We are ready to explore and learn about Hog Cay which seems to be active with so many boats in the anchorage.  There is so much to say about this stop that I am breaking it into two parts. This first part I will focus on hanging out on the beach and the experiences with had with the people in the anchorage.  Next video we will go hiking and see this Cay.

First we land on the beautiful beach and see the famous hog cay palapa where everyone hangs out!  All day everyday, but especially in the evening for sunset.  Obviously, cruiser’s who visit leave our name hanging in the palapa.  As think back on this time and with Melissa passing so close to Hog Cay, I wonder what is there and what is not anymore.  Our first evening we experienced a great diverse group of people from around the world.  Incredible sailing stories beginning, in the middle, and near the end.  We all became a family helping each other out and ending the day together.
Two very young children were on the island sailing with their parents.  They were both around Lilia’s age so they were special.  First is Chloe, she is on La Passion with her older brothers and sister along with her parents and crew. Yes, it is big catamaran and they are from Great Britain.  Next, is Jack sailing with his two older brothers, Williams and Henry, with his parents, Dylan and Sally on Orion. They are from Great Britain, but the children were born in Hong Kong where they were working and then sold it all to sail.  Right now they are in Canada having returned to land so the kids could go to school and they can save up again to do it all over when the boys are teenagers.  What a plan!  These two little ones were the best entertainment.  One day Jeff who is sailing alone on a catamaran decided to help the children build their own sailing vessel after they found a large piece of styrofoam on the island to use for floatation.  These kids just would not give up ,of course, neither did Jeff.  Love the kids sailboat beached here with all the other dinghies.
A group including Dee and Rick took off to spear fish and gather conch the same day. Upon their return with tons of conch it was time to learn to cut, clean, beat, and cook conch - and make conch salad which is much easier, I learned.  We had one of the best meals on the beach that night.  Fresh fish and lots of fried conch and conch salad.  This was a great experience!  We first met Myron, the Commodore,  here on Hold Fast and he would  become a really close friend during out stay in the Raggeds.
I will close out this video with some sunsets from Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, Bahamas.

Our first stop in the Raggeds was Flamingo Cay one of the northern most islands or Cay that you come to when crossing over into the Ragged Islands from the EXumas.  This was a beautiful uninhabited island and pristine white sand beaches.  Fishing boats hand out here as you can see in the sunset pictures and do bring the sharks into this area.  There is a large sea turtle known in these waters but we are not sure this is him.  The sunset this evening was breathtaking.  The Sunrise did not disappoint either.   
Before we head out the next morning we check out the cave.  We have read about the Flamingo Cay Cave as one you can drive your dinghy into so we wanted to be sure and experience this as we don’t plan to leave the Raggeds this way.   So glad we took the time to have this experience!
The day was gloomy but we hoped for a nice ride down the eastern side of the islands, but as the wind and rain picked up we choose to dip back inside to the western side just north of Buena Vista Cay and head on down toward Hog Cay but not before we have some Dolphin visitors.    
We have read so much about Hog Cay and have decided to begin our exploring there.  The sun finally comes out and we enter and full anchorage which we did not expect in mid April.  We enjoyed our first evening and sunset before exploring Hog Cay.   Just one of the many pristine beaches and islands we will discover in this isolated part of the Bahamas.

EXUMAS

The crossing over to the Exumas was beautiful and we anchored that first night on the Southern tip of Norman’s Cay near the plane crash.  We were able to get Chicken Hawk up for some great pictures of Inked Mermaid and Journey anchored together.  We did not venture over to the plane crash, but the story goes that the old US Army Air Forces Custiss C-46 was filled with cocaine when it landed short of the runway.  Other stories say this is not true, yet this island is known as Pablo Escobar’s island.  One highlight of this anchorage was watching a sea plane land for tourist to see the plane crash and the spectacular sunset our first in the exumas where the water is so pretty and blue!

The Next morning we off for a beautiful ride down to Black Point, one of our favorite places in the  Exumas.  This was a perfect day on the water and we enjoyed the trip anchoring before another beautiful sunset.  We are ready to explore our old haunting grounds here.  

First up is a short hike to Nisimo’s Blow Hole which is over on the eastern side of the islands along the cliffs.  We got some great pictures and saw the Blowhole blow!  We enjoyed exploring the beach area looking for some shells and sea glass.  As well as exploring the rock caves which made for some great photo opts.  The walk back gives us a great look over the anchorage and the sandbar.


We head up to Emerald Sunset View - proof we have been there before is our old boat card on the wall.  We also get a our first Sands pink rattler - my favorite!  When we return to LeaAnn we find her beached.  Opps.  Dee and I are out of practice.  Rick and Christi return us to Journey where we wait out the tide and head back before sunset to retrieve her from the beach, but the good news we have Mama’s Coconut Bread!


Watching the wildlife around the docks is a great past time here especially when doing laundry or watching the unloading of the mailboat.  Quite a Site!  We finish up our time here with a Happy Hour filled with Rum Punch at the Black Point Yacht Club.  We are headed to the Ragged Islands and excited about this new adventure in the Bahamas.  Check out Inked Mermaid heading into the Ragged Waters….

Two days before Easter Sunday we leave the Ten Thousand Islands after anchoring out with Dan and Karen and head south to the Florida Keys and our favorite anchorage near Islamorade, Shell Key.  This is a long 81nm run but get in to enjoy a beautiful sunset.  This does not last long as we are off early the next morning to head up to Pumpkin Key where Scott and Mary and Rick and Christie are staging for our crossing to the Bahamas looks like a Sunday crossing.  The holiday traffic was active, but we arrived around 2:30.

Scott and Mary on Salt Wife come by and get us and we all head over to Inked Mermaid for Happy Hour and Happy Planning as we will leave the next morning at sunrise.  Easter Sunday - Resurrection Day, we pull anchor at 6:45 and we are off to cross the Gulf Stream and head over to the beautiful blue waters of the Bahamas.
Rick and Scott decide to stop on the bank for the night, but we decided to head on to Great Harbour and anchor at dark because the seas were beautiful.  The water was perfect the entire afternoon and evening.  We weren’t alone as the two trawlers at Pumpkin Key were also coming along. One was in front and the other behind us.  Cruise ships were slowing moving or anchored along our path and looked like cities on the water.  Finally we see lights from shore ahead and know we are close.  It is hard to determine where other boats are so we slide in as close as we dare and drop the anchor.  The next morning is beautiful and the water is flat.
We soon learn we need to bring the boat into the marina to check in so we take a slip for a few days.  We also find out they charged us an extra $100 for Easter Monday holiday.  Oh well, what to do we are in another country.
The big excursion here was a dinghy trip up Shark River to the other side of Great Harbor and a beautiful beach and sandbar area.  But the real reason for the trip is the turtles.  When we return our winch fails.  But Rick, Dee, and JB Weld to the rescue, Just so you know it pulled her up the rest of our Bahamas trip.  The next day we meet Mark and Genevieve from Lake Lure, NC who have chartered a boat but the boat is having lots of problems.  We also meet Chocho from Cancun who takes us all up to The Rock for sunset.  Genevieve and I explore a little.
Finally, We enjoy a homemade pizza dinner at the marina and plan our departure with Rick and Christie for the Exumas and as soon as possible the Ragged Islands.  We are so excited.  Leaving the Berry Island was some of the worst seas I can remember. So thankful to round the north side and put the seas behind us.  Still a little rough, but time to fish.  All The Journey crews could bring on board is a Mr. Barry.
Heading in to Nassau area to anchor we passed all the cruise ships now off the dock and heading back to Florida and snuck into our anchorage just past sunset.  A sailing cat arrived during the night and lots of activity woke me up.  It appeared their swim platform had broken and their dinghy was sinking.  They worked hard I believe got the situation under control.  We didn’t see anyone the next morning as we headed out to the Exumas.  Of course, the generator needed an impeller.  Dee begins again working on Journey in exotic places in this case while moving.  We are Exumas bound.