Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park

Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park (ECLSP)
(Due to poor cell service, pictures will follow!)
We have not been hiding from the world, but we have been in the ECLSP for the past week and a half, where there is no cell service except for two spots in Warderick Wells; on top of BooBoo Hill, and beside the park headquarters by the fire hydrant. Really! But I digress...
We left Highbourne Cay with Her Diamond and sailed down to an anchorage by Shroud Cay at the top of the ECLSP. The ECLSP is run by the Bahama National Trust, and is 176 square miles of pristine beauty, outstanding anchorages and unspoiled marine environment. Their goal is to preserve and protect this unique area. As they say, take only pictures, leave only bubbles.We picked up two mooring balls and settled in. Shroud Cay is a larger Island, but the majority of it’s interior consists of mangroves with a little river running through it. So one of our plans while there was to dinghy through the river. Since we arrived at low tide, and had been told that it gets pretty shallow in the river, we decided to wait for the next day for that adventure. So instead we dinghied along the shoreline and stopped at this amazing beach. We are discovering that the Exumas are full of little islands with uninhabited beaches everywhere. Paradise!
After a peaceful night we got ready for our dinghy ride through the mangroves. With lunch packed, water bottles filled, sunscreen on, we were off. We saw some wildlife, but not as much as hoped. There is a small arm off the main channel which leads to a small beach on the Exuma Sound side. We stopped for a walk, and found a path to the top of a hill where we had a wonderful view of the island.
The next day we headed to Warderick Wells, which is the main anchorage of ECLSP and where the headquarters are located. You must call and reserve the day ahead for a mooring ball as there is a limited number (21) and there is no anchoring allowed in the mooring field. Each day, once they know who is leaving, they assign balls to those on the waiting list. We were very lucky as there were four of us wanting to get in, and we were assigned balls close together. The anchorage is shaped like a horseshoe with a big sand bar in the middle. It is quite spectacular. 
In between a couple of moorings is a wreck of a 42 foot sailboat that we snorkelled over. Hugh’s brother Adrian told us that it belonged to a friend of his. Apparently the boat was left with the generator running when the owner went to a friend’s boat for sundowners back in the 70’s. When he looked back at his boat it was engulfed in flames! There was nothing he could do but watch as it burned to the waterline and sank. After that story nobody in our group of four was willing to leave their boats with generators running!
We spent five nights there; partially because of the wonderful spot and partly because of those darn winds. A nicer place to be stuck I can’t imagine!
Over the days we hiked up to “BooBoo Hill” where you leave an offering to Neptune to ask for fair seas. It must be on wood, no plastic or non biodegradable things, with your boat name written on it and date. There is a huge pile of offerings and I can’t imagine the dates of the pieces on the bottom of the pile. Of course we all made offerings.
There are quite a few trails on the island, with one leading to building ruins of a loyalist family who settled there and tried to farm. Not sure what they were thinking as this is a pretty dry, barren place!
We also walked to the other side of the island to the “Slave Dip”. 
One of the highlights was snorkeling. There was an area called the Coral Gardens near the mooring field. It was a big area of coral, with quite a few fish, but as we neared the edge of the garden, out from the bank came six HUGE spotted eagle rays, gliding right by us. They must have been at least six feet wide each if not more. The most amazing sight I have ever seen snorkeling. I wish I had the camera with me. We could also see them gliding by the boat in the anchorage every once in awhile, but seeing them underwater was so much better!
It’s amazing how time flies by when you are having fun! After five nights we decided it was time to move on south. It was a sad moment when we had to say good bye to Her Diamond. Bob and Sheila have decided to start heading back to Florida, so after six months of buddy boating together we parted ways. They have been excellent sailing partners and we will miss their company (and euchre matches, we parted tied, girls vs boys) very much. But I’m sure we will meet up again, either visiting over the summer or next winter in the Bahamas!
We sailed down to Cambridge Cay, still in the ECLSP, and took another mooring ball for a couple of nights. There are little beaches everywhere you look, and snorkel areas close by, one being called The Sea Aquarium. When you jump in the water you are immediately surrounded by little fish called sergeant majors, who I think are looking for food!
Aquila (Bill and Michael) have joined us and we will head down to Staniel Cay together for some very much needed provisions, water and laundry.
So far, it’s been a very interesting time here in the Exumas, as we are definitely living “off the grid” with no (or very little) internet, few stores and fewer marinas. The ECLSP is a “no take, no leave” area and about as remote as you can get. It makes you appreciate everything we take for granted at home. Water on the boat is limited, so showers are quick and dishes are washed once a day (mostly). We have learned to be super conservative using it, as you have to be aware of where the next spot is to fill up. Fresh produce has become very precious too, as there have been no stores for a week and a half. I think we are down to our last apple! I am getting very creative making “canned” meals. I am also trying to make my own bread. So far, it’s getting better each try! All part of the fun and challenge! Our wine and beer are holding up so far ... but we still have a few weeks to go!
So we are slowly working our way down the Exumas, with the larger town of George Town being our final southern destination, where we will pick up Alyssa and Steve for a week long visit. So exciting to have them join us and to be able to show them what we have been up to these past seven months! After they leave we will start heading north and slowly make our way back to the Abacos where Trevor and Kate will join us the first week of April.
Then back to Florida to put Trekker away for the summer. 
But, that is weeks away, and we still have lots to discover ... one day at a time!