The Real Paradise Found

The last blog entry was entitled Paradise Found but we should have named it Man-made Paradise Found because of the resort Atlantis. Now we have found the true paradise of the natural sort. The waters have so many shades of teal and blue that they are just amazing!


From Nassau we had a great sail to Norman Key and then the next day to Warderick Wells Land and Sea Park. It took my breath away when we arrived at Warderick Wells. It was just so beautiful. While we were tying to the mooring the prettiest bird called a Banana Quip greeted us on our life lines which seemed like a good omen. We used our “looky bucket” (a bucket with a plexiglass see-through bottom) to see some of the marine life on a coral reef nearby and then hiked the island with Dave and Toni. At the highest point on Boo Boo Hill we had a spectacular view of the harbor where Blue Heaven was located and the deep blue ocean on the other side of the island.

The next day we had a motor sail to Big Majors Spot. However, the wind was not as far north as we hoped so had a roly-poly night and decided to move north to Pipe Creek because a front would be coming through on Sunday out of the west with wind predictions of 25 to 30 k. Time to find a protected spot!

Pipe Creek is another wonderful spot. So wonderful, quite a few boats come and stay here all winter. At 3pm we had a beach party at the designated “Yacht Club”(a few signs and various nautical items left by past cruisers) complete with good food and Christmas carols with accompaniment by a guitar and a recorder.. It was a great way to meet all the people on the boats in the anchorage and get into the Christmas spirit..

Christmas Eve day I baked all morning getting ready for our dinner on Blue Heaven with the Englers and Mershons. After lunch we hiked to the ocean side looking for shells and sea glass. Toni, the experienced one, found two beautiful shells. I have to open my eyes more! We had a wonderful ham dinner complete with all the fixings. We are so blessed to have such good friends with us when we are so far from home. It makes it easier being away from family.

Christmas morning people came by dinghy bearing a lot of home-made goodies. There is such camaraderie and caring among the cruisers. A lot of us headed to Sampson Cay marina by dinghy for Christmas dinner. We had a wonderful meal of Rosemary chicken with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed peas, berry cheesecake and coffee. When we first entered they had out fresh strawberries, raspberries, chocolate dipping sauce and fresh home-made doughnuts for which they are known. Everything was delicious and as usual a good time was had by all!