The next day, we listened in to The rage continued the next
the local cruiser’s VHF radio net, day, so we opted to visit Treasure
where boaters trade information Cay, a resort marina on Great Abaco.
on weather and sea conditions En route, I let the autopilot steer
around the Abacos, as well as tips while we enjoyed quesadillas and
on marina deals, restaurant specials icy beers. Finding the entry was
and even local flea markets. We’d a bit tricky because it’s invisible
planned to head for Green Turtle until you’re close but, once inside,
Cay, but our plans were changed by we picked up a transient dock
a local condition called “rage sea”. right in front of the swimming
The wind and swells sometimes pool. Shorepower and water were
create breaking seas in the passages inexpensive, so I hosed down the
between the Sea of Abaco and the boat to get rid of salt and sand,
Atlantic, making them impassable. and we tucked in for the evening
In our case, the remains of a storm with the air conditioning keeping us
far to the north had created huge pleasantly cool. The next morning,
surf in Whale Cay Passage and we we explored the Treasure Cay area,
would have to wait for another day which lays claim to one of the best
to reach Green Turtle. In the Abacos, beaches in the world. That night,
that’s “no problem, mon”. we dined ashore at the Tipsy Bar
Instead, we walked into “town”, (aptly named if you sample their
which is mostly a collection of Goombay Smashes) and enjoyed
cheerfully painted houses plus a lobster with Caesar salads.
good grocery that provided a few The next day, we headed for
items we’d forgotten. A local conch Elbow Cay and the harbour of
vendor had a table arrayed with his Hopetown. Even with charts and
wares, but we were delighted with our own finds and
The disctinctive
GPS, the entrance is twisty and we got down to 5ft of
knew we’d discover more.
red-and-white
water before we slid into the pretty harbour marked
We used the afternoon to venture up to Baker’s
striped lighthouse
by the candy-cane red-and-white striped lighthouse.
of Hope Town.
Bay at the end of Great Guana, where we could clearly opting for shorepower dockside rather than the
see massive breakers rolling through the passage generator at anchor, we chose the Hope Town Marina,
in the distance. We anchored in water so clear we where the friendly dockmaster warped us into a
worried that our anchor would knock a starfish that we slip with a view of the lighthouse. We shared hors
could easily see on the bottom, and again we explored d’oeuvres with a couple honeymooning on a Sea Ray
the beach, discovering several additional conchs. at the next pier and, later, the steady sweep of the
US
We had heard about nearby Treasure Island, a 138-year-old kerosene light (seen on everything from RA
S
k
huge facility that once provided cruise ship passengers postage stamps to Bahamas currency) hypnotised us
MA
with a Disney-like atmosphere in a tropical setting of into a deep sleep.
B
O
;
THO
restaurants, beaches, water activities and bars until it We explored Hopetown by dinghy and foot the
el
was suddenly abandoned a decade ago. We tied up to next day, marvelling at the brilliantly painted houses HAMM
the rundown pier and walked up the weedy path into that somehow managed to survive Hurricane Floyd’s
e
T
n
IRS
the facility that is overgrown and eerie. Feeling like 229-mph winds and then topped off our provisions
: k
we’d discovered Jungleland after a nuclear holocaust, (and rum) before heading for Man o’War Cay nearby.
C
O
M
T
O
.
we explored the vine-covered amphitheatre and over incredibly blue-green water, we cruised k
PHO
restaurants with palms growing through their floors through Man o’War’s harbour but decided not to pay i
S
T
OC
until multi-engined mosquitos drove us back to the to tie up temporarily to explore ashore, knowing that
S
: ©
ge
beach. we would also be saving money we would have IMA
28 YACHTWORLD.COM MARCH 2009
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