It was getting cold in the fall when I received an email from my friend,
Greg Pflug, owner and operator of Adventures in Florida, inviting me to
join him for a week of paddling in the Bahamas in February. As the first
snowflakes swirled outside my New York window, that sounded great! We
emailed back and forth and I decided to fly down a day early for some
serious defrosting.
Friday, Feb. 18, found me at JFK, boarding a flight to Miami and, after a
short layover, one to Georgetown. Once past the Florida Straits the
Bahamas came into view, golden islands in torquise water, surrounded by the
deeper blue of the deeper trenches between the islands.
I landed in Georgetown on Great Exuma just in time for their first shower
in weeks. A taxi dropped me off at the hotel. The view was obscured by
the rain but the restaurant/bar was open so that is where I went to meet
Greg and the other paddlers.
We spent Saturday iding about, enjoying the weather (sunny, low 80s,
pleasant breeze), looking at all the sailboats anchored at Stocking Island
to the east for their regatta into the Caribbean, and stocking up for our
trip. When the other paddlers had arrived we had great bbq withlocal beer
and Guiness.
Sunday morning we seperated that which stayed behind from that which went
with us. A van took us to the outfitter where we picked up our paddles,
tents, pads and pfds. He followed us north with his Necky kayaks ? 6
singles and a double for Greg and whomever, to our launch site at
Berraterra at the north of the island Packed and paddled northeast on the
torquise but choppy waters as a head wind made us work. But we soon made
landfall on a barrier island that protected us from the Atlantic's storm
surge. If watching the immense waves on the other side of the island
wasn't warning enough, a blowhole sent spumes soaring over our heads twenty
feet into the air. After looking at that, and at the waves crashing and
hurtling through a narrow channel, we continued for a few more miles to our
first night's campsite with plenty of time, after pitching our tents, for
swimming and snorkling, all before Greg's great supper.
easy paddle north along this western strip of islands. For a while we had
a strong current pushing us along at a great clip ? maybe 6 knots! We
stopped for lunch at one island and then continued, with calm waters but no
help from the current, to our night's stop. No sooner had we landed then a
greeting committee - of iguanas - came rushing up. But as we had no fruit
or fresh veggies for them they soon left. Set up camp, snorkled in the
warm waters watching the brightly colored fish, supper and then watched
satellites and meteors, one of which ended in a spectacular explosion, in
the now dark sky.
An easy paddle next morning to Norman's Pond Cay. This was an abandoned
salt works ? the high tide was let in, then blocked from exiting. It soon
evaporated in the heat and the salt was harvested. Now there was a small
rise that let the high tide into the acres of mangroves around the shallow
lakes. After setting up our tents some of us snorkled, some walked, and
some paddled up to the lakes. Many fish were seen slipping among the
mangrove roots but none were both confiding or big enough to shoot and eat.
In the open water away from the salt works we found huge hermit crabs
cramped in conch shells as well as live conchs that made a great appetizer
leading up to another good supper; more satellites overhead, and to sleep
in the cooler evening ? mid 70s. The temperatures stayed the same
throughout the trip though the wind did vary from dead calm to quite
strong. Almost always sunny with only occasional clouds.
Next morning we paddled to the east chain of islands to head back south to
Exuma. On the way we stopped at a small island with an even smaller one
just north of it. This small island was in about 7' of water, full of
fishes and other sea creatures. A small shark, Lionfish, bright yellow,
green-spotted sea slug, conchs, snappers, groupers and other tropical fish
abounded. A large sting ray watched us from only 20' out. A 10# red
snapper made the mistake of getting too close to Greg and so became a
delicious supper. We then continued to Gold Ring Cay where we camped for
the night.
up camp in a shallow bay, swam and snorkled. Some of us decided to paddle
around the cay. Once we left the shelter of the bay we were hit by a
strong wind from the southwest. Paddling south into it was easy, but as we
turned east into the channel between Gold Ring and Brigantine Cay the waves
bounded and rebounded into 3' seas and made this an interesting passage to
work through. Once through we had the winds rapidly push us to the north
cut which, being narrower and angled more to the north, was calm. Then
back upwind to our camp. Walking in the shallow waters near the mangroves
we were waved at by standing 8? tall crabs while minnows swarmed around us.
A restful afternoon and evening, another good supper with conch in the
cool of the evening.
The wind was still blowing in the morning as we packed up and started back
to Berraterra (spelled differently on each map conulted!) Our heavy boats
succesfully paddled through the cut and into the calm bay, sheltered by the
island. As we continued our 10 mile paddle we ran out of the wind shadow
and soon were fighting bigger and bigger waves coming at our rear quarters.
But then we were back in the wind shadow of Exuma itself and had a calm
run into the Berraterra harbor. We unloaded the boats but before we could
carry them up to the parking lot the local kids ? 6 to 8 years old - hopped
into the boats and paddled them about. Greg had to rescue one who had gone
out to sea and then we were able to carry them to safety.
The van showed up, we loaded up, stopped for a cold beer and were driven
back to the hotel. Collected our gear, showered, shaved, and then another
great bbq washed down with a variety of local specialties.
The next morning we flew out to our cold, grey, world.
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