Meeting Moby (in the Exuma Land and Sea Park)

April 29th is a very special day. 14 years ago on the 29th of April, Benjamin was born! He has now had 3 birthdays while we’ve been cruising: his 12th in the Dry Tortugas, 70 miles off the coast of Key West Florida; his 13th in the Whitsundays, Australia; and now his 14th in Grand Exuma, Bahamas.

Happy Birthday, Benjamin!

We woke up early on that Sunday, the 29th April, 2018, and quietly slipped out of the anchorage in George Town. We didn’t yet have a plan as to where we would end up that day, but we knew we had to make the most of the wind direction, even though it was light, in order to make headway north. We let our birthday boy sleep in, and slowly motor-sailed out into Exuma Sound. Our goal was to get as close as possible to where our friends on Moby were anchored, or if possible, to catch up to them once and for all!

It was a simple birthday…no big presents, actually no presents at all other than a packet of Jellytots (South African candy) that I had stashed away, and home-made cards. The only thing Ben had asked for was a “pudding cake” also known as “Yoav’s birthday cake”! When Yoav (on Shuti) had his 13th birthday in Chagos, we were all treated to a delicious “pudding cake”. It has now become a favorite of both our kids, and when it was Gaby’s birthday in Cape Town, Shuti made her a pudding cake too! (It’s literally just cookies and pudding in layers – very simple, very yummy!). So using the very detailed directions from Lilach (with drawings!), I managed to produce a pudding cake for Benjamin! Thanks to all on Shuti…your pudding cake will live on for many years!

Lilach's most excellent directions on how to make the pudding cake! (thanks, Lilach, and I hope you don't mind me sharing your recipe with the world!!); Ben thanks Gaby for her card, and Ben and Gaby are ready to tuck into the pudding cake!

We were making good progress up the chain of the Exumas, and decided to check the last email we had received from Moby the day before to check on their position. They were in South Warderick Wells. We checked the charts: If we took the cut above Warderick Wells, we would still have to back track a fair distance south (about 4 miles), to get past the shallows and into an anchorage. If we took a cut further south, we could be in the shelter of the islands, and then look for an anchorage anywhere between there and Warderick Wells, if we didn’t make it in time. Just as we were discussing this, we were coming up to a wide opening, and were watching a small cargo ship go through. We decided that this cut was as good as any, and decided to go in.

Gaby at the bow, watching for shallow patches as we enter the pass

We entered at Conch Cut, between Compass Cay on the south, and Cambridge Cay to the north.  This is the southern boundary of the Exuma Land and Sea Park, a national park.  Luckily sunset is around 7:30pm, giving us plenty of daylight to continue north. Our final decision had been to make it in one go, meet up with Moby, spend a few days with them, and then head south again, to explore all that we had missed. At about 6:00pm that evening, after a full 12 hours underway, we entered the anchorage behind Warderick Wells Cay, near Emerald Rock, where we had read that you could anchor. We could see Moby on a mooring buoy on the northern mooring field. Their dinghy was not on the boat. We watched for a while, and soon saw them returning. We thought they might see us, but we watched as they lifted their dinghy up and seemed to settle in for the night. Dave decided he should go over and let them know we were here. I was busy making pizza for Ben’s birthday dinner, so I didn’t go along, but Dave, Ben and Gaby dinghied over to Moby. Apparently they snuck up on them, and then shouted “surprise”!! And a surprise it was! They had not been expecting us, so were thrilled to see us! A plan was made to get together the following morning and work out the travels north from there.

The view from my kitchen window:  Sunset at Warderick Wells while I was making pizza!

The following day, the new convoy of Moby and Cool Runnings headed north to Hawksbill Cay. There are many shallow sand banks that are constantly shifting, so eyeball navigation is absolutely required here. The water is crystal clear, and the shades of turquoise amazing. There was only one other boat anchored off the long beach at Hawksbill Cay, so we managed to find a good spot in nice sand off the beach. 

A map of the Exuma Cays to provide some orientation; Ben at the bow watching the shallows on the way to Hawksbill Cay and Moby races past us!

It didn’t take long before everyone was in the water, the paddleboards were out, and the kids were soon on the beach. The parents followed, and while the kids played we got caught up on all our experiences over the last 4 months since we’d last seen them in Cape Town. 

Enjoying Hawksbill Cay

 The evening ended on board Moby, where Benedicte opened a bottle of champagne, and we toasted to friendship, to the accomplishment of a circumnavigation, to Loic’s 50th birthday (on the 28th), Ben’s 14th birthday (on the 29th), and good times ahead!  Lots to celebrate!

We stayed at Hawksbill Cay the following day, and Loic and Victor made the most of the wind, kiting and windsurfing, while the Hibberds, Benedicte and Anna went exploring. 

Loic enjoying some windsurfing

We found a small cave, and then a path that led us over the island, to the ocean side, where the fury of the wind could really be felt! We were glad we had taken the window and made the trip up north when we did, because the angry sea we were looking at, bore no resemblance to the calm ocean we had been in just a few days prior. But the beauty was still there, and we walked up and down the beach on the ocean side, Anna enjoying catching the foam, and watching it blow away! 

The cave as seen from the water; Gaby and Anna climb in the cave; crystal clear water; Dave securing the dinghy

Contrast of 2 sides of an island:  the sea on the ocean side with white caps and seaweed washed up on the beach, and the tranquility of the leeward, sheltered side, with calm seas and crystal clear, turquoise water as far as the eye can see!; On the walk we saw a landscape of trees that appeared magical, silver in color, probably the dust of the limestone rock on the island; Anna blows the sea foam; we discovered this seaweed on the beach in the shape of a heart; with Benedicte...friends forever!

That evening, the Helies family came over to Cool Runnings, but it was Benedicte who fed the 2 families! We were treated to a dinner of Bretton crepes…a specialty of Brittany, the region in France that Loic and Benedicte are from. Back in St. Pierre, Martinique, we had managed to find just 1kg of the flour that Benedicte needed to make the crepes and had delivered it to her on our reunion a few days earlier! 

Benedicte slaving over a hot stove; Gaby declares the crepes "magnifique"; Gaby and Victor enjoying the dinner; Dave and Loic discuss anchorages in the Exuma Cays; one of Benedicte's magnifique crepes!

The following morning saw us heading just a few miles north to Shroud Cay. We had been looking forward to exploring this Cay, as we had read about a river that runs through the mangroves, and comes out on the ocean side. Unfortunately, Mother Nature was not cooperating with us, and the day was heavy with dark clouds. We had hoped to do our little outing before the heavens opened up, but it didn’t work out that way, so in wind and rain we headed through the mangroves! We could only imagine how beautiful the colors would be in sunshine, but the expanse of the mangroves themselves was impressive nonetheless! On our return to the boat, we did a little more exploring, and later that afternoon, after everyone had snuggled up with a good book or movie, and there was a break in the rain, Loic, Benedicte, Dave and I went back to the beach and explored some more. 

Moby dinghies past us on the river...we see the ocean!;  A view of the maize of mangroves and creeks; Ben and Gaby shelter from the pouring rain...and then show themselves; Loic, Gudrun and Anna on Camp Driftwood on the ocean side at the end of our dinghy ride

Cool Runnings' Footprints in the sand:  Bahamas, May 2018

Exploring Shroud Cay:  Ours are the only footprints on the beach; a little beach amongst the jaggerd rocks, and the mangrove roots exposed at low tide  

Next on the agenda was Norman’s Cay, just a few miles further north. We were enjoying these little hops and stops! For many years, Norman’s Cay was under the control of drug lord Carlos Lehder, and boats did not stop here. Apparently armed guards patrolled the beaches, as planes flew drugs in and out of the country. A remnant of these days exists in the form of a sunken drug plane that crashed near the airstrip, and now rests on the sandy floor, in a few meters of water. It was quite a large plane, a DC3 according to my aviation expert Benjamin, and at low tide, part of the plane is exposed. We anchored near the plane, and set off to explore as a dark cloud ominously approached over the horizon. We were all in the water when the heavens opened up, and the raindrops were so large and heavy, that they stung like pellets! It was safer to be underwater, but even here, we could hear the pelting of the heavy rain!

Ben looks through a window, while Gaby snorkels above

The plane itself was cool to snorkel on. You could still clearly see the wings, the propellers, the cockpit, the windows and the tail. Some beautiful coral had made the plane its home, and the fish darted in and out of the wreckage. They are not shy, probably used to being fed by other visitors, and would come so close that you had to “shoo” them away! One of the fish gave Dave a little nip, probably in protest of not being fed! They curiously looked at the GoPro and at your mask, so that you literally would be eyeball to eyeball with the fishies!

One of the propellers; Gaby swims through the front of the plane; windows from the side; and the coral growth

After our excursion, we moved the big boats to a slightly more secure anchorage and then went about exploring the land. It is strange how each island has its own unique landscape. Where Hawksbill Cay had a beautiful beach with soft, white sand, Norman’s had almost no beach at all, just lots of rock, and Shroud Cay was full of mangroves, which were not prevalent on either Hawksbill or Norman’s. With Loic being a pilot, we went and had a look at the runway, with which he was very impressed. We noticed small planes landing and taking off at quite a rapid pace, often with very little time between landings and take-offs.

The runway at Norman's Cay and the view of the landscape

Later that afternoon, we took the dinghy around the island to look at a marina that is being built. It is most impressive, and no cost is being spared to build it. (We wondered if maybe some left over drug money was being used to finance it!! 😉). Although it was a Thursday afternoon, we did not see much activity, and the place seemed like a ghost town, although there did seem to be progress with the construction. 

Marina construction:  The pylons are in place, the limestone is just dug away to make a channel; the barge at the marina entrance

We dinghied past the sunken plane, and to the flats behind it, and marveled at the landscape produced by the water that had now completely receded at low tide.

Top:  The shallows at low tide, a weird landscape of small pools and sand mounds; Bottom: The sunken plane at low tide, and in better weather; Anna inspects the mangrove roots on the shallow flats

That evening, we decided on a potluck dinner. We had both checked the weather, and an opportunity had opened up the following day (Friday), and just for one day, that would allow us to sail back south to the start of the Exuma Cays. If we stayed with Moby any longer, it would be days before we had the direction we needed to get back south, and by which time they would have moved on to Eleuthera and possibly further to prepare for their Atlantic crossing, and we didn’t want to get too far north, as we would be coming back this way regardless. We agreed that this would be our last night together, and that we would leave early the next morning.

The kids tucking into the potluck dinner, and on Moby's trampoline, this is what it's all about!

A dinner of grilled chicken, potatoes, Spanish rice and carrot salad was conjured up and quickly devoured by 5 kids and 4 adults! We lingered over a bottle of Rosé, and then it was time to say goodbye. With promises to meet again somewhere, sometime, we hugged and said our farewells. Our friendship has been cemented in the unique experiences we have shared: 2 families, 3 Ocean crossings, 1 very special bond!  Au revoir, Moby. Merci pour les bons moments!