Arriving in Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, after three short days of sailing, we were surprised by differences compared to Cuba. Here, yachts have three or four decks, slides, landing pads for the private helicopter and staff in coordinated uniforms. The supermarket opposite the marina is incredibly well stocked, but the prices hold us back from filling our shopping cart. Armed with about forty eggs and 6 kg (13 lbs) of flour, we were finally ready to set sail again for the desert islands of the Exumas. A tropical disturbance - marking the beginning of Hurricane Season - brings its share of daily storms, especially at night: lightning flashes illuminate the black clouds in zebra-fashion, showers are violent, the wind instrument reads over 40 knots, with thunderous rumbling. However, this depression doesn’t prevent us from enjoying the magical scenery - golden sandbanks appearing at low tide in the middle of turquoise blue water - and from having some unusual experiences: Stroking the nurse sharks (which had scared us so much in Cuba), feeding the swimming pigs at Staniel Cay, playing at being James Bond in the Thunderball cave, swimming among angelfish, parrotfish and sergeant majors in the "Aquarium", seeing the remains of the drug baron's plane (Carlos Leigher) off Norman Cay and playing hide and seek with the Allen's Cay iguanas.
What better way to celebrate your 38th birthday?”
Henri and Hélène
