St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day   ...   Sunday 17^th March, 2013

Banana pancakes were on the breakfast menu, mostly because we are out of bread!  While eating our breakfast we were treated to the sight of the float-plane taking off from Children’s Bay Cay. After breakfast we tried to land on the beach near the southern tip of Lee Stocking Island.  Sadly, the beach that we had seen yesterday from the boat was now underwater,  even though high tide was still some two hours away, so we ended up anchoring just off the rocks, wading ashore and getting fairly wet.  Our shorts may have been dampened but our spirits weren’t.  We set off to explore the island.  The rock was incredibly sharp and spiky.  After crossing an extensive area of what we assumed to have been coral (some time ago), we finally came to easier ground.  A large cliff of eroded limestone gave views out to Exuma Sound.  Many boats were spotted heading northward.  One was even flying a spinnaker.  This is not the typical sail plan for cruisers… After crossing a remote beach that was littered with pieces of plastic we found an unpaved road and walked along for a while.  The dense vegetation and lack of views soon persuaded us to turn back.  The dinghy was now in even deeper water.   Wading was again required to regain the ‘dumb dog’. Skillful piloting by Mike allowed us to return to Cotinga without getting any more wet. 

In the afternoon Mike and Rod tackled the saltwater foot pump.  This had ceased working a few days earlier.  After much disconnection of hoses and blowing through tubing, they discovered that some “marine debris” had been sucked into the pump.  Some of this material had lodged in the pump itself and some was clogging the tap.  The pump and tap were cleared out and the foot pump is working beautifully once again.  Late in the afternoon, Sue remembered that it was St. Patrick’s Day.  We were all forced to have a drink in celebration.

We are planning an early departure in the morning, heading to Emerald Bay marina.     

Gloria

The limestone cliffs on the southern end of Lee Stocking Island (n.b. not Stocking Island)

Exuma Sound from the top of the cliffs - the green water = reefs, the blue water = the drop off to deeper  water. We were stunned on the way in to Rat Cay cut to be able to see lighter and darker patches of ocean floor in depths of 60 feet! (Photo shot with polarizing filter)

Palm - Abstract 1

Palm Abstract - 2

Encroaching leaf mold - Abstract