Log: 3640

Wednesday, February 5, 2008

Location: Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Distance Traveled Today: 46 Nautical Miles

Total Trip Distance: 1001 Nautical Miles

I can tell you one thing: cruising downwind on this particular boat is far better than slamming straight into head seas. On the way down here, Early Uncle Randy and I took 4 1/2 hours to cover the 17 miles from Lee Stocking Island to Emerald Bay. This morning, in almost the exact same prevailing wind and seas, Laura and I left Emerald Bay and blasted by Lee Stocking in under two hours, enjoying a pleasant ride and making eight knots.

We enjoyed a great evening last night at Emerald Bay. I grilled chicken and Laura made salad and pasta, along with chocolate chip cookies for desert. We sat around watching election returns until I concluded it would be a long night and turned in at 9:45.

Emerald Bay is a beautiful marina connected with the nearby Four Seasons Resort. It has a surge problem in the basin all the time, particularly wicked when the wind comes from the northeast. Fortunately, I have not been there to experience that. For cruisers in the area addicted to the internet, cable TV, nice showers, good restaurants and a decent grocery store, it has become a haven and many boats drop in and out frequently while cruising the area. We found it especially helpful as a place to meet visitors. It is far easier to meet them there than to dingy in to Georgetown from the anchorage there.

After a six-hour cruise today, we are at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, one of my favorite hangouts on previous visits. It was here that Eddie Robinson played guitar and sang for the crowd, and here that Johnny Boy met up with Combover and Baldie, and their girlfriends. (See the old Suladan trip logs). The place has been redone and now has a swimming pool, redone guest cottages, beautiful landscaping, and new docks. It is beautiful, but retains the famous ambience in it’s bar and restaurant. To have dinner here, you have to order what you want by 5:00 pm and show up at 7:00 for dinner. I had a rum punch while I pondered the menu and we are set up for lobster tails at 7:00.

Tomorrow, we plan to snorkle at Thunderball Cave and move only a few miles north to Compass Cay, a place I’ve heard about that’s famous for shark feedings at sunset. We’ll keep you posted.