2/19/09 - Allan's Cay

Our passage here from Nassau was lovely - sailed all the way in calm water. We heard accounts from those who left the following day who were not so lucky, as they were going into the wind and got beat up.

This is our third night anchored at Allan's Cay (which includes the three cays of Allan's, SW Allan's, and Leaf) because it offers protection from just about any direction. Fronts come and go all the time down here, so wind direction is a major consideration. It's a pleasant anchorage and we have lots of company with about 20 other boats anchored here, including Dues Paid.

We had our first beach walk yesterday morning on the Atlantic side of Leaf Cay. I found my first ever sea biscuits - four of them (only three made it back in one piece) - while wading along the shore.

Leaf Cay and SW Allan's Cays are unique in that they are home to large populations of iguanas. Tour boats stop here a couple times a day and boaters who dinghy to shore are met by dozens of the creatures looking for handouts. We brought some slimy, well past its prime spinach, which the iguanas fought over and devoured in ecstasy.

Got spinach?

We had our first taste of snorkeling in the Bahamas yesterday as we and Leo took our dinghies over to Octopus's Garden, just north of Highborne Cay. There was an impressive variety of coral; we saw a ray and a trumpet fish, among other things I can never remember the names of.

Trumpet fish

Our last evening here we spent happy hour with Tom and Linda from Surprise, an IP40. We also bid farewell to Dues Paid, who is headed further south more quickly than we are.