Caves and Pigs....

Central America Caribbean » Bahamas » Exuma
January 21st 2008

Published: January 23rd 2008

Edit Blog Post

swimming pigs 1

swimming pigs 2

inside thuderball cave

me jumping off Thunderball

Capt Hank

looking out the blue hole

Staneils Cay is home of Thunderball Cave. Tunderball Cave is the spot where the James Bond movie was filmed back in the 70's. It started as a puddle on a big rock. Over time the puddle got deeper and deeper and the waves wore out the underside of the rock. They eventually met and formed Thunderball Cave. We stayed at Staneil Cay and enjoyed a nice chicken dinner provided by the girls and we spent a little time the next morning walking around town which doesn't take that long. We took the dingy over to the cave and we all bravely got in and swam inside. The tide was going out so the current was ripping through the cave so i was of course the most fitting anchor for the group. We saw all the little fishies and a few bigger ones. Once everyone had enough swimming through the cave we put the girls back on the dingy and Matt and I decided to play 007. We swam around Thuderball and climbed up the back and as we stood on the top looking down at the crystal clear water we could see the reef and even the fish that where 25

looking down on the dingy

from on top the rock the girls where hanging out

feet below. After I convinced Matt that jumping off first was the duty of the first mate he jumped and i was soon to follow. Thunderball Cave was an awesome morning but we were way to pumped about "the swimming pigs!"
Big Majors Point is home to the famous pigs. We talked with some guys at Staniel's Cay and they warned us not to anchor the dingy in shallow water because the pigs will get in your boat with you. Later we talk to a couple that didn't hed that advice and a pig popped their dingy! When we pulled up we didn't see a pig at all but before we cut the motor the first one came out with the woods and didn't even pause at the water. He swam right up to the boat looking for lunch. Two sows followed the big male out to the boat and we feed them apples for about 20 minutes. After they got their fill they swam back to the beach. Matt got a GREAT idea to go to the beach with the pigs. I have hunted wild pigs and adviced him not to but of course he jumped overboard and headed

closer of the dingy

for the beach. So being his capt. i followed him to the beach and we found that the pigs didn't care i was there but the male didn't like Matt. The ladies finally came to the beach and we spent some quality time with the pigs.
We were sad to say good bye to our new friends but we are sure to meet new ones that swim.....

Additional photos below

Photos: 25, Displayed: 23