2022-04-02 Pipe Cay Snorkeling, Shroud Cay Mangroves, and brisk sail to Rock Sound, Eleuthera

 We left Big Majors, and went back to one of our favorite anchorages on Pipe Cay.  

Took some time do work on a trail.  Collected trash along the beach, and took it back to mark the trail a bit.

We found the trail from this marker - marked the start of the trail 

Dean blowing the conch horn at sundown

Nice light at the entrance to Pipe Creek

Saw the National Geographic Boat "Sea Lion" at Pipe Cay and Shroud Cay

Kris's back was feeling better, so we took a brief snorkeling trip as well.   Just a so-so snorkel.

Saw a nice turtle on the trip, but he was too fast for me to get a good photo.

After Pipe Cay, we headed north up to Shroud Cay.  Had a great sail.   Winds were 20 knots out of the east, but the water was fairly flat, and we just flew along going 8.9 knots.

Shroud Cay is part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park.  You have to pay to anchor.  It has some long mangrove rivers that are fun to explore.  You can take them all the way from the banks to the ocean.

Entrance to Mangrove River

Travelling the mangrove river

Rapids form where the river meets the ocean

Looking from ocean side back across mangroves to anchorage

Nice oceanside beach, very soft sand

On the dinghy trip in the river saw some Green turtles and rays.

Ray in mangrove river

Saw several Green turtles.  They are fast, and hard to get a good photo of.

We had good weather, so decided to sail over to Eleuthera Island.  Had a nice brisk sail, with 4 to 6' swells at the beginning, but then they settled down to 2 to 4'.       Anchored in Rock Sound on Eleuthera Island.   

We went and visited the Cathedral Cave, and Ocean Hole today.

Charm at anchor at Rock Sound

Well marked entrance

We did not go swimming

The Boiling hole  - we did not see any boiling.  Looks like a large deep pond with steep sides.

Walked a little further to the Cathedral Cave.  It used to be a rickety ladder, but now has nice stairs to access.

Old way down, via ladder

New way down, much nicer

Inside the cave

Quite a few bats in the cave

Its cool how the tree roots grow down in the cave

Next stop was Ocean Hole,  Large ocean connected hole located in town.  Locals feed fish and swim.  There is a nice park by the hole.

Fish waiting for food at Ocean Hole

Ocean Hole

We will probably stay here at Rock Sound for a week, as a weather front passes by, as we have good protection here.