Four Days Between the Majors

        We moved from Bitter Guana Cay back toward Staniel Cay, and anchored with about thirty other boats between Big and Little Majors Cays to ride out a strong Northerly predicted to arrive Friday night (Jan 13-14).  This area is famous for being protected from the north winds, but it is not that protected from the current.  We rolled and bounced and pointed this way and that, as did all the other vessels here.  To get away from it, we took a dinghy ride around the area to see if there were any good snorkeling (not really around the Majors, unless you want to be in the very strong current near the oceanside reefs) and we went to have a look at the pigs, along with boat loads of tourists who were zipping over from Nassau and Highborne Cay.   

These pigs are big and they are semi-tame, unless they think you have food, then they can be quite aggressive.  The tourist boats call the pigs to swim out to meet them, and toss them food before daring their passengers to get in the water and swim with them.  (Dan and I shudder at the thought - not only do the pigs have sharp hooves, they are not particular about where they make their deposits, and their poop can be seen floating in nice big clumps all around.)  Pigs aren’t even supposed to be able to swim!  But these do. 

After a little pig and people watching, we went over to Staniel Cay for a walk and a rum punch at the yacht club there.  The restaurant there feeds sharks in the marina and there were around ten of them hanging around, waiting for food.  Last time we were here, the sharks consisted of nurses and bulls.  This time all the sharks were nurse sharks, or as one local put it “calm and friendly.”  We’ve heard of people swimming with them too, and again, we shudder at the idea.  

After our outing, we went back to the boat and prepared for the coming storm.  Dan lowered and unplugged antennas and threw out a second anchor.  The rain and lightning began in the night on Thursday, continued most of Friday, and then the winds built to 30 knots, which blew steadily all day Saturday.   The winds were strong enough to overcome the current, so things weren’t as rolly, and Dan pulled out the sewing machine to do some repairs.  Tommie supervised.  We also broke out a jigsaw puzzle and worked on that.  

Sunday (Jan 15) dawned sunny and warm, but was still pretty windy.  We finished that jigsaw puzzle and were pleased to have a clear enough sky for a sunset.  On Monday (today) we hauled up the anchors mid-morning and took our time picking our way through the shallow bank down the Exuma chain.  We had several destinations in mind and settled on Big Farmer’s Cay.  It’s a little too rough out for snorkeling, but we got ashore for a beach walk to stretch our legs.  Dan was hoping for some sea beans to bring back, but instead he inadvertently brought back a little gecko which is currently hiding somewhere in the galley.  Fortunately they eat bugs, not people food, and this one is welcome to as many of those he finds.  Tommie was neither impressed nor interested in helping Dan look for it.  

We had to do the puzzle in two halves because it wouldn't fit on the table.

Sunset over Big Majors Cay