We settled into a routine of morning Yoga (for me), taking a lunch to a nice secluded beach, or meeting with some of the boaters on the beach for games of Scrabble, Texas Hold’um, among others, having a pot luck dinner or appetizers, followed by a campfire. There are a lot of small nearby islands to explore with lovely beaches. You can reach down and pick up Conch off the bottom and make Conch salad for lunch.
Pretty Penny at anchor in Norman's Cay inside anchorage
Pristine island by the Norman's Cay (inside the hook) anchorage
Sharon of My Sharona
My new friend Farley (Matt and Tina's puppy) He is named after Farley Mowat the author of a great book I just finished "The Boat that Wouldn't Float"
Charlie Kite Boarding
Matt Kite Surfing
Matt of Mattina and Susan of Independence enjoying the evening on the beach
Group gathering on the beach
We had need of a table for the evening get-togethers for holding food, so Bob, Wayne on My Sharona, and Bruce on Different Drummer scavenged an old door from an abandoned cottage on the beach and some 2x4’s and put together a table for us to use.
Our "new" scavanged table for use in Pot Luck dinners on the beach. Here it is loaded with lots of great food!
One day, several of us needed a few groceries and fuel, so Matt and Tina on Mattina took Sharon, Susan from Independence, and me over to Highborne Cay Marina store. We took the deeper Sound route over and the shallower Banks side. Lunch on the boat was cheese and marinated Mahi and lobster. All the folks we are with love to fish and the food has been fabulous.
Norman’s Cay is famous for its use by a drug lord as a stopover for drug traffickers, as it has a small runway. Thanks to the US DEA and the Bahamian Defense Force, the drug lord as caught and the island is now free from its use for that purpose. There are still several small plane skeletons in the water around the island of planes carrying drugs that missed the runway, while trying to land at night without any runway lights. This one is clearly visible at low tide.
Remainder of a drug runner's plane that crashed in Norman's Lake
What looks like gun turrets actually are - remnants of drug running days on Norman's Cay
Finally, on Friday the 11th, Carleigh made the trip down from Nassau. We also heard that Shirley and Mac arrived safely in Nassau this morning from the states with Oconno (we met them at Palm Coast Marina). We have not yet heard if Sea Fox X has decided to cross yet.
Norman's Cay is a hook shaped island with the inside of the hook almost forman a lake. We found this cave entrance where someone had put a lot of emtry Conch Shells.
Cave entrance with conch shells
Rare site of new construction in Norman's Lake
Bruce's wife, Debi had been back in the states for business and the group got together and "doctored" the Norman's Cay Welcome sign and were at the little airfield to welcome Debi back to the island. Debi is left of sign with Bruce.
Debi's Welcome back to Norman's Cay
My Sharona, Independence, Different Drummer, Mattina, and Scooter, all left Sunday morning heading down to the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Later in the day Cat’s Paw and Oconno arrived from Nassau. Cat’s Paw’s engine died when they were about 4 miles out from Norman’s Cay and Oconno threw them a line and towed them in to the North anchorage at Norman’s Cay. We were at the anchorage on the other side of the island. Both made it safely into harbor.
Monday we moved around to the North side so we could easily visit with Mac and Shirley and Vic and Gigi. Mac did some work on the engine and determined that the problem was a broken fan belt, which he and Bob replaced. Luckily, the engine started right up – so all looks well.
We had Mac and Shirley, and Vic and Gigi over for pot luck dinner. It was nice to get caught up with both of them. We had lunch with them at McDuff’s Restaurant at the Norman’s Cay Beach Club, and then we left for a short trip to the Exuma Land and Sea Park.
I have to tell you that we have not seen this few of boats either in Nassau or at the Park. There is a lot of space left. We hope it is just that we crossed over about 3 weeks earlier than last year and it is not indicative of what we will see our whole winter. Many of these islands’s incomes depends on the visiting boaters to support their businesses. We will see if this continues after Christmas and the first of the year.
Clay and Rita-Kay with found conch shell on the beach
Rita-Kay and me on the beach
Hermit crab an the beach
Bob and I enjoying a beach on Norman's Cay
We all clearly said that this location, with its protected anchorage, beaches aplenty, good food, and best of all, great friends, is a wonderful place to “hang” for some time.
Good Night from Norman's Cay!
No comments:
Post a Comment