Northern Land and Sea Park- Shroud Cay

Before we left Norman’s Cay and entered the legally protected waters of the Land and Sea Park, Grant tested his luck at spearfishing fish for the first time (not lobsties). Amelia watched from the dinghy as Grant swam around some coral heads he had found near the cut. He was going to practice his skills on slow lionfish that are an invasive species people are encouraged to spear.

As Grant looked around the coral for lionfish he came across a black grouper trapped between him and the coral. Without hesitation he speared it his first try! We had expected to spend at least an hour practicing on using the spear for fish. Instead, Grant had dinner in five minutes!

The next day we motored with a light unfavorable breeze to Shroud Cay, one of the northernmost islands of the Exumas Land and Sea Park. Shroud is known for its mangrove canals that run across the island. The Park allows boaters to traverse the northernmost canal. It was a fun ride through the island with a bit of heavy current. As we began the current was against us, then it switched and we turned off the engine to for a slow ride. The current started to pick up quite a bit and swirled us out into a sandy beach.

It was soft silky sand. We walked along and onto the sandbars exploring.

When we returned to Velocir the wind had shifted and we moved to a more protected anchorage for the night. (Finding an anchorage protected from swell in the Exumas has proven to be a challenge. Even with an East wind West swell seems to emerge.) The anchorage was part of the Park’s mooring field. There were a few boats anchored but only one on a mooring. We hiked up the path of the anchorage’s small beach to an old well Grant found referenced in a vintage cruising book we brought. It said the well was used for fresh water for boaters (we took a little for showers).