Conception/Cat Island

Alright, so the delay in posting at this point is mainly blamed on poor internet  Pirating.  Plus, we have been hiding from some strong wind fronts that have continued for almost a week (sustained 25-30 knot gusts) and on through early next week.   None the less, we have been enjoyed every hidy hole we have found.

We throughly enjoyed Conception Island.  It is as though the island was created just to make you smile with so many reefs to snorkle and mangroves to explore and great cruisers to share the ride.  The island is uninhabited and the Bahamas National Trust (BMT) wants to maintin it's beautiful primitive nature.  The only drawback is to go when the weather is perfect as it does not offer any safe anchorage from any big weather front.  The magnetic pull comes from its remoteness and seculsion as well as the crystalline waters, varities of coral and fish, crescent beaches, mangrove trees and long-tailed tropic birds,  Brandon and Scott went out one day on a mission to bring home dinner and they both suceeded (Tiger Grouper and Snapper)!!! 

But then the weather dictated our next week which was strong winds from the East-North/East with sustained 20knots winds with gusts up to 30knots.  Conception is very exposed to both Exuma Sound, as well as, the Atlantic Ocean which means uncomfortable tidal surges=the boat swirling around to and fro and right to left (not fun).  So we left for Conception Island which has been very cool, thus far.

We landed Cat Island at the bay called The Bight which is the central location of all nearby facildties, and best of all we anchored at the foot of Mount Alvernia, the highest hill in the Bahamas and one of the most intriguing tourist attractions.  The Hermitage is at the top of the hill and is the retirment home of the revered Father Jerome (he was both an architect and a priest).  His given name was John Cecil Hawes very well loved and known in the Bahamas as Father Jerome.  He was born in England in 1876, he first became an architect then an Anglican priest.  After the 1908 hurricane, which devastated parts of the Bahamas, the Angleican Bishop sent this architect/priest to restore the damaged churches.  His unique stamp of the hurricane-proof stonework with its thick walls and barrel-vaulted roofs can bee seen in the seven Anglican churches that he reburilt on Long Island.   On Father Jerome'es first approach to New Bight in 1937, he selected Comer Hill, the highest spot in all Bahamas, as the site for his retirement home and a location in-own for a new church.

As you walk through the archway at the Hermitage's entrance  at the bace of the hill, you will be struck not only with  his gift for architecture and stonework but also with his genuine and humble devtion to God, which carries all the way up the hill through his Stations of the Cross, past the replica of Jesus' tomb with ists rolled-away stone to his spartan living quarters and small chapel for private devotions.  So we hope you enjoy the pictures of such an incredible place.

Best wishes to all.  We are leaving tomorrow, for Lee Stocking Cay for the next few days.  Plan to arrive at Emerald Bay in Gerorge Town Tuesday or Wednesday to greet my Dad for a week stay on SolMate.  It will feel like Christmas for us several months late.  He is bringing us serveral items we have ordered and or asked him to locate all over town.  But having him as our first visitor on our journey is the best gift of all!

So I hope to post pictures because I do know the they send a better message then words (why I am always behind the camera and not in front, I love it as well).  

Happy tax week to everyone, yuck!  We just hope it is was not too painful and perhaps prosperous in terms of a RETURN?????!!!!

  I give up on posting pictures tonigjht b/c it is 11pm and the internet keeps letting me down but hope to post pics in the near future!  However, we still have an active email account and would love to see how you all too.  So please share as well! 

Love to all

Carryn, Brandon and Bella

Long Island (Bahamas, not New York)

I can' tbelieve it has been 3 weeks since our last blog.  Clearly, we are settling into the cruising life- "why do today what you can put off til tomorrow"!

We are currently anchored off the little settlement of Salt Pond, in Thompson Bay, Long Island.  It's a beautiful anchorage, and the town is a delight.  It is off th beaten path, but the island supports abour 4000 residents, so some of the conveniences are available. There are 2 good markets, and a nice little "resort" that offers wi-fi for the cruisers if you buy a  beer or 2(no problem there).

Realizing that Mar 19th was our last blog, I should catch you up on our travels since then.

We left Georgetown and decided to drop in to Emerald Bay(the nice resort we blogged about a while back) for a night(to get a few loads of laundry, take a long hot shower and pick up water/fuel.  Well, the luxury was hard to walk away from and we ended up staying there for 4 days. 

While we were there, we got a few projects done, including going up the mast to put on our lightning protection and replacing a bulb in the masthead light.  I sent Scott up to do this as he only weighs 160lbs).  Haley and Alana wanted to go up for the view so we hoisted them up there for fun.  Alana got this shot looking down(see bella on the dock).

We finally pulled out last Saturday and headed for Long Island(about 35 miles).  It was a nearly windless day, so we motored and drug a  few lures(nope- we didn't catch anything).

We dropped the hook on the SE side of Hog Cay at the northern end of Long Island and got up the next day for a short run down the island and pulled into Aligator Bay for the night.  We could have made it to Salt Pond, but wanted to take it easy and enjoy some of the nice places along the way(see- we are slowing down and enjoying the journey).  We go tinto Tompson Bay on Monday, in time to catch the fresh stuff comin goff the boat and into the market.

We settled in to life in Salt Pond this week, even renting a mnivan with Las Sirenas  to tour the south end of the island(difficult to do by boat because anything south of Deadmans Cay is very shallow and the sand flats extend miles out from the shore. 

The highlight of our land tour was a visit to Dean's Blue Hole- the site of the deepest blue hole in the world.  This month, the Suunto World Free Diving Championship is underway, with the best free divers on the planet competing for the breath-hold depth record. (google: dean's blue hole free diving).  It is amazing. 

We jumped from the cliffs and I did a few deep dives.  I set my personal best record of 79 feet for :55 seconds. I can see where this gets into your blood- the drive to dive deeper and push yourself to your limit.  The problem is that you don't know where your limit is until you narc out at depth (usually below 150') or black out during the ascent(usually in the last 20').  I have a ways to go to get close to the world record of 403 feet. 

We hit a few more cool places, stopped at a few little roadside dives for cold beers and local flavor.  It was a great day.

We've had a good time here but are leaving for Conception Island later today.   It is about 20 miles from the northern end of Long Island(about a 60 mile total trip from here), so we'll head out this afternoon and head up Long Island, then make the rest of the trip on Wednesday.  We'll be out of communication for a week or so.
Happy April birthdays to Megan, Olivia, Tom, Lynn , Sophia and Joan!  We miss you and we owe you all a hug and kiss!

Take care.  Leave us a comment