Staniel Cay - Adventures with the crew of MV ADVENTURES

We've had internet access for the past few days because we're anchored near Staniel Cay - the site of a little settlement with a big antenna to reach the outside world. We typically prefer more remote places but this is one of the rare spots with not one but three stores, and we needed to replenish lettuce and tomatoes. The stores are tiny and it's best to shop right after the weekly mail boat arrives from Nassau. There's the Pink Store...

pink store

The Blue Store...

blue store

And the General Isles Store. We got some tomatoes in the General and Pink Stores, the only two packages of lettuce in the Pink Store, and a lovely coconut sweet loaf in the Blue Store. We're officially re-provisioned!

The Big Major's Spot anchorage near Staniel has a famous little beach where some feral pigs come out of the brush and will swim out to you looking for a handout when you approach in your dinghy. We were cautioned to stay in water deeper than they can stand in or they will try to climb in!

swimming pig and LS

We brought some lettuce scraps and cheese rinds which seemed to make Miss Piggy happy...

swimming pig

Staniel is also home to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club - an un-fancy little restaurant/bar with some docks for boats and big yachts. People decorate the ceiling with various yacht club burgees, so we sat and had burgers under the DeFever club's flag.

scyc and us

Although there are small airstrips on several of the larger islands, Staniel has regular air service to Ft. Lauderdale via Watermaker Air - a 9-ish seat Cessna Caravan that carries people and cargo to the island once or twice a day, or less often in the off-season. This is the air terminal at Staniel, and it's about 100' from where the plane lands.

staniel airport

We've done our usual exploring with the dinghies looking for snorkeling spots, but haven't found as many here - the few are in areas with heavy current flow or strong surge, so we're missing our usual long immersion time. It's still very pretty and interesting to explore little coral patches, tiny islands, and isolated beaches for picnic lunches.

ghost crab

Tomorrow we'll snorkel Thunderball Cave made famous in two James Bond movies, then we'll head south to a more remote anchorage.

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Categories: 2010 Cruise

1 Comment(s):

Mike Harris said...

Robin & Jim Nice to be able to follow your adventures. We want to send you Stephanie's graduation announcement and picture. Do you have a old fashioned mailing address. I know you may not be home for a while. Mike

May 23, 2010 10:46 PM