Jumentos

Jumentos Cays

A trip to the Jumentos takes a couple of days from Georgetown.  As a first stop  we headed to Long Island.  We were quite relaxed  about this sail and didn’t weigh anchor until about 10:00 AM. That may have been a mistake.  It takes about 3 miles to exit Georgetown  and there is often  a big swell at the south end channel .  The swell was a bit more than expected but ok.   Once out of the harbor we noted that there was a bit more wind than expected but still ok.  Soon we got on our heading for Long Island, SE at about 122-126 degrees.  The wind was from about  ESE at about 100 degrees blowing about 15 – 20 knots.  We just can’t sail 22 degrees off the wind so we tacked and we slogged and we motor sailed and we made about 3  knots into a stinky 4 foot chop.  How we managed to sail against the tide for 9 hours is a mystery to me but as we watched the sunset behind us we were still fighting to make more than 3 knots and the harbor was about 5 miles away.  We watched the stars dance a bit before arrived in stealth mode and set the anchor.   The weather forecast  the next morning gave us about two days before another stretch of windy, windy days. We set out , earlier this time ,for the northern Jumentos cays about 45 miles away.   The Jumentos are unpopulated.  There is one settlement to the south in Ragged Island with about 100 people.  We visited only the northern cays, Water and Flamingo, before the wind began to howl.   Our anchorage was well protected and one beautiful and happy week sped past.  There are no stores ,no marinas, no beach bars .  It is wonderful.   Our friends in Fine Lion were the  only other sailboat in the anchorage.  A few fishing boats came and went  in coves to the north and south. One morning, at about 730 we heard a knock on the hull and a small fishing boat pulled along side.  They were interested to know if we had heard a weather forecast; as in strong wind it is difficult to pull traps.  After discussing the weather a bit one fisherman asked if we had anything on board to make his mouth taste like a man.  I didn’t get it so he said , with the best of Bahamian lilts, “My mouth is just like a Bahamian dog’s I need something to make it like a man and get me going.  “  I offered coffee and he looked horrified.  Laughing he said that  when a Bahamian father gives his son a glass of rum he will say” here’s something to make your mouth taste like a man”.   We were way too low on rum for sharing but we found a bottle of wine that was acceptable and were promised fish in return.  The Bahamian defense force maintains an occasional presence in the area too.    After a couple of days stuck in weather they invited the fishermen and us  to a “grill out” on the beach.  We had fabulous steaks and chicken , great peas and rice, a Bahamian specialty similar to fried rice but better,  and stories of barracuda  stealing  fish from spears .  As the fishermen go t involved in the conversation, there were tales of hammerhead sharks and a showing of scars that was reminiscent of “Jaws” . It was almost enough to keep me out of the water but the snorkeling was amazing.  While searching for conch and fish we saw a moray eel, cow fish with their funny horns , puffy porcupine fish and rays.  I saw no sharks.  Thankfully! After a week the wind moderated and we turned our bow north, gently.  We had  water on board from our friends on Fine Lion which is equipped with a watermaker – handy item- but we were out of rum and beer.