2/24/09 - Shroud Cay and question for Alex

We intended to explore today and spend another night at Norman's Cay, but high winds and considerable waves made it too rolly where we were anchored. I had no desire to go anywhere in the dinghy in that kind of water, so with that in mind, we vowed to return to Norman's on our way north and headed down to moor at Shroud Cay, just an hour away. Cruising the Exumas is a treat because the cays are so close together - only an hour or two apart - so we don't waste time getting from one place to another. Not that sailing is a waste of time, mind you.

Shroud Cay is also our first stop in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The park, which encompasses 176 square miles, is about 22 miles long and eight miles wide and is the largest protected fish-breeding ground in the Caribbean. The park has strict rules that are enforced: you cannot fish, take shells, hunt, pick vegetation, pollute the waters, or leave behind any trash. Penalties for poaching are severe. "Take only pictures and memories, leave only bubbles and footprints." The diving and snorkeling are spectacular, and at Warderick Wells (the park headquarters) they have marked walking trails and an abundance of wildlife. We expect to spend quite a bit of time in the park.

Alex, do you know what the difference is between an island, a cay, and a key? Well, a cay and a key (both pronounced "key") are the same thing. "Cay" is from the Spanish word "cayo" and "key" is English (Do you remember when we went to Cayo Costa in Florida and found all those starfish?). They are small, low-lying islands, made mostly of sand, limestone, and coral, and usually surrounded by coral. Those in the Bahamas are so small that the people here often call the larger islands, such as Great Abaco, "the mainland." Interesting, huh?

This morning before leaving Norman's Cay we were able to hail Debbie and Craig on Charmed, an IP440. They and John and Jodi, on Jay Sea Dee (an IP 485) were in Warderick Wells and headed in our direction. We hope to meet up with them tomorrow or Thursday. We met Debbie briefly at the Annapolis Boat Show in 2007, but that's it. Wayne knows them through the Island Packet email list and Debbie and I have communicated a bit through WMwaves.com since discovering we were both cruising to the Exumas this winter. The camaraderie of the Island Packet community is remarkable.

I'll close my ramblings with an early "Happy Birthday" greeting to my brother-in-law, Scott. Hope you guys had a great time in Mexico.