Adventures of the Sailing Catamaran Kuhela: Warderick and Beyond

The sail to Emerald Rock at Warderick Wells was very pleasant: winds and seas cooperated sending us along at over 7.5 knots. Unfortunately, no luck fishing, though there is a no fishing zone all around Warderick as it is a marine park.

Warderick Wells looking N. from the park headquarters

Poor weather sent us south to Big Majors Spot (24° 11.2N, 76° 22.5W) which is just a short dingy ride to Thunderball Grotto (24° 10.8N, 76° 26.84W) where 007, James Bond, jumped through the roof into the water below. The grotto is about 40 yds. in diameter and 10 yrds. tall. Full of little, colorful fish 'cause people bring food for them. Big Majors is the anchorage for Staniel Cay and is also famous for the herd of pigs that run down into the water to greet the cruisers who come by to stare.

Linda and Harry, the guy with a beard, at Staniel Cay (L background) and Thunderball (R background)

From here we set sail for a short jaunt to Black Point settlement (24° 6.15N, 76° 24.1W) 12 nm further south. Weather kept us there for four days. In fact on the third morning (4 a.m.) Linda got up to find the wind had swung around and into 0.8 m of water (we hit at 0.7m) with the beach 30 yds. off. Wow! Pulled up the anchor in 3 ft. seas and a head wind of 20 knots and moved out to deeper water. Mighty cold and wet. More than enough excitement for one morning.

Black Point settlement

Kuhela at Black Point just off the beach/flats

After four days there due to the passage of another front we headed south to Galliot Cut (23° 55.6N, 76° 16.6W) and transited out into the Exuma Sound bound for Lee Stocking Island and the Caribbean Marine Research Center (23° 46.274N, 16° 6.315W) for the night. We had picked up a left laundry bag for another boater which we were able to deliver high and dry.

Next day at 6 a.m. sharp we hoisted our anchor and headed for Hog Cay (23° 25.1N, 75° 29.5W) at the southern approach to Georgetown. We missed G'town intentionally as we were close on the heels of Jose and Bill Andersen of Caper who were already at Long Island where we set down our anchor at 5 p.m. after 11 hours of NE winds at 20 knots and seas up to 4 feet. Sure enough they were there at Thompson Bay (23° 20.451N, 75° 7.504W)