the braai and perfect shallow shore for ‘Talking heads’. The party was on.

Key Lime pie

Le Maitresse made the most amazing ham and each boat brought salads and braai meat. We comissioned Brett on Panache to provide the pudding and he did not disappoint the birthday boy. He made a to die for ‘Heerlike Pudding’. A Malva type pudding with nuts and was totally delicious. Not to be outdone, Marieta and her friend and guest Liz from Alleycat baked Keylime Pie and Melktert.

Collecting Coconuts

Birthday boy was in his element and the rest of us joined in and pigged out.

Bretts Heerlike tert

André added to the mix a ‘Kop stamp’ drink of Gin, fresh coconut water; direct from coconuts he and the boys picked from the trees themselves; coconut milk and condensed milk. A dangerously delicious mix everyone enjoyed for the day.

Surprisingly no one had hang overs the next day, must have somthing to do with the coconut ;)

Valentine at Chub Cay

Finally the weather was in our favor and we managed to leave Bimini. We lifted anchor at 04h00 pulled up the sails and took off. Sunrise saw us hoisting our spinnaker and she flew the entire day. We doused her as we approached the anchorage at Chub Cay and 20 mins later we were at anchor. Not long later Alley Cat and Shiloh dropped their anchors and the three catamarans decorated the bay.

The sun rose on a beautiful Valentine's Day and we decided it would be celebrated on Rat Catcher. All would be required to wear something red. As usual Marita and Alan from Alley Cat outdid themselves. Alan in red tights he had wanted to wear like a dancer, uncovered, but Matita noticed far more than red tights were on display so he had his shorts on over them. His t shirt and bandanna completing the outfit. Marita looked gorgeous in red feather boa, red gloves and top with earring that flashed red light when turned on. John and Holly on Shiloh also looked great in their red we loved her shirt saying "My heart belongs at Sea". Of course Andre and I also were in red.

Marita had made dates stuffed with blue cheese wrapped in bacon and appropriate snack for 'date night'. 

As always we had a wonderful evening laughing chatting and shooting group selfies. 

A fine way to celebrate Valentines with good friends. 

Allan Cay 2016

Tucked inbetween two islands its a great anchorage and we discovered new snorkel sites.

Leaving Alleycat and Shiloh in Nassau with their visitors we headed for Allan Cay. Allan Cay is only accessable by boat and is well known for its iguana population. Boatloads of people arrive daily to see them from the cruise ships in Nassau.

We walked the beaches and explored the ruins, Stunning.

A few days later Alleycat, Shiloh and Le Maitresse joined us at the anchorage.

On one dive in strong current I peered down into the coral at about 5 meters. The biggest crayfish I have ever seen sitting quietly in the rocks searching for bits as he waves his feelers. Racing to the surface André says my eyes were like saucers as I stuttered, gesticulating the biggest Crayfish I have ever seen on snorkel. Right behind him in the rocks a second one.
Trying not to laugh he followed me down and couldnt believe his luck. Loading his Hawaiian sling he took aim and a perfect head shot. The crayfish didnt even wriggle but died instantly. He asked me to race over to Alan from Alleycat who was snorkeling a short way away and get him with his sling, which I did.


On return André was finding something very very amusing. He had gone down to check on his catch and discovered it was the empty fresh shell. Obviously the lobster had just shed and left his clean empty shell which was what we found. This meant he was even bigger and in the reef somewhere, but by this time the current had gotten even stronger and getting down to the reef and staying on it took every ounce of breath.

The shell took pride of place on our sugar scoop wowing everyone before the sea reclaimed it on the next journey.

Charleston road trip

We had heard about Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina and decided it was worth an quick road trip.
Our friends Brett and Gideon adore Lulu and agreed to babysit her (feed and visit her on our boat) while we were away. Lulu was very happy she loves Brett especially and Gideon.

Off we set off down highway I95, sadly this time we didn't get a Corvett upgrade from the car hire company.

For some reason hearing "Savannah, Georgia" said in a southern accent conjures up mental pictures of the old movie 'Gone with the Wind'. It includes the steriotypical mental images of slave worked flat dryish cotton farmlands and buffalo crowded plains typified in the old cowboy movies. In reality I found some of my images realistic in the beautiful old southern homes along our route. The southern twang to the accents easily identified in most contacts.
Our night stop was in the historical district of down-town Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston was founded in 1670 and is defined by its cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages. The streets are edged with designers stores at designer prices.

Fort Sumter across the harbour from the waterfront park is where the first shots of the cival war rang out.

Wandering down to the waterfront we were delighted and amused to see what for us was the epitome of USA culture: a one foot deep pond with HUGE warning signs of "do not wade alone! No lifeguard on duty".

Our SA friends found it just as amusing, our American friends looked very puzzled by our amusement and pointed out that someone could fall while wading and if alone would have no one to save them. 😜 😆. Yes its true but do you really need to be told that?

On the way back we visited Savannah, Georgia; about an hour trip across the Savannah River. Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and was established in 1733. Wandering down the waterfront we discovered River Street Sweets, Salt Water Taffy! We watched it being made from scratch and hand pulled in their 80 year old Taffy machine. It is to die for. We also discovered their Chocolate nut Pralines. Can only say we are glad we dont live there so temptation is far away. Although you can order online!
We corrupted Brett and Gideon by getting them some from Lulu for loving and taking care of her. Thank you both.