Eleuthera

This morning at first light we (Ellen) raised anchor and bid farewell to the Exumas. Although the weather report was for light winds of no more than 14 knots, we set sail with a double-reefed main just in case. As it happens, that was all the mainsail we needed because the wind was in the high teens.

Today was one of our longest daylight sails of the trip, certainly the longest of the year so far. And over the 48 mile course we averaged better than 6 knots on a perfect beam reach. It was a glorious ride and Cupcake made us very proud. 

Our course took us over some shallow spots littered with coral heads. Fortunately, the average water depth was great enough (around 20’) that even the massive coral heads did not come closer to the surface than 10’ or so. Nevertheless, Ellen and Moss spent the better part of an hour on the bow spotting the heads so I could steer around them. Even though we never saw water too shallow for our draft, discretion had us zigging and zagging around the coral just to be on the safe side.

Each of those little + marks is at least one gigantic coral head waiting to tear poor Cupcake to bits. We had more than 6 miles of this excitement today.

Now we are securely anchored in a very well-protected cove at Royal Island at the northern end of Eleuthera. The water is nothing like what we have been used to the past months…visibility is probably no more than 25’. Moss wouldn’t even jump in when Ellen and I took a dip this afternoon.

Just after we set the anchor we were treated to the sight of a southern stingray jumping out of the water near the boat. It’s quite a spectacle.

Tomorrow we are making the 58 mile jump across the deep water (10,000’ deep in spots) to the Abacos. Initially we planned on checking out the town of Spanish Wells near here, but given the wind forecast, we decided to mix our metaphors, make hay while the sun is shining, and get while the getting is good.

Sunset over Allens Cay in the northern Exumas.