Moving towards Conception

Rock formation called tug and barge

After leaving  prime and moving through the shallows we anchor by Rat key and go exploring. First to Blowhole Beach. This is a great blowhole with all the sounds of roaring wind pushing water 30 feet at times. Definitely a place to return and play for a day. 

Next a 2 mile dinghy ride straight across the shallows to Barretterra. This town is a little remote for cruisers due to limited shallow access and no specific draw but it is connected by bridge to Great Exuma. All the way down the Exuma chain locals refer to Great Exuma as the mainland. It is also a place to rent a car and explore or get airport access. We walk about and get lunch at the restaurant which was very busy with locals. A good sign which proved to be true as everyone had a nice meal. 

 From Barraterre over the shallows toward Rat Cay 

After a dinghy back to the boat we move boats to an anchorage not near a cut. These openings let rolling swells in from the sound and subjects boats side to side rocking that can be tough. North to Williams Bay, a part of Lee Stocking, where we can lie peacefully.Soon after we arrive we all go to a nearby beach and play bocce with a group of boaters Chris and Allison have gotten to know called the channel 5’s. This group of a dozen or so boats have got to know each other over the years and travel around somewhat together, communicating on channel 5, and usually have some activity they are doing. I steal away to the old research station and return with a half dozen coconuts in time to bring Sheri back to join Mary and David on O’Deas for some great nachos. I spend the last hours of the day reviewing weather for the next few days. It will be the first day in a while we have to exclusively motor into 20 - 25 kt wind and seas but this quick provisioning stop in Georgetown is necessary. 

At 7:30 AM we leave our friends at Lee Stocking and the 15 miles of open water is terrible and slow. We are very glad to be at anchor less than a 1/2 mile from the entrance of Lake Victoria but the crowded anchoring space has us concerned and re anchoring. This area always has hundreds of cruisers anchored in the many protected spots. Some make this their destination for the winter.

Once settled we head into the Lake Victoria district by going under the bridge into the protected waters. First to the fuel stop because we had heard they have been running out occasionally. Sheri heads off to the laundromat as I fill and transfer the fuel and water back to boat. We meet up and go to the liquor store and market. A great stop and back to the boat to prepare to leave tomorrow and meet our buddy boats in route to Conception. 

The next morning they message us that after a 20 minutes out they are turning back. The sea conditions are still bad and the angle to the wind will not allow for any comfort. We decided to stay another day in Georgetown to let the seas drop for our transit and perhaps they will still join us.

It is St Patrick’s day and we spend the afternoon as tourists walking around the lake seeing the town. We have never taken the time to visit Georgetown and it was nice. Late afternoon finds us at a great bar/restaurant, Choppys, for appetizers, Guinness and good conversations. We met a man who is in his first year of running charter catamaran business oceanadventurecat.com and a couple from the north east here on vacation.

However Jason the bartender was most entertaining teaching bar tricks and sharing stories. The view was spectacular and the food great. 

To make the afternoon complete the supply ship arrived so Sheri was able to get a couple of boxes of wine…now we are provisioned for our trip.