Post #65: Love Thy Planet

Saturday, February 13 to Sunday, February 14, 2021

We had hoped to motorsail to Warderick Wells on Saturday, the headquarters for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP) and the next major island in the Exuma chain.

We were able to contact the Park ranger on Friday morning to reserve 6 of the 22 mooring balls right near the headquarters building for Saturday night.  Well, at least we thought we’d made reservations.  Actually, all we had accomplished was to put our names on the reservation waiting list.  Since no boats left on Saturday, we “had to” stay one more day at Shroud Cay, snorkeling and swimming at the beach. Pure torture.

We checked again on Sunday morning and were given the all-clear that there would be 6 mooring balls available for us. The ECLSP encourages everyone to use the balls in order to protect the coral reefs (so boats don’t damage them with their anchors), to protect boats from the swift currents around the islands and, of course, provide revenue for the Park. 

We headed out to the Exuma Bank and turned directly into the south wind. It’s a bit bumpy and not everyone’s favorite kind of traveling but we only had to go about 15 miles, or three hours.

Once again, the destination made even a bumpy passage worthwhile.  (Can you imagine having this view if you worked at the Park????)

We gathered at the nearest beach for Valentine’s Day brownies and Hershey Kisses.  We shared the beach with the skeleton of a once magnificent 52’ sperm whale who had washed ashore in 1995, his stomach cavity full of plastic garbage. It was a sober reminder to all humans of the critical importance of reducing and properly disposing of our trash—especially plastic.