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| Anchored with the swimming pigs a safe distance away.... |
We dropped anchor off the beach where the swimming pigs live; yes, these pigs can swim! From this spot, we have explored Staniel Cay and the famous Thunderball Grotto! When anchored off Big Majors Spot, it is about a 1 mile dinghy run to Staniel and the Grotto. The advantage to anchoring here is the protection from the east winds and the currents. There are over 45 boats here and some more than 100 feet long. I can see why so many people spend time here, as the beach is great, the swimming pigs are fun, and the Grotto is spectacular.
Staniel Cay has a nice yacht club pub and restaurant and a few settlement stores and shops. Again, you are reminded that you are in the Bahamas when the store is two 10' x 10' rooms. But, hey, you did not come here to shop, you came here to swim, snorkel and discover the beauty of the Bahamas and the gracious people.
My favorite way to share a location is via my photographs. I will allow them to tell the story....
CLICK THE PHOTOS for BIG IMAGES
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| Welcome to Big Majors Spot |
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| Yes....pigs can swim |
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| The local school for all ages, I love the slogan |
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A smart nurse shark rests in the shade of a tender from "Bernadette,"
a Trumpy motoryacht built in Annapolis. |
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| The local health clinic is manned by an RN and is open weekdays and for emergencies |
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| This is how I am getting these photos online....BTCbahamas.com |
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| Imagine climbing this after a hurricane and fix the wires! |
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| A shed at the local boatyard and a corn patch |
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| Bahamian skiffs and mega-yachts all arrive at Staniel Cay Yacht Club |
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| Sunset - time to put the jet ski away and the tender, too |
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| Famous local Race Boat ready for relaunch and spring racing |
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| "Tida Wave," ready to be rolled into the water at high tide |
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| Radeen, anxious to snorkel the Grotto |
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| Hayden and Radeen snorkeling Thunderball Grotto |
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| Radeen entering one of the caves |
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| Radeen is searching for James Bond inside the Thunderball Grotto |
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| Looking up to the Grotto's ceiling and holes to the sunshine |
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| The coral reef that rings the outside of the Grotto |
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| Purple Sea Fans wave in the current next to a large brain coral |
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| The reef is alive and looking very healthy |
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| Beautiful sea fans |
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| Sergeant Majors are well fed by visitors ...they swim right up to your mask |
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| Time to run the tender back to the boat, a 15 hp engine is a must have |
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ahhhh.....back at "home" we swam a few laps around Island Spirit
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What a beautiful day in beautiful water in the beautiful Exumas....this place will ruin you for sailing and boating ANYWHERE ELSE! Tomorrow, we will move onto Warderick Wells in the heart of the Land and Sea Park. So much to see....and we LOVE IT....
Great grotto photos! When you raved about Florida I was always thinking - wait till you see the Bahamas. Now you are talking! The Bahamas are great, indeed.
ReplyDeleteWe lie in Puerto Vallarta via the Panama Canal and that has been a hoot. Headed for the Sea of Cortez.
The beauty shows thru in your great pics. We look forward to sailing back to there fom the Med in a year as it will be 5 yrs this yr since we cruised thru on VanZant's "Thornless Path" to the East Indies. We look forward to sharing an anchorage with you next yr. Ed & Sue on Angel Louise - from Marmaris, where its just starting to turn to warmer spring wx!
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