Norman's Cay

This post begins at Norman’s Cay, Exumas, Bahamas (25 deg. 35.40' N; 076 deg. 48.08’ W)and continues to Warderick Wells, Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, (24 deg.23.06’ N; 076 deg. 38.01’ W )

I am thriving in the cruising lifestyle. My body aches are minimum and my clothing feels looser although I eat all the chocolate I can find. A cruiser in Bimini recently told Bill, "You can tell this suits Heidi...see the look on her face."

A few things I didn't plan on:

1. Sweeping my entire floor by hand with a dustpan and broom on a regular basis because the 1-gallon shop-vac hogs battery power, so is saved for...

2. "StoreBags,” that you suck the air out with aforementioned vacuum, are excellent for saving space and keeping linens and (only recently necessary) unneeded winter clothing dry, and are greatly amusing to use. Downside is they turn a soft bundle into a hard packet, making it more difficult to stuff into a locker. ZipLoc vacuum bags are also good for an evening’s entertainment.

3. Our freezer, never used before this journey, can chill to minus 20 degrees! If we had a blender, we could make fancy blended drinks with umbrellas (if we had umbrellas). I tried to win a blender at the school fair (see last post from Bimini) but, alas.

4. I’m learning to barber and Bill looks remarkably respectable when we go to customs. I’ve only cut my bangs when they interfere with spotting markers on the water, so I’m getting pretty shaggy, and one of these days must work up the nerve to self-style or find a groomer in an anchorage or town.

5. We have a baby monitor aboard. This is not sweet surprise news to our families that we’re “expecting”, but Bill’s clever solution to hear the high-pitched anchor alarm from the cockpit while he sleeps. I hear it just fine without amplification, but the monitor is extra precaution.

6. I am terrifically busy and waaay behind on making Scrubbies. Today was typical: Wake early enough at Norman's Cay to hear Chris Parker's SSB weather report at 0630 hrs., keep VHF radio on to hear mooring ball assignments for Exuma Park at 0900 hrs, so we know if we'll be moving today (yes, we will.). Stow our snorkling equipment and other items which leak out of lockers and bins at each stop, lift the dinghy engine back aboard to the stern (don't tell anyone, but Bill towed engineless dinghy 20 miles today in light winds instead of deflating and lashing back on deck). Leave the anchorage slowly, sitting on deck watching water carefully for shallow coral heads. Once in deep water, I had time to get naked for the first time this year, mend a couple of things, sew ties on hand towels for the galley and take in the waistline of some pants...again...before I had to get un-naked and go back on deck to watch for shallows as we enter Warderick Wells Harbor. As we approached the cay, we saw the most amazing line of deep blue turning to turquoise where the water depth went from 900’.to 30’ in less than 5 seconds. On the way to our mooring we got a dinner invitation from a boat we knew previously, then when we dinghied ashore to check in and hike about 30 minutes to the top of Boo Boo Hill to see the panorama of cays, we met some folksaboard Tamure (they did a four year circumnavigation in the 80's with their two children) who invited us to drinks before dinner, and who already knew we were having dinner with Sparrow. (Note: we’ve lived in Newmarket over 12 years and haven’t been into a neighbor’s house yet.) So after “showering” I made some salad and put together a bag of ginger beers and rum for Dark & Stormy drinks. Then we fell into bed at 2100 hrs. after delightful times aboard both vessels.

Life is sweet and I love you all!

Heidi