#34-Part 1 of 3 May 2011 Warderick Wells - Cambridge - Black Point Settlement




Exuma's rugged terrain



It's a hefty hike up a jagged limestone trail to Boo Boo Hill at Warderick Wells. A tradition of cruisers is to take a piece of driftwood with the boat name and date to the top of the hill.

Found piece of wood and put all 3 boat names and date on it
Iffin, Sea Angel, Kindred Spirit

Visiting cruisers make a sign with their boat name on whatever they can find washed up on the beach and leave it at the top of this hill. Fortunately we found a long board so that the 3 boats could be on the same sign. One evening our project was to construct our sign so we showed up at the tiki hut with saw, chisel, and markers and let the creativity flow. We found signs of friends who were here as early as last week and as long ago as 2 years ago.

Our Warderick Wells Anchorage
from atop Boo Boo Hill

Leaving Warderick Wells Mooring Field we cruised south to Cambridge Cay. There are quite a few things to see and do in that area (all natural--nothing commercial!). We we took our dinks to O'Brien's Reef AKA the Sea Aquarium. A very aptly named reef where the sea life was incredible! It was absolutely like swimming in an aquarium.

The salt concentration in the water here is so high that no effort’s required to stay afloat. All we used was our snorkel gear and the fish didn’t see us as an intrusion. Even though they’re nocturnal we did see a spiny lobster backing into his liar.

There are so many different kinds of fish and even with a identification book we couldn't identify them all. The angel fish were the most spectacular---and the parrot fish---and the grouper---and the…!

Conch shell lined path to Bell Rock on Exuma Sound

Bell Rock

There’s a huge rock on that beach shaped like a bell (Bell Rock) with a huge hole and the wind whistles through it.

Here stands our motley crew atop Boo Boo Hill
Laura, Bill, Barb, Barry, (back) Nancy and Peter

We walked down the beach and there was an Australian Pine that people have decorated with flotsam jetsam that’s washed up on shore.

 

Another not-to-be-missed sight in the Cambridge area is a place where the ocean rushes thru rocks and is called Rachel’s Bubble Bath.




Rachel's Bubble Bath



Barry and Bill in Rachel's Bubble Bath

Can’t describe it and pictures certainly don’t do it justice but our 2 buddy boats and another couple in the anchorage (who are from TX) went over there in our dinks.

After lunch we 6 went to a little near-by beach that drops off to 7+ feet about 4 ‘ from shore and is a swimming pool w/o lines. The other 5 stood around marinating and talking while I swam. When I used to do swim workouts, there’d often be some old guy in a lane swimming back and forth w/ mask and snorkel and we’d snicker and wonder how he ever gets his heart rate up that way Well, today that was me!!!!!! Felt like I could swim to Haiti breathing thru a snorkel. It’s that bilateral breathing and flip turns that make it a workout. They were all ready to go and the old woman kept swimming w/ her mask and snorkel!!!

1980's Light Plane Crash

 

Again we parted ways and Nancy of Sea Angel and Bill dinked to a beach to follow another trail. Peter went home and I went kayaking. Just drifting in the shallows waiting to see which way the wind and current would take me was so relaxing---like I needed ‘relaxing’. Used one end of my paddle as a rudder with current and wind as my propulsion. I just relished drifting over little sea things creeping along the bottom; watching different kinds of sea grass undulating in the current; and listening to the gentle lapping against the hull.



The 6 Bohemians again!



 

Primitive as it sounds, after my kayaking, I lathered with Joy on the aft deck and rinsed away the brine. When Bill and Nancy returned from their hike it was time to settle in for the evening. We declined a 6-some happy hour/dinner and opted to just hang out, read, and have a quiet evening at home.

This remoteness and isolation was kinda bothering us at first but now we’re liking it so much better. Guess it’s because this is such a perfect playground. You just cannot NOT get in this water!!! The salt concentration is so high that my lips feel like they’ve been pickled in alum but I’m lovin’ it!!!!!!! Returning to the conventions of cultured society is gonna be oh, so difficult!

Black Point Settlement is such a sweet little community.  The people are wonderful; scenery is spectacular; and the food, unsurpassed.

Black Point Settlement's Post Office

This is the clinic staffed by one RN and desparately in need of supplies

This little picturesque village is on the 12 mile long Great Guana Cay and is graced with coconut palms and casaurinas.  Fishing and plaiting are the primary sources of income although several entrepaneurers have established a laundry, several restaurants, a bar/liqour store, small marine supply store, and are doing very well.  The community is very well kept; its pastel homes are immaculate as are their lawns.  The restaurants are spic and span and the laundry and little store are spotless.  Our country could learn some very practical lessons from these folks.

I don't usually post twice in one day--once a month used to be my habit but while we have internet access I need to take advantage of that because these opportunities are few and far between.

Bill and Laura

At anchor at Black Point, Exuma