Enjoying Little Farmer’s Cay Bahamas where it’s good to be blue.

Early in our trip to the Bahamas we visited Little Farmer’s Cay to participate in the Bahamas sloop regatta.  I wrote about this in a previous post and really had a blast sailing on one of the sloops.    It’s been several months since we were last here so it’s fun to be back in “town”.

One thing that is very different this time than during our last visit is the state of the wind.  While there is a small cold front coming through this morning, bringing fairly strong NW winds, it’s not expected to last long and to blow through by later this afternoon, bringing moderate winds with it’s departure. Earlier in the season, we had similar weather but the strong winds persisted for several days and it was a lot windier.    As the season progresses (ie: closer to summer weather) the fronts are not as strong.  That’s good.  A number of folks have told us that this season has been the toughest with regards to weather in years.   To us the weather has been challenging but we have nothing to compare it to.

However, while it’s windy right now, yesterday was very different with near perfect weather for hanging around and enjoying the beaches and sights of Little Farmer’s Cay.

It’s hard to describe how clear and blue the waters here are when the winds are settled.  To stand on board Pandora and look down into crystal clear 15′ deep water and see schools of blue tangs swimming by is just amazing.  I have a glass bottom bucket that makes it easy to see everything, but yesterday you hardly needed it as the surface was just so still.

I really tried hard to find a way to photograph the water to give and idea of what this really looks like.  I hope that the following photos provide some context to what we saw.  Amazing.

I climbed up on Pandora’s radar arch and took this shot directly down into the water.  Can you say blue sparkly?This is what it looked like forward.  Up ahead, that’s Ariel, the Aerodyne 47 we have been sailing with for the last few days.   Ariel, home to our friends Miles and Loreen, is a remarkable boat and one that can always beat me, even if she is only a bit faster.  Having said that, she is in different league and is perhaps the only boat I’d trade Pandora for.  Unfortunately, I’d have to have two of Pandora to make the trade about equal.    She’s fast and elegant.  I always look for ways to photograph Pandora looking lovely in her native environment.  This view is a particularly fetching one.    Even Pandora appeared to be a lovely blue. And just off of our starboard beam, the Little Farm’s Cay Yacht Club.   The proprietor has a great name, Roosevelt Nixon.  He’s a very nice guy.   I love the colors that buildings here are painted.  Very bright and fun.  In our little New England town,  the “decorum police” would burn the place down overnight if we painted our home this bright a color.   Here, it works.To get the most out of the day we spent several hours looking for shells on nearby beaches and came back with a spectacular haul.   After that Brenda and I toured the harbor enjoying the sights.  The community fish cleaning station was pretty busy.  These guys had speared a few large groupers and were happy to show off their catch.

Some large rays were happy to pick up the scraps.  Interestingly, unlike Rum Cay, where the cleaning station attracted all manner of sharks,  rays were the only “locals” eager to clean up.  These rays don’t look that big in this shot but they are up to 4′ across.This cute little guy seemed to be enthralled by the action in the water below. 

Everyone turned out it seems to see the catch of the day.  It was fun checking out the action.
When the weather is perfect, there’s no place more enchanting than the Bahamas.  When it’s blowing like stink, which it does with regularity, a little less  but still better than snowy and blowing.    I am liking the whole winter warm thing.  Easy to get used to.

I am  beginning to think about plans for next summer which will probably include a visit to Maine again, our 16th visit.  Pandora’s sheep mascots have been thinking about it too it seems.   Hmm…Oh yea, I should note that Brenda’s doing great with her basket making and has now finished three, each better than the last.  Some photos to come soon.

Speaking of baskets, we have been told that there is some sort of craft show in town today.  Not sure what “town” is here but we’ll probably check it out.

Perhaps I’ll close with a shot, taken 5 minutes ago, of some impressive clouds.  Notice the beached fishing boat on shore.  It’s been there for years and is a solid reminder that we go forth here with the grace of God.    Things can go badly, even in paradise and we shouldn’t forget it.  So far, so good…  And, I remain an optimist and “ever hopeful”.  What a great day!