Allans-Pensacola, Cooper's Town, Green Turtle Cay
Trip Start
Jul 21, 2001
1
41
45
Trip End
Apr 22, 2002
Green Turtle Cay,
Bahamas
Tuesday, January 22, 2002
We couldn't leave this area without trying our luck at obtaining a lobster. At 9:30 the mighty fishermen gathered in Dave's dingy. We were accompanied by Connie to provide moral support and watch for sharks. We went to try our skills on a different section of the reef. In the Bahamas, spearing fish is legal as long as you:
1. Don't use scuba gear
2. You don't use a spear gun or any type of spear which has a mechanical trigger.
Dave and John own spears which have a surgical rubber band at the end and are shot one handed. I have an Hawaiian sling which takes two hands and is a little more difficult to use but supposedly has a greater range. We have no idea what fish are edible and since the ones we did see were so beautiful none of us even attempted to get a fish. We were after different game. Although it was once again a spectacular snorkeling area, we never saw a trace of the elusive lobster. Anyway, we all agreed it was a wonderful mornings exercise and another super experience.
Allans-Pensacola Cay was only six miles away so after a short sail we had plenty of time to go ashore to explore this former site of an abandoned United States missile tracking station. A path through the bush to the ocean side brought us to a site we couldnt quite believe.
Trees with every sort of boards, floats, old life jackets, bottles etc., hanging in them all inscribed with the names of boaters who had visited this remote and uninhabited island. There must have been several hundred assorted articles in this menagerie of unique signed mementos of peoples visit to this island.
January 20 to Powell Cay and Coopers Town
We sailed in light winds to Powell Cay and walked and swam off the beach at the north end. We didn't venture too far from shore because another sailor had seen a shark swimming by about half an hour before we arrived.
The predicted winds would have made this an uncomfortable anchorage so in the afternoon we crossed the sound to Coopers Town. We were well protected from the forecasted winds so decided to raft together. There was plenty of room and if the winds changed we could easily break apart and go our own way. This wasn't necessary and we had an excellent evening together.
January 21 to Green Turtle
Dave worked on his engine while I went ashore with John and Connie to explore the small town. This is a poor community and it has been hard hit by the 1999 hurricane. There was a lot of evidence of the destruction still left and homes were in different states of repair. The people were very friendly, especially a young policeman whom we met. He appeared very proud of his status as a officer and was full of local information about Great Abaco Island and its different communities. He said crime is very low on the island with an especially low incidence of violent crime.
We left before noon and had a fabulous sail to Green Turtle. During our sail, we were surprised by a call from FOREVER YOUNG. They had finally made it across from Miami, sailing continuously for two days from Miami across the southern part of Great Bahama Island and the Abacos entering via Manjack Cay channel which left them only a few miles ahead of us. After a month we would finally meet up with each other again in Green Turtle. We couldn't wait.
