We used the fair weather window to move my guest Roy up the Exuma chain of islands. With all the islands and cays so close together there are lots to explore in his short visit.
To start with we moved the boat 27nm north to Lee Stocking Island. Roy’s first passage on the Atlantic Ocean, so we chose a lovely calm day.
Lee Stocking Island and it’s surrounding area is renowned for good snorkeling and was once the home of the Caribbean Marine Research Centre. Unfortunately the centre closed down, but we heard the abandon buildings and airfield were a fun visit.
Getting in was very tight for our vessel with a 2m draft. We needed high tide (when the water is highest) to have water over the sand bar blocking the entrance. We still were very very very careful! Especially when we got to spots with only 10cm under the keel.
But we made it in and anchored in a little 2.7m hole right off the abandoned research centres dock.
We had our traditional celebratory beer, well-earned this time after the stress of getting in here, and dropped the dingy for a trip ashore for a nose around.
The houses and buildings ashore were completely deserted. Once a thriving research centre, that even did tours for visitors, it was sad to see it abandon.
Just west of the research centre, in the centre of the island, is the abandon airport strip.
From the airstrip there were paths leading to the windward beaches.
Then we hiked back across the island to the research centre dock to get back to the boat for sundowners.
We were disappointed by the fishing on the way here, so it was burger night and Farkel (a dice game of chance). We may have disturbed our neighbours with cheers and shouts, but went to bed early with dreams of bagging some Lobster in slack tide this morning.
