Cat Island, New Bight – Can we get any shallower?

Weather forecast predicted one day of good winds for a long passage, so the humans jumped at the chance to move us further North to Cat Island.

The speed obviously improved our fishing  luck!

Then we lost our luck.

As we came round the south-west point of Cat Island and into The Bight we were hit with wind and tide against us and slowed to 2-3 knots.  What a big difference.

As you can see from the map above the West Coast of Cat Island is very, very shallow.

On the ten nautical miles track across this bay, called The Bight, the depth did not exceed 3 meters.  That is tight for our boat, that has 2m of keel below the water line.

The final couple of miles, on the approach to the settlement of New Bight, we had only 20-30cm under the keel.

We got anchored up in time for the humans to vacuum pack 20lbs of Mahi Mahi, take me for a run on the beach and make some SUNDOWNERS.

The next day we were off ‘sight seeing’.

The area of New Bight has two ‘claims to fame’.  First it has the highest point in the Bahamas….

Second, it has the final resting place of Father Jerome on the hill-top behind the settlement.

Father Jerome (see Clarence Town, Long Island for more details) built himself a Hermitage on the highest hill-top to finish out his final days on this earth.

It is about a 45 minute hike to visit here from the settlement.

Just right of the settlements administration buildings is a sign posted small road that leads up through the ruins of a great plantation.

You pass by fruiting banana and papaya trees as the road gently ascends the hill-side.

The road dead ends at a trail that either steeply ascends the front of the Hermitage (the route I would recommend) or gently climbs up the back of the hill-side.

Here you will find a tiny chapel, miniature bell tower, the personal compartments and final resting place of the Father Jerome.

The sight is remarkably well-kept.

The tiny chapel and single seat of contemplation is the high light of the Hermitage.

From the hill-top you have 360′ views out over the entire island.

If you forgot to bring a picnic lunch, or you fancy a ‘cold one’ after all this sight-seeing, then we have a good suggestion for you.

Just a short walk, or kayak, north up the beach is a series of ‘food shacks’.

Here you will find ‘what ever tickles your fancy’ from conch and lobster to chicken and pork dishes.  From cold beer to margaritas and daiquiris.  They even have live entertainment in the busier times of the year.

All made and served by friendly locals.

Here you can learn all about the community on Cat island and hopefully find someone to sell you fresh produce from their home gardens.  Fishermen come here in the afternoon to sell their morning catch of fresh fish and conch.  If you are not lucky, and miss them, there is a grocery store a 30 minute walk further north into town.

This is all so VERY CIVILISED.