This leg is from Lynyard Cay to Shroud Cay in in the Exuma Land and sea park, about 170 nm. This should take us just over a day.

You never really know what speed you’re going to get on a passage. Wind, current, even course are subject to change. We usually plan for 5 knots, so if we get 6 knots, it’s like going 20% faster. That would save close to 5 hours on a full day trip. Of course the opposite happens if we go 4 knots.

Anyways back to the trip. Conditions were great, good winds, good speed, just a pleasant trip.

About half way to Shroud Cay we pass through the Fleeming channel and into the Exumas. Bye bye to deep blue and hello to crystal clear turquoise water.

There’s not much land to be seen at Fleeming channel. You get a glimpse of current island, and there is a fair bit of current there, as the ocean bottom rises from over 1500 meters deep to under 10 meters in less than 5 nm. I did the math and that’s a slope of about 6:1

The Exumas have the clearest water, the whole Bahamas are clear, but Exumas are next level.

The next day we went exploring up a creek. We had to be out before the tide dropped or we would be spending the night in Little Nipper, instead of on Catnip. The Creek is not too deep, and there was a real nice swimming hole, so we had to go in for a pleasant swim.

We made it out before low water, and the storms in the area just seem to be going around us, just a day when you don’t worry too much, and it all works out. We did hear some thunder and Sequoia knows to take cover if there’s thunder.

After looking at the good forecast, the crew decided to lift anchor the next morning and head south to Farmers Cay.