Conception Island

3/28/16 - 3/30/16   To 23 51.131N,    75 07.239W    45.5 NM

After listening to the net Monday morning, we picked up the outboard and dinghy before heading out the S end of Elizabeth Harbor.  We weren't alone, Seven Js', a 165' yacht from the Marshall Islands joined a bunch of us 'little' boats, some heading to Long Island, some to Cat Island and 4 of us (along with Seven Js') to Conception. 

The boats behind us leaving Elizabeth Harbor

We ran up the main before heading out, and had enough wind for a nice sail for several hours.  When the boat speed dropped to 2.5, we turned the key and motor sailed most of the way to the N end of Long Island.  We could see a series of light showers drifting down from the clouds by Long Island, and we  thought we might get a much needed fresh water rinse, but the showers went to either side of us, and we got just enough rain to dampen the decks and raise the humidity level.  Once the showers passed, the wind filled in from the SE (after a few puffs from the N) and we had a great sail the rest of the way to Conception with a steady 12kt SE breeze, rolling through a 3' easterly swell.  One of those aha moments, this is why we do this!  Best of all, a large group of dolphins had joined us as we approached Long Island - that's the second spotting this trip.

Dolphins swimming in front of the boat on the way to Conception

One of the dolphins surfacing 

We arrived at the anchorage to find a fleet of vessels at anchor, the most we've ever seen here, including  the Seven Js' - we've never been here with a yacht of this size in the past.  There was plenty of room, so we picked a spot and dropped the hook.  It's interesting to see how far a swell can work behind what looks like good wind protection, and we had a bit of swell providing a gentle rocking motion, not unlike a cradle.

The motor yacht "Seven Js' "

In the morning, we watched the crew of Seven Js' transport a tent, multiple chairs and several large swan floats ashore in a large RIB.  Apparently they picked the wrong beach, as they were busy moving everything to the next beach S.  They seemed to have a number of toys, 2 jet skis, 2 paddle boards and 2 swan floats, which was a good thing since it looked like a group of kids on spring break. Not sure how most kids could score a spring break like this, but they were well behaved while having a good time.

After checking with the Reuters who were having a quiet morning, we went ashore for a hike.  In the past there's been a short path to a N facing beach, and then a bit more rigorous trail that goes to a long E facing beach, involving a couple of ropes and a trail along top of the cliffs.  As we crossed over to the little beach, we noticed a huge flock (or whatever you call a large group of butterflies) feeding and flitting on white flowering plants.  Between the bright sunlight and dark glasses, we had trouble seeing anything on the screen in the camera (a problem we had all day) but took a bunch of pictures hoping we'd have enough to identify the species.  There were 2 - the common buckeyes out numbered orange gulf fritillaries by a large percentage.

A couple of pictures of some of numerous 

Common Buckeye butterflies gathering nectar

Last year's hurricane devastated Rum Island and Long Island when it sat just offshore for a number of days, hammering the islands.  It took a toll at Conception too.  A chunk of first the headland was missing, and served as a warning for what was to come.  On the last trip, other than needing ropes to climb a couple of cliffs, the trail meandered along the cliffs and eventually over to a long E facing beach.  This year the edges of the cliffs had collapsed, turning the hike into a ropes and rocks course.  

Looking E on the N side of Conception -
 the trail and 1st rope start beyond the small pond

Looking W toward the Southampton Reef extending to the N

Pond in the interior northern part of the island - it does not appear to join the lagoon system

We were also hampered by a large crop of sand burrs when we weren't scrambling over rocks and boulders.  We made it.  It was noon when we reached the beach and with no shade in sight, we only walked about half the beach (mostly boring sand) wanting to get out of the sun.  What we did see was a 3+' shark swimming along the breaking waves of the beach.

Shark patrolling the surf line of the beach

The hike back wasn't any shorter, nor were there fewer sand burrs.  While the toes on our crocks protected our feet, we stopped often, trying to scrape them off on rocks.  The downside of crocs is that the burrs need to be completely removed, or they can work their way through the sole and stick from the inside.  I spent over an hour, picking them out with a tweezers.  Leonard said we wouldn't doing that hike again any time soon.

Lynnea descending the second rope

Later in the afternoon we took the dinghy out to the Southampton Reef that extends about 4NM off the NW end of the island.  I wasn't sure about snorkeling since we'd seen a 3+' barracuda stalking us the last time we were here.  Supposedly the smaller ones are okay, but this was big and spooky, and we  heard someone had been bitten  by a barracuda in Georgetown.  Another couple was doing a reef drift from their dinghy, peering over the sides with masks and snorkels.  When we spoke, they'd seen a big barracuda that had them scrambling back into their dinghy.  We opted to hang over the edge too, and just as Leonard was considering going into the water, he saw a good sized shark.  So much for dangling body parts overboard!  It was interesting, and a bit disconcerting, to drift over the huge coral heads just inches below our faces. The corals on the reef are huge, rising some 20' from the bottom to breaking at the top at low tide  We did see a few, but not many fish.  Some of the corals were slowly regrowing, much of this huge reef had become sand covered and dead, so it was interesting to see areas where different corals were thriving once again.

Tuesday evening we joined the Reuters and another couple aboard Imanja for sun downers.  Gary Kreiger and his crew, Niamh, had sailed over Monday from Georgetown with us on "Freed Spirit", his Caliber 40.  We had a fun evening trading sailing stories.  We may catch up with Freed Spirit again, they headed back to Georgetown to pick up guests, and he was considering going to Long Island, our next stop.

3/30-3/31/16   To  23 50.810N,    75 07.249W    Conception Island    .3 NM

 A number of boats departed early Wednesday morning, so we decided to re-anchor a bit closer to shore and the entrance to the lagoon we planned to explore.  It also gave the batteries a bit of a charge since the wind wasn't blowing a steady 15, and provided us with some hot water.  There had been 17 or 18 boats  anchored here Monday night, but that number dropped to 8 by Wednesday morning. 

Wednesday afternoon we joined the Reuters, taking our dinghies down to the lagoon in the center of Conception a bit before high tide to go exploring.  It was a 2NM dinghy ride to the entrance, and similar to Shroud Cay, best entered on a rising tide.  The lagoon, known for its turtles, and has 'tagging events' when the turtles are caught and tagged to track them for scientific studies. The lagoon only has one entrance, and even with the water up, it required dodging rocks and sand bars at the entrance while timing our arrival with the incoming swell.  Once inside, the water was calmer making it easier to see the deeper channels.  We saw a couple of oyster catchers feeding along the shore, several turtles, some fish, and what I think were GBH flying in the distance as we navigated several of the channels. 

Oyster catcher with a shell in its beak

Active Captain mentioned the possibility of hiking up to the light, but the water was too shallow for us to get close to the hill.  Several other dinghies arrived behind us, including the jet skis from the Seven Js', but for the most part, we had our portion of the lagoon to ourselves.  We spent a good hour exploring, knowing we wanted to be back outside before the water got too low and we might have possible issues with the breaking swell.  We had no problems other than timing the swell as we exited.  It could be very interesting if the wind and current were opposing.  We were surprised to find swell breaking on a headland about half way back to the boat, causing confused wave patterns and some breaking waves - we hadn't noticed it when we'd gone past earlier.

The Reuters exploring the lagoon

Bette and I were dropped off at the S end of the long beach by the anchorage for a walk along the beach while the guys headed back to the boats.  An osprey called from the top of a dead palm tree as we walked past.  In the Bahamas there seems to be a mocking bird every where we go, repeating each song 3 times before introducing a new one, but not a lot of other birds.  While we heard a number of song birds on Stocking Island, they were impossible to spot in the foliage, and I couldn't identify them by their song.  I was surprised to see swallows swooping overhead catching bugs as we walked along the beach, and at dusk I spotted a lone GBH standing at the edge of the water.   

This handsome creature joined us in the cabin just before dinner -
the species isn't on my identifier, but was a good 4"

Friday we'll head down to Thompson's Point on Long Island to spend a few days.  Unfortunately, the Long Island Breeze, the resort that provided a dinghy dock has closed, so no cheerful morning net by Mike with local announcements, weather and news, or place to leave a dinghy, get ice cream, a drink or a meal out in Salt Pond.  It was a favorite cruiser's hang out.  Fortunately there is a dock near the grocery store that's been made available (the privilege not to be abused), the beach and a small harbor where we've landed dinghies in the past.

We've been keeping tabs on the weather via our SSB receiver and Chris Parker's early morning forecasts.  We should have light winds, although perhaps more southerly than we'd like, before what may be a bit of weather that arrives Sunday due to complex weather systems organizing up in the states. Different weather models don't agree as to how things will shake out.  Most of the cold fronts have dissipated by the time they've arrived this far south since we've gotten to the Exumas, although the Abacos, further N, haven't been as lucky.

Lynnea