Ugh, the hardships I have to endure! Not good for the First Mate who likes to sleep till 8.
The Jumentos and Ragged Islands, being virtually uninhabited until you reach Duncan Town, means that it is good to travel with another boat or two so there is someone else along to help if you run into engine trouble.
Our cruising companions for this jaunt to the Jumentos were Sharon and Wayne on My Sharona, and John and Kathy on Mystic Moon. Both boats are Selene Trawlers. Mystic Moon has been traveling for the last 4 years starting out in California and heading south from here with plans to go through the Panama Canal and cruise the South Pacific. (Envy!)
We traveled with My Sharona to the Jumentos/Ragged Islands last year, but did not make it to Duncan Town at the bottom of the chain. This year, we are skipping the near islands and shooting for Buena Vista, which is a 100 mile trip. Our goal this year is to make Duncan Town.
From Salt Pond, Long Island, we take the Comer Channel to the Jumentos. Starting out in the morning, the winds had calmed down during the night and the water is so calm it is almost like glass. Finding the horizon was a little touch even when the sun came up. It stayed this way most of the day due to cloud cover near the horizon. We led the way as our boat draws the least at 3 and half feet, with My Sharona drawing about 5 and a half feet and the larger Selene, Mystic Moon, drawing 6 feet, we can tell the boats behind us when it gets shallow.
The plan on this day was to travel some of the time on the Exuma Sound side of the islands in deeper water fishing for Tuna and taking the Nurse Channel Cut back to the Great Bahama Bank side of the islands.
Day mark of the channel to cut back to the bank side of the islands.
Standing on the aft quarter of the boat, I can clearly see red starfish, sea fans, rocks, and the occasional conch covered in moss disguised as a rock on the shallow bottom.
Late morning we moved to the Sound side and put the fishing rods in and fished all afternoon. We encountered 2 feet swells pretty far apart, so it was about as calm as it gets. We had the first hit, but it managed to get away. It was a good size fish. My Sharona caught two Skipjacks but let them go. We caught the last fish and it turned out to be a Barracuda and we let it go. So overall, it was not a great day fishing.
I spent the day watching the lines and sorting all the shells that were collected when Scott and Kathy were here last week; same with some sea glass I had picked up the day before we left. Olivia, the wife of Alton Fox, where we rent cars on Long Island, offered to take me to some beaches where she has had great luck looking for sea glass. The beaches she took me too were in the Salt Pond area, but you need a car to get there. We passed some of the old Salt Ponds for which the area was named. Sea Grape plants filled the hills on both sides of the road. Olivia says they smell wonderful in July and that local Bahamians make jams from the fruit. It wasn’t long in the day before we lost cell phone coverage. This will be a week being “totally unplugged” from the world, except for our cruising buddies that is.
We arrived at Buena Vista Cay to one of the longest beaches we have seen about 5:30. Walking this beach would surely give you a lot of exercise. We had logged around 80 miles that day.
Mystic Moon and My Sharona came over for cocktails that evening and we got to formally meet John and Kathy on Mystic Moon.
Wayne and John on the Pretty Penny for cocktails and sunset - Mystic Moon in background.
We slept in Thursday till 9 and woke to the sound of dinghy motors from My Sharona and Mystic Moon heading off to see if there was a trail on the island. We got ourselves together and headed out to follow them. The trail across the island to the Sound side of the island was long and difficult. In the middle of the trail was a small very muddy pond. Iron rock is like walking on needles. Bless our Croc sandals that protect our feet and hold up amazingly well to the difficult task.
When we got the other side, Sharon, Wayne, John, and Kathy (and Callie, Sharon’s dog) were about ready to leave. They had found only two sea beans, but Wayne had collected about 10 single sandals on the little beach and was going to use them to mark the trail on the way back. Someone had already done that, but I’m sure a few additional markers can’t hurt. If you know any one legged people that need sandals let me know. I’m sure I could fix them up here very well!
Bob by a flotsam marker someone had made.
Not much beach, mostly rocky coastline.
A long walk for a little beach.
The cactus that got me!
Muddy pond in the middle of the island.
We got back to boat dripping wet and dying of thirst (swearing yet again that we would remember to take water next time). We both took a dip off the back of the boat in the cool water and were feeling our old selves again shortly.
The other trick we use to cool off is to stand on the shady side of the boat where the wind is strongest (and coolest) and lean over the rail. I enjoy watching the water rush past the boat looking like molten glass swirling around. Patterns form, and then re-form into new and different ones, with the occasional wave passing by that wipes the slate clean, if only for a moment, allowing a clear glimpse of the bottom.
The best shells I collected were on the Banks side of the island. They are small white, sturdy clam-type shells that I am using to make jewelry.
After lunch, Sharon, Wayne, and John headed out to look for Conch, and I had Bob take me to the shore to pick up some more of those small white shells. We came back, again hot, needing to cool down on the “side porch” with our drinks in hand.
On the way to the beach, we checked out two small reefs near shore taking turns with our “looky” bucket off the dinghy. They were beautiful little reefs with purple fans and a myriad of small colorful fish. Bob saw a large sea turtle, but it was gone before we could swing back around so that I could see it. This anchorage has a number of these small little “gems.”
Sharon and John collected 11 conchs while Wayne towed them behind the dinghy. They found a nice Trumpeteer Shell that was empty, just needing a little clean-up to be beautiful. John and Sharon said they saw over a hundred conch and could have taken many more. Sharon made conch salad and had us over for cocktails with Mystic Moon as well. They will freeze the rest for use later.
Little Callie, Wayne and Sharon's dog and "co-owner" of My Sharona.
The next morning, we all got up and underway by nine to head farther south to an anchorage by Hog Cay. From there we can dinghy in to Duncan Town, on Ragged Island, one island south. Three sailboats had arrived from the south when we did. Since this is getting close to the end of the season, we don’t expect to see many boats this far south, and those that we do see, we expect to see heading north like the sailboats. Bad news is that most of the beaches have been pretty well picked over for sea glass, sea beans, and big shells. We’ll still hunt though, because the waves bring in new stuff everyday!
Hog Cay has a pretty little beach. Last time Sharon and Wayne were here last season, it was earlier in the year and they found 17 boats here that had pretty much set up camp for a while. They built an area on the beach by an outcropping of rock under a lonely tree that included seats built of 5 gallon buckets and planks, along with a table of sorts to hold food for evening get-togethers, a nice fire pit including beach-found metal grates to go over it to cook on – even a sand leveler so that games of bocce ball could be played. Wayne and Sharon said that when they arrived one evening for a get-together there, they noticed that all these hermit crabs came out that all had numbers on their backs. The groups said they all came out for food and were used for “hermit crab races!” Oh, what we cruisers will do to amuse ourselves!
Our beach fire one night
Callie enjoying a sunset beach
Beach at Hog Cay
Anchorage at Hog Cay
Our group out exploring Hog Cay
Trail head of trail over to the sound side of the island.
Often found termite nest along the trail
Wayne, Bob, Penny, Kathy and John along the trail
Bob resting in the water after a hot morning of beach combing
Our loot was mostly sea beans, but a nice group of those.
Saturday, we all headed out by dinghy over to Duncan Town on the Ragged Island. The number of permanent residents of this island is around 100 people. Recently, a new marina is being built and there are a number of people from other islands there helping to build the marina. One thing we noticed immediately was that there were brand new cement and paved roads all over the island. Cement was used on the main north/south road with paved roads on all the others. It must have been some feat to bring the equipment needed to make these roads to the island. The mail boat used to come in to the Government Dock in town, but a hurricane closed the channel. Now, there is a narrow small boat channel through mangroves to get to the Government Dock. The mailboat has to anchor out and small boats ferry the goods in to the island.
The town from the entry canal
Looking back on the canal from the town
Wayne, Bob, Penny, Kathy and John by the Welcome sign to Duncan Town
A town time capsule showing there were 127 residents in 2000. Due to current development of a marina in the town, and a possible resort, there are a few more residents here now (though many are temporary construction workers).
We did see a landing area near the marina where it appeared that heavy equipment and building supplies were probably brought in on the north end of the island on the Bahama Bank side of the island.
View of the new roads, the salt pond and the ocean from the town.
A very old home in town that is still in use and has recent additions added to each side of the house.
The community reminded us of Tangier, or Smith Islands in the Chesapeake Bay near where we live. It is a very close-knit group of people rather shy of foreigners. Few came out of their houses to see us. Four obviously related small dogs came out to greet us and one, obviously designated as the “mayor” of the town went with us on our hike over to the beach on Sound side of the island. He stayed with us the entire time. He did run ahead and stop in shady spots on the way back. I’m sure he was mighty thirsty. Because he had a slightly lame rear leg, giving him an unusual gait, we named him “Skippy” to which he seemed to respond to when called.
Our faithful guide - Skippy
Wayne being given a tour of the cemetery by our friend and guide Skippy
We combed the beaches, and found some unusual items. We found sea beans and hamburger beans as usual, but Sharon also found a large round ball “seed” that rattled when shaken. That is the first we have ever seen of this type of seed. I found a small amount of sea glass. The walk to the beach just about pooped me out, so I took it easy and left most of the hunting up to the more adventurous others.
Not sure if this metal was a container, a plane, or a small aluminum boat - but it no longer functions as whatever it was.
John off beachcombing
We hiked back into town around 1 and started looking for beer and lunch. The two restaurants that looked promising appeared to be closed, as was Maxine’s the very tiny local grocery. Finally a young boy came out of a house and said we should follow the road to “Silver Tail.” Although there was no sign, we were able to find us by the music. It was a new restaurant built I’m sure to provide food for the itinerant workforce. Attached to the restaurant, were several small apartments.
Our food choice that day was cheeseburgers and cracked conch, both with French fries. Although not a large menu, it filled the bill. The good news was that there was plenty of cold beer! We shared the restaurant with several resident town drunks. One of resident drunks came up to me and whispered to me to “take him with me!”
After we were fed and rested, we walked back to the dock and headed back to our boats to take naps for the rest of the afternoon. Around 6:30, we all headed over to the little beach area furnished with flotsam for appetizers and to watch the sunset. We had a nice green flash that evening! After sunset, Wayne (our fire bug), set about starting a fire with some of the kindling we had gathered the day before. I brought our game “Catch Phrase” and we played that until we were too tired to go on and broke camp and headed back to our boats.
The canal on our way out of town
Sunday, Sharon and Wayne wanted to go back to some beaches on Ragged Island near Duncan Town to beach comb some more. John and Kathy went too, but Bob and I needed a day of rest. We put our beach chairs in the dinghy and headed out to a nice beach, found some shade and set up our chairs to read. I did a little beach combing for small shells.
Sharon said when they returned that they found another message in a bottle. This time written in Spanish, with a Wisconsin Area Code! She said that John found a “glass ball float” – something very rare.
The next day we all took our dinghy’s to Buena Vista Cay. We had been to that cay last year and I remembered that it was pretty good for sea glass as it is low and rocky. I was pretty successful. We collected a lot of sea beans and hamburger beans there as well too. We stopped at another beach on the lee side that had a pass through to another sound side beach and collected some more there and headed back to the boats for lunch and naps!
White cliffs of ocean side beach. That is a 26 foot bamboo pole that washed up on the beach from somewhere.
Some whelk shells and a crab skin
Another boat came into the anchorage called Ilhabella and Sharon and Wayne knew the folks on the boat, Jim and Nancy, and we invited them to come join us that evening for a game of Texas Hold’em. After being eaten alive by mosquitoes on the beach the last two nights, we decided to have a night on a boat with screens! Wayne took first place at Texas Hold’em and Nancy took second place.
The poker players taking a sunset watch break.
The next morning, Mystic Moon, My Sharona, and the Pretty Penny stowed anchors and headed back north with plans to stop at Flamingo Cay (still in the Jumentos). Mystic Moon decided to go the outside route and try and catch us dinner, while My Sharona and Pretty Penny decided to stay on the calm banks and put something out to thaw! Mystic Moon found the sound side pretty rough with large swells and we were glad we stayed on the calm side. However, we got to experience those swells in the gaps between the islands of the Jumentos. It wasn’t long before we heard “fish on” by Mystic Moon – there will be Sushi!
One island we passed was Jamaica Cay. Our guide book says that a Bahamian had plans to build many cottages on the island and a landing and fuel dock. Well, as a lot of development goes in the Bahamas on out islands, the owner must have run out of money along the way. All is left is two tanker trucks for fuel and several small houses in various stages of disrepair and/or completion. There is no room for an air strip on the island, so guests would have to come by fast boat or float plane. This is not a very good plan to ensure you have customers. The most successful resorts we have seen here in the Bahamas are ones that have their own airline to provide transportation for their own clients.
It took us all a little time to find a suitable anchorage at Flamingo Cay because there are a lot of rocks and marl bottom to work around. We ended up by a little beach near the south end and My Sharona and Mystic Moon ended up near the north end. All of us found the anchorage a little “rolly,” but tolerable. Several other boats were in anchorages at this island.
Mystic Moon had us all over for dinner and Wayne made sushi and sushimi of the Yellow Tail Tuna that Mystic Moon caught. What a wonderful feast we had!
One wonderful sushi meal - before
One wonderful sushi meal - after
The next morning, after much discussion, we decided to leave at noon and head back to Long Island to take advantage of a high tide. Mystic Moon draws 6 feet in depth and had “bounced” in Comer Chanel once before. Kathy and John did not want to do that again.
We hurried up and went to the cave you can dinghy in at low tide around 10. We had trouble with our dinghy engine, so split up and one of went with Wayne and Sharon and the other with Kathy and John. The cave was small, but interesting. There were plenty of skylights so we really did not need to bring our flashlight.
Cave entrance
Inside the cave
They then dropped us off at a little beach that Sharon said had the most little white clam shells I am collecting for earrings on one beach she had ever seen. Bob and I collected shells for about a half hour and then were picked up and taken to our boat to get ready to get underway.
I could spend some more time at Flamingo Cay in the future. Although there are really no outside beaches, and the anchorage is “rolly,” it offers a lot of places to snorkel and fish from your dinghy. We’ll see what we can do about stopping there next year and staying longer.
We have run out of Potassium and Bob gets massive cramps without it. I called the pharmacy on Long Island when I had phone service near Duncan Town and they stock it, so we will hitchhike or rent a car to get to the pharmacy to purchase some. We had some coming from the US with our next mail package, but we don’t expect to get that until we go back to George Town.
We arrived back in Salt Pond at Long Island right at sunset. We could not have timed it better. To our surprise, we found that Gigi’s Island and Victoria Gaye are both here. We look forward to catching up with them. Bob will have to work on our dinghy motor however before we can do much socializing.
Good Night!
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