Thanksgiving in the Exumas – Nov 2017
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Tales of Our Trip in the Beautiful Bahamas
With Ibis out of action due to Irma, we started the season with a loaded Bleu Turquoise!
Although the weather wasn’t always kind to us – no wind and the occasional heavy shower – the Bahamas wove its magic and it was a wonderfully fun trip with fantastic people, good food and loads of laughter :-)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text]
Sailing Summary
Distance: 187 Nautical Miles
Duration: 10 Days
Fish Caught: 0 (too shallow)[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Crew
Martijn’s partner
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Thanksgiving Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail below to open the larger photo – from here you can play a full screen slideshow, download the pictures you’d like, write comments and share them on social media![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”12″ gal_title=”Thanksgiving Bahamas 2017″]
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Trip Map
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17th November 2017
We started our Thanksgiving Holiday in the bustling Capital of Nassau. Bleu Turquoise was moored at Bay Street Marina, just under the bridges and little by little our group came together. The town centre was bustling with cruise ship visitors from the 4 docked nearby.
To finish our provisioning run we headed for the supermarket… all 6 of us, squeezing into a run down old cab for the ride home with our shopping!
18th November 2017
From Nassau we headed out for our first stop at Highbourne Cay, nearly 40 miles away and a long day on the water. We finally dropped the hook with the sun low in the sky and everyone jumped in for their first swim in the Caribbean this holiday.
The following morning we dinghied into the marina, explored the very expensive shop and took some pictures of this lovely little resort Cay with it’s amazing turquoise water.
19th November 2017
From Highbourne, we sailed South to our next stop at Warderick Wells, Headquarters of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. It was a fun evening at the anchor as everyone had ago with BT’s new toy collection, and Horny got another outing, although he was looking a bit deflated the next morning… perhaps due to all his new competition!
A crew shore party discovered the stunning scenery at Warderick Wells and we were lucky enough to have picture perfect weather. A chilled out evening on board completed a relaxing day.
20th November 2017
We hoisted the sails again the next morning for Big Major’s Spot, a nice protected anchorage close to Staniel Cay, and Pig Beach. It’s always fun to take some scraps for the piggies and the light in the early evening is simply wonderful.
21st November 2017
Leaving BT at anchor, it was a wet dinghy ride around the point to Staniel Cay, where we were able to explore the little island and lunch in their lovely dining room overlooking the sea.
From there, we took the dinghy, and snorkelling equipment over to Thunderball Grotto, famous for the ledge scene with Claudine Auger in the Bond film of the same name! It’s a beautiful place to snorkel, like being in a giant fishbowl teeming with life and enough of a current to sweep you around the outside, barely using your fins.
22nd November 2017
With a taste for snorkelling and Jane at the helm, we upped anchor for Rocky Dundas; another cave snorkelling spot inside the Land and Sea Park. Unfortunately the winds were blowing right into our anchorage and we aborted behind a sand bar at Compass Cay for Lunch.
And with Thanksgiving approaching and some sketch weather forecast, we upped sticks again for a pit stop in Warderick Wells.
23rd November 2017
It’s Thanksgiving in the US of A, so the turkey went in first thing; Martijn and Meridith made a run ashore for a bag of ice and we motored around to Hawksbill Cay, just 5 miles distant.
There was plenty of time to swim and explore the nearby beach, although the sky was overcast and showers threatened all the day. In a little twist on the traditional Thanksgiving, our American guests, Bob and Yvonne, brought forth small gifts for each of us non-Americans… Can you guess what Ross’s gift was?
Meridith was super impressed with the turkey ???? And by mid afternoon, the dining table was piled high with a Thanksgiving Feast!
A long leisurely lunch gave way to post lunch entertainment, and without a ready-made bag of Charades clues, everyone hastily scribbled their ideas on pieces of paper and it went on into the sunset… with drinks flowing, it was always going to get messy!
24th November 2017
A short hop to Shroud Cay and we dropped the anchor close to one of the excellent snorkelling reefs. Martijn took the helm…. Of the dinghy and headed a creek exploration party through the island’s mangroves to the Atlantic coast on the other side, encountering turtles along the way.
25th November 2017
We headed north to Highbourne Cay once more, anticipating a night out in their restaurant, Xuma. As we made our approach, the heavens opened and it was a soggy crew that eventually docked in the marina just as the sun set! Shore showers and nice clothes made up for it and we had a lovely meal in a stunning location.
26th November 2017
A beautiful morning once again, but windless and we topped up the tanks with fuel before setting out for Nassau.
The sea was like glass, so why not drop the hook on the Bahamas Bank for a swim and lunch stop in the middle of no-where?!
We finished the day in another beautiful anchorage at Rose Island, watching the sunset reflect off the hotel towers on Paradise Island, a couple of miles away.
27th November 2017
One final bit of paradise, this time man made, as we lived it up in the water park and casino at Atlantis. Another sunset on the last night of an amazing trip with wonderful people.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]
What Our Guests Said…
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Robert WernertTexas, United StatesGreat trip, great sailing, great food, marvelous company. We will be back 🙂
Yvonne BracamontesTexas, United StatesWe had a great adventure and on the Yvonne + Robert rating scale we give the top rating of excellent. Had such a wonderful vacation.
Jane TelfordUnited KingdomExcellent time - 4th time with Sam and always wonderful
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