Galliot Cay, Exumas, Bahamas

We took our first passage north in the sheltered waters of Exuma Sound. In the north and east the barrier islands of Cat Island, Eleuthera and San Salvador (the purported first landing of Columbus) provide protection from the Atlantic. In the west an almost continuous chain of 365 islands and islets (Cays) backed by a large area of reef called the Exumas form part of the Great Bahama Bank separating the Exuma Sound from Florida / Cuba. Finally at the north of the Exuma Sound the entrance is closed off for deep draughted vessels by the extension of the Great Bahama Bank containing New Providence island (with Nassau the capital) to join with Eleuthera island at the north. Therefore once you head into Exuma Sound you either have to pass over the reef 2-4m deep beside New Providence or go the very long way round and back down the Sound round Long Island or San Salvador.

 

The Exumas form nearly a continuous chain and to gain access to the inside of the Great Bahama Bank you have to pass through one of the navigable “Cuts” between islands. We have chosen Cave Cay Cut being deep and nearest to our destination, though the weather and tide needs to be considered when passing through any of the cuts because of the volume of water trying to pass through with tidal flow standing waves can occur. Luckily the Exuma Sound is a glassy calm on our motor up the sound, but even so swirls and eddies could be seen in the cut when we approached. The cuts look quite narrow as you approach especially to us as we tend to stay well off land on passages. Kevin steered us through and said that he could really feel the current trying to turn us as we passed, that you could not let it go anything except head on into the flow.

Passing through Cave Cay Cut

The light blue shallower clear water can be seen as a band as you approach and again the water clarity in the Bahamas is amazing. I stand at the bow during these parts of navigation looking out for coral heads / rocks etc and was amazed to see starfish, fishes, sea grass in amazing clarity below as we passed. We put our head into the entrance to Cave Cay marina heralded as a ground breaking solar / wind powered deluxe facility in our pilot book. Unfortunately although our book is 5 years out of date it was still not complete and there were no signs of life. However, it looks like it will be really nice and they have a perfect natural hurricane hole in the Cay.

We decided to move further north to find an anchorage on the bank side and are passed by another catamaran going the same way. We pass Galliot Cut and another monohull which has been travelling up the Sound with us also pulls in. We see the catamaran ahead struggling to pass the very shoal area ahead near Farmers Cay, going first one direction than backing out, then trying another tack. It is now 4pm and we decide that grounding out on an ebbing tide didn’t sound like a pleasant way to spend an evening and we anchor alongside the monohull behind Galliot Cay. The water is really clear and there is a small beach which the monohull crew all head off to in their dingy but we are happy snorkelling round the boat.

Kevin snorkelling in the clear water

There is a really strong current flowing even now at the end of the tide and for the first time on our trip the the boat is held into current instead of into wind. Swimming against it is really hard work as we take turns to try to make it to the anchor and then drift back. Again the rays avoid me and as soon as we are back on the boat we can see them gliding by.

Anchored behind Galliot Cay

A quiet night on anchor watching a dvd, the boat turns exactly according to the tide indicator on Kevin’s watch and we get out a torch and go our on deck and can clearly see the anchor chain stretch out beneath the boat. It is so warm when we go to bed that we decide to camp out on the trampoline. I can’t get used to the breeze whilst trying to sleep and leave Kevin to it.