2017 Life Logs, Day 111: Black Point to Exuma Land and Sea Park
Date: Friday, April 21, 2017
Weather: Partly Sunny; Winds E 20
Location: Warderick Wells South, Emerald Rock Anchorage
The sail from Black Point to the Exuma Land and Sea Park today was delightful. For the whole trip, it was much calmer than out in the Exuma Sound yesterday. The auto pilot was still not totally behaving, so we hand-steered a big chunk of the day. But no one on this boat minds that. For those of you not familiar with the Exuma islands in the Bahamas, the Exuma Land and Sea Park is the jewel for cruisers. The park headquarters is called Warderick Wells and there is a north anchorage close to the headquarters office and three anchorages to the south. All of the park anchorages have mooring balls, but when we arrived in the south anchorage known as Emerald Rock, we anchored next to Sam and Dawn’s friends on Epiic. Dan and Isabella are from Canada and are brand new to sailing. They are in their early thirties, but after experiencing two very successful business ventures, they are now hoping to live aboard and sail fulltime. Sam and Dawn met them while both couples were doing boat work in Charleston, South Carolina. When we anchored, Sam and Piper went over to say hello and then after lunch we all headed out in our dinghies to snorkel. The first stop was very close as it was coral heads just off Emerald Rock. When Mark and I were here in 2015, our friends Kevin and Claire were with us. When we snorkeled Emerald Rock, we saw the most beautiful Queen Triggerfish, but she was nowhere in sight today. But we did see a Nassau Grouper that was fun to follow, Peacock Flounders that changed colors to blend with the background, a beautiful Queen Angelfish sporting her bright blue and yellow colors, and a couple of big spiny lobsters. At least we thought they were big until we went to the next snorkeling spot, Ranger’s Garden, in the north anchorage. Here we got to swim with a beautiful spotted eagle ray and a hawksbill turtle, and we saw the mother of spiny lobsters and the biggest Queen Angelfish any of us had ever seen. And as I was snorkeling back to the dinghy I heard a loud snapping sound in the water. I looked around and found a red lionfish with his poisonous fins spread out. When small fish swam by he snapped those fins together making the loud sound. I have seen lots of lionfish, but never have I seen them hunting before. Ranger’s Garden has beautiful purple sea fans swaying in the current. I snorkeled here two years ago, but somehow didn’t remember the sea fans. They were beautiful.
We returned to the boat to get ready for Happy Hour on Windbird. Dawn and I both have long hair and shampoo and rinse it in the water before getting on the boat to rinse off with the fresh water sun shower. Well, on this day we had company for our in the water rinse-off. There were two big nurse sharks that had been hanging out under the boat all day. These guys are not usually dangerous, but they are sharks and when Dawn got in the water to rinse her hair, Sam was on lookout. And sure enough, one of the big guys starting swimming toward her. So she got out of the water ASAP. I still had to rinse my hair and decided to do it in the dinghy by using the bailer to pour salt water over my hair. That took care of most of the soap so I just had to be in the water for a few seconds before getting onboard. A shark is a shark, and I’m just not comfortable when they head in my direction!
Once we were all clean and dry, Dan and Isabella came over for Happy Hour. We had a great evening together and when they left, Dawn grilled steaks for dinner. The Windbird Resort certainly has the best food in the Bahamas. Thank you, Sam and Dawn.
