Highbourne Cay

On Saturday we sailed from Allens Cay to Highbourne Cay less then 2 miles away, but we had to sail west 2 miles and then south 2 miles and then east 2 miles to get around the coral heads. Allens Cay was a nice anchorage but it was time to take cover from the cold front coming through on the weekend. We arrive Saturday around noon then started to explore. This is a private island and it looks like every thing is kept in top condition. So we rented a golf cart to drive around this big 2 mile long island with Tom and Louise from sailing vessel Blue Lady

 

We found some great beaches 

 

They had these gazebo's all over the island with lounge chairs paddle boards and floating toys.

 

Laurie tries to tell this guy there are no busses on Highbourne Cay

 

I counted 16 bull sharks waiting by the fish cleaning station. Not many people in the water around this beach!

 

Tuesday morning we are hoping the waves settle down a bit so we can leave. Our next stop will be Wardwick Wells Cay. This is a national park so there will be some things to see.

 

And now as promised once again it's time for:

So Here's Interesting Tidbits SHIT for short by Laurie.

 

The Life Of A Conch

 

Conch fishing boats are everywhere in the Exuma's. We would watch the fisherman leave at dawn and return at dusk. They would clean the conk on their boats and put it  in freezers and then sell them at shore. Conch shells are a essential livelihood to the islanders. The shells as we know have been decorative items for centuries. Conch are found in sea grass beds and sandy, muddy areas. Baby conch are so tiny that you need a magnifying glass to see them. Ten can fit in a drop of water. The baby conch will drift off to sea for three weeks feeding on plants. It then sinks to the bottom of the sea processing and growing. It develops a large snout with a mouth at the end and a foot and a claw. It will never swim again. It then buries itself in the sand for one year feeding on plants and grows larger. A conch grows it own shell which is made larger as it body grows. It takes three years to reach maturity. Conch can live 20 years. Conch salad is their main dish in the Bahamas.

 

Here is the recipe....

 

3 fresh conch

6 tomatoes

2 onions

2 green peppers

1 cucumber

juice of 6 limes

 

Dice the conch, tomatoes and onions into quarter inch pieces. skin the cucumber and dice. add and pour the juice of the limes over salad.

 

 

The Tongue Of The Ocean

 

 

We sailed from Chub Cay to New Providence Island and this was a very unique piece of deep Ocean water. This separates the Andros shallow Exuma Bank which is around 70 feet of water and then drops to 6000 feet. The water color change is extraordinary. It changes from a green to ultramarine blue and then to a ink blue. This water color change gives it the shape of a tongue. This multihued reef drops to sheer walls that drop into darkness.