To our southwest is Great Abaco Island and to the northeast are a series of small, low lying, uninhabited Cays, the largest of which include Powell Cay, Ambergris Cay and Manjack Cay. The gleaming white beaches of these Cays invite exploration. But we are on a mission to arrive at Green Turtle Cay before the forecasted arrival of strong easterly trade winds later on in the afternoon.
[caption id="attachment_3182" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Shallow water near the opening to the Atlantic Ocean at Ambergris Cay"]
[/caption]Between the Cays are open passages to the Atlantic Ocean. Wind speed increases as we pass alongside these openings. At Ambergris Cay, ocean currents create uncharted shifting sand bars that require us to steer towards Great Abaco Island in order to avoid the shallows. The white sand under the brilliant afternoon sun casts an aquamarine glow on the surface of the water, reminding us that it is a privelege to be enjoying such an outstanding sailing day in the Bahamas.
At 3 PM, Cutter Loose enters the well-marked channel into White Sound. There are several feet of water under the keel. Soon we are docked at the Green Turtle Club Marina. This is a well-known establishment that offers an attractive inducement to cruisers. For every dollar spent in the bar and restaurant, our dockage fee is reduced by a dollar. Essentially, the marina is willing to discount or forgive dockage fees for visitors that patronize the restaurant. This is a no-brainer. There will be no provisioning or food preparation aboard Cutter Loose during our stay. The dining room is our new center of activity.
We will remain here at the Green Turtle Club for several days until the wind diminishes or until we have outgrown our clothes, whichever occurs first.
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