Manjack is a very interesting Cay. There are some homes on one shore across from the anchorage adjacent to a small beach. They have docks and boats. There is a lovely day sailing boat moored in the harbor. Then there is a large mangrove lagoon that is known for turtles. A resident or perhaps cruisers and residents have cut several trails. There is an art trail leading from beach to mangroves and several trails across the island. On some charts, Manjack is called Nunjack.
There is an art trail leading from the small beach where we are anchored along the hill to the mangrove area. We decided to walk it in the morning. There was some amazing art there. We made it through most of it but wanted to be back in time for the next adventure.
At 11:00, an hour before high tide, we headed into the mangrove lagoon. It was still a bit windy with some ripples on the water but we could see turtles darting all around. If you looked out, you could see turtles poking their heads up. We were quiet, our electric motors not scaring the turtles as much as the other outboards.
The mangroves were amazing and there were lots of narrow passages that would then open into a large pond. At one point, we saw a motor boat way in there.
After exploring the lagoon, we went between Manjack and Crab Cay where there is a shallow inlet. Waves were coming in so we did not go all the way to the ocean but stopped at a beautiful beach on the Manjack side. We saw starfish in the sand there.
Jeff and Deb headed back and we headed to the little beach near our boat. We decided to take a walk there. David found a map and Jeff had mentioned a road there and a trail to another beach. We walked up a path that went by the motor boat we had seen in the lagoon. It was right next to the first house.
We continued down the road a bit and came to a sign that said ocean beach. That was for us. We headed down the trail which was beautiful. It was mostly shaded and there were bromeliads and air plants growing on other plants. Early on the trail, there were rocks and roots and then suddenly the trail turned sandy. We passed the turn to Coconut beach and arrived at a beautiful long ocean beach. The waves were tempered by barrier reefs but the beach was sandy and lovely for a swim. They are building something on the beach there but the projects looked a little stalled.
When we came back to the beach, three turtles were swimming on the line where the grass meets the sand. I went in to swim with one. He was a very large turtle and did not mind my hovering near him. He was missing his right back fin but seemed very healthy overall. I loved watching him munching on the grass below. We watched him for a while. We named him Dawson, after our three legged dog friend.
We returned to the boat for dinner and sunset. David blew the horn really well.
