The Tideye Crew set out into the Atlantic Ocean once again to sail the high seas and do a little fishing. After twenty-nine and a half hours, we didn’t have any fish to share, but we did find ourselves tucked into a jammin’ new place. We had arrived to the Exuma hotspot of Georgetown.

We scooped up Captain Debbie from Marsh Harbor and immediately hoisted the sails to get south to Lynyard Cay (right outside of Little Harbor) to stage for setting out into the open ocean for the first time since we arrived in the Abacos back in December. We had been mulling over the weather for days trying to pick a day and a route that would be best for our crew – turned out to be quite the puzzle! We could pick a day to cross the Northeast Providence Channel then day hop our way down the Exuma Bank. We could cross the channel, hop down Eleuthera then cross the Exuma Sound. OR wait for the calmest conditions and just make a run for it on the outside – all Atlantic Ocean. After lots of deliberation (and a chat with Chris Parker) we opted for option #3 – all the way baby. This gave us three days in our “staging spot” to ride out some impressive storms, knock out a few boat projects and squeeze in a little beach picnic and some snorkeling. It was a great way to say farewell to the Abacos.

The passage was a breeze – since there wasn’t much breeze! An uneventful passage is really an event in itself. Even though we didn’t catch any fish, we definitely got some huge hits. Cap’n Debbie and I saw a billfish hit and jump 20 feet into the air flopping its massive body back and forth. We were so awestruck that we could barely get to the rod in time to stop it from taking all of our line! Then we snuck between Eleuthera and Little San Salvador at day break which turned out to be a cruise ship highway! The sight of an enormous lit up city out in the ocean never gets old – and this time we were going to get close enough that I got to hail one on the VHF to set our course. Just before sunset on the second day, we were moored in Elizabeth Harbor right outside the nostalgic beach bar, Chat N Chill. Yesssssssss.

Logan and I lived here in Georgetown 11 years ago on S/V Stella Blue – the kids are probably tired of stories that start with, “When we were here last time….” But now they are collecting their own memories of this groovy place. In the first two days they have already fed the rays AND swam with a dolphin!!! Not a bad start to our stay here.

We have a few friends coming to visit this month so it’s time to clean up and restock Tideye for some Exuma fun. Spring Break baby!