Shroud Cay, Bahamas
24.32.031N
76.47.873W
Water, water everywhere but not enough to float a boat! This morning we moved on to the next island, Shroud Cay, dodging sand bars more than coral heads arriving about 11:00 am. Shroud Cay is located just inside the borders of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. We were immediately greeted by the resident barracuda. We guesstimate that he's about 3 feet long and hasn't missed too many meals. He's definitely taken a liking to our port side since he's been there all day long! Dale says that he's probably waiting for a handout. Guess again Bubba!
We left Bubba guarding Gypsy Palace and took the dink around to a creek that traverses the island through the middle to do a little exploring. We took our charts but we didn't take into account the effect the tide would have on us. We started out alright. We saw lots of fish in the creek, rays, a small shark, baby barracuda, a few blue herons and an osprey. Yet, every once in a while, we had to get out of the dink and drag it though the shallows, then jump back in and take off again.
We finally made it to the other side to a beautiful beach, gathered a few shells to contribute to the "park", then climbed a steep hill to the "Driftwood Park". After reading the write up in the guide, I guess I was anticipating a Robinson Caruso type locale but instead found a "yacht club" ala Allens-Pensacola, on a smaller scale at the top of the hill. It was very picturesque looking out from there to the pristine beach below, the turquoise water beyond, the islands in the distance and some black clouds on the horizon. We added our shells to the collection of flotsam and jetsam, then started our trek back. You would have thought that by that time (midway between high tide and low tide) the water would have started rising again but no, we (or should I say Bogie) ended up dragging that dang boat again.
Dale's a Bogart fan. As a result, he started telling me that he was reminded of the African Queen movie. Apparently, Bogie's character had to get out of the boat at some point, sling the tow rope over his shoulder and drag the boat through the jungle (he didn't tell me what Katherine Hepburn was doing during all of this but I'll bet she wasn't being quite). So there we were, stomping though a creek in sand that sucked the shoes off our feet when we stepped wrong. Dale with the tow rope slung over his shoulder, dragging the dink through the shallows and me slogging along behind him looking for even shallower water to wade through, not laughing when he got stuck feet first, and thinking that I bet James (our son) has to do this sort of thing in BUDS (Note to James: a two foot tide can have a drastic effect on the outcome of the mission). I got up close and personal with porcupine fish, sand crabs, mangrove roots, and things I probably don't want to know about. When there was enough water to float a ways, Dale got on the front of the dink to counterbalance me and the African Queen's engine hoisted almost out of the water which made it sound even more of the putt putt the Queen was famous for.
As you can see, we made it back. The dark clouds passed north of us. All fingers, toes and shoes are present and accounted for. Bubba did a good job making sure the boat stayed where we left it and I'm positive we'll both sleep very well tonight.
