Race to Thompson Bay

Water Cay is an interesting island. We might have liked to spend more time there if it didn’t have so much surge that makes it such a rolly anchorage. There are numerous coral heads which we have read are good for snorkeling. We heard lots of birds singing and saw an osprey fishing for its breakfast. It has some high bluffs and two areas where the land is eroded away, leaving a block of land standing in the middle. The land on either side of the block is very low, barely higher than the water. If we had been willing to stay in the rolly anchorage we might have explored Water Cay. When we anchored yesterday there was one fishing boat and a catamaran anchored at the northern end, where we chose to anchor. Later on, about six boats came in to anchor at the southern end. We timed our departure this morning so that we would be in the shallowest parts of the Comer Channel on a rising tide, about an hour after low tide. Before we were ready to go, the boats from the southern end were headed our way. It looked like quite the armada. As they were putting up there sails George said it reminded him of the start of a race. The catamaran near us followed them and we followed it. The race was on!  

We had another fast sail with wind in the mid-teens to twenty on a beam reach with seas of 4 to 6 feet. Although we were sailing behind the Jumentos Cays it felt like we were sailing in the open ocean. We passed one boat, then two more, and we were gaining on a fourth. After the wind dropped to under 15 knots we turned into the wind to shake the reef out of the main sail. As we were doing that two boats passed us. Not a problem, we passed them again in the Comer Channel and then finally passed the fourth boat. There were two boats way out in front that we had no chance of catching. Nevertheless, it was a fun, unofficial race to Thompson Bay, Long Island. 

We plan to run errands tomorrow and stay for a few days until our friends, Dawn and Ray, arrive. 

Water Cay, Jumentos

Leaving Water Cay

Thompson Bay/Salt Pond, Long Island