Exumas aboard Dealer Ship - April 25-29, 2023
The Skinny
Tuesday, Apr 25
Cruise Lyford to Normans Cay
Walked Normans Cay - Villas, Airport
Dinner Dealer Ship
Wednesday, Apr 26
Walk around Normans Cay Marina
Regulator to Shroud Cay - Washing Machine
Snorkel plane wreck
Lunch McDuff's w/ Painkillers
Regulator to Wardrick Wells for quick snorkel
On to Compass Cay
Dinner Dealer Ship
Thursday, Apr 27
Regulator to the Grotto at Staniel Cay for snorkel
Also snorkeled another cave close by
Cooler to Compass beach side
Lunch Dealer Ship
Off to Highbourne Cay (mudslide upon arrival)
Regulator to feed Iguanas
Dinner Dealer Ship
Friday, Apr 28
Depart for Harbour Island
Dock at new Briland Marina
Golf carts to beach
Regulator to feed turtles
Dinner Dunmore Hotel
Brief stop by Daddy D's
Saturday, Apr 29
Monk's depart for wedding in Richmond
The Meat on the Bones
Tuesday, Apr 25
Landed Nassau and hopped right on the Dealer Ship for a 4 hour cruise to Normans Cay for the night. The stellar crew of Captain Donnie, First Mates Drew and Nate and Chef Vanessa. (Lunch of fish and carnitas tacos welcomed us to Paradise.) Normans Island has been bought privately and whoever is putting lots of $$ into it with Ipe docks and a row of villas being built. We decided for a leg stretcher exploration walk, so we toured the villas, which are quite lovely and beautifully done, but with a hefty price tag rumored to be $13 million per villa?! Walked to the end past the “airport” over to McDuff’s restaurant and bar to check it out. Beautiful dinner aboard the Dealer Ship of mixed salad, Rock Shrimp and polenta, and an orange honey pistachio cake. Paradise. But can’t forget our virgin intro to Pass the Clap…..
Wednesday, April 26
Peaceful night into a peaceful morning with more exploring around the marina to the Yacht Club perched on an atoll. Lovely. And large open air restaurant with lots of outdoor seating as well for the 360 degree views of the bright turquoise waters.
(Side note: Amazing Coast Rican breakfast of rice and beans - Gallo pinto - fried queso fresco cheese, scrambled eggs and remarkable fruit, toast)
Morning tour aboard the Regulator tender to Shroud Cay and the Washing Machine beach which is just gorgeous to swim and park it on the beach. Next stop is to the drug cartel plane wreck for snorkeling which is always interesting, but unlike when we visited before and solo, we had lots of company this go round with other tenders and day stripping tour boats from Nassau. We came, saw, and escaped back to the lap of luxury before heading to McDuff’s for lunch and most importantly Painkillers. Paradise.
Next stop Compass Cay. The Dealer Ship pulled out for a 2 hr jaunt and the Regulator took off for Wardrick Wells and it’s Natural Park in its bright blue lagoon and what’ll bone skeleton. After a shark infested snorkeling attempt, we stopped for a cove swim (nearby all the Palm Beach moored boat convention.) Saving the best for last, we arrived at Compass and bypassed the nurse sharks for a short walk straight to the prettiest beach in the Bahamas on the ocean side of the island. Beers and beach. Paradise. Dinner was divine with salad, filet mignon, and French apple cake. Pass the Clap and Sh*T Happens were a big hit to get the evening really going.
Thursday, April 27
Post egg casserole breakfast, morning activities shipped us off to cruising past numerous Cays for a low tide arrival at the Grotto at Staniel Cay, though we cruised past the swimming pigs at Big Majors Cay to say we did. Same thoughts by numerous other visitors as well got us in and out to the next stop to another cave swim near Compass. Had to have one more swim at the Compass Beach, so packed a cooler, walked a little extra and had a Dealer Ship Board meeting in the crystal waters. Paradise.
While multiple rockin boats of tourists poured into swim with the sharks, we lunch aft deck on amazing Rueben sammys an tourney hoagies with Garden Salsa Sun Chips (that’s for Ann.) And off we all go on the Dealer Ship to Highbourne Cay to anchor out for the night which was about a 4 hr run. Time enough for naps, reading and a rousing game of Ticket to RIde. Once there, a Mudslide from the local yacht club bar was the number one priority and then hopped on the small boat to see and feed the very unusual Iguanas known for being quite large in size on Allen Cay. Sunset swims before a beautiful island dinner of glazed chicken, coconut rice, vegetable medley, Asian slaw and Moroccan snake cake. Paradise. Left, Center, Right capped off the night as per.
Friday, April 28
Up with the anchor and working the thrusters at 6:30am had us off to Harbour Island by 7am for the 7 hr run. The as per beautiful and gourmet spread for breakfast featuring two frittatas of spinach and feta and one of prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto. Wow. Passed the day with reading, eating, chatting, sunning, and at least, talking about exercising….
The run was spectacular with views of other cays, multiple shades of azure water, and glorious sun plus a bit of excitement as we witnessed Donnie’s backbone to be way stronger than the Devil’s.
Docked at the newly renovated Briland Marina, which while still a work in progress, is quite lovely with a very attractive restaurant, bar, store, villas in progress, sparkly new pickleball courts and an in progress beach club outpost. Divine late lunch of chilled lobster and scallops over mixed greens with rose and Prosecco to complete the exquisite setting and pink flamingo napkin rings for the icing on the teak. Paradise.
Jumped in the primary type of island transport, golf carts, and went to experience the pink sand and transparent ocean across the other side of the island. Afterwards, our sundowner was a trip to see the sea turtles known to hang out in a lagoon on nearby Eleuthera. Aside from the sting ray that wanted a touch of the action, the hawksbill and green turtles were fascinating to swim with and feed shrimp for their efforts.
Dinner was at the famed and understated charming Dunmore Hotel which was nice to ease into a touch of commercialism in such a civilized manner. Weak attempt to continue the evening by hitting local spots Daddy D’s and Dusty’s, but enthusiasm was fairly one sided. Memes and bed beckoned.
Saturday, April 29
So sad to leave Paradise, especially as the OG stays one more day. But alas, a beach swim and another spectacular Vanessa breakfast is a pretty perfect way to leave Paradise if one must. Hoping for a 3.0.
Insider Notes
Normans Cay Marina - somebody is investing a lot of money here and it is still under development. Very nice Villas and infrastructure. Might be worth coming back in future.
Briland Marina - also very new and still under construction/development. Nice villas, pickleball courts, beach access, floating docks. Also might be worth coming back once complete.
Kommentare