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Published: August 9th 2007
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Leaving Compass Cay
Leaving Compass Cay marina, thru a narrow cut. Tricky with such a strong current. Maneuvering the boat in and out of marinas can be quite difficult, especially if there is a strong current or strong wind. The current thru Compass Cay marina was ripping due to the unusually high spring tides, which increases the volume of water flowing in and out of the narrow cut to Compass Cay. We were ready to untie the lines and cast off when one of Tucker’s staff told us that a 120 foot mega yacht was coming thru the cut, and it would probably be better to wait. And good thing we did. We watched as this 120 foot, 4 story, 60 ton mega yacht came into the marina, loose control, and completely crunch a 50 foot, brand new motor yacht that was tied up on the other side of the marina- holy cow! The noise of the fiberglass cracking and the screeching of metal on metal echoed thru the marina for all to hear and the people aboard abandoned ship. Luckily the boat did not sink, although the hull was substantially damaged and will never be the same- you can’t repair something like this. After the commotion settled we looked at each other and debated on staying another
Fowl Cay
The private island resort on Fowl Cay. day so that we could leave at slack tide, when the current would come to a standstill and maneuvering our boat would be much easier. But we concluded that what happened with the mega yacht was the captain’s error and that we could handle the Rum Runner and safely leave the marina. So with some help we cast off and left Compass Cay and successfully navigated thru the narrow cut and back onto the banks.
But wait, the adventure continues… As soon as we are in the deeper waters of the banks we here an ominous thunk which puts us both on edge. Our experience has taught us that mysterious noises on the boat are bad. So we check the usual suspects and everything still looks okay, so we keep going. We hit our next waypoint a minute later and as the Rum Runner turns to starboard the steering goes out. We look at each other and say, “So that was the noise we heard”. Jay pops his head into the back lazerette to check the steering compartment and notices that the hydraulic rod of the autopilot had detached from its mount and was just dangling down below. With
Bird Cage
One of the luxurious houses to rent at Fowl Cay, a top-notch resort. no mount to support it, the steering system had nothing to work against to push the rudder of the boat. Thus, we had no steering. Luckily we are in only 30 feet of water and safely thru the cut, so we drop anchor and Jay gets to work on fixing the problem. It is all just part of cruising, boats break all the time and Jay has become quite the mechanic for the Rum Runner. We just feel fortunate that we are in a safe place. After an hour or so we are back under way, with the steering compartment attached and working fine. We figure that it is just one of those days. After all this excitement, we decide to change our plans and opt for an easy anchorage with no narrow cuts to go thru or shallow water or coral heads to avoid. So we anchor off of nearby Fowl Cay and call it a day.
Fowl Cay is a small, private island resort which we had heard about from many other cruisers. It is a first class establishment with 5 rental cottages and an amazing restaurant. The owners of the island are ex-cruisers and invite other
Spectacular View
The spectacular view of the Exuma Sound, from the deck of the Hill House. boaters in the area to come ashore for dinner, which is an all inclusive 4 course gourmet meal. Of course the intimate dinning room that sits atop the hill with amazing views only seats a limited number of guests each night, and for weeks we tried to get a reservation. It is such a popular destination that we had no luck. But we figured that as long as we were in the area again we would hail them on the vhf and see if we could sneak in that night. And to our surprise we got a reservation. So we rested up, took quick showers, and got all dressed up for our big night out. And let me tell you, it was fabulous!
We arrived in time for cocktail hour on the wrap around deck of the Hill House (where the bar, game room, and restaurant are located). We mingled with the other guests and enjoyed the 360 degree views of the Exuma Sound, speckled with small cays in the turquoise water. We watched sunset from rocking chairs on the deck while sipping on rum punches and snacking on tasty conch fritters. It just doesn’t get any better than
Dining Room
The intimate dinning room at Fowl Cay, a candle light dinner we will never forget. this. Then we moved inside for a candlelight dinner, where we enjoyed prime rib and lobster etoufee, yum! This place is spectacular, with top notch décor, friendly staff, and delicious food. Halfway thru dinner Zeke and Lulu, the two yellow labs that serve as the greeting committee, make their rounds and end up on the couch on the porch. Their tails wag as you approach them, and their noses are in the air to catch a whiff of the delicious food. After dessert we move to a couch by the fireplace to sit and finish our wine. By this time all the other guests have left and we end up talking to Stewart, the manager of Fowl Cay. His parents left America to buy and develop this charming island (their fascinating story can be read in the autobiographical novel Making Waves). We spent the evening talking to Stew about the Bahamas and living in the islands, it was great to get his perspective. It was a perfect end to a not so perfect day.
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Margaret
non-member comment
Wow!
From the ridiculous to the sublime! I am glad that you were safe and used good judgment. I'm sure the man will remember his costly error for awhile. The dinner sounded wonderful. Looking forward to Kay and Jack coming Friday. Wish you were here.