Where everybody knows your name

There is a famous place in Warderick Wells were everyone goes to leave a little something to let those that follow know they were there.  It's called Boo Boo Hill and a piece of driftwood with your boat name is what you leave behind.  Leaving a piece of driftwood is a cruiser tradition commemorating your visit to the Exuma Land and Sea Park.  It just happens to be at the top of Boo Boo Hill, which is legendary.  It goes like this:  "On a wild, stormy day many years ago a luckless schooner sank off Wardwick Wells.  All souls perished in the disaster.  Not a single body was recovered for a Christian burial.  Local people say that if you climb to the crest of the hill at the bloom of the full moon, you can hear the voices of the lost souls singing in the wind".  And if you leave an offering to King Neptune on Boo Boo Hill, you'll be blessed with good luck on your voyages.  Heaven knows we could use all the luck we can get, so of course, we found a piece of driftwood and continued the tradition! The pile of driftwood is striking, with boat names carved, burned, painted or etched permanently for all to see.  The pile grows bigger each cruising season only to be knocked down and put to sea with each passing storm.  Who knows how long our driftwood will last in the pile.  It continues to get buried under each passing boat and will soon be at the bottom.  But we know we left our mark on Boo Boo Hill.

Liv proudly displaying our impressive piece of driftwood.  Craig carved it with a Dremel.  Does anyone notice anything amiss?  Perhaps the carver came down with a case of dyslexia?

Reading the posted signs along the trail

Hi Ho, Hi Ho....it's off to work we go....

Phew, we made it up the grueling climb - all 100 feet up the hill!

The girls find the perfect spot to rest our piece of driftwood

The blow holes near the driftwood pile.  Everyone waiting and watching for something to happen.

When we left the driftwood pile to take a peek at the blow holes, Olivia missed our exit down the path and thought we had headed back to the dinghies.  We noticed that Olivia was missing and started searching for her.  It was slightly nerve racking since there were jagged cliffs that dropped down into pounding surf.  But with the help of Patronus, the 9 of us spread out looking for her.  Chris spotted her down the hill, walking the trail back towards the dinghies.  Craig took off to fetch her and brang her back.  She was a little shook up and scared but had done the right thing.  This impacted her and inspired her to write about it.  Here is her story, in her words (not edited by mom, dad or sisters):

I was in Wardarick Wells.  We were hiking a hill.  My dad said we were leaving.  So I started my way down the hill then the group disappeared.  I tried to follow them.  I got half way to the boat.  I felt lost then I saw four people walk by.  Then I saw people and an orange backpack up on the hill then my dad screamed for me.  Then I found my family and then I found my friends.  Then we all went back to the boats.  So we can never do that in our lives again.  

Bryson filling up his shirt with air from the blow hole

The wind was howling, creating some powerful surf

The serene leeward side of the island

The curly tailed lizard is indigenous to the Bahamas

We met the captain of this research vessel as he was passing by our boat one afternoon.  We asked him if we could bring the kids on board to learn about what they were researching.   He was delighted to accommodate us that evening.

This boat is a unique extension of the Shedd Acquarium in Chicago.  It is used by zoos, aquariums, and universities around the country for collecting, research and educational purposes.  It has logged thousands of miles in Florida waters, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

There happened to be a group of college biology students doing research on the Hutia.  A nocturnal rodent that looks like a little muskrat.  We never saw them in person, but we sure did see their evidence (poop) That is speed like a carpet all over the island!

A curious friend stopped by for a visit one afternoon

Craig and I out for a sail

Lobster and Whales and Sharks Oh My!

Moving along, continuing north, we motor sailed the next 20 miles or so from Cambridge Cay to Wardwick Wells.  We left the shallow turquiose waters of the lee shore and headed for the deep blue of the drop off where the fishing was good.  Craig set our 4 lines across the back with the teaser in the middle and we trolled.  This was no ordinary trolling day, going from point A to point B in a relatively straight line.  We had time to spare, so we really fished.  What I mean to say is that we chased birds, circled around and zig zagged back and forth until we caught something.  If you were to look at our chart plotter, you'd think we were either indecisive, drunk, lost or all of the above.  In all actuality, we had been bitten by the "fish on" bug and we didn't want to head in until we caught something.  

 We caught another one!  Phew, thank goodness.  Now we were able to go anchor.

Motoring through the cut at Wardwick Wells side by side with Patronus.  

Reese, Bryson and Kate on the bow

 Two little sailors.  We traded Porter for Kate on this day sail.

 Maggie's shadow on the bottom of the sea floor.  That's our anchor chain running diagonally across the photo.

 Towing Craig in the kayak.  Red neck through and through.

 Wardwick Wells anchorage

 Craig and I went on a little walk to find the old plantation...

...this is all that was left.  I can tell you that it was hot and arid.  Not a place I would want to live.

More sharks circling around at feeding time. 

No swimming after 4pm in these parts!

Olivia playing with the kayak in the shallow cove next to our boat

The Exuma Land and Sea Park Headquarters

A 52 foot sperm whale found in the Bahama waters back in 1995

The half moon shape made by the current.  We moved over here to a mooring ball close the the cut exit the night before we left to make a quick getaway.

We saw the biggest lobsters ever just roaming around on the bottom searching for food.  They must have been close to 10 lbs. each.  I think they knew they were in the safe zone of the land and sea park where no one could touch them.

A thumbs up from this snorkeler

Sailing in the shallow waters