Great Guana Cay and Elbow Cay

Peter was due to be writing this but having added the pictures has become distracted and left me to it. I suspect the distraction has something to do with the the lack of wi fi, most things have! We have had a good couple of days, first in Great Guana Cay and now in Hope. In Great Guana Cay we hired a golf cart so could see more of the Island. It's very interesting and reminds me a lot of Africa, some poverty and a lot of pandering by the local community to the rich incoming tourists. I always feel uncomfortable witnessing this kind of thing, let alone being a part of it. There are those of course who exploit it for all it's worth and those who act with respect. I hope we fall into the latter category. 

We were invited for 'sundowners' onto a neighbouring motor boat Islandia,which was very pleasant. It gave me my first opportunity to visit the 'dark side' of boating. I was quietly impressed, lots of space and some very good kit. Who knows, one day I could be tempted? I think we managed to settle the American health care problems over a drink. Nice people who have been boating for years.

Sunday morning we saw Nurse Shark and turtles in the marina.

Set off for Fowl Cay. Sea too rough to snorkel when we got there, either in the boat or the dinghy. Left for Hope, where we moored among many other boats. Very pretty and also more English than other places as many of the English loyalists came here following the American war of independence. Terry

We clean up quite nicely don't we. This was taken at a bar called Grabbers, which has a lovely view over the bay.

Each of the two Cays has a beautiful Atlantic side beach, long stretches of fine sands and rolling waves.  There are breakers a few hundred metres off the beach which is presumably where the Ocean floor shelves upwards steeply to the shallow ledge of the Abaco. 

A nurse shark in the marina at Orchid Bay, Great Guana Cay. They are apparently quote safe although when we saw another at the beach, no-one rushed into the sea to swim with it.

This is Hopetown harbour where we moored for Sunday night. A lovely and secure spot. The town is quite picturesque, with a variety of colourful homes and businesses - pinks, peaches, lilacs, yellows. There seems to be a varied community of Bahamians and other seasonal residents here. It seems more laid back than other places we have been, although I imagine that it will be much busier and livelier soon. 

Peter