There were near drought conditions at Warderick Wells, so we continued our tradition of bringing rain to places we visit. Monday was a very windy and rainy day, but we didn't mind because it washed the salty boat very nicely. The Captain was worn out, because he'd open all ports and hatches every time the rain stopped, then close them five minutes later when it started again. But it was fun for the Admiral, kind of like watching a hamster on a little wheel. Speaking of hamsters, one species VERY happy about the rain was the hutia (hoo-tee'-ya). They're rodents (endangered and indigenous to the Exumas) that resemble small guinea pigs, and they only drink fresh water. That can be a huge problem in drought conditions, so they eat vegetation to get moisture which is pretty tough on an island with finite space and vegetation. The rain must have made them very happy.
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| Henry Hutia |
Tuesday dawned gorgeous and sunny, so it was designated a play day. We took a hike on the island and found some driftwood to make our sign for Boo Boo Hill. The Hill has a huge mound of signs created by cruisers and left in a pile for other cruisers to view (and to revisit in future years). We had arts & crafts session at the tiki hut, where the Captain created our sign. We then hiked up the hill to place it among those of our friends and soon-to-be-friends. We tried several neighborhoods on the hill, visiting Summer Wind and September Song before finding our final roosting place.
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| Captain creating |
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| Little lizard pointing the way |
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| Should we live next door to Summer Wind? |
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| Or September Song? |
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| How 'bout under Island Girl? | | | |
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| Transportation doesn't have to be a problem for some people....ze plane! ze plane! |
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| No explanation necessary -- read the sign |
The water is too beautiful to describe or photograph. It's in tiers of color, ranging from light aqua to almost royal navy velvet. From the boat, from the beach, and even from the hills on the island, it's impossible to get a photograph that does it justice. Everyone just needs to come here.
The beach is a great place to hang out, and we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the water and scenery.
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| This poor guy died from starvation. A 52' sperm whale who ingested so much plastic that his stomach was filled. PLEASE be careful how you dispose of your waste!! |
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| Jay and Rusty on the hike across the coral beds |
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| The mighty sailing vessel Serendipity in the mooring field |
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| Beach invasion!! |
