2010..........George Town, Long Island, Cat Island And The Turn Back West Toward Home :(

Elizabeth Harbour is said to be a beautiful and spacious sheltered basin attracting lots of cruising boats. The harbor lies between Stocking Island and Great Exuma Island. The Exuma Sound is just outside Stocking Island. George Town settlement is located just off the harbor on Great Exuma. It has everything, providing more concentrated facilities than anywhere else in the Exumas. We should arrive in Georgetown about Tuesday, May 18th. We hope to pick up a couple more victims, a.k.a. cruising companions, here and stay about 4 nights. There should be lots to do here and also a good spot to pick up provisions. Hopefully we can work in a couple days fishing here also.

About 20 miles East of George Town is Long Island. At the Northern end of Long Island is Cape Santa Maria. A few miles South of the Cape is Stella Maris Marina. Stella is the farthest point from home on our trip. It will give us access to the Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully we can get protection from the wind for one or the other and should also provide some excellent reef fishing. Probably just stay a couple nights here and move on to Cat Island.

From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg

Slightly Northwest of Long Island about 30 miles is Cat Island. The Southern tip of Cat Island is Hawk's Nest Point. There is a resort and marina there and the chart looks like a wonderland for fishing. Lots of reefs and easy access to the Sound and the Atlantic. This could be the spot for the big haul. We will probably stay 3 nights or so at Hawk's Nest Point. This is where we will say goodbye to our second set of cruisers for their return home. CJM and I will then head north toward Eleuthera for a few days before heading back toward Nassau.

Stay tuned....

CTM

2010..........Second Leg (Amended)

We plan on pulling out of Nassau around Sunday, May 9th. There is a cut that runs between Nassau and Paradise Island that allows you to head toward the Exumas without going around Paradise Island. The first waypoint outside New Providence is Porgee Rock. The course across the Great Bahama Bank is 136 degrees and about 30 miles to Highborne Cay. The marina at Highborne Cay is the first marina in the Exumas and the only one for several more miles. We will probably stay about three nights there allowing us some time to look around and fish the Northern end of Exuma Sound. Exuma Sound is the large body of water between the Exumas and Eleuthera. It should be protected from those prevailing winds from the East that time of year by Eleuthera. Hoping we can fill our fish boxes we will likely move on about Wednesday, May 12th.

From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg

Next stop is Warderick Wells. This should be an easy cruise...about 21 miles, so CJM might even let me fish our way there since we will be running in the deep water, providing the winds aren't too much. If so, we can always run on the inside along the Bank. There are only moorings at Warderick Wells. No marina, restaurant, or lodging, but some great scenery. There is a park headquarters with trail maps, etc. for the visiting cruisers and I understand they have an afternoon "Happy Hour" which we will hopefully make. Maybe we can even have a big fish cookout for all the cruisers if our supplies are good. A couple nights on the hook and CJM and I will be ready for some electricity and running water so will likely pull out on Friday, May 14th for Staniel Cay.

Staniel Cay is a very easy run, about 16 miles down the Sound. Since we will have eaten most of our fresh fish supply at the park, CJM will likely let me fish our way to the next stop. Staniel Cay has 2 marinas, 3 stores, 2 restaurants and 3 bars where we can swill cold Kaliks while watching the cruisers come and go. Probably will want to stay 4 nights here to mostly sight see and chill. Staniel Cay is one of the most visited cays in the Exumas. Thunderball Cave is a favorite snorkeling site where the James Bond movie, Thunderball, was filmed. There is also a mooring available for our cruising partners, John & Lori, and maybe for us if we don't feel a need to stay at the marina every night. Will probably pull out on Tuesday, May 18th for Georgetown. This will be a longer run, about 50 miles, so not likely any fishing going on that day.

From 2010 2nd 3rd 4th Leg

More later....

CTM

2010..........First Leg (Amended)

(Had some problems with the chart photos on the previous post and CTM has been studying studying and studying the charts and books and wanted to amend his 2010 Exuma/Eluthera adventure itinerary. So here goes..... CJM)

Can't think of much else except cruising these days. Now that I have done it, nothing else seems to be enough. The real appeal of cruising is about provisioning the boat and shoving off in our "home" and moving to a new port when we feel like it. The unappealing part is coming home when you are out of money! Since we still have to work occasionally to support our cruising habit we must do a little planning ahead. None of these places or times are set in stone and we will make adjustments as we go. We do plan on picking up some deck hands along the way so therefore we need a few time lines.

We hope to leave a couple days after the "Blessing of the Fleet". The "Blessing" should be on April 24th next year and we will probably leave on Tuesday, April 27th. Should arrive in Islamorada on Wednesday afternoon. We will spend Thursday and Friday provisioning the boat and I'm thinking we will try to head out for the Bahamas on Saturday, May 1st. Leaving on Saturday this year will take the bad omen of beginning a cruise on Friday (per "An Embarrassment of Mangoes") off our backs.

First leg of the trip will again begin in Bimini. It's a 100 mile run there and should take about 5 hours. Can kick the trip off with a big Saturday night out at "Big John's". Maybe Stevie S will be out of the pen and playing music there again. This year I would like to stay 4 nights in Bimini and pull out on Wednesday for Chub Cay. This will allow us to fish our two "sure thing" reef spots and do a little off shore as well. We would also have a day to just hang out, see our favorite bar owner, Sherry, eat some conch salad, drink a few cold Kaliks at the "End of the World Bar" and do a little touring. Still think we need to buy the property the "Compleat Angler" was built on and rebuild it just as it was, only concrete this time. Either that or buy the "Bimini Big Game Club". May want to reread "Don't Stop the Carnival" first.

Chub is about a 75 mile run from Bimini. Probably only stay one night in Chub as it is very expensive. However, CJM says the infinity pool is awesome and worth the stop. We will then pull out early Thursday morning and fish our way down to Andros Lighthouse Marina at Fresh Creek. This should be a perfect time to fish the Tongue of the Ocean. The US Navy has a submarine base/test area there. There is supposed to be some fabulous Yellowfin Tuna fishing around the buoys. Probably stay three nights to allow for some kick ass fishing and maybe a day of touring. Our favorite Bimini guide, Freddy, also has a home on Andros. So...might hook up with Freddy there. Will pull out on Sunday and fish our way to Nassau. The run to Nassau is only 30 or 40 miles. This will be the logical place for our first cruising companions to catch a flight back to reality. Will probably only stay one night in Nassau. Can replenish supplies there before embarking into new territory of Eleuthera and the Exumas. Will begin the second leg of the cruise from there about May 9th.

Here's a picture of the chart showing where we're goin' and where we've been. However, a good navigator never says where he's goin' 'til he gets there. Indecision may or may not be my problem.....

From 2010 1st Leg

Stay tuned for "2010 Second Leg."

CTM