Yesterday we took a weather window and left our lovely anchorage at Hoffman’s Cay and set off for Rose Island, 45 nautical miles away to the south east.

We had returned to Hoffman’s Cay to spend a few days there with our friends Cheri and Don Lawrence along with their son Bennett. They have a Catalina 470 sailboat called “Sarayu” and were keeping it at Great Harbour Cay Marina, a 20 mile sail north of Hoffman’s.

We spent time on our beautiful little beach playing in the crystal clear shallow waters. We tramped through the scrubby brush to the Blue Hole which young Bennett, age 6, wasn’t impressed with. My guess is because you can’t see the bottom.

When we arrived, there were two kids jumping off the 20′ high rock ledge over the cave to the deep dark waters below. I had stood where they were jumping from just a few days ago and balked at the idea of doing that leap. I’d even seen other adults do it on videos. But I chickened out. However, this was too much. I mean, if a ten year old girl could gather the courage to do it, couldn’t I?

Don thought I was nuts but got his camera ready. I did it!! I jumped and thankfully missed the rocks that stick out just under the water. I’ll post the video later. But I was thrilled.

Under the ledge I jumped off of is a pretty cool cave. Jim tapped some of the stalagmites and they all had different sounds. Awesome.

We enjoyed dinners on each other’s boats and commented on how well we eat when we’re cruising. Don thinks everything tastes better on a boat. Hard to disagree.

Our last morning together was a dinghy ride out to the first nook we had tried to anchor in (it was so shallow when the tide went out that we sat on the bottom for part of the night – no biggie as our boat has a flat bottom once the 5′ daggerboard is pulled up!). We called this Turtle Bay. We saw many turtles, a baby Shark and a ray.On the way back to the boat, we drifted over a tiny coral reef full of beautiful little fish and a good variety of corals. Lovely clear water and all of this just inches below the dinghy!

At noon both boats made for the Inlet and headed our separate ways. It was great spending time in that beautiful place with friends.

Now we are anchored at Rose Island, just east of New Providence Island. The lights from the city of Nassau twinkle in the distance, the mast head lights from the 6 or so sailboats here and the myriad of stars above add to the magic of this particular anchorage at night. The sunsets have been really spectacular.

We spent a low key day here today after a lively crossing yesterday from the Berry Islands. Once here we listened to the Bahamian Prime Minister speak about the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a world wide issue now. Jim couldn’t believe that folks at home can’t get toilet paper!!

We have decided that we’ll keep cruising just a bit further south into the Exuma Islands chain. We are away from people and have all we need. Our plan is to return to Canada by April 9 but as the world’s situation changes, so might ours. We have had pretty good radio and/or cell coverage so we can keep up with news.

Hoping you all stay safe and healthy, Carleen and JimMy young inspiration…A peek into Turtle Bay aboveSarayu getting under way.The Atlantis complex, Nassau as we sailed by it.Closed up home on Rose Island. There are about 8 peacocks and peahens running around here, calling to each other. Really drowns out the poor old rooster trying hard to be heard nearby’A southern stingray hunkering down in the sand to await its prey in our anchorage.Good night Nassau!