Compass Cay to Big Majors Spot

Compass Cay is an example for the Bahamas, there only live 5 people, even had an airstrip, but that could only be used at low tide!!!!!! The island has at least six wonderful beaches where you are completely by yourself. We anchored outside (the prices for the harbor were a little bit steep, $2.20 a foot and nothing else to offer) and went with the dinghy to the harbor. There we were very surprised to see at least 10 nurse sharks, wow!!!









The owner Tucker Rolle has fed them for many years and now they stay at the marina dock all the time.

When we left the anchorage at Compass Cay I had to stand at the bow of the boat, my right arm loosely around the forestay, to spot probable trouble spots, like coral heads, sandbanks etc. I give the impression like I know what I am doing and I look really cool (that’s to reverse the manatee feelings from yesterday). I am not 100 percent sure if I would have spotted something imported, because the water here has so many colors and light (sand) and dark (could be just grass or a coral head!!) shadows. In the books we have read about sailing in the Bahamas they talk about learning to read the water, I am afraid I am still at chapter one!

It was a short hop to Staniel Cay, the books were telling about the Thunder ball Marina, where there would be mooring balls. After calling several times on the radio, somebody felt sorry for me and told that the Marina was not open anymore. Then we tried to call the Staniel Yacht club, but after several trials to get somebody on the radio we gave up and anchored west of Big Major Spot. This was the first time we were in an anchorage with at least twenty other boats. The island is not inhabited except for pigs, as soon as they hear the sound of a motor they come running to the beach and even swimming towards you, just to get some food. Only when we went they were napping, so I have no pictures, but it was very funny to see.

This was the place I wanted to go for the Thunder ball Caves, must be something fantastic, the fishes come to eat from your hand, especially frozen pies. So we eat a dish with some pies in it and I had the rest frozen for the fishes. But the next day was very stormy and you can only get into the caves with low tide and calm waters, so we had to forgo the caves.

We for sure are coming back to the Bahamas and the caves will still be there.

Ria