Meandering Magees: Treasure Cay and Green Turtle Cay

Saturday, April 14, 2018
Day 377

30 miles to Green Turtle Cay

Treasure Cay was indeed a treasure. It claims to have one of the top ten beaches in the world and we would not argue. There is not a lot in Treasure Cay but the beach, the beach bar/restaurant, sheltered marina, pool, tiki hut pool bar, and Florence’s cinnamon rolls rank it as one of our favorite stops. At the beach, there are umbrellas and thatched roof shade poles with 2 beach chairs for rent. Cost is $30. But because we were staying at the marina, we only paid $10 and got 4 chaise loungers. I guess membership does have its privileges.

Two back to back strip malls with maybe 4 or 5 stores each constitute the commercial enterprises of Treasure Cay. From the marina, we just had to walk across a makeshift soccer field to get to the hardware store (small but well stocked), grocery store (more lettuce), bakery and gift shop (postcards).

Tuesday we spent all afternoon at the beach. I swam the whole time, Mike joined me in the water for a little while, and for Greg, the conditions were perfect for a nap - shade from the thatched roof umbrella and a slight breeze. (When I finally came out of the water, the skin on my fingers was shriveled like a prune. I have enough wrinkles from growing old – good thing these went away!)

When we got back to True North, we spotted another boat with a Looper flag and recognized the boat – Le Reve, from Rogers City, Michigan. We first met them at the beginning of their Loop when they stopped in Ludington at our marina last summer. Caught up with them again in Marathon at a Looper gathering and now in the Abacos.

A thunderstorm rolled in Tuesday night. Power to the dock pedestal (thus to the boat) was knocked out for a while, but hey, no problem mon. It’s the Bahamas. We just turned on our generator.

Wednesday the weather and wave conditions were right for us to leave the hub of the Abacos (Hope Town, Great Guana, Marsh Harbor and Treasure Cay) and run to Green Turtle Cay. Treasure Cay is on Great Abaco Island. Green Turtle Cay is an outlying cay. To get there, because of shallow water, you have to go out into the ocean and come back into the Sea of Abaco as the marinas are on that side of the cay. We have learned that rarely is anything a straight shot as there are always sandbars, reefs and small cays to maneuver around.

There are two passages to the ocean from Treasure Cay to Green Turtle Cay. One is Don’t Rock Passage and can only be used by shallow draft boats (not us) at high tide. We went through The Whale Cay Passage Channel. Everyone just calls it “The Whale”. Wind direction, waves, and currents can cause a condition called a “rage” in The Whale and those times would be a no-go for travel. Most mornings you hear chatter on the radio – “Did anyone come through The Whale today? What are the conditions?” Mike (the faithful navigator and weatherman) determined Wedneday was our day to go and we confirmed that as we did a radio check that morning and had several boaters say the waves were 2 to 3 ft.

We waited for a rising tide so didn’t leave Treasure Cay Marina until 10:45 am. Le Reve said they would be about 45 minutes behind us, so we were in constant radio contact with them, reporting on the conditions. Gypsies Palace is a catamaran (shallow draft) so they went through Don’t Rock.

True North handled the waves in the Whale Passage just fine. Once through, the winds increased and the ride into Bluff House Resort and Marina on Green Turtle Cay was a little rocky.

With the wind really whipping, we were happy our slip assignment was a straight in from the harbor (sound) entrance. We got tied up and Mike and Greg went to help Le Reve get secure. They had an inside, stern in (back in) slip which proved to be much more difficult to turn and get in with the wind. We were thankful for the little things, like a favorable slip assignment. Bluff House was the 3^rd marina we tried to get into but certainly was a great spot.

The resort and marina had a nice pool area and a private beach. Greg makes use of every pool to do his arm therapy. I headed to the beach, which was an uphill and then steep downhill walk from the dock. (which of course is reversed when going back to the boat!) The beach was small but had lounge chairs and a waterfront bar/restaurant and I found a few shells.

Between the Whale Passage and Green Turtle, we had wanted to stop and drop our anchor for an hour or so at No Name Cay to feed the wild pigs that live there. In talking with boaters, it is the thing to do and I’ve seen pictures on other Loopers blogs of “Piggyville” with the pigs eating out of their hands. But the high winds kept us from that adventure!