Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas

February 10, 2007

Air temperature: 75ºF/24ºC
Water temperature: 70ºF/21ºC




The beach at Treasure Cay. Matt Doyle: are you excited yet?!

We left Green Turtle Cay on Wednesday morning under sail, ghosting out of the harbor in very light winds. The trip to Manjack Cay is a mere 4 miles so we were in no big hurry. We had taken down our small jib and put up our big genoa to give us a little more “speed” (read: 2 knots). It was a beautiful day, but eventually we relented and turned Boris on so that we could get there before the sun got too low to go snorkeling.

Several cruising boats from Green Turtle Cay had decided to go to Manjack for the night and have a bonfire & potluck dinner. We were the last boat to arrive (being the greatest optimists when it comes to sailing) so to get the party started we cued up some Daddy Yankee, Shakira and Mala Fe on the stereo and blasted it at full volume as we came into the anchorage.

We had a fun night at Manjack with good food and live music provided by the crew of Whisper, and a few other volunteers. (We have accumulated quite an assortment of musical instruments on Whisper: a guitar, harmonica, maracas, washboard, spoons and lots of pots and pans).

On Thursday morning, after enjoying some rum-raisin pancakes, courtesy of Anne & Neville on “Peace” for breakfast, we hoisted our sails, pulled up our anchor, and sailed out of the anchorage to great fanfare from the other boats. It was another day of light and variable winds, but again, since we only had ten miles to go we decided to sail the whole way even though our average speed was only about 2.5 knots. Our destination was Treasure Cay, (not really a cay at all but part of the much larger Great Abaco Island) where they are said to have one of the top ten beaches in the world, as rated by National Geographic. With this distinction, what could we do but spend a day at the beach, reading books and enjoying the view?

We’re now readying to weigh anchor yet again, and sail over to Great Guana Cay, where we’ll meet up with the crew from Green Turtle Cay for Nippers famous pig roast on Sunday.



Our route through the Abacos so far.


Hans trolling for fish.


Hans cutting up some coconut for breakfast. He still has all his fingers.


Kristen posing for the camera.