Top of the Exumas

Hi!

We are at the top of the Exuma chain of islands.  

We left Rock Sound Thursday on our way to Ship Chanel Cay.  Before we left we provisioned at a well stocked grocery store just a short walk from a dinghy dock.  This was a relief for our tired feet.  The day before we walked a long distance to get to the ocean beach.  The walk started with a short distance to the blue hole in town then we talked the kids into walking to the ocean beach.  After over an hour of walking we made it.  The beach is famous for its pink sand.  We agree with our boating friends S/V Perry, if you look really hard and maybe squint a little, you might say it looks pink.  The kids entertained themselves on the way there but then had a lot to complain about on the way back.   

Note to self: when walking over  two hours wear sensible shoes, not flip flops.  

While under way near Powell point - Cape Eleuthera, we heard a mayday call from a boat named Delila about a kite boarder with a severe cut on his leg from a possible sting ray.   The rescue boat came out from the Island School to get them within about 20 min.  We were about 3-4 nautical miles away so couldn't do much more than listen.  He was rushed with his significant other (young girl about 22 years old) to the doctor in Rock Sound.  We were closely followed by a catamaran named Sea Sleigh, on there way to assist in securing the boat.  

We were close enough so we decided to detour and help secure the boat.  When we arrived it was quickly decided that the boat was not in a safe place and we needed to bring it into a secure anchorage.  

We radioed the Island School to see where we could bring their boat and when they responded they informed us that young man with the injury did not make it.  

I wasn't sure how to take this news.  Paul and I didn't know them but Sea Sleigh did and told us they were a lovely young couple.  

It is sad to see someone so young and active come to an untimely end.  

Paul drove Delila into Cape Eleuthera Marina while I led the way on Shambala and Sea Sleigh followed.  Paul secured the boat and went over to talk to Sea Sleigh.  We exchanged information and then took off to continue our journey to the Exumas.  We had mixed feelings about sticking around but decided we didn't know anything else we could do by staying there.  

It was a very sad day for us all.  

Back to some lighter news.  We found a sunken plane wreck off of Ship Channel Cay and an amazing coral reef between there and Allens Cay.  The whole family got to do some snorkeling and we saved the way points for future reference. We also shot a nice red hind that we had for dinner.

Ocean beach with pink sand.  

The kids entertained themselves on the long walk by picking  plants and flowers.  We actually passed a kind of garden with tomatoes, broccoli, corn, and peas of some sort.