Conchs and a Sea Star

Conchs (pronounced conks) are part of the mollusk family and create beautiful shells. I always thought they lived in their shells and moved into bigger ones as they grew (like hermit crabs), but they don't! They start out like jellyfish and float around, eventually building their shell around them and adding to it as they grow. Thanks, Franklin at Treasure Cay Marina for the info!

It is illegal to possess a conch shell if there is a live conch inside.  You can't even eat conch from the US because years ago, they were overharvested, so if you want to eat local conch, go to a Caribbean island to try it.

Its eyes reminded me of the crab in Moana that sings "Shiny". Every time we looked at the eyes, we'd bust out laughing.

I have always wanted a conch shell and never bought one because I wanted to find one myself. Just the day prior to these pictures, we bought one from the blue roadside store in the previous post. Then we saw these. We looked, but didn't touch. 🐚 Something about creepy crawlies in an undisturbed location gets to me.

 

While we played on Twin Sisters Beach, I saw a small shell, about the size of my fist. Curious, I picked it up and saw there was a live creature inside. Being a teacher, I called the kids over and we started to observe it. We noticed that it was more likely to come out underwater, so we got it to come out and were able to see the whole thing! When it was out of the water, there was a slime of sorts that it seemed to produce and excrete. Not wanting to harm it (or get slimy), we put it back in the sand where the waves were crashing, open side down, just where we found it.

Some serious A House for Hermit Crab vibes. Good thing that was a book we decided to bring on the boat with us!

After leaving our conch friend in the sand, we spent some time playing in the water and snorkeling. The water was so warm and calm, it was a perfect way to finish our afternoon. Everyone was on the hunt to find more marine life, but we weren't having much luck. Another family, exploring and snorkeling by the Twin Sisters boulders, found a sea star. The kids noticed and wanted a closer look at it. They got to feel it and hold it (Bear didn't want to) before the family set it back where it was discovered.

This sea star had long, thin arms. When flipped upside down, we saw all of the tube feet.

When we got back to the boat that night, we learned that conchs live in water and on the sand. The slime is a self-defense mechanism! They use their foot-type appendage to launch themselves into the air. I believe that is what this little guy was trying to do while we were intrigued by him. I love how our travels have taught us so much while inspiring more learning.

Queens Bath, Glass Window Bridge, & Lenny- Twin Sisters Beach, The Eleutheras

 

Queens Bath is a place to visit during low tide, when you can access several little tide pools (which reminded us of the Pagosa Hot Springs but without the sulfur and hot springs ambiance). The water and fish are left behind from the high tide and sit in the pools until the tide comes in again. We were able to see the pools and witness some of them start to disappear as the tide came in right before our eyes. Because of that, we didn't stay long! We dipped our feet in a few of the pools, looked at the waves come crashing in, and watched Sergeant Majors swim around the tide pools. 

Tiny yellow-striped Sergeant Majors swimming around.

Of course, it wouldn't be a stop without some learning and observations of what was happening and why. After being here for only a few short minutes, the changing water levels and incoming tide became obvious to the kids as the waves became increasingly violent while hitting the rocks and filling the baths.

The jagged-edged pools were made and are constantly changing as the waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashed into the limestone rocks on this side of the island. We were told to wear good shoes because the rocks are sharp and there are sea urchins. So glad we heard that advice! While we were there someone accidentally put their hand on urchin while climbing in the tide pools. Ouch!

Sea urchin in a tide pool. (Blue water shoes shown for size perspective.)

Our anchorage was on the opposite side of this, so we had just a short hike up a steep incline from the beach on one side, crossed a busy 2-lane highway that runs the length of the island, then continued along the path and rocks to Queens Bath. People mentioned wearing good hiking shoes because of this, but being Colorado-folk, we decided the water shoes would suffice. (No hiking injuries were sustained!)

View of the baths approaching from the south.

Headed south back to the beach near our anchorage because the tide was quickly coming in! The baths closer to the water were filling up and obviously starting to disappear under the water.

If you look closely, you can see several trilobites! This was SO cool to see in nature, outside of a museum or fossil collection.

Natural Hidden Mickey! °o°

We were drawn to this area because of the Glass Window Bridge mentioned in the nearby anchorage reviews. Initially, we were headed a bit further south, but it looked fairly busy with beachgoers and we've been spoiled by secluded beaches, so we made our way closer to the anchorage by the Glass Window Bridge. Once the anchor was dropped, we boarded the tender and set off for some exploration of our neighborhood for the day.

The Glass Window Bridge is part of Queens Highway (that we walked across to get to Queens Bath) and crosses over a thin part (about 30 feet wide) of the Eleuthera Islands. To the east is the dark blue, harsh Atlantic Ocean water. Just under the bridge, on the west is the serene turquoise blue water of the Bight of Eleuthera, where we were anchored. Viewing this contrast from the top of the bridge is ideal, but knowing how busy and narrow the road was, we didn't want to walk up there with the kids. The view is even better seen by plane or with a drone, which we don't have, so we looked at photos to see a different perspective. In the end, we got to see both bodies of water anyway since we went to Queens Bath. 

The open space between the land above Bear's head is a manmade bridge that replaced a natural bridge, destroyed by a hurricane in the past.

Our tender is in the foreground with the Cartermaran in the background on the right. Lenny's house is in the background to the left. Such a private and dreamy place to live, especially during a global pandemic with various quarantines and lockdowns in place.

"You know whose house that is?" we were asked by fellow beachgoers. "Whose?" Lenny Kravitz.

We introduced the kids to his tunes and sang, "I want to get away... I wanna flyyyyy awayyyy yeah, yeah, yeah..." for the rest of the time we were at this anchorage. Moose decided he has a new favorite type of music. 🎸

Harbour Island- The Eleuthras

When we knew we'd be stopping on Harbour Island, Ben looked up top-rated restaurants on the island and found Angela's Starfish. (To get to Harbour Island, we had to go back north around Spanish Wells, and through the Devil's Backbone for a second, uneventful time.)

We ordered some cracked conch for us and chicken wings and a hot dog for the kids, and everyone got a lemonade. The lemonades came out, each with a very clear layer of sugar on the bottom of the cup, and I knew we were in for some fresh deliciousness. 🍋

Angela, a grandmotherly woman, brought us our food. She checked on us several times and at the end, brought us our key lime pie. It was so tart and limey! We were ready to buy a whole pie from her, but she didn't have any made and kept asking when we could come back to get one. So we explained that we were just on the island for the afternoon before returning to our boat. Told her we'd be back next summer and she said, "God willing," just like my grandma does. 🙏

Angela's Key Lime Pie

She asked the kids if they wanted a cookie or watermelon and they all, surprisingly, chose watermelon. Out she came with watermelon slices the size of their heads and their eyes lit up. One for each of them, Ben, and me. As if that weren't enough, she came back out with fidget spinners for each of them.

Bahamian people are so friendly. They open up their houses to make money- be it restaurants, souvenirs, or a service- and they do it well. One of my favorite parts of this trip is visiting and exploring the local communities with my kids and the conversations that follow.

This little shop had a friendly lady inside who was weaving more of her products to sell. Ben and I took turns inside the shop and the kids stayed on the golf cart because it was so small and had lots of fragile things. The lady came out to see the kids because she heard them bickering and wanted to see their faces. After we checked out, she walked us out, said goodbye and said, "Love you!" 💞

 

Our day at Pink Sands Beach was fun. Lots of sand, and if you look closely, it definitely is pink from all of the local pink coral. The sand just isn't overwhelmingly pink when you look at it, like a white sand or black sand beach would be. It is hard to capture in a picture. We played in the crashing waves and because this is on the ocean side of the island, they were pretty big! At one point or another, every one of us got annihilated by the water. 🌊

To add to our fun, we took our tender to a public dock and rented a golf cart from Michael's Cycles to pick us up at Valentine's Resort & Marina. This is a very popular way to get around in the Bahamas. We were able to drive from one side of the island to the other, exploring all we could soak in, while reminding Ben that he is supposed to drive on the opposite side of the road any time an oncoming vehicle approached us. Good thing golf carts don't go too fast!

Cemeteries in other places are always so beautiful and different than what we pass frequently at home. This one was decorated and reminded me of El Día de Los Muertos celebrations and culture, so I took a picture to capture it. 

Spanish Wells, Devil's Backbone, & Royal Island- The Eleutheras

Our approach to Spanish Wells on St. George's Cay took us through Devil's Backbone. Ben mentioned that there was going to be a bunch of coral as we got closer to the islands and that it could be visible from the bow, through the crystal-clear water. He sent me off to see if I could see any and warn him if we were getting too close to it. 

Little did I know how dangerous this spot had been for other boaters, especially those going through it for the first time. Snaking through to the east side of the island, a wrecked ship was visible from where we were. It was tipped to one side and looked like it had been there a while, with water covering 2/3 of it. Still, I trusted Ben and knew he wouldn't do anything TOO risky. We followed a bigger boat in, and Ben said if they could fit, we'd be fine too. He sounded confident enough that I didn't have to worry! I was wondering why they'd give it such a violent name if it wasn't such a big deal. It was only after passing through this channel, not once or twice, but three times that I remembered that Ben is good at covering up things so I don't get too anxious in the moment. Thanks, Babe! (Side note: Even after getting home and reading the above article, I still can't believe we navigated through without a pilot so uneventfully numerous times! Apparently, it is a very dangerous and well-known part of the Bahamas to cruisers.)

We cruised through the channel and wound up going through the cute little town of Spanish Wells. There were a ton of boats and friendly people working on them and waving to us along the south side of the island off a road, aptly named South Street.

Just south of Spanish Wells was our next stop. We dropped the anchor and got ready for a secluded beach adventure on Royal Island. Ben wanted to be sure the anchor was secure before disembarking, so he jumped in the water to take a closer look. While he was headed toward the anchor, he saw a giant stingray right next to our boat! The kids were excited to watch it, but that scared them from swimming ashore, even several minutes after it swam off.

Stingray!

Bear and Moose finally were coaxed into the water with Ben and they snorkeled to the beach. This was the first time the beach was close enough to swim to and not worth the work of taking the tender off the davit. Roo and I finished getting beach toys together and took the SUP to the island. It was a good thing the others went before us because the SUP was getting pushed by the current faster than I could manage steering on board with bags full of toys and a little (almost) swimmer. Ben had to pull us up to the shore so we didn't drift away.

Moose taking the lead, with Ben and Bear following him to the beach.

There was no one on the island. We got to swim, snorkel, play in the sand, and enjoy the ocean life for a while. The tide was coming in, so we had to keep moving our belongings further inland on the beach, not too far because this island was really narrow and we could climb up just less than 150 feet and be on the beach on the west side of the island!

In true Carter-fashion, we decided to explore the island a little bit, on shore. There was evidence of other people who left behind their trash that was found by island inhabitants that we guessed were pigs- based on other boaters' reviews of the anchorage. Sadly, we didn't run into any pigs while we were there. Our journey back involved a little rock climbing into the water (we're all super grateful for our $14 water/boat shoes that protected our feet from sharp rocks) and then a walk (swim) through shallow water back to where we left our belongings.

As we anchored here, I knew we'd be there overnight, so I took a picture of nearly the same spot in the daylight and then again at sunset. Of course, with all of these captures in beautiful pictures, they don't do it justice. It is even more beautiful than it looks in the pictures- if you can believe it!

The Abacos

Many people have spoken of the beautiful waters of the Bahamas. Having never been before, I took everyone else's word for it. When we reached the turquoise and aqua waters of the Bahamas, I was in awe. We went to Fiji for our honeymoon and I remember feeling the same way. How can the water be so beautiful and SO many shades of blue all at once? I also debated which shade of crayon(s) I'd use to describe or illustrate the ocean and never settled on one. There would be several combined together in random, but purposeful streaks. How do you color the water with the right shades of blue, while incorporating the crystal clear water at the same time? I'm sure we'll try.

Planning our next stop usually happens at night after the kids go to bed. We look at Navionics to figure out a reasonable distance to cover and look for places we want to see. I spotted Big Carters Cay on the map, so we added that to our itinerary for the next day. Our captain... poor guy. He has to go out of the way to take us to places we find and just want to visit for a picture, which is one of the many reasons why we love him so much. What a sport, even though he complains about it.

The whole crew with Ben at the helm and Big Carters Cay in the background.

From there, we ventured over to an anchorage between Fox Town (on the north end of Little Abaco) and Hawksbill Cay. I apparently had sweated off the sunscreen that I applied to my back the previous day and my whole back was toast. I wanted to stay covered up and out of the sun, so Ben took out Big Bertha (a giant tube float, with an enclosed bottom), loaded up the kids, and took them for a spin. 

While I was inside the cabin, I was watching the kids laugh uncontrollably while holding on for dear life while Ben drove the tender in circles around our boat, between the two islands. They were having a blast! At one point, I was looking for them out of one of the large portholes above the galley and saw what looked like something floating in the water. I stared at it and watched it and realized it was a sea turtle! I was so excited! Of course, I couldn't find my phone in time to take a picture or call anyone to come see it because I was all alone, so I told everyone when they came back and then we continued our search for sea turtles.

That afternoon, Ben suggested I take the SUP out for a spin, as the sun was starting to set so I could enjoy some time on my own, without worrying about my sunburn. I decided to take him up on that offer. The SUP always provides me with a sense of serenity and calmness. Pair that with the ocean and I'm all set! 

I put the little two to bed, got on the SUP, and started to paddle around a rocky island near our boat. Whenever I get time to myself, thoughts always run through my mind. Sometimes I make up random scenarios, especially when I'm home at night by myself- I've done this for as long as I can remember. These thoughts freak me out and I become fearful of things that I completely make up. I know this about myself, so it isn't anything new. What IS new, is having alone time, as the sun is about to set, on the ocean. My thoughts turned to the shape of my inflatable SUP and how it is similar to a surfboard, but has air in it that is highly relied upon to stay afloat. I thought about how if I hit an unseen rock, I could be in trouble. Then I thought about surfing accidents that happen because surfboards with people paddling out to the water look like seals from a shark's perspective, and compared that image to what I looked like with my paddle. I started freaking out, trying to get myself back to the Cartermaran as quickly as possible, without making huge splashes.

I'm the little speck to the right of the small island.

Ben was on the deck when I returned and he asked me how it was. I told him we obviously didn't think that one through and I will never take the SUP out near sunset again. When I looked on Google, it said that sunrise and sunset are hands down the worst times to surf, SUP, or be splashing in the water. Noted.

As I was putting the SUP away, the sun was setting and Bear joined me and Ben on the deck. While I was busy marveling in yet another beautiful Bahamian sunset, Bear told me to look the opposite way. There was a rainbow! It was such a sight to see- a rainbow and sunset all at once. We were being spoiled each night with such gorgeous sunsets.  

Sunset off the port.

Rainbow off the starboard.

Cruising down the Abacos, our next stop was on Green Turtle Cay for some local eats. Unbeknownst to us, most places in the Bahamas are closed on Sundays. We took the tender around to a few spots to find somewhere to eat. Pineapples was open and their only menu items for the day were burgers and chicken wings with fries or rice. Got a few orders of those and enjoyed the quaint atmosphere with a swimming pool out front. We didn't swim, but other tourists and locals enjoyed themselves while we were there.

If you look closely, you can see the tender off the dock.

View of the pool from our table.

Have you been here?

At this point, we had been to 3 islands that are named after 3 different sea turtles, this summer. 💚 🐢 ✅ Loggerhead Key

✅ Hawksbill Cay

✅ Green Turtle Cay

Our last stop in the Abacos was Treasure Cay Beach. This place holds the title of my favorite stop of the trip. We looked up some beaches that we should not miss while in the Bahamas and found Treasure Cay Beach to be one that always ranks in the top 10 beaches. Being so close to it, we knew that would be a stop for us on this adventure.

To get to our anchorage, we went through a canal-type waterway with a fence that stretches from one piece of land, across the water to the land on the other side, and gets opened and closed daily, so we had to be sure it was open upon our arrival. Luckily, it was! We anchored for the night.

In the morning, we piled into the tender and went to Treasure Cay Beach, Marina & Golf Resort ready to venture to the beach. Ben was confused about the marina because it didn't look like it was active, despite the reviews he had read about this location. Come to find out, it is active, but not as popular since Hurricane Dorian hit in 2019. Even the image in the link above on Google Maps is outdated. It looks like it was even more spectacular before Dorian.

At the marina, we met Franklin, the dockmaster who helped us tie up and kept an eye on our tender while we went to the beach. He spoke highly of the beach as well, telling us that Aaliyah, the singer, filmed her very last music video (Rock the Boat) at that beach before her plane crashed leaving the island when she died in August of 2001. Franklin sent us off just across the street to the beach.

From the marina, we crossed the street, walked up and over a sandy hill, then down to the water. We were the only ones there! Our footprints were the only thing on the sand. It was an incredible beach and we had it all to ourselves! We couldn't believe it. 

Scoping out a place to leave our stuff while we play.

When we set down our things and were ready to get in the water, we saw a shadow in the shallow water. We weren't sure if it was coral or an animal, so we watched it for a little bit and noticed it was moving. It was hard to see what it was, but we were able to make out a head and 4 flippers. Now Bear and I had seen 2 and everyone else saw their first sea turtle in the wild. Everyone was overjoyed!

We splashed in the water, played in the sand, and used the amazing backdrop to have an impromptu photo sesh.

By the time we left, we had each seen yet another sea turtle swim by us. What a day!

Since everyone could use a little food before heading to the boat, we walked back across the street to Cafe la Florence. Florence isn't messing around! She really knows what good food and treats are! 🤤 Glad she was there to make recommendations for us. 

We never had conch before, so we had that here. Adults loved it and the kids didn't try it, but that's probably because we let them have ice cream for lunch. 😉 Got the cinnamon buns and 🍪 cookies to go cuz we couldn't pass up those giant things.

This cute little island town is still pretty messed up from Hurricane Dorian in 2019, with few tourists, so we were happy to buy a few treats for on-the-go.

We will be back, Florence and Treasure Cay!! In the meantime, can we please find a way to get the coastal United States water to look as clean and as beautiful as it does in other countries? We truly enjoy these pristine blue waters.

Great Sale Cay

 On the morning that we left West End, we ate a simple (yet expensive- what you see below cost us ~$100) breakfast at Dockside Grill at the marina before heading out. Walking back to the boat, Bear spotted her first sea turtle in the wild. We were all ecstatic for her, since that's her favorite animal and we had all been keeping an eye out for one. Moose, Roo, and I tried to see it but it wasn't to be seen again.

 

 

Our plan was to head to Great Sale Cay to anchor for the night. When we got there, we were the only boat in sight. We had the anchorage all to ourselves. Once we got settled, we jumped in the tender and rode over to the beach to explore. The remains of a NASA tracking site were on the beach, leaving us once again wondering about the various locations of NASA and how many more NASA experiences we'd have on our trip!

Taking in views while underway.

Great Sale Cay

Sunset at Great Sale Cay