Rum Cay, Flamigo Bay anchorage – Not for the ‘faint at heart’

Another early morning start, we sailed from Long Island to Rum Cay.

The sail was extremely pleasant as we had the most 'settled' sea state yet on passage in the Atlantic Ocean. — The sail was extremely pleasant as we had the most ‘settled’ sea state yet on passage in the Atlantic Ocean.

Even the usual Northerly Swell seemed to be 'on holiday' today — Even the usual Northerly Swell seemed to be ‘on holiday’ today

It is very rare to get good winds and pleasant seas together!

We decided, with the South Western winds, we would anchor on Run Cays North Coast, rather than the populated South Coast. Our Cruising Guide (Seaworthy Publications) suggested the North Coast anchorage was a ‘wonderful’ alternative to the rolly anchorage off the settlement in the South.

Beach lined west coast of Run Cay,. Rum Cay is ‘supposedly’ Christopher Columbus’s second landfall after crossing the Atlantic to the Caribbean. San Salvador, to the North East, is said to be his first landfall.

The cruising guide did tell us we would have to ‘thread ourselves’ through ‘a few’ coral heads at Flamingo Bay to anchor is clear sand off the beach. but what we found when we got there was a little more than ‘a few’ coral heads.

Instead we found ourselves entering a maze of large coral heads, only inches from the surface, terrified we would get caught in a ‘blind alley’ with little room to turn round in.

The Cruising Guide and Charts recommendations for a route that only seemed to led us deeper into the ‘tightening’ maze as we twisted and turned round the coral heads looking for the ‘promised’ clearing of sand to anchor in.

In the end we found a small pocket of sand, completely surrounded by coral heads, but just enough swinging room in the SE winds.

We hoped the wind forecast was correct, because we had little room for error. Getting back out of here was not going to be fun!

But we might as well enjoy the place now we are here safely.

With a maze of coral heads to avoid, it is not surprising that we had the anchorage and beach to ourselves

And it is a beautiful huge swimming beach with calm protected waters. Just the type I love!

The beach is backed by a sand stone ridge

This ridge is eroded into interesting shapes by the wind and sea

An incredible number of ‘song birds’ seemed to be nesting in the trees lining the ridge. We could not remember the last time we heard so many birds.

Spirit of Argo anchored out alone off the beach

We could not stay long at Rum Cay. The weather forecast promised one more day of South Easterly winds followed by a few days light North Easterly winds and rain. We wanted to make it to Conception Island before we were stuck again.

The promised rain was already coming.

Just to prove it is not always sunny in the Caribbean

Luckily the squalls are 'short and sweet' followed usually by sun and rainbows — Luckily the squalls are ‘short and sweet’ followed usually by sun and rainbows

We had a shorter passage to Conception Island the next day, so the humans went for a little snorkel in the morning on the coral heads around the boat. It would have been nice to have the time to have visited the outer reef.

The humans did not have enough time to see much on their snorkel, but they did see enough to make them VERY VERY NERVOUS about getting the boat out safely.

How did they do?

Check out the next episode of ‘It’s a dogs life’.

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