Little Harbor to Great Harbor Cay

After our “grounding” experience and a rather rough night at anchor, we were looking for a calm and relaxing day in one of those perfect Bahamas anchorages that we so often dreamed about.

We studied the charts and decided on a 5 mile move to Devil’s Cay which promised beautiful beaches and great snorkeling. When we got there, the water was beautiful and the beaches were so inviting, but the wind was howling and the anchorage was a bit rough, so after a late breakfast, we decided to continue on another 15 miles to Great Harbor Cay Marina, where we could get a little pampering!

Along the way, we passed right by Little Stirrup Cay which is the island owned by the cruise ship companies. Sorry, no ships were in and we were just far enough offshore that we couldn’t get any pictures….

Getting in to the marina requires some trust in your navigational skills (and your chart plotter). The entrance was cut into a rock hillside that juts out in to the ocean at a sharp angle so that you can’t see the entrance until you’re literally right on it and you have to make a last minute left turn.

This is an older marina and is in need of repair, but it was a nice respite from the strong winds and weather. We were a bit disappointed that the pool and pool bar were closed for repairs, but such is life!

Walking along the dock, we noticed a group of locals gathered around a water spigot and hose. As we approached, we realized they were playing with a Manatee – feeding him fresh water. This was a baby (probably 500-600 pounds) and he/she was sucking on the end of the hose like a baby.

Later that evening, I struck up a conversation with the guy that owned the boat next to us and it turns out that he owns a company that makes sonar equipment. I told him that I had been considering buying a handheld depth finder/sonar unit before I left Florida, but that I “cheaped out” at the last minute (I could have used that thing the night before…). He excused himself and came back with a demo unit that he’d been testing and gave it to me with a promise that I’d report back with my thoughts on the product. How cool is that?

Coming in to this marina for a night of rest was well worth the effort.