Bahamas 2010 – #3

Well, we arrived back in Marsh Harbor late yesterday. If you recall we were having engine trouble week ago Saturday and that was the reason for our visit here. Well we were lucky, minor problem and it was quickly fixed and we were able to get underway at 11:00 AM. We sailed straight to Nassau. We had Mackerel, which we caught and cheese grits for supper. This was a 18 hour sail. We arrived at five in the morning anchored for a couple of hours before heading on to Allen Cay. We were at Allen Cay last year, but since Scott had not seen all the Iguanas, we stopped again. They are as homely as they were last year, they are really ugly and I can not imagine why anyone would want one for a pet. We did find out one thing about them, that is that this one species is not found anywhere else on the planet. That may be a good thing. Oh, yes for breakfast we had home made rolls, George is a great cook. Our next stop was Waterderick Wells, which is a national park. I could spend more time there exploring. We were able to spend two days here. The highest point on the Island is Boo Boo Hill. On the top everyone leaves a piece of drift wood with the name of their boat. We left ours up there as well. There are names of boats from all over the world. The view from the top is nothing but spectacularly and the photos do not do it justice. The view to the water to the east looks down on the clearest water, I would really love to dive this area. The view to the west looks down to the lagoon and all the boats at anchored. This view could be on any travel brochure.I am guessing that the Hill was about 100-150 ft in height. There are an abundance of trails leading throughout the Island. We walked several. We also took the dingy to do some exploring to the remote areas of the Island. This is one place I plan of visiting again and again. Our next stop was Norman Cay, the home of Carlos Ledher. Name does not ring a bell? He was one of the major players in the Cocaine business. He supplied over 80 percent of all the drugs to the eastern US and all the drugs came through Norman. He took over the Island, extended the runway and built several buildings, including his home called the volcano. We explored all of these. No too long ago some of the locals found a bag full of guns buried, I was in hopes of finding buried money. In the lagoon there is a DC3 the had engine trouble and crashed. We were able to dive the wreck. During his peak Carlos had 10 planes a night leaving Norman for the US. I just read a book about it call the Turning of the Tides. Carlos was captured and sentence to life in jail, but there is no record as to what jail. One interesting note, we got up ready to leave for Marsh Harbour and had no dingy. We called on the radio and looked. The dingy line had broke and it could of drifted out into the ocean or drift into the lagoon. We were extremely lucky it drifted into the lagoon. Somebody called on the radio and said they would get it for us. His name was Sid and what a character, no shirt, beard and a hat with feathers. His boat was a homemade, made of wood and his sails had more patches than original sail. He has sailed that boat all over the Bahamas. We left Norman and sailed straight back to Marsh Harbor, this was about a 32 hour sail. Two of the wives are flying into Marsh today to spend a week with us. Charlotte was unable to make the trip. We will start heading back shortly after the wives leave. From the crew of SV Celebration