It rained hard during the night and everything got a nice fresh water rinse. Fat Tuesday needed bailing. We exited the anchorage easily at first light. Once we got out, we had lovely wind for a sail. We were originally headed to Galliot Cay but decided to take one more day and get some chores done. We could pull into Staniel Cay to fuel, get water and empty garbage. We could then go to Black Point for the night and possibly do laundry.
The entrance into Staniel Cay is via a channel in a wide bay. At low tide, there are areas of the channel that have only six feet. We were only an hour into the incoming tide but thought we would have about a foot under our keel at the lowest point. We proceeded slowly. The lowest depth we read was 1.3 feet under our keel, so around 7 feet. Room to spare!
The fuel dock only has room for one large boat. Smaller skiffs can work their way onto the corners. We had to wait for a catamaran and then it was our turn. Another catamaran was waiting for us. We filled fuel and water tanks and then took the garbage to a truck. Payment for all is made at the office.
The yacht club has a nice restaurant and some lovely treehouse like rentals with balconies overlooking the harbour. They have moorings and motorboats for rent as well as tours. We definitely want to return to this area. We got a very brief glimpse of it but now know we can get in there.
We motored down the bank as the wind had dropped. We decided to make another stop at Bitter Guana Cay for some more iguana action. I had been saving our compostable vegetables for them in the refrigerator. When we first arrived, a few were on the beach but more were seeking shade. They enjoyed a feeding frenzy and then returned to sunning or chilling.
.
Bitter Guana has beautiful beaches, with tall white cliffs. It is uninhabited except for iguanas who are protected there.
From Bitter Guana, we could motor along the shoreline, past Dothan’s cut to Black Point. It was very calm and easy. We got to Black Point around 2 and picked up one of the free mooring balls whose future is still in litigation. Until the ownership issues are resolved, they are free to use. The laundry was closed Sunday so we just dinghied to shore to walk around.
People were out, grouped in areas of shade, visiting. Kids were on their bikes and scooters. Some were swimming at the park beach. We decided to walk to the blowhole after finding an ice cream sandwich at the straw mart and convenience store.
The blowhole does not get old for us, we are easily amused. There is less trash around it this year or maybe the trash is just covered by the seaweed it is spewing out. The seas were calm so we were surprised to find it so active. It did take a few waves for it to build enough pressure to spray.
We had a drink at the Black Point yacht club and returned to the boat for dinner. We ate some of our Hobucken frozen shrimp. So good.