Bahamas Sailing: Great Sale Cay & Beyond

 

Wednesday night, April 22nd, we had dinner on Indigo, and it was an exciting benchmark for us.

 

Over a dinner of perfectly grilled steak, a fresh garden salad and a bottle of fine Virginia red wine, we reminisced about having the dream to sail through the Bahamas in our 50’s – which was planted in our hearts when we married about ten (10) years. That was sixteen (16) years and a lot of miles ago! Neither of us ever imagined being able to sail this wonderful boat, let owning this beauty sixteen (16) years ago. We have indeed and truly been blessed!

 

This morning as we set our course to Great Sale Cay, I feel like we are leaving behind a part of ourselves. For the better part of our adult lives both of us have kept a daily schedule, dictated by work, friends, responsibilities. At least for this little bit we are shedding all of that.

 

We woke up when we wanted this morning, and set about preparing to get underway very leisurely – a definitive change from previous departures. We don’t have an itinerary … we have potential destinations. If we get there, we get there, if we don’t, that’s okay, we will be back again, and again, and again.

 

I sat on the trampolines on the bow this morning mesmerized by the crystal clear, turquoise water. So clear that you can see starfish on the bottom, sprinkled among the seagrass and sand bottom like so many carefully placed stars.

When you look in the distance at the sky and the water, there is no definitive line of demarcation between the two ~ the sky gradually melds into the ocean. Jim and I are so content where we are …. as the local Bahamians like to say ~ all is well!

We arrived at Great Sale Cay this afternoon (Thursday, April 23rd) at 3pm. After anchoring in a beautiful cove, we took the dogs for another first – their first dingy ride to shore.

 

Our first expedition to the mangrove area was not successful. Neither Kiwi or Bentley were interested in doing their business.

 

So back in the dingy we all went and around to the beach. What a beautiful beach! Both dogs loved it! They ran in the water and splashed (reminded us of children!) and then chased each other down the beach.

 

They did their thing and back to the boat we went. A truly splendid experience! Even Kiwi, who has been in the dingy before but did not like it, took to the dingy this time with no problems – such good dogs! They seem to be taking to life on the water!