June is a funny time to travel in the Abacos weather wise. Most of the time it is sunny with light winds, but occasionally we get squalls come through that dump a load of rain and blow us about a bit.
The storm clouds are easy to pick out. In the light winds they ‘crawl’ up to you like an evil nemesis.
If you get caught out sailing when a squall hits it can wipe out all visibility. But they are usually short lived, so you slow down and keep one eye on the chart plotter and another out for fellow boaters.
If they hit while you are on anchor, you will be fine as long as you have set the hook well (snorkelled and checked it is buried and not just caught on sea grass), with lots of scope (extra chain) and you have left yourself swinging room as the wind changes direction ‘all over the ball park’.
This all may seem like a lot of work when you are just stopping for a bit of a day snorkel, but ‘all hell can break loose’ if your not careful.
This happened at the anchorage at Sandy Cay Marine Park. We just got the hook down and checked when a squall hit.
As a squall approaches the winds usually increase and change direction before the rain hits. A charter boat anchored near our friends on Prospero where caught unaware and were quickly dragging towards them and the rocks.
Our friends on Prospero had their own hands full as they were blow towards the rocks and started bottoming out in the shallower water. In the veering, gusty winds they had to get their anchor up to move to a deeper area to anchor.
All the boats were fine and got reanchored to ride out the squall safe and sound. When the skys cleared we finally got to what we came here for….some snorkelling.
We were very impressed with the reef here. It had a large concentration of fish and coral. It was obvious that the National Park protection was working.
We saw lots of fan, brain and elk coral. Some ‘big boy’ groupers and large schools of fish. These brought in hawksbill turtles, with one small guy being particularly friendly. Unfortunately we did not have our camera with us on the first dive. And we finally saw some reef sharks. Small guys and very nervous, but we were fortunate to spot them scoping out the reef.
Unfortunately the anchorage is very rolly, as it is exposed to a easterly swell from the Atlantic sneaking in through the cut in the cays.
But at least it has a beach and it is littered with loads of sea biscuits.
