Long Island, Bahamas
March 17, Happy St. Patricks Day! Hope your day is magically delicious!
We unstuck our anchor at Camp George Town on Wednesday, March 4th for our cruise to Long Island. Long Island is Southeast of George Town, and is our southernmost destination this year. It was a 35 nautical mile cruise and a beautiful day. I’m always so happy when we are cruising. We passed many deserted beaches and it was a beautiful cruise. With about an hour to go we realized we were having alternator charging issues which eventually led to the starboard motor dying. Somehow, we lost that fuel pump. We were able to finish our cruise on the port motor, anchored in the NE part of the anchorage and were boat number 12. By Thursday night there were 50 boats in the anchorage, getting ready to hide from the next blow.
We dropped the dinghy, and went less than a mile to the dinghy dock at Basil’s and walked up the hill to the Hillside Grocery Store. It was a really well stocked store, regular exorbitant Bahama prices. I was happy to find fresh snow peas and made delicious Pad Thai for dinner that night.
Some of the local fishing boats in the Salt Pond anchorage.
Eddie spent Thursday in the engine room, trying to figure out how to get the starboard motor running. I read, and watched Netflix! On Thursday Morning Dew arrived with Pam and Steve and wonder pup Gerri. So fun to have new friends!
So happens we were in Long Island for the Annual Mutton Festival! All things Mutton, seafood, loud music and a few drunks! We went there late day on Friday with the crew from Morning Dew. Lots of laughs!
So, umm, what exactly is mutton. We were told it could be lamb or goat but that what Eddie ordered was lamb. I stuck with lobster salad!
On Friday we went exploring in the dinghy, out around Indian Hole Point to a beautiful deserted beach. I went beach combing while my Captain chose getting naked. Some things never change!
On Sunday we relaxed and then dinghyed to shore to Tiny’s Hurricane Hole for a late lunch. Delicious food, good company although the guys thought the portions were small. Tiny’s is a great set up, nice dinghy dock, hammocks, fire pit, games and swings. We played a couple of intense games of jenga!
Later in the week we rented a car for a couple of days. On Monday we traveled south with a few stops along the way. Of course my Cookie Monster couldn’t pass up the first place for bread and cookies! Cinnamon Raisin Bread and Cinnamon rolls and back in the car. Turned out they were reported to be dry but “nothing a little butter can’t fix.”
Continuing on our way we explored the windward side of the island. The roar of the sea and the HUGE waves were a site to behold.
Farther North we came to the Columbus Monument. Long Island is said to be the third island discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus described Long Island as the most beautiful island in The Bahamas. This monument was erected by Long Islanders on top of the white cliffs, sinking down into the various shades of blue water. It was gorgeous.
Funny that they have built what someone referred to as a 6 lane runway to get to the monument. Either they got a lot of grant money and had to use it up or maybe they are expecting a lot of traffic and visitors. Either way it was a gorgeous site.
We toured the cave with flashlights. One thing that surprised me is that it was warm in the cave. The other caverns we have been in Luray and in Arizona, it was cold.
We unstuck our anchor at Camp George Town on Wednesday, March 4th for our cruise to Long Island. Long Island is Southeast of George Town, and is our southernmost destination this year. It was a 35 nautical mile cruise and a beautiful day. I’m always so happy when we are cruising. We passed many deserted beaches and it was a beautiful cruise. With about an hour to go we realized we were having alternator charging issues which eventually led to the starboard motor dying. Somehow, we lost that fuel pump. We were able to finish our cruise on the port motor, anchored in the NE part of the anchorage and were boat number 12. By Thursday night there were 50 boats in the anchorage, getting ready to hide from the next blow.
We dropped the dinghy, and went less than a mile to the dinghy dock at Basil’s and walked up the hill to the Hillside Grocery Store. It was a really well stocked store, regular exorbitant Bahama prices. I was happy to find fresh snow peas and made delicious Pad Thai for dinner that night.
Eddie spent Thursday in the engine room, trying to figure out how to get the starboard motor running. I read, and watched Netflix! On Thursday Morning Dew arrived with Pam and Steve and wonder pup Gerri. So fun to have new friends!
So happens we were in Long Island for the Annual Mutton Festival! All things Mutton, seafood, loud music and a few drunks! We went there late day on Friday with the crew from Morning Dew. Lots of laughs!
So, umm, what exactly is mutton. We were told it could be lamb or goat but that what Eddie ordered was lamb. I stuck with lobster salad!
The crew of Morning Dew, Admiral Pam & Captain Steve
The booths at the cultural center were decorated. I watched a guy put this together in about 3 minutes. So simple, so pretty, so Bahamian!
On Sunday we relaxed and then dinghyed to shore to Tiny’s Hurricane Hole for a late lunch. Delicious food, good company although the guys thought the portions were small. Tiny’s is a great set up, nice dinghy dock, hammocks, fire pit, games and swings. We played a couple of intense games of jenga!
Continuing on our way we explored the windward side of the island. The roar of the sea and the HUGE waves were a site to behold.
Next stop heading south was the Stella Maris Resort. We parked the car and ambled around. While there were signs saying for residents and guests only no one stopped us. It is on a beautiful beach, but in general the resort felt kind of tired to me. The grounds were well maintained with gorgeous flowers and large plants!
Check out this size of this aloe plant. It was taller than Eddie!
Continuing down the coast we were headed to Cape Santa Maria. It’s the northern most point on the island. Our next stop was the gorgeous Cape Santa Maria Resort. Again we ambled around. This resort, built by a guy from Edmonton, Alberta in 1990, was pristine on a gorgeous beach!
Farther North we came to the Columbus Monument. Long Island is said to be the third island discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus described Long Island as the most beautiful island in The Bahamas. This monument was erected by Long Islanders on top of the white cliffs, sinking down into the various shades of blue water. It was gorgeous.
Funny that they have built what someone referred to as a 6 lane runway to get to the monument. Either they got a lot of grant money and had to use it up or maybe they are expecting a lot of traffic and visitors. Either way it was a gorgeous site.
On the way up
View from about 1/3 of the way up, the well protected tidal pools. Gorgeous shades of blue.
View of the Exuma Sound from the top
The Columbus Monument. The inscription reads: This monument is dedicated to the gentle, peaceful and happy Aboriginal people of the Island. The Lucayans and to the arrival of Christopher Columbus on 17th October 1492.
We finished Day 1 of car rental with dinner at Chez Pierre. It was by far the best meal we have had since leaving the US in December and quite possibly since leaving Pasadena in October, topped off with cappuccino.
Car rental day 2 took us south. It was a mix of sun and rain showers. We took, our time, stopped for cafe, a visit a the island museum and then started our adventures with Leonard Cartwright at the Hamilton Caves. These caves are said to be the largest in the Bahamas and have been in Leonard’s family since the 1600’s. Leonard guided us the half mile down the road to the caves and then through the caves. In places the ceiling is about 10 feet high and I’d say the cave was at least 50’ wide. Leoanard had lots of stories and history of how the caves were used by the Lucayans and also as a hurricane shelter. There were stalactites and stalagmites and 3 kinds of bats - eeeuuu! Really, they didn’t bother us at all, I’m just not a fan.
Leonard’s family also farms, raising bananas. Mangos. Papayas and avocados. these banana trees were growing outside the cave entrance.
After the caves tour we drove onward to Deans Blue Hole. This Blue Hole is 663 feet deep and 115 feet wide. It had been raining so visibility wasn’t very clear. We could see a couple of fish around the edges of the blue hole. Lots of people jumped off the cliffs to get in. We opted for walking in. Glad we did it but not much to report.
We had dinner at the Flying Fish Marina - yummy mahi for me! 
One gorgeous sunset followed by a gorgeous morning, day after day. We are so fortunate!
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