Crossing Little Bahama Bank to Treasure Cay

Ahoy Mates!

We left the Old Bahama Bay Yacht Club at West End of Grand Bahama with mixed emotions. The refuge of the resort was very pleasant after the Gulf Stream crossing, but the marina itself is like a bee hive. There is non-stop activity with boats and yachts of all sizes and descriptions vying for dock space at the Customs House, fuel dock or slip assignment.

With a toot from my air horn, we parted a number of boats stooging around and headed for the entrance jetty. Just like that, we were off and running north to Memory Rock so that we could enjoy a downwind spinnaker run in an unusual westerly breeze.

Crossing the 75 miles or so of the Little Bahama Bank on a sailboat usually requires a couple of stops at conveniently located uninhabited cays in the middle of nowhere.

After the wind died we motor sailed to Mangrove Cay for the night and then met the same wind conditions the next day and motor sailed to Great Sale Cay.

The anchorages at both locations were still and peaceful. Perhaps too still and peaceful. It’s tough to keep cool when the wind drops below 2 knots! We are equipped with two air conditioning units which function well with shore power, but won’t run with our batteries and solar array. We never needed a generator…until these past two days! I was running five fans, scantily clothed, but I was ungodly hot!!

We were anxious to get underway and get cool and the wind did pick up a bit; unfortunately, it was on our nose. It was more pleasant , but we still had to motor sail. We were dodging squalls all day, after all June is rainy season. Good news….SABA got a thorough wash down and all salt was removed.

After travelling an unimpressive distance of 110 nautical miles in three days, we sailed into Manjack Cay (Nunjack) just north of Green Turtle Cay where we had a slip reservation the next day. We nestled in the southernmost anchorage between Rat Cay and Crab Cay…two things you don’t want to be infested with!  The wind was now 10-12 knots from the southeast and much more comfortable.

The next morning we navigated just a few miles south to the narrow entrance of White Sound on Green Turtle Cay. Passing through the narrow and shallow entrance with just 1 foot of water below our 5 foot keel we arrived at the Green Turtle Club and Marina. The Club was full and we had to wait for an hour or so before our slip was vacated. After tying up, turning on the A/C was an undescribable pleasure!! Maybe, we’ll retrofit that 4kw generator after all.

It was off to the restaurant for some cracked conch and then to the pool.

We spent our time here relaxing and, of course, a golf cart rental to check out “the town” (Plymouth) was a must. Green Turtle Cay has a population of about 450 souls, so don’t look for a casino or a disco, but there are charming shops, a bakery, restaurants and a couple of small groceries.After getting our share of rain on our golf cart outing we sampled another restaurant and were convinced that Green Turtle Club was the place to be. The staff was friendly and efficient and the food excellent. I just started a “Conch Burger Tour” and the contenders will have a tough time measuring up to the one at Turtle Cay.

Our next destination required leaving the friendly confines of the Sea of Abaco via the Whale Cay Channel which can be treacherous…not today. We checked the weather conditions and they were spot on: 8-10 knots of wind and 2 foot seas. We encountered a bit of rain, but the short trip around Whale Cay in the Atlantic was uneventful.

Soon we were back in the Sea of Abaco and in the Hub of the Abacos. Our destination: Treasure Cay. We hailed the Treaure Cay Marina on the VHF, got our slip assignment, tied up, plugged in and got settled.  Now it’s off to the beach….Robin’s favorite. With it’s white, powdery sand and magnificent water color and peaceful wave action, it’s hard to beat.

We’re enjoying Treasure Cay and all it has to offer. There is a pool with it’s bar and restaurant “The Tipsy Seagull”, as well as, a coffee shop, a grocery and a laundry with drop off service….thank you very much! In addition, the Spinnaker Restaurant on the property boasts one of the only air-conditioned restaurants in all of North Abaco….of course, I made a reservation!!

Come along with us as we sail for Marsh Harbor, the largest town in Abaco. With its population of 6,000 it is the third largest town in the Bahamas, exceeded only by Nassau and Freeport. We’ll be staying at a marina in the center of it all and using it as a springboard for side trips.

Have a great week sailors and lubbers alike!

Wish us fair winds,

Captain Bobby